“Dad, it’s me.” Maki tried to make her voice calm.

“Maki? Why is this an unfamiliar number? Where are you now? Dad said too harshly before. I apologize to you and your friends. Can you go home now? Your mother said that she will break off relations with me if I don’t find you back–” The voice on the other end of the phone spoke hurriedly, as if afraid that Maki would hang up the phone.

After all, they are a family connected by blood. Seeing her father’s surrender, Maki forgave him instantly.

“My phone is out of battery. I’m using my friend’s phone…”

Maki glanced at Ji Qi, who was smiling, and repeated what he had just said, but did not mention that she was lost and scared.

“…Oh? Can you let him answer the phone?” Feeling that Maki had returned to normal, Maki’s father breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time he thought of another question.

Who is this friend?

The first thing that can be confirmed is that it is not the other girls of Muse, because he just called the other eight girls in order to find Maki.

In Maki’s father’s opinion, the most likely place for Maki to go is their home.

But in the end there was no result.

This made Maki’s father, who was not very worried at first, panic.

He had been anxious for a long time, and only after he confirmed his daughter’s safety did he start to care about other things.

During the previous phone call, he seemed to remember someone mentioned a boy’s name?

Is it this boy?

Chapter 319 The life of ordinary people

Maki’s father?

Ji Qi touched his chin. Since Muse and her friends’ parents had never appeared in the original work, he didn’t know much about Maki’s parents.

However, judging from Maki’s description just now, he is probably a middle-aged man who is very ambitious in career, traditional and old-fashioned, and who values ​​his family very much.

He thought about it, since such a big thing has happened, it is normal for him who is currently with Maki to talk to Maki’s father about the situation and let him feel relieved. And Maki’s father must be resolved. Otherwise, there is a possibility that Maki will continue to stay in Muse.

Ji Qi answered the phone.

A steady and kind voice came from the microphone.

“My classmate, I heard that you are Maki’s friend and are with her now? Would you mind telling me the whole story?”

Although the other party’s words seemed to be discussing with him, Ji Qi was keenly aware of the other party’s unquestionable tone, and a little bit of hostility.

Ji Qi shrugged. What was this? He had done nothing but was directly hostile to him. What did Zhen Ji’s father treat Zhen Ji as, a slave? His daughter was already sixteen years old and he was not even allowed to have her own social circle?

Ji Qi, who met Zhenji’s father for the first time, finally had a direct impression of him.

After a pause, since there was no need to hide anything, he calmly narrated his experience tonight in a different way.

In simple terms, the bad situation of Maki getting lost and having no money to go home was replaced by her simply being in a bad mood and looking for him to talk. Try to minimize the matter as much as possible.

“So that’s how it is. Thank you very much, sir.” Maki’s father’s tone was a little subtle.

Perhaps he was surprised because he knew his daughter’s personality.

“No, it’s not like that. Uncle, I’ve already persuaded Maki well. We are now in a shopping mall not far from your house. I will personally send Maki back after we finish our meal. Please don’t worry.”

Ji Qi knew that Zhen Ji’s father would most likely use various reasons to ask him to persuade Zhen Ji to go home. Ji Qi, who still had something to say to Zhen Ji, simply spoke into the phone first and shut up the conversation.

“Well… well, Maki is causing you trouble.”

In the past, Maki’s father would have definitely ordered his daughter to go home without saying a word, but he hesitated and finally compromised.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Ji Qi hung up the phone.

He walked ahead and said to Maki calmly, “You must be starving, Maki. What do you want to eat?”

“Um… I don’t mind.”

Seeing Maki’s hesitation, Ji Qi probably knew what she was thinking as she walked away, “I have a few ideas about how to convince your father to allow you to be a school idol.”

The tone is firm and the expression is confident.

With confidence.

A glimmer of hope rose in Maki’s heart.

“What do you think?”

“Maki, you have a good relationship with your father, right? And you have a good relationship with the other people in Muse, too, right?” Ji Qi said something different from what Maki had imagined.

