My dear wife, I still love you more.

Hasegawa glanced at the bedroom and was quite impressed; it was at least clean and spotless. Although Hiratsuka Shizuka appeared carefree and outwardly boisterous, smoking, drinking, and even fighting, she was still a woman at heart.

Hasegawa was unaware that although this room was Hiratsuka Shizuka's bedroom, she often lived outside. She might not even stay in this room for a day a month. In addition, servants would come to clean the room every day, so the room would never get messy.

If Hasegawa had gone to the room where Hiratsuka Shizuka was staying outside, he probably would have seen a completely different scene.

"That guy, Haruno, is really dangerous." After arriving in the bedroom, Hiratsuka Shizuka breathed a sigh of relief and said to Hasegawa.

"Huh? Dangerous?" Hasegawa was a little confused.

"Don't let Yukino's smiling face fool you. She's actually quite cunning. She might already be suspicious of you, which is why she kept bothering you and asking you all sorts of questions. Luckily, you answered all her questions correctly. Otherwise, she might have seen right through you," Hiratsuka Shizuka commented on Yukino.

"Really? Is she that amazing? No wonder she asked so many questions." Hasegawa suddenly realized.

"That guy is really that powerful. And he won't give up until he gets what he wants. There might be a lot of problems afterward, so you have to be careful and not give yourself away. Otherwise, she might see through you, and that would be a disaster." Hiratsuka Shizuka warned her solemnly.

"Um, I will. And you can rest assured, Hiratsuka-sensei. Even if there's a slight mishap, it's okay. After all, it's just this once. After that, you can be honest with your parents, or we'll have already broken up. It won't matter anymore. At that time, it won't matter what Yukinoshita Haruno sees through." Hasegawa said with a smile, not really caring.

"Hmm, I hope so." Hiratsuka Shizuka paused slightly after hearing Hasegawa's words, then nodded somewhat awkwardly.

Although Hasegawa was right, and he had given her a lot of advice before, Hiratsuka Shizuka couldn't help but feel a little scared at the thought of telling her parents the truth, or that she and Hasegawa had broken up.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, are you alright?" Hasegawa asked with concern, noticing that Hiratsuka Shizuka's complexion looked a little off.

"It's okay, I'm fine. But you, don't call me 'teacher' here. Call my name, call my name, what if someone hears us?" Hiratsuka Shizuka shouted loudly at Hasegawa.

"Uh, okay, okay, Jing. I got it, Jing. From now on, I'll only call you Jing. Is that alright?" Hasegawa said with a smile.

"Your attitude is way too perfunctory. Even if this is the last time, you need to be professional. If you show even the slightest weakness, you're dead. Understand? Understand?" Hiratsuka Shizuka threatened Hasegawa, shouting.

"Okay, okay, Shizuka. Don't worry so much. It'll be fine." Hasegawa made a gesture indicating that everything was absolutely fine.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Lady Yukinoshita

At a dining table, Hasegawa sat next to Hiratsuka Shizuka. During the meal, Hasegawa served Hiratsuka Shizuka food, placing her favorite dishes in front of her.

Of course, Hasegawa didn't really know much about what Hiratsuka Shizuka liked to eat, although she had mentioned what she liked to eat before, but not in great detail.

After sitting down at the table, Hasegawa observed more closely. He noticed which dishes Hiratsuka Shizuka usually ate, and which dishes she seemed to enjoy eating the most. Through this observation, Hasegawa had a pretty good idea of ​​which dishes Hiratsuka Shizuka liked.

The others, who had initially harbored some doubts about Hasegawa, now acknowledged that he genuinely liked Hiratsuka Shizuka after seeing that he actually knew what she liked to eat.

Of course, even while eating, Yukinoshita couldn't help but squint at Hasegawa, her suspicions about him still unresolved.

At the same time, Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but look towards Hasegawa, though Hasegawa seemed much more mature than her, and both Hasegawa and Shizuka Hiratsuka seemed genuinely kind. Therefore, Yukino Yukinoshita began to wonder if she had guessed wrong.

