My dear wife, I still love you more.

"Try it and see if it's good." Mrs. Yui smiled at Yui Yui.

Yui Yuigahama didn't think much of it, gently picking up the soft, bouncy tofu covered in a layer of red coating with her chopsticks and putting it in her mouth: "Mmm... It's so, so delicious... This, water, I need water, it's too spicy." (Sorry, this isn't a food-themed story, and I can't capture the sense of embarrassment from Food Wars!. The author is still too innocent.)

*Glug glug.* Yui Yuigahama gulped down a glass of water almost instantly, then let out a long sigh. "It's so spicy! But it's so satisfying! It's really amazing. Mom, you've never made this before. I never expected your Mapo Tofu to be so good!" Yui Yuigahama gave Mrs. Yuigahama a thumbs-up in praise.

"This wasn't made by Mom, it was made by Hasegawa-kun. Mom never expected Hasegawa-kun to be such a good cook," Mrs. Yuihama said, seemingly implying something.

"Huh? Hasegawa-kun can cook?" Yui Yuigahama asked in surprise.

"Not only can you cook, you're really good at it. Yui, you should learn to cook properly too," Mrs. Yui said earnestly to Yui Yui.

"Um, well, I'll try my best." Yui Yuigahama lowered her head, feeling that her feminine charm was completely outshone by Kenichi Hasegawa, and she felt quite embarrassed.

"It's good that you know how to work hard. Hasegawa-kun's cooking skills are amazing. If you want to learn, you can ask Hasegawa-kun. Hasegawa-kun, isn't this too much trouble for you?" Mrs. Yuihama said a little embarrassedly. She knew it wasn't right to do this, but on the one hand, Hasegawa Kenichi's cooking skills were indeed very good, and on the other hand, she also wanted to give Yuihama Yui and Hasegawa Kenichi more opportunities to spend time alone together.

"No, it's no trouble at all. Cooking is actually quite simple; you could say it's easy to learn but difficult to master. If you just want to reach an average level, it's very easy to do," Hasegawa Kenichi said with a smile. It wasn't a difficult task, and since Mrs. Hihama had asked him to do it, Hasegawa Kenichi was reluctant to refuse.

"That's good." Mrs. Yuihama exclaimed, "Hasegawa-kun is so gentle and has such a good personality. Not only is he very reliable, but he also has such amazing cooking skills. Hasegawa-kun is truly incredible."

"It's just so-so there," Kenichi Hasegawa said modestly.

"Hasegawa-kun, please don't say that. You are truly outstanding. I just wonder which girl will be so lucky to become your wife," Mrs. Yuihama remarked meaningfully.

Hasegawa's heart skipped a beat when he heard Mrs. Yuihama's words. Could it be that Mrs. Yuihama—no, that was obviously impossible. Perhaps, it was just something Mrs. Yuihama said casually.

Thinking this, Kenichi Hasegawa smiled slightly, lowered his head a little, and seemed a bit hesitant to look at Mrs. Yuihama.

Mrs. Yuigahama glanced at Hasegawa Kenichi, who seemed a little shy, and then at Yuigahama Yui, who looked completely shocked. A hint of joy rose in her heart: Is it possible that Hasegawa-kun is actually a little interested in Yui because he is shy about this kind of thing?

Thinking about it this way, Mrs. Yuihama felt that what she was looking forward to wasn't so difficult after all.

"Alright, let's eat. It'll get cold if we don't eat now."

"I'm going to start eating," the three said at the same time.

Kenichi Hasegawa didn't actually have this habit, but seeing Mrs. Yuihama and her daughter doing it, he didn't want to make himself look too special.

Yui Yuigahama and Mrs. Yuigahama seemed very interested in the Mapo Tofu that Kenichi Hasegawa made. They ate it with rice and looked quite happy, even though the taste was a bit spicy and caused them to sweat slightly on their noses and foreheads.

Kenichi Hasegawa couldn't help but smile when he saw how much Mrs. Yuihama enjoyed his Mapo Tofu.

