Chapter 114: Pardon? (Combining Two)

Chapter 114: Pardon? (Combining Two)

“Acting like a maid is way too hard; I can’t do it at all. Can I just feed you and wish you a happy birthday?”

“That works too, Yan Huan-oniichan.”

Surrounding the wooden table sat six people. Yan Huan and Sakura Kyoko were facing Sakura Ryo, while on the left sat Ya Qiao Mu alone, and on the right were You Anli Na and Ai Xili.

Sakura Ryo was on the far side, kneeling by herself.

Watching Yan Huan lift the cake dish awkwardly toward Sakura Ryo, while pretending to be obedient, made Sakura Kyoko’s teeth itch with annoyance.

She shot a glare at Ya Qiao Mu across the table, causing him to shiver, but she failed to notice the little demon right in front of her, scanning the surroundings.

“No.”

It was clear that Ya Qiao Mu didn’t seem to be in cahoots with his cousin.

Even if he was indeed a full-on perverted otaku, he wouldn’t immediately help Sakura Ryo with such a task upon first meeting.

But getting Yan Huan to serve her so accurately…

She definitely pulled a trick.

Knowing Sakura Ryo’s nature well, Sakura Kyoko could tell she was playing a sneaky game.

But how did she cheat?

Just as Sakura Kyoko pondered this, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sakura Ryo open her mouth, and Yan Huan spoon-fed her a piece of cake.

“Nom, so good~”

Sakura Kyoko’s eyes turned red, her fists clenched tightly.

Next to her, You Anli Na licked her lips and curiously said, “Is it really that good? President, you should feed me a bite too.”

“You Anli Na.”

“Eh?!”

When You Anli Na turned, she saw Sakura Kyoko smiling while raising a skewer in her hand, calmly saying, “Let’s continue the game.”

“Alright.”

Feeling that if she refused, she might be taken out by Sakura Kyoko at any moment!

Sakura Ryo licked the corner of her mouth, glancing at her cousin with a smirk of disdain.

Silly cousin, you must have realized I was cheating, right?

Well, since the Sakuraguchi family always goes all out to win, it wouldn’t matter if she knew.

But how exactly did she cheat?

With that silly brain of yours, by the time you figure it out, it might be too late.

“Then let’s continue! Everyone, return your skewers; we’ll shake them again!”

Sakura Ryo handed out the wooden box containing the skewers for everyone to return theirs.

Then she closed the box’s lid and shook it up and down, “Hey! Hey! Hey!”

When she reopened it, the skewers were all mixed up again, and she passed it around for everyone to draw from.

Sakura Kyoko narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the skewers while her thoughts raced.

The most likely method of cheating was marking the skewers in a way only she could understand, allowing her to intentionally choose the king’s skewer when drawing.

However, the last one who drew the king was Ya Qiao Mu.

Since he wasn’t in cahoots with Sakura Ryo, how did she manipulate him so precisely to call out the President’s and Ryo’s numbers?

Just wait; if they play a few more rounds, she will definitely be able to spot a flaw.

“Ah, what luck! I can’t believe I’m the king again!”

“…”

After playing six rounds, Sakura Kyoko’s face darkened. Listening to Sakura Ryo’s cheerful voice, she covered her face, utterly silenced.

In total, seven rounds; except for Ya Qiao Mu and You Anli Na each getting to be king once, the rest were all Sakura Ryo.

And not only did Sakura Kyoko fail to become king but she also couldn’t figure out how Sakura Ryo was cheating.

She had checked the marks numerous times; there was nothing there.

No signs of collusion either, but somehow Sakura Ryo was accurately drawing kings and engaging in various activities with Yan Huan.

Feeding him cake, watching him perform, listening to his bedtime fairy tales…

Sakura Kyoko glared at the smug Sakura Ryo, who covered her mouth slightly and smiled provocatively.

Sakura Kyoko, having stayed in Linyi Gate for so long, must have forgotten the treachery of home?

You’re no longer my opponent, and I…

Have already crossed the river to the other side!

Thinking this, Sakura Ryo, like a winner, playfully tilted her chin and asked curiously, “With an older brother and sister so excellent, it’s tempting to want to gossip… May I ask the one who picked number one a couple of questions?”

