I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 170 This is the first day of 1991! A happy moment for the Xiaoshan family!

Today is the first day of 1991. The daylight is extremely stingy, cautiously peeking out a few pale rays from behind the thick clouds, sprinkling on the Akita countryside covered with a thin layer of snow.

All was quiet except for a few distant barks of dogs, which made this New Year's morning as peaceful as an ancient dream.

Hiroshi Nohara woke up very early, or rather, he hadn't slept very soundly at all.

The tranquility of his hometown, which he had long been accustomed to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, created a subtle sense of unfamiliarity in his heart.

He didn't turn on the light, but used the faint light from the window to pick up the mobile phone on the bedside table, which was considered a luxury at the time.

The phone screen lit up, its pale blue light illuminating his young and handsome face.

It's 5:30 in the morning.

Hiroshi Nohara's fingertips danced across the small keyboard, sending carefully chosen blessings to those numbers woven together by chance, numbers known as networks.

Director Sakata, Deputy Director Asumi, Director Eiji Kurosawa, the editor-in-chief of Mirai Manga, the editors at Shueisha, and the colleagues at TV Tokyo's production department, whether close or distant... Each name represents a past, a battle, a friendship, or an unspoken exchange of interests.

He even sent greetings to his former classmates and teachers.

It's not just text messages.

There were also pager text messages.

After all, in this era before mobile phones were widespread, most people's blessings still needed to be delivered via pager text messages.

He was like a weaver sitting at the center of a spider web, using these invisible threads to connect himself closely with this vast world.

Soon, that small patch of starry sky began to respond to his presence in an even more fervent way.

"Di Di-"

"Beep beep-"

The text message notifications from cell phones and the beeping of pagers intertwined in this quiet bedroom, creating a unique symphony.

"Happy New Year, Hiroshi-kun! The box office for 'Seven Samurai' is still going strong! I'll have to toast you properly at the celebration banquet when you return!" — This was a message from Deputy Director Asumi, filled with a triumphant and triumphant feeling.

"Happy New Year. How's the script coming along? We must have a good talk when you get back." — This is Director Kurosawa's words, as always concise yet full of anticipation.

"Mr. Nohara! Happy New Year! Yu Yu Hakusho, Doraemon, and Midnight Diner are all bestsellers! We look forward to your new achievements in the new year!" — This is the editor-in-chief of Future Manga Publishing.

The mayor of Daqu City, the president of the farmers' association, his former classmates, teachers, and even some business people he had only met once at a dinner party... Countless blessings flooded in like a tide, turning his small cell phone into a warm token carrying countless goodwill and expectations.

Hiroshi Nohara flipped through the entries one by one, a faint smile always on his face.

He then realized that, without realizing it, his life trajectory had intersected so profoundly with so many people.

That boy who once left the countryside of Akita with nothing has now finally found his place in this vast land.

He truly changed his life.

Hiroshi Nohara lay in bed, a smile appearing on his lips as he thought of the disheveled and exhausted middle-aged man from his past life.

If the original Hiroshi Nohara was a supporting character in a comedy anime that was both pathetic and hilarious.

So now.

His version of Hiroshi Nohara.

He's the protagonist in a fast-paced, action-packed anime!

"At least for me, it's pretty good," Hiroshi Nohara chuckled. Nobody wants to be the one looking pathetic.

Even supporting roles played by one's own son are the same.

Just then, footsteps came from outside the bedroom, along with his mother Nohara Tsuru's voice: "Hiroshi, are you awake? Get up and eat something, you're going to visit relatives with your father later."

"Oh, here it comes!" Hiroshi Nohara snapped out of his daze, a slight smile playing on his lips.

His mother's words had pulled him back from that virtual world built of information to this real, earthly world full of everyday life.

"Then, let's keep trying, Nohara-kun!" Hiroshi Nohara encouraged himself.

……

The winter in Daqu City has a kind of cold yet pure beauty.

In the village, glistening icicles hung from the eaves of every house, and the air was filled with the fragrance of burning pine and the aroma of food.

The Nohara family walked along the snow-covered country road, their footsteps making a "crunching" sound, like a simple winter love song.

Today, Nohara Ginnosuke wore a brand-new down jacket, and his scalp was slicked back with wax. His face, which was always full of energy, was now radiating an undisguised, almost boastful, pride.

