People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

Shiina Riki let out a shriek of shame and indignation, her cheeks instantly turning bright red, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She pounced on Maki, frantically trying to cover her sister's mouth to stop her from revealing the secret.

"What nonsense are you spouting! I wasn't fidgeting! I was... I was thinking about the details of the arrangement! I wasn't waiting for him!"

Maki easily blocked Riki's chaotic "attacks," her smile growing even more delighted, and she winked at Mayu.

Listening to Maki's words and seeing the new slippers in her hand that were clearly specially prepared, Ishikawa Mayu suddenly understood Ritsuki's intentions hidden beneath her impatience.

A warm feeling, a mixture of gratitude and a little embarrassment, crept up his ears. He subconsciously touched the back of his neck, his gaze wandering, not daring to look at Lixi's ashamed and indignant back as she was "suppressing" her sister.

"...You...you've gone to so much trouble." He spoke in Maki's direction, his voice lower than usual, tinged with a hint of embarrassed gratitude. This thanks was both for the hospitality and a subtle response to the unspoken expectation.

"You...you all...!" Lixi was even more furious when she heard his ambiguous words, feeling that all her pretense had been stripped away. She turned around abruptly, no longer caring about lecturing her sister, and grabbed Ishikawa Maho's wrist again, this time with almost all her might.

"Stop talking nonsense! Get in here and get to work!!"

She practically dragged Ishikawa Mayu into her room like a gust of wind.

boom!

The door was slammed shut with a loud bang, shutting out Maki's smiling "Let's get along well" from outside.

The room door shut out all outside sounds, leaving only the two people's slightly rapid breathing echoing in the quiet space.

Shiina Tatsuki leaned against the door, his chest rising and falling slightly, the blush on his cheeks still lingering. He glared fiercely at Ishikawa Masahiro, whom he had forcibly dragged in, as if it were all his fault.

Ishikawa Mayu stumbled as she pulled him, the sensation of her firm grip still lingering on his wrist. He regained his balance and looked at Riki's embarrassed and furious expression, his initial embarrassment fading, replaced by an indescribable mix of amusement and a subtle... thrill of being treated with such seriousness.

He glanced around the room, which wasn't spacious but was neatly organized. A faint, refreshing scent, characteristic of Lixi, filled the air, mixed with the distinctive smell of paper and electronic devices. On the desk, the computer screen was still lit, with sheet music and notes scattered around it; clearly, she had been engrossed in her work.

“Um…” Zhenyu cleared his throat, trying to break the awkward and tense atmosphere. His gaze fell on her still reddened ears, and his tone was tentatively softening, “Teacher Lixi, shouldn’t we… start ‘working’?”

"Work, of course we have to get started!" Li hope seemed to have finally found a way out. She straightened up, trying to appear calm, walked around him to the desk, and stiffly operated the computer, deliberately avoiding his gaze. "I didn't call you here to just stand around!"

She skillfully pulled up the audio file, took a deep breath, and tried to make her voice sound as professional as usual, or even more stern, to mask the turmoil within her:

"Listen carefully, this is the adapted demo of 'Spring Shadow.' I'll only play it once, so listen carefully and tell me your first impression and all the changes you can hear! Don't try to fool me!"

Although her tone was fierce, Zhenyu could sense that the tips of her fingers on the mouse curled up almost imperceptibly, revealing a hint of tension and anticipation.

“Yes, Ms. Lixi.” He obediently replied, walked to her side, pulled up a chair and sat down, focusing his attention on the music that was about to start.

Lixi took a deep breath and pressed the play button.

The familiar melody of "Spring Shadow" flowed out, but soon, Mayu keenly noticed the difference.

The violin melody is skillfully woven in, complementing the piano and guitar, giving the song a more elegant yet resolute quality. The rhythmic sections have also been carefully adjusted, making the overall emotional progression more layered and dynamic, especially in the transitions, where the feeling of struggle and breakthrough is vividly portrayed.

When the music ended, the room fell into a brief silence, with only the faint hum of the equipment running.

Ishikawa Mayu slowly opened her eyes and immediately looked at Riki beside her.

She was pressing her lips tightly together, her hands clasped together nervously, her knuckles turning white from the force, and her beautiful purple eyes were fixed on him, filled with a mixture of intense anticipation and unease.

Zhenyu laughed, then said clearly, word by word:

"Li hope."

"Amazing."

Chapter 162 (Two-in-One): I've transmigrated to the timeline where Li hope is my girlfriend?

Shiina Tatsuki turned around, her back to Ishikawa Mayu, her voice rising slightly with embarrassment:

"This level of quality is to be expected! I spent so much time and effort on it! It would be strange if I didn't do a good job!"

Seeing her blustering yet cowardly demeanor, Ishikawa Mayu smiled and lowered his tone, his voice carrying a sincere sense of seeking advice:

"Yes, Teacher Lixi is right. So... could you tell me specifically how you came up with the idea for the dialogue between the violin and guitar? And that transition section, the emotional shift is so natural, how did you conceive of that?"