She held up two fingers, “How many romantic experiences do you have, and do you have someone you like right now?”

You Anli Na initially shot a panicked glance at her skewer, relieved and immediately excited, “Quick! Quick! Quick! Who’s number one?!”

As for gossip, as long as it didn’t fall on her, it was all good.

Delicious, loves to eat!

Sakura Kyoko couldn’t even look at her own skewer; she quickly turned her head toward Yan Huan.

“…It’s me.”

Yan Huan glanced at his skewer and said so.

Sakura Kyoko reached for his skewer, the “number one” printed boldly on it.

Just as expected!

But at this moment, as she held Yan Huan’s skewer in her left hand and her own in her right, she suddenly sensed something.

She then recalled each person’s drawing situation in her mind.

“…”

Weighing it over, her brows began to furrow.

But beside her, Yan Huan supported his face in disbelief and said, “I’ve never been in a romantic relationship.”

As soon as he spoke, You Anli Na couldn’t suppress her laughter, “Pfft!”

That laughter nearly made Yan Huan blush; his expression darkened as he quickly retorted, “What are you laughing at, You Anli Na?! As if you’ve had any of your own!”

“Cough cough, I… I haven’t either. I just didn’t expect the President to still be so innocent with those conditions. That’s nice, isn’t it? Right, Sakura Kyoko?”

You Anli Na’s eyes darted, hastily seeking help from Sakura Kyoko.

But when Sakura Kyoko turned around, she found her staring fixedly at Yan Huan, her eyes glazed.

The President had never revealed anything from before high school, but hearing that Linyi Gate was quite open, she worried there might be a past girlfriend from his chaotic life in the South District.

Now it seemed all was illusory.

The President had saved all her firsts for herself!

Of course, conversely, her own firsts also…

Not knowing what she thought of, Sakura Kyoko’s face suddenly reddened, and she quickly said, “Yes, yes, um… not, it’s fine.”

Yan Huan stole a glance at Sakura Kyoko, who had lowered her head and was covering her mouth with a smile; a hint of gloom slowly dissipated from his face.

Watching her crescent-shaped smile, he turned his head back to Sakura Ryo, softly saying, “Now… do you have someone you like?”

“!!”

The previously smiling Sakura Ryo, along with the other girls—You Anli Na and Ai Xili, not to mention Ya Qiao Mu, who was secretly playing a game on the side—froze, all looking at Yan Huan.

“What?! The President has someone she likes now?!”

And beside Yan Huan, Sakura Kyoko, who had been slightly flushed, immediately paled.

She couldn’t believe her eyes as she stared at Yan Huan’s back, her face drained of color.

Sakura Kyoko’s eyes widened, quickly turning to Sakura Ryo.

That terrifying gaze like a demon instantly conveyed her intent to Sakura Ryo, who understood and quickly asked, “So, Yan Huan-oniichan, who do you like?”

Yan Huan crossed his arms, smiling as he shook his head, “King Miss, the questions you asked were only two; I’ve already answered them.”

“…”

Sakura Ryo swallowed hard, quickly saying, “Hahaha, true! Then let’s hurry into the next game~”

Sakura Ryo shot a glance at Sakura Kyoko, her intention abundantly clear:

In the next round, I’ll be the king again; I’ll ask Yan Huan who he likes!

If Kyoko-nee likes Yan Huan, she surely would want to know who it was, right?!

But that wide-eyed Sakura Kyoko, with sweat appearing on her forehead, struggled for a long time before finally lowering her head and tremblingly said, “…Ryo, can you show me the box you use to shake the skewers?”

“Eh?”

Sakura Ryo widened her eyes in disbelief, looking at Sakura Kyoko, but still spoke calmly, “W-What’s wrong, Kyoko-nee? It’s just an ordinary wooden box, right? Look…”

Sakura Ryo’s heart skipped a beat, but she signaled to Sakura Kyoko with her eyes.

“Now isn’t the time to expose my cheating! Don’t you want to know who Yan Huan-oniichan likes?!”

“…”

Gazing into Sakura Ryo’s eyes, Sakura Kyoko’s slightly reddened gaze slowly shifted away.

Her Sakura-colored bangs fell, and without saying a word, she reached out her hand toward her.

“You do know how you cheated, right?”

