After being elected as the governor of Tokyo, he will debut as a band!

"Xiangzi, soy sauce."

Xiao Mu was in high spirits from the combo attack by Aoyama and Hiroi Kikuri, and when she saw Xiangzi return, she wanted to share her proudest cucumber with her.

"What are you doing?"

But Xiangzi completely ignored her words and overlooked the dish of soy sauce she handed him, which she wanted him to use to dip cucumber rolls.

Xiao Mu froze, looking at Xiangzi with a bewildered expression.

At this moment, Nagasaki Motoyo caught up and saw Hakusan sitting next to Mutsu. She was a little worried that Mutsu, who was not good at communicating with others, might feel nervous because of this. Then she noticed that Mutsu was holding a soy sauce bottle and her body was slightly turned towards Hakusan. There was freshly poured soy sauce on the plate in front of Hakusan, and she became a little angry again.

Is Hacksan having Mumu serve him meals?

No wonder Nagasaki Motoyo thought that way.

Japan has a long tradition of seniority-based hierarchy, and it is not uncommon for some scoundrels to take advantage of their seniority in the industry to force juniors to serve them, force them to drink alcohol, or even engage in sexual favors.

Especially those juniors who are famous and have strong professional skills, but whose personalities are not assertive enough, will inevitably suffer losses in such situations.

In Nagasaki Motoyo's eyes, Wakaba Mutsuki was that kind of person... She was the kind of child who needed protection in social situations and would be bullied if she was alone.

If the person pouring soy sauce and handing the plate to Aoyama was Chihaya Aine, Suze wouldn't worry at all, because Aine is the kind of person who really likes to greet people; she's more likely to actively use this method to get closer to others than be forced to do so.

Lixi wasn't worried, because if she hadn't done this willingly, she would have already fought with the other party.

Xiao Mu is the only exception. If the other party puts pressure on her, she finds it hard to refuse things she doesn't want to do. Even if she feels wronged, she will just keep her feelings to herself. According to Su Shi's understanding of Xiao Mu, Xiao Mu would never do such a thing on her own initiative.

In this way, Su Shi could be almost certain that it was Mr. Hack who had asked Xiao Mu to do this.

I never expected Mr. Hack to be this kind of person.

Nagasaki Suyo thought.

She wasn't interested in whether the band could participate in the "Gigocho Cup," so she didn't care about Hiroi Kikuri's recommendation. On the contrary, from her perspective, Hiroi had been eating and drinking ravenously since he arrived, showing no manners whatsoever. As a result, Aoyama's image in her mind had also become very bad—he was wearing a flashy mask and looked like he was just pretending to be a ghost.

She was about to step forward and sit next to Xiao Mu, separating her from Qing Shan Xiang, when Feng Chuan Xiangzi made the first move.

"excuse me."

Xiangzi bowed to Qingshan, then pulled Xiaomu up and walked to a corner.

"Why would you do something like that? Xiao Mu, don't you dislike interacting with strangers?"

"cucumber……"

"What does this have to do with cucumbers? Xiao Mu, you always say things that others can't understand because you can't grasp the main point."

Xiangzi lowered her voice and spoke to Xiaomu. Su Shi couldn't hear what she was saying, but she could tell from her tone that she was a little unhappy.

She quickly followed, trying to mediate.

"Xiao Xiang, don't be angry with Xiao Mu, she's a victim too!"

Su Shi stood in front of Xiao Mu, looking at Xiang Zi with pleading eyes.

“If you’re going to be angry, you should be angry at Mr. Hack. He’s the one who forced Xiao Mu to do this.”

Toyokawa Shoko was furious when she heard this.

Putting aside the fact that you asked me to get angry at Mr. Harker, since you don't know his identity... but how did you come up with that second half of your sentence, "He forced Xiao Mu"?

Chihaya and Riki are both here. If Mr. Hack really forces Mutsu, do you think they can remain indifferent? Do you think you're the only one here who cares about Mutsu?

Look, Chihaya is even smiling at us... Anyone who didn't know better would think she'd been forced to drink by Hiroi-san.

"Nagasaki-san, mind your own business, okay? I'll figure out what happened with Mutsu."

She replied in a neutral tone.

"But……"

Although Su Shi lacked confidence when facing Xiangzi, she still wanted to try again for Xiao Mu's sake.

