People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

Ishikawa Mayu deliberately imitated Aine's strange accent, almost breaking down the words "I really want to live next door to you" into meaningless syllables, attempting to erase its original ambiguous meaning through this "technical processing".

Chihaya Aine watched him struggle to come up with such a clumsy trick, and the smug satisfaction of her successful prank almost overflowed. She hadn't really intended to expose him on the spot.

They pushed Zhenyu to the brink. Watching him frantically try to cover it up was far more interesting than directly confronting him.

So she nodded very "obediently," a look of understanding on her face, and replied sweetly:

"Okay! I understand, Ms. Mayu! The meaning is the most important thing!" She picked up her pen and neatly wrote down the pinyin and Japanese translation of "I have to go back quickly" in her notebook, as if she really wanted to devote herself to her studies.

Seeing her suddenly become so "studious," Ishikawa Mayu finally relaxed a little and let out a long, silent sigh of relief.

The crisis... seems to have temporarily subsided?

Just then, the bell signaling the end of lunch break rang, like a life-saving horn. Ishikawa Mayu practically sprang up from her chair, her movements so fast they created a gust of wind.

Alright! That's all for today's lesson!

He spoke rapidly, frantically stuffing lyric sheets and pinyin materials into his backpack while assigning tasks without looking up, his voice slightly muffled due to the urgency:

"Homework...homework is to read the pinyin and those two lines of lyrics you learned today several times! I'll check it next time!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't even dare to look at Ai and Deng again. He rushed out of the Astronomy Department activity room as if he were fleeing in panic, his figure disappearing into the light and shadow of the corridor outside the door, with a hint of obvious haste.

"Hey? Mayu, wait for us!"

Chihaya Aine watched his retreating figure as he practically fled, and couldn't help but laugh out loud. She quickly began packing her things, preparing to chase after him with Akari.

However, just as she zipped up her backpack and stood up, she felt her sleeve being gently tugged.

She turned around and met Gao Songdeng's light brown eyes, which were filled with pure confusion.

The lamp tilted its head slightly, its brow furrowed in thought, and softly, slowly repeated the pronunciation that puzzled her:

“Aiyin…'Wo-hao-xiang-zhu-ni-ge-bi'…"

She tried her best to imitate Ai-yin's strange tone, then looked up, her eyes filled with confusion:

"If... as Mayu-san said, it's meaningless... then why... do you think it sounds better?"

She couldn't understand why a "meaningless" syllable could possess a charm that surpassed that of a "meaningful" sentence.

Chihaya Aine looked at the earnest, inquisitive look on the lamp, then at the doorway where Mayu had disappeared, and couldn't help but burst out laughing again.

She bent down, leaned close to the lamp's ear, and cupped her hand around her mouth, as if to share a huge secret, her voice filled with barely suppressed laughter and intimacy:

"Little Lamp, let me tell you..."

Her warm breath brushed against Deng's earlobe, her voice low and trembling with a mischievous glint:

"What this sentence means... is actually..."

She paused deliberately, looking at the lamp's eyes, which were slightly widened with anticipation, and then whispered in a tone as if announcing a major secret:

"...You mean, 'Ishikawa Mayu is a big idiot'!"

"—Huh?!"

Takamatsu Akari froze instantly, her light brown eyes filled with shock and a hint of bewilderment. She glanced at the doorway, then at Aine, who was grinning like a cat that had just stolen some cream, and subconsciously shook her head, defending Mayu in a soft but unusually firm voice:

“Mayu-kun... isn’t stupid.”

She pursed her lips, seemingly feeling that this wasn't enough, and earnestly added, trying to correct Aine's "misconception":

"He...is very smart. He's also very patient in teaching us."

Although... I seemed a little flustered just now.

Seeing Akari's earnest expression as she eagerly defended Mayu, Chihaya Aine felt her mischievous joy reach its peak. She reached out and affectionately ruffled Akari's hair, her smile as radiant as a blooming cherry blossom.

"Yes, yes, he's not stupid, not stupid at all~" Her tone was indulgent and perfunctory, then she took Deng's arm, her voice regaining its energy, "Let's go, let's go! We'll be late this afternoon if we don't go!"

Holding the still somewhat bewildered lamp, she walked briskly towards the outdoor activity room.

Sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, elongating the shadows of the two girls walking side by side.

As Takamatsu was being led by Aine, the words "Ishikawa Mayu is a big idiot" were still echoing in her mind, along with Mayu's flushed face and hurried denial.

Is there a secret world between Aine and Mayu that she doesn't fully understand yet?

That world seems... quite interesting.

I don't want to be excluded.

