I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

Eden, seeing Sakura's confused expression, gave her a rather amusing reminder.

“To freely express one’s emotions… This may seem strange to you, but to Xiwang and me, it’s perfectly normal.”

"You may not realize it, but it's probably because we often communicate through music rather than words... Music is the most direct and simplest way for us to communicate, and it's also the way we can best convey our feelings to each other."

"Therefore... in many ways, our views will differ from those of outsiders."

Eden shook her head slightly, her long, wine-red hair swaying in the breeze, reflecting her cheerful and relaxed mood.

Yes... This is the only thing she and Xi Wang share, something that no one else can feel, so she is never worried.

“You can also take what I just said as bragging, after all… my relationship with Xi Wang is more subtle and deeper than you imagine… so I’m not worried about those things, because I already have a unique and unshakable place in his heart.”

"...That's a bit harsh, Miss Eden."

Sakura responded with a hint of bitterness.

"So...would you let go of your feelings because of this?"

"……I have no idea."

"No, you know."

Eden smiled.

"When you give this answer, haven't you already made the right response in your heart? It's just... for some reason, you're unwilling to say it directly."

"Expressing your feelings according to your heart is neither wrong nor something that needs to be restrained."

"How about we be a little bolder?"

Eden raised his glass with one hand and gestured slightly towards Sakura.

"Miss Eden, this is too much to ask..."

Sakura smiled somewhat helplessly, but after hesitating for a moment, she still raised her glass with one hand and clinked glasses with her.

"But...you're not wrong either. Perhaps I should lie to you, because our paths have crossed!"

"Just make sure you don't leave any regrets, so that when you look back in the future, you can smile knowingly."

"...Can I take this as Miss Eden's declaration of victory?"

"Why not?"

“Miss Eden, sometimes beauty that blooms for a fleeting moment can outshine the stars.”

"I believe it."

"But... thank you anyway, Miss Eden."

"You've simply come up with the answer yourself, Sakura. And... from now on, please don't use such respectful titles anymore; just call me by my name."

"Yes, Eden."

Sakura did not refuse, but simply nodded in agreement. She then took a sip of her drink, her mind gradually clearing. Her heart, which had been restless due to emotions, became calm, and even a little joyful.

"........."

Looking at Sakura's smiling face, Eden smiled without saying a word.

Eden was quite happy to see Sakura regain her spirits and slowly reveal her own beauty, just like a cherry blossom waiting to bloom.

Ah... the only problem is, as expected, Xi Wang still attracts too many girls... Although I said it lightly, I'm still a little jealous... If there's a chance later, we can go out and play together again—Eden thought to himself.

As for the possibility of Xiwang being taken away... Eden is not worried.

As mentioned before, her position in Xi Wang's heart is irreplaceable, just like Xi Wang's position in her heart.

They will shine on each other like twin stars, forever.

Chapter Thirty-One: Two People Who Are Getting Anxious (5145)

Ever since Eden spoke with Sakura, you've sensed that Sakura seems different, especially in your daily interactions. She seems much more relaxed and less reserved.

When you asked, Sakura just smiled and remained silent. Even Eden chuckled softly, revealing no information to you, seemingly intending for you to discover it for yourself.

[Soon, you also discovered Sakura's true difference... When you embarked on your journey with Sakura again, you noticed that Sakura seemed to have let go of unnecessary thoughts and worries, and began to interact with you in a rather relaxed manner, occasionally even showing some intimacy in some unintentional actions.]

Like cherry blossoms blooming silently, Sakura quietly reveals her unique beauty... As for the doubts and gossip that follow online, she pays no attention to them.

Just like you and Eden said, focus your attention on the person she cares about, and simply express your feelings of affection.

[You are naturally happy about this and glad to reciprocate Sakura's closeness... but the ensuing gossip and rumors also come like a tsunami.]

[It's nothing more than accusations that you've changed your mind, been unfaithful, cheated on me, or "betrayed" Eden... It's easy to imagine that they've been preparing this propaganda for a long time, and more importantly, it's quite obvious that someone is pushing these narratives behind the scenes.]

[To the point that, in the end, the public criticism gradually turned into harm, and even some signs of it began to appear in reality...it's quite disgusting.]

However, the interesting thing is that those guys who tried to cause you trouble in real life, after adding a little noise to your street performance or causing a few minor disruptions, never showed up again... Simply because they were dragged away by their families, and in the following days, they encountered several unpleasant things, as if they suddenly became unlucky after targeting you, making them unable to think about you anymore.

This reminded many people of your somewhat "strange" nature, so those who were initially tempted to act restrained themselves and instead vented their emotions online through writing.

But... just like before, these things don't affect you. Compared to those boring and annoying comments, you prefer to focus your attention on the people and things you care about and like.

