The table was already laden with dishes, but Luo You had no appetite at all.
Sitting to her right was Luo Zining, and further to the right was Ji Meng, who was demolishing the pastries on the table like a whirlwind.
At first glance, Ji Meng seemed like a child who valued etiquette, but her eating was shockingly fierce.
In her left hand, a char siu bun; in her right, a Malay cake.
Each bite was devoured as if sinking her teeth into a sworn enemy, chomping down mercilessly and swallowing without a second thought.
Even her eyes looked fierce—tiger-like but more savage!
Taking advantage of her being too busy to notice, Luo You seized the opportunity to ask, “Zining, just out of curiosity, how old is your sister this year?”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Let me tell you, don’t treat her like a kid. She’s already 24!”
“Phew! Barely safe!”
A huge weight lifted from Luo You’s heart.
Her expression was as if she had dropped all burdens and became a runaway wild horse, free to leap across the vast sea and fly under the endless sky, doing whatever she pleased.
Luo Zining instantly got fired up, misunderstanding something.
She grabbed Luo You by the collar and pulled her close, shouting, “I never thought you were this kind of person! I warn you, don’t lay a hand on my sister! She’s only 24!”
“Did you really lose your mind last night?”
Luo You was furious.
It was one thing to call her a nocturnal wanderer, which was true, but accusing her of being a lolicon was absolutely unacceptable!
“Hmph, who knows about you. Anyway, don’t mess with my sister. She’s been hurt before by ill-intentioned women—I won’t allow you to reopen those wounds.”
“If you care about your sister so much, then why did you bring me here to meet her?”
“How was I supposed to know you liked younger ones? And that the other party is your daughter’s sister!”
So, they had to pin that label on her, huh?
Luo You suddenly puffed out her chest, holding her hands over her bust, and said with a mocking tone, “Idiot, what do you know? The type I like is big sisters who can suffocate me with their chests—do you understand? Not flat-chested ones who’d just give me a bump on the head! If you were a big sister who could smother me, maybe I’d be interested, but now? I wouldn’t even look twice! Dummy, dum-…”
Luo Zining was stunned for two seconds before bursting into a rage, her face turning bright red.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Looking down on me? Who are you calling flat-chested! At least I’m an A+!”
“Ro-ro-ro-ro-ro—hehehehe—ahhh!”
Just as she was about to start a fight, Luo You suddenly softened and said, “Sorry, I got carried away.”
Filled with anger and nowhere to vent it, Luo Zining trembled all over.
Seeing this, Luo You smirked inwardly; she had long suspected Luo Zining was a die-hard beauty enthusiast!
“Sorry, Zining. Mocking your figure was wrong of me. Can you forgive me?”
This trick worked indeed.
After several deep breaths and controlling her expression, Luo Zining replied coldly, “No next time.”
“You’ll dare next time.”
[………On the way back, buy a few peaches and rub them on the underwear you plan to change into today.]
Without showing a hint of emotion, Luo Zining brewed a rather malicious plan in her mind.
Kick—
Luo You’s small foot in white socks lightly kicked Luo Zining’s leg and whispered, “You framed me first. Now we’re even.”
Thinking the matter was settled, a sudden chill ran through her hand as Luo Zining unexpectedly grabbed it.
“Sorry, Dad.”
“Mm, admitting mistakes and correcting them is the greatest virtue.”
“I was just about to offer your ○○ some peaches. Sorry.”
Luo You was momentarily stunned before retorting, “Are you the reincarnation of the Nine Heavens Poison Maiden?”
Her heart raced.
What kind of creatures are girls! So terrifying!
Her own daughter was clearly a day student, so why had she grown such malicious schemes that only dorm-dwelling girls seemed to have?
“Hehe~~ just kidding, got you.”
Luo Zining stuck out a small tongue playfully, like spring rain softening the sweltering summer heat, and Luo You’s lingering fear gradually faded.
Well, after all, she’d raised her for five years.
Surely she wouldn’t use such vicious tricks against her father?
“Cough… Mengmeng, what are you looking at me for?”
Luo Zining looked up and saw Ji Meng, who was gorging herself, grinning stupidly at her.
“Nothing, I just think you guys get along well. I was worried whether you’d be unhappy after being adopted all these years. As long as you’re doing well, that’s what matters most.”
Ji Meng swayed her head and smiled sweetly, adorable enough to melt anyone.
Luo Zining’s cheeks flushed slightly.
“None of your business. Mengmeng, how are things between you and Auntie?”
“Not bad. We don’t live in the same place, but we meet occasionally.”
The two chatted back and forth while Luo You quietly ate her food, occasionally exchanging a few words with Ji Meng.
Until Ji Meng received a call, her youthful innocent face instantly turning complex and mature.
After hanging up, she apologized, “Sorry, something came up at the company. I need to go back.”
“Eh!? Mengmeng, you actually have a job?”
