Chapter 171: Concern

“Are you feeling unwell?” At the door of Naoko’s apartment, Lei Yin noticed her pale face and placed his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

“I’m fine, maybe just a little tired,” Naoko said, not wanting him to worry.

“Then you should rest early. If you need anything, remember to call me. I’ll come by again in a couple of days.” Lei Yin gently rubbed her face with his hand, holding her delicate palm.

“Mm, I understand.” Naoko replied softly, feeling deeply touched by his casual show of affection.

After watching Lei Yin’s car disappear into the distance, Naoko felt conflicted.

Perhaps because of her deep love, she yearned for the approval of those important to her partner. That’s why she appeared so anxious in front of his stepfather. She could somewhat understand Amy’s feelings. And Naoko was well aware of Amy’s attachment to Lei. It was like a beloved toy being taken away; no child would willingly accept that, let alone when it involved someone so important to her.

Luckily, she was only staying here for the summer, Naoko reassured herself in her thoughts.

The next morning, Lei Yin took Amy to visit the campus of Teikyo University.

The little girl looked excited the entire way. “Lei, is this where you study? It’s so big!”

“For young people who are prone to impulsivity, this free-range area might not be big enough,” Lei Yin said, using words that were not quite suitable for a child’s education.

Seeing Amy’s puzzled expression, he smiled and said, “How about I take you to see where I usually have my classes?”

Amy nodded eagerly.

So, in the still-dreary economic theory class, an unusual guest appeared.

Many students, especially female students, turned their heads now and then to look at the adorable little girl with fair skin. The already sparsely attended lecture became even less popular, making the instructor feel increasingly frustrated and helpless.

“Is that the sister of the ‘human weapon’?”

“Probably not. I heard his sister is in her first year in the literature department. Maybe it’s his cousin’s child.”

“If the ‘human weapon’ wasn’t sitting next to her, I’d go try to touch her. She’s just so cute.”

“If you don’t mind risking your life, go ahead and try. Don’t forget about those four clubs and the basketball club’s Okada that he took down—I’ve never seen a man as brutal as him,” another girl interjected.

“I heard it’s because Okada deliberately bumped into his sister, which is why he went after him.”

“Do you really believe that kind of gossip? A man like him, who only knows violence, what reason could he have? I think he just got jealous that Okada was popular and decided to make trouble. I really hate men who are all brawn and no brains.”

“Speaking of which, it’s strange. He doesn’t even look like the kind of guy who’s all muscle, so how is he so powerful? He took on four clubs at once,” another girl chimed in.

“How would I know?”

Similar discussions echoed throughout the classroom, buzzing like the sound of flies—harmless but annoying.

Yet the subject of their chatter remained completely nonchalant, engrossed in a thick book. Though its title was unknown, it was certain not to be a textbook.

As for the little girl who was also the topic of discussion, she was intently looking at a Japanese manga book that had English translations inserted.

Lei Yin felt miserable thinking about these manga books. They were chosen by Amy from the bookstore where Kazumi worked part-time. Normally, that wouldn’t have been an issue, except that the entire book was in Japanese, so Amy insisted that Lei Yin translate everything into English for her.

Looking at the thick stack of manga books, Lei Yin was so exhausted that he even thought of suicide. The English translations, inserted in an unappealing manner on those books, were the result of his work until 2 AM the previous night.

After finishing all the translations, he swore that he would never let Amy come within ten meters of a Japanese bookstore, especially a manga store, again.

Although the little girl’s expressions were very animated as she read, she made no noise and quietly leaned against Lei Yin’s shoulder, engrossed in her own activities.

This was one of the things Lei Yin liked most about her—unlike other noisy children, Amy was well-behaved and quiet, rarely disturbing others.

Takeda, who was watching them, felt envious. He couldn’t understand what kind of luck Masashi had that so many beautiful girls of all ages liked him. Looking at the little girl, who could only be described as adorable, he began to understand why some people might have pedophilic tendencies. *

“Masashi, can I talk to Amy for a moment?” Takeda finally couldn’t help saying.

“Do you really think you can do that with your level of English?” Lei Yin glanced at him sideways.

