Band members, girls with fermented bean curd, step forward!

Page 17

Actually, she didn't want anyone to interfere with her time alone with Chen at noon, not even if that person was her friend, Miss Aine.

Seeing that Chen had misunderstood her meaning, Yili was filled with despair.

"No, Yili, we're friends too! I'd like to learn more about Yili as well~"

Miss Aine seized the opportunity and smoothly continued the conversation.

A half-day of solitude, that's too cunning!

Despite having expectations about the location Ichiri had chosen, she couldn't help but be amazed when she actually set foot there.

This is truly a unique place; no wonder she couldn't find it, even though she had searched for it thoroughly earlier that afternoon.

They searched places like the rooftop and the corner of the playground, but found no trace of Chen Heyi.

Looking at the lunchbox that was clearly a size larger than Yili's, and Chen Ziran's actions of picking food out of it...

Miss Aine's eyes widened

"Huh?! Ichiri was packing lunch for Chenchen?!"

"Ah, yes, yes. Because Chen ate very little when he first came, I was thinking of sharing my lunchbox with him."

"After that, I asked my mother to make some extra and bring them over, specifically to share with Chen."

Ichiri answered Aine's question timidly, unaware of her changed attitude.

Miss Aine felt even more threatened. How could Chen and Ichiri have made such rapid progress without her knowledge?

However, Chen's next words brought a sliver of comfort to Miss Aine's anxious heart.

"Yes, I have to thank your mother for allowing me to eat such delicious food. But it's still too much trouble."

"Please don't bother making extra meals for me anymore, it's too much trouble for you, Auntie."

"Huh?! Why?! Is the food not to Chen's liking?! I, I'll tell Mom!"

Boqi seemed very hesitant, his hand holding the bento box trembling slightly. He asked Chen, somewhat uncertainly, why he had done this.

"That's not the reason, Yili."

"I have a stable job and an income. I feel bad if I keep troubling you, Auntie, to cook me an extra meal."

"Also, this is for you."

Seeing Chen pull out several banknotes, Yi Li became unusually excited.

"no, do not want!"

She was louder than ever before.

If it's Chen, and Chen no longer needs me to bring him lunch, then she has no reason to stay by his side at noon!

Paying back the money was just the final straw; what she cherished most was the time she spent with Chen every noon.

Chen was completely baffled as to why Yili reacted so strongly.

Could it be that Ichiri is so agitated because she feels she won't be able to have lunch with him anymore?

Although, according to the average person's thought process, such trivial matters are not worth paying attention to at all.

But then I realized it was only one mile, and everything started to make sense.

So, he tentatively explained his idea to Ichiri.

"It's okay, Yili. It just means you don't need to bring me lunch anymore. I'll still come to have lunch with you every day."

"I feel really guilty for troubling you, Auntie."

Yili's expression softened slightly, but she still looked at Chen stubbornly.

"At least accept the money first. It wasn't much to begin with, but I'll feel guilty if I keep owing you money."

"As for lunch, Ichiri will still share it with me as usual, okay?"

The only option left is to use the art of compromise; Ichiri is really chasing after him, feeding him like a baby...

After hesitating for a moment, Yili timidly accepted the banknote Chen handed her, which was considered as her agreement to his idea.

I've already booked a visit to Yili's house on Saturday noon, so I can just mention it in person then.

Observing the interaction between the two, Aine forgot what she was doing.

No, we absolutely cannot let Yili and Chen continue down this path!

Aine noticed Ichiri's feelings for Chen; it was clearly not the intimacy and concern that should exist between friends.

To successfully capture Chen, it is essential to remove Yi Li, this obstacle, from the road.

Aine is now filled with regret for her actions last Friday.

She should have treated Chen to a nice meal and then covered his meals afterwards.

This small oversight has given Yili a huge advantage!

Starting tomorrow, she will also bring lunch for Chen!

You despicable socially awkward pink-haired girl, I'll end your sneaking around!

Miss Aine stared at Ichiri to the side, devouring her slightly cold lunch in her bento box.

segmentation

Chen and Aiyin had agreed to go find the lamp this afternoon, so only Ichiri could go to Fanxing alone.

Because it was her turn to do chores today, Deng hadn't gone far, and Chen and Aiyin found her easily.

Deng was somewhat puzzled by Chen and Aiyin's uninvited arrival.

She didn't understand why the two of them had come to her.

It is said that one is bound to be obligated to those who feed them and to accept gifts from them.

