A guide to survival in a heavy girl's world

As expected, after recognizing Toyokawa Shoko's identity, she immediately turned her head to look at Wakaba Mu and asked her:

"Mu, you should still be in contact with Xiangzi recently, right?"

Ruoye Mu's mother was quite curious and asked seriously:

"Who are those children around her? What is their relationship with her?"

as well as--

"Should we tell the Toyokawa family about this?"

5

Chapter 5: The So-called "Taking Responsibility"

This was the first time that Chihaya Tetsuya had come to such a high-end restaurant for dinner, and it was also the first time that he had systematically learned the table etiquette for high-end occasions.

From the sitting posture to the placement of tableware, different ways of eating corresponding to different dishes, and even the cups corresponding to different drinks must be recorded one by one -

"This is much more complicated than I thought."

Chihaya Tetsuya gave a very frank opinion.

"Do people in the upper class have to be so tired every day just to eat?"

"Of course I'm not that tired every day."

Toyokawa Shoko shook her head.

"Generally speaking, you only need to be extremely attentive when meeting a distinguished guest for the first time, or when meeting someone from a traditional and established family. Otherwise, just follow the most basic etiquette... Well, of course, there are those who don't care about these things at all."

"I see."

Chihaya Tetsuya nodded.

"But there's a chance it might be useful... If that's the case, I'll have to remember it well."

"Indeed, it will be useful when my brother becomes a top designer!"

Chihaya Aine crossed her arms and nodded in agreement.

Seeing Chihaya Aine's nonchalant attitude, Nagasaki Motoyo couldn't help but lecture her:

"If your companions fail to demonstrate the same courtesy, it will significantly lower their evaluation and impression of Tetsuya. So, as your younger sister, you should also take note of this, or... do you intend to leave such occasions to others?"

"Eh……"

After hearing this, Chihaya Aine thought for a moment, then said:

"If it's handed over to Su Shi as a consultant, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with that, right?"

"No way...you'd rather be left alone at home than have to think about this?"

"After all, I really hate that kind of overly serious atmosphere."

"I can not stand you."

Chihaya Aion's laziness left Nagasaki Suyo speechless, and Toyokawa Shoko was even more stunned by Chihaya Aion's "wasteful" behavior.

(Is she... serious? Is she going to give up that position so easily?)

Were her feelings for Chihaya Tetsuya really what she thought they were? Was the feeling of disharmony she had just felt just an illusion?

Or... did she already have enough things to waste like this?

……

Just thinking about this possibility that made her so jealous that she couldn't help but grit her teeth, made Toyokawa Shoko feel that the long-lost high-end French meal in front of her suddenly became boring.

Although this hatred is not enough to make her forget the injustice of this world and the truth that haste makes waste, it still takes time for people to change their mood.

(I really want to join [Filia] soon... and become a designer capable of standing on my own.)

Looking at Chihaya Tetsuya who was listening attentively, Shoko Toyokawa couldn't help but think so.

……

"...So you're still concerned about that?"

"..."

Wakaba Mu, whose eating speed had been decreasing since the beginning, pursed his lips slightly before saying:

"Please... don't tell the Toyokawa family about Shoko."

"why?"

Wakaba Mu's mother raised the natural question.

"While she did leave the Toyokawa family temporarily of her own accord, her true identity is still 'the daughter of the Toyokawa family.' If she were truly exploited by someone with ulterior motives, Mu should be able to understand the consequences, right?"

"They...are not that kind of people."

Wakaba Mutsu, who basically never goes against the wishes of others, tried his best to explain to his mother:

"They won't take advantage of Xiangzi. On the contrary, what they have been doing all along is supporting Xiangzi—"

"That's a problem, too."

However, her mother, who is also a famous actress and an elderly person, is not easily shaken by this rare courage.

"After all, I didn't approve of Xiangzi following her father out of the Toyokawa family. I admit that the Toyokawa family's educational policy was indeed a bit cruel to her, but that doesn't mean she can gamble her future and make such an irresponsible decision."

"..."

Wakaba Mu fell into silence.

This child, who has not yet touched the future, does not know how to resist this adult who uses the future as an argument.

She knew that her mother did not hate Xiangzi, and was even thinking carefully about Xiangzi, but the problem was that her ideas were completely opposite to Xiangzi's pursuits.

In the eyes of this successful adult, abandoning a comfortable family background simply for the sake of dignity and self-worth, and becoming a poor student in his current state of part-time work, was an indisputable act of willfulness and childishness. Especially after hearing that Toyokawa Shoko had become a designer's apprentice, her opposition became even more resolute.

"You know, Mu, she could have had a higher starting point than this."

