People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

He smiled and shook his head, just as he was about to put his phone away, when a fair hand suddenly reached out from the side and patted his shoulder lightly.

Ishikawa Mayu was startled and looked up.

Shoko Toyokawa had somehow appeared beside him, looking at him with a hint of curiosity on her face.

She seemed to have dressed up a bit today, looking quite pretty, a stark contrast to the girl who usually had a hint of melancholy between her brows at school.

About half a step behind Xiangzi, Ruoye Mu stood quietly, her golden eyes looking over calmly, and she nodded slightly as a silent greeting.

"What are you laughing at?" Xiangzi tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over his smile that he hadn't yet managed to suppress. Her tone was casual, but her probing gaze sharpened for a moment without her even fully realizing it. "Did something good happen?"

That smile... was it because of a phone call he just had? Or...?

Ishikawa Mayu looked at Shoko, who had suddenly appeared beside him, and the smile on his face had not yet completely disappeared.

His gaze lingered gently on her face for a moment, then turned to the quiet Xiao Mu behind her and nodded.

"I guess so," he replied with a smile, his tone relaxed, and then added naturally, "Besides, Xiangzi and Xiaomu look quite good today."

Xiangzi was taken aback by his straightforward praise, and then a faint blush crept up her cheeks. She looked away uncomfortably, raised her hand to smooth a strand of hair at her temple, and muttered softly, "...After all, today is my own song, the first time it's being performed in a formal setting...I should pay some attention to my appearance."

"However, even if you praise it like that... don't think you can get away with it so easily. What were you laughing at just now?"

Seeing her feigned composure despite clearly caring, Ishikawa Mayu's smile deepened. He shrugged, saying in a tone of "I can't do anything with you," "Of course there are good things too, but let's focus on the performance today. We can talk about other things later."

Xiangzi was clearly not satisfied with this vague answer. He pursed his lips, revealing a hint of displeasure at being brushed off.

However, she was not the kind of girl who would make a fuss unreasonably, especially since Xiao Mu was still by her side and there were people coming and going outside. Naturally, she wouldn't hold a grudge and just gave a soft "humph," which was a reluctant acquiescence.

Ishikawa Mayu naturally noticed her dissatisfaction, smiled helplessly, and then suddenly took two steps forward.

The distance between them instantly shrank to an almost intimate level. Xiangzi could even feel the faint warmth emanating from his body, and the gentle breath that brushed against her ear.

"It's about your band," Mayu tilted her head slightly, lowered her voice to make sure only Shoko, who was standing right next to her, could hear her clearly, her breath brushing lightly against Shoko's sensitive earlobe. "As for the drummer, I might have a suitable candidate. Also, I just met with Hachiman Kairin and we exchanged greetings."

"But Xiao Mu is still here. Talking about these specific and troublesome plans now might affect her mood for the performance later, right?"

"Are you satisfied now, Miss Partner?"

Chapter 266 Until I am satisfied

Xiangzi was caught off guard by his sudden approach and the warm breath on his ear.

Her earlobes were a sensitive spot, and now, as Zhenyu's voice, lowered yet more intimate, accompanied by a smile and his hot breath, assaulted her, a strong tingling sensation surged through her spine like an electric current, making her freeze for a moment.

"...!"

She didn't even have time to hear what Zhenyu said clearly, only catching a few vague words like "drummer" and "Hachiman Kairin" before her mind went blank from the overly intimate distance and the touch on her ear. Her cheeks and ears rapidly warmed and turned red, especially the tips of her ears, which were so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

"Speak properly! Why are you getting so close...!"

As if burned, Xiangzi suddenly took a big step back, widening the distance between the two.

She raised her hand to cover her burning ears, glaring at Ishikawa Mayu with a mixture of shame and anger, her eyes filled with panic, and even her voice was a little louder than usual.

Seeing her overreaction, especially her bright red earlobes and her embarrassed and angry eyes that were trying to appear calm, Ishikawa Mayu had a smug smile in his eyes, but he showed a bit of innocence on his face, took half a step back, and shrugged.

"We just don't want others to hear us discussing 'confidential matters'." He glanced at her still flushed ears, his tone natural.

Xiangzi was speechless for a moment after hearing his words. The throbbing in his heart had not yet completely subsided, and the heat on his ears lingered stubbornly.

She knew her reaction had been a bit too much, especially in front of Xiao Mu, who was watching quietly from the side... which made her feel even more embarrassed.

Xiangzi took a deep breath, barely suppressing the heat on her face, and glared at Zhenyu. However, she ultimately didn't dwell on the distance issue, but simply turned her face away and mumbled, "...I know. Stop nagging."

Standing slightly behind, Wakaba Mutsu witnessed the brief, tense interaction between the two. Her golden eyes quietly swept between Shoko, whose cheeks were slightly flushed and who was trying to remain calm, and Mayu, whose face looked innocent but whose eyes held a smile, before she gently blinked.

