My Girlfriend is an Evil Woman

Fukuzawa Naotaka had a square face with thick eyebrows, a wax-yellow complexion, and was dressed in a fine blue Wafuku. He had a warm temperament, but there was also a hint of sharpness mixed in. Occasionally, he would cough, seeming quite frail, which made him appear slightly out of sync in every aspect. Among the Japanese, he was considered tall, but he was also quite thin, resembling a skeleton. Moreover, as he lowered his head, a few strands of his hair were surprisingly turning white—judging by Fukuzawa Fuyumi’s age, he shouldn’t be more than fifty years old, but he gave off a sense of decrepitude.

But even if he were only forty years old, he would still be twice Kitahara Hideji’s age. Kitahara Hideji wasn’t used to being directly bowed to and apologized by an elder, so he could only slightly step aside and politely say, “Actually, it’s not a big deal, Fukuzawa-san, there’s no need for you to apologize like this.”

Fukuzawa Naotaka sighed, realizing that he hadn’t suffered much from this encounter. In fact, he had already taken his daughter’s side in a fight, so he also owed her an apology. He courteously replied, “The misunderstanding has been cleared up, Fukuzawa-san. I’m ready to take my leave now.” He then looked at Haruna, and his work permit was still in her hands. “Miss Fukuzawa, could you return the documents to me, please?”

Fukuzawa Haruna remained silent, rummaging through her school uniform pockets. Meanwhile, Fukuzawa Naotaka straightened his back and coughed lightly twice before politely asking, “Thank you for your understanding, but… Kitahara-kun, are you looking for a job?”

Kitahara Hideji quite liked this middle-aged man. After all, he was a reasonable person who didn’t blindly protect his daughter. He could differentiate right from wrong, which was quite uncommon and much better than the typical parents who only spoiled their unruly children. He replied politely, “Yes, Fukuzawa-san.”

After pondering for a moment, Fukuzawa Naotaka suggested, “How about working at our Junmi-ya? What do you think?”

Just as Kitahara Hideji was about to decline, Fukuzawa Fuyumi suddenly exclaimed, “No! He can’t stay here! He’s my lifelong enemy. If he’s here, I won’t be here. If I’m here, he won’t be here!”

Fukuzawa Naotaka scolded Fuyumi in anger, “Eldest daughter, don’t be rude!”

Although Fukuzawa Fuyumi’s aura weakened a bit, she quickly shouted again, “Our family wasn’t planning to hire anyone. Why should we hire him?”

“I was already planning to hire someone. I just informed the employment agency about it,” Fukuzawa Naotaka explained calmly.

“It’s not like our business is thriving, so why add another salary? What are you thinking? I don’t agree!”

Fukuzawa Naotaka patiently explained, “Business may not be great, but it’s not that bad either. I just noticed how exhausted you all are, and I thought it would be beneficial for you to take turns resting. That’s why I considered hiring someone. You should think not only about yourself but also your younger sisters. Do you want them to have no rest and be tied to the shop all day?”

Fukuzawa Fuyumi hesitated for a moment and then snapped, “Even if we need to hire someone, it can’t be him!”

She was truly feeling agitated. Who knew how much suffering she had endured? Being publicly humiliated in front of almost a hundred people wasn’t something she could bear. It wasn’t like the time in kindergarten; this could easily become a lifelong embarrassment!

Kitahara Hideji shook his head lightly on the side. He hadn’t planned on staying here in the first place. Wasn’t that just asking for trouble? He interjected, “Fukuzawa-san, I appreciate your kindness, but I’m not planning to work here.” He wasn’t foolish enough to work in an environment surrounded by Fukuzawa Family members with whom relations were tense. It would undoubtedly be awkward.

Fukuzawa Naotaka sighed, “This girl can be a bit unruly. I apologize for that, Kitahara-kun.” He took the work permit and glanced at it before asking softly, “Kitahara-kun, you’re not from Nagoya, right?”

“Huh? No, I came here from… from Tottori Prefecture.”

“You haven’t had any work experience before, have you?”

“No… I don’t think so.”

