For the peace of the Lonely Band, please sacrifice yourself!

"So I hope you can show your true selves in front of me. I'm afraid that my unintentional actions will hurt you and cause a rift in our relationship. I don't want any regrets between us that cannot be undone, and it would be best if there weren't even a trace of regret at all."

"I am a person who is very afraid of loneliness. When I am alone at home, I will turn on the TV and turn up the volume to pretend that there are people around. But at the same time, I am very conflicted. When there are people at home, I prefer to stay in my room and do my own things."

"Maybe it's because I feel at ease that I can immerse myself in my own world better."

Mochizuki Shuo smiled self-deprecatingly, stretched out his chopsticks to pick up the tripe and rolled it up and down in the hot pot, dipped it in the chopped green onion and coriander, and then placed it on Yijizhi Xingge's plate.

"Eat vegetables, eat vegetables."

Before he could finish his words, the boy's hand was forcefully grabbed by the woman. He raised his slightly red eyes in surprise and looked at the tearful girl. He didn't know what to say for a moment and stood there in a stalemate, unable to pull back his arm.

Yijizhi Xingge took a deep breath, looked into the other person's eyes seriously, and said word by word: "Shuo, I don't know what you have been through to say such words from the bottom of your heart to me with deep emotion. I understand, and I will try my best to face you with my truest self in the future."

Although she had a lot of thoughts in her mind and wanted to dissect the boy's heart to see what was really going on in his mind, Ijichi Xingge was not the type of person who would ask questions and make others dislike her. She just slowly wrapped her hand around the boy's and felt the warmth from him with her own palm.

"You don't need to take it too seriously... I still like the way Sister Xingge is sometimes arrogant and sometimes acts like a little girl. You are cold on the outside but warm on the inside."

Wang Yueshuo was stunned for a few seconds, then smiled and held the woman's hand.

The two of them ate and chatted until almost half past eight.

After paying the bill, she went out. The cool evening breeze blew her hair aside. Sister Xingge lifted her long hair that had fallen on her shoulders. The faint light from the bright moon fell on her soft golden hair and flawless face. The smooth lines outlined her beauty in an indescribable way that was pleasing to the eye.

The woman reached behind her head and gathered her soft and silky golden hair. She then took out a black rubber band from her pocket and simply tied her hair into a neat high ponytail, which swayed gently in the air like a fluorescent stick flashing in the night.

Wang Yueshuo couldn't help but laugh out loud, which attracted Xingge's puzzled gaze.

He waved his hand, indicating that it was harmless, and then urged:

"Let's go, we still have to pick out a gift for Hong Xia."

Their destination was a very large musical instrument store in Shinjuku. Looking at the dazzling array of musical instruments, Ijichi Hoshika was eager to try them out.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Sister Xingge's guitar in a long time."

"Why, do you like me playing the guitar so much?" Yidizhi Xingge raised the corners of his pretty mouth and asked with a smile.

"Of course, Sister Xingge's piano playing skills are superb. I'm afraid I will never forget her elegant and graceful appearance on the stage." Wang Yueshuo responded frankly.

"Well...I'll show you my skills tonight." Seeing that Shuo liked it so much, Xingge couldn't help but smile. After getting the clerk's consent, she happily took down a Fender guitar hanging on the wall.

After simply plucking a few strings to test the feel, Ijichi Xingge quickly began her show of skills by holding the pick in the most standard posture, plucking the strings alternately with tapping and rubbing, and playing continuously, smoothly and mellowly. The woman's fingertips overflowed with the joyful and roaring sound of the piano.

The shop assistant lost her voice and subconsciously covered her mouth, watching intently as the fingers with white and white knuckles slid and rubbed the strings smoothly and handsomely.

Mochizuki Shuo sat on a chair with his arms folded across his chest, admiring Sister Xingge's wild show of skills. In his gray-brown eyes, there flashed a flash of the cool girl who was still standing on the stage a few years ago, pouring out her passion and using music to express her emotions.

The piano music stopped for a moment. Ichichi Xingge raised her eyes slightly and looked at the boy who was applauding. She felt a little proud in her heart for some reason. She hummed softly and returned the guitar.

Time flew by quickly as the two of them were picking and choosing.

