Green plums cannot become lovers.

Her tone carried an unusual hint of coquetry, with a slight upward inflection at the end, like a cat protesting after its belly has been scratched but not actually angry.

This kind of expression is absolutely unseen in the company. Akane Akasaka, who can silence the entire conference room when she scolds someone, now looks exactly like an ordinary young woman being pressured by her elders to get married.

“It was your parents who came to me to ask you something,” Anhe Tiantong chuckled softly. “It wasn’t me who wanted to rush you.”

"Tsk."

Akane Akasaka let out a short, disgruntled click, tapping her fingers lightly twice on the edge of the table.

"Then they'll be disappointed. I haven't found a suitable young man yet. Grandma Tiantong, don't listen to them anymore."

"If you keep going like this, you'll be single for the rest of your life."

"A lifetime is a lifetime, I don't care."

Akane Akasaka spoke in a stiff tone, her back ramrod straight, her chin slightly raised, conveying an air of "I can manage on my own." But her hand subtly tugged at the hem of her dress under the table, a small gesture that betrayed that her confidence wasn't as strong as she claimed.

Anhe Tiantong sighed helplessly as he looked at her stubborn expression.

"You know... it's very lonely to live your whole life alone."

The old woman spoke very softly, almost as if she were talking to herself. Her gaze towards Akane Akasaka held a gentle tenderness unique to those who had experienced much and seen through many things.

"I'm not afraid."

Akane Akasaka's voice was a little lower than before, but it was still firm.

Anwa Tendo opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing Akane Akasaka's expression that she didn't want to talk about this topic anymore, he finally gave up.

There was a two-second silence at the dinner table.

Anhe Asuka put down her chopsticks and spoke slowly.

"Don't worry, Grandma."

"I won't let Sister Zhu Yin be lonely. I will take care of Sister Zhu Yin in her old age."

Akane Kousaka's eyes widened instantly.

"You brat, what did you say?"

Her voice rose a notch, and her hand rose from the edge of the table, circled half the table, and precisely pinched the soft flesh of An and Asuka's waist.

The force wasn't great, but the location was cleverly chosen—just below the ribs, in the muscle band most prone to soreness.

"hiss--"

An and Asuka gasped, their upper bodies tilting to the side like a tree bent by the wind. Their expressions contorted for a moment, but the curve of their lips remained, as if they were suppressing a laugh or a pain.

As Anhe Tiantong watched this scene, the corners of his mouth slowly curved up.

Her gaze shifted from Anwa Asuka's face to Akane Akasaka's face, then back to Anwa Asuka's face, looking at her twice before finally covering her mouth and laughing out loud.

The meal was a lively and enjoyable affair.

In the spacious restaurant, the warm yellow light illuminated a scene of disarray. Dishes and plates lay scattered across the table, with three sets of chopsticks and bowls strewn about in front of their respective places. Anhe Tiantong hadn't heard so many sounds simultaneously in this room in a long time: voices, laughter, the clinking of chopsticks against bowls, and the gentle tapping of teacups on the table.

Since An and Subaru moved out, the mansion has become quiet.

I wake up in the morning and eat breakfast alone in the dining room. At noon, I watch TV alone in the living room. In the evening, I sit alone under the eaves, watching the old tree in the yard rustle in the wind, and then go to my room to sleep alone.

It's not that we didn't invite people to keep us company, but that's different.

The people you invite will talk to you, smile at you, and offer you a glass of warm water when you cough. But they won't fight you for the last piece of braised pork at the dinner table, they won't talk back to you in that "mind your own business" tone, and they won't act so innocent and naive in front of you.

These are things only family can provide.

And today, those sounds finally echoed through this mansion once again.

After finishing their meal, they chatted for a long time, their conversation as rambling as leaves blown by the wind, drifting and settling wherever they happened to be.

Time passed by unnoticed.

The wall clock struck nine. An and Asuka glanced at the time, turned their heads slightly, and exchanged a look with Akane Akasaka.

The two people stood up at the same time.

"Grandma, it's getting late, we should head back now."

Anwa Tendo sat on the tatami mat, looking up at them. Her expression remained unchanged, but the light in her eyes dimmed slightly, as if someone had twisted the wick of a lamp.

"It's so late, wouldn't it be better if you stayed overnight?"

Her tone was expectant, and she spoke very softly, as if afraid that speaking too harshly would embarrass them.

An and Asuka opened their mouths, then closed them again.

He wanted to agree.

The atmosphere tonight was so wonderful, so wonderful, that he didn't want the night to end so soon. But there were still several young girls waiting for him at home.

He glanced at Akane Akasaka.

Akane Akasaka's expression was similar to his—hesitant, reluctant, and a little guilty. She still had over a dozen unread work messages on her phone, and a mountain of work awaited her at the office tomorrow morning.

"Grandma Tendo, I have something to do tomorrow," Akane Akasaka said first, her voice softer than usual. "Come again next time."

“Sorry, Grandma, me too,” An and Asuka followed up.

An and Tiantong looked at them, remained silent for a moment, and then a seemingly relaxed smile appeared on their lips.

"Ok."

She stood up, her knees clicking softly, then straightened her back and walked ahead to see them out.

"Be careful on the road."

Standing at the door, An and Tiantong's voices were a little lower than usual.

"Okay, Grandma, get some rest."

An and Asuka walked out the door, with Akane Kousaka following behind.

A night breeze blew in from outside, carrying the unique coolness of early autumn in Jiulin, similar to that of Liuzhou, and the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms drifting from a distant house. The lamp at the courtyard gate was still lit, its orange glow illuminating the two characters "Anhe" on the gate sign.

