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

Her pupils contracted sharply, but she quickly regained her composure. However, deep within her calm eyes, a clear worry and a hint of... sharp coldness were still evident.

During yesterday's phone call, she only briefly told Qianye that his current girlfriend had found out about their relationship, and she was completely unaware that he was injured.

What happened in the end?

Saeko took in her reaction, then silently got up and sat down next to Shiho.

Gen Chiya said to Hayasaka Ai that it was nothing, and that now was not the time to worry about it.

He gave her a reassuring look that said they could talk about it later, and then led her to sit down at the table.

At this point, Saeko and Utaha were finally able to meet Chiya's "secret lover" face to face.

Shiwa's gaze turned unfriendly the moment Hayasaka Ai entered the room. She made no attempt to hide her scrutinizing look and was completely unable to maintain any friendly attitude or expression in front of her.

But no matter how unwilling she was to admit it, she still couldn't deny the beauty of the girl in front of her.

Her skin was so fair it was almost translucent, and under the soft lighting of the private room, it seemed to gleam with a delicate porcelain-like sheen.

Her features were so exquisite that they resembled a doll meticulously sculpted by an artisan, combining the three-dimensional depth of Western bone structure with the delicate softness of Eastern skin.

Especially her eyes, a deep blue like a clear sky or a deep sea, calm and clear, as if they could see through people's hearts.

She sat there, and even without saying a word, she possessed a calm and unique aura.

tsk...

In short, Shiyu became angrier and angrier. Her face, which had been able to maintain a calm demeanor, could no longer be controlled the moment Hayasaka Ai sat down. She glared fiercely at Minamoto Chiya!

You shameless, womanizing bastard!

Feeling guilty, Yuan Qianye chose to ignore it: "Let me introduce you, this is..."

"I'll do it myself."

Chiya's attempt to break the deadlock was stopped by Ai Hayasaka.

She received that phone call so suddenly late last night. Although she received very little information, Qianye did not tell her exactly how their affair was exposed.

But considering the actual situation, she could roughly guess that it was most likely related to herself.

Because Qianye had been with her for several hours before that phone call.

Perhaps there was some mark left on Qianye, or perhaps they were simply seen together.

But in any case, the cause is inextricably linked to her.

It was because of her existence that Qianye found himself in such a predicament, and may even have been injured as a result.

So at least at this moment, she didn't want to be a burden to Qianye anymore, and she didn't want him to bear any more pressure in order to protect her.

"Nice to meet you." Hayasaka Ai bowed her head and placed her hands on the tatami mat: "Bukushima-san, Kasumigaoka-san."

"You know us?" Shi Yu asked coldly, her tone not very friendly.

Hayasaka Ai maintained her bent-over posture without looking up: "Yes, I am very clear about the situation around Chiya, and Chiya has told me about the situation of the two of you many times."

"..." Shi Yu frowned even more, the pent-up anger in her heart surged up again, and she glared fiercely at Yuan Qianye.

Feeling guilty, Yuan Qianye didn't dare to look back and helped Hayasaka up, saying, "Hayasaka, you don't need to do that. Normal conversation is fine."

Her act of feeling like a sinner and adopting a humble posture made him feel very uncomfortable.

It all started with him, yet Hayasaka, who was already busy and tired and hadn't done anything wrong, had to bear such a lot of pressure.

Hayasaka shook his head, about to say something, when Saeko spoke up: "That's right, the reason Utaha and I asked you out today, Hayasaka-san, is simply to have an open and honest conversation with you."

As you just said, you seem to be quite familiar with our situation, so we don't need to waste time introducing ourselves. Hayasaka-san, you haven't had dinner yet, have you? The food at this restaurant is quite good. If you're not in a hurry, let's order first, and we can chat while we eat."

Saeko's face still didn't smile, but compared to before, her tense expression had softened considerably.

This was only a single glance...

Shiyu found it unbelievable; she couldn't reconcile the Saeko in front of her with the Saeko who had been in a frenzied state last night.

It hasn't been long, and her attitude has softened to this extent.

The expected scene of her angrily questioning the other party upon their arrival never materialized.

This situation now resembles a friendly dinner party for meeting new friends?

What is she thinking?!

…………

Volume 2: Chapter 217: Another childhood sweetheart?! (8k)

The air inside the private room was filled with the delicate fragrance of sandalwood.

On the other side is an open kitchen counter where skilled chefs usually prepare dishes for guests on the spot.

From preparing the ingredients to plating and serving, the entire process is seamless and is considered a unique and visually appealing dining experience, making it one of the restaurant's signature services.

However, no one present was in the mood to watch the so-called food performance today.

Therefore, when ordering, they specifically instructed the waiter that there was no need for the chef to prepare the food on-site; the dishes could be served according to the normal procedure.

Yuan Qianye did not sleep well last night.

The reasons include the fact that he had to stop halfway through, and in the end, he had to share a bed with the incredibly beautiful Shiyu but couldn't touch her at all.

