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

"——This song is called "Gray and Blue"."

As he spoke, Chen Qi involuntarily took out his cell phone, flipped through his photo album, and said to Chu Hua in front of him:

"Wait a moment. I remember I saved the manuscript on my phone. It has a clear division of labor and lyrics. I'll send it to you now. Chuhua, you have to tell the members of [sumimi] in advance so that they can prepare."

"Of course, the public live will be in two weeks, which should be enough time!"

Looking at Chen Qi who was constantly flipping through the photo album, Sanjiao Chuhua couldn't help but smile from the bottom of her heart. The look she cast towards Chen Qi was no longer as vigilant and scrutinizing as it was at the beginning, but rather more gentle...

Xiaoxiang... maybe your life cannot be called lucky, but when it comes to making friends, I can't help but envy you.

There is such a good friend who works hard and is willing to give everything for you, even without asking for anything in return...

Don't worry, Senior Chen Qi.

I will try my best to help you convey your song about Xiangzi.

Chapter 55: Aine and Shoko face off, Shoko's defeat?

"too slow."

After the reunion with Chen Qi and the resolution of misunderstandings with Aine, the band went through two days of psychological adjustment, and finally Shiina Riki took the initiative to initiate the band's next practice session.

In the recording studio, Kazumu Suyoshi had also arrived, and Tachibana Shiina, who had already sat in the drummer's position, was impatiently waiting for the last two absentees, Touma Takamatsu and Aine.

To be precise, Riki was just impatient about having to wait for Aine.

Admittedly, the misunderstanding has been resolved. Lixi knows that Aiyin was not a "substitute" specially trained by Chen Qi and inserted into their band. However, Lixi is still resentful about Aiyin's silent appropriation of Chen Qi's creations and her failure to report Chen Qi's whereabouts.

The latter was easier to say, after all, that guy could live with whomever he wanted, and there was no need for Aine to report to everyone that there was a man living in her house.

But the former is different. For Lixi, this is a matter of principle. It is not that Chen Qi can forgive Aiyin and Lixi can forgive her.

Of course, Aiyin is not a genius. She only became a guitarist who is more adapted to the style of their band with the intensive coaching of Chen Qi. This fact also makes Lixi feel a little uncomfortable.

Really, if my talent isn't on the same level as that guy, wouldn't I just admit it?

Just like her in the beginning, he couldn't stand it anymore so he stood up and had a big fight, trying to brag about it, but in the end, it was his band's arrangement that got in trouble. He had to rearrange the music according to Aine's true level, and his workload increased again.

Really, when Chihaya Aine arrives, I will definitely give her a good lecture.

"Ritsuki, you're not planning on interrogating Aine again after she arrives, are you?"

However, Nagasaki Sushi, who seemed to be in a particularly good mood today, immediately noticed the thoughts hidden under Li Xi's impatient expression. Sushi, who had just received a "new mission" from Chen Qi yesterday, also said to Li Xi with a gentle smile:

"I don't think this is a good idea. Now that the misunderstanding has been resolved, let's not talk about the past anymore, right? Now we should work together and move forward together."

“So, don’t blame Aine then, okay? Shouldn’t the thing we need to focus on most now be our first live performance since the formation of our band?”

Li Xi: “Oh…”

When facing Su Shi, Li Xi's temper was obviously better. He was also obviously concerned about the feelings of his good friend and reluctantly agreed.

Seeing Li Xi being somewhat submissive in front of her was the result she had expected - she was now able to initially manage the most worrying child in the band.

Before Chen Qi joined Crychic, their relationship was actually very ordinary. Li Xi had always felt that Su Shi was hiding himself, which was very different from Li Xi who always expressed all his emotions. Therefore, Li Xi didn't treat Su Shi particularly well.

Later, because of the joining of Chen Qi, the extremely intensive special training made Li Xi and Su Shi, the two girls who were not so talented, unable to keep up with the pace again and again. However, both of them were willing to spend time and effort in training, so over time, they accumulated a kind of friendship of sympathy.

Although it was only a few points, for Lixi, Su Shi was her best friend in the band, except for Deng and someone else.

This is also the reason why Su Shi's words have a certain binding force on Li Xi. Although Li Xi does not say it, he still values ​​his few friends.

After all, so far, the only person she had truly “broken off” with because of dissatisfaction in her heart was…

"Click."

Light: "Sorry, everyone, we're late."

Along with the timid sound of the light coming from outside the door, everyone finally noticed Chihaya Aine behind the light, and they all breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.

To them, the fact that Aiyin was willing to go on the date despite the conflict with them meant that she didn't care too much about the previous accident. Even if Li Xi was unromantic, she wouldn't make trouble again at this time after Su Shi's reminder.

