Green plums cannot become lovers.

"Asuka-kun, are you alright?" The band's leader, Uesugi, noticed his momentary pause and asked with concern.

"It's nothing." An and Asuka shook their heads, pulling their thoughts back. "I just saw someone I know."

"Is he someone we know? Should we go say hello?"

“Not for now.” An and Asuka shook their heads and said, “Let’s prepare for the performance first.”

The backstage area wasn't large, but it was very tidy. The band members began tuning their instruments—guitar, bass, keyboard, and the shakuhachi that An and Asuka had brought. This was a semi-professional band made up of music enthusiasts, and An and Asuka had been temporarily invited to play the shakuhachi.

"Today's playlist," Uesugi handed over a piece of paper. "They're all rather soothing pieces, perfect for the café's atmosphere."

An and Asuka glanced at the program and nodded. He took off his coat, put on the band's matching dark blue vest, and picked up his shakuhachi to test a few notes. The clear, melodious sound echoed in the small backstage area, carrying a classical sense of melancholy.

Fifteen minutes later, the performance officially began.

The lights were dimmed, leaving only the spotlights on the stage. The band members took their positions, with An and Asuka standing on the right side of the stage, shakuhachi in hand, their gazes calmly sweeping over the audience.

There were about twenty guests, mostly in pairs or small groups of friends. They chatted quietly, occasionally taking a sip of coffee, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Then, An and Asuka's gaze fell once again on the booth by the window.

When the music started, Sakura Matsue seemed to be drawn to it. She subconsciously looked up and headed towards the stage.

When her gaze met that of the boy on the stage, she was completely stunned.

The coffee spoon in her hand landed on the porcelain plate with a clinking sound. The man opposite her frowned slightly, but quickly regained his gentle smile: "What's wrong, Sakura? Are you feeling unwell?"

Matsue Sakura did not answer; she simply stared blankly at An and Asuka on the stage.

The boy wore a dark blue vest over a simple white shirt, his black hair gleaming softly under the stage lights. He held a shakuhachi, playing intently, the clear, melodious notes flowing out like water, blending perfectly with the other instruments in the band.

She never expected to meet him here.

Immediately afterward, an indescribable sense of shame and embarrassment welled up inside her. On Christmas Day, she had cried so pathetically in front of the boy, and then, encouraged by him, had vowed to live for herself. Those words still echoed in her ears, but now?

She sits here, on a date with the man arranged by the family.

During that week, she tried to struggle, but her father's stern rebukes: "Who do you think you are? This family has raised you for so long, and you're not even willing to make this small contribution?"

The mother launched a tearful attack: "Sakura, I'm begging you, please say yes, their family is really well-off..."

These sounds, like invisible shackles, bound her tighter and tighter.

She tried to resist, tried to stand firm, but ultimately succumbed to family pressure. Today was the first time she agreed to meet this man alone—under repeated urging from her parents and their insistence that she "at least meet him once."

But fate was so ironic; she met this boy precisely when she least wanted to be seen.

The boy who witnessed her tears, her vulnerability, and gave her courage.

The moment their eyes met, Songyue Ying hurriedly lowered her head, unable to look at the stage any longer. Her fingers twisted tightly together, her nails digging deep into her palms, causing a slight stinging sensation. Her cheeks burned, her heart pounded, and a feeling of utter shame almost overwhelmed her.

"Sakura, would you like something to eat?" The man's voice across from her interrupted her thoughts.

His voice was gentle, and coupled with his harmless expression, he truly seemed like a good man. But Songyue Ying knew it was all a facade. She knew the man's true nature—gambling, alcoholism, a chaotic private life, and a lack of basic respect for women.

"No, no need, I'm not hungry," she said softly, her voice trembling slightly.

Upon hearing this, a hint of impatience flashed in the man's eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He raised the corners of his mouth, his smile still gentle: "Alright, let me know if you're hungry."

"..." Matsue Sakura remained silent, staring at the coffee cup in front of her. The dark brown liquid swayed slightly, reflecting the warm light from the ceiling and her pale face.

On stage, the music continued.

Anwa Asuka's performance was excellent; the shakuhachi's tone added a unique oriental flavor to the band's performance. However, his attention remained partly on Matsue Sakura.