Wakaba Mu's mother used a knife and fork to cut the steak in front of her into bite-sized pieces while speaking calmly:

"Even if that child is a genius beyond the ordinary in every way, how long do you think it would take for her to go from an apprentice to the owner of an entire brand? If she weren't so willful, she could easily get her own clothing studio as soon as she graduated from school. Well, although it will take some time to learn the most basic clothing and management knowledge, it will definitely not be a problem for her."

"Even so... Xiangzi has already made up his mind."

Ruoye Mu was unable to refute her mother's statement, because the financial resources and background of the Fengchuan family were indeed enough to provide her with a high starting point that most people would find difficult to achieve even if they worked hard for half their entire lives.

However, just as she thought at the beginning, these were not what Xiangzi wanted!

"No matter what the outcome, she is ready to take full responsibility for her choice, so—"

"...Mu."

Wakaba Mu's mother shook her head and calmly interrupted Wakaba Mu before he finished speaking.

"You seem to have a huge misunderstanding about the concept of 'taking responsibility.'"

"Eh?"

"Taking responsibility doesn't mean having the courage to face whatever happens, but rather having the strength to shoulder the consequences no matter what happens."

As Wakaba Muna stared blankly, her mother spoke these words of sermon to her for the first time in a long time:

"This world isn't gentle enough to make up for everything with courage alone, so I say her choice is irresponsible."

"..."

Ruoye Mu had nothing to say.

As a famous actress, whatever her mother says can be regarded as the legitimate words of a successful person, and her rich experience also makes her words full of weight that children can hardly refute.

Fortunately, however, the mother's confidence did not lead to an unquestionable dominance, so she still left some room for compromise.

"Of course, it's not fair to dismiss that child so hastily and completely, so... Mu."

"……Yes."

"Please invite Xiangzi... and that designer friend you just mentioned so much to come over here."

Wakaba Mu's mother said:

"I'd like to have a quick chat with both of them."

6

Chapter 6 The most common conflicts between adults and children.

When Chihaya Tetsuya and Toyokawa Shoko saw Wakaba Mutsu suddenly appear in front of them, they both showed an extremely surprised expression. When they heard that Wakaba Mutsu's mother wanted to invite them to talk alone, Toyokawa Shoko's expression immediately became a little resistant.

"...Ms. Minami is here too."

Toyokawa Shoko lowered her head slightly, and her tone also became lower:

"Apart from my family, the person I least want to see is probably her..."

"I'm sorry, Xiangzi... I didn't expect you to come here today."

Like a child who had made a mistake, Wakaba Mu apologized pitifully to everyone:

"I tried to explain to my mother, but she didn't want to listen to me at all..."

"Well, I don't blame you. She is indeed that kind of person."

Toyokawa Shoko was also quite helpless about this.

Renowned actress Minami Mori is a true success story. Having honed her career in the entertainment industry for many years and ultimately achieved fame, she has a clear and unwavering value system: results first. In her view, hard work and dreams are ultimately more important than opportunity and choice. This is precisely why she strongly opposes Toyokawa Shoko's approach.

Because her mother has seen too many losers who fell on the road to pursuing their dreams, and has also defeated too many naive and romantic competitors.

In fact, a big part of the reason why Ruoye Mu grew up to be such a taciturn person was because of his successful and strong mother.

She would not deny everything unreasonably, but if you wanted to refute her, you had to produce results that were enough to shake her "results-only" belief.

Ruoye Mu, who had been forced to accept this set of values ​​education since childhood, had doubts in her heart, but she still found it difficult to find arguments to refute her mother.

"Anyway, let's go meet this Ms. Minami first."

After Chihaya Tetsuya roughly understood the whole story, he said to the two hesitant girls:

"Otherwise, if she leaks the news about Toyokawa... things will probably get really complicated, right?"

"……Um."

Wakaba Mutsu answered on behalf of the silent Toyokawa Shoko.

"They might even force Xiangzi to return to his family..."

"Don't be ridiculous, who would go back?"

Toyokawa Shoko clenched her fists and retorted in an angry voice:

"I don't want to go back to a place that disregards other people's will and degrades their dignity!"

"Xiangzi..."

Wakaba Mu certainly understood Toyokawa Shoko's resistance and anger, but before that, she had another thing she had to remind her:

"If it was before, they could only force you by cutting off your living expenses, but now... you have a new weakness."

"..."

Toyokawa Shoko silently turned her head away from Chihaya Tetsuya.

After realizing that this weakness was directed at him, Chihaya Tetsu didn't show much concern, but said in the same calm tone as before:

"Since the other party wants to talk to us, it means everything is negotiable, right?"

As he spoke, he gently patted Toyokawa Shoko's shoulder:

"This is a good opportunity for me to put into practice what you taught me. Fengchuan, Wakaba-san, let's go."

"..."

"kindness."

Then, under the guidance of Wakaba Mutsu, Chihaya Tetsuya and Toyokawa Shoko left their seats and went to Mori Minami's private room...

……