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

Just then, Yuan Qianye put down her teacup, which was now empty, and she could use this as an excuse to escape briefly.

"Take your time looking at it, I'll go get you some water." Yukino quickly stood up.

"No need," Qianye said casually, his gaze still fixed on the screen.

"When did you start being so polite with me?" Yukino picked up her teacup, her voice carrying a barely perceptible urgency, as if she were trying to hide something.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Qianye looked up from his manuscript, glanced at her, and then chuckled, "That's true."

He raised his hand, used his fork to pick up a small pastry from the plate, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and said with a satisfied look, "This pastry is quite delicious. If you have any more, please bring some more."

"Mm." Yukino nodded in agreement.

That was a sweet bean jelly that Mom had specially made for Dad, as a reward, because she knew he had been working hard and busy lately.

It uses red beans and hawthorns ground into a paste, then agar powder and a little water are added to solidify it. It is also filled with high-quality chestnuts from Hyogo Prefecture. It has a perfect balance of sweet and sour, and a soft and chewy texture. It is indeed quite delicious.

These past two nights, the most pleasant thing for Dad when he comes home from working overtime is taking a bath, drinking some light tea made by Mom, watching TV, and leisurely eating a few pieces of food.

She remembered that there wasn't much left when she took it from the kitchen earlier, but it didn't matter. She could just have her mother make more later. After all, Qianye was a guest, and his priority was slightly higher than her father's.

As Yukino emerged from the room, she silently breathed a sigh of relief.

There were no real problems in her relationship with Yuan Qianye, but she had indeed experienced some inappropriate emotions just now because she was alone with him, which made her feel a little embarrassed and uneasy. Fortunately, she managed to get out of it for the time being.

When you go back into the room later, don't close the door...

With that thought in mind, she took the cup and headed to the kitchen.

Along the way, her gaze fell on the faint dampness on the rim of the cup, a trace left by Qianye's lips when he drank tea. The plot is reaching its climax: Update! Come to the Fragrant Study to see!

She quickly raised her eyes, staring straight ahead into the corridor, no longer letting her thoughts wander.

"That child seems a bit strange lately, doesn't he?"

"Mom, you're overthinking it. From what I know, everything is normal..."

As they approached the kitchen, the aroma of food grew stronger, and at the same time, the hushed conversation between Mom and her sister drifted out.

Yukino unconsciously made her footsteps even lighter.

"...I think you don't need to worry, Mom. Just leave it to me. As for Yukino, right now she's just shy, which is why she's showing the subtle resistance you mentioned."

"Okay, I understand. Since you've said so, then I'll..."

Mrs. Yukinoshita had only spoken halfway when she keenly noticed her youngest daughter's figure outside the kitchen door. She stopped talking with a smile, turned to the door, and her smile remained gentle.

Yukino followed her mother's gaze and turned her head, speaking lightly as if nothing was wrong: "Yo, Yukino, is there something you need?"

Yukino raised her cup: "I'll refill Chiya's tea and get some snacks too, he really likes them."

"Oh, I see. Leave it to me." Yang Nai took the cup from her hand, poured tea into it, and then took out clean dishes from the cupboard and headed towards the refrigerator.

At this moment, Mrs. Yukinoshita cleared her throat gently and spoke softly to her youngest daughter: "Daddy will be home earlier than usual tonight, so I'd like you to ask Chiya-kun for me later if we can have dinner a little later, and then eat together when Daddy gets home. He shouldn't mind, right?"

Yukino gently shook her head, her tone carrying the certainty unique to childhood friends: "There's no need to ask him about this; he'll definitely be fine."

"Even so, you should still tell him; it's a matter of etiquette."

"Yes, I understand." Yukino nodded obediently.

"What are you doing with him now?" Mrs. Yukinoshita asked with concern.

“We’re discussing the polishing and revision of his new manuscript. I’ve finished a small part so far, and he’s looking at it,” Yukino answered truthfully.

"Is that so?" Mrs. Yukinoshita looked very pleased, her eyes crinkling with joy. "Chiyo-kun trusts you a lot. You should also work hard and put in your best effort. Don't let him down."

"Mom, of course I know that."

