Tokyo Three Generations

“You don’t need to worry about that. He’s not one to fuss over details. As long as the sentiment is right, he’ll like any gift.” Jun Takasaki shook his head, indicating that she shouldn’t worry about such trivial matters. “For him, having a younger generation visit, adding some life to the house, and feeling the energy of young people is probably much more important than any gift.”

There was one more thing that Jun Takasaki didn't say aloud—you are Miss Toyokawa, and I'm overjoyed that you're willing to come and visit. How could I possibly be picky?

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Toyokawa Shoko was immediately overjoyed.

"Alright, if you don't mind, I'll pay you a visit tomorrow. Thank you for your trouble."

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After leaving Jun Takasaki's room, Shoko Toyokawa returned to Mutsumi Wakaba's room.

Although no one knows exactly what happened, anyone could tell from her beaming smile that they had just had a very pleasant conversation.

Neither Wakaba Mutsumi nor Nagasaki Motoyo intended to spoil her fun, so neither of them asked what they had been talking about.

“Sushi, our rooms should be ready. Let’s go back and rest first, then meet up after dinner and go for a bath together, how about that?” Toyokawa Shoko suggested to her two friends, “Since we’ve come all this way to a hot spring hotel, we should experience it to make the trip worthwhile…”

No one objected to this reasonable suggestion, so the three of them went back to their own rooms separately and settled in for a while.

After dinner, they reunited and went to the hot spring bath together.

The three women lay side by side in the steaming bath. In the hazy mist, their slender, fair figures were faintly visible. Although their hair colors were different, they all looked like mermaid princesses who had just taken human form, pure yet with a touch of alluring "newly grown-up" charm.

The surroundings were empty and deserted, with only the equally bright and cold moon in the sky silently watching over and accompanying them.

"After running around so far during the day, I'm finally recovered." Toyokawa Shoko closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh of relief. "I really came to the right place this time..."

For a young lady like her, any top-tier hot spring would be no problem. The facilities here are decent, but not enough to make her feel completely captivated.

What truly matters is not the hot spring itself, but the person she soaked in it with.

Motoyo Nagasaki had a similar feeling.

However, she was destined not to have the same relaxed and carefree mindset as Toyokawa Shoko.

Putting aside her mother's situation, she herself had a lot of things to consider, and the pull of reality was too heavy for her to detach herself from it.

However, no matter what, being able to find a moment of respite amidst all the hardships, to lie down with friends and chat at the closest possible distance, is enough to bring immense comfort.

“Yes, I really like this atmosphere too…” she said with a smile. “Xiangzi, I want to thank you. If you hadn’t brought me here and covered all the expenses, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy all of this.”

Nagasaki Motoyo knew, of course, that for someone as wealthy as Shoko, "spending money" was the least important thing to her.

However, the kindness received cannot be measured by whether it is important to the other person. Since I received kind help from Xiangzi, I should be grateful.

Similarly, Takasaki Jun's decision to spare his own mother and daughter was merely a matter of compassion in his eyes, but for him, it represented a life-or-death situation.

She has always approached life with such a serious attitude.

Shoko Toyokawa was unimpressed by Nagasaki Motoyo's gratitude; instead, she became proud of something else entirely.

"Su Shi, do you know what? I just told Chun that I'm going to visit him at his house tomorrow. He even wants to drive me there himself..."

Toyokawa Shoko's tone was clearly one of boasting.

Nagasaki Motoyo certainly remembered that she had mentioned visiting him at the airport before she left, but now she had been "won" back, as Shoko was going to visit him before her.

She wasn't surprised by the Takasaki family's grand attitude; after all, a "distinguished guest" like Miss Toyokawa was always giving face to other families wherever she went.

As for myself, I'm already lucky to even be qualified to visit...

Although they are friends and can bathe side by side, there is an invisible yet real chasm between them.

Even so, so what? Even with insurmountable obstacles ahead, it's not a reason to give up on yourself. Nagasaki Motoyo can still strive to create a wonderful life for herself—even if her end is not as good as some people's starting point at birth, as long as she looks back on her life and finds it wonderful enough, then she has lived a worthwhile life.

"Can I hitch a ride?" So, without feeling embarrassed or annoyed, she simply smiled and made the request, "I'm going there anyway, so let's go together, so the old man won't have to go through the trouble of picking me up and dropping me off."

"I also need to go."

Wakaba Mutsumi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. "Jun has helped me so much, it's only right that I come to thank him."

Toyokawa Shoko couldn't hold back any longer.

She was just showing off, but she didn't expect that both of her friends would ask for a ride.

