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How did these two people with seemingly completely opposite personalities get to know each other in the first place and then get together?
Of course, Vermouth didn't know at this time that her doubts would soon be answered by Keiko Hatoyama.
"All right."
While the three of them were chatting, Keiko Hatoyama quickly finished painting the portraits of the two of them.
Although it was a casual chat among the three of them, it was actually Keiko Hatoyama and Vermouth who were doing most of the talking, while Shirakawa Kiyoshi just sat silently by the side, listening to their conversation.
He would only speak a word or two when Keiko Hatoyama asked him.
It's one or two sentences, not one or two words.
Although the tone is still that calm and peaceful, it can indeed be measured in "sentences".
This once again proves what Vermouth had guessed before.
Bai Heqing's heart is not really as cold and unkind as he appears.
He is probably just the kind of person with very high psychological defenses.
"Look."
After taking down the drawing paper, Keiko Hatoyama stood up and showed it to the two people on the bench with a smile.
"Eh?"
Looking at the drawing paper in her hand, Vermouth was stunned for a moment.
Because Keiko Hatoyama only drew one.
On both sides of the bench on the drawing paper are Shirakawa Kiyoshi with a cold expression and Vermouth with a nervous look.
[Why, you want to draw me and him together, will this...]
Looking at the drawing paper, Vermouth suddenly became a little uneasy.
"It looks very good. Your painting skills have improved again." At this time, Bai Heqing beside her replied.
"Humph, that's natural. Don't you see who I am..."
Keiko Hatoyama seemed to be very pleased with Shirakawa Kiyoshi's praise. She suddenly started to show off and turned to look at Vermouth beside her.
"Kuromaru, what do you think?"
"I, I think..."
Feeling awkward, Vermouth subconsciously looked into Keiko Hatoyama's eyes.
Like Shirakawa Kiyoshi, Hatoyama Keiko also has a pair of beautiful eyes. This beauty does not refer to how unique her eyes are, but to the tenderness and purity deep in her eyes.
"Yeah! Very nice!"
Feeling ashamed of her previous thoughts, Vermouth blushed and nodded vigorously at Keiko Hatoyama.
"Really? Although you all said it was good, I clearly felt that there were still many details that were not drawn well..."
However, after listening to the two people's answers, Hatoyama Keiko frowned, looked down at the drawing paper in her hand again, and spoke in a conflicted tone.
"Sister Keiko! If I have to be serious, there are indeed some!" With her cheeks still flushed, Vermouth mustered up the courage to speak loudly.
"Huh? Where where?"
"It's about this wooden man!"
Vermouth stood up and walked quickly forward, pointing at Baikawa Qing on the drawing paper and shouting, her heart pounding at this moment.
At this moment, she completely let go of all her previous worries, and she finally knew how to get along with the two people in front of her.
There is no need for unnecessary politeness, unnecessary skills, or unnecessary concerns and speculations.
Just like the painting in front of her, just because Vermouth appeared and sat on the bench, Keiko Hatoyama painted it as well. She didn't have any extra thoughts at all.
They are both extremely pure people.
"Blockhead?"
Hearing Vermouth's name, Hatoyama Keiko was obviously stunned for a moment. She first looked at Vermouth, whose face had turned red, and then looked at Shirakawa Kiyoshi sitting on the bench, and suddenly couldn't help laughing.
"Xiaoqing, Xiao Wuwan said you are a wooden man! Hahahaha!" Keiko Hatoyama held the easel and laughed happily.
"That's how it is..."
After being pointed out so directly by Hatoyama Keiko, Vermouth felt a little embarrassed. She muttered to herself while secretly glancing at Shirakawa Kiyoshi.
Indifferent man!
I've been wanting to complain about you like this for a long time!
On the bench, Shirakawa Kiyoshi was not angry. He quietly looked at Keiko Hatoyama who was laughing non-stop. For the first time, Vermouth saw a smiling expression on her originally calm and indifferent face.
After noticing Vermouth's gaze, he turned his head and looked over again.
【Thanks. 】
Although Shirakawa Qing did not say it directly, Vermouth saw what he wanted to express from his eyes.
【Humph. 】
Vermouth raised her head.
Later, Vermouth always believed that this was the beginning of her and Shirakawa Kiyoshi's acquaintance with each other.
