Chapter 182
"The loss of magic power is currently the biggest obstacle to my progress towards [Flower Bloom]. Even if this buff can only last for a day or two, it has been a great help."
"However... let's not use this method of Magic Replenishment for now."
The mist in the Pure White Witch's eyes had not yet faded, like a golden lake rippling with the radiance of early spring. She pursed her pink lips, and even though her mouth only tasted of fresh toothpaste, the memory from just now still lingered in her mind.
If regular Magic Replenishment could barely be considered "good friends," this time it clearly crossed the line of friendship, especially since the recipient was Xie Qingxuan, who was suspected to be a former comrade-in-arms. The combined impact of these multiple factors was too great, leaving her still in shock.
Of course, her desire to stop this wasn't based on these "sentimental" thoughts, but rather on a more important and practical issue.
That is, the essence of the Pure White Witch is too high, and the magic power output in this form is too nourishing for the Golden Haired Doggy who has not yet become Magical Girl.
In fact, the Magic Replenishment process only lasted for less than 10 seconds before Xie Qingxuan was nearly overwhelmed by the massive amount of mana and fainted.
Chu Yuanqing had no choice but to stop abruptly, absorbing all the magic power from the other party. If he had been any slower, the other party's [Cocoon of the Heart] might have been damaged.
Therefore, we really can't do such dangerous things anymore.
The Pure White Witch felt extremely at ease upon hearing this, and she closed her eyes contentedly, whispering:
"Well, let's consider this method of Magic Replenishment after everyone becomes Magical Girl."
Volume 1: 175. Defeat Magic with Magic, Thousand Paper Cranes. (5K)
The next day.
Everything seemed as if nothing had happened.
Chu Yuanqing prepared breakfast and sat at the same table with her Little Idol. She remained composed, her slender back straight, and her demeanor as dignified and solemn as ever.
Unlike her usual side braids which gave her a mature, married look, the girl's hairstyle today was Little Cotton-padded Jacket bun that her younger sister had helped her tie. It suited her age better, making her look slightly youthful and cute, which her teammates found refreshing and couldn't help but look at her while they ate.
After obtaining permission, Kiriwake Yayoi politely reached out and touched the Pure White Witch's bun. Her eyes, tinged with cherry blossom pink, sparkled like clear diamonds, and a reserved smile played on her lips as she said:
"Xiao Qing hairstyle would suit Xiaoqing very well too. Let me do your hair tomorrow, okay? If you're going to be an idol, you need to find the styles that suit you best, and hairstyles are one of them."
Chu Yuanqing seemed to understand but not quite. The reason she knew how to braid hair was because she had deliberately learned some techniques online before in order to braid her Little Cotton-padded Jacket's hair. However... she had only braided her daughter's hair during the first semester of the second year of junior high school.
As Chu Wangshu grew a little older and developed a certain aesthetic sense as a girl, she found it increasingly difficult to tolerate her father's clumsy, incompetent, and outdated hair-tying skills—especially since they were still in a cold war at the time. So she simply practiced in front of the mirror for a while and then gave up the habit of having her Dad tie her hair every morning before he went to work.
It's worth mentioning that even now, Chu Yuanqing doesn't realize that the reason her daughter wouldn't let her tie her hair back then wasn't because she was rebellious or in a cold war, but simply because her hairstyle was too unfashionable.
What's even more subtle is that the braids that Little Cotton-padded Jacket used to dislike, when placed on her father's Witch- like body, have strangely evolved into a warm and nostalgic feeling of her mother.
Chu Yuanqing didn't think much of it. She believed in loving what she did. Since she needed the fans' affection and emotions to achieve her goals, she should do her job well and provide enough emotional value to everyone. Only then could it be considered an equal exchange.
The girl nodded in agreement:
"Sure, but wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"
Little Sakura said she had no idea how to do it, and confidently stated that she was proficient in dozens of braiding styles and the appropriate makeup to match them, which she could teach Chu Yuanqing slowly every day when she had some free time.
Chu Wangshu looked on with some envy. It was already difficult for her to balance studying and dancing; she was not as good as ordinary girls her age in this respect.
As a gentle older sister, Kiriwake Yayoi not only excels in dancing and singing, but also plays the guitar exceptionally well. She is skilled at makeup and hairstyling, and even cooking and playing claw machines. She is also very frugal and good at managing the household.
The girl had some admiration for her. She thought it would be nice if her Dad dated someone like Xiao Qing instead of Yayoi.
Because...
If a girl has a mother, she would probably have taught her many things she should know when she was very young, such as how to braid her hair, how to take care of herself during her period, how to choose cosmetics, and the criteria for choosing a partner. She would have found the answers in her mother's care.
Kiriwake Yayoi didn't think she was particularly amazing. In her opinion, anyone who had been an idol for seven years and sacrificed part of their studies could easily have done the same thing.
Kiriwake Yayoi has high emotional intelligence. She keenly noticed Chu Wangshu's micro-expressions: her drooping eyes slightly upturned, and a radiant smile appeared on her pure face as she said:
"Xiao Shu, why don't you come too? I'll help you and Xiao Qing with your hair."
