Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

Lixi shrugged dismissively, once again bringing her warning to the forefront.

"...But if you really consider him one of your own, then in situations where you have to choose between two options, don't make the choice to betray him."

"Is this the experience that Lixi learned from Su Shi?"

"Hmph, Su Shi is a stubborn person who won't turn back until she hits a brick wall, but I'm not that inflexible."

Li Xi snorted softly, though her words weren't exactly convincing.

"I know I might be rambling. In short, there's only one thing I want to say—if Kazama is still being bullied in your band because of Shoko, I won't give you any special treatment because of our past relationship."

"I would never do something like that. And I wouldn't let Xiao Xiang do it either."

Chu Hua smiled and waved her hand. Li Xi, who was giving her warnings from time to time, looked exactly like the kind of worried mother who was about to send her child to school but was afraid that he would be bullied in the new environment, so she went to the teacher to give him a heads-up.

Even though she knew absolutely nothing about Xiaojun's secret, she still chose to believe in him without hesitation and stand on his side.

"If he suffers any injustice in your team, I'll immediately snatch him back and keep him away from you."

Chu Hua looked at Li Xi, who was extremely protective of his own and even acted with remarkable magnanimity, and couldn't help but chuckle twice.

Chu Hua would never admit that she was actually a little envious of such a friendship—at least she preferred to define the relationship between the two as friendship.

However, such matters are more authoritative only if they are officially certified.

"Nine out of ten of what Lixi says revolves around Xiaojun."

The blonde girl smiled gently, held her coffee cup in her hand, and took a small sip.

What is your opinion of him?

Chu Hua let the bitter taste spread in her mouth. With just a slight lift of her head, she could see Li Xi, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, looking around.

"What, what do you think?"

The black-haired girl's attempt to evade the question was so clumsy; she was really not good at hiding her feelings.

"Then let me rephrase my question. If I remember correctly, in CRYCHIC... the one that Riki-kun valued the most was probably Takamatsu Akari, right?"

Chu Hua tilted her head, smiling gently like a teacher patiently posing a question, as she looked at the long-haired black girl standing in front of her with a somewhat stiff expression.

"If it were the lamp that started from scratch, Li Xi, you probably would have already created a new band just like Xiao Mu followed Xiao Xiang."

"Hmm...that...that's true..."

Lixi stammered a little guilty, but she quickly realized that she didn't need to feel guilty in front of Chuhua at all.

"Wait a minute, even if I value the lamp, so what? What we're talking about has absolutely nothing to do with the lamp, right?"

"Yes... it really doesn't matter. Ever since we started talking about Xiaojun, Lixi, who used to talk about Deng nine out of ten times, has become less familiar with him."

Chu Hua maintained her smile, but this time her gaze towards the long-haired girl held a hint of scrutiny.

"Aren't you curious yourself? To you, are Xiaojun and Deng the same kind of person?"

"The same...exists...?"

Seeing that Li Xi had indeed wavered and started to think because of her words, Chu Hua smiled and pressed her for another round of questions.

"As I just said, at least I can distinguish between my completely different feelings for Xiaojun and Xiaoxiang. Has Lixi thought about that?"

Think about how she really views these two people.

"I……"

For a moment, Li Xi was speechless.

She has always viewed Kazama as a "comrade," and she has never wavered in that regard, nor has she ever compared him to Akari.

"Lixi, from the very beginning you've been trying to make me choose Xiaojun's side when faced with a choice... This makes me a little curious about what kind of answer you'll give."

Chu Hua smiled faintly, completely unconcerned whether Li Xi, who was deep in thought, could give a proper answer.

"Of course, it's okay if you need a little more time to think about it."

She finished the last of her coffee in one gulp, stood up, picked up her bag, and left her seat.

"—While you are thinking about this, Lixi, I will stand by Xiaojun's side as you wish."

Before she reached out and pushed open the door to RiNG's beverage shop, the blonde girl turned her head and gave her a bright smile.

It seemed to come from the elation of a victor, or perhaps it was just a casual remark from a friend who wasn't very close to bring this conversation to a close.

"Well then, I'll take my leave now. I need to go see what Xiaojun is up to."

After saying this, Chu Hua nodded very politely to Li Xi.

"Thank you, Lixi, for always keeping Xiaojun in your heart. I hope your friendship will last forever."

She turned and closed the beverage shop door, while Li Xi, who was standing there, remained stunned for a long time before slowly showing obvious displeasure on her face.

"……what."

For some reason, what Chu Hua said before leaving made Li Xi feel very irritated.

What does it mean to hope that their friendship will last forever?

"...I don't know why, but I'm just so angry."

From what standpoint is Chu Hua concerned about Kazama's relationship with Riki?

Lixi, her displeasure blatantly displayed on her face, turned angrily and headed towards the staff break room. Customers who had intended to order from her hesitated, noticing the terrifyingly oppressive aura emanating from her, and abruptly lowered their raised hands.

Kazama and Akari... what's the point of comparing them?