Fukuzawa Naotaka smiled, “Finding your first job is not easy. Usually, shop owners prefer to hire people they know well or those with experience, preferably recommended by someone they trust.”

Kitahara Hideji remained silent for a moment, understanding what he meant. However, when he saw Fukuzawa Fuyumi’s angry face, he politely declined, “Thank you for the advice, Fukuzawa-san, but there’s something between me and your daughter… So, I can’t work here.” He was quite thoughtful, realizing that Fukuzawa Naotaka might be misunderstanding something, so he added, “I won’t bring up the laxative incident to anyone else. Please don’t worry about it.”

The catering industry might be particularly sensitive about such matters. If rumors spread that their tea contained laxatives, customers would be hesitant to visit. Fukuzawa’s daughters might be unreasonable, but their father seemed understanding, so he decided to let the matter rest. After all, it wasn’t an irreconcilable conflict that involved principles or boundaries; there was no need to burn bridges and make lifelong enemies.

Fukuzawa Naotaka felt relieved when he heard that Kitahara wouldn’t mention the laxative incident to others. Still, he noticed Kitahara’s persistent refusal. After contemplating for a moment, he tried a different approach, saying, “How about this? Kitahara-kun, work here for a while to gain experience. After a week or two, I’ll write you an employer recommendation letter to help you find another job. Once you secure one, you can leave anytime you want… How does that sound? I admit I’m not a good father, so please accept this small compensation from me.”

Then, he turned to Fuyumi and added, “Daughter, you don’t need to oppose this any longer. You’ve always been narrow-minded and revengeful since you were young. This temper of yours will only lead to major setbacks in the future. Being a decent person means understanding principles and being tolerant towards others. Have you forgotten your mother’s teachings?”

Fuyumi’s chest heaved rapidly, and after holding back for a moment, she angrily yelled, “Do as you please!” With that, she turned around and rushed towards the hallway, disappearing behind the curtains.

Kitahara Hideji watched Fuyumi flee and then turned back to find Fukuzawa Naotaka already taking out a seal and stamping it on his work permit. He even had a pen ready to fill in Kitahara’s name. He couldn’t help but be speechless—did this man really insist on keeping him here? Wasn’t it enough that he had already fought with his daughter?

Fukuzawa Naotaka completed the work permit and handed it to Kitahara Hideji, smiling as he asked, “850 yen per hour, including one meal. You can choose how many days you work per week. How does that sound?”

Kitahara Hideji had inquired about the market rate from the student council. The economy in the central region wasn’t as prosperous as the Kanto area, so the hourly wage was slightly lower, averaging around 900 yen. At 850 yen, it seemed a little less, but considering the meal provided, it was still reasonable. He hesitated for a moment—he didn’t want to be under the same roof as the stubborn Fuyumi, but her father, Fukuzawa, kept lowering his posture to invite him with additional benefits. If he worked here for a few days, he would gain experience, making it easier to find a better job elsewhere.

Fukuzawa Naotaka handed him the work permit, smiling, “Kitahara-kun, to be honest, I have a personal reason too… I’ve noticed that you are mature and responsible in your actions and speech. I hope you can take care of my two unruly daughters, Fuyumi—she has a bad temper—and Yukari, she’s a bit naive. I always worry about her. So, I’m entrusting this to you!”

Kitahara Hideji looked at the middle-aged man who slightly lowered his head and thought for a moment before finally accepting the work permit. He replied politely, “I appreciate your trust, Fukuzawa-san. I’ll work hard.”

Fine, he decided to stay here for the time being while keeping his eyes open for better opportunities. If that little troublemaker, Fuyumi, continued causing problems, he could easily leave without any regrets. At worst, he would lose a few evenings. After all, Fukuzawa Naotaka seemed like a decent person in the end. Besides, he wasn’t even afraid of Fuyumi’s schemes. Would she really go as far as to harm someone over a petty disagreement?

“So, Kitahara-kun, can you start working today?” Fukuzawa Naotaka inquired.

“No problem. I don’t have any experience working in an izakaya, so please give me some guidance,” Kitahara Hideji replied.

