Girls' Wishing Tree

Mu looked at the word "Fengchuan" after the recipient's name. At this moment, the neon lights suddenly lit up, and the neon light and shadow were cut into fragments and projected onto the mobile phone screen. Those light spots happened to cover Xiangzi's name.

When she was almost home, she sent the message she had edited to Xiangzi.

At the same time, Xiangzi was sitting in an Internet cafe, working as a game companion.

After leaving the Toyokawa family, as the eldest daughter, her financial situation suddenly became extremely tight - she wanted to find a part-time job to make her financial situation less difficult, but most part-time jobs did not accept junior high school students.

All that was left for her were some truly drudgery, such as delivering newspapers on a bicycle before dawn, or taking orders from internet cafes after class to play games with people for a very low hourly wage.

The Internet cafe is a single room, but there is a strange smell in this room.

The smell of disinfectant and air freshener covered up the smell of sweat, smoke and some other strange smells. When Xiangzi first came in, he almost vomited, but now he actually thinks it’s okay to wear a mask.

Xiangzi's phone suddenly vibrated. She glanced at it casually, and a message popped up on the screen: it was a message from Mu.

She couldn't help but take a look. The message read: "There's a live show at Sakura Shrine on the 17th. It's the opening live show of the shrine's basement LiveHouse. Someone gave me two tickets. Do you want to come?"

Xiangzi's eyes suddenly became moist.

She hasn't been to a live performance for a long time.

After leaving the Toyokawa family, she truly understood the meaning of "a penny can make a hero fall."

On the screen, her character was still using a greatsword to try to help others break parts of the monster, but when she was looking at her phone, not only did she miss the attack, but she was also hit by a dragon chariot.

The image quality was blurry on the screen of a low-spec computer, but you could still see her game character being dragged away by a cat wearing clothes.

Xiangzi had no choice but to apologize in the voice chat: "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! It was my mistake! I can play one more game with you! Please don't give me a bad review!"

The voice fell into silence for a moment.

The girl in the Internet cafe's private room saw that the game character of the person who hired her to play with her also returned to the camp on the screen, and the hairs on her back stood up.

If she received a bad review, her rating for the next few days would be affected, and she would only be able to accept orders from troublesome customers or those with particularly low paying ability. But she still had to continue doing this job...

She had already apologized and there was no way for her to apologize again. She could only wait for the other party's "verdict."

"Judging from your voice, you're still in junior high school, right?" The other person's voice finally came through the voice chat.

"No, I'm an adult--" According to regulations, junior high school students are not allowed to do this kind of part-time job, so Xiangzi had to deny his identity.

Anyway, she will be a high school student in a few months, and then she can do some easier work like customer service.

"I can tell. If you weren't in junior high school, I'd be giving you a bad review." The other person paused for a moment and said, "You'd better study hard. There's no future in this business of playing games with others."

Chapter 197 Harvest, Band and BangDream:45, Time Management Master

Ying put down the wrench and turned to Masking beside her: "It's okay, it's not a big deal. Just remember to maintain it on time."

"I didn't expect that Sakura could repair motorcycles..." Asahi Rikka said in amazement.

"Yeah, I'm ready to call for rescue and repairs." MASKING scratched his head: "Xiaoying, the two of us will come to tomorrow's performance, but CHU^2 and PAREO are not sure about their situation."

"It's okay, it's just an invitation. It's totally fine whether you come or not." Ying waved at the two of them: "I have to go back to rehearsal. Have a safe trip home!"

After seeing off the two members of RAS, Ying returned to the stage, only to find that everyone was facing their own music scores.

"Why did everyone stop? Didn't I tell you to practice twice first, and then we can practice together after I get here?"

Le Nai spoke directly: "Nothing, it's just that if Sakura is not here, it doesn't feel so good to be together..."

"It's just a violin track, right? And there aren't many violin parts in this piece." Ying turned her gaze to Deng again: "Deng, what's going on?"

Deng's lips moved twice, but he didn't speak.

Li Xi stood up: "Lenai said that there will be a scout tomorrow, and the lights are a little tight, so we will rehearse together after Ying comes back--"

"Lixi, it's okay." Deng turned around and took two deep breaths: "As long as Ying is here, I won't be afraid."

