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

Yuan Qianye took two steps back and watched the vehicle drive away.

In the end, Kazusa didn't take the initiative to say goodbye to him.

She merely glanced at him through the car window, nodded slightly, and raised her hand, but before she could make any other movement, she immediately lowered it again because her mother suddenly turned around.

But that's enough.

Thus concludes tonight's meeting with Touma and her daughter; there is another matter to attend to.

Yuan Qianye took out his phone and thought for a moment. He had already opened the maid's contact information, but after hesitating for a while, he still didn't take the initiative to contact her. Instead, he opened Hayasaka Nao's contact information and sent her a message.

The other party quickly replied, saying that they had some things to take care of and that the meeting time tonight might have to be postponed.

This didn't matter to Yuan Qianye; it would be good for him to go back and change his clothes first.

While suits and trousers may look stylish, they can be quite stuffy in the summer, even at night.

Around 10:50 p.m., a taxi pulled up on the side of the road.

After getting off the car, Yuan Qianye followed the navigation on his phone and walked into a small alley.

The location displayed on his phone screen showed that the destination was not far ahead, so he looked up.

An old-fashioned izakaya with barely legible printed lettering came into view.

The traditional wooden sliding door let in a warm yellow light. As you approach, you can smell not only the aroma of food but also a strong smell of alcohol. In addition, there is a constant noise, laughter, and clinking of glasses coming from inside.

Not surprising, these small izakayas are the first choice for many office workers after get off work. They can have a small gathering with friends or colleagues. The cost of one or two thousand yuan per person is not too painful. They can eat and drink well and relieve the fatigue of the day. It is really cost-effective.

Yuan Qianye was somewhat surprised.

After all, based on the overall impression of Hayasaka Nao, she didn't seem like the type to appear in a place like this, but she just happened to arrange to meet him in such a place.

Suppressing the unease in his heart, Yuan Qianye opened the door.

"Welcome! Are you alone, sir?"

“I have an appointment with a lady. She said she would be waiting for me in the next room.”

"Ah, I understand. Please follow me."

Yuan Qianye was led by the waiter to the innermost private room.

However, what is called a partition is merely a wooden partition separating the raised tatami mats.

Nao Hayasaka knelt on one side of the table, in front of her on braised edamame, oden skewers, grilled squid legs, and cold seaweed salad.

The food hadn't been touched, but the beer in the glass was already half empty.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Yuan Qianye took off his shoes and sat cross-legged opposite her.

"I haven't been here long either. I should apologize. I made an appointment with you, but I stayed up so late."

“I heard Hayasaka say that you are very busy with your daily work, which is unavoidable.”

Nao Hayasaka smiled and handed him the menu: "It's my treat today, see what you like to eat."

Yuan Qianye bowed slightly and accepted it with both hands.

He noticed that when they met privately, the maid's mother was much more gentle and casual than when they met at banquets.

In addition, like Yuan Qianye, she also changed her formal dress into casual clothes.

Yuan Qianye picked up the menu, glanced at it, and only symbolically ordered a plate of fried dumplings.

He specifically invited the maid's mother out today, not to freeload a meal.

"Boys are really growing, is it okay for them to eat so little?"

"I'm almost full from the banquet."

"I see."

Nao Hayasaka nodded, then turned to the waiter and ordered a few more main dishes.

Seeing that Yuan Qianye wasn't one to beat around the bush, she went straight to the point: "You specifically asked me out today because of love, right?"

"Yes," Yuan Qianye readily admitted.

"I was just about to have a good talk with you about her. Thank you so much for being there for her all this time. She didn't have many friends she could talk to, and thanks to you, she's no longer as lonely as before."

"That's not true. Hayasaka and I have always been friends. I often ask her out not just for her, but also because I enjoy being with her."

Nao Hayasaka was putting edamame into her mouth with her chopsticks when she heard this and smiled gently once again.

She looked at the boy in front of her. Unlike when she had only seen him briefly before, she now had more time to observe him carefully.

He is a handsome young man who is impeccable in appearance, speech and manners. No need for any formal embellishment. Just looking at him brings immense joy, and happiness and satisfaction fill the heart. There is nothing else to ask for.

With these qualities, plus his gentle and considerate nature that always puts his own interests first, it's no wonder that love is so captivating to him.

The mother tried to put herself in her daughter's shoes and finally concluded that if she lowered her age to the same age as Ai, under the right conditions, even she might not be able to escape his unreasonable attraction.

To be more precise, most women of childbearing age in the world probably couldn't resist this young man. It was an attraction and flutter of the heart that came from female instinct, unrelated to reason, and impossible to avoid.

“I’ve always wanted to thank you properly, not just with words. It’s something I’ve decided to do a long time ago, so if there’s anything I can do to help, please feel free to tell me.”

Yuan Qianye realized that the maid's mother, or maid's mother for short, seemed to have misunderstood something.

“I didn’t mean that. The reason I asked you out today is simply to learn more about Hayasaka’s situation.” He paused, then added, “Of course, if it’s convenient for you.”

“You don’t need to use honorifics with me. You’re my daughter’s good friend, so we can be more casual with each other. Besides, I’m fine with anything, and I’m happy to tell you about Ai. I’m just curious, why don’t you just ask her directly?”

“We’ve known each other for a long time, but we haven’t actually been in contact for very long, so I don’t know her very well. I’m worried that asking her too many questions might put her in a difficult position or remind her of something unpleasant.”

In short, he was worried about stepping on a landmine when faced with the unknown.