He figured it out.

That man wasn't Ms. Matsue's boyfriend, at least not the kind of boyfriend she willingly accepted. An and Asuka could clearly sense this from the teacher's lowered head, tense shoulders, deliberately kept distance, and the almost overflowing sense of resistance.

In a normal date, a teacher wouldn't be so stiff, wouldn't refuse to look at the other person, and wouldn't so obviously avoid them when they try to interact.

As the piece ended, polite applause rang out from the audience. An and Asuka bowed slightly, their gaze sweeping over the booth once more. They saw the man extend his hand, seemingly wanting to shake Matsue Sakura's hand resting on the table, but Matsue Sakura quickly withdrew her hand, the movement so swift it was almost impolite.

The man's smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

Halftime is here.

The band members put down their instruments and prepared for a fifteen-minute break. An and Asuka carefully placed their shakuhachi on its stand, stepped off the stage, and walked straight to Matsue Sakura's seat.

At that moment, the man reached out again, this time his action was more direct, almost forcibly grabbing Songyue Ying's wrist.

"Sakura, can you tell me what's bothering you? We might be living together in the future, and I hope you can open your heart to me."

Matsue Sakura's body stiffened noticeably. She tried to pull her hand back, but the man's hand was already about to touch her wrist.

"Matsuzuki-sensei."

An and Asuka's voices rang out at just the right moment, interrupting the man's actions.

Matsue Sakura's body trembled violently. She looked up and saw the boy standing by the table. Her eyes flashed with panic, shame, and a barely perceptible cry for help.

Anwa and Asuka pretended not to see her complicated look and sat down in the empty seat next to Matsue Sakura. The booth was for four people, with Matsue Sakura and the man sitting on one side. Anwa and Asuka's appearance happened to be on Matsue Sakura's side, which formed an invisible protective posture.

"Who are you?" A hint of obvious displeasure flashed in the man's eyes, but he quickly put on a gentlemanly demeanor and asked with a smile.

“I am a student of Professor Matsutsuki,” Anwa Asuka answered calmly, meeting the man’s gaze with composure.

"So you're Sakura's student." The man smiled, a hint of condescension in his smile. "And what's your name?"

“An and Asuka,” the boy replied, while subtly observing Matsue Sakura’s state. She kept her head down, her fingers nervously twisting together, refusing to look at him.

So, An and Asuka asked directly, "Is the uncle Ms. Matsutsuki's boyfriend?"

This question made Sakura Matsue tremble again.

"Hahaha." The man laughed, a hint of smugness in his voice. "I guess so, but I'm currently pursuing Xiaoying. She's a very difficult girl to win over."

"Is that so?" An and Asuka raised an eyebrow, their tone tinged with amusement.

"Yes." The man nodded, shrugging helplessly. "It's only now that we've managed to get this rare opportunity for a date. Sakura is really shy."

"Just as I expected." Anwa Asuka nodded, her tone suddenly becoming somewhat complaining. "Matsuzuki-sensei is such a troublesome woman. She was always so controlling when I was in school. She would scold me if I didn't finish my homework, if I was daydreaming in class, and even if I ate unhealthy lunch. She drove me crazy."

Upon hearing this, Songyue Ying abruptly raised her head, looking at the boy beside her with disbelief. This guy... was he here to insult her?

She looked at the boy who was talking badly about her, and her initial shame and embarrassment were suddenly replaced by a strange anger. This brat, he always pretended to be so well-behaved at school, but what did he really think of her behind her back?

An and Asuka, however, seemed oblivious to her gaze and turned to the man, asking, "What does that uncle do? How much does he earn?"

The question startled the man; he clearly hadn't expected a high school student to ask so directly. He frowned, but still maintained his composure as he replied, "My family owns a small company. As for my salary... well, I can't go into details, it's a matter of personal privacy."

"Tsk." Anhe Asuka clicked her tongue without any politeness, her voice filled with obvious disdain. "Uncle, you're not going to gain anyone's trust like this. You're pursuing a girl and you're not even willing to reveal your financial situation. That's just not sincere enough. You might as well give up."

