The goal of life is to break up all couples

The bad news is that no one has heard anything about Saki Kawasaki.

The good news is, at least everyone had a good time.

"It seems like we can only place our hopes on that last bar."

Seeing that no one had found any news about Saki Kawasaki, Azusa Matsueda stroked his chin and said, "Although the information should be correct, the actual situation is unpredictable. If we can't find Saki Kawasaki tonight, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for her to come to school and confront her face to face."

"Speaking of which, Minister."

After hearing what Matsueda Azusa said, Hikigaya Hachiman thought for a moment, checked his phone, and then said, "I just looked through the files about the 'Angel's Staircase'. It says... that bar is on the top floor of the Royal Okura Hotel. The hotel seems to be quite upscale. If you're not dressed formally or don't look your age, you'll probably be turned away."

As he spoke, he lowered his head to examine his clothes, then looked hesitantly at Songzhi Zi: "Looking at our appearance... I'm afraid it's unlikely we can get in."

"Those words are just to scare you, Hikigaya."

Compared to Hikigaya's concerns, Matsueda Azusa waved his hand nonchalantly. "If someone were to be turned away from a restaurant simply because their attire wasn't luxurious or classy enough, the restaurant would probably be facing a massive backlash the next day."

"Restaurants that cater only to the upper class won't even have access to the general public, so naturally, there's no need to stop people who aren't dressed formally. You know, many wealthy people also prefer to dress casually. Who wants to wear a suit every minute of every day?"

"Since this restaurant is open to everyone, regardless of whether it's called 'Royal' or 'Royal Family', even if it wants to please its main audience, it won't do so by denigrating other potential customers. Unless it thinks it's making too much money, or is simply being run by a fleet of temporary workers."

Miura Yumiko held her chin up and pointed at Matsueda Azusa: "Why are you explaining so much? It's so long-winded. Actually, isn't it better to think about how Kawasaki Saki got in? She can't wear high-end dresses every day."

Matsueda Azusa glanced at her and said, "It's not confirmed yet that she's working there, and you're just putting it in the abstract."

Miura Yumiko choked. It was true. She had forgotten about it.

After a simple dinner, everyone who had no further plans dispersed on the spot, and Matsueda Azusa took Hikigaya Hachiman to the Angel's Staircase bar.

In fact, Yumiko Miura really wanted to join in the fun, but unfortunately, most students of this age, especially girls, have curfews at home. She came back a little late when she went to the live performance with Azusa Matsueda, and this time it would obviously be much later, so there was nothing she could do.

After eating, he was too lazy to walk, so he called a taxi. Although it was a bit expensive, it was nothing for him.

They took a car and soon arrived at the Royal Okura Hotel.

Looking at the gorgeous exterior of the hotel, Hikigaya couldn't help but reveal a slightly shocked expression. He was obviously overwhelmed by the sense of luxury emanating from this restaurant, and even his actions were more cautious than usual.

Matsueda Azusa had no way to help him adjust his mentality and posture, so she had to let him go.

After entering the hotel, Matsueda Azusa walked directly towards the elevator with a clear goal, followed closely by Hikigaya.

Just as Matsueda Azusa had said before, the waiter at the door did not try to stop them when he saw them. Instead, he treated them like other guests.

Seeing this, Hikigaya Hachiman finally felt a little relieved.

Azusa Matsueda took him directly to the top floor in a transparent elevator.

As the elevator door opened, a dimly lit bar appeared before us. The lighting in the bar was soft, as low-key as candlelight.

"Don't look around, and even if you do, don't look so furtively. Otherwise, people will think you're trying to steal something."

Matsueda Azusa patted Hikigaya Hachiman's shoulder and said, "If you're really nervous, just follow me and look for Kawasaki Saki here. To be honest, although she and I are in the same class, I don't really remember what she looks like..."

Hearing what Matsueda Azusa said, Hikigaya Hachiman breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.

As soon as they passed through the open heavy wooden door, a male servant came forward and bowed to them.

Just as Matsueda Azusa was about to ask him if he knew anything about Saki Kawasaki, Hikigaya Hachiman patted his arm gently and pointed to the front desk of the bar.

Following the direction he pointed, I saw a female bartender wiping glasses behind the bar. She was tall, but due to the lighting, her appearance was not very clear and her hair color was not very discernible.