"Nyangostar signature drumsticks?"

"Generally, I feel Hong Xia won't like this."

"What about the Roland Go Mixer Pro-X recording sound card?"

"Hongxia isn't the type of person who likes to take drum practice videos and post them online."

"......"

As expected, birthday gifts are the most difficult to come by. The gift that Mochizuki Saku finally chose to give to Hongxia was a set of trendy and beautiful drum brushes and drum sticks to help her change the tone of the drum set for specific songs.

After having a delicious dinner and completing the final task, Mochizuki Saku and Ijichi Hoshige were on their way home.

In the dark night, the lights on both sides of the street are bright, and the neon lights on the bridge on the opposite bank float in the dim glow.

The night really helps, Wang Yueshuo thought, observing her out of the corner of his eye.

Yidizhi Xingge pursed her lips, and gave him a look with her sexy and slender phoenix eyes, revealing a look that seemed to be smiling but not smiling, and the charm in it was not something that could be described to outsiders.

"Fool."

After the woman finished speaking, she moved forward and kissed Wang Yueshuo's moist lips under his surprised gaze.

The moonlight is beautiful and the wind is blowing hard, why don’t we kiss?

ps: 4044 words, finally caught up. Thank you readers for your subscription and vote support!

By the way, I want a ticket at the end of the month~

Chapter 86 Birthday Party (Part 1)

Dusk gradually fell, and the few clouds in the sky were dyed orange by the setting sun.

Goto Ichiri, Yamada Ryo and Kita Ikuyo carried gifts and walked towards the Ijichi family, talking and laughing.

The branches were covered with fresh new leaves, and the breeze rustled the leaves, while the sun shone through the branches onto the road, forming golden beams.

The shadows of trees and buildings on the roadside were mixed with reality and illusion by the setting sun. On the sunny streets, the shadows of the girls were elongated, and they strolled leisurely, slowly passing through this carefree time.

The high-rise buildings in the distance reflected the afterglow of the setting sun, and the antennas on the roofs matched the sun to form a long and hazy silhouette. The traffic was slowly moving on the road, and passers-by were chatting and walking in the sunset, enjoying this beautiful and peaceful leisure time.

The whole road was filled with a warm atmosphere. In such a beautiful sunset, all the worries disappeared with the setting sun, and the girls' hearts were also cleansed and made pure and flawless.

"Ah, that... Liang, what gift did you prepare for Hongxia?" Goto Ichiri secretly glanced at the gift decorated with pink and gold ribbons in his handbag, feeling a little nervous.

I wonder if Hongxia will like this gift...

“Hmmmm~~~~”

Yamada Ryo raised his head a little proudly, crossed his arms, and said confidently: "I didn't prepare any gifts!"

"No wonder Senior Liang didn't bring anything..."

Kita Ikuyo turned her head and glanced at Yamada Ryo, who was dressed elegantly in a classic outfit of a white shirt and black trousers and had nothing in his hands, and complained.

"Who said that? I brought my hard-working hands and mouth."

Liang calmly loosened the buttons of his cuffs, bent his left index finger, and gently placed the knuckles on his chin, giving a close-up of his moist lips.

"So you just want to eat and drink for free, right?" Kita suddenly covered her face, feeling that discussing these issues with a shameless senior with a low moral bottom line was an insult to her brain.

"So...what gift did Kita-san prepare?"

Seeing that Yamada Ryo's answer had no effect on her, Goto Ichiri immediately placed her hopes on Kita Ikuyo, who was always sunny and lively and often attended friends' birthday parties.

"Emmmm, I saw on Twitter that Ijichi-senpai wanted a new set of kitchen utensils, so I bought a set of knives for cutting vegetables, meat and fruits and a turquoise apron, hoping it would be helpful to her."

Ah...I had forgotten that this was possible!

I only looked up the top 100 best gifts for drummer friends on the Internet... and I never thought of associating it with what Hongxia needed!

But... it should be okay to give her a small gift from the drummer... Goto Ichiri clasped his hands together, hoping for Buddha's blessing.

Kita Ikuyo answered readily, and then asked, "What has Goto-san prepared?"

"Bass 18" Crash cymbal..."

