They are in the music show, but I am a stranger to them

……

"Huh, I'm finally home. It's been a hard day today."

On the other hand, Chen Qi, who was unaware of Hachiman Kailing's affairs, finally returned to his own nest after sending Aine home and handing her over to the Chihaya couple.

After all, the Chihaya couple were going to help their daughter change her clothes, and it was really inconvenient for Chen Qi to participate in this process.

However, Chen Qi, who had just returned to his nest, hadn't even had time to catch his breath before he noticed a sense of incongruity in his surroundings and couldn't help but look around with a puzzled look.

...It was a bit strange. For some reason, although all of Chen Qi's equipment was in its original positions, he always felt as if his room had been carefully cleaned by someone.

The floor under my feet also became exceptionally clean, and the dust in some corners that I usually didn't pay much attention to was also cleaned up.

"Is it Mrs. Chihaya who cleaned it? And Auntie seems to be in a good mood today. She doesn't clean it so well on normal days."

Chen Qi muttered to himself in confusion, and soon he discovered the second thing that made him feel abrupt - the lunch box placed next to his computer.

If it were normal times, Chen Qi would not find it strange, because every time Mu sent him vegetables, he had to go to Ain's house to borrow the kitchen to process them. The vegetable sandwich that Bochi-chan had eaten before came from Chen Qi's audience.

Vegetables cannot be eaten up in one meal and are difficult to preserve for a long time, so Chen Qi would always give a lot of them to Mrs. Chihaya. Mrs. Chihaya, knowing that Chen Qi's life was relatively tight, would often send Chen Qi a dinner box as a return gift.

But this time, what surprised Chen Qi was that today's lunch box was particularly luxurious. Not only did it have vegetable stew, but it also had hamburger meat, octopus sausages, and even Chen Qi's favorite stir-fried kidney.

"Mrs. Chihaya, can you cook offal? This is the first time I've heard of this... I thought Japanese people didn't like offal very much. Was it just a coincidence today?"

"However, this tastes really good, and is almost as good as some of the authentic Chinese cuisine out there."

Although Chen Qi was a little confused about this meal, he found it particularly appetizing. Two bento boxes were thoughtfully prepared for Chen Qi. Because Aiyin had fallen asleep, Chen Qi finished the second bento box for Aiyin without any psychological burden.

"Ah~ I haven't felt so comfortable in a long time. I'm full and satisfied."

Contented, Chen Qi also lay in his small bed in an especially relaxed manner. After a long day of hard work, he slowly closed his eyes. In the quiet air, his mind gradually began to clear, and he also keenly noticed some subtle changes around him...

"…The pillow seems a little wet. Is the roof leaking? Or is it because I drooled yesterday?"

"But... I feel particularly sleepy today... There seems to be a smell of... incense on the bed?"

Chen Qi, who was feeling sleepy, did not have time to think about these questions. He gradually fell into a dream wrapped in the faint scent of incense... This time, he might be able to have a good sleep after a long time.

Chapter 37: Chen Qi, completely exposed!

"Good morning, Toyokawa-san."

"Good morning."

The next morning, Toyokawa Shoko came to school early as usual, but she looked a little different from usual.

In the past, Xiangzi would always wear a gentle smile at school and would respond calmly to anyone he met, but he seldom interacted with his classmates. Everyone in the class generally just knew that there was such a classmate, but that he was independent and polite in his daily life but never took the initiative to talk.

However, perhaps because of Xiangzi's excellent appearance, the unsociable Xiangzi did not suffer from school bullying. Everyone generally believed that this high-class beauty was just aloof.

But today, Xiangzi gave people a different feeling. When her classmates talked to her, she seemed to be more enthusiastic than before. This made several classmates who were interested in Xiangzi ask in surprise:

"Toyokawa-san, you seem to be in a good mood today? Did something good happen to you?"

"No, just the same as usual."

Xiangzi, who politely responded to his classmates' conversation, also realized that his behavior was a little unusual. He calmly restrained the smile on his lips, casually touched his light blue hair, and then replied:

"Everyone, let's quickly change our shoes and go to the classroom to wait for class, shall we? I have something else to do and need to leave for a while."

