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

“Yes, the schedule is very full.” Yuan Qianye twirled the end of her hair with his fingertips, his tone relaxed: “But it’s not particularly tiring, I can handle it perfectly well.”

As he said, after successfully reversing public opinion on the last TV program, he was invited back to Nagano Prefecture to receive a "heroic act" award and certificate from the local government.

While this may not be a particularly prestigious honor, the official endorsement and definitive characterization of the incident serve as a powerful rebuttal to the online attacks and smears.

At the same time, his team struck while the iron was hot, carrying out a series of professional public relations operations behind the scenes.

Without provoking public resentment, he subtly introduced his many past acts of kindness, which were officially recorded or certified, such as rescuing people from drowning as a teenager, reporting criminal dens, and helping to stop violent incidents in public places, into the public eye.

"Heroes should not be vilified!", "Who is harming our country's future?", "Reflections on being swayed by negative public opinion"...

Similar discussions began to appear in newspapers and online, successfully turning a crisis into an excellent opportunity to enhance personal image and influence.

His popularity soared to new heights thanks to this opportunity!

After returning to Tokyo, invitations and business activities poured in.

He even accepted an invitation from the Metropolitan Police Department to experience the "One-Day Honorary Sheriff" program.

The experiences during this period have indeed been quite enriching.

"Thank you for your hard work." Hayasaka Ai nuzzled his chin, her voice filled with concern.

"You're the one who's suffered." Yuan Qianye tightened his arms, holding her even closer, his tone apologetic: "Because of my situation, you and your young lady have been confined to your quarters and haven't been able to go out for a while. You must be very bored."

“Actually… for us, this is actually a good thing.” Hayasaka Ai gently shook her head in his arms: “It’s rare to have a vacation where we don’t have to deal with the outside world or be on edge all the time. Miss can read quietly, and I can also secretly do some things that I like… But speaking of Miss, I happen to have something I want to ask you.”

"what's up?"

"After you officially debut as a novelist, Chiya, could you privately send me some of those early, non-commercially circulated printed manuscript collections, or limited editions with your autograph and special number?" Hayasaka Ai unconsciously drew circles on his chest with her fingertips, carefully choosing her words.

"Just this little thing? Of course, no problem." Yuan Qianye readily agreed. After all, as the original author, these things that are hard to get in the outside world are as plentiful as he could get his hands on.

But he was a little confused: "However, I remember giving you several sets of these before?"

“It’s not what I want.” Hayasaka Ai explained, her eyes slightly unfocused: “It’s… Miss, after you saved her last time, she has been grateful to you and seems to have become a fan of your books because of it. So I thought that if I could get these rare collectibles that are hard to find on the market as a gift for her, she would be very happy.”

She selectively concealed the fact that her young mistress's "gratitude" far exceeded normal levels.

He also omitted the unusually focused, even somewhat fascinated, expression he had secretly observed when the young lady was reading his work!

Yuan Qianye nodded knowingly and didn't delve into it further: "Okay, I understand. I'll organize it and send it to you directly later."

"Thank you." Hayasaka Ai smiled.

"Do we need to thank each other?" Yuan Qianye lowered his head and affectionately rubbed his nose against hers, a playful smile in his eyes: "Besides, if you really want to thank me... you know what to do."

Two blushes instantly rose on Hayasaka Ai's cheeks, spreading all the way to her ears.

Although she was fully aware of Chiya's freakish physical abilities, in actual combat, even with mental preparation, she still found it difficult to cope.

However… she thought again, since the young lady was under house arrest and had no plans to go out recently, she wouldn’t have to get up early to serve her as usual tomorrow.

So, even if I go a little overboard tonight and stop deliberately conserving my energy, it should be... okay, right?

The maid soon paid the price for her naive idea.

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.

The following morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the gaps in the curtains.

Kaguya Shinomiya sat beside Ai Hayasaka's bed, her eyes filled with worry: "Have you caught a cold?"

“…Hmm, it seems so,” Hayasaka Ai’s voice was muffled, with a heavy nasal tone, and her eyes drifted away guiltily. “It might be… that I accidentally kicked off the blanket after falling asleep last night and caught a cold.”

Being pinned down, being held in someone's arms, being pressed against someone's waist almost to the sky... it's impossible to say these things out loud!

The maid sighed inwardly, feeling as if all the bones in her body were falling apart, especially her waist and legs, which felt so weak and sore.

A hidden throbbing pain and discomfort emanated from a certain embarrassing spot.

All of this reminded her of how intense the battle had been last night, and how she had cried and begged for mercy in the end.

"How could you be so careless? You're not a child anymore."

Kaguya Shinomiya sighed, her tone tinged with helplessness, but mostly with concern.

"Never mind, it's alright. Anyway, there's nothing urgent going on lately. Just rest in bed today. I'll have someone else temporarily take over your work."

"Thank you." Hayasaka Ai blinked gratefully, then, remembering something, added, "Oh, by the way, Miss, you can look forward to the Christmas present I've prepared for you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Keep it a secret for now, you'll find out soon."

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.

Time passed day by day.

Thanks to the effective management of Yuan Qianye and his team, the bear attack incident not only did not have a negative impact, but instead became an opportunity for his personal reputation to soar again.

Riding on this unprecedented wave of popularity, all of his published novels have experienced explosive growth in sales.

As the year draws to a close, Gen Chiya strikes while the iron is hot with the release of his latest work, "The Clockwork Mansion Incident".

This novel returns to the stage of his forte: classic mystery.

As it turns out, the combination of high-quality work and soaring fame has produced an astonishing effect.

Back when he first debuted, the first print run of "The Astrological Murder Mystery" was only 30,000 copies, and the first print run of "Four-Body" was 100,000 copies.

