"I was in a meeting," Habamoto Youko quickly regained her composure after a moment of panic in the face of Zhongshan Taka's questioning, and she laughed coyly as she clung to his arm, "It was all Aunt Runmei, who asked me to go to the movies with her, but then talked about work the whole time. Isn't that pretty much like being in a meeting?"

"Really?" Zhongshan Taka looked doubtful upon hearing this.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Habamoto Youko; it was just that she was too beautiful, and he always worried that she might attract unwanted attention, leading him to have wild thoughts over every little thing.

"If you don't believe me, then I'll call Aunt right now and let her confirm it for you." Habamoto Youko made a show of taking her mobile phone out of her bag to dial.

Zhongshan Taka just watched silently, not attempting to stop her.

Habamoto Youko felt a chill in her heart, realizing that Taka didn't even have that much trust in her. Did he really see her as the flirtatious type of woman who might cheat? Bitterness surged within her.

She ground her tiger teeth and, with a serious face, dialed Zhongshan Runmei's number. As soon as the call connected, she spoke in a low voice, "Aunt, it's Yangzi. Taka has come to Sapporo and suspects that I've done something to betray him. Could you please testify for me whether I was watching a movie with you and not with some man?"

Zhongshan Taka also sensed the anger and heartache in her tone; he opened his mouth to say something but then shut it.

On the other end of the line, Zhongshan Runmei was shrewd and understood immediately that Habamoto Youko must have just been watching a movie with Aoyama Xiu Xin and had concocted an excuse to fool her son who had returned unexpectedly from abroad, only to somehow be found out.

So now she was asking her to help cover up the lie.

Zhongshan Runmei was, of course, going to help her out and said angrily, "That little bastard, always filling his head with nonsense, give him the phone."

Since Habamoto Youko had put the call on speaker, Zhongshan Taka heard this remark. By now, he had dismissed his suspicions about his fiancée and felt a mix of guilt and embarrassment.

"Here," said Habamoto Youko, who had just been cuddled and caressed in Aoyama Xiu Xin's embrace, felt a bit guilty and embarrassed, but now handed over the phone with a justified and indignant expression, chin up in defiance.

Zhongshan Taka gave an awkward smile and, taking the phone, began carefully, "Mom, I..."

"What about you?" Zhongshan Runmei cut off her son's words in irritation, "How good of a woman Yangzi is, and you have so little trust in her, daring to suspect she's been unfaithful. Is that how you repay her devotion?"

Yangzi had sacrificed her charms and endured humiliation to seduce Aoyama Xiu Xin on her behalf; naturally, she had to help Yangzi keep it from her son to avoid affecting their relationship.

"Mom, I realize my mistake, and I'll never doubt her blindly again," Zhongshan Taka knelt apologetically, glanced at Habamoto Youko, and with a sheepish smile, said, "Please forgive me, Yangzi, I was just too scared of losing you."

"Hmph!" Habamoto Youko snorted coldly, then sighed and rolled her eyes saying, "No next time."

"Hey! Absolutely no next time!" Zhongshan Taka vowed with immediate joy and a salute to ensure it.

Habamoto Youko burst into a snicker at his antics.

Her smile was radiant and bright.

"I'm glad the misunderstanding is cleared up; come have dinner with Yangzi at my place tomorrow night," Zhongshan Runmei instructed.

"Hey!" Zhongshan Taka agreed, and after his mother hung up the phone, he went forward and wrapped Habamoto Youko tightly in his arms, apologizing, "I'm really sorry, Yangzi. I shouldn't have misjudged you. I'm just too afraid of losing you."

"But do you know how heartbreaking it is to be suspected of infidelity by the man you love?" Habamoto Youko appeared pitifully aggrieved.

Zhongshan Taka could only apologize again and again and promise unconditional trust in the future, insisting there would be no next time.

Suddenly, he wrinkled his nose because he smelled a faint scent of cigarette smoke coming from Habamoto Youko's fair neck.

After all, Aoyama Xiu Xin, the chain smoker, had done more than just kiss her lips at the movie theater; he had savored her upper body as well.

It was normal for a bit of a man's scent to remain.

But, thanks to the recent lesson, Zhongshan Taka rationalized to himself: there were so many people in the movie theater, surely some ill-mannered person was smoking and left the smell on his fiancée's body.

Habamoto Youko also suddenly remembered that her body was covered in Aoyama Xiu Xin's saliva and quickly pushed Zhongshan Taka away, "Let's go; we better head back."

"Sure," agreed Zhongshan Taka with a gentle smile.

Habamoto Youko waved down a taxi.

Once they were in the taxi, Zhongshan Taka tenderly stroked her head and said softly, "Don't focus all your thoughts on work; pay attention to your personal life too. Look, you didn't even notice your stockings are snagged."

Habamoto Youko followed his gaze and only then noticed that, because of the way she was sitting, her skirt had ridden up, revealing more of her thighs that were covered in black tights with several obvious runs.

"I've been too busy lately; I didn't even know when they got snagged," she sighed, pulling down her skirt to cover up and crossing her legs tightly, because it wasn't just the part on her legs that Aoyama Xiu Xin had ruined.

"You're following in my mom's footsteps, trying to be a strong woman at work, right?" Zhongshan Taka shook his head, resigned, and asked, "Are things going smoothly at work?"

Habamoto Youko didn't want to talk to him about her work difficulties, she smiled vaguely, "Things are good. The colleagues here are very cooperative with Aunt's work, so naturally, no one gives me any trouble, just a little secretary like me."

"You're not little; you're Mom's confidante. Your rank may be low, but your status is high. There's a saying, 'A seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister's gate,'" Zhongshan Taka teased.

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