A Funeral, a Drizzle, and Lingering Doubts

The rain in Wangdu arrived as swiftly as it departed. By the time they finally extricated themselves from the dense traffic, it had already subsided, leaving behind only a hesitant drizzle. Observing the seemingly endless queue of vehicles still stretching behind them, Bai Muxue let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

‘We finally made it out…’

In the past, this very reason had deterred her from buying a car, despite having obtained her driver’s license; navigating Wangdu during peak hours was an utterly agonizing experience. On most days, she preferred to commute by subway.

Of course, times had changed; for the esteemed eldest daughter of the Bai family to arrive at an event via subway now would be utterly unthinkable.

A wry smile touched Bai Muxue’s lips as her fingers delicately traced the palm of Shen Jingyi, who sat beside her. The blushing, shrinking girl gritted her teeth in response, yet ultimately remained silent.

“Miss, I’ll drop you off at the Disaster Management Bureau first. The memorial service will be held there, and after the condolences, they’ll inter the ashes in the cemetery behind the Bureau’s headquarters… if you find it too much trouble…”

The driver paused mid-sentence, carefully formulating her next words in her mind.

Not only her, but everyone in the Bai family, from top to bottom, couldn’t fathom why Bai Muxue, a notoriously unconventional heiress, would suddenly decide to attend the funeral of a salesperson with whom she had no apparent connection.

Moreover, memorial services and funerals were notoriously elaborate affairs. Given the young miss’s capricious and headstrong nature, it was most likely a decision made on a whim to attend; it was difficult to imagine her dutifully remaining until the very end.

Before she could even articulate her thoughts, she heard her young miss speak softly:

“It’s fine.”

“Well… alright then.” Knowing the young miss’s temperament intimately, she said no more, simply nodding in silence.

“The Disaster Management Bureau?”

It was Shen Jingyi, having overheard the comment, who turned her head, her delicate features etched with a hint of bewilderment.

She had initially been deeply puzzled by Bai Muxue’s decision to attend any funeral at all, having assumed it was for some prominent figure in Wangdu whose presence Bai Muxue was obligated to grace… but a funeral for a member of the Disaster Management Bureau? That was unexpected.

How could someone like Bai Muxue possibly be associated with the Disaster Management Bureau?

“Yes, the Disaster Management Bureau.”

Bai Muxue drew a deep breath, suppressing the slightest tremor of unease and apprehension, and spoke, striving for an air of nonchalance:

“That person… was something of an acquaintance of mine.”

Every additional word was a potential misstep; continuing on this topic, she risked Shen Jingyi detecting something amiss.

Noticing Shen Jingyi’s still pensive expression, Bai Muxue let out a soft chuckle, then spoke in a deliberately casual tone:

“Speaking of which, the Anomaly Investigation Department (TL Note: Full name: Special Anomaly Investigation Department, responsible for dealing with abnormal phenomena, disaster beasts, and strange individuals.) would probably send someone over as well, wouldn’t they? Who knows?”

Of course… monitoring these unidentified magical girls was also one of their responsibilities.

Sure enough, upon hearing Bai Muxue’s words, Shen Jingyi froze for a brief moment. Although her facial expression remained unchanged, her small hand, tightly clutching the hem of her clothes, slowly tightened its grip until her knuckles began to whiten.

‘Why is she telling me about the Anomaly Investigation Department? Is she hinting at something?’

‘Have the Anomaly Investigation Department already discovered my identity? Could this actually be a trap? A trap to lure me into walking right into the net? But why would she tell me now?’

“You…”

In that instant, a myriad of thoughts raced through Shen Jingyi’s mind. But before she could speak, the girl before her let out a soft giggle, waving her hand dismissively, an air of utter unconcern on her face:

“Pfft, alright, alright, I’m not teasing you anymore~”

“Those folks from the Anomaly Investigation Department are far too busy; they would hardly come here to attend some memorial service.”

Having said this, Bai Muxue elegantly covered her mouth as she yawned, then curled languidly into her seat.

