Band Girl Drink Mixing Action

Xiangzi's thoughts drifted further and further away as he listened to the repetitive sound of water flowing in the tank, but he could not come up with a satisfactory result.

Suddenly, the door of the room was pushed open, waking Xiangzi up with a start. It turned out that twenty minutes had passed quietly without him noticing. Qingchuan Xiang had also taken a shower and changed into a new shirt. Xiangzi looked at the shirt and it looked familiar - it seemed to be the one he couldn't wear before.

"How does my room feel?" With hot steam still lingering around her body, Qingchuan Xiang put her hands on her hips and asked Xiangzi expectantly what she thought of her small bar. It can be seen that she really likes this bar.

"It looks great and gives people a very professional feeling." Since Qingchuan Xiang wanted to praise it, even if it was not out of favor, Xiangzi was very happy to say a few words of praise.

"Hmph." Qingchuan Xiang made a smug nasal sound, showing off without hiding his intention, and walked quickly to the bar. "What do you want to drink? A drink after a shower is the best experience."

"Thank you, I don't need..."

Xiangzi tried to refuse to "ask" for more from Qingchuan Xiang, but Qingchuan Xiang seemed to be completely deaf to her words. In fact, when she asked Xiangzi what he wanted to drink, her hands were already skillfully operating the bar.

Qingchuan Xiang first retrieved a carefully preserved teacup from a corner of the bar and, using a special knife, pried out a small amount of tea leaves, saving them for later use. He then selected a purple clay teapot for brewing and a porcelain tea bowl for sipping, warming the tea sets with pre-boiled water from a water dispenser. Then, he placed the tea leaves in the pot and poured water to moisten them. After a short soak in the hot water, the tea leaves were fully expanded, and the tea was ready. Finally, the tea was brewed. For fully awakened tea, it only took 5 to 10 seconds to steep and serve.

The process of making tea is actually not complicated, but Qingchuan Xiang's movements are fast but not chaotic, and orderly, at a speed that is hard to keep up with. It is obvious that he has done it countless times and has reached a level of proficiency.

As soon as the tea poured from the pot, it released a rich, fragrant aroma that quickly filled the room. The tea's natural, strange, and soothing aroma gave Xiangzi a sense of security just from sniffing it.

"We were rushed this time. We should have done more preparation. I hope you don't mind this imperfect cup of tea." Qingchuan Xiang picked up one of the cups and handed it to Xiangzi. Although she said it was imperfect, the confident smile on her face showed that she was very confident in her tea-making skills.

"Thank you." Having missed the best opportunity to refuse, Xiangzi had no choice but to take the teacup. Looking at the bright reddish-brown color, he actually felt a little expectant. With such a beautiful color and the tea fragrance that was so captivating just by emitting it, the taste must be good.

Taking a sip, the rich and smooth broth blends the aroma of aged glutinous rice and wood. The rich aroma paired with the mellow taste instantly dispels any remaining chill, causing Xiangzi to sigh in relief.

Among all the teas that Xiangzi has come into contact with since childhood, the wonderful taste brought by this cup of Pu'er tea can be ranked at the top. You know, when she was at Fengchuan's house, the tea she tasted was brewed by people who could be called tea masters.

But while feeling comfortable, Xiangzi still had a thorn in his heart. Although the tea master was able to brew such good tea, the tea itself must not be cheap.

“Miss Xiangzi——!”

Suddenly, Qingchuan Xiang approached Xiangzi and leaned forward slightly. The distance between them suddenly shortened so much that Xiangzi could clearly see his own reflection in Xiang's eyes. Those same beautiful eyes, reminiscent of the sea, were still there, but unlike before when they could only see the calm surface of the sea, Qingchuan Xiang now seemed to be filled with some strange excitement, and the sea in his eyes began to surge with magnificent waves.

"Thinking about bad things while tasting tea will ruin the flavor of the tea." Qingchuan Xiang had a smile on his face as he taught the guest who seemed to have something on his mind, but what he said next made Xiangzi's heart even more unstable.

"Please rest assured, the tea used in this cup of tea is actually not expensive. You can drink it at your leisure."

What did this mean? Had the secret I was trying to hide been seen through? When?

Suspicions popped up one after another. The embarrassment and awkwardness of being exposed made Xiangzi's body stiff. He didn't know how to react. Should he admit it generously or continue to struggle to disguise himself...

"When did you know that..." Xiangzi tried to use a questioning tone to pretend to be tough, but in the end he could only ask in a weak whisper.