"In addition," Mrs. Yukinoshita changed the subject, her tone still gentle, but she made a decision that surprised Yukino: "Now that it's summer vacation, my idea is that starting this year, you won't have to go to any holiday tutoring classes anymore."

"Eh?"

Yukino was taken aback by her mother's words.

After all, since kindergarten, extracurricular classes, interest classes, and other such extracurricular activities have long been a part of her daily life. Over the years, she has become accustomed to this meticulously planned schedule.

Now that her mother had suddenly said that, she felt a momentary sense of emptiness and unease.

Mrs. Yukinoshita explained, "When you were younger, I felt it was necessary to help you develop good study habits and lay a good foundation for you in all aspects, so I used a relatively strict study schedule to arrange your time. But now that you are in high school, you have really grown up, have your own judgment and self-control, and also have a strong ability to learn independently. So I think that those overly rigid and fixed schedules may not be necessary to continue."

"Mom, why are you saying this all of a sudden..."

"Ah, of course. If you prefer to maintain the same arrangements as before, your mother will certainly not object, since the family doesn't lack that expense."

At this moment, Yang Nai came over with freshly prepared tea and snacks. Hearing the end of their conversation, she smiled and interjected, "But from your mother's perspective, I would definitely like you, Yukino, to manage your time more independently and flexibly."

"That's true. By the way, the curfew that was previously set can be extended appropriately. Let's move it from 9 p.m. to before 11 p.m. Also, if you really need to stay overnight at a friend's house, just call home in advance to explain your whereabouts and don't make your mother worry."

"That's so unfair! Mom, you're definitely showing favoritism towards Yukino, aren't you? I only started getting this kind of preferential treatment after I entered my senior year of high school!"

"There's nothing I can do. You're not as well-behaved as Yukino when you're out there, so I can't put my mind at ease with you so soon."

Yukino took the tea and snacks from her sister, still somewhat dazed.

In this family, whether it's her sister, her, or her father, when it comes to matters that require a family meeting to decide, the final solution often tends to lean towards the mother's will and is implemented according to her ideas, and this has always been the case.

This doesn't mean that Mom is an absolute dictator in the family, and that her word is law.

To be fair, after discussion, my mother's ideas and conclusions were always proven to be the safest and most comprehensive optimal solutions.

Even if others have completely different ideas from her, they are often persuaded by her in the end.

Therefore, when Yukino heard her suddenly say that she would be free to use her time as she pleased, she was still somewhat taken aback.

Besides, after her initial surprise, she slowly came to her senses.

It seems...it seems...the timing of Mom's sudden announcement of letting go and making arrangements was too coincidental and subtle.

Mrs. Yukinoshita immediately saw the barely concealed confusion in her youngest daughter's eyes. Instead of avoiding the question, she was willing to frankly explain the rationale behind her decision, allowing for a long-awaited heart-to-heart talk between mother and daughter, where she could share her innermost thoughts.

"Actually, Mom didn't originally have such a specific idea. The reason I suddenly brought it up with you now is because on the way back, when I was chatting with Qianye-kun, he unintentionally gave me some inspiration."

Yukino thought for a moment: "Mom, are you referring to... that conversation when you asked him about his parents' attitude towards his education and what specific arrangements they made, and he replied that they basically didn't interfere and mostly let him explore freely on his own?"

"Hmm." Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded, her expression serious with a hint of reflection: "I might not care if others said these things, but Chiya is a real-life example of a dazzlingly successful child. His growth trajectory and current situation have made me reflect on my previous seemingly perfect and meticulously planned educational methods for you. They seemed appropriate and reliable, but in reality, they were a bit too strict. Perhaps they have inadvertently stifled your possibility of independent exploration and self-planning."

"Mom, if only you had realized this a few years earlier," Yang Nai said, savoring the food on a small plate. "My high school years would have been much more fun and easier that way."

Mrs. Yukinoshita turned around and gently tapped her eldest daughter's nose again.

She could tell, of course, that her eldest daughter's words were not a complaint but an affectionate teasing joke.