"Hey, cymbals are also a good choice. I also considered buying cymbals at first, but then I thought that Ijichi-senpai should have a lot of them around him, so I gave up."

Oops?!

I hadn't expected this at all...

Goto Ichiri felt like he was falling into an ice cellar.

Just as Goto Ichiri was trembling and didn't know what to do, Yamada Ryo looked at the Ijichi family who was about to arrive:

"We're at Hongxia's house!"

Ijichi's house is a common residence in Japan. Although it is not big, it is very cozy. The decoration in the room is simple and tasteful. The walls and furniture in the room are bright white and beige, which makes Kita and Ichiri feel comfortable and relaxed when they come to visit for the first time.

She looked around the living room. There were some photos hanging on the beige walls, and some cute little ornaments and decorative paintings dotted around the room, making the room full of youthful atmosphere.

The sunlight pours in through the windows, filling the room with the orange sunset. Various warm details and arrangements make people feel peaceful and comfortable, especially the curtains, sofas, and the small dolls and pillows on them.

In such a home, even if you are alone, you can feel very comfortable and fully enjoy the quiet and private time. Goto Ichiri's nervous mood disappeared unknowingly.

"Hong...Hongxia, this is my birthday present for you, a single 18-inch Crash cymbal." Goto Ichiri took out a gift box decorated with pink and gold straps from her handbag.

"Thank you, Pochi-chan~" Ijichi Hongxia took it with a smile.

"Ijichi-senpai, this is my portion, an apron and a set of kitchen knives."

"Thank you Kita-chan~"

Ijichi Hongxia finally looked at Yamada Ryo, whose eyes were wandering. Ryo noticed this with his peripheral vision, coughed twice, then walked straight to Hongxia and said confidently and unabashedly: "I can be a gift myself!"

"???"

Hong Xia's smile froze in place as she stared in amazement at her childhood friend who had absolutely no sense of propriety or shame.

"I was just kidding. I forgot to bring it. I'll give it to you on your birthday next year."

Yamada Ryo turned his head, and in front of Hong Xia's incredulous gaze, a pair of golden eyes suddenly sparkled with starlight. He wiped the saliva from the corners of his mouth and said maliciously:

"The most important thing now is what to have for dinner! Let me in and see what kind of rich dishes will be for dinner tonight!"

In the blink of an eye, Yamada Ryo rushed into the kitchen and gave a loud cry of praise.

Yili, Kita and Hongxia followed closely behind, moving from the cozy living room with warm colors to the modern kitchen with cool colors. Various kitchen utensils and cooking utensils were placed in an orderly manner. The walls were decorated with simple wooden cabinets. The drawers and partitions inside were designed to be quite user-friendly, conveniently storing seasonings, tableware, and cooking tools. The entire kitchen was fully utilized and looked very neat and professional.

"Senior Mochizuki's cooking skills are really amazing..." Kita Ikuyo seemed to be attracted by the food and her mouth was watering without her knowing.

"Brother Shuo often cooks for himself when he is at home. Especially when he has free time, he will go into the kitchen to fiddle with and study various foods. The pickled fish and beer duck he made with my father last time were also very delicious!" Goto Ichiri nodded in approval.

"Are you making curry rice now?" Kita asked, sticking his head out from beside Mochizuki Saku.

"That's right! Look at the dark brown sticky color and the fragrant aroma......!"

Yamada Ryo suddenly seemed like a different person. He spoke eloquently and described the method of making curry rice and how delicious it was. In the end, he gave a thumbs up to the chef Mochizuki:

"You have successfully gained recognition as the spokesperson for curry rice!"

"The spokesperson is not talking about you, right?"

Chapter 87 Birthday Party (Part 2)

Wang Yueshuo was somewhat obsessive-compulsive. He looked around and saw that the kitchen was well ventilated and the environment was clean and tidy. Feeling the fresh air blowing on his face, he happily talked to Hongxia, his little assistant helping in the kitchen.

"You are the birthday boy today, what do you want to eat?"

"How about eel rice? I just went to the seafood market and bought fresh eels this morning." Ijichi Hongxia thought for a moment and replied.

