I, the spiritual mentor of beautiful girls from all over the world

"After all, that's troublesome too." (Big)

Chapter 72: A Threesome

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a warm orange, casting a soft glow on the entrance of Zongwu High School.

Yui Yuigahama stood alone by the roadside, carrying her schoolbag, looking somewhat lost in thought.

She was still clutching the empty pink lunchbox that had been handed to her that morning.

Her mood was like a rollercoaster all day long.

In the morning, Xiao Qiong came over and handed her this lunchbox.

The thick omelet tasted so good that she almost cried on the spot.

With its delicate texture and just the right amount of sweetness, she could picture Teacher Lynn in the kitchen, wearing an apron, looking both relaxed and incredibly serious as she prepared the dish.

But after that, Xiao Qiong never spoke a word to her again.

In the classroom, she turned around several times, but all she saw was that quiet, seemingly isolated silver-haired profile.

What does this mean?

Have you forgiven her?

Or is this simply a more sophisticated and brutal way of asserting sovereignty?

She was tormented by this feeling of gain and loss all day long, her mind a complete mess.

Unfortunately, Ms. Lynn didn't have any classes today, so she didn't even have a chance to catch a glimpse of her from afar and recharge herself.

She drifted aimlessly through school until it was over. Standing there, she didn't know whether to go home or wait for a miracle that might never happen.

"Yugahama-san."

A familiar, slightly lazy, and magnetic voice suddenly rang out from behind.

Yui Yuigahama's body stiffened abruptly, almost thinking she was hallucinating.

The next second, an overwhelming surge of joy instantly overwhelmed all her disappointment. With eyes full of expectation and light, she turned around abruptly.

As the sun set, Lynn and Qiong walked side by side.

He was still wearing that simple white shirt, his hands in his pockets, his expression indifferent.

Beside him, Qiong was still wearing that pristine white school uniform, her long silver hair swaying gently in the evening breeze, gleaming with a faint sheen reminiscent of the number 860.

Yui Yuigahama's gaze involuntarily fell on Sora.

She seems... different today.

That usually expressionless face remained calm, but a faint blush had quietly crept onto its pale cheeks.

There was something in her eyes that she couldn't describe. It was no longer a deathly silence that kept people at a distance, but rather like a sky washed by rain, clear and bright, with a kind of... vivid radiance as if she were in love.

The whole person came alive because of this.

"Ah! Ms. Lynn!" Yui Yuigahama finally realized what was happening and hurriedly stuffed the lunchbox into her schoolbag, her cheeks instantly burning.

Lynn's gaze lingered on her flustered little face for a second before she spoke calmly, her tone as natural as if she were stating something perfectly reasonable.

"I apologize for disturbing you at your residence yesterday; I'll return the favor today."

"……Eh?"

Yui Yuigahama's brain went blank with a buzzing sound.

Returning the invitation?

This reason...is flawless!

Polite, considerate, and with an undeniable adult composure.

A surge of immense joy instantly welled up in her heart.

But the next second, she froze as if she had been doused with a bucket of cold water.

Her gaze, uncontrollably and with a hint of fear, drifted toward Qiong, who was standing next to Lynn.

However, to her surprise, Qiong simply glanced at her calmly.

The sharpness in his eyes yesterday was gone, as was the chilling intent to completely exclude her.

It's just... peace.

Calmly, they acquiesced to Lynn's decision.

This silent "permission" is more impactful than any language.

Yui Yuigahama was struck by this sudden, almost unbelievable happiness. Her face flushed red, her eyes welled up, and she almost burst into tears on the spot.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found herself too nervous to utter a single word. She could only nod frantically like a chick pecking at rice.

……

The three of them went to a newly opened family restaurant near the station.

The store's interior design is very cozy, with warm yellow lighting and soft background music that makes you feel relaxed.

Lynn naturally sat down in the middle of the three-seater.

This scene caught the eye of Yui Yuigahama, who was hesitant, and made her heart pound uncontrollably.

In the end, she mustered up all her courage and did not choose to sit opposite him. Instead, she and Qiong sat on either side of Lynn.

A perfect and stable triangular formation was thus formed.

At the next table, several office workers who had just finished get off work and whose ties were loose were drinking beer and complaining about their bosses.

One of the middle-aged men noticed the unusual pairing and nudged his companion with his elbow.

"Hey, look at that student over there..."

"Hmm? Let me see... Wow, kids these days are really something." Another man followed his gaze and couldn't help but sigh in a low voice.

"The one on the left is so energetic, she's like the sun; the one on the right is as quiet as a doll, she's like the moon... My god, is this guy the protagonist of a harem anime?"

"Back in our school days, being able to say just one word to the prettiest girl in class was enough to brag about for a whole semester." The man who spoke first took a swig of beer, his eyes full of reminiscence and envy.

"Look at other people... Sigh, never mind, let's drink, I have to get up early for a meeting tomorrow."

Hearing these comments, which were a mix of weariness and envy among working professionals, Yui Yuigahama blushed even more, wishing she could bury her head under the table.

