In crossover anime, who isn't a childhood friend?

Yang Nai maintained her elegant smile, but only when she whispered in Yuan Qianye's ear could one truly appreciate her usual familiar self.

“Yes, but within acceptable limits, experiencing this kind of daily life occasionally is not bad.” Yuan Qianye looked at her delicate smile, which was like wearing a mask, and said meaningfully, “At least it can exercise facial muscles and make all kinds of expressions flexibly.”

Yang Nai pretended not to understand: "To thank you for keeping me company tonight and relieving this boredom, I will give you a big gift after the banquet."

"What wonderful gift?"

"Let's keep some surprises in mind, but you'll have to cooperate with me tonight if everything goes smoothly."

Here we go again... This is a must-see segment for Ms. Yang, she's a pro at whetting people's appetites.

Just as Chiyo was thinking about what else to ask, a blonde woman slowly walked over from the other side of the kitchen counter.

She tossed a strand of hair behind her ear, appearing quite familiar with the place.

"Young Yuan, it's been a long time."

…………

Chapter 060: The Elder Sister's Sexual Tension

The blonde woman who came to greet me had shoulder-length short hair, wore a neatly tailored butler's uniform, and had striking, defined features.

Chiya Minamoto was no stranger to the person who came; it was Nao Hayasaka, the mother of Ai Hayasaka.

The two had met briefly at an annual meeting hosted by Fantastic Bunko, and looking back, that should have been the beginning of the real development of his relationship with Hayasaka Ai.

"It's been a long time, Ms. Hayasaka. I never expected to meet you here. What a delightful surprise." Minamoto Chiya seemed quite delighted.

Well, there wasn't much of a surprise. He wasn't Cao Cao. Rather than his mother, according to his pre-planned expectations, he wanted to see his daughter at the banquet.

He himself was indifferent to these formal and colloquial greetings, but Yang Nai had previously told him to keep smiling and had been by her side ever since. As a result, he was influenced by her pretentious behavior, which led to his current speech becoming somewhat similar.

Only after the words left my mouth did I realize that this was not my usual self at all.

Oh well, it doesn't really matter anyway.

Yang Nai, standing to the side, secretly covered her mouth and chuckled.

Nao Hayasaka also seemed somewhat surprised, because the boy in front of her was in a state that seemed somewhat different from the person she remembered.

However, she wasn't the type to care about such trivial matters.

"Just now over there, I noticed from afar that many young ladies were looking in your direction. I wondered which young master could make them care so much. But when I got closer, I didn't expect it to be Yuan Jun."

"You're too kind." Seeing that Nao Hayasaka's gaze naturally turned to the person beside him, Chiya Minamoto modestly introduced, "This is Haruno Yukinoshita, my good friend, and this is..."

Hayasaka Nao took the initiative to speak, bowing slightly and saying, "My name is Hayasaka Nao, the butler of the Shinomiya family."

Yang returned the greeting: "Hello, Ms. Hayasaka, nice to meet you. Please take care of me."

Please take care of me.

The two exchanged a brief greeting.

The only point of intersection between Nao Hayasaka and Chiya Minamoto is Ai Hayasaka.

However, seeing that Yuan Qianye had a female companion, she couldn't bring up too much about her daughter.

In addition, she had only seen him by chance and was just going up to him with the intention of simply saying hello. Later, when she met with her daughter in private, she would have something to talk about. So after exchanging a few simple pleasantries, Hayasaka Nao took the initiative to leave.

"She's not simple." After Hayasaka Nao left, Yukinoshita Haruno murmured, staring at her departing figure.

“She is indeed extraordinary, after all, she is from the behemoth Shinomiya family.” Gen Chiya echoed her words, putting a small piece of foie gras into his mouth.

Compared to the cold roast duck, the foie gras, which is a cold dish to begin with, has a much better taste and texture. It melts in your mouth, has a smooth and creamy texture, and has a milky and savory flavor, like a unique ice cream.

Yang Nai shook his head and took a glass of wine from a passing waiter: "I said it was you."

"I?"

"When did you get to know the Shinomiya family without telling me?"

"Don't talk about me like I'm your possession."

"Isn't it perfectly natural for a younger brother and older sister to understand each other perfectly?"

"You've become addicted to playing house, haven't you?"

Yuan Qianye picked up a piece of foie gras and stuffed it into her mouth with a disgruntled expression.

His actions seemed sudden, catching Yang Nai somewhat off guard. However, she still covered her mouth with her hand and slowly savored and swallowed it all without any hesitation.

"So what exactly happened? You and that lady, it can't be that you're also... or perhaps..."

"Or what, what have you thought of this time?"

"It just so happens that I remembered that the Shinomiya family does have a young lady, and she's about your age, so I thought it might be... Although the possibility is very small, it's you after all, so it doesn't seem surprising no matter what you do."

"You overestimate me. I don't know any young lady from the Shinomiya family. I only met this Ms. Hayasaka once at a banquet before."

Chiya Minamoto was clearly unwilling to continue discussing matters concerning Nao Hayasaka.

After Yang Nai realized what was going on, she wisely refrained from asking any further questions, but she still kept a watchful eye on things.

For tonight, the woman's appearance seems to be nothing more than a highly coincidental interlude.

Today's banquet will last until after 10 o'clock.

After the entry time was over, the politicians and heads of various families present were invited to a small banquet hall further inside, seemingly to discuss more private and important matters.

The Yukinoshita couple were also among those invited. Before leaving, they came to their eldest daughter and whispered a few words of advice.

Lady Yukinoshita jokingly asked Chiya Minamoto to take good care of her eldest daughter that night.

Gen Chiyo readily agreed, displaying impeccable gentlemanly manners.

