“If that’s the case… then there’s no going back! …What, you think I’m scared?”
Zhizhi’s demeanor shifted abruptly; the panic from moments ago seemed completely staged as she sneered in disdain.
“You make it sound so terrifying. Why don’t I just ignore your calls? Threats of this level are nothing.”
“If you don’t answer the phone, then Zhizhi, don’t even think about facing me in a duel again.”
“Wha!?”
Good heavens, that was a killer move!
Zhizhi, who had just been cocky beyond belief, immediately lowered her head, pupils trembling.
It seemed to have the perfect effect.
Luoyou lifted Zhizhi with one hand and tossed her off the bed, standing above her, looking down.
“You’ve been living in my place for two days now, it’s about time you leave, Zining. My rebellious daughter should be coming back soon; I’m guessing you two don’t get along, right?”
“Rebellious daughter?”
Zhizhi looked up at her, suddenly understanding.
“Oh~ so that’s why your joint locks are so well practiced.”
“Long live understanding.”
“I’m just asking simply—how rebellious is she to have made your joint locks so perfected?”
She had thought Luozining and Luoyou got along well, that they were at least a fairly normal mother and daughter, especially since Luozining looked pretty satisfied in the photos.
But now it seemed that wasn’t the case?
Perhaps it was because she was already a parent herself, Luoyou had started picking up the usual habit of other parents.
Complaining about their own children to others.
“Sigh, now that you mention it… all the annoying stuff just comes rushing back!”
“Go on, take your time.”
Zhizhi handed her some water.
Luoyou opened her mouth.
“I won’t even mention her usual bad habits; the main ones are just a few. First, she spends money like crazy.”
Luoyou complained, “She just started college recently, right? Do you know how much she asks me for living expenses? Eight thousand! My god, is she out partying or what? Does she even realize how hard it is to earn eight thousand?”
“Well… eight thousand is indeed a bit much…”
Zhizhi recalled her own college days.
Even with magical girl subsidies, she didn’t spend more than two thousand a month.
Still, she gave a partial excuse.
“Eight thousand is really a lot; it can be cut down. College students need social lives too, maybe she has lots of friends.”
“Friends my foot! I bet she’s hanging out with some shady people! I don’t care who she mixes with, but she’s spending my money!”
Speaking of partying, Luoyou immediately jumped to the next complaint.
“Also, she’s always suspicious that I’m cheating around, always suspicious! I work at the gym and she’s always thinking this and that. If I come home late, she calls to interrogate me. I even suspect she’s hired a detective to follow me. It’s suffocating, oppressive! I can’t live in this house anymore! I’m about to develop ‘Jade Jade Syndrome’ from her pressure.”
“Whoa, whoa, that’s rough.”
Zhizhi nodded thoughtfully.
Suspicion was understandable.
Being pretty was one thing, but the real question was who made you burn so brightly.
As usual, she softened it a bit.
“You can look at it from another angle—she’s just concerned about you.”
Zhizhi comforted.
“Concerned about me?”
Luoyou glanced back and glared.
“If she cared about me, she wouldn’t always be making dirty jokes about me.”
“What? She actually makes dirty jokes about her mother? That’s too much!”
“Yeah, like… I’m always out fooling around, watch out one day I might get snatched as a ‘Star Fury’ or have my limbs cut off to make meat… you get it.”
Luoyou got more fired up as she spoke, slapping the table.
“Can you imagine a daughter saying the word ‘Star Fury’ to her parents? And it was me! The first time I heard it, I couldn’t believe it came out of her mouth!”
Ah, this was beyond Zhizhi’s help.
Luozining was too outrageous!
She actually made dirty jokes about Luoyou, such a good mother, and used crude terms like ‘Star Fury’!
Not to mention the heavy stuff about cutting off limbs later on.
[Feeling a little sorry for her…]
Zhizhi thought, looking at Luoyou.
If it were her becoming Luoyou’s daughter, she wouldn’t do that kind of thing.
[No, what am I thinking?!]
Zhizhi shook her head.
“The most important thing is, she’s a fujoshi! A fujoshi, a fujoshi! Do you know how disgusting it is when she plays BL games next to me at night while I’m trying to sleep? My sweet dreams turn into a gay hell.”
“Ha… it’s normal for teenagers to have their interests.”
“Normal?”
With wide eyes, Zhizhi was stared down so intensely she started sweating nervously.
“BL, well, at worst it’s just a gross hobby, right? If she had yuri or something worse, that’s when you should be worried. Liking BL at this level? Just let her be…”
“Not at all!”
“W-well, drink your tea first. It’s your favorite honey citrus.”
Glug glug—
Luoyou gulped it down.
Honey citrus, Luoyou’s good friend—one cup and her anger faded, headache disappeared, and her mood lightened.
“How rebellious she is, you know now, right?”
“Ha… you really have it tough.”
“Yeah.”
After a moment, Zhizhi asked, “You’re not much older than Zining, so why can you get into the mother role so well?”
“Hm? Not really. I’m basically free-range. Just complaining earlier.” Luoyou tilted her head and asked, “How about you? Do you get along well with your parents?”
“I…”
“Ah, don’t say it, I understand.”
Luoyou raised her index finger and gently tapped her lips.
Magic girls—many became strong after losing their loved ones.
Zhizhi was one of the Ten Seats; she probably went through the pain of losing parents to become who she was now.
“By the way, Zhizhi, how old are you again?”
Zhizhi turned away and replied in a coquettish voice, “I just turned eight this year.”
“Then multiply that by three, you’re 24…?”
“Okay, okay… 19! Nineteen, alright!”
Still a little young, actually.
Luoyou looked at her suspiciously but figured with Zhizhi’s personality, that was about right.
Considering Zhizhi had been a Ten Seat for some time, she must have lost her parents somewhere between 12 and 15 years old.
Still just a child.
[She asked me so much about Zining just now. She must really care about being parentless.] Luoyou thought.]
Everyone has their hardships.
She sighed and said, “You have it tough too.”
Luoyou opened her arms, “Even though we haven’t known each other long, you can treat me like an older sister and vent to me anytime.”
Zhizhi slowly opened her eyes wide.
Then her expression turned fierce, her tiger teeth showing, and she flipped over to pin Luoyou down on the bed, proudly lifting her chin.
“What do you take the great Lady Zhizhi for? I’m your superior! This behavior is an insult to your superior and subject to punishment, got it?”
Luoyou wasn’t bothered; she teased playfully, “Oh? So Zhizhi doesn’t want an older sister, but wants to complain in her mother’s arms instead?”
Zhizhi shuddered all over.
Luoyou laughed and stretched out her arms again, wrapping around Zhizhi’s neck,
“Although I’m only a few years older than you, and a bit of a girly type, but…”
She half-forced Zhizhi’s head against her side, lips close to her ear, whispering softly,
“Whatever grievances, whatever dissatisfaction, you can pour it all out to Mommy~ Mommy will accept everything~”
Zhizhi shamefully melted against Luoyou’s body.