CHAPTER 475: 222. RESTLESS VALENTINE’S DAY: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF (1)_2

Perhaps it was the contrast between the "howling of the cold wind outside" and the "humming of the warm heating indoors" that made Jinutiao Meijie’s lowered voice seem particularly cozy to Dubian Che.

When the club activities ended, the two had just finished their discussion.

Dubian Che took the paper filled with written notes:

"1. Training from Monday to Friday, all members (including Department B) must attend."

"2. Training on Saturdays and Sundays, starting in April, everyone (including Department B) must attend."

"3. Before ending club activities, one must greet the principal of their section."

"4. Lower grades must greet upper grades, a bow at forty-five degrees is mandatory."

"5. The small buckets used to collect water inside instruments must be cleaned after use."

A series of "musts" indeed seemed to be deeply infused with "Kiyono Lin’s will."

Aside from training, there were many daily etiquettes.

This was incomprehensible to Dubian Che, but for the people of the Island Country, it was nothing out of the ordinary.

He didn’t think to object either. After all, this was the Island Country.

Most importantly, it was none of his concern.

"This implementation might cause Ayane to receive some complaints," Kiyono Lin speculated, resting her chin on her hand.

"It’s rare for you to care about others. Could it be that you are unexpectedly gentle? I must have misunderstood you before!" The only one who could say this was Dubian Che.

"So," Kiyono Lin said, "Ayane, you can simply tell everyone that the idea of making these rules was suggested by Mr. Dubian."

"This..." Ayane Kumi looked at Dubian Che.

"Why should I!" Dubian Che’s voice slightly overpowered the north wind outside, expressing his emotion without being piercing, "I had no intention of shielding others from troubles."

"Then let it be me, since most of the rules are mine anyway," Kiyono Lin said indifferently.

"...Fine, let it be me." The sound of the north wind drowned out Dubian Che’s voice.

Kiyono Lin’s expression remained unchanged, not a trace of emotion showing.

She calmly told Ayane Kumi, "Then let’s say it was both of us."

"Thank you so much!" Ayane Kumi addressed her juniors with honorifics, "Don’t worry, I will mention that I asked you both willingly for help!"

"No need to thank me. I did this considering that even if the regulations are set, if they are ’just rules set by Ayane’, they wouldn’t adhere to them obediently."

"That’s true," Ayane Kumi had to admit, nodding her head.

Was Kiyono Lin gentle or not?

When Dubian Che and Kiyono Lin left the school building, it was already past the usual dismissal time.

On the sports field, the baseball club, who swore to perform a dogeza to the entire school if they didn’t reach the Koshien finals this year, was still practicing hard.

"The baseball club recruits were renowned middle school players, and even so, they are practicing hard," Dubian Che observed.

Kiyono Lin knew he was mocking the Wind Instrument Club for dreaming of national glory without proper practice.

"The Wind Instrument Club won a national gold last year, and they will likely have skilled freshmen enrolling this year," she countered.

Returning from Misezawa Village, Kiyono Lin wasn’t as cold-sensitive as before and could speak a few words even in the chilly wind.

Kunii Shuichi’s deliberately hit baseball rolled to Dubian Che’s feet.

He bent down to pick it up.

"By then, there will definitely be a lot of boys admiring you," Dubian Che threw the baseball hard, sending it flying at high speed.

"Ah, are you jealous?"

"How can there be jealousy between friends?"

Kiyono Lin’s pale cherry lips hid behind her scarf, "There will be more girls admiring your oboe performance."

In the distance, Kunii Shuichi chased after the sky-high baseball, running vigorously.

February 2nd, sleet.

The monorail trembled, the carriage was silent, and the passengers were all hunkered down.

On the glass window, small droplets of water slowly slid down.

The silence continued until Dubian Che entered the classroom.

The classroom, fully heated, was lively.

Kunii Shuichi, Saito Keisuke, and Ikeda Kazumi were gathered, talking.

"Mr. Dubian, good morning!" Ikeda Kazumi, facing the back door, was the first to see Dubian Che.

"Good morning," Dubian Che sat at his desk, "What are you talking about?"

The heater behind him slightly lifted his hair.

"Dubian," Kunii Shuichi slapped his hand onto Dubian Che’s shoulder, "Speaking of February, what comes to your mind?"

"Term-end exams?"

"Guess again."

