Soon, the evening breeze chimed the school bell, signaling dismissal.
At the entrance of Nandou First High, in front of the Snow King Milk Tea shop.
“Old Bai, what would you like to drink today?”
Yang Yuze approached, feigning an expression of profound distress as he asked.
“Ah, Yuze, why bother with such theatrics?
If you wanted to treat me to milk tea, you could have just said so, instead of going through all this.
Don’t worry, from now on, if this brother has a cup of milk tea to drink, you’ll have a cup of milk tea to watch.”
Bai Zhiqiu chuckled, patting Yang Yuze on the shoulder.
“Alright, alright, just tell me, what do you want to drink?”
“A cup of lemonade will do.”
“Just lemonade? What about the great campus belle, Yan?”
“Why ask her?”
Having said that, Bai Zhiqiu shot Yang Yuze a disdainful look.
Just as Yang Yuze was about to retort, having been glared at by Bai Zhiqiu, a cool, slightly teasing voice drifted from behind them.
“Why ask me?
What, is my little boyfriend unwilling to even treat me to a cup of milk tea?”
Bai Zhiqiu’s body stiffened.
‘She… how is she here?’
“Who?
Who’s your little boyfriend… don’t spout nonsense…”
“Is that so?
But Xiaoyue already calls me ‘sister-in-law’~”
As she spoke, Yan Qingzhu opened her phone, scrolled through her chat history with Bai Yue, and played a voice message.
Hearing his sister’s voice clearly utter the two words ‘sister-in-law’, Bai Zhiqiu felt as though the sky itself was collapsing.
‘When did you two conspire together?!’
‘Xiaoyue, you’re pushing your brother straight into a pit of fire!’
‘You’re truly a wonderful sister!’
“Oh, really!
Old Bai, at noon you told me there was absolutely nothing between you two.
Now, how do you intend to explain this?”
Confronted by Yang Yuze’s accusations, Bai Zhiqiu opted for the most effective strategy: playing dumb!
“Did I say anything to you at noon?”
As he spoke, Bai Zhiqiu blinked innocently at Yang Yuze.
“Alright, alright, so this is how you want to play…
Then don’t blame me for revealing what you did in the dorm earlier… Mmph!… Mmph!”
Before Yang Yuze could finish his sentence, Bai Zhiqiu clapped a hand over his mouth.
He already had enough embarrassing ‘black history’; if a few more incidents were exposed, Yan Qingzhu would never stop teasing him.
“Alright, alright, I’ll treat everyone today.
Tell me, what do you all want to drink?”
“I want coconut jelly milk tea!” Yang Yuze exclaimed eagerly.
“And you, little boyfriend~”
“Hmph! Who wants to drink your milk tea!
But since you—”
“Okay, one coconut jelly milk tea, and one strawberry cheese foam tea.”
Before Bai Zhiqiu could finish speaking, Yan Qingzhu had already placed the order.
‘Go ahead and be arrogant; you can starve for all I care!’
“If you’re not treating, then don’t treat; I’ll buy my own.”
After saying this, Bai Zhiqiu reached into his pocket, only to discover he had no cash.
As for his phone, Yan Qingzhu had confiscated it the previous night.
Seeing Bai Zhiqiu standing there awkwardly, Yan Qingzhu ordered another strawberry cheese foam tea for him.
‘After all, it would be terrible if the Little Demoness got angry and refused to go with her.’
“Let’s go! We’re heading to Nandou University!”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Having said that, Bai Zhiqiu started to walk in the direction of Nandou University, but Yan Qingzhu abruptly pulled him back.
“What’s wrong?”
Bai Zhiqiu asked, puzzled.
“I said I wanted the Little Demoness to accompany me to Nandou University, not Bai Zhiqiu~
So, hurry up and transform!”
“Are you crazy?
If I transform in the city center, aren’t you afraid dozens of Magical Girls will just gang up and beat me senseless?”
“Don’t worry, with me by your side, at least Jasmine definitely won’t come at you trying to chop you to death.
Give me a straight answer: nod to transform, shake your head not to.
You choose!”
“No transformation!”
Gazing at Yan Qingzhu, Bai Zhiqiu shook his head.