The car started.

An and Asuka sat in the passenger seat and saw their grandmother still standing at the door in the rearview mirror. She stood under the light, her white hair swaying slightly in the wind, her shadow stretched long by the light and cast on the wooden door behind her. She didn't wave or say anything, she just stood there, watching the car slowly drive away.

The image in the rearview mirror grew smaller and smaller, more and more blurry, until it finally became a tiny dot of light that blended into the night.

Akane Akasaka drove without saying a word. An old song was playing on the car stereo; the melody was slow, like someone sighing softly from afar.

An and Feiniao leaned against the car window, watching the streetlights rushing past outside, one after another, like a pearl necklace that had been torn apart.

"Sister Zhu Yin".

"Ah."

"...Nothing much."

About three minutes later.

The car had been driving along the main road for a while, and the scenery on both sides changed from the low walls of the residential area to the roller shutters of the shops lining the street. Akane Akasaka gripped the steering wheel with both hands, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, her expression calm.

Anhe Asuka suddenly spoke.

"Sister Zhu Yin, let's turn around."

Akane Akasaka didn't ask why.

She tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, activated the turn signal, and turned the car around at the next intersection.

The car drove back onto that familiar street, the residential areas on both sides as quiet as if they were asleep. The lights in Anhe Tiantong's courtyard were still on, a small section of them leaking through the gaps in the courtyard wall, drawing a thin line of light on the ground.

Akane Akane parked the car at the gate of the courtyard, leaving the engine running. The headlights shone on the wooden door, making the wood grain clearly visible under the light, like an enlarged map.

An and Asuka unbuckled their seatbelts and got out of the car.

He stood at the gate of the courtyard, hesitated for a second, and then reached out and pushed the door open.

The lights in the courtyard were still on, as was the small lamp under the eaves.

The slippers in the entryway were still in the spot where he had just taken them off, next to Grandma's pair, and then to Sister Zhu Yin's pair, all neatly arranged like a family.

When he reached the living room door, Anwa Tendo was sitting on the tatami mat with the unfinished book on his lap and his fingers pressing on the pages.

She heard footsteps, looked up, and there was a moment of confusion in her eyes.

"Birds?"

"Grandma, Sister Zhuyin said it was too dark on the road and difficult to drive, so we came back."

An and Asuka stood at the door and said with a smile, "So, could you let us stay for the night?"

Anhe Tiantong was stunned for a moment.

Then a kind and happy smile slowly bloomed on her face, and her crow's feet extended from the corners of her eyes, shining like sunlight through the gaps in the clouds.

"Good good."

She said "good" three times in a row, each time louder than the last, as if three different versions of herself were saying the same word at different times and with different feelings.

An and Asuka stood at the living room doorway, and seeing the smile on their grandmother's face, they smiled too.

"Hey kid, get out of the way."

Volume 1: Chapter 288 Game Release

That night, An and Feiniao slept quite soundly.

I don't know if it was because I had resolved some inner conflict, but the process of my consciousness sinking into darkness was much faster than before. I didn't toss and turn or have any random thoughts. As soon as my head touched the pillow, it was as if something gently tugged at me, and I fell into the depths of a dreamless state.

The smell of tatami mats, the fresh scent of laundry detergent on the bedding, and the subtle sounds of the night wind blowing through the eaves in the distance—these all became the background noise for his sleep, quiet and comforting.

When I woke up the next day, it was already broad daylight.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the paper windows, casting long, thin golden streaks on the tatami mats. Birdsong filled the yard in bursts, crisp and clear like someone gently playing a xylophone in the distance.

An and Asuka vaguely sensed someone beside them.

He heard soft breathing, felt the warmth radiating from his body, and smelled a faint scent of shampoo that didn't belong to him.

He suddenly opened his eyes and came to his senses.

A girl with black hair and bangs was kneeling beside the bed.

Her posture was very upright, with her hands on her knees and her back ramrod straight, like a doll that had been placed in the right position. But the light dancing in her eyes completely destroyed the atmosphere created by the word "upright"; her eyes were bright and curved, carrying a hint of smugness.

"Pleiades."

An and Asuka's voices were still hoarse from just waking up. An's Adam's apple bobbed as he propped himself up against the headboard.

Good morning, Asuka.

An and Subaru grinned, revealing a row of neat teeth. Her smile was infectious, though it also looked a little silly.

"Good morning." Anhe Feibiao rubbed his eyes, his fingers brushing against the corner of his eye. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my home, of course I'm here."

An and Subaru spoke with an air of self-assurance, their chins slightly raised, as if stating an irrefutable fact. Her black hair fell to her shoulders, her bangs neatly covering her forehead, revealing only two thin eyebrows and a pair of excessively bright eyes.

Didn't you move out?

"Oh, you mean this?"

An and Subaru tilted their heads, their hair swaying behind their heads.

"I heard from Grandma that you came to my house, so I rushed back early this morning. How about that, isn't that amazing?"

An and Asuka looked at her smiling face and sighed helplessly.

"Oh, okay? Then could you please step out for a moment?"

"why?"

"I need to get up and change my clothes."

"Let's take a look."

An and Subaru blinked, their eyelashes fluttering twice, and the smile on their lips widened even further.

"Don't be shy."

"Look? | You 3 cold death Ix wife three you head."

Anwa and Asuka raised their hands as if to tap each other on the head. Anwa and Subaru laughed and leaned back slightly, but did not dodge, because Anwa and Asuka had only raised their hands and then quickly lowered them.