Mrs. Yuihama glanced at Kenichi Hasegawa, who was smiling, and noticed a hint of happiness in his smile.

Mrs. Yuihama couldn't help but think that the reason why Kenichi Hasegawa was like this was probably because the girl he liked liked to eat his Mapo Tofu.

And the only girl here is her daughter. That is to say—

As Mrs. Yuihama thought this, she became happier and happier, and her appetite improved. She found the Mapo Tofu delicious and couldn't help but eat a few more bites.

Kenichi Hasegawa felt inexplicably happy when he saw that Mrs. Yuihama seemed to really like his Mapo Tofu.

Chapter 5 Mrs. Yuihama's Good Intentions

"Yui, let me tell you something. Hasegawa-kun is an exceptionally talented young man. Perhaps because of his looks, not many girls like him right now. But gold always shines, and he'll definitely attract outstanding girls in the future," Mrs. Yui said, pulling Yui's hand.

"Oh. But why are you telling me this, Mom?" Yui Yuigahama scratched her head, looking at Mrs. Yuigahama with some confusion.

"Yui, don't you think Hasegawa-kun is a very reliable guy?"

“Yes, indeed, Hasegawa Toru—he is indeed a very reliable guy.” Yui Yuigahama nodded.

“Since you think Hasegawa-kun is a very reliable guy, then Yui, you should take the initiative,” Mrs. Yui advised.

"Huh? Proactive? Me? Mom, what are you talking about?" Yui Yuigahama was a little dumbfounded, and also a little shy.

"I mean, Yui, you should take the initiative. Hasegawa-kun is such an outstanding guy. If you don't take the initiative, other girls might discover his good qualities and pursue him, and then you won't have any chance at all." Mrs. Yui looked at Yui Yui with a look that said she was an idiot.

"No, Mom, you, you, you want me to pursue Hasegawa-kun?" Yui Yuigahama stared wide-eyed at Mrs. Yuigahama in disbelief.

“Yes. Didn’t you also say that Hasegawa-kun is a very reliable person?” Mrs. Yuihama said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"But, but, I mean Hasegawa-kun is very reliable, that's true. But, but, as for pursuing him or something, I, I never even thought about it." Yui Yuigahama couldn't help but defend herself, though she felt a little guilty inside.

For various reasons, Yui Yuigahama did indeed harbor some affection for Kenichi Hasegawa, especially since he had consistently helped her and her family. This made Yui feel that Kenichi was very reliable and trustworthy, a truly good person. However, Yui didn't think too much about it.

Now that Mrs. Yuigahama has given her the nod, Yuigahama Yui's mind is a little confused.

"Yui, you need to understand, although you are very cute, just like your mother, you don't have any other good points. Your grades aren't good enough, you're usually quite clumsy, and even the cooking skills that girls should have are completely lacking—no, it should be said that you can't cook at all." Mrs. Yuihama began to list Yuihama's problems.

"With grades like yours, it will be very difficult for you to get into university. If you can't become a university student, then it will be almost impossible for you to find a good job later. Then you can only become a housewife. But you can't cook, you're not good at cleaning, and you can't do almost any housework." Mrs. Yuihama was practically listing Yuihama Yui's shortcomings on her fingers.

"So, Yui, what do you think you should do? You think that you're only good-looking, but can you find a husband just by looking at your appearance? Even if you do, he'll probably only be after your looks. And looks are only temporary. When your looks are gone, will your husband who only cared about your looks abandon you? After all, no man likes a woman who can't do anything."

"So Yui, it's time for you to think about this. Do you want to find an excellent man, someone who, even if you become a housewife, has a gentle personality and is capable of taking care of you? And right now, the most suitable man for you is clearly Hasegawa-kun."

"Hasegawa-kun is gentle, very capable, and kind. It's as if we were just his neighbors, and we hadn't even interacted much before. But when our house was in danger, he would always step forward to help us. Such a man is obviously very rare, even exceptional."

"And Hasegawa-kun's grades are pretty good too, right?"

