Zongman: Nagasaki Sushi's adopted brother

"Everyone, Xiaoxiang is finally back." Su Shi put her hands together, her movements light and energetic. She pushed Xiangzi to the front of the Kulaixiku crowd, her face filled with excitement.

"Xiao Xiang? Finally? Hasn't Xiangzi always been here?" Deng tilted his head, his face full of confusion.

Li Xi crossed her arms across her chest, looking unhappy. "Tsk..." Her eyes warned Xiangzi, as if to say, what are you doing here?

"Sorry, I kept it a secret from everyone... The one practicing with you earlier was Bai Ye, not Xiao Xiang. I asked him to disguise himself as Xiangzi, and now Xiao Xiang is back, and Bai Ye has left on his own."

"Oh, by the way, it was Bai Ye who dragged Goto Ichiri in without permission. But fortunately, Goto Ichiri also withdrew from the hardship."

"We are finally together again. Ku Lai Xi Ku has truly been resurrected."

Su Shi explained slowly while showing a sincere smile.

Mu: "...."

"I've known about Bai Ye's matter for a long time." Li Xi stamped his legs impatiently and looked at Gao Songdeng with a worried look on his face.

"Eh? Bai Ye...disguised as...Shoko?" Gao Songdeng slowly lowered her head, slowly digesting the information she had received. Her voice gradually deepened, and then she asked the most serious question, "Then why did Bai Ye leave?"

"Eh?" Su Shi was stunned by the question, and then quickly responded, "Bai Ye is the keyboard, and his position overlaps with Xiao Xiang's. Xiao Deng, if Xiao Xiang comes back, Bai Ye won't be needed anymore."

There was a hint of relief in her voice, trying to ease the tension.

"Why isn't Bai Ye needed?!"

"Eh?"

Gao Songdeng lowered her head, her fingers tightly gripping the microphone. Her voice trembled, but she still shouted firmly, "We clearly agreed to form a band for life!!"

Su Shi stood aside, beads of sweat oozing from her forehead and sliding down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, but found that she didn't know how to respond, as if her throat was blocked by something.

Her eyes flickered, and her voice was a little weak: "But in this case, Xiaoxiang..."

Seeing this, Li Xi gently tapped the drumstick in his hand, making a crisp sound, breaking the brief awkwardness.

Her voice was calm and rational, with an unquestionable firmness: "Dual keyboards are not impossible. Bai Ye's skills are fully capable of handling it."

Her eyes swept over everyone, finally landing on Su Shi, "Besides, Bai Ye is very powerful, I think it would be a pity to quit."

Su Shi turned her head and looked at Li Xi, her brows furrowed, her face full of indifference. Her voice was filled with helplessness and struggle: "But if Bai Ye joins, it will be very difficult..."

At this moment, Mu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke, his voice calm and without a trace of emotion: "Bai Ye can make my guitar sing..."

This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing waves.

Su Shi looked around and found that her position seemed to be increasingly isolated. Her eyes moved from Gao Songdeng, Li Xi and finally to Mu, and a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in her heart.

Her voice trembled slightly, with a hint of reluctance and helplessness: "Everyone, we are the ones who have suffered the most. We don't need extra talents..."

"Am I the only one who thinks so? It's all just the five of us."

【As long as this is done, we can return to the happy times back then】

"I don't allow it, I don't want it! Ku Lai Xi Ku, just the five of us are enough!" Su Shi's voice suddenly rose, as if the emotions that had been suppressed for a long time finally broke out.

Her face no longer had the gentleness and calmness of the past, replaced by a face so gloomy that it seemed as if water could almost drip out of it.

There was an almost stubborn determination in her tone, as if as long as she persisted, she could make everything return to the starting point.

"Is the farce over?" Xiangzi's voice sounded coldly, like a basin of ice water poured into the hot air.

She crossed her arms, her gaze gazing indifferently at the crowd. It was as if the dispute before her had nothing to do with her. Her posture was calm and distant, like a bystander, yet it carried an invisible sense of oppression.

Su Shi seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw, and a glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes. Her voice was hurried and pleading: "Xiangzi, you think the same as I do, otherwise, suffering will come..."

At this moment, everyone's attention shifted to Xiangzi. The air in the rehearsal room seemed to freeze, and even the sound of breathing became clearly audible.

"Everyone, this is my last announcement today..."

Xiangzi's voice was clear and powerful, like a sharp knife, instantly cutting through the silence in the air.

"I have come to escape from suffering."

This sentence was like a bombshell, instantly exploding in the rehearsal room.

Su Shi's face turned pale in an instant, and his lips trembled slightly, as if he couldn't believe his ears.

Gao Songdeng's hand loosened and the microphone fell to the ground with a "pop", making a harsh sound.

"impossible?!"

Su Shi's voice seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of her throat, trembling with disbelief. Her pupils suddenly contracted, as if the whole world had collapsed at that moment. Her legs seemed to have lost their support and fell to the ground weakly, her knees hitting the ground heavily with a dull thud.