Chapter 121 Agency Invitation

Fortunately, the incident during the lunch break did not continue. Chihaya Aine did not cause any more trouble throughout the afternoon, which finally allowed Ishikawa Mayu to relax a little.

It seems that Aine didn't notice anything unusual, and she is relatively safe.

In the evening, after a quiet dinner at the Nagasaki Soseki family's house downstairs, Ishikawa Maho returned to her own home.

A desk lamp was on in the study. He sat in front of an open notebook, his pen writing smoothly on the paper. Suddenly, his phone, which was placed beside him, vibrated and the screen lit up.

He glanced at it, and the name on the caller ID made him pause slightly—

Sumita Mana

A subtle premonition rose in her heart. Ishikawa Mayu put down her pen, picked up her phone, and pressed the answer button.

"Moshi Moshi? Is that Mana?"

"Good evening, Makoto-kun~" Mana's familiar voice came through the receiver, still carrying her unique sweetness and energy. However, if you listened carefully, you could still detect a hint of weariness from work. "I hope I'm not disturbing you by calling you at this hour? Are you rushing to finish your homework?"

"I was just writing, but I won't mind taking a little longer." Zhenyu relaxed her body, leaning back lazily in her chair, her gaze shifting from the math problem that wasn't particularly difficult. "But you, you sound like the one who was disturbed. Did you just finish work? You sound exhausted."

"Huh? Is it that obvious?" Mana was a little surprised, then laughed, her tone becoming more relaxed. "It's alright, just some post-recording debriefing meetings, which were quite mentally taxing. How about you? Did I interrupt your study session?"

"No," Zhenyu answered decisively, gently placing her pen next to her notebook. "Your phone call is much more important to me than my homework."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

But soon, Mana's voice rang out again, in a deliberately drawn-out, obviously performative, sweet tone: "Eh—really? So I'm that important to you, Makoto? I'm so happy~"

She even mimicked the tone of a fan meeting their idol, letting out a small gasp.

"But you actually said my phone calls are more important than my studies? If your teachers found out, I'd be a criminal!"

Teasing me with Junda Mana's overly sweet voice, Ishikawa Mayu instantly realized that what she had just said seemed... very easy to be misunderstood.

Although he had noticed Mana's exaggerated acting early on, a slight heat still crept up to his ears.

"Don't give me that." He interrupted awkwardly in a low voice, subconsciously looking away, as if Mana could see his discomfort through the phone. "I'm just stating an objective fact. Homework can be done anytime."

"Alright, alright, I'm just kidding." Mana knew when to stop, her laughter returning to its usual cheerful tone, and her tone became more formal. "There is indeed something important. Our agency, Win-Wing, has a new music project, and we think you would be a perfect fit."

"The project?" Zhenyu's attention was drawn to it.

"You know my teammate, Mitsuba Hatsuka, right?"

“Of course I know,” Mayu replied. Another core member of Sumimi, a super-popular idol with both talent and looks—it’s hard not to know her. She’d run into her a couple of times before when she was looking for Mana.

“It’s like this,” Mana said, her tone becoming slightly more formal. “The agency is currently planning a special project, arranging for Hatsuka to lead two newcomers to form a limited-time trio and record a single. This is intended to leverage Hatsuka’s popularity to attract newcomers and give them a good start to their debut.”

"Furthermore, the agency also hopes that this song can have some unique musical elements that are easy for the Donghuang market to accept and like, as a way to lay the groundwork for the future."

"...Therefore, the production team and I both believe that you are the most suitable candidate. We would like to formally invite you to join our project as a 'guest violinist'."

Junda Mana's voice was filled with a hint of excitement.

A mix of anticipation and slight nervousness crept over her—if Zhenyu agreed, it seemed there would be more reasons to meet naturally. The thought flashed through her mind so quickly that she didn't even delve into it further.

"...So, what do you think, Shinba-kun?"

Ishikawa Mayu held her phone and fell into a brief silence.

A special guest violinist... to perform a single featuring Triangle Chuhua and two unfamiliar newcomers?

The scene he would have to face almost immediately flashed into his mind: an unfamiliar recording studio, unfamiliar staff, tedious communication, and possible repeated revisions... Just imagining it made him feel a fatigue of having his social energy depleted in advance.

Not to mention, his current schedule is already packed to the brim—schoolwork, regular live streams, weekend music arrangement lessons with Lixi, the unwavering obligation to supervise Aiyin's guitar practice, and... his uninterrupted dinner time with Su Shi.

Each of these tasks consumed his limited time and energy.