But more than anything, he expressed concern about today's Quad meeting.

In terms of succession, Saeko, Utaha, and Hayasaka are both his beloved women, and he really wants to treat them equally.

However, reality is rarely so ideal, and deviations will inevitably occur for various reasons.

He realized this and knew that this day would come sooner or later, so he did not wallow in self-pity. He was determined to make the meeting go smoothly no matter how difficult it was.

As a second-best option, considering that Saeko was genuinely angry this time, even if things couldn't end well, at least we had to ensure that the situation didn't get out of control and that the tension didn't get too high.

As for the specific situation, Saeko and Utaha are undoubtedly on the same side this time, and considering their personalities... he is prepared to take the initiative to absorb the majority of the firepower.

After all, he had already been stabbed by Saeko, so there seemed to be nothing more terrifying than this.

However, now that the time has come, the situation has greatly exceeded his expectations.

Saeko spent more than two hours at home preparing before leaving the house today.

She chose the most gorgeous and dignified formal kimono from her wardrobe, her hair elegantly styled in a bun, and her face adorned with delicate light makeup, including lightly drawn eyebrows and a touch of vermilion on her lips.

The moment she stepped out of the room, Yuan Qianye's eyes were filled with amazement, and he even forgot his nervousness for a moment.

To say something a little inappropriate, when he saw Saeko dressed up so beautifully and looking so stunning, if it weren't for the unresolved conflict between them, Minamoto Chiya would have picked her up on the spot and thrown her onto the bed in the room!

With such captivating charm and meticulous dressing, she exudes elegance and grace. Already beautiful, she is further enhanced by a subtle air of aristocratic sophistication, like a young matriarch of a wealthy household managing all internal affairs…

Dressing himself up so formally, luxuriously, and imposingly, with an air of unapproachability, Yuan Qianye and Shi Yu saw this behavior as sending a very clear signal.

Just like soldiers before going into battle, they always put on their armor and prepare their swords and weapons. This behavior is undoubtedly a preparatory action before facing the enemy.

After that, there will definitely be a fierce battle!

Both Chiya and Utaha shared this consensus after being initially amazed by Saeko.

At least until Hayasaka Ai arrived, I firmly believed this!

But now—

"I heard from Chiya that Hayasaka-san attends Shuchiin Academy?" Saeko held serving chopsticks in one hand, swishing fish in the boiling mushroom soup, while the other hand held up her wide sleeve to prevent it from drooping and touching the food on the table, her posture very elegant.

“Yes.” Hayasaka Ai maintained the respectful posture she had kept since entering the room, bowing slightly before each reply, her tone humble: “Because my parents’ jobs are decent, I have been attending Shuchiin Academy since kindergarten.”

"Starting from kindergarten?"

"Yes, that's right. Shuchiin is a continuous school that includes kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and university. Of course, you can enroll in the middle of the course if you meet the requirements, but I have been there since kindergarten."

“Is that so…” Saeko nodded to indicate that she understood.

She picked up the serving chopsticks from the boiling pot, the fish meat on the tips of the chopsticks just cooked through, and said to Hayasaka, "Here, please use them."

"Ah..." Hayasaka was clearly unprepared for this, and hurriedly picked up her bowl with both hands to take it: "...Yes...thank you for your help."

"Why are you suddenly using honorifics all of a sudden?"

"No...I'm just...sorry..."

"Qianye mentioned it to me briefly last night."

Saeko seemed unconcerned by her nervousness and continued speaking in her calm tone.

"You're actually just like him, Hayasaka-san. Besides studying, you also have a lot of work to do. I suddenly heard him mention you, so I became a little concerned and impulsively begged him to let me meet you and make friends. As a result, it seems that this has disrupted your schedule. I'm the one who should apologize."

"That's not true. I've heard Qianye mention it often, and I've always wanted to meet... and get to know you two."

"Oh?" Saeko asked with interest, "What does he usually say about us?"

Hayasaka Ai raised her eyes, her gaze quickly sweeping across Saeko and Utaha's faces, before answering without the slightest hesitation: "He said that meeting you two is the greatest luck of his life, and the reason he is working so hard now is mostly to give you two a better future."

Did I say that to Hayasaka?

As Yuan Qianye helped the three people sitting there pick up food, he thought to himself.

"Is that so..."

Saeko, whose posture was gradually relaxing, and Hayasaka, whose body was tense from kneeling, talked alone.

A strangely harmonious atmosphere of conversation developed between the two of them.

No, no, no…!

This is completely wrong!!!

Shiyu completely fails to understand the current situation!

This woman is Qianye's secret lover! She's a third party who entered our lives without our knowledge, a woman who silently stole the life of our beloved!

What's more, last night you personally tasted the shameful things called "cheating" and "betrayal"... an unforgivable sinner!

Why are you able to speak to her so calmly and gently right now?

They even helped her put food on her plate!

You didn't even tell me to put my food in my bowl before she did!!!

Are you angry?!

A question?!