Well, or rather, it's blatant showing off.

At this moment, Nohara Ginnosuke walked at the front, like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, wanting the whole world to know that behind him were his two sons, who made him extremely proud and who had distinguished themselves.

"Hey! Ginnosuke! Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Oh my, isn't this Hiroshi and Sashi! They're both back!"

The Nohara family, the main family of the village, and their relatives and long-time neighbors with a century-long friendship were already waiting at the door.

When they saw the Nohara family, they greeted them warmly, their weathered faces filled with the purest kindness.

"Hiroshi! You are truly the pride of the Nohara family!"

An elderly man with gray hair, retired from the city hall of Omagari City, saw Hiroshi Nohara and his cloudy eyes gleamed with excitement: "I saw your 'Seven Samurai'! It was so well done! Especially that scene where they scolded the farmers, it was just... it really hit the nail on the head! We farmers, aren't we just like that! Cunning, stingy, but we're forced into it! You really understand us!"

“Yes, yes!” Another middle-aged man chimed in, his face beaming with pride. “My son is in university in Tokyo, and he told me that the whole of Tokyo is talking about your movie! They all say that you’ve really given us country folk a boost! Hiroshi, you’re really…impressive!”

The younger generation's gaze was filled with undisguised admiration and fervor.

They looked at Hiroshi Nohara with the same gaze they would give a hero who had stepped out of a legend.

Hiroshi Nohara simply smiled and nodded in response to the villagers' enthusiasm.

He didn't explain those grand narratives about "class" and "era"; he simply accepted this purest form of recognition from his homeland with equanimity.

Because he knew that for these simple and honest villagers, those complicated theories were far less sincere and heartwarming than a simple "You understand us."

Amidst the clamor of praise, Hiroshi Nohara keenly noticed that his older brother, Sashi Nohara, had also become the focus of everyone's attention.

"Sashi, you're a well-known company president in our Omagari City now!" A middle-aged woman held Nohara Sashi's hand, her face beaming with joy. "My son is helping out at your Akita dog breeding center. He says you're such a down-to-earth president, and you often treat them to drinks! He feels secure working for you!"

“Yes! And my family’s land, we sold it to your company, and now we work for your company. We earn way more than we would if we farmed it ourselves!” Another man said with a smile, “Xiaozhi, you really… helped us a lot!”

"Uncles and aunties, you're too kind." Nohara Saji stood in the crowd, a simple and honest smile on his dark face.

He then subtly pulled his hand away from the woman's hand without leaving a trace.

He was no longer the farmer who only knew how to bury himself in planting. Faced with the praise of his fellow villagers, he was calm and composed, and his composure and magnanimity really gave him the air of a mature village head.

He then whispered to Hiroshi Nohara, "Hiroshi, our company has grown quite a bit now. We've hired villagers to help take care of our farmland and breeding bases. We're all from the same village, so we help each other out, and life is getting better and better."

Looking at his older brother's confident face, Hiroshi Nohara smiled and nodded, "You did a great job, brother."

"Hahahaha! Did you hear that?! Did you hear that?!"

Looking at his two sons surrounded by the crowd, Nohara Ginnosuke could no longer contain his pride. He put his hands on his hips and burst into laughter, his voice carrying throughout the entire village: "My two sons, Nohara Ginnosuke! One is the most amazing television producer in all of Japan! The other is the youngest president of a major company in Omagari City! Let me tell you, my life has been worthwhile!"

Seeing his smug expression, the villagers all smiled knowingly.

"Oh! Ginnosuke is right! But there's still corn burning in my fireplace! I have to go back and check!"

"Yes, yes! My child is also waiting for me to hold him!"

"No! Is there something I forgot?"

Knowing the old man's temperament, they didn't point it out, but just laughed it off and made various excuses to disperse in twos and threes.

"Hey! Don't go! I haven't finished speaking yet!" Nohara Ginnosuke looked at the scene that had suddenly become deserted, and his smugness was stuck in his throat, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

He couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "These guys... they don't give me any face at all!"

"Alright, that's enough." Nohara Tsuru covered her mouth and chuckled softly. She gave her husband a reproachful look, but her eyes were filled with tenderness and pride: "The children are successful because of their own abilities. As their father, you shouldn't interfere."

