Green plums cannot become lovers.

Finally, Anhe Tiantong returned to calm.

"Anhe Feiniao...a very good name. 'Feiniao' means a bird that flies freely, symbolizing an unfettered future."

She paused, then asked casually, "How old are you this year, Asuka-kun? Where do you go to school?"

"At fourteen, I was in the second year of junior high school in Aichi."

“Fourteen years old…” An and Tiantong repeated softly, their eyes drifting into the distance. “The same age as my Subaru. I wish that child could be as mature as you.”

Akane Akasaka chimed in at the opportune moment: "By the way, Grandma Tendo, isn't Subaru home today?"

“Subaru went out with his friends. They said they were going to see some exhibition.” Anwa Tendo shook his head, his tone filled with indulgent helplessness. “That child can’t sit still. Asking her to sit quietly for a while is like taking her life.”

Just then, a series of light footsteps came from the courtyard, followed by the sudden opening of the tea room door.

"Grandma, I'm back! Let me tell you, the exhibition today was super......" The cheerful voice abruptly stopped.

The girl standing at the door had long, jet-black hair tied in a high ponytail, and large, bright eyes that were now wide with surprise. Her gaze swept over everyone in the tea room, finally settling on An and Asuka.

The air froze for a few seconds.

"Ah, it's you?!" An and Subaru's voice suddenly rose, filled with unbelievable surprise.

She practically rushed into the tea room, completely disregarding etiquette, and ran up to Anwa Asuka, bending down to stare intently at his face: "It really is you! Anwa Asuka!"

An and Asuka clearly recognized the girl before them. A year ago, at an amusement park in Tokyo, he had helped a girl who had sprained her ankle from playing too wildly. He had given her a simple bandage with a handkerchief he always carried and stayed with her until her family arrived.

The girl told him her name was Anhe Mao.

So this carefree young girl turned out to be a rich family's heiress, or even my... little sister?

"Miss Subaru, it's been a long time." Anwa Asuka nodded in greeting.

"Yes, it's been so long! I thought I'd never see you again!" Anwa Subaru replied excitedly, buzzing around Anwa Feiniao like a fly.

Anwa Tendo and Akane Akasaka were both stunned. Akane Akasaka was surprised that the two knew each other, while Anwa Tendo was equally surprised.

She never expected that the kind-hearted boy her granddaughter had mentioned and the genius boy that Akane Akane had praised so highly were actually the same person.

"Subaru, mind your manners," Anwa Tendou gently reminded him, but his gaze was even more intently scrutinizing Anwa Asuka.

Anwa Subaru then realized he had been rude, stuck out his tongue sheepishly, and sat down next to his grandmother, but his eyes were still sparkling as he looked at Anwa Asuka: "Grandma, this is the boy I told you about who helped me at the amusement park! Didn't I tell you that his name is Anwa Asuka, and he shares my surname!"

They share the same surname, Anhe.

The two words echoed in the tea room, carrying a certain weight of destiny.

Anwa Tendo's hand trembled almost imperceptibly, causing a slight ripple on the surface of the teacup.

She raised her head and gave An and Asuka a deep look, her eyes filled with scrutiny, doubt, and a complex emotion that was hard to describe.

"So... Subaru was talking about you." The old man's voice remained gentle. "What a... wonderful coincidence."

Akane Akane felt her heart racing.

Looking at Anwa Tendo's expression, Anwa Subaru's excited look, and Anwa Asuka's calm profile, she suddenly realized—some secrets are perhaps harder to keep than imagined.

Anwa Asuka sat there, holding a warm teacup in his hands, feeling the warmth travel through the porcelain to his palms. He looked up, meeting Anwa Tendo's inquisitive gaze, and then glanced at Anwa Subaru beside him, who looked excited.

This family, this place that is related to him by blood yet feels so foreign, these faces that should be relatives but are like strangers.

A strange feeling welled up in his heart, a complex emotion that mixed alienation, curiosity, and a kind of expectation that he himself was unwilling to admit.

The sky outside the window had completely darkened, and the courtyard lights came on, casting flickering shadows on the paper door. The conversation in the tea room continued, but everyone knew in their hearts that something had quietly changed.

But whatever lies ahead, he will face it bravely.

