Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

It would be better to help Yamamoto Ryuichi, a guy who is relatively "sensible", to take the horse and give him a ride, while you sit firmly behind the scenes and collect the "offering" in peace and quiet. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

It seems that Yamamoto Ryuichi is a smart man who can see the situation clearly.

Working with smart people always saves you a lot of trouble.

Kujo Renji's fingertips slid lightly across the screen of his mobile phone, and his mind began to outline a complex map of the distribution of forces within the Yamaguchi-gumi, as well as several "clever plans" that could make this stagnant water boil completely.

Just as he was thinking, the screen of his mobile phone suddenly lit up.

This time, the sender was a name that surprised him quite a bit - Toyokawa Sadaharu.

The content of the message was simple and clear. The old fox said that he wanted to arrange a meeting with "Xiangzi" to apologize in person for the "unpleasant" incident last time.

Jiujo Renji looked at the text message and couldn't help but reveal a sarcastic sneer at the corner of his mouth.

This old man was quite sensible. He must have been tormented by those collateral forces recently and finally realized that his "granddaughter" was not the soft persimmon he had imagined.

Only now did he think of apologizing? It's a little too late.

In my mind, Toyokawa Shoko's voice sounded faintly, with a bit of emotion, a bit of relief, and a hint of imperceptible complex emotions.

"As far as I can remember, this is the first time I've seen grandpa apologize to someone on his own initiative."

Upon hearing this, Jiujo Renji raised his eyebrows, his tone filled with a hint of nonchalant teasing:

"Oh? Really? Then Miss Xiangzi should cherish this opportunity. After all, there will probably be many more occasions in the future where Mr. Fengchuan can 'condescend' to be there."

Kujo Renji tapped his fingertips and just swiped away Toyokawa Sadaharu's text message, which sounded like surrender, from the screen. Before he had time to appreciate how frustrated the other person was at the moment, the phone in his hand began to vibrate restlessly again.

This time, it was no longer the subtle text message notification, but a direct, slightly hurried incoming phone call ringtone.

He glanced at the unfamiliar number on the screen and raised his eyebrows slightly.

I pressed the answer button and put the phone to my ear. The voice was still that cold and slightly lazy tone that belonged to Toyokawa Shoko:

"Which one?"

On the other end of the phone, a male voice with a deliberately lowered voice came:

"Hehe, is this Ms. Toyokawa Shoko?"

Kujo Renji responded with a noncommittal "hmm".

The voice seemed to be a little excited because of the affirmative answer, and then it began to report a long list of titles that sounded quite intimidating, like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube - director of a certain department of Fengchuan Group, consultant of a certain subsidiary, honorary president of a certain industry association, and so on.

Finally, the voice concluded with a self-righteous "friendly" smile:

"However, I imagine that a person of Miss Xiangzi's status has probably never heard of a small-time figure like me. My humble name is Toyokawa Naoto, and I've taken the liberty of calling you today to discuss a 'cooperation' with Miss Xiangzi."

He deliberately emphasized the word "cooperation", paused, and added:

"Ms. Xiangzi, you only need to know one thing... We have a common enemy."

That voice was filled with a kind of undisguised, self-righteous "common hatred of the enemy".

Kujo Renji felt amused when listening to the self-talking "confession" on the other end of the phone.

Toyokawa Naoto? Someone from the sideline? Wanting to win him over and join forces against Toyokawa Sadaharu?

It’s a pity that the side branch of the Toyokawa family is even more... incompetent and stupid than he imagined.

They would jump out to seek cooperation with "Toyokawa Shoko" at this juncture, which in itself explains the problem.

——These guys probably still haven’t figured out who was behind the “loss crisis” of Toyokawa Group a while ago.

They may even naively believe that "Toyokawa Shoko" is still the naive "young lady" who can be easily won over and used as a gun by them.

The people in the Toyokawa family... are more arrogant than the other... so ridiculous.

The corners of Jiujo Renji's mouth curled up in an icy arc. He didn't even bother to waste another word with the self-righteous idiot on the other end of the phone and simply pressed the hang-up button.

Hearing the busy tone coming from the phone, he could already imagine how surprised and angry Toyokawa Naoto would be.

But what does that have to do with him?

Throwing his cell phone casually on the sofa, Kujo Renji took out a bottle of iced mineral water from the refrigerator and drank a few sips slowly.