But then Xiao Mu tugged at her clothes from behind and said blankly:

"Su Shi, I don't need you."

Xiao Mu's real intention was that she hadn't been wronged and didn't need Su Shi to help her get justice; it was just that her expression was problematic.

But Su Shi didn't have mind-reading abilities, and at this moment he only felt a chill in his heart.

I was protecting you, and you actually said I was being superfluous?

If it were any other girl, she would have left heartbroken after hearing these words, but Nagasaki Motoyo subconsciously felt that she was the older sister (actually the mother) in the Kulai Xiku family, so she should tolerate the little whims of the other "family members".

It's like a rebellious teenager who gets into trouble and then tells his mother, who comes to clean up his mess, "Go away, I don't need you to do anything." But can the mother really just walk away?

Nagasaki Motoyo suddenly mustered her courage, first giving Toyokawa Shoko a firm "Leave it to me" look, then turning to Aoyama Muto and saying to him:

“Mr. Hack, please leave.”

Isogachi Music Awards: 038 Guitar, Helping the Mute Speak

Toyokawa Shoko felt as if her heart had been hit by a thousand points of damage.

What's wrong with this person? They were perfectly fine just now, how did they suddenly explode!

Aoyama also found it inexplicable.

This was the first time I had met this girl named Nagasaki Motoyo. There was no reason for her to be so hostile towards me.

She was somewhat acquainted with Nagasaki Saya's mother, but she had helped Nagasaki Saya's company in the new round of development plans for the Boso Peninsula, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she was a benefactor in Nagasaki's career.

She helped her mother, but now she has to suffer from her daughter's mistreatment. When did she become such a sucker?

Aoyama found it amusing and had no intention of getting angry at Su Shi, who was just a child.

"Miss Nagasaki, what happened?"

"Xiao Mu may be a bit soft-hearted, but she's not a puppet to be manipulated. Please don't act like a senior in front of her. Bullying a younger woman is not gentlemanly behavior."

Su Shi did not back down because she was facing an adult. Her polite yet principled demeanor gave her a somewhat masculine air.

She has a bit of her mother's features.

Green mountains yearn for the heart.

However, Aoyama will not take the blame for what she accused.

"Putting on airs? Chihaya-san, Shiina-san, and Takamatsu-san, have I ever done such a thing to Wakaba-san?"

Aoyama looked around at the three girls at the dining table and asked them a question.

“No, Mr. Hack is very kind,” said Aine.

“Mr. Hack, he’s a very good man,” said the lamp.

"Wait, Deng, we can't just assume everyone is a good person. But speaking objectively... I really didn't see anyone putting on airs like a senior."

Li Xi first warned Gen, and then confirmed Qing Shan Xiang's innocence.

"Eh?"

Nagasaki Motoyo was stunned. Putting aside Chihaya Aine for the moment, she at least believed what Ritsuki and Akari said.

Just as she was sorting out her thoughts, Toyokawa Shoko, who was caught off guard by her sudden attack, finally reacted, rushed to Su Shi's side, straightened her shoulder, and elbowed her behind her back.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Hack. Nagasaki is a very emotional person. She may have been caught up in the atmosphere of the party and became a little confused, which is why she said those strange things. I hope you won't take it to heart."

Toyokawa Shoko, not wanting Nagasaki Motoyo to cause trouble for herself due to her ignorance, apologized to Aoyama on her behalf.

"Don't worry, I don't mind," Aoyama waved his hand. He had actually guessed why Nagasaki Motoyo misunderstood him. Mutsu wanted him to eat more cucumber dishes, so she poured him soy sauce. This scene was probably similar to those ill-intentioned seniors at company drinking parties who forced their juniors to pour them drinks.

He turned to look at Xiao Mu, who had followed Xiangzi over but stood silently to the side, and asked, "But why did Miss Nagasaki have such a misunderstanding? Miss Wakaba, didn't you explain the situation clearly?"

"I said that……"

Xiao Mu glanced at him, then lowered her head in disappointment and regret.

"But we still messed things up..."

"You're not good with words, are you?" Aoyama asked, recognizing him.

However, language is not the only way to express one's thoughts. In fact, in many cases, language is not suitable for expressing one's true feelings. For example, in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building or the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, people there are sharp-tongued, but there is almost no genuine communication.

Just then, Yoro Nai returned from outside the restaurant, with a wooden guitar slung over her waist... It was unclear whether she was planning to perform a new act or had simply forgotten to take the guitar down.

