Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

Yutenji Wakamugi, on the other hand, tried hard to express himself and actively added various details, but his eyes always glanced at Xiangzi's face involuntarily.

Eh?

Ruomai was a little confused.

Why does it feel like today's "Xiaoxiang" or rather, Boss Liansi, seems... a little more "soft"?

Although his tone and decision-making style still carried that unquestionable decisiveness, the subtle expressions that occasionally appeared, such as the habit of biting his lower lip when frowning and thinking, or the slightly gentle and persuasive tone that unconsciously appeared in his tone when explaining a plan...all made her feel that he was subtly different from the previous person with a strong aura and a sense of oppression.

Is it an illusion?

Or are you in a better mood today?

Ruomai didn't dare to delve into it further and could only suppress this little doubt in his heart.

The discussion lasted nearly an hour, during which all matters were finalized one by one, from the performance process, repertoire arrangement to publicity and pre-promotion.

However, until the end of the meeting, Sanjiao Chuhua still did not show up, and there was not even a message of explanation.

In this situation, anyone with a discerning eye can tell that something is wrong.

The atmosphere in the conference room therefore became somewhat subtle and solemn.

Hai Ling's tapping on the table slowed down, and a barely perceptible worry flashed across her eyes.

Toyokawa Shoko remained calm, as if Chuhua's absence was just a small unexpected incident.

But deep down in her heart, the uneasiness had gradually grown. She vaguely guessed that something bad might have really happened.

Why did I encounter this kind of emergency right after I changed it back?

She couldn't help but have a headache.

When encountering something, panic is the least effective emotion.

First stabilize, then analyze, and then solve. Remember, you are the leader, and any hesitation on your part will be magnified infinitely.

This is what Kujo Renji once told her.

Yes, keep calm.

As a leader, it is crucial to remain calm and not show fear in front of your "followers".

[Not bad, at least the surface work is flawless.]

Jiujo Renji's voice was filled with a hint of unexpected appreciation.

[It seems that the tuition fees paid during this period were not in vain.]

Xiangzi secretly curled his lips and thought to himself that this was all forced by you.

However, her deliberate maintenance of "stability" also brought a new problem that she had not expected.

That is... her "stability" and imitation of "Renji's" style were so successful that even Yutenji Wakamu, a relatively delicate person, did not immediately realize that her soul had been returned.

Teacher Damiao seemed...still to think that the person sitting in the main seat was the Kujo Renji, whom she both respected and feared.

..

The meeting is over.

Yutenji Wakamu held her laptop, but her heart was beating like a nest of little rabbits.

Ever since the last time in the safe house, when she mustered up all her courage and offered her confession of "loyalty" to "Kujo Renji" that was a gamble of everything, "Boss Renji" has never contacted her again.

No rebuke, no punishment, but also no... any explicit acceptance.

This unresolved situation has made Ruomai feel a little uneasy these days.

She was afraid that her "despicable" thoughts would be seen through and she would be rejected, but she also secretly hoped to get the approval of that adult, even if it was just a look or a tiny hint.

She knew she longed to shine, to be seen, and the strength and control displayed by "Kujo Renji" was the most dazzling "sun" in her eyes.

She is willing to be the moon chasing the sun. Even if it only reflects a little light, it is enough to make her feel satisfied.

Therefore, today's discussion meeting was not just an ordinary work meeting for her, but also a rare opportunity to get close to "Xiao Xiang" again... oh, no, it was an opportunity to get close to "Lord Lian Si".

She wanted to perform well and let "Lord Lian Si" see her value and loyalty.

During the meeting, she tried to suppress all distracting thoughts and spoke actively, trying to demonstrate her professionalism and meticulousness. She secretly observed "Lord Lian Si's" reactions, trying to decipher something from every subtle expression.

Although it feels like "Lord Lian Si" today seems a little... different, that unquestionable aura of a leader is still there.

That guy Chu Hua actually dared to miss such an important meeting without any reason!

Ruomai snorted inwardly.

A perfect opportunity to "show loyalty" emerged in her mind.

After Hailing left first, Ruomai lingered and stayed behind. She took a deep breath, walked over to "Toyokawa Shoko" who was still sorting documents, lowered her voice, and said in a tone that she thought was secretive but also meant to take credit:

"Boss Lian Si...I've long seen that Chu Hua has a rebellious streak!"

"Just let me handle this matter!"

She fully believed that these "loyal" words would at least earn her a mild compliment or a look of approval from "Boss Liansi".

After all, she was helping the "boss" share his worries and offering suggestions to the general on how to eliminate dissidents!

However, to her surprise——

"Kujo Renji" who was sitting there slowly raised his head and looked at her with no admiration in his eyes. Instead, there was a kind of scrutiny and displeasure that made her heart chill.

Those eyes were clear yet sharp, as if they could see through all her little thoughts.

"Yutenji-san."

Xiangzi's voice was calm, yet it revealed an unmistakable sense of alienation:

"Now is not the time to speculate about your fellow comrades. Ave Mujica is a whole, and I don't want to hear such things from you again."

As the words fell, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

It was obvious that Toyokawa Shoko's words were deliberately targeted.

