Tokyo: The story begins with a confession.

Page 17

He had no idea how many girls were circling around him, and knowing Kasumigaoka Utaha's wicked nature, she didn't think much of her.

Maybe I should help?

Machida Sonoko inwardly scoffed at herself, wondering how someone who had been single for thirty years could still have the time to worry about others. Shaking her head, she looked at Uesugi Kenichi, her eyebrows suddenly twitching with undisguised surprise.

"What the hell? You were just holding a piece of wood, how did it turn into a dragon? This is so illogical!"

She couldn't help but complain as she looked at the lifelike dragon in Uesugi Kenichi's hand, coiled around the rocks as if it were about to take flight.

"Did you carve this yourself?" Machida Sonoko realized she was being silly as soon as she asked the question. The other person had carved it perfectly right next to her, and she was asking that question. Wasn't that just being idiotic?

Sure enough, she saw that Uesugi Kenichi was looking at her with the kind of look that suggested she was mentally challenged.

“What I mean is that your sculpting skills are amazing; it’s hard to imagine that this is the work of someone your age,” Machida Sonoko quickly added.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Uesugi Kenichi withdrew his gaze and continued working on the wooden carving in his hands. He examined it carefully and was quite satisfied with the dragon in front of him, but he still felt that something was missing.

He stroked his chin and thought for a moment, then ground down the excess root he was going to cut off on the other side, and slowly sculpted the top part into a cloud.

As the final cut was completed, a smile gradually appeared on Uesugi Kenichi's face. Sure enough, with the addition of this cloud, the overall artistic conception became even more prominent. It was not only reflected in the exquisite carving, but the layout was also amazing. This feeling was wonderful, and his soul seemed to be sublimated along with the carving process.

It was as if a life was being born in his hands, especially those last few cuts; if he had made a single mistake, the entire work could have been completely destroyed.

"Sculpting level upgraded to LV10".

The sudden sound of the system notification startled him slightly. After his carving level was raised to LV10, he became more and more adept at various carving techniques. He quietly savored this feeling, as if these things had always been in his mind and were being recalled little by little.

With his LV10 carving skills, the works he creates are not far from being masterpieces, but if he wants to carve even better works, he can't do it with just the simple tools he has.

His recent carvings have all been done using the three-dimensional round carving technique, purely by hand, without the aid of any mechanized equipment. This places strict requirements on the sculptor's skills, requiring a solid foundation and good spatial composition ability.

Kenichi Uesugi had some regrets. For example, although he could also do micro-carving, he needed to use other tools to assist him, and stone would be a better material.

It's important to know that carving isn't limited to just wood carving; it also includes ivory carving, jade carving, stone carving, and more. However, wood carving is the most well-known, mainly because it benefits from the availability of wood, which is readily available and requires relatively simple tools.

Uesugi Kenichi gave a wry smile. Although he had earned more than a million yen in just one morning, that amount wouldn't even amount to a ripple if he tried to buy good materials.

However, necessary sacrifices are indispensable. He is not that short-sighted. If he really wants to make a lot of money through carving, first of all, he must have a great reputation, and secondly, he must use good materials. Of course, he can also choose to carve for others, but if he has no reputation or good works, why would others entrust him with such expensive materials?

After carefully experiencing these insights for a while, he opened his eyes and stroked the wooden dragon that was coiled among the rocks and hidden among the clouds. He liked it more and more as he looked at it, but it was a bit small and lacked a bit of grandeur. He would definitely try carving a larger piece when he had the chance in the future.

Kenichi Uesugi turned around and found Sonoko Machida staring intently at him, making him feel a little uneasy. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Machida Sonoko did not reply. Her gaze, which had been fixed on Uesugi Kenichi, slowly shifted from him to the wooden carving in his hand. A storm raged within her. If she had previously had some doubts about whether the wooden carving was actually made by Uesugi Kenichi, now she not only had no doubts but also wanted to worship him.

Under her watchful gaze, Uesugi Kenichi used the carving knife in his hand to sculpt the already lifelike dragon even more vividly.

Even just watching from the sidelines, you can feel how extraordinary this skill is. Most people wouldn't reach this level without ten or twenty years of hard practice.

Chapter Forty: IQ Suppression

She looked closely at Uesugi Kenichi's handsome yet excessively young face and asked, "Are you really only 16 years old?"

Uesugi Kenichi: "..."

"Could you please let me take a look at the wood carving, Uesugi-san?" Machida Sonoko's attitude towards Uesugi Kenichi had subtly changed again; anyone with talent deserved respect.

"Here you go." Uesugi Kenichi handed over the wooden carving, then looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha and asked, "Is this autograph session still going?"

"Oh, let me see, it'll be over soon, less than half an hour left."

