The so-called cha house, written as きっさてん, is homophonic with the term "tea house" , which refers to a place where people can drink coffee, black tea, and other beverages, as well as enjoy snacks or simple (Western-style) dishes. Compared to traditional tea houses in China, although not exactly the same, it can be considered a similar kind of place.

However, the tea shop that Eiji Hayamizu took Chongzong to was not an ordinary one. After all, Eiji Hayamizu himself was not ordinary either. It would be unrealistic to expect him to do anything normal. In the end, Chongzong and Eiji Hayamizu arrived at a shop with a neon sign hanging outside that read "LOVING YOU ❤."

The exterior of the shop was primarily decorated in pink and purple, filled with various cute trinkets and some potted plants. Through the vintage wooden windows, one could catch a glimpse of the dark wood bar counter and tables and chairs inside, resembling an ordinary café.

However, even before entering, Chongzong already had a sense of foreboding in his heart. His instincts as a living being were resisting entering this place. But he was still pulled in by Eiji Hayamizu.

As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the melodious voice of a female staff member, coming from both sides, saying, "Welcome to LOVING YOU ❤." Then, two girls dressed in black and white butler uniforms approached from the left and right, each holding onto Chongzong and Eiji Hayamizu's arms.

"Oh, it's Hayami! It's been so long~"

"Ahh~ a new face~"

Chongzong was a bit bewildered and couldn't quite grasp the situation.

"Ah, my darlings, I have been busy studying lately, completely immersed in my studies."

Eiji Hayamizu laughed heartily and began to playfully flirt with the female staff members, as if it came naturally to him. Meanwhile, Chongzong felt extremely nervous and awkward, petrified like a statue. For Chongzong, this was truly terrifying.

Following the two girls at the entrance, many more girls suddenly appeared. Facing this overwhelming crowd of older girls, Chongzong's ability to think properly short-circuited.

Could this be some kind of idol group's headquarters, like "48"?

"Haha, I knew you were weak, but I didn't expect you to be this weak!"

After having his fill of fun, Hayami approached the petrified Chongzong and patted him on the shoulder, helping him snap out of it.

"You can't handle these cute girls? How am I supposed to take you to more exciting places in the future? Tsk tsk, when it comes to women, you really can't handle it, Sengoku-kun~"

Finally, Eiji Hayamizu, who had never had the chance to surpass Chongzong before, took advantage of his superior adaptability in this situation and gained the upper hand. Feeling proud and satisfied, Hayami snapped his fingers and called over a girl who seemed to be the team leader.

"Arrange a quiet room for me, just like before, and brew a pot of black tea."

"Understood."

The team leader arranged for another girl to accompany Hayami and Chongzong to a room deep within the tea shop, while she herself went to the bar to prepare their drinks.

In a daze, Chongzong was led by Hayami into a Japanese-style room, approximately five square meters in size. There were tatami mats, low tables, and cushions. Incense with a mild fragrance was burning in the corner. The wall was adorned with light green wallpaper. The music playing in the shop couldn't penetrate into this room, creating a serene atmosphere. On the other hand, it also demonstrated the room's impeccable soundproofing ability.

"How's it going? Have you calmed down?"

Hayamizu sat cross-legged, looking at Chongzong who was still standing there in a daze with a smiling expression.

"Well, I was calm to begin with."

Chongzong pretended to be calm, trying to hide his embarrassment from earlier when he was at a loss for what to do. He slowly sat down as well.

"By the way, in the exercises we did last time, I didn't understand the transformations of a few formulas..."

For some reason, Eiji Hayamizu didn't directly ask Chongzong why he suddenly came to find him, but instead focused on studying problems.

Chongzong didn't think much of it either and naturally began to help Hayamizu with his questions. It wasn't until a few minutes later, when a maid dressed in a butler uniform brought in the tea, along with a teapot and cups, that Hayamizu changed the subject and got to the point.

"So, why did you suddenly come to find me this late at night? Is there something you couldn't discuss over the phone?"

Hayamizu poured the tea, filling both Chongzong's and his own cup.

"Well, it's about that woman. I took her driver's license, and on it..."

"Wait, hold on, don't tell me so much."

Seeing that Chongzong was about to start telling the story, Hayamizu quickly interrupted. He wanted to stick to his principle of "knowing less is better than knowing more" and keep his involvement in this matter as minimal as possible.

"Just tell me what you need help with."

—Hayamizu, ever since he became engrossed in studying, has become more and more clever.

Chongzong looked at the sharp-witted Hayamizu in front of him and felt as though he saw a glimmer of intelligence emanating from him. Is this still the same Eiji Hayamizu from before, who only used his lower half to think and had nothing besides his appearance?

Chongzong deeply felt how learning could change one's life and how knowledge could change one's fate.

"Alright, let me give you a brief summary."

Chongzong took a sip of the tea and continued.

"The identity information in this woman's personal belongings is not reliable. I tried to communicate with her, but she wouldn't say a word. Therefore, I need you to question her and make her answer a few questions."

"I see... but even if I can make her talk, how can we determine if what she says is true or false?"

Hayamizu asked Chongzong in return.

"You have your own training theory, right? I trust you, Hayamizu."

Chongzong's reason for answering was quite peculiar. He looked at Hayamizu with a serious expression and a strange smile on his face.

"Well, if you say so, then I'll do my best. However, whether it's true or false, you'll have to bear that risk yourself."

Hayamizu also agreed without much thought. He wore a mysterious smile on his face as well.

"Alright, it's getting late now, I should go back. How about this, let's meet on Saturday morning in two days. Study hard for these two days, okay?"

"No problem, let's do that."

At this moment, neither Chongzong nor Hayamizu knew that they would regret their hasty decision for the rest of their lives.