"All right……"

When the two classmates who had spoken to Xiangzi saw that he had returned to normal, as if the previous Xiangzi was just an illusion, they left in confusion.

It was not until they left that Xiangzi breathed a sigh of relief, and then he unconsciously turned his gaze to the hand that was touching the hair by her ear.

To be precise, what Xiangzi was looking at was the extra "bracelet" on her wrist, and the pick given to her by Chen Qi that was passed through the end of the bracelet.

This was last night. Xiangzi spent several hours carefully making a small hole in the pick with a fine needle, and then used the strongest nylon rope he could find at home to pass through the pick to make such a simple bracelet.

Xiangzi didn't dare to leave the pick at home. She was worried that her bastard father might get drunk at home and accidentally lose Chen Qi's pick while rummaging around. Then she would definitely not be able to get any information from him, and she would never be able to find it back if it was lost.

As for carrying it with her, Xiangzi was also worried that something unexpected would happen and she would accidentally lose Chen Qi's pick. Therefore, after careful consideration, she made the pick into a bracelet and tied it on her wrist all the time except when she was sleeping at night.

"Encouragement?... You would do the same thing no matter who you are facing, Chen Qi."

"But, thank you, this may be what I need most right now."

Xiangzi stared at the pick bracelet on his wrist, his mind echoing with the words Chen Qi said to him yesterday. His pretty face couldn't help but reveal a smile from the bottom of his heart.

Although Xiangzi knew that he was disguised as another person at that time and Chen Qi did not recognize him, strictly speaking, the person that Chen Qi encouraged had nothing to do with Toyokawa Xiangzi in essence.

However, for Xiangzi, who had suffered a series of blows, Chen Qi's words were the first and only words of encouragement she had heard since she fell into this state.

Her bastard father only knew how to get drunk and indulge himself, and didn't care about anything about her. When she was working so hard to maintain the family, he didn't even give her a word of comfort.

The "half" of his childhood sweetheart...also concealed Chen Qi's whereabouts from him, and did not respond to his proposal for a new band.

As for her former family... Xiangzi really didn't want to think about these people if possible. All her efforts now were to raise enough funds for their new band's first live performance without accepting charity from her family or dragging down Chen Qi.

And at this time when no one supported her, and no one understood her, the first person who encouraged her to stand up again and believed that she could do it was actually the person she felt the most sorry for...

His voice was like a beam of light, illuminating a corner of the dark, bottomless abyss where he was.

Although it is only a corner, this single beam of light is the only ray of hope that Xiangzi, who has been stuck in the quagmire, has seen...

"Martial Arts Hall... Maybe it's difficult, but I won't give up." Xiangzi silently stared at the pick tied to his wrist, and put his palm on his wrist, as if by doing so he could feel the warmth of Chen Qi remaining on the pick. Xiangzi's heart once again strengthened his belief.

"Even if the whole world thinks I can't succeed, as long as you believe I can do it, I will..."

Aine: "Tomorin, do you want to practice with me today?"

Gao Songdeng: "Well, Li Xi sent a message saying that everyone needs to be present today, saying that there is something important that needs to be discussed together..."

Just as Xiangzi was constantly giving herself hints, suddenly, two voices came from behind her, causing her body to stiffen unconsciously, and all her thoughts were completely disrupted.

The reason is simple: the two voices behind the scenes sound very familiar to Xiangzi!

"Ah." At the moment when Xiangzi's body froze, Gao Songdeng and Aiyin, who came with him, also stopped behind Xiangzi. Gao Songdeng also recognized his former companion from the back.

However, what is somewhat surprising is that when facing his former Crychic teammates, Takamatsu Deng, who should have been at a loss like a little animal, became a little complicated in his attitude when facing Xiangzi.

Although there was no resentment or hostility, Gao Songdeng's expression was visibly depressed, as if he didn't know how to face Xiangzi. But in the end, Deng still suppressed his emotions and greeted Xiangzi softly:

"Good morning, Xiangzi."