Ying picked up the tuning fork and struck it. The standard tone produced bounced back and forth in the basement dome, startling the lamp and causing it to shudder.

Lenai spoke up and said that the lights would indeed be affected after the scouts arrived tomorrow.

In Deng's mind, the girls in the band were still her friends, but the professionals... made her feel a little uncomfortable.

Deng wasn't ready to debut as a lead singer, she just wanted to make her own voice.

She wrote two lines in her notebook, but quickly crossed them out.

Ying noticed Deng's little movement: "The ones I invited tomorrow are all my friends. This band has no plans to commercialize it for the time being. It's just that I have a cooperative relationship with them, so I asked them to take a look at my new arrangement."

Hailing spoke up, "But if that's the case, even if it's a commercial demo, right? If someone wants to buy the song Deng wrote, it'll be a hassle for Deng, right?"

When Li Xi heard Hai Ling's words, she immediately became nervous - she didn't want Deng's song to be commercialized by other singers.

In her heart, the sound of the light is unique, it is a sound that strikes the soul.

Ying pressed her hands down, signaling everyone to calm down. "From that perspective, it can indeed be considered a commercial demo. However, I've already told them in advance that our band's songs are not for sale. This goes not only for the lyrics written by Deng, but also for the three songs I wrote."

Deng's knuckles were turning white as she gripped the microphone stand. She stared at the seats and whispered, "Well...it's okay to sell it. I'd be happy if more people could hear it."

Rehearsals continue.

Because they were going to have a live performance the next day, they rehearsed a little late.

As the power shut off, the device indicators gradually dimmed, like the breath of some deep-sea creature. Hailing's bass guitar rested against the monitor speakers, its neck cast in a grid-like shadow by the light filtering through the decorative panel.

"Sayu, go and rest first. I'll be there soon." Sakura pretended to be tired and leaned against the first row of seats.

She wasn't really tired, but she realized that Hailing stayed to talk to her.

When Sayu's back disappeared, Hailing suddenly stopped wiping the strings, and her nails unconsciously scratched the pickup casing, where there were tiny scratches left from her time moving from band to band.

"Just say whatever you want to say. You have a performance tomorrow, and it's not good to keep things in your heart." Ying glanced at Hailing and said it generously.

"Our band... seems to be playing in a fog. I've been in many bands, but this is the only one I can't quite figure out—"

For mercenaries, "paying for a bullet" is a normal thing. However, pure mercenaries like Hailing and Yamada Liang are not exactly the same.

Liang would accept invitations from many bands and temporarily take over the position of bassist, while Hailing actually joined these bands and became a "time management master" in a sense.

"Hailing, I don't know where this band will go. This is a story we write together, and how it ends depends on each of us."

Hailing raised the corner of her mouth in a slightly awkward arc, which was her way of expressing embarrassment.

"Mercenaries really shouldn't ask about the future, but - I won't leave until the band stops its activities... Even if it's for Li Xi, I won't leave." Hai Ling folded the piano cloth into a standard rectangle. This was a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder she developed from moving around with different bands.

Sakura, however, felt a sense of heaviness.

What happened for Lixi?

Don’t you feel any psychological burden if you change the drummer and run away?

Hailing's earrings suddenly reflected a spotlight—she then realized she was on stage. On the equipment stand, Lixi's drumsticks and the lyrics book on the lights overlapped at a strange angle, like some undesigned art installation.

"I will protect Lixi's nest." Hailing emphasized again.

Chapter 198 Harvest, Band and BangDream: 46, The Cat in Bed

After sending Hailing out of the underground LiveHouse, Sakura found Sayu waiting for her outside, and obviously had something to say to her.

"Sakura." Sayu came closer when she saw Sakura. "Can you handle tomorrow's live performance? There are over two hundred people in the audience, and I have to adjust the sound console, announce the program, and so on—"

"Everyone at Thornless will be here to help, except for Rupa who will stay downstairs to watch the shop. Tomorrow, Satoshi will be here to operate the mixing console. Momoka will help you prepare the drinks, and Niina will help to manage the crowd."

"...Hmm." Sayu glanced at the cherry tree in the yard, her expression slightly hesitant. "You also made an appointment with Ichiri for Suyo, right? If Sakura isn't there when they meet..."

