I play wind instruments in Kansai

She wore light makeup, her back was straight, and she didn't have the obvious femininity that Gong Ling's mother possessed.

It's not quite the same as what Miyamine Nozomi imagined in her mind.

Bai Shi's mother put down the small fruit plate and said with a smile:

"I won't bother you any longer, Xiaotong. Would you like some dessert? I'll bring it back for you later."

Shiraishi Hitomi shook her head, but Miyamine Nozomi could keenly notice that her neck twitched slightly.

"Need not."

"it is good."

Shiraishi's mother didn't greet Miyamine Nozomi in any way, but simply gave him a bright smile.

After she left, Gong Lingwang whispered:

"I don't seem to resemble you much, Shiraishi-kun."

"Um."

No denial.

Shiraishi Hitomi's expression remained unchanged as she placed the flute on the velvet cloth and carefully fastened the lid of the instrument case.

"alright."

"Thanks."

Gong Lingwang naturally didn't want to leave just like that.

"Are you planning to continue like this? Not talking to people, or are you afraid that people will dislike you if you talk to them?"

Shiraishi Hitomi paused, subconsciously stroking the edge of the care box with her fingers, before finally saying:

"Keeping my mouth shut saves me a lot of trouble."

Hitomi Shiraishi's eyes were fixed on the three-note mark on the flute case. Beneath her nonchalant demeanor and the layers of her tone, a hint of anxiety could be detected.

"Isn't Gong Ling the same? He doesn't say anything, which saves a lot of trouble."

"I've been talking the whole time."

No.

Shiraishi Hitomi's dark eyes, devoid of any emotion, stared unblinkingly at his hand as she spoke.

"You stay silent and don't stand out within the department, isn't that to save yourself trouble? Why are you saying here that I 'intend to continue like this'?"

"..."

Gong Ling looked at her, completely surprised that she would say such a thing.

Perhaps I underestimated her. She is actually very emotionally intelligent and has strong observation skills; she's just not good at speaking.

"What you're saying is that I'm actually no better than you, and there's no need for me to lecture you?" Gong Lingwang asked.

"Hmm..."

Shiraishi Hitomi remained silent for a long while, her eyes drooping slightly, as if she had said something wrong again.

"Don't feel embarrassed, I'm not angry, and what you said is true."

Gongling Wang said calmly.

"There are usually three arguments to support the effort put into something: First, if the outcome is not pleasant, then the process is important; second, if I don't know the outcome, then the outcome is the most important; third, if I don't care about the outcome, then the present moment is the most important."

"Hmm?"

The gaze that Shiraishi Hitomi cast was no longer as ethereal and dreamlike as before; it seemed to have gained some substance.

Miyamine Nozomi continued, unconvinced:

"Based on the current situation, the outcome for the Haruki Brass Band is definitely not going to be good. The members are not in good spirits, so the process of getting along will definitely be uncomfortable, so that's a no-go. Secondly, I already knew that we were destined to lose, so that's a no-go. Thirdly, I care a lot about the outcome, so that's a no-go. So, can you understand me?"

Hitomi Shiraishi blinked and raised her right hand to stroke the strand of hair that fell from her left earlobe.

"I kept quiet for reasons I had to consider, but that may change now," Miyamine Nozomi said.

"What?"

"This leadership is willing to try reforms, and as the best flutist in the department, I am naturally willing to try as well."

Gong Lingwang turned to the side, tilting his head slightly as he looked at her and said,

"So can you understand the difference between you and me? I have my own considerations, but you, Shiraishi, are different. You always put others first, constantly breaking your own promises. You're just wasting your own life."

I think that's why Liu Mu is angry with you. She's really a girl who's tough on the outside but soft on the inside, and I quite like her.

Silence, a tangible reality, stretched between the two of them. Even the clock hanging behind her seemed to grow noisy in Gongling Wang's eyes.

Shiraishi Hitomi's eyes flickered noticeably, just as the dim yellow light thickened, bathing her exposed, slender limbs in its glow.

"Miyare, do you like the flute?" she asked softly.

Seeing that she had taken the initiative to start a conversation, Gong Lingwang was overjoyed, but his expression remained gentle:

"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to play the flute for so many years. Have you heard the flute piece 'Bird's Poem'? It's particularly interesting. I think everyone in the club has an instrument they've been learning because of it."

Shiraishi Hitomi asked:

"What is that?"

Miyamine Nozomi explained:

"In short, it's a very old piece. People our age probably don't remember it much. I was recommended it by my childhood teacher. It's a very simple piece, but its chords are beautiful."

"Can you blow on it?" she asked.

Gongling Wang raised an eyebrow; he had already memorized the melody of this piece.

Unfasten the silver clasp she had fastened earlier, take out the flute, and assemble it.

The opening phrase is a long E. While Miyamine Nozomi's left index finger is pressing the C key, her left little finger is placed on the E flat in advance in preparation for the descending note that follows.

The long note rose very lightly, like a feather defying gravity, and even the clock hands seemed to stop their forward movement, frozen in place, listening intently.