After all, Yukino Yukinoshita knew a little about Shizuka Hiratsuka. Although Shizuka Hiratsuka was so desperate to get married that she was practically indiscriminate in her sexuality, as a teacher, she still had basic professional ethics and wouldn't lay a hand on her student.

The mother beneath the snow maintained a calm, expressionless face, a true ice queen. However, even while eating, her eyes would occasionally glance at Hasegawa, though her gaze was sharp, as if trying to see right through him.

Hasegawa, sitting beside her, felt uncomfortable under Yukinoshita's mother's gaze. Even though everyone else's gazes were rather strange, hers was the most peculiar.

Perhaps because of Yukinoshita's mother, no one spoke during the meal; it was probably a matter of etiquette.

He finished the meal quietly. It was safe to say this was the most awkward and uncomfortable meal Hasegawa had ever had. The serious atmosphere unconsciously created a sense of oppression.

"call--"

Before Hasegawa could do anything, Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother let out a long sigh: "I always feel uncomfortable eating with you; you're too rigid."

The mother under the snow took a sip of her tea and said gently, "One should not speak while eating or sleeping; these are the most basic etiquettes. Sister, you haven't changed at all; you still haven't gotten used to these manners."

"Habit? I could never get used to this kind of etiquette in my entire life. If I could adapt to this kind of etiquette, the Yukinoshita family wouldn't have been handed over to you. It's better now. You can do whatever you want without having to think about anything else. How free you are. Look at you now, so rigid, like a wooden doll." Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother pouted and retorted to her younger sister.

"If you had followed family etiquette and hadn't been so rebellious, you would have inherited the position of head of the Yukinoshita family. I wouldn't be so bound by these rules, and I wouldn't be as rigid as I am now," Yukinoshita's mother said calmly.

"Oh dear, you want me to be the head of the Yukinoshita family? I can't stand it. Besides, Yukinoshita is doing just fine now. You, little sister, are the most suitable to be the head of the family." Mother Hei laughed heartily. At that moment, Hasegawa saw a resemblance to Hiratsuka Shizuka in her. No, it should be said that Hiratsuka Shizuka bore a resemblance to Mother Hei.

Hasegawa listened quietly to the sisters' conversation, his head bowed. He was beginning to understand their situation.

Hira and Yuki are sisters, presumably heirs to a large family like Yukinoshita. However, Hira, as the elder daughter, has a rebellious personality and couldn't stand the family's rigid traditions, ultimately choosing to relinquish her position as head of the family and marry her current husband. After her sister's departure, Yuki had no choice but to become the head of the Yukinoshita family, and her husband likely married into the Yukinoshita family.

"Hasegawa-kun!" Yuki-mama suddenly said to Hasegawa.

"Yes, Lady Yukinoshita." Hasegawa quickly straightened his posture, making his already upright body even more dignified.

Seeing Hasegawa's posture, Yuki nodded, slightly satisfied: "Hasegawa-kun, you look quite young, probably younger than Shizuka."

“Yes, Mrs. Yukinoshita, I am only twenty-four years old and have just graduated from university.” Hasegawa nodded earnestly.

"Twenty-four years old? But she looks a bit younger. Although there's a difference in age between her and Xiaojing, it's not that big." Xue's mother nodded.

"Yes, I just look a little young."

"So, what is your job now?"

"Since I just graduated from university, I haven't found a suitable job yet, but I have an idea of ​​one, and I should be able to officially start working soon."

"Is that so? Then, what's it like working at the Yukinoshita Group?" Yukinoshita's mother asked Hasegawa calmly.

"Well, thank you for your kind offer, but I already have someone I like, so—"

"I see. That's fine. But if you don't feel that the job is suitable, you can come to Yukinoshita Group."

"Yes, I will, Lady Yukinoshita." Hasegawa nodded earnestly.