However... Li Xi's beautiful eyes also sensed something, and unconsciously looked at Ai Yin who had been staring at her since she entered the door, and suddenly asked:

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Aine: “…Nothing.”

However, after just exchanging a glance with Li Xi, Aiyin turned her head away silently with a calm tone and quickly returned to her seat.

It seemed like just an insignificant incident, but everyone present was keenly aware of Aine's attitude which was completely different from the previous few practice sessions.

Aiyin, it seems that her attitude towards Li Xi has changed?

However, after thinking about it, they felt that this was not strange. After all, it was Riki who first exposed Aine's "genius" personality and made Aine lose face. Aine was still willing to train with everyone, which was considered to be a very gentle person.

Li Xi herself obviously thought so too. When she felt Aine's rather cold attitude towards her, she just frowned slightly, but still endured it and said in a low voice:

"Then, let's start practicing."

"The piece we're going to practice this time is one of the pieces we're going to perform in a month... or three weeks to be exact. Our original plan was to sing two pieces, one new and one old."

"I'm still working on the new song, let's practice the old one first, Deng, you decide on this."

Deng: "Well, let's sing "Spring Shadow" then. I'm better at this one."

Takamatsu Deng's choice was not surprising, and Li Xi obviously knew that the most representative song that Deng wanted to sing for her brother was the song she and her brother wrote together.

Soon, at Lixi's signal, the prelude of the song slowly sounded under Mu's guitar. This song, which was once Crychic's first single, also slowly echoed in the recording studio.

Chihaya Aine remained silent from beginning to end. Although her fingers did not stop moving, she seemed a little absent-minded... What kept lingering in her mind was the conversation she had with Shoko.

From that conversation, Xiangzi did not reveal all of Crychic's past to Aine, but Aine's several key questions basically received clear answers from Xiangzi.

"First question, Toyokawa-san."

At that time, Aiyin, who was standing on the empty rooftop with Xiangzi, almost threatened Xiangzi to answer her curious questions.

Looking at Xiangzi, who was still protecting the pick on his wrist tightly to avoid being seen even though his identity had been revealed, and who was forcing himself to become tough, Aine couldn't help apologizing in her heart, but she temporarily suppressed her guilt and asked Xiangzi:

"First of all, how did Crychic disband in the first place? Did Qi-ge's disappearance have anything to do with you, Toyokawa-san?"

"……Yes."

However, under Aine's "coercion", facing this kind of question that would definitely make Xiangzi react to stress if it was raised on a normal day, Xiangzi still forced himself to remain calm, and after gritting his teeth, he still gave his answer:

"It was because of my withdrawal that Chen Qi also left the band and Crychic disbanded. Chen Qi also disappeared for half a year because of that!"

"Are you satisfied with what I said? Can you let me go?"

“Not yet.” How could Aine let go of this godsend opportunity? Even if her conscience was playing tricks on her, Aine thought of something she was very curious about and asked:

"What about Lixi? Did she have a role in the band's disbandment?"

Li Xi's obviously targeted attitude towards Chen Qi and herself has always been a thorn in Aiyin's heart. It's okay for her, but Brother Qi is so outstanding, why does Li Xi treat him so badly?

This also made Aiyin have to fantasize about the dark side of human nature... Could it be that Li Xi was jealous of Brother Qi and kicked him out of the band?

"...Maybe." Xiangzi also suppressed his emotions, carefully recalled the past, and whispered with a somewhat uncertain tone:

"When we were in Crychic, Li Xi and Chen Qi didn't have a very good relationship. Li Xi seemed to be tortured by Chen Qi's special training, and Li Xi often quarreled with Chen Qi."

"But, Chen Qi and Li Xi seem to have a good relationship... because they always make up after a quarrel. I don't really understand how they get along."

"But it was Li Xi who first proposed to Chen Qi that the band should disband. But I think Li Xi was probably so angry at me that he said that impulsively, right?"

Because Xiangzi's withdrawal made him so angry that he took it out on Brother Qi? And he made Brother Qi the one who was hurt the most?

However, Aiyin, who had a very clear logical thinking, ignored Xiangzi's subsequent words. She now roughly understood the whole process of the day when Crychic disbanded.

It was probably that Xiangzi proposed to quit the band for some unknown reason, and when Qi Ge tried to keep him, Lixi, who had always been resentful and jealous of Qi Ge, suddenly lost his temper and proposed to disband the band in anger.

At that time, Qi Ge, who was already disillusioned, chose to disband the band under great pressure and eventually left home alone, and that’s how he met her…

Looking at it this way, Aiyin even suspected that the six months that Brother Qi had been renting in her house was the most relaxing time for him after experiencing such a blow.