The flute lay across Gong Lingwang's lips, its silver body reflecting the light like a piece of water held in his hand.

The melody begins to climb, entering the first measure of the main melody, with an octave leap.

The walls were dissolved by the melody, and the ceiling seemed to be pushed open to reveal an invisible staircase. The melody spiraled up along these staircases, in graceful arcs.

Miyamine Nozomi's flute playing maintained a pure and transparent tone, and her breath control was very stable, with the air column never breaking.

The fingering for this piece is not complicated; the only difficulty lies in the numerous long notes, which tests the player's breath control.

"sharp."

Shiraishi Hitomi looked at him with a somewhat blank expression, raised her hands and clapped lightly, but didn't make a single sound of applause.

"It's alright, pretty simple."

Gongling Wang smiled gently and said,

"Although it's a high-pitched instrument, you play it quite well on your piccolo."

Hitomi Shiraishi's fingers traced through her hair, and her soft whispers always made one's heart skip a beat:

"How long will it take me to train to be like you?"

"That might be a bit difficult. I consider myself to have some talent," Gong Lingwang said with a smile.

Hitomi Shiraishi asked curiously:

"Then why were you only a B-level editor in Hokkaido?"

She herself didn't seem to think that her words sounded like she was nitpicking, but Miyamine Nozomi understood her to some extent.

Gong Lingwang said with deep emotion.

"Because there are many geniuses in this world. You may work very hard, but there will always be someone who works harder than you, and those who are older than you have the advantage of time."

Even without a system, Miyamine Nozomi believed that she was a genius in playing wind instruments.

The system's appearance was merely icing on the cake for him.

He was proud but not arrogant, believing that he was still far from being a top-tier flutist in the country.

"Hmm..." Shiraishi Hitomi understood the meaning of those words to some extent.

"Like Shiraishi-kun, you are a rare genius."

Gongling Wang gave her a captivating, clear smile and spoke in a almost hypnotic tone,

"In the entire brass section, I think you are the most talented one. With such strong musical talent, who can push you forward? Who can stop you?"

When you achieve success, everyone will pay attention to your thoughts. You won't need to be anyone's foil, nor will you need to worry about not being able to continue without someone, because you will be the biggest support. No one will dare to say no to what you want, just like Daidouji-senpai.

His words left Shiraishi Hitomi speechless for a moment, which Miyamine Nozomi could understand.

How could a girl who has always followed the ideas of others suddenly become a "background" figure overnight?

[Market Update: Hitomi Shiraishi surges 30%]

[Interpretation of the unusual activity: Inspired by the realization that only by increasing one's strength can one better fulfill the entrustment of others, achieve goals, and be needed more, one believes that one has made new friends.]

Current value: 28.6

Current holdings: 803386 yen

Current profit: 185397 yen

The chart of Shiraishi Tong's stock price suddenly appeared before his eyes. As expected of the unicorn concept stock given by the system, this one "Heavenly Finger" made him a lot of money.

In particular, the profit points increased by more than 30 points, bringing the balance to 42 points.

In comparison, Kato Ai was incredibly weak. Luckily, she cleared out her positions early, otherwise she would have missed out on Hitomi Aoi's market performance.

Now, Gong Lingwang can buy "Heavenly Hearing" and "Conductor" in the system.

With these two, not only would Hayami Tenma-sei attract attention, but even his grandmother's Shiba Inu would be noticed.

However, these two are not necessities; for him, being proficient in musical instruments is essential.

If you're looking for a prank, that thing you can exchange five points for to implement the "All Women's Happiness Plan" is pretty good...

I don't have any other unhealthy thoughts. Since playing the wind instrument is tiring, isn't it good that this can make everyone happy?

Anyway, they don't know they're doing a good deed; they just feel like someone is giving them a massage.

I'll think about which one to choose when I get back.

However, the only thing that seemed a little strange to Gongling Wang was that the interpretation of Shiraishi Tong's unusual behavior was not quite the same as what he had expected.

He wanted Shiraishi Hitomi to have her own consciousness, to do whatever she wanted, and to become the 'Unicorn Queen'.

But she's different. The reason she wants to become stronger is just to better fulfill the request. It seems strange no matter how you look at it.

But whatever, as long as it goes up, that's fine. Miyamine Nozomi's goal is to make Shiraishi Hitomi's stock price soar.

As for how it flew...

Who cares?

A serene smile appeared on Shiraishi Hitomi's delicate face as she looked at him and said:

"Okay, I understand. Thank you for coming all this way to chat with me."

Gong Lingwang was still basking in the joy of his heavily invested stock price soaring and hadn't carefully considered the meaning behind her words:

"I should be thanking you. It's getting late, so I'll be going now."

Shiraishi's mother didn't eat any of the fruit she cut, while Miyamine Nozomi used her fingers to pick up a peeled orange and put it in her mouth.

"Um."

Shiraishi Hitomi raised her right hand, waved at him, and whispered,

"Bye-Bye."

