Tokyo: Love Begins with Controlling the Rich Girl

“Sho-kun’s hand is injured.” Ayase Yuki held up the spoon, showing no intention of putting it back.

Shimada Sho looked down at his hands; they were just superficial wounds and didn't hurt anymore.

But faced with her serious expression, he couldn't bring himself to say the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Shimada Sho opened his mouth somewhat awkwardly and ate the porridge from the spoon.

Yuki Ayase smiled slightly and scooped up another spoonful, bringing it over.

And so, spoonful after spoonful, she patiently fed him by hand.

Shimada Sho ate, feeling completely lost.

When some porridge got on his lips, Ayase Yuki picked up a tissue to wipe it off for him.

But this time, Shimada Sho absolutely refused.

Seeing this, he reached out and snatched the tissue.

"Oh, by the way." Seeing that Ayase Yuki's lips were slightly pursed, he changed the subject, "about what I promised you yesterday."

"What is it?" Ayase Yuki looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Shimada Sho found it difficult to say, and after hesitating for a while, he finally said, "It's about accompanying you."

He had promised Ayase Yuki yesterday that he would spend the whole day with her today.

To put it simply, it's a date.

Yuki Ayase paused for a moment while blowing on the porridge.

But he quickly brought the spoon to Shimada Sho's lips again and said, "Sho-kun's injury hasn't healed yet."

"It's alright."

"The doctor said I need to rest."

"Going out for a walk is also a way to recuperate."

Yuki Ayase watched him finish the last bite before smiling slightly, "No rush, let's wait until Sho-kun is better."

"I'm all better now."

"Really?" Ayase Yuki tilted her head curiously.

He glanced at it and reached out to grab Shimada Sho's arm.

Seeing her try the same trick again, Shimada Sho quickly dodged and said irritably, "Fine, fine, no good!"

"Yes, Xiang-jun needs to rest more."

Yuki Ayase revealed a sly smile.

Shimada Sho: "..."

Why do I feel like I've been scammed?

……

Around 10 a.m., Shimahana Runa called.

Shimada Sho answered the phone, but before he could speak, her voice, choked with tears, came through the line: "Sho! Where are you? Are you hurt? Yuzuki said you didn't come home all night, I was so worried..."

“Auntie, I’m fine.” Shimada Sho’s voice softened involuntarily. “I just stayed at a friend’s house for one night and my phone died. I forgot to tell you.”

"Really?"

"real."

Shima Hana Runa checked several more times before she finally felt relieved.

Then she told Shimada Sho that someone had delivered the property transfer documents that morning; it was a government official in a suit who was very polite.

She took the documents to the agency, and they processed the paperwork without saying a word.

The house is now back in her name.

"Xiao Xiang, what exactly happened? Why did those people suddenly return the house?"

As Shimada Sho listened to her question, his gaze unconsciously drifted to the clothes placed beside the bed.

They discovered the pocket had been turned inside out, and the documents inside were gone.

Turning to look at Yuki Ayase, she playfully raised her hand and made an OK sign next to her cheek.

Since the district prosecutor's office intervened yesterday, Yuki Ayase must already know the details.

Fearing he would worry, she even took the initiative to transfer the property for him.

Shimada Sho was grateful, but didn't forget to casually reply to Aunt Shima-ka, "Maybe she had a change of heart."

Shimahana Runa clearly did not believe this.

But she knew that Shimada Sho didn't want to talk about it, so she didn't press him.

Before hanging up, she earnestly reminded him, "Xiao Xiang, no matter what happens, you're still Auntie's son. You must tell Auntie if anything happens, okay?"

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Shimada Sho leaned against the headboard and remained silent for a long while.

“Sho-kun’s stepmother is a very nice person.” Ayase Yuki sat on the edge of the bed and took a fruit plate out of the lunchbox.

Shimada Sho was surprised. "How did you know?"

“When Uncle Zenji went there this morning, she asked about Sho-kun several times.”

Yuki Ayase answered his questions, patiently sticking toothpicks into the fruit on the plate.

"She was genuinely worried about Xiangjun."

After inserting all the pieces, he picked up a piece of apple and handed it to Shimada Sho.