"Holland East India Company’s governor-general in Taiwan, Van Tso, signed the surrender document, officially surrendering to Zheng Chenggong’s army?"

"..." The boy was speechless.

"Mr. Dubian, you’re too funny~" The girl laughed heartily.

"Here’s a hint," said Saito Keisuke seriously, "sweet."

"Sweet?"

"Yep." Ikeda Kazumi nodded.

"Ah, I know." Dubian Che suddenly realized, "February is a good time to eat sugarcane."

"..."

"Come on, Mr. Dubian, it’s chocolate." Ikeda Kazumi said with a laugh, pretending to hit Dubian Che.

Dubian Che naturally dodged, avoiding physical contact, and said, "By the way, people with a weak stomach and spleen should avoid eating it."

"Enough! It’s Valentine’s Day! Valentine’s Day!" Kunii Shuichi exclaimed loudly.

"It’s natural for Dubian not to care much about Valentine’s Day," Saito Keisuke began to pity himself, "He will definitely have no problem, but our situation is not good."

"Kazumi, you’ll give us chocolates, right?!" Kunii Shuichi pleaded.

"If it’s courtesy chocolate." Ikeda Kazumi quickly replied.

"Thank you, Lady Kazumi!" Both of them bowed at ninety degrees simultaneously, "We will reciprocate properly!"

"You guys are too dramatic!" Ikeda Kazumi covered her mouth with her hand, laughing at their antics.

The winter school uniform sweater, deliberately long, covered most of her hand—this was the allure of moe sleeves.

"By the way, if it’s handmade chocolates, we will..."

"Go away!" Ikeda Kazumi bluntly vetoed.

Saito Keisuke looked at Dubian Che, "Dubian, will Jiutiao give you chocolate?"

"Jiutiao doesn’t seem like someone who would do such a thing," Kunii Shuichi guessed.

"Even if Jiutiao doesn’t give any, Mr. Dubian will still receive lots of chocolates," Ikeda Kazumi said with a smile, "I heard many girls are preparing to gift hand-knit scarves and sweaters."

"Scarves and sweaters? Spare me, my Ms. K will kill me, I only dare to accept courtesy chocolates," Dubian Che said helplessly.

"What about the true-love chocolate from Kiyono?" Ikeda Kazumi teased.

"Don’t joke about her," Dubian Che said without much change in tone.

Everyone tactfully stopped mentioning Kiyono Lin.

"Guess how many chocolates Dubian will receive on the day?" Saito Keisuke said.

"If he doesn’t accept true-love chocolates, maybe thirty, no, forty," Ikeda Kazumi asserted.

"Forty? Just reciprocating would cost about ten thousand yen, right?" Kunii Shuichi said incredulously.

It wasn’t just them; Classroom 4, even the whole of Goda, no, other high schools probably felt the same, facing this restless season.

After school, in the hallway of the club building, one could occasionally hear girls passing by talking about Valentine’s Day.

Walking in the corridor, wet with rain and snow, hearing the sound of Ichiki Aoi’s tenor horn, Dubian Che thought of Mayi Asuka.

Speaking of which, starting today, third-years preparing for private university exams no longer had to compulsorily come to school.

With this season arriving, the days until the spring break—when Mayi Asuka would move to Shinano Town—were not far off.

At today’s Human Observation Department:

Kiyono Lin was reading a book;

Jiutiao Meijie lay on the couch, legs propped up, listening to music with headphones, playing with her cellphone.

Dubian Che pulled down the hem of Jiutiao Meijie’s skirt to cover her overly exposed pantyhose.

"Meijie, what brought you here today?" he asked, sitting in his own seat.

"Taking a day off." Jiutiao Meijie answered.

Taking a day off to come to school? Rich people sure have it tough.

"It’s February already," Dubian Che paused slightly, "speaking of February, what comes to your mind?"

"Bohemian performed for the first time in Italy," replied Kiyono Lin, still focused on her hardcover book.

"Bo, Bohemian what? Never mind. How about you, Meijie?"

"February? Real estate off-season."

"..."

This was even more farfetched than ’Holland East India Company surrendering to Zheng Chenggong,’ which despite being a well-known historical event, seemed trivial.

Does that mean, this Valentine’s Day, I won’t receive chocolates from these two?

Dubian Che’s previously restless heart was cooled by the rain mixed with snow.