What a twist! The loser heroine!

"Ah, good morning, Wenshui-kun and Yuezhi-senpai."

Upon hearing the president's words, Wen Shui and Jia Shu turned around at the same time and found that Yue Zhi Mu Kou was not far behind them, wiping his glasses with a handkerchief as he walked towards the booth.

"Ah, I finally made it!" she said with a smile. "Finding a parking spot took quite a bit of effort, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, now the reception team is complete." The chairman said, a rare look of worry on his face: "However... I'm afraid we're still short-handed."

"What's wrong?" Yuezhi asked quickly when she saw the president's expression.

"The city council and the TV station have made new demands... The original plan was to have the reception team greet the tourists, but they said that this would not fully reflect the youthful vitality of Shilu."

The president looked somewhat troubled, then continued, "Furthermore, it seems that Xiao Ju's book is targeted at introverted people, and the publisher believes that the original format would put psychological pressure on buyers—"

Upon hearing this, Wen Shui imagined himself, a student from the Yin Corner, standing in front of the school gate, flanked by two rows of Yang Corner students wearing Shilu school uniforms and beaming with smiles, all greeting him in unison.

Just kill me already.

He nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of shared experience.

"So, I discussed it with the school board and we decided to have the students participating in the event... well, play themselves on the booth."

"What?"

"It's about performing your daily life at school without interacting with tourists."

"Tsk, although last-minute changes are annoying, they have a point." Yuezhi pondered for a moment and asked, "Have the props been prepared for the performance? Like desks and bookshelves?"

"It's too late to go back to school to move them now, so I'm sending the props team to check with the publisher to see if they have any in stock. If not, then forget it."

"So how many more people are we short?"

"Many students have other tasks that they can't get away from, so there are still 2 vacancies."

Senior Yuezhi and the president skillfully exchanged information about the preparations for the autograph session, and their smooth communication surprised Wenshui.

[Tsukinoki-senpai...so you're that familiar with the student council president?]

“We still need two more people—” said the vice president of the Moon Tree Club, turning to look at the Wen Shui siblings.

The president then spoke up, "Wait a minute, senior, Wen Shui will be staying with Xiao Ju this morning."

"I know that, but I'm not looking for Wen Shuiheyan."

Senior Yuezhi waved her hand and walked to another person named Wenshui.

She smiled and said, "So, Yoshiki, would you like to try on Ishiru's school uniform?"

Yoshiki looked puzzled: "Ishizuki's school uniform?"

"Oh, right?" Moonwood said with a smile, "Would you like to try them on? You can also chat with the upperclassmen!"

"Wait a minute, Tsukinoki-senpai, are you saying you want Yoshiki to play Ishizuki's student?"

"Right."

"But Yoshiki is still a middle school student!!"

"No problem. Yoshiki and Komari are about the same size. We also got a few extra school uniforms yesterday to prevent any accidents, so Yoshiki can wear them."

The problem isn't about the size!

Just as Wen Shui was about to say something, Vice President Yue Zhimu shut him down with a single sentence.

"Besides, Wen Shui, didn't you yourself say that your sister wants to come to Shi Lu or something? How about we treat this as a rehearsal?"

...!

Wen Shui was stunned. He turned his head and found that his sister had also met his gaze as if by telepathy.

"Brother..."

Those brown eyes revealed a girl's clear yet restrained longing.

[...I have some admiration for Shilu.]

Yoshiki's words echoed in my mind once again.

Wen Shui opened her mouth, but found that she couldn't say anything else.

What am I even worried about...?

He touched his sister's long black hair, and then Asahi no Ki and Hokagehara bowed slightly.

"Then please take good care of Yoshiki, both of you senior students."

"Don't make the atmosphere so heavy." Senior Yuezhi patted Wenshui's shoulder with a smile: "It's just an event."

The president walked up to Yoshiki and said, "Warm Water's sister...Warm Water Yoshiki, right?"

"Yes."

