Are you, as meal replacement users, ready for the consequences?

Page 67

Ningzi can't see... she can't see the piano, Hailing anymore.

What she saw now was a piano melody that kept chuckling to itself.

And what about Chihaya Aine in real life?

Chihaya Aine was still exchanging glances with Hachiman Kairin.

Her lips curled up in a triumphant smile.

Ch88. The Girl Next Door Aine is an Angel

Chihaya Aine's lips curled up; in her own eyes, she was now like a great general who looked down on his defeated enemies on the battlefield.

Hmph, those who invade Ningzi's territory, I will surely strike them down!

Hey Hachiman Kairin, you'd better avoid me in the future, or you might end up crying when you see me hugging Xiao Ning!

Her adorable fangs weren't showing. Aine let go of Hailin's hand, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards Toyokawa Ningko.

Aine was attracted to Ningzi like iron filings are attracted to a magnet.

However, Toyokawa Neko did not go to see Chihaya Aine.

Ningzi stared intently at the high register of the electronic keyboard, like a local chieftain.

"Hey! Xiao Ning, did you find something? I want to see it too!"

"So small...it's not even in the same league as the others..."

Ningzi ignored Chihaya Aine and muttered to herself.

In the past month, she has seen many kinds of piano girls, no, to be more precise, she has hallucinated many piano girls.

A petite but ambitious gray-haired penguin girl, a sturdy and reliable green-eyed young master, and a peculiar, thirty-year-old urban beauty who is utterly annoying…

Their piano keys, each with its own unique characteristics, all share one thing in common: regardless of the difference between the low and middle registers, the size of the high register will never disappoint Toyokawa Ningko.

As for the piano's sound... well, it's a long story...

It's not that I'm very disappointed, it's just that the contrast is too great and it's easy to feel a sense of disparity...

"What? I don't understand?"

"It's okay, Xiao Ai, go play."

"Oh~"

Aine jumped from Ningzi's right to her left, but no matter how carefully she tried to figure it out, she couldn't find anything that was so appealing to Ningzi about the electronic keyboard.

"I have to go now, Xiao Ning. Do you want to stay here a little longer?"

"Ah, I don't want to, I don't want to either—"

"Xiao Ning actually wanted to say that she wanted to play a little longer. Xiao Ning and I are going to... have tea! Yes! Have tea! Is Hachiman leaving so early? Let's go have tea together!"

Ai-yin pulled Ning-zi, who had stood up, and tried to use her own feelings to pressure her.

Unfortunately, Aine's heart was too delicate and precise, and she couldn't deliver any elastic blows to Ningzi's arm.

"Thank you for your kindness, Chihaya-kun, but I have things to do when I get back, so I won't bother you any longer."

"Hey, does Hailing have anything else to do when she gets back?"

Inside the rehearsal room, the orange decor exuded an intoxicating atmosphere under the pale yellow light. Ningzi held Hachiman Kairin's hand with one hand, while the other was being held by Chihaya Aine, who harbored ulterior motives.

“Well, my neighbor is sick, and I promised to buy her some groceries this morning,” Hachiman Kairin said, rubbing her chin as she looked up at the ceiling. “Well then, I’ll be going now.”

Every minute I spend with Hailing is filled with happiness. This gentle little fish has truly done everything a friend should do to the extreme, and hasn't done anything she shouldn't have... I'm a little reluctant to part with her.

Ningzi waved to Hailing: "Alright then, see you tomorrow, Hailing!"

See you tomorrow, Xiao Ning.

As Hachiman Kairin walked out of the rehearsal room, the door slowly opened, and Kairin turned to look at Aine, who was standing next to Ningzi.

"Chihaya-kun, are you going the same way as Kotobuki?"

As Hailing, carrying the box by the handle, looked at the pink-haired creature hiding next to Ningzi and unwilling to leave her side for even a moment, she felt it resembled a little kitten.

Moreover, she's the kind of philandering cat who likes to brazenly sneak into people's backyards, steal your poultry, steal kisses from your female cat and get her pregnant, and then scratch your sofa.

"It's about on the way, goodbye Hachiman-kun! Get home soon! Have a safe trip! I'll make sure Ning gets home safely!"

"Okay, please."

Hailing winked at Ningzi, then closed the door and left.

In the rehearsal room, only Toyokawa Ningko, whose little hand was being held by the pink-haired girl, remained.

"Xiao Ai, what a coincidence! I didn't expect you to pass by here."

Following Hailing's instructions, Ningzi unplugged all the electrical outlets in the room and followed Aine to the coffee shop.

Aiyin is such a good person. She would think of inviting her friend, whom she had only met a few times, for tea just because she was passing by.

She's simply! She's! She's a super Pokémon created by combining Takamatsu Akari, Hachiman Umiru, and Toyokawa Shoko, and even including Shiina Tatsuki!