“I…”

Everyone’s gaze froze for a moment, all directed at Sakura Ryo.

Clutching the wooden box used for shaking the skewers, she anxiously took a step back, stammering, “I didn’t! I wouldn’t…”

But Sakura Kyoko, with an expressionless face, raised her skewer and Yan Huan’s skewer, calmly saying, “The wooden skewer is heavier than ordinary cards, and the weights of each skewer are different.”

“If I’m not mistaken, the king’s skewer is the heaviest one because it contains a bit of iron. There should be a magnet inside one side of the cup wall, which also causes the king’s skewer to be on the outermost layer after shaking each time.”

Yan Huan looked thoughtful, while Ya Qiao Mu, whose mind was already activated, instantly understood Sakura Ryo’s trick.

“Ah, because Ryo-nee sits the farthest from us; she has to lean over to pass skewers, so for her convenience, we would draw the ones nearest to us, which is why we might pull the king skewer.”

“Of course, whether clockwise or counterclockwise, as the skewers decrease, we might pull the ones closest to the king skewer, but only the ones near Ryo sister could draw the king skewer.”

Ya Qiao Mu glanced at himself and You Anli Na, muttering, “That’s why, other than Ryo-nee, only I and You Anli Na, sitting closer to her, have been king.”

“…”

Sakura Ryo’s face turned paler little by little, while Sakura Kyoko, provoked, already started her killing spree.

She stared intensely at the wooden box in Sakura Ryo’s hand, saying mercilessly, “Plus, you can clearly know everyone’s numbers; it’s impossible to measure that precisely with your hands without a weighing readout, right?”

“Even without looking at the readout, you could have checked with the king skewer to see if there was a magnet inside.”

Yan Huan and Ai Xili didn’t speak, but You Anli Na, looking nervous, hurriedly raised her hand, smiling, “Well, Ryo-nee is the birthday girl; a little advantage is to be expected… and the demands she made aren’t excessive, so… eh? Eh? Eh?!”

As she spoke, she noticed Sakura Ryo’s eyes were already turning red.

With her lips pouty, she was already sniffing and directly burst into tears, “Waaah!!”

Sakura Kyoko averted her gaze slightly because she realized this cry wasn’t feigned but truly caused by her words.

Sakura Ryo sobbed, throwing the wooden box onto the table, crying as she dashed upstairs, “Wuwu, Sakura Kyoko, I hate you!! Wuwu!!”

“…”

You Anli Na and Ai Xili awkwardly extended their hands trying to comfort her, but were at a total loss for words.

Yan Huan shot a glance at the emotionless Sakura Kyoko, who remained silent.

Then Ya Qiao Mu…

He picked up the wooden box, along with the king skewer, and began experimenting with it, his carefree smile on display, “Hey, you all see? There really is a readout! And the cup wall has a magnetic pull on the king skewer; this thing is specially made!”

“Shut up!”

“Sure, no problem, Ai Xili-nee.”

Yan Huan shot a glance at the half-eaten cake nearby and then at the moonlit sea view outside. Just as he was about to speak, Sakura Kyoko stood up.

Looking up, she found she’d already regained her graceful smile, saying to her classmates apologetically, “Sorry, I’m going to have a chat with Ryo. You all feel free to hang out; the beach outside is private, so you can roam and play as you like. I’ll come down right after I handle things.”

“Okay.”

With that, she placed her hands modestly in front of her and elegantly walked upstairs after Sakura Ryo.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

On the second floor of the villa, deep in the corridor, she knocked on the master bedroom door.

After a brief silence, there was still no response.

She pulled the door handle, finding it locked, then knocked again, saying, “Ryo, it’s me. Open the door.”

“I don’t want to see you, wuwu, I hate you!”

“If you don’t open the door, I’ll get Nairu to break it down.”

“Feel free! Wuwu… I’ll tell Uncle and reveal everything you’ve been doing, wuwu.”

“Great, let Auntie and Dad come to Linyi Gate too, and let Aunty see those things in your room…”

Before she could finish, the tightly shut door before her suddenly swung open.

Standing in the gap was Sakura Ryo, tear-stained and looking like a mess.

Behind her, the large walls of her room were adorned with merchandise of various male stars.