“How rude! I’m 24, you know! I can support myself!”
Ji Meng pounded Luo You with a small fist, but no matter how you looked at it, the earlier vitality was missing.
“Well, I’m off then. Goodbye, Youyou.”
“Yeah, goodbye.”
After Ji Meng left, Luo You glanced over and joked, “She’s your sister, but looks much younger than you.”
“She actually understands everything, don’t underestimate her.”
“I can tell.”
Seeing is not always believing—Luo You knew that too well.
She thought silently, [Don’t be fooled by how immature she looks. Once she became a magical girl, her figure got really well-developed.]
In fact, it was already confirmed the moment they met: her daughter’s sister, Ji Meng, was a magical girl.
And Luo You had slept with her.
More than once—twice, in fact.
It happened seven years ago, during her third-to-last hunt before retiring.
At that time, Luo You did something she deeply regretted—she used the Azure Authority: Shatter Illusions to peek at the true form of this magical girl.
It might have been better never to look, because what she saw nearly scared Luo You half to death.
No one would have guessed that such a mature, voluptuous-looking magical girl would have a true form so small!
Since then, Luo You never dared get involved with that magical girl again, even refraining from hunting any other magical girls for the next two months.
Fortunately, she met Ji Meng again today, and from Luo Zining she learned that Ji Meng was now over 24. Seven years ago, Ji Meng must have been around 17 or 18, not as Luo You had imagined.
Because of this experience, a few days ago in Huahai City, Luo You had kept her guard up, deliberately using Shatter Illusions to see Little Red Riding Hood’s true form.
Otherwise, she would have accidentally unlocked her daughter’s CGs, and that would have been a crime.
This matter should have been buried deep in her heart like with Ji Yue, as if it never happened…
Luo You wished she could do that, but Ji Meng’s appearance made it impossible to ignore.
“Zining, I remember you told me you have two older sisters, right?”
“Oh, right. They’re twins. Mengmeng is the eldest, but the second sister disappeared in a boundary sea disaster when I was little. No one’s found her yet… Why do you suddenly ask?”
Luo Zining thought Luo You was interested in her family, but her expression suddenly shifted as she asked, “Have you seen someone who looks a lot like Mengmeng?”
“No, no, just asking.”
Sorry, Zining.
Actually, I have seen her.
Luo You’s eyes darkened with shadows.
Unfortunately, this was something she couldn’t say aloud.
In the rideshare car, Luo You leaned against the door, her gaze drifting to the distant window.
[Apricot Rain and Li Yun, one a Third Seat, the other Sixth Seat… I never expected they’d also be relatives of Zining. And there’s Ji Yue too. Have I just poked the hornet’s nest of magical girls?]
Luo You had never believed in fate or destiny—those nebulous things without any scientific basis.
Even if similar phenomena happened, they were just coincidences.
Yet reality cruelly slapped her with four resounding blows.
A family of four magical girls, and she was the witch who hunted them—could that still be a coincidence?
“This is a bit dangerous,” Luo You muttered.
Luo Zining squeezed close, “What danger?”
“You heard wrong.”
“Tch, must have done something guilty again, right?”
“Mm-hmm, you’re right on all counts.”
Having brushed Luo Zining off casually, Luo You had another question in her heart.
Since the second sister Li Yun wasn’t dead and was with Ji Meng, why did Luo Zining, as their younger sister, not know about it?
Ji Meng hadn’t gone to the so-called ‘company.’
After parting ways, she went straight home.
“Li Yun, are you okay?”
Clatter—
A sound of something falling came from inside the room, and soon a slender girl ran out.
“Sis, did Ellera really show up again?”
The girl looked somewhat like Ji Meng but was clearly more mature.
Seeing the girl, Ji Meng’s eyes showed irritation, but she still forced patience and said,
“Yes. I attended the meeting hosted by Xingyue this morning. For safety, the Ten Seats had to be paired. You…”
“I want to! Sis, let’s be magical girls together again!”
Li Yun shouted excitedly.
Ji Meng was silent for a long time, gritting her silver teeth, forcing down her emotions, and said coldly,
“If you want to come back, then come back. I’ve been fighting to keep your seat reserved for you. You’re always welcome if you want to return.”
Her eyes held only melancholy and loss.
She had tried so hard for seven years to persuade her sister to return, but to no avail—she was utterly disappointed in her.
Then Ellera appeared and effortlessly erased all seven years of Ji Meng’s efforts, bringing her sister back onto the magical girl path.
That was a real blow…
“That’s great, Sis! We can be magical girls together again!”
Li Yun hugged her joyfully. When was the last time Ji Meng had seen such a genuine smile?
Finally unable to hold back, Ji Meng asked, “Why? Why are you still so obsessed with Ellera? You even abandoned your real name and only kept your magical girl name…”
“…Sis, why ask these things?”
“Sorry, forget I said anything.”
Ji Meng crouched down, her eyes dim and lifeless.