Perhaps Mother had gone somewhere for some reason and simply did not want to come back.
Now it seemed it was just like that!
So now Mei felt she needed to step forward and help this pair of mother and daughter, separated for fourteen years, reconcile.
Mei walked up to that elder sister, only gently asking a single question. She saw the melancholic expression on that elder sister's face, heard her self-reproaching voice, and looked at her hesitant demeanor.
Mei understood instantly. Perhaps Auntie had not meant to abandon Kiana after all.
There must have been some unspeakable reason for her to do such a thing.
She could understand; she could understand.
Mei smiled slightly. Her eyes were filled with encouragement and comfort. Without saying any comforting words, she simply gently took the hand of the mother, who was a little too young.
Holding her hand, that nervous, hesitant, yet expectant and eager emotion was completely conveyed through those trembling hands.
Mei gently led her to Kiana's side, softly pushing her toward Kiana.
She looked encouragingly at the ridiculously young mother before her.
"Mei..." That mother parted her lips slightly, her voice trembling as she called out Mei's name first.
But soon, as if she had finally figured something out, she tremblingly opened her arms.
She pulled Kiana into her embrace.
"I'm sorry..."
"Kiana..."
Chapter 31: Theresa Apocalypse Is Not Stupid
I want to fly higher and surf far enough!
This outrageous mindset was Li Pu's current mindset.
There was no helping it, it was incredible! If Mei's appearance had added frost to Li Pu's already unfavorable situation, then waiting for more than ten minutes without being able to unequip completely sealed Li Pu's path.
Dragged out from behind the tree by Mei, he had no resistance, nor did he think of resisting.
With no good strategies left in his mind, Li Pu could only choose to completely let go of himself!
Any fancy operations were out of the question.
Since it had come to this, he might as well just go wild!
Perhaps things would take a turn for the better after he let go of himself.
The first step of letting go: "Assuming I am Kiana's mother, Cecilia."
This step was very easy to accomplish. This role was solid Cecilia, Kiana's mother. There wouldn't be any problems; just following this emotion was the right thing to do.
The second step of letting go: "Speak little, speak little, speak little! Important matters must be said three times."
This step was also extremely important. A persona was just a persona, and data was just data, but real life could not be perfected by a few words of data and persona. A massive number of detailed problems and trivial matters of daily life were the true prerequisites for solidifying all of this.
Since he had decided to take the first step, he had to play the role of this mother well, and playing this mother well required more details.
What was currently lacking were those details.
Without delving into the specifics for now, speaking less could reduce exposure.
If Kiana discovered that this wasn't her real mother...
Li Pu did not want to be torn apart by chariots or sliced to death by a thousand cuts.
After cutting loose for a bit, Li Pu was soon saved.
What saved Li Pu wasn't a person, but class time.
Lunch break was limited after all, and after tossing and turning for so long, it was finally time for classes to resume. Even if Kiana still had a lot she wanted to say and was reluctant to leave, she had to go to school first.
"Ah... she finally left..."
Li Pu wiped the sweat from his brow.
He had to admit that this performance was still quite good. Completely letting his emotions and thoughts flow with this feeling could actually fool Kiana.
Now seeing that Kiana had left, Li Pu hurriedly entered the system.
System! Li Pu asked immediately: Has that maternal love quest been completed?
"Not yet, oh." The system displayed the task interface, showing the quest with only 0% completion: "If you want to complete this quest, you can't just transform into Cecilia, oh."
"You need to understand, comprehend, and put true love into action!"
"Huh~ The requirements are this high?" Li Pu curled his lip and said: "This quest is so hard. A grown man like me has to play a mother."
"Did you make a mistake?"
"No mistake at all," the system said. "The completion of this quest works like this: if you only use this to deceive people,"
"treating it as a prop to temporarily resolve your own predicament,"
"instead of truly understanding and giving of yourself,"
"this quest will never be completed."
Li Pu didn't refute anything the system said. Although he had indeed let go and temporarily resolved the crisis with love just moments ago,
it was just as the system said: he, Li Pu, hadn't seriously and deeply understood it; he had simply used it as a prop to resolve a temporary crisis.
However, this wasn't the crux of the matter, nor was it Li Pu's purpose for entering the system.
How can I change back? Li Pu asked his real question.
"You can't change back! Hahahahaha!" The system laughed loudly: "Do you remember what I said at the beginning? Don't let people discover all of this. As a result, your very first transformation was discovered."
"So the consequence is that you are now Cecilia forever!"
"Don't even think about changing back."