Both he and the publishing house have relatively conservative expectations for the market.

This time, the initial print run of "The Clockwork Mansion Incident" was increased to an astonishing 500,000 copies!

Although the publisher anticipated that Gen Chiya's popularity was at its peak and that the new book would sell like hotcakes, they did not expect it to be this popular.

At the beginning of the new year, besides the crowds praying at various shrines and temples, the long queues outside bookstores are the most spectacular sight.

People lined up in long queues just to be among the first to purchase the latest masterpiece by author Yuan Qianye.

To a few clear-headed outsiders, the scene was surreal, as if the entire nation had been bewitched by the young writer.

Half a million physical copies of the book were sold out on the very night of its release!

The publisher's phone lines were practically overwhelmed with calls from bookstores across the country, all demanding an emergency reprint!

The scarcity of the book even spawned scalpers who hoarded it and resold it for three times or even more.

Even so, there are still passionate book fans willing to take it on.

To some, this seems to be more than just a book; it's a work of art with collectible value!

With such a grand occasion, Yuan Qianye naturally couldn't stop to rest.

Throughout January and February, his schedule was packed with autograph sessions all over the country.

He travels to major cities, interacting with, signing autographs, and taking photos with thousands of book fans face-to-face.

During this holiday that should have been spent enjoying the leisurely New Year and Spring Festival break, the person who spent the most time with him was not Saeko, nor Utaha, but his shrewd and capable personal assistant and manager, Ms. Kudo Miyoko.

"Boss, is this pressure okay?"

Kyushu, Miyazaki Prefecture.

After a busy day of autograph sessions, Boss Yuan returned to his hotel room, took off his shirt, and lay face down on the soft bed wearing only a pair of boxer shorts.

Kudo Miyoko stood by the bed, poured a soothing massage oil into her palm, rubbed her hands together to warm them, and then gently applied it to Minamoto Chiya's smooth back muscles.

Her warm palms, with just the right amount of pressure, began to massage him to help him relax, paying special attention to his lower back, which was prone to stiffness from sitting for long periods.

"Hmm, that's good... But Miyoko, you really don't need to do this every day. You've had a long day, so you should go and rest early."

Gen Chiya did enjoy the professional massage, which effectively relieved his fatigue, but he always felt a little guilty about having Miyoko provide such services every day.

During this time, she followed him around, handling all sorts of trivial matters and coordinating schedules. She worked even harder than he did, and he saw all of this.

"Alright, boss, just lie down and relax, close your eyes." Miyoko's hands continued moving, remaining unmoved: "You've had a long day, leave the rest to me, it's part of my job too... *swoosh*!"

As she spoke, she adjusted her posture slightly.

Knowing that their boss was struggling, they put in even more effort.

About two weeks ago, she volunteered to give him a massage to help him relax.

Her reasoning was sound: taking care of the boss was within the scope of her job as a personal assistant.

When she was with Touma Yoko, she would often massage her shoulders and neck to relieve fatigue.

As for why not find a professional massage therapist?

Miyoko explained that she didn't trust the technicians outside. Firstly, she worried that their skills varied greatly and a poor massage might not relieve her fatigue. Secondly, her boss was now a popular celebrity, and it would be more troublesome if he were recognized and caused a commotion.

Hiring a private masseuse would be expensive and unnecessary. Since she is experienced and her techniques have been approved by her former boss, it would be the most convenient and reassuring option for her to do the work.

The only one who seems to suffer is Miyoko herself, who has an extra job for no reason, but she doesn't mind at all and even enjoys it.

In her words, she felt a greater sense of accomplishment when she saw her boss recover and be in good spirits for the new day's work after she had taken care of him.

With such a firm attitude, Yuan Qianye couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he had no choice but to acquiesce to her allowing him to freely enter and leave his room every night after he finished work to give him his routine relaxation massage.

It must be said that the effect is indeed remarkable.

Miyoko's technique was professional, and her pressure was just right. More importantly, as she said, having a familiar and trusted person serve him allowed Chiya Minamoto to relax more effectively, both physically and mentally.

"...You didn't get a break during the New Year either, you've been running around with me the whole time. Once this busy period is over, I'll definitely give you a long vacation to make it up to you." Yuan Qianye mumbled indistinctly with his eyes closed.

“Whatever, boss.” Miyoko chuckled, pressing precisely on a certain acupoint, eliciting a sigh of relief from Minamoto Chiya: “I think a busier work schedule makes life more fulfilling.”

“Then I’ve really struck gold. Aunt Yaozi was complaining to me on the phone last time that I’ve poached her most capable subordinate, causing her work arrangements to go wrong several times and things to go wrong. She’s already changed several assistants, but none of them have been as smooth as the time when you were assisting her.”

"Boss, please stop joking with me..."

Midoriko's face flushed slightly. She felt that her current posture made it difficult to exert force, and she softly said, "Then I'll be a little rude."

After receiving a mumbled "hmm" from Yuan Qianye as permission, she took off her slippers, lightly climbed onto the bed, spread her legs, and gently straddled Yuan Qianye's buttocks.

This position allows her to better utilize her body's gravity to apply deeper pressure to his shoulders and upper back.

At this moment, Yuan Qianye's body stiffened slightly.

Miyoko Kudo is thoughtful and meticulous, and works well with him. When she gives him a massage, he does feel relaxed and at ease, but at the same time, there is something he cannot ignore.

That is, whenever they get to this point, especially when she serves him in such an intimate way, Chiya always feels her heart race uncontrollably and her mind starts racing.

The reason is simple: Miyoko herself is an extremely charming woman.

She has a beautiful face and fair skin. She always wears well-fitting business suits that accentuate her figure perfectly.