"Okay, let's make eel rice!" Mochizuki Saku put the pot of curry on another stove and simmered it slowly. He took the cleaned eel from Hongxia's refrigerator and put it on the cutting board, saying as he cut:

"Hongxia, you know, the essence of eel rice lies in the way the eel is processed and the seasoning sauce! First, you need to select fresh and tender eels, wash them clean, and then use a sharp knife to make an oblique cut on the back, and use clean water to remove the dirt."

"The sauce is very simple, a little bit of miso, 3 tablespoons of sweet soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of cooking wine, 1 teaspoon of MSG, the amount of scallions and ginger depends on your personal preference, and if you like it sweet, you can add some sugar."

The young cook Yidi Chi Hongxia nodded repeatedly, poured the washed rice into the rice cooker, measured the water line with a spoon to ensure that the rice was neither sticky nor as soft as porridge, preferably just covering the spoon, so that the cooked rice would be fuller and softer. Finally, she pressed the button for precise rice steaming.

"When the rice is cooked, pour the eel and sauce on it at the same time. Oh, and add some pickled mustard greens and shredded seaweed to make the rice more fragrant."

Wang Yueshuo took a look at Hong Xia, who was skilled and capable, and couldn't help but think: I like this about her: she is serious, cute, virtuous and humorous. I feel that I will be very happy living with her when she becomes my wife in the future.

She is simply the ideal wife and mother in everyone’s mind!

"Shuo-kun really has a lot of cooking experience. I thought it was fake before." Hong Xia thought about it and said with a smile: "After all, the musical instruments you took out are very expensive, and I heard that you have a wealthy family and even have a butler and maid to serve you in your hometown, so I don't believe you can cook by yourself."

"That's a stereotype. Although I don't cook often in my hometown, after all, the food cooked by the maid is much better than mine. But I often go into the kitchen to ask the maid for advice on how to cook."

Mochizuki Shuo did not refute, saying: "In fact, cooking is a very interesting and relaxing thing. Not only can it kill time, but every time I finish it, I feel the pleasure brought by the delicious food with good color, fragrance and taste. It always calms my restless heart."

He really enjoyed the process of cooking, a habit he developed in his previous life.

He lived in a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment that he shared with his band members. After each performance, the band would have a celebration party while the other three would go to the supermarket to buy vegetables and meat, while he would sit in the kitchen with eagle-like eyes, holding a sharp knife, waiting for the ingredients to arrive.

"Indeed, I think the process of making delicious food is an art. It requires patience, care, and emotional imagination. You need to combine various ingredients, adjust the proportions, and consider the matching. Regardless of success or failure, regardless of leisure or fatigue, you should enjoy the fun brought by cooking, immerse yourself in delicious food, enjoy the beauty of life, and feel the pleasure brought by life."

Hong Xia, who also served as the Minister of Cooking and Minister of Housework at home, naturally understood Mochizuki Saku's feelings and asked with a smile, "Is there anything I can do next?"

"If we have four dishes and one soup, we only need to make one soup, so..." Mochizuki thought for a moment and shook his head, "You go and entertain Pochi and the others, I can take care of the rest myself."

"Okay, I'm thinking of learning a few tricks from you." Hong Xia said jokingly, with her hands behind her back, and took out a bag of pork bone soup seasoning from the cupboard, saying, "If you want soup, kelp and tofu soup is good. I bought some fresh tofu, and it's in the fresh-keeping room on the top shelf of the refrigerator."

Kelp and tofu soup is a refreshing and nutritious soup. It is good for beautifying and nourishing, and is very beneficial to women's skin. It is also simple and easy to make. Choose fresh, tender, and watery tofu and particularly clean kelp as the main dish. When seasoning, avoid too much salt and use a slightly smaller amount of salt and chicken essence.

When Mochizuki Saku was in Kyoto, he often cooked a pot of soup for his mother and sister, so he was very skilled with the knife and could put the tofu cut into small pieces into the pot smoothly.

The cooking time passed in a flash, and the wall clock in the living room slowly pointed to seven twenty-seven.

When Wang Yueshuo brought it out, the living room had already been decorated by the dexterous girls. Balloons, cute floor lamps and banners dotted the entire room. Wang Yueshuo felt the festive atmosphere of the birthday at just one glance.