Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

"I was sleeping in just now. I've been working so hard lately, and now that I finally get a break, I can't get up!"

Sitting on the edge of the bed, with one side of her pajamas drooping down to reveal her shoulder, Hayasaka Ai was now wagging her little feet like a real child. Her tone was completely different from her usual coldness, almost like she had turned into a little puppy. She even unconsciously showed a silly expression while talking, to the point that Takami felt like a big tail had really grown out of her back and was wagging back and forth.

"Yes, Mom, that's right. Miss gave me a few days off!"

Hayasaka Ai, who had actually noticed Takami's gaze and blushed slightly as a result, didn't change her tone of voice. However, it wasn't intentional; rather, her mother was a smart woman, and if her tone differed from her usual one, the other might become suspicious. Therefore, despite not liking to show such a childish side to Takami, Hayasaka Ai chose to maintain her current demeanor, revealing this true side that she rarely showed to anyone.

It's quite interesting.

For Takayuki, who had never experienced parental love, Hayasaka Ai's behavior at this moment sparked a sense of novelty in him, leading him to want to meet her mother. Of course, the main reason was that he rarely saw children acting so affectionately towards their parents, so he wanted to see how Ai would react in her mother's presence; it had absolutely nothing to do with the nonsense Alice had spouted. Yes, absolutely nothing.

[Hehehe, Alice, let me tell you another little tidbit: the maid's mother is much more voluptuous than her, you know, she's a mature woman, after all. Teacher, aren't you ever thinking about trying something different, being all lovey-dovey with teenage girls every day?]

Alice, shut up! Your teacher isn't Cao Cao!

He silently gave Alice a stern warning, but his expression remained unchanged as he gazed at Hayasaka beside him with a gentle smile. He actually hoped to relax Hayasaka by maintaining a calm demeanor, even though this only made Hayasaka feel more uncomfortable.

Ugh, it's so embarrassing to be seen by my owner while I'm acting all cute and affectionate with my mom.

Could it be that he'll make me do something similar later, like calling him "Dad" and then acting all cutesy like this? If it's that kind of thing... ugh, it still feels a bit perverted, a bit hard to accept...

Having already tasted the sweetness of love, the girl subconsciously began to imagine some rather inappropriate things, which made her blush even more.

However, because she was still on the phone with her mother, she managed to control her facial expressions and tone of voice well, and did not show any obvious abnormality.

"Oh, are we having dinner together tonight? Great! Dad's coming too? Hehe, that's wonderful! I'm going to get some barbecue!"

Ecstatic, like a vibrant young girl, Hayasaka Ai became excited after confirming that her family would be having dinner together that evening. Even with Takami watching right beside her, she unconsciously waved her little hands and almost jumped out of bed.

"I was wondering why you've had some free time lately? Hehe, maybe Miss has really learned to be more considerate of others recently?"

This statement made Gao Hai feel somewhat guilty, and it also made him a little uneasy. After all, it was actually Gao Hai who contacted Kaguya to arrange the leave for Ai. If Kaguya herself had done it… unless Ai really had a meltdown in front of her, Kaguya would probably have a hard time realizing the kind of pressure Ai was under. Gao Hai couldn't do anything about this kind of personality issue; he could only try his best to guide Kaguya in the future to help her improve in this area.

"Okay, that's about it. Goodbye, Mommy? Oh? Can't we say goodbye yet? Why?"

Xiao Ai's expression suddenly changed, becoming somewhat uneasy.

It seemed she and her mother had almost finished talking when the other woman suddenly brought up some unexpected topic. And this topic was probably something Hayasaka Ai didn't want her family to know, so after a slight pause, her eyes began to dart around, and she instinctively started to avoid the question.

Huh? Why did you suddenly glance in my direction? And why did you immediately look away after noticing I was looking at you?

Gao Hai keenly realized that Xiao Ai's mother had likely mentioned him. So, Gao Hai, who had initially refrained from eavesdropping out of politeness, immediately unleashed his mental energy and began to focus on the mother's voice.