Fukuzawa Naotaka patted him on the shoulder with a surprisingly strong hand and smiled, “It’s quite simple. Let Haruna show you the ropes, and you’ll be ready in three days.” He then turned to Haruna and said, “Haruna, take Kitahara-kun to change clothes and show him the ropes.”

“Understood!” Haruna calmly responded and gestured for Kitahara Hideji to follow her.

Kitahara Hideji glanced at her. Just a little while ago, they were wielding sticks and fighting, but now, she appeared serene, almost like an illusion—either she had a big heart or remarkable self-control. She was certainly different from her sister, Fuyumi, who had a short temper like a radish.

He followed Haruna, ready to embark on his first journey into the world of working at an izakaya.

After he left, Yukari scratched her head and asked, “Dad, why did you still keep him here when sister opposed so strongly?” Her innocent face showed confusion, and suddenly a chilling thought crossed her mind, “Wait, Dad, did you hear that he defeated sister and admire him, wanting to marry him off to her?”

Is he planning to marry me off? Did I really eat too much?

Fukuzawa Naotaka turned to look at his second daughter, trying to say something but finding himself speechless. Finally, he burst into laughter, “Second daughter, don’t talk nonsense! I just want to test your sister’s temper… Oh well, there’s no reasoning with you. Go and do your own thing!”

“Oh, okay, I’ll finish carrying the rice… I mean, I’ll do my homework.” (After carrying the rice, I’ll play for a while before doing homework.)

Fukuzawa Naotaka waved his hand, letting his foolish daughter do as she pleased, and then went upstairs. He knocked on the door, but there was no response, so he pushed it open. Inside, he saw Fukuzawa Fuyumi folding clothes while looking aggrieved. He sighed softly, “Daughter, are you still angry?”

“I’m not! I’m not angry!” Fukuzawa Fuyumi wiped her tears again, refusing to admit how hurt she truly felt.

Fukuzawa Naotaka pondered for a moment before speaking, “Daughter, you know very well who is right and wrong in the conflict between you and Kitahara-kun. Holding grudges against others…” Before he could finish his sentence, Fukuzawa Fuyumi exploded in anger, exclaiming, “You are my father! Why do you side with him? Why do we need to be subservient when there are so many of us!”

Fukuzawa Naotaka’s expression turned serious, but he managed to keep his voice gentle as he responded, “Because I want you to become an honest and broad-minded person. Daughter, I don’t want you to be envious of others just because they are stronger than you. In life, you will encounter countless people who are better than you. Are you going to seek revenge on each and every one of them? I asked Kitahara-kun to stay as a form of compensation. After all, we were at fault first. It’s absolutely unforgivable to use laxatives on customers while managing an izakaya. Secondly, I hope you can learn to get along peacefully with those who are better than you. You have always been competitive and determined, unwilling to give up until you achieve your goals. You also tend to hold grudges and transfer your anger onto others, even onto their friends. Such behavior might have been acceptable when you were younger, but now that you are approaching adulthood, I believe it’s time to change. It’s also my fault for not educating you properly.”

Fukuzawa Fuyumi pursed her lips, turned away, and remained silent, clearly still annoyed. After a while, she burst out, “I’m not like that!”

Fukuzawa Naotaka opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, he coughed. Fukuzawa Fuyumi turned half her body, her expression showing some regret, but she still refused to admit her fault, keeping her lips sealed.

Fukuzawa Naotaka continued coughing for a while, then shook his head. “Think about it carefully. Set a good example for your younger siblings… Today’s incident also shows Kitahara-kun’s kindheartedness. Otherwise, even if he had injured all three of you, we wouldn’t have a say. Do you want the Fukuzawa Family to become a disgraceful bunch?”

Fukuzawa Fuyumi sat back down, repeatedly folding a piece of clothing, remaining silent. After a brief silence, Fukuzawa Naotaka felt he had said all that needed to be said, and the rest was up to his daughter to ponder. He turned around and went downstairs, as there was no point in repeatedly beating a broken drum.

Fukuzawa Fuyumi glanced back, wiping her tears once more, and pursed her lips as she picked up the pace with the clothes.

She was still unhappy… Damn that pretty boy! Why did he have to come to my home!