Chen and Aiyin started helping Deng with her chores first, saying they would discuss why they had asked her for help after they finished.

As the cleaning task neared its end, Aine finally revealed the real reason for searching for the lamp.

"Actually, I wanted to invite Takamatsu to join my band today. I'd like to be the guitarist and vocalist~ Ah!"

On her way to take out the trash, Aine walked up to Akari and explained her idea to her.

Because she's facing the light, she's walking backwards.

Suddenly, a bag of trash tripped her up.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

She rubbed the spot where she had fallen and cried out in pain.

Chen quickly put down the trash bag he was holding and squatted down in front of Ai Yin.

"It's nothing, just a minor problem."

However, the pain persisted, and Miss Aine's expression unconsciously became somewhat...

The lamp, a beat too slow, only managed to say "You fell!" to Aine before running off on its own.

Girls with eccentric personalities are like this; they're definitely a bit hard to understand.

Someone with a worse temper, or someone who doesn't know much about lights, would probably keep their distance from her inexplicable behavior.

"Come on, Aine, I'll carry you for a bit."

Chen squatted down in front of Ai Yin.

"No need to trouble yourself, I can walk!"

Ayane's cheeks flushed slightly; this contact was still too intimate!

"Stop being so hesitant, I'll carry you on my back. Let's take out the trash first, and then go find Takamatsu who ran away, okay?"

Although the light fixture will likely be installed at the astronomy club, who can say for sure? It's best to wait and see.

Having finally overcome her psychological barrier, Aine obediently climbed onto Chen's back.

There was nothing she could do; after all, Yili was so far ahead of her, and she had taken so many of Chen's "firsts."

She needs to give a corresponding response! She's the first to make Chen carry this burden!

However, she was still very shy because this action would inevitably cause Chen to touch her thigh.

What else can we do? It's better than a butt, right?

Honestly, why didn't he have any special reaction?

Miss Aine was confident in her charm, but Chen, who was so close to her, seemed completely unmoved, which made her somewhat discouraged.

After walking for a while, as the pain and novelty faded, Aine finally couldn't ignore the shame in her heart and slid off Chen's back.

The two tacitly avoided mentioning what had just happened.

The lamp ran into the club activity building, and the two of them began checking each floor.

At the entrance to the wind instrument section, the melodious piano music caught Aine's attention.

As she pushed open the club's door, a blue-haired girl came into their view.

As the piece ended and the girl closed the piano lid, Aine took the initiative to approach her and start a conversation.

"You played so well! Didn't you, Chen?"

Yes, that's true.

Chen echoed Aine's words, sizing up the girl he was meeting for the first time.

Without a doubt, she is Toyokawa Shoko.

I just didn't expect to run into them at this time. My goal was to find the lamp.

However, it wasn't exactly a pleasant surprise, considering that the blue-haired octopus's band had only recently ended.

Having to struggle to make a living, it's impossible to successfully invite them no matter what.

Are you members of the brass band club?

It's almost time for the brass band activity, so it's perfectly reasonable for members to come.

Xiangzi could only relax his tense mind by playing the piano here when no one was around.

"No, no, we were just passing by when we were drawn in by your music, so we came in."

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Chihaya Aine from Class 1-A, and this is my friend, Chen Chen."

"Chihaya-san and... Chen-san?"

Xiangzi had heard of the two people; one was a young girl who had returned from studying at the royal court, and the other was a young man who had come from the Eastern Empire to study in the Sakura Empire.

But why are these two here? Xiangzi wondered.

When Xiangzi heard Ai Yin say that she was forming a band and wanted to invite her, he completely lost interest.

She decisively declined Aine's invitation and advised the two of them to leave early so as not to disturb the brass band's activities.

"What's with the way they act all high and mighty!"

Ai Yin was somewhat confused.

Even if you don't want to, you can talk to them nicely. You don't have to be so rude, do you?

Finally, in the Astronomy Department, the two spotted the lamp.

Upon seeing the two enter, Akari raised the metal box in her hand to Aine.

It's full of all kinds of penguins

"Chihaya-kun! Which one do you want to use?"

"Wow, wow, are they all Band-Aids?"

Attracted by the dazzling array of penguins, Aine couldn't help but exclaim in admiration at this small collection.

"Can I use it?"

The lamp nodded to Aine, who was seeking her opinion.

Having chosen a penguin that looked pleasing to the eye, Ai Yin didn't hold back her praise.

"I also really like penguins, Takamatsu-kun!"