"That's their own business. I've already communicated everything I needed to say to them online. If nothing unexpected happens, they'll be a great band." Sakura stretched. "Ichiri and Suyo are similar in some ways."

"Are they... alike?" Sayu also knew the personalities of these two people and was shocked by Sakura's words.

"Well, in essence, they are both lonely children. The only difference is that they made different choices in facing loneliness. I think the two of them together can create a chemistry that makes a band. Suyo needs a band that feels like home, and Ichiri also needs this sense of belonging." Sakura smiled at Sayu: "If you feel nervous about tomorrow, you can have a cup of barley tea before resting."

Sayu bit her lip but still said, "Then... what about my band?" It was just a short question. She quickly lowered her head to hide her red eyes, but found it difficult to hide, so she tilted her head to the side.

"You're in the cram school, so you have less practice with Mahiro, right?" Sakura patted Sayu's shoulder.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it..."

"Xiduo has been found. You three can practice more together. Practicing together is completely different from practicing individually, and it's also a way to cultivate rapport in the band."

It's true that Kita has returned to the band, but as a bassist, she can only play the root notes smoothly and is still in the novice stage. Sayu and Mahiro's playing level is also not very high. Now if the three of them can work together, they can naturally become the cornerstone of the band.

Sayu rubbed the hem of her shrine maiden's outfit with her hands. "Well... I remember everything Sakura did for me... I no longer have a home, and it was Sakura who brought me back from my lost state..."

"No need to say that. Just keep it in mind." Sakura placed her index finger on Sayu's lips. "With bass, keyboards, and drums, you can already support the instrumental part of a band. You can get together and see who would be the best lead singer. Once you've decided on a lead singer and have two or three songs, I can arrange for you to open the show at the Live House in the shrine. Even if the shrine maidens' performance isn't very good, the audience will accept it. With a few more times, the effect will naturally grow."

"Yeah." Sayu nodded vigorously.

When Ying pushed open the door, the wind chimes under the eaves danced with the evening breeze, and the bronze tongues swayed, making a crisp sound. Before Ying turned on the light, she saw two different-colored pupils staring at her from the bed.

It wasn't uncommon for Lenai to sleep in her own bed. She curled up in the middle of the quilt, the ends of her short hair spread out on the pillow. Only the look in her eyes, as if she was looking at him, showed that she wasn't ready for sleep yet.

"Don't stare at me, I'm going to turn on the light...Have you adjusted the effects pedal for tomorrow?" Sakura untied the rubber band that held her hair, and her hair smelled faintly of mint as it fell - that was the scent of the shampoo that Lenai had forced on her last week.

Lena narrowed her eyes slightly, her posture like a cat curled up in its nest at night. She watched Sakura's back as she changed into her pajamas and rinsed her mouth. When Sakura sat down on the edge of the bed, she quickly reached out and grabbed the edge of her clothes. The rubbing of fabric was mixed with a half-hearted complaint: "Sakura... you're so slow."

"Go to sleep." Sakura patted Lenai and turned off the hanging lamp again. The night breeze suddenly lifted the curtains, and moonlight flooded the space between them like a tide, casting the shadow of Lenai's eyelashes on the back of Sakura's hand, forming a small fence-like pattern.

Those cat-like, heterochromatic pupils began to widen again—it seemed that Lenai didn't want to rest so soon. Sakura had been a little puzzled why Lenai left so abruptly, without any intention of staying to talk to her. It turned out that he was waiting for her in bed.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow's live?" Ying kept her voice low, her voice a little muffled in her throat. "There will be quite a few professional musicians under the stage tomorrow, but I think if it's Lenai, she should be able to handle it.

Lenai suddenly raised himself up on his elbows, leaned close to Sakura's ear, and his breath carried the sweetness of matcha candy: "As long as I'm with Sakura..." The words were interrupted by the sudden night wind, and the cherry trees in the courtyard rustled. Sakura didn't hear the second half of the sentence clearly.

"Yeah." Ying could only perfunctorily say it and patted Lenai on the back: "Rest, I'll sing you a lullaby."

"It's fun to live together, so I'm not afraid of anything." Lenai took the initiative to rub against Sakura's arms. The soft touch made Sakura feel like she was holding a big cat.