"Xiao Ai, you can't fool your mother. You must have gotten this temporary leave with the help of that Mr. Gao, right? I know Miss Kaguya's temperament very well. Although she doesn't really have any ill intentions, it's still a bit difficult for her to realize this on her own."

It was the voice of a gentle and intellectual middle-aged woman. Even without seeing her in person, one could sense a mature demeanor, and... well, a cunning personality that was about to be revealed.

"This...this, Mom, this matter..."

Xiao Ai's voice had become hesitant, and she would nervously glance at Gao Hai from time to time, opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something but not daring to actually say it.

"So, let's invite him to the family gathering tonight. I really want to see for myself just how amazing a man is who can simultaneously charm girls from the Shinomiya, Shijo, and Fujiwara families and single-handedly put Kaguya-san on the position of clan head. Besides, even though he's entangled with so many girls, my daughter is so devoted to him, and he's willing to take a whole day off to date you. To be honest, it feels quite strange. He seems like a womanizer at the same time, but also like a good man who takes relationships seriously. As a mother, I still want to see for myself what kind of person he really is, otherwise I really can't rest easy. Ai, you should understand your mother's feelings, right?"

Hmm, judging from this, it seems that Xiao Ai's mother has done quite a thorough investigation into her.

Takami wasn't surprised by Hayasaka's mother's words. After all, Ai herself had tracked him down many times, so her mother was probably even more skilled at intelligence gathering. But now, thinking back on it carefully, for Hayasaka's mother, who wasn't a player but just an ordinary person, Takami's situation was probably quite miraculous, wasn't it? It was as if he had received some kind of super hypnotic device, transforming from an unknown person into the lover of several prominent families' new generation in just a few months.

"Master... well, anyway, he's not a bad person, nor is he the kind of person who plays with people's feelings... meeting up, Mom, I think it might be a bit too fast. How about we bring it up again in a while?"

With her cheeks completely flushed, Xiao Ai, flustered as if her little secret had been exposed, covered her mouth with her hand, leaned close to the phone, and whispered her rebuttal, trying to dissuade her mother from her idea.

Gao Hai was quite touched that his daughter was willing to protect what little reputation she had left, even in front of her own mother. However, judging from the confident tone in her voice on the phone, he suspected that Xiao Ai probably wouldn't be able to brush off this topic.

"Whether it's okay or not, you can just ask him, right? Silly Ai, I asked you to invite him so that everyone could relax under the guise of a family dinner. Otherwise, your dad and I would have had to personally invite him in the name of the Hayasaka family. And girls, you really do start to side with outsiders once they start dating. You've already rejected him before I've even asked. But that's not surprising, considering my good daughter is the type to sneak into someone else's hotel room in the middle of the night."

"So you know about that kind of thing too?!"

As Takami expected, after Hayasaka's mother made another revelation, Ai, completely flustered, didn't know how to answer. Helpless, the girl even looked at Takami with pleading eyes, but before their eyes met, she realized and looked away, wanting to continue hiding the truth from Takami so that she wouldn't know what they were talking about.

"Alright, just say yes, I'll go."

The next moment, Gao Hai reached out and gently rubbed Xiao Ai's head, and then made a decision.

"Huh? Huh? Master, you heard that?"

Hayasaka, realizing the problem from Takahashi's reaction, froze on the spot, while Hayasaka's mother, who had heard her say "master" on the phone, let out a soft sigh.

Great, you've already made a bad impression before even meeting your mother-in-law. But I guess your impression of her before that wasn't very good either, so it's probably not a big problem.

Hearing Xiao Ai's words, which were entirely based on her true feelings, Gao Hai's lips twitched slightly. But considering that the other party's mother was still on the phone, he took a deep breath, took the phone from Xiao Ai's hand, and began to speak:

"Hello Auntie, I received your invitation. I will come with Xiao Ai tonight."

Unlike the time when Chika managed to hide by turning invisible, this time it's a real meeting with the parents.

