Past 10 PM at night.
After Kirishima Touka and the Fueguchi mother and daughter finished eating.
They left with several packed portions of braised meat rice.
Fueguchi Hinami had a brilliant smile, her joyful expression allowing everyone around to feel her happiness.
She waved her hand at Hayashi in farewell.
"I'll come eat again tomorrow, manager big brother~!"
"Come often." Hayashi waved back, seeing them off at the door.
Soon.
Sakurajima Mai and Kasumigaoka Utaha also planned to leave together.
Mai said goodbye to Hayashi: "I'll come often, manager-kun."
Hayashi was rather curious: "You've been ignored for three years, so where do you live, and where does your money come from?"
"That's quite rude, manager-kun." Mai pouted: "I was very popular back then, you know. Although my mother took a lot, my little savings are enough for me to live many years."
"Then no problem." Hayashi immediately felt relieved: "Then there won't be situations like a senior girl who can't afford top-tier cuisine and is ready to work with her body in exchange for food."
Mai's defenses were slightly broken: "Who are you looking down on!"
After chatting with Mai.
Hayashi looked at Utaha.
"Are you two going the same way?"
Utaha nodded: "Very coincidentally, mostly the same route."
"Then have a safe trip. If anything happens, call me. Let me know when your new story's results come out - good or bad doesn't matter. Remember to come often in the future." Hayashi instructed.
Utaha smiled happily: "Mm, I will."
Mai watched from the side.
Hearing this, she also took out her phone and handed it to Hayashi.
"Manager-kun, I almost couldn't find you today. If that kind of thing happened, you would have lost a regular customer."
Although she didn't say she wanted contact information.
Every word was hinting - hurry up and give me your contact info!
Hayashi smiled and took the phone.
The phone's wallpaper was an ordinary landscape.
He opened the social media app and entered his ID.
One-click add.
Note: "Manager-sama"
Hayashi took out his own phone and immediately accepted.
Note: "Bunny Girl Senpai"
Mai had been secretly peeking from the side.
Seeing the note was "Manager-sama," she wanted to change it but also thought it was okay.
But when she saw "Bunny Girl Senpai."
She immediately turned red all over!
"Ah~!" Mai's face turned bright red as she raised her little fists to hit Hayashi's shoulder: "Change it, change it! If someone sees this, I'm done for!"
Utaha immediately stood on her tiptoes, very curious: "Change what? What note?"
"Nothing, nothing!" Mai quickly blocked Utaha from seeing Hayashi's phone.
Then she turned back to glare angrily at Hayashi: "Change it quickly, hentai!"
"?" Hayashi put away his phone and crossed his arms: "I wasn't the one wearing it. Are you going to deny it?"
"..." Mai was speechless.
Hayashi smiled: "I'll hold this secret over you for life."
As a result, Mai's face turned red again.
"?" This time it was Hayashi's turn to be confused.
Wait, where did your mind go?
Could that sentence really make you think of so much?
On the other side.
Utaha looked curious, like a bystander who couldn't get the gossip.
She looked at Mai, then at Hayashi.
"What's going on? I'm very curious!"
Regarding this question.
Hayashi was still quite moral.
He shook his head apologetically.
"I really can't say this. I can only reveal that Mai wore something very wow that day. What it was, you can imagine yourself. If she's willing to tell you, pretend I didn't say anything. You'll have to ask her."
Hearing the word "sexy" mentioned.
Sakurajima Mai's ears turned red with embarrassment.
But fortunately Hayashi had moral boundaries, though not many.
Utaha immediately looked at Mai with surprise.
Who would have thought that you, this "upright" youthful high school girl, would actually play such tricks in front of Hayashi-kun!?
Utaha looked down at her own stockings.
Should she find an opportunity to show Hayashi-kun her "victory outfit"?
Otherwise she'd be outdone by this Mai!
"Alright, let's go, let's go." Mai couldn't stay any longer and quickly pulled Utaha away: "We're going home!"
Utaha was dragged away and had to leave.
Hayashi saw them off.
Utaha was still asking at the alley entrance: "What kind of clothes? A bodysuit?"
Then came Mai's slightly broken voice: "Anyway, it was very embarrassing clothes. It was to test my ability at the time, do you understand?"
"Oh~~~"
Hayashi returned to the restaurant.
While passing through the yard, he checked on the seeds.
He found that the three mounds from the afternoon.
Already had small cracks appearing!
"So fast? Let me see, just the right time to test my ability."
Hayashi placed his hand on the ground, thin strings drilling into the soil, wrapping around the seeds to sense their condition.
After the strings encircled them, he had a model of the seeds in his mind!
The seed shells had already cracked open!
Like eggs.
But tender shoots hadn't emerged yet, just shallow embryonic buds bulging.
But Hayashi was very clear.
Seeds were the type that accumulated energy and then burst forth overnight, so this meant it would be soon.
"Looks like it'll be tonight."
Hayashi rubbed Pochita's head, then dropped some snacks and instructed:
"Pochita, watch carefully tonight. If there are any problems, call out."
