Green plums cannot become lovers.

Page 202

He closed his eyes.

Let's talk about it tomorrow.

Tonight, I'll get some rest first.

Volume 1: Chapter 223 I've Come to See You

The next day was still the school festival.

There wasn't much going on this morning, and the atmosphere at school was a bit more relaxed than yesterday. Perhaps because yesterday's busyness had drained so much energy, everyone was taking a more "laid-back" approach today.

When An and Asuka arrived at the classroom, they discovered that their "jobs" had been taken away.

"Anhe, you should get some rest today!" The class monitor pushed him out of the classroom. "You were busy with chores and performances yesterday, you must be exhausted! You don't need to help today!"

"But……"

"No buts!" Several girls pushed him out together, "Go play! Go shopping! Go see the other classes' performances!"

An and Asuka stumbled a couple of steps after being pushed, and when they looked back at their smiling faces, they smiled helplessly.

"...So I'm really leaving?"

"let's go!"

He shook his head, turned and left the classroom.

The campus was bustling with activity, a dazzling array of stalls and events. Some classes were selling fried noodles, some clubs were building haunted houses, some students were performing street magic, and others were handing out flyers to promote their class's programs.

An and Asuka walked for a while, and then they heard footsteps behind them.

"Asuka—wait for us!"

Marina ran over, panting, followed by Ai, Shizuka, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Eriri.

"Why are you here?" An and Asuka asked, somewhat surprised.

"I heard you got kicked out," Kasumigaoka Utaha said. "Since we had nothing else to do, we decided to go for a walk together."

Shizuka smiled and nodded: "It's a rare opportunity to relax and have fun at school like this."

Xiao Ai's eyes sparkled: "I've wanted to go to the school festival for ages! I didn't get to see it properly last year!"

Eriri turned her face away and whispered, "I... I just happened to be there..."

Marina had already taken An and Asuka's arms: "Let's go! It looks like they're selling takoyaki over there!"

The six of them then merged into the crowd at the school festival.

The morning was relaxed and pleasant. They visited various class stalls, ate fried noodles, takoyaki, and cotton candy, and even went to experience the haunted house—Marina and Ai screamed in fright, while Shizuka remained calm throughout, and Kasumigaoka Utaha calmly analyzed, "The working principle of this prop is..."

Eriri tried to remain calm despite her fear, while An and Asuka reminded her at crucial moments, "It's fake, don't be afraid."

When Eriri left the haunted house, her face was still a little pale, but she stubbornly said, "It was nothing special, not scary at all."

"Then why were your hands shaking when you grabbed my arm just now?"

"I didn't arrest him!"

An and Asuka pointed to their sleeves: "Were these scratch marks from a ghost?"

Eriri looked down and her face instantly turned red.

"That...that was an accident!"

Marina chuckled to herself.

Around noon, An and Asuka's gaze was suddenly drawn to a familiar figure.

Akane Akasaka was waving at them from the crowd. Beside her stood two other people: an elegantly dressed elderly man and a girl with long black hair.

An and Asuka were taken aback.

"Asuka, look who's here!" Akane Kousaka approached and said with a smile.

The old man stepped forward and looked at him with kind eyes.

"Asuka-kun".

Her voice was gentle, with a hint of undisguised anticipation.

An and Asuka were silent for a second, then nodded politely.

"Hello, Ms. Anhe."

He then looked at the bright-eyed girl next to him.

"Subaru would be good too."

“Yes, Asuka-kun.” Anwa Tendo nodded slightly, his smile deepening.

She was dressed simply, wearing sunglasses and a sun hat, looking like an ordinary tourist. But her innate elegance still made her stand out from the crowd.

As a legendary figure in the Japanese entertainment industry, she rarely appears in public. Every appearance she makes causes a stir, so she has become accustomed to keeping a low profile.

But today, she came here specifically because of this young man.

Because she wanted to see with her own eyes what it would be like for his first time performing on stage.

She had been looking forward to it ever since she heard the news from Akane Akasaka a few days ago. Although she knew that appearing in such a place might cause trouble given her status, she couldn't resist coming anyway.

Because she really likes this child.