"How am I meddling?! I'm... I'm proud of them!" Nohara Ginnosuke argued indignantly.

The two started bickering again, their lively banter blending with the distant sound of firecrackers, creating a heartwarming and touching New Year's scene.

……

The midday sun, carrying the warmth unique to winter, shone through the window and onto the Nohara family's dining table.

Lunch was as plentiful as ever, filled with a rich, rustic flavor.

The family sat together, enjoying this rare moment of reunion.

Nohara Sashi put down the rice cake soup in his hand, his face, slightly flushed from the steam, carrying a perfectly appropriate solemnity.

“Hiroshi,” he looked at Hiroshi Nohara, his tone carrying a hint of suggestion, “How about we go to Omagari City this afternoon? We can deliver some New Year’s gifts to the city hall leaders and give them our greetings?”

Nohara Hiroshi was slightly stunned when he heard this.

He looked at his older brother with some surprise.

His impression of Nohara Sashi was that although he was hardworking and simple, he was always a bit dull when it came to interpersonal relationships.

He never imagined that his elder brother would consider such a carefully maintained relationship so thoroughly.

Seeing his younger brother's surprised look, Nohara Saji scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, a simple, honest smile appearing on his face: "Hehe, don't look at me like that. I... I also learned from you. While you were away, I read a lot of books about business management and consulted many people. They all said that if you want to grow your business, hard work alone isn't enough; you also need to... you also need to maintain good relationships with your superiors."

Looking at his older brother's face, which was full of curiosity, Hiroshi Nohara felt all his surprise turn into a deep sense of relief.

He knew that his older brother had truly grown up.

He was no longer the older brother who needed his protection, but had grown into a true partner who could fight alongside him.

“Okay.” Hiroshi Nohara nodded emphatically, a genuine smile on his face. “Brother, you’re right. This was part of my plan anyway. Let’s go together this afternoon.”

……

The afternoon sun bathed the streets of Daqu City in a warm golden light.

The black Toyota Crown drove smoothly along the rather deserted street.

Inside the car, Hiroshi Nohara and Saji Nohara sat side by side. The trunk was already filled with carefully prepared New Year's gifts.

In Japan, giving small gifts for the New Year is a very common practice.

Our first stop was the home of the head of the farmers' association.

When the two Nohara brothers came to visit him in person, this respected elder, whose face was always full of dignity, showed a rare warm smile.

"Hiroshi-kun, Saji-kun, you two are truly... formidable young talents!" He personally brewed hot tea for the two of them, his tone full of praise: "Your company has made a tremendous contribution to the agricultural development of our Omagari City. In particular, your Akita dog breeding base is now a calling card for our city! His Excellency the Mayor has specifically praised you by name at several meetings!"

The second stop was the mayor's residence in Daqu City.

The mayor, who was in his prime, was unexpectedly enthusiastic when he saw Hiroshi Nohara again.

"Nohara-kun! I've heard so much about you! I've heard so much about you!" He gripped Hiroshi Nohara's hand tightly, his shrewd eyes gleaming with the keen insight of a politician: "I've seen your 'Seven Samurai'! It's brilliantly made! It's not just a movie, but a great work that can awaken the spirit of our nation!"

"You flatter me," Hiroshi Nohara replied politely.

At this moment, the mayor of Omagari City, with his eyes shining, revealed his ultimate goal: "So, is the movie about Akita dogs from Akita Prefecture that you mentioned before, Hiroshi-kun, on the agenda?"

After all, the mayor of Omagari City had seen Hiroshi Nohara's ability to make movies.

When he first met Hiroshi Nohara, this 23-year-old young man, he was very respectful, but he was still a little apprehensive about him.

But when even Eiji Kurosawa, the director whom Hiroshi Nohara most admired, held a press conference to clarify that "Seven Samurai" was a film by Hiroshi Nohara and that it was even more exciting than his own films, this mayor truly began to have high expectations for Hiroshi Nohara.

"Mayor, once we return to Tokyo, we will begin preparations for the Akita Inu movie. I hope that both Akita Prefecture and Omagari City will see a significant increase in popularity because of my film."

Hiroshi Nohara answered with a smile.

And his tone was very confident.

It was this confidence that made the mayor beam with joy: "Hahaha! Hiroshi-kun, I'm really looking forward to it!"