The girl turned her head slightly as she spoke, examining the two men's faces.
It's strange. Although Qing Bao and Xiao Shu don't have much in common in terms of facial features, why do I always feel that they look a bit alike?
Little Sakura a joke:
"If you had the same hairstyle, you two would look like sisters, wouldn't you?"
Chu Wangshu blinked, and after readily agreeing, she said:
"No way? Xiao Qing is much prettier than me."
And... and Xiao Qing is clearly just like her mother, how can she look like her older sister!
Chu Yuanqing looked somewhat melancholy upon hearing this.
Her physical age is younger than her own daughter's; her features are delicate and youthful, and her skin is in such good condition that she clearly looks like a teenager.
If you disregard body shape and temperament, and go out with the same hair and clothes as the real person, you'll most likely be mistaken for the younger sister, completely losing your dignity.
Xie Qingxuan glanced this way, her platinum eyelashes fluttering, her dark pupils filled with anticipation, clearly eager to try and imitate Little Sakura's method.
Unfortunately, she has a rather naive personality and comes from Young Lady that is no less powerful than Chen Yining's. In the past, whether at home or at the company, her hair was styled, made up, and she took care of all sorts of chores, including blow-drying, tying up, makeup, skincare, and even various other trivial matters.
This can be said to be a habit formed from childhood, because her parents did not want her to waste any time on trivial matters. As a result, when she later went out on her own, she suffered a lot due to a lack of such experience.
In this respect Kiriwake Yayoi, who comes from a humble background, needs to work, and is full of love for idols.
The Golden Haired Doggy pondered for a moment, then lowered her eyelashes in disappointment. With elegant and serious demeanor, she slowly ate the salad in her mouth. As she ate, she recalled the few sips of champagne she had taken yesterday, and as if smelling its rich fragrance, her lips and teeth were filled with its sweet aroma.
Yes, Magical Girl are truly amazing; everywhere they go is as sweet as a royal garden.
Kiriwake Yayoi noticed this small detail. Unaware that she had been overtaken by the other party, she maintained a composed expression, but secretly felt a sense of joy at winning.
--A reckless, direct approach is a fallacy; a subtle, gradual strategy is the true path to success!
Tang Liuli was absent-minded. She was still in a daze when she woke up in the morning, still immersed in the truth that shattered her self. She felt a sense of being out of her body and her mind was wandering aimlessly.
The girl's eyes were vacant; she was like a graying paramecium, devoid of any presence. She was pouring milk into white porridge, stirring it with a spoon like oatmeal, and then quietly eating it bite by bite, with a kind of chaotic stupidity.
Tang Liuli couldn't tell whether yesterday was a dream or reality.
If this were reality, then he would feel a strange, inexplicable pleasure after being brutally N/T/R by Xie Qingxuan.
If it's all a fantasy, then it means her fantasies have become so twisted that they're beyond redemption, to the point where she has to resort to dreaming to release this craving—she's a true victim of doujinshi addiction.
Both of them are terrifying!!!
Tang Liuli regained some of her senses, her small hand holding the spoon trembling. She was overwhelmed with sadness, and even began to wonder why her father was from Glorious Country.
If it were the noble Uchiha Liuli, she would have awakened her Sharingan and Mangekyou Sharingan yesterday while eavesdropping, and learned the Kotoamatsukami technique to hypnotize Qing Bao, making the other person love only her forever!
The Green Eyed Cat finished eating the white porridge with milk.
During this time, she had already imagined something more abstract and indescribable than Uchiha Ruri, much like some chuunibyou (middle school Liuli) patients who like to fantasize about having some kind of cheat ability before bed, deriving a vain pleasure from their imagination, and even gradually revealing a foolish smile.
Chu Yuanqing stared at the scene in bewilderment. What was Liuli laughing at? Did she think plain porridge with milk was delicious? But there was no sugar added; it couldn't possibly taste good, could it?
Yesterday, Xie Qingxuan used Liuli's neodymium copper trick, copied Liuli's words, and even learned to make a toy crab from the little yellow duck that Liu Li gave her. She is currently very worried about Liuli Li's mental state.
Kiriwake Yayoi looked at the Social Anxiety Cat with pity and patted her head.
Chu Wangshu thought for a moment, then poked the cat's waist with her finger, causing the cat to reflexively bristle.
Tang Liuli nearly jumped up, but quickly regained her composure. Realizing her surroundings, she immediately suppressed the embarrassment of her toes digging into the ground and, with skillful acting, pretended nothing had happened. She tidied up the dishes, put them in the kitchen sink, and "calmly" moved on from the incident.
At the dinner table, the four people looked at each other, silently observing each other.
After the meal, the five went to train.
Although they had an extra dance to practice, they didn't change their original training plan because they had three weeks to spare, which made the training somewhat dull.
