Green plums cannot become lovers.

This is already a lot, enough for their family to use for a long time, and they might even be able to save it up.

After all, he has a fixed income every month, and Shizuka and Marina have also started to earn money by submitting articles. If things continue like this, their lives will get better and better.

As An and Asuka thought this, they became increasingly hopeful for the future.

When they got home, the two girls had already prepared dinner—a simple three-dish-and-one-soup meal that they had been learning to cook for a long time.

After all, before that, one of them was a little princess with a happy family, and the other was a Cinderella whose family didn't even have vegetables. Neither of them had much experience with cooking.

The fact that they were able to achieve this level is the result of their hard work.

"Asuka, you're back!"

"Hurry up and eat, Flying Bird."

The two girls' enthusiastic greeting gave An and Asuka the illusion that 'this might be his wife,' but he quickly came to his senses, put aside his unrealistic thoughts, and enjoyed dinner.

After eating and taking a shower, the three of them were in the same room, and the temperature gradually rose.

"Marina, didn't I teach you this problem before? You got it wrong. Rewrite it. You're not allowed to sleep tonight if you can't solve it."

"Shizuka, you did it too? Just like Marina, you're not allowed to sleep tonight until you finish writing."

An and Asuka were strict with the girls, but they couldn't bear to punish them.

Looking at the two girls sleeping peacefully, An and Asuka couldn't help but smile, then turned off the light and left their bedroom.

A short while later, rustling sounds came from the previously quiet bedroom.

"Shizuka, should we launch a surprise attack on Asuka?"

"But we'll be in big trouble if we get caught."

"Coward, if you won't go, I will!"

"No, I'll go with you."

The two girls carefully opened the door, only to find the boy standing in the doorway with a half-smile.

Volume 1: Chapter 62 Boos are the Challenger's Badges

The day's final exams ended quickly.

The girl did very well on the exam, scoring over 60 points in every subject, which was higher than the class average.

An and Asuka looked at her test paper with a satisfied smile, but the girl's smile seemed forced, as if something had happened.

"Love, has something happened?"

An and Asuka closed their exam papers and asked directly. He respected the girls' privacy, but he was not one to ignore questions.

He would ask about such small issues directly, otherwise, if left to develop unchecked, they might become a major problem.

"without......"

"You can't lie to me, you have to tell the truth."

Before the girl could lie, An and Asuka interrupted her, looking at her seriously.

After hesitating for a moment, Hoshino Ai could no longer hide her emotions and said dejectedly, "The teacher said I cheated."

She knew that her teacher had already thought so when she realized she had improved by ten places in the last quiz, but since that test was insignificant, the teacher didn't say it explicitly.

But during this final exam, the teacher openly admitted to cheating in class.

Of course, she didn't say her name directly, but instead made veiled accusations and used sarcastic language. Everyone understood her meaning, so they naturally joined in the mockery under her guidance.

After all, I was the only one who made the most progress in this exam.

This is too much! It was clearly the result of her and the boy's joint efforts, but it was treated as cheating.

"anything else?"

“No more.” Hoshino Ai shook her head.

"That won't do."

He felt sorry for the girl's plight, and although he couldn't do anything to change it, he didn't want to see her become discouraged because of it.

"Huh?"

An and Asuka actually admired the girl in front of them. She was able to grow up so healthily in such an environment and maintain such a healthy mindset.

In his mind, this girl was powerful, more powerful than any other girl his age he had ever met.

But even the strongest people have moments of weakness, just like this girl is now. And at this time, she needs someone to comfort and encourage her.

She used to be the orphanage matron, now it's his turn.

He stepped forward and looked at the girl earnestly, encouraging her: "Love, don't care about other people's opinions, and don't be discouraged by other people's slander."

"Because this is something you have to go through to become a strong person. All you have to do is keep improving until you stand at the top and amaze everyone."

"And when that day comes, all the boos and jeers will turn into cheers and applause for you."

The girl's life was too hard, so he wanted to fill her future with happiness.

The road to growth is arduous and full of twists and turns, and the only thing we can do is overcome them one by one.

That's how it is for them, at least.

They don't have the time or energy to care about other people's opinions or ridicule.

"However, if you're really sad right now, you can cry in my arms."

An and Asuka smiled faintly and opened their arms to the girl. Even the strongest person can cry, so he was willing to be the girl's haven, even if only for a while.

"..."

Looking at the boy in front of her, Hoshino Ai's unhappiness completely vanished.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

After saying that, she threw herself into the boy's arms.

"Well, let's study after we've rested. Summer vacation is the most important time for sixth graders."

Oh no, we've fallen for their trap!

"Asuka, you're so despicable."

The girl tilted her head back, her cheeks slightly puffed out.

This summer vacation is indeed very important for the girl. If she wants to gain everyone's recognition and love, she has to put in more effort than her peers while other children are still playing.

His primary task was naturally to study. Every day, he would go to the orphanage to pick up the girl and bring her home to study with the other two girls.

Shizuka and Marina already knew about the girl's existence and readily accepted her, after all, their families were in similar circumstances. Having personally experienced hardship, they naturally wouldn't reject a girl who shared their tragic past.

