"Go buy swim rings!" she shouted.

Little Lian looked up, her eyes refilled with brightness.

"Go buy swim rings!" she happily echoed.

"Mm—Little Lian is so cute, be my daughter," Kiyono Youko said as she hugged Little Lian and rubbed her face against hers.

Little Lian's cheeks were squished, and she reached out to grab Dubian Che's pant leg.

Mrs. Jiutiao watched this scene and said to Jiutiao Meijie, "Thinking I'm still young, seeing Little Lian suddenly made me want grandchildren."

"I won't be seventeen until next month," Jiutiao Meijie stated.

"I really am young," Mrs. Jiutiao said, caressing her face, intoxicated.

Jiutiao Meijie couldn't be bothered with her mother and dialed a number, "Send over five adult bikes, one children's bike, and a cellphone."

The six of them toured the villa and settled into their rooms.

"Little Lian, the bikes are here!"

Hearing Dubian Che's shout from outside while she was hanging up her clothes with the two ladies, Little Lian screamed "Bike!" and ran out impatiently.

Outside the villa, in the shade and sunlight, on a carpet of fallen leaves, stood six brand-new bicycles.

Little Lian walked up to the smallest one with her short legs.

It was a children's bicycle, complete with training wheels.

Little Lian was so entranced by it, imagining herself ringing the cute bell while riding through the forest paths of Karuizawa.

The scene would definitely be cool.

"Little Lian," Jiutiao Meijie crouched down and hung a cellphone with a string around her tiny neck, "This has all our numbers in it, and your mother's too."

Little Lian looked at the brand-new phone, then at Dubian Che.

"Don't look at him, when I give you something, it's as if your brother is giving it to you, and everyone else too," Jiutiao Meijie paused, then added, "Including your know-it-all, meddlesome Lin."

Little Lian glanced at her, then at the phone, but ultimately, her gaze returned to Dubian Che.

"Your Meiji is right," Dubian Che nodded.

"Okay, try out your bike," Dubian Che picked up Little Lian and set her onto the bike.

Little Lian sat there, hands on the handlebars, and it took her a while to come back to herself.

"Che, photo! Photo! We need to show them!"

"Look here, going to take it!"

"Mhm!" Little Lian put on a straight face and sat up straight.

After the photo was taken, the five adults and an eager Little Lian left the villa.

The main road flanked by forests branched into smaller paths, each leading to a villa.

To Little Lian riding her bike, the structure of her surroundings was mysterious, a world beyond her imagination.

Everything was sparkling; the wind blew her hair, her young face slightly lost in thought, her feet pedaling instinctively.

The other five followed behind her.

If they rode their bikes at a pace to match Little Lian's children's bike, they might be too slow to even stay balanced.

The air was crisp, and Dubian Che stretched lazily.

"I prefer places with fewer people. When I picked up Little Lian earlier, everyone thought I was a celebrity, wanting photos with me as if I were something like the Tokyo Tower."

"Ever consider going into show business?" Mrs. Jiutiao joked, "I'd make you a big star myself."

"I'm not interested in fame."

"Being a star means you could play Ultraman or something," Jiutiao Meijie teased.

"And what about 555," Kiyono Lin chimed in.

"Stop that, both of you, I graduated from my 'chuunibyou' phase!"

"Ultraman I've heard of, but what's 555?" Mrs. Kiyono curiously held her daughter's hand.

Kiyono Lin casually gestured to Dubian Che, "Show us."

"I'm seventeen now," Dubian Che firmly refused, "If I were a year or two younger, perhaps I would perform and be proud of it."

Kiyono Lin smiled.

Not at him lying, but at him suddenly getting shy; it reminded her of "The Great Gatsby," the first book Dubian Che had borrowed from her.

A little private joke known only to them.

"I want to see too," Mrs. Jiutiao placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, peering out from behind her with eager eyes, "Dubian, please do a performance for us."

"Meiji..."

"Mother wants to see; just show us, darling," Jiutiao Meijie said with a smile.

"..."

"I'm going to leave you behind!" Little Lian, riding ahead, called back loudly.

"Coming!" Dubian Che quickly walked over, "Little Lian, I'll push your bike."

"So fast! So fast!"

"Captain, make sure to steer properly; don't crash into the forest!"

"Am I the captain?"

"Yes, you are the captain!"

"I am the captain!"

The two of them shouted as they headed toward the commercial district.

"Graduate from 'chuunibyou,' and yet still a child," watching the departing pair, both young ladies said at the same time.

"..."They stared at each other, needle sharp against needle sharp.

The two mothers exchanged glances and laughed cheerfully.

Kiyono Lin withdrew her arms from her mother's embrace.

Jiutiao Meijie shrugged her shoulders and shook off her mother's hands.

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