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

"It is entirely wishful thinking on the part of others to have expectations of me and to be disappointed by my performance. It has nothing to do with me. I will not try to please them, nor will I change myself because of them."

The answer from the up-and-coming young female light novel author is consistent with her sharp, aloof, and independent persona, which is indeed her style.

However, since the person asking the question was Yuan Qianye, she added a sentence after a brief pause.

"However, it depends on the specific situation. If it is someone who is very important to me, then I may try my best to meet their expectations."

Yuan Qianye noticed that although Shiyu's tone remained calm when she said these words, her fair and delicate fingertips, which were soaking in the water, curled up slightly.

This unexpected contrast made him unconsciously tighten his arms around her: "That's exactly why I like Shiyu so much."

Shiyu actually quite likes being held in his arms, but it depends on the time and place.

Saeko's tender gaze, as if she were shipping her favorite couple, made her feel extremely embarrassed.

To be honest, Shiyu actually hoped that they would show some jealousy and dissatisfaction towards them now, so that she could at least put them on the same level.

Instead of feeling like I've been completely surpassed in terms of magnanimity and breadth of mind, and suddenly feel inferior, as I am now.

"Alright." So Shiyu pushed Yuan Qianye away and stopped clinging to him. Anyway, he was hers for the rest of the night.

The literature girl has given her answer; now it's the kendo girl's turn.

"Like Shiyu, I don't care about the expectations of unimportant people, but if it's someone important to me, or something I myself hope for, then no matter how difficult it is, I will try my best to do it."

"I see..."

Gen Chiya looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

Saeko's answer was not unexpected to him; it was actually his own thought.

However, it was precisely because of this that he had racked his brains for the past two days to come up with a solution, but to no avail, which is why he appeared so anxious.

Unfortunately, you can't tell anyone around you about what happened on the weekend.

Even with Toka and Saeko, whom he trusted implicitly, he couldn't honestly tell them the details of the special relationship between him and Haruno.

The only way we can try to achieve collective wisdom is through this more subtle way of asking questions, in order to gather the wisdom of others.

However, this indirect approach, lacking crucial information sharing, meant that neither Saeko nor Utaha could offer much help when faced with his nonsensical questions, even if they did.

It's like standing still; your legs move as if you're walking, but you haven't actually taken a single step forward.

His only consolation right now is that the girls he's in committed relationships with are all very considerate.

Saeko is gentle and considerate of him, and she can suppress Utaha and prevent her from causing trouble on her own. Toka has the same qualities as Saeko and is also responsible for taking care of his daily life.

Most importantly, they all have their own goals or careers and are not clingy.

Those who have truly experienced it all know how precious this quality is!

Imagine you've finally gotten home after a long day at work, and all you want to do is relax, take a bath, drink beer, and play video games.

But at this time, your partner becomes incredibly clingy, wanting to take a bath together, share a glass when drinking, and snuggle into your arms while playing games. In short, they want to be with you no matter what you do.

This situation might be quite captivating and sweet when you first fall in love, but as time goes on, you'll realize how suffocating it can be.

"...Thank you, your answers were very helpful."

Noticing Saeko and Utaha's worried expressions, Chiya put on her usual cheerful and relaxed demeanor to reassure them.

But seeing his reaction, the two girls secretly exchanged a glance.

Some understandings are unspoken.

Shi Yu gently pinched his cheek and said in a seemingly angry tone, "You think you've already got us, so you don't have any more scruples. Now you're starting to hide things from us, aren't you?"

"How could that be? I already said I was just asking casually."

"That would be best." She lifted her foot, and water droplets gathered along the smooth arch of her foot, flowing down her toes.

Yuan Qianye took the towel to help, but Shiyu simply took it herself, wiped herself dry, picked up the basin, said "I'm going to take a shower," and left the living room.

Although she was very unwilling to accept this, Saeko knew that at this moment, talking to him alone would be more helpful than talking to him alone.

Saeko got up from the single sofa next to her and took Shiyu's place. She said in a gentle tone, "Shiyu wasn't throwing a tantrum. She was just a little worried about you, but she was too proud to admit it because of me, so she acted a little awkwardly."

Gen Chiya obediently leaned against her chest and gently rested his head on her chest.

It is an important source of nutrition during childhood and can also provide teenagers with a sense of comfort and healing in terms of mind and body.

"Yes, I understand. I know Saeko is like that too. I'm sorry to have worried you, but don't overthink it. I'm really fine. There's nothing in this world that can stump me. I'm just a little confused for a while, but I'll be fine in a few days."

"Of course I believe in Qianye, and I know how amazing you are. But you have always been moving forward without stopping and have been working hard all along. Seeing you like this makes me proud, but I am also a little worried. Actually, Qianye, you have already done quite perfectly. Your parents are proud of you, and everyone at school likes you. So you don't need to put so much pressure on your shoulders. If you do encounter some troublesome things in the future, you don't have to try to solve them by yourself. Shiyu and I, as well as the others around you, are not hothouse flowers. We can share the burden with you and become your support."

Saeko spoke softly and gently, and Gen Chiya heard it all.

What a wonderful woman.

He buried his face between the two undulating hills, took a deep breath in contentment, and savored their gentle contours and steady curves.

"Thank you. I knew it was the right decision to come and talk to Saeko today. I feel like I can't live without you anymore." He also assured her, "If the situation you described really happens, don't worry, I will actively seek help from everyone, especially Saeko."

"Okay, it's settled then."

On this day, although Chiya Minamoto did not get any clear solutions from Saeko and Utaha, he did not come away empty-handed.