[Therefore, you still smile, traveling with Sakura, occasionally returning to Eden to be with her, sharing the interesting things that happened to each other... But somewhat unexpectedly, Sakura also stays this time. In the past, she would always leave on her own, saying it was to avoid suspicion, but now... hmm?]

You paused, seemingly realizing something, and met Eden's gaze, only to see her smiling eyes. At the same time, she nodded subtly at you, as if confirming your thoughts.

"...Okay, now you understand why Sakura has changed so much lately. Looks like you need to think carefully about how to respond to her feelings."

However, Eden doesn't seem to intend for you to think about it carefully, or rather... she wants to subtly demonstrate her unique place in your heart.

So, Eden invited you to go out for fun... no, it should be said that you should take your friends out for a team-building activity.

She found a lakeside tourist town and booked it all out so that everyone could have a good rest and enjoy themselves.

You were somewhat speechless, only feeling that Eden's spending habits seemed increasingly off... But then again, for Eden now, money really is just a number, so it's not entirely outrageous... right?

However, Eden's actions still shocked many others in the company, especially those who didn't have frequent contact with him. Although they worked at the company, they didn't know the actual situation of the company or the extent of Eden's wealth... and now, they could get a glimpse of it.

However, those are not things that you and Eden need to care about too much. Right now, Eden wants to focus his attention on you.

But before that...

--------

"Honey, promise me you'll take precautions no matter what."

"Mother……"

"Listen to me first."

Eden's mother held Eden's hand and said rather solemnly.

"Although we know you'll eventually reach this point, you're not getting married yet... We also know that you plan to walk down the aisle in front of everyone and with everyone's blessings after you've fulfilled your respective wishes, but in any case, doing that kind of thing before marriage is never a good thing."

“Even though we know that your relationship will eventually lead to this, it’s not that we’re against it, but I just want to tell you… if you’re not ready to take on the responsibilities of being parents, you must take precautions, understand?”

As she spoke, Eden's mother placed several more "little umbrellas" into Eden's hands to show her attitude, leaving Eden speechless for a moment.

"Mom...you're worrying too much...and we didn't plan on doing that."

"Who knows? Sometimes when emotions run high, it's hard to control yourself... Wait, it seems like this doesn't really apply to you guys..."

At first, Eden's mother spoke with a meaningful tone, but soon she recalled the way Eden and Xiwang interacted, which seemed... somewhat subtle?

The feeling of things becoming too bland, the attitude of seemingly skipping the passionate stage and going straight to "daily life," even made people wonder if they were in a "Platonic" spiritual relationship. It was both frustrating and strangely endearing to watch.

What I like is their pure and gentle relationship, but what I'm anxious about is that their progress is too slow, so leisurely and unhurried that it makes me impatient.

"...Okay, let me put it another way. See if you can win him over tonight. After all, given the kid's current state, he's sure to attract a lot of girls."

Realizing this, Eden's mother immediately put aside her original worries about her daughter's health and changed her attitude, turning her attention to Eden's progress in her love life.

Tsk... Why does this give me a vague feeling of "You're not allowed to date during school, but you have to get married right after graduation"? It's like switching gears in a second, isn't it?

"Mom...you're worrying too much..."

Eden was both amused and exasperated.

"But... Mom, you're right, Xiwang has indeed been attracting some girls lately..."

"...Then why don't you hurry up and act? If that child is a stone, are you going to become a stone too?"

Eden's mother understood the subtext in her daughter's words, put her hands on her hips, and glared at her as if she were angry.

"Don't come crying to me if they get robbed. I won't comfort you."

"Will not."

Eden gently placed his hand on his chest and whispered.

"He will always be by my side... just like I promised him."

Eden was confident about this alone.

"…You kid."

Somewhat helplessly, she tapped Eden's forehead to vent her frustration, but this only elicited a burst of cheerful laughter from Eden, making her even more helpless.

"Forget it, you should sort out your own problems... as long as you don't regret it later."

"Yeah, of course."

Eden smiled, then seemed to sense something and turned around, only to find Xiwang walking over with her father, who appeared to have just finished their conversation.

Judging from the father's expression... it seems the conversation didn't go well, and he looked sullen.

"Alright, alright, you two little ones can play by yourselves. We two old folks won't bother you anymore... We also have our own time to ourselves."

Before Eden could ask any questions, her father pushed Xiwang next to his daughter and urged them to leave like ducks being herded, seemingly not wanting to see these two troublesome and anxious people anymore.

"Hurry up and go."

"Well... Dad, Mom, I hope you have a good time."

"Alright, alright, I know you mean well, hurry up and go!"

Urged on by Eden's father, Eden and Xiwang exchanged a helpless smile, nodded politely, and turned to leave for their little house.

"...These two kids are really something, dawdling and making me so anxious."

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Eden's father's gaze lingered on their hands, which had somehow become clasped together. He rubbed his temples with a pained expression, revealing a look of distress.

"How to say?"