A Hero’s Burden and a Daughter’s Charm

–”We interrupt this program for breaking news: Citizens have reported to the Anomaly Investigation Department that strange figures were allegedly sighted in Ginkgo Community on Elm Street, resulting in multiple injuries. According to eyewitnesses, the strange figures have been eliminated by the magical girl who arrived on the scene. Currently, relevant personnel from the Anomaly Investigation Department have proceeded to the incident location, and further details await investigation…”

“Huh, even in the dead of night, strange figures are still causing trouble?”

Holding a bag and leaning against her apartment door, Tang Xingwan scrolled through her phone, a flicker of surprise crossing her pretty face as the breaking news alert popped up.

“Oh dear, when strange figures cause trouble, magical girls have to work overtime too… It’s not easy being a hero, is it?”

‘With great power comes great responsibility,’ as they say! The young girl nodded, feigning an air of maturity.

Well, no matter what, it was good that the magical girl had resolved the situation!

Tang Xingwan slipped her phone back into her pocket, then pushed open the door.

“Sorry to keep you waiting—your Xingwan-chan (TL Note: A Japanese honorific, ‘chan’ is used to address young girls or close friends in an affectionate, often playful manner) has brought you food!”

The girl deliberately drew out her words, her soft, cooing tone almost like a plea.

“Oh ho ho, did Xiaoxue miss me? I was gone for a full half-hour, you know! You did, didn’t you? You definitely did!”

“Your… Xingwan-chan?”

‘Chan’—what was that?

Bai Muxue, who had already changed back into her clothes and was sitting by the bed, frowned at the remark, her gaze filled with both surprise and oddity.

“Ah, my bad, my bad! I’m just used to acting like this when I’m alone at home, and with Xiaoxue here today, I got a little excited. Don’t mind it, don’t mind it.”

‘Uh, no, what do you mean, ‘used to acting like this when I’m alone’?’

‘Is this girl finally letting loose because her ‘old man’ (TL Note: A self-deprecating term often used by parents to refer to themselves) isn’t around anymore, or did she always revert to this mode whenever I wasn’t home?’

For some inexplicable reason, Bai Muxue suddenly felt a pang of doubt—had her parenting back then… been a bit of a failure?

A deep sense of powerlessness welled up in Bai Muxue’s heart at the thought.

Sensing the peculiar gaze, Tang Xingwan’s cheeks flushed. She cleared her throat, her voice returning to its normal pitch.

“Here, I picked up the takeout. Xiaoxue, you haven’t eaten anything in ages, have you?”

Fearing Bai Muxue might continue down a strange train of thought, Tang Xingwan quickly changed the subject, handing the plastic bag to Bai Muxue.

She had actually considered cooking something herself; after all, making food or porridge for a sick friend was a classic trope in manga! But then, she remembered her culinary skills…

Tang Xingwan vividly recalled a period when she had watched cooking tutorials from certain food bloggers, igniting a sudden passion. She had insisted on showcasing her skills to her dad, preparing a curry for him to taste his daughter’s craftsmanship! The result, however, was…

“Well, it’s barely edible…”

The girl could never forget the distorted expression on her dad’s face after he took a bite—a look that was neither tears nor laughter. After a great effort to swallow the contents of his mouth, he pushed the plate of murky, unknown sludge towards her.

“Here, you try some…”

Tang Xingwan, oblivious, took a large mouthful, then promptly face-planted onto the dining table, only recovering her senses a long while later.

Incidentally, the father and daughter, having no dinner that night, also ordered takeout.

Since then, Tang Xingwan had never again brought up the idea of learning to cook… And after her father’s passing, she subsisted almost entirely on takeout, her refrigerator usually empty.

‘Alas, the more I speak of it, the more tears flow…’ Bitter memories flooded her mind. Tang Xingwan wiped away non-existent tears, sighing deeply in her heart.

Bai Muxue, of course, had no idea what mini-drama was unfolding in Tang Xingwan’s mind. Yet, she was accustomed to her ‘daughter’s’ scatterbrained and unserious nature, and couldn’t be bothered to quip. Smiling, she accepted the bag and sat opposite Tang Xingwan.

“Alright, thank you, Xingwan.”

Perhaps considering her condition, Tang Xingwan thoughtfully ordered plain porridge for Bai Muxue. As Bai Muxue opened the container, a faint aroma of food wafted through the room.

