Chu Chu stood at the mixing console, wearing a large pair of headphones. Looking at the two girls inside the recording booth, she held up three fingers, then slowly put them down one by one.
Seeing her hand signal, the two girls facing each other inside the soundproof booth opened their mouths and began to sing in unison: "さいた野の花よ" (Blossoming wildflower)
After this chorus line, Chu Lian paused, allowing Inori to continue singing: "ああ どうか おしえておくれ,人は何故 傷つけあって 争うのでしょう?" (Ah, please, won't you tell me? Why do people hurt each other and fight?)
Then came another chorus: "リんと咲く花よ" (You, the flowers that bloom with grace)
This time, Inori stopped singing, allowing Chu Lian's voice to softly hum: "そこから何が見える,人は何故 許しあうこと出来ないのでしょう?" (What do you see from where you are? Why is it so hard for people to forgive one another?)
The elegant and delicate melody flowed through her headphones, and Chu Chu gently swayed her head, slightly intoxicated by the music. Though these were raw vocals with no tuning or effects, the natural harmony of their heavenly voices was more beautiful than most polished studio tracks.
Closing her eyes, she imagined flowers blooming by a riverside, on grassy slopes, and even struggling out from rocky cliffs. It was as if she saw a person gently plucking these flowers, only to release them again into the wind. The lyrics, though softly sung like a whisper, seeped into the heart.
It wasn't until the final harmonized line faded away that Chu Chu snapped back to reality, clapped her hands, removed her headphones, and held up a V-sign to show her approval.
Seeing this, Chu Lian exchanged a playful smile with Inori. After a full day of duet rehearsals and dozens of takes, they had finally recorded the perfect version. All their Saturday efforts had paid off.
On Friday morning, after being teased and kissed by Mana, Chu Lian had fled in a panic. It wasn't until she returned home that evening and saw Inori acting perfectly normal that she finally relaxed.
Apparently, Inori had grown fond of sleeping in the same room with her. Last night, she didn't return to her own room but stayed in Chu Lian's instead, quietly reading a book. Chu Lian, meanwhile, sat at her computer writing her novel, browsing Weibo updates, and researching this world's information. Their occasional small exchanges felt like a quiet agreement—peaceful and warm.
Chu Lian admitted that after two nights, she had already grown used to and even fond of spending evenings with Inori. Though nothing happened between them, this was exactly the kind of atmosphere she had longed for. If it weren't, she wouldn't have so easily let go of her caution and invited Inori in, even knowing that Mana could awaken at any moment.
The duet idea had also come up during their chat last night. Since she wanted to help Inori adapt to life in this world, they decided that becoming an online singer would be a good way to build popularity and social acceptance for Inori's unique situation.
Before making this decision, she understood well—newcomers in this industry rarely make it unless they have a breathtaking song, a timeless classic, or the backing of a strong production team. So she planned to use her own fame to help boost Inori's visibility.
Of course, in the initial music videos, neither Chu Lian nor Inori's face would appear—only their duet vocals accompanied by beautiful CG artwork. Once they'd built enough curiosity and anticipation, they would gradually let Inori appear before the public.
Alright, she admitted—it would be far too easy for Inori to go viral just with her looks and voice. But Chu Lian was worried Inori might go through what she herself had once experienced. That's why she planned things this way.
It had to be said, Chu Lian's arrangements were a bit overly protective of Inori, but Inori didn't refuse at all. In truth, she didn't even understand what it meant to refuse—she just knew she didn't want to hurt Chu Lian.
After going through many options, Chu Lian finally chose the Japanese song "Euterpe."
First, it was her favorite anime song; second, it was also Inori's signature piece in Guilty Crown; third, the lyrics conveyed a beautiful message—it was essentially a song calling for peace. For Inori to sing it so tenderly and soulfully made it all the more rare; and finally, this was the only song Inori could still remember.
After all, unlike Chu Lian, she didn't have any special methods to memorize a song for an extended period of time. Even though Chu Lian herself didn't know that many songs, most were obtained through the system's exchange. But the songs she redeemed always came with instrumentals and performances—and more importantly, they were etched into her very soul, making them impossible to forget.
Because of that, Chu Lian carved out a sizable chunk of time from their relatively short recording window for preparation. She spent 15,000 Culture Points to redeem "Euterpe," pulled Chu Chu—who had some basic recording studio skills—into the booth to serve as the audio engineer, and then went into the studio herself to do the duet with Inori.
At first, the two of them made frequent mistakes due to their lack of coordination. They couldn't transition smoothly, and it took a painfully long morning of frustrating trial and error. After a break, they finally found their rhythm, corrected their earlier mistakes one by one, and produced a perfectly harmonized take.
