Chapter 312: Relationship

Lei Yin asked her, “Since Kazumi returned home, has she mentioned anything unusual to you?”

Rumi thought for a moment and then replied, “She hasn’t said anything special. Senpai, is there something wrong with Kazumi?”

“No, I was just curious,” Lei Yin said. Since Kazumi hadn’t shared anything with him after returning, he found it odd.

“What were you about to say earlier?” Lei Yin looked at her.

The girl’s face flushed again. After a while, she hesitantly said, “Senpai, I’m really happy… I… I have to go now.” With that, she quickly headed toward the shore.

Because Naoko was around, she hadn’t dared to interact with him as casually as usual. Moreover, it was the first time she had seen him and Miss Naoko together. The unspoken understanding and warmth between them made her even more hesitant to approach. For the past two days, she had been caught in a mix of hope and anxiety. But now, with him initiating the conversation, she felt truly happy.

Unaware of her complex emotions, Lei Yin assumed her happiness stemmed from visiting Okinawa for the first time. He didn’t give it much thought and continued walking toward Naoko.

Around 3 PM, as the sun grew unbearably intense, most people had returned to the beach to rest under umbrellas. Only two energetic little girls and Lei Yin remained in the shallows. Naoko had initially wanted to stay with him, but Lei Yin, concerned about her health, urged her to go ashore and rest.

“Masashi-oniisan, come help us catch fish!” Bibi called out again.

Lei Yin was reclining lazily in the shallow water, just deep enough to reach his chest, unwilling to move. Seeing the little imp calling him again, he reluctantly said, “I’ve already caught plenty. At least try to catch one or two yourselves. Hey, if it’s too hot, stop catching them. Got it?”

“Okay!” Bibi replied without even turning her head.

At that moment, Amy came running over excitedly, holding something in her hands.

“Lei, I… I caught a shrimp!” she exclaimed, slightly out of breath. She opened her small hands to reveal a shrimp about the size of a thumb.

Lei Yin patted her head and said, “You’re amazing, little one! You caught such a big shrimp so quickly.”

Hearing his praise, the little girl’s face turned bright red with excitement.

“Quick, put it in the water, or it’ll die.”

“Okay!” The little girl immediately ran to the pit where they were keeping the fish.

Seeing how happy she was, Lei Yin smiled.

Just then, he sensed someone approaching. Turning his head, he saw Kurata Ryoko walking toward him, holding two cans of soda.

“Who knew you were not only good at catching fish but also skilled at entertaining kids,” Ryoko said, handing him one of the cans.

Lei Yin replied lazily, “Your words don’t sound like a compliment. They sound more like sarcasm. What do you want?”

“Can’t I come to see you without a reason?” Ryoko said, sitting down beside him.

Lei Yin smiled but didn’t respond, continuing to sip his soda.

After a while, Ryoko suddenly asked, “Hey, what’s your relationship with Ms. Hasegawa?”

Lei Yin gave her an odd look, then smiled and said, “I knew you wouldn’t come all the way here in this heat without a reason. You’re really cut out to be a journalist—an entertainment journalist, specifically. You’re as nosy as a paparazzo.”

Ryoko glared at him indignantly. “What’s that supposed to mean? As your cousin, am I not allowed to show some concern for my eccentric younger cousin?”

Lei Yin sneered, “Stubborn to the end.”

Ryoko, dying of curiosity, saw that he wasn’t giving her any face. She forced a strained smile and said, “Masashi, I’m just concerned about you. So, what’s your relationship with Ms. Hasegawa?”

Lei Yin glanced at her, then finished his soda in one gulp. Handing her the empty can, he said, “Go buy me a few cans of cold beer. And while you’re at it, get two bottles of soda for the little brats.”

Kurata Ryoko glared at him fiercely before reluctantly standing up and heading toward the shore. But after only a few steps, she turned back and, in a threatening tone, said, “If you don’t give me a proper explanation when I come back, I won’t let you off!”

Lei Yin waved her off. “Stop rambling and go already.”

Annoyed, Kurata Ryoko continued walking toward the shore.

※※※

“What did you say? You’re saying she’s your fiancée?” The intern journalist was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped.

Lei Yin, sipping his beer, replied, “Actually, my mother doesn’t know yet. But I plan to bring Naoko to meet her during this vacation and explain everything.”

Kurata Ryoko stared at him in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind? She’s really your fiancée?”

“You don’t have to believe it,” Lei Yin said indifferently.

“When did this happen? I mean, when did Ms. Hasegawa become your fiancée? Did you two really get engaged?” Kurata Ryoko bombarded him with questions.

“We haven’t officially gotten engaged.”

Kurata Ryoko shouted, “What the hell? Do you even understand what ‘fiancée’ means?”

Lei Yin replied casually, “Of course I do. But is a formal engagement really necessary? I’m definitely going to marry her. It’s just that we haven’t had the wedding yet, so I call her my fiancée. Formalities mean nothing to me.”

“Then when do you plan to marry her?”

“If nothing unexpected happens, I’ll marry her as soon as I graduate.”

Kurata Ryoko slumped down, a bit exasperated. “Masashi, I’ve always thought of you as a mature person. Have you really thought this through? You’re so young—do you really need to get married so soon?”

Lei Yin looked at her and asked, “Do you think Naoko isn’t good enough?”

“That’s not what I mean. Ms. Hasegawa is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I’m just worried you won’t be able to support her,” Kurata Ryoko said, finally voicing her concerns.

