Dating sim loading: My girlfriend is a cunning young lady
Chapter 439 - 207. New Year in Iwate Prefecture: Parents’ Perspective (4)_3

Chapter 439: 207. New Year in Iwate Prefecture: Parents’ Perspective (4)_3

Perhaps her husband’s previous words left her uncertain about what kind of response she wanted to hear from Dubian Che.

December 26, the first day Dubian Che returned to Iwate Prefecture.

He woke up early and started his part-time postman job.

He had started this job after he began middle school to save up for expensive study books.

Before and after he did this job, the postman for Misezawa Village had always been his father.

Now, he was continuing the work just to let his parents know that he was a hardworking child, and they needn’t worry about him too much.

Additionally, he was used to waking up early and liked to find something to do.

It was still dark outside.

The Honda Cub wound its way along the field paths, across the little bridge over the creek, and up the mountain road lined with towering trees, the cold wind blowing against Dubian Che’s face.

"Ah, my love has gone far away with the south wind—"

◇

Kiyono Lin had trouble falling asleep with a new pillow and awoke very early in the morning.

Upon opening her eyes, she didn’t hear Tokyo’s sounds but the birds singing outside, and she could hear Jiutiao Meijie’s steady breathing beside her.

She softly got out of bed, changed her clothes, and went downstairs.

Mrs. Dubian was in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

"Lin?" Mrs. Dubian looked up at the sound of footsteps, "You’re up so early, why not sleep a little longer?"

"Good morning, Auntie," Kiyono Lin greeted, then explained, "I’m not used to sleeping with a different pillow."

"What should we do?" Mrs. Dubian asked worriedly, her hands ceasing their work.

"It’s okay, just need one night, and the next day it will be better." This was a conclusion drawn from the experience of summer cram school at the Wind Instrument Club.

"That’s good then," Mrs. Dubian nodded in relief and went back to cooking.

Kiyono Lin approached and rolled up her sleeves, revealing her snow-white wrists, and helped wash some vegetables.

After a while, she asked, "Where is Mr. Dubian?"

For some reason, Mrs. Dubian seemed very pleased with the question.

"That child is out delivering letters."

"Delivering letters?"

"Yes, postman part-time job. Little Che’s study materials for middle school were all bought with the money he earned from this job."

Kiyono Lin nodded in understanding.

"Auntie Zhi, what was Mr. Dubian like as a child?"

"He was..."

◇

From a distance came the melodious sound of a flute.

On a tall ridge, a bobbed-hair girl was practicing toward the slowly rising sun.

"You’re practicing this early?" Dubian Che parked the Honda Cub in front of the girl.

Honma Ayako put down her flute, looked at him puzzledly, "Dubian?"

"It is indeed yours truly." Dubian Che removed his helmet and propped his arms on the handlebars.

"When did you come back?" Honma Ayako exclaimed, smacking Dubian Che’s shoulder hard.

Had this been a year earlier, Dubian Che would have grabbed his shoulder crying out in pain.

"Yesterday," Dubian Che’s gaze shifted to the silver flute in her hands, "What’s this about?"

"What else could it be? Next year I’ll be in my senior year, it’s my last term, I have to make it to the national competition and leave no regrets in my youth."

"Ah." Dubian Che looked up boredly at the blue sky, "As someone who dominated nationals in my freshman year, I wonder what I should do next."

"Do you want to die?!"

"Isn’t that Che?" From the direction of Honma Ayako’s house, a middle-aged man carrying a hoe approached.

"Mr. Honma," Dubian Che turned and took a letter out of his bag, "Here’s a letter for you."

Mr. Honma took the letter, muttering ’another water and electricity bill’, and raised his head to say to Dubian Che:

"Che, I heard you won first place at some big competition?"

"Not first, just a gold award," Honma Ayako corrected.

"Gold award is first place, isn’t it!" Mr. Honma retorted with a ’don’t talk nonsense, my daughter’ tone.

"That’s right, I am the first." Dubian Che said with a smile.

Honma Ayako pursed her lips.

Mr. Honma tucked the letter in his pocket, patted Dubian Che’s shoulder, and said with praise:

"The truly clever people really are different, even if you go to Tokyo, you stand out. I knew from the beginning that you were a genius."

"Too kind, too kind."

"Come over to our house later; your aunt made some really sweet persimmon cakes this year."

"I’ll definitely come." Dubian Che put on his helmet, "Mr. Honma, off to deliver more letters."

"Alright!"

"Ayako, work hard, don’t leave any regrets in your youth~"

Honma Ayako gave a kick to the rear wheel of the Honda Cub.

After finishing the delivery, Dubian Che returned home and smelled the aroma of breakfast.

"Mom, I’m starving, isn’t it ready yet?" Dubian Che called as he took off his helmet.

"It will be ready soon." Mrs. Dubian replied without lifting her head, "Wasn’t it cold riding the bike?"

"Not so bad, just my feet are a bit cold."

Dubian Che switched to indoor shoes and walked into the kitchen.

Kiyono Lin had her sleeves rolled up, stirring a stew pot.

She wore a light pink loose sweater and a beige floor-length skirt, with her hair casually tied up and lying down her back.

She looked soft and idle, extremely beautiful.

"You’re up so early? That’s right," Dubian Che remembered something, "Mom, Kiyono only eats half-cooked eggs, don’t overcook them."

After saying that, he looked at Kiyono Lin, ready to ask why she was up so early.

However, Kiyono Lin was smiling at him, a gentle smile as tender as a spring breeze on the face.

"What’s up?" Dubian Che asked, puzzled, "Is my hair messy?"

"A little bit." Kiyono Lin said, smiling.

"Then I need to fix it."

Dubian Che left the kitchen, and Mrs. Dubian asked Kiyono Lin in a whisper,

"How did Little Che know you only eat half-cooked eggs?"

"We found out while eating breakfast together on the school trip." Kiyono Lin remembered the scene and couldn’t help but smile as she said, "At that time, we even had an argument about whether the eggs should be fully cooked or half-cooked."

"An argument?"

"Yes."

Mrs. Dubian watched Kiyono Lin’s smiling face, didn’t inquire further, and just smiled along.