The two chatted for a while longer before Hiroshi Nohara left the city hall.

As the black Toyota Crown drove away from Daqu City again, the sky was already tinged with a brilliant crimson by the sunset.

As Hiroshi Nohara watched the scenery rushing past the window, a profound and composed quality, befitting a master strategist, shone in his clear eyes.

He knew that this afternoon's visit was more than just a simple exchange of gifts.

It was also paving the most solid road to success for his grand plan about "Hachiko, the loyal dog," which he had been brewing in his heart for a long time.

He wanted to make the entire city of Daqu the most loyal supporters of his plan.

He wanted to make that Akita dog named "Hachiko" an eternal cultural totem for this city, and even for all of Japan.

And all this has just begun.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Japanese archipelago, in Kumamoto Prefecture, the central city of Kyushu, the first rays of the new year's sunlight pierced through the floor-to-ceiling windows of a modern detached house, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow.

Unlike the vast, snow-covered countryside of Akita Prefecture, winter in Kumamoto City is less harsh and more refined and orderly, befitting a metropolis.

The streets were bustling with traffic, and decorations celebrating the New Year had already been hung at the entrances of shopping malls. The air was filled with the faint fragrance of plum blossoms and the scent of high-end perfumes wafting from the department stores.

The Koyama family's New Year's visit itinerary was also quite different from the Nohara family's, which was full of rustic charm.

As a retired junior high school dean of studies, Yoshiharu Koyama's network of contacts is mostly concentrated in the field of education.

His New Year's greetings were more like a series of nostalgic and dignified tea parties with old friends.

Early in the morning, Misae was dragged out of her warm bed by her mother, Koyama Takaya, and dressed in a proper kimono. Accompanied by her father, carrying carefully wrapped gift boxes, she traveled between various upscale apartments and detached houses in Kumamoto City.

The people I visited were either highly respected former principals or old colleagues I had worked with in the education field.

They sat together, drinking fine tea, reminiscing about their glorious past and discussing their retirement. Their words exuded the reserve and dignity befitting intellectuals.

Of course, the conversation will inevitably eventually turn to their children.

And this is precisely the part that Yoshiharu Koyama is most looking forward to today.

Then it was noon.

Throughout the morning, Yoshiharu Koyama's laughter never stopped; he was still enjoying the sheer pleasure he felt.

Around noon, as the well-maintained, gleaming old Toyota sedan drove smoothly back to the apartment, the atmosphere inside was like a cat's belly warmed by the sun, filled with a lazy yet contented comfort.

In the driver's seat, Yoshiharu Koyama, the old-fashioned intellectual who always had a serious face, was humming an off-key enka song, with a smug smile that he couldn't suppress, almost reaching his ears.

That heartfelt joy was even brighter than the sunshine outside the window.

He really put on a good show this morning.

Especially those guys who had all made excuses not to come out before, saying they had things to do at home and couldn't have a get-together, I started talking to them one by one.

Explain in detail.

Watching them pinch their noses, looking helpless but forced to listen to their boasting because it was New Year's Day, I felt a pang of sadness.

Yoshiji Koyama couldn't help but sigh, "Today was truly wonderful!"

"Hey Dad," said Xiaoshan Mengya, the youngest daughter of the Xiaoshan family, who was still in high school and sitting in the back seat, as she idly flipped through a fashion magazine. Glancing at her father's smug expression in the rearview mirror, she couldn't help but pout and say in a girlishly sarcastic tone, "That smile of yours hasn't left your face all day, has it? Have all those uncles and elders been praising you to the skies again? The three of us sisters have become your bragging rights now!"

Hearing this, the mother, Koyama Takaya, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and glared at her youngest daughter reproachfully, her eyes gentle yet authoritative: "Mengya, how can you talk to your father like that? You have no manners."

"No way!" Koyama Mengya pouted, unconvinced, and threw the magazine aside. Her big eyes, which resembled Misae's by seven or eight points but were more lively and cunning, gleamed with a mischievousness that seemed to see through everything. "I just think that Dad's showing off today was a bit too much. It's like he's treating the three of us sisters as his most prized trophies, displaying us to every household."

Now, thinking back to when my dad was showing off to his old friends, there was no contrast between his usual serious and stern demeanor and his usual stern expression.