“Well, being a writer is quite tough.” Uesugi Kenichi sighed. He noticed that Kasumigaoka Utaha’s face was already a little stiff from smiling, and her wrists were trembling slightly. But even so, she still treated everyone with the most sincere smile.

“Yes, Shi-chan really works hard.” Machida Sonoko looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha as well, her gaze softening.

"However, these efforts are only natural. Since she chose the path of becoming a writer, being loved by so many readers is already the greatest reward. Moreover, there are countless authors who cannot even get published. Compared to them, Shi Jiang is already very lucky."

Machida Sonoko knew very well that sometimes good works could not necessarily be loved by the market. She had seen too many excellent works die before they could even make it to the top. In comparison, Kasumigaoka Utaha was already very lucky to have achieved success with her first work, and there was no need for her to complain about the hardships.

“That’s true. You have to think about what you should be responsible for before you make a choice. Then you won’t complain even if you encounter a lot of suffering. Of course, you can also choose to give up.” Uesugi Kenji nodded.

The two chatted for a while longer.

Machida Sonoko was amazed by Uesugi Kenichi countless times. Talking to him was not like talking to a high school student at all. She felt as if she was facing a peer who was frighteningly mature.

She observed for a long time and found that Uesugi Kenichi was a rare young man. He was exceptionally handsome and hadn't shown much impatience despite being made to stay here for so long for no reason. After finishing the carving, he sat there upright with a straight posture, giving people a sense of sharpness.

Moreover, he possesses such wood carving skills; with just this skill alone, this kid will definitely be set for life.

Why didn't I meet such a high-quality handsome guy when I was young? Otherwise, I would have been shameless and done it first, even if it meant forcing him into marriage, I would have tied him up.

She sighed inwardly. "Shi-chan, you really know how to pick people. Either you don't choose at all, or you choose someone who's so difficult. Maybe we should practice on a few easy opponents first?"

Meanwhile, Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was still signing autographs, also felt somewhat dazed. If she hadn't been rational, the signing event probably wouldn't have been able to continue.

This is like something out of a novel! Nobody ever told me I could meet such a good-looking guy at an offline meetup with online friends.

She would steal glances at Uesugi Kenichi sitting next to her from time to time, still feeling that something was amiss. She never considered herself a looks-obsessed person. Among the boys who had pursued her in the past, there were quite a few who were good-looking, tall, rich, and handsome, but she couldn't even accept being just friends with these people, let alone being moved by them.

This was the first time she had ever felt a flutter in her heart when she recognized a guy's good looks.

It was precisely because it was so sudden and she wasn't prepared at all that she lost her composure slightly.

It's like finding a box that you thought was full of iron, but when you open it, it's full of gold and jewels. This kind of unexpected discovery brings great joy.

When Uesugi Kenichi was about to leave, she felt like she had discovered a treasure chest that had grown legs and was about to run away, which is why she subconsciously wanted him to stay.

After the last person finished signing autographs, Kasumigaoka Utaha finally breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back in her chair. She opened the box that Uesugi Kenichi had handed her earlier, and a lifelike Pikachu making a peace sign appeared before her eyes.

"So cute!" Kasumigaoka Utaha was pleasantly surprised. This Pikachu was not the one she had seen before, but it was even cuter, and its color and appearance were superior.

She picked up Pikachu, which was about the size of her palm. There was a surfboard attached to the base of Pikachu. She played with it for a while and suddenly noticed that the eyes of the Pikachu in her hand moved. She was so frightened that she almost dropped the Pikachu in her hand.

She calmed herself down and realized that it wasn't an illusion; Pikachu's eyes really could move!

This only happens when you shake it gently, a discovery that surprised her greatly.

"This, this can actually move?!" Kasumigaoka Utaha asked, both surprised and delighted, as she ran to Uesugi Kenichi's side.

"Where? Let me see." Machida Sonoko took the Pikachu from Kasumigaoka Utaha's hand with a look of surprise and examined it. "It really moves! How did you do that?"

Uesugi Kenichi's lips curled up slightly. Seeing their surprise, he couldn't help but feel a little smug. To make up for the help that Kasumigaoka Utaha had given him these past few days, and also because he had stood her up halfway today, he had put a lot of effort into carving the Pikachu in her hand.

He used some rudimentary micro-sculpting techniques to make some changes to the area behind the eyes, allowing that area to move and creating the illusion of eye movement when subjected to certain forces.

It looks impressive, but it's actually just average. It's not a difficult thing to do and can only fool uninformed outsiders.

The results look great now.

"It's nothing, just some carving techniques. You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you."

Kasumigaoka Shiyu: "..."

Machida Enzi: "..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha's brow twitched a few times, feeling for the first time the suppression of her intelligence.

She instinctively wanted to say something sarcastic, but for a moment she didn't know how to say it, so she could only sulk silently.