He pulled the chair closer, his gaze falling on the audio track on the screen, and asked earnestly.

Hearing him shift from dwelling on her embarrassing compliments to discussing specific techniques, Li hope's tense nerves relaxed slightly. She took a deep breath, trying to bring her attention back to the music itself, but her tone still carried a hint of lingering excitement:

"Hmm... This, here? Actually, it's because the guitar in the original song has already laid enough groundwork here. If the violin were to follow the same emotion, it would seem redundant. So I was thinking..."

Once she entered her area of ​​expertise, Lixi's language became fluent and precise. Pointing to the various audio tracks on the screen, she explained in detail her arrangement ideas, harmonic choices, and the atmosphere she wanted to create.

Mayu listened attentively, occasionally asking questions or nodding in understanding. Immersed in the world of music, the previous awkwardness was replaced by a focused and harmonious atmosphere of discussion.

After some time, Shiina Maki's gentle voice came from outside the door: "Tachiki, Mayu-kun, lunch is ready. Come down and eat."

Lunch ended quickly under Maki's smiling gaze.

With barely any rest, Riki dragged Zhenyu back to the room, as if she had endless energy to devote to it.

Faced with a complete arrangement again, Ishikawa Mayu was no longer a mere learner. After fully understanding Riki's concept, he began to offer his own subtle feelings and suggestions for adjustment.

“Lixi, could you bring the bass in a little earlier, about half a beat earlier? I think that would give it a stronger rhythmic drive.”

"Hmm? Let me listen... It seems... to make some sense."

"And here, could my violin ending be a little more crisp and clean? It would feel more in line with the decisiveness of a breakthrough."

"...I'll try adjusting the reverb and decay."

The nature of the discussion subtly shifted. It transformed from one-sided instruction into a collaborative effort between the two to refine and optimize the piece. Li Xi was surprised to discover that Zhen Yu possessed an exceptionally keen musical sense and intuition; his suggestions often hit the nail on the head, perfecting every detail of the arrangement.

With such efficient collaboration, the final adapted version was finalized at an astonishing speed. Listening to the final version of "Spring Shadows," a culmination of their joint efforts, flowing through the headphones, an indescribable sense of accomplishment and satisfaction filled the small room.

Ishikawa Mayu took off her headphones, looked at Riki beside her who was also excited, and her tone became more serious:

“Lixi, this piece of music… is, after all, Xiangzi’s work. Now that the arrangement is complete, I think we should send it to her to listen to first, as a way of… showing respect and informing her.”

Upon hearing the name "Xiangzi," Lixi's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but she quickly suppressed the emotion.

She knew perfectly well that Zhenyu's actions were correct; it was basic courtesy and respect for the rights of creators. She was not unreasonable.

“…Okay.” She nodded, her tone indifferent but without any hesitation or complaint. “You should send it to her. It’s the right thing to do.”

Her understanding relieved Zhenyu, and he sincerely said, "Thank you."

Li hope turned her face away and muttered softly, "...There's no need to thank me."

Ishikawa Mayu took out her phone and sent the final audio file to Toyokawa Shoko via LINE, along with a brief note: "Shoko, this is the band version of 'Spring Shadow' that Riki and I adapted. I wanted to let you listen to it first. If you find anything wrong with it, please let us know."

After sending the message, he put away his phone, knowing that Xiangzi was at work and wouldn't reply immediately. The day's intensive music arrangement training and collaboration was nearing its end, and he felt a fulfilling exhaustion.

"That's about it for today." Zhenyu said as she began packing up her notebook and pen. "Thank you for your hard work, Lixi. I really... learned a lot."

Shiina Tatsuki watched his movements without responding immediately. The room fell silent, broken only by the soft hum of the computer fan. She stared at the finalized project document on the screen, her fingertips tapping unconsciously on the desk. Suddenly, as if making a decision, she looked up, her gaze fixed on Ishikawa Mayu, who was about to get up.

Her expression was somewhat strange, a mixture of seriousness, inquiry, and a hint of... nervousness.

"Hey, Ishikawa," she said, her voice exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

"Hmm?" Zhenyu stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

Li hope pursed her lips, seemingly considering her words, before asking in a tone that was feigned casualness but couldn't hide her seriousness:

"What do you think of... Xiangzi's original version of 'Spring Shadow' and my adapted version..."

She paused, her purple eyes locking onto his, and asked, word by word, the question that sent chills down Ishikawa Mayu's spine:

"—Which one sounds better?"

!!!

Ishikawa Mayu felt as if her brain had been struck by lightning, and went completely blank for a moment.

"Wait... this problem... this overwhelming sense of déjà vu..."

"Could it be that I've time-traveled again? To a parallel world where Li hope is my girlfriend?!"

"Otherwise, how could I possibly hear such a standard, death-defying question?! It's on par with 'If I and your mother fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first?'"

