"It’s quite interesting," she said softly before realizing her face felt as hot as if the sun had scorched it.
She wasn’t sure if her face had reddened, nor did she wish to confirm it.
"That’s good, that’s good, now I can rest easy," Dubian Zhi, despite her youthful appearance, revealed a smile filled with an old woman’s contentment.
Dubian Che couldn’t bear it anymore, "Mom, she really isn’t my girlfriend; I was just joking earlier."
"What?" Dubian Zhi was taken aback, "Why not?"
"Why not? What do you mean, ’why not’?"
"I think Lin is adorable, no, extremely adorable! I’d love for her to be my son’s girlfriend!"
Dubian Che was speechless. "If only wanting could make it so, we wouldn’t have famine and wealth inequality in the world."
"Does Mr. Dubian mean to say I am not cute?" Kiyono Lin stared at Dubian Che with a chilling gaze.
Dubian Che understood her obsession with having to be cute, but had that been what he was implying?
"I was commenting on the last thing my mom said."
"So you mean I’m not good enough to be your girlfriend?"
"Is that what I meant?"
"Isn’t it? That’s what I understood."
"You, I... never mind, whatever you say."
"Then, Dubian Che is a puppy. Mr. Dubian, please turn into a dog quickly."
"I guess I’ll give it a try in my next life..."
Dubian Zhi held her teacup, chuckling for no apparent reason with the hearty laughter of a country person.
"Ah, Auntie, I’m sorry," Kiyono Lin’s expression shifted swiftly from indifference to a shy blush.
Dubian Che grumbled, "Mom, your son is suffering from school bullying, and you can still laugh?"
"I just think Lin is really very cute. Ah, why isn’t she my daughter-in-law? Do you seriously have a girl who’s better than Lin around you?"
"Auntie, not to be modest, but truthfully: no," Kiyono Lin asserted firmly.
"Daughter-in-law? You mean daughter-in-law, right? As for being better, there’s a senior named Hanaoka Asako who is quite nice." As soon as Dubian Che finished speaking, he was met with disapproving glances from both women.
Dubian Zhi turned to Kiyono Lin, "Lin, do you know Little Che’s girlfriend?"
"What kind of person is she?"
"Proud, arrogant, selfish, narcissistic, deceitful."
Dubian Che interjected, "Kiyono Lin is an idiot who only speaks her honest, subjective thoughts, don’t mind her."
"Third in the grade... forget it." Kiyono Lin decided to hold her tongue for the moment.
After finishing their tea, Dubian Zhi mentioned she had a train to catch, so the mother and son left the school.
While waiting for the train at Shibuya Station, Dubian Zhi spoke gleefully like a detective who had deduced the truth, "Lin sure has an opinion about your girlfriend."
"Everyone knows that."
"I really don’t, and I’ve never asked. Maybe they just don’t see eye to eye," Dubian Che added, "Kiyono Lin doesn’t see eye to eye with anyone."
Dubian Zhi patted her son’s back forcefully, "You’re still too young."
"I don’t know what you’re thinking, Mom, but I can assure you, whatever is going on between those two has absolutely nothing to do with your son."
Dubian Zhi looked at her son’s confident face and, for some reason, broke into a grin.
"What are you laughing at?"
"I just have a feeling Little Che’s high school life will be very enjoyable."
Mom nodded vigorously, "At least it will be enjoyable for me to watch."
"That would be nice."
If your son hadn’t been trading his dignity for survival, our family would have been done for – even though he’s the one who caused all the trouble.
Dubian Che looked at the train tracks, so hot they seemed about to melt, feeling he wasn’t far behind.
Tokyo’s summers are really hot.