Tokyo Soft Rice King

In the end, Hei Yuming had to bear all of this alone, which made her feel very guilty.

"By the way, if you, squad leader, don't want to have anything to do with him, just reject him clearly. I think with his personality, he won't keep pestering me... So why did you choose to give him the cold shoulder?"

"Sumitomo-kun never confessed to me, so I didn't have the chance to completely reject him... But now it seems that maybe I shouldn't worry about issues like face and should be more direct and clear about it. Although I have already told Sumitomo-kun that you are a good person."

"what……"

It turns out that the good guy card has already been issued.

So did Ryouta Sumitomo not realize that he was dumped, or did he mistakenly think that "you are a good person" meant that he still had a chance?

Anyway, he must have faced the reality now.

"Well, I understand you don't want to date him. After all, feelings of love are complicated. No matter how long you've been together, you won't feel anything for someone you don't like... But I heard him say he was your childhood sweetheart, yet you're deliberately distancing yourself from him? Why is that? Are we really not even friends anymore?"

"Is that so...? He even told you this..."

Anri Hitomi showed a somewhat lonely expression, and her smile turned into a bitter smile.

"Actually, that's because Mother doesn't want me to get too close to them."

“Oh wow…”

You listen to your mother so much, so are you a mama's girl, squad leader?

Or is it that Anri Hitomi's mother is a terrible tigress?

Why does her mother interfere with Asato Hitomi's friendships? Is she so controlling?

When Kuroba Akira tactfully asked the above question, Asato Hitomi began to talk about her childhood memories.

"No, although my mother was very strict with me, she didn't interfere with my school affairs... She just told me some of the possible situations when I was very young."

……

"Xiao Tong, don't get too close to Sumitomo-kun and the others in the future."

"Eh? Why? Mom, Ryouta-kun and Mirai-chan are both good kids..."

"I know they're good kids, and I know you're really good friends with them. I hope your friendship will last forever... but their parents might not be as willing as I am to keep your friendship pure."

"What does that... mean? Are Ryouta-kun's parents bad guys?"

"That's not true. The adult world isn't just about good and bad people. Career-wise, they're all very capable and successful adults. It's just that their stance isn't firm enough, and their status inflates their ambitions, so they exploit everything around them, including their own children."

"I do not understand……"

"Xiao Tong, you should have read those books I asked you to read, about following your parents' orders and marrying someone you don't want to marry. That's kind of annoying plot, right?"

"Um……"

“That’s what really happens.”

"Well……"

"Don't be so scared. I did think about arranging a marriage for you before, and even letting you practice as a bride, but your father scolded me. I really shouldn't treat you like the person I used to be."

"...Mom, do you regret marrying Dad? Um... I'm sorry... I said the wrong thing..."

"Heh... your father and I were married for political reasons, but we were lucky, because I did eventually fall in love with him. He lived up to his name, a man who wasn't suited to being a politician. However, it was precisely because of this that he was able to forge ahead... He told me that he didn't want to sacrifice his children, and that the Anzai family didn't need to use such means to expand their power. So, I'll set you free, Tong."

"Um...thank you, Mom."

"Don't thank me. I know you're not sincere. You've always preferred your father to me, and I can see you don't like me very much. But even if I don't arrange a marriage for you, I will still intervene to prevent you from marrying the wrong person and avoid making your life unhappy. After all, you might not be as lucky as I am."

"..."

"Of course, if you, Xiaotong, still insist on being friends with Ryouta-kun and the others, I won't say anything more. The choice is yours, but I must tell you that your friends may very well become your weaknesses."

"weakness?"

"That's right. Take Sumitomo Ryouta for example. I'm afraid his parents will try every possible means to make him your husband in order to create a deeper connection between the Sumitomo and Asato families, thus spoiling your friendship."

"..."

"Are you sure you can protect your friends from this kind of interference? Or rather... Tong, can you make your friends stand by you even if it means opposing your parents?"

"..."

"You should be able to do it, after all, you are my children, and this requires you to control their psychology, so that they follow you completely and will never betray you."

"But if we do that... we can't be considered friends anymore... Friends should be equals..."

"Yes, although they will still regard you as their most important friend, Tong, you will no longer be able to treat them sincerely because you are manipulating them."

"..."

"Because you are 'Anri' Tong, this is the reality you have to face. Tong, you are a smart child, I think you should already know what to do."

Let young children face cruel life choices.

At the most carefree age, she gave up her childishness and innocence.

"Yes...I completely understand, Mother."

Chapter 50: Be a Lifelong Friend

After listening to the squad leader's story, Hei Yuming roughly understood what was going on.

I had guessed before that the class monitor's background was not simple, and now it has been confirmed.

The surname Anri should represent a prominent family, similar to Abe.

However, Kuroba Akira, who was isolated from the news, was not very clear about how powerful the Anzai family was.

But if the squad leader also lives in Chiyoda Ward, then he is probably like the second generation of officials who live in the residential areas of government agencies, and has been hanging around in the social circle of the power center since childhood.

Ordinary nouveau riche can never get a ticket to the next level because those who are inside the door have been inside the door since the beginning.

However, what surprised Hei Yuming the most was that the class monitor's mother actually told the class monitor this truth.

Generally speaking, parents in such families would definitely not tell their children about such things when they are so young because there is no need to do so.

Just let the children get along naturally. Even if you don't deliberately arrange any marriages, they may eventually become a strong alliance.

Because they say they respect free love, but the people you have known since childhood are this group of people, and your interpersonal relationships when you grow up still revolve around this group of people. In the end, it may be natural for you to marry a childhood friend, and a situation of mutual protection of power will emerge.

In this process, the threshold of power gradually formed and the class solidified...

However, the monitor's mother kept him away from his childhood playmates, which seemed too deliberate, as if she wanted to "cut off" her next generation from those powerful people.

