I tilted my head up at a 45-degree angle to look at that guy named Hayakawa Noriyuki. Hmm, he's quite handsome up close.
"Mom, how long will you be staying this time?" I asked.
"Just one day, I'll be back tomorrow night." Ha, I knew it.
“Jizhi and I will stay at the hotel tonight. You and your daughter can have a good chat. We’ll tour the city tomorrow,” said Aunt Hayakawa, who was standing to the side.
"Don't worry about the hotel. Come over for dinner first. The food on the plane must not be good." I was good at playing the innocent.
"You can cook?" My mom looked at me suspiciously.
I smiled and remained silent.
"You've really grown up. I remember how you used to put vegetables into the pot like you were throwing bombs because you were afraid of getting splattered with oil."
Aunt Hayakawa covered her mouth and smiled elegantly, while Kichiji Hayakawa looked ahead as if nothing was wrong.
I continued to smile and remain silent.
My authentic Japanese meal made my mom look good, and I also want to thank Kurosawa for teaching me as he cooked at noon.
After dinner, I drove Hayakawa and her son to the hotel I had booked in advance, and then came back to reunite with my mother.
"What kind of conspiracy is this?" I asked bluntly.
"What conspiracy?" Mom feigned innocence.
"It's that Hayakawa, how come he's so familiar with them?" My mother looked at Hayakawa Noriyuki with the eyes of a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law.
"We met while traveling together. There was an accident while we were hiking, and we helped each other out, that's how we got to know each other," Mom said calmly. "Your Aunt Hayakawa saw your photo and liked you a lot, so she planned to find an opportunity to introduce her son to you."
Sure enough, this is the only result when two middle-aged women get together. I should have known better than to send them a photo every year, for fear they would forget what I look like. And I shouldn't have answered their questions in every email, such as whether I have a boyfriend.
I looked utterly miserable; my mom is getting more and more creative as she gets older.
"So, Ji Zhi, what do you think of him?" Mom rattled off a bunch of his good points.
I rolled my eyes and changed the subject.
"Mom, could you please review the accident you just mentioned that happened while hiking in detail?"
Despite my repeated questioning, my mother still recounted the accident in her calm and collected tone.
It stirred up a storm of emotions within me.
As a result, I couldn't keep my perfect attendance record.
The next day, I spent the whole day with my mother, Aunt Hayakawa, and Noriyuki Hayakawa, until I saw them off at the airport.
As I was leaving, Aunt Hayakawa took my hand, listed all my good points, and smiled gently as she told me how much she liked me.
Daughter-in-law.
The three words on her face terrified me.
"Then it's up to the younger generation." He gave a knowing smile and boarded the plane.
We turned to each other, our expressions shifting from the obedient or submissive demeanor we had when our mothers were around to glaring at each other with disgust.
"Don't stare at me. Even if you do, I won't be interested in you." He spoke with the same attitude that women usually fawned over him.
"I only look at you because your face is tainted by traditional food—knife-cut noodles. Humph." I had originally wanted to communicate, but after hearing what he said, my attitude worsened.
"Don't come looking for me unless it's absolutely necessary. Also, don't you dare say anything bad about me to my mom," he warned me.
I'm afraid of you.
"I'll return your words." I rolled my eyes at him and turned to leave.
He followed behind.
I suddenly stopped, turned around, and he almost bumped into me.
With a smile in my eyes, I said, "In that case, as you wish, take a taxi back yourself." I knew he didn't own a car and was unfamiliar with the area.
Turn around, walk straight, open the door, start the engine, and drive away.
The next day, when I went to work, I thought about the fried noodles with soybean paste that Hayakawa Noriyuki had the night before, and I felt a secret sense of satisfaction.
As soon as I stepped into the office, a bright red blob caught my eye.
Roses again. Kurosawa Yu's crazy antics haven't ended yet.
Just as I was thinking about how to handle it, I heard someone knocking on the door. I looked up and saw that the office door was not closed. Shao Yuzhe was leaning against the door and knocking politely.
I stared at him blankly, thinking to myself, "Why does this scene feel so familiar?"
"Good morning, roses, do you like them?" he said, looking at me with that kind of smile that I was "afraid" of.
"Uh...flowers, it's..." This kind of question usually only means one thing: the gift was from him.
But Shao Yuzhe gave me flowers, and red roses at that, it's too...too...too unreal.
"I gave it to you," he said, still smiling.
"Oh, why all of a sudden..."
"Regarding the Han family's cooperation project, I've developed a good personal relationship with that representative. I gave her some small souvenirs, and in return, she gave me two movie tickets for 'The Day After Tomorrow,' which is showing this Saturday at 8 PM. So, I'd like to invite you to go see it together. Are you free?"