Chapter 175: Depart

Seeing Lei Yin walking out with a little girl in his arms, Ayano Eiko was momentarily stunned. “Is that your sister? No, wait—your sister should be in her first year of college like you.”

“It seems your information network isn’t very up-to-date. Have you been slacking on your homework lately?” Lei Yin replied with a faint tone of indifference.

Ayano Eiko suddenly laughed. “That’s all in the past. There’s no need for me to investigate you anymore. Forget it; I won’t ask.”

Noticing her smile, Lei Yin found it a little odd.

The greenery on the Teikyo campus was beautifully maintained. Under the sunlight, the surrounding flowers, trees, and grass appeared full of vitality.

“This brings back memories. Without realizing it, it’s been years since I was last here. Thankfully, it hasn’t changed much. Did you know? I also graduated from Teikyo,” Ayano Eiko said, turning to look at him.

“Is that so? What a coincidence.”

“Let’s not waste your time. Let’s sit and talk,” the female Inspector said as she sat down on a stone bench in the park.

Lei Yin took a seat on another stone bench across from her. After sitting, he adjusted Amy’s sleeping position so she could rest more comfortably.

Ayano Eiko silently observed his actions.

Once settled, Lei Yin looked at her and said, “Go ahead. What do you want?”

The female Inspector took a photograph out of her handbag and handed it to him.

“Have you seen the man in this photo?”

After examining it carefully for a moment, Lei Yin looked up. “Yes, about a week ago. I even taught him a lesson. Why? Is he planning to accuse me of assault?”

Ayano Eiko gazed deeply at him and then suddenly smiled.

“You’re far smarter than I imagined. I thought you’d deny having seen this man. It seems I underestimated you.”

“I don’t quite understand what you mean,” Lei Yin said, casually putting the photo down.

“A few days ago, I took over a case involving a malicious assault. The victim is the man in this photo. His name is Yamada Shiryou, 43 years old, and he works as a business manager at Tokyo Metropolitan Bank. Do you know what condition he’s in now?”

“If you’re going to tell me, I’ll listen.”

“It’s tragic. Although he’s alive, it’s worse than death. Not only was he castrated, but his spine was severely damaged, leaving him completely paralyzed. Other than his mind being clear, he’s essentially a vegetable—unable even to take his own life.”

“A truly pitiable fate,” Lei Yin commented, though his face betrayed not a shred of sympathy.

“Did you do this?”

Lei Yin sneered. “Inspector Ayano, you’re a police officer. You should know that police investigations are always based on evidence. If you have evidence, I don’t mind if you take me in. But if you don’t, please refrain from making baseless accusations. I have the right to sue you.”

Ayano Eiko withdrew her gaze and then put the photo back into her bag.

“Do you know how I found you? While investigating this case, I could tell it was clearly an act of revenge. So, I looked into the man’s records and discovered he was previously implicated in three child molestation cases. However, due to a lack of direct evidence, the cases were ultimately dropped. Then I reviewed the incident at the mall. The mall’s surveillance cameras recorded everything. When I saw that you were the one who clashed with him, I knew it must have been you who orchestrated the attack on him—because only you could pull something like that off.”

“What an interesting conclusion. So, Inspector Ayano, are you planning to take me in for questioning?”

“No. Maybe you won’t believe it, but I actually had no intention of continuing the investigation into this case. I have no interest in doing anything for a man who’s worse than an animal. The real reason I came here was to ask you a question.”

“What question?”

The female Inspector’s gaze was intense as she stared at him. “Were you the man in black that night?”

“What man in black?” Lei Yin cursed inwardly. This woman really did recognize him, but it wasn’t clear how much she knew.

“I know it was you.” Ayano Eiko’s eyes never wavered as they locked with his.

“I’m sorry, but I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lei Yin said, understanding that she wasn’t entirely sure. She was just bluffing.

As expected, after staring at Lei Yin for a while, a hint of disappointment flashed in Ayano Eiko’s eyes.

Lei Yin smirked inwardly. For someone like him, a centuries-old immortal, even if he spoke absurd lies, his expression and gaze would never give him away. There was no way this woman would see through him.

“Forget it. I’ll find out one day anyway.”

Lei Yin was surprised at how easily she admitted it.

