My daily life is getting weird because I am caught between being in a band and being an idol.

"After all, I came with you, so you should make the decision."

Asahi smiled and returned the decision to Maruyama Aya.

"Let's go over there and get some fried noodles first, then wander around and decide what to eat next. Maybe we'll find something we want to eat while we're looking around."

Asahi naturally nodded in agreement, and the two went to the fried noodle stall and bought two servings of hot fried noodles. Maruyama Aya ate in small bites, occasionally letting out a satisfied sigh, while Asahi ate heartily beside her. After they finished eating, they bought takoyaki, grilled corn, and iced drinks.

Along the way, Maruyama Aya was attracted by various stalls and looked around excitedly, while Asahi, carrying the snacks he bought, watched her happy appearance and felt that such a summer night was quite pleasant.

"Let's play a shooting game next!"

Maruyama Aya suddenly stopped and pointed with great interest to a stall in front of her.

The stall was filled with various prizes and cheap snacks, with the grand prize being a giant plush toy. It was particularly eye-catching.

"That big doll! I want it!"

Her eyes lit up.

"Okay, then you give it a try."

Chaoyang smiled and handed the coin to the shop owner, indicating that she should take on the challenge.

Maruyama Aya picked up the wooden rifle, aimed carefully, held her breath nervously, and pulled the trigger. A gunshot rang out, and the bullet hit the large doll accurately, but the doll didn't budge. She stared at the doll in disbelief, puffing out her cheeks and muttering.

"Huh? I definitely hit it!"

The boss laughed it off.

"Little sister, these dolls are too big. You won't be able to do them if you're not strong enough."

"Haha, come on, let me try."

Chaoyang took the rifle, stretched his wrists, and then focused intently on the large doll, as if entering "battle mode."

He first repeatedly hit the doll's center of gravity at the bottom, then quickly aimed at the weakest point connecting the supports, firing bullet after bullet until the stall owner was stunned. With the last bullet hitting, the doll finally wobbled and then collapsed heavily onto the stall.

"Hey! This doesn't make sense!"

The boss's smile was somewhat stiff, as if he was questioning his life, but in the end he still gritted his teeth and handed over the large doll.

"Here you go! You win!"

The boss said helplessly.

Wow! I really got it!

Maruyama Aya jumped up with joy, took the large doll with both hands, and hugged it tightly to her chest.

. .

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the street, tinged with a warm orange-red hue.

Bai Lu Qian Sheng had just finished a full day of photo shoot. She was wearing a cool and elegant summer outfit and still had the smile she had on during the shoot, but her expression showed a hint of fatigue.

"Thank you for your hard work, Miss Egret!"

The photographers and staff all said goodbye to her.

"thanks everyone."

Qian Sheng nodded politely and responded in her usual elegant tone.

"Miss Egret, would you like me to call a car for you?"

"No need, no need, I usually take the tram."

After finishing speaking, Qian Sheng bowed and left, putting on his sunglasses.

. .

After walking for a while, she suddenly remembered that Maruyama Aya had invited her that morning, and stopped in her tracks.

After letting out a long sigh, he raised his wrist to look at his watch, a tired look on his face.

After a full day of photoshoots, Qian Sheng noticed that the work was ending much earlier than scheduled.

It's rare that Xiaocai is so happy to invite me... I heard everyone's busy, I wonder if they'll be angry with us... It should still be possible to go now...

Thinking this to herself, she took out her phone and sent a text message to Maruyama Aya:

Xiao Cai, has the festival started yet? I just finished work here.

After pressing the send button, Qian Sheng stood there for a while, but received no reply. She looked up at the lights that were gradually coming on in the distance, and could faintly hear the noise of the crowd.

"...Speaking of which, the festival that invited us to seems to be not far from here..."

Qian Sheng muttered to herself, her fingertip lightly swiping across the phone screen. She tilted her head slightly, seemingly hesitant, but a self-deprecating smile quickly appeared on her lips.

"...I haven't been to a place like that in a long time, let's go check it out."

After saying that, she put away her phone and started walking towards the festival.

The festival was already bustling with activity as night fell. Lanterns twinkled like stars in the night sky, and the pervasive fragrance created a unique summer atmosphere.

Qian Sheng stood at the entrance of the festival, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

If Kanon were here, she'd definitely get lost... Hehe, I need to be careful too.

However, at that moment, her gaze inadvertently fell on a certain spot in the crowd, and she was momentarily stunned.

Her gaze lingered on a pair of figures not far away.

That was Asahi and Maruyama Aya.

Chaoyang was holding a skewer of grilled squid, a relaxed smile on his face, as if he were saying something.

Maruyama Aya was holding a giant doll, her face full of bright smiles, and she would occasionally chuckle softly when she heard Asahi speak.

Chapter 165 Chisato is Completely Conquered! (Chisato Shiraga, Aya Maruyama)

How did they get together?! Are they dating?... There were no signs of that before... And... the producer doesn't seem to like Xiao Cai very much, but...

Qian Sheng tried to calm herself down, but unconsciously she clenched her fists and bit her lip.

. .

Meanwhile, Asahi and Maruyama Aya seemed completely immersed in the festive atmosphere. The two tried almost every stall at the festival, shooting, scooping goldfish, ring toss, ring throwing, and even tried their hand at roulette together.

Maruyama Aya would sometimes puff out her cheeks in disappointment after a failure, and at other times jump for joy after a success. Although Asahi initially only accompanied her, he was gradually infected by Maruyama Aya's enthusiasm.

