Ran Jiuyi is sometimes very bored

Having finished laying out the girls’ roadmap, Jiuyi figured that was enough for them to digest.

“So, Sister Ran,” Bai He’an spoke up, “what was that form you used earlier—the one with the full-body armor?”

“That? That’s the Ascension Form. It’s a unique state exclusive to certain Magical Girls.”

“Is it powerful?” Jiang Yunshu asked.

“Immensely,” Jiuyi explained. “Only a Magical Girl who awakens her Ascension Form has the potential to become a truly elite warrior—the kind that represents the world’s top-tier combat power.”

“How do we awaken it?” Yi Ziling asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Jiuyi smiled and walked over, lightly flicking Ziling’s forehead. “Don’t get ahead of yourselves. For you three, that is still a long, long way off.”

“Besides, even I don’t fully understand the ‘how’ of it. It triggered for me in the middle of a life-and-death struggle. Not exactly a helpful reference point. But,” she added, “if that day ever comes, I believe your hearts will tell you the answer.”

Jiuyi clapped her hands together. “Alright, that’s enough talk. Spend the rest of your time thinking about the abilities you want. This afternoon, we’re going to spar so I can gauge your actual levels. Don’t look so miserable—I’ll restrict my power to keep things even.”

“From now on, on Saturdays when we’re all free, we do mock battles. Mondays through Fridays will be for ability practice and filling in your gaps in knowledge and skills. Sundays? Sundays are for resting. Sleep in. If any emergencies pop up, I’ll handle them. Now, let’s get to work.”

Night fell. After a grueling day of testing and organizing equipment, Meng Shan returned to his suburban home, exhausted.

What does a tired man want most after a long day’s work? A clean house and a steaming hot meal waiting on the table.

“Your timing is impeccable,” Ran Jiuyi said, emerging from the kitchen with a bowl of freshly cooked geda soup. “I just finished making dinner. You’re so punctual I’m starting to think you’ve hidden cameras around here.”

Meng Shan hung his coat on the rack, kicked off his shoes, and washed his hands before sitting down. “I wouldn’t go that far. Putting cameras in your own home is an easy way to screw yourself over. By the way, aren’t your hands burning holding that bowl?”

“Good to know. It’s been hot lately, and I don’t usually wear much when I’m home alone,” Jiuyi said, setting the soup down and naturally filling a bowl for him. “And yes, it’s scalding. But I’m used to it, so it doesn’t bother me.”

“Tonight’s menu: Mapo Tofu, Tomato and Egg, Egg Fried Rice, and the soup.”

Meng Shan picked up a piece of tofu with his chopsticks, blew on it, and savored the taste. “Mm… you’re a great cook. This is fantastic.”

“Glad you like it. Eat up. I know we both have big appetites, so I made plenty.”

As they ate, Jiuyi remarked, “Thinking about it, am I your assistant or your maid? I cook the food, I mop the floors, I even wash the windows. Don’t you think you owe me a raise?”

“Ah… a raise?” Meng Shan hesitated. “Can we put a pin in that? My department didn’t pay me this month, and what’s left of my savings went into the new gear. I’m a bit strapped for cash.”

Jiuyi looked at him, deadpan. “Seriously? You were once a big-shot commander, and now you’re stiffing your assistant on her salary? Are you really that broke?”

Meng Shan gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Can’t be helped. My status in this country is too sensitive. Most ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes are off-limits for me.”

“However…” he smirked, “I did find some ‘get-rich-slowly’ methods while testing the power armor. Made a bit of pocket change.”

“How much?”

“Not much. Just a hundred thousand. Should be enough for your salary.”

“A hundred thousand?” Jiuyi was genuinely surprised. While not a fortune, he had earned that “on the side” during a single day of testing. “How’d you manage that?”

“Not that hard. I used the armor’s Hacking Mode to scan for suspicious signals nearby, found a few ‘dirty’ accounts, and asked them for a donation.”

Translation: He robbed some criminals.

“So, A-Jiu, how much of a raise are we talking?”