Stretching and standing up, Ayano Eiko turned back to smile at him. “Maybe it’s because I’m back at my alma mater, but I feel more relaxed now. I used to be really annoyed by your attitude—you seemed like you knew everything but wouldn’t say a word. But now, seeing you studying at Teikyo, I realize you’re actually my junior, and you’re much younger than me. Maybe that’s why I’m starting to find your arrogance a little endearing.”

Having someone—especially a young woman—call him “endearing” made even Lei Yin, whose skin was as thick as armor, feel a hot flush spreading across his face.

Damn it, when I was conquering the world, your grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather didn’t even know if he was born yet.

“Hey, are you done talking? If you’re done, let’s call it a day. I don’t have time for idle chitchat.”

Seeing the look of displeasure on his face, Ayano Eiko smiled. “Regardless of whether or not you’re that person, I still want to thank you. It’s all in the past, and I’ve finally put down the burden I carried for eight years. Well, I won’t take up any more of your time. Goodbye.” With that, she turned and walked away.

Lei Yin watched her retreating figure with a thoughtful expression. He suddenly realized that this woman had some admirable qualities as well.

※※※

As the TV grew more and more boring, Lei Yin walked into the kitchen.

There, Naoko, wearing a plain apron, was using a spoon to pour a little of the soup from the pot into a small tasting dish. She took a small sip.

Lei Yin approached her from behind and gently wrapped his arms around her slender waist. “How does it taste?”

Naoko turned and smiled at him. “You must be hungry, right? Dinner will be ready soon.”

“But I’d rather have you,” Lei Yin said, resting his head on her gracefully shaped neck.

Naoko’s face turned red, and a wave of weakness spread through her body.

At the dinner table, seeing Lei Yin eating her homemade food with a hearty appetite, a satisfied smile spread across Naoko’s face.

“Hey, just watching isn’t going to fill you up,” Lei Yin said as he picked up a shrimp and placed it in her bowl.

Naoko glanced at him and then lowered her head to eat.

After washing the dishes and walking out of the kitchen, she saw Lei Yin intently watching the midday news. This was the only program he ever watched on TV, if the news could be considered a program.

Slowly approaching, Naoko knelt by his feet and rested her head on his lap.

Lei Yin withdrew his gaze from the TV and gently ran his fingers through Naoko’s long, silky hair, admiring the half of her face that was visible.  

“Is something on your mind?”  

Naoko shook her head and then lifted her gaze to meet his. “Will it be okay to leave Amy under the care of your sister? I remember you telling me that, apart from you and Ailin, she tends to resist other people.”  

Lei Yin pulled her into an embrace. “She’s doing much better now. After spending a few days with them, she’s not so resistant to Kazumi and her classmate anymore. Besides, it’s just for a day. I haven’t seen you in a while because of the exams, so I wanted to spend some time alone with you.”  

“Lei, am I being silly?” Naoko murmured softly, pressing her head to his chest.  

“Why do you say that?”  

“Since Amy arrived, I feel like she’s taken you away from me. Sometimes I get really mad at myself for being jealous of a little girl,” Naoko said, her expression a mix of embarrassment and frustration.  

Hearing her words, Lei Yin couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re right. You really are silly.” He then lifted her chin and pressed his lips against her bright red ones.  

Naoko responded passionately and tenderly, as if trying to convey her feelings of frustration and longing through their kiss.  

When their lips parted, Lei Yin looked at her flushed face and teased, “You know, sometimes you’re more childish than Amy.”  

“Lei, I really missed you,” Naoko said, her eyes glistening with tears.  

Looking into her devoted eyes, Lei Yin felt a surge of affection. He gently lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the bedroom.  

Naoko gazed at him, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.  

Time passed, and when Naoko woke up, she felt a hand gently stroking her back. The warm touch made her feel completely at ease.  

When she opened her eyes, Lei Yin’s fingers traced her lips. “Awake now?”  

“What happened?” Naoko asked, slightly confused.  

“You fainted just now,” Lei Yin said with a smile.  

Naoko’s face turned red as she recalled the overwhelming sensation. She had thought she might die from that intense pleasure. Embarrassed by the sound she made, she couldn’t bring herself to look at his face.  

Continuing to caress her smooth skin, Lei Yin suddenly spoke, “Don’t you want to come with me on the school trip to Teikyo?”  