Zhenji nodded. At this point, there was nothing to hide in front of Ji Qi.

Ji Qi raised a finger, “If someone else wants to leave Muse, what will you and Kousaka Honoka do?”

“It depends on your own wishes.”

“You also said that it depends on your own opinion. Do you think Honoka and the others will stand idly by if they know your situation?”

Zhenji widened her eyes and said in a slightly bewildered manner: “They know?”

“Your father will definitely call them to find you, so the truth will be exposed.” Ji Qi said speechlessly, speeding up his pace. Zhen Ji seemed so smart at ordinary times, but why couldn’t she think straight at the critical moment?

Maki’s lips trembled, her expression complicated, “They all know…but what does it have to do with the current situation?”

“Of course. You’ll need their strength to convince your father.”

“They, you can’t do that. I just told you, my father is not someone who will be easily shaken. Maybe if they come to my house, it will cause a lot of noise, and then…”

Maki began to panic, and it seemed that she might have imagined the specific scenario in her mind.

“Didn’t you think you would never join Muse at first, but in the end you were pulled in by Honoka?”

As someone who once stood in a God’s perspective, he naturally knew the character strengths and personal charm of Honoka and the others. Their always positive and optimistic spirit was very contagious.

From a practical point of view, it would certainly not be enough to convince Maki’s father by just rushing forward.

Ji Qi continued, “In fact, you are just putting the problems you will encounter in the future in advance. The three people in Muse are all in their third year, right? Have you thought about what to do with the team after they graduate?”

“Everyone will eventually go their separate ways. You can only be a campus idol for a short period of one or two years.”

“So, as long as you maintain your original performance, be honest with your father, and explain your serious intentions, I think even someone like your father will recognize you.”

“You have been working hard to realize your parents’ dream of becoming a doctor. You have done well and worked hard enough. Now, can you think about yourself? What is your real dream? What is the goal you want to achieve? If you speak out now, your parents will definitely give you the freedom of an ordinary person in high school.”

“Because this has nothing to do with you going to the hospital or university to inherit the family business.”

Ji Qi stopped where he was, looking at the girl who lowered her head and could not see her expression clearly. He did not say anything to make Zhenji threaten her parents. Instead, he simply organized the best solution he could think of word by word from a realistic perspective, and then gave the choice to Zhenji and her friends.

After all, Maki’s father is Maki’s relative, not an enemy. Going too far will only make Maki, who is caught in the middle, feel embarrassed.

For a very realistic person like Maki’s father who has been in society for many years, keeping silent or saying “maintain good grades and you won’t have anything to say” will not work at all.

They must express their determination seriously and let Maki’s father recognize them actively.

In this regard, Ji Qi still has great confidence in Kousaka Honoka and the others.

After listening quietly, Maki held her breath, her whole body seemed to be burning, and her eyes shone with an inexplicable light.

Because what he said was very realistic, it was very convincing. She felt that if she and her friend did this, they might be able to convince her father!

Even though I only have one year left as a campus idol, it’s better than giving up now, right?

Also, it was the first time someone told her, “You have done well enough and worked hard enough.”

On the street, under the colorful neon lights, the girl’s face was a little flushed.

“Okay, this is what I think. Let’s go eat.” Ji Qi pulled Zhen Ji towards a side alley.

“suffer……?”

Zhenji was a little confused by Ji Qi’s 180-degree turn in the topic.

The aroma of various foods mixed together could be smelled from far away.

If he remembered correctly, this place was a very famous snack street.

“Would you like a piece of peppercorn?”

Looking at the various open-air stalls, Ji Qi walked towards a quite busy stall and turned to look at Zhen Ji who seemed not to be used to the environment here.

As a young lady, whose family owns a hospital, Maki has been influenced by hygiene and health since she was a child. She has almost never been to a food stall that has no safety guarantee at all.