"Waf~!" (Understood!)
Although no one would come to steal them now.
But he couldn't guarantee that when these seeds sprouted at midnight, there wouldn't be some kind of phenomenon.
Like a fragrant aroma that could attract ghouls or demons.
Both types of creatures had particularly sensitive noses.
So just to be safe, he needed to keep one hand free.
Back in the restaurant.
Tohru was in the kitchen washing dishes.
Kamishiro Rize was leaning on the sofa. Seeing Hayashi return, she blinked.
"I want a cup of coffee, Hayashi-kun."
"Okay."
Hayashi went to brew a cup of coffee, keeping lemon tea for himself.
He didn't like drinking coffee at midnight - fruit drinks were enough.
"Here."
After brewing the coffee, he served it.
Just as he was about to leave, Kamishiro Rize pulled Hayashi to sit beside her.
Hayashi looked at Kamishiro Rize with an interesting expression.
You learned this too?
Kamishiro Rize sipped her coffee before saying elegantly and intellectually:
"I've found a good house. Tomorrow I'll pay, the day after I'll move. It's a single house, nearby."
"Mm." Hayashi hummed, then what?
Kamishiro Rize added: "It doesn't have a basement."
"Hm?" Hayashi was stunned, then understood.
What Rize wanted to express was that she wouldn't do dangerous things to Hayashi anymore.
Including but not limited to imprisonment.
"Not bad." Hayashi praised: "Renting?"
"Buying." Rize answered lightly.
"Hiss~, you're rich, Rize-san."
"...You can just call me Rize."
"Alright then, Rize."
"After moving to the new house, I'll buy a set of kitchen utensils, but what I make is useless - I've tried. Could you come to my house to make the first meal?"
"Hmm..." Hayashi calculated the time: "If it's between noon and 6 PM, then yes."
"Good."
Kamishiro Rize was very happy, but after thinking and seeing Kanna and Tohru, she added:
"Hayashi-kun, could you come alone?"
"This..." Hayashi thought about it and nodded: "Also possible."
"Good."
Kamishiro Rize smiled very elegantly, lightly curving her lips, casually brushing aside her hanging hair, suddenly very much like a married woman.
Hayashi stood up, and this time Rize didn't stop him.
Back at the bar counter.
He looked at the fruit wine in the system, feeling the timing was just right - he could try it in a couple days.
Fruit wine that both ghouls and demons could drink.
And it was just mildly intoxicating.
Late at night.
Time passed quickly.
When Tohru finished washing dishes and came out to chat with Hayashi.
Before they knew it, it was almost 12 o'clock.
Kamishiro Rize was tired. Holding her book, she said "good night" and went upstairs to sleep.
Kanna was dozing on the sofa in the corner of the restaurant.
Not playing with TV or phone anymore - she was truly tired.
Hayashi looked at Tohru.
"Let Kanna sleep first."
Tohru saw this and smiled mischievously, then hugged Hayashi, pressing his arm against her chest, humming and laughing:
"Then I don't have to coax Kanna tonight."
"You... alright."
Hayashi used his ability.
With a thought, white strings emerged from the sofa, gradually weaving together, finally forming the shape of a cradle nest.
Incredibly soft, they lifted Kanna up, moved silently across the floor, then sent her upstairs.
Now there were no customers late at night.
Hayashi and Tohru were bored.
He suggested: "How about watching a movie or TV series? Since it's midnight anyway, when we have time later, we'll set up a big TV or projector in the restaurant."
Hearing this, Tohru immediately nodded happily: "Yes, yes!"
So in the last two hours, the two of them...
They ruthlessly watched Crayon Shin-chan together...
"Shiro~, Shiro~, where are you~~~"
"Elephant~, elephant~, why is your trunk so long~~~"
Tohru had never seen this kind of animation before.
The two sat on the sofa, with Tohru laughing so hard she kept burrowing into Hayashi's arms.
Until 2 AM came and they closed up to rest.
Tohru hugged Hayashi's arm going upstairs and kept saying:
"Hayashi-san, I want to watch this again in the future, it's so good!"
"Sure."
In the bedroom.
Just as Hayashi was about to wash up.
Tohru stopped him saying: "I want to wash first."
"?" Hayashi didn't know what Tohru was up to, but still nodded: "Then go ahead."
Tohru entered the bathroom.
In just over ten seconds, a flash of light appeared.
The next moment.
When Tohru came out again.
She had changed into an outfit that only covered up to her thigh roots on the bottom, with a tight waist-cinching top, and white bunny ears on her head.
"!" Hayashi was stunned.
Isn't this a bunny girl outfit!?
You couldn't buy one today, so you just used magic to transform!?
Is this how you use magic!?
"Do you like it, Hayashi-san~" Tohru wore this outfit, running her finger across her chest: "Actually these are all transformed dragon scales, they won't tear."
"I don't care about any of that!"
Hayashi couldn't hold back anymore.
Early morning.
