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

Around 9 p.m., the Yukinoshita couple walked out of the small banquet hall.

The ball is almost over, and tonight's banquet is drawing to a close.

Yang Nai was not really asleep. She leaned on Yuan Qianye's shoulder and closed her eyes to rest. After her parents came out, she returned to normal and did not do anything like clinging to Yuan Qianye when they were not around.

Following their parents and with their nominal younger brother, Yuan Qianye, they greeted the important figures at the banquet, and the banquet was officially over for the night.

When she returned home, Yono no longer rode in the same car as Chiyo, but was driven home by her own driver.

"You must be very tired today, boss. Go home and rest early."

"You've worked hard too, keeping me company until so late. It must have been boring sitting here the whole time."

"No, the food at the banquet is delicious, and I chatted with two easy-going ladies for a long time. It won't be boring. Boss, why don't you close your eyes and take a nap? I'll call you when we get there."

"Um……"

On the way home, Yuan Qianye sat in the passenger seat with the windows wide open, his tie off and tossed in the back seat, and the two buttons above his collar undone, letting the night wind blow into the car.

He was already far from the banquet, but the image of Yang Nai, with whom he had just danced and whose body had touched his, kept replaying in his mind. Her burning body heat, her goddess-like curves, and her eyes that seemed to speak volumes as she looked at him…

There are two things in this world that absolutely cannot be hidden: one is sneezing, and the other is...

On the other side, a vehicle carrying the Yukinoshita family of three.

Haruno silently closed her eyes, while the Yukinoshita couple briefly discussed matters related to the collaboration at tonight's banquet.

Soon after, the vehicle came to a stop in front of Yang Nai's apartment building.

"Go back and get some rest. Have Yukino make you a cup of honey water, and remember to drink it before bed tonight."

Mrs. Yukinoshita instructed her eldest daughter on these matters and was about to leave when Haruno stopped her.

"Mom, wait a moment, don't go yet."

"what happened?"

In the apartment, Yukino heard a noise coming from the entrance hall. She had just gotten up from the living room and gone to the entrance hall when Haruno opened the door and came in.

"Oh, Yukino, that's perfect. Your parents are downstairs. Why don't you go back with them tonight?"

Yang Nai smiled and told them about the arrangement as soon as they met.

"I thought I would get very drunk tonight, so I asked you to come and take care of me in advance. Now that I'm fine, I don't need you anymore. I'm sorry to have troubled you to make this trip."

…………

Chapter 062: Haruno: Yukino, I'm sorry...

"Sister, are you really okay?"

Yukino frowned as she looked at her older sister, whose face was flushed and who smelled strongly of alcohol.

It wasn't that she felt going home now would be too much trouble; she was simply a little worried about her sister.

Do I look like something's wrong to you?

Yang Nai bent down to take off her high heels, her movements light and swift without the slightest sway, and her speech was remarkably clear.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you to make this special trip."

"It's nothing, let me make you a cup of honey water before you go."

Yukino had actually received a message from Haruno in the morning, saying that it would be perfect for the two sisters to have a long-awaited chat after she finished her work in the evening, and that something good might happen.

However, Yukino knew that her older sister was often impulsive and had a rather unpredictable way of thinking, so she didn't take her words to heart.

"No need, I can do it myself. Mom and Dad are still waiting downstairs. You should go down now."

Yang Nai went into the kitchen by herself, took out honey from the refrigerator, poured in warm water, and stirred it slowly.

The long-handled spoon made a crisp sound against the glass.

Yukino glanced at her again, and after realizing that her older sister was organized and her movements were indeed steady, she no longer had any concerns, nodded, picked up her schoolbag, and headed towards the entrance.

"If you've been drinking, it's best not to take a bath; a quick rinse will suffice."

"Okay, okay, I know, I'm sorry, the sisterly chat you've been looking forward to will have to wait until next time. I want to go to bed early tonight."

"Okay, get some rest."

"You too, go back and get some sleep."

The two sisters said goodbye at the door.

Yukino stepped into the elevator, pressed the button for the first floor, and watched the floor numbers keep dropping. Suddenly, she realized that she had forgotten to ask Chiya about the details of the banquet she attended with her sister that night.