However, looking at the attractive, plump cake wrapped in yellow paper, the already starving Maki was instantly tempted. She asked curiously, “What is pepper cake?”

“It should be a specialty snack from Taiwan. Boss, give us two pieces.” Ji Qi explained while taking out the money.

Holding the hot, plump pancake, Ji Qi took a bite first, “Mm, it tastes good.”

Zhenji pursed her lips and tried to bite a piece and chew it carefully in her mouth.

“It’s delicious, but a little spicy…”

Maki, who was originally somewhat resistant to this kind of food, quickly put her previous thoughts behind her.

“Then I’ll go get two drinks. How about bubble tea?”

When other boys take pretty girls out to eat, they would always try to take them to high-end and prestigious restaurants for fear that the girls would be disgusted. But it’s different with Ji Qi. Forget restaurants. He always takes Zhen Ji to eat the cheapest street snacks.

Most importantly, girls won’t be disgusted at all.

This is the benefit of experience.

After buying two cups of authentic milk tea, Ji Qi said with a smile: “There are still many delicious foods. Let’s try them one by one, and then have a bowl of noodles and go home.”

“Do you think I’m a pig for eating so much…Also, isn’t it unhygienic?” Maki asked in a low voice.

“Life is short, girl, so don’t worry about so many things. It’s okay to eat it occasionally. Look, so many people don’t care.” Ji Qi said with a smile.

Zhenji also let go of her reserve and stopped thinking about so many upsetting things. She followed Ji Qi like a bird out of a cage.

In the following time, Ji Qi took Maki to eat candied haws, Dorayaki, and octopus balls. At his instigation, Maki also tried the stinky tofu, which smelled terrible but tasted surprisingly delicious.

Finally, after finishing the main course at a ramen restaurant, Maki touched her stomach with a bitter face, with half of the bowl still left in front of her. Although it was delicious, she really couldn’t eat any more!

Because of her usual habits, she doesn’t like to waste food.

She rolled her eyes and looked at Ji Qi who was eating noodles in big mouthfuls and quickly finished most of the noodles. She pushed her bowl next to him.

“What’s wrong? Is this a reward from the young lady?”

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Maki’s movements. Ji Qi, with noodles stuffed in his mouth, was still in the mood to make a joke.

Maki glared at him and said, “You’re so nagging. It’s all your fault. You made me eat so much and now I’m so full.”

“But it tastes good, right? It makes you happy, right?” Ji Qi took another sip of the soup and smiled at this girl whose life was extremely monotonous and seemed to be imprisoned.

Maki’s life is actually very simple and pale, and can be summed up in just a few words.

When he heard Maki describing her life, he wanted to take Maki to experience a different life.

Her situation made Ji Qiqing involuntarily think of another girl.

Yukinoshita Yukino.

This girl’s life seemed to be cursed.

Next time I have the chance, I’ll take her out for a walk and have a look.

While shopping with a girl, I was thinking of another girl in my heart.

“Humph, what nonsense are you talking about, idiot!”

Maki’s face flushed, and she performed a textbook classic tsundere performance for Ji Qi.

As if looking through Zhen Ji at another person, Ji Qi came back to his senses in an instant. He said regretfully: “Actually, there are many places I want to take you to, but if you delay any longer, your parents will be worried.”

Maki nodded silently.

“Remember to apologize to your father when you get home. Also, it’s too late today. Let’s discuss it tomorrow and let Honoka and the others come to visit.”

The relaxed and joyful atmosphere that the two had created earlier disappeared unnoticed, replaced by dullness.

Shaking his head, Ji Qi finished his own ramen and also finished the rest of Maki’s, and then the two of them left the ramen restaurant.

So, is this considered an indirect kiss?

Ji Qi touched his lips. Maki’s bowl of ramen was exactly the same as his, but he tasted a different taste.

To be honest, Ji Qi felt a great sense of accomplishment in his heart for being able to help an unapproachable and tsundere girl develop to the point where she could make a living in such a short period of time.