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Chen Tian hung up the phone and casually placed it on the table.
He looked up to see Marin's cheeks puffed out like a hamster stuffed with nuts, her small mouth slightly downturned. Her sparkling red eyes were now fixed on him with a look of "sad resentment," her expression clearly stating, "I'm unhappy, cheer me up."
Chen Tian let out a low laugh, seeing her expression.
"Hmph!" Marin registered his amusement and immediately turned her face away, deliberately not looking at him, pretending to be "very angry," her voice laced with a playful whine.
"The Young Lady from the Shinomiya family is coming to pick you up? She is truly 'enthusiastic,' Boyfriend-kun." She put significant emphasis on the word "enthusiastic."
Chen Tian shrugged, his tone light and casual. "Well, since she's already coming, right? It's a free ride, at least we won't have to squeeze onto the subway." He stated this with conviction.
Marin wrinkled her small nose again after hearing that, letting out another couple of "hmphs." She then "viciously" poked the remaining porridge in her bowl with her chopsticks, taking an attitude of "I'm angry, but I must continue eating."
Chen Tian knew exactly what she was feeling. Without saying anything, he reached into his pocket, fumbled for a moment, and with a soft snap, placed the black card that Gojo Satoru had given him on the dining table, sliding it in front of Marin.
He tapped the card lightly with his fingertip, looking at the pouting girl. "Marin."
Marin's gaze was naturally drawn by the soft sound, falling onto the black card that represented unlimited credit. Her ears twitched, but she didn't immediately turn her head.
"After classes are over today," Chen Tian continued, "how about we buy a car?"
These words were like magic.
Marin's puffed-up cheeks instantly deflated. She abruptly turned around, her ruby-like eyes lighting up with a whoosh, shining even brighter than when she looked at breakfast earlier.
"Really?!" she blurted out, her voice full of surprise and anticipation.
But the next second, that bright shine dimmed slightly. She seemed to recall a practical issue, her face drooping slightly with hesitation: "We can… but…"
She looked at Chen Tian doubtfully. "Shouldn't we tell Shinotsuka-san first?"
The "Shinotsuka-san" she referred to was naturally Chen Tian's manager, Shinotsuka Yayoi.
The existence of a manager was always a factor to consider in their daily actions.
Chen Tian picked up his spoon, scooped a spoonful of porridge into his mouth, and after swallowing, said casually: "Hmm? Actually, there's no need. Buying a car is our personal business, but if you want to tell her, just send her a message."
Marin looked at the black card on the table, then thought about the new car that would soon belong to her (the key point being, bought with Gojo's money!). The sullenness caused by the Young Lady's phone call was instantly washed away by the immense anticipation of shopping.
Her expression relaxed again, a smile returned to her face. She nodded her small head vigorously, her voice crisp and joyful:
"Mhm! Okay! I'll send her a message right away! What kind of car should we buy?? A sports car? Would that be too flashy? I heard they're not very comfortable to sit in."
Chen Tian watched her instantly switch from gloom to sunshine, full of vitality. He said nothing more, simply picked up his bowl, and continued to quietly eat his breakfast.
The sunlight streamed through the window onto the dining table, illuminating the black card and the girl's newly brightened smile.
Marin was in a great mood. Humming an anime tune, she quickly finished the rest of her breakfast, then dashed off to grab her phone, ready to send a message to Shinotsuka Yayoi.
Chen Tian watched Marin impatiently hopping toward her phone, the corner of his mouth slightly turned up as he gently shook his head. He efficiently collected both their dishes and utensils. The sound of running water filled the kitchen as he quickly cleaned up, leaving it spotless.
Just as he dried his hands, the phone rang again. The words "The Young Lady" were flashing on the screen.
"Have you arrived?" Chen Tian answered the phone, his voice calm.
"Yes, Ten-kun," Shinomiya Kaguya's voice came through the receiver. "My chauffeur and I are waiting outside the gate. Please don't rush."
The brief call ended. Chen Tian turned to the living room.
Marin was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, her fingers flying across the phone screen, a look of excited anticipation on her face. She was clearly having a lively discussion about the car purchase with Shinotsuka Yayoi.
"Marin, it's time to go," Chen Tian reminded her.
"Ah! Almost ready!" Marin replied without looking up. She quickly tapped the screen a few more times before finally hitting send with satisfaction.
She jumped off the sofa, grabbing both their school blazers from the coat rack by the entrance.
Chen Tian was already at the entrance, having changed into his shoes. Marin quickly ran over, handed him his blazer, and then bounced on one foot, putting on her own shoes while pulling on her blazer.