"Hey? Tomorin, is this your friend? Hello, my name is Chihaya Aine~"

At this time, Aiyin also took the initiative to move forward and looked at Toyokawa Shoko, who turned slightly, with a curious look. But for some reason, the moment her eyes met Shoko's, she felt a sense of awkwardness from Shoko? And... dislike?

I just met her for the first time, right? Why doesn't she like me?

"…Nice to meet you. My name is Toyokawa Shoko."

Sure enough, this hair color and this voice are the same girl who acted very intimate with Chen Qi in [SPACE] that day!

However, unlike the bewildered Aiyin, Xiangzi recognized the person in front of her the moment she recognized her as the "girl next door" who had been so intimate with Chen Qi yesterday. She immediately covered her bracelet with her palm, fearing that any clue would be revealed and Aiyin would discover her true identity.

Xiangzi's mentality towards Aine now can be said to be extremely complicated. She doesn't want her original disguise to be exposed by Aine, and she doesn't want Aine to know about the things that happened in Crychic.

In particular, he didn't want Aiyin to know from Takamatsu Deng how close his relationship with Chen Qi was during their Crychic days.

Although Xiangzi knew very little about Aiyin, everything that happened yesterday had made Xiangzi clearly realize that in the six months when he and Chen Qi had no contact at all, the relationship between Aiyin and Chen Qi had probably advanced by leaps and bounds to a level beyond her past.

At least, in Crychic, no matter how close Xiangzi and Chen Qi were, he had never sat on Chen Qi's lap.

Chen Qi said that she was just his "girl next door"... But Xiangzi also knew very well that if she didn't like him from the bottom of her heart, how could a girl as good as Aiyin allow a man to approach her like this?

Besides, Chen Qi and Aiyin were really happy when they were together.

…seems to be even happier than when he was with her.

This also made Xiangzi feel a great sense of disappointment. Aiyin had experienced all the care from Chen Qi that she enjoyed before, and she understood the feeling of happiness that was like a thirsty person in the desert drinking the sweet and delicious spring water in the oasis.

But, I can no longer feel that way... It's even so difficult to get a little bit of care from him.

Even, in Chen Qi's heart, he and Aiyin were no longer on the same level...

On one side, there is a beautiful girl who has no worries about food, is cheerful and sunny, and has a good relationship with Chen Qi so close that she can teach him guitar skills face to face. She can act coquettishly and willfully as she pleases without any worries.

On the other hand, he was already so poor that he had to work to make a living, and he didn't even dare to show his true face to others. He had once hurt him...

Xiangzi is not willing to admit that there is any huge difference between herself and Aine. She is confident that her talents, appearance, and personality are not inferior to Aine.

It’s a pity that Xiangzi’s action of protecting her lie from being exposed has proved that she is not as confident and calm as she said.

"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll leave first."

"Hey? Wait, why did you just leave after saying hello?"

Aine wanted to stop Xiangzi, but she didn't expect that she would leave so abruptly, as if she didn't intend to talk to them any more. Aine pouted her lips and said in dissatisfaction:

"That's so rude, isn't it? Tomorin? Was she also a member of your former band? Why is she so cold to you?"

Deng: “…I don’t know either.”

However, this time, Takamatsu Deng's answer was more or less guilty. As the fuse for the disbandment of Crychic, Takamatsu Deng knew too well that there was really nothing to talk about between Xiangzi and everyone in the band. It was Xiangzi who wanted to quit the band without telling everyone the reason, and it was impossible for her to explain the reason to everyone now.

However, the reason why Gao Songdeng did not stop Xiangzi was actually because of some unspeakable thoughts deep in his heart.

Gao Songdeng's original intention was to ask Xiangzi tentatively. Now that they have formed a new band, if they want to find Chen Qi back, they may need Xiangzi's help.

After all, when they were in Crychic, Xiangzi was the most technically proficient member of their band, except for her brother who did not participate in the performances.

Moreover, he was the person who had the best relationship with his brother before the band disbanded.

Takamatsu Deng thought that if Xiangzi joined, they would not only be able to recreate the scale of the Crychic period, but her brother would also be able to hear her voice louder.