As night deepened, the stone lanterns in the courtyard lit up one by one, their dim yellow glow floating among the carefully trimmed pine branches. The atmosphere in the tea room, however, gradually settled down with the night, and the superficial politeness and small talk revealed the undercurrents beneath when An and Asuka took their leave.

“Grandma Tendo, Miss Subaru, thank you so much for your hospitality today.” Anwa Asuka stood up and bowed politely. His voice remained steady, but deep within his always clear eyes, reflecting the light streaming through the paper door, a barely perceptible trace of weariness seemed to flicker.

Anhe Tiantong raised his head and gave him a deep look.

The old man's eyes held a multitude of complex emotions, which ultimately culminated in a gentle reply: "You're welcome, Asuka-kun. Your music... gave me a truly unforgettable afternoon."

An and Subaru seemed reluctant to part. She stood up, her eyes sparkling, "Asuka-kun, will you come to Tokyo again? Next time you come, I can take you to lots of fun places! I know a super delicious dessert shop, and..."

"Subaru." Anwa Tendo gently stopped his granddaughter's overly enthusiastic invitation, "Asuka-kun has his own plans."

Anwa Subaru stuck out his tongue, but his eyes were still full of expectation as he looked at Anwa Asuka.

An and Asuka nodded slightly: "If there's a chance."

This answer neither promised nor completely refused, but carried his unique sense of proportion.

Akane Akasaka also stood up: "Grandma Tendo, I'll see Asuka out. He's tired today, he should go back and rest."

"Okay, be careful on the road." Anwa Tendo nodded, but his gaze never left Anwa Asuka.

The two walked out of the tea room and across the courtyard. Soft footsteps echoed on the stone path, and occasionally the bamboo tube used to startle deer struck the stones, producing a crisp "thud" that was particularly clear in the quiet night.

Upon reaching the main gate, Akane Akasaka was about to offer to escort Asuka Anwa back to the agency when Asuka Anwa shook her head first.

"Sister Zhu Yin, I can go back by myself." His voice was soft but firm. "You stay here and keep Grandma Tiantong company. Besides... I want to take a walk by myself."

Akane Akane looked at his calm profile, wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back.

She understood what this afternoon meant for An and Feibiao—to see relatives who were blood relatives but strangers to him, and to face those complex and unspeakable emotions... He needed time to process it.

"Okay." She nodded, took out her wallet from her bag, and pulled out a few bills. "Take a taxi back. Don't skimp on this little bit of money. Send me a message when you get to the office."

This time, An and Asuka did not refuse, and accepted the money with a smile: "Thank you."

He didn't say anything more, just nodded slightly again, then turned and walked towards the street. In the night, the boy's back was straight and lonely, quickly blending into the lights and shadows of Tokyo.

Akane Akane stood at the doorway, watching him leave until his figure was completely out of sight, then she sighed softly and turned back to the courtyard.

Anwa Subaru is no longer in the tea room; only Anwa Tendo remains.

The old woman remained kneeling before the tea table, but did not brew any more tea. The teacup in front of her was empty. Her hands were folded on her knees, and her gaze was fixed on the open paper door, looking at the courtyard in the night, as if she were staring at something distant.

Akane Akasaka quietly entered the tea room and sat down opposite her. She didn't speak, but waited quietly.

After a long while, Anwa Tendo slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on Akane Akasaka's face. That gaze no longer held the gentleness and politeness of the afternoon; instead, it was a deep, sharp gaze that seemed to penetrate appearances and reach the essence of things.

"Xiaoqian," Anhe Tiantong spoke, his voice lower than usual, "Now that there's no one else around, can you tell me more about... that boy?"

Akane Akasaka's heart tightened slightly. She knew that what was coming would eventually come.

The deliberate avoidance and understated topics of the afternoon were all in vain in front of experienced people like Anhe and Tiantong. The old man had already sensed something and was just waiting for the right opportunity.

"Hmm," Akane Akasaka responded softly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the sleeve of her kimono. She was pondering how to begin, how to respond to the old man's expectations while respecting Anwa Asuka's wishes.

"I first officially met him at their junior high school's anniversary celebration." Akane Akane chose to start with the most superficial part, recounting the story in a calm tone, half-jokingly and half-jokingly, "He was playing drums at the back of the band, wearing the same uniform as the other students, but his demeanor... was very special. Calm, focused, and his control over the rhythm was completely unlike that of a junior high school student."