"Actually, I don't know what happened to you." Qingchuan Xiang continued to sip his tea, seemingly unaware of the impact his words had on Xiangzi, "But it's actually not that hard to guess.

"After all, at our age, it's hard to think of many troubles that could cause the eldest daughter of the Toyokawa family to become so bad.

"And if you simply lose the protection of your family, any small problem will become a big one, like lack of money."

Xiangzi was a little annoyed for a moment. His secret was exposed so casually by the other party, which made all his previous efforts to disguise seem a little ridiculous.

"...Now that you know, what do you want to do? Pity me, a stray dog?" Xiangzi was angry!

"What do I want to do? Um... Let's drink the tea first. After all, hot tea won't taste good when it gets cold."

Qingchuan Xiang didn't care about Xiangzi's sharp tone like a furry cat. He drank the last sip of tea in the tea bowl and licked his lips with satisfaction.

"I think what I brewed is pretty good. Don't you like it?"

"what……?"

Xiangzi's verbal attack was like hitting a ball of soft cotton. Qingchuan Xiang seemed to take it for granted that Xiangzi's troubles should be put aside for the time being. She just wanted to treat Xiangzi to a cup of fragrant hot tea after his bath.

After a long silence, under Qingchuan Xiang's expectant gaze, Xiangzi gave up his futile struggle and resistance, put everything behind him, and continued to drink the still steaming tea.

Facts have proved that drinking a cup of good tea can gradually calm people's mood. Xiangzi's originally anxious mood gradually disappeared in the process of drinking tea.

Damn it, how could it be so delicious? In her heart, Xiangzi berated herself for her incompetence with words unbecoming of a young lady. Where was her determination? Where was her perseverance? It was all resolved by a cup of tea.

"How does it taste?" "It tastes great..."

Looking at Qingchuan Xiang's smug expression, Xiangzi's mixed feelings finally turned into helplessness: Qingchuan Xiang was really like water, invisible and unpredictable. During this short period of solitude, he had always been passively drifting with the flow, unable to catch a single drop of water, let alone fighting back. To this day, Xiangzi didn't even know what Qingchuan Xiang wanted to do.

Now that things have come to this, let’s have some tea first.

Chapter 04: Drink Mixing is the Art of Communication

"Do you need some more?" Qingchuan Xiang asked as he watched Xiangzi slowly finish his cup of tea. While asking, his hand had already picked up the purple clay teapot placed aside.

"No thanks." This time, Xiangzi directly put his hand on Qingchuanxiang's wrist, forcibly interrupting Qingchuanxiang's attempt to refill the tea. It seemed that Qingchuanxiang had been inexplicably excited from the beginning, and he was talking to himself when he moved.

"Okay." Qingchuan Xiang, who was rejected, took back the teapot with a little disappointment and poured himself another cup.

Thanks to the tea, Xiangzi had calmed down. Now that he'd seen through her, dwelling on it was pointless. Was he going to resort to unreasonable, vexatious behavior to make Qingchuan Xiang forget everything? It would be better to openly expose his situation to her. Of course, only to this perceptive Ms. Qingchuan, who even felt a little pressured.

What Xiangzi wants to understand most now is what Qingchuan Xiang wanted to do by bringing him back, providing him with a bathroom, and making tea for him.

If Qingchuan Xiang wanted to persuade himself not to quit the band and wanted to use these means to win him back, Xiangzi would definitely not accept it and would find an opportunity to repay the favor today in the future.

"Qingchuan Xiang, first of all, I apologize for my immature behavior before. Now I have calmed down." Xiangzi put down the teacup in his hand, sat up straight, and looked directly at Qingchuan Xiang to express his serious attitude, "But can you please tell me, what exactly do you want to talk to me about?

"If you're hoping I won't quit the band, then since you've already guessed I'm in serious trouble, you should understand I simply don't have the energy to devote to this playful band game."

Qingchuan Xiang didn't rush to answer, but was still dealing with the third cup of tea in his hand. Perhaps it was the combined effect of the hot bath and the hot tea, his face turned red, spreading all the way to his earlobes, making him look a bit like he was drunk.

After finishing his third cup of tea, Qingchuan Xiang gently put the tea bowl away and leaned casually against the bar:

"I can offer you a job."

Qingchuan Xiang's speech was incoherent, full of jumps, but quite straightforward. It did not answer Xiangzi's question well, but made it even more difficult for Xiangzi to react: the problem that he needed to solve most urgently was now solved by Qingchuan Xiang in a very relaxed tone?

