As the needle lifted from the vinyl record, and the world was left with only the sound of waves from Tokyo Bay, the three of them stood up and left the palatial building.

Back in the garden villa of Shinbashi, Dubian Che immediately lounged on Jiutiao Meijie's soft, large bed.

"I haven't bathed all day, don't lie directly on my bed, go take a shower," Jiutiao Meijie followed into the bedroom right after speaking.

"Wait a moment," Dubian Che stretched out his hand and held her back.

With a bit of force, he pulled her onto the bed and into his arms.

"Go and wash," Jiutiao Meijie urged.

"Let's kiss for a while first."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than their lips found each other, Jiutiao Meijie gently closed her eyes.

The night was quiet, the light soft, and one could hear the sound of the wind rustling the leaves in the garden outside.

As their lips parted, Jiutiao Meijie caressed Dubian Che's face, and the two of them gazed at each other in silence for a good while.

"Kiyono Lin asked you earlier why you didn't tell her that you supported her?" she suddenly asked.

"She doesn't need anyone's support," Dubian Che, his hand on Jiutiao Meijie's slim waist, replied, "Some things don't need to be said out loud. She's just had an argument with her mother. Who hasn't had a fight with their parents?"

Jiutiao Meijie didn't say anything, signalling for him to continue.

"I purposely changed the topic earlier to divert attention. I didn't want the atmosphere to stay suppressive with the argument — all I can do now is just this; it's not yet time for me to support her."

"You care about her quite a bit."

"Part of it is because of that, and part of it is not. I hope that in my life, no matter what happens, no matter how many setbacks I encounter, I can always maintain a relaxed atmosphere."

Having said that, Dubian Che seized the hand on his face from Jiutiao Meijie, saying:

"Do you know how I survived living under your threats when we first started dating?"

"Let's hear it," Jiutiao Meijie said with a light laugh.

"When I was reading fitness books, I would tell myself in my mind: 'The goal isn't to lose weight and become beautiful to attract pretty girls, but to persist in things I've always disliked and am not good at! Jiutiao Meijie, you can't imagine how much I hated you and how incredible it was!'"

Jiutiao Meijie laughed heartily.

"What else?" she asked with interest.

"Your first visit to the Human Observation Department," Dubian Che also started to laugh.

"Hmm."

"You proposed to vote for a Minister, I didn't agree, and after school, you beat me up in the car, even made me take off your shoes, and your long stockings. While I did that, I consoled myself, 'It's okay, this is to my advantage, this is to my advantage.'

""Weren't you at an advantage?"

""How can it be considered at an advantage when you were already mine?" Dubian Che's hand slid down from her waist, touching her long, beautiful legs through the elegant gown.

""Now you can only say this, but if time were to rewind, you probably wouldn't come to Ochazuke," Jiutiao Meijie teased him half seriously and half jokingly.

"Before the family trip, maybe I would have hesitated, but now I would definitely go."

""Trying to sweet-talk me again?"

""When the two of us went on a trip to Izu, soaked in a hot spring together at night, at that time I thought, if only things could stay like this — such thoughts would occasionally come to me before, but now, it's my constant thought."

As Dubian Che buried his hands in her beautiful black hair, cradling her delicate and charming little face, he gazed into her clear, enchanting eyes, and whispered softly:

"Meijie, no matter how many 'ifs' there are, one thing will never change — you will always be mine."

Jiutiao Meijie looked at Dubian Che and with her voice now tender, she softly replied:

"Then let me tell you as well, whether you go to Ochazuke or not, even if I have to use my family to threaten you, I will have you."

They kissed again.

Between their lips, the strong wills of 'you are mine, you must be mine' were exchanged.

At a certain moment, they parted.

"With this kissing method, your lips will definitely be swollen tomorrow," Dubian Che said with a low chuckle.

"We'll see who's swollen," Jiutiao Meijie wrapped her arm over his head, and the two kissed again.

"Meijie, I am falling in love with you more and more," Dubian Che murmured after they parted again.

"I've loved you to the limit for a long time," Jiutiao Meijie whispered back just as softly.

Dubian Che, savoring the moment, suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Jiutiao Meijie asked, puzzled.

"Being with you, there's a sense of depravity," he mused.

"Depravity?"

"Think about it, who are you? The princess of the Jiutiao Family. What are you doing? Exploitation, murder. I, a poor country boy, smart, top of my class nationwide, disciplined, and hard-working, could enjoy a life of wealth, can also stand under the scorching sun holding a signboard, the most outstanding among commoners, was supposed to overthrow you, wrest back rights for the common folk from your hands, and yet here we are now, lying together on a bed."

""Your will is not strong enough,"

"Belittling me? I am infiltrating the enemy's ranks," Dubian Che's hand slid under her gown.

Jiutiao Meijie crossed her legs, and Dubian Che didn't insist on going further.

"I don't see what's funny," she stated.

"The funny part comes later, the way I speak to people," he answered.

"What does this have to do with the way you speak?"

"The way I used to talk to you was like this, 'Villainous scum, demoness, the dregs of an old era, I shall put an end to you,' and then you would laugh maniacally..."

""Laughing maniacally? Am I a fool?"

Jiutiao Meijie's laughter tickled Dubian Che, making him laugh as well.

"Let me finish," he said, keeping a stern face but pinching her thigh slightly, "you would laugh maniacally and say: 'The Jiutiao Family is ordained by heaven, a mere ant like you wants to rebel against me? Kneel before me!'"

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