She never wanted to get involved with Kazama. It was he who kept pestering everyone, forcing Riki to become his companion out of obligation.

Who he befriends, who he forms a band with, or even who he maintains an ambiguous relationship with is none of her business.

It should be like this.

Disturbed and confused, Li Xi reached out and pushed open the door to the lounge. This should have been her leisure time after a hard day's work, but at this moment her mind was completely occupied by what Chu Hua had just said.

…But if that's really all there is to it, why does her heart ache?

Chapter Thirty-One: The Initial Conflict Between Xi and Lenaideli

About five minutes ago, Lixi and Chuhua were still locked in a stalemate inside the store.

“Playing with you…didn’t we just have a wonderful time, Renai?”

Kazama put away his phone. Having just won a verbal battle with Shoko, he hadn't expected to face Rakuna, an unpredictable and elusive opponent, in the second round.

Calling him an opponent wouldn't be wrong, since Lena doesn't seem like someone who's just finished being triumphant and is happily planning to leave. Instead, she seems to have something very important to say to him.

Kazama glanced through the RiNG glass window; Hatsuka and Riki seemed to still be talking, completely unaware that Rakuna had already charged right in front of him—

In other words, those two guys have no way to get him out of this predicament.

"Not this period of time."

Lena paid no attention to Kazama's furtive glances and shook her head firmly.

"Me, and Xiao."

She slowly and deliberately explained her purpose in a leisurely yet rhythmic tone, while lazily raising her finger to point first at herself and then gesturing towards Kazama.

"Our relationship is more than just sharing a parfait."

Lenai's tone remained casual, as if she were merely recounting a topic of casual conversation.

However, this only caused Kazama's alarm level to rise higher and higher.

Could it be because Lena also saw that video... and that's why she had some bad thoughts?

Kazama involuntarily took a step back, simply because Rakuna's gaze was too intense and unwavering.

Under the gaze of the white-haired girl's beautiful heterochromatic eyes, it seemed that all his secrets were exposed.

However, before Kazama could draw any further conclusions, his boundless thoughts were quickly interrupted by Rakuna's next words.

But what came out of Lena's mouth this time was something that left him even more speechless.

"I will take good care of Xiao."

"……Um?"

Seeing Lena's usual nonchalant attitude turn into a firm and unquestionable seriousness, Xiao blinked, a little confused.

"Is it possible that I can actually take care of myself—"

"This is a responsibility."

Lenai pounded her chest and stamped her feet, placing her right hand on the left side of her chest, her expression as solemn and dignified as a passionate young man taking an oath.

This really left him a bit bewildered—what was Lena up to?

"From today onwards, Xiao's secret is also mine."

Lena stood on tiptoe and placed her hands on the shoulders of the boy who was much taller than her, as if she were making a serious promise about a responsibility that she would definitely fulfill.

No, no, no, wait and wait.

What is this all about?

"I know it all."

As the boy felt dizzy and disoriented, Lena looked at him intently and revealed the truth she already knew.

"Xiao is my future family."

"—?"

Her sudden confession truly caught Kazama off guard.

The white-haired girl showed no sign of stopping and continued to point at herself.

"I am Xiao's aunt."

Then she pointed her small index finger at the still somewhat bewildered boy.

"Xiao's guitar skills were all taught by me."

You even remembered that?!

No, no, that’s not the point.

Kazama appeared calm and collected on the surface, but in reality, his brain was on the verge of shutting down, and his brain capacity was almost insufficient.

How did Lena know about this?

Was it just pure luck, or did someone leak the truth to her?

But logically, the only person who knows his secret is Chu Hua, and Chu Hua not only has no reason to tell anyone about this secret, but has also been inseparable from him all this time... It's impossible that she would reveal this secret to Le Nai right under his nose.

Kazama remained silent. Although he allowed Rakuna to affectionately place her hand on his shoulder and let her speak freely like a child, his mind was actually filled with many unsolved mysteries.

Even if Aunt Lena in my memory and the girl Lena in front of me are the same person... there's no reason why their memories could be connected across time and space, right?

Not only does Lena remember that she is his aunt, but her memory is so precise that it is as recorded in the video how she personally taught the young and ignorant Xiao how to play the guitar skillfully.

How exactly did Lena find out these details?

"Um, Lena."

Since he was puzzled, Kazama simply put his hands on Rakuna's lap and asked her the question.

"How do you know these things?"

He knew Le Nai's personality all too well. She wouldn't unleash a gravity field at any moment like some aunties, nor would she be so calculating as to consider the possible consequences of doing something.

The facts are as they are—that's the way Renaissance is.

"Xiao, you've worked so hard."

However, instead of directly answering his question, the unconventional Le Nai tiptoed and patted his head.

Her action successfully caused Kazama's pupils to contract slightly.

"It's really not easy for one person to keep a secret."

"—"

It was this instantaneous movement that made Xiao feel as if he were still in the time and space of decades later, the time he had been longing for.