Xiangzi couldn't ignore this. This part-time job for her was the biggest problem that made it difficult for her to rest well for several days in a row. Xiangzi opened his mouth, which felt a little dry after drinking tea. He wanted to ask what kind of job Qingchuan Xiang did, but he couldn't say anything for a while.

Fortunately, Qingchuan Xiang continued to speak:

"My sister runs a bookstore. We often have a lot of customers from after school until eight o'clock, so we need to hire someone. The work is very diverse, including counting purchased books, organizing bookshelves, and guiding customers to find books... It depends on the specific customer flow.

"As for salary, when I was being forced to do hard labor, I was paid about 1400 yen an hour, paid daily. You can also buy books at the wholesale price, which is a benefit for all bookstore employees. You can also read whatever books you want in your free time.

"It sounds like there's a lot of work to do, but depending on the fluctuations in customer traffic, there's actually quite a bit of free time... So what do you think?"

As Xiangzi listened to Qingchuan Xiang listing the job requirements one by one, he began to wonder if Qingchuan Xiang's refusal to directly answer the question "What do you want to do" was because she really had other intentions towards him.

Because the working conditions are really quite good.

The after-school work schedule naturally suited his student status. The entry level wasn't too high, and he could buy books cheaply and even study in his free time. As for the crucial salary, Xiangzi had done some research and found that the minimum hourly wage in Tokyo was 1002, while the average was around 1200. Not to mention that the 1400 hourly wage was paid daily, meaning he didn't have to worry about emergencies.

If you miss this opportunity, you will never find another good job opportunity for students like you.

So, do you want to accept it?

“Xiang…” “Well, what’s wrong?”

"Why do you want to help me to this extent?" Xiangzi had to ask this question clearly. Even if Qingchuan Xiang really had other intentions towards him, he didn't want to hear the reason of "pity".

"I think we are friends. Is it wrong to help friends?" Qingchuan Xiang tilted his head, as if he didn't understand Xiangzi's question. "Maybe you think I gave too much, but actually it's nothing to me."

Qingchuan Xiang asked in return: "Xiangzi, what are you resisting in Lingmeng Yi'erling Umbrella Forest?"

Ah, it happened again. Those turquoise eyes, as clear and bright as water droplets, seemed to hold no secrets, yet I couldn't tell whether beneath them lay the gentle current or the surging waves.

"I... don't want to accept other people's 'pity'."

"It's so awkward." "Whatever you say... This is my last resort."

"In that case, let me put it another way." Qingchuan Xiang walked up to Xiangzi, took Xiangzi's hand and pulled her up. It was no longer a condescending conversation. Now the two of them were facing each other and looking at each other as equals.

"Let's make a deal. I'm offering you this job, and I need you to do something for me." Under the soft light of the candle, Xiangzi looked at Qingchuan Xiang in front of him clearly but somewhat dreamily. Qingchuan Xiang's words were like the devil's tempting whisper. The other party's bargaining chips had been revealed, but what else did he have left to trade to the other party?

"I don't have anything left now." Xiangzi took a long breath, but still looked at Qingchuan Xiang firmly. If he wanted to move forward, he had to kill his weak self. "Please tell me what you want, and I will do my best to achieve it."

Qingchuan Xiang blinked, and the smile on his face became more and more filled with an indescribable meaning.

"Xiangzi, you should have noticed that I like water very much." Xiangzi nodded.

“I like to watch the water flow, listen to the sound of water drops falling, feel the coolness when it passes through my palms, and the taste when I drink it... These all make me feel happy and at ease from the bottom of my heart.

"And I want you to find me more, different 'feelings of water' that I haven't experienced before."

This statement was indeed somewhat ambiguous. Xiangzi tried his best to understand its meaning. "Can you explain it more clearly?"

"Don't worry, I'm not making this up just to embarrass you. Yeah, for example..." Qingchuan Xiang spread his hands and asked Xiangzi to look at the bar beside him, with an irrepressible smile of anticipation on his face. "Anything is fine. Please make me a drink first."

"Huh?" This request was a bit sudden. Xiangzi looked at the dazzling bar counter. The variety of materials and utensils was dazzling.

Xiangzi thought for a moment and finally chose Darjeeling, which he often drank. It happened that Qingchuanxiang had accidentally shown Xiangzi the area where the tea-brewing tools were when he was brewing Pu'er tea, so he could do it without any rush.

"Oh oh——" Qingchuan Xiang looked at the cup of black tea brewed by Xiangzi in front of her and rubbed her hands in anticipation. Originally, Xiangzi suspected that Qingchuan Xiang was just using vague explanations to trick him into accepting her help, but now seeing her excitement, he began to believe that this seemed to be a very good gift for Xiang.