“…Mana,” he began hesitantly, “you know my situation. This kind of collaboration that requires frequent interaction with unfamiliar teams is…”

“I knew you’d say that!” Mana’s voice was filled with laughter, showing no surprise whatsoever, but rather a kind of “prepared” excitement. “Don’t worry! I’ve taken care of all the communication and coordination that needs to be done! Your manager will handle everything directly with you, and the process will be as streamlined as possible! You just need to show up for the most important music discussions and recordings! If there’s anything you’re really unsure about, you can come to me directly.”

Her tone was light and cheerful, with a hint of pride, as if she were sharing a carefully prepared surprise: "Makoto, I really praised you a lot in the meeting to reassure you that you'd join! I told the producer that you're our 'secret weapon,' that the violin's captivating power is unparalleled, and this collaboration will definitely enhance the song a lot!"

Shin-chan listened quietly.

He could hear the effort Mana had put into making this happen, and the joy she felt after successfully persuading the team, in Mana's voice. This joy, unburdened and purely for securing an opportunity for him, shone through her words like sunshine.

As for the music itself? He trusted Mana's judgment and the production standards of Win-Wing Studio. Those daunting processes and interpersonal relationships were certainly huge obstacles… but…

He could almost see Mana at the meeting, beaming with pride as she fought for his opportunities.

The strong resistance in my heart was eventually touched by this bright sincerity.

He took a soft breath and said in a conciliatory manner:

"I might need to confirm the specific schedule first. I'm very busy right now, so if it conflicts too much with my other commitments, I might still..."

“No problem!” Mana immediately agreed, her tone light. “We can be flexible with the timing and prioritize your schedule! You should listen to the music first, and we can discuss the rest in more detail later!”

"If there are no other questions, I'll send you the schedule and the demo of the music first, and you can take a look at it."

"...Okay, send it over."

After hanging up the phone, Ishikawa Mayu looked at the file receiving notification that popped up on the screen and helplessly rubbed her temples.

Math homework, the aftermath of Chinese class, band practice, and now a professional collaboration that requires him to muster the courage to step out of his comfort zone...

He leaned back in his chair, stared at the ceiling, and sighed silently.

Chapter 122 Video Supervision Cancelled?!

The schedule sent by Junda Mana has been sent to Ishikawa Mayu's phone.

Looking at the schedule, and then at the calendar hanging on the wall, its densely packed arrangements made me feel dizzy. I couldn't refuse the collaboration invitation from Mana Junda anymore; the problem now was how to squeeze out the time.

Ishikawa Mayu's gaze swept across the schedule, finally settling on the fixed time slot marked "Supervisor Aine" with a hint of helplessness.

It seems... this is the only time I can move.

Just as he was staring at that time, intensely weighing his options and contemplating how to explain things to Aine, as if by telepathy, the phone in his hand vibrated at that precise moment, the screen lit up, and the familiar caller ID with its cute emoticons popped up—

Chihaya Aine invites you to a video call.

As Ishikawa Mayu watched the names flashing on the screen, she felt a throbbing in her temples.

It's true... what I feared most came to pass.

Aine has been getting more and more proactive lately, but I have to pour cold water on her enthusiasm at times like this...

He took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, and tried to look no different from usual before pressing the answer button.

The screen lit up, and Chihaya Aine's vibrant face immediately filled the frame. She seemed to have just taken a shower; her pink hair was still slightly damp, and she was wearing comfortable loungewear, holding her electric guitar in her arms. The background was her room, decorated with a girlish touch.

Unlike usual, when she was holding a guitar, what was laid out in front of her was a notebook in Donghuang language and a piece of lyric paper that had been altered.

"Good evening, Ms. Zhenyu~" She waved at the camera with a smile, her voice as energetic as ever, but her eyes sparkled with an eagerness to show off and seek praise. "I did my homework today! I've read all ten of the pinyin sentences you gave me so many times!"

She cleared her throat, sat up straight, and began to read, albeit haltingly, in an extremely earnest tone, yet with an endearing quality due to her unfamiliarity with pronunciation:

"It's going to rain soon!"

I—have—to—hurry—back—

"Piano—bag—inside—picker—box—"

……

She read it aloud with great effort, word by word. Although her tone was strange and she would occasionally stumble, her obvious seriousness and effort were clearly conveyed through the screen.

After she finished reading, she immediately looked up at him, her silver-gray eyes sparkling, her face full of expectant anticipation:

"How was it, Ms. Mayu? I did a pretty good job with my preparation, right? Is there anything I need to correct?"

Looking at her completely trusting, slightly proud, and expectant expression, as if she were waiting to be awarded a red flower, the words that Ishikawa Mayu was about to say suddenly seemed to be blocked by something, making it even more difficult for her to speak.