Qiong, on the other hand, remained calm and even naturally picked up the kettle and poured a glass of water for Lynn, her movements as practiced as if she had done it a thousand times.

"Hello, what would you like to order?"

A waitress with a ponytail walked over.

Her professional smile froze for a moment when she saw the strange combination of the three, her eyes darting back and forth between them, her gossip-loving soul burning brightly.

Lynn didn't take the menu she offered, but leaned back in her chair and spoke lazily.

"One hamburger patty combo, no onions, and extra cheese in the sauce."

"A creamy pasta dish, less salt, with the side dish replaced with Caesar salad."

"And one teriyaki chicken rice bowl."

Yui Yuigahama was completely stunned.

A hamburger steak combo, no onions, extra cheese... Isn't this her favorite combination?

She never told Ms. Lynn about her dietary preferences!

She looked at Lynn in shock, while Qiong, on the other side, also glanced at him slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her clear gray eyes.

Creamy pasta with less salt, paired with Caesar salad, is indeed one of the few Western dishes she can accept.

While the waitress was taking notes at lightning speed, she couldn't help but glance at Lynn a few more times, internally ranting and raving.

Are all playboys this cunning these days? He even remembers his two girlfriends' tastes so clearly? That's incredibly dedicated!

"T-Teacher..." Yui Yuigahama stammered, "How...how did you know I like to eat these things?"

"observe."

Lynn's answer was concise and clear, yet it moved Yui Yuigahama more than any sweet words.

He added, "Last time in the Service Club, when you were eating your bento, you would carefully pick out the onions, but you would use your own fried chicken to exchange for the cheese in Yukinoshita's bento."

"I thought you just liked eating meat, but then I found out you liked cheese."

The feeling of being watched so meticulously and subtly made Yui's heart beat even faster; she felt her cheeks were so hot they could fry an egg on them.

On the other side, Qiong was quietly drinking water, but the hand holding Lynn's arm unconsciously loosened a little.

So... Onii-chan's understanding of Yui is based on observation.

My understanding of her is based on the instinct of spending every day together and being ingrained in my bones.

Thinking about it this way, the unease she felt because of Lynn's understanding of Yui instantly subsided.

She even developed a secret, sweet sense of superiority that only she could understand.

"Um..." Yui Yuigahama mustered her courage, looked at Sora across from her, and said in a soft voice, "Sora, the bento box this morning... was really delicious, thank you."

Qiong stopped drinking water, glanced at her with his gray eyes, and then nodded slightly in a soft but clear voice.

"Yes, Onii-chan made it."

The moment she uttered those words, Qiong's heart still felt a slight pang.

It feels like sharing a small piece of your most precious treasure with someone else.

But when she felt her brother's approving gaze on her head, the sting was quickly replaced by a warm sense of satisfaction.

"Huh?" Yui Yuigahama was taken aback; she clearly didn't mean that.

“She’s only responsible for packing and handing it to you,” Lynn added casually, but a hint of a smile flashed in her eyes.

Yui Yuigahama understood everything in an instant.

This is how Teacher Lynn is using his own way to build a clumsy yet incredibly gentle stepping stone between himself and Xiao Qiong, allowing them to reconnect.

And Xiao Qiong... she was also willing to step down from that position for her teacher.

Thinking of this, her gaze towards Qiong softened even more.

That gentleness contained less guilt and more heartfelt gratitude for the effort.

"Xiao Qiong... really, thank you so much."

Qiong seemed a little uncomfortable with such direct gratitude. She gave a soft "hmm" and looked away, a faint blush rising at the base of her ears.

In this subtle and harmonious atmosphere, the dishes were served one after another.

Lynn skillfully controlled the topics and pace of the meal.

“Yuigahama-san, last time when you fell asleep in the Service Club activity room, Yukinoshita-san stood next to you and stared at you expressionlessly for a full ten minutes.”

"Eh?!" Yui Yuigahama almost choked on a bite of hamburger meat, her face instantly turning red. "W-Yuki...why is she staring at me?"

"He's probably thinking about why some creatures can sleep so soundly and drool so artistically," Lynn lazily remarked.

"Her expression at the time was as if she were observing a magical, endangered animal."

"Teacher...! You've gone too far! I didn't drool! And Yuki isn't that kind of person!" Yui Yuigahama protested, embarrassed and indignant.

Qiong was quietly eating her pasta when she heard this, and a tiny, almost imperceptible smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

Yui's shy demeanor was surprisingly... kind of interesting.

"Qiong, eat slowly." Lynn noticed that Qiong was eating a little too fast, so he naturally reached out and gently patted her back. "No one's going to take it from you."

Qiong stopped moving and nodded obediently, like a cat that had been stroked.

"Oh, right, Yui," Lynn suddenly said, interrupting her reverie.

"Ms. Hiratsuka said that the Service Club needs to prepare a program for this school festival. What are your thoughts?"

"Ah, that..." Yui Yuigahama immediately snapped out of her daze.

"Xiaoxue came up with a lot of brilliant ideas, but I always felt they were too complicated, and I was afraid that everyone would be too busy to handle them."

“Then let’s simplify it,” Lynn said directly.