The man's expression finally began to falter. A flash of anger crossed his eyes, but he suppressed it when he saw the boy's calm gaze, and chuckled dryly, "Haha, you're really direct, kid. But you're right, I didn't think things through. My company's annual turnover is about 50 million yen, and my monthly income is only about 1.8 million yen."

"Oh—" An and Asuka drawled, their tone unreadable, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Then they suddenly asked, "So, how far have things progressed between you and Ms. Matsue? Have you held hands? Have you kissed?"

The question was so direct that even Matsue Sakura's cheeks flushed. She glared at An and Asuka, her eyes screaming, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

The man was a little embarrassed by the question, but he quickly recovered, chuckled, and said with a hint of pride and boastfulness, "Sakura is quite aloof, you know. I've only ever held her hand so far. But I believe that as we spend more time together, she'll gradually accept me."

Upon hearing this, Songyue Ying immediately became anxious. This guy was talking nonsense! She clearly hadn't even held his hand! She opened her mouth to refute him, but the words caught in her throat due to nervousness and anger.

Just then, a warm hand suddenly reached out and grasped her hand that was resting on the table.

Matsue Sakura was stunned.

Those were An and Asuka's hands. The boy's hands were a bit larger than hers, with long, slender fingers and a warm palm. He simply took her hand in his, and then waved it at the man as if showing off.

"Is that so?" Anwa Asuka tilted her head, a naive yet defiant smile on her face. "You're holding hands with Matsuzuki-sensei like this?"

The man was completely stunned. He looked at their clasped hands, at the almost malicious smile on the boy's face, and at Song Yueying's surprised but not withdrawing reaction. A surge of anger suddenly rose in his heart.

His face darkened, and a crack finally appeared in his previously gentle mask: "What do you mean by this?"

"It doesn't mean anything." Anwa Asuka shrugged, her tone relaxed. "I just think you might have misunderstood something, Uncle. It seems like Ms. Matsutsuki doesn't want to hold your hand."

"You..." The man gritted his teeth, almost exploding, but the soothing music in the café and the presence of other customers made him hold back. He took a deep breath and forced a twisted smile: "Sakura, does this child have some misunderstanding about you? Our affairs are none of our business, are they?"

Matsue Sakura opened her mouth as if to say something, but An and Asuka spoke first.

“Uncle, I’m not an outsider.” The boy smiled even more brightly. “I’m Teacher Songyue’s favorite student. What’s the teacher’s business is my business.”

As he spoke, he gently squeezed Matsue Sakura's hand. It was a small gesture, yet it felt like a warm current that instantly spread throughout Matsue Sakura's body. Her previously tense nerves suddenly relaxed.

The man filled her with fear and suffocation, but the appearance of the boy was like a ray of light in the darkness.

For the next few minutes, An and Asuka seemed to be having a blast, constantly teasing the man opposite them with all sorts of questions. From company management to personal hobbies, from family background to future plans, every question seemed naive but was actually tricky, making the man's emotions rise and fall like a roller coaster.

Watching this scene, Songyue Ying felt conflicted. On one hand, she felt relieved—seeing this seemingly respectable man rendered speechless and his expression changing by a high school student's questioning; on the other hand, she worried that this would anger the other party and cause trouble.

Finally, the intermission ended, and the band members returned to the stage one after another.

"Oh dear, it's time to continue the performance." An and Asuka stood up, released Matsutsuki Sakura's hand, and gave the man an innocent smile. "Uncle, you and Matsutsuki-sensei can chat for a while. But I think you might need to put in a little more effort."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the stage, leaving behind the man with a livid face and Matsue Sakura with a complicated expression.

Picking up the shakuhachi again, An and Asuka's gaze returned to the booth. The man still had a smile on his face, but after a while he got up and said something to Matsuzuki Sakura.

Matsue Sakura also got up with him, and after giving An and Asuka a deep look, they walked out of the coffee shop together.

An and Asuka frowned.

After the piece ended, he put down his shakuhachi and quickly walked to the band leader, Uesugi.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Uesugi,” he said urgently, “I have some urgent business and may not be able to complete the rest of the performance. I will pay you the penalty fee later.”

Uesugi paused for a moment, then followed An and Asuka's gaze to the doorway, where Matsutsuki Sakura and the man were no longer present.

