Lu Mingfei, who had read Dragon Clan before slaying the dragon

"Oh! How could I have been so confused!" Caesar slapped his forehead. "I actually forgot about this. I clearly have an excellent electromechanical expert with me! If I were to repair a car engine in front of the top science student in the undergraduate department, what do you Chinese people call it... Oh, right, isn't it a case of "banmennongfu"? "

"Stop talking nonsense." Facing Caesar's teasing, Chu Zihang said coldly, "I'll finish the engine repair work. You need to buy coolant quickly. We are already far behind Lu Mingfei and the others."

"I'm happy to help you, Mr. Mechanic." Caesar turned and walked towards the convenience store.

This time, Caesar was rarely annoyed by Chu Zihang's commanding tone. Instead, he was happy to act as Chu Zihang's lackey because he was very happy that someone would take over the dirty work of repairing the car for him so that he would not have to dirty his hands and the clothes in the shop.

After Caesar left, Chu Zihang had already opened the radiator cap. In fact, he had never learned to repair a car, nor did he understand the internal structure of a car very well, because the engine structure of a family car was too simple and was not worthy of being selected as a teaching case in the Kassel Academy course. Chu Zihang had learned how to disassemble an airplane engine, so as long as he understood the functions of each part of the car, repairing the car would be a piece of cake for him.

After finishing the preparations, Chu Zihang took off his coat and lining, threw them into the car, then leaned against the door, waiting for Caesar to return with brand new refrigerant.

The women passing by the gas station all cast sidelong glances at the man leaning against the car, with a stern look and delicate muscles. Some women even stopped to watch, their fiery gazes almost burning Chu Zihang through. They wondered in their hearts how there could be such a beautiful man in the world who seemed to have torn out of a comic book and walked into reality... Chu Zihang was not surprised by the burning gazes of these women, because in Takama-ga-hara, he had to endure such burning gazes from hundreds of women every day.

But Chu Zihang's behavior of taking off his clothes at this time was not because of any exhibitionism or to create a good look, but because Caesar and Chu Zihang were both wearing clothes from the store.

They no longer had any decent clothes, and the sacrifices Caesar and Chu Zihang made for Lu Mingfei and Hui Liyi were enormous. Apart from leaving some money for emergency expenses, they used almost all their savings to support Lu Mingfei and Hui Liyi's date, and even asked the store manager for an advance of one month's salary.

The clothes that Takama-hara distributes to gigolos are all top brands, not to mention the hottest new gigolos like Caesar and Chu Zihang. The clothes distributed to them by Humpback Whale are all the hot styles of the season, but the clothes themselves still belong to Takama-hara Club. If they are dirty or damaged, the compensation will be a considerable expense.

All unnecessary expenses must be saved. This is a difficult situation that neither Caesar nor Chu Zihang have ever encountered before, because they are really short of money. The young master of the Gattuso family can only afford to buy himself a set of not-so-top-notch comfortable underwear after receiving an advance on his salary, because the underwear distributed by Gao Tianyuan is too tight for him with plump buttocks muscles.

Chu Zihang looked down at the watch on his hand. Time passed by minute by minute, and he began to get impatient because he couldn't understand why Caesar took so long just to buy coolant. If they continued to waste time like this, they would have no chance of catching up with Lu Mingfei and the others before sunset.

Caesar arrived late. In addition to the coolant in his hand, he also had a croissant in his mouth and a cup of steaming milk in his hand. It was obvious that he had been dawdling for so long just to buy these foods.

"You went there for so long just to buy these?" Chu Zihang asked with a stern face.

"Yeah, didn't we all have time to eat?" Caesar put the coolant on the roof of the car. He handed Chu Zihang a paper bag containing the same croissant and hot milk. "Here, I bought one for you too."

Chu Zihang took a deep breath and accepted Caesar's "good intention," but he still said with a cold face, "Do you still remember why we risked disobeying the store manager and insisted on taking a day off today? Was it to have breakfast at the highway station?"

