Tokyo Three Generations

Because of this, she, who was prone to internal conflict, instantly fell into a state of guilt and self-blame.

"If I were more useful, I could be of help..."

With this thought in mind, she has been feeling uneasy lately.

She didn't choose to call or leave a message to comfort them, feeling that would only cause them more trouble. So, in the end, she decided to quietly come and check on them when she had some free time.

Finding the Takasaki family's address wasn't difficult, as it wasn't exactly a secret.

She just wanted to stand quietly outside the door, take one look, and then go back to make sure everything was alright. That was enough.

Just a quick glance at him from afar when he leaves or comes back is enough...

Just as she was lost in thought, a tall man suddenly walked up to her and gently waved his hand, blocking her view.

At this moment, Wakaba Mutsu finally snapped out of her reverie.

She stared blankly at the person in front of her for a moment before she remembered that he seemed to be Jun Takasaki's assistant.

He must be an important member of the Takasaki family.

"Miss Wakaba, are you alright?" At this moment, Kenji Sakura greeted her with a smile. In case Wakaba Mutsuko forgot his name, he thoughtfully introduced himself first, "I am Kenji Sakura, Mr. Takasaki's secretary. We have met many times before."

"Mr. Sakura!" After mentioning the hint, Wakaba Mutsu quickly bowed slightly to the other party.

Then, she belatedly realized that she had come over to sneak a peek, only to be caught red-handed...

The immense embarrassment caused her face to turn slightly pale.

"I'm sorry, I just... I just..." She wanted to explain her behavior, but for a moment she didn't know what excuse to use.

Fortunately, Kenji Sakura already knew about Ms. Wakaba's tendency to internalize conflict, so he didn't dwell on the question of "Why did you come here?" Instead, he smiled and waved his hand, "It's so lucky to meet you here. Did you just happen to be passing by?"

“Yes…” Wakaba Mutsu felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and then nodded.

"Why don't we go inside and have a look around? We're already here anyway," Kenji Sakura suggested casually.

"No...no, it's better not to." Wakaba Mutsu stammered in protest.

She hadn't come today to visit, nor had she made any preparations. Wouldn't it be troublesome and embarrassing to just show up like this?

"Are you really not going?" Kenji Sakura feigned disappointment and panic. "That would be terrible... I just told Mrs. Takasaki about what happened to you outside, and she was so excited about wanting to entertain you. If you let me go empty-handed, I don't know how I'll explain it to her. I'll feel terrible if she blames me..."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Wakaba Mutsu with pleading eyes, as if to say, "Please help me."

A shrewd and worldly-wise man in his thirties, when faced with a naive teenage girl, especially a simple-minded girl like Ruoye Mu, is almost like a game-changer. He "traps" her with just a few words, making her feel like she has no choice but to agree.

Since the other party said that, Ruoye Mu naturally softened her heart—after all, the other party had done her a favor to some extent, and it would be too much to let him be punished because of her.

So she could only bend down slightly and agree to this not-too-excessive request.

"I'm sorry... I've caused you trouble."

"It's alright." Kenji Sakura smiled and shook his head. "In this gloomy time, you can actually cheer us up."

So, he took Wakaba Mutsu and returned to the Takasaki mansion.

Unlike the grand reception when the whole family came to see Xiangzi, Takasaki Hiroshi and Takasaki Jun were not home this time, and Grandpa Takasaki Jun was resting in bed. Only Takasaki Mio was there to entertain them. However, this was actually a good thing for Wakaba Mutsuki, as having more people would only increase her pressure.

From the moment Wakaba Mutsu stepped into the living room, Takasaki Mio's gaze was immediately fixed on her.

The girl was timid in both her demeanor and her gait, hesitant and cautious, as if anyone could bully her.

Upon entering, Ruoye Mutsu also saw the beautiful woman sitting on the sofa.

Although she had never met Mio Takasaki in person, she had seen her in videos, so she recognized her immediately.

Faced with Mio Takasaki's probing gaze, she instinctively felt immense pressure.

Seeing the other person approach, Mio Takasaki stood up from the sofa and nodded politely to them.

"Miss Ruoye, it's a pleasure to meet you. I was already impressed by your beauty in the photos, but now that I'm up close, I just think the photos are terrible..." She complimented with a smile, hoping to dispel the girl's anxiety.

Actually, when faced with the greeting from a stranger, Wakaba Mutsu instinctively felt a little scared. However, a stubborn streak hidden deep inside her made her unwilling to lose face in front of Mrs. Takasaki. So she lowered her head to avoid Takasaki Mio's gaze and then bowed slightly in greeting.