To be honest, Hasegawa felt immense pressure facing Yuki's mother, even more so than when facing Hiratsuka Shizuka's parents. Even though she wasn't Shizuka's mother, her aura was simply too powerful, making him unconsciously feel restrained in her presence. Of course, the main reason was that Hasegawa felt Yuki's mother was quite formidable and worried about revealing any weaknesses, so he had to be exceptionally serious and focused.

While quietly sipping her tea, she casually asked Hasegawa a few questions. She appeared completely unperturbed. Hasegawa, however, remained seated upright and responded to all of Yuki's questions. Perhaps he was gradually getting used to Yuki's imposing manner, as Hasegawa's demeanor became more composed.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Yukino's Suspicion

"You're really amazing, Kenichi!" Yukinoshita Haruno looked at Hasegawa with a surprised expression.

"Huh?" Hasegawa wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and looked at Haruno with some confusion.

"I mean, you were surprisingly calm in front of my mother. You did a great job. Most people wouldn't even dare to raise their heads in front of her. Even I feel very awkward talking to her. But you didn't seem scared at all." Yang gave Hasegawa a thumbs up.

"I'm under a lot of pressure too. Look, I'm even sweating." Hasegawa smiled wryly and pointed to his forehead, which he had just wiped away.

"Really? Even so, that's still amazing. Now that you've even gotten past my mother, it seems like there are no more obstacles between you and Shizuka. So, when do you plan to get married?" Yang asked with a smile, looking at Hasegawa and Hiratsuka Shizuka.

"Marriage?" Hasegawa paused for a moment. "While I do want to marry Shizuka as soon as possible, I am a man with pride. Although I feel that the gap between my family and Shizuka's is too big, a gap that can't be bridged even in a lifetime, no, ten lifetimes, I still want to try. So, I want to discuss this kind of thing after my job is settled."

"Is that so?" Yang Nai nodded with a look of realization. However, Yang Nai's mind was racing.

Hasegawa rejected the proposal to marry immediately. So, wasn't Hasegawa after the Hiratsuka family's wealth? Was she wrong before? Was Hasegawa not a fraud?

However, we can't say that. What if Hasegawa is playing hard to get? It's also possible that Hasegawa feels a lot of pressure about the Hiratsuka family's situation, so he plans to take advantage of Hiratsuka and leave.

However, that doesn't seem quite right. After all, Hasegawa was able to remain so calm and composed when facing her mother, which is enough to demonstrate her strong resilience. With such resilience, she naturally wouldn't back down just because of the situation at Hiratsuka Shizuka's house.

"So, could it be true love?" Yang Nai's expression was a little strange.

Hasegawa's smile returned, and he appeared somewhat friendly. He was unaware that Haruno's suspicions about him had greatly lessened due to what had happened. However, Hasegawa also vaguely sensed that Haruno's attitude towards him seemed to have become a little more sincere.

Yukino Yukinoshita, on the other hand, continued to look at Hasegawa with a strange expression.

"Yukino. Is there something strange about me?" Hasegawa asked Yukinoshita with a smile.

Yukino Yukinoshita frowned slightly at Hasegawa's way of addressing Yukino, but considering Hasegawa's current relationship with Shizuka Hiratsuka, she didn't bring it up: "It's nothing, it's just that you look very young, Hasegawa, and I feel there's a certain age gap between you and Shizuka-nee."

"Well, it's probably because my face looks a bit youthful," Hasegawa explained with a smile. He'd given this reason more than once, and even Hasegawa himself was starting to believe it.

"Really? But Hasegawa's face is really so youthful, he looks just like a high school student." Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly.

Hasegawa was taken aback for a moment after hearing this, but then quickly regained his seemingly natural smile: "High school student? Am I really that young?"

"Hmm. It should be at the first year of high school level." Yukino Yukinoshita said, staring intently at Hasegawa.

"First year of high school? That's a bit of an exaggeration." Hasegawa felt a little guilty after hearing Yukino Yukinoshita's words. He thought this Yukino Yukinoshita was too strange, that she thought he was a first-year high school student. Could it be that she saw through something? Probably not.