But just when Gao Songdeng wanted to invite Xiangzi, deep in her heart, there was a voice that echoed with her own voice, which slowly echoed before she opened her mouth:

"If you bring Xiangzi back, then even if your brother comes back, will he still belong to you?"

"!"

And at the moment when this voice sounded, Gao Songdeng hesitated, and the reason for her hesitation was extremely selfish, so selfish that she almost vomited again just by recalling it.

However, just such a selfish reason prevented Gao Songdeng from saying anything to Xiangzi to keep him.

Her body was shaking slightly. She was afraid that her inner voice would be verified. She was even more afraid that she had lost her sense of security and was becoming more and more of a stranger to herself since her brother left.

Just when Takamatsu Deng began to tremble again, Aine, who was standing beside him, noticed Deng's mood change in time, and promptly placed her hands on Deng's shoulders, closing the distance between herself and Deng, and said softly:

"It's okay, Tomorin. There are many people in this world who seem to be very close to us, but are actually not our friends at all. There is no need to be sad about the departure of such people."

"Only partners who truly share the same ideals can be good friends for a long time. Although I'm not sure how your previous band disbanded, since you can't force it, it's best to honestly accept the separation."

“Aine-chan…”

Looking at Takamatsu Deng, who became energetic again because of her relief, Aine felt a sense of accomplishment in her heart - she had begun to like Qi Ge's stepsister.

Not only is she as cute and delicate as a little animal, she also depends on me like a sister, and she sings so beautifully. Really, if anyone has a sister like this, they will definitely love her from the bottom of their heart, right?

Aiyin was very satisfied with the good relationship she had established with Takamatsu Deng. Of course, it was not only because she liked Takamatsu Deng in the first place, but the bigger reason was that Chen Qi was Takamatsu Deng's sworn brother. And from Takamatsu Deng's retelling, her brother-sister relationship with Chen Qi had always been very good.

That is to say, if she really wants to fall in love with Brother Qi in the future, Takamatsu Deng will be a force she has to fight for.

After all, Deng and Qi Ge, the brother and sister, will reconcile sooner or later. If one day in the future, Qi Ge can really be in the same band with them, whether Gao Song Deng, who is in the same band, will agree to her pursuing her brother is also a very crucial question.

Aine didn't want to repeat the scene where she had dealt with Qi Ge and her parents, but only ran into a wall with Takamatsu Deng... Therefore, the better the relationship she can establish with Takamatsu Deng now, the more convenient it will be for Aine's future.

However, in reality, it wasn't that Aine's words really had any effect on Deng, it was just that the distance between the two of them shortened, allowing Takamatsu Deng to feel the kind of aura she needed again, which finally made her feel at ease.

“Today… the smell of the sun on Aine-chan… is particularly strong.”

“I almost mistook Aine-chan for Qi… How did Aine-chan do it?”

Thousands of thoughts flashed through Gao Songdeng's gradually calmed little brain, but she couldn't figure out the answer to this question. In the end, she could only attribute it to the fact that there are always three identical people in this world.

Ai Ne, who was now in a relaxed mood, and Takamatsu Deng, who still had doubts but whose anxieties were gone, both didn't know that the seemingly routine training after school in the afternoon would shatter all their doubts, thoughts and plans into pieces.

……

"Click."

Aine: "I'm sorry! Tomorin and I were on duty today, so we're a little late!"

After school in the afternoon, Aiyin, who had finished her duty, trotted with Takamatsu Deng to the agreed recording studio of "RiNG". As soon as the two entered the door, they found that Li Xi and Su Shi were in harmony in the recording studio and had been waiting here early.

But... I always feel like the atmosphere seems a little off?

Ai Yin, who is extremely good at reading the air, felt that the atmosphere of the band today was particularly weird from the moment she entered the door... Su Shi, Li Xi, and Mu, the three of them seemed to be staring at her with an inexplicable look?

Especially Li Xi. When Aiyin met her for the first time, she felt that although Li Xi was very beautiful, her expression was too cold and scary.

And this time, Shiina Riki's eyes were staring straight at Aine, and his cold gaze was like two hooks made of ice.