The last time we ate together, they treated us, but things are very different now.

Ningzi kept rubbing the two slightly wrinkled banknotes in her pocket through the fabric. She really liked the feeling of having money in her pocket.

If possible, she wanted to treat Chihaya Aine to tea! As repayment for Aine's previous dinner invitation!

How expensive can a cup of tea be?

As she stepped onto the stairs, Toyokawa Ningko silently pondered how to best spend her hard-earned salary.

That's the way it is.

……

"what?!"

A cup of Earl Grey tea! How much money are you taking?! Five hundred yen! Why don't you just rob someone?!

Toyokawa Ningko stared incredulously at the order board, trying her best to maintain a calm and composed demeanor as before.

My own salary! At most, I can only afford a dozen or so cups of black tea!

Ningzi fell silent; that was the gist of it.

"Xiao Ning, is there anything you'd like to drink? It's on me."

"Oh, I see. I'll drink whatever Aine drinks. I'm not picky... I'm not picky."

As she calmly handed the order board that had caused her heartache back to the waiter, Toyokawa Ningko looked at Chihaya Aine with eyes full of emotion.

She let me order such expensive things without any worries about me wasting her money... I'm so touched... Waaah, Aine-chan, you're such a good person...

"Huh? Why are you looking at me like that? Is it because I'm... cute?!"

Aiyin playfully poked her cheek.

Even without touching it herself, Ningzi could feel its soft and bouncy texture.

Aine... is so cute... and such a nice person... and she's so attentive to me... being able to feel her sincerity is so heartwarming... just like Hailing.

Ningzi tilted her head.

Actually, shouldn't we say it the other way around?

Perhaps it should be said that Deng has Aine's cuteness, Lixi has Aine's fun, and Hailing has Aine's patience and focus.

That's not wrong either; these virtues have been well inherited by these outstanding girls.

And these adorable little lambs, unfortunately, appeared in their lives.

Under Aine's curious gaze, Ningzi clasped her hands together in a prayer gesture.

Thank you for your blessings...

I wish I could have more of these adorable idiots!

"Xiao Ning? What's going on?"

"This is my family's ritual before meals."

Ch89. Black tea, with ten sugar cubes added.

Earl Grey tea.

Black tea brewed from fresh Earl Grey tea leaves.

Does it have a smell?

some.

Is it good?

"Delicious!"

No way, it tastes awful.

Ningzi smiled and savored the red tea from Aiyindian.

Hold the teacup to your lips, then pour it in.

Every little detail of her movements was taught to her exceptionally well by Toyokawa Shoko, and Ningzi was always brimming with confidence in her ability to disguise herself as an elegant young lady.

Give her a stage, and she'll be able to completely captivate the audience.

For example, the little fish Aine in front of me, I feel like if I use a little more force, Aine will turn completely pink.

"Hey, Ningzi looks so beautiful drinking tea, just like a young lady from a wealthy family."

"Yeah."

Ningzi smiled and put down her teacup.

I don't think the young lady dislikes drinking tea, right?

At least those I've met all seem to enjoy drinking tea immensely.

I only like drinking fruit juice, so I'm not a rich girl.

She was merely a docile little plug-in to a fallen rich girl.

The movement of setting down the teacup was also very gentle, and Ningzi seemed to squint her eyes happily.

She had been drinking this tea since she was a child. It wasn't that she particularly liked it, but every time she saw her older sister drink the tea, Ningzi couldn't help but take a sip to experience the sensation of her sister's tea flowing through her own organs.

And... I laughed not because I was really happy, but because I felt that laughing now would make you think I was happy. My little Ai, when will you understand?

You...

Ningzi placed her hand over Aine's small hand, which was resting on the table, and left her fingerprints on the clean, white back of her hand.

"Hey? Xiao Ning?"

"Xiao Ai, what's wrong?"

Ningzi blinked innocently, but her hands continued moving.

Let me see, these nails were just trimmed.

The cute little layer of skin at the base of the thumb felt like it could be easily peeled off. Ai-yin's fingers were of moderate length, not as slender and strong as her own.

It seems like Aine has never played any musical instruments before. Apart from the calluses from writing, Aine's hands are incredibly tender and alluring.

It would be perfect to go with a gray little penguin to be a civil engineering senior and build a penguin nest.

"N-nothing's wrong."

Aine didn't resist; she just blushed and played the role of a quiet victim.

"Xiao Ai asked me to come out for tea. Is there something you need help with? I think I can do something about it."

If I can't make it, I can apologize with a purple clay teapot.

I was just kidding, you don't even know how to make Zisha teapots.

Ningzi asked very seriously, while Aiyin seemed somewhat distracted.

"It's nothing much, I just wanted to find someone to have afternoon tea with..."

"But it's almost dinner time now, isn't it?"

"Hahaha, is that so?"