They all have hidden attributes!

"Cheng-kun, have you been too busy lately? Let me know if you feel tired."

Maya Uesugi also vaguely sensed that Makoto Takahashi had been too busy lately and rarely had the opportunity to test the tricks he had learned, so she shared the same opinion as Yuki Tachimi.

"I suggest you rest at home today. The National Honor Award has been confirmed for you. Many well-informed people have sent congratulatory gifts to your aunt, including several bottles of very nice wine."

Faced with their concern, Makoto Takahashi neither agreed nor refused, but simply made some concessions.

"The National Honor Award? I'd almost forgotten about it."

He rubbed his temples, looking troubled, and said in a responsible tone:

"Hanaori has been too willful lately. A few days ago she said she wanted to dye her hair completely purple. Fortunately, the badminton club is back on track, so it shouldn't be a problem if she doesn't go next month."

Chapter 227 Two People Unwilling to Compromise

"Aye, put the cooked lemon slices into the sugar water and cook for another ten minutes."

As he spoke, Makoto Takahashi poured half a box of butter into the cooled filling.

Ding--

The oven beeped, and he pushed the glass bowl toward Tachimi Yuki beside him.

"Just stir until it melts."

Makoto Takahashi gave her a word of advice, then turned and walked towards the oven: "I've come to like butter a little."

"Eating too much will make you fat."

Tachikawa picked up a spoon and stirred the filling in the glass bowl, looking slightly troubled: "Makoto-kun, remember to wear oven mitts."

"Too much trouble." Makoto Takahashi opened the oven nonchalantly.

The aroma of caramel wafted through the air, casting a sweet glow over the entire kitchen.

I took out the freshly baked tart crust with my bare hands, and the high temperature accumulated in the metal mold did not leave any marks on my skin.

He placed the tart crust on the counter and, while brushing it with butter under the heat, asked Uesugi Maya, "Has the lottery for the Tokyo Dome live show started yet?"

Lottery draws, limited-time offers, and reservations are considered three major cultural features of Japan.

The so-called selection is actually a lottery.

Whether it's a concert, an exhibition, buying popular merchandise, or even a summer festival, you have to submit an application first and then pay for the purchase after you're selected in a draw.

Makoto Takahashi has never quite understood this model, just as he still doesn't understand why some restaurants require reservations via fax.

Tokyoites are such a hassle.

As for limited editions, he could understand it to some extent, because Hanakawa Kaori liked to collect all kinds of limited editions, and as long as the color was changed, many people would buy them.

"It's over."

Maya Uesugi walked over and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "It's even more sought after than I expected. To be honest, I'm already a little nervous."

She only needed to watch from a distance as the lemon slices were being cooked, which helped her to get closer to the person.

The sleeveless vest revealed an arm that inadvertently touched Takahashi Makoto's skin. The deliberately lowered voice and the fragrance emanating from his black hair created a sense of intimacy that repelled others.

Yuki Tachibana noticed the situation between the two and couldn't leave, so she vigorously stirred the filling, making a sound: "Saya, your older sister won't laugh at you, okay?"

The implication was that Uesugi Maya should stay away from Takahashi Makoto, and there was no need for them to whisper in the kitchen.

"That's about enough, just pour it in."

Makoto Takahashi glanced at the state of the filling, took the tart crust and moved it two steps to the side. As Yuki Tachimi poured in the filling, he gave Maya Uesugi a smug look.

see it?

Schemes are useless; the legitimacy of a relationship is what matters most.

Maya Uesugi frowned slightly, resting her hand on her chin as she pondered seriously.

Over the past week, the various tricks I learned have indeed come in handy, but to say they have any effect is an understatement; there have been no obvious benefits.

Is it because Takahashi Makoto has developed an immunity to too much?

Give up for now and save the experience you've accumulated for use in critical moments.

"Aya, bring me a lemon slicer."

Makoto Takahashi's voice interrupted her train of thought. Maya Uesugi responded indifferently, turned off the gas stove, took out lemon slices, put them on a plate, and brought them over.

Undeterred, she once again made an "accidental" physical touch, while Makoto Takahashi focused intently on spreading out the filling and placing the lemon peel on the top layer.

"Just 15 more minutes."

As he spoke, he put the lemon tart into the oven, closed the door, set the timer to 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes, and then went to the tap to wash his hands.

After drying his hands, Makoto Takahashi turned to face the two of them and returned to the topic at hand: "Actually, I think the lottery is not a good thing. Many people don't even have the right to buy a ticket because of bad luck."

“I understand what you mean, but the lottery can effectively stop scalpers.”

Maya Uesugi crossed her arms, staring straight at him with an indifferent expression.

"With your current popularity, if we don't use a lottery system and you don't spend more than ten times the price, almost no one will be able to buy a ticket. That might lead to a situation you don't want to see."

Some people will go to great lengths to make money in order to follow their idols.

"Yes, you're right, so isn't there a better way?" Takahashi asked.

Upon hearing this, Uesugi Maya gave him a look that seemed to say, "Are you trying to make things difficult for me?" He had no choice but to turn his gaze to Tachimi Yuki, thinking that the young lady should be very knowledgeable about business operations.