"Xiangjun is very lucky to have such a person as his family."

Seeing her sentimental expression, Shimada Sho couldn't help but ask, "Where are your family members?"

“My father is very good to me, but he’s just too busy with work,” Yuki Ayase replied with a smile. “As for my mother, she passed away when I was very young.”

Shimada Sho stopped eating the apple he was about to eat. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Yuki Ayase shook her head, showing no sign of sadness.

She only gave a slight smile and said, "So I'm very happy to see that so many people care about Xiangjun."

Her tone sounded so sincere that it left no room for doubt.

Shimada Sho glanced at her and then pushed the plate of apple slices toward her.

"You eat too."

……

In the afternoon, the nurse came to change the dressing.

Yuki Ayase stood to the side, watching the nurse's every move intently.

After the nurse left, she sat down again, took out a palm-sized notebook from her bag, and wrote a few lines in it.

"What are you writing down?" Shimada Sho asked curiously.

Without looking up, Ayase Yuki replied, "Regarding the dressing change procedure, since Sho-kun is being discharged tomorrow, I can help with that."

"...No need for that."

"It's no trouble at all."

Shimada Sho had nothing to say about this.

He's finding it hard to deal with this woman now.

As evening approached, rain began to fall outside the window.

At first it was just a light drizzle, but it quickly turned into a downpour.

Raindrops pattered against the windowpane, making a dense sound.

As darkness fell, the fluorescent lights in the ward appeared exceptionally bright.

Yuki Ayase got up to close the window, and her cell phone on the table suddenly rang.

She glanced at the caller ID, didn't avoid Shimada Sho, answered directly, and even pressed the speakerphone button.

"Yuki." A middle-aged man's voice came from the other end of the phone, his tone gentle yet tinged with authority. "Where are you?"

"Hospital, Dad."

"what happened to you?"

"It wasn't me, it was a friend who got injured, and I was taking care of him."

Yuki Ayase's answer was so frank that even Sho Shimada was somewhat surprised.

There was silence on the other end of the phone. After a while, the caller asked, "Is it the matter that you asked Zenji Makoto to handle last night?"

"Ah."

Another silence followed.

Then the middle-aged man's voice rang out again, his tone somewhat complicated: "Yuki, you've never spoken softly to me before, but this time..."

"I need to rest, Dad," Ayase Yuki interrupted the voice on the other end of the phone.

A very soft sigh came from the other end of the receiver.

"Take good care of yourself."

"understood."

After hanging up the phone, Yuki Ayase continued with her work.

Shimada Sho lay in bed observing her and noticed that she always had a serene expression on her face.

It was as if their conversation was just an ordinary, everyday occurrence between father and daughter.

Ayase Yuki closed the window and turned around, noticing Shimada Sho's gaze. She tilted her head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Aren't you afraid your dad will misunderstand?" Shimada Sho felt it was necessary to remind her.

What's the misunderstanding?

"They misunderstood us..."

“There’s no misunderstanding,” Ayase Yuki interrupted him directly.

Seeing that Shimada Sho wanted to say more, he smiled again and said, "Isn't what I said all true?"

Shimada Sho opened his mouth, but ultimately kept it closed.

Since she's already said that, what else can be said?

It seems there really isn't anything wrong with it.

It's not normal to overthink things.

Just as he was thinking this, Ayase Yuki's phone rang again.

She picked it up and glanced at the caller ID, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Yukine?"

Yuki Ayase answered the call by pressing the speakerphone button.

Shimada Sho, lying on the bed, felt a jolt in his heart.

"Yuki," came Yukine Kamishiro's cool voice from the other end of the phone, "Did anything happen at your school on Friday?"

"No," Ayase Yuki replied crisply. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just asking," Yukine Kamishiro replied calmly.

Then, without saying anything more, he hung up the phone.

Shimada Sho breathed a sigh of relief and asked casually, "Your friend?"

"Yes." Ayase Yuki didn't hide anything and nodded, "You should have heard of the eldest daughter of the Kamishiro family."

"Oh." Shimada Sho pretended not to care, picked up his water glass and took a sip.