"How does it taste?" Xiangzi nervously asked Qingchuan Xiang who was slowly drinking the tea. Although it was the other party's request, he was still a little nervous that he might think that he had brewed the tea too soft.

Including this cup of Darjeeling brewed by Xiangzi, Qingchuanxiang had already drunk the fourth cup. The blush on his face became more and more obvious, and his eyes became more and more confused. Qingchuanxiang savored the invisible thing contained in this cup of tea, and finally stared at Xiangzi's face.

"Qing, Qingchuan Xiang?" Xiangzi looked at Qingchuan Xiang, who seemed a little drunk, and said, "Say something."

“…” “!”

A silent hug came suddenly. Qingchuan Xiang hugged Xiangzi, so warm that it felt like being wrapped in a ball of warm water. Xiangzi buried his head in Xiang's shoulder, and a few strands of hair still wet with water brushed Xiangzi's cheek, making him feel a little itchy.

"What's wrong?"

"I just thought you might need this. You're so tense and you don't want anyone to see."

"What the hell is this... What have you seen through me again?"

"It wasn't me who saw anything. You told me yourself, using that cup of tea as a medium."

"...Are you some kind of water spirit that can read other people's thoughts through water?"

"Are you crying? Your voice is a little choked."

"No...let me go."

Qingchuan Xiang obediently released the embrace, and the two returned to their positions where they could look at each other. Xiangzi did not cry, but the redness in the corners of his eyes showed that his owner was not calm.

Qingchuan Xiang still looked so casual, but this time she was expressing her emotions more wantonly than before, which led to the previous hug.

"I'm sorry, after drinking too much water, I might be acting and speaking without thinking." Qingchuan Xiang was the first to speak, explaining her abrupt behavior.

Xiangzi sighed with mixed feelings: “It’s okay, I do feel a little more relaxed.

"I have one last question." "Please."

"If you're just dependent on water, wouldn't everyday water be enough to satisfy you? Why do you need me to bring you more different kinds of water? I don't want this deal of yours to be just a lie to fool me."

"Xiangzi, this is so awkward. Your pride is hurting you."

"After all... this is all I have left."

Chapter 5 Observe, Learn, Pretend, Become

Still in Qingchuan Xiang's magical house, the two continued to discuss the "contract details" of the previous transaction.

"Let's sit down and chat slowly... Ah, Xiangzi, why don't you sit on the bed." Qingchuan Xiang saw Xiangzi preparing to sit back in front of the aquarium table and stopped him. "If you sit there, I can see the aquarium from the bed, and I might get distracted by that while we're talking."

After such a period of time, Xiangzi gradually began to understand Qingchuan Xiang's strange personality. Helplessly, he and Qingchuan Xiang carefully changed positions in the narrow room and sat gently on the edge of the bed.

"The reason I love water so much is that when I come into contact with it, I feel a genuine sense of joy and peace. This is true no matter how I touch it or what kind of water it is; the only difference is the intensity of the emotion.

"And if it's water related to someone else, like the tea you just made, Xiangzi, I can also feel some of the emotions associated with that person."

"...Isn't this really a weird setting made up by you, Xiang?"

"How rude."

"I'm sorry, but that sounds really weird."

Qingchuan Xiang curled his lips and shook his finger in dissatisfaction, "Actually, even ordinary people can do this kind of thing.

“When a person is sick, if someone makes a bowl of ginger soup for her, the patient will naturally feel that the soup carries the other person’s love and care.

"It's just that the carrier of this emotion can be anything, and I'm just extra sensitive to water."

After this explanation, although Xiangzi felt something was wrong, he was indeed somewhat convinced. However, this still could not explain one thing: why Qingchuan Xiang wanted to use the water source brought by Xiangzi as a bargaining chip.

"Xiang, are you curious about other people's emotional lives? According to you, what you actually gained from this transaction was actually other people's inner thoughts, right?"

It is never a pleasant thing to have your inner thoughts pried into by others, especially when Xiangzi wishes he could just block himself off and not reveal any of his twisted inner thoughts to others.

Facing Xiangzi's questioning, Qingchuan Xiang's face did not waver in the slightest, and he looked at Xiangzi calmly:

"Xiangzi, you asked me before if my goal today was to win you back, to win back CRYCHIC. To me, the band is just for fun, but I really don't want it to end just yet.

"Because this was my attempt to find something that would motivate me—