She had seen too many examples of relationships falling apart. It was hard for her to imagine someone as stunning as Hasegawa Naoko willingly marrying a fresh university graduate with no accomplishments. Even if they did get married, she had little confidence in their long-term happiness. Since he was her cousin, she felt the need to give him some advice—she didn’t want to see him face regret in the future.

Lei Yin smiled faintly and said, “I understand your concerns, but don’t worry. Naoko and I will live very well together.”

Looking at his calm expression, Kurata Ryoko felt like she understood him less and less.

A while later, just as Kurata Ryoko was about to speak, Bibi suddenly came running over in a panic, dragging Amy along with her.

“What happened?” Lei Yin asked.

“Amy got bitten!” Baby blurted out, seemingly confused.

“Bitten by a shrimp?” Lei Yin asked, looking at Amy.

“No, it was something really strange. It looked pretty, but when we touched it, it suddenly bit Amy,” Bibi explained.

Lei Yin froze for a moment, then quickly grabbed Amy’s bitten right hand and examined it closely.

“Lei, my hand really hurts,” the little girl said pitifully.

Seeing a noticeable swelling on the back of her hand, Lei Yin’s expression darkened. He immediately asked Bibi, “Was that thing white, umbrella-shaped, with lots of tentacles?”

Bibi clapped her hands. “Yes! It looked like an umbrella, but it wasn’t white—it was pink. It looked really pretty, but I didn’t expect it to bite people.”

Hearing this, Lei Yin’s expression changed further. Without hesitation, he picked Amy up and ran toward the shore.

Kurata Ryoko, never having seen him this serious, immediately followed and shouted, “Masashi, what’s going on?”

“She got stung by a jellyfish,” Lei Yin replied without looking back as he continued running.

When Kurata Ryoko heard this, her face paled. She knew that most jellyfish were poisonous, with varying degrees of toxicity, and the more venomous ones could be fatal. Thinking of this, she immediately picked Baby up and ran toward the shore after Lei Yin.

Bibi, clueless, looked at Kurata Ryoko’s anxious expression as she carried her and ran.

On the beach, Takeda, who had gone to buy drinks, saw Lei Yin sprint past at an incredible speed. Puzzled, he called out, “Masashi, what are you…”

Before Takeda could finish, Lei Yin stopped, set Amy down, and without a word, tore Takeda’s T-shirt into strips.

“Are you crazy? What are you doing?” Takeda shouted, his voice alarmed, drawing bewildered stares from those nearby.

“The kid got stung by a jellyfish,” Lei Yin said as he swiftly tied a strip of the torn shirt around Amy’s arm to prevent the venom from spreading.

“What? A jellyfish?” Takeda asked in shock, looking at Amy.

“I’m taking her to the hospital right now. I’ll call you once we’re there.” Without waiting for a response, Lei Yin picked Amy up again and ran toward the hotel.

“I-I got it!” Takeda stammered, quickly nodding.

Barefoot and out of breath, Lei Yin burst into the hotel lobby and addressed a man at the front desk who appeared to be the manager. “Get me a car right now! This little girl has been stung by a jellyfish and needs to get to the hospital immediately.”

The manager was startled. “I’ll call an ambulance right away,” he said, reaching for the phone.

“Waiting for an ambulance will take too long. Take me to your parking lot now,” Lei Yin insisted.

“I-I understand. Please follow me.” The manager had no choice but to lead him out.

As they exited the hotel, they encountered Kurata Ryoko, who had caught up with them. “Did you call an ambulance?” she asked immediately.

“I’m using the hotel car to take her to the hospital,” Lei Yin replied without stopping.

“Ryoko-neechan, what’s going on?” Bibi, still on Kurata Ryoko’s back, was confused about why everyone was so tense all of a sudden.

Kurata Ryoko explained the situation to her briefly while following Lei Yin.

Realizing the severity of the situation, Bibi was momentarily stunned.

When the manager led Lei Yin to the parking lot, they saw two vans used to transport VIP guests pulling in.

“Are those your hotel’s cars?” Lei Yin asked, pointing at the vehicles.

“Yes. I’ll speak with the passengers and see if they can give up the car,” the manager said, leading them over.

Stopping the front van, the manager knocked on the window.

The window rolled down, and a young man inside looked at him. “What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Sir, this little girl was just stung by a jellyfish and urgently needs to be taken to the hospital. Would you mind giving up the car temporarily?” the manager asked politely.

Hearing this, the man frowned. When he looked up to see the girl and the man holding her, his expression changed immediately.

Nishi Joichiro never expected to run into this irritating guy here. Seeing Lei Yin’s anxious face, a cold smile appeared on Nishi Joichiro’s lips.

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry,” Nishi Joichiro said indifferently.

“But…”

Before the manager could finish, Nishi Joichiro interrupted coldly, “The person who needs the car isn’t you, so why are you so worked up?”

The manager hesitated, glancing back at Lei Yin. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say, but he sensed that the two men knew each other and were far from friendly.

At that moment, a cold male voice came from the side. “Get out of the car.”

The manager turned to see Lei Yin staring at the car’s occupant with an expression devoid of warmth.

“Sir, please wait a moment,” the manager said nervously, about to suggest checking for another car in the parking lot. But before he could finish, Lei Yin pushed him aside forcefully.

The manager, shoved with considerable strength, staggered to the side, his face filled with tension. He could only watch as Lei Yin approached the car window and said coldly to the passenger, “I’ll say it one more time—get out of the car.”