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

Mr. Yukinoshita had received a call from his wife earlier, informing him that he would be staying home for dinner that evening, which gave him some advance preparation.

But when I actually saw him after returning, I still felt... how should I put it, a little uncomfortable and uneasy.

Like his wife, he certainly admired this outstanding young man, but as a father, especially one with two beautiful daughters, he was more wary of him!

As the only male in this family... well, this small family, he has always seen himself as the pillar and protector of the family.

As Yuan Qianye intruded into the environment he was protecting more and more frequently, it was impossible for him not to develop a sense of vigilance...

That complex feeling—perhaps there's some extremely important and precious treasure that's about to be taken away by a young boy.

"Chiya-kun, please don't be shy, make yourself at home and eat more." At the dining table, Mrs. Yukinoshita greeted him with a smile, her tone gentle and warm.

"Yes, thank you very much for your hospitality." Yuan Qianye smiled and replied, then picked up his chopsticks, but did not start eating immediately. Instead, he looked sincerely at the hostess and continued, "Actually, from the moment I sat down, I was attracted by the exquisiteness and aroma of this meal. Every dish shows that you have put a lot of thought into it. It's not just the taste, but also the visual appeal."

"Oh my, you're so good with words." Mrs. Yukinoshita covered her mouth and chuckled.

Yang Nai chimed in with a smile, her tone playfully affectionate: "My mom really showed off her skills today, something we haven't done in a long time. We're all thanks to you. We just don't know if it suits our great writer's taste."

Qianye shook her head and said sincerely, "Sister Yangnai is joking. I was just telling the truth."

He tasted both dishes, savoring each one carefully before his eyes lit up, and he offered a subtle yet genuine compliment.

"Take this teriyaki cod for example. The sweet and salty ratio of the sauce is just right. It has completely penetrated the fish, but it does not overpower its natural freshness at all. The tempura batter is thin and crispy, while the ingredients inside retain plenty of moisture. The cooking time is really exquisite. Such culinary skills are more than enough to be the head chef of a high-quality restaurant."

His specific and sincere praise deepened Mrs. Yukinoshita's smile.

She knew it was a compliment, but his compliment wasn't just a dry, forced praise; it was a concrete statement. Coupled with his striking good looks and genuine expression, it provided a powerful emotional impact.

It's often said that good chefs are praised into being good.

But compared to Yuan Qianye's meticulous praise, and then thinking about her husband's unchanging, dry adjectives over the years like "delicious," "extra delicious," and "a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate"... well, the difference is obvious.

Mr. Yukinoshita wasn't blind, so he could clearly see that his beloved wife and queen was being charmed by this young man's few words.

His eldest daughter, Yang Nai, was clearly on his side, smiling and chatting like a family.

On the contrary, his youngest daughter, whom he had previously worried about and cherished the most, remained calm and composed, maintaining an extremely demure and ladylike demeanor, completely unaffected by the outside world, and quietly ate her meal.

This moved Mr. Yukinoshita to tears!

Okay! Great!

In this family, there was still one last beloved person who hadn't been seduced by the boy's flattering words and glamorous appearance, and who was still on his side! This preserved a last shred of precarious security for him!

However, he wasn't the only one with such a rich inner world at this seemingly harmonious dining table.

While Yuan Qianye was trying to make his future mother-in-law happy, although he didn't have any direct verbal communication with his future father-in-law, he didn't ignore him and kept observing him without showing any emotion.

Only women understand women, and this applies to men as well.

At night, a man rides his bicycle with a large fish on his back, wandering aimlessly along the street. Women might think he's a pitiful fishmonger, working so late for his family. But only men know the weight of honor and dignity he carries, and they wish they could roll up their sleeves and take his place!

Yuan Qianye easily understood his father-in-law's feelings after a little empathy, and the solution to this situation was quite simple—

"Uncle, do you usually play golf?" Yuan Qianye asked casually, his tone natural.

"Oh?" Mr. Yukinoshita looked up at him, slightly surprised. "Yes, I sometimes have business engagements, or I occasionally go out with friends on weekends. But how did you know?"