She wanted to refuse, but seeing the way the two people were looking at her, she couldn't bring herself to say no.

"Seriously, they have to agree first, right?" Finally, she shrugged helplessly. "Alright, I'll talk to Chun about it later!"

After she finished speaking, as if venting her anger, she gently patted the water's surface, causing a splash of warm water that then hit Nagasaki Motoyo and Wakaba Mutsu.

It was less about being angry and more about playful banter between best friends.

This childlike mischief amused Nagasaki Motoyo.

So she also picked up her fingers and flicked them hard on the water's surface, and this time the splash hit Toyokawa Shoko's face directly.

"Ah!" Xiangzi exclaimed in surprise, then retaliated in kind.

So the three of them splashed water on each other until their hair was completely soaked, and then they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Once the water returned to calm, the anger and smile on Toyokawa Shoko's face disappeared at the same time.

"Thank you all for being by my side. It is because of you that I feel that being alive is such a wonderful thing... If you can continue to be like this in the future, that would be the best."

As she spoke, she gently wiped away the tears that suddenly welled up in the corners of her eyes.

No matter how humble and cheerful she was, the shock of her mother's recent passing could not dissipate from her heart so quickly.

However, grief and loneliness also became the driving force in her heart to "try to live well"—just as he had once taught her.

"Am I being greedy? I must be. But why can't I be a little greedy? I have so many things, and I can use all of them to fight for and protect everything I want... We have to be together from now on!"

53, Home Visit

"You mean, that little girl named Wakaba Mutsumi, and Nagasaki Chizuru's daughter, are coming to visit with Miss Toyokawa?"

After Jun Takasaki told his grandfather the truth, his grandfather responded with a surprised question over the phone.

“I admit, I was just as surprised as you,” Jun Takasaki replied helplessly. “However, they are from the same school and are friends, so it’s not unreasonable for them to visit together… Besides, it’s already convenient for you to receive them all at once.”

"Hahahaha... To be honest, I don't think it's difficult at all. It's only natural for Miss Toyokawa to be a little willful."

Takasaki Jun's laughter was hearty yet tinged with a hint of mockery. "I've saved myself some trouble, but what about you?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Jun Takasaki asked back.

"Tell me, who should I treat better?" Takasaki Jun was a little discouraged by his grandson's slowness, so he asked directly.

“Can’t they be treated equally? Although there are indeed class differences between them, they are all guests today, and it would be against our family’s way of hospitality to neglect anyone—” Takasaki Jun replied immediately.

"You..." Grandpa was clearly choked up. "You're usually so smart, how come you can't understand what others are saying at all now?"

"Is it possible that I don't want to understand?" Jun Takasaki countered. "They're all adorable to me."

"Just keep playing dumb," the old man sighed helplessly. "I don't care, but you'll suffer the consequences sooner or later..."

After sighing, the old man cheered up again, "Hurry up and bring them all over. I'm old, and I like my home to be lively."

After saying that, Grandpa simply hung up the phone.

Jun Takasaki put his phone back in his pocket, then turned around and walked out of his room with a flourish.

Meanwhile, the Tsukimori trio had all gathered in Wakaba Mutsu's room and were ready to go.

Since it was a "home visit" and they were going to meet Chun's grandfather, all three of them dressed up carefully. They were all naturally beautiful young women, and at this moment they looked even more radiant and equally stunning.

Even Jun Takasaki was a little dazzled by what he saw.

In addition, there were gift boxes placed around them. Although it was too quick to see what they were, one could imagine that they were not cheap items.

"...It's just a visit to my home, there's no need for such a grand ceremony..." He couldn't help but sigh, then glanced at Nagasaki Motoyo.

The other two girls came from wealthy families, so we won't discuss them. But Nagasaki Motoyo, he knew, was currently facing financial difficulties. Under these circumstances, it was really a bit of a waste for her to prepare such a generous gift.

“When visiting elders, one must have enough sincerity…” Nagasaki Motoyo replied. “Jun, don’t worry about me. Although Mom’s bank account is frozen, I saved a lot of money before, so I can manage my own life now.”

Takasaki Jun finally breathed a sigh of relief, but still reminded Nagasaki Motoyo, "Don't be reckless. If you have any difficulties in the future, just tell me."

"Alright, alright, I know." Nagasaki Motoyo shook her head reproachfully. "The more you emphasize it, the more it makes me feel inferior. I'd rather you treat me as a friend I can rely on, not as a child who needs constant protection..."

Hearing her say that, Jun Takasaki could only force a smile and say, "Okay, I understand."

Then, he waved to the three of them, "Let's go, my grandpa's waiting for us!"

So, the four of them got into the car together.

