Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist

All three factors are indispensable: the platform provides a higher minimum standard, the drawing skills provide confidence, and the marketing provides popularity.

Eri Aragaki didn't analyze it that much. She simply expressed her gratitude, hung up the phone with Masaya Sakurai, and continued working on her manuscript.

She picked up the G pen again and drew her attention back to the drawing spread out in front of her, but the smile on her lips lingered for a long time.

"Senior! We're here!"

"Eri! I'm here to help you."

……

Soon after, Ayane Takeda, Akane Natsume, and others also came to help.

The three of them had been working together for a while, and they could coordinate skillfully without much prompting, the scratching of pencils and the scraping of scrapers blending together.

"Sister, I'm back!"

It wasn't until Erina came home from school and bought some groceries that things started to go smoothly.

The door to the entrance opened, and the sound of plastic bags being placed on the shoe cabinet drifted into the studio. Erina peeked in and saw the three of them busy at work. She then took the ingredients into the kitchen and sorted them out.

After seeing this, Eri Aragaki stretched and put the G pen on the pen holder, then rotated her sore wrist. "Okay, let's call it a day. I'm going to cook."

Takeda Ayane scraped the edge of the last halftone dot in her hand, held the manuscript up to the light to check it, and said, "After I finish these, okay, what are you having for dinner today, Senpai?"

Natsume Akane put down the scraper in her hand and rubbed her neck. "Yeah, what are we eating today?"

Eri Aragaki has gradually become less enthusiastic about Chinese food lately, and her passion for it has waned.

When she first moved here, she wanted to cook Chinese food for every meal, three times a day, with dishes like shredded pork with garlic sauce, mapo tofu, and three-cup chicken all in rotation.

This doesn't mean we're not going to cook Chinese food anymore; it just means we're not so fixated on Chinese cuisine when we go out together on weekends.

She also started to try other cuisines such as Japanese food, Korean barbecue, French food, and Italian food, instead of only going to Chinese restaurants.

Because she usually cooks Chinese home-style dishes, but she doesn't go to great lengths.

Occasionally, I'll make a Japanese home-style dish like pan-fried saury or hamburger patties, and mix it with other dishes like scrambled eggs with tomatoes, shredded pork with green peppers, or soy sauce chicken.

Simply put, Chinese and Japanese home-style dishes have become part of daily life, and when going out, people will try foreign cuisines they haven't tried before, since you can find all kinds of food in Tokyo anyway.

Erina walked into the studio and said with a smile, "I bought pork bones, beef tenderloin, chicken, bean sprouts, green peppers, radishes, green beans, and curry."

The curry here isn't the Indian curry, but a Japanese-style curry that's been modified by the Japanese. It's a thick curry roux that you just put in a pot and cook until it's ready to use, and it has a sweeter flavor.

"Got it, then I'll make curry chicken. And I remember I also have the pork bones and the fermented black beans I bought from Yokohama Chinatown last time..."

Eri Aragaki immediately jumped up from her chair. "I'll make you steamed pork bones with fermented black beans, stir-fried beef with green peppers, and boiled bean sprouts. Perfect!"

She even gave herself a thumbs up, as if giving herself a thumbs-up; this gesture had become muscle memory for her.

Hearing this, Takeda Ayane's mouth watered. "Steamed pork bones with fermented black beans, I've never had this before."

Akane Natsume also stood up. "Is fermented black bean sauce made from those black beans?"

Erina and Natsume Akane, on the other hand, planned to come and help directly.

Erina rolled up her sleeves. "Sis, let me help you."

Natsume Akane followed behind her, "Eri, do you need me to cut anything?"

Takeda Ayane quickly put the sketches in her hands into the file bag, wiped the halftone glue off her hands, and said, "Me too, me too."

The four of them continued to do their jobs. The kitchen was crammed with four people, but surprisingly, it didn't become chaotic. Everyone knew what they were supposed to do.

Once everything was in the steamer, the steamed pork bones with fermented black beans were put into the steamer and steam began to rise, the curry chicken was simmering on the stove, and the beef was cut up and marinated in a bowl.

Eri Aragaki took off her apron and draped it over the back of a chair. The four girls then huddled together in the living room, turned on the TV, and watched a variety show while waiting.

What games are the comedians playing in variety shows? Japanese variety shows are generally quite entertaining.

Eri Aragaki found it hilarious and laughed along with Akane Natsume and Ayane Takeda.

"Ding Dong!!"

But just then, the doorbell rang.

Erina volunteered, jumping up from the sofa. "I'll go see who it is!"

She jogged to the entrance and opened the door, only to be surprised to find a girl she didn't recognize standing there.

The girl was wearing a beige cashmere coat, had chestnut hair, wore delicate light makeup, and was carrying a paper bag that looked expensive.

She has a great presence and the kind of person whose wealth is immediately apparent.

Erina, leaning against the doorframe, asked with some confusion, "Excuse me, who are you...?"

"Hello, I'm Ayano Kawakami..."

