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

"No, it's fine, do whatever you want."

It's not that she's resigned to it; it's that Shiyu really can't think of any better solutions in the current situation.

Time flew by and it was June 20th, a weekend.

Today, Hayasaka Ai got up early and soaked in a bathtub filled with flower petals, her whole body infused with the fragrance of flowers. Her outfit was a European-style long dress that was fresh and sweet, reminiscent of a pastoral idyll.

This outfit is completely different from her usual serious and rigid style, which is mostly seen in her black and white waiter uniform.

The neckline of the dress was tied with a fluffy bow, and the ribbons hung elegantly in front of her chest. The high waistline design elongated her figure, showing off her slender waist to the fullest.

The subtle, close-fitting material of certain soft materials also accentuates the bust, which was originally somewhat lacking. The previously unremarkable bust becomes a prominent focal point thanks to this ingenious and clever design, giving it a certain appeal.

Hayasaka Ai looked quite calm in front of the mirror, but her inner self was far from as calm as it appeared.

The last time she went out with Yuan Qianye was several months ago.

But there's nothing he can do about it; as a celebrity, he's indeed very busy. Even when he gets home tomorrow night, he'll spend most of his time in front of the computer, either working or creating.

She silently observed all of this, treating it as a reward for a hard day's work, and occasionally engaging in self-rewarding behavior...

Hayasaka Ai suddenly clapped her hands together and patted her face, then shook her head vigorously.

Recently, because she was so eager to see him, she couldn't suppress her emotions and her nightly spying sessions have increased significantly in both duration and frequency.

When we meet later, I absolutely have to restrain myself, restrain myself, and restrain myself some more!

You must never show that infatuated look in your eyes, like you're secretly spying on him. If that's noticed, you'll definitely be seen as a pervert.

Although her current actions are already inextricably linked to this term, and could even be defined as grounds for legal sanctions.

But... as long as no one else notices, there won't be any problem at all.

Hayasaka Ai took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down as much as possible.

However, the thought of meeting him, whom she liked so much, later made her unable to resist showing a silly smile that was completely unlike her usual self.

After trying to control her facial expressions in front of the mirror several times without success, Hayasaka Ai decided to give up temporarily.

It's okay, as long as I don't act as infatuated as I am now when we meet later.

Until then, just relax and be yourself without any inhibitions.

With everything prepared, Hayasaka stepped out of the bathroom.

"Hayasaka, if you have time when you go out today..." Sitting on the edge of the bed, Miss Shinomiya spoke the moment her friend and subordinate came out of the bathroom, but she fell silent the instant she looked up and saw her.

She looked at the girl in front of her, dressed in a dreamlike, gentle and lovely manner, with an extremely sweet smile that made her seem dazzling and almost radiant. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, then got up and quickly walked to her side, slowly circling around her to examine her closely.

Hayasaka Ai's smile vanished in an instant, replaced by a blank expression: "Miss, please knock before entering my room. It's a matter of basic etiquette."

Upon hearing this, coupled with her familiar expression, Lady Shinomiya confirmed that the person before her was indeed her close attendant and Hayasaka Ai, and not some alien or superpowered being in disguise.

“I knocked on the door, but you didn’t respond, so I just came in. But... what’s wrong with you today? I thought you were off today to go see Aunt Nao.”

"I was planning to go find my mother," Hayasaka Ai lied without batting an eye.

Miss Shinomiya immediately exposed her: "You're lying. Why would you dress so formally to see your mother, wear such cute earrings, smell so good, and have them padded so high!"

The word "pad" made Hayasaka Ai unhappy: "Miss, although I spend most of my time working, I am still a girl. Is there anything wrong with occasionally thinking about dressing up nicely like other girls to please myself?"

Seeing that Hayasaka Ai's expression grew even colder, Shinomiya realized that she might have been a bit too talkative and meddling too much: "Um... sorry."

Hayasaka Ai didn't care: "Let's not talk about that. What did you want to see me about, Miss? If it's about your class schedule for today, I've already given instructions to others."

"No, that's not it. Everyone at school has been talking about a science fiction novel called 'The Corpse' lately. They say it's ingeniously conceived and quite interesting. Since you're out today, if it's convenient, could you buy me a copy and bring it back?"

Hayasaka Ai didn't say anything when she heard this. She went to her desk without saying a word, took out two books, and handed them to her.

"Hey, Hayasaka, you have this novel."

"You can take your time looking at it, there's no rush to return it to me. Well then, I'll head out now."

"Ah good."

Through the villa's veranda, watching Hayasaka Ai's unusually light steps as she walked towards the gate in the courtyard, Kaguya Shinomiya murmured to herself.

"What do you mean, 'go to see Mom'... She's definitely going to see someone she likes..."

…………

Chapter 067: Gen Chiyo's "Way of Hospitality"

Sunday morning.

Liuhua Duck sat on the bed, her eyes still half asleep, her hair as messy as her nightgown, and one of her shoulders completely exposed.

"Breakfast is ready. Today it's your favorite soufflé. It won't taste good if it gets cold."

"Okay, I got it—"

Rikka yawned, glancing at Gen Chiya as he walked back into the room, her tone somewhat resentful as she replied.

Just now, she was rudely woken up by her older brother.

She was having a wonderful dream, traveling to another world and returning to the modern world, summoning powerful creatures that only exist in fantasy works, and shocking the world with explosive flames comparable to nuclear bombs, single-handedly ushering in a miraculous era in which technology and magic merge.