At his words, Naoko lifted her head to look at him. “Lei, are you upset?”  

“Of course not. I was just asking. Don’t overthink it, alright?” Lei Yin added, knowing that she had a tendency to keep everything to herself.  

“I do want to go with you, but since your classmates will be there, I feel like it wouldn’t be right,” Naoko said, her face once again reflecting hesitation.  

“Alright, I won’t ask again. Next time, we’ll go just the two of us.”  

Lei Yin understood that there was always something holding her back—namely, the six-year age difference between them and the fact that she had once been his teacher. She wasn’t ready to face the judgmental looks of others, and he knew that this couldn’t be rushed, so he didn’t push the issue.  

“Lei, are you really not mad?” Naoko asked, her face full of concern as she studied his expression.  

“Silly, don’t think of me as that petty kind of man,” Lei Yin said, pressing a kiss to her eyes.  

Seeing that he wasn’t angry, Naoko finally relaxed.  

“Don’t worry so much. If something’s bothering you, tell me, okay?”  

“Mm.” Knowing that he cared about her, Naoko felt deeply moved.  

After comforting her, Lei Yin felt a wave of desire come over him.  

“Would you like to go again?” he whispered into her ear.  

Naoko’s ears flushed red with embarrassment. After a moment, she nodded, struggling to hold back her shyness.  

Soon, the sounds of a mature woman’s increasingly clear moans filled the room.  

※※※

After the exam results were announced, it was a relief that even the most troublesome student, Takeda, had made it through safely. With that, the four young men began their first summer vacation at university.

At the beginning of the summer break, the school’s planned study trip went ahead as scheduled. Unlike last year, this time, the majority of participants were freshmen. In addition, many of the students brought their boyfriends or girlfriends along, making the group even larger. On the day of departure, everyone gathered at the departure hall of Tokyo Haneda Airport.

Although the school had initially planned for the first and second years to go to Kagoshima and the third and fourth years to Hokkaido, many students in the upper years changed their sign-ups to Kagoshima. Setting aside the tourism angle, these students shared a common trait: none of them had, or currently had, girlfriends.

Faced with the watchful eyes of older male students, the younger male students felt increasingly tense. They even tried to minimize the time spent going to the bathroom, not wanting to be away from their target for too long in case someone else took advantage of the situation.

“Masashi, where’s your sister?” Takeda looked around.

“She’s out buying some things with her friends. She’ll be back soon. What about Yoshikawa?”

“Who knows where that guy is off to? Probably trying to impress Haruko again.”

“Then why don’t you go? Didn’t you come on this trip for Seimura Haruko?”

“Don’t mention it. Haruko is too difficult to pursue, just look at Yoshikawa. So, I decided to shift my attention. I realized that someone’s sister keeps getting more beautiful the more I look at her, so as a good friend, shouldn’t you help me out a bit?” Takeda said with a grin.

“I’ve told you, you’re not her type. I advise you to give up,” Masashi said. “But if you insist on trying, I won’t stop you. Just don’t expect me to help you.”

“If you won’t help, then forget it, you irritating guy,” Takeda retorted.

Lei Yin ignored him and lowered his head to the little girl sitting on his lap. “Hey, kid, when we get to Kagoshima, I’ll take you to the hot springs. They’re quite famous there.”

“What’s a hot spring?” The little girl looked up at him with wide, curious eyes.

“It’s a natural pit near a volcano that serves as an outlet for underground water. Because it’s near a volcano, the water gets heated by the magma beneath the surface, and that hot water is what we call a hot spring. People can soak in it,” Lei Yin explained.

“What’s the difference between that and taking a hot bath?” the girl tilted her head and asked, thinking it over.

Lei Yin smiled. “Because hot springs are made of underground water, they’re rich in minerals, which is very good for the body. But in terms of feeling, it’s not much different from soaking in a bath. The only difference is that the pool is much bigger than a bathtub. By the way, can you swim? If not, I can teach you to swim in the hot spring. How does that sound?”

“Okay.” The little girl smiled brightly.

Half an hour later, everyone began boarding the plane in groups.

From the window of the ascending plane, buildings below grew smaller and smaller.

Lei Yin thought, I hope this trip won’t be too boring, as he watched Amy looking excitedly out at the scenery.