“How is it, how is it? Is it good?”

Seeing Bai Muxue take a few small spoonfuls, Tang Xingwan blinked, cupped her chin with a small hand, and watched her with an expectant gaze.

‘This taste… it must be the porridge from that shop next door. I used to often take Xingwan there for breakfast…’

Though she had eaten this shop’s porridge many times, the taste was truly nostalgic… Bai Muxue nodded at Tang Xingwan, a faint smile gracing her lips.

“Mm, it’s delicious.”

“Right, right? I knew Xiaoxue would love it!”

Tang Xingwan’s face lit up with a bright smile, her sparkling eyes narrowing into two crescents, filled with the satisfaction of being acknowledged for her efforts.

“If you like it, then eat more! I bought plenty!”

Watching the girl’s joyful expression, Bai Muxue couldn’t help but shake her head and chuckle. This girl was just as before—a simple compliment was enough to make her wag her tail to the heavens.

Without saying much more, she focused on finishing the plain porridge before her. Wiping the corners of her mouth, she stood up and offered Tang Xingwan a gentle smile.

“Thank you so much for your help today, Xingwan. I’m sorry to have bothered you so late… Let’s chat more slowly another day.”

“Eh?” Tang Xingwan was momentarily stunned. Seeing Bai Muxue already picking up her shoulder bag, she finally reacted. “Xiaoxue, are you… leaving?”

“Yes, it’s getting late. My family will worry if I don’t go back.”

Bai Muxue spoke these insincere words without a change in expression. ‘Worry? What a joke. It’s probably more normal for the Bai family’s eldest young lady to not come home at night.’

‘I can’t stay any longer… If I keep lingering in this familiar place, constantly by this little girl’s side, I might truly… find it hard to leave.’

At this moment, Bai Muxue’s rationality triumphed over her emotions.

“Then… alright. If Xiaoxue says so…”

Tang Xingwan opened her mouth, swallowing the words of retention—’I still have a spare room at my place’—that hovered on her lips, a smile returning to her eyes.

“Oh, right, right! I don’t have Xingwan’s contact information yet!” Tang Xingwan pulled out her phone, opening her QR code. “Let’s swap contact info (TL Note: ‘恰个v恰个v’ is Chinese internet slang for exchanging contact information, often referring to WeChat), it’ll be easier for me to reach you later!”

‘Exchange contact information?’

Hearing this, Bai Muxue hesitated for a moment, instinctively wanting to refuse.

For the little girl’s safety, she really shouldn’t have too much interaction with her, but…

Bai Muxue stared blankly at the vibrant, smiling girl before her, whose close-up, pretty face seemed to radiate a dazzling glow.

She couldn’t refuse.

The words of refusal simply wouldn’t come out.

And… if she could add Xingwan as a friend, she would know about her social circle, wouldn’t she?

She would know all those… little secrets she had kept from her ‘old man’ back then.

After a moment of hesitation, Bai Muxue blinked, pretending to casually open her phone… She hadn’t even touched her phone since she fainted until now.

Sure enough, the Bai family’s eldest young lady’s phone was crammed with various messages from others… among them, Shen Jingyi’s message stood out even more.

‘Eh, Ms. Shen actually contacted me proactively? Oh right, I hadn’t had a chance to tell Ms. Shen yet… I hope she hasn’t been foolishly waiting there for me all this time.’

Bai Muxue sighed, briefly pushing the matter to the back of her mind, and added Tang Xingwan as a friend.

“Hehehe, now that we’re friends, Xiaoxue and I are connected by the thread of friendship!”

Satisfied, Tang Xingwan looked at the new friend’s name on her phone, giving Bai Muxue a thumbs-up, her cute little canines faintly visible.

“Th-that’s how it is…”

Faced with her overly dramatic remarks (TL Note: ‘中二发言’ refers to ‘chuunibyou’ or ‘eighth-grade syndrome,’ a Japanese slang term for adolescents who are overly self-conscious, develop delusions of grandeur, and sometimes act in ways they perceive as cool or unique, often with dramatic or fantastical elements), Bai Muxue, completely unsure how to respond, could only give two awkward laughs. “Then I’m going… back?”

“Okay~ I’ll see Xiaoxue out~”

Tang Xingwan replied cheerfully.