In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 173

She was a little confused. Why was Saten so close to Haruharu's boyfriend? Were they such good friends?

Filled with doubt, she turned to the next page, and this time, the scene was even more "outrageous".

Seemingly captured in the same moment, Haru and Ruiko simultaneously stood on tiptoe and kissed each other even more forcefully! Higashino Yu leaned back slightly, his smile unchanged, but his arms naturally encircled the two girls' slender waists.

Haruka Koi's mind went blank for a moment, and an absurd yet seemingly obvious thought popped into her head uncontrollably, crystal clear: "Could it be... that Haruka and Saten... are in a love triangle? Or like in the books, where two people are the same man's girlfriend? That's too outrageous... how could such a thing happen?"

This idea was so unconventional! Under normal circumstances, she would have found it unbelievable. But strangely, when she looked again at the black-haired youth surrounded by two beautiful girls in the photo, a strange feeling of "it should be this way" arose within her.

He was tall and straight, with a clean smile that carried a touch of languid charm, and deep eyes, as if he was born to be admired and loved by everyone.

"Um……"

Haruka Koi tilted her head cutely, her fingers gently tracing the outline of Tono's face in the photo, her eyes gradually becoming a little hazy.

"He does seem... to be really handsome... and he has a great physique... and such an aura... If both Haru and Saten like him... it doesn't seem... wrong, does it? Hmm... I really envy Haru..."

She murmured to herself, the more she looked at the photo, the more harmonious the scene seemed. It was only natural and perfectly reasonable for this guy to have girlfriends like Haru and Ruiko at the same time.

I wish I could have a boyfriend as perfect as that. If both Haru and Saten can have one, then so can I...

The thought lingered for a few seconds before Chun Shang Jinyi suddenly jolted awake, as if burned by her own bold idea, instantly snapping out of her dazed state!

"ah!"

She gasped softly, like a startled rabbit, and abruptly threw aside the photo album, slapping her burning cheeks with both hands. Her whole body felt like it was on fire.

"What am I thinking?! That's Haru and Saten's boyfriend! How could I... how could I think..."

She was so ashamed that she wanted to disappear. She collapsed onto the pillow in early spring, burying her flushed face in it. Her two legs, wrapped in a bath towel, kicked wildly in the air as she rolled around on the bed.

"Ugh... So embarrassing... So embarrassing... What am I thinking... And why does that man's face keep looping in my head... So strange... Waaah... And did the guy in the photo just wink at me? No way, you idiot..."

A muffled sound, filled with endless frustration, came from under the pillow.

Just as she had been lying quietly in bed for a while, feeling so ashamed she was about to explode, the bathroom door was suddenly pulled open again with a "whoosh".

In early spring, she came out wrapped in another bath towel, carrying with her the warm, damp feeling and the fresh scent of shower gel.

Clearly, while she was writhing in bed, conflicted after peeking at the photos, Chu Chun had already finished washing up.

She wiped her dripping hair with a towel and immediately saw Chun Shang Jinyi burying herself in the bed, wriggling around like an ostrich, her face as red as a ripe apple.

"Haruhi-kun?"

In early spring, she stopped drying her hair, tilted her head, and walked towards the bedside with a puzzled look on her face, her voice soft and gentle, as if she had just taken a shower.

"Are you... alright? Why is your face so red?"

She reached out and touched Tan Chun's forehead, which was covered by her blouse.

"Are you feeling unwell? Do you have a fever?"

"No, no! I don't have a fever!"

Chun Shang Jin Yi sprang up from her pillow as if she had been electrocuted, shaking her head rapidly, her eyes darting away, not daring to look at Chu Chun, but her finger secretly pointed to the photo album spread out on the bed.

"Who is that...early spring...that...that handsome guy in the photo...who is he?"

Her voice was barely audible, filled with barely concealed curiosity and shyness.

Chu Chun followed her finger and looked at the photo of herself and Higashino in swimsuits. Her face turned bright red, even more so than Chun Shang Jinyi's.

She quickly grabbed the photo album and hugged it to her chest as if it were a priceless treasure, or as if she were hiding some incredible secret. She stammered, "Ah... this... this is my... my boyfriend... Higashino-senpai..."

"Oh! My boyfriend!"