As the two stepped out of the gate, Shinomiya Kaguya's figure immediately came into view.
She was wearing a well-tailored dark dress, a conspicuous red bow pinned to her chest. Her hands were elegantly folded in front of her, and her face held an impeccable smile—the standard posture of a wealthy heiress.
Marin glanced at her and muttered softly: "Doesn't she get tired holding herself like that?"
Chen Tian didn't answer. He simply took Marin's hand and walked straight toward Shinomiya Kaguya.
Shinomiya Kaguya's gaze fell on their tightly clasped hands. Her perfect smile momentarily stiffened, but it was immediately masked by an even more practiced smile.
She slightly bowed to Chen Tian: "Good morning, Ten-kun. It has been a long time since we last met."
"Mhm, it has." Chen Tian slightly nodded. "Thank you for the trouble today."
At this moment, Marin took half a step forward, standing right beside Chen Tian. A bright, slightly dazzling smile spread across her face, and her voice was crisp: "My, my, good morning, Shinomiya-sama! We are so sorry to have you, with your esteemed status, personally come to pick up two 'commoners' like us. We truly feel terribly awkward about it!"
She emphasized the word "commoners" clearly, the "awkwardness" in her tone sounding suspiciously like teasing.
Shinomiya Kaguya's smile didn't falter, as if she hadn't heard the subtle insinuation. She turned her gaze to Marin and gave a slight bow: "Kitagawa-san, you exaggerate. It is my honor to transport Ten-kun."
She spoke the phrase "transport Ten-kun" naturally yet with pointed emphasis, deliberately minimizing Marin's presence, as if she were merely an accessory.
Then, she turned back to Chen Tian, her tone carrying just the right amount of concern and familiarity: "Ten-kun, shall we get in? I had my chef prepare your favorite soy milk, and it's still warm."
The smile on Marin's face instantly froze for half a second. A flash of annoyance crossed her red eyes.
She deliberately tightened her grip on Chen Tian's arm.
Chen Tian acted as if he hadn't noticed the silent clash between the two girls, merely responding lightly: "Mhm."
He led Marin, who still wanted to say something, directly toward the back seat of the car.
The chauffeur respectfully held the door open.
Shinomiya Kaguya maintained her refined smile, watching Chen Tian bend down to enter the car first, closely followed by Marin, who slipped in efficiently like a triumphant little peacock, immediately taking the seat right next to Chen Tian.
The car door closed. Marin was inwardly smug about having snatched the seat next to Chen Tian, isolating Shinomiya Kaguya outside.
However, the next second, the car door on the other side of the back seat was pulled open. Shinomiya Kaguya smoothly and quickly sat down on Chen Tian's other side.
The triumphant look on Marin's face instantly solidified. Her eyes widened abruptly as she looked at Shinomiya Kaguya, who had occupied the empty seat on Chen Tian's other side.
Shinomiya Kaguya sat up straight, her hands resting lightly on her knees, her face still wearing that perfect smile, as if she had just done the most natural thing in the world.
She even gave a slight nod to Marin, who was looking her way: "There is enough space in the car. It's more comfortable for everyone if we sit separately."
She spoke with perfect decorum, as if adhering to some basic rule of car etiquette.
Marin looked at Shinomiya Kaguya, who was flanking Chen Tian with her, one on the left and one on the right. Her cheeks instantly puffed up with anger like a pufferfish, and her ruby-like eyes practically shot fire.
She tightened her grip on Chen Tian's arm again, silently expressing strong dissatisfaction and accusation—This woman! She's too sneaky!
Chen Tian felt the pressure on his arm and the sudden eruption of "fury" from his side. His expression remained mostly neutral, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
I was too careless. I shouldn't have agreed to let Shinomiya Kaguya pick us up.
Shinomiya Kaguya, meanwhile, acted as if she hadn't noticed the scorching gaze at all. She retrieved an exquisite bone china cup from a delicate small thermos box in the front seat. Steam was still rising from the cup.
"Ten-kun, your soy milk," she said softly, handing the cup to Chen Tian. The aroma filled the air.
Just as the thermos cup was placed in front of Chen Tian, a hand shot out like lightning and intercepted it!
Marin snatched the thermos cup, moving astonishingly fast. Before either Chen Tian or Shinomiya Kaguya could react, she tilted her head back and took a large gulp.
"Pfft—!" The next second, she stuck out her small tongue, her face a mask of exaggerated disgust. "Oh my~ It's too sweet! It's sickeningly sweet! Ten-kun doesn't like such sweet things anymore!"