He's thick-skinned and doesn't mind, but he has to consider the maid and doesn't want her to get hurt.

"You're quite thoughtful. So, what exactly do you want to ask today?"

"I want to know everything about Hayasaka from birth to the present."

Nao Hayasaka showed a slight look of surprise: "From birth... well, that's quite a story."

"If it's too late today and it's not convenient for you..."

"No, it's very convenient for me here. As a mother, I'd be happy to tell you about Ai's growth journey. After all, as I just mentioned, I want to thank you properly—" She picked up her wine glass and raised her hand forward. Yuan Qianye immediately picked up the glass of ice water in front of her.

The cups clinked together, making a crisp sound.

"—I was deeply moved as her mother to prepare such a grand surprise for her not long ago, let alone her."

Chiya seemed a little... uncomfortable about this: "Hayasaka told you about that matter on her own initiative."

"Well... it wasn't exactly her initiative. When we were video chatting, the kid kept giggling like an idiot. I sensed something was off, so I managed to get it out of her."

"I see..."

"I also know that you two encountered armed robbers and that you stepped in to protect her."

"You and your daughter have a really good relationship."

"It's true that we have a good relationship, but she never told me about what I just mentioned. She has a habit of writing down her thoughts in a notebook. I only found out about it by chance when I went to her room and accidentally opened her notebook, which was locked in the closet. Anyway, I'm so glad you're all okay."

Yuan Qianye did not point out the other party's seemingly unconcerned and even self-righteous "unintentional opening" in his words.

There are no absolute boundaries between family members; these are all trivial matters, insignificant and fleeting.

"Alright, let's get back to the main topic. Where should we begin? Let me think... The thing you care about most is that you love her. Why did she become the young lady of the Shinomiya family's close attendant and maid at such a young age? Is that right?"

Yuan Qianye nodded: "I've heard her talk about her daily work. Not only does she have to manage and supervise the work of the servants in the mansion, but she also has to handle all kinds of affairs around the young lady she serves, help arrange the schedule, and be alert to all kinds of possible accidents around her. On days when guests visit, she is even busier than usual. I think she is really working very hard, and I think there must be a reason why she has to do this."

You can sense the worry and concern in the boy's voice, which he tries hard to suppress but still manages to convey.

Nao Hayasaka's gaze softened as she looked at him.

“A very keen observation. She does have reasons for loving her, but the specific reasons are not her own will. The reason she is suffering so much now is entirely because of me and her father.”

She put down her chopsticks, her eyes dimming.

“It is the cause of our past actions that has led to the consequences she has to bear today, and this is what I have always felt guilty about towards that child.”

…………

Chapter 105: Undoubtedly a blue-chip stock.

For the next hour or so, Nao Hayasaka recounted in great detail all about her daughter's past, and why she had to go to the Shinomiya family at such a young age to serve as the young lady's attendant and maid.

Yuan Qianye listened attentively, and when the maid's glass was emptied, he promptly picked up the bottle and refilled it. He also nodded in agreement with her words from time to time, allowing the conversation to continue smoothly.

Through the maid's words, his understanding of Hayasaka Ai gradually deepened, and her personal image became more vivid and three-dimensional in his mind, gradually becoming more and more complete.

Based on the information we have just received, the cause-and-effect process in this case is not particularly complicated.

The Hayasaka family in the past was indeed a prestigious and influential family.

They started their business during the war years of the last century, and their wealth began in the early 20th century.

Following the general trend and riding the wave of economic recovery, in line with government policies, and after various successful reforms, the Hayasaka family achieved leapfrog development in many real-world business sectors, thus becoming one of the largest and most powerful companies in Japan.

However, just like the ever-repeating law of rise and fall in history, after a hundred years of prosperity, a dynasty will eventually decline. The Hayasaka family was just one of many financial groups and could not escape this fateful cycle.

Since the generation of Ai Hayasaka's grandfather, the family has gradually declined due to a series of poor decisions, its foundation has been shaken, and it has been teetering on the brink of survival amidst turmoil.

Unsurprisingly, shortly after the Hayasaka couple officially took over the family business, the Hayasaka family lost to the Shinomiya family in the fierce competition.

Utter bankruptcy, a massive debt that even selling all assets couldn't pay off... At that time, a heavy gloom hung over the Hayasaka family, with no future in sight.

It was at this moment, perhaps out of the pity of a victor looking down upon the family, or perhaps simply to satisfy the deep-seated desire for conquest within him—in any case, the head of the Shinomiya family at the time made a deal with the Hayasaka family.

He was willing to take over the Hayasaka family's debts, preventing them from going bankrupt and allowing them to continue in a way that, while not honorable, could at least sustain them, rather than instantly disintegrating and leaving them homeless.

The price was that the once-powerful Hayasaka family had to completely submit to the Shinomiya family and become its subordinate.

Members of the family are also required to be completely dependent on the Shinomiya family and serve them.

This is essentially a sale of the family, along with the family's dignity and the individual's dignity, all to a former rival.

That was undoubtedly the darkest period in the history of the Hayasaka family, but the Hayasaka couple at the time did not have much of a choice.

It was a resolute refusal to maintain a useless facade that caused the Hayasaka family to plummet from their zenith into the mire, plunging them into a life of heavy debt.

It is better to sacrifice dignity in exchange for a smooth transition for the family, so that the quality of life does not decline too drastically, while also preserving the achievements of our ancestors and preventing them from falling apart.

In the adult world, the answer to this multiple-choice question is actually not difficult to make.

Therefore, everything that followed became perfectly logical.