“…”

Sakura Kyoko gazed at the tearful yet defiant Sakura Ryo, letting out a sigh.

Tilting her head, she asked, “Care to have a heart-to-heart?”

“…”

Sakura Ryo pouted and nodded.

After a moment of silence, she quickly added, “Let’s talk at the door!”

“Okay.”

Sakura Kyoko crossed her arms, watching her cousin closely as she first asked, “Did you come here today with intentions regarding the President? What exactly do you want?”

Sakura Ryo’s gaze shifted away slightly, mumbling, “I don’t know.”

“You started all this without knowing? You think you actually like the President?”

“I do like him!”

“…What do you like about him?”

Sakura Ryo blinked, retreating a bit, but confessed, “He’s handsome.”

“…Is that all?”

Sakura Ryo nodded, cautiously glancing at Sakura Kyoko, then retorted, “Aren’t you with him just because he’s handsome? What else would you want from him?

“To rely on his family, that can’t compare to us; his character, what if he’s just pretending? That won’t fill your stomach.”

“Isn’t it better to ask for something tangible that you can hold and see? You’d have to admit that’s not wrong?”

Sakura Kyoko drilled into her eyes, silent for a long moment before sighing, “.You don’t understand, and you don’t really like him. There’s no point in continuing this conversation.”

As she spoke, Sakura Kyoko chose not to say more and tried to turn away.

“Good luck trying to be better than me; please lose gracefully and don’t air our dirty laundry outside.”

Sakura Ryo glared at Sakura Kyoko’s back, biting her lip as she stepped out of the door, retorting, “You’re the one! If you really like him, that was perfect timing to find out who he likes! If it were you, then—”

Sakura Kyoko, however, turned around with a cold expression, sharply countering her, “What if it’s not me?!”

“…”

“What if she likes someone more cheerful, more open, someone whose family background is even more aligned with his?!”

Most likely Bai Yi?

Or that girl named An Le, the childhood friend?

No matter who it was, they seemed to fit far better than her despicable self, right?

When Yan Huan stated he had no one he liked, Sakura Kyoko thought she had a chance.

But when he finally revealed he had someone he liked, she instinctively excluded herself.

Or perhaps she thought even if it were her, she’d eventually lose him due to her true nature being exposed.

Clearly, she had told Nairu she needed to adjust her persona, to play this role her entire life.

She had said all of that, yet her true nature uneasily stirred, insecurity creeping in as she feared something would go wrong one day.

“…”

Sakura Ryo froze slightly, observing Sakura Kyoko in the corridor, unsure of what to say.

Just as Sakura Kyoko, who was having trouble even articulating that, turned to leave, Sakura Ryo suddenly lowered her head and spoke up, “Actually… I… I came today to thank Yan Huan.”

“Thank him?”

Sakura Kyoko inquired, turning her head in puzzlement, only to see Sakura Ryo shyly avoiding eye contact, nodding.

“Because last time at Far Moon, I accused him in the bell tower; later I got lost, and he helped me, so…”

Sakura Kyoko felt a headache coming on as she rubbed her temples and said, “Then just thank him directly! Why complicate things? Isn’t that redundant?”

“Then Kyoko-nee, why don’t you just tell Yan Huan you like him? Can you do that?”

“I…”

Sakura Ryo bit her lip and gently gazed at Sakura Kyoko, whispering, “When he helped me, I did wonder if it was because of money or some other circumstance, and when I realized it wasn’t, I just felt ashamed.”

“Kyoko-nee, you understand, right? The more insecure one feels inside, the more they have to put on a brave front outside, wrapping up their vulnerabilities.”

As she spoke, she looked at her own elegant princess dress, saying, “The lively occasion, pretty clothes, and the persona I put on are all just to mask my insecurities, to muster the courage to thank him.”

“Yet in the end, I couldn’t say anything out loud.”

“So, Kyoko-nee, please thank Yan Huan on my behalf.”

After a moment of silence, Sakura Kyoko nodded, indicating her agreement.

“Okay.”

“Ah, and also, the gift from Yan Huan! When we finished dinner just now, I glanced at it; it seemed to be an ordinary power bank. Do you want it?”

“Yes. After everything is over, I’ll come back and get it.”

Sakura Kyoko said this without a second thought.