Looking at the two girls before him, one still embarrassed and annoyed, the other quietly watching, Ishikawa Mayu's smile softened. He stopped pursuing topics that could easily cause a "stir," and his tone returned to its usual reliable quality.

“Alright,” he clapped his hands, drawing their attention, “now I’ll take you inside.”

As he spoke, his gaze naturally fell on Wakaba Mutsu, who was standing quietly to the side. Mutsu always seemed to be like this, so quiet that she seemed to blend into the background, and if she didn't make a sound, she would easily be overlooked.

With a slight thought, he naturally extended his right hand toward Xiao Mu.

“Come on, Xiao Mu,” his voice was softer than usual, carrying a gentle tone that didn’t put any pressure on anyone, “follow me, don’t get lost. There might be a lot of people inside.”

Ruoye Mutsu's golden eyes flickered slightly, her gaze falling on Shin's outstretched hand, pausing for about a second. Then, without saying anything, she quietly took a small step forward and gently placed her hand on the edge of Shin's palm.

She nodded, a small but clear nod.

"Hmm." A simple syllable.

Ishikawa Mayu felt a slight warmth and touch from the edge of his palm, steadily supporting that little bit of support, and turned to lead the way.

"Let's go, Xiangzi, keep up."

Xiangzi pursed his lips, suppressing the lingering embarrassment and inexplicable excitement in his heart, and took a step to follow Zhenyu about half a step behind.

Walking through the slightly noisy corridor, Xiangzi looked at Zhenyu's straight back ahead, and suddenly, as if remembering something, casually said in a conversational tone:

"By the way, this seems to be the first time I've heard you play the violin."

Ishikawa Mayu, who was walking ahead, paused almost imperceptibly.

He turned his head and glanced at Xiangzi, a thoughtful look on his face. Then he suddenly realized and smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"Ah...it seems that's true."

When Xiangzi saw him admit it, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he raised his chin slightly, his tone carrying a matter-of-fact, light teasing tone: "I played the piano for you quite a bit in your school's activity room before. Now, it's my turn to listen to your level."

Upon hearing this, Ishikawa Mayu turned around, gave her a slightly helpless smile, and jokingly said, "Yes, yes, yes. But what if my performance on stage later doesn't meet your standards and is really bad? Will you kick me out of your future 'band' on the spot?"

Xiangzi was taken aback by his question.

It's impossible that their skill level is terrible.

After all, someone who can earn so much money through music and being a streamer, and who also collaborates with an agency, can't be too bad off.

But does Mayu's style really suit her needs?

If she were choosing other teammates, she would definitely carefully examine their performance style, skills, etc. beforehand...

Only Mayu was someone I personally invited...

Could it be that……

Xiangzi shook his head violently, as if trying to shake off a sudden thought from his mind.

Now is not the time to think about these things.

!

In reality, even if the styles aren't entirely consistent, it doesn't seem to be an insurmountable problem for her. At worst... she can just slightly adjust the overall arrangement for him, or tailor-make parts that suit his characteristics and fit into the band's atmosphere.

A jumble of thoughts flashed through her mind like lightning. Facing Zhenyu's playful gaze, she quickly suppressed all her hesitation, took a deep breath, raised her chin slightly, and tried to adopt a critical and strict posture, deliberately adding a sharp scrutinizing look to her eyes.

“If your skill level is really bad…” she drawled, as if seriously considering the punishment.

Seeing her deliberately stern expression, Ishikawa Mayu cooperated by showing a slightly nervous look and pressed, "What will happen?"

Xiangzi's expression suddenly changed. His previous sharp scrutiny melted away like thin ice under the sun, replaced by an unusually bright, even sweet, smile. However, the words uttered beneath that radiant smile sent a chill down the spine of anyone listening:

"I'll lock you up in the Little Mu Family Hospital for special training."

She added, her smile growing even sweeter, "Until I'm satisfied."

Chapter 267 I Have High Hopes for You

Upon hearing Xiangzi's words, Ishikawa Maho's smile visibly froze. He paused, turned around, and looked at Xiangzi, whose face still wore a sweet smile, but whose eyes flashed with a hint of cunning.

“Wait a minute,” he said, his tone a mix of amusement and exasperation, “this…this involves illegal detention, doesn’t it? And what kind of standard is ‘satisfied’? It’s too subjective. Wouldn’t this mean endless suffering? It will also disturb Xiao Mu.”

Xiangzi slightly raised his chin, his bright smile remaining unchanged, and even blinked, clearly saying, "It was intentional, what can you do about it?"

She deliberately made her definition of "satisfaction" vague.

It was his sudden closeness and the way he spoke that made her heart race, her ears burn, and she almost lost her composure in front of Xiao Mu.

Now it's his turn to be nervous.