The chairman glanced at the "staff" badge hanging around Yoshiki's neck and nodded: "Although we gave Shikiya a few extra spots, I didn't expect her to actually use one up."

"I am Hibari Honohara, the current student council president of Ishibu High School. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you. I am Wen Shui Jia Shu, the current student council secretary of Taoyuan Junior High School. Please take good care of me."

"General affairs... General affairs is not an easy position; one must be shrewd and meticulous in all aspects."

"Jiashu will do his best."

"Good drive."

The president glanced at Yoshiki with an appreciative look, then turned to Wen Shui and said, "You have a wonderful younger sister, Wen Shui. If your sister comes to Shilu in the future, I'm sure she'll be able to make a name for herself in the student council. I'm really looking forward to it."

Wen Shui smiled, feeling a sense of joy, like her own younger sister being praised by someone else.

"But for now... let's focus on solving the current problem." The president breathed a slight sigh of relief: "I'll see who the last person is later. If all else fails, I'll let Hiroto— um..."

"Senior Tsukinoki, could you please take Wenshui and Yoshiki backstage to prepare?"

"Understood. Wen Shui, Jia Shu, come with me."

~Thirty-eighth defeat~ Book signing event, part four

Passing through the tall iron gate, Wen Shui and her brother followed Yue Zhi Mu Gu Du to the exhibition stand. The simulated lawn and the winding, aged road unfolded before them. For a moment, Wen Shui felt as if she had returned to Shi Lu's school campus and couldn't help but admire the prop team's strength.

"The props team hasn't installed the barriers for queuing yet, so we can just walk through."

Tsukinoki-senpai turned around and said.

"Ok."

Wen Shui nodded and stepped aside to avoid a props student who was hurrying out of a small shed.

"Oh, the ancient capital, Wenshui, we've finally arrived."

Wen Shui looked in the direction of the sound and saw that President Tamaki was walking towards Vice President Tsukinoki.

"I was trying to pick up Xiaoju, but we got stuck in traffic, and finding a parking spot took a while." Yuezhimu shrugged helplessly. "We're lucky we were able to get here at this time."

"What are we going to do now?"

"Take Wen Shui and his sister backstage to prepare."

"Warm Water's younger sister?" President Tamaki glanced at Yoshiki: "Ah, what a cute child, but she's still in middle school, isn't she?"

"Don't worry, don't worry, the president has already agreed."

"That's it."

Their conversation attracted some attention. Wen Shui seemed to notice something and turned around. Not far away, Himegami and Hanami, who had just finished their makeup, waved to him in unison.

The two girls, who were already outstanding in appearance and each had their own unique features, were further styled and made up by the stylist. In addition to making subtle adjustments to their hairstyles, they were also given exquisite hair accessories.

The final result has a huge impact on teenagers like Wen Shui.

What's going on? Are they filming an idol drama here?

As Wen Shui thought this, she waved back with a slightly flushed face, and the gesture made Yoshiki, who was next to her, notice Himegami's presence.

Yoshiki Nukumizu, who already harbored the intention of observing Himegami, naturally began to carefully examine this outstanding-looking girl who seemed to be surrounded by an aura.

Himegami smiled and nodded, then seemed to notice that Yoshiki was watching her from beside Onami. She paused for a moment, then waved to Yoshiki, who politely bowed slightly in return.

"Is that girl... someone Himegami knows?" A friend's voice rang out beside Himegami.

Himegami Karen turned to look at Hanami Anna, who had asked the question. Hanami seemed unusually attached to Himegami today, which piqued Himegami's curiosity.

“She should be Wen Shui’s younger sister,” Himeko replied. “Why are you suddenly asking about this?”

“Ah, so she’s Wenshui’s younger sister.” Banami gently twirled a strand of hair between her fingers and said softly, “I don’t know why… but I suddenly have an urge to get along with that girl.”

"Intuition again?"

Princess Himeko grasped her friend's arm.

"Mm." Banami nodded.

