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

Not only did he cling to Qianye's arm and refuse to let go, but he also went further, practically hanging on her body, and brazenly ruffling Qianye's hair.

She never touched me like that!

Their intimate demeanor made it seem as if Qianye was her biological son, and she herself was the outsider!

Of course, what Kazusa cares about most is not this misplaced sense of closeness or distance.

What she couldn't bear was... her mother's chest pressing even tighter with each hug, and the position of Yuan Qianye's head pressed between them!

This is simply... unbearable!

"That's enough, Mom! Stop acting crazy while you're drunk!"

Kazusa stepped forward decisively and forcefully, separating the two without a word.

“Oh, my wife, Liu Yin San Er Er - skirt yo~”

When Yoko was pushed away by her daughter, she let out a strange laugh that was hard to understand. Instead of being angry, a sly glint flashed in her eyes.

She saw it clearly: when her daughter separated them, her hands were completely pointing towards Qianye, pulling him away.

So, it's not that they think their mother's behavior was rude; they clearly think Qianye is being taken advantage of and are protecting him.

This is really... daughters grow up and leave home; their thoughts are becoming increasingly difficult to hide.

Yoko chuckled inwardly, but remained outwardly composed.

"Alright, alright, stop standing at the door, come in quickly." Yoko straightened her slightly disheveled clothes and put on a proper hostess smile again, inviting the guests into the house.

Kazusa, who had been whispering in Chiyo's ear, "She's always been like this, don't take it to heart," casually asked, "Where's Aunt Shibata?"

"I gave her the day off today," Yoko said with a smile. "So, Mom will be cooking tonight!"

"hehe."

The daughter dismissed her mother's suggestion.

Anyway, given Mom's cooking skills and how much she cherishes her hands, it will definitely be some simple dishes that don't require a knife and have absolutely no risk of burns.

For example, you can tear lettuce by hand and mix it with salad dressing, or simply order takeout and heat it up in the microwave.

"Honestly! Kazusa, what's with that contemptuous laugh of yours?! How can you look down on your mother like that!"

"I simply look down on your cooking, Mom." Kazusa added expressionlessly.

Yoko clutched her chest: "That's too much! Even I would be heartbroken to hear something like that!"

The bickering between the mother and daughter is quite amusing.

Upon entering the living room, Yoko warmly invited Chiya to sit on the sofa, then headed to the kitchen: "Chiya-kun, please have a seat, I'll make you a cup of coffee..."

Yuan Qianye glanced at the half-empty bottle of red wine on the coffee table, and then at Youzi's somewhat unsteady steps, and quickly got up: "You can sit and rest, I'll make the coffee myself."

He walked confidently toward the open kitchen's cooking area.

Yoko then pulled Kazusa along, and they naturally sat down on a high chair at the L-shaped dining table outside the kitchen.

When Yuan Qianye finished making himself coffee and turned around with the cup in his hand, he was met with the mother and daughter staring intently at him.

Yoko smiled and said, "Hey, Chiyo-kun, I bought some really great ingredients today! Fresh Australian lobster and M9 Wagyu ribeye! Don't leave tonight, stay for dinner and try your... no, I mean, try my cooking!"

Yuan Qianye remained silent.

The intention is all too obvious.

Kazusa looked at her mother, her eyes displaying a complex mix of disdain and admiration.

Whether that slip of the tongue was intentional or accidental, the answer is already quite clear.

Since he needed her help, Yuan Qianye met Youzi's smiling gaze, blew on his coffee, took a small sip, and then put it aside.

He put on an apron under the watchful eyes of the mother and daughter.

"Oh dear! Is Chiyo-kun planning to cook himself? I'm so sorry, you're the guest, but I'm making you prepare..."

She said she was sorry, but her body language betrayed her by sitting even more firmly in the chair, showing no intention whatsoever of getting up to make a polite gesture.

Yoko then raised her hand again, and seeing that Kazusa didn't react, she grabbed Kazusa's hand and gave herself a high five.

Their personalities are completely opposite, one being cheerful and the other cold. If it weren't for their similar appearances and equally tall and imposing figures, probably no one would think they were mother and daughter.

"It's been a long time, Aunt Yaozi. Your overseas tour must have been very tiring, right?"

"It's alright..."

The ingredients piled up in the sink were clearly the ones Yoko had just bought that afternoon, waiting for him to come and prepare them. He didn't dislike the feeling of cooking for someone close to him.

To win a man's heart, you must first win his stomach.

This statement also applies to women.

Surrounded by two beautiful women, one older and one younger, who chatted with him and exclaimed in amazement at his superb culinary skills, he was surrounded by them.

"Your knife skills are amazing!" "Your handling of ingredients is so skillful!" Praises like these kept pouring out, providing a constant stream of emotional value.

Being praised so highly by a world-class pianist, Chiyo Minamoto, who hadn't originally planned to cook dinner, was unexpectedly quite pleased.

Soon, an enticing aroma began to fill the spacious kitchen.

One after another, delicious and visually appealing dishes were served on the table.

