After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

My place is quite a distance from the nearest tram stop, and after getting off the tram, I have to walk the rest of the way. What's more, I'm carrying two bags of food containers, so I have to hurry up so the food doesn't get cold.

Yuu Toyokawa definitely felt that she needed to rest for a while.

But mental exhaustion is far more agonizing than physical fatigue.

Thinking of how Hachiman Kairin, who had been quite obedient under his deliberate efforts to close the distance, had suddenly become so willful, Toyokawa Yuu felt a sense of unease.

That domineering and assertive demeanor reminded him of the powerful woman who, ten years later, was already capable of challenging certain members of the Toyokawa family.

What? Shouldn't that kind of Hachiman Kairin only appear after Ave Mujica disbands? This is probably what they mean by "things are unpredictable".

None of the people under my command are easy to deal with.

Just as she was pinching her brow in slight distress, a calm voice carrying a hint of concern reached Toyokawa Yuu's ears.

"Youyu, the food is ready."

When I opened my eyes, I saw that the lunchbox in one of the bags had been taken out by Wakaba Mutsu and placed on the coffee table.

The meal that Hachiman Kairin forced on him, while not as delicious as the celebratory banquet, was still quite lavish, and it put some strain on his arm when Toyokawa Yuu brought it back.

Three dishes, a soup, and a meal filled the small coffee table in the house, which was almost purely decorative. There was also a set meal that Wakaba Mutsu had placed on Toyokawa Yuu's computer desk, still unopened.

Judging from Wakaba Mutsu's posture, it seemed that he planned to wait until Toyokawa Yuu finished eating before eating his own portion.

"You can eat by yourself. I've already eaten out. One of these is for your dinner, and the other is for your lunch tomorrow... The band's work was put on hold today because of the celebration party. I have to go straight to the management company to work overtime tomorrow morning, so I won't be back at noon."

Seeing the obvious disappointment on Wakaba Mutsu's face, Toyokawa Yuu paused for a moment before coming up with a reason that was logically sound and reasonable.

But soon he discovered a major flaw in his reasoning: he didn't have a refrigerator or microwave at home for storing and heating food.

"I'll go buy a mini-fridge and a small microwave later, as well as some ingredients that only require simple processing. Tell me what you want to eat later... I'm going to wash up now."

But this means my wallet is really going to be in serious trouble.

For some reason, Yuu Toyokawa even had a momentary, ridiculous thought that it might not be entirely a bad thing for Kairin Hachiman to become assertive.

Gently shaking her head to banish the ridiculous thought from her mind, Toyokawa Yuu, who hadn't rested for long, gave a few simple instructions and got up from the sofa, no longer looking at the girl standing quietly by the coffee table.

Toyokawa Yuu could certainly see Ruoye Muku's increasingly silent and disappointed gaze, but some things are simply impossible to do, and he didn't want Ruoye Muku to interfere too much in certain matters.

After all, given her personality, if she knew about things she couldn't solve, the only effect would be to add to her troubles, and I would have to put in a lot of effort to comfort her.

"......I see."

It wasn't until Yuu Toyokawa opened the not-so-large wardrobe and rummaged through the clothes he had bought for Mutsu Wakaba, which already took up most of the space, that the girl's obedient voice came from behind him.

Seeing Yuu Toyokawa's somewhat tired back, Mukaru Wakaba obediently refrained from making any further requests such as "let's eat together."

Although she wasn't good at socializing, she wasn't stupid. How could she not see that Toyokawa Yuu's words were clearly an attempt to cover up her misunderstanding?

If Ye Mu didn't understand why Toyokawa Yuu had brought back two meals but refused to have dinner with him.

But one thing she was very clear about was that Toyokawa Yuu was already very tired. It was impossible for her to sleep comfortably on such a small sofa, especially since she had spent the whole day playing with Metis.

The most important thing I should do now is to behave as obediently as possible so that he can relax and get some rest.

Picking up the slightly cooled dinner from the coffee table, Ruoye Mu put a mouthful of white rice into her mouth, her voice becoming somewhat indistinct.

"I'll make up your bedding before you come out, so please get some rest tonight."

Chapter 102 Goodnight, Mr. Youyu (6k)

"Ugh... I'm finally done eating. I guess I'll have to start dieting when I get back."

Outside the izakaya, Yutenji Wakana stretched lazily, her face full of satisfaction from having her stomach filled with delicious food.

Since Wakaba Mutsumi was absent, and Toyokawa Yuu and Hachiman Kairin even left immediately after the start of the event, the celebration banquet had already failed when the number of attendees was reduced by half.

However, this did not affect Yutenji Wakame's appetite.

After all, a table full of dishes isn't a small amount, but it's not a huge amount either.

According to the usual celebration banquet procedure, the dishes are usually replaced after each batch is finished. Now that half the people are gone, there is no need to serve another batch.

Turning her head to look at Toyokawa Shoko, whose expression had remained stiff throughout and who hadn't uttered a single word since Toyokawa Yuu left the table, Yutenji Wakame thought for a moment before finally speaking.