Ayano Kawakami immediately smiled, a very polite and natural smile. "She's the landlady's daughter from this apartment building, here to see Eri Aragaki."

Chapter Ninety-One: Like Repels Like (Tenth Update!!)

Landlord's daughter?

This was Erina's first time meeting Ayano Kawa, since Ayano Kawa had never appeared before.

Yes, it's been four months since Aragaki Eri and Erina moved to this apartment, and this is the first time Ayano Kagawa has appeared here since they moved.

After all... firstly, after Aragaki Eri rented Kawanobu's apartment, she was told that the rent would be paid directly by bank transfer.

It's similar to the WeChat transfer in Eri Aragaki's previous life, so of course there's basically no need to meet the landlord or the landlord's family to pay the rent every month.

Occasionally, if there are problems with the apartment's water or electricity and repairs are needed, we just call the landlord, Chuanxincheng, and he sends a professional repairman to fix it.

Erina would never have had a chance with Ayano Mikawa.

She only knew roughly that she had rented the apartment through a referral from the convenience store manager.

In addition, Eri Aragaki mentioned that the landlord's surname was Kawa and he was a business president.

But there was nothing to doubt about what the other person said; being able to accurately state the sister's name and address meant they were probably not a stranger.

She turned and shouted into the living room, "Sister, it seems like the landlord's family is looking for you."

"Okay, I'm coming right now..."

Eri Aragaki immediately stood up from the sofa, walked to the entrance, and saw that it was indeed Ayano Kawakami.

She hadn't changed much since the last time she signed the rental agreement; she was still impeccably dressed and had that same flawless, polite smile.

He had an extra paper bag in his hand that looked like it contained something.

"Um, hello, Ms. Chuan, it's been a long time."

Eri Aragaki quickly greeted them, saying, "Ms. Kawa, please come in first."

"Okay... then I'll take my leave."

Ayano was very polite; she took off her shoes as she came in, and then asked with a smile, "Is this your sister?"

"Yes, this is my younger sister, Erina."

Eri Aragaki responded.

"Hello, my name is Erina Aragaki."

Erina also gave a formal self-introduction.

Hi~ Hello.

And so, Ayano followed Erina and Eri Aragaki into the apartment.

As she walked into the living room, her gaze swept around and she saw two girls she didn't recognize sitting on the sofa. One had her hair tied in a low ponytail and was watching TV while hugging a cushion, while the other had long hair and was holding a water glass.

Ayano Kawakami looked at them curiously a couple more times, but still politely gave a slight bow and greeted them, "Hello."

Natsume Akane stood up from the sofa, still holding a water glass in her hand, and nodded, "Hello."

Ayane Takeda also stood up, put the cushion aside, and gave a slight, somewhat reserved bow, saying, "Hello."

Eri Aragaki quickly caught up from behind and stood between the two groups, gesturing, "Ms. Kawa, these are my friends."

Then she turned to Natsume Akane and Takeda Ayane, "This is my landlord's daughter, Ms. Kawa."

"You don't have to keep calling me Ms. Kawa, just call me Ayano, Ms. Eri."

Ayano Kawa waved her hand gently, "Didn't we say that when we signed the contract?"

Eri Aragaki thought about it. On the day she signed the contract, Ayano Kawakami did mention that she could call her by her first name, but she hadn't had much contact with the landlady's daughter since then...

So she changed her mind and said, "Okay, Ayano, would you like some tea?"

Ayano Kawa sat down on the sofa and placed the paper bag she carried with her at her feet. "That's fine, barley tea will do."

Eri Aragaki turned and went to the kitchen to pour a cup of barley tea, then brought it over and placed it on the coffee table in front of Ayano Kawakami.

"Thank you."

Ayano thanked him, picked up her cup, took a sip, and then looked around the apartment.

When she last visited, the apartment was empty, with only basic furniture and appliances. Now, almost half a year later, it's filled with traces of life.

Several comic magazines and single volumes were stacked on the coffee table, several game discs were piled up next to the TV cabinet, and a potted green ivy had appeared on the windowsill, its leaves drooping down the edge of the pot.

She then saw the studio that was not closed. Through the open door, she could see several workbenches inside, covered with drawings and tools.

Her eyes lit up immediately.

Eri Aragaki sat down on the sofa opposite her and asked, "Ayano, is there something you need this time?"

"That's right, because next month my father said that the old bank account needs to be replaced because the bank says the old magnetic stripe bank cards are all expiring..."

Ayano Kawa turned her gaze away from the studio and put down her teacup. "The old account is going to be deactivated completely, so we need to use a new bank account to collect rent, or pay in cash. I thought I'd pass on the message to my father since I was here."

Eri Aragaki suddenly realized that this was the reason.

She didn't doubt it, because she had recently received the same message from the bank and had just changed her bank account last month.

"Okay, I understand. I'll trouble you to make the trip, Ayano."

She immediately said, "Actually, you could have just sent a message; there was no need to come all the way here."