The Truth of the Flower Heir (1)

Today was You Huimei’s memorial day—and yet the weather was clear, almost annoyingly so.

When You Dong arrived with You Xi to pay their respects, the grave was already covered in flowers and offerings.

The white marble tombstone, framed by pale blossoms, bore a photograph of a woman smiling gently at them—like she had been waiting for their arrival all along.

“Sis… Brother-in-law… we’re here,” You Dong said softly.
“Dad… Mom…” You Xi whispered, her voice cracking.

Just like every year, the moment You Xi stepped into this space, tears welled up uncontrollably. She turned her face away, as if unwilling to let her parents see her weakness.

You Dong placed the bouquet he’d brought directly in front of the gravestone and clasped his hands together, bowing three times.

“You’re really popular, huh?” he murmured.

Every year, no matter how early he came, You Huimei’s grave was always adorned with countless flowers. More than a solemn resting place, it looked like a blooming garden—romantic, alive.

Clearly, many others visited regularly to mourn her.

Yet strangely, You Dong and You Xi had never once met any of these people, nor did they know who they were or how they knew You Huimei.

Come to think of it, these visitors seemed to deliberately avoid them—always coming at different times, never overlapping.

Last year, out of curiosity, You Dong had even considered arriving in the dead of night just to catch someone. He wanted to talk to them, to hear stories about his sister that he’d never known.

But showing up at a cemetery late at night? That was just too weird. In the end, he gave up.

“…I’ll wait in the car.”

After spending some time at the grave, You Xi, eyes red and swollen, asked him for the car keys.

You Dong knew she wanted to cry alone, out of sight. So he quietly pulled out a cigarette and said:
“Yeah, go ahead. I’ll stay a bit longer.”
“Text me when you’re ready. Then we’ll head home.”

You Xi nodded and walked off toward the parking lot, clutching the keys tightly.

“Sis… there’s so much I need to tell you.”

Once his niece’s figure disappeared, You Dong finally let his guard down and began to vent.

In front of others, he was Section Chief, “Brother You,” Senior Tidal.

But here, before You Huimei, he would always be that mischievous little brother.

“You Xi became a magical girl. And then I became one too—to save her. Yeah, you heard right. Me. A magical girl.”

“You might need a minute to process that. It’s normal. Hell, even I took days to accept it myself.”

“Can you imagine me fighting aberrations in a frilly skirt? Seriously, picture that.”

He sat down on the granite steps, tilting his head to look at the photo on the tombstone.

You Huimei smiled back at him, listening intently, as if every word mattered.

“But people are strange. As absurd as it felt at first, I’ve actually started getting used to it.”

“But just when I was finally adjusting… recently, You Xi said she’s quitting.”

“From a safety standpoint, I should be relieved. But…”

His expression darkened.

“I just feel like… she shouldn’t end her journey like this. Not with regrets. Won’t she regret it later?”

“…Maybe that’s just my own wishful thinking. Maybe it’s better this way. Yeah… it is better.”

He nodded, trying to convince himself, but his eyes remained hollow.

“If she quit, I planned to quit too. But lately, another kid joined the team—someone who’s also You Xi’s classmate. Their relationship’s… complicated. Too long to explain right now.”

“And I keep thinking—if I leave too, what will happen to her? Ugh… damn it.”

“So, sis… I guess I’ll stick around as a magical girl for a while longer. Yeah, that’s about it. Mission report complete!”

With that, You Dong stood up and brushed dust off his pants.

Time to go… he thought.

Then, suddenly, a deep engine growl cut through the air, growing louder.

Hmm… sounds like an eight-cylinder. No—wait, maybe a W12.

Nice.

If it sounds good, it is a good car.

You Dong turned toward the source. Soon, an elegant emerald-green Bentley Continental glided to a stop beside You Huimei’s grave.

The door opened, and out stepped a middle-aged woman carrying flowers.

A sharply tailored black coat. Neatly styled brown short hair. With every step she took, the entire cemetery seemed to transform into her private boardroom.

You Dong nearly laughed at the absurd image—but it was the natural effect of her presence, radiating the aura of a career woman at the peak of her power.

Under his watchful gaze, the woman placed the bouquet neatly at the base of the tombstone.

Then, she clasped her hands and bowed deeply, sincerely.

Who was she? A friend from his sister’s past? You Dong sifted through every fragment of memory, but found nothing.

He wanted to speak to her. But her movements were so precise, so composed, that he couldn’t find the right moment.

“You’re You Dong, right? Huimei talked about you a lot.”

Suddenly, the woman spoke first—catching him completely off guard.

“Y-yeah, I’m You Dong. And you are…?”

“I was your sister’s comrade-in-arms,” she replied instantly.

“Comrade-in-arms?” You Dong blinked.

Did that mean business partner? Or something deeper?

As he tried to decipher the term, the woman continued.

“Yes. I suppose it’s about time we met. And today—on Huimei’s memorial day—it felt like the right moment. I came to see her too.”

She turned back to the white tombstone, her gaze lingering.

Her eyes didn’t hold only sorrow.

Regret. Resentment. Confusion. Anger. Emotions flickered across her face like a slideshow. In the end, only ashes remained—the cold residue of memories burned to extinction.

You Dong could see the faint crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes, but he couldn’t begin to understand the weight behind that stare.

What was her connection to his sister? What history did they share? Curiosity stirred within him.

And then—without warning—her next words struck like lightning.

“How does it feel… being a magical girl?”