Especially the phrase "Yutenji-san" instantly widened the distance between the two of them.

—You're the biggest traitor! You actually called me someone else's name! "Lord Lian Si"? I'm Toyokawa Shoko!

Toyokawa Shoko was complaining in her heart, but her face still maintained the calmness and dignity of a "leader".

She could feel Ruomai's expression suddenly become stiff, but at this moment, she really didn't have the extra mood to comfort him.

When she thought about the band she had worked so hard to build, which almost fell apart because of her own stupidity, and also thought about how Jiujo Renji had taken over the band's position and "incited" Mu and Ruomai to submission, she felt a surge of anger in her heart.

Ruomai's clever "offering of loyalty" happened to hit her target.

She didn't give Yutenji Wakamu any chance to respond or explain. After saying this, she picked up her things, stood up, and left the meeting room in a clean and tidy manner. The sound of her high heels hitting the floor was particularly clear and cold in the empty room.

Yutenji Wakamai was left standing there in a daze, still holding the carefully prepared meeting minutes in his hands, his face full of confusion and helplessness.

The girl's mind was in a mess, with all kinds of guesses coming to her mind, but she couldn't figure out what the problem was.

It's like a kitten carefully holding its most precious ball of yarn, wanting to give it to its owner, but being kicked away by its owner.

Ruomai pursed his lips.

The cat feels wronged.

[Miss Xiangzi, taking your anger out on others is not a good habit.]

Shoko Toyokawa snorted in her heart and quickened her pace. She didn't want to pay attention to the annoying guy in her mind anymore, nor did she want to recall Ruomai's pitiful look as if he was about to cry.

.........

However, things did not develop smoothly because of Xiangzi's initiative.

After that discussion, Sanjiao Chuhua did not show up at the following internal rehearsals and small events on Ave Mujica.

One time could be considered an accident, two times could be considered coincidences, but the repeated absences made Toyokawa Shoko keenly aware that something was wrong.

She tried to send messages to Sanjiao Chuhua, and at first they were read but not replied to. But soon, those messages she sent were like a stone sinking into the sea, without even a "read" mark, and directly turned into the cold "unread" status.

The phone call is also unavailable, and there is always a busy tone with no one answering.

What exactly happened to Chuhua?

How can we find someone whose residence is uncertain, whose whereabouts are erratic, and whose regular contact methods have been cut off?

If it were the former Toyokawa Shoko, she would probably be overwhelmed by now, and even fall into self-pity.

But during this period of time, under the guidance of Kujo Renji, she did learn a few things.

Xiangzi took a deep breath and suppressed the irritation in his heart.

Yes, resources.

She immediately used some of the information channels that Jiujo Renji had previously established and began to investigate Sanjiao Chuhua's current situation.

Soon, the news came back.

The social media account that Sanjiao Chuhua frequently used, as well as several frequently used communication software accounts, were all deactivated by her not long ago.

Actively deactivate!

This discovery made Shoko Toyokawa feel annoyed.

This means that Sanjiao Chuhua did not encounter any force majeure accident, but she was actively avoiding herself and Ave Mujica!

why?

She didn't even know what was going on, and Sanjiao Chuhua wasn't even willing to give her a chance to explain?

A nameless anger rose in Xiangzi's heart.

But anger doesn't solve the problem.

She forced herself to calm down and continue digging deeper using the resources at hand.

Since the conventional means of contact are broken, then find a new one. In this world, as long as a person is still alive, it is impossible for him to completely disappear into thin air.

After some twists and turns and using some not-so-"above-the-board" means, Xiangzi finally found a small account that was suspected to be newly registered by Sanjiao Chuhua.

She tried to send a friend request, noting her identity - Toyokawa Shoko.

Unexpectedly, the friend request was approved quickly.

Xiangzi immediately dialed the voice call.

The call was connected, but there was a long silence on the other end, with only a faint rustling sound of electricity.

"Chuhua?"

Xiangzi spoke tentatively, trying to make his voice sound calmer.

There was another moment of silence.

Just when Xiangzi thought the other party would hang up directly, Sanjiao Chuhua's slightly hoarse and tired voice finally rang out. It was very soft, with a barely perceptible hint of alienation:

"....Sorry, Xiaoxiang, and everyone, I've been a bit busy lately...so..."

Her voice was broken, and she seemed to be choosing her words carefully.

"I will definitely go to the next meeting..."

Chu Hua's voice sounded a little forced, as if he was trying hard to squeeze out a promise.

But Toyokawa Shoko keenly sensed something was wrong from her words that deliberately avoided the point.

Busy? Just because you are busy, will you deactivate all contact methods and make the whole team unable to find you?

This is not logical at all.

Moreover, Chu Hua's voice sounded very wrong.

Xiangzi's brows were tightly furrowed.

She didn't ask any more questions, but just said lightly, "I know, I'll wait for you," and ended the call.

Her intuition told her that things were far from as simple as Chu Hua said.

The next day.

The sky was gloomy and a drizzle was falling, casting a gray hue over the whole world.

The lights in Ave Mujica's rehearsal room were dim.

Hailing and Ruomai had already arrived and were preparing for their own activities. Mu Ze sat quietly in the corner.