The cold liquid slid down his throat, calming his slightly irritated mood caused by the continuous "harassment".

Speaking of which, the reason why Chihaya Aine was so persistent in wanting to investigate the "secret" between "Toyokawa Shoko" and "Kujo Renji" was not only due to her own strong curiosity, but also probably because of the subtle "instigation" behind the scenes by that... Miss Nagasaki of Tsukinomori.

Nagasaki Suyo...

In Kujo Renji's mind, the image of the girl who always had a gentle smile but seemed to have a subtle depth in her eyes emerged.

He suddenly felt that he should deal with this side quest which had great "development potential".

However, there is no need to rush this matter.

As for the specific action plan, perhaps... I have to go find Miss Chihaya Aine first and find out more about the situation.

.......

The afternoon sun shines through the clear floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the coffee shop, lazily falling on the natural wooden tabletop, giving the tiny dust particles floating in the air a warm golden edge.

The air is filled with the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans, mixed with a hint of the pleasant sweet fragrance unique to desserts.

When Chihaya Aine pushed open the glass door with wind chimes hanging on it, she was still feeling uneasy.

She was still wearing the Yuqiu school uniform today, but she was carrying a slightly heavy guitar bag on her back. A few strands of her hair were wet with sweat, sticking slightly messy to her smooth forehead. It was obvious that she had just finished the band rehearsal and rushed over without stopping.

When her eyes fell on the familiar figure by the window - "Toyokawa Shoko" who was wearing a simple white linen shirt, with blue twin ponytails casually draped over her shoulders, and was quietly flipping through a magazine, the inexplicable tension and uneasiness she felt quietly dissipated like mist dispelled by the sun.

"Xiao Xiang!"

She walked forward quickly, trying to put on a bright smile that showed her little canine teeth, but her slightly rapid breathing still revealed how hurried she had been jogging.

Jiujo Renji raised his head upon hearing the voice, closed the magazine in his hand, and a gentle smile appeared on his face:

"Aine, you're here."

His gaze lingered for a moment on the girl's slightly messy hair and the conspicuous guitar bag behind her, and he said casually:

"Looks like you just finished rehearsal?"

"Uh-huh!"

Chihaya Aine sat down across from him, carefully placed her guitar bag aside, and sheepishly brushed her hair back.

"The band is preparing for a small live recently, so they've been practicing quite diligently. When I saw Xiaoxiang's text message, I came over right away!"

As she spoke, she secretly looked at the decoration of the coffee shop.

Hehe, this shop... She remembered that she seemed to have mentioned it to Xiaoxiang on Line before, saying that the waffles in this shop looked particularly tempting and she had always wanted to find a chance to try them.

Unexpectedly, Xiaoxiang actually remembered it and specially chose this place as the meeting place.

Woohoo, Xiaoxiang, she is so nice!

The little joy in Chihaya Aine's heart naturally could not be hidden from Kujo Renji's eyes.

Of course he chose this store "intentionally".

This method of easily winning others' favor without spending any real money, simply by accurately grasping their preferences, has long been integrated into his instincts like breathing.

In his view, the "goodwill" between people is often like a bargaining chip in the market. If used properly, it can win a rich return far exceeding its original value in the exchange of interests. Why wouldn't he participate in such a "business" with no investment and huge profits?

"How's everything going with the band lately?"

Kujo Renji asked casually while signaling the waiter to come over to take the order.

Sure enough, as soon as the band was mentioned, Chihaya Aine's gray eyes lit up instantly, as if a mysterious switch was turned on, and she started talking non-stop.

She talked about the new songs the band had recently rehearsed, the interesting things that happened between the members, and the difficulties and challenges they encountered in preparing for the Live.

At first, her tone still contained a bit of the excitement that was unique to little girls, with a hint of boasting, but gradually, that excitement was unconsciously mixed with fatigue and confusion.

Kujo Renji listened quietly, occasionally agreeing or asking one or two leading questions.

He knew that Chihaya Aine had initially joined the band out of a desire to stand out from the crowd, to be the center of attention. But as time went on, as the initial novelty wore off and the responsibilities and pressures of the band surged like a tide, that simple vanity had to transform into a heavier sense of responsibility.

However, this transformation is obviously not easy for a girl who is used to living under the "spotlight".

She invested so much time and energy, only to find that reality was drifting further and further away from her initial expectations. Many of her established plans in life were completely disrupted by this sudden "band life".

