A new day, another ordinary workday.
Huang Yi walked into the office under the curious gazes of his colleagues.
Those who knew him greeted him with puzzled expressions.
“Good morning.”
He replied, “Yeah, good morning.”
After entering the office, he saw a few familiar experts huddled together discussing something.
He originally planned to slip past without disturbing them, but the Physics Expert called out to him:
“Young Huang, good morning. What happened to your face?”
Huang Yi answered, “I accidentally hit my head. It’s nothing.”
The Physics Expert asked with confusion, “According to Classical Mechanics, the object that managed to dent your head like that had quite a lot of kinetic energy. Plus, it looks like it had a curve to it, about 4 or 5 centimeters wide. Was it the barrier gate at the entrance?”
Huang Yi: “Yeah, something like that. Probably.”
After exchanging greetings, he said goodbye and walked about a dozen meters when he ran into the Psychology Expert.
Just a few steps later, Huang Yi suddenly turned back, grabbed the Psychology Expert, and quietly pulled him aside.
“Let me ask you something. I have a Friend A, who brought another friend—call her Friend B—to go learn some extracurricular knowledge and life experience outside. When they came back, a friend of Friend B’s—call her Friend C—found out. Then this Friend C hit my Friend A. Why?”
The Psychology Expert glanced at the red mark on Huang Yi’s forehead, then met his eyes.
They both gave an awkward smile.
The expert asked, “What’s the relationship between your Friend A and Friend B?”
Huang Yi: “Allies.”
The expert nodded and said, “Based on what you’ve described, Friend C is staking a claim. She’s telling your Friend A not to get too close to Friend B.”
Huang Yi, even more puzzled, added, “But my Friend A and Friend B don’t have any special relationship. They’re just simple allies.”
The Psychology Expert replied, “Don’t rely on what you think. It’s about what Friend C thinks.”
Huang Yi: “Friend C knows this too. Friend A and Friend B are absolutely pure—only an alliance.”
The Psychology Expert said, “Then we’re back to what I just said. Friend C is staking a claim. Your Friend A did something that caused a change in Friend B, and that change is equivalent to infringing on Friend C’s benefit.”
Huang Yi still looked confused, half-understanding.
The Psychology Expert didn’t elaborate further.
He just patted Huang Yi on the shoulder and said sincerely, “Young Huang, let me give you a piece of advice—and tell your Friend A the same: focus on himself, have less of that ‘lecturing tone,’ and stop trying to educate others. Like me—since I’m close with you, I can give you some life experience with that ‘lecturing tone,’ and it’s fine. But since your Friend A and Friend B are only allies, he shouldn’t be so heavy-handed with that tone.”
Huang Yi nodded and said goodbye to the expert.
After walking a bit more, he saw the Sociology Expert eating breakfast alone.
He went over to cozy up, reached out, and forcibly grabbed a steamed bun to eat.
“Tsk, you really have no sense of propriety,” the Sociology Expert grumbled, but he wasn’t actually angry.
“By the way, let me ask you something.”
Huang Yi sat down and said, “I have a Friend A…”
Then he repeated the same spiel.
After hearing it, the Sociology Expert also looked at the bruise on his forehead and couldn’t help but laugh.
After a moment, he replied, “It’s too obvious. This Friend C sees Friend B as a mating partner, so naturally she sees Friend A as an invader. Do you even need to think about how to treat an enemy? Getting beaten up is the lightest punishment.”
“Come on, can you not be so blunt and unserious?”
Huang Yi always found talking to this guy a headache.
“This is my job—studying social phenomena and explaining professional knowledge in simple, straightforward terms,” the Sociology Expert said indifferently.
“Besides, I have to consider all kinds of low-probability events to avoid bias.”
Huang Yi pulled the topic back: “But Friend B and Friend C are the same gender. There’s no way it could be a mating relationship.”
The Sociology Expert sighed.
“How can you be so dense? When I said ‘mating,’ it was a metaphor—not literally a biological act. You could call it ‘friends with benefits,’ if you prefer. Can’t people of the same gender have that kind of relationship?”
Huang Yi was about to speak when the Sociology Expert continued, “From your description, Friend C clearly has feelings for Friend B that go beyond friendship. Otherwise, her reaction wouldn’t be so intense. Either that, or you’re hiding something Friend A did that triggered a strong stress response in Friend C.”
Huang Yi nodded slightly and didn’t argue.
After finishing the bun and thanking him, he stood up to leave.
Suddenly remembering something, he turned back and asked, “By the way, you’re an expert. Is it really possible for two women to… have that kind of relationship?”
Sociology Expert: “What kind?”
Huang Yi: “The kind we just talked about.”
The Sociology Expert realized, “Oh, you mean non-reproductive relationships? Isn’t that normal? It’s not something that only exists now—there are records from thousands of years ago. You’re acting like it’s your first day being a human. Are you sure you’re not a fake human?”
After getting his answer, Huang Yi walked away again.
But a few steps later, he turned around and came back.
He leaned closer to the Sociology Expert and asked in a low voice, “Then I have another question. Why would a woman like a woman, or a man like a man? Is that considered real love?”
The Sociology Expert answered, “If you think a woman is beautiful, don’t you think other women might find her beautiful too? Pursuing beauty is an innate human instinct. Conversely, if a woman thinks a toned gym bro with six-pack abs is handsome, then why can’t a man also find him handsome?”
Huang Yi nodded thoughtfully, took a few steps, then turned back again.
“Do you think Magical Girls can fall in love with each other?”
Sociology Expert: “100% yes.”
Huang Yi: “No way, right?”
Sociology Expert: “100% possible.”
Huang Yi: “Why?”
The Sociology Expert said, “Magical Girls are special individuals, almost comparable to Deities. In their eyes, you Humans are nothing but flawed lower lifeforms. If they seek partners of equal standing, naturally it would be Magical Girl with Magical Girl. You don’t seriously think they’d go for humans, do you? Or do you think there will be a ‘Magical Boy’ to pursue them?”
Huang Yi: “That’s not right. There are plenty of examples…”
“Fine, fine, you win. I spoke too fast earlier.”
The Sociology Expert waved his hand.
“What I mean is, it’s totally normal for Magical Girls to have relationships with each other. They have power, lineage, and appearance—they’re practically Perfect Creatures. If I could go back to age twenty, I’d pursue a Magical Girl myself.”
Huang Yi: “But I still find it weird. The idea of a Magical Girl being with another Magical Girl just feels off.”
The Sociology Expert countered, “What’s weird about it? In ancient times, royalty and nobility married relatives to keep their bloodlines pure. If Magical Girls want to preserve pure bloodlines, what’s the problem with combining within their own kind?”
“Stop, I’m not going to argue with you right now.”
Huang Yi quickly waved his hand.
“I can’t beat you in a debate yet. Once I’ve thought it through, I’ll come back and argue with you.”