From then on, "wooden man" became her specific name for Shirakawa Qing.
As for this special painting, it has always been well preserved by Keiko Hatoyama.
Until thirty years ago...
In other words, it was not until seven years after their present time that it came into Vermouth's hands and she has kept it until now.
Chapter 367 Bai Heqing's Concession
"Sharon, you're distracted."
In the dim little bar, Shirakawa Kiyoshi's voice brought back Vermouth's consciousness which had returned to the distant past.
She suddenly came back to her senses. At this moment, Bai Heqing was still sitting behind the bar, supporting his chin with one hand, looking at the empty wine glass in his hand.
"It's rare that you would be distracted for so long in front of me?"
He had the same smile as always on his face, but there was a hint of surprise in his tone.
In fact, it is not really "the same as always", at least it was not the case for Shirakawa Kiyoshi when he was young...
"Nothing, I just thought about some things in the past..." Vermouth replied casually in a nonchalant tone.
Bai Heqing's hand, which was shaking the wine glass, suddenly stopped.
She felt very clearly that when she said this, a bone-chilling chill emanated from his entire body, although it only lasted for a moment.
It was as if something hidden deep inside him had been touched.
"I won't back down on Shirley's matter."
However, Shirakawa Qing had no intention of continuing the topic. His aura, which had suddenly changed, instantly recovered and he calmly ignored Vermouth's words.
Having said that, perhaps it was because her words had some special effect, but there was still some subtle change in Shirakawa Qing's tone.
Although his words still sounded very tough, there was a hint of looseness.
Vermouth didn't say anything else. She took a sip of the red wine in the glass, then stood up and turned to leave the bar.
She knew very well that Bai Heqing had already made concessions.
The two have known each other for decades since their first meeting and are very familiar with each other's habits.
He first asked Ajing to reveal the news of finding Shirley to her, and induced her to come to him on her own initiative. Vermouth had no doubt that this was a "trap".
According to Baihe Qing's original plan, after she came over, she would probably no longer have any "personal freedom" during the period before he actually caught Shirley.
She was already aware of this before she came.
But she came anyway.
Because in Vermouth's opinion, this is not a truly unsolvable situation.
And she succeeded.
Perhaps it was the "things in the past" that she said inadvertently that awakened his memory of the figure who had left them for a long time, causing Baihe Qing to finally give in and let her leave the bar.
At least for some time in the future, Vermouth no longer has to worry about being locked up in a small dark room by Shirakawa Qing.
During the time when the organization was capturing Shirley, Shirakawa Qing allowed her to move freely in any way... For Shirakawa Qing, this was already a huge concession, and even surprised Vermouth.
Was it because he was confident that she would not interfere with his plans? Or was there some other reason?
Vermouth couldn't understand.
Although she thought she knew Shirakawa Kiyoshi's character very well, the last time they met in person was ten years ago, before Shirakawa Kiyoshi returned to Japan.
She had no idea how much he had changed in the past ten years...
In the bar, just as Vermouth left, Shirakawa Qing suddenly fell on the bar counter, his whole body trembling slightly, with cold sweat on his forehead.
Time passed in silence minute by minute. After a long time, he loosened his fingertips that had turned pale, sat up again, and let out a long sigh.
"Ok?"
Returning to his usual smiling self, Bai Heqing suddenly noticed that there seemed to be an incoming letter on his mobile phone.
"See you tomorrow then! Ms. Miyano!"
On the other side, in the new parent-child amusement park opened by the Suzuki Group, Akemi Miyano, who had finished an interview with Beika TV and completed her shift for the day, came to the employee locker room and changed out of her bulky brown bear doll costume.
"Well, see you tomorrow."
Using a towel to wipe the sweat off her body caused by the doll costume, Miyano Akemi smiled and nodded at the two female colleagues who were also in the locker room.
"Also, I also watched the interview this afternoon. Mingmei, you performed very well! Super amazing!" said a colleague with a smile while changing into his employee uniform.
"No way, please stop flattering me..." Miyano Akemi was a little shy and replied in a low voice embarrassedly.
"Really! Mingmei, your aura is just as strong as that of the host next to you. We all think you are amazing! Calm and generous! Maybe after a while, we will all call you Manager Mingmei!"
"You just know how to tease me...Okay, I won't talk to you anymore. I'm going back first. See you tomorrow."