He turned to look at Wakaba Mutsumi, whom he was holding hands with, trying to find an ally: "Right, Mutsumi? Isn't this plan a bit..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

Wakaba Mutsu raised his face slightly, his golden eyes calmly shifting between Shoko and Mayu, and then—he nodded very clearly and without hesitation.

"Hmm." Her voice remained flat, yet carried a strange firmness. "As for Zhenyu, no problem."

After speaking, Mu nodded slightly, as if confirming his judgment.

That usually expressionless face now seemed to radiate a more vibrant light than its usual indifferent demeanor, as if it were carrying out a very important and serious task.

Maya Ishikawa: "..."

Xiangzi looked at Zhenyu, who was both laughing and crying, and then at Xiaomu.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I felt that Xiao Mu's answer carried a hint of expectation, and this "revenge" seemed to be sliding in a slightly subtle direction.

Ishikawa Mayu opened her mouth, looking at the two girls in front of her—one with a bright smile but "hiding murderous intent," and the other with a calm expression but "earnest agreement"—and was momentarily speechless. In the end, she could only show a wry smile and say, "You two... really."

"Hmph." Xiangzi snorted softly, suppressing the subtle strange feeling in his heart. The curve of his chin was raised again with a little smugness. He felt that he had gotten back at the "place" he had been teased by when he suddenly approached him. "It's good that you know how 'powerful' you are. So, you'd better perform well on stage later."

"Yes, yes, yes," Ishikawa Mayu nodded repeatedly, her tone filled with indulgent laughter, "I will definitely do my best and never let down Lord Shoko and Lord Komugi's earnest 'expectations,' is that alright?"

As he spoke, he led the two through the slightly crowded passageway to the reserved area for family tickets. The view from here was excellent, with a clear view of the stage.

“This is it,” he stepped aside to let them sit down. “The seats are pretty good.”

Xiangzi and Muyi sat down as instructed. After sitting down, Xiangzi subconsciously adjusted his posture to make himself look more dignified.

“Well then,” Ishikawa Mayu said to the two seated people as she stood by the aisle, “I’ll be going now. I have to go to the entrance to pick up the others, and then I have to go backstage to make the final preparations.”

"Mm." Xiangzi nodded, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment. His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only uttered two words softly, "Keep it up."

Ruoye Mu also raised her head, her golden eyes quietly gazing at him, and nodded very slightly.

"I will." Ishikawa Mayu returned a gentle smile, waved to them, then turned around, rejoined the crowd, and walked quickly in the direction she had come from.

On his way back to the RiNG entrance, Ishikawa Mayu quickened his pace unconsciously. Still thinking about picking up Junta Mana and Serizawa Mio, he took out his phone to check the message, but his eyes fell on the name "Shiina Maki".

Will Lixi's older sister come today?

Knowing Maki as he did, he knew she wouldn't miss an opportunity like this.

But until now, neither has she seen anyone, nor has Lixi mentioned her sister.

Based on his understanding of his gentle yet somewhat cunning older sister, he knew that if she knew her younger sister had an important debut performance, she would definitely show up to support her without hesitation, as long as time allowed.

Is it because Maki-neechan is too busy today and can't get away?

Ishikawa Mayu hesitated for a moment, then opened LINE and found Shiina Maki's chat window. Their last chat history was from last night.

[Shiina Maki: Good evening, Mayu. How was your day? When Ritsuki came home tonight, her face was so expressive, one minute she was all puffed up, the next she was secretly laughing to herself... You didn't do anything to her again, did you? (laughs)]

He remembered replying with a sweating emoji, vaguely brushing it off. Maki replied with a "I understand" cat emoji, and the conversation ended there.

Maki always liked to learn about Riki's performance in the band through him...

[Ishikawa Mayu: Maki-neechan, sorry to bother you. I was wondering if you'd be coming to RiNG today? If needed, I can meet you at the entrance.]

The message was quickly marked as read. The reply took half a minute to arrive.

[Shiina Maki: Of course I'm looking forward to the performance, but I didn't receive an invitation from Ritsuki.]

No invitation? Ishikawa Mayu was taken aback; this wasn't what he expected.

[Ishikawa Mayu: Did Riki forget to mention that?]

The response was faster this time.

[Shiina Maki: It's not that she forgot. She's always been like this.]

Has it always been like this?

Ishikawa Mayu stopped by the wall, looking at the sentence, his brows furrowing slightly. He recalled the warm atmosphere of Ritsuki's house, the gentle expression on Maki's face when she mentioned Ritsuki, and Ritsuki's awkward yet never-refusing care. Would Ritsuki, with all that, not invite her sister to see her important first performance?

[Ishikawa Mayu: Always like this? Why? Maki-neechan should be very important to Ritsuki.]

This time, the interval was a little longer. Just when he thought the other party might not have time to reply, the message arrived.