As she spoke, she casually shoved the thermos cup back into Shinomiya Kaguya's hand, a hint of smugness in her eyes.
Shinomiya Kaguya's grip on the cup tightened imperceptibly, but the smile on her face remained perfectly intact, though the warmth in her eyes diminished slightly.
"Is that so?" Her voice remained soft, yet contained a subtle counter-attack. "But I clearly remember that when I used to enjoy breakfast with Ten-kun, he always particularly favored soy milk of this exact sweetness."
She slightly emphasized the words "used to" and "enjoy breakfast together."
Marin immediately reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her eyes widened even further, and she instantly retorted: "That was 'in the past'! Shinotsuka-san said Ten-kun needs to watch his uric acid levels. He's switched to drinking milk now! Right, Ten-kun?"
She shook Chen Tian's arm, seeking support.
Shinomiya Kaguya, however, seemed prepared. She elegantly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, displaying a look of pity mixed with a hint of "you wouldn't understand." "Oh? That's truly a shame. I remember Ten-kun always preferred the warmth of Chinese breakfast, such as rich soy milk with freshly fried youtiao, or hot steamed meat buns…"
She paused, her gaze lightly brushing over Chen Tian, and continued with a smile, "So, I specifically instructed the family chef today to deliver freshly prepared Chinese breakfast to the school at noon, for. Ten. Kun."
At this statement, the triumphant look on Marin's face instantly froze for half a second. The small flame in her red eyes leaped higher with a whoosh. She instinctively hugged Chen Tian's arm tightly, as if staking her claim.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her. The image she had seen in the mirror that morning surfaced, and a mischievous smile stealthily crept onto the corner of her mouth.
The hand that had been clutching Chen Tian's arm suddenly released its grip.
She deliberately fanned her neck with her hand, her voice drawn out and soft: "My, is it this warm in the car? I feel a little hot…"
Before she finished speaking, her slender fingers skillfully undid the top button of her shirt, exposing her pale neck.
Her movements were deliberately slow, and the target was clear—the two fresh hickeys were exposed in the somewhat stuffy air of the car cabin, and they accurately landed in Shinomiya Kaguya's line of sight, who was sitting right next to her.
Marin could even feel Shinomiya Kaguya's gaze instantly freeze when it hit that ambiguous red mark. Mission accomplished!
She immediately feigned surprise, as if just realizing, and let out a dramatic little gasp: "Oh dear~"
Her fingers quickly buttoned the shirt back up, as if the previous exposure had been an unintentional lapse.
A faint blush appropriately rose on her cheeks. She gave Chen Tian, who was sitting next to her expressionlessly, a fleeting, almost chiding glance. Her voice was syrupy sweet: "I'm so sorry, I was being impolite… It's all Boyfriend-kun's fault for being too passionate. It made me have to button up tightly."
She heavily emphasized the words "passionate" and "button up tightly" with a suggestive coo. Her small eyes darted toward Shinomiya Kaguya, full of unmistakable provocation.
The air inside the car cabin seemed to instantly drop to freezing point.
The perfect smile on Shinomiya Kaguya's face showed its first real crack.
Although the curve was still barely maintained on her lips, the warmth in her eyes completely disappeared, replaced by a cold, turbulent darkness.
Her fingers, folded on her knees, were slightly white from clenching, as if she were about to crush the expensive handkerchief.
She took a slow, deep breath and turned her head with extreme slowness, no longer looking at the glaring marks on Marin's neck. As she faced Chen Tian again, her voice seemed even softer than before, yet carried the calmness before a storm: "Ten-kun, it seems your taste has indeed… changed greatly. However, it doesn't matter. The Shinomiya family chef is most proficient in adapting to all kinds of changes."
Her gaze settled calmly on Chen Tian's face, as if she hadn't seen anything just now, but the emotion brewing in the depths of her eyes was terrifyingly heavy.
Chen Tian, sandwiched in the middle and enduring the silent storm from both sides, clearly felt the sudden spike of cold air from his right and the almost materialized, smug little flame from his left.
He closed his eyes for a moment, swallowed, and finally let out one meaningless syllable:
"…Mhm." His voice was laced with a sense of fatalistic weariness. This car ride was more tiring than fighting a battle.
Marin saw Shinomiya Kaguya's struggle to maintain composure and was inwardly ecstatic. Like a successful little cat, she re-clutched Chen Tian's arm, resting her face on his shoulder and silently making a small face at the window.
The car window glass faintly reflected Shinomiya Kaguya's cold profile, the almost-broken smile, and the murderous intent practically boiling over in her eyes.
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