"I know, I know. I understand that you are very gossipy... Oh, no, you are very concerned about the situation of Lu Mingfei and Uesugi Eri. So am I, but we can't skip breakfast!" Caesar slowly drank a sip of milk.

"The breakfast you insisted on eating might very well cause us to completely lose track of Lu Mingfei and the others today. We're already slower than them, and this car, which is almost as old as we are, keeps having problems. If we keep putting it off, everything we've done so far will be in vain." Chu Zihang placed the paper bag containing breakfast on the roof of the car and took out the coolant. "Have you heard the story of the tortoise and the hare? If the tortoise is slow and has a lazy personality like the hare, then it will never catch up with the hare!"

"That analogy you made isn't quite right." Caesar casually tossed the empty paper cup into the trash can. "This tortoise and the hare race isn't about speed at all. Our goal from the beginning wasn't to catch up with Lu Mingfei and the others. Even if the hare reaches the finish line first, it'll stay there. So as long as the tortoise reaches the finish line, it'll win the race."

"What do you mean?" Chu Zihang was stunned.

"What I mean is, we don't even need to catch up to Lu Mingfei and the others on the highway. Even if we did, we could only follow them slowly. Would you even say hello to them and say, 'Hi, what a coincidence, are you guys out for a picnic too?' That would be absolutely stupid." Caesar said, "Lu Mingfei took Uesugi Eri out as soon as he woke up. It's definitely not for an aimless drive, but to take her somewhere. So even if they get to their destination first, they will stay there for a while. So as long as we get there before them, won't we achieve our goal today?"

"Do you know where Lu Mingfei wants to take Sugi Eriya?" Chu Zihang frowned slightly.

"I can probably guess." Caesar smiled mysteriously, "Lu Mingfei once asked me a question when we were chatting casually. He asked me if I had ever watched a Japanese drama called 'Tokyo Love Story'."

"I've heard of this drama." Chu Zihang gestured for Caesar to continue.

"At the time, I scoffed at all Japanese dramas. I wondered how a country filled with effeminate men and perverts could produce any excellent TV series. But Lu Mingfei told me that Tokyo Love Story was the most acclaimed Japanese drama in history and a timeless classic. Its classicism lies in the fact that it not only praises the bravery of love but also tolerates its cowardice. The theme song and the scenery really enhance the plot," Caesar said. "I watched the show on Lu Mingfei's strong recommendation, and I have to say he was right. This is the only Japanese drama I've ever seen that left a very deep impression on me. When I mentioned his recommendation to him for the second time, he told me that Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku was a place he absolutely had to take his beloved girl to at least once in his life."

"So you think Lu Mingfei took Uesugi Eriya to Ehime Prefecture?" Chu Zihang looked towards the end of the highway. "Speaking of which, this is indeed the direction of Shikoku."

"So after arriving in Ehime Prefecture, look for the filming locations of "Tokyo Love Story". There is a high probability that Lu Mingfei and Uesugi Eri are somewhere." Caesar snapped his fingers.

"So today's trip wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment decision by Lu Mingfei, but one he had made long ago." Chu Zihang seemed to accept Caesar's explanation. He poured the newly purchased coolant into the water tank and, after a moment's silence, asked, "Why haven't I ever heard him mention this?"

"Who knows?" Caesar shrugged. "Maybe Lu Mingfei thought you were an idiot in love at that time, but you can't blame Lu Mingfei for that. No one in the entire Kassel Academy would be stupid enough to go to Chu Zihang to confide in him about his relationship problems, right?"

Chu Zihang was choked. He didn't want to pay attention to this Italian who was chatting happily about the world one second and suddenly said something bad to him the next second. Chu Zihang concentrated on checking whether the newly added coolant was leaking from the water tank. As he moved, the muscles on his back bulged into a graceful arc.