Yukino Yukinoshita, however, kept a close eye on Hasegawa's changing expressions, not even missing the subtle shifts in his eyes. Although Hasegawa tried his best to conceal it, Yukino Yukinoshita still vaguely noticed something.

Therefore, Yukino became even more suspicious of Hasegawa's identity at this point.

Meanwhile, Yukino watched Yukino and Hasegawa with great interest. She suddenly found it quite amusing that although her younger sister Yukino was very intelligent, she was just a well-protected high school student who didn't understand many things; it was simply a matter of limited perspective.

However, in this situation, Yukino seemed to have discovered something about Hasegawa.

Yang couldn't help but look at Hasegawa again, but she couldn't seem to see anything.

Thinking back to what Yukino just said, her face looks very young? A high school student? Or even a first-year high school student? Is there something going on here?

Looking closely at Hasegawa, whether it was due to Yukino's words or something else, Haruno suddenly felt that Hasegawa's mannerisms did indeed seem a bit too immature.

It's just that Hasegawa's aura seemed to have concealed his appearance, which is why no one noticed.

This discovery, however, excited Yang Nai; she seemed to have discovered something incredibly fun.

"Yukino, if you tell a woman that someone looks young, she'll be very happy. But for a guy like me, that's not necessarily something I'd like to hear. After all, recent college graduates usually try to look as mature as possible, which makes it easier to find a job or anything else. So, generally speaking, you shouldn't tell a guy that he looks young and immature." Hasegawa, the thug, seemed to be explaining things to Yukino, teaching her how to conduct herself in social situations.

"Really? I'll take your advice." Yukino nodded seriously, as if she had accepted Hasegawa's suggestion.

"As expected of a college student about to enter society, Yukino, you should learn more from Kenichi. It will be of great benefit to your future growth," Haruno said with a smile.

“Yes, I will.” Yukino nodded indifferently.

"Speaking of which, Kenichi, you really look very young. Can you tell me how you maintain your youthful appearance?" Haruno gently stroked her cheek with her right hand and then asked Hasegawa.

Chapter Twenty-Five has finally come to an end.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Hiratsuka Shizuka walked out with a smile.

"We didn't talk about much," Hasegawa said with a smile, shaking his head.

"We were talking about how Kenichi takes care of his skin. We're really curious about how he can maintain such good skin," Haruno said to Hiratsuka Shizuka with a grin.

Upon hearing Haruno's words, Hiratsuka Shizuka's smile immediately froze. Clearly, her acting skills were far inferior to Hasegawa's.

Haruno and Yukino simultaneously noticed the change in Hiratsuka Shizuka's expression and immediately knew that something was definitely going on. Yukino was even almost certain of her earlier guess. Haruno, on the other hand, had a broad smile on her face, as if she had found some fun toy.

"Um, well, it's probably something I was born with, yes, it's something I was born with. Haha, hahaha, I asked Kenichi about it, and he said it's something I was born with." Hiratsuka Shizuka laughed awkwardly, her voice lacking confidence.

Hasegawa looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka like this and wanted to cover his face: "That's right, it's also a matter of nature. After all, I'm not good-looking, so God has to compensate me in some way. People like you are all beautiful women, so you don't need any compensation."

"Kenichi, you really know how to talk. No wonder you were able to win over Shizuka-nee. Shizuka-nee, were you tricked into getting her by Kenichi's sweet talk?" Haruno said with a smile.

To be honest, Haruno had already sensed something was wrong. If she wanted to break through, starting with Hiratsuka Shizuka would be a very easy task for her. However, instead of pressing her advantage, she directly changed the subject.

Well, Haruno had finally found something to amuse herself, and she didn't want to reveal the answer so quickly. Although the moment of revelation would be incredibly fun, it would be a bit of a shame to end it so soon. Haruno wanted to keep this going, to tease Hiratsuka Shizuka or Hasegawa from time to time, and derive some enjoyment from it. That was what Haruno wanted to do.

It has to be said that Haruno's personality is really awful, and it's a kind of super perverse sense of humor.