“That child doesn’t seem like a bad one,” Himegami Karen said softly, glancing at Yoshiki. “I’d also like to get along with her.”

"Princess Hime can get along well with anyone, right?"

"That's hard to say..." Himegami's gaze remained fixed on Yoshiki's movements.

Upon hearing this, Banami glanced at her friend in surprise.

"Really?"

"It happens occasionally, like back in middle school." Himegami's eyes lowered, but she quickly brightened up again: "Oh dear, let's not talk about that! I feel like Hanami is in a bad mood today? Is she okay?"

"Um... I guess it's because I got up too early and didn't have breakfast... haha." Seeing that she was changing the subject, Bana looked up and glanced nervously at Hakamada not far away before responding to the topic that Himegami had thrown at her.

While the two were chatting, Wen Shui and Jia Shu had already entered the small tent that served as the end point of the autograph session.

It seems that because President Tamaki said something inappropriate, Vice President Tsukinoki was outside attending a high school-level WWE match and did not come in.

After lifting the black curtain and stepping into the shed, Wen Shui was surprised to find that the shed, illuminated by soft lights, seemed to have used soundproofing materials, instantly calming the originally noisy environment.

"The props team is really amazing..." Wen Shui looked around. The black curtain was decorated with all sorts of small ornaments. Ghosts, hearts, and stars that were rushed out yesterday were surrounding the light novel illustrations, making the heroine Sayaka's expression even more vivid.

In this dimly lit, somewhat quiet little shed, Wen Shui inexplicably felt a sense of peace.

Perhaps the decoration team members took into account that the target audience for this work was people from the shadows, which is why they specially arranged the booth in this way?

Passing through the activity areas where people gather in the sunny corners of the campus, and then arriving at Sayaka's secluded corner... that's roughly how it is?

Silently applauding the designer's ingenuity, Wen Shui took her sister's hand and slowly walked forward.

The middle section of the shed was separated by a black curtain painted with white hearts. Wen Shui immediately recognized it as a prop he had bought at the store yesterday. He had gone to great lengths to find a curtain with a heart pattern.

Wen Shui lifted the curtains and went inside. The small space behind the curtains was illuminated by warm-toned lights, and there were cute plush toys in the corner, perhaps symbolizing the gentle heart of Sayaka, the heroine of the novel.

Several second-year students from the props team were gathered around a large desk, stacking high school textbooks on it. It seemed this was the table for the autograph session that would follow; it certainly had a strong school theme.

Upon hearing Wen Shui walk in, a senior who had been helped by Wen Shui the day before greeted him.

Wen Shui responded to Yang Jiao's kindness with a slightly embarrassed expression, and then asked, "Excuse me, which way is the backstage?"

"On the right, where the curtains bulge, is the doorknob."

"Thank you."

Before Wen Shui could even move, the door to the backstage area was opened, and editor Kihara walked in from backstage.

"Editor Kihara?"

"Oh, Wenshui, you're here." Editor Kihara nodded to Wenshui. "Chika is making preparations right now. Remember to take good care of her after the autograph session starts. I have to go to the opening ceremony to make preparations."

Editor Kihara was as efficient as ever. She patted Wenshui on the shoulder, then lifted the curtain and left.

Watching Kihara's figure disappear into the space, Wenshui and Yoshiki opened the door and went backstage. Only then did Yoshiki look up and ask, "Brother, what did Kihara-neechan mean by 'take care'...?"

"Xiao Ju is a bit shy, and the TV station will be sending people to interview her again. To ensure Xiao Ju's mental well-being, the chairman wants me to help her during the autograph session in case of any broadcasting accidents."

"Does that mean... Brother is going to accompany Senior Ju for her autograph session?"

"Well, if nothing unexpected happens, this should be the case."

"But why specifically send your elder brother?"

"Because Xiaoju made a request to the president. After all, my brother and she are the same kind of people and are in the same club. I guess she would feel more at ease if she stayed by my side."

"So this is ah……"

Yoshiki pondered for a moment, then nodded.