"No way!"

"Can't you make it just for today?"

"No means no!"

"Well, I just won't do it then!"

"Then I'll call your parents over."

"Isn't that a bit too soon?"

"What's so...," halfway through her sentence, Xiaoquan Aonai's pale oval face turned bright red as she glared fiercely at Dubian Che.

After a brief conversation, unexpectedly, Xiaoquan Aonai found herself and Dubian Che standing on the third floor of the academic building.

Akiko was simultaneously grabbing chips from a bag and grading vocabulary quizzes.

"Akiko," Xiaoquan Aonai called out.

"Hmm?" Akiko turned around with chips in her left hand and a pen in her right.

"Shall we go for teppanyaki?"

"It's on me..."

"Let's go!" Before Dubian Che could finish his sentence, Akiko had already nodded.

They agreed to meet under the oak tree, Akiko packed up her things, and the two headed towards the first floor's infirmary.

Standing in front of the infirmary door, Xiaoquan Aonai gently knocked.

"Come in," came the voice of Miyazaki Miyuki, experienced and adept, from inside.

As they pushed open the door, they were greeted by the smell of disinfectant.

It seemed even colder here than other places.

Miyazaki Miyuki glanced at them, spun her chair, took a thermometer from the table, shook it twice, then handed it to Dubian Che who had stepped closer.

"To hold it in your mouth, or to clamp it under your arm?" Dubian Che examined the mercury column inside the thermometer.

"If you haven't eaten anything hot or cold, hold it in your mouth; if you have, clamp it under your arm. But I recommend the rectal approach since it gives the most accurate temperature," Miyazaki Miyuki explained as she handed a tube of lubricant to Xiaoquan Aonai. "Here, you help him with it."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Dubian Che placed the thermometer in his mouth.

Xiaoquan Aonai glanced at the thermometer in his mouth, then at the lubricant in her hand.

"We aren't here to get treated, you know!" she said, both amused and helpless.

"Why wear a jacket if you have no cold?" Miyazaki Miyuki observed the two layers on Dubian Che.

Considering that, Miyazaki herself was wearing two layers—a white teacher's blouse under her white lab coat, with a work badge hanging around her neck.

"Whether you have a cold or not, it doesn't hurt to check; consider it your annual physical," Dubian Che said, his voice slightly muffled by the thermometer.

"If we're going to take a measurement, let's do it properly," Miyazaki Miyuki, seemingly a doctor, wielded the air of a dark, grand scientist as she crossed her legs.

Dubian Che raised both hands in a 'thermometer is in the right place and I'll measure properly' surrender gesture.

"Are you really taking the measurement?" Xiaoquan Aonai asked him, "Kiyono and her group are still waiting for us."

"Almost forgot!" Dubian Che removed the thermometer from his mouth.

"You're not here to seek treatment?" Miyazaki Miyuki glanced at them.

"We plan to go for teppanyaki and came to invite you," Xiaoquan Aonai said.

Miyazaki Miyukinodded, stood up ready to take off her lab coat.

"Miyuki, since you've measured it, please take a look," Dubian Che handed her the thermometer.

Miyazaki Miyuki took the thermometer, wiped it with an alcohol swab, and casually put it back.

"The thermometer isn't Xiaoquan Aonai; it won't transform into being like you that quickly."

"Miyuki!"

"Mr. Xiaoquan and I didn't do anything; what can we do, Miyuki?"

"Dubian!"

"Just force it," Miyazaki Miyuki said unconcerned.

Xiaoquan Aonai stepped forward, helped Miyazaki Miyuki off with her lab coat, and urged, "Hurry up! Don't keep them waiting!"

As Miyazaki Miyuki locked the medicine cabinet and the infirmary door, the three changed their shoes and walked towards the school's main gate.

Under the massive and lush oak tree, the sunset struggled to pierce through the leaves to reach the ground.

Jiutiao Meijie stood there, slender and beautiful in the same uniform but revealing an imposing, regal quality.

A mesmerizing, intoxicating noble young lady, dangerously captivating.

Beside her, Kiyono Lin with her pale skin and composed figure, gave an aura of quiet elegance.

Her stunningly beautiful face carried a detached expression.

Dubian Che didn't know when he started to enjoy seeing Kiyono's indifferences from the side.

And there was Mayi Asuka.

Dressed in a long dress with a mild and soft expression like a water plant, her heart harbored volcanic passions.

On the surface, she was calm and expressionless, but inside, she was fiery and passionate—this Mayi could leave one utterly enchanted.

"You're too slow," Jiutiao Meijie addressed the approaching Dubian Che.

"Just checked my temperature," Dubian Che explained, "Waiting for Akiko... she's here now, let's go."