After that, Yuan Qianye stayed by Yang Nai's side, watching her greet different people, whether she took the initiative or was forced to, and move among those second-generation officials and businessmen with a gentle smile. Her words and actions were graceful and generous, and she had a very mature and reliable temperament that was completely different from her usual mischievous side.

At first, Yuan Qianye consciously listened to their conversation, but after finding that it was mostly just mutual flattery and polite talk, he quickly lost interest and began to daydream, thinking that the circle of these so-called upper-class people was truly utterly boring.

However, he still observed proper etiquette, not only for his own sake but also to cooperate with Yang Nai beside him.

Yuan Qianye seemed indifferent, treating the banquet with only a perfunctory attitude, but Yang Nai seemed to take the banquet quite seriously. She not only took the initiative to get acquainted with people and chatted with them, but also accepted toasts from others without hesitation. She had already downed four cups of wine.

The drinks served at the banquet were mostly champagne or top-quality sparkling wine with fine bubbles clinging to the glass. They were relatively mild and not very strong compared to spirits like vodka and whiskey, but Yang Nai still drank a lot.

Seeing her face flushed and already feeling the effects of the alcohol, she picked up her fifth glass. Out of concern, Yuan Qianye leaned close to her and whispered a warning: "You've had enough, right? From now on, just drink juice like me."

Yang Nai shook his head at this: "We're all adults. It's not appropriate for everyone else to drink alcohol while I drink juice. If I clink glasses with others, I'll be looked down upon."

Yuan Qianye sighed: "Do you care that much about what other people think?"

Yang smiled gently: "I don't care what others think of me, but I do care what others think of Yukinoshita's family."

She spoke quite casually, but for some reason, Yuan Qianye sensed a bitter feeling in her eyes at that moment.

A bitter feeling flashed by beneath the perfect curve of her smile, yet it weighed heavily on his heart.

“Some things always have to be taken on by someone. As the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family, I have received a good education and enjoyed a comfortable life, so naturally I should give back. There is no reason to just enjoy without taking on any obligations.” Haruno’s tone was as calm as if she were stating something that was perfectly natural.

Yuan Qianye remained silent, looking at Yang Nai's rosy face and her still calm eyes.

He seemed to suddenly understand her complicated position.

She wanted to protect her younger sister, but she didn't want to disappoint her parents' expectations. So she had to maintain an excellent image and keep the family business afloat. As a result, all these things that she had to do ultimately fell on her seemingly invincible shoulders.

However, Yukino's shoulders were neither broad nor strong; they were just the delicate, somewhat frail shoulders of a girl.

The next moment, Yuan Qianye suddenly reached out and snatched the wine glass that Yang Nai was holding, and under her stunned gaze, he drank it all in one gulp.

He belatedly savored it, then frowned and commented with a look of disdain.

"What? It's sweet. It tastes just like a beverage. I thought it was hard to drink because you were sipping it so little."

Yang Nai stared blankly at him, her stunned expression gradually relaxing as the corners of her mouth turned up, until she finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

This time, the smile truly reached her eyes.

"Did I say anything wrong? Don't think you're so great. The world will keep turning no matter who's missing. Some things, even if you don't force yourself..."

"...Someone will come to help me solve it, is that what you mean?" Yang Nai interrupted, picking up on the possible second half of his sentence, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Yuan Qianye looked at her seriously: "What I'm trying to say is that even if you don't force yourself, some things may be resolved smoothly in other ways that you don't expect. So don't keep your nerves so tense. Life is short, and it's right to indulge yourself occasionally and enjoy life to the fullest."

"He's just a little brat, yet he's spouting grand theories to his older sister." Yang Nai shook her head, seemingly disagreeing with his statement, though her tone was certainly much lighter.

"It's not some grand principle, and it may not even be correct. It's just a suggestion I'm making about your lifestyle. Whether you listen to it or not is up to you."

Just then, a waiter passed by, and Gen Chiya politely called for a halt, putting down his empty glass and taking a new glass of wine and a glass of juice, holding them in his hands.

“You’ve been smiling all evening, but I don’t think you’re really happy. How about you listen to your heart sometimes and act the way you truly want to be?”

Yang Nai remained silent for a moment before reaching out to take the juice.

Seeing Yuan Qianye's cheerful smile, she said, "There's one thing I have to deny: I'm actually quite happy tonight because you're with me."

She gently clinked her juice glass against his wine glass.

"I salute you, my mischievous little brother who's both lovable and annoying despite your young age."

"I salute you, you silly older sister who didn't feel suffocated wearing a mask the whole time."

"Don't get drunk, or I won't be able to explain it to Shihua later."

"Although it's my first time drinking so I don't know my exact alcohol tolerance, I'm at least no worse than you, so there's no need to worry."

"I hope it's not just empty talk..."

The way the two looked at each other was the gentlest they had ever been since they entered the room.

"Miss Yukinoshita, it's been a long time."

"Ah, it's Mr. Asakusa. It's been a long time..."

Yang Nai still responded familiarly to those who took the initiative to greet her.

Unlike before, she took the initiative to link arms with Yuan Qianye in front of the newcomer, and intimately leaned against him as she introduced them.

The subsequent toasting ceremony was also conducted by Minamoto Chiya in her place.

Before we knew it, it was eight o'clock. A band came out from the side door, took up a corner spot, tuned their instruments, and began playing soothing music.

The banquet had now entered its second half, and it was time for the ball, which Yang had previously reminded Minamoto Chiya of.

The dining table in the center of the venue was moved aside by the waiter, and the overall ceiling lighting was dimmed, leaving only the center area illuminated by bright light, highlighting the focal point of the entire venue.

Yang led Yuan Qianye to sit down on the sofa by the French windows and rest for a while.