81: What should I do if my boyfriend doesn't take the initiative?

Returning from Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, Lin Luo saw the warm light emanating from his window in the distance, and a warmth couldn't help but well up in his heart. The feeling of being awaited was truly wonderful.

However, the moment he pushed open the door, this thought immediately vanished.

The girls sitting on the living room sofa could practically form a small tea party. Although the TV was on, it had completely become background noise as they eagerly chatted about their own topics.

At first, Lin Luo heard them comparing "sizes," and his thoughts couldn't help but drift, his gaze subconsciously sweeping across the chests of the four—hmm, it seemed Yukino had a slight edge.

But then he heard Tohru proudly announce, "I'm over fifty thousand years old, so you all have to call me Big Sister."

Kirisu Mafuyu unhappily patted the coffee table, "You're a Dragon Clan member. If we convert your appearance to human age, you're younger than all of us, aren't you?"

Shiina Mahiru quietly sipped her tea, not participating in the argument; Yukinoshita Yukino also remained silent, merely elegantly raising her teacup.

Lin Luo stood at the entrance, watching this scene with a wry smile. He gently closed the door and deliberately cleared his throat, "Everyone, holding a tea party at my house, shouldn't you first greet the Landlord?"

The four women simultaneously turned their heads, their expressions varied: Tohru wagged her tail cheerfully, Kirisu Mafuyu looked slightly embarrassed, Shiina Mahiru smiled faintly, and Yukino had returned to her usual cool demeanor, though a fleeting, almost imperceptible hint of joy flashed in her eyes.

"Welcome back~" Tohru, as always, rushed into Lin Luo's arms, rubbing against him like a large dog.

Shiina Mahiru, not as familiar as Mafuyu and Yukino, bowed slightly with some restraint, "Excuse our intrusion."

"Not at all, not at all," Lin Luo said with a smile, squeezing into the empty space between them. "I think it's quite nice like this." He looked around and suggested, "How about we do this from now on? If everyone's free, it's quite fun to hang out together."

Tohru immediately began to explain the whole story, as if claiming credit.

It turned out that on her way back, she encountered Shiina Mahiru walking alone. Worried that Mahiru might encounter danger again, she invited her to come along. When they arrived home, they happened to see Kirisu Mafuyu getting out of her car. Enthusiastic Tohru recounted what happened last night, which made Teacher Mafuyu quite worried. So Tohru had a sudden idea and suggested they all come over to the house to sit, and despite their polite refusals, she insisted on bringing them back. Later, when she saw Yukino returning from the store, she enthusiastically called her over as well.

"So this is all my credit!" Tohru puffed out her chest, her tail wagging proudly.

Kirisu Mafuyu helplessly massaged her forehead, "You clearly dragged us here..."

Yukino added blandly, "And didn't even give us a chance to refuse."

Shiina Mahiru watched their interaction, unable to help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly.

A hint of gratitude flashed in her eyes as she softly said, "I just realized that we've all received help from Lin Luo."

Lin Luo smiled slightly, "We're all neighbors. A distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor, so it's always good to maintain good relationships." He deliberately paused, then looked mischievously at Kirisu Mafuyu, "That's why I often help Teacher Mafuyu clean her house."

With a thud, Kirisu Mafuyu rested her forehead on the table, and a tearful voice came, "I wasn't talking about that kind of help... It's too embarrassing."

"Ahem." Lin Luo cleared his throat, timely changing the subject, "Has everyone had dinner? I came back a bit late today."

Kirisu Mafuyu immediately lifted her head, resuming her proper teacher's sternness, "Speaking of which, where did you take leave to? You sent a leave message at noon, skipped class without explaining anything, and I didn't even approve it."

"I went to Tōtsuki for something, and had dinner there too." Lin Luo downplayed the situation, deliberately steering the conversation towards cuisine, "The dishes made by Tōtsuki students truly live up to their reputation... Especially that pan-seared foie gras, perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside yet maintaining a tender texture inside."

He deliberately described the culinary details meticulously, trying to divert their attention. Sure enough, Tohru's eyes immediately lit up, "Tōtsuki's cuisine? Is that the famous culinary academy?"

Even the usually cool Yukino leaned forward slightly, "I heard that the graduation rate for Tōtsuki students is extremely low; only the elite of the elite remain."

Shiina Mahiru softly sighed, "It's truly enviable to be able to taste such dishes."

Although Kirisu Mafuyu still wanted to inquire about the specifics, seeing everyone's keen interest in the topic of cuisine, she had to temporarily suppress her questions. However, she still reminded him in her capacity as a teacher, "Next time you ask for leave, you must state the reason in advance. You can't just act first and report later."

Lin Luo naturally raised his hand to promise, his face full of sincerity. Afterward, the atmosphere in the living room relaxed again, and the few began to chat casually about everyday life. Although most of the time it was led by the lively Tohru, with Kirisu Mafuyu occasionally agreeing, Shiina Mahiru sometimes quietly adding, and Yukino still maintaining her usual silence, Lin Luo could feel that her expression was much softer than usual at this moment.

Lin Luo leaned back on the sofa, amusingly observing the group of beautiful and distinctive girls before him. Tohru was gesticulating, excitedly recounting interesting things she encountered at the supermarket today, her golden tail unconsciously swaying gently; Kirisu Mafuyu, though trying to maintain a teacher's decorum, had a relaxed smile in her eyes and eyebrows; Shiina Mahiru sat quietly to the side, cradling a teacup in both hands, occasionally covering her mouth with a soft chuckle at Tohru's exaggerated descriptions; and Yukino, while still maintaining an elegant posture, occasionally glanced at the conversing group, clearly also enjoying this warm moment.