Xiaoshan Mengya burst out laughing: "Dad's so funny! I didn't know Dad was such a show-off!"

“Mengya, don’t say that.” Sitting next to Mengya, her eldest sister, Xiaoshan Zhenya, a dignified woman who, like her father, was a junior high school teacher, could only smile helplessly upon hearing this: “You have to give Dad face.”

"What face? Didn't Dad gain enough face when he was showing off?" Xiaoshan Mengya said even more smugly.

"Oh dear, Mengya! How could you say that about Daddy?" On the other side, Meiya covered her mouth and let out a soft "pfft" laugh. Her bright eyes were also filled with a smile at her sister's "rebellious" remarks.

"Nonsense!"

However, just when everyone thought that Yoshiji Koyama would scold his youngest daughter with a stern face as usual, he simply glanced at Yume in the rearview mirror, and then, in a tone full of logic and rigor, as if correcting a student's wrong answer, slowly opened his mouth.

“Mengya, what you said is fundamentally wrong.”

"Huh?" Xiaoshan Mengya was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect her father to scold her so calmly, without any of the anger and embarrassment he used to show.

Mengya, somewhat unconvinced, retorted, "What's wrong with it? Aren't you just showing off to us?"

“No.” Yoshiharu Koyama shook his head, his serious face now filled with the earnestness of a teacher: “I admit that I was indeed showing off today. But…” He paused, his tone as if declaring an unquestionable truth: “What I’m showing off is my eldest daughter, Masaya, who is well-educated, has inherited my mantle, and is a Japanese language teacher at Kumamoto Municipal First Junior High School.”

"And..." He glanced at Misae through the rearview mirror, who was also somewhat surprised, his eyes filled with the pride of a father: "My second daughter, Misae, who, although a little absent-minded, has built a career in Tokyo through her own efforts and became the future president of a manga company at a young age."

He paused deliberately at this point, then slowly uttered the final conclusion—a conclusion that would leave Mengya speechless—in a tone filled with regret and sorrow.

"As for you..." He sighed deeply, his voice filled with a helpless frustration, "a young daughter who is still in high school, whose grades are not ideal, who spends all day reading those messy fashion magazines, and keeps talking about going to Tokyo, but doesn't even have the most basic ability to live independently... Mengya, do you think there is anything about you that I can brag about to my old friends?"

"..."

The whole world seemed to have pressed the mute button at this moment.

After a brief silence...

"Pfft—Hahahahahaha!"

Inside the car, a deafening burst of laughter erupted instantly!
Mother Gao Ya laughed so hard she almost cried. Her eldest sister, Zhen Ya, covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking, her usually dignified and quiet face now filled with barely suppressed laughter.

"Hahahaha! Yumisa! You've finally met your match!" Even Misae laughed so hard she almost fell over, leaning heavily on Masae's shoulder and letting out a clear, bell-like laugh.

"Dad! You...you've gone too far!"

Xiaoshan Mengya, the little devil who was just now so quick-witted, now had her pretty little face flushed red, like a boiled shrimp.

Her bright eyes instantly welled up with tears, and her voice was filled with shame, anger, and grievance after being publicly executed by her own father!
She's usually the one who annoys her dad.

How did things turn out this way?!
"Dad, you really... turned the tables!" Mother Gao Ya finally stopped laughing. She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and looked at her husband's triumphant expression. She couldn't help but sigh.

These words undoubtedly added fuel to the fire.

"Hahahahaha!"

"a ha ha ha!"

The laughter inside the car grew increasingly unrestrained.

"Damn it!" Koyama Yumeya completely broke down.

She felt her fragile girlish heart being mercilessly crushed into dust by her family's laughter, which was full of "love."

She huffed angrily, ignoring her "unscrupulous" family members, and instead pulled out a beautifully packaged comic book from her small handbag, flipping through it in a huff.

The cover of the comic book prominently features several warm and inviting words: "Midnight Diner".

"I'm telling you!" Koyama Yumeya declared fiercely, flipping through her manga, her voice filled with "grief and indignation," "As soon as I graduate high school, I'm going to Tokyo! I'll go live with my brother-in-law and make him take me in! I'm never coming back! Humph!"

This "threat," brimming with girlish fantasy, not only failed to quell the family's laughter but actually made the atmosphere in the car even more joyful.