"Aunt Takasaki, I'm so sorry, I... I came uninvited and caused you trouble..."

“Not at all, there’s no trouble at all.” Takasaki Mio smiled and shook her head. “Actually, at this time, I would really like to have a guest come and see me and talk to me… especially a cute little girl like you. Come, please have a seat.”

Mio Takasaki's friendly attitude reassured Mutsuka Wakaba, who then sat down on the sofa.

However, she didn't know what to say for a moment, so she just lowered her head slightly and remained silent, her palms sweating nervously.

It was immediately clear to Takasaki Mio that she was very sensitive and fragile – no wonder her son tried his best to help her as soon as they met, because she was indeed very good at arousing people's protective instincts.

Mio Takasaki didn't have any objections to this, after all, everyone has their own personality. However, if she and Mio were in each other's shoes... she might have a mental breakdown.

Exquisite and beautiful porcelain can only be displayed in a showcase; it cannot withstand the brunt of wind and rain.

"I've heard about what happened between you and Jun. It must have been tough... I'm so glad my son can help you in a little way." Takasaki Mio sighed inwardly while trying her best to gently comfort the cute little girl.

“It’s not just a little bit busy,” Wakaba Mutsumi replied softly, “It really made me… made me feel a lot better.”

"So, does that mean your relationship with your mother has improved since you returned to Tokyo?" Mio Takasaki immediately pressed.

Ruoye Mu nodded gently.

"Well... after I came back, Mom still rarely talked to me, but... she also rarely bothered me anymore."

Isn't that still passive-aggressive behavior? Mio Takasaki sighed inwardly.

However, no matter what, passive-aggressive behavior is better than direct bullying, so it can be considered an "improvement".

Mio Takasaki simply couldn't understand Minami Mori's actions. If she had such a beautiful daughter, she would have spoiled her rotten (she and her son were thinking the same thing), how could she possibly bully her for no reason?

However, this was ultimately someone else's family matter, so she shouldn't interfere too much.

“Well, that’s just how it is sometimes. Everyone encounters setbacks and misfortunes. Just take it easy.” She suppressed her resentment and continued to speak gently to Wakaba Mutsu. “At least, you have friends who care about you and love you, and most importantly, you’re young, with a future full of endless possibilities. You’re already better than many people. Miss Wakaba, you’re already very outstanding. I sincerely look forward to your future shining brightly.”

If someone else said this, it might not be very convincing, but if Ye Mu knew that this aunt was recently going through a great ordeal, and that she was still so optimistic and cheerful in comforting herself... that was truly precious.

This family is so much better off than my own home.

"Thank you, Auntie." She smiled gently, like a beautiful orchid in full bloom. "I'm doing very well now."

78, family

"I'm doing very well now."

When Wakaba Mutsu said this with a smile, Takasaki Mio was also watching her closely.

Then she realized that she was truly speaking from the heart, and that it wasn't just polite talk.

Perhaps out of pity, she also felt comforted.

“That’s great…” she nodded with appreciation. “As long as you can maintain this relaxed attitude, I’m relieved.”

Just then, a servant came over with a tray and placed two cups of tea in front of the two people.

Mio Takasaki picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and then gestured for Mutsuka Wakaba to drink with her.

After Wakaba Mutsu drank her tea, Takasaki Mio continued with a smile, "Miss Wakaba, if you want to visit our home in the future, just let us know. We would love to welcome such a lovely child like you."

Huh? Doesn't this mean that the aunt has accepted him/her?

Ruo Yemu's heart skipped a beat.

Although her aunt's "acceptance" certainly didn't mean that, the feeling of being recognized and acknowledged still brought her heartfelt joy.

The warm tea, carrying boundless warmth, flowed through her bloodstream to every part of her body, making her feel as if her previously weak body had straightened up.

She had only intended to take a look from afar, but she never expected to receive such preferential treatment. This unexpected joy had exceeded all her previous expectations.

What she longs for most is that feeling of being recognized and accepted, isn't it?

Excited, she mustered her courage and said, "Thank you! Well... you can just call me Xiao Mu, that's what everyone calls me."

"Okay, Mutsu." Mio Takasaki responded immediately and called out to him affectionately again.

After hearing this call, although Wakaba Mutsu's expression did not change much, the slight raising of his eyebrows and the sparkle in his eyes almost perfectly conveyed the meaning of the phrase "joy on one's face".

What an easy-to-understand child... Mio Takasaki thought to herself as she sipped her tea.

She is simple-minded and asks surprisingly little of others; a little warmth from others is enough to make her happy.

This is enough to show how low her sense of "worthiness" is.