She turned back to Yukino, her gaze gentle and full of trust: "In short, that's about it. Chiya trusts your abilities, and as her mother, I naturally trust my daughter as well. From today onwards, you can seriously consider all the arrangements for your studies and life. Of course, if you have any doubts or need any help during this process, you are welcome to come to me and Dad to discuss it at any time."

Having transcended the thoughts of the nominal head of the household, the actual head of the household formally finalized this arrangement at this moment.

Yang Nai raised her hand from the side: "Your phone is also open 24/7 for you~"

Yukino was touched and nodded gently: "Yes, I understand. Thank you, Mom and Sister."

"Alright, go on. Qianye-kun is a guest after all; don't leave him alone in the room for too long."

"Ah."

Yukino, carrying tea and snacks, walked slowly back to her room with feelings even more complex and indescribable than when she left.

Before she could figure out what had happened to Qianye, her mother suddenly granted her unprecedented freedom.

During the holidays, she no longer needs to attend those tutoring classes, and the curfew has been significantly extended. Some invisible but real shackles have been removed, which means that she will suddenly have a lot more free time.

What can be done with this extra time?

Will you continue to actively sign up for tutoring classes as you have in the past?

She used to be used to it, but now that she's been reminded of it, Yukino realizes that it's really not necessary.

She has a solid academic foundation and excellent grades. Just as her mother said, she already possesses a strong ability to learn independently.

In addition, with the development of the internet today, almost any question can be answered online. If you want to learn more advanced knowledge in advance, there are also abundant online courses from famous teachers. There is no need to stick to the old step-by-step schedule anymore.

As for extracurricular hobbies, the only courses she is currently taking are piano and calligraphy. However, having been exposed to these since she was very young, she can now practice them on her own in private.

So, after removing these things that no longer need to be rigidly maintained, the remaining large chunk of time...

Aside from allocating some time for club activities and spending time with Eriri and Rikka, it seems... there's nothing else that particularly interests her or that she'd be eager to use to fill those empty hours.

She walked back to the doorway, lost in thought.

After a slight hesitation, she followed her previous plan, pushed the door open but did not close it completely, and walked inside.

"Yukino, the parts you polished are quite good."

Hearing her footsteps as she returned, Yuan Qianye turned his chair around from in front of the computer screen to face her.

His eyes were bright, filled with undisguised appreciation and excitement; he exuded a joyful aura, inspired by the outstanding work he had achieved.

"The depiction of environmental details is more vivid, and the portrayal of characters' expressions and tones is more delicate and precise, perfectly matching the atmosphere and texture I envisioned. It's simply perfect!"

His praise was mostly genuine, with only a small portion containing artistic embellishment.

After all, regardless of what Yukino said, his ambitions were not limited to just cooperating with Yukino this time, so naturally he also had the idea of ​​making her happy.

Once she's in a good mood, many things will naturally become much easier.

He had a good idea of ​​what to do, and he thought his performance was just right. His expression was sincere, his praise was specific and not vague, and his acting skills were outstanding.

Then, when Yukino met her childhood friend's eyes, which were sparkling with excitement and admiration, she paused slightly.

The chaotic thoughts about "free time arrangements" that she had temporarily suppressed, along with the unnatural awkwardness she felt during her previous conversation with her mother, suddenly flowed smoothly and uncontrollably together again.

A gradually clearer idea emerged in her mind—

Could it be that Mom said those words specifically to me because of the current situation?

…………

Volume 2: Chapter 111: The Pre-Determined Protection + His Family Brotherhood (8k)

When Yukino stared at him with such a suspicious look, Chiyo felt a chill run down his spine. He thought to himself, "This shouldn't be. My acting is so sincere. Unless she really has mind-reading abilities, how could she see through me at a glance?"

Fortunately, Yukino didn't remain silent for long. She quickly spoke, but instead of continuing on the topic of his praise, she asked about something else, her tone revealing a barely perceptible caution: "Chiyo, you and my mother..."

"What happened between me and your aunt?"

"..." Yukino stared intently at his face, which was filled with "innocence" and "confusion," as if her gaze was trying to see through his appearance into his heart.

The second half of the sentence, "Did they say something in private, or reach some kind of tacit understanding?" hovered on her lips, but she ultimately swallowed it back.