"I'm sorry, I think I should take back what I said just now." Caesar said suddenly.

"Are you talking about the time when he called me an idiot in love?" Chu Zihang's heart moved. He was a little surprised that Caesar had suddenly changed his personality.

"I'm talking about the car repair and bartending stuff." Caesar looked off into the distance. "Let me correct you. If Chu Zihang were to be a car mechanic or a fruit farmer, he would indeed be able to attract a lot of girls."

A bus drove into the gas station and stopped under the shade of a tree not far away. Girls in uniforms and short skirts got off the bus. It looked like a girls' high school was having a collective spring outing. Many girls stopped by the bus and looked at the Toyota, or to be more precise, at Caesar and Chu Zihang who was repairing the car. Caesar waved to the girls and whistled loudly. The girls turned their heads away shyly, and the blush on their cheeks was filled with a hazy youthful atmosphere.

"It turns out there are still innocent high school girls alive in Japan. After staying in Takama-ga-hara for so long, I thought this country had been occupied by those extravagant and licentious women." Caesar sighed.

"Such remarks that seem to be sarcastic towards women don't sound like something coming from the mouth of the heir of the Gattuso family." Chu Zihang released the remaining coolant to cool down the car's engine.

"Oh, I'm not making this comment as the heir to the Gattuso family, but rather as a popular gigolo in Takama-ga-hara." Caesar looked at the groups of girls in the distance. "What do you think that little girl would have become if she hadn't had any hidden dangers with her bloodline and had grown up normally?"

"No one will know about this unrealistic assumption." Chu Zihang ignited the car's engine and began to test the temperature.

"If you were the team leader of this Japanese operation, how would you write the mission report to the academy?" Caesar asked.

"I told you not to make such unrealistic assumptions," Chu Zihang said. "You are the team leader this time, and you are fully responsible for the mission report."

"But you are a member of my team. You have the right to make suggestions or reserve opinions on this mission report." Caesar stared into Chu Zihang's eyes. "Regarding the part about Uesugi Eri, how do you want me to write it? Or what suggestions do you have?"

"Are you testing me?" Chu Zihang met Caesar's gaze without hesitation. "If you must ask for my opinion, then I hope you can help conceal the fact that Uesugi Eri is an extremely evil 'ghost' from the academy, and don't mention the issue of the girl's bloodline."

"Why?" Caesar asked.

"Do you know how the academy treats those mixed-bloods with bloodline issues?" Chu Zihang said.

"Of course I know, because my bastard dad is the school's director. The academy is on that little island in the South Pacific," Caesar said. "Tartarus, in Greek mythology, means 'the end of the abyss.' The academy only sends ships there once every six months. There's only one sanatorium on the island, and all the dangerous hybrids captured by the academy are sent there, even the academy's own people. Those poor creatures whose bloodlines are out of control will never be able to escape from that island. All you can see is the barren island and endless ocean, with dead ends in every direction."

"Once a hybrid is sent to the island, it's a lifelong commitment. Even if they're later deemed safe, they can't leave. The secret party's methods are even more inhumane than those of the Japanese branch. I heard that the vast majority of those exiled to that island suffer from mental illnesses," Caesar said. "If the board's investigation of you a year ago determined that you were a dangerous hybrid, you would have spent the rest of your life on that isolated island for decades."

"I don't want Uesugi Eri to be sent to that island. That would directly lead to Lu Mingfei rebelling against the secret party, which is not what I want to see." Chu Zihang said to Caesar, "Lu Mingfei said he has a way to resolve Uesugi Eri's bloodline issue. He never makes promises without certainty. I know you are a principled person and your justice will not tolerate any compromise, but I hope you can trust Lu Mingfei just once."

"So this is what you really think." Caesar nodded. "It's rare for a guy like you to consider a little girl."

"What do you mean?" Chu Zihang frowned slightly.