Chun Shang Jinyi's eyes lit up instantly. Her gossipy nature overcame her shyness, and she leaned forward, pointing to the photo of the three kissing behind her, and pressed for an answer.

"Then... what about Saten-san? Is Saten-san also that... that close to Higashino-senpai?"

She blinked her big eyes, full of curiosity.

Chu Chun's face flushed even more, and she gripped the photo album tighter. She looked down, her eyes immediately falling on her toes. Her voice was barely audible, but she nodded honestly, "Yes... Ruiko... too..."

"That's exactly what happened!"

Chun Shang Jinyi had an excited expression that said, "I guessed right," and she clasped her hands together with her eyes sparkling.

"Hey, Haru, isn't Higashino-senpai... is he the real 'legal harem man' from Academy City?"

She remembered! Before transferring schools here, she had heard such urban legends. She just never imagined that the harem guy's girlfriend in the urban legend would be her roommate.

"A legal harem man?"

Chu Chun looked up, her face blank. She wasn't usually interested in urban legends, but Ruizi was quite interested in them, though she hadn't heard Ruizi mention any such urban legends recently.

"What is that? Does Academy City have such strange urban legends?"

Yes, yes!

Chun Shang Jin Yi nodded vigorously and began to vividly describe the version she had heard.

"Legend has it that this man has a massive harem of over ten thousand women! And the most amazing thing is that he can legally marry them all in Academy City! But, nobody knows who this mysterious man is, where he lives, or what he looks like... He's incredibly mysterious!"

She spoke with longing, as if she were telling some incredible fairy tale.

Chu Chun was stunned, her mouth slightly agape, and it took her a while to find her voice: "Ten thousand... people?! That's outrageous!"

She rubbed her forehead, feeling both amused and exasperated.

"While he does have... a lot of girlfriends... it's definitely not that many! This rumor is way too exaggerated! What legal marriage... um, it seems like there might actually be something like that!"

She shook her head repeatedly, speechless at the absurdity of the urban legend.

"Eh?"

Chun Shang Jinyi dragged out her words, her face filled with "I don't believe it" and "I'm so curious." She moved closer, almost touching Chu Chun, and pleaded in a soft, coquettish voice.

"But it sounds really amazing! Hatsuharu, please take me to meet this 'legendary' Higashino-senpai! I really, really want to see what kind of person can be liked by both Hatsuharu and Saten at the same time! Just once! Just once, okay? I promise I'll only look, I absolutely won't cause any trouble! Please, please—"

She clasped her hands together, her lovely big eyes filled with earnest longing as she gazed longingly at early spring.

Seeing her friend's burning curiosity in early spring, Chu Chun found it hard to resist.

I was planning to go on a date with my senior tomorrow anyway, and bringing a "third wheel" along... I guess... my senior probably won't be too angry, right?

And Haruka was so looking forward to it… She hesitated, looking at Haruka's face which was full of "please" expressions, and finally softened and nodded, whispering, "...Okay. I have a date with my senior tomorrow… I'll take you to meet him…"

"Really?! Early spring is the best! I love early spring the most!"

Chun Shang Jin Yi burst into a huge cheer. Overwhelmed with joy, she jumped out of bed and rushed towards Chu Chun, who was standing by the bed, wanting to give her a big hug!

"Wow!"

Chu Chun was startled by her sudden enthusiasm and instinctively tried to back away, but there was nowhere to retreat in the narrow space.

Chun Shang Jinyi's lunge was quite forceful, and Chu Chun was caught in her arms. The two of them lost their balance and fell backward while laughing!

"Pfft!"

"ah!"

Two short, startled exclamations overlapped.

In the chaos, two soft "clicks" were heard.

The photo album that Chu Chun was holding fell to the floor beside the bed. At the same time, because of the hugging and pulling, the bath towel that Chu Chun was wrapped in and the bath towel that Chun Shang Jinyi was wearing, as if they had agreed beforehand, quietly slipped off and piled up silently at the two girls' smooth ankles.

The two young women, barely showing their first signs of life, were pressed together, making their already not particularly prominent curves even flattened.

Unfortunately, no one could appreciate such a beautiful scene. All that remained were the cheerful sounds of two girls playfully teasing each other, and Higashino's unchanging, gentle figure lying on the ground in the photo.

Chapter 207 Is it a mistake to bring a third wheel on a date?

