hotmtlnovel 107 taps
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Osaka Gardens is located on a small island in Jackson Park. Originally built as a gift from the Japanese government to Chicago for the 1893 World's Fair, it was originally named Phoenix Pavilion. Destroyed during World War II, it was restored several times and officially renamed Phoenix Gardens in 2013, but it is still commonly known as Osaka Gardens.
After crossing a stone bridge, we arrived at a small island in the middle of the lake. The island was beautifully landscaped, with narrow paths mostly wide enough for four people. A middle-aged man wearing a hat was mowing the lawn with a loud rumble, and Lu Mingfei quickly pulled Ling behind him to shield them from the flying leaves and branches as they walked around the gardener.
"Hey, kids," the gardener called to them as he turned off the lawnmower, "Are you going to visit the garden?"
"Yes," Lu Mingfei replied.
"We apologize, but we conduct plant pruning and facility maintenance every Monday, and we are not open to visitors on that day. Osaka Garden is open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Tuesday through Sunday."
"What a coincidence?" Lu Mingfei was stunned. No wonder he hadn't seen many people on the way here. It turned out he had been too naive and hadn't even checked the opening hours before coming here.
"Don't be discouraged, there are many fun things to do around here," the gardener asked. "Where are you from?"
"We are students from the University of Kassel, and we came here to visit during our holiday."
"Oh ho, it's that school that beats the University of Chicago in the sailing race every year!" said the gardener. "I really liked that Asian guy; he often brought his girlfriend here, but I think he's graduated by now?"
"He graduated. He was my senior, and he's the one who recommended us to come here."
"Oh, you brought your girlfriend on a date too. You can keep walking forward. Over there is the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, which has a German U-505 submarine inside. You can go in and visit it." The gardener couldn't help but look at Zero with amazement in his eyes.
Zero nodded to the gardener, quite pleased that the gardener had seen through her relationship with Lu Mingfei at a glance.
"Thank you." Lu Mingfei nodded, but he didn't intend to look at the submarine. He had lost interest in such large, enclosed weapons.
"Child, what did you study in college?" the gardener asked, looking at the two's unusually large height difference.
"...History Department." Lu Mingfei recalled for a while. He had been busy slaying dragons this academic year and didn't have to take exams, so he couldn't really remember his major for the time being.
"Studying history is good..." the uncle advised tactfully, "In addition to studying history, I suggest you also study law, so you can leave yourself a way out."
After saying goodbye to the enthusiastic gardener, Lu Mingfei sighed. "Law is really in high demand in America," he thought, "but what kind of law can I study in Kassel? The law of bloodlines? High-ranking bloodlines have power over lower-ranking bloodlines, and can freely have harems? That's absurd..."
"Going to the museum?" The two stopped at a fork in the road. Beyond the fork was a red ground and a red wooden wall, with a Japanese-style stone lantern standing outside. To the right was a wooden sign with descriptions in multiple languages. They had arrived at a Japanese garden. Just as the uncle had said, it was closed to tourists today.
"Do you still want to go in?" Zero asked, holding her hand.
"Well... we just don't want to go to that museum," Lu Mingfei said. "Let's go look at other places."
"Call Mai Shude," Zero said. "Tell her to handle this."
"Mai can handle this? Is she really the eldest daughter of the Shude family?" Lu Mingfei was stunned.
"She's a member of the Mint Club, and that membership grants access to all human needs. Just give them a call and they'll handle it."
What kind of weird stuff is this? Is the life of the rich really this simple and unpretentious? Has catering to the whims of the rich become an industry?
Lu Mingfei mentally grumbled as he took out his phone. Mai had called him when he hacked into Kassel, but he hadn't answered in the car and hadn't heard from her since. This time, he called back, and she answered immediately, "My benefactor, what are your orders?"
Before she could speak, Zero snatched the phone away. After listening for a while, she coldly said into the phone, "You don't need to take a shower. Call Mint Club and tell them to open the Osaka Garden in Chicago."
Taking a bath? Mai didn't know that it was Rei who had been listening, so it was Mai who told him she wanted to take a bath?
"What's it to you?"
What is Mai concerned about?
"You don't need to worry about it."
Ling hung up the phone and handed it back to Lu Mingfei, saying, "I'll ask Su Enxi to get you a Mint membership sometime, so you won't be bothered by that woman if something comes up unexpectedly."
"Uh, isn't that unnecessary? I think Mai is fine, she just likes to joke around," Lu Mingfei said.
"You like her?"
"No, no," Lu Mingfei quickly said, "What I mean is... don't make things so tense. You're a team, aren't you?"
"I have no problem with her as a person, but her views on love are dangerous," Zero said expressionlessly, revealing the shocking gossip. "She only knows how to use her dominant position to manipulate men's feelings."
"If she's with you, I'm worried she won't be able to change this bad habit," Zero continued, spouting outrageous statements. "But if you really like Mai Shutoku, I can keep an eye on her for you."
Ah... what are you saying, Zero!
Lu Mingfei wondered if he had misheard. He asked cautiously, "From what you're saying, you're worried that Jiu De Mai isn't a good girlfriend, rather than having a problem with me and Jiu De Mai?"
"Chen Motong is better than Jiu De Mai. At least she only has you in her heart, and her relationship with Caesar is just a nominal one." Ling shook her head and sighed. This was the first time Lu Mingfei had seen Ling sigh. She really only cared about how devoted Jiu De Mai was to her!
"Zero, don't you think what you just said was strange?" Lu Mingfei suspected that Zero had picked up some mixed knowledge, perhaps even incorporating that bloodline theory. "What are you thinking, talking about Jiu De Mai and Chen Motong all this time?"
"I've always thought you were strange." Zero looked up at Lu Mingfei's eyes, a hint of dissatisfaction and doubt in his expression.
"Am I... strange?" Lu Mingfei wondered. What kind of strangeness? There were so many strange things about him, like how his Word of Power wasn't actually Word of Power...
"Chen Motong has already handed you the choice, all she has to do is nod," Ling said, frowning. "But you can't let her go, yet you're hiding in a corner like a saint."
"I didn't..." Lu Mingfei subconsciously tried to defend himself.
"If you like her, go tell her; if you don't, draw a clear line." Zero's voice was calm, but Lu Mingfei sensed the undercurrent beneath the calm surface. She had actually lost her temper!
"Yes, I'm sorry..." Lu Mingfei quickly admitted his mistake. At this moment, Ling was practically possessed by Qiao Weini. He remembered when he was a child, he was naughty and made a girl cry. Qiao Weini would take a spatula and spank him with disappointment. Now his buttocks were throbbing again.
"Why are you apologizing to me?" Zero interrupted him coldly. "I just can't stand seeing you debase yourself for another woman."
One sentence struck Lu Mingfei. He lowered his head, looked at Zero, and stared blankly, unable to utter a word.
There was a moment of silence between them, then Zero took his hand and said, "Let's go."
Staff members filed out and lined up on both sides to welcome them; today, Osaka Garden was open only for these two people.