Looking at the time, it was already past five in the afternoon. Her mom, who had an emergency work shift, should be home by now.
"Let's go downstairs first. We can fix the vocals and arrange the track tonight. I'm worried Mom might not find us and start searching all over. That'd mean we'd have to cook dinner ourselves…" Chu Lian stretched and spoke lightly. The noble excuse was "Mom might worry," but in reality, it was just her laziness kicking in.
"Yes yes yes! Dinner made by big sister is Chu Chu's favorite~ Forget about Mom, go on already, please? Just treat it as a reward for me, since I've been so good all day and didn't cling to you, pretty please? Pretty please? Pretty please?~" The moment Chu Chu heard they might have to cook for themselves, her eyes lit up. She rolled around on the rug like a spoiled cat, refusing to give up until she could eat Chu Lian's cooking.
Chu Lian wasn't swayed by Chu Chu's antics in the slightest—until she caught the look of quiet anticipation in Inori's eyes. Only then did she nod: "Alright. If Mom's not back, I'll cook dinner tonight."
Hearing her agreement, Chu Chu climbed up from beside Chu Lian's legs, holding her nose and whispering under her breath, "White lace panties… so cute… ngh~ I'm getting a nosebleed…"
Unfortunately for her, when it came to matters of personal dignity, Chu Lian entered full-on god mode. Even though Chu Chu's whisper was barely audible, she still heard it loud and clear.
Her eye twitched. Chu Lian raised her fist and punched Chu Chu straight in the face. Thud~ Chu Chu's body flew back into the wooden wall, but she acted like nothing happened. In fact, she started moaning bizarrely: "Mmmahnnso good… Big Sis, hit harder… aah~~ harder… ah… Big Sis' love really is fierce and passionate Chu Chu's heart is melting~"
Watching Chu Chu moan under her foot with a strange expression, Chu Lian resisted the urge to throw her off the third floor. She instead raised her foot wrapped in white thigh-high socks, kicked Chu Chu's shin, then grabbed Inori's hand and walked out without looking back.
"Ooh~ Big Sis still can't bear to hit me too hard. Otherwise, that wouldn't have felt so nice. Honestly…" Only after Chu Lian had gone downstairs for a while did Chu Chu finally get up from the rug. She tidied her appearance and instantly transformed from a perverted mess into a charmingly proper, if slightly provocative, young lady. Still, the words out of her mouth remained just as outrageous.
As they had expected, their dear mother had gotten busy with the publishing house and couldn't stay home like she had the past few days. So tonight's dinner would have to be prepared by Chu Lian herself.
Shaking her head and sighing, she said, "Alright, what do you two want to eat? I'll make it for you…"
Inori's gentle gaze followed her figure as she opened the fridge. In a soft voice, she said, "Can I eat… whatever Lian likes most?"
Hearing that, Chu Lian's hand froze for a moment, then she replied nonchalantly, "Sure. The thing I like most is braised duck with young ginger. Let me see if we have any..." She opened the lower freezer compartment and pulled out a duck that had already been prepped and sealed.
A small note peeked out from the storage bag. Chu Lian pulled it out and read it, a warm smile appearing on her face:
"Dear Little Lian'er, Mom might have to work very late tonight. So dinner is up to you three.
Of course, since that rascal Chu Chu only eats but never cooks, and Inori just arrived and doesn't know anything about Huaxia cuisine, you'll have to do the cooking.
This duck was specially prepared this morning by the farm we order from the most. It was delivered almost immediately after slaughter and placed in the freezer. The texture might be a bit off due to freezing, but that's still better than waiting for a fresh delivery tonight, right?
So, please make do with it. The young ginger was also selected fresh—the best available. It's tender and flavorful, just like your favorite dishes. I've placed it on the top shelf. Go look for it.
Ah, don't ask Mom how she knew you'd want braised duck with young ginger today. Just cook it properly, alright?
If there are leftovers, be sure to save some for me. I might be hungry and tired when I get home. Get some rest early.
(A red lipstick kiss mark) —To my dearest Little Lian'er."
Chu Lian gently folded the note and placed it on top of the fridge. Then she took out the modest-sized duck, found the young ginger her mother mentioned, and carried everything to the kitchen one item at a time.
Although tonight's dinner would take a while to prepare, all three of them—Chu Chu, Inori, and even Chu Lian herself—looked forward to it.
It might not be the most exquisite or unique dish, but it was bound to be unforgettable. Because even though it was a meal for three, it carried their mother's thoughtful intentions.
And more than that, it would be the first time Inori tasted Chu Lian's cooking. Not a legendary gourmet meal, but a comforting homemade dish that seeped its warmth into the heart.
"Lian..." came a gentle murmur, as Inori looked at her with a soft smile on her face...