As time passed, dazzling fireworks began to bloom in the night sky, their colorful lights reflecting on the two faces. Maruyama Aya watched intently, her hands clasped together in front of her chest, her eyes filled with joy.

Following behind the two, Chisato had mixed feelings.

What am I doing... doing this kind of thing...?

Qian Sheng didn't know how to define her relationship with Chao Yang, so she was torn between catching them in the act or taking this opportunity to break off her ambiguous relationship with Chao Yang.

It was just a kiss... I'm an actor... This level of intimacy... What if... later?

As night deepened, the vendors began to pack up one after another. Asahi glanced at the time and realized it was quite late. He turned to Maruyama Aya and spoke gently.

"Xiao Cai, I had a really great time today. Thank you for inviting me... But it's getting late, and you have class tomorrow. Since you've had your fun, it's about time to head back."

Upon hearing this, Maruyama Aya's lips twitched slightly, a hint of reluctance in her expression.

"Yes...that's right..."

Maruyama Aya nodded with a slight hint of disappointment in her voice. She looked up and forced a smile. "Then... let's play together again next year with the producer... and everyone else."

Chaoyang gently shook his head and said with a smile.

"There are many festivals like this in the summer. If you really want to have a good time, try looking for more in a few days when everyone has time."

With Chaoyang's reassurance, Maruyama Ayaya had no choice but to nod and agree to go back.

. .

The two followed the crowd to near the entrance. But when Chaoyang looked up, he saw that the festival path was still bustling with people, almost completely blocked. He smiled helplessly.

"Looks like it'll take quite a while. Xiao Cai, maybe we shouldn't try to squeeze in; it'll be inconvenient for you to move around in that yukata... Huh?"

When he turned around, Chaoyang's smile froze, because there was no one beside him.

"...Xiao Cai?"

He immediately frowned and raised his voice, calling out, "Xiao Cai! Where are you?"

His voice was almost drowned out by the clamor of the festival. But after a while, he vaguely heard a faint response from not far away.

"Producer! Where are you?"

Following the direction of the sound, Asahi discovered that Maruyama Aya had been pushed to the other end by the crowd and was waving in his direction.

Chaoyang gritted his teeth, and then, relying on his extraordinary physical strength, he forced his way through the crowd, ignoring a few complaints, and pulled Maruyama Aya out with all his might.

"Xiao Cai! Are you alright?"

As soon as he pulled her over, he quickly checked on her, his face filled with worry.

Maruyama Aya lowered her head, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her yukata, and whispered.

"Waaah... I'm so sorry, producer..."

Seeing this, Chaoyang sighed softly, but his tone was not reproachful.

"Really, you can't run around when there are a lot of people, or you'll get into danger."

Maruyama Aya raised her head, a slightly apprehensive smile on her face, and said.

"Well, um... Producer, how about we take a break first? I know a good place."

Before Asahi could even reply, Maruyama Aya had already taken off and dashed off in another direction.

Chaoyang stood there stunned for a moment, then smiled helplessly and quickly followed. He thought to himself.

This guy, after playing for so long, still has so much energy... But since there are few people in the direction she ran, she should be safe.

Maruyama Aya ran briskly, winding her way through the crowds, until she finally arrived at a quiet shrine. Several soft lanterns hung on the steps, and the shrine was serene and solemn, a stark contrast to the bustling festival.

"I didn't expect there to be a shrine here."

Chaoyang sighed and looked around.

At this moment, Maruyama Aya, who was in front, turned around triumphantly, put her hands behind her back, and smiled broadly.

"Hehehe, I've been here before, so I know this place. What do you think? It's a nice place, isn't it? Isn't it unusual to have a shrine without anyone around?"

Then she paused for a moment, blushing as she stammered.

"Let's chat before the crowd thins out. The fireworks today were so beautiful; even with my eyes closed, I can still feel how dazzling they were."

Chaoyang looked at her quietly, a slight smile playing on his lips. He spoke with a smile.

"Xiao Cai, you're really perceptive. You've been radiating an aura of not wanting to go back since just now. Was that intentional when you squeezed into the crowd? To give me a reason to come here."

Upon hearing what Asahi said, Maruyama Aya began to fidget shyly.

"Hmm, the fireworks festival was so much fun. I feel a little reluctant to leave."

"Hehe... Me too... I always feel... when I'm with Xiaocai..."

Halfway through the conversation.

Suddenly, he heard a slight noise coming from another part of the shrine.

He instinctively became alert, but then he thought that he hadn't done anything shameful and might just be a passing tourist, so he decided to continue ignoring it.

But soon, a familiar figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

The person who came out took off her sunglasses, revealing Qian Sheng's appearance to the two of them.

A gentle breeze ruffled her long hair, her expression remaining as calm as ever. However, the moment Chaoyang saw her, a headache instantly struck him. He was almost certain that Qian Sheng had been following them for a long time. Otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen this delicate moment to suddenly appear.

“Hmm…”

Chaoyang sighed softly and rubbed his temples.

As expected... Qian Sheng is truly unpredictable. Although it was mainly my fault...

Chaoyang's annoyance vanished in an instant, replaced by a feeling of excitement that welled up from the depths of his heart.

However, that's what makes it interesting... If it were too easy to get everything, it wouldn't be fun at all.

Qian Sheng stood there, seemingly surprised by her own appearance at this moment. Her hands clenched slightly, her heart filled with complex emotions.

My legs felt like they were moving on their own... I had this feeling that I absolutely had to come out... otherwise... otherwise something important would be snatched away by Xiao Cai...