Speaking of which, the tone of my sister's voice when she told me to go home as soon as she walked in seemed subtly impatient, as if she was in a hurry...

Is it just my imagination?

It must be an illusion.

Yukino didn't think much of it, figuring out the general situation of tonight's banquet; she could just ask Chiya directly at school tomorrow.

She walked out of the apartment building and got into the car that was waiting by the roadside.

"Is Daddy already asleep?"

"Yeah, he left very early today, and he had a few too many drinks with some business dinners tonight. Let's keep our voices down. How's your sister?"

“She seems fine. I watched her drink the honey water. She said she would go to rest after taking a shower.”

"I see..."

Mrs. Yukinoshita turned her head to look out the car window as the car drove forward, her eldest daughter's apartment receding further and further into the night.

A moment later, she turned her head again, turning her gaze to the profile of her younger daughter, who had grown increasingly beautiful in recent years.

I recalled that fleeting, somewhat absurd sense of déjà vu I had at the banquet that was not long before it ended.

Furthermore, the eldest daughter had anticipated this and sent her younger daughter to her apartment to take care of her, who might be drunk, but when night fell, her actions completely contradicted her original plan.

Her sudden silence, like that of a mother with something on her mind, made Yukino uneasy.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita shook her head.

"No, it's nothing. I just feel that if there's another banquet like this, it's time to bring my youngest daughter to show her off."

“I’m not interested in those kinds of occasions,” Yukino said reluctantly.

Mrs. Yukinoshita chuckled softly.

"If I could, I would like to stay with you all the time to enjoy tea and practice calligraphy. But maintaining the family is not such a simple matter. You should be able to understand how some family affairs work out by now. Isn't this what you've always hoped for—to no longer be an outsider, but to be able to share the burden with your sister?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita stroked her youngest daughter's head with a loving expression.

Yukino lowered her head and this time did not offer any objections, only giving a soft "hmm".

Upon arriving home, Mrs. Yukinoshita woke her husband and told him and their youngest daughter to head inside first. She deliberately slowed her pace, watching them enter the house before leaning over to the driver's side and whispering instructions.

"There's something I need your help with tonight..."

"Ugh... You reek of alcohol!"

As soon as Chiyo entered the house, Rikka pinched her little nose with a look of disgust on her face.

Yuan Qianye took off his coat and covered her head with it.

"I'm going to take a shower and go straight to my room to sleep. Don't say anything to Shihua that might make her worry."

"With the smell of alcohol on you, she'll know it when you get back without me even having to tell her."

Rikka said that, but she still took his coat, which was full of the smell of alcohol, and hung it up on the balcony, and opened the window to ventilate the room.

After finishing these tasks, she rushed to the kitchen to pour him some milk.

I haven't spoiled her for nothing.

He brought his phone into the bathroom and placed it on the shelf to play a survival video. Yuan Qianye lazily lay down in the bathtub.

His original intention was to follow the perspective of a man at the top of the food chain on a free adventure, so that his chaotic mind could be emptied and he could reach a state of no desires. But someone didn't give him this opportunity.

Ding dong.

Several message pop-ups appeared at the top of my phone.

Yuan Qianye's previously somewhat casual gaze suddenly sharpened again.

It was a message from Haruno, whom she had recently separated from.

[Yang Nai: My head hurts so much.]

[Yonai: I have absolutely no strength left in my body.]

[Yang Nai: It doesn't seem like simple drunkenness; it sounds more like a fever.]

Without much hesitation.

Yuan Qianye dialed her cell phone directly.

"younger brother……"

Her voice, coming through the phone receiver, did indeed sound weak and listless.

How are you?

"Hmm, it's nothing, maybe I'll be fine after a good night's sleep."

"Let your uncle and aunt take your temperature. If you really feel unwell, you should take medicine."

"I didn't go home tonight, I'm at my apartment here now."

She took a shallow breath, her tone becoming even softer.

"I'm all alone now."

"..."

Some things don't need to be said so explicitly; they are enough for both parties involved to understand.

Her body was incredibly supple as she danced at the banquet, exuding a captivating and alluring fragrance, her gaze bewitching and mesmerizing…

Yuan Qianye suddenly stood up from the bathtub, her movements so swift that most of the water splashed onto the floor tiles outside.

"I'll be right there."