Since he could no longer ride the school bus during the holidays, he went to the second-hand market to buy a bicycle, which made picking up and dropping off much more convenient.

Of course, studying is important, but he is not a devil; he will still often give them a relaxing time in the world.

An and Asuka watched the three girls playing and laughing together in the yard, and a smile involuntarily appeared on their faces.

The summer heat could not take away the children's smiles, nor could their sweat extinguish their enthusiasm.

The girls' cheerful laughter echoed in the not-so-spacious courtyard, mingling with the noisy chirping of cicadas in the trees. It sounded both noisy and peaceful, and just sitting and watching would make one's mood unconsciously improve.

However, summer rain can come suddenly, and the once clear sky quickly became overcast, with large raindrops soon falling from the sky.

The girls returned to his side, sitting with him under the eaves as they watched the rain together.

A gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness, and the wind chimes in the distance swayed softly, their tinkling sounds mingling with the patter of rain.

The sounds of everything seemed to be drowned out by the rain, and the city seemed to fall into silence all at once.

The rain was dense and continuous, and if it weren't for the slight chill as it hit my bare feet, it would almost make me feel as if the world had stopped.

Having grown accustomed to the scorching summer sun and the constant chirping of insects and birds, watching and listening to the rain and the sound of rain is a unique kind of enjoyment.

"Bird, I'm so bored."

The blonde girl was a restless soul, and it wasn't long before she started complaining about being bored.

"Bear with your boredom."

"Well."

The girl suddenly collapsed onto him, letting out soft moans of dissatisfaction. The heavy rain did nothing to dampen her enthusiasm; her body temperature even seemed a little higher than his.

An and Asuka really didn't want to hug such a big stove, so they could only say helplessly, "Okay, let go for now."

"Hehe." The girl, whose scheme had succeeded, laughed triumphantly, but soon felt a flick on her forehead.

"You're such a busybody."

An and Asuka affectionately withdrew their hands, got up, and returned to the living room. When they came out again, they were holding a shakuhachi they had bought a long time ago.

"Let me perform a piece of music for you."

"it is good!"

The three girls answered in unison, their eyes sparkling.

"This song is called 'The Rain,' listen carefully."

As An and Asuka spoke, under the eager gazes of the girls, An brought the shakuhachi to their lips.

Then, melodious yet slightly melancholic music began to play, breaking the clamor of the rain and carrying the thoughts of the boys and girls away on the gentle breeze.

The three girls gradually calmed down, and their eyes inexplicably reddened.

Not far from them, a small dog lay on the floor, gently wagging its tail.

Volume 1: Chapter 63, Grow Up, Girl.

Rain, rain, falling, falling, Mom...

I was so happy to be picked up with a big oil-paper umbrella.

Drizzle, drizzle, splash ...

The innocent nursery rhymes rose and fell amidst the pitter-patter of the rain. Although many sad and sorrowful things happened to the boys and girls, they were never truly defeated.

Like roadside weeds, they remain resilient despite wind and rain.

Summer vacation continues, and so does learning.

The unexpected heavy rain that day led An and Asuka to discover another shining point in Hoshino Ai—singing.

From the beginning, he understood that grades alone were not enough to win a girl's favor, so he had to discover her talents in some area.

I was planning to search slowly over the summer, and if that didn't work, I'd let her try them one by one. However, that might be a bit slow, and she'd have to put in more effort to contact them later.

But luckily, he found it.

Therefore, in their spare time, An and Asuka began to have the girl practice singing. At first, she was a little surprised and lacked confidence, but after encouragement, she obediently began to practice.

The results were outstanding.

The girl has a great voice. Even with insufficient skills and professional knowledge, her singing is still very beautiful, and she even subconsciously adds stage movements.

When she sings and dances, she always has a mysterious attraction that draws people's attention.

It's simply a pure numerical monster.

Looking at the girl, An and Asuka even wondered if it would be better to send her to a professional training class, since he himself didn't know much about singing and dancing.

Rather than having someone like herself, who is only half-baked, teach, she believes that learning from more professional people is the only way to ensure her future.

However, the cost of attending practice classes is very high, and the money they earn now is only enough to maintain their basic living standards, with a portion to be set aside for unforeseen circumstances. They cannot afford any further large expenditures.

After much deliberation, An and Asuka finally bought professional books themselves and began to study while teaching the girl.

Since we can't choose our environment, we'll create it ourselves.

This path may be fraught with setbacks and errors, but he'd rather make mistakes than do nothing. Moreover, with the continuous buffs during the mission, any errors can be quickly identified and corrected.

The park was sweltering in the summer heat.

Under the blazing sun, all things flourish, and insects and birds chirp and sing.

A convenience store not far away was playing the latest song of a popular idol. The traffic lights at the intersection were flashing back and forth, but no cars were in sight. Pedestrians were scattered on the roadside, but they all walked listlessly.

The vast expanse of land seemed unusually quiet at this moment.

Only in that small park, beautiful music was playing at that moment.