Dubian Che turned off the light and quietly left Little Lian's bedroom.
In the living room, amid the soft yellow light, the ladies were chatting about last year's trip to Karuizawa.
"Was it during the Penyulan Festival?" Mrs. Kiyono asked.
Kiyono Lin nodded in agreement.
"I don't remember the date, but I do recall at the racetrack, seeing someone leading the Emperor's horses around for a stroll," Mrs. Kiyono said with a touch of pride, "Those two only come to Karuizawa during the Penyulan—"
Just then, seeing Dubian Che emerge, she shifted the topic, "Little Lian has fallen asleep?"
"Mhm," Dubian Che walked to the kitchen counter, retrieving a bunch of grapes from the fridge.
"Do you all come here for a month every summer vacation?" he asked them, washing grapes beside the dining table.
"Not exactly," Jiutiao Meiji replied, "Even if we do come, it's usually just for a three-day stay."
"So why a whole month this time?" Dubian Che asked, popping a sweet grape into his mouth after washing it.
Jiutiao Meiji raised an eyebrow at him.
"I see," said Dubian after eating a second grape.
"Do you plan to eat them all by yourself?" Kiyono Lin suddenly asked.
"Huh?" Dubian Che paused mid-chew, mouth full, and holding up the bunch of grapes, "Do you want some?"
The ladies and he exchanged glances.
"If I don't wash them, will you not eat them?"
No one answered, only Mrs. Jiutiao remarked, "Wash some cucumbers as well."
Dubian Che took cucumbers from the fridge, washed them, and placed them on a plate with the grapes.
The plate was set in the middle of the dining table; the five of them continued to chat while eating grapes and cucumber.
"Who will buy the bread for tomorrow's breakfast?" Mrs. Jiutiao asked, her cucumber crunching sharply—so fresh you could tell just by the sound.
"I'll go," Dubian Che stuffed a grape into Jiutiao Mei's mouth, then one into his own, "I'm used to running in the morning anyway; it'll be convenient."
"Not even taking a break during a vacation?" Mrs. Kiyono exclaimed in surprise.
"Mr. Dubian, your body is strong enough already," Mrs. Jiutiao quickly added, "And we can't let you buy breakfast for the entire month just because you go on morning runs."
"It's not about physical exercise, or at least, that's not the main point," Dubian Che said nonchalantly.
"Then what's it for?" Jiutiao Meiji inquired.
"Actually, I hate morning exercise," Dubian Che picked a cucumber slice, taking a bite, "I started running in the morning to overcome the mental barrier of 'hating to do what I dislike' and to cultivate self-discipline."
The villa's living room fell silent upon hearing this remarkable statement, punctuated only by the crunch of Dubian Che eating cucumber.
"Enough emotional intelligence, a sharp mind, and forcing yourself to do things you dislike," Mrs. Kiyono mused, "Perhaps, even on your own, you might not end up with a lesser career than if you were a son-in-law of the Kiyono or Jiutiao families." Orıginal content can be found at novel※fire.net
"No such thing, I'm just an ordinary person," Dubian Che said.
"The author of 'The Great Gatsby' once said," Kiyono Lin interjected, eating a grape.
"'Anyone who claims to be an ordinary person cannot be trusted'?" Dubian Che joked, "But I really am ordinary; until I was sixteen, my dream was to become a civil servant. An ambassador wouldn't have been bad either, traveling the world on taxpayers' money."
"Indeed, that would be very ordinary," Mrs. Kiyono acknowledged with a nod.
"Mhm, mhm," agreed Dubian Che, leaning back comfortably in his chair, munching on cucumber.
Mrs. Kiyono continued, "Attending an ordinary high school, being accepted early by an ordinary university, having a normal girlfriend."
"That's right," Dubian Che agreed, "Just that ordinary."
"Girlfriend is ordinary?" Mrs. Kiyono asked with a laugh.
"I'm even more ordinary," Dubian Che turned to look at Jiutiao Meiji, taking another bite of cucumber.
"Spare us the talk fit for fooling a three-year-old," Jiutiao Meiji replied, her tone and expression conveying her clear understanding of Dubian's character.
The two Mrs. couldn't help but laugh.
"Indeed, Dubian Che's words cannot be taken at face value," Mrs. Kiyono said, "Who knows, you might be with Meiji to take over the Jiutiao's family fortune."
Dubian Che suddenly sat up straight, dropping the cucumber, "Youzi, you can't just say things like that!"
"It's quite possible," Mrs. Jiutiao nodded seriously.
They all seemed to be joking, yet it might have already been noted in their minds.
Dubian Che turned to Kiyono Lin, "Lin, quick, help me out! You know if I have or haven't!"
Kiyono Lin extended her pale, delicate finger to pick a grape from the plate, glancing at him while popping the grape into her mouth.
"...You're going to lead to misunderstandings with that," Dubian Che said.
Kiyono Lin remained silent.
"I'll remember this," Mrs. Jiutiao nodded.
Kiyono Lin stared at Dubian Che with clear eyes, as if conveying, 'Do you need me to tell you if that statement is true or not?'
Dubian Che turned to face Jiutiao Meiji, "Meiji..."
Dubian Che put another grape into her mouth; Jiutiao Meiji casually chewed on it.
"Even though Mr. Dubian has to run in the morning, we can't really let you buy bread alone," Mrs. Jiutiao said, "Let Meiji accompany you."
"I'm not going to allow Lin to just sit back and do nothing; let's take turns," Mrs. Kiyono said with a smile, "And the same goes for taking out the trash at night. There are such few streetlights here, and even bats about. Mr. Dubian, as the man, shouldn't be the only one going every day; let's rotate among us."
"I can go by myself," Dubian Che insisted.
"Mr. Dubian, we aim for equality here, so chores must be shared equally. That's the only way we can all enjoy the month," Kiyono Lin concluded before turning to Mrs. Jiutiao, "If we make only Dubian do the work, it might feel like 'he's the son-in-law, from the countryside, treated as a servant', don't you think?"