Logically speaking, a girl as beautiful and cute as Ruoye Mutsu, who also comes from a privileged family, must have grown up surrounded by everyone. Because everyone around her has always been trying to please and indulge her, her "psychological threshold" would be very high. She might even think that it is only natural for others to pamper and indulge her, and she would not think that other people's kindness is something rare.

In a sense, this is how Mio Takasaki herself grew up.

On the other hand, Wakaba Mutsu... was completely the opposite.

So, Senmina Nami, just how bad a mother are you? You've made your child so subservient...

From a mother's perspective, she felt a strong sense of disgust towards the big star she had never met.

It was precisely because of her pity for Wakaba Mutsu that Takasaki Mio became even more amiable. "Since you've come today, Jun should have been the one to entertain you, but I'm sorry, he's out visiting relatives today, and I'm not sure when he'll be back..."

Actually, it wasn't just visiting relatives, but also going to apologize. However, since it was her own family matter, there was no need to go into so much detail, so Takasaki Mio spoke vaguely.

Hearing that Chun wasn't there, a slight disappointment flashed through Ruoye Mu's heart.

However, life is inherently about separations and reunions. I only came here today to catch a glimpse of you from afar, so I haven't lost anything. As long as my sincerity and good intentions have been conveyed, what difference does it make whether you're actually there or not?

"It's alright, Auntie. As long as I see that you and Chun are both alright, I'm at ease," she replied softly.

"Thank you so much!" Mio Takasaki smiled slightly. "It's nothing. Even if he's not here today, I can have him contact you when he gets back. We can then arrange a time for you to come over and visit."

Upon hearing what her aunt said, Ruoye Mu's face immediately turned red.

“I’m fine. I know…you all have a lot of…a lot of worries lately. So, you don’t need to worry about me. I…I don’t want to trouble you all.”

"Don't say that. It's precisely at times like these that we hope to have lovely guests hanging around in front of us..." Just as Takasaki Mio finished speaking, she heard a car horn coming from the doorway.

She glanced out the window and looked towards the front door.

Then she saw her son get out of a car, pass through the access control with his fingerprint, and walk in.

She had just breathed a sigh of relief when she soon noticed that her son seemed to be in poor condition, walking unsteadily, quite different from his usual upright and handsome appearance.

Have you been drinking?

Despite this lingering doubt, she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she turned to look at Wakaba Mutsu.

"Ah, he came back just in time... Xiao Mu, it seems your trip today wasn't in vain."

Have they returned yet?

Ruoye Mu's heart suddenly trembled twice.

Today's events had completely exceeded her original expectations, and she wasn't good at improvising, so she suddenly became so nervous that she almost didn't know what to say.

However, deep down, I also felt a little excited and happy—after all, it had been quite a while since we last met.

Just then, the living room door opened, and Jun Takasaki took off his shoes in the entryway and stumbled in.

At that moment, Mio Takasaki stood up and met her son's gaze.

“Mom…” Jun Takasaki’s eyes were a little dazed, but he hadn’t completely lost his mind and recognized his mother.

Mio Takasaki, with a stern face, walked silently to her son.

As the two drew closer, the strong smell of alcohol immediately filled her nostrils.

"How much did you drink?!" she demanded angrily.

Actually, she wasn't that concerned about her son drinking, since he was an adult and could drink as much as he wanted (she herself sometimes had a few drinks too); but today was different. He had gone to his uncle's house and had drunk so much, which likely meant that his unreliable nephew had taken him out to play—and that was what she was most worried about.

Because of the psychological trauma caused by her husband, she deeply resented places like nightclubs and bars, believing that the people there were either spendthrift playboys or gold diggers who sold their bodies. The thought that her son might follow in his father's footsteps after being "corrupted" made her furious.

Upon seeing his furious mother, Jun Takasaki was immediately drenched in cold sweat, and his drunkenness was quickly dispelled.

"Mom..." he called softly.

With just those two syllables, as if by some kind of magical incantation, most of Takasaki Mio's immense anger was extinguished.

Although she still had a stern face, her tone softened a bit.

"What happened? Did your cousin take you drinking?"

“Yes.” Jun Takasaki nodded. “My cousin said he’d take me to relax, and I felt… I felt like I was going to apologize, so I felt bad refusing…”

"That good-for-nothing nephew! He really needs to be taught a lesson!" Now Takasaki Mio had an even more suitable target for her anger. "So young and all he does is party all day long, what a useless thing!"

After scolding her nephew, she then berated her son, "You're already so old, don't you have any self-respect? You just do whatever others tell you to do? If you want to drink, there's plenty at home, why do you have to hang out with unreliable people? Drinking so much in broad daylight, it's outrageous!"