After Christmas, the year will come to an end.

After the Meiji Restoration, Japan abolished the old calendar in favor of the Gregorian calendar, and changed the original old calendar New Year to the Gregorian New Year. So after Christmas, there are not a few days before the New Year.

"Ruodie, are you ready for the New Year?" Qianye put down the brush in his hand, rubbed his wrist and said to Ruodie.

Ruodie glanced at the list in her hand, raised her head and replied to Qianye: "Except for the New Year's greeting letter that you wrote to Miss Hashimoto and them, the other things are almost ready, including the puffer fish to be used on Chinese New Year's Eve, which is your favorite puffer fish in Yamaguchi Prefecture, the master." Ruodie put down the list in her hand, looked at Qianye with some curiosity, hesitated for a moment, and asked him: "Master, let me say more, how can you prepare for the New Year so officially this year?" Even last year, you just set up a door pine in front of this Taisha shrine and drank a little Tusu wine. Is it because Miss Hashimoto is it so official this year? ”

Qianye curled the corners of her mouth and smiled slightly, as if she was in a good mood, and said to Ruodie: "Nana Min is going to hold a coming-of-age ceremony after the New Year, so this year's New Year has a special meaning for her, so I want to be more formal." After all, this is the first New Year I've spent with them, and if it's too casual, it's a bit unpleasant. ”

Hearing Qianye say this, Ruodie nodded, and said with a smile in the corner of her eyes: "Since you said so, master, then I understand." Rest assured host, Honey Worm and I will have everything ready. ”

"By the way, the kimonos that Nanami and Mai will wear for the coming-of-age ceremony, remember to prepare them and send them over after the New Year." Qianye picked up the brush again and began to write the New Year's greetings, and at the same time told Ruodie: "In addition, remember the Jinshan of the New Year." ”

Remembering that Qianye had always disliked eating sweet potatoes, Ruodie covered her mouth and chuckled, and nodded.

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The New Year is approaching, and the streets have not yet been relieved from the Christmas atmosphere of a few days ago, but the joy of the New Year has been added to it.

Looking at the door pine placed in front of the shops on the street and the note rope hanging on the door, Mai Fukagawa smiled brightly and asked Nanami Hashimoto, "Nana Min, you're going to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony after the New Year, right?" ”

Mai Fukagawa's question made a hint of shyness welling up on Nanami Hashimoto's face, nodded and said, "Yes, I will be twenty years old after the New Year, and my birthday is approaching." Thinking of the promise that he promised Qianye to hand him over to him after his birthday became an adult, Nanami Hashimoto could not hide the shame on his face, but fortunately Mai Fukagawa didn't think much about it, but thought that Nana Hashimoto was just shy about being an adult.

"By the way, Nanamin, your birthday happens to be the first anniversary of Nogizaka's 46th debut, right?" Mai Fukagawa asked curiously, "I heard that this year there will be an anniversary concert at the Makuhari Exhibition Center!" ”

Nana Hashimoto didn't hear Mai Fukagawa mention the anniversary concert, and said with some excitement: "My birthday is on the 20th, and the anniversary concert is on the 22nd, not a day, but it's really close." I heard that this Makuhari Messe concert is called 'Birthday Live', and we will be performing all the songs we have had since the debut of Nogizaka 46, so it seems that we will be busy after the New Year. ”

"Yes, the preparation for the concert is very cumbersome, but I'm afraid that everyone will be busy by then." Mai Fukagawa said this, squinting her eyes and showing a good-looking smile and said to Nanami Hashimoto: "Nana Namin, let's take a good rest during the New Year!" ”

Nanami Hashimoto pursed her mouth and nodded, agreeing with Mai Fukagawa's words: "Only the New Year can I take a good rest in the past few days, after the New Year, whether it is the promotion of the fourth single or the preparation for the concert, it is a tiring job!" ”

"Nanamin, you need to pay attention to your body! You're already in poor health, and if you work so hard, if you fall ill, there's no one who can replace you now. So Nanamin, even if it's for the sake of the whole of Nogizaka 46, you have to take care of your body! Mai Fukagawa looked at Nanami Hashimoto seriously and told carefully.

"Alright! I see, Our Lady! I'll take care of myself! Nana Hashimoto called Mai Fukagawa's nickname and smiled at her teasingly. Although he said this, Nanami Hashimoto was very moved by Mai Fukagawa's concern in his heart.

"You really know how to take care of yourself!" Mai Fukagawa looked at Nanami Hashimoto, who was a little thin, and shook her head helplessly, obviously not having confidence in whether Nanami Hashimoto would be able to take care of herself.

The two chatted and walked, and soon walked to the subway entrance of Nogizaka Station, Mai Fukagawa looked at the subway sign, stopped, and smiled and said, "The subway station has arrived, then I'll go first, Nanamin, Happy New Year, see you next year!" ”

"Bye-bye, Mai Mai, Happy New Year!" Nana Hashimoto waved her hand and said goodbye to Mai Fukagawa. It wasn't until Mai Fukagawa walked down the subway station that Nanami Hashimoto turned around and walked towards her home.