Hearing Hayasaka's mother's voice coming from the phone, and looking at Ai beside him who was no longer as calm as usual, Takami felt a strange sense of nervousness and began to imagine what the so-called family banquet that evening would be like.

Interlude 4-35: A girl in a panic and two people deeply worried.

Meet the parents.

To be precise, it's meeting with Mother-in-law Number Four, and also Father-in-law Number Four. Tsk, that sounds really strange... Speaking of which, should they be number four or number five? After all, judging from the order in which they met, Kaguya is actually number one, but according to the order in which their relationship developed, Kaguya should actually be number five. And how Kaguya is ranked obviously has a significant impact on Ai's ranking.

Wait a minute, actually I've known Ichiri for quite a while, but we only officially started dating when I was forced to challenge the Red Moon-level dungeon. So, if we're really going by the order in which we met, Ai should actually be number six.

After seriously considering the girls' order for three minutes, Gao Hai concluded that he was just wasting his time.

The most important thing right now is how I should behave after meeting Xiao Ai's parents.

This might be a bit difficult to handle.

Dealing with these girls was already a problem that required considerable effort for Gao Hai. Once the issue extended to their parents, Gao Hai was truly at a loss for what to do. After all, he couldn't treat the girls' parents like ghost stories to be conquered, nor could he simply eliminate them like enemy players. In fact, it was precisely because he didn't know how to deal with the girls' parents that Gao Hai chose to remain invisible the entire time he was at Qian Hua's house, avoiding any contact with Qian Hua's family.

But this time, it seems there's no escaping it.

No, if I wanted to hide, I could just use my mental powers to brainwash her. With my current abilities, I could easily impose a mental suggestion on Xiao Ai's parents that they could never undo. So, it's actually me who doesn't want to hide, right?

Now, he's developed very deep relationships with the girls; you could say they're bound together for life. Regardless of how this "sacrifice game" ultimately ends, hiding and refusing to contact their families is definitely wrong. Even if most people might find their relationships unacceptable, he has to take responsibility for his choices. He can't just expect the girls who like him to tell their parents they've fallen for a harem-building man, or simply keep it a secret from everyone.

So, this meeting with Xiao Ai's family marks a new beginning.

Regardless of how the other person's family treats me, I won't change my decision. I won't let go of any of the girls I'm already with; I want them all. I don't care if they hit me or scold me; ordinary people can't break my defenses anymore.

Having made this decision, Gao Hai's spirit was as firm as iron at this moment.

In contrast, Hayasaka Ai was clearly flustered. Although she had prepared to spend her life with Takami after leaving Hayate Elementary School, it was like the sky falling for this girl who was usually known for her calm and rationality. So much so that after hanging up the phone, she sat on the bed in a daze for a long time, and didn't even react much when Takami took off her pajamas and carried her to take a shower.

Only after the two of them were sitting in the bathtub did the girl, who had finally come to her senses, gasp for steam and look to Gao Hai for help.

"Master, what should I do?"

Xiao Ai grabbed Gao Hai's hand and asked in an incredibly soft voice.

"No problem, just go and meet him."

Gao Hai simply waved his hand casually, indicating that there was absolutely no need to worry about this matter.

"Is...is it really okay? Taking Master to meet Mom and Dad...I still feel so shy. I feel like the scene will be really awkward..."

The girl, muttering to herself, curled up, almost sinking into the bathtub.

"Trust me, there won't be any problems. When have I ever been stage-frightened?"

Seeing that the girl's entire face was submerged in the water, bubbling and frothing, Gao Hai helplessly reached out and tapped her head twice, then solemnly emphasized again.

"..."

Xiao Ai didn't say anything more, but from her still curled-up state, it was clear that she was not yet able to get rid of her current state of autism.

So, did Gao Hai really feel no pressure at all? Were the things he said to Xiao Ai really true?

No, that's a lie.

Having never experienced the "meeting the parents" process before, Gao Hai was actually quite nervous inside. The problem was, since he had already made that promise, how could a man take it back so easily? Therefore, even though his mindset was unstable, Gao Hai maintained a calm and composed demeanor on the surface, as if he had Xiao Ai's parents under his thumb.