"Why, Xiangzi? Didn't you come to the practice room? Why are you quitting? Ku Lai Xi Ku has clearly been resurrected!"

Su Shi's voice trembled, filled with despair and sorrow, like a wail torn from the depths of his heart.

Xiangzi stood there, her eyes calm and firm, as if Su Shi's emotional fluctuations had not affected her at all. "This is all my own fault. I want to apologize to everyone here for the unpleasantness caused by my previous withdrawal."

After saying that, she bowed deeply to Deng, Li Xi, Su Shi and Wakaba Mu respectively. Her movements were standard and solemn, as if she was using this method to put an end to everything in the past.

Her voice was still calm, but with an irreversible determination: "This is the last time I will come to Kulaixiku, so goodbye."

"Xiao Xiang..." Gao Songdeng wanted to reach out and hold Xiangzi back.

Xiangzi stopped and looked back at Deng, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. Her voice was still calm, but with a special tenderness: "Deng, I wish you happiness..."

Mu looked down at Su Shi who was lying on the ground, then looked up at Xiangzi. Her expression remained indifferent, but she was thinking complicatedly.

"I'm sorry, I have to leave... because Xiangzi is going to break down..."

Then Mu gently picked up his guitar and followed Xiangzi with small steps.

"By the way, Nagasaki Suyo, there is something you need to sort out..." Toyokawa Shoko turned her back to Suyo, her voice as cold as ice, without a trace of emotion in her tone.

"I came here not because I want to return to Kulaixiku, but because of Bai Ye's request to me."

"He said, Nagasaki Suyo, this way I don't owe you anything."

Xiangzi's words were like a sharp knife, piercing Sushi's heart mercilessly. Every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Sushi's eardrums hard, making her dizzy.

"Bai Ye's request..." Su Shi slumped to the ground, staring blankly at Xiangzi's harmonious back. Her lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't utter a single sound. Her fingers drooped limply at her sides, as if all her strength had been drained from her.

Xiangzi didn't look back, just sighed softly, and then left the practice room with Mu.

Their footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, gradually fading away, as if taking away the last bit of warmth.

On the other side, Gao Songdeng knelt on the ground, her hands weakly supporting her, tears streaming down like beads from a broken string. Her eyes were filled with confusion and pain.

Bai Ye, Goto Ichiri, Xiangzi, Mu... She didn't keep any of them. They had clearly agreed to form a band for life.

"Deng, let's go..." Li Xi's voice was low and gentle. She bent down, gently took Deng's arm, and helped her up from the ground.

Deng's body was limp, as if she had lost all her strength. Li Xi simply carried Deng's shoulders on his shoulders and led her towards the door step by step.

"Tsk..." When passing by Su Shi, Li Xi paused slightly, looked at her with complicated eyes, but finally said nothing.

Su Shi was the only one left in the room, slumped on the ground, her eyes blank and dull. Her lips trembled slightly, and she kept murmuring, "Bai Ye's request... Bai Ye's request... Bai Ye's request..."

Her voice became lower and lower, and finally turned into almost a silent murmur, as if this sentence had become the only obsession in her heart.

Chapter 21 Guitar Vocals: Chihaya Aine, Yorozuki~(Please give me your advice~)

In Starry's practice room, the lights were dim and a faint sense of anxiety hung in the air.

Ijichi Hongxia sat behind the drum stand, clutching her hair with both hands, her brow furrowed, her face filled with distress. Her fingers unconsciously tapped the rim of the drum, making a soft "dong dong" sound, as if trying to use rhythm to dispel the anxiety in her heart.

Yamada Ryo leaned against the table, her hands on her mouth, staring blankly at the floor, her face still holding her signature indifferent expression.

"What's wrong? My dear drummer and bassist?" Bai Ye's voice suddenly came from under the table, with a hint of teasing.

Ijichi Hongxia looked at Baiye's face and sighed distressedly: "Um...our guitarist and lead singer, Kita Ikuyo, seems to be unable to make it to the band's debut tomorrow."

"Ah?" Bai Ye turned his head and looked at Yamada Ryo with a questioning look in his eyes.

Yamada Ryo kept his hands on his lips, his voice low and calm: "He didn't come to practice, and he didn't reply to messages... It can't be..."

"Escaped?" Bai Ye interrupted, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, making a light "dong dong" sound.

Yamada Ryo narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression remained indifferent, but his tone was strangely certain: "No, I think she might be dead..."

After saying that, she slowly took out a pack of tissues from her pocket, pulled out a piece, and gently wiped the non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes. Her movements were graceful and calm, as if she was mourning a tragedy that she had long foreseen.

Bai Ye, standing on the other side, suddenly became solemn upon hearing this. He was silent for a moment, then pulled out a white silk scarf from his pocket and gently tied it around his head with a solemn and dignified gesture.

He clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and prayed softly: "Kita Ikuyo, although I have never seen you, you will always live in my heart. I will burn paper for you every year on this day."

