Cousin, will you take care of me?

[Ding-dong.]

“Ah, just a moment~”

‘The same voice from the intercom at the complex entrance, sounding somewhat flustered, as if she had knocked something over, finally reached the door.

[Whoosh!]

‘As the door swung open, a surging, overwhelming presence washed over me.

‘So big! No, never mind that for now.

‘This cousin was utterly unfamiliar to Xiaoxin; he couldn’t recall such a stunningly beautiful and adorable girl in his memory.

‘She had somewhat messy brown long hair, and though it hadn’t been styled yet, her visible face and features were remarkably delicate and spirited.

‘Her slender, noodle-like waist gave no hint that it could accommodate such a vast quantity of food.

‘She was wearing a blue and pink nightgown without a bra, and it was unclear whether the nightgown was simply too small; one button had burst open from the “fruits” on her chest, revealing fair skin.

‘This “weapon,” which seemed to defy her age, invariably drew one’s attention.

“Hehe, sorry, Cousin Xiaoxin,” the girl said, clearly a little embarrassed.

“I just moved in, and even with the company’s help, it’s a bit messy.”

‘Then she sniffed the air, and her face instantly lit up with a smile.

“Is that stew?! It smells amazing!”

“Yes, I’m glad you like it.” With that, Xiaoxin handed over the stew.

“Don’t just stand outside, Cousin Xiaoxin, come in and talk.”

“Huh? Is that okay? Her father… ah, no, my father was worried I’d disturb your studies, so…”

“Those kinds of rules don’t matter~ I won’t tell anyone anyway.”

‘The girl stuck out her tongue, then took Xiaoxin’s hand, her genuine smile making him feel a little shy.

“Actually, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about too, Cousin.”

“Alright then, I suppose it would be impolite to refuse.”

‘After all, Xiaoxin himself had something he wanted to discuss.

‘Feeling a tad self-conscious, I changed my shoes; my cousin thoughtfully had a pair of slippers ready for me.

‘Judging by the logo on the slippers, it appeared to be from “Magical Girl Assembly Order,” a company Xiaoxin remembered for repeatedly plagiarizing his image to create numerous dolls, figures, and other merchandise, which, surprisingly, sold quite well.

‘Although the apartment was only 60 square meters, it boasted a living room, bedroom, and balcony, with a bathroom significantly more spacious than his own, even featuring a bathtub for soaking.

‘Stepping inside, I was struck by the strong otaku vibe, evident from the walls plastered with Magical Girl posters; what’s more, most of these posters seemed to depict…

“Magical Girl Xiaoxin!”

‘Undoubtedly, that was Xiaoxin in his transformed state, though no one could possibly know they were the same person.

“Oho, Cousin Xiaoxin, you know her too!”

“The urban fairy~ a romantic legend, loyal to no organization! The legendary Magical Girl! That’s right! It’s Xiaoxin!”

“Ah… I see, well, your cousin doesn’t really understand it,” Xiaoxin said, scratching his chin with a wry smile.

‘To say he didn’t understand would certainly be a lie; perhaps no one in the world understood Magical Girl Xiaoxin better than he did, after all, she was him.

‘Placing the pot in the living room, taking out spoons and chopsticks, and serving rice from the rice cooker onto the dining table, the girl immediately began to eat with eager anticipation.

‘Paired with the rich, savory broth of the stew and the fluffy rice, the moment she took her first bite, her pupils widened instantly, as if stars sparkled within them, and her face radiated pure happiness, like a delightful surprise.

‘She then began to devour her meal ravenously.

‘By all appearances, she was undoubtedly a quintessential beauty, and her voice was so pleasant she could easily debut as a national virtual idol in the music scene.

‘Yet, her complete lack of ladylike grace while eating, combined with the apartment full of posters and even display cabinets for figures, gave her an oddly regrettable charm.

‘Mmm, on closer inspection, most of them seemed to be Magical Girl Xiaoxin.

“Cousin, Cousin, did you know?”

“I heard Magical Girl Xiaoxin has appeared in this suburban area several times; maybe, she actually lives around here.”

“Heh~ Is that so?”

“It’s just a guess, but if it’s true, maybe if I live here long enough, I’ll meet her one day.”