‘W-what, a joke…’

Shen Jingyi was left utterly dumbfounded by Bai Muxue’s words, completely unable to discern if she had been serious or merely joking.

“How many of your words are actually true?”

The gravity on Shen Jingyi’s face did not dissipate. Her brow furrowed, her small hand having already settled discreetly upon the small box.

“Hmm… who knows?”

Bai Muxue’s slender, elegant fingers brushed through her ink-black hair, tucking a stray lock behind her ear.

She seemed disinclined to pursue the topic further. Fragmented sunlight, having pierced through the dark clouds, bathed the girl, imbuing her pale skin with a subtle luminosity.

Her eyelids were half-closed as she leaned languidly against the window, where even the fine, downy hairs on her face were clearly visible.

Gazing at the slender, delicate girl before her, seemingly devoid of any defenses, Shen Jingyi’s lips were tightly pressed, her brow deeply furrowed, and her dark eyes filled with a profound bewilderment.

…Yet, in the end, she slowly removed her hand from the box.

****

Meanwhile, the driver, having noticed the hushed exchange between the two, surreptitiously observed Shen Jingyi in her rearview mirror. Shen Jingyi sat in the back, her face devoid of expression save for a faint blush on her cheeks.

‘The young miss is attending a funeral, and she brought a female companion…’

‘According to her usual style, shouldn’t she be taking girls to the family’s luxury yacht, or perhaps that high-end hotel?’

‘That the young miss was notoriously fond of elaborate diversions was no secret within Wangdu’s entire upper echelon.’

‘Bringing a young lady to a funeral… in a way, it actually quite suited the young miss’s unique style.’

Nevertheless, such matters were not for a mere driver like herself to comment upon. She shook her head, turned the steering wheel, and drove towards the Disaster Management Bureau.

****

Along the way, they encountered no further traffic, arriving unimpeded at the memorial hall of the Disaster Management Bureau.

Although the hall was scarcely populated, everyone present was impeccably dressed in solemn black suits or dresses, their faces bearing expressions of grave solemnity.

Although Bai Muxue had died in a car accident, as an employee of the Disaster Management Bureau, and with only one daughter remaining in her family, the Bureau would still assist with the funeral arrangements.

Though it might sound like dark humor (TL Note: A Chinese slang term referring to a joke that is morbid or taboo, often used to cope with difficult realities.), since the outbreak of monster disasters, the number of Disaster Management Bureau and Anomaly Investigation Department employees who died in the line of duty each year was truly staggering. Sacrifices were made constantly, and Bai Muxue’s death was simply another addition to the grim tally, so they simply handled it as a matter of routine.

Gazing at these familiar faces and surroundings, Bai Muxue found herself momentarily lost in a daze.

Among them were colleagues with whom she had spent countless days and nights, the same few leaders who had always seemed to speak from a position of detached authority, and several high-ranking officials she only ever encountered during meetings.

The moment she and Shen Jingyi stepped into the hall, they immediately drew a myriad of gazes.

Bai Muxue wore her familiar black dress. Her long hair, streaked with white highlights, swayed gently, a few playful dark strands falling to partially obscure her vision.

Her snow-white skin shimmered with an ethereal glow under the lights, captivating as the faint dimples that appeared at the corners of her lips.

Her naturally exquisite appearance needed no special adornment; a simple gesture, such as casually sweeping her hair back, possessed a breathtaking beauty.

In contrast to Bai Muxue, who had become the center of attention, Shen Jingyi, who always disliked such occasions, subtly furrowed her brow. Despite wearing no makeup, her stunning features and ethereal demeanor gave her a cool, otherworldly elegance.

She pursed her lips, turning her gaze to the girl pressed close beside her, only to find that Bai Muxue wasn’t paying attention to the crowd at all. Instead, she was glancing around, her eyes flashing with a flicker of imperceptible anxiety and nervousness.

Noticing this, Shen Jingyi paused, slightly bewildered.

‘Is this person… looking for someone?’