He seemed to understand something, gave an understanding smile, and patted An and Asuka on the shoulder: "Go. Go and do what a man should do."

An and Asuka didn't explain this huge misunderstanding; they simply thanked each other hastily, grabbed their coats, and rushed out of the coffee shop.

The snow outside was falling even harder. The streets were covered with a thin layer of white snow, and there were few pedestrians. An and Fei Niao quickly scanned their surroundings and soon spotted two lines of fresh footprints at the entrance of an alley not far away, one line large and deep, the other small and shallow.

He immediately gave chase.

The alley was deep, flanked by the backs of old apartment buildings, piled with miscellaneous items and trash cans. It was eerily quiet, far from the main street.

As An and Asuka rounded a bend, the scene before them caused his pupils to contract sharply.

Sakura Matsue was pinned against the wall by the man, his hand gripping her neck tightly. Her face flushed red, and she desperately tried to break free by striking the man's arm with both hands, but the difference in strength was too great. Her mouth was covered by the man's other hand, and she could only let out weak whimpers.

The man completely shed the gentle facade he had maintained in the coffee shop; now his face was contorted with rage, his eyes filled with violence: "What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for? You're lucky I even wanted you! And you dare let that brat humiliate me?"

Sakura Matsue's eyes were filled with fear and despair. She felt like she was suffocating, her vision began to blur, and her consciousness gradually faded away.

Just when she was in despair, she heard that familiar voice.

"You bastard, don't you dare bully her!"

An and Asuka's voices rang out like thunder in the alley. He barely thought; his body acted before his consciousness, and he dashed forward like an arrow released from a bow.

The man was startled by the sudden sound, and his hand instinctively loosened its grip. In that instant, An and Asuka were already in front of him.

His enhanced physical abilities were fully displayed at this moment. An and Asuka's speed was astonishing, and their strength far surpassed that of ordinary people. He grabbed the man's wrist, which was gripping Matsuzuki Sakura's neck, and twisted it forcefully—

"Ah!" the man screamed as a sharp pain shot through his wrist, causing him to involuntarily release his grip.

An and Asuka didn't stop. With their other fists clenched, they slammed it hard into the man's abdomen. The punch was extremely powerful; the man groaned, his body arching like a shrimp, and he collapsed to his knees in agony.

But that wasn't all. A cold glint flashed in An and Asuka's eyes as they raised their legs and delivered a powerful knee strike to the man's chin.

With a soft cracking sound, the man didn't even have time to scream before he fell backward, his head slamming heavily against the cold ground, and he lost consciousness.

The entire process takes no more than ten seconds.

The alleyway fell silent again, save for Song Yuelu's violent coughing and panting.

An and Asuka turned around and quickly walked to Matsue Sakura's side. She was slumped on the ground, clutching her neck with both hands, coughing until tears streamed down her face. There were obvious red marks on her neck, which stood out starkly against her snow-white skin.

"Teacher, are you alright?" An and Asuka crouched down, their voices filled with unusual nervousness.

Songyue Ying raised her head and looked at the boy in front of her. His face still held the sharpness of lingering anger, but his eyes were full of concern. At that moment, all the fear, grievances, and despair surged into her heart like a flood bursting its banks.

She suddenly threw herself into Anhe Feibiao's arms and burst into tears.

An and Asuka were taken aback for a moment, then gently hugged her trembling body, patting her back softly and whispering comfortingly, "It's alright, teacher, it's alright..."

Sakura Matsue cried her heart out, as if she wanted to cry out all the repression and pain she had endured during this period. She clutched An and Asuka's coats tightly, as if grasping at the last straw.

After an unknown amount of time, the crying gradually subsided, turning into soft sobs. Matsue Sakura lifted her head from An and Asuka's arms, her eyes red and swollen, her face streaked with tears, looking disheveled and pitiful.

Just then, the man lying on the ground groaned and slowly opened his eyes.

He struggled to sit up, touching his throbbing jaw and the back of his head, where a large lump had formed. When he saw what was before him, his eyes instantly blazed with fury.

“You little bastard…” he cursed through gritted teeth, struggling to stand up. “You dare hit me? Do you know who I am? Let me tell you, you’re finished! You and your bitch teacher are both finished! I’ll make sure you can’t survive in this city!”