"Chuzi, can you go back first? I have something I want to say to Xiangzi."

Hatsune was slightly taken aback by Yutenji Wakana's sudden request and subconsciously turned her gaze to Toyokawa Shoko beside her.

After seeing the other person nod with a cold expression, she reluctantly responded.

"I see......"

His worried gaze kept shifting between Toyokawa Shoko and Yutenji Wakanagi, but in the end he silently disappeared into the night.

After watching Hatsune leave, Toyokawa Shoko turned her gaze to Yutenji Wakana.

"Miss Yutenji, what are you trying to say? Are you suggesting that I take over the work that Mutsumi is handling in the office from Hachiman and transfer it to you?"

After much thought, Toyokawa Shoko could only come up with this one possibility.

After all, tonight Yutenji Wakana was much more attentive and active than usual, when she would cower in the corner of the sofa and tremble whenever she and Toyokawa Yuu started arguing. She even began to compete for power with Hachiman Kairin.

"It was Yuu's decision that Yuu would have Hachiman assist Mutsu in handling and coordinating the work, and I do not intend to change it for him."

Hearing these wary words, Yutenji Wakana sighed and did not directly respond to Toyokawa Shoko's words.

"Hey Xiangzi, are you really planning to continue like this with your agent?"

Bathed in that cold, amber gaze, if it were Hatsune Miku, she might have subconsciously begun to weakly avoid that gaze, but Yutenji Wakana simply waved her hand, completely unconcerned.

"Although this is my first time forming a band, even I can see that whether it's as the leader and manager, or as an engaged couple, if things continue like this, they'll break up sooner or later, and then Ave Mujica will cease to exist."

"What do you mean by that? You've been causing trouble ever since you joined the band, do you really have the right to say things like that to me?"

Shoko Toyokawa, who was already in a bad mood and planned to go straight home after the group disbanded, suddenly became unfriendly when she heard Yutenji Wakana's questioning.

"To be honest, every time Yuu and I argued before, you would shrink to the side and not dare to say a word. Now that Mu is temporarily unable to participate in activities, you have suddenly become so active... Do you really think that you will have an opportunity to take advantage of the temporary chaos in the band because of Mu?"

Although Yutenji Wakana's indenture is now in her hands, and logically this big cat should be on her side, Toyokawa Shoko finds herself unusually wary of every word and action of the drummer in her band.

It's ironic. Back when Toyokawa Yuu used her power to force her to sign a contract of servitude, I was the one who spoke up for her. But now, I'm the one who's extremely wary of her.

"Try to relax, Xiangzi. I'm not your manager, and I don't intend to start arguing with you right away. I just don't want Ave Mujica to disband like this."

Faced with Toyokawa Shoko's somewhat unfriendly tone, Yutenji Wakame waved her hand, signaling her to calm down and not to take her anger out on her.

She never imagined that one day she would be playing the role of peacemaker in the band.

Even after she said that, Toyokawa Shoko's expression did not completely soften.

“You didn’t seem to have this kind of thought before, Miss Yutenji. Just now you even wanted to compete with Hachiman for power.”

"What's so strange about that? I'm the kind of person who will try to climb up whenever I see an opportunity. But as a young lady, you probably can't understand this, just like you can't understand your manager."

"What did you say?"

She said she didn't understand Yuu Toyokawa?

Upon hearing Yutenji Wakana, who didn't have much interaction with the band, make such a judgment about her relationship with Toyokawa Yuu, Toyokawa Shoko immediately frowned.

"My relationship with Youyu..."

How could I not know Youyu? Our relationship isn't something you outsiders can understand...

"So, do you know why your agent always gives in to you almost unconditionally?"

Before Toyokawa Shoko could even finish speaking, Yutenji Wakana raised his voice slightly, suppressing the other party's rebuttal.

Seeing that Toyokawa Shoko was gradually quieting down and seemed to be listening to her finish speaking, Yutenji Wakame sighed inwardly, as if she understood Toyokawa Yuu's helplessness a little.

A young lady from a prestigious family wouldn't even know how to get angry and argue. If they were to actually quarrel, she wouldn't be so proactive as to wait for the other person to finish speaking.

She probably can only win an argument with Toyokawa Yuu.

Yutenji Wakako doesn't believe that Toyokawa Yuu is incapable of arguing. Last time, she overheard two of the agency's managers arguing over venue negotiations, and they almost came to blows.

Looking at the somewhat naive young lady in front of her, who was at least completely clueless about interpersonal relationships, Yutenji Wakame felt a little helpless, but at the same time, a sense of superiority even rose in her pink eyes.

"Of course, it's because Yu-Yu and I are bound by fate. Even if I were to ask the other person for something in return, there's no need for such formalities..."

"Have you ever given anything to Mr. Agent, Xiangzi, or rather, have you ever taken anything from him?"

Having no interest in listening to Toyokawa Shoko's grand pronouncements about a community of shared destiny, he immediately moved on to the next question.