The appetizer was pan-fried Australian lobster tails. The meat of live lobsters is naturally springy and sweet. With just simple seasoning and pan-frying until the shell is golden and crispy and the inside is snow-white and firm, it is already an ultimate delicacy.

The main course is grilled ribeye with a vegetable platter. The thick-cut ribeye is grilled over high heat, creating a beautiful caramelized layer on the outside while keeping the inside a perfect pink color. The juices are locked in, making it juicy when cut open.

Paired with blanched and simply pan-fried white asparagus, morel mushrooms, and baby carrots to retain their original flavor, this dish offers a balanced combination of meat and vegetables.

The side dishes are creamy mashed potatoes with corn kernels, and roasted Brussels sprouts with Parmesan cheese.

Yuan Qianye also made the most of the remaining shrimp heads and shells, simmering them into a rich and delicious seafood soup. He added cream and a little brandy for aroma, and finally sprinkled a few slices of black truffle on top. The soup was mellow and had a long-lasting aftertaste.

"Ugh! Ugh—!!!"

Yoko's cheeks were puffed up unceremoniously, filled with food.

Because there wasn't enough space in her mouth, she could only let out unintelligible whimpers, but the thumbs-up she kept making clearly showed her appreciation for today's dinner!

"It really tastes delicious. I feel like your cooking skills have improved a lot."

The daughter needs to maintain a respectable appearance, so she doesn't follow her mother's heart as readily, but she's still quick to put food in her mouth.

"Because we have a great chef at home, I watch her cook every day and have learned a lot from her. I'm just glad you're satisfied with your meal."

Gen Chiyo smiled and pushed her untouched mashed potatoes toward Kazusa, who quite liked them and had almost finished them.

Knowing that Touma and her daughter had a sweet tooth, he specially made today's mashed potatoes sweet with a rich, creamy flavor.

The sauce poured over the steak and lobster also incorporates tomato paste and is cooked to give it a natural sweet and sour flavor.

Seeing how satisfied they were with their meal, all the effort had finally paid off.

After the meal, Yoko and Kazusa helped clear the table, and the dishes were put into the dishwasher.

At this time, the clock on the wall was pointing to a little past seven in the evening.

More than two hours have passed since Yuan Qianye entered the door to visit.

“Well…” Yoko, who was quite satisfied with her dinner, leaned back lazily on the sofa and took the initiative to steer the conversation back on track: “…Chiya-kun came to see me today, there must be something important.”

Upon hearing this, Yuan Qianye smiled and said, "I mainly wanted to visit Aunt Yaozi. It would be very impolite of me not to come and say hello after your tour."

"Save those sweet words for Kazusa. I'm past the age where I'd be thrilled by such words."

"Hey!" Kazusa immediately gave her mother a disgruntled look, and at the same time, she quickly snatched the bottle of red wine that her mother had just picked up, ready to pour another glass.

"Hey—Kazusa! I'll just have half a glass after dinner. If this bottle isn't finished after opening, the taste will go downhill."

"No."

"Then just a small bite, is that alright?"

"No means no. You've had enough to drink today." Kazusa remained unmoved, put the cork back in the bottle, and returned it to the refrigerator.

Seeing this, Yoko sighed helplessly: "Sigh... It's fine if you manage your mother like this, but Kazusa, if you're always so strong and unapproachable, will any boy really like you? I'm very worried about your future."

"You don't need to worry about these things."

Yoko shook her head, turned to Gen Chiya, and gave him an apologetic smile: "I'm sorry, Chiya-kun, I've been making you watch this kind of boring farce between my mother and me for so long, you must be tired of it by now, right?"

"No, I find it very interesting."

This is the truth.

"Oh?" Yoko raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on her face. "Is it something you really enjoy, or something you want to take care of and bring along?"

These two options seem rather awkward no matter which one you choose...

"Okay, Mom, stop making these boring and weird jokes all the time."

"Ugh--"

Yoko could only sigh deeply at this.

What can I say?

Her daughter is her masterpiece, but no one is perfect, and her emotional intelligence is still a bit lacking.

Can't this silly girl tell that her mother is actually creating an opportunity for her to test the waters?

"Alright, Chiya."

Kazusa looked at Chiya, not giving her mother a chance to continue her tantrums.

"If you have anything to say, just tell your mother. Although she is usually very unreliable, you saved her life before, and she has always regarded you as her benefactor. She will definitely help if she can."

This little leaky jacket is such a pain!

Upon hearing this, Yoko almost rolled her eyes.

Seeing the mother and daughter interacting so interestingly, Yuan Qianye couldn't help but smile. He stopped beating around the bush and, following Kazusa's words, directly stated the true purpose of his visit today.

Touma and his mother listened quietly, and when he finished speaking, both of them showed a hint of surprise on their faces.

"...Because you want to systematically learn classical music and improve your musical appreciation and artistic taste, you'd like me to recommend a suitable teacher for you?" Yoko repeated, her azure eyes sparkling with thoughtful consideration.

“Yes.” Yuan Qianye nodded, his attitude sincere.

"How did you suddenly come up with this idea?" Yaozi asked with interest. "I remember that your previous understanding of music seemed to focus more on pop and film scores?"