If Brother Qi had not experienced such pressure and his heart had not been broken because of it... I'm afraid that even if he really still chose to rent in my house, the distance between Brother Qi and I might not have become so close so quickly?

However, Aine, who knew that she was the lucky one who "took advantage of the situation", did not show any joy at all... The only thought in her heart now was heartache.

Aiyin had never thought that the person who had always warmed her and gently healed her inner wounds had actually experienced something even more cruel than she had at that time...

I...have always been relying on Brother Qi...

What about me? After six months of companionship, have I been able to ease the trauma in Brother Qi's heart?

There were countless complex emotions flashing in Aiyin's eyes, and it was only after a long silence that she temporarily suppressed these emotions.

She knew that now was not the time to be self-admiring.

If she wants to help Brother Qi, she has more to do.

"Then, the second question..."

"Toyokawa-san, why did you quit the band?"

"No comment!"

However, facing Aine's question that hurt him even more than the last one, Shoko lost his good expression and said in a decisive tone:

"Don't ask me anymore. I haven't even told Chen Qi the truth about this matter, let alone you."

"If you insist on asking, even if you tell Chen Qi about the pick, I will never answer."

Aiyin: “Oh, oh…”

It seems that this question is taboo. Aiyin is not a person with low emotional intelligence. She knew that there was a minefield ahead but still insisted on going there. Therefore, she changed the topic in time.

At the same time, this is also the question that Aine is most curious about and is most afraid of being verified.

"Then let's change the question."

"Toyokawa-san, do you like Qi-nii?"

Toyokawa Shoko: “…”

Silence, dead silence.

For a moment, Aiyin seemed to be able to hear only the sound of wind blowing past her ears, and in front of her, she only saw Toyokawa Shoko's expression of hatred that was about to explode, but it all disappeared in an instant.

What replaced it was contemplation after surprise, and loneliness and sadness after contemplation.

"…This has nothing to do with you, Chihaya-san, right?"

"No, it's very relevant." But Aiyin was not fooled by Xiangzi. Instead, she said to Xiangzi in a serious manner without hiding anything:

"I am pursuing Brother Qi very seriously now."

Xiangzi: “!”

Faced with Aine's sudden honesty, Xiangzi's hand, which had been pressing the pick tied to her wrist, unconsciously tightened slightly, but at this moment she did not feel any pain in her wrist.

Because although she had already anticipated this truth, when it was finally verified, the pain in her heart made her feel even more uncontrollable.

But even so, Xiangzi still stubbornly forced himself not to cry shamefully at this time, but his tone was trembling as he said:

"What does that have to do with me? If you like him, just chase him."

"Of course it matters." Seeing that Xiangzi didn't seem to understand what she meant, Aiyin also expressed her greatest concern to Xiangzi very directly, saying:

"Because I really care about Qi-niang, I care about him so much, so I don't want to become Qi-niang's 'ex-girlfriend' like you, Fengchuan-san."

"Huh? Ex-ex-girlfriend?!"

However, Aine's sudden title inadvertently stirred up Xiangzi's already extremely depressed mood. Facing this identity that was suddenly assigned to him, which he had never thought of before, the flustered Xiangzi also realized what kind of image he was in Aine's eyes.

Could it be that, in the eyes of Aiyin and others, Chen Qi and I were once in a relationship?

But Xiangzi himself was very clear about the fact. He and Chen Qi had been together for such a long time, but they had never confirmed any kind of relationship... Although he had brought Chen Qi home more than once, and even his parents had met him.

Especially his deceased mother, she paid special attention to Chen Qi and even hinted at him more than once... But in the end, Xiangzi did not have any substantial breakthrough with Chen Qi.

And now, she suddenly had the identity of an "ex-girlfriend". For a moment, Xiangzi didn't know whether she was sad or happy...

But the panic was only for a moment. Soon, Xiangzi readjusted her mentality. However, the hostility towards Aine in her eyes seemed to have been reduced a lot. She just asked Aine with a slightly softer look in confusion:

"Since you think I have had that kind of relationship with the person you like, why did you come to me?"

"Are you trying to humiliate me? Or prove that you are better than me? If that's all, I'll leave first."

“No.” Aiyin also shook her head quickly, and stopped Xiangzi who was about to leave in time. After sorting out her thoughts, she said with a tone that she was not even sure of, showing a bit of a wry smile:

"No... maybe I feel that way a little bit. After all, I am also very curious about what kind of person the girl that Brother Qi likes is like."

"And now, I already know what kind of person Fengchuan is, so I plan to use a completely different method to make Brother Qi like me."