Gongling Wang had just stood up with the instrument case in hand, paused for a moment, then raised his hand and said:

"See you tomorrow."

Leaving the music store, Miyamine Nozomi descended the narrow stairs and bumped into Shiraishi's mother as soon as she pushed open the glass door.

She was carrying a shopping bag with the "Moon Rabbit" dessert shop logo visible from the outside, and the bag contained gluten-free desserts.

Miyamine Nozomi intended to pretend she hadn't seen anything and walk away, but Shiraishi's mother suddenly spoke up:

"Wait, are you Xiaotong?"

"Yes." Miyamune could only stop.

"That's really rare."

Shiraishi's mother asked calmly, her slender ankles barely visible beneath her dress.

"By the way, I wanted to ask, has she been hanging out with Xiaoruka lately?"

Her expression left Gong Lingwang unable to discern the purpose of her words. What would happen if she answered yes? Was she trying to stop him?

After careful consideration, Gong Lingwang simply shook his head and said:

"I have no idea."

"Yeah......."

A melancholy expression appeared on Shiraishi's mother's face, and she sighed, saying...

"You are all the same age, and there are many things you can't truly understand, but I still hope you can look out for each other."

"......yes."

Shiraishi's mother took out a small box from the bag; it contained mini cheesecakes with thick cookie bases.

"Here's a little dessert for you."

"Thanks."

"You're too kind. Welcome to come again next time."

Shiraishi's mother smiled, turned around, and walked into the stairwell.

Gong Lingwang did not go straight home. After much deliberation, he took a ride-hailing car to Liu Mujiedeng's house.

The lights on the second floor were on.

Instead of ringing the doorbell, he called Willow Knot Lamp.

She seemed to be playing on her phone, and the call connected in less than two seconds.

"What?" Willow Wood Lamp's tone was somewhat languid.

"I'm at your doorstep, come out for a moment."

All that could be heard was a dull thud, like the sound of her jumping from the bed onto the wooden floor.

A moment later, the window was opened, and Willow Knot Lamp, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, looked down.

"What are you doing here? Wait for me a moment."

She immediately closed the window. Gong Ling looked around and saw no other private cars, only a white Honda Civic.

The door opened, and Liu Mujie Deng came out wearing slippers.

She was wearing a plain T-shirt, probably as pajamas, with the neckline a little loose from washing, revealing a small tan line below her collarbone.

Her lower body was covered by shorts that exposed her fair thighs. The shorts were wide-legged, and the slippers she wore made a clattering sound as she walked on the cement ground.

"What do you want from me?"

Feeling a bit hot, Liu Mujie raised her right hand to fan her face, and her lips looked even more moist than usual.

Gong Lingwang looked at her and smiled:

"Smells so good, did you just take a shower?"

Having gradually gotten used to his willow-knot lamp, she rolled her eyes, then noticed the instrument case in his hand and asked:

"Where did you go to practice?"

"I just went to the Shiraishi family's music store; I need to use up my maintenance fees."

Hearing that he had gone to Baishi's house, Liu Mujie Deng crossed his arms and said:

"So? You ran into Hitomi?"

"Yes, she looks beautiful in that dress, and she can even play the pipa. That's amazing."

However, Liu Mujie Deng didn't want to hear any of this and bluntly stated:

"So why did you come to me? Just to tell me this? To show off?"

"How could that be? I brought you something."

Miyamine Nozomi mentioned the small desserts that Shiraishi's mother had given her,

"I don't know if you like it, but I thought I'd still bring it over for you."

"For me?"

Liu Mujie looked surprised. The streetlight cast a warm yellow light on her face, and you could vaguely see that the tips of her ears were red.

"Why didn't you bring a bag?"

Her lips were pursed, but the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, which she couldn't suppress, so she simply kept her head down and pretended to look at the description on the dessert box.

"One hand is enough to hold it," Miyamine Nozomi said.

"You came all this way just to bring me this late at night?"

Liu Mujie raised her eyebrows and stared at him, her tone as pouty as usual, but with a hint of coquettishness as she spoke.

"You don't have anything else to say to me."

Something seemed to be surging out from the center of the girl's chest, as if a small animal had rolled over behind her ribs and its paws had softly pushed against the inner wall of her heart.

You can hear your pulse ringing in your ears, in your throat, and even deep in your lower abdomen.

"No, I'm just delivering something."

Gongling Wang readily admitted it. Liu Mu Jie Deng held his breath, took a deep breath, clenched his left fist, and his full chest rose and fell slightly.

I suddenly feel a bit annoyed.

"Then I'll be leaving first."

Gongling Wang said with a smile,

"This pajama set is quite plain and childlike, but you wear it with great style. Next time I'll get you a more girly set; I'm quite wealthy now."

"Huh? You're asking for it!" Liu Mu Jie Deng raised her fist and shouted in a fierce yet cute tone.

Before her fist could land, Miyamune Nozomi, wearing sneakers, quickly ran away.

Seeing him run away, Liu Mujie was about to get angry, but she couldn't help but smile, her muscles involuntarily contracting uncontrollably.