My dear wife, I still love you more.

“Yes. So, I think if Hasegawa-kun is willing, you can call me Mom. Hasegawa-kun has already agreed.” Mrs. Yuihama said earnestly.

"Huh? Mom?"

"Ahem, Mrs. Yuihama, um, it's a misunderstanding. I, I didn't agree." Hasegawa had no choice but to step forward and object at this point. Their relationship was already difficult to manage; if they became mother and son, wouldn't it be even more complicated?

Chapter 87 The End of the Cold Violence

After Hasegawa transferred two million yen to his parents, they called him almost immediately because two million yen was far too much for them; the amount was simply enormous.

While a typical mid-level white-collar worker in Tokyo earns around four to five million yen a year, back in Hasegawa's parents' rural hometown, two million yen would take them a year or even two years to earn. And that doesn't even include expenses.

It could even be said that while one could be self-sufficient in the countryside, saving money was extremely difficult. After all, aside from selling the grain they grew each year, they had virtually no other source of income.

It's somewhat similar to China in the 1980s or 90s, when almost no one in the countryside went out to work; they all farmed in the fields. Their annual income consisted of selling grain twice a year.

Even now, the situation remains the same for Hasegawa's parents and their hometown, Tottori Prefecture.

So when Hasegawa transferred those two million yen, they were almost scared to death, thinking he had done something criminal. They only felt a little relieved after Hasegawa explained that his novel had earned him over four million yen.

The next morning, after getting up, Hasegawa noticed that Mrs. Yuihama's attitude towards him was a bit strange. Before, she had treated Hasegawa somewhat like a peer, as if he was mature and helped her deal with the yakuza. So she had always regarded Hasegawa as an adult like her, even though Mrs. Yuihama had always wanted Hasegawa to become her son-in-law.

However, Mrs. Yuihama herself probably didn't realize that she actually regarded Hasegawa as a man she could rely on.

But now, Hasegawa has noticed that Mrs. Yuigahama seems to have a subtle desire to treat him like a child, and even the tone of her voice when she speaks to him is somewhat similar to the tone she uses when speaking to Yui Yuigahama.

This situation made Hasegawa's lips twitch twice. He felt that his relationship with Mrs. Yuihama seemed to have become much more distant.

Of course, this relationship wasn't the kind you see every day. If it were a normal relationship, Mrs. Yuihama would be closer to him. But the kind of relationship where she treats Hasegawa like a child, or even subtly like a son, is completely different from what Hasegawa wants.

Hasegawa wants to correct this relationship, but he doesn't know where to start.

To confess to Mrs. Yui that he likes her? Obviously impossible. Hasegawa knows that Mrs. Yui actually wants him to be her son-in-law. How could he possibly succeed in confessing to her? Perhaps because of Yui, Mrs. Yui would be very resistant and might even kick Hasegawa out of the house.

Hasegawa scratched his head, looking a little annoyed, making his hair a bit messy.

"Hasegawa, are you alright?" Yui Yuigahama asked with concern.

"No, it's nothing." Hasegawa smiled at Yui Yuigahama. He knew in his heart that the biggest obstacle between him and Mrs. Yuigahama was actually Yui Yuigahama.

If it weren't for Yui Yuigahama, the relationship between him and Mrs. Yuigahama wouldn't be so complicated.

Hasegawa and Yui walked into the classroom one after the other, while the people in the classroom still looked at Hasegawa with strange eyes.

After all, for a guy who isn't particularly handsome to be able to interact with outstanding girls like Yukino Yukinoshita, and not just one, is something. Hasegawa must be hiding something.

Boys were curious about how Hasegawa did it, and girls were also curious about what kind of charm Hasegawa possessed.

So, unusually, after entering the classroom today, people other than Yui Yuigahama, Megumi Kato, and Tomoya Aki greeted Hasegawa.

Although it was just a simple greeting, it broke the boundaries of the passive-aggressive attitude towards Hasegawa in the class.

This situation made Hayama Hayato and Miura Yumiko a little unhappy, since Tobe Sho was their closest friend. They were actually quite happy to see Hasegawa being isolated and subjected to the silent treatment. But now that this silent treatment had been broken, they were naturally quite displeased.

Actually, they felt unhappy, and Hasegawa was also vaguely a little displeased.

Actually, Hasegawa quite enjoyed the previous cold treatment. He didn't need to care about other people's feelings, nor did he need to talk or interact with anyone. His days consisted mainly of studying, reading, learning about music, or writing outlines, and chatting with people like Kato Megumi. It was very relaxing.

Now that someone is suddenly greeting him, Hasegawa feels less free than before.

However, Hasegawa couldn't do anything about this situation. He couldn't very well tell the students in his class to continue their passive-aggressive behavior towards him. That would make him seem like a lunatic.

As for Yui Yuigahama and Megumi Kato, they were happy to accept this situation, since they genuinely considered Hasegawa a friend.