“Haha, yes, indeed, but if you do meet her, try not to cause any trouble.”

‘He spoke with an air of detachment, as if Magical Girl Xiaoxin were someone else entirely.

‘Ten years of his double life had taught him well how to disguise himself, and this was merely a normal cousin’s advice to his fanatical younger sister, though it also contained a kernel of his true feelings.

‘During several battles, fervent fans had indeed approached him, disregarding their own safety, and even clung to his skirt when he tried to retreat.

‘It was quite a headache, but thankfully the skirt was sturdy and never revealed anything, otherwise even the usually resilient Xiaoxin would have lost his composure.

‘However, speaking of which, he couldn’t recall this cousin, Yu Jing, at all; she differed greatly from anyone in his memory.

‘If he considered appetite alone, it seemed all his female cousins ate a lot, but how could she, with her seemingly endless capacity, devour an entire pot without any apparent strain?

‘He found himself staring intently, and sensing Xiaoxin’s gaze, the girl seemed a little embarrassed.

“Cousin, even I feel a bit self-conscious when someone stares at me while I eat…”

“Ah, my apologies.”

“Mmm, it’s nothing, really.”

‘You look quite puzzled, Cousin; is there something you want to ask me?’

“Haha, actually, it’s a bit embarrassing, but I just can’t quite remember which cousin you are.”

‘My straightforwardness, an old habit of mine, often created unnecessary negative impressions, and I instantly regretted it.

“Mmm, I already guessed you’d ask that, Cousin, since I have changed quite a bit.”

‘Huh? She didn’t seem to mind.

‘With that, she pulled a photo from under a book; it was a New Year’s group photo from years ago.

‘She pointed to a chubby, swollen child in the picture and said:

“That chubby kid who’s as round as a ball, that’s me.”

‘Even so, she didn’t need to call herself a ‘chubby kid’.

‘Looking at the photo, it was indeed an extraordinarily plump child, like a ball of flesh, as if she could roll down a mountain all by herself.

‘And then I suddenly remembered this cousin.

‘Although at the time, I had always thought of her as a male cousin; her excessive weight often broke wooden chairs, and her thick voice was so unclear that I couldn’t understand her without someone translating.

‘At just nine years old, he possessed an appetite that surpassed that of professional sumo wrestlers, and his build far exceeded his peers.

‘During a physical examination at the hospital, no diseases were unexpectedly found, yet her craving for food was insatiable, and her family, unable to dissuade her, allowed her weight to continuously increase.

‘Her daily activities and studies even required mechanical aids and the hiring of private tutors.

‘Since they didn’t live very far, and to curry favor, Xiaoxin’s father often sent Xiaoxin to help take care of her.

‘I hadn’t seen her since she graduated from university, and after three years apart, that obese ball of flesh, who could barely walk or speak, had transformed into a graceful, slender young woman.

‘Her weight felt at least halved; such a drastic change would leave anyone else incredulous and agape, but Xiaoxin remained silent, pondering other matters.

‘So why was her appetite still so enormous?

‘And why did she eat without any restrictions?

‘Logically, even the most advanced liposuction surgery of today, performed on such a large scale, would cause extreme harm to the patient, leaving their body incredibly weak, and their diet should be strictly controlled and managed.

‘Moreover, there wasn’t a hint of incoordination in her physical movements; if someone said she was an entirely different person, Xiaoxin wouldn’t doubt it at all, in fact, he’d find it perfectly reasonable.

“Was it exercise?

‘Was exercise the method you used to lose weight?’

“Bingo~ That’s right!

‘If you have the desire to lose weight, there’s nothing you can’t achieve!’

“Heh~ that’s truly impressive.” Xiaoxin silently applauded, not really understanding women’s social circles, but he guessed such a weight loss miracle would be hard for anyone to accept.

‘To burn off so much fat through exercise in three years seemed somewhat unrealistic, so what exactly absorbed such a vast amount of nutrients and fat?

‘His gaze once again fell upon the surging swell, and that heavy secret weapon was the answer.

‘Xiaoxin felt as if he understood everything.

‘The human body is truly miraculous.

‘I feel like female groups are going to find this even harder to accept.’