Once on the bus, Jun Takasaki noticed something strange – the three girls were all crammed into the back seat, but no one was sitting in the front passenger seat.

"Someone, please sit in the front."

"Then who do you think should sit?" Toyokawa Shoko asked immediately.

This question had an unprecedented impact on Jun Takasaki's mind.

Whoever sits, it doesn't matter. Why does it matter who sits first or last? He couldn't help but curse inwardly that girls are always making a fuss.

However, judging from the expressions of the three people, he could tell that it seemed inappropriate to answer to any of them.

So he simply decided not to provoke them—after all, they were all very slim, so he figured he might as well squeeze in…

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After driving for a while, Jun Takasaki drove to his family's residence on the shore of Lake Tazawa.

After parking the car in the garage, all four of them got out and walked towards the porch of the mansion.

Meanwhile, the elderly man, who had been notified, was already waiting on the porch.

Upon seeing the children behind his grandson, the old man's cloudy eyes immediately lit up.

Miss Toyokawa is in front, the one in the middle is someone I don't recognize, but I'm sure it must be Nagasaki Chizuru's daughter, Nagasaki Motoyo, and the last one is Wakaba Mutsumi.

All three children were strikingly good-looking, and their manners were polite, graceful, and extremely elegant. Especially Wakaba Mutsu, who walked at the back; although she appeared meek and demure, she was even more beautiful in person than in photos.

Moon Forest truly lives up to its reputation as a prestigious academy for young ladies; even three of its students could easily outshine everyone else. The old man couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

I wish I had had that opportunity back then...

On the other hand, I didn't have the advantage of having a grandson back then. Even if I could meet a young lady like her, what difference would it make? She would just glance at me and leave, just like Miss Satake.

All I can say is that each generation has its own mission.

It's quite an accomplishment to think that our generation's hard work has allowed our grandchildren to choose the best partners.

Thinking of this, he felt a sense of ease and joy, and his whole being radiated a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

It is precisely because of this joy that Takasaki Jun, who was once decisive and ruthless in politics for decades, now appears kind and gentle, like a cheerful old man.

As he gazed at the three girls, they were also looking at Takasaki Jun not far away. At this moment, the kind-faced old man was almost completely different from the dignified old man they had imagined. Their tension suddenly disappeared, and instead, they felt a sense of closeness.

"Chun, you've finally arrived!" The old man called out his grandson's name as he quickly walked up to the four people.

Upon seeing the old man approach, the girls quickly bowed in unison and introduced themselves.

The old man carefully examined the three girls again, and then uttered a heartfelt sigh.

"Ah, you truly are children nurtured by the Moon Forest, so beautiful and pure. Seeing you all standing together makes my old bones feel lighter..." He smiled at the three girls and said, "Since you're here, you're all honored guests. Don't be shy, just make yourselves at home..."

After saying that, the old man led the children back into the mansion.

Since it was their first visit, the three girls were very curious and looked around as they walked down the corridor. Jun Takasaki was in a great mood and introduced things to them along the way, especially including some interesting stories from Jun Takasaki's childhood.

He led them to the living room, where they all knelt down because it was a traditional Japanese zashiki.

At this moment, the three girls each took out the gifts they had brought for their visit.

The elderly man accepted all the gifts with a smile and expressed his gratitude.

For these old-fashioned people, it is impolite to open a gift in front of guests, so after receiving the gift, the old man originally wanted to put it aside first.

However, the old man glanced at Toyokawa Shoko's gift box a couple more times.

The box is exquisitely designed and old-fashioned, clearly an antique, and it seems to have been used as part of a set of scholar's implements.

The old man had spent his life striving for fame and fortune and had little energy left for personal matters. His only personal hobby was calligraphy, which he had devoted himself to for decades. Therefore, precisely because of this hobby, and since it wasn't a particularly formal occasion, he couldn't help but ask Toyokawa Shoko, "Miss Toyokawa, what did you send as a gift?"

“You’ll see when you open it,” Toyokawa Shoko replied with a smile.

Seeing the girl's sincere smile, the old man opened the box, and his eyes lit up immediately.

Inside the box lay an inkstone, and judging from its shape and age, it was undoubtedly a "Tang Dynasty inkstone".

During the Ming Dynasty, the Ashikaga Shogunate was in power, and successive shoguns monopolized trade with China. They also had a great fondness for art from China, and the "Four Treasures of the Study" became an important category of imported goods.

Therefore, Japan imported and used a large number of Chinese inkstones at that time, which were called "Tang inkstones". Not only would the shogun collect them and register them, but other high-ranking officials and nobles would also flock to them and buy them at high prices.