"I have a way." Tachimi Yuki smiled sweetly.

Tell me about it.

"If Cheng-kun just wants to satisfy his fans, he can do so by not charging them in the name of thanking them for their support."

Hearing her say that, Makoto Takahashi immediately became interested.

Uesugi Maya's lips twitched down, and after a moment of hesitation, she reluctantly agreed:

“It is indeed a good idea. Taking advantage of receiving the National Honor Award, we can hold a free performance in the form of a thank-you ceremony. All we need is a large enough space to set up a stage so that everyone can move around freely.”

"Located on the border of Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, along both banks of the Edogawa River, it's a perfect location for summer festivals."

Li Jianyu clapped her hands lightly, tilted her head slightly, her golden hair shimmering, revealing her pure and lovely appearance:

"Moreover, it will not affect the band's commercial value at all, and there is no need to worry about disturbing the peace. For those who buy tickets for the Tokyo Dome performance, a full refund can be given, and many spots can be made available for those who want to spend money."

"Good idea." Makoto Takahashi was very satisfied with her proposal.

“Edogawa Ward is not as good as the Port Ward. We can perform on the sea using yachts, and it’s safer,” Uesugi Maya objected.

"Makoto, which side do you prefer?" Tachikami Yuki was too lazy to argue with her, so she directly threw the question to Takahashi Makoto.

The two men focused their gazes on him, but Takahashi Makoto ignored them: "The weather is nice today, why don't we go out together and do some on-site inspections of both places, and then announce it as soon as we've made a decision."

He is no longer the person who would feel lost and helpless in the face of a chaotic situation.

However, things were not as simple as Makoto Takahashi had imagined.

“No, you should stay home and rest,” Uesugi Maya refused outright.

Tachibana Yuki walked over, examined the lemon tarts in the oven, and said lightly, "Then after we finish eating the lemon tarts, shall we go together and visit Mother while we're at it?"

Makoto Takahashi looked at Maya Uesugi with a questioning gaze, but she had a resolute expression that said, "Nothing I say will make a difference."

"I think the two of you should have a good talk and reach a consensus," Takahashi Makoto said, spreading his hands with a hint of helplessness in his voice.

Tachibana Yuki turned to look at Uesugi Maya and said with a smile, "Maya, if you want to borrow my boyfriend again, you'll have to listen to your older sister."

"Heh." Uesugi Maya let out a contemptuous sneer.

The two looked into each other's eyes and fell into a long silence.

Just as they were at an impasse, Makoto Takahashi's cell phone rang.

He took out his phone and glanced at it. The caller ID on the screen showed Nekoya Haruna. Leaning against the kitchen counter, he answered the call right there.

"Acheng, do you have any plans for today?"

"Wait a mininute."

Makoto Takahashi looked up at Maya Uesugi and Yuki Tachimi, pointing to his phone with his other hand: "Have you two decided? Are you going out or staying home today?"

"Rest at home."

"Let's go to the port area first, and have lunch at a nearby restaurant."

The two women remained at odds, so Makoto Takahashi had no choice but to lecture them. He then told Hina Nekoya on the other end of the phone, "There are no plans yet."

"I'm free today, let me treat you to teppanyaki."

Nekoya Hina didn't care about her surroundings. As long as Takahashi Makoto said he was free, it was a rare opportunity for both of them to have time, and having fun was the most important thing.

"Do you remember Mizuno? I beat her into submission, and things have been much better lately."

"Ah, I'm getting off topic. Anyway, her brother is a chef. He works at a teppanyaki restaurant in Nerima. Everyone says it's super delicious. How about we go try it?"

Makoto Takahashi's phone wasn't very loud, but it was loud enough for Maya Uesugi and Yuki Tachimi to hear clearly in the quiet kitchen.

After waiting a few seconds and seeing that the two were still unwilling to compromise, he simply agreed: "Okay, I baked some lemon tarts at home and will bring them to you to try."

"Chengjun, please take some fruit with you."

Maintaining her composure as the "official wife," Tachikami walked to the refrigerator, opened the door, and took out a box of strawberries and a box of cherries.

Seeing that she didn't stop her, Uesugi Maya pressed down her lips unhappily, her pink lips moved slightly, but no sound came out.

A predicament was emerging, and both of them sensed a hint of crisis.

Makoto Takahashi has been very busy lately. Although he can take care of everything, the time that Maya Uesugi and Yuki Tatsumi take up of him has visibly decreased.

Admittedly, they still have their own time to be intimate, but who would complain about having too much time with their lover?

Even more frightening is that because Makoto Takahashi's actions were so justifiable, neither of them could keep him. Unwilling to compromise with the other to arrange today's plans, they could only watch helplessly as Hina Nekoya snatched him away.

Uesugi Maya herself felt embarrassed, while Tachimi Yuki maintained a calm attitude, after all, she was the official girlfriend and the angel who gave them permission.

Ding--

The oven made a piercing noise. Makoto Takahashi and Haruna Nekoya agreed on a meeting place, hung up the phone, and took the lemon tart out of the oven.

"I'll go upstairs and change my clothes first," Makoto Takahashi said.