“Though my English isn’t great, I’m popular with kids at home. Do you know there’s a universal language? It’s called a smile.” Takeda said this while grinning.

“Save your universal language; people will just think your mouth is twitching,” Lei Yin said, but he still leaned down and spoke a few words to Amy.

The little girl glanced at Takeda and then shook her head.

Lei Yin explained to the hopeful, rebellious young man, “She says she doesn’t want to play with strangers. Don’t take it personally; she’s a bit wary of all unfamiliar people, but it’ll be fine once she gets to know them.”

“Is that so?” Takeda said, somewhat disappointed.

Lei Yin checked the time. “Looks like class is almost over.”

He turned to the little girl and asked, “Do you want to eat outside or at the school cafeteria?”

“Wherever Lei goes, I’ll go,” Amy said happily, hugging him when she saw that he was free.

How nice. Watching them, Takeda showed an envious expression.

※※※

At dinner, Yoshikawa was also surprised by Amy’s sudden appearance beside Lei Yin.

“Masashi, when did you start working as a babysitter?”

“That joke isn’t funny at all.” Lei Yin ignored him, casually pulling out a chair for Amy to sit down.

Yoshikawa examined Amy closely and, with an expert’s tone, said, “From a professional perspective, this little girl will definitely be a great beauty in the future. It’s a pity she’s still so young; what a waste. Is she the one you said you were going to visit in Switzerland?”

“Yes. Her guardian has a busy job, so she asked me to take care of her until the end of the summer.”

“So you really are going to be a babysitter? Summer vacation is quite long,” Yoshikawa said with a gleeful laugh.

“Amy is a well-behaved girl, so I don’t find it troublesome at all. Besides, I was planning to visit her in Switzerland with my girlfriend, so I’ve even saved on the plane ticket,” Lei Yin said, seeing that Amy seemed a bit nervous around the unfamiliar people. He gently held her small hand to reassure her.

“So, does that mean you won’t be going to Switzerland? Will you join the school-organized field trip?” Yoshikawa asked.

“Do you know where it’s going?” Takeda interjected.

“We just received the student council notice today. First and second years are going to Kagoshima, and third and fourth years are going to Hokkaido. Of course, if you don’t mind being treated like a monkey by the seniors, you can sign up for the Hokkaido trip,” Yoshikawa replied.

“Are you going?” Takeda asked Yoshikawa and Shiraishi Akira.

“I’m definitely going, but Akira won’t be able to because he has sword training camp,” Yoshikawa answered.

“In that case, I’ll go too. I hope it won’t be as boring as the training trip in high school,” Takeda said after thinking for a moment.

“I think you’d be better off not going; there’s nothing fun about it anyway,” Yoshikawa said, pretending to be indifferent.

“If it’s not fun, then why are you going? Oh, I know. You’re going because Seimura Haruko will be there, otherwise, you wouldn’t be making that face,” Takeda, who had known Yoshikawa for over a decade, immediately detected the scheming in his words.

“Think whatever you want,” Yoshikawa said, taking a sip of tea.

“Can you take family members on this school trip?” Lei Yin suddenly asked Yoshikawa.

“Of course, it’s no problem. We’re all adults, so it’s normal to bring a boyfriend or girlfriend along. As long as you cover the travel expenses, the school won’t interfere. It looks like you’re interested in joining, so are you thinking of bringing your girlfriend?” Yoshikawa, like Takeda, was eager to see what Masashi’s girlfriend looked like.

“It’s just a few days, so it’s fine to go around. I might bring my girlfriend and this little one along,” Lei Yin said. He didn’t usually travel much, but since Amy had come all the way from Switzerland, he wanted her to have a good time, so the idea of this school trip intrigued him. Compared to the senior-heavy travel groups, this one made up of only college students would probably be more lively. That was his thought.

Yoshikawa suddenly smiled ambiguously. “Although I’d love to see your girlfriend, as a friend, let me give you some advice: it’s better to go alone.”

“Why?”

“According to the seniors, this trip is also called the ‘lost virginity trip’ or ‘hunting trip.’ During such trips, many boys and girls who still have their virginity in high school find opportunities to let loose, not to mention those seasoned veterans. So, usually after the trip, many couples suddenly emerge. If you bring this little one along, you might miss out on opportunities to get close to other girls.”