Give up?

She was also reluctant to give up the efforts she had made, the moments of glory of enjoying cheers and applause on the stage, and the bonds she had established with her band members.

continue or not?

She felt a little overwhelmed, even... a little at a loss?

This dilemma is undoubtedly a heavy burden for a young girl who has not yet fully matured.

The two chatted casually, the aroma of coffee and the sweetness of muffins intertwined in the air, and the atmosphere was quite relaxed.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the topic gradually turned to Nagasaki Suyo.

Speaking of which, ever since the last "showdown" conversation at the "Stubborn Dad" ramen shop, a kind of...unspoken understanding has been formed between Kujo Renji and Chihaya Aine.

Some things don't need to be explained too clearly, as long as both parties know about it.

Therefore, when Kujo Renji asked casually, "Come to think of it, Nagasaki-san seems to be quite concerned about my affairs recently?", Chihaya Aine almost did not hesitate and revealed all the "immature speculations" between herself and Nagasaki Motoyo.

"Actually...actually, Soyorin and I have always suspected...that there might be someone with ulterior motives behind Ave Mujica!"

Chihaya Aine lowered her voice, her eyes filled with the mystery and nervousness of a child telling off something:

"We think that person has taken control of all of Ave Mujica, and Xiaoxiang, you might have been fighting that villain! We previously suspected that the 'darkness' you were fighting, Xiaoxiang, was... the guy called 'Kujo Renji'!"

As she spoke, she carefully observed the expression on Kujo Renji's face, fearing that her "bold guess" would anger him.

"But then we found out that Jiujo Renji had been hit by a car and turned into a vegetable not long ago, so we felt that this guess might not be right. Then we thought, should we look for other clues from Miaomeng..."

Chihaya Aine's voice became softer and softer as she spoke, and in the end, she didn't mention her "guess" with Meowmu.

She secretly glanced at "Toyokawa Shoko" opposite her, and saw that the other person's face was still calm, and it seemed that he was not angry because of her "fantastic" remarks. She felt a little relieved.

Kujo Renji listened to Chihaya Aine's "reasoning" which was a bit childish but logical, and felt a little funny in his heart, but his face still had a thoughtful expression.

"Really?"

He picked up the coffee in front of him, took a sip, and then asked slowly:

"So... have you told Shigaraki-san about these speculations?"

When Chihaya Aine heard this, her heart suddenly skipped a beat!

She subconsciously raised her head and met the eyes of "Toyokawa Shoko". An inexplicable feeling of guilt instantly surged into her heart.

This made her panic for a moment. She quickly raised her hands, as if to swear, and hurriedly defended herself:

"No, no! I didn't tell Soyorin anything! Absolutely not! About...about Xiaoxiang...about those speculations about your true identity...I...I didn't tell her a single word! Really!"

She became more and more anxious as she spoke, her cheeks flushed red with nervousness, and she looked so helpless that it was obvious that she was trying to cover up her crime.

Kujo Renji looked at the girl's panicked, yet flawed reaction, and laughed inwardly, but his face remained gentle and understanding. He reached out and gently patted the back of Chihaya Aine's hand, which was resting on the table, and said softly, "I'm so glad you're here!"

"Don't be so nervous. Didn't we already make this agreement?"

After saying this, he winked at Chihaya Aine playfully.

Those clear golden eyes were filled with a reassuring smile.

Chihaya Aine looked at him like this and listened to his joking words of comfort, and the tension and panic in her heart gradually calmed down.

Yes... promise...

She remembered the last time when she was flying a kite with Xiaoxiang, and his advice on "labels", and... the tacit agreement to "pretend to know nothing".

For some things, once that thin layer of window paper is broken, there is no going back.

Kujo Renji obviously knows this well.

Therefore, he never tried to make his words too clear, nor did he try to force Chihaya Aine to admit anything.

He was just guiding her in a...obscure way, letting her "choose" to believe and "maintain" this delicate balance on her own.

Chihaya Aine took a deep breath and a smile returned to her face.

The uneasiness and anxiety in my heart seemed to have disappeared with the little "storm" just now.

However, just as the atmosphere became relaxed and harmonious again, Kujo Renji's gaze seemed to be suddenly attracted by something and slightly froze.

The smile on his face also faded a little.

He stood up slowly, his eyes falling on the slightly worn guitar bag next to Chihaya Aine.