After the laughter and commotion subsided, the atmosphere inside the car gradually calmed down.

As the street scene rushed past the window, Gao Ya, the mother, regained her gentle smile. She turned to her three daughters in the back row and asked softly, "Alright, alright, stop fooling around. Let's get down to business. What do you want for lunch? What are your plans for the afternoon?"

"Oh, and what about you, Mom?" Misae understood the implication in her mother Takaya's words and asked, "Aren't you coming with us?"

"Me?" Gao Ya's voice carried a hint of elegance and ease befitting a lady of high society. "I've arranged to meet Mrs. Suzuki and the others this afternoon for a flower arranging class, and we'll also sample some newly arrived matcha. What about you?"

"I..." Upon hearing this, the eldest sister, Masaya, instantly blushed a suspicious red on her already fair cheeks.

She subconsciously twirled the ends of her hair that fell in front of her chest with her fingers, her voice barely audible: "I...I made plans with Fujiwara-kun this afternoon...to go to the movies together."

"Fujiwara-kun?!"

This name, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirred up ripples inside the car!
"Wow—!" Xiaoshan Mengya was the first to exclaim, her big eyes, which were slightly red from feeling wronged, were instantly replaced by a burning fire of gossip!

She put down her comic book, sidled up to her older sister, and her small face was full of a mischievous smile: "Big sister! Wow! You're already on a date and going to the movies? You two... how far have things progressed? Have you held hands? Have you hugged? Have you...?"

"Mengya!"

The mother, Gao Ya, interrupted her youngest daughter's provocative questioning with a hint of sternness.

She gently patted Mengya's arm, her eyes carrying a hint of reproach from a traditional woman: "A girl should know how to speak properly! She should act like a girl!"

“Exactly!” Yoshiharu Koyama also cast a “majestic” glance in the rearview mirror and echoed in a deep voice, “Not composed at all!”

Although they said that, both he and Gao Ya had an undisguised curiosity and concern in their eyes.

Under the scrutinizing gazes of her family, Koyama Masaya's already flushed cheeks turned an even redder, almost as if they were about to bleed.

She lowered her head, her voice barely audible, like a mosquito's hum: "No...no...Fujiwara-kun...he's a very good person."

She paused, as if gathering her courage, and added, "Although he...although he seems a bit cold and always speaks in a businesslike manner, he...but he's actually very good to me. And...and he also said that after the New Year, he...he will personally come to visit my parents."

These words were undoubtedly a bombshell.

Visit in person?

In the traditional context of Japan, this is almost equivalent to a formal "marriage proposal".

But it's something very important!

"Oh—!" Xiaoshan Mengya let out another meaningful cry. Looking at her older sister's embarrassed appearance, her smile became even brighter.

She turned her head and cast a malicious glance at Misae, who was also secretly laughing beside her.

"With everything settled and the engagement done for you, eldest sister, shouldn't it be your turn next, second sister?" Mengya winked, her tone filled with the excitement of watching a good show. "I heard that your future brother-in-law is much more proactive than that Fujiwara-kun!"

"I want you to take care of it!"

Misae's cheeks flushed red instantly.

She reached out and gently pushed Mengya. Her bright eyes, though showing a hint of embarrassment, held an undisguised happiness filled with sweetness and pride.

She puffed out her chest and, with a confident tone, gave a light snort: "Anyway, we'll just wait for my older sister to finish here. My son, Hiroshi, can come anytime!"

“Oh my! ‘Our Hiroshi’!” Koyama Yumeya immediately grasped the key point in the words. She imitated Misae’s tone, using a strange, high-pitched voice to mimic it: “Listen to this! Listen to this! He’s not even married yet, and he’s already calling me ‘our family,’ ‘our family’! How… shameless!”

Looking at her eldest and second eldest sisters, whose pretty faces were both flushed red with embarrassment, Xiaoshan Mengya, who had just been immersed in the grief of being "publicly executed" by her father, finally revealed a bright smile of satisfaction, as if she had succeeded in her prank.

She felt that her shattered girlish heart was being pieced back together piece by piece by her sisters' "awkwardness".

Indeed, family happiness is built on family "suffering"!

PS: I spent all day working on the outline. I need to sort it out now. I've been updating too fast, so I need to get the outline sorted out properly.

(End of this chapter)