Let's Go See the Cherry Blossoms Together

The next day, Zhao Yu deliberately got up early.

Fish platform had finally settled his pay today. Over the past half month, he had earned more than two hundred thousand in total, and tips from that wealthy boss alone accounted for at least a third of it.

After paying the rent, Zhao Yu transferred one hundred thousand to his mother. Only then did he get ready to handle some proper business.

He planned to get a medical checkup today. Before his transmigration, work had left him with a whole host of health problems. Now that he had been given another life, he had no intention of repeating the same mistakes.

Zhao Yu had not bought a car yet, so for the time being, he could only take a taxi or the bus to the hospital.

But now that he had money, Zhao Yu decided to indulge himself and take a taxi.

"Driver, Sichuan Medical University."

"Sure thing!"

As soon as he got into the car, Zhao Yu opened LINE, intending to chat with Yuuka to pass the time.

"Yuuka, what are you doing today?"

"I'm practicing spoken Chinese. What about you, Lord Yu?"

Yuuka always replied quickly. It made Zhao Yu feel like she was a fake Japanese person, but the thought that she came from Kansai put him at ease.

After all, Kansai people and Kanto people had completely different personalities. Compared with the pride and reserved distance of many Kanto people, Kansai people were far more warm and enthusiastic.

Zhao Yu remembered seeing an interview once where Kansai people generally said that Kanto people were difficult to talk to and boring to chat with.

And after becoming familiar with Zhao Yu, Yuuka had gradually begun to reveal her Kansai nature as well.

"I'm planning to go to the hospital today."

Ring, ring, ring! The moment he sent that message, Yuuka called him on video.

"Is Lord Yu all right? Are you sick somewhere?"

On the phone screen, Yuuka was dressed casually. She had tied up her bangs in a little tuft, revealing her smooth forehead, and her small face was filled with concern.

"I'm not sick. I just got paid today, so I thought I'd take the chance to get a checkup." Zhao Yu hurriedly explained.

"Oh, I see. You scared me!" Yuuka patted her chest, relief showing on her face.

When she saw Zhao Yu say he was going to the hospital, her heart had practically stopped for a moment.

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly healthy." Zhao Yu raised his arm and showed off his muscles to Yuuka.

"But I'm a little curious. How's your Chinese coming along?"

"Hehe! I specifically went to find our Chinese culture teacher recently. She taught me lots of basic expressions, and now I can say a whole sentence." Yuuka smiled proudly.

"For example?"

"Dah-jah hao, woh shi Ueno Yuuka..."

At Zhao Yu's prompt, Yuuka spoke with an exaggerated rise and fall in her tone, making it sound as though she were singing.

"Pfft... Pretty good. You're improving really fast!" Zhao Yu praised her.

"If I'm improving fast, why are you laughing?" Yuuka puffed out her cheeks.

"Actually, I just thought of something funny. When I left my apartment complex earlier, I saw that the dog by the roadside had given birth." Zhao Yu held back his laughter and changed the subject.

"You're lying! You're obviously laughing at me! Is my Chinese really that strange?" she questioned, mixing Japanese language with Chinese.

As she spent more and more time with Zhao Yu, Yuuka's intelligence had steadily improved. She could no longer be fooled by him so easily.

"Tell me! Is it really that strange?"

"It's just... how should I describe it?" Zhao Yu racked his brains.

"Oh, right! It's probably something like this... Ahem!"

After clearing his throat softly, Zhao Yu put on an extremely exaggerated expression.

"Hojo Emu... It was probably like that. Do you understand now?"

This was a famous scene from Kamen Rider. What had made it go viral was the actor's exaggerated performance, along with that oddly rising and falling, bizarre Japanese pronunciation.

And as a Kamen Rider fan, Yuuka understood what Zhao Yu meant the moment she heard him say it.

"Mm... So it's a problem with my intonation? But Chinese tones are really hard..." Yuuka sighed and scratched her head unwillingly.

"Yuuka, you've already improved so quickly. When we're in the livestream tonight, I'll teach you together with everyone else," Zhao Yu comforted her.

"Hehe, okay. Then I'll be in your care, Lord Yu." Yuuka smiled sweetly.

"Kid, we're here!" Just as the two were talking, the driver finally arrived at the hospital.

"Okay, Yuuka, wait a moment. I'll get out first." Zhao Yu hung up the video call, scanned the code to pay the fare, and prepared to get out.

"Were you talking to a foreign girl just now?" the driver suddenly asked as Zhao Yu was about to leave.

"You heard that, huh..." Zhao Yu said awkwardly.

"Awesome! You actually got yourself a foreign girlfriend!" The driver gave Zhao Yu a thumbs-up.

"You misunderstand, sir. We're just ordinary friends, ordinary friends," Zhao Yu explained quietly.

"I get it! Ordinary friends fooling around eventually become boyfriend and girlfriend. She's already learning Chinese for you—you can't let her down!" The driver wore an expression that said he understood everything as he spoke earnestly to Zhao Yu.

"I understand, sir." Seeing that he really couldn't explain it clearly, Zhao Yu could only nod helplessly.

But this suddenly made him realize something. A Japanese girl had deliberately started learning Chinese and was taking it so seriously—didn't that say enough?

In truth, Zhao Yu had long since noticed his own feelings, but he didn't think Yuuka had shown anything too obvious.

So he had never dared to make the first move, but the driver's words were like a sudden awakening, making Zhao Yu realize Yuuka's true feelings all at once.

If he were just an ordinary online friend, why would Yuuka be so serious about learning Chinese?

And besides... he had only said he was going to the hospital, and Yuuka had immediately video-called him.

"I really can't let her down..." Zhao Yu murmured as he dialed the video call again.

"Yuuka, did you learn Chinese just so you could communicate with me properly?"

Before Yuuka could say anything, Zhao Yu asked the question first.

Yuuka froze for a moment, then a sly, fox-like expression appeared on her face.

"Then Lord Yu, why have you been helping me all this time?"

Instead of answering Zhao Yu's question, Yuuka threw a new question back at him.

But just like the question Zhao Yu had asked her, this one didn't actually need an answer. They both understood perfectly well what was in each other's hearts now.

After a period of silence, Zhao Yu raised his head as though he had made some decision.

"Yuuka, I feel like telling you the exact reason like this would be too hasty. You should be free in March, right?"

"I am free, but Lord Yu, are you...?" Yuuka asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I heard that late March is the best time to view cherry blossoms. When the time comes, let's go see them together!" Zhao Yu gazed at Yuuka with burning eyes.

Zhao Yu's gaze made Yuuka's cheeks grow a little hot. She instinctively looked away and spoke softly.

"Lord Yu, are you planning to come to Japan to see me?"

"Mm. I've already made up my mind. There are some things I have to tell you after I see you in person." Zhao Yu spoke with absolute certainty.

Girls could be reserved, but men didn't need to be. A real man should have the courage to face his own heart!

So this time, it was his turn to be brave.