At the entrance, both Yukinoshita sisters bent down to take off their shoes.
Although Haruno was dressed simply, she was wearing high heels. After taking them off, her small, delicate feet, covered in flesh-colored ankle stockings, were extremely alluring.
To match her over-the-knee stockings, Yukino wore the most classic school loafers. Her delicate feet, wrapped in black stockings, stepped onto the entrance mat, creating a beautiful contrast with the sliver of white in her absolute territory.
"These are your slippers."
Yukino bent down, her waist slender and soft, and took out a pair of brand-new slippers from the nearby shoe rack. Her tone was clear and cold.
"Thank you, Yukino."
Toru thanked her, took off his shoes, and put on the slippers.
Seeing her sister being so attentive despite her cold expression, Haruno's brows furrowed slightly.
Her smile unchanged, she also bent down and neatly placed the shoes Toru had just taken off by the entrance.
It was as if Toru had two maids serving him the moment he came home.
Seeing this scene, Mrs. Yukinoshita's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. She said nothing and invited Toru into the house.
It was already dinner time, and the dining table had already been set in the apartment's living room.
"Fujiwara-kun is here at our house, so why aren't you coming over quickly to welcome our guest?"
The male head of the Yukinoshita family was in the living room. The moment Mrs. Yukinoshita saw her husband, she felt inexplicably displeased, and her expression turned cold.
The sisters' father quickly came over, shook Toru's hand, and said gratefully, "Fujiwara-kun, I heard from Haruno and Yukino that you saved them."
"As their father, I've always wanted to thank you, but I never had the chance. Today, since Fujiwara-kun is a guest at my house, you must accept my gratitude."
"You're too polite. Haruno and Yukino are my friends, so I should save them," Toru said politely.
"Haruno, there's a bottle of good Dassai sake in the cabinet in my room. Go get it."
"Yukino, don't just stand there foolishly. You haven't brought the tableware yet. Go to the kitchen and bring all the tableware."
Mrs. Yukinoshita directed her two daughters to do things. The sisters responded and each did as their mother instructed.
Before long, Haruno brought over a bottle of fine Dassai sake, and Yukino also brought bowls, plates, chopstick rests, and other items.
Looking at the exquisite craftsmanship of these pieces, although they were not antiques, they had to be the work of a master.
"Fujiwara-kun, I bought this bottle of sake at an auction house in the past. It isn't particularly expensive, but it did cost one million yen at the time. Please don't dislike it, Fujiwara-kun."
"Madam, you're joking. This is the most expensive sake I've ever had in my life. How could I dislike it?"
Toru spoke politely.
He was not lying. Toru did not have much of a preference for alcohol. He would drink it if it was there, but it did not matter if it was not. Sometimes he preferred coffee and cola.
So this bottle of sake that cost one million yen really was the most expensive sake he had ever drunk in his life.
"Everyone, please sit down quickly."
Mrs. Yukinoshita invited everyone to take their seats.
There were many delicious dishes on the table. Looking closely, it turned out to be a standard kaiseki meal, complete with appetizers, grilled dishes, main courses, soups, fried dishes, and everything else imaginable.
"I made all of this myself. Fujiwara-kun, please try it and see whether it suits your taste."
"Madam, you made all of this yourself?"
Toru was genuinely surprised this time.
Kaiseki cuisine was not something just anyone could make, and it was very troublesome to prepare. Ordinary families rarely ate like this at home. Usually, they would only enjoy this kind of cuisine at specialized restaurants.
At first, Toru had thought these dishes were made by a chef from some restaurant and delivered here at Mrs. Yukinoshita's request. He had not expected her to have cooked them herself.
Mrs. Yukinoshita covered her mouth, her eyes full of smiles, and said somewhat proudly, "When I was young, I liked studying cooking. My father, Haruno and Yukino's grandfather, even found a Michelin-starred chef to teach me."
"These dishes are the result of many years of practice. It's just a pity that Haruno and Yukino aren't very interested in cooking. They can only make ordinary meals, so I suppose they won't be able to inherit my skills."
Toru praised her, "Then your husband is very fortunate."
The male head of the Yukinoshita family quickly followed up and laughed as well.
As for the father of the Yukinoshita sisters, Toru felt he was a qualified father.
He was quite handsome, but perhaps because of age, he had developed a bit of a belly. No wonder he and Mrs. Yukinoshita could have such a beautiful pair of daughters.
Although this male head of the household seemed weak in personality and was firmly controlled by his wife at home, Toru could understand him.
After all, he had married into the family. He had skipped sixty years of hard work, so naturally there had to be a price.
Compared to Sakiko's trashy father, who had also married into the family, the father of the Yukinoshita sisters could be considered a model.
Mrs. Yukinoshita sat beside Toru. She raised her fair hand and poured a cup of sake for Toru and one for herself.
The two gently clinked cups and drank it all.
The Yukinoshita sisters exchanged glances. Watching their mother entertain Toru, they suddenly felt as if they were not really needed.
Mrs. Yukinoshita sat beside Toru, and on his other side was Haruno.
Next to them were the male head of the Yukinoshita family and Yukino. From this, one could determine the hierarchy within the Yukinoshita family.
