I play wind instruments in Kansai

The rented musical instrument shop is located near Bisono-cho, Wakayama.

"I used to go to school here."

As they passed by Wakayama Municipal Junior High School, Yuuki Yanagi deliberately raised her hand and pointed out that her arm, which was white and smooth, was protruding from her sleeve.

"This park is bigger than the school," said Miyamine Nozomi, looking at the nearby Miyazaki Park.

"The smaller the better, and there are several izakayas nearby, which makes it convenient to have gatherings with friends, and the prices are also cheap."

Passing by the public fundraising area of ​​Dali Temple, we came to a three-story musical instrument shop.

It stands at a crossroads with relatively low foot traffic. The storefront is narrow, the wooden signboard is dark sandalwood, and a bell hangs on the glass door, swaying lazily in the wind.

"I wanted to ask you this on the way here, 'Did you do this on purpose?'"

Just as Gongling Wang was about to walk inside, Liu Mu Jie Deng couldn't help but ask.

"What did I do on purpose?"

Anyone would be confused if they were told something for no apparent reason.

His expression was blank, as if he had no idea what had happened. Liu Mujie licked his lower lip with his tongue, and without replying, he opened the glass door.

Gong Lingwang followed dejectedly. The glass door opened to reveal a narrow staircase, indicating that it was on the second floor.

"Tone Adjustment", "Bow Repair", "Tone Awakening", "Basic Tuning"...

The stairwell was dimly lit, with various photos of men on the walls. The air was much cooler than outside, with a faint scent of rosewood oil.

Upon reaching the second floor, various musical instruments are neatly displayed. The left wall is covered with string instruments, the right wall with wind instruments, and further inside is a grand piano.

Just by standing at the entrance, you can see the entire layout of the store.

A middle-aged man stood at the front desk, leisurely looking at his phone; it seemed there weren't many customers in the store.

"Uncle Shiraishi." Willow Wood Kite stepped forward naturally.

The man she greeted looked up, forced a smile, and said:

"Oh, Miss Willow, what brings you here today? Didn't you just get a pampering treatment a few days ago?"

"It wasn't me," Liu Mujie said, glancing at Gong Lingwang. "It was him."

Gong Lingwang stepped forward: "Hello, I'm here to pick up my musical instrument."

"Musical instrument? What musical instrument?" Uncle Shiraishi asked.

Miyamine explained the rental process on the website.

Willow Wood Lamp looked at him meaningfully. Gongling Wang knew what was going on because he lied and said he bought it, but in reality he rented it.

She probably thought he was trying to show off in front of her, but she didn't expect that she knew the shop owner.

"Oh, I know." As soon as the topic of rentals came up, Uncle Shiraishi immediately remembered, "Sanxiang 301, right?"

"Yes." Gongling Wang nodded.

Uncle Shiraishi leaned forward and shouted loudly into the unknown space inside:

"Hitomi-!"

His voice was very loud, which was completely contrary to Miyamine Nozomi's stereotype that music store staff all spoke softly.

At this moment, a slender girl walked out from inside, who looked to be about 1.55 meters tall.

Her bangs were neatly styled near her eyebrows, her skin was fair, her waist was slender, her chest was flat, and her small face was as clean as a summer sky washed by rain.

Gong Lingwang was stunned for a moment. Wasn't this girl the silent girl sitting next to him? He had hardly ever heard her speak except when the teacher asked her a question.

She had only been back for a short time and was still wearing her loquat-colored uniform.

"Hitomi," Yuuto greeted calmly.

When Shiraishi Hitomi walked up to her, her expression was like a silent sea that would not ripple in the slightest.

"Welcome, Jie Deng."

Her voice was very soft.

"It wasn't me who came; he was the one who wanted to get the musical instrument," Liu Mujie Deng said.

"Shiraishi-kun." Miyamine Nozomi nodded slightly.