"As much as I hate to admit it, it's rare that we actually think alike. I thought a straitlaced guy like you would enforce the law impartially and insist on sending the girl to jail." Caesar smiled. "My justice is indeed unyielding... but have you forgotten? The beautiful girl herself is part of my justice."

Chapter 490 Umezu Temple Town

"If we write the mission report truthfully, not only will Uesugi Eri be sent to that island, but Lu Mingfei will also be controlled." Chu Zihang whispered, "Because according to the secret party's rigid rules, Lu Mingfei, who is controlled by the king's clapper, will also be classified as a dangerous hybrid."

"I never thought we'd reach the same tacit understanding on something. If I still had some milk left, I'd clink glasses with you." Caesar laughed heartily. "Before today's collusion, it seemed like we all agreed to cover up for Lu Mingfei and Uesugi Eri. Do you think this counts as an accidental joint crime?"

Caesar said that it was difficult for him and Chu Zihang to reach such a tacit understanding as today, but what he didn't realize was that once he and Chu Zihang really worked together, the cooperation between them would be more tacit than any other combination.

Their long years of being rivals have made them understand each other very well. They are familiar with each other's fighting styles and ways of doing things. Sometimes they only need a glance to read each other's inner thoughts, and take corresponding actions to cooperate with them in the instant.

For example, in their battle with Minamoto no Chisei, their tacit cooperation was enough to even give the "Emperor" of the Snake Eight Clans a beating. Another example was when they faced an overwhelming army of Deadpools, they were able to escape from a near-dead siege. And when they faced the pursuit and blockade of the fierce ghosts, they could completely trust each other's backs and lives for the agreed one minute...

Although Caesar has always been resistant to the surname "Gattuso" before his name, and has always felt ashamed that Pompey Gattuso is his biological father, it must be said that Caesar has indeed inherited the showiness of Pompey's Gattuso family. Few people can remain calm after talking to Caesar for more than five sentences, because this guy's thinking and topics are too divergent and jumpy. Chu Zihang happens to be the man who can perfectly capture Caesar's divergent logical points, because Chu Zihang has extremely strong logic and a stubborn and morbid personality, which happens to perfectly complement Caesar's divergent thinking.

If Caesar is a lustful antelope who likes to run and jump on the vast grasslands of Hoh Xil, and other animals find it difficult to keep up with the pace of this antelope, then Chu Zihang is a swift leopard. No matter where the antelope jumps, the leopard can always reach the landing point in advance with its extraordinary speed and judgment... In the eyes of others, these two guys who chase each other on the grasslands every day are probably a little neurotic.

"It's not a crime," Chu Zihang said sternly. "If Lu Mingfei had truly solved the issue of Uesugi Eriya's bloodline, that girl would be no different from an ordinary mixed-blood. We simply concealed the fact that she was once a 'ghost,' but the truth of the past isn't important. What's important is that if we hadn't concealed it, even if we testified on Uesugi Eriya's behalf, the academy wouldn't have believed our evidence."

"The academy is wrong." Caesar nodded. "Sending a girl who finally escaped from one prison to another is not what a gentleman should do."

"We believe Lu Mingfei can restore Uesugi Eri's bloodline to safety because of our relationship with Lu Mingfei and our understanding of the reasons behind this series of incredible events in Japan." Chu Zihang whispered, "But the secret party is different. The theory of bloodline is deeply rooted in the will of the board of directors. It has become an iron law like dogma that no one can break. The sons of nobles are born nobles, and the children of commoners have to work hard to be recognized. Anyone who has had hidden bloodline problems will be thrown into the abyss. The secret party doesn't care whether those people can return to a safe bloodline in the future. It's like they think criminals with a criminal record should be sentenced to life imprisonment and are not worthy of forgiveness. They also think that once a woman makes a mistake, she will be defined as a prostitute for life."

"I wonder if your description is a bit too blunt?" Caesar thought for a moment and nodded. "Although it's offensively blunt, I have to admit that your description is quite accurate. The school board is indeed a group of disgusting dictators."