Mrs. Yukinoshita was the true head of the family, while Haruno was being groomed as the successor, with a status second only to her mother.
Next was the male head of the household who had married into the family, while Yukino, as the second daughter, had the lowest status in the family.
While chatting with Mrs. Yukinoshita, Toru secretly observed and gained a deeper understanding of the entire Yukinoshita family.
After eating and drinking their fill, Mrs. Yukinoshita, who had drunk sake, had a slight flush on her cheeks. She had her two daughters clear away the dishes and chopsticks, while she herself bowed slightly and said, "I can't hold my liquor well, so I may not be able to chat with Fujiwara-kun tonight."
"I'm also a little tired from the trip, and I have to participate in the preliminary round tomorrow, so I was planning to go to bed early tonight."
Mrs. Yukinoshita naturally knew this was only Toru being polite. With his strength, how could he possibly care about such a small preliminary round?
Coming from Tokyo to Chiba was only a one- or two-hour drive. It was impossible to be tired from such a short trip.
Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled apologetically and said, "I've never been good at drinking since I was young. The doctor said I lack a certain enzyme in my body, so no matter how much I practice, my alcohol tolerance won't improve."
"In the past, all the social drinking was handled by my husband. My saying I can't hold my liquor well is not an excuse."
"I understand what you mean, Madam. There's no need to explain it to me," Toru said understandingly.
Mrs. Yukinoshita shook her head. "What needs to be explained still needs to be explained. Fujiwara-kun is a distinguished guest in our home, and I certainly cannot neglect you."
"Will Fujiwara-kun be staying at my house for the next few days?"
"Originally, I was planning to stay at a hotel, but Haruno kept inviting me to your house. If I didn't come, it would be too disrespectful to her. I will be staying at your house during this period, and I may trouble you."
"Fujiwara-kun, your politeness makes things difficult for me instead. There's no trouble at all. If you need anything, just tell me or Haruno, and we will do our best to satisfy you. I hope you will feel at home while staying here."
"Since Madam says so, then I won't stand on ceremony."
"Hehe, Fujiwara-kun, you really shouldn't stand on ceremony."
At this moment, Mrs. Yukinoshita's cheeks were slightly flushed, and there was a scent of alcohol on her. Because Haruno had been born early, her age was not much different from Yukiko's, and she possessed the charm of a mature woman.
Seeing Toru's gaze, Mrs. Yukinoshita felt a little embarrassed. She stood up and said, "I'm feeling a little dizzy now, and I'm afraid I might be rude, so I'll return to my room first."
"Fujiwara-kun, your room is over there. I've already had someone tidy it up in advance, and there are some extra pillows and light blankets. I'll have Haruno and the others bring them to you in a moment."
"Alright."
Mrs. Yukinoshita stood up unsteadily and almost fell to the ground.
Seeing this, Toru quickly stood up and supported her.
Just as she had said, this mature married woman truly had terrible alcohol tolerance. After only two cups of sake, she was already a little tipsy.
"Let me help you to your room."
"Thank you for the trouble, Fujiwara-kun."
Toru helped Mrs. Yukinoshita to the door of her room. He did not go into her bedroom, only escorted her to the doorway and casually glanced inside.
The decoration of this master bedroom was minimalist, with luxury revealed through understatement. It reflected the personality of the head of the Yukinoshita family.
After escorting Mrs. Yukinoshita to her bedroom, Toru saw the male head of the Yukinoshita family again. The two exchanged a few words, and only then did Toru realize that this male head of the Yukinoshita family had not gone into his wife's bedroom.
They were sleeping separately?
Toru thought about it for a moment and guessed that there was probably no real love between the two. One side was the Yukinoshita family needing a man to serve as a figurehead, and the other side was a typical case of marrying into the family. Their relationship was only a very ordinary union of interests.
Just as Mrs. Yukinoshita had said, she could not drink, so the male head of the Yukinoshita family had to represent the family in social drinking.
While he was still thinking, the Yukinoshita sisters walked out of the kitchen.
Seeing the water stains on their hands, Toru raised an eyebrow and said, "Did you really wash the dishes yourselves? Don't you have a dishwasher or something at home?"
Haruno said helplessly, "My mother doesn't trust dishwashers. She thinks they don't clean well enough, so all the dishes and chopsticks at home have to be washed by hand."
"Usually, we have a maid at home, but since Toru-kun is visiting today, my mother temporarily let the maid go back so it would show how much importance we place on this."
Toru asked with a smile, "I'll be staying here for the next few days. You're not going to have to wash dishes every day, are you?"
Haruno pursed her lips in a smile, then teasingly raised her slender, fair fingers and said, "My skin will probably be ruined from all the washing. How will you compensate me?"
"How about I go shopping with you and buy you some hand cream?"
"Hehe, I'm serious. Toru-kun, you have to keep your word."
Yukino, standing beside Haruno, felt unhappy seeing her sister chatting so happily with Toru. She said coldly, "Wait a moment. I'll go get your pillows and blankets."
Haruno watched her sister leave, a playful look on her face.
And Toru felt that the next few days he would be staying at the Yukinoshita family home would definitely be very interesting.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)