Chapter 41 Getting to Know Each Other Again (Seeking Flowers)

"Give it back to me. Don't you even know your age? You still like these little girls' things." Kasumigaoka Utaha saw her editor admiring her Pikachu and snatched it away as if she wanted to keep it for herself.

Machida Sonoko looked at her innocent face. Was she taking her anger out on her? It's okay, you can take one, I have an even better one here.

"Can you sell me this wood carving?" Machida Sonoko asked, looking at Uesugi Kenichi with a hopeful expression.

"No."

"Eh?!"

"You can give Shi-chan one, but I can't even buy one for myself. Although I'm not as beautiful and popular as before, your preferential treatment is too obvious!"

"This really won't do. Next time, I'll carve another one. I want to keep this one for myself." After all, it's a work that's been upgraded to LV10, and Uesugi Kenichi wanted to keep it as a memento.

"Oh, okay then. How about you carve me? Don't worry, I can pay for it. How about 20 yen? That seems a bit low. How about 30 yen? That's all I have." Machida Sonoko said excitedly, the thought of having her image carved into a wooden sculpture was incredibly exciting.

Stare~

A piercing gaze fell upon her. Machida Sonoko gave a wry smile at Kasumigaoka Utaha's murderous look. She glanced at Kasumigaoka Utaha, then at Uesugi Kenichi, and realized it was time for her to leave.

"I have something to take care of back home, so I'll be going now. Don't forget my wood carving."

After Machida Sonoko left, Kasumigaoka Utaha blushed slightly and looked at Uesugi Kenichi, saying, "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."

"Not long, just over two hours," Uesugi Kenji said after checking the time.

"Shouldn't a guy have more gentlemanly manners?"

"Gentlemanly conduct? What's that?"

"That's interesting," Kasumigaoka Utaha thought, listening to Uesugi Kenichi's answer. "Even if Japanese men look down on women, they'll still act all polite in public."

She looked at Uesugi Ken's dark eyes, which were fixed on her, and smiled lightly, "Let's get to know each other again. My name is Kasumigaoka Utaha, and I'm currently a second-year student at Toyonoki Private High School. It's nice to meet you, and I hope you'll take care of me." With that, she gave a half-bow.

As Uesugi Kenichi looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha's smiling face, his hand trembled slightly, a mixture of surprise and something else in his expression.

"Hello, my name is Uesugi Kenichi, a first-year student at the private Yamato Academy. Nice to meet you," Uesugi Kenichi said in return.

"Oh, so you're only a first-year student? Does that mean you'll have to call me senpai?" Kasumigaoka Utaha said with some surprise.

She knew about Yamato Private Academy, which wasn't far from Toyonoki Academy. She seemed to have heard people at school say that there was a super handsome guy at Yamato Academy this year, but she just scoffed at it and didn't pay any attention. Now it seemed that this person must be Uesugi Kenichi.

"Whatever you say, Kasumigaoka-senpai," Uesugi Kenichi said nonchalantly. He didn't feel awkward at all; when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since he was here, he had to follow the rules.

"Alright, now you can tell me what you wanted to keep me here for?" He checked the time; it was already 5 o'clock. Watanabe Futa and the others had called him during that time to ask if something had happened.

"Uh, this..." Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't know why she kept Uesugi Kenichi with her. At the time, she had a strong feeling that she didn't want him to leave like that. Responding to that feeling, even if it was a bit of a tantrum, she still kept Uesugi Kenichi with her. But now she really didn't know what to do.

At this moment, she felt a little resentful of herself. How come she, who was usually so sharp-tongued, couldn't even come up with a reason now?

"Because Uesugi-kun specially came over to give me this wood carving, it wouldn't be proper for a lady not to give me a return gift."

"No need for thanks, after all you've helped me a lot. Consider this a token of my gratitude. It's getting late, and I have some friends waiting for me."

"No, this wood carving is far too valuable. If I had known it was like this before, I definitely wouldn't have wanted it." Kasumigaoka Utaha wasn't lying. When she looked at it on her phone before, she couldn't tell anything and thought it was just an ordinary handicraft. But now it's clear that it's not like that. If she had to measure this wood carving in monetary terms, she thinks it's worth at least 200,000 yen.

But for some reason, she didn't want to talk about money with Uesugi Kenichi.

"How about this, I'll treat you to dinner tonight, you can eat whatever you want." Kasumigaoka Utaha said, licking her lips, showing signs of reverting to her Lich King persona.

"Really, no need. I have friends waiting for me," Uesugi Kenichi said with a hint of helplessness.

"It's alright, Uesugi-kun, you can bring your friends. It's on me, please. Otherwise, I won't even dare to take this wood carving." After Kasumigaoka Utaha finished speaking, she deliberately put on a pitiful look, like an abandoned puppy, and her red eyes shone with a captivating color.