An and Tiantong listened quietly without interrupting.

“I was drawn to his playing, and later I learned that all the songs they were playing were his original compositions,” Akane Akasaka continued, her tone involuntarily filled with admiration. “He’s not just a composer; he can also play guitar, piano, bass… he can play almost any instrument. And it’s not just his technique that’s good; his music has a kind of… soul.”

“Soul?” An and Tiantong repeated the word softly.

“Yes.” Akane Akasaka nodded. “That ability to express emotions and tell stories with musical notes cannot be built up by mere technique. I later heard him play a guitar piece he wrote himself called ‘Summer,’ and this afternoon he played ‘Rain’... Grandma Tendo, that music can bring tears to your eyes.”

Anhe Tiantong's eyes flickered slightly. She recalled the song "Rain" she had heard that afternoon, and the complex and profound emotions flowing from the piano. That maturity, that precise grasp of emotions, truly surpassed the expectations of a fourteen-year-old boy.

"And then?" Anhe Tiantong asked, "How did you become familiar with him?"

Akane Kousaka hesitated for a moment. She knew that the next part would touch on the core issues.

“I later went to his class to find him, wanting to talk to him about the possibility of cooperation.” Her voice lowered. “But he was very wary and kept his distance from strangers. It took me some time to gain his trust.”

She paused, her fingers tightening: "In this process, I gradually learned about his...background."

The air in the tea room seemed to freeze. The chirping of insects in the courtyard suddenly became clear, those tiny lives singing in the night, a stark contrast to the somber atmosphere inside.

Anwa Tendo's breathing paused almost imperceptibly for a moment. Her eyes were fixed on Akane Akasaka, her gaze filled with both expectation and fear—afraid to hear certain answers, yet unable to refrain from asking.

Akane Akasaka took a deep breath and finally spoke the truths she had always wanted to keep hidden, yet knew she couldn't conceal them forever.

“Asuka… lives alone.” Her voice was very soft, and she spoke each word very slowly, as if afraid of disturbing something. “His father… many years ago, he owed a huge debt because of gambling, and one day he suddenly left home and never came back.”

Anwa Tendo's face turned deathly pale the moment she heard the word "gambling." Her hand trembled slightly, almost knocking over the teacup in front of her.

“About six months later,” Akane Akasaka continued, her voice filled with undisguised sorrow, “his mother said she was going to find his father, and then… she left too. After that, Asuka lived alone. He was only eleven years old then.”

“Eleven years old…” Anhe Tiantong murmured repeatedly, his voice so dry that he could barely make a sound.

The tea room was deathly silent. Only the occasional rustling of the wind outside the paper door could be heard, stirring the leaves in the courtyard.

Akane Akane looked at the expressions of shock and disbelief on Anwa and Tendo's faces, and felt a surge of intense guilt and reluctance.

She knew these words would hurt the old man, but she couldn't lie—especially after An and Asuka had already endured so much, she couldn't cover up those cruel facts with a lie.

“How did he survive all by himself…” An and Tiantong’s voices trembled.

“He’s very strong.” Akane Akasaka’s voice was also a little unsteady. “He works part-time, manages his own life, studies on his own… and he does it very well. Excellent grades, outstanding musical talent, and he has friends at school. But those are just the surface; the hardships behind it all…”

She didn't finish her sentence, but Anhe Tiantong understood perfectly. An eleven-year-old child, abandoned by his parents, had to face all the burdens of life alone—living, studying, the gaze of others... What kind of despair and loneliness was that?

Anhe Tiantong closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, those usually bright and sharp eyes were now somewhat red.

“Xiaoqian.” The old man’s voice was unusually hoarse, each word seeming to be squeezed out with difficulty from the depths of his throat. “Tell me the truth.”

She gazed at Akane Akasaka, her eyes filled with pleading, fear, and a near-desperate longing.

“He…” Anwa Tendo’s voice trembled violently, “Is he… Sōsuke’s child?”

The moment she uttered those words, the old woman seemed to age several years. Her back was slightly hunched, and her hands, clasped on her knees, were clenched into fists, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Akane Akasaka's heart pounded violently. Looking into Anwa Tendo's bloodshot, pleading eyes, and at his face, etched with countless wrinkles by time and now twitching slightly with emotion, all her prepared excuses and lies vanished in that instant.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say "I don't know," "I don't think so," or "It's just a coincidence."