If the dragon under his command mismanages and sneezes, destroying the sacred toilet, none of those high-ranking officials dare to say anything.

As a pioneer of the new century, a huge statue of her has even been erected in the heart of Tokyo. Including the ahoge (cowlick) on her head, it is several centimeters taller than the Unity Statue in Gujarat.

Her fame will surely last for eternity.

The achievements of Qianye Ququ are nothing more than winning championships in a few fields, receiving a few awards, and publishing a few books.

Compared to her, we are like fireflies compared to the bright moon, or mayflies compared to the vast ocean—there is no comparison whatsoever!

Not only did he serve her faithfully and follow her every command, but Shihua, who was always arrogant and would often smack her on the head, also transformed into a meek little lamb, no longer daring to make any presumptuous moves in front of her, and showing the utmost flattery.

While the character portrayals are somewhat out of character like most third-rate fanfiction authors, it's just a dream, so as long as you enjoy it, why worry about the plausibility!

It's a pity that at the climax of the dream, she became the supreme commander and queen of Earth as expected, and Gen Chiya was kneeling in front of her, swearing the oath of knighthood.

She extended her delicate hand, which he carefully took, and just as he was about to kiss her, he was suddenly woken up.

The contract was just a few seconds away from being finalized!

ε=(?ο｀*))) Sigh, I don't know if I can finish this when I fall asleep tonight...

Rikka stumbled out of her room and ran into her older sister, who had just finished getting ready, outside the washroom.

"Didn't we agree to leave early with Yukino and the others today? Why are you still so groggy? Go take a shower. Also, it's true that we and Chiya are family, but he is a boy after all. You should be more careful when you leave your room."

As Shihua spoke, she smoothed out and straightened her sister's nightgown, which had been wide open at the neckline, and covered her exposed shoulders again.

"I know, I know, it's not like it's the first time," Rikka replied nonchalantly, not thinking there was anything wrong with it.

It's no big deal for Qianye to show himself to someone who isn't an outsider; besides, he's just showing his shoulder.

"Now that you know, don't make me repeat myself."

"Ugh—~!"

Rikka, who had been hit on the head, immediately covered her head with her hands and whimpered cutely.

I'm furious, but I dare not retaliate.

My previous monthly exam results weren't ideal, but I didn't dare tell my mom. I vaguely said they were alright.

This weakness has always been held by Toka.

She went to the sink and brushed her teeth angrily.

Damn it, they always treat her like a child and bully her like this. This can't go on forever. I really need to find a way to let her know that she's not someone she can just bully!

"Ugh—~!"

Liuhua immediately squatted down on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes.

I brushed too hard and the tip of the toothbrush poked my gum! It hurts so much!

After that, Rikka washed up and came to the dining table, panting.

Unlike Rikka, who was still wearing her nightgown, Chiya and Toka had already changed into their formal attire for the day. The two sat together, sharing a tablet to watch the morning news.

Rikka sat down and picked up her knife and fork. The soufflé was incredibly fragrant with milk, soft, sweet, and melted in her mouth. The delicious food helped to dispel much of her morning grumpiness caused by her interrupted dream.

Soon, Chiya and Toka finished their breakfast.

Toka was the first to leave. Today she had to visit and thank her nominal master, Yukihira Joichiro. She had been extremely busy since opening the shop, and today she was finally able to find some time.

The reason for adding the prefix "in name" before "master" is that she only unilaterally considered Yukihira Joichiro, who taught her cooking and gave her a lot of useful advice on opening a shop, to be her master, but he never gave a positive response to this.

Perhaps the other party simply felt that it was a request from his deceased wife's friend and didn't need to be so polite, or perhaps he simply thought that taking on an apprentice was too troublesome and didn't want to go through the trouble.

But whatever he thinks is his own business. In any case, to Shihua, he is an elder who has been kind to her and deserves her respect.

Of course, Toka could also figure out that she was able to find another goal that she was interested in and was willing to dedicate her life to after giving up rhythmic gymnastics, and that she was able to achieve it so quickly, all thanks to Minamoto Chiya who had always been by her side.

After sorting out her feelings, she had already decided to stay by his side for life the moment she gave herself to him.

From then on, she focused on the restaurant and him, which of course required secrecy, even from her closest confidants.

In Toka's ideal scenario, this secret relationship should last until the two of them leave this world and take it to their graves.

However, even with such a resolute mindset, Toka is still a woman after all.

Although she hasn't told anyone and doesn't usually show it, she really loves babies.

Perhaps when she reaches a certain age, she will suggest to Qianye that they have a baby.

This will raise the question of the baby's father's identity, but that's easy to solve. Just fabricate a story and say that you met a scumbag and couldn't bear to lose the little life.

That's why I feel a little sorry for my parents and the people around me who care about me but don't know the truth.

However, in today's society, there are so many single mothers. As long as she doesn't seem to care much, this matter probably won't have much impact on her life.

Not to mention that there's also Rikka to take care of her parents. This girl can find a good, reliable man to live with and build a warm little family.

Her happiness, I believe, will to some extent make up for the regrets brought about by her older sister's "less than perfect" life, and will bring some comfort to her parents.

The real problem is if she does give birth to Qianye's baby in the future, and after the baby is old enough to understand...

The problem with Qianye is actually related to his father, and neither concealing it nor being honest about it seems like a good choice...

However, if we really want to consider that step, it will be at least ten or even twenty years from now.

Shihua doesn't want to think about things that are so far away at the moment.