"Hello, Gongling-kun." She greeted him expressionlessly, like a finely crafted porcelain doll.

"Since we're all classmates, it's easy to talk to each other. Xiaotong, please entertain them." Uncle Shiraishi left the front desk to get the musical instruments.

Despite being entrusted with the task of hosting, Shiraishi Hitomi sat at the front desk without saying a word, like a student in class being asked a question by the teacher but not knowing the answer, and could only stand there dumbly.

"Would you like something to drink?" she finally asked.

Gongling Wang didn't think much of it: "Ah, then I'll—"

"I won't drink," Liu Mujie interrupted directly.

"..."

"Hmm."

The three of them remained silent.

"Has Kirishima come to see you recently?" Yuto Yanagi asked, sitting on a high stool.

Hitomi Shiraishi shook her head, her cherry-colored lips parting slightly as she said:

"No, but I'm very happy."

"How could I possibly understand what you're saying?" Liu Mujie slightly pursed her lips, her gaze sweeping over Gong Lingwang beside her. "You don't know her?"

"I knew, but I didn't say anything," Miyamine Nozomi explained.

"Hmm..." Shiraishi Hitomi's fair face remained expressionless. "Because you didn't come to talk to me, I didn't say anything."

"...Of course I know." Miyamine Nozomi felt that something was off.

Willow Knot Lamp placed the schoolbag on the front desk:

"That's just how she is. When we used to play wind instruments together, she basically didn't say a word."

"Hmm..."

When Shiraishi Hitomi heard her say that, her slender shoulders drooped slightly, and she was clearly a little deflated.

"Kirishima actually dared to join the club, even though she knew I was in it," Yanagi Yutaka continued. "And she's in the same voice branch as me. I wonder if she's deliberately trying to provoke me."

Shiraishi Hitomi glanced away and said:

"fine."

"Huh?" Liu Mujie frowned and asked, "What's better?"

"Because of Ryuka, she no longer knows what to do."

Willowwood Lamp's tone suddenly lowered:

"Xiaotong, you always say things that I don't like."

"Feel sorry."

"You keep saying things like that."

"Hmm."

The atmosphere between the two suddenly became a little strange. Gong Lingwang was unable to sit still. If it weren't for him being there to get the musical instrument, Liu Mujiedeng would probably have run away long ago.

"Haha, the musical instruments are here!"

Uncle Shiraishi came over carrying a musical instrument case.

"The 301 Three-Shot is very expensive. I only stocked five in my shop. Although they were rented, they've still been sold."

"Has no one used it before?" Miyamine Nozomi was surprised.

When he placed the order last night, and on his way here, he had already mentally prepared himself for this flute to be played by countless young girls.

"Of course not, nobody has ever rented one because it's too expensive. Professionals usually buy one themselves, and students don't have that kind of money," Uncle Shiraishi said.

Gong Lingwang nodded.

It's not disappointment, absolutely not disappointment.

"Open it yourself," Uncle Shiraishi said. "Young people love all that ritualistic stuff."

"Thank you, Uncle."

Gongling Wang moved the instrument case over, knocked open the silver clasp, and a silver-plated flute, gleaming with a cold light, lay on a dark blue velvet lining.

The mouthpiece and body of the flute are all made of silver.

Lifting the middle of the tube with my fingers, the tube feels heavy and cool, and the keys are arranged in an elegant string pattern.

Pressing the key to check, the mechanical structure makes a soft "click" sound, smooth and precise, with a sense of confirmation without any hesitation.

The 301 has a B-tail, and the extra section makes the flute look longer and more complete.

"Opening, curved, B-tail, and even NEL," Uncle Shiraishi said.

NEL is a patented technology with three sound signatures. It features a built-in E split that significantly enhances the pronunciation of the high E, making it easier and more stable.

However, this partial blockage will have a slight impact on the pitch of the A note in the first and second octaves, and users still need to gradually become proficient.

"Can I blow it?" Miyamine Nozomi asked impatiently.