The next day, at the Higashino family villa.

Higashino slowly opened his eyes, a scent both unfamiliar and familiar lingering in his nostrils.

He turned his head to the side, and Therese was sleeping peacefully beside him, her long, wavy orange hair scattered on the pillow, her glasses on the bedside table. She had shed her shrewd and capable exterior, and her sleeping face made her seem like a gentle woman.

But in reality, she's a crazy woman. The moment Higashino pointed her out, she dared to attack him directly. She's a very decisive woman.

Unfortunately, my eyesight isn't very good, so I can't see the difference at all, and I even fantasize about having a chance to knock him out.

However, he changed his perception of her yesterday, and now she is just a docile little kitten who will not resist no matter how he manipulates her.

Last night, after entrusting the children's affairs to Mingtu Zhuihun and Mushan Chunsheng, he brought this former "bad woman," whose perception had been completely "reconstructed," back to the villa.

The "punishment" was long and thorough. He used his power, which was too great to reach, to teach this wicked woman a lesson that made it very difficult for her to even turn the tables in the end.

Higashino admired her quietness at that moment, his hand gently tracing across her smooth shoulder.

This ruthless and unscrupulous member of the Kihara clan, under the imprint of "absolute loyalty," displays a completely different side.

Or perhaps, it was her true nature after all her pretense had been stripped away? A strange sense of contrast intrigued him. This woman seemed unfazed by the whip and candles, even showing a hint of excitement, giving him a rare and unique experience.

As expected of a woman from the Kihara family, she is indeed quite special. I wonder if the other girls in the Kihara family are similar...

I got up, washed up, and went into the kitchen.

Higashino skillfully prepared breakfast, and the aroma of fried eggs, bacon, and toast gradually filled the air.

As he carried two breakfasts to the table, Theristina happened to come out of the bathroom.

She had put her frameless glasses back on, her dark suit was impeccable, and she looked as usual again, though there was a hint of fatigue between her brows and her gait was slightly unnatural.

Good morning, Master.

Her voice was clear and steady, filled with absolute respect, and her gaze lingered briefly on Dongye before lowering slightly.

"Well, morning."

Higashino put down his plate and his gaze swept over her. He had to admit, the well-tailored suit really accentuated her figure; the contrast between her fragility last night and her current capable demeanor was striking.

If she doesn't go crazy, she's actually a very beautiful woman.

"Sit down and eat."

Theristina did not sit down immediately, but bowed slightly: "Thank you for preparing breakfast, Master. However, there are still some matters to attend to at the research institute, so I plan to go there directly."

I said, "Sit down and eat."

Higashino's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable seriousness. He pulled out the chair next to him, his gaze falling on Theristina.

Theristina's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, then she obediently walked over.

Just as she approached the table, Higashino spoke again, his tone calm but his words clear: "I remember I said last night that I wouldn't allow any form of resistance, right? Including this... subtle delay."

Theristina stopped in her tracks. She looked up at Higashino, whose deep eyes were calm and still, yet she instantly understood their meaning: last night's lesson hadn't been profound enough.

A slight blush rose to her cheeks, and her body unconsciously leaned forward slightly, her waist bending into a submissive arc.

Higashino raised his hand without hesitation.

"Crack! Crack!"

Two crisp, loud slapping sounds rang out in the quiet restaurant as Higashino's hand landed on her pert buttocks.

The force was not light, but it served its purpose of punishment perfectly.

Theristina's body trembled violently, she let out a very low gasp, and her hands instinctively gripped the edge of the table.

Just now, she could feel that Higashino had deliberately made her body much more sensitive.

Without needing to say more, she knew that Dongye was punishing her in order to make the memory more vivid.

"Sit down."

Higashino repeated, his tone now back to normal.

This time, Therese did not hesitate for a moment and quickly and obediently sat down in the chair next to him.

She was afraid that if she hesitated for even a second longer, Dongye would punish her again. She really didn't want to drool in broad daylight, and changing her underwear was too much trouble.

Higashino smiled with satisfaction, pleased with her attitude. He needed to train this kind of "bad" woman into an obedient, loyal dog; he didn't want a repeat of Laura almost inexplicably turning into a yandere.

"Eat."

"Yes Master."

Nodding, Theristina obediently began to eat.

Breakfast quickly ended in this strange atmosphere.