"I saw your Honma golf clubs when I passed by the entrance hall just now."

Gen Chiyo casually mentioned a detail she had observed unintentionally.

"If I'm not mistaken, that should be the Twelve Star series? This series is famous for its clubhead forging and weight adjustment, and the swing feel is very delicate. It seems that your uncle is not only an enthusiast, but also a true expert in golf, to choose clubs from this brand."

"Oh? I didn't expect you to know about these things." Mr. Yukinoshita suddenly became interested.

Being able to observe and accurately describe the characteristics of a brand and its series is clearly not just empty flattery from an outsider.

"I don't really understand."

Yuan Qianye immediately adopted the humble posture of a junior and explained with a smile,

"It's my dad. He's recently become interested in golf and wants to buy a set of beginner clubs that will last a long time and have a good feel. So I did some research for him. What I just said is just theoretical; please excuse my ignorance, Uncle."

He paused, and at just the right moment, a look of sudden, delighted inspiration appeared on his face.

"By the way! Uncle, you're an expert in this field. If it's not too much trouble, could you recommend a few suitable options for my dad? Brands, models, or parameters that need attention are all fine. I'll be able to give him some advice when I get back, so he doesn't make a blind choice and end up buying the wrong one or something that's too expensive."

"Well, I wouldn't say that's an expert's opinion."

Mr. Yukinoshita remained modest, but the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, clearly pleased with the gesture.

"However, I do know a bit about this. Golf clubs are really a personal thing. Brands are certainly a factor, but the most important thing is to go to a physical store and actually swing them a few times to feel whether the weight, shaft stiffness, and grip thickness are suitable for your hand..."

The conversation suddenly turned to a familiar area for him, and Mr. Yukinoshita suddenly shook off his previous gloomy and dejected mood, and began to talk eloquently and confidently.

"Honey, you two can chat for a while. I'll go to the kitchen and reheat the miso soup for you." Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled as she gracefully rose.

"I didn't expect Dad to know so much about this." Yang Nai also stood up with a smile: "I'll go get you some rice."

Mrs. Yukinoshita and Haruno got up one after the other and walked together to the kitchen to make sure they wouldn't be seen by the nominal head of the household. They looked at each other and chuckled in unison.

Only Yukino remained quietly seated at the dining table, letting out a barely perceptible sigh.

She knew this would happen.

Gen Chiya's goal was achieved.

Regardless of whether Mr. Yukinoshita will realize it later, he is indeed quite happy and proactive in offering himself the opportunity to show off to his wife and daughter.

And I developed a desire and thoughts to communicate with him, and I did indeed leave some goodwill towards him, and that's enough.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

That night, Chiya stayed at Yukinoshita's house until after nine o'clock.

Chiya Minamoto was a great straight man. The conversation, which started with golf clubs at the dinner table, quickly expanded to the selection of fishing tackle brands, lure techniques for different waters, favorite and least favorite baseball players and their technical characteristics, and even some tips on maintaining classic cars...

The reverence and interest he displayed was a seemingly casual, yet actually quite skillful, approach.

He doesn't directly say "You're so rich" or "Me too," but rather relies on his vast knowledge reserves, and where there's a gap, he uses his "God's eye" plus his hands in his pockets and his phone connected to the internet.

When Mr. Yukinoshita raises a point of view or recounts an experience, he aptly adds a response or question that seems to understand but is actually on the verge of being understood.

Then, naturally put him in the position of someone who has been there before and who can answer your questions. Enthusiastically deny and correct his claims, and then focus on popularizing the science behind his words.

Meanwhile, Chiya would show an expression of sudden realization and enlightenment, and look at him with a gaze that was a mixture of admiration and "I've learned something," greatly satisfying the other person's desire to confide and his vanity.

That's why there are always news reports of middle-aged men being scammed by women. Once you understand their inner needs, it's really easy to take advantage of them.

If it weren't for the late hour and Mrs. Yukinoshita's gentle reminder, Mr. Yukinoshita would probably have kept him chatting, still wanting more.

Strangely enough, when he comes home, he doesn't seem to have much to talk about with his wife and daughters, and the atmosphere is more quiet and warm.