"And then that salesperson actually said..." Tohru, in her excitement, almost knocked over the snacks on the table. Fortunately, Lin Luo quickly stabilized the plate.

This scene made everyone laugh, and even Yukino's lips curved slightly upward. Lin Luo looked at this lively and warm scene, a warmth spreading in his heart.

Amidst this warm atmosphere, a talk show suddenly aired on television. Appearing on the screen was the well-known Sakurajima Mai. Radiant and beautiful on screen, she was indeed worthy of being called the Nation's Goddess. The theme of this exclusive interview was her recent return to the entertainment industry.

The host first asked a few routine questions, then changed the subject to a recent hot topic: "Miss Mai, could you tell us how you and your boyfriend met?"

Lin Luo raised an eyebrow, looking at the screen, not expecting Sakurajima Mai to start fabricating a story without batting an eyelid, describing first meeting scenarios that had never happened.

"Then there are recent rumors that you and your boyfriend are not getting along..." the host pressed on.

Sakurajima Mai smiled elegantly, "Of course not, Boyfriend-kun is very attached to me."

"Pfft—" Lin Luo almost choked on his tea, quickly grabbing a tissue to wipe his mouth.

This exchange immediately caught everyone's attention. Tohru tilted her head, her Dragon tail unconsciously swaying gently, "Huh? This celebrity looks familiar... Who is the boyfriend she's talking about?"

Kirisu Mafuyu stared at the restless Mr. Lin Luo, and let out a soft snort, "That would naturally be our Mr. Lin Luo."

Shiina Mahiru murmured, "I think I heard a friend say that Sakurajima Mai's boyfriend is from our academy, but why is it Mr. Lin Luo?"

Yukino said faintly, "Luo-kun should explain again."

Lin Luo immediately felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, letting out two dry laughs, "Celebrity interviews are all for show, everyone just watch for entertainment... Didn't I tell you before, it was all to help her regain popularity, it's all fake, fake."

However, his defense seemed pale and powerless under the gazes of four pairs of eyes, each with a different meaning. On the TV screen, Sakurajima Mai was giving a sweet yet slightly shy smile to the camera, as if tacitly acknowledging the host's teasing, which undoubtedly added fuel to Lin Luo's already precarious explanation.

Just then, his phone, set to vibrate, buzzed frantically in his pocket.

"Uka: Ahhh! Mai-chan's shy smile! I'm dead! (*/ω＼*)"

"Uka: Mr. Lin Luo! Mai-chan said you're 'attached' to her! Are you turning fiction into reality?!"

"Uka: [Screenshot: Sakurajima Mai close-up smiling face.jpg] Look at that happy little expression! How sweet are you two in private!"

"Uka: I'm shipping it, I'm shipping it! My old mother's heart! (Crazy flower scattering.gif)"

It felt like through these words, one could clearly see Uka at this moment, holding her phone, her face beaming with an uncontrollable "auntie smile," as if wildly cheering for the "CP" she had personally brought together, completely oblivious to the dire situation Lin Luo was currently in.

Lin Luo chose to ignore this incompetent deity and decisively picked up the remote control to change the channel—if Sakurajima Mai's face appeared on the screen again, he wouldn't get any peace tonight.

However, just as Lin Luo had switched the TV channel, attempting to divert the topic away from Sakurajima Mai, his phone in his pocket vibrated again.

This time, his reaction was extremely quick. Almost at the moment the vibration came, he reached into his pocket and, relying on muscle memory, precisely pressed the mute button. The whole process was fluid and seamless, giving the phone screen no chance to be exposed.

"What's wrong?" Yukino noticed his suddenly tensed movement and asked softly.

The gazes of the other three also followed.

Lin Luo calmly took out his now-silent phone, holding it with the screen facing inward, and gave everyone a helpless smile, "It's Tōtsuki's Supreme Commander, sending a message to express thanks. I need to reply."

This reason was perfectly logical. Kirisu Mafuyu nodded upon hearing this, "That 'Gourmet Devil King' actually expressed thanks personally. It seems you indeed left a good impression at Tōtsuki today."

Tohru tilted her head, "Supreme Commander? Is he the highest official at Tōtsuki? Then his kitchen must be amazing!" Her thoughts, as expected, had jumped back to food.

Seizing the moment while everyone's attention was diverted, Lin Luo quickly glanced at the screen.

"What do I do if Boyfriend-kun isn't proactive?"

"Boyfriend-kun, why is it so hard to see you?"

"Boyfriend-kun, did you see the interview? This weekend, you have to come out with me?"

Three messages from Sakurajima Mai, especially those last three blood-dripping knife emojis, made his eyelids twitch.

But he maintained a composed smile on his face, rapidly tapping the virtual keyboard at the bottom of the screen, pretending to reply to the "Supreme Commander's" message, but actually sending a brief message back to Sakurajima Mai:

"Not convenient now, will contact later."

After clicking send, he immediately locked the screen and put the phone back in his pocket, all in one smooth motion.

"Finished replying?" Shiina Mahiru asked softly.

"Yes, just a courtesy exchange," Lin Luo replied easily, as if he had just handled a trivial matter.