Having relieved the pressure on Saeko, whose "strength" was most similar to his own, he felt much better and his thinking returned to calm.

He broke free from his mental block and stopped just sitting at school and at home daydreaming. Instead, he changed his approach, first outlining a line of thought and focusing his attention on Kazusa.

Late at night, Yuan Qianye kept his promise, holding Shiyu in his arms, smelling the fragrance of her hair, gently rubbing her tummy, and coaxing her to sleep.

But his mind was constantly occupied with thoughts of other girls.

Around 2 a.m., sleepiness overcame him, and in his hazy state, a vague idea began to take shape in his mind.

The following afternoon, Kudo Miyoko waited in front of Sobu High School half an hour early.

After school, he immediately picked up his boss and put him in the car.

After the boss settled into the passenger seat, she handed him a document.

"Boss, here's the information you asked me to look up. It's all organized."

Miyoko, who hasn't appeared for a while, is still the same as before.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray plaid suit with a simple white silk shirt underneath, the collar line of which was clean and crisp.

The bodycon pencil skirt reaches the knees, making it easy to see the graceful curves of the body even when sitting in the driver's seat.

Dressing appropriately and attractively can make colleagues and even bosses feel happy at work, and can also subtly improve the company's external image.

So much time has passed that Miyoko has forgotten which magazine and article she saw those words in.

However, this sentence still left a deep impression on her and she believed it wholeheartedly, clearly remembering it and putting it into practice to this day.

"Thank you for your hard work." Yuan Qianye smiled as he accepted the document, opened it, and began to examine it carefully.

"Boss, here you go." Miyoko unscrewed a bottle of sparkling beverage that she had prepared in advance and handed it over.

Yuan Qianye thanked him and accepted the drink. In the sweltering heat outside, sitting in the air-conditioned car and taking a sip of ice-cold soda was incredibly refreshing.

He was increasingly grateful that he had managed to recruit Miyoko into his ranks.

She is meticulous and always manages to arrange everything perfectly before he even speaks, from a perfectly timed drink to a precise schedule. What's even more remarkable is that she possesses extraordinary professional skills. No matter how complex the order, she can always implement it quickly and meticulously, and the results often exceed expectations.

Of course, what reassured him most was Miyoko's invaluable loyalty.

A while ago, when he had some free time and nothing else to do, he casually flipped through the financial accounts she handled. The accounts were clear and easy to understand, as clean as a flawless crystal. Even small expenses like refueling the car and running errands for him were clearly marked with the specific time and place.

He thought to himself, "I'll give her another raise this year."

If they don't accept it, just exchange it for gold jewelry or other gifts and send them to her parents back home, so that they know she's doing well here and they don't need to worry.

Less than a minute later, Yuan Qianye closed the document in front of him, casually tossed it onto the back seat, pondered silently for a moment, and then spoke to Miyoko.

"Let's go straight over there first."

"it is good."

Miyoko understood immediately, without any hesitation, entered the address, set the navigation, and stepped on the gas.

Forty minutes later, they arrived at their destination.

The car stopped, and Yuan Qianye got out of the passenger seat first.

After turning off the car, Miyoko took out her high heels from under the seat and changed out of her driving flats before grabbing her notebook and quickly following her boss.

They are currently located in Midorimori Park in Tokyo, which is also the specific address where Kazusa will be performing on Sunday evening.

According to the information gathered by Miyoko, the neighborhood committee in this area, with the idea of ​​preserving the traditional culture of the festival, funded and solicited sponsors to hold a one-day "Tanabata Festival" here on July 7th.

A temporary stage will be set up in the open space inside the park, where invited guests will present wonderful performances to the attendees.

Gen Chiya walked slowly along the park's sidewalk, looking around to observe the surroundings.

With the Qixi Festival approaching, although no stage has been set up in the open space, some tree branches along the road have already been decorated with ornaments such as folding baskets and cranes, giving it a festive atmosphere.

"Boss, according to the brochure, around 9 a.m. on Sunday, many vendors will set up their stalls along this road. The grassy area over there directly faces the small fireworks show that will start in the evening, and you can also clearly see the performance on the stage. So if you want to get the best viewing spot, you'd better come early that day to secure a good spot. There will definitely be a lot of people in the evening, and if you come too late, you won't be able to squeeze in and there won't be anywhere to stand."

Miyoko, holding the flyer, pointed to various parts of the park and explained them in detail to her boss.

However, she clearly misunderstood something.

"I didn't come here today specifically to scout out the place for later fun."

"Huh?" Miyoko is a working woman who has been working for many years and has long since lost the childishness of her teenage years, but her surprised and stunned state is unexpectedly cute.

Yuan Qianye was amused by her appearance: "The flyer you have has the contact number of the person in charge of the Tanabata Festival, right? Help me make a call."

"Ah, okay." Miyoko was even more puzzled, unable to figure out what her boss was thinking.

However, the most important quality of a good assistant is to unconditionally obey the orders of their boss, so she immediately took out her phone.

Enter the number in the brochure and dial immediately.

However, after dialing and holding the phone to her ear, she suddenly realized: "But boss, what are you planning to do by calling?"

Yuan Qianye took two steps forward, leaving the shade of the tree, and looked up at the sky: "I want to make the Tanabata Festival more lively, and I plan to provide sponsorship."

…………

Chapter 076: Preparations Before the Qixi Festival

After leaving Midori Forest Park, Gen Chiya and Miyoko entered the adjacent commercial street.

Following her boss's suggestion, she went into the bank and withdrew some cash.