“So, what you’re saying is that young people are more likely to get turned on while out in the wild due to natural instincts? You could write a thesis on that,” Lei Yin retorted sarcastically.

“Anyway, I’ve warned you. What you do after that is up to you,” Yoshikawa shrugged.

Lei Yin didn’t respond; he just lowered his head and wondered if Kazumi would join the trip this time.

“I don’t want to go on this trip.” Kazumi’s answer was pretty much what Lei Yin had expected.

In the afternoon, Lei Yin brought Amy to find Kazumi. After seeing her, he casually asked about this, and Kazumi answered straightforwardly.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to go.”

“Besides the subjective reason, is there an objective one?”

“Well, there is an objective reason—I have part-time work. But I think the subjective reason is more important.”

“Are you not used to wearing swimsuits? Should I take you shopping for a few sets? I’ll also get a couple for this little one,” Lei Yin said with a smile.

“Brother!” A look of mock annoyance crossed her delicate face, making her appear full of the typical spirit of a teenage girl.

Since changing her image, Kazumi was no longer the easily overlooked girl she used to be. Although she hadn’t put on any flashy dresses, every male student who passed by couldn’t help but steal a glance at her.

“It’s a rare vacation. If you don’t enjoy it now, you’ll regret it when you start working later. Trust me, go have some fun.”

“Is this an order from my brother?”

“No, just concern from your brother. If you really don’t want to go, then forget it,” Lei Yin said, taking a step back.

“Let me think about it.”

Hearing this, Lei Yin knew that she had basically agreed, as she usually accepted whatever she said she would think about.

“If you decide, call me on my phone. I’m leaving now. Little one, let’s go,” he said, addressing Amy and also speaking to Takeshima Shinobu, who was squatting on the ground, hugging and kissing Amy.

Hearing him, Takeshima Shinobu was momentarily taken aback. “You’re leaving so soon?”

Lei Yin knew that she wasn’t reluctant to see him leave, and he couldn’t help but reply in an annoyed tone, “If you like her so much, go have one of your own.”

“You think I don’t want to? But I’m worried that the child will look like my cousins, and that would be terrible. Also, I heard that pregnancy changes your body a lot, and there are stretch marks. Postpartum recovery is a big issue, too,” Takeshima said, dead serious.

“Sorry, I can’t help you with that.” Lei Yin hadn’t expected a casual comment to lead to so many issues related to gynecology. Not wanting to stay any longer, he quickly pulled Amy away.

Watching them walk farther away, Takeshima Shinobu muttered quietly, “What a stingy guy. Is it going to kill him to let me play with Little Amy for a while? By the way, did your brother need something from you?” She had completely missed what they were talking about.

“He wants me to join the field trip,” Kazumi said.

“I didn’t expect him to be so thoughtful. Are you going? I really hope you do,” Takeshima Shinobu also tried to persuade her, but it didn’t work. Now, she was pinning her hopes on Kazumi’s brother.

“Maybe. He always worries too much for other people’s sake,” Kazumi said with a warm smile.

She knew his intentions well. He had always hoped she could interact with others like a normal girl and make more friends. He had been doing this since high school.

Takeshima Shinobu stared at Kazumi’s smile, lost in thought. She suddenly realized that Kazumi looked really good when she smiled.

“Little one, do you like that sister with lots of hands?” Lei Yin suddenly asked Amy as they walked out of the Literature Department.

The little girl tilted her head and thought for a moment before nodding. “Even though she left me all wet with kisses, I think she has a warm feeling about her.”

It might be more accurate to describe her as overly enthusiastic, Lei Yin thought before asking, “What about my sister? The one with glasses.”

The little girl thought for a while, then smiled. “I like her too. I think her heart is really soft.”

“Is that the truth? It’s not good to lie, you know,” Lei Yin teased her.

“I never lie,” the little girl said, her face turning red.

Seeing her slightly annoyed expression, Lei Yin smiled and gently pinched her cheeks and pulled them apart.

After a few gentle pulls, the little girl finally couldn’t help but laugh, letting out a small “eek” before burying her head in his chest and cuddling him.

* Dude…