Does this mean that the Anzai family is powerful enough to avoid being in that circle of power?

Aren’t you afraid of being isolated or even targeted?

You have to know that if you stand on the wrong side, you will be liquidated.

However, Hei Yuming didn't want to delve into it. The power relationship was too complicated. He didn't belong to that circle, and it was not something that an orphan from another world like him should think about.

In short, the squad leader chose to keep a certain distance because she had known the intrigues and dealings between these powerful forces since she was a child, and she knew it would be difficult for her to treat her childhood sweethearts sincerely.

No one is wrong in this, it's just a matter of stance, because Asato Hitomi's surname is Asato and Sumitomo Ryota's surname is Sumitomo, and these two surnames have their own "weight".

So, Ryouta Sumitomo, it seems that you are not completely hated.

Because for Anri Hitomi, her alienation from you is actually proof that she regards you as a friend.

"Oh, thank you for your hard work, squad leader."

After listening to this, Hei Yuming just expressed his concern lightly. He couldn't say anything more. This was a problem caused by the class monitor's background, and no one could decide their own background.

Anri Hitomi blinked her eyes. She did not tell Hei Yuming the conversation between her and her mother verbatim, but instead concealed some details. However, Hei Yuming still understood it completely after listening to it once.

Moreover, this indifferent reaction made An Litong feel that what he was talking about was not a heavy topic, and he felt much more relaxed.

Originally, she felt that abandoning her friends was unforgivable, and that her inability to protect them was proof of her weakness. So, from then on, Anri Hitomi would be even stricter with herself...

But it seems that in Hei Yuming's opinion, it is not a big deal?

So...it's no big deal...Anri Hitomi suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

Girls' psychology is so strange. They will feel a little angry if they are not cared about at all. Even Anri Hitomi is no exception, so she continued to bring it up deliberately.

"To avoid misunderstandings, let me first say, Kuroba-kun, Sumitomo-kun isn't my only childhood sweetheart. We always played together as a group of five when we were little, and among the other four, Sumitomo-kun wasn't my closest friend."

"I know that. I also heard Sumitomo Ryouta say that."

However, the squad leader deliberately explained it this way, which made people feel that he was trying to cover up something, as if he was afraid that he would be misunderstood.

"By the way, Class Leader, of your four childhood playmates, except for Sumitomo Ryouta, aren't the other three childhood sweethearts also boys?"

Hei Yuming raised his eyebrows. He wondered if he would have to deal with those who came to cause trouble one by one like he did with the Four Heavenly Kings.

My fake boyfriend is trying his best to defend himself from their advances? Shit, who wants to see that?

Unexpectedly, after Hei Yuming asked this question, the class monitor actually puffed up his cheeks a little angrily.

"How is that possible? In your eyes, Kuroba-kun, am I the kind of scheming girl who only knows how to play with boys?"

You know what, the class monitor really does have a bit of a scheming girl vibe... After all, she has understood the complexity of interpersonal relationships since she was a child.

"We were three girls and two boys playing together back then. Now, only Sumitomo-kun and Kotori-chan are in the same school as me. As for the other two, I heard they went to a boys' school and a girls' school respectively."

"Oh...that's it."

After hearing this, Hei Yuming picked up his chopsticks again and continued eating with peace of mind.

It seems that there is no need to fight the Four Heavenly Kings of Childhood. Bento will no longer be threatened, which is good.

"Actually, the five of us haven't been in touch since we graduated from elementary school. I didn't expect to run into two of them again in high school, and Sumitomo-kun and I were even in the same class..."

"It seems that the connection between you and them has not been completely severed."

"Maybe... But even if we meet again, there's no way we can restore our friendship. After all, I was the one who chose to distance myself from them first..."

"Well...after all, you, class leader, have very high standards for choosing friends."

In fact, the definition of friends depends entirely on the individual.

For some people, just saying a sentence or two can be considered as knowing each other and becoming friends, but for some others, friend is a very heavy word. Only those who can really understand themselves, care about each other, and keep in touch can be called friends.

"So, Kuroba-kun, are we friends now?"

"I don't know what you think, squad leader, but I already consider you a friend."

For Hei Yuming, the definition of a friend is very simple. Anyone who can treat him to a meal is a friend, and anyone who asks him to treat someone to a meal is a bastard.

The squad leader who makes lunch for you is undoubtedly your best friend!

"Yes……"

Hitomi Asato showed a sincere smile. Because she had lost friends before, she believed that friends who could get along with her sincerely were invaluable.

The current art club is composed of friends she believes are able to get along without worrying about their family background. After all, they knew each other in junior high school and became good friends after spending a long time together. They also went to the same high school together.

Although I had been concerned about Hei Yuming's words for a long time, I only spoke to him yesterday.

The person I had only known for two days was a boy, so according to Anri Hitomi's definition of a friend, he couldn't be considered a friend.

However, today we need to make an exception for him.

She really likes Hei Yuming, the 'blue-eyed confidant' who can fully understand her.

You can talk about everything, you have resonance with each other and you are very intimate. If you miss this person, will you be able to meet another one in your life?

I can't expect this kind of luck to happen again, so I must keep him here and tie him tightly to my side...

"I also feel that Kuroba-kun is already my friend, and a very good friend at that."

Because a so-called friend is someone who can always be by your side, right?

"So... we'll be good friends for life, okay?"

Chapter 51 I'll Lick Your Hands

Hei Yuming felt a chill down his spine at the squad leader's creepy smile, as if he was being stared at by a poisonous snake.

Why can you say such horrible words with such a gentle expression?

"Uh, squad leader, it's a bit too harsh to say such things on the second day of knowing each other. You know, lifelong friends are not just words, but whether the friendship can stand the test of time."