"Of course, we should always give it a try."

Gong Lingwang pursed his lips, and a whole bunch of flute scores popped into his mind, but for people of their age, only one song came to mind when it came to the flute.

Under the warm yellow overhead light, the silver mouthpiece and body of the flute gleamed with a restrained, soft light, like the water of a lake in late autumn.

This was the first time he had used this kind of flute.

The mouthpiece is gently placed under the lips, but it cannot be blown immediately; one needs to feel the slope of the silver playing edge.

Then, he sent out wisps of calm and steady breath.

The theme in C major begins with the first note flowing from the flute hole, its clear tone and the pure silver body of the 301 tube transforming every vibration into a velvety warmth.

A moderate to weak airflow flowed within the core. Miyamine Nozomi had played this piece countless times, and it was second nature to her.

Not to mention that now that there's no oboe overhead, there's no need to worry about the long, continuous lines of the musical phrases being crushed by the oboe's melody.

Before the dismissive "just listening" look on Liu Mujiedeng's face had faded, his eyes widened involuntarily.

It wasn't joy or delight, but rather a stunned expression, caught off guard by his playing ability.

This piece is the third movement of "The Blue Bird and Liz," and it is basically the introductory piece for many oboists and flautists. Many people chose these two instruments because of this piece.

Gong Lingwang's every soft note, though barely audible, stood straight on the staff, his breath steady and deep, without the slightest tremor or strain.

This is what Senior Sister Gu Hua meant when she said, "Do you still need to practice?"

Shiraishi Hitomi stared intently at him, her expression unreadable.

Ultimately, she decided to test the waters. Miyamine played a short, C major dialogue in A section before releasing her lips.

He ignored Liu Mujie's astonishment and said to Uncle Baishi:

"This is it, I like it a lot, but honestly, the A octave on this instrument feels different from the ones I've used before."

He could feel that he was blowing off-center a few times, and it sounded a bit awkward. He wondered if they could tell.

You need to practice more.

"That's a good boast." Uncle Shiraishi seemed happier than ever before. "You've rented it for three months, so I'll give you a free maintenance service."

"Thank you so much." Miyamine Nozomi handed him the flute.

"fine."

Uncle Baishi walked to his daughter's side, bent down and picked up a precision vernier caliper, and began to measure the dimensions of several key parts of the flute body. He then began to record the data for future adjustments.

"Alright, this flute is yours now, take good care of it."

Uncle Shiraishi carefully wiped the instrument clean, placed it in the soft velvet groove of the instrument case, fastened the clasp, closed the lid, and made a soft "click" sound.

The gold-stamped "Sankyo" logo is very eye-catching.

Having received the instruments, Miyamine Nozomi and Shiraishi Hitomi said hello and turned to leave.

Liu Mujie picked up her schoolbag and followed behind. Originally, she had planned to help Gong Lingwang bargain with the boss, but his blowing had completely blew her mind away.

I went downstairs, pushed open the glass door, and the wind chimes made a crisp sound.

As evening approached, traffic on the streets gradually increased, and girls dressed in tight-fitting sportswear were walking their dogs, which were urinating and asserting their dominance.

"Gongling, you can play the flute?" Liu Mujie Deng raised his handsome eyebrows and asked.

Gong Lingwang found her statement somewhat inexplicable:

"Didn't I already know how to play the flute?"

"What I mean is, why didn't you say you played the flute so well sooner?" Willow Wood Tidaka kept a straight face, it was hard to tell if she was angry or happy.

[Market Update: Willow Knot Lantern, up 1%, profit 569 yen]

[Analysis of the unusual activity: Miyamine Nozomi's flute skills gave her some confidence]

Current stock price: 57.5

Total profit/loss: -1%, -593 yen

The market is up, though not by much.

Gongling Wang shrugged and said:

"I'm really not very good at it. The senior students from Hokkaido often say that there's something wrong with my playing."