The sound stopped.

Even with a piece of gel stuffed into her throat, she couldn't utter a single syllable despite wriggling around, which only made Toyokawa Shoko's expression look even more gloomy.

She really wanted to say yes, such as the previous collaboration with that shopping mall.

But Toyokawa Shoko wasn't stupid. Before Toyokawa Yuu joined Ave Mujica, she used her own surname to attract sponsors and form the band.

She also understood why those adults who had been successful in the business world for many years didn't bother to examine the words of a high school student like herself and easily decided to invest and sponsor.

Since what Yuu Toyokawa did before was no different from what she had done back then, it is only natural that the shopping center called Starlight Plaza would eventually be under her name.

Strictly speaking, it was Toyokawa Yuu saving money for her.

In fact, the first thing he did with that shopping mall was to find a decent job for his father, who had just recovered from his despair.

Therefore, Toyokawa Yuu never actually asked anything of her from beginning to end.

This question, which she had previously been unwilling to confront or think about, was presented to her as a cold, hard fact after being unearthed by Yutenji Wakame.

"what do you want to say in the end?"

"That's why I said you simply don't understand your agent. His almost unconditional favoritism towards your requests isn't because you're special, but because he's run out of options, do you understand?"

Seeing the frozen expression on Toyokawa Shoko's face, Yutenji Wakame's voice softened a bit.

She said she wasn't there to argue, and she genuinely had no intention of becoming a life mentor to Toyokawa Shoko.

Yutenji Wakame simply didn't want Toyokawa Shoko to ruin Toyokawa Yuu's life because of her own willfulness.

She could see that since joining Ave Mujica, Yuu Toyokawa had become an indispensable glue that held the band together; if he were to leave, the band would fall apart in no time.

Her long-term meal ticket has only just begun to be used.

"That's just your side of the story. You're just a student, don't pretend to be a wise man who can see through other people's thoughts."

Gritting her teeth, Toyokawa Shoko looked at the girl in front of her who was dissecting her fiancé's mindset like a psychoanalyst.

Toyokawa Shoko simply didn't want to believe what Yutenji Wakame said.

"...I heard your phone call last night."

After a moment of silence, Yutenji Wakana dropped another bombshell, causing Toyokawa Shoko to gasp in surprise.

"What did you say?"

Although Yutenji Wakana didn't explicitly say what it was about, Toyokawa Shoko easily understood what she meant.

Tomorrow I'll have Youyu replace that broken door!

"Although I couldn't hear what was being said on the other end of the phone, I could hear your voices. The agent rejected a big shot and chose to stay in Ave Mujica, right... Your sudden interruption yesterday must have caused him a lot of trouble."

The person who could elicit such a respectful attitude from Yuu Toyokawa, the young lady of the Toyokawa Group, Shoko Toyokawa, was called "Grandfather"...

Yutenji Wakana didn't even dare to imagine what kind of important person was on the other end of the phone, but Toyokawa Yuu was even more resolute at the time, saying without hesitation that she wanted to stay in Ave Mujica.

"He personally cut off his own escape route, which might not have satisfied him, and chose to be with you. So now, Xiangzi, you are actually the only one who can save him on this path... But it seems that you haven't realized this, and so far you haven't given him any feedback or help. Have you really fulfilled your responsibility as a partner in a shared destiny?"

"I...this is between Youyu and me, it has nothing to do with you."

Turning her gaze to the other side, Toyokawa Shoko suddenly found herself unable to refute this teammate who, theoretically, should be in a completely weak position in front of her.

"Besides, isn't this the real reason you came to see me today? No wonder you were so active tonight. Did you think you had an opportunity just because you overheard something?"

“I don’t deny it. I originally thought I was the only one who was tied to the band Ave Mujica, so I was always very careful and cautious before. But now I know that my manager was the same. He is my natural ally, so of course I have to defend him. After all, I’m still counting on the guy who tricked me to help me get ahead.”

Yutenji Wakana crossed her arms and looked at Toyokawa Shoko, who seemed to be deep in thought. She knew that this stubborn young lady was caught in a dilemma, and at this time, it would be good to give her a way out and push her along.

“When you formed Ave Mujica, you said you would take on the responsibility of everyone’s lives. So take responsibility. At least I still need this band to make a living. Apart from Ave Mujica, I really have nothing else.”

Reflected in her pink eyes was Toyokawa Shoko's figure, who had fallen into complete silence. Yutenji Wakame also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She wasn't the type to have a long, philosophical conversation with people, but in order to prevent her long-term financial support from being torn up too quickly, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and act as a peacemaker.

I'll definitely make my agent pay me overtime later, and at least make that contract a little more lenient, and at least raise my share of the profits...

With the thought of taking credit after the deed was done in mind, Yutenji Wakana did not linger to disturb the thoughtful Toyokawa Shoko, and left directly.

I ate quite a lot today, so I need to make a proper plan for dieting when I get back.

Standing in the cool evening breeze, Toyokawa Shoko's amber gaze gradually became unfocused.