“Forget it, I was kidding,” Jiuyi replied. “One, I’m not hurting for cash. Two, I’m using your money for the groceries anyway. Three, you aren’t charging me rent. Keep the money.”

“But remember: you’re on dish duty tonight. Scrub them properly so I don’t have to redo them. And do your own laundry. Unless a grown man like you wants me washing his underwear.”

“Of course, of course.”

Meng Shan looked around the tidy room and then back at his meal. “I have to say, you’re surprisingly good at taking care of people. Before you moved in, I was usually too tired to move. I’d just order takeout or throw something together. Cleaning only happened on my days off—and even then, it was a rush job.”

“You’re quite the domestic goddess. Anyone even remotely lazy living with you would be turned into a total degenerate in minutes—the kind who just lies in bed waiting to be fed.”

“Is that so? Maybe I’m just used to it,” Jiuyi said. “Is living with me really that dangerous for one’s productivity?”

Meng Shan swallowed a mouthful of rice. “Absolutely. You cook, you clean, you care. Honestly, if you looked a little younger, you’d have a line of guys begging you to be their ‘Mama’.”

“Why would looking younger make me more like a mother? Wouldn’t being older make more sense?”

“You’re behind the times. The ‘Loli-Mama’ trend is big now. A mature onee-san like you? You’re more ‘Wife’ material. Men would be lining up to propose.”

“I see. People are getting weirder by the day.” Jiuyi paused, resting her chin on her hand. “So… how do you see me?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, would you be one of those guys lining up to propose?”

“Of course. No reason not to, right?” Meng Shan answered casually. Then he looked up, confused. “Why the sudden question?”

“Because first I lived alone, then I had to take care of that domestic disaster Chiffoli, and now I’m your personal maid,” Jiuyi said, her gaze turning soft and somewhat weary as she looked at him. “Maybe I’m just lonely. I want to find someone who can stay by my side in the years to come.”

She put down her chopsticks and looked at him with eyes full of a strange, tender fatigue. “Do you think… you could be that person?”

Faced with such a heartfelt plea from a beautiful woman, Meng Shan didn’t say a word. He finished his fried rice at lightning speed and then said calmly, “I’m just saying… can you not play these games while I’m trying to eat?”

Jiuyi pouted. “You’re no fun. Can’t you react like an inexperienced brat for once? You’re supposed to get all red-faced and flustered because a big sister teased you.”

“…Don’t you find this hobby a bit twisted?” Meng Shan grumbled. “First off, I’m twenty-eight—four years older than you. Secondly, do you really want a burly, six-foot-three veteran like me to act like a shy schoolboy? Wouldn’t that just gross you out?”

Jiuyi took a moment to imagine a massive, rugged soldier blushing and acting coy. She immediately slapped her forehead to purge the mental image. “You’re right. That’s actually revolting.”

She studied him for a moment. “A man like you should be the dominant one. You’re handsome, you’re built, you’re a former ‘Soldier King.’ You should be a CEO tycoon. You should pin me against the wall and say, ‘Woman, you’ve piqued my interest.’“

She began mimicking the scene. “And then I could collapse weakly into your arms, looking up at you all shy and blushing. How about that?”

“Slightly more logical, but there’s a flaw,” Meng Shan said seriously. “Do you really think you’re the kind of woman who can just be ‘pinned against a wall’?”

“You’re the woman who can keep fighting even after being blown into ‘Hero Scraps.’ I literally cannot imagine you being ‘weak and shy’.”

“Fair point.” Jiuyi thought it over. “Then how about you cosplay a retired elite soldier, like a ‘Dragon King’s Return’ story? I can be your subordinate-slash-obsessed-stalker-slash-strongest-enforcer.”

“…Why do you have to be so many things at once?”

“We’re short-staffed! The only other members are the three little ones, and they’re barely side-characters or harem fodder. Someone has to fill the other roles.”

“You are so bored sometimes,” Meng Shan sighed.

“Maybe. But I think it’s fun.”

“That’s exactly why it’s boring.”