Tohru's intermittent voice echoed in the bedroom.
"Ha...Hayashi-san, the ears...ears can't be pulled constantly, they won't come off, they're...they're transformed dragon scales, the tail too!"
"I don't care about any of that!"
The next day, noon.
Hayashi woke up early. Last night's Tohru had also used magic to clean herself at midnight before going back to sleep in Kanna's room.
He woke up alone, stretched and rolled around in bed for a while.
Then sat up to mentally prepare for getting up while playing on his phone.
On his phone, Utaha had sent the most messages.
Opening it revealed her congratulatory messages.
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "Hayashi-kun, the first day sales are out! We sold several thousand copies on the first day alone. The editorial department estimates total sales will increase to 800,000 to 1 million copies, a huge success!"
Kasumi Utako's Love Metronome had 5 volumes before this story was published, with total sales of 500,000 copies.
500,000 copies already counted as a bestselling author.
Based on first-day statistics and projections, the new story was estimated to reach 800,000 to 1 million copies.
That meant this story could directly boost sales by 300,000 to 500,000 copies.
No wonder Kasumigaoka Utaha was so happy.
As long as she could maintain this momentum, she could also become a major author like Takatsuki Sen, achieving results like Black Goat's Egg with millions of copies.
Maybe Love Metronome couldn't reach that level.
But as long as she could accumulate popularity, writing even better next time would make achieving such results much easier.
Hayashi: "Congratulations, congratulations."
He congratulated her, then immediately asked about what he cared most about.
Hayashi: "How's the reader feedback? Did anyone say the male protagonist is very charming, has good character design, and they love him so much?"
Cough cough, this was what he cared most about.
After all, Utaha said half of the male protagonist was based on him.
On the other side of the phone, Kasumigaoka Utaha chuckled after seeing this.
She sweetly said "narcissist" in real life.
And sent the same on her phone.
Utaha: "Really narcissistic, Hayashi-kun. Although readers did say that, why don't you ask about the female protagonist's reviews?"
Hayashi: "Do I need to ask about the female protagonist? You based her on yourself, how could you write her badly?"
Seeing this on her phone, Utaha couldn't suppress the corners of her mouth.
Utaha: "Good answer."
Utaha: "Anyway, thank you so much, but I'll be busy these next few days. The editorial department has arranged several more signing events to build buzz for the new story. I have to go. I'm really sorry I can't share this with you. Oh right, Mai is fine and will accompany me during this period."
"?" Hayashi indicated it was fine: "What's there to be sorry about? Finish your work first."
Utaha: "Hayashi-kun, don't you miss me?"
Hayashi: "Miss what? Don't I have plenty of beautiful women in my shop?"
Utaha: "Hateful! Big stupid pig!"
Hayashi: "Hehe~, just teasing you. Getting up now, bye bye."
After sending the last message, Hayashi really got up.
Brushed his teeth, washed his face, prepared for breakfast.
On the other end of the phone.
Utaha looked at Hayashi's last message, both angry and red-faced, yet wanting to laugh.
Finally she kicked her legs around on the bed in speechless frustration.
"Idiot!!!"
Hayashi finished brushing his teeth and washing his face.
Then went downstairs to make breakfast.
Today he planned to make steamed dumplings, stuffed with yesterday's braised meat.
Absolutely deliciously fragrant.
But just as he got downstairs, another message came on his phone.
From Utaha?
He took it out to look - it was from Makima.
Makima first sent a photo.
In the photo, Power was following Public Safety Division 4 on a mission to find targets, probably looking for gangs or something.
Makima wasn't in the photo.
Makima: "Finally finished moving. Power moved a bit slowly. I want to eat breakfast at your place, is that okay?"
Hayashi replied: "Sure, isn't your squad coming?"
Makima: "They've already eaten and have an emergency mission."
Hayashi: "Alright then, come over. We're having steamed dumplings today."
Makima: "Does Hayashi-kun have time today? All the kitchen utensils at home are ready. I want to eat cuisine that Hayashi-kun makes at home."
Oh right, there was such a thing.
Hayashi nodded: "Sure."
Makima: "Good."
After ending the messages.
Hayashi began making steamed dumplings.
He directly bought dumpling wrappers from the system.
Then took out the fresh braised meat from yesterday that he'd put in the system after stewing.
Then chopped it up, applied water to the wrappers, and began wrapping steamed dumplings.
One, two, 10, 20.
Hayashi even used the String-String Fruit, having strings thread through the wrappers to bundle, pull tight, then extract - the same result, even more uniform.
Soon, Hayashi had wrapped several hundred steamed dumplings.
He placed them in steamer baskets over pots of boiling water.
Only then did Hayashi clap his hands: "Start steaming!"
At the same time calling upstairs: "Get up!"
There was immediately a jingling response from upstairs.
Pochita at the door heard this and ran over to report:
"Waf~!" (Hayashi, the seeds have sprouted!)
"Really!" Hayashi quickly wiped his hands and went outside: "I'll come look right away."
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