"The secret party won't even bother investigating a super hybrid who possesses the 'Word Spirit·Judgment'. The secret party used force to control Uesugi Eri the moment she came into contact with Kassel Academy, and even directly wiped her out," Chu Zihang said. "And Uesugi Eri herself possesses the power to destroy the entire headquarters executive bureau. Lu Mingfei will definitely stand on Uesugi Eri's side... If the school board chooses to go to war with the two of them, I don't think the secret party can be sure of winning this war."

Caesar agreed with the first half of Chu Zihang's words, because Uesugi Eriya's powerful strength really left an indelible impression on him. Caesar also recognized Lu Mingfei's strength and potential as an "S"... But Chu Zihang's last sentence made Caesar frown.

"Uesugi Eryi and Lu Mingfei are both powerful, that's undeniable, but do you think just two of them can overthrow the world's largest mixed-blood organization?" Caesar asked Chu Zihang solemnly, "Do you know which families are behind the Secret Party? How many thousands of years have they lasted? How much wealth do they control in the world? How many countries do they control? What kind of military force do they possess... Do you think you truly understand the Secret Party?"

"I don't know much about the secret party... but I have the same question for you." Chu Zihang looked into Caesar's eyes. "Do you think you really understand Lu Mingfei?"

Caesar was stunned. He looked at Chu Zihang's expression, as if he suddenly realized something. Caesar asked Chu Zihang with a serious face, "If, I mean if... if one day in the future, Lu Mingfei really stood on the opposite side of the secret party, how would you choose your side?"

"If that day ever comes, I think I will also become a rebel against the Secret Party." Chu Zihang said to Caesar without reservation, "Not only will I do that, but Xia Mi will also stand on Lu Mingfei's side. Xianggui, Uesugi Yue, and even the entire Snake Eight Clan will stand against the Secret Party because of Uesugi Eri. Lu Mingfei also has a friend named Lao Tang, as well as Jiude Mai and the mysterious force behind her."

Hearing this, Caesar's face suddenly changed. Reminded by Chu Zihang, Caesar finally realized how powerful the power behind Lu Mingfei was... the "Emperor", the Eight Clans of Sheqi, the Dragon King, and a mysterious hybrid organization that no one could investigate... Once the secret party made a mistake in dealing with the issue of Uesugi Eri, it would affect the entire organization. This would not just be a small matter of fighting against a high-risk hybrid... but a huge storm that would reshuffle the entire hybrid world!

"A mission report can actually change the future world pattern. This world is really a fucked-up thing." Caesar sighed.

"Sometimes you have to admit that this world is just fucked up. Actually, some of what Yuan Zhisheng said makes sense. When certain things happen, you have to break the justice that you have maintained in your heart for a long time. Some people can uphold justice throughout their lives simply because they have not encountered the moment that makes them regret it." Chu Zihang thought of the rainy night that made him regret it to this day, and the man who disappeared on that rainy night.

"Perhaps you're right." Caesar leaned against the car door. "But do you know how Lu Mingfei plans to resolve the issue of Uesugi Eri's and your bloodline?"

"I don't know." Chu Zihang shook his head. He thought for a moment and said, "It's just a guess... maybe it has something to do with the 'God' who is about to revive."

"According to you, doesn't that mean Lu Mingfei knew about the existence of 'God' before coming to Japan? I know Lu Mingfei holds many secrets, but this is too unbelievable," Caesar said casually. "Lu Mingfei says he's never been to Japan, yet he knows everything about the Snake Eight Clans, the Oni Clan, and that Dr. Herzog... How could someone possibly know what they'll encounter in the future? Is he a prophet? Or some kind of omniscient figure?"

Chu Zihang was stunned. He looked at Caesar, and the mechanical, hard expression on his face changed slightly for a moment, but in the end, Chu Zihang shook his head: "I don't know. Lu Mingfei never mentioned this to me."