‘Transform? Never, not even in death!’
“Fine then!
In that case, I’ll just have to tell Xiaoyue the truth right now.
What was Xiaoyue’s phone number again?
It was something like…”
Yan Qingzhu pulled out her phone, her fair, slender fingers tapping on the screen, muttering to herself as she pressed the keys.
Before she could finish speaking, a small hand tightly clutched the hem of her clothes.
“Look! I’ve finished transforming.”
Bai Zhiqiu offered Yan Qingzhu a fawning smile…
“See? Wouldn’t it have been easier to just listen from the start!”
“You’re wasting everyone’s time.”
Yan Qingzhu gently patted Bai Zhiqiu’s head.
“Remember, Little Demoness, you need to be well-behaved from now on.”
“I’ve remembered…”
‘As long as Bai Yue doesn’t find out.’
Bai Zhiqiu’s head drooped slightly, fearing that she would now be completely at Yan Qingzhu’s mercy.
The thought of being controlled in everything she did from now on made Bai Zhiqiu feel as if her entire life had turned bleak.
Seeing Bai Zhiqiu’s crestfallen expression, Yan Qingzhu, for once, offered a kind word.
“Don’t worry,
As long as you behave yourself from now on and stop bullying other Magical Girls, I promise this secret will remain safe with me.”
“Really?
You’re not lying to me?”
Bai Zhiqiu looked up at Yan Qingzhu, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“Why would I lie to you!
Don’t believe me? Pinky promise?”
“Who wants to pinky promise!
I certainly don’t! How childish!”
Having said that, Bai Zhiqiu prepared to fly towards Nandou University, but Yan Qingzhu stopped her.
“We’re walking!”
As she spoke, a flash of red light enveloped Yan Qingzhu, signifying her own transformation.
Her dark red hair cascaded to her waist, and her beautiful eyes glowed like flickering flames.
A vintage-style long dress adorned her figure, imbuing the young woman with an air of classical elegance and fierce dominance.
“Allow me to introduce myself: Magical Girl Peony.”
Seeing Bai Zhiqiu’s somewhat dazed expression, Yan Qingzhu gently pinched her cheek.
“Well? Am I pretty?”
“N-not… just… average, I guess!
Not as pretty as me.”
“Is that so?”
Smiling at Bai Zhiqiu’s disingenuous denial, Yan Qingzhu took her hand.
“What are you doing?”
Bai Zhiqiu instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but Yan Qingzhu held it firmly.
“If I don’t hold your hand, and a patrolling Magical Girl sees you, you’ll be in for a world of trouble.”
“Alright then…”
Hand in hand, the two walked along the sycamore-lined road.
“W-we… we should really take a taxi!”
Hiding behind Yan Qingzhu, Bai Zhiqiu whispered timidly, gazing at the surging crowd around them.
Although she wasn’t socially anxious, facing such a large crowd still made her nervous!
And those people were all calling out to her!
“Look, it’s the Little Demoness!”
“We can actually see Manzhushahua!”
“And that person next to her is Deputy Commander Peony!
I saw her in the Magical Girl Evening News; she’s actually in Nandou?”
“Manzhushahua!”
“Manzhushahua!”
The astonished shouts of passersby and the incessant ‘click-clack’ of phone cameras washed over them like a tide, making Bai Zhiqiu wish she could bury her entire body into Yan Qingzhu’s.
‘Great! Now I’m a mobile tourist attraction in Nandou City!’
“Shy, are we?”
Yan Qingzhu looked down at Bai Zhiqiu, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
“N-not really… just a little…”
Bai Zhiqiu still couldn’t bring herself to look up at the passersby.
“Come on, look up! Everyone here adores you!”
Just then, a young girl pushed through the crowd, holding a postcard, and approached Bai Zhiqiu.
“Little Demoness! I’m your fan! Could you please sign this for me?”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Bai Zhiqiu wrote the four characters ‘Manzhushahua’ on the paper.
Upon looking up, she froze on the spot.
It was a face she saw every single day.
‘No way! Sister, shouldn’t you be rushing home to do your homework? Why are you here fangirling?!’