Sakura Ryo blinked, then added, “Remember to bring me those goodies you were planning to exchange before; it’s non-negotiable.”

“…”

Sakura Kyoko shot her a speechless glance, then turned to head downstairs.

Next to her, she seemed to hear Sakura Ryo’s voice again,

“That day, when Yan Huan helped me, he mentioned: He helped me because I look a lot like you~”

“…”

Sakura Kyoko’s eyes widened slightly, quickly turning her head back.

But in the depths of the corridor behind her, Sakura Ryo’s door was already closed, and she was nowhere to be seen.

“What about Yan Huan and You Anli Na?”

When Sakura Kyoko came down from upstairs, she found the others had exited the villa and went to the beach to play.

Ya Qiao Mu, sitting slightly closer to the villa on the balcony, was playing on his phone.

He nodded toward the sea and said, “You Anli Na and Ai Xili are over there collecting seashells. The President is sitting by the shore herself; I wonder what she’s doing.”

“Oh, I see.”

Sakura Kyoko nodded, following Ya Qiao Mu’s gesture.

She noticed Yan Huan seated at the water’s edge, his gaze fixed on the sparkling sea in the distance.

Just watching his back, time seemed to stretch on for Sakura Kyoko. Eventually, her feet moved almost unconsciously, pulling her toward him.

“Swoosh.”

Her shoes crunched softly on the sand.

As she got closer, she caught Yan Huan’s attention.

He turned to see Sakura Kyoko’s figure and smiled slightly, “Sakuraguchi, how did things go with your cousin?”

Sakura Kyoko stared blankly at Yan Huan’s profile illuminated by the moonlight. Only now she noticed he had taken off his shoes and socks, dipping his feet into the waves that lapped at the shore.

Next to him was the backpack he had brought– for some reason, he hadn’t left it in the villa but had brought it outside.

“Ah, it’s fine now. Ryo is just a child at heart; a little coaxing is enough.”

“It’s her birthday; why did you have to be so cruel as to expose her?”

“We came here to help her celebrate; who’s to say she didn’t cheat first?!”

Sakura Kyoko walked up beside him, adjusting the hem of her dress, seemingly preparing to sit down.

Seeing this, Yan Huan turned to grab the clothes he had planned to change into, “Here, use mine as a cushion; the sand is pretty dirty.”

But before he could grab it, Sakura Kyoko had sat beside him.

She covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, saying, “It’s not like the clothes won’t get dirty; it’s fine.”

“… True.”

“Yan Huan, is the seawater cold?”

Noticing Sakura Kyoko looking at her feet submerged in the waves, Yan Huan nodded and replied, “A bit; it is spring, after all.”

“Then why do you still have your feet in? Aren’t you worried about catching a cold? Quickly pull them out.”

Sakura Kyoko half-seriously chided him, yet Yan Huan laughed heartily, gazing at the sea while saying, “I always wanted to see what the sea was like. I thought of experiencing the sea’s temperature throughout the seasons. Sadly, I never got the chance.”

Sakura Kyoko looked puzzled and asked, “Isn’t it simple to see the sea with Linyi Gate being surrounded by it?”

“…”

Yan Huan blinked, not saying anything about his past life.

In his previous life, he had worked in an inland province; the vast expanse of his homeland meant opportunities to see the coast were few and far between.

He shrugged and mumbled, “I grew up in an orphanage in the South District, so there weren’t many chances to travel far to see the sea.”

“I see.”

That made sense.

Noticing that Sakura Kyoko didn’t probe further, Yan Huan spoke to her again, “It seems that the sea here is quite different from how I imagined. It’s too deep, too wide, and too turbulent; not suitable for tourism.”

“Pfft~”

Sakura Kyoko giggled, covering her mouth, “What you think of are probably the tropical southeastern seas, right? Sparkling blue water, sunny beaches, a warm atmosphere?”

“Yes! Yes! That’s it.”

Yan Huan nodded, looking at the rising dark waves and murmured, “It definitely isn’t like this, with signs saying ‘Dangerous Waves, Swimming Prohibited,’ and the water being so cold.”

“…”

Sakura Kyoko embraced her knees, looking at the sea in silence. After a moment, she suddenly slipped off her shoes.