"I'm just talking casually. You don't have to answer every question in a formal way." Caesar patted Chu Zihang's shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"Prepare for what?" Chu Zihang was puzzled.

"Isn't the car repaired? Next, we need to get ready to chase Lu Mingfei and the others at full speed." Caesar squeezed into the driver's seat and winked at Chu Zihang. "Don't think you're the only one gossiping. I'm also curious about how far they've come. Hurry and get in the car. If you waste any more time, you might miss some exciting scenes!"

……

At around four o'clock in the afternoon, Lu Mingfei and Eiry arrived at a small town in Ehime Prefecture at the southwestern tip of Shikoku.

This place is more than 400 kilometers away from Takamahara in Tokyo. Lu Mingfei drove the Porsche sports car for more than four hours, but fortunately they started in the morning, and there was still some time before sunset. When they came across a beautiful scenery on the road, they had time to stop and take a look. The journey was not rushed, but relaxed and comfortable.

There were white parking lines on the empty street. Lu Mingfei casually parked the rented car on the side of the road and got out of the car with Eiry.

Thick white smoke rolled obliquely toward the sky. A tram roared past the rails beside them, diving into a distant cave like a giant python returning home. It was the brightest hour of the day, and the setting sun dyed everything in the world golden. The red maple leaves all over the distant mountains were as distinct as gilded stairs leading to heaven. When the wind blew, rustling sounds were heard in all directions, as if the old trees were using the wind to tell the century-old history of this small town.

The wind feels moist and slightly salty on the skin, which is the breath of the sea. The sound of the tide echoes on the other side of the mountain. At the foot of the mountain is a quiet village, which can be more accurately described as a small town.

The tram slowly stopped at the platform of the small town. A few men in suits and holding briefcases got off the tram. When they saw their wives and children standing on the platform to greet them, the numbness and fatigue brought from the big city on the men's faces disappeared in an instant. Families gathered in groups of three or two, talking and laughing in the sunset, and walked into the silent embrace of this remote town.

Eri stood there, staring blankly at the backs of those people walking away. When the returning travelers disappeared from her sight and the train whirred away, Eri finally reacted. She wrote in her little notebook: "What a beautiful place!"

Eiry's eyes revealed excitement and longing. Although Eiry had lived and grown up in Japan since she was a child, she had always been trapped in big cities and lived in high-rise buildings for a long time and had never seen such an authentic southern town with her own eyes.

There are no checkerboard streets like Tokyo, no skyscrapers like the steel jungle, no light pollution from neon lights and electronic screens, no congested pedestrians and cars and incessant honking of horns... This is a kind of quiet beauty, as if everything has returned to the primitive state. They traveled through time and came to a village in the 1950s, which maintains a peace and tranquility that is rare in modern society.

The sunset, the distant mountains, the buildings and the pedestrians... everything in this place is so beautiful in Eri's eyes.

Lu Mingfei smiled without saying anything. He took Eiry's hand and led her into the town at the foot of the mountain.

The road sign at the entrance of the town reads "Umezuderamachi". A poster of "Tokyo Love Story" is posted on the bulletin board next to it, telling travelers that this is the filming location of this classic TV series. The corners of the poster are a little yellowed. At this time, there seem to be no foreign tourists in the town, because "Tokyo Love Story" was filmed a long time ago. After the tourism boom it set off faded, this coastal town has long returned to its former tranquility.

Lu Mingfei and Eiry strolled in the town. The streets were not wide, certainly not comparable to the main roads in Tokyo, but they were very clean. There was not even a trash can on the road. The houses were made of wood in traditional Japanese style, with neatly painted black tiles on the roofs. Cherry trees and cedars were planted in the yards of every household. The petals of the white cherry blossoms fell on the ground, like a soft carpet on the street, and the branches and leaves of the cedar were like peacock tail feathers, upright and soft.