Nanami Hashimoto's home is not far from the Nogizaka subway station, and after turning two blocks and buying the latest fashion magazines and beloved chili powder from a convenience store, Nanami Hashimoto walked leisurely back home.

"Miss Hashimoto, you're back, quack!" The prawn toad that heard the sound of the door opening quickly ran out and stood respectfully at the door, greeting Nanami Hashimoto.

Nana Hashimoto looked at the prawn toad while changing her shoes, and said a little uncomfortably: "Prawn toad, although I am very happy that when I go home, you came out to greet me as soon as possible, but can you not be so polite?" I'm really not used to it. ”

"I'm sorry, Miss Hashimoto, quack! You're a friend of Lord Shiraishi and the wife of Lord Thousand Nights, quack! In front of you, the little one is just a small attendant of Lord Shiraishi, and he doesn't dare to transgress the rules, quack! The prawn toad didn't seem to dare to be rude in front of Nanami Hashimoto, and kept a serious and respectful attitude.

Nana Hashimoto sighed helplessly, glanced at the prawn toad, shook his head, put down the things in his hand, and walked towards the kitchen.

"Mai, what are you doing?" Nana Hashimoto didn't look at the kitchen door, only to see a four-layer lacquerware food box in the kitchen, which was already half full, and Mai Shiraishi was carefully putting the shrimp head of a processed spiny lobster into the box, and neatly arranged the egg roll cut into pieces behind the shrimp head.

Mai Shiraishi raised her head and looked at Nanami Hashimoto who was standing at the door of the kitchen, with a happy smile on her face: "Nanamin, are you back?" I'm preparing a New Year's food box. ”

"New Year's food box? Didn't you say at night that you would go to the Thousand Nights to keep vigil together? Miss Ruodie and Miss Honey Worm, you shouldn't need to make a New Year's food box like Mai, right? And if you only have one serving, you won't be able to eat enough! Nana Hashimoto looked at the food box in front of Mai Shiraishi with some curiosity, although there are four layers, but each layer can hold not too much food, only enough for one or two people.

Mai Shiraishi was a little embarrassed on her face, and after a smile, she said to Nanami Hashimoto: "This is what I made especially for Qianye!" I haven't cooked for him since I became his wife. So this time, I want to cook a dish for him and let him try my handiwork. ”

"Yikes! Mai, you're so virtuous! Nana Hashimoto looked at Mai Shiraishi's carefully prepared dishes neatly placed in the food box in front of her, and said to Mai Shiraishi with some envy: "It's a pity that my cooking skills are not as good as Mai, otherwise I would also want to cook for Qianye!" ”

Hearing Nanami Hashimoto say this, Mai Shiraishi kept her hands on her hands, but after glancing at Nanami Hashimoto with her eyes, she said with a wicked smile: "Nanamin, you're not bad at cooking, you don't want to do it, right?" Otherwise, as long as you make it, even if it's a dark dish, you will eat it willingly! ”

Nana Hashimoto pouted a little unhappily, and said to Mai Shiraishi: "I just don't want to do it if I don't know how to do it!" I only learned how to cook when I came to Tokyo and lived alone, and if I did it well, it was just a stew. I want to be like Mai and you, make exquisite dishes, and then come to Chiya to taste them. If I don't make a dish that isn't delicious, I won't be happy even if Chiya is willing to eat it. ”

"Nanamin, that's not the case, cooking is done with heart, as long as you put your heart into this dish, I think even if you don't do it well, but Chiya can feel the heart you pour into the dish, he will be very happy." Mai Shiraishi raised her head and smiled at Nanami Hashimoto, which made Nana Hashimoto think.

"By the way, Nanamin, have you heard about the second phase of life?" Mai Shiraishi put the processed herring roe in her hand into the box, and suddenly asked Nanami Hashimoto: "I saw a message posted on the Internet before that the selection of the second phase of students has begun, Nanamin, do you know about it?" ”

"I've heard other members mention it, but they don't care too much about it." Nanami Hashimoto tilted her head, picked up a piece of the egg roll she had made and threw it into her mouth from the plate that Mai Shiraishi had placed aside, and said while chewing, "It's so sweet, Mai did you put sugar in the egg roll?" ”

"A little honey, but it's not too sweet, is it?" Mai Shiraishi frowned, picked up a piece of egg roll and put it in her mouth, tasted it and said, "It's not very sweet, Nanamin, there must be something wrong with your taste!" By the way, didn't you tell me before that Princess Yoshiko wanted to join us Nogizaka 46? Now that the second batch of students is recruiting, this is a good opportunity! ”

"yes, I almost forgot about it, I went back to my agent Sang to ask for the specific situation, and then told Kako." Nana Hashimoto nodded, suddenly thought of something, covered her mouth and smiled at Mai Shiraishi: "If Princess Yoshiko joins our Nogizaka 46, if she doesn't enter the selection group, will it hurt the face of the royal family?" ”

Mai Shiraishi thought of this question and immediately laughed.