Yan Huan turned in surprise to see her black dress shoes being shed, revealing her white socks.

Then she pulled off her socks, placing them inside her shoes, and set the shoes aside.

So, under the moonlight, she extended her petite legs, carefully placing her bare feet into the sea.

“Sakuraguchi, the water’s chilly.”

“It’s okay; I want to try the temperature you’re feeling.”

“…”

Yan Huan was momentarily stunned, watching her delicate feet now beside his.

She looked so cute and petite; her feet seemed so much smaller than his tall frame.

But her skin was so fair, like two exquisitely carved pieces of jade.

Realizing he had been staring at her feet too long, Yan Huan awkwardly tried to divert his gaze.

“Whoosh~”

But in the next instant, a wave surged, sweeping over their feet that were resting side by side.

“Ssss!”

Sakura Kyoko gasped in surprise as her pretty face scrunched up, “So cold~”

“I told you, didn’t I? It’s a bit cold.”

Yan Huan turned to look at her, and she pitifully nodded, but still didn’t intend to pull her feet back.

At that moment, Yan Huan realized how close they were.

Their hands rested in the sand, just a small movement would touch each other’s fingers.

The gap between their shoulders was so narrow that even a beam of moonlight struggled to penetrate, brightening the sea even more.

“By the way, Sakura Kyoko, here’s something for you.”

“Eh? What is it?”

Sakura Kyoko blinked, turning to Yan Huan.

He pulled out another beautifully wrapped gift box from his bag and handed it to Sakura Kyoko.

“This.”

“A gift.”

Sakura Kyoko helplessly chuckled, “I know it’s a gift, Yan Huan. It’s just… why are you giving me a gift? Isn’t today Ryo’s birthday?”

“You two are cousins, so rounding it up, her birthday party also means you’re hosting. Plus, you invited us here, so I thought I’d prepare a gift for you.”

With a grin, Sakura Kyoko chuckled, glancing at the exquisite wrapping paper that enshrouded the box, her gaze lingering on it for a moment longer.

Because she realized, this wasn’t something she was trading for with her cousin.

This was a gift prepared just for her.

“Pfft, what a lousy excuse.”

Although her heart stirred, her mouth unintentionally spoke oppositely, making her contradict herself.

Yan Huan, however, was unfazed; noticing Sakura Kyoko reaching for the gift, he turned back to the sea, saying, “Just take it as me wanting to gift you something.”

“Thump, thump, thump.”

Holding the box, Sakura Kyoko suppressed her increasingly racing heartbeat and asked, “Can I open it now?”

“Ah, sure.”

Sakura Kyoko gently untied the ribbon, unwrapped the packaging, and opened the box.

Inside was a small folding fan embraced by flowers.

She was momentarily taken aback, picking it up and opening it.

On it were intricately painted beautiful flowers, and in the center of the fan were the four characters, “Hui Xin Wan Zhi.”

Sakura Kyoko was briefly stunned, turning to glance at the slightly embarrassed Yan Huan.

Mainly because in Yan Huan’s tradition, gifts are generally opened after returning home, which spared the hassle of worrying about whether they were to the recipient’s liking.

“How… how is it?”

Sakura Kyoko covered her mouth with a smile, asking, “Do you want to hear the truth or a lie, Yan Huan?”

At this, Yan Huan’s heart sank halfway.

He awkwardly covered his face, evading reality, “Let’s hear a lie, ahaha.”

“Well, if it’s a lie…”

Sakura Kyoko smiled slightly, saying, “A lie is: Who sends a gift like this to a girl?”

“Uh, because I see that Eishi Miki always carries a fan, and I heard from her it’s something all girls in the Sakurakuchi circle prepare, so…”

Sakura Kyoko evaluated the fan in her hand, remaining non-committal.

That was true but having prepared one was different from whether it would be used.

In fact, she also had one back at her home; she just hadn’t brought it to Linyi Gate.

Seeing Sakura Kyoko silent for so long, Yan Huan curiously inquired, “So what’s the truth then?”

“Pa!”

However, at that moment, just as Yan Huan was about to lift his head to see Sakura Kyoko’s expression, the fan he had gifted suddenly opened, the beautiful painting and the four-character idiom all unfolding, slightly obscuring her face.