There are few modern buildings in the town, and the tallest house is only four stories high. The largest facility in the town is probably a primary school. Under the guidance of their teacher, pupils in uniform line up in an orderly manner to cross the road in front of the school. The few cars are waiting quietly by the roadside... Time flows slowly in this town, and no matter where you go, you can't see the anxiety and rush of a big city.

It seemed that some elementary school students noticed Lu Mingfei and Eiry here, and they hurriedly shared it with their classmates. More and more elementary school students looked over, their eyes were excited or uneasy, and they looked at Eiry as if she were a shrine maiden who came to the town from a mountain shrine.

Chapter 491 Some Love Stories Happening

It was probably the first time for Eiry to be surrounded by so many children. She seemed a little embarrassed. She held onto the corner of Lu Mingfei's clothes and hid behind him. Lu Mingfei smiled and waved to the children, then used his hands to perform a set of magical movements in front of him. This was a demonstration for Eiry. Lu Mingfei gestured for Eiry to do the same.

Eiry followed suit, imitating Lu Mingfei's movements. These movements seemed a little funny when performed by Lu Mingfei, but when performed by Eiry, a woman, they had a natural beauty, like an elf dancing in the mountains.

The children here all widened their eyes at the same time, their expressions filled with disbelief. They pointed at Eiry and shouted in Japanese, "The witch has come down from the mountain," "The witch is about to perform a ritual," and so on. Even the teacher was startled by the children's shouting, but when the teacher looked over, the witch had already disappeared, and Lu Mingfei had already run away holding Eiry's hand.

Lu Mingfei and Eiry smiled at each other. Lu Mingfei smiled because the movements he had just taught Eiry were actually ones he had seen on TV. They were the dances performed by the witches in the shrine. Eiry, with her long red hair and red and white shrine maiden costume, looked like a real shrine maiden performing a ritual when she did these movements. The children in this small town were very simple. Instructing Eiry to tease those cute children gave Lu Mingfei a sense of pleasure in having his prank succeeded. He felt for the first time in a long time that happiness could be so simple.

In fact, Eri hadn't reacted to what was happening yet. She just felt that she and Sakura seemed to have done something very interesting. She could feel that Sakura was really laughing happily, so she also laughed happily.

Next, Lu Mingfei and Eiry strolled around the town. Eiry felt that everything in the town was so fresh, and her pace was very slow. Lu Mingfei also slowed down with her. They visited the workshops that made wax figures and handicraft molds, and watched the process of making a local sweet cake in a dessert shop.

The sweet cakes were made with local white cherry blossoms as the main ingredient, and the whole room was filled with the delicate fragrance of cherry blossoms. Eiry seemed to like this kind of cake very much, so Lu Mingfei bought ten at once, and the extra ones could be packed up and taken back to Takama-ga-hara for the senior brothers to try.

The owner of the sweet shop is an elderly woman. Her husband went to Osaka to work, and her child is a pretty girl who attends junior high school in downtown Osaka. She runs the sweet shop alone on weekdays, which allows her to make a living and supplement the family income, and she can also chat with customers so that she doesn't get too bored.

The proprietress was very talkative. She kept praising Eiry for her beauty and elegance, and praising Lu Mingfei for his honesty. She said that the two of them looked very compatible. She also asked if they were a couple in college who were traveling here during the holidays. Finally, she enthusiastically gave Lu Mingfei and Eiry some sweet cakes of different flavors in the store to try... Both of them felt a little embarrassed by the proprietress's hospitality.

Lu Mingfei asked Eiry to take a photo with the sweet cake in her hand while standing next to the blue batik sign in front of the sweet shop. He brought a camera from the Takama-ga-hara store with him today. The two of them checked in at the travel attractions like a young couple in love. The proprietress also volunteered to take a photo of Lu Mingfei and Eiry.