Matsueda Azusa gently waved to the waiter beside him, indicating that he didn't need his help. Then he whispered to Hikigaya, "Is that Kawasaki-san?"

Hikigaya Hachiman nodded subconsciously, but soon hesitated: "Yes... uh, I think so, right? I'm not sure if I'm making a mistake."

"Since it looks like it, let's go and ask."

Matsueda Azusa didn't waste any time and walked straight to the empty seat in front of the bar. Hikigaya Hachiman looked a little restrained and followed quickly, sitting next to Matsueda Azusa in silence.

The bartender in front of me had long hair tied up on her head, was dressed in a waitress's uniform, and moved elegantly and silently. At first glance, she looked very different from the high school girls she attended.

Seeing someone sitting down, she subconsciously looked up at Matsueda Azusa and Hikigaya, and her hands froze for a moment.

Although Matsueda Azusa didn't recognize him at all, he still pretended to be very confident and said, "Kawasaki-san?"

The atmosphere was silent for a moment.

"Has it still been discovered?"

Kawasaki Saki sighed slightly, "Matsueda-san, why are you here?"

However, she didn't seem to recognize Hikigaya Hachiman?

I can only say that my presence in school is too low.

Matsueda Azusa pointed at Hikigaya, who was trying to minimize his presence, and said, "This is the culprit."

Hikigaya Hachiman didn't expect Matsueda Azusa to suddenly bring him up, and subconsciously pointed at himself blankly, "Huh?"

Saki Kawasaki narrowed her eyes and looked at Hikigaya carefully, her expression somewhat puzzled: "The culprit? Who is this...?"

"It's Hikigaya Hachiman, our classmate."

Matsueda Azusa explained directly, "His sister knows your brother, Dazhi. Your brother was worried about you, so he asked us to find out about you. He wanted to know what you were doing every night. So we came here, and that's what happened."

Kawasaki Saki suddenly realized what he was saying, frowned and thought for a moment, then said in a somewhat stiff tone: "Now you know what I'm doing, are you satisfied?"

"Whether they are satisfied or not is not something we can decide. We are just the trustees."

In the face of Kawasaki Saki's cold response, Matsueda Azusa shrugged nonchalantly: "The key issue lies with Taishi and the rest of your family."

Kawasaki Saki looked Matsueda Azusa up and down, then put down the cup in her hand with a look of surprise on her face. "It sounds like your purpose isn't...? I thought you were here to make me quit this job."

Matsueda Azusa shrugged and asked, "Why should we persuade you to give up? It doesn't make any sense to us or you. If you need money, even if we force you to give up this job, you will still find another job to earn money. At most, you will earn less, and it may be even harder."

"Whether you work or not, or whether you earn more or less, it doesn't affect us at all, right? There's no need for us to do something that harms others and doesn't benefit ourselves."

"…Indeed."

This made a lot of sense, and Kawasaki Saki nodded, but soon became confused again: "So you came all the way here to find me... just to find out what I'm doing and tell Dazhi that I work here?"

"Not much, right? We have no right to interfere with what you do to make a living, but based on your brother's request, I sincerely suggest that you have a good conversation with your family. Burying your true feelings isn't a cure for others, nor is it even an anesthetic to relieve pain. It's simply a weapon that hurts your loved ones."

Matsueda Azusa didn't deny it. "But, if I may, I'd like to ask... You'd rather keep it a secret from your family, leaving them confused and worried, choosing to secretly work rather than explain everything to them and share the hardship. What's the mentality behind this? I always run into people like this, and I'm still curious about the mentality behind their behavior."

"...This matter has nothing to do with you."

Saki Kawasaki didn't answer, which was also within Matsueda Azusa's expectations: "Your suggestion does sound reasonable, but this matter is not as simple as it sounds. It was my own choice to hide it from Taishi, even if I was the one who got hurt. However, no matter what, I will tell him about this matter myself when I get back, and his commission to you ends here. However... regarding the fact that you accepted Taishi's commission... I still want to express my gratitude to you."

Matsueda Azusa thought about it and prepared to say something else.

Just then, a slightly familiar fragrance came from behind.

Yukinoshita Haruno's voice rang out with a slight laugh: "What a coincidence, Xiaozi. No, I should say... you are here after all."