"Didn't you say you were Editor B over there?"

"Yeah, I've always been Editor B."

"You're at this level?" Liu Mujie's face grew increasingly grim. "Editor B? You're not lying to me?"

Gong Lingwang turned his head to look at her, his small face full of seriousness. He could somewhat understand what she meant.

If someone of your caliber is only a B-level editor, then how terrifying can an A-level editor be?

"Are you trying to put on an act in front of me? Saying that on purpose? Actually, you're Editor A." Liu Mujie raised her hand, making a punching motion. "Tell me the truth!"

"I really am Editor B."

Miyamine Nozomi was not lying about this; she could only be honest.

"But the B editor over there, no matter what, should be better than the A editor in Zhimu."

His words clearly hurt Liu Mujie's pride, but he still asked in a low voice:

"real?"

Miyamine Nozomi said matter-of-factly:

"Of course it's true. Our B editors also get the full-time bonus every year. As for the A editors in Zhimu, let alone the Kansai bonus, even if someone from the A editor went to the B editor, they wouldn't get the Kansai bonus, right?"

The reason why Hokkaido's top school, Shin-Asahi, has a B-section is because there are too many outstanding people, while the A-section has a limit of 55 people, so they have to make do with the B-section.

And these people are all capable of being promoted to A-level editors at any time.

The members of the Haruki Brass Band were sent to the B Division because they lacked the ability; the members of the A Division were basically all set.

"The look on your face when you said that was so smug!" Liu Mujie said through gritted teeth.

"Then next time I'll lie and say something you want to hear," Miyamune said.

Willow Knot Lantern rolled her eyes: "Then why did Senior Sister Gu Hua say you need to practice your flute more?"

"I deliberately made them sound bad."

"Why? How can you pretend like that!"

"...Because I didn't know what the situation was like in the brass band at the time, Mizuno told me that the atmosphere in the band was not good, and it was best not to stand out. Also, if you played very well, you would be asked questions all the time, which was quite annoying."

"Don't you like to extend your abilities to the entire wind ensemble?"

Gongling Wang fell silent, took a deep breath, and said:

"I just hate effort and standing out when there are no visible results."

In top schools, hard work and standing out are very likely to bring huge rewards, but this is not necessarily the case in weaker schools, and may even have the opposite effect.

Liu Mujie was furious, and reached out to grab his arm, saying:

"You need to change your mind. Come to the club with me tomorrow! You're just as good at bragging as the senior, you have to put some pressure on him!"

Gong Lingwang asked:

"Does it really have to be this way?"

"Of course! Don't be so kind. Hasebe, just because he's the flute club leader, he's always going against Tanihana-senpai! He's a cancer on the club! People like him should just leave!"

"It's not that I'm afraid of the seniors, but I need to explain something to you. At the very least, there should be a first, second, and third place in the flute department. With so few people already playing the flute, do you really want him to quit?"

"I only understand one thing: as long as these people are around, the brass band will never be united, so you have to stay on my side, Miyamune."

"Kirishima-kun said the same thing to me."

"What did you say?" Liu Mujie cast an ambiguous glance at him.

Gongling Wang gripped the armrest of the instrument case tightly, waiting for the green light to come on:

"Let me stand on her side."

Willow Knot Lamp slightly twitched her chin and said in a low voice, "What did you say?"

"I didn't reply to her, but if she wanted to, there was no need to say it out loud."

After speaking, Miyamune Nozomi paused for a moment before continuing.

"Yanagi, if you want the brass band to go further, you can't bypass your relationship with her."

"You don't need to tell me that."

She walked forward somewhat unhappily.

Why are you walking so fast?

"I'm being difficult."

Gong Lingwang couldn't help but laugh out loud and quickly followed.

"Would you like some ice cream?"

"No, according to the date, I'll be there in a few days."

"Then we should eat even more!"

"Hmph, I can't be bothered with you."