But in short, after Aoyama saw the guitar,

That's when the idea came to me.

"Miss Wakaba, can you play the guitar?"

"...You didn't play it well."

Aoyama looked up at Toyokawa Shoko, who seemed to understand his meaning and quickly shook her head, implying that Mutsu was quite good at playing the guitar.

"Then practice more," Aoyama said, looking at Rakuna. "Rakuna, can I borrow your acoustic guitar?"

"Give."

Aoyama and Tsuzuki Shisen have met quite a few times in the past two months to discuss music promotion plans. Rakuna has come to regard him as an acquaintance, so she ran up to him, spread her arms, and made a gesture as if asking for a hug (of course, not for Aoyama to hug her), and asked Aoyama to take the acoustic guitar down herself.

Aoyama was speechless at the lack of vigilance of the young girl... It was one thing for them to be high school students, since they were all of marriageable age in Japan, but you were just a middle school student, basically still a baby, and you were doing dangerous poses... I'm not the same kind of person as those guys from the neighboring Milijian who came to the island, you know!

He didn't even dare touch the guitar strap on Le Nai's body, and directly grabbed the wooden guitar and took it off.

After casually strumming the strings, he handed the guitar to Xiao Mu.

"If you're not good with words, then use the guitar. Music can also convey your inner feelings."

Xiao Mu was still a little lost when she got the guitar.

She looked at Aoyama, as if asking, "What should I play?"

"Please express your inner feelings. What kind of emotions do you want to convey to your friends, Ms. Nagasaki and Ms. Toyokawa? Happiness or repression?"

Xiao Mu pondered for a moment, then took a step back, leaned her lower back against the back of another set of booth chairs, held the guitar in front of her abdomen, and with a wave of her hand, produced a cheerful and melodious tune.

Everyone present was a music lover and a skilled musician. Even the person who wasn't skilled was a very emotional person and could naturally hear the emotions contained in the rhythm.

Nagasaki Motoyo exclaimed, "Oh, I see!" Toyokawa Shoko also breathed a sigh of relief.

Gao Songdeng's eyes sparkled; she wanted to sing out the joy in this melody.

Of course, the one who was laughing the most was Yoro Nai. For her, music was a more efficient and direct way of communicating emotions than language.

As for Aine, well, she was laughing quite happily, but her laughter probably had little to do with the music; she was simply infected by the emotions of other people.

……

And then... of course, I was kicked out by the owner of the family restaurant.

Making such a racket in someone's restaurant, like a play, and then suddenly playing some kind of stunt, what about the other customers?

Since none of the talented young people in Qingshan's group could stand up and explain to the other guests that "this is all an act," they had no choice but to be kicked out.

However, everything that needed to be resolved was resolved: Yoro Naiken joined the band, Toyokawa Shoko obtained the preliminary qualification she wanted, Hiroi Kikuri enjoyed a good meal and fine wine, and Wakaba Mutsumi expressed his feelings through the guitar.

The group then dispersed. Hiroi Kikuri took a taxi back to the Kugayama Villa, while Aoyama Mukai called Suzumiya Hyakubi to send a car to pick him up.

While waiting for the bus, he overheard two patrol officers passing by whispering to each other—

"I don't know what got into them, but they actually want us to investigate the origin of a bowl of cucumber miso soup based on a photo... saying it's related to a corruption case?"

"I really don't understand how something as cheap, simple, and common as cucumber miso soup could be associated with bribery and corruption..."

What the hell?

Igomachi Music Awards: 039 Because he kept disappearing, he was suspected by the special department.

numb.

Aoyama sensed something was off as soon as he heard the conversation between the two patrol officers.

He quickly found a quiet place, took out his phone, and called Inspector Keisuke Itokogiri.

Although Detective Itokuro is a police officer from Kanagawa Prefecture, he has been on official business at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's counterfeit currency syndicate investigation headquarters for the past few months, and has a good understanding of the activities of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

Moreover, his rank was neither too high nor too low, placing him precisely in the middle of the communication chain. He knew both the original form of the order and the understanding and reaction of rank-and-file officers when receiving the order. His answers could help Aoyama gain a more comprehensive understanding of the truth of the matter.

Detective Itokaki didn't seem too busy; he answered the phone within seconds of dialing.

"Moshi Moshi? This is Itosaw."