Therefore, although they didn't really like Yukino Yukinoshita coming to see Hasegawa or having any contact with him, they were still grateful to Yukino Yukinoshita for breaking the cold violence Hasegawa was experiencing.

"Hasegawa, I don't quite understand this question. Could you explain it to me?" A girl in the class approached Hasegawa.

"This question? It's very simple. I'll write it out for you." Hasegawa took the pen and wrote down the solution to the question in great detail. Even if someone's grades are bad—well, okay, except for students like Yui Yuigahama—most people would probably be able to understand it.

"Okay, here you go." Hasegawa directly handed the solution to the girl.

The girl looked at the solution steps, then at Hasegawa, and said, "Hasegawa, you're really amazing. No wonder you're the top student in the whole grade."

"No, this kind of problem is very simple. Anyone who pays a little attention in class and isn't too stupid can solve it," Hasegawa said bluntly.

“…Then, I won’t bother Hasegawa-kun any longer.” The girl’s expression was a little stiff.

"Okay. Please go ahead." Hasegawa's voice remained completely unchanged, cold and indifferent.

"..." With a hint of resentment and annoyance at being ignored, the girl turned and left.

I hadn't noticed the perfect attendance schedule on Hedgehog Cat's website before, which resulted in two days of absence. This means the author's perfect attendance record for this book is now gone. And I anticipate losing between one thousand and three thousand yuan as a result.

I suddenly feel like dying.

Chapter 88 Yukinoshita Again

One by one, some girls became curious about Hasegawa and started to approach him under the pretext of asking questions. However, Hasegawa's behavior could be described as that of a complete straight man.

These girls, one by one, ran into a steel plate. Thus, the nickname "steel-willed straight man" was bestowed upon Hasegawa.

Hasegawa didn't care about being called that. In fact, he hoped that using that term would deter girls who wanted to get close to him.

As a result, Hasegawa succeeded.

After all, not many people paid attention to Hasegawa before. He wasn't particularly handsome or attractive to girls. Although he was a top student, his personality made them hesitant to approach him.

The final result brought Hasegawa a sigh of relief.

These girls, though young and energetic, can't compare to my wife.

……

During class, Hasegawa noticed that Hiratsuka Shizuka's gaze towards him was becoming increasingly resentful. Hasegawa frowned, somewhat puzzled. Given that Hiratsuka Shizuka's family already knew about him, her parents shouldn't be looking for him. Yet, Hiratsuka Shizuka always seemed to want him to visit her home.

This is very strange.

Hasegawa was unaware that Hiratsuka Shizuka was under considerable pressure. Her mother would constantly bring up Hasegawa, demanding that he either come home with her or go on blind dates and find a boyfriend.

Furthermore, her mother revealed that she supports teacher-student relationships because they are exciting.

Hiratsuka Shizuka couldn't help but wonder. Her mother, after all, came from the Yukinoshita family, a prominent clan with strict etiquette. This was evident from the behavior of her aunt, Yukinoshita Heino—no, Yukino's mother.

However, this is completely absent in Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. If Shizuka Hiratsuka's mother had been very proper, perhaps Shizuka Hiratsuka's mother would be the one in charge now, instead of Yukino Yukinoshita's mother.

Rebellious, willful, and disregarding family etiquette, she should have been the head of the Yukinoshita family, but instead she married a thug, and even then, it was a shotgun wedding. Otherwise, Hiratsuka Shizuka wouldn't be so much older than Yukinoshita Haruno.

Of course, with the support of the Yukinoshita family, Shizuka Hiratsuka's father's power grew, eventually becoming the head of one of Tokyo's most powerful forces, so Shizuka Hiratsuka's mother's choice wasn't bad.

The Yukinoshita family and the Hiratsuka family, one white and one black, each have their own advantages. But this also shows that Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother is no pushover.

Completely ignoring Hiratsuka Shizuka's resentful gaze, Hasegawa immediately entered study mode. Let Hiratsuka Shizuka do whatever she wants; it has absolutely nothing to do with Hasegawa.

After school, Hasegawa continued practicing kendo at the kendo club. He worked up a sweat and his kendo skills improved slightly. Hasegawa and Yui Yuigahama went home with a relaxed and happy feeling.

Just as Hasegawa and Yui Yuigahama walked out of the school gate, a car suddenly drove up from the side and stopped next to them.

Hasegawa frowned slightly, wanting to go around it, but the car moved again and ended up blocking Hasegawa's way.

The car window rolled down, and a smiling face came into Hasegawa's view.

Upon seeing this person, Hasegawa couldn't help but frown.

"Brother-in-law. This is the person you're living with?" Yukinoshita asked with a smile, her voice laced with teasing and jokes.

"Brother-in-law?" Yui Yuigahama's eyes widened in surprise as she stared at Hasegawa in disbelief, her once rosy face turning pale.