"Yes, Hasegawa was the top student in this school exam, the top student in his grade." Yui Yuigahama said, her head down.

"He has such a great personality and is so good at studying. He might end up getting into the University of Tokyo and becoming a top student there. No matter how you look at it, Hasegawa-kun is an outstanding young man."

"Such an outstanding guy, Yui, if you don't seize the opportunity now, it will really be too late."

Yui Yuigahama felt a little dizzy. She had never considered this kind of thing before, but listening to her mother's words, she actually felt that her mother was right.

At this moment, Yui Yuigahama seemed to suddenly realize that Kenichi Hasegawa was such an outstanding person.

Yui Yuigahama already had a certain fondness for Kenichi Hasegawa because of his help. Now, after hearing Mrs. Yuigahama's words, this fondness in Yui Yuigahama's heart has increased even more, and it's a linear increase.

Although Yui Yuigahama hasn't said anything yet, subconsciously she's actually had some thoughts. Hasegawa Kenichi is so outstanding, it might not be bad to pursue him.

"So Yui, you have to try your best. Even though you're a girl, you still need to be proactive. Well, of course, you can't be too proactive, or Hasegawa-kun might think you're frivolous, so you have to find the right balance. It might be a little difficult for you, but don't worry, Mommy's here. Mommy will help you figure things out and give you advice." Mrs. Yuihama patted her two buns, which were just as big as Yui's, as a promise.

"Oh, thank you, Mom," Yui Yuigahama mumbled in response, still half-asleep. She was truly in a daze, as if she had been completely brainwashed by Mrs. Yuigahama's words, and had lost all ability to think for herself.

"Go for it, Yui!" Mrs. Yuihama clenched her right fist in a gesture of encouragement.

"Mm." Yui Yuigahama nodded, her eyes unfocused.

Seeing her daughter agree, Mrs. Yuihama breathed a sigh of relief and a happy smile appeared on her face. She had been a little worried that her daughter might reject her idea because she was attracted to good looks.

After all, most girls nowadays like handsome guys, and they don't consider anything else. For many high school students, nothing else matters, as long as the guy is handsome, that's enough. Just like Mrs. Yuihama married her ex-husband for this very reason.

Some readers genuinely enjoyed the book and offered sincere suggestions in the review section. However, some of these reviews might have deterred new readers, so I had to delete them. I apologize for that. Please forgive me.

Meanwhile, some people left comments in the book review section without even reading the book, thanking the author for "testing" it. The author deleted these comments and banned them from commenting. For the author, these comments were even more malicious than abusive comments in the book review section.

The author's approach may not be viewed favorably by some readers. However, it is truly necessary and will significantly impact the book's sales.

Chapter Six: Yui Yuigahama's Changed Thoughts

"Goodbye, Mrs. Yuihama!" Kenichi Hasegawa waved goodbye to Mrs. Yuihama. (I saw some comments in the book review section saying that the protagonist's name is too long, and it gets a bit confusing every time it appears in the book. Okay, from now on, when writing the protagonist's name, just write Hasegawa.)

"Goodbye, Mom!" Yui Yuigahama waved and called out to her mother.

"Goodbye! Yui, good luck!" Mrs. Yuihama encouraged her daughter one last time.

Yui Yuigahama blushed, lowered her head, and did not respond.

Hasegawa and Yui Yuigahama left their house and headed towards school. However, this time, after several changes in her expression, Yui Yuigahama no longer followed behind Hasegawa as before, but chose to walk alongside him, albeit at a slight distance. Nevertheless, they seemed a little closer than before.

Hasegawa paused for a moment, but didn't say anything.

Although his relationship with Yuigahama Yui hasn't changed much, they are now living under the same roof. They've even stopped using the term "classmate" to address each other. Therefore, their relationship should be closer than before.

Yui Yuigahama didn't say anything after seeing Hasegawa notice her actions. She breathed a slight sigh of relief, her expression softening a little, and quickly followed beside Hasegawa.