His mind was racing with complaints, and his expression froze completely due to the overwhelming nature of the question. His eyes were glazed over, as if his CPU was overloaded and he was utterly unable to process this sudden "high-difficulty level."

Looking at him, who seemed to have been put on pause and whose eyes had lost their sparkle, Shiina Ritsuki felt a pang of disappointment and bitterness rise in her heart, which had been filled with tension and anticipation, as if she had been gently pricked by a tiny needle.

The light in her eyes dimmed slightly, and her tightly pursed lips revealed a hint of stubbornness and self-mockery.

Indeed... the original version is still better, isn't it? After all, it was created by Xiangzi himself...

Just as Lixi's heart sank, almost giving up waiting for an answer and preparing to use her usual fierce tone to cover up her sadness—

“…Lixi,” he took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound calm and objective, avoiding direct comparisons, “The original version of ‘Spring Shadow’ was created by Xiangzi with his heart and soul, for Crychic at the time, for the lamp. What it carries is unique, it is the ‘root’.”

He saw Lixi's eyelashes flutter slightly, her tightly pressed lips lose a little color, and the light in her eyes as she looked at him seemed to dim a little. A clear sense of loss emanated from her.

Zhenyu felt a slight pang in his heart. He immediately changed the subject, his voice much softer than before, carrying a guiding certainty as he continued:

"but--"

This turn of events made Lixi's gaze, which was about to fall, refocus on his face.

"I eagerly anticipate that one day in the future—"

His voice was soft, yet like a feather, it clearly scratched at the tip of her heart.

"—To be able to create something with you and my teacher Lixi..."

He deliberately slowed his speech, making sure each word carried weight and clearly reached her ears.

"...a piece of music that belongs only to the two of us."

"It's not a band, it's not anyone else's work. It's a unique piece created by 'Ishikawa Mayu' and 'Shiina Tatsuki' together."

He looked at Lixi's eyes, which widened slightly in shock, and at the blush that instantly bloomed on her cheeks, more radiant than the sunset. His tone became even more resolute and gentle:

"I believe that by then, my teacher Lixi will definitely become the most amazing musician."

Seeing her blushing yet unable to hide her joy, Zhenyu's initial nervousness melted into a deeper tenderness. He seemed to suddenly remember something, then softly added:

"And, Lixi, you probably don't know this, but Xiangzi... is actually in the class next to mine."

Li hope suddenly looked up, his face showing obvious surprise.

Meeting her surprised gaze, Zhenyu smiled faintly, a hint of helplessness yet undeniably clear, and said:

"But in the end, the person who taught me how to arrange music and worked with me to complete the arrangement of this piece..."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a feather, gently brushing against Lixi's heart.

"...It's you, Lixi."

Shiina Riki felt a "buzz" in her brain, as if fireworks were exploding inside.

"...In the end...it was you, Riki."

These words seemed to possess a magical power, echoing repeatedly in her ears. An indescribable sense of happiness—a feeling of being intensely needed and affirmed—mixed with the excitement of finding a soulmate, instantly overwhelmed her.

"He...he said I was 'his' teacher, Li hope..."

"He said... he wanted to create a piece that belonged only to the two of us..."

Her heart felt like it was filled with something, bulging and pounding rapidly. A surge of scalding heat rushed through her limbs, making her feel slightly numb all over. Her cheeks were incredibly hot, and even her ears and neck were flushed crimson.

She abruptly lowered her head, letting her hair fall, trying to conceal her completely out-of-control expression. Her hands gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

"Idiot...! What are you saying, 'mine'... what are you saying, 'two people'... those kinds of words are so embarrassing!"

A strange sense of panic, born from overly intimate recognition and expectation, left her at a loss.

She felt incredibly happy, and with it, immense shyness.

My body stiffened from the overwhelming emotions, and my ability to speak seemed to be temporarily lost.

"...Who, who wants to compose a piece for two with you!" After a long while, she finally found her voice, but it was trembling noticeably from excitement. It was less of a rebuttal and more of a helpless coquettish rebuke. "Stop talking to yourself! And...who's yours! Don't call me that!"

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a mumbled murmur, completely losing the imposing manner she usually used when scolding people.

"But... 'the greatest musician'... does he really believe in me that much...?"

Looking at Riki's almost huddled-up back and her blushing ears that seemed to be blushing even at the tips of her hair, Ishikawa Mayu blinked in confusion.

"Huh? What's wrong with Lixi? Why is she so agitated all of a sudden? Does she think I'm pushing my luck?"

Zhenyu was completely unaware of how shocking Lixi must have thought of her "heartfelt" remarks.

He simply felt that being able to make music with a talented and hardworking girl like Lixi was a wonderful and something to look forward to.

"Teacher Lixi?" he called out tentatively again, his tone filled with genuine confusion. "You... don't like this idea? I think if we cooperate, we can definitely create something amazing."

Shiina Tatsuki was furious at his completely off-track response. She was both embarrassed and annoyed, and she turned around and glared at him.