Fifty-Nine: Sakurako’s Troubles

“Uncle! Sato Emon makes a valid point. From what I know about Weihua, he’s someone with strong opinions—once he makes up his mind, it’s hard to change. If we use any underhanded means to push Sakura toward him, I fear Weihua will develop a negative impression of our Kinoshita family, which could affect our cooperation. Instead, why don’t we first find out what Sakura thinks? If Sakura likes Weihua, we can gradually encourage their union. If she does not, then let’s abandon this plan.” Kinoshita Nosuke suggested.

“That makes sense! You’re both right. Call Sakura and ask her to come home for dinner tonight. We can ask her how she feels about Weihua then. Right now, she’s the only one in the family whose age matches Weihua’s. If Sakura truly likes him, we can intervene a little—if Weihua finds out, he can’t really protest. ‘A girl’s heart is always dreamy,’ after all. If Sakura likes him, as her father, I should do something for her, shouldn’t I?” Kinoshita Heiji made the decision.

Kinoshita Sakura was already twenty-one years old, yet remained innocent regarding matters of the heart. When her father asked if she liked Weihua, his image suddenly became vivid in her mind, and her heart beat wildly at the thought of him. Observing Sakura’s reaction, Kinoshita Nosuke turned to Kinoshita Heiji and said,

“Uncle, there’s no need to ask further! Sakura definitely likes Weihua—you can tell just by looking at her!”

“Excellent! Very good! Sakura, since you like Weihua, strive for your own happiness. Your siblings and I will help you. We all wish for Weihua to become the son-in-law of the Kinoshita family.” Kinoshita Heiji was delighted that Sakura liked Weihua.

Ever since Sakura realized her feelings for Weihua, her heart became restless. Whenever she saw him at the company, she was flustered, her face flushed, and she broke out in a sweat. Whenever Weihua spoke to her, she became even more confused, her words stumbling, and sometimes she could not speak at all. Before long, Weihua, along with Kathleen, Jessie, and Mary, noticed Sakura’s odd behavior. Weihua, experienced in two lifetimes, quickly observed and understood—Sakura had fallen for him. Yet Weihua did not dislike Sakura; on the contrary, she was a pure-hearted girl, fond of martial arts, skilled in the tea ceremony, gentle in temperament. Such a girl was unlikely to be disliked by anyone.

Sakura disliked her awkwardness in Weihua’s presence, but could not control herself. She confided her worries to her elder sister, Kinoshita Lily. Lily, twenty-six, already engaged and soon to be married, listened to Sakura’s troubles and said,

“My poor sister! I think you should blame our father for this. You’ve liked Weihua for a long time, but you didn’t realize it. You’ve always been close to him, so your interactions felt natural. But now, things have changed. Father’s reminder made you aware of your feelings, but you’re unsure whether Weihua likes you—after all, he has other women, right?” Sakura nodded.

“The solution is simple: just ask Weihua if he likes you. No matter his answer, once you know, you won’t be so flustered around him anymore. As for the outcome, I can’t predict. If he likes you, you’ll be happy. If he doesn’t, you’ll be heartbroken. Do you really want to know whether Weihua likes you?” Lily asked.

“I don’t know,” Sakura replied in confusion. “I don’t want to ask Weihua if he likes me, but I do want him to like me. What should I do?”

“That’s easy! Take the initiative and pursue him. What era are we living in? Men and women are equals now; women have the right to pursue their own happiness. Look at Kathleen, Jessie, and Mary—they are perfect examples.”

“I know what to do now, sister!” Sakura said, suddenly enlightened.

In the investment company, Sakura was a unique presence. Her official position was Weihua’s secretary, but she had never actually performed secretarial duties. She would shuttle between the offices of Kathleen, Jessie, Mary, and Weihua, go shopping, chat with staff, and never take care of any business. Yet after her conversation with Lily, Sakura began to take her secretarial role seriously: she stayed by Weihua’s side every day, organized files, brewed tea, served water, each task executed with care.

With Sakura becoming diligent, Kathleen, Jessie, and Mary grew dissatisfied. Previously, they could simply push open Weihua’s office door to see him, and even affectionately interact with him inside without concern. Now, however, seeing Weihua required Sakura’s approval, and any intimacy in the office risked being interrupted by Sakura barging in. Within days, the three women were furious and confronted Weihua:

“Weihua! What’s with Sakura Kinoshita? Does she think you’re her private property? Why do we need her permission to see you?”

“She’s the secretary you arranged for me. Isn’t it reasonable for her to manage my schedule? Besides, Sakura is just doing her job. Don’t be angry. I’m sure you’ve noticed—Sakura has started to like me. But what am I to do? Should I tell her I don’t like her? That would jeopardize our cooperation with the Kinoshita family. So let’s let things develop naturally. Maybe one day Sakura will understand.”

“We don’t allow you to like Sakura! You belong to the three of us!” the women declared their claim over Weihua.

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