He hailed a cab and arrived at his destination early.

On Saturday, Tokyo University's campus bustled with people, likely because of the concert.

Dubian Che stood at the entrance of the auditorium, looking at the posted program while waiting for the ladies.

He wore simple casual trousers and a black short-sleeved shirt, over which he had thrown a red, fashionable men's shirt with its buttons undone.

Standing in the campus, he fulfilled the world's fantasies of a sixteen-year-old boy's verdant years.

"Mr. Dubian, sorry to keep you waiting!" accompanied by a melodious tune, Jiutiao's mother and Kiyono's mother approached.

Kiyono's mother sported finely cut short hair, revealing a neck as youthful and radiant as a girl's, exuding intellect and elegance.

Jiutiao's mother wore jeans, a white short-sleeve, and a red baseball jacket—Dubian Che glanced at her several times, suspecting she might be wearing Meiji's clothes.

"Hello, mothers," Dubian Che greeted obediently.

"How about that?" Jiutiao's mother put her hands in her jacket pockets and struck a pose like a fashionable young girl.

"I almost mistook you for Meiji. You look much younger than when I first met you, not just in appearance but in spirit too."

"It's mainly because Meiji found you," Jiutiao's mother said with a meaningful smile. "After she stopped seeing Lin, she developed this intense germophobia, she wouldn't even let the housemaids touch her—I thought she'd never find a boyfriend in her lifetime."

After finishing her remark, she instructed Dubian Che:

"Do you often find yourself being ordered around by her to put on clothes and shoes? As a young lady, this is the first time she's being taken care of by someone. Don't be bothered by it, Mr. Dubian, just indulge her a bit."

"It's not bothersome at all, I actually like this about her."

The purer and more impeccable the girlfriend, the better.

"Mr. Dubian~" Kiyono's mother protested, "Why are you only talking to her and ignoring me?"

Dubian Che turned his head to look at her, frowning slightly. "Are you a student at Tokyo University? Sorry, I already have a girlfriend."

Kiyono's mother burst out laughing.

She grabbed Jiutiao's mother's arm, laughing uncontrollably, "This kid is really amusing."

"Mr. Dubian, don't you think with such lies, Lin dislikes you?" Jiutiao's mother curiously asked.

"That kid calls me a primitive ape and a boob-loving pervert all day, always calling me stupid."

"Hmm—" Jiutiao's mother scrutinized Dubian Che closely and suddenly asked, "You're not doing anything to betray my Meiji with Lin, are you?"

"You can ask Kiyono Lin herself," Dubian Che said with a smile.

"It seems like it's about to start, let's go in," Kiyono's mother suggested.

"Let's go," Jiutiao's mother naturally walked ahead.

Kiyono's mother, holding her arm and slightly behind, made a cute encouraging gesture as she passed Dubian Che.

'Are you really a female university student?'

As for what she was encouraging, Dubian Che didn't ponder that.

Entering the auditorium, the two mothers and son—a trio that always felt a bit odd—sat in a corner, waiting for the performance to start.

"What pieces are there?" Kiyono's mother whispered.

Dubian Che recalled the program he had just viewed:

"Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance Marches', Bach's 'Air on the G String', Gerda's 'Lullaby', Brahms' 'Hungarian Dance No. 5', and Smetana's 'Vltava River', a total of five pieces."

"I like 'Vltava River'," Kiyono's mother said, then hummed the beginning of 'Vltava River' in E minor.

Her voice was crisp, like raindrops falling on leaves; people sitting in the front turned their heads upon hearing the singing.

Suddenly, the lights went out, and the auditorium fell silent.

The only lit stage saw the performers making their entrance.

Dubian Che spotted Mayi Asuka in the crowd.

She wore a black dress with a long, thin belt around her waist, accentuating her graceful figure under the restraint of the belt.

Her long, shining black hair fell over her slightly exposed collarbones.

A true beauty with the aura of a musician.

Dubian Che suddenly wanted Mayi Asuka to wear that black dress and fight with him, wanting to crease the outfit.

He rested his hand against his chin and realized a problem:

Could it be that he not only liked studying legs but was also interested in dresses?

Speaking of which, every time Jiutiao Meijie wore a dress, she seemed a bit more excited than usual.

"Mr. Dubian, cheer up, one must not be beyond help."

"What does it matter? The more things you like, the more interesting life is!"

His mind began to argue with itself—the performance on stage was just that boring.

Actually, it was just that Dubian Che didn't like classical music, even though he was a perfect oboist.

As for Mayi's performance, by his standards, it was still far from good; he had to give her special tutoring today.

The performance ended and all the musicians stood up to bow to the audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause.

Dubian Che also applauded, dedicated to Mayi in her dress.

After leaving Tokyo University, Dubian Che and his two mothers went to an Italian restaurant nearby.

The two ladies ordered wine and veal steak while Dubian Che ordered pasta and freshly squeezed orange juice.

"Mr. Dubian, I apologize for what happened yesterday," Jiutiao's mother elegantly swirled her wine glass.

Her composure and elegance captivated even the waitress who had served countless guests.

"What happened?" Dubian thought a baseball jersey didn't go with red wine, but he couldn't help but admire the lady's demeanor.

"Interrupting your private world with Meiji," said Jiutiao's mother. "I have lived for twenty years, and have only two wishes left in my life, one, to see her marry and have children happily, and two, to make new friends. Please forgive this mother; Meiji has sacrificed too much for this family, at least let her have a friend."

"Twenty years?"

Jiutiao's mother tilted her neck, which indeed looked only twenty years old, took a sip of wine, and then smiled dangerously at Dubian Che.

"I'm one year younger than her," Kiyono's mother daintily ate a small piece of steak.

"Ah, I think I understand," Dubian nodded, accepting the age set by the two mothers.

He continued, "What about you, Kiyono's mother? Why did you go?"

"I already told you, I haven't been out for a long time."

"For proper education, I think a mother should not lie to her son," Dubian suddenly broached the topic of educational policies, with no other implications.

Kiyono's mother glared at him: "Lin is about to turn seventeen."

"Ah."

"As the heir to the Kiyono family, she must abandon the insistence on not lying before she turns eighteen."

"What does that have to do with going on a trip together?" asked Dubian.

"You and Meiji are the only ones, even though she lies, Lin is willing to keep in touch with them; even I can only see her occasionally."

Kiyono's mother cut a small piece off a medium-rare steak with her knife and fork.

"I hope that through you two, she might change, and it must be before she turns eighteen. Therefore, I must seize every opportunity, even if it's your anniversary with Meiji."

"I understand," Dubian nodded. "It's okay to go, I won't interfere in what you do, but I won't deliberately facilitate their meeting."

"Let it be," Jiutiao's mother said with a smile.

"Let it be," Dubian recalled the conversation in the courtyard of the Jiutiao family mansion that evening.

"You're not upset, are you?" Kiyono's mother stared at Dubian.

"Actually, it's nothing," he said. "I personally don't care about the anniversary; I did it just to please Meiji. Besides, spending the day with a mother, boyfriend, and childhood friend isn't a bad way to celebrate."

"You'd better care about our wedding anniversary," Jiutiao's mother flirted with a glance at Dubian.

"Of course. How can a dating anniversary compare to a wedding anniversary?"

"I'm relieved you're not upset," Kiyono's mother said.

"Have you decided where to go?" Dubian asked curiously after taking a bite of pasta.

"A nice place," laughed Jiutiao's mother.

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