Su Ziling looked at Su Xiaomeng, who was “shocked for a hundred years,” and felt a headache coming on.
She really didn’t know how to explain this.
But fortunately, she quickly calmed down and began to slowly and methodically lay out the whole story for the other party.
And as Su Ziling’s younger sister, Su Xiaomeng immediately accepted this somewhat abstract situation.
“So… she’s your daughter, and she came back from the future by making a wish as a magical girl?”
“Right.”
Even though it was hard to believe, and she herself was still skeptical about the whole thing, Su Ziling nodded.
Besides, in this world, a magical girl’s wish could really make anything happen. Going back in time shouldn’t be impossible.
As for Su Xiaomeng’s arrival, Su Lili was clearly puzzled. She looked left and right for a while.
“Mom… is this my aunt?”
“Yes,” Su Ziling nodded, but she noticed Su Lili’s confusion and asked, “Haven’t you met her before?”
“No.”
Su Lili shook her head.
“Even though you’ve mentioned her, I’ve never actually seen her.”
“I see?”
Su Ziling thought for a moment but didn’t dwell on it.
The reason was simple.
Judging by Su Lili’s age, her sister had probably already gotten married and moved out in the future. Meeting would be difficult. Plus, since she was so young and such a long time had passed, even if they had met, she probably wouldn’t remember.
“So cute, hehe~ Can your auntie hug you?”
Su Xiaomeng tried to hug Su Lili, but the latter immediately hid behind Su Ziling, looking very wary. This was a stark contrast to how she had acted when meeting Su Ziling.
Clearly, Su Ziling was the person she was most familiar with.
Seeing Su Lili’s distant attitude, Su Xiaomeng’s outstretched hand froze in midair.
“Why! That’s not fair!!”
“Alright, settle down,” Su Ziling pushed her noisy sister onto a stool, then continued asking Su Lili, “Can you tell me about Lin Yizhou, your father?”
Su Ziling was very curious, even a bit puzzled, about how she had ended up with someone whose name sounded familiar but she couldn’t quite remember.
“Or do you remember how I met and got to know him?”
“I don’t know that?” Su Lili tilted her head. “Mom and Dad never told me about those things.”
“Alright…”
“But I came back so that you and Dad can meet and get to know each other again, and eventually get together!”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Seeing a little girl meddling in her love life gave Su Ziling an indescribable feeling.
“Lin Yizhou?” Su Xiaomeng suddenly interrupted. “Isn’t that the senior from the junior year in the Anime Club who often cosplays as Kamen Rider?”
“You know him?”
“How could I not?” Su Xiaomeng couldn’t help rolling her eyes at Su Ziling. “You’re so forgetful! Didn’t we take a photo with him at the con recently? That Kamen Rider cosplay was super cool!”
“Oh, I remember now.”
Thanks to Su Xiaomeng’s reminder, Su Ziling finally recalled.
She had a problem: she was a bit face-blind and bad with names, especially since she didn’t like asking people their names.
She couldn’t even name a few classmates. She knew who they were and recognized them, but couldn’t call them by name.
“Ah…” Just then, Su Lili glanced at the time and said, “Mom, sorry, it looks like time’s almost up. I have to go back.”
“Huh? You’re not staying for dinner?”
Su Ziling was taken aback. She hadn’t expected the little one to go back to the future, and she still had so many questions to ask her.
“It’s fine!” As she spoke, Su Lili’s figure began to turn transparent. At the end, the little girl kept waving and said, “I’ll come back to see you soon!”
“Take care of yourself.”
“Mm-hmm, I will!”
With those words, Su Lili’s figure disappeared completely. The previously noisy kitchen fell silent again.
After a long while, Su Xiaomeng spoke.
“Bro… oh wait, should I call you sister now?”
“…Just call me brother.”
Su Ziling looked at the sky with a hint of melancholy.
Some things you only appreciate after losing them, especially something brand new.
She didn’t show too much excitement, elation, or frustration.
After all, she had already time-traveled once, and she often transformed into a magical girl, so she was used to it.
Besides… what if she could change back?
Right?
“You know what…” Su Xiaomeng scanned Su Ziling from head to toe, then deliberately glanced downward and sighed dramatically. “Tsk, this is a sad story.”
After growing up together, the sibling bond was deep. Su Xiaomeng immediately understood the “change” in Su Ziling.
“But,” she shifted gears, grinning as she leaned in, “I think this new look suits you! It fits perfectly!”
“Who wants this kind of ‘fitting’!” Su Ziling covered her face, letting out a helpless and embarrassed sigh. “More than that, I’m curious about…”
She lowered her hands, her expression serious. “Why did Lili come back to the past? I almost asked just now, but you yelled and made me forget.”
“My bad~”
Su Xiaomeng stuck out her tongue, looking very playful.
“Maybe she just wanted to see what her mom looked like when she was young?” She tilted her head in speculation, then grew a bit wistful. “Sigh, if only we could have two wishes. I’d want to go back and see Mom too… maybe even cure her illness.”
“I don’t think it’s that simple.” Su Ziling furrowed her brow, her voice lowering. “A child only about ten years old—do you think she would use a time-travel wish just to ‘see her mom’? The cost is too great.”
Su Xiaomeng’s smile faded. “Bro, do you mean something happened in that little one’s family in the future?”
“I think that’s a possibility,” Su Ziling nodded. “Either it’s a divorce, and she came back to salvage the relationship so she can have a complete childhood, or it’s…”
Su Ziling didn’t finish. Su Xiaomeng bluntly continued.
“Or you… kicked the bucket.”
“Right.”
Based on how the little one acted during the meal, that possibility wasn’t out of the question.
“Oh come on! How could that be!” Su Xiaomeng waved her hands exaggeratedly, trying to dispel the suddenly heavy atmosphere with laughter. “Didn’t I wish your illness away? There’s absolutely no way anything will happen to you! Right?”