But those words were stuck in my throat, and I just couldn't say them.

Faced with such an old woman, such a mother, such a grandmother, and with the deep, almost searing pain and longing in her eyes, Akane Akasaka found herself unable to lie.

A long silence.

Time seemed to stand still in the tea room. In the courtyard outside the paper door, the bamboo tube used to startle the deer struck again, the "thud" sounding particularly loud in the silence, like a kind of announcement, or like a kind of ending.

In this almost suffocating silence, An and Tiantong's eyes gradually reddened.

She didn't need to hear any more answers. Akane's silence, the complex and indescribable emotions in her eyes, her slightly trembling lips... all of this was already the clearest answer.

"It really is..." Anwa Tendo's voice was broken and fragmented. She raised a hand to cover her mouth, as if to stop some uncontrollable emotion from surging out. "It really is Sousuke's... child..."

Tears finally welled up and streamed down the old man's wrinkled face. It wasn't a violent sob, but a silent, profound grief. Each tear seemed to carry so much—disappointment in his good-for-nothing son, heartache for his grandson whom he had never met, regret for the lost time, and a desolate feeling that was almost a mockery of fate.

Akane Akasaka's eyes also welled up with tears. She reached out and gently placed her hand on Anwa Tendo's trembling hand.

"Grandma Tiantong..." Her voice choked with emotion, "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you sooner...?"

Anwa Tendo shook her head, tears streaming down her face, staining her dark gray kimono with deep lines.

"No...it's not your fault..." the old man's voice trailed off. "It was Sōsuke...it was that unfilial son...how could he...how could he..."

She couldn't go on. Her words were drowned out by sobs and tears, leaving only a suffocating pain.

Akane Akane stayed quietly by her side, saying nothing more. She knew that any comfort would be futile at this moment. The old woman needed time and space to process this truth that had come fourteen years too late, to face the mistakes and regrets that were already irreversible.

Outside the window, the night was deep. The lights of Tokyo twinkled in the distance, like a silent sea of ​​stars. But inside this tea room, a secret hidden for many years finally surfaced, weighing heavily on the hearts of two women, carrying the weight of blood and tears.

After an unknown amount of time, Anhe Tiantong's tears finally stopped. She gently wiped her cheeks with her sleeve, her movements slow and solemn, as if she were sorting out her emotions and also sorting out the bloody past that had been suddenly revealed.

"He..." the old man spoke again, his voice still hoarse, but now with a certain restraint, "Do you know? Do you know who your father... is?"

Akane Akasaka nodded: "He knows, I told him."

“Then he…” A complex light flashed in Anhe Tiantong’s eyes, “Does he want… to come back? Does he want to acknowledge this family?”

This question caused Akane Akasaka a pang of pain in her heart. Looking into Anwa Tendo's eyes, at the cautious expectation, that almost unrealistic yet irrepressible longing, she knew she had to deliver that cruel answer.

“Grandma Tendo,” her voice was soft, but every word was clear, “Asuka… is very strong. He got to where he is today through his own strength, without bowing to anyone or succumbing to fate.”

She paused, looking into An and Tian Tong's eyes: "But it's precisely because he's so strong... that he doesn't want to come back here yet."

Anhe Tiantong's expression froze for a moment. That glimmer of expectation, like a candle blown out by the wind, dimmed little by little, replaced by a deep and painful understanding.

"Does he hate us?" The old man's voice was as soft as a whisper.

“No.” Akane Kousaka immediately shook her head. “He doesn’t hate. Asuka isn’t the kind of person who would be bound by hatred. He just… needs time. He needs to walk his own path in his own way.”

She gripped An and Tiantong's hands tightly, her tone becoming unusually sincere: "Grandma Tiantong, Asuka has been through too much. Abandoned by his father, abandoned by his mother, he faced all the cruelty of life alone. For him, the word 'home' may have become associated with pain and despair."

He now has cherished companions, his own dreams, and things he wants to protect. What he needs is respect, space, and the freedom to move forward at his own pace.

Anhe Tiantong listened quietly, tears welling up in her eyes again, but this time she didn't let them fall.