A few strands of her sakura-colored hair flew up in the sea breeze, and as the fan slightly lowered, it revealed her eyes sparkling with laughter.

“Yan Huan, the truth is…”

“Not telling you~”

Yan Huan stared into her eyes, trying to comprehend something in her glimmering gaze that he didn’t understand.

That hint was so enticing, making him want to explore it further.

He wanted to delve deeper, to know what this beautiful girl was thinking, and what she thought of him…

Whether she felt even a bit like him.

Even just a little…

That she had a good impression of him.

“Read the name, read the name… read the name.”

In an ethereal whisper, like an uncanny call, it abruptly snapped him back to reality.

After hesitating for a moment, he quickly turned his gaze away.

Both rationality and intuition warned him that trying to read Sakura Kyoko’s thoughts was definitely not a good idea.

Testing Sakura Kyoko’s thoughts with a mind-reading attempt was akin to feeling the nerves at the moment cards were about to be revealed in poker.

Granted, you might say: Isn’t there a chance to win or lose after revealing the cards?

Why say it’s not a good idea?

But what Yan Huan meant was:

You shouldn’t have even sat at that gambling table in the first place!

He took a deep breath, trying to ease the anxiety that came from Sakura Kyoko’s presence beside him.

Yet, her body warmth, her fragrance, with her feet beside his, and their feet submerged together in the sea made her presence vivid.

“Rumble… rumble…”

The waves roared playfully, and the tranquil beach at this moment felt like Yan Huan’s entire world.

And Sakura Kyoko just happened to occupy most of that world.

In the silence, facing the sea breeze, Sakura Kyoko leaned against the closed fan, resting her chin atop it.

She gazed at the shimmering sea, suddenly smiling at Yan Huan, “Yan Huan, tonight’s moonlight is beautiful.”

Hearing this, the heartbeat that had almost cooled down within Yan Huan seemed to receive some kind of awakening.

“Thump, thump, thump.”

“Ah, indeed.”

Even though his tone remained calm, his gaze seemed harder to pull away from her extraordinarily beautiful profile.

But in the next second, Sakura Kyoko leaned closer, her hair swaying behind her ear.

Holding the fan, she faced Yan Huan directly, saying, “Thank you for the gift, and as a return, can I make a promise with you?”

“What promise?”

Sakura Kyoko extended her delicate hand and gently said, “The sea you imagined, azure blue, with sunny beaches and warm temperatures; let’s go see it together one day, okay?”

“…”

Yan Huan’s eyes widened gradually, and then unprecedentedly, a slight flush crept across his face.

He reached out, covering his mouth and nose while nodding, yet he still couldn’t look away from Sakura Kyoko’s eyes.

But evidently…

Yan Huan had already been sunk by Sakura Kyoko.

Unable to think, he pondered what her intentions were.

He wanted to confirm what her feelings were for him.

In a fit of impulse, he could no longer restrain himself, wanting to determine her true feelings and answer.

“Sakura Kyoko, Sakura Kyoko… Sakura Kyoko.”

In his heart, he silently called her name, wanting to know if she felt the same way about him.

And the hidden, intangible demon received his signal.

“Hehe~”

The distorted laughter of the demon suddenly echoed in his ears, oddly transforming in sound.

From that grating insult evolved into something eerily familiar…

“Hehe~”

A second later, that voice shifted to sound just like Sakura Kyoko’s, whispering in Yan Huan’s heart, “Yan Huan, I really like you!”

The first sentence struck like lightning.

Yan Huan’s pupils contracted slightly, his heartbeat quickening.

Joy surged within him like a volcano, consuming his entire mind.

Sakura…

She likes me too?

Yan Huan’s breath almost hitched, and before he could respond to his joy…

The next line of internal dialogue from her arrived.

“If I could set up a surveillance camera in Yan Huan’s home, then I could monitor everything he does in private every day.”

Hearing this, Yan Huan’s elated anticipation was abruptly shattered.

“…”

In an instant, his mind went blank, overwhelmed as if a nuke had just exploded in his head.

Huh?

It seems I did not quite catch what Sakura Kyoko just thought; I might have misheard, or maybe I was simply too nervous.

What seemed to echo in his mind were words like “surveillance,” “monitoring,” that he couldn’t wrap his head around.

Pardon?