His voice was low and pious, as if he was bidding farewell to a deceased friend.

The two of them sang in unison, as if they had been together for a long time.

Yamada Ryo took out a wooden board from the corner, and Bai Ye took out a marker from his bag. The two of them half-heartedly wrote the big words "Kita Ikuyo's Spiritual Tablet" on the wooden board.

Yamada Ryo even took out a small knife from his pocket and carved a few patterns on the edge of the wooden board, as if to add a touch of solemnity to this simple spirit tablet.

She held her chin and always felt that something in her soul was missing. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head and she took out Xiduo's photo and pasted it on the wall.

Bai Ye placed the spirit tablet in the center of the table, then pulled out a small packet of incense from his bag, lit it, and placed it in front of the tablet. Smoke curled up, and the air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood.

In order not to lose to Bai Ye, Yamada Ryo took out a small bell from his pocket and shook it gently, making a crisp sound, as if adding a sense of ritual to this impromptu memorial ceremony.

Finally, the two stood in front of the spirit tablet, clasped their hands together, and had solemn expressions.

"No, you two, this is very rude!" Hong Xia finally reacted and couldn't stand it anymore. She raised her hand and gave Bai Ye and Liang each a big knife.

Her movements were quick and decisive, full of strength, and a big bump instantly appeared on the heads of both of them.

Bai Ye covered his head, holding the bump on his head, but his face remained serious. He patted Hong Xia's shoulder, his tone heavy and sad: "I understand how you feel, but the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept my condolences."

"No? Why do you sentence someone to death without authorization? What if he is still alive?" Hong Xia was speechless and pushed Bai Ye's hand away, her face full of helplessness and a dilemma.

Yamada Ryo raised his finger, making a "NO" gesture, and his voice was low and serious, as if announcing an indisputable conclusion: "No, based on my many years of medical experience... Kita Ikuyo probably has no chance of survival."

Bai Ye on the side immediately cooperated and took out a banner from somewhere with the four big words "Miraculous Doctor Bringing Back Spring" written on it.

He held the banner in both hands and handed it to Yamada Ryo solemnly, with a hint of admiration in his tone: "Doctor Yamada Ryo, you are really a miracle doctor~"

"There are so many things I want to complain about...I don't even know where to start."

Hong Xia looked at the scene before her, her eyes dull and her whole body seemed to have lost all color. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, and her fingers drooped weakly, as if she had given up struggling.

"It's really going to be a nightmare to be in a band with you two clowns."

Upon hearing this, Yamada Ryo immediately became excited, as if he had heard some important instructions.

A hint of excitement flashed in her eyes, and her voice suddenly rose: "Death? Another patient is here, perform surgery immediately, Nurse Bai Ye, please get in place quickly!"

Bai Ye immediately got into character, took out his phone, and answered it upside down, his tone serious and urgent: "Moshimoshi, yes, Starry, order 20 wreaths... yes, super large ones."

"That's enough, you two!" Hong Xia raised her hand and swung two big knives, hitting Bai Ye and Yamada Ryo hard on the head.

"Ah!" X2

Two crisp blows accompanied by the wails of the two men rang out together, as if putting a temporary end to this farce.

After a long time, the atmosphere in the practice room finally calmed down a little.

Hong Xia took a deep breath, trying to recover from the farce just now. She rubbed her temples and said, "If Xiduo doesn't come, where can we find a guitarist?"

Before she could think for a moment, Bai Ye suddenly grabbed her wrist with a quick and decisive move, as if it had been premeditated.

"Don't overthink it. This is the era of big girl bands. Throw a brick on the side of the road and you'll hit three guitarists. Let's go out and catch the guitarists!"

"Hey, hey, hey, wait, I haven't..."

Before Hong Xia could finish her words, Bai Ye lifted her onto his shoulders. Her body instantly hung in the air, her feet off the ground, and she flew out as if carried by an irresistible force.

"Bon voyage~" Yamada Ryo stood at the door of the practice room, waving a tissue in his hand to see them off.

Perhaps, this sudden "adventure" will really bring some unexpected surprises.

...

On the busy streets, the sun shines on the bustling crowds. There are all kinds of shops and stalls on both sides of the streets, and the air is filled with a lively atmosphere.

Unfortunately, after a whole morning, Hong Xia and Bai Ye still had nothing to show for it. The sunlight shone on them, revealing their slightly tired figures.

"How about, Bai Ye, you be the keyboard vocalist?"

Hong Xia suddenly turned her head and looked at Bai Ye with a hint of expectation in her eyes.

Bai Ye was stunned for a moment when he heard this, then made a big "X" with his hands.

"I refuse. If that's the case, I'm too dazzling. You will just become what others call those people with instruments next to the keyboard."

"That's true..." Hong Xia lowered her head, sighed, and twisted her fingers together unconsciously.

After a moment of silence, Hong Xia suddenly raised her head and looked directly at Bai Ye, with a hint of hesitation and uneasiness in her voice: "Bai Ye... why do you want to form a band with us?"