Kazuha returned.
While waiting for the food to be served, the three of them started chatting.
But although it was three people, in reality, only two were talking.
After Lin Yi just gave his name, he automatically entered stealth mode, not speaking, just listening to them chat.
Of course, it wasn't that Lin Yi didn't know how to chat, but rather that he was intentionally not chatting.
Everyone knows that upon meeting for the first time, the first impression is especially important.
This determines whether there is a possibility of contacting each other in the future.
Therefore, no matter what little schemes you have, you must hide them.
Even if you have to pretend, you must put on the appearance of a good person.
This time, Lin Yi was out with his girlfriend, so he definitely had to act like a good man who only knows how to cherish his girlfriend.
Soon, the raw meat was brought out.
Lin Yi didn't say a word of nonsense and silently grilled the meat.
Watching the aroma of the barbecue drifting everywhere, the two girls, who had been leaning forward to chat, had to lean back to avoid the smoke.
Seeing this, Lin Yi said: "Ran, why don't you go over and sit with Kazuha-san."
"Hmm, that's a good idea."
Ran also felt that chatting like this wasn't very convenient; if they spoke too loudly, they worried about disturbing others, and if they spoke too softly, they couldn't hear each other clearly.
"Is that really necessary? This is fine."
Upon hearing this, Kazuha felt a bit embarrassed. A couple was out on a trip, and not only had she delayed their romantic time, she had also stolen the girlfriend; this made her feel somewhat guilty.
Ran smiled, but still went to sit beside Kazuha and continued chatting.
They didn't know until they started talking, but after they did, they were both startled.
Because their experiences were truly too similar.
They both fell in love with a reasoning fanatic.
However, Ran's is in the past tense, while Kazuha's is in the present continuous.
This caused their mutual favorable impression of each other to grow even further.
They continued to chat more deeply.
To their surprise, they discovered they were both very interested in combat sports—one in Karate and the other in Aikido.
This gave them a feeling of having met too late.
Seeing the two of them chatting so happily that they even forgot to eat.
Lin Yi reminded them, "You can eat now... Let's talk while we eat."
"Mm, it smells so good."
Ran finally snapped out of it; the unique aroma of beef wafted out, and the meat was already grilled.
She enthusiastically added a few pieces of meat to Kazuha's plate and greeted her, "Eat, eat, don't be polite."
"Mm, you eat too."
Kazuha wasn't a shy girl either, and she returned the favor by picking up some grilled meat for Ran.
Lin Yi was currently restraining his appetite; after all, eating is only satisfying for a moment, but being handsome is a lifetime matter.
"This grilled meat is delicious... succulent and juicy, and the heat it was cooked with is just right."
Unsure if it was influenced by her mood, Kazuha felt that this grilled meat was particularly tasty.
"Of course it is!" Ran said proudly, "My boyfriend is a culinary master! No matter what kind of dish it is, it becomes delicious in his hands!"
"Really? That's amazing." Kazuha looked at Lin Yi with surprised eyes; she didn't expect that someone so fair and handsome would actually possess such a great skill.
Lin Yi just nodded faintly, having grown accustomed to being praised. Considering what was to come, he couldn't appear too enthusiastic or proactive.
Seeing that Lin Yi didn't speak, Ran spoke for him: "Usually, Yi is very talkative... He spent the whole evening wandering the night market with me today, so he might be tired... Look, these are all prizes he won for me in the dart shooting game!"
"I see..." Kazuha looked at the prizes Ran had received, her eyes full of envy.
Although Lin Yi hadn't spoken from beginning to end, his every move combined with Ran's description.
The image of a good man slowly formed in Kazuha's heart.
"It's just right..." Kazuha didn't hide her envy at all. "Ran has such a considerate boyfriend..."
"He's not that great..."
Ran gave a bitter smile. She knew her own situation; he was a good person, just a bit of a playboy.
If he weren't a playboy, he would be the most perfect man in the world.
However, Ran couldn't possibly say these words out loud; after all, one shouldn't wash their dirty laundry in public.
Kazuha felt that Ran was just being modest.
"So, how did you two meet?"
Asking how a couple got together is basically something every girl asks.
Ran certainly wouldn't tell the truth. Naturally, she modified the original R-rated story into a children's version, then added some embellishments before recounting it to Kazuha.
Hearing this, Kazuha marveled repeatedly, "Is it that romantic? I'm so envious of you..."
Ran smiled.
Having chatted enough, Ran got to the point and asked, "Kazuha... just now... what was that about? Your boyfriend... what did he go off to do? He actually left you alone."
"He's not my boyfriend... just a good friend."
At the mention of Heiji, Kazuha got angry and began to pour out her grievances to Ran, saying how he lacked any sense of romance.
On this point, Ran had plenty of experience. The two talked with more and more excitement, their voices rising as they chatted incessantly.
Seeing how talkative they were, Lin Yi nodded inwardly.
Good, now Ran's attention was entirely on Kazuha.
After Lin Yi flipped the grilled meat, he took out his phone during the wait to check the surveillance.
In the Hot Spring Inn, the banquet was still continuing, though two people were already missing.
He switched the surveillance feed to the second-floor corridor.
He happened to see Nakamichi Kazushi helping Mouri Kogoro upstairs, but he didn't send Mouri Kogoro back to his own room; instead, he threw him directly into Horie Yumi's room.
After Nakamichi Kazushi returned to the living room to drink with Horie Yumi, he secretly returned the key to her, hidden from the others.
It seemed that an under-the-table deal had been reached between them unknowingly.
After Horie Yumi drank two more glasses, she said something to the others and left.
Lin Yi knew the good show was about to start.
He glanced at Ran and Kazuha; they were still deep in conversation.
Good, keep talking.
He flipped the grilled meat and placed the cooked pieces directly into their bowls.
Seeing that the drinks in front of them were gone, he called the Waiter to refill them.
Seeing that there wasn't much meat left, he ordered a few more portions.
Then Lin Yi continued to look at his phone.
Horie Yumi had returned to her room and was starting to undress.
What would happen next went without saying, but Lin Yi continued to watch.
It wasn't that he had some weird fetish, but he had to make sure Horie Yumi wasn't just posing to take a few photos to fool him.
Once he saw the key enter the keyhole, Lin Yi finally turned off the surveillance, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
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