Matsueda Azusa subconsciously turned her head away, frowning. "Yukinoshita Haruno... haven't you had enough fun today? What on earth do you want to do by following her all the way here?"

"It's not for fun, it's for business—which should be business for you."

Yukinoshita Haruno's fake smile remained unchanged: "Can I borrow a moment of your time? This matter will be explained quickly."

98

Chapter 98: Bad news: 168 billion is owed. Good news: No need to pay it back.

Business?

Is this all for business? What could it be?

Songzhi Zi couldn't help but frown, but he was also a little curious.

He immediately whispered to Hikigaya Hachiman, "I have something to do, so I'll be leaving for a while. I'll leave this to you. I'm sure you can handle it."

Hikigaya Hachiman, who was suddenly given a great task, was confused: "What do you want me to do?"

But no one could answer him, as Matsueda Azusa had already followed Yukinoshita Haruno into a private room in the bar.

Only Hikigaya Hachiman and Kawasaki Saki were left looking at each other in bewilderment.

Hikigaya Hachiman twitched his lips awkwardly: "Um...um, do you have Max coffee?"

On the other side, in the box.

"Let's skip the small talk and get straight to the point. What's going on?"

Matsueda Azusa sat opposite Yukinoshita Haruno and asked directly.

To be honest, he really didn't want to have too much contact with Yukinoshita Haruno. Her heart was too thick, and the hypocritical mask she wore on her face had become one with her. Matsueda Azusa couldn't launch a mental attack on her.

The problem is, even if they have the ability to do so, there's no benefit to doing so. Matsueda Azusa's tactics, while somewhat underhanded, are at least mostly within the rules. Yukinoshita Harunoko, however, is different. As the eldest daughter of a local tyrant family who has already made her mark in society, she has a vast array of tactics at her disposal. If Matsueda Azusa were to face her, she would likely be defeated.

Seeing that Matsueda Azusa obviously didn't want to stay here, Yukinoshita Haruno was not in a hurry. She leaned back on the sofa, crossed her legs, and stretched out her plump body: "That customer service representative who works part-time to pay for her studies is your ex-girlfriend, Toyokawa Shoko, right?"

"Haven't you already investigated everything? Why are you still asking so many pretentious questions?"

Matsueda Azusa didn't give Yang No a good look and replied in a bad tone, "She deliberately tricked me into going there to meet her. Do you think this is funny? I'm really disappointed that I couldn't argue with her."

"To be honest, it's quite interesting. But you misunderstood one thing. I didn't do this for your amusement."

Even in the face of such resistance from Matsueda Azusa, Yukinoshita Haruno still smiled and said cheerfully, "This is just a precaution to prevent you from being unaware of Toyokawa Shoko's current situation. After meeting her today, you probably understand that her current situation is very dire."

Huh? What does that mean? Why did Yukinoshita Haruno want to let him know this?

Songzhi Zi felt completely baffled: "So what? What does this have to do with you?"

"Originally, it really had nothing to do with me. But the Toyokawa family negotiated a business deal with our family—or rather, they commissioned us to do something. So, it does have some connection."

Yukinoshita Haruno shrugged and explained simply and straightforwardly: "To be precise, it's Toyokawa Shoko's grandfather. He hopes that we can use methods that won't physically harm Toyokawa Shoko—such as kidnapping, detention, and intimidation—to get her back into the Toyokawa family."

Azusa Matsueda showed a confused and puzzled look. He stretched out his hand and made a "stop" gesture, asking: "Wait? Wait a minute... What is going on? Could you explain it more clearly? What is the current situation in Toyokawa Shoko's family? And why would they entrust your family to do this? No matter how you think about it, it's very strange."

This completely confused him. He had previously thought that Toyokawa Shoko's family had fallen on hard times, and Toyokawa Shoko had never explained to him what was going on. In addition, he was angry at the time and was too lazy to check if there was any problem with Toyokawa's family.

But now that Yukinoshita Haruno said this, it seemed as if Toyokawa Shoko had left the Toyokawa family on her own, which was why she ended up in this situation?

what's going on?

"Oh, I forgot you didn't know this yet. I thought Toyokawa Shoko would tell you, but it seems I overestimated you."