Yui Yuigahama only occasionally glimpsed Hasegawa's face. Although it wasn't exactly a handsome face, at that moment, she remembered what her mother had told her before. She actually felt that Hasegawa's face had a certain charm, a unique appeal.

"Yuigahama, what's wrong?" Hasegawa noticed that Yuigahama Yui seemed a little off and couldn't help but ask.

"Ah, no, it's nothing." Yui Yuigahama quickly waved her hands and shook her head, so much so that not only the bun on her head swayed, but even the two large buns on her chest were shaking.

"Um. Well, if you need any help, you can tell me." Not quite understanding what Yui Yuigahama was thinking, Hasegawa paused slightly before saying this to her.

After all, no matter what, Yui Yuigahama and he had a decent relationship, and Yui Yuigahama's age reminded Hasegawa of his daughter from his previous life.

"If I hadn't time-traveled, my daughter would probably look like this too," Hasegawa thought to himself as he looked at Yuigahama Yui.

Yui Yuigahama noticed Hasegawa looking at her and lowered her head, her face flushing even more, feeling extremely nervous. Especially remembering Mrs. Yuigahama's instructions, she felt a mix of nervousness, anticipation, and even surprise: "Hasegawa is looking at me like that... does it mean he actually likes me too? Even though Mom says I'm stupid, I'm at least not bad-looking. So, does Hasegawa like me?"

"Be careful, Yui." Hasegawa grabbed Yui Yui's arm. If he hadn't, she might have already run headfirst into a telephone pole.

"Ah. Uh. I'm sorry." Yui Yuigahama blushed even more and apologized repeatedly.

"Never mind, no need to apologize. It's nothing. Just be a little more careful when you walk." Hasegawa shook his head.

"Yes, I will." Yui Yuigahama still didn't dare to look up.

Seeing Yui Yuigahama like this, Hasegawa felt that perhaps it was because of her family background that Yui Yuigahama was insecure? Yes, that's quite possible.

After all, Hasegawa had seen the original description of Yui Yuigahama in the original owner's diary.

The original owner secretly liked Yui Yuigahama, so in her diary, besides Aki Tomoya, there were more entries about Yui Yuigahama.

In her diary, Yui Yuigahama was described as very lively and active in class, able to talk to almost everyone. This is completely different from the Yui Yuigahama we know today.

"Yuhihama".

"Yes!" Yui Yuigahama replied instinctively.

"Yuhihama, actually, your family's problems have already been resolved."

"Ugh?"

“The ten million yen your family owed has actually been settled. There’s nothing more to worry about in your family now,” Hasegawa said to Yui Yuigahama in a softer voice.

"Huh? Oh. Is that so?" Yui Yuigahama was a little confused by Hasegawa's sudden change of topic, but then became pleasantly surprised after she realized what he meant.

"Yes. It's already resolved. Actually, it was Hiratsuka-sensei who helped you solve this problem. After you go to school, you should properly thank Hiratsuka-sensei." Hasegawa added casually, so that Yuigahama Yui would know who she should thank.

"Hiratsuka-sensei? She helped us with that ten million yen?" Yui Yuigahama's eyes widened, looking incredulous. After all, even a teacher would avoid ten million yen like the plague.

“That’s right, Ms. Hiratsuka, well, she’s a very capable person too. And her family has some connections, so you don’t have to worry about being harassed by the Black Dragon Group later on,” Hasegawa said with a smile.

At that moment, Hasegawa suddenly thought of how Hiratsuka Shizuka, who seemed so fierce, became as timid as a quail when facing her mother, and couldn't help but laugh. Truly, there's always someone who can subdue another.

Perhaps, if Mr. Hiratsuka goes too far in the future, he can seek help from Shizuka Hiratsuka's mother.

Of course, this was just Hasegawa's wild imagination. His relationship with Hiratsuka-sensei was merely that of teacher and student, and he had no connection whatsoever with Hiratsuka Shizuka's family. If nothing unexpected happened, they probably wouldn't see each other again.

However, Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother is probably not young, but she looks quite young, and even seems more charming than Hiratsuka Shizuka.