"Miss Yukinoshita. Please don't joke around, okay?" Hasegawa frowned, a hint of displeasure on his face. Yukinoshita Haruno was definitely a very, very, very troublesome woman.

Yui Yuigahama breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Hasegawa's words, and her expression gradually returned to normal. However, she was still very puzzled as to why this woman who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere would call Hasegawa "brother-in-law."

Then, Yui Yuigahama went through a series of mental exercises.

Could it be that Hasegawa's true identity is actually the eldest son of a powerful family, who arranged a marriage for him without his consent? Hasegawa disliked this arrangement, or perhaps he disliked the woman, so he ran away from home wanting to live a normal life. Now, his family has come knocking on his door. What will Hasegawa's family do next? Will they take him away, leaving him a sum of money so that he and his mother will forget about him?

"I'm not kidding. Although I don't know why, even though my aunt already knows about your situation, she still seems to acknowledge you and wants you to be Shizuka's boyfriend." Yukinoshita Haruno pushed open the car door, got out, and looked at Hasegawa with a smile, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Is this what you usually look like? You look much younger without your glasses, and hmm, you even seem a lot more handsome. Is it because of the glasses?" Yukinoshita Haruno scrutinized Hasegawa.

"Miss Yukinoshita, please don't talk nonsense. It's not good for anyone if this gets out. If you're bored, I'm sorry, I have no interest in entertaining you." Hasegawa shook his head, still resistant to Yukinoshita Haruno's advances.

"Well, although I was indeed bored, which is why I accepted my aunt's request, this time it really was my aunt's idea. She really wanted to invite you to her home, since you haven't been there for a while." Yukinoshita Haruno still smiled.

He turned his head and looked at Yui Yuigahama again, then circled around her.

When Yuigahama Yui saw Yukinoshita, her body tensed up instantly, and she looked nervous, like a frightened bunny. She looked quite cute.

"Is this the girl you live with, Yuigahama Yui? Indeed, she's a very cute girl, and she has a pretty good figure too. No wonder you rejected Shizuka-nee's invitation." Yukinoshita Haruno looked at Yuigahama Yui and laughed instead.

"This has nothing to do with Yui. You should already know why I'm living at Yui's house. So I don't want to say anything more. And even if there is some relationship between me and Yui, it has nothing to do with you." Hasegawa pulled Yui Yui behind him.

Chapter 89 Sister Complex

I always felt that a woman like Yukinoshita Haruno was dangerous.

"What a heartless person. He used to call her Haruno so formally, but now he addresses her as Yukinoshita so casually. Men, they're all such jerks." Yukinoshita Haruno said with a mournful expression, "So, Yuihama, remember, stay away from guys like this."

"Hasegawa isn't, he's not a jerk! He, he—" Yui Yuigahama retorted loudly, though she was still a little guilty and confused. Hasegawa had called this young lady, Haruno, before? So what exactly was their relationship?

"Enough, Ms. Yukinoshita, stop making a scene. We have absolutely no relationship. Please don't deliberately use such vague words to lead people astray." Hasegawa found Yukinoshita Haruno extremely troublesome, not as cute as Yukinoshita Yukino, although Yukinoshita Yukino's personality also seemed a bit awkward.

"Hasegawa, the way you talk is really boring." Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but feel bored looking at Hasegawa's stiff attitude, which was completely different from how he was at the autograph session.

"I'm sorry, this is just my true personality. So, Ms. Yukinoshita, is there anything else?" Hasegawa said with a straight face and a serious expression.

"Well, no, that's all. One reason I came this time was that my aunt wanted you to visit her home. Since you refused, that's fine. It's just on my way anyway." Yukinoshita Haruno shrugged, her teasing expression gone.

"Sorry, Yuihama, we're leaving now."

"Oh." Yui Yuigahama quickly followed Hasegawa, while also giving Yukinoshita a subtle glance.

At this moment, Yui Yuigahama was filled with curiosity, especially curiosity about who this Yukinoshita Haruno was and what her relationship was with Yukinoshita Yukino.

Could it be because of Yukino Yukinoshita that she specifically sought out Hasegawa? But it doesn't seem likely, since Yukino Yukinoshita looks younger than Haruno Yukinoshita, and the term "brother-in-law" obviously has nothing to do with Yukino Yukinoshita.

So, what exactly happened? What is the relationship between Hasegawa and Yukinoshita Haruno? What was the reason for Yukinoshita Haruno's last visit to Hasegawa? Is it related to this incident?

After thinking about it for a long time, her head was still aching, but Yui Yuigahama still couldn't figure out what was going on.

Yukino watched Hasegawa and Yuigahama Yui leave, shrugged, and still had a smile on her face. She had failed to get Hasegawa to go to Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother's house, so the request was a failure, but she didn't think much of it.