She had originally wanted to talk to Xun about giving her tomorrow's live broadcast, but it seemed that she would have to wait until Lenai fell asleep before doing this - Lenai could see through her consciousness and return to the cherry tree, so when Lenai was around, she was very careful to withdraw her consciousness from her body.

"Guarding the child after the Obon Festival, snow falls, and the child cries (looking after the child is a bit annoying, after the Obon Festival, snow falls, and the child cries)..." Sakura's gentle voice sounded, it was "Takedako Shoubei" (Takeda Lullaby).

This is a very simple, warm and ancient song. Many children in Tokyo have heard it, and Lena is no exception.

Lenai's palm suddenly covered the outside of Sakura's thigh, and her fingers pressed on Sakura, making her feel a little itchy. Because Sakura was singing, she didn't interrupt Lenai's movements.

After singing a few sentences in a row, Sakura realized that Le Na was using her thighs as a guitar fretboard and playing the accompaniment of the song.

So, Sakura ignored Lenai's little actions and sang softly, enjoying her sleep like a human being instead of a tree demon.

She didn't know how long it took Lenai to fall asleep, nor did she know when she fell asleep. She just vaguely felt that Lenai was always in her arms, maintaining a posture that was somewhat more than just an ordinary friendship.

PS: I was too busy last night and could only post from my phone, so the segmentation got messed up, but it's fixed now, just refresh and it should be fine. Everyone, remember to say Happy Mother's Day to your mom!

Chapter 199 Harvest, Band and BangDream:47, The World Needs Your Music

The chirping of birds outside the window and the sunlight shining on her face woke Sakura up, and she realized that she had slept too late.

As a dryad, this is indeed a bit... strange.

She only needs two or three hours of sleep to stay energetic. She sleeps for so long, perhaps because...

With Lenai around, he felt more human?

Le Nai beside her was still sleepy. Ying glanced at the wall clock and pinched Le Nai's nose.

"Coo, coo, coo..." Lenai opened her mouth and made a series of cute sounds, then reluctantly opened her eyes.

"Are you going to school today?" Sakura patted Lenai's face.

"Hmm...hmm?" Lenai jumped up from the bed: "Oops...I'm late..."

"It's okay. There's still half an hour before class. I'll drive you there." Ying quickly opened the wardrobe and found casual clothes suitable for the season.

"It's normal to sleep in too much during the summer vacation." Sakura threw the school uniform to Lenna, "Hurry up and get ready. We'll have time for the car."

Ten minutes later, Lenai was sitting in the passenger seat of the business car, and it was obvious that her eyes were still a little swollen.

Sakura tapped a few times on the car's navigation system, and a pleasant but somewhat mechanical electronic voice emanated from the speakers: "Togawa Group~ Navigating for you. Destination: Hanasakigawa Girls' College. Please fasten your seatbelts and drive safely..."

Five minutes before the bell rang, Sakura finally parked the car in front of Hanasakigawa Girls' College. Lena opened the car door and realized she had forgotten to unbuckle her seatbelt. Sakura reached out and buckled it for her. "It's okay, just go slow. I'll be over to prepare for the live show after class."

"Live!" Lenai shouted, jumped out of the business car nimbly, and ran quickly towards the school. When he reached the school gate, he turned around and waved to Ying.

Sakura started the car again, but she didn't go back to the shrine immediately. Instead, she planned to visit Xun.

Last night she was with Lenai and did not communicate with Xun. Moreover, she and Xun met more in the consciousness space of the cherry tree. Now that she had already driven out, it would be a good idea to stop by her place.

Ying found a flower shop. The glass of the flower shop's refrigerator was fogged, and the winding paths of water droplets made the white bouquets look even paler.

"Please help me tie these flowers together. Sunflowers will be the main bouquet, with lilies and baby's breath as the accents." Ying picked out several flowers suitable for visiting and encouraging friends and asked the clerk to tie them into a bouquet.

"Um... I'm a little embarrassed, but are you Takagi Miko?" The clerk looked at the car keys in Sakura's hand and was a little hesitant to recognize them.

"Yeah." Sakura nodded.

It seems that he is now famous and can be recognized by fans even in roadside flower shops.