Yukinoshita Haruno looked at Matsueda Azusa's bewildered expression, slightly surprised, but she didn't keep the secret: "To put it simply... Toyokawa Shoko's father, the son-in-law of the Toyokawa family, owed a huge debt of 168 billion yen due to his own fault. He was kicked out of the Toyokawa family to bear the responsibility. Toyokawa Shoko could have continued to stay in the Toyokawa family as the eldest daughter, but she chose to leave the Toyokawa family for her father."

"Wait...Mr. Duo?!"

Matsueda Azusa was stunned. "168 billion? Japanese yen? Not Zimbabwean dollars?"

Isn't this too much? It's simply outrageous! How many lifetimes would a normal person have to work non-stop to earn that much?

If Shoko Toyokawa is facing such a terrifyingly huge debt now, it would not be surprising if she did anything. She might even take revenge on society. In comparison, simply blowing up the band doesn't seem so extreme.

But Matsueda Azusa regained her composure and thought again...wasn't that right? If the Toyokawa family wanted Toyokawa Shoko to shoulder such a horrific debt, then there was no need to ask the Yukinoshita family to persuade her to return. Just as Yukinoshita Haruno said, Toyokawa Shoko could have continued to stay in the Toyokawa family as their eldest daughter. So, while the amount of the debt seemed huge, it actually had nothing to do with her.

"Why are you so surprised? For a family as large as the Toyokawa family, this is indeed a large sum of money, but it's not impossible."

Yukinoshita Haruno shook her head. "After all, it's the Toyokawa family. If we were burdened with such a huge debt... we'd be seriously injured and unable to recover."

She continued to explain, "Actually, the Toyokawa family originally wanted to use you to persuade Toyokawa Shoko to come back, after all, you're her ex-boyfriend. However, as you know, your parents have been on a business trip abroad, so before they left, they asked our family to take care of you and take care of all your related matters. As a result, the Toyokawa family had no choice but to come to us."

"What? Is there such a thing?"

Upon hearing this, Songzhi Zi immediately slammed the table and stood up in shock: "How could I not know? These two old men never mentioned this to me at all? And didn't you guys ever care about me?"

"Never cared about you? Then how could your strange club be approved so easily? I just didn't interfere with your daily life unless necessary. The Yukinoshita family has been keeping an eye on you during this period."

Yukinoshita Haruno couldn't help but laugh: "As for why your parents didn't tell you, I don't know what the situation is. Maybe your families are not familiar with each other."

Songzhizi sat down dejectedly.

Do the two BYD bosses really treat him like their own child? Even if they are very busy, they can't be so busy, right? They can't be thinking of opening a new account, right?

Never mind, this was how things always were in their family, and Matsueda Azusa quickly accepted this reality. At least they remembered to ask the Yukinoshita family to look after him, which was better than forgetting about it completely.

Azusa Matsueda turned her attention back to Shoko Toyokawa's affairs.

After revisiting what Yukinoshita Haruno had just said, Matsueda Azusa frowned and briefly sorted out the general outcome of the matter from the beginning: "So, in other words... the reason Toyokawa Shoko is living so miserably now is because she lives with her father, who was expelled from the Toyokawa family? And her father is also burdened with huge debts? But despite this, the Toyokawa family still hopes that she can return. As long as she returns to the Toyokawa family, she can still continue to be the eldest daughter... Is that what you mean?"

"That's about right. But I don't know the details of how this huge debt was resolved."

Yukinoshita Haruno nodded and corrected a small problem: "Generally speaking, it's unlikely that one person would bear the burden. I'm afraid the Toyokawa family will still bear the loss. Toyokawa Shoko's father was probably kicked out just to take the responsibility."

Matsueda Azusa keenly grasped the key point: "So what that means is, whether Toyokawa Shoko returns to the Toyokawa family or not, she personally doesn't have to repay the debt at all?"

Yukinoshita Haruno thought for a moment and said, "Theoretically, that's true. Ultimately, if she hadn't insisted on being with her father, this matter itself would have had almost no impact on her."

"So the reason she's living such a miserable life now is purely because she wants to live with her father?"

Matsueda Azusa frowned. "And at the same time, the Toyokawa family is still trying to find ways to help her, and even came to you to persuade her to go back?"