...
Silence Suzuka's mother, just like Silence Suzuka, had a head of orange long hair, and her height was a bit taller than Silence Suzuka.
"Hello, sorry for the sudden visit and the disturbance." Lucian asked a greeting somewhat stiffly.
"Not a disturbance at all, Trainer Lucian. I often hear Suzuka mention you. Come on in quickly."
"Okay." Lucian nodded, carrying the luggage and walking into the home with Silence Suzuka.
He still felt a bit uneasy in his heart. When sitting on the sofa, his sitting posture was even more upright.
"Mr. Lucian, I'll go brew a pot of tea. Please wait a moment."
Suzuka's Mother was very amiable, but Lucian still wasn't quite used to it. "Okay, thank you."
After Mother left, Silence Suzuka leaned her head over and whispered softly, "Lucian-kun is rarely this shy, huh."
"How could I not be shy? When you come to my house next time, it's best if you don't get nervous."
"Not nervous. Why would I be nervous?" With so many people going together, Silence Suzuka wasn't afraid at all.
"Mr. Lucian, sorry to keep you waiting." Suzuka's Mother came over carrying the teapot and personally poured a bowl for Lucian.
"Thank you, thank you." A smile immediately appeared on Lucian's face. "Auntie, you can just call me 'Little Lu' or call me by my name. I'm not much different in age from Suzuka."
He pointed at some visiting gifts placed on the floor. "Those are some fruits and drinks. I came in a hurry and didn't know what to bring, so I just bought a bit of everything."
"You child, you came, that's enough. No need to bring gifts." Mother had a very good impression of the polite Lucian.
"I didn't know the customs here, but back home, it's the proper thing to do."
"Little Lu." Mother accepted this form of address. "I need to thank you for training our family's Suzuka. You are her benefactor."
"Ha, haha... This is what I should do as a Trainer. We achieve each other mutually."
Lucian touched his nose. If Mother knew that he had already trained her all the way to the bed, he wondered what she would think.
Mother looked at Lucian appreciatively, finding him more and more pleasing the more she saw. "There aren't many Trainers as young and accomplished as you. I heard from Suzuka that you're from Dragon Country. Where in Dragon Country are you from?"
"From Kyoto in Dragon Country. Has Auntie been there before?"
"I've gone there for tourism before. Kyoto is a very prosperous place."
"Welcome Auntie to come play again sometime." After chatting for a while, the tension in Lucian's heart gradually faded. "Auntie, Suzuka told you about going to Dragon Country to play for a few days after the New Year, right?"
"Mm, of course that's fine. I agree."
"Auntie, don't worry. I'll arrange everything properly and take good care of Suzuka."
"You young people should go out and see more of the world. Suzuka is sometimes too quiet. Like during the previous New Year when she came home, she just lazed around at home reading books. At that time, I was afraid she would turn into a bookworm."
"Mom..."
"Yes, Suzuka is also very quiet at school and really likes reading books." Lucian agreed with a nod. His impression when he first met Silence Suzuka was exactly that.
As for later on, well, quiet was still okay, but she liked reading books even more, and she also liked putting the theories from the books into practice.
"Auntie, when Suzuka read books before, did she also spin in circles counterclockwise?"
"Yes." Mother nodded, slightly surprised that Lucian knew about it too. "When she was little and came across parts in books she didn't understand, she would get anxious. Once anxious, she would unconsciously start spinning in circles. After figuring it out, she couldn't even stand steadily and would wobble all over the place."
Mother recalled things from when she was little and covered her mouth as she chuckled softly.
But Silence Suzuka wasn't so happy about it.
How could she tell her black history right in front of her face...
"Mom, don't say any more..."
After she said that, she glared at Lucian, who could only purse his lips tightly.
Mother took this scene in and her gossipy eyes darted back and forth between the two of them.
"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore." Mother's corners of her mouth still carried a smile. "Little Lu, are you here to play this time? Will you stay and spend the New Year together?"
"Mm... Isn't it a bit too sudden?" Lucian felt very apologetic, but there were no hotels available to book now anyway.
"Not sudden at all. We have a guest room at home."
"Then I'll have to impose." Before he knew it, Lucian had drunk quite a few cups of tea. "Auntie, where is the bathroom?"
"Over there. Go ahead."
"Okay."
...
After Lucian left, Mother started talking with Silence Suzuka.
"Suzuka, Little Lu is a very outstanding person, isn't he?"
"Mm." Silence Suzuka nodded. "The Trainer really helped me a lot, including with the injury matter. Actually..."
Mother knew about the previous injury, but she didn't know that it was Lucian who had helped Silence Suzuka.
This was a good opportunity, so Silence Suzuka explained everything clearly.
"What? Suzuka, why didn't you tell me any of this?"
"Because I really recovered very quickly. I didn't want you to worry."
"You ah..." Silence Suzuka's mother sighed. "Little Lu really is your benefactor."
"Mm, he's also my benefactor."
"We need to thank him properly." Mother didn't just pay lip service to thanks, but this time she would definitely entertain Lucian well. "Right, has Little Lu gotten married?"
"Mm? No."
"Then what about a girlfriend? Does he have a girlfriend?"
"No, he doesn't..."
"Suzuka, your relationship with Little Lu looks very good. Have you had any thoughts about liking him?"
The straightforward words caused Silence Suzuka's mind to blue screen for a moment, and her face turned red as she said, "Mom, why are you suddenly asking about this kind of thing?"
"Suzuka-chan, there are some things school won't teach. But Mother thinks that for a child like Little Lu, there must be lots of girls around him..."
"Mm... That's true." Silence Suzuka felt both shy and happy—shy because it was the first time discussing romance with her mother, and happy because her mother seemed to have a very good impression of Lucian-kun.
"Suzuka, you should understand. Mother won't interfere. You young people's matters, grasp them yourselves."
"Mom, I know." On this point, there was no need for Mother to worry. Silence Suzuka could often grasp things firmly.
"Auntie." Lucian came out from the bathroom and sat back down on the sofa.
"It's getting late. I should start preparing dinner."
"Auntie, let me help. I can cook too."
"That won't do. How can we let a guest cook? Little Lu, you and Suzuka chat for a bit. I'll call you when dinner is ready."
Mother refused Lucian's kind offer, leaving Lucian unable to insist further, so he could only nod and say, "Alright then, sorry for the trouble, Auntie."
"Little Lu, no need to be so formal. Just treat it like your own home."
...