But when it came to Yuan Qianye, he seemed to have endless topics to talk about, and there was never a dull moment or a pause. One topic naturally led to another, which gave him a sense of "a thousand cups of wine are not enough when drinking with a bosom friend"!

Indeed, it seems only men can share so many common interests and topics that they can discuss in depth. How come I never discovered this kind of joy before?

Yukinoshita suddenly felt a little envious of Minamoto Sanada.

At his wife's prompting, Mr. Yukinoshita finally got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower to relieve the day's fatigue.

Yukino was focused on revising the manuscript in her room, so I didn't call her out.

Mrs. Yukinoshita and Haruno escorted Chiya Minamoto to the entrance.

"Time flies. How about you stay here tonight? The guest rooms are always ready and easy to use," Mrs. Yukinoshita suddenly said, trying to persuade her to stay.

Yuan Qianye bowed politely: "Auntie, I appreciate your kindness, but I already told my family I was going home today, and I also have some homework to take care of."

"Is that so? Then there's nothing I can do. I'll have the driver take you."

"No need for that trouble, I can take the tram directly to the vicinity of the apartment, it's very convenient."

"Alright." Yang Nai spoke in an unquestionable tone: "You and my little Yukino have such a good relationship, why are you being so polite? Just listen to your mother's arrangements."

Since the young lady had said so, Yuan Qianye didn't refuse any further.

After thanking Mrs. Yukinoshita sincerely and saying goodbye once again, he turned and walked out the door.

"Ah, what a good child! Very polite, humble and eager to learn, and quite knowledgeable, just like me back then..."

Later that evening, after taking a shower, Mr. Yukinoshita came to the living room while drying his hair and casually remarked.

Due to his consistently busy work schedule, he has a habit of eating late-night snacks.

I ate dinner quite late tonight, so I'm not very hungry, but I still crave a little snack. As for the snack choice, well, naturally—

"Ok?"

He opened the refrigerator and looked it over, but couldn't find the yokan his wife had specially made for him a couple of days ago.

Just then, his eldest daughter, Yang Nai, came to the kitchen to get some water, and he casually asked, "Yang Nai, where's the box of yokan your mother made for me? I remember it should be here."

Yang Nai was drinking water when she heard this and casually replied, "Oh, that? Chiya came over this afternoon, and he really liked the food, so Yukino gave it all to him."

Mr. Yukinoshita: "?"

He blinked. He'd given it all to him?

A whole box?

That was a love-filled yokan that my wife made especially for me; I haven't even had a few bites of it myself!

Yang walked away humming a little tune in a good mood.

Mr. Yukinoshita silently closed the refrigerator door, stood there for a few seconds, then let out a cryptic laugh and shook his head.

After all, they are guests, and we need to treat them with care. There's nothing we can do about it. As long as they've eaten and there's no waste, that's fine. I'll just ask my sweetheart to cook for me later.

He comforted himself with this thought, turned to the cupboard, took out some peanuts and fried peas, and carried them back to the living room.

His wife was sitting on the sofa watching a late-night talk show.

He sat down next to her, placed the small dish on the coffee table, and said in a relaxed tone, "Honey, have you still opened those two bottles of Juyondai Honmaru that Mitsu gave me? I got off work early today and I'm in a good mood, so bring one over and I'll have a little drink."

That was a bottle of sake that he cherished and had never been willing to open.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Yukinoshita turned to look at him with some surprise: "Eh? Those drinks... are you planning to drink them all by yourself?"

"Yes." Mr. Yukinoshita looked at his wife's surprised expression and suddenly had a bad feeling: "What's wrong?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita looked apologetic: "I'm sorry, I thought that the wine had been sitting untouched for so long and you weren't planning to drink it, so Haruno suggested that Chiya take it back for Mr. Gen to try, as a small token of my appreciation, and I... agreed. I just had Chiya take it away."

Mr. Yukinoshita: "??!"

How could I possibly not want to drink it! That's a top-tier wine that I've treasured for so long, and I just haven't found the right time to open it yet! I've been saving it for this long because I couldn't bear to drink it!