More importantly, she hadn't seen him in a long time and missed him terribly.

An and Subaru leaned closer, smiling, and said, "Asuka, it's been a long time!"

"Yes, it's been a long time." An and Asuka nodded.

They hadn't seen each other for a long time. The last time they met seemed to have been at the party at Eriri's house, which was... more than half a year ago?

It feels more than that

Anwa Tendo looked at him expectantly: "Asuka-kun, I heard you're going to perform on stage today, is that right?"

“Yes.” An and Asuka nodded. “It’s a performance by the class, Romeo and Juliet.”

"I'm really looking forward to it." Anhe Tiantong's gaze was as gentle as the spring sunshine.

“It might not be as good as you imagine,” An and Asuka said.

He was telling the truth.

The elderly woman before me, whether in her youth or now, is a renowned star in the Japanese entertainment industry. The roles she has played, the awards she has won, and the classics she has created are enough to make any younger generation look up to her. To talk about "acting" in front of her feels somewhat like showing off one's limited skills before an expert.

But An and Tiantong shook their heads.

“It’s alright,” she said kindly. “As long as I can see you on stage, I’m content.”

She paused, then lowered her voice.

"I just wanted to see you."

An and Asuka were silent for a moment.

He knew what she meant.

The kind-looking old woman standing in front of him was his grandmother.

My blood grandmother.

His father, Anwa Sosuke, left home when he was young and severed ties with the family, so Anwa Tendo was unaware of his grandson's existence. It wasn't until he was in the second year of junior high school, when he was discovered by Akane Akasaka, that she learned she had a grandson who had been living away from home.

From then on, she kept a close eye on him.

But he didn't want to acknowledge Anhe's family.

It wasn't out of resentment, but because he felt he didn't belong there. He grew up alone in Aichi, and came this far alone; that so-called "family" had never been a part of his life. Now, suddenly, they'd come out and claim him as their grandson, and he couldn't accept it.

Therefore, they did not reveal the nature of their relationship.

She called him "Asuka-kun," and he called her "Ms. Anhe."

Like two polite strangers.

But they all knew the truth.

“Okay…” An and Asuka were silent for a while before finally nodding.

Anhe Tianer looked at him, her eyes slightly warm.

This child looks just like his father when he was young. But their temperaments are completely different—An and Sosuke were rebellious and passionate back then, like a fire that could burst into flames at any moment; while this child is calm, reserved, and gentle, like a bottomless lake.

She missed out on so much.

His childhood, his growth, everything he faced alone.

She could only watch silently from afar.

"Anwa Tendo? Is that Anwa Tendo?!"

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but who shouted first?

All eyes immediately turned to them.

"real or fake?!"

"Oh my god, it really is her!"

"How could Anhe Tiantong be here!"

The crowd began to stir, and more and more people gathered around. Some took out their phones to take pictures, some excitedly pushed forward, and some shouted, "Ms. Anhe, please sign your autograph!"

Anwa and Asuka instinctively took half a step forward, blocking Anwa and Tendo's path.

"Everyone, calm down," he said, his voice not loud, but it had a calming effect.

The crowd paused for a moment.

But soon, more voices emerged.

"It's Asuka! Asuka is here too!"

Do they know each other?

"What's going on?!"

Anhe Tiantong gently patted his shoulder, signaling him not to be nervous. Then she took off her sunglasses, revealing her face, which, though no longer young, remained elegant, and smiled slightly at the people around her.

"Hello everyone, I am Anwa Tendo." Her voice was gentle and clear. "Today I am just here as an ordinary audience member for the school festival. I hope you can let me watch these children's performance in peace and quiet."

She has such a strong presence.

That composure honed by time, that confidence that belongs to a true star, gradually calmed the restless crowd.

Some people started to applaud.

The applause grew louder and louder.

"Ms. Anhe, have a great time!"

We won't bother you!

"Go Asuka-kun!"

Anhe Tiantong smiled and nodded, then put his sunglasses back on.

The crowd slowly dispersed, but many people were still secretly taking pictures from a distance.

An and Asuka turned and glanced at her.

She was looking at him, her eyes filled with a smile.

Time quickly came to 2 PM.