"Oh?" Li Pu didn't look flustered at all. He said in a sarcastic tone: "I distinctly remember you saying that you needed that kind of transformation dance to transform."
"Now I've transformed without the transformation dance, and I didn't transform when I used your transformation dance. Do you think I'll believe your nonsense?"
"The transformation dance is a generic transformation motion," the system explained mockingly. "You fellow couldn't do it yourself and didn't use that transformation."
"Who do you blame? Blame me? Blame it on me! Blame me!"
"Yours is a designated transformation method," the system explained. "It's a far cry from the transformation dance's transformation."
"This method can only be used with a single, specific equipment method and is only useful for a single character."
"For example, if you use this to equip Cecilia, it's impossible to use it to equip King Arthur."
"Perhaps you can use a similar approach to achieve a high degree of consistency in certain matters or thoughts to meet the equipment conditions,"
"and equipping King Arthur is also possible."
"In addition, this equipment method is also unstable. What you equip this time might not succeed the next time."
"So..."
"So there is still a way to unequip, right?" Li Pu immediately caught the keyword in the system's previous words. Since the next equipment existed, it meant it could be lifted.
*...* The system only then realized it seemed to have slipped up. It paused for a moment and stiffly argued: "Impossible, no way, you're overthinking it!"
"Tsk~ Do you want to make a bet?" Li Pu sneered: "If I can't unequip, I'll be like this for the rest of my life."
"If I can unequip, do you dare to bring something out to place a bet?!"
"Not betting! What of it?!" The system said the toughest words in a coward's tone without any hesitation.
Tsk~ Li Pu curled his lip. Knowing a bit more about the system's stubborn nature, he said: "Spit it out, how do I unequip?"
"Mandatory equipment for 48 hours cannot be removed. This is a punishment!" the system still said. "And you didn't go through the generic transformation dance, so it's impossible to remove it through similar approaches."
"You need to figure out the opportunity and conditions for removal yourself. I have nothing more to say on this end!"
The system seemed determined not to say anything more.
Li Pu couldn't be bothered to ask further.
His system wasn't very cooperative, but as long as he knew one thing—that it could be removed—that was enough! 48 hours; although it made her feel somewhat uncomfortable and hard to accept,
she could try to unequip after forty-eight hours.
That much was acceptable.
Moreover, not changing back for 48 hours might also be a way for him to find some room for maneuvering when facing Kiana.
Li Pu exited his system.
"Ooh-hoo-hoo~"
A stupidly smiling big face pressed right up against Li Pu's.
"Just as I expected."
"But it really is beyond my expectations!"
Chapter 32: Theresa Is Pretty Stupid
White hair, turquoise eyes, eternal loli!
There was only one person in the entire academy who met this condition, and that was the eternal loli Theresa Apocalypse.
*...*
Li Pu's eyebrows twitched and twitched.
Who else!
Who else hasn't seen it?!
Li Pu roared inwardly: This first equipment session has gone so poorly?! Just how many people saw it? Who else! Hasn't seen it?!
"Woo-hoo-hoo~"
With stars in her eyes and a foolish smile, Theresa said with confidence: "Although I already guessed it,"
"I still didn't guess that it actually was you."
"Cecilia Schariac."
Theresa had always been suspicious of Li Pu's identity, but she lacked evidence. Arranging the job of a janitor was considered a bit idle, yet not too idle—just enough of a semi-idled state.
Without letting Li Pu be too busy, she gave him just enough free time so he had sufficient time to do whatever he wanted to do.
Theresa had been very eager to know Li Pu's purpose for entering here; as long as she gave him a bit of time and freedom,
she would know what Li Pu was actually up to.
However, Theresa never, ever expected
that the person who came would actually be Cecilia!
"Don't you recognize me anymore?" Theresa tilted her head and looked at the person in front of her, saying: "That's impossible, right? But even after fourteen years, you're still exactly the same as back then."
She couldn't say it was completely identical; there were still some faint changes.
Probably a slight change in the hairstyle.
"Everyone thought you had already sacrificed yourself," Theresa said in a rather endless stream. "Everyone grieved for you for a long time."
"How did you survive? And why are you only coming now? Eh..."
"You don't really not recognize me anymore, do you?"
"I recognize you," Li Pu pressed his temples and said. "How could I not recognize you? But I... how am I supposed to explain this to you?"
"Perhaps I am not the Cecilia in your memories."
"Indeed, it seems, something is off." Theresa tilted her head and looked at Li Pu, examining him closely for a long time before saying: "It looks like you've forgotten a lot of things, oh."
"Siegfried, do you still remember him? Sirin?"
*...* Li Pu didn't answer anything.
Before you continue