However, when the two finished showering and were getting dressed, Ai suddenly looked at Takahashi, who was planning to wear his usual casual clothes, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Would it be okay to wear this to meet Mom and Dad?" This immediately made Takahashi feel insecure. As a result, the two agonized over what to wear for quite a while. In the end, Takahashi had no choice but to take out the suit he wore when he interviewed for the security position at Shuchiin University. Wearing this incredibly awkward outfit, he and Ai got into the high-end black car waiting at the Hayasaka family's door and headed to the restaurant that Hayasaka Ai's parents had booked in advance.

Is it really okay to wear this? I feel like I'll tear it if I move even slightly.

Because he hadn't yet established a deep link with Xiao Ai through the black watch, Gao Hai directly transmitted his voice into her mind by manipulating his mental energy. This was much more tiring than speaking normally, but it was nothing to Gao Hai.

Hayasaka Ai blinked, turned her head, and carefully looked Takahashi up and down, but in the end, she didn't say anything.

Hey, stop looking and not saying anything. It's making me feel like you're speechless...

Seeing her like this, Gao Hai couldn't hold back for a moment and couldn't help but complain again.

Xiao Ai remained silent, mainly because she didn't know what to say. While it must be admitted that Gao Hai was indeed tall and masculine, with a very approachable demeanor, wearing this somewhat cheap suit noticeably diminished his usual presence. It even gave Xiao Ai the illusion that he wasn't meeting her parents but rather going for a job interview.

However, if she didn't choose this one outfit that could be considered formal, the rest would all be casual wear. And it would be the kind of outfit where she'd buy several of the same style, leaving her wardrobe with hardly any different clothes. The Hayasaka family had followed the Shinomiya family for so many years, and had learned some of their rules. Although things had improved since the eldest daughter took over the family, Ai was still worried that if Takami was too carefree, it might leave a bad impression on her parents, putting her in a difficult position if they argued later.

Yes, that's right. Right now, Xiao Ai's thoughts have wandered to the point where her husband, mother-in-law, and father-in-law are arguing and having disagreements after they got married.

In any case, after the car entered the parking lot of an upscale restaurant, it was finally time for the two of them to get out.

Wearing a suit and feeling extremely uncomfortable, Gao Hai and Hayasaka Ai, who was hiding behind Gao Hai and was too shy to face her parents, got out of the car together stiffly and walked towards the restaurant.

I find our current situation rather funny.

With that in mind, Gao Hai first used his mental power to observe the situation inside the restaurant, and quickly found the woman who looked seven parts similar to Hayasaka Ai and the stern-faced man beside her.

Nao Hayasaka, Ai Hayasaka's biological mother, is a mature and charming mixed-race woman with blonde hair that covers the back of her neck. She appears very few times in the original work, so Takahashi doesn't have a deep impression of her, only vaguely remembering that this mother-in-law seemed to have a somewhat scheming personality? The man with short black hair and glasses is Masato Hayasaka. Hmm... he only appears once in the manga, and that's when the plot breaks down later on. Takahashi really has no impression of him at all.

So, how should we greet them?

Thinking this, Takami led Hayasaka into the restaurant and headed towards where the two people were.

According to the original plan, Xiao Ai should have introduced Gao Hai to her parents, and then Gao Hai would greet them. At least, the two of them had made such a plan before leaving Gao Hai's house.

However, Xiao Ai had completely hidden behind Gao Hai. The girl who usually clung to her mother was too ashamed to show herself, so Gao Hai had to grab her and pull her forward, practically dragging her along.

It seems I have no choice but to speak first.

Gao Hai, his expression hardening, nodded slightly to the two men as he walked to their table, then spoke:

"Hello, uncle and aunt."

Am I some kind of little brat who asks relatives for red envelopes during Chinese New Year?

The moment the first words left his mouth, Gao Hai was overwhelmed by a strong sense of embarrassment.