The eight of them found a teppanyaki restaurant.

The door was tiny—barely wide enough for two people to walk in side by side.

Lifting the curtain and pushing open the door, we were immediately greeted by a rich aroma.

Inside, a young chef stood at a silver hotplate, skillfully handling a spatula for teppanyaki.

"Welcome!" said a waitress with a headscarf, "Table for eight? Please, this way!"

Once the eight of us sat down, along with a couple already seated, the restaurant was at full capacity.

"Excuse me," Dubian Che said to the waitress, "could we get new utensils? Add the cost to our bill."

"No need," the waitress quickly replied, "we provide fresh utensils if you need them!"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Dubian Che was just following procedure, while Jiutiao Meiji, seated beside him, was already accustomed to such small eateries.

Every now and then, he would drag her out.

A hot pot in Taito District, broiled shad in Setagaya District, Thai curry in Adachi District, Mapo Tofu in Nakano District...

These were stark contrasts to what she usually ate—top-quality ingredients, simply prepared.

"Aonai, Miyuki, remember?" Akiko said after ordering, "When we lived in Shinbashi District, there was a teppanyaki place nearby we went to every day."

"I haven't had it in so long, just hearing Dubian mention it made me crave it," Xiaoquan Aonai said with a laugh.

"Mhm," Miyazaki Miyuki nodded, resting her chest on the table.

Jiutiao Meiji's order was ready quickly; Dubian Che cut a small piece with a fork and placed it in her bowl.

"Be careful, it might be a bit hot," he cautioned.

Jiutiao Meiji picked up her disposable chopsticks and took a small bite.

"How is it?" Dubian Che asked.

"Quite hot, but pretty good. Try some," she replied.

Dubian Che picked up some chopsticks, grabbed a bite—which included stir-fried noodles, vegetables, and sauce—and swallowed it in one go.

"Mmmm," he mumbled after another bite, "Delicious!"

"Che," Mayi Asuka's food was also ready, "try mine."

Dubian Che glanced at Jiutiao Meiji, who said irritably, "Go ahead."

"To try a bit of everything is such a bliss!" Dubian Che reached over Jiutiao Meiji and took some from Mayi Asuka's bowl.

It was oysters teppanyaki, the meat golden brown and topped with bright green scallions.

As he took a bite, a burst of fresh flavor exploded in his mouth.

"This is great too! Delicious!"

"Senior..." Ichiki Aoi looked pitifully at Mayi Asuka.

Mayi Asuka, blissfully watching Dubian Che eat, turned her head, puzzled.

"Can I have a bite?" Ichiki Aoi pointed at Mayi Asuka's teppanyaki.

"...Why?"

Ichiki Aoi pouted and watched as Mayi Asuka began eating from the part Dubian Che had touched.

Xiaoquan Aonai's dish was ready; she unwrapped her chopsticks and, leaning over Kiyono Lin, gave Dubian Che a few glances.

Finally, she mustered up the courage, blushing as she timidly asked, "Dubian, yours isn't ready yet, want to try mine?"

"Why does Miss also have to feed him?!" Ichiki Aoi immediately shouted.

Xiaoquan Aonai was an idol among the girls in class four—fashionable, intelligent, beautiful, independent. Many dreamed of becoming like her.

"Dubian's treating us, plus his isn't ready yet," Xiaoquan Aonai explained with red ears.

"I won't be shy then." Dubian Che rolled up his sleeves, reached past Kiyono Lin, and took some from the hotplate in front of Xiaoquan Aonai.

Kiyono Lin watched as the perfect lines of Dubian Che's forearm muscles moved.

Red shrimp, golden pork belly, green scallions, black sauce.

Still sizzling from the heat of the hotplate.

Dubian Che opened his mouth and gobbled it all down.

"Is it good?" Xiaoquan Aonai asked.

Dubian Che, unwilling to stop eating to talk, chewed and gave a thumbs up.

Finally swallowing, he said, "After three bites, I've only made myself hungrier, Meiji, another bite, please."

He reached again for some from in front of Jiutiao Meiji.

Chewing, swallowing, sipping his soda, then another bite!

As he savored the flavors, the waitress suddenly burst into laughter.

"What's wrong?" Ichiki Aoi, whose teppanyaki wasn't ready yet, asked.

"Ah, sorry!" the waitress said embarrassedly, "It's just that, even though this guest was closer, he didn't offer a taste of his own teppanyaki to him. I thought maybe they had quarreled."

She was talking about Kiyono Lin and Dubian Che.

"We're not a couple yet, maybe we'll discuss it at the end of the year," Kiyono Lin explained lightly.

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