When she saw the reserved postures of Lu Mingfei and Eri, she also instructed Lu Mingfei that boys should take the initiative to put their arms around their female companions' waists when taking photos. After taking satisfactory photos, the boss lady asked Lu Mingfei to develop the photos and send her a copy. She wanted to hang the photo of the two of them in the store as a model for her sweet cakes. Lu Mingfei patted his chest and said that it was a must. He would definitely send the boss lady the most handsome and beautiful photos!

Before leaving, the proprietress gave Eiry some cakes from the store as a gift. It was obvious that she really liked this pretty girl and that the people here were very simple. Eiry looked at Lu Mingfei, who smiled and said that she should accept the kindness. Eiry accepted the cakes and left a note to thank the proprietress. In fact, Lu Mingfei had secretly left enough money under the tray on the counter.

After coming out of the sweet shop, Lu Mingfei took Eiry to the shrine in the mountains.

The shrine is built on the mountainside, and the clear spring that falls from the top of the mountain winds along the side of the shrine. The torii of the shrine is very special. It is not vermilion but azure blue. "Pray for a good match" is written on the left side of the torii, and "Blessings come to your heart" is written on the right side.

Lu Mingfei and Eiry walked up the moss-covered bricks in front of the torii gate. A little girl in a loose shrine maiden's costume ran over. She seemed to mistake Lu Mingfei and Eiry for tourists who came to visit the shrine and handed each of them three incense sticks.

Lu Mingfei did not reject the girl's kindness. Instead, he took the incense, smiled at the little witch, and prepared to pay for the incense.

"We don't charge for incense here." The little girl saw Lu Mingfei's actions and waved at him. "The place to burn incense is in the courtyard. It's just 20 tiles away from the torii gate. Just burn the incense with sincerity and that's it."

Lu Mingfei was slightly surprised. He had thought that the people in this town were simple and unpretentious, but he had not expected them to be so simple. Not long ago, Umezuji Town was also a popular tourist destination in the Shikoku region. But just now, when passing by the mold workshop and sweet shop in the town, Lu Mingfei found that the prices here were basically maintained at the level of 20 years ago. The shrine in the mountains did not even accept incense money, and only accepted sincere visits from those who offered incense.

The little girl in the loose shrine maiden costume kept stealing glances at Eri, her hands pinching the corners of her robe, her eyes full of longing. After hesitating for a moment, she finally mustered up the courage to say to Eri, "Sister, you are so beautiful!"

Then the girl ran away shyly, hiding under a cherry tree in the distance and reciting her practice lessons loudly. Lu Mingfei was a little amused and confused. He took Eiry to the incense burning place the girl mentioned, lit three incense sticks, inserted them into the incense burner, put his hands together, and earnestly made a wish. Eiry also imitated Lu Mingfei's actions.

After leaving the shrine, Lu Mingfei took Eri on time to board the last mountain train. The mountain train was built next to the shrine. Originally, this was a mining cableway built to mine the copper mine on the mountain. There used to be a rich mineral vein hidden in the mountains of Umezuji Town. Later, the mineral veins in the mountains were mined out, and this cable was abandoned for a long time. After the hit of "Tokyo Love Story", Umezuji Town became a tourist destination, and the town decided to restore this mountain cable and use it as a sightseeing cable car.

Under the setting sun, the empty old cable car tilted upward at a forty-five degree angle, slowly and steadily carrying a man and a woman up the mountain. The gears and tracks engaged, and the clattering sound echoed in the empty valley.

Eiry has been lying on the transparent glass looking at the outside world. The vegetation in the mountains has not been trimmed all year round and grows extremely wildly. The pine forest is dense and lush, and occasionally a towering spruce pierces the forest layer and stands proudly. The bright red maple leaves and the emerald green of the poplar complement each other. Occasionally, you can see clusters of fiery red azaleas and bright purple phalaenopsis peeking out from the cliffs. Even rare species such as the precious white plum and the red Yunlong crabapple can be seen.