Training is just like that, nothing special. The only interesting thing is the scheming and backstabbing among the Little Idol during lunch break.
In the past, because that useless cat had little Combat Power, the afternoon nap was basically Kiriwake Yayoi to enjoy the happy time of optimizing [Cocoon of the Heart] in her private cinema.
But now, the addition of the Golden Haired Doggy has drastically changed the battlefield!
This tyrant on stage is also a straightforward emperor on the battlefield of love. Coupled with his unique lack of emotional intelligence due to his natural naivety, he is so clingy that Chu Yuanqing can't even find an opportunity to improve Little Sakura's [Cocoon of the Heart].
Private cinemas are no longer a stage for two-person battles; a third wheel has appeared between them, ready to take over at any moment. Catalyzed by neon copper films, the atmosphere is very likely to evolve into a three-person stage.
Caught in the middle, Chu Yuanqing felt quite scared, so today she simply brought her Little Cotton-padded Jacket and Liuli over with her to prevent anyone from doing anything bad to her, and also to take the opportunity to enjoy a parent-child activity of watching a movie with her daughter.
Of course, this is to ensure that children's core values are not influenced by the external environment.
Chu Yuanqing blocked the neodymium copper movie and deliberately chose a positive and uplifting fairy tale adaptation. She pulled her Little Cotton-padded Jacket and sat in the front row, while Tang Liuli and two teenage idols sandwiched her in the back row.
Little Sakura wasn't discouraged at all. She wasn't some pervert who would ask Qing Bao for kisses every day. More importantly, she wanted to be liked by Qing Bao, and that could be achieved in other ways even without kisses, so there was nothing to be disappointed about.
Rather, she has always enjoyed the positive team atmosphere. As the unspoken captain, watching movies with her teammates during lunch break created a warm and cozy team-building experience.
Xie Qingxuan is in a similar situation. Although she is innocent and pure, and even sincerely lewd, she was exhausted from the intense stimulation last night, and her [Cocoon of the Heart] is now completely full. Qing Bao has explicitly forbidden her from Magic Replenishment her with the other party for three days, which is quite pitiful.
The Little Cotton-padded Jacket was even happier. She had watched fewer movies in her entire life than the fingers on her two hands, so even if the movies were a bit childish, she found them all very novel.
Not to mention, beside her was Chu Yuanqing, who was as gentle as a mother, and several senior colleagues who were very kind to her. It was a perfect opportunity to fulfill her long-standing need for parent-child activities and to fill the void left by going out with friends.
As for Tang Liuli...
The Green Eyed Cat's first thought was, "Everyone's together, so we definitely won't get raided during lunch break. We're safe!"
Afterwards, the girl inexplicably felt bored and a sense of emptiness spreading through her heart. Suddenly, memories of yesterday's happiness flashed through her mind, bringing her back to her senses.
Something's wrong, what happened to my XP?
Do you think I'd rather eavesdrop on Qing Bao and other people's gossip than kiss Qing Bao?
Impossible, absolutely impossible! Stealing maternal love is one thing, but to steal something like this is just too strange, isn't it?
Absolutely, there's definitely something wrong with me.
Tang Liuli slapped her cheeks hard, trying to correct those terrible thoughts with the pain, but the feeling of sitting behind the door last night was like the ebb and flow of the tide, and the hymn of soul turmoil began to resound in her ears.
The girl's legs trembled uncontrollably, her pupils dilated, her small hands covered her skirt, her lips pursed, and she forced herself to straighten her back with willpower, trying to overcome the terrible demon in her heart.
Ten seconds later,
The Green Eyed Cat's extraordinary wisdom finally blossomed. She gritted her teeth and activated [Flow State], connecting one-way with Chu Yuanqing, who was sitting in front of her, chatting and laughing with his Little Cotton-padded Jacket. In an instant, she tasted the sacred and pure, warm maternal love like spring sunshine, and her body and mind were embraced by the sky.
In that instant, the strategy of using magic to defeat magic worked, and the filthy soul was successfully purified.
Tang Liuli smiled contentedly. Under the astonished gazes of the two people beside her, she clasped her hands together devoutly, as if worshipping a god.
--Qingmen???
--Bliss???.
At that moment, the two people who saw the same scene had the same thought in perfect unison:
"Liuli, something's definitely broken somewhere, isn't it?"
Time flies, and soon it was evening.
As a special dispatched doctor from the Island Nation, Kiriwake Yayoi, fulfilling her duty to be responsible for her patients, conducted a thorough examination of the Pure White Witch at night. She first strongly criticized the poor skills of the previous doctors, and then began to repeatedly conduct nucleic acid tests.
Chu Yuanqing was very cooperative. Halfway through, out of guilt, he even took a look at Liuli and the dog's XP and voluntarily transformed back into his white-haired, golden-eyed form, which gave the attending physician more motivation to work.
The treatment ended an hour later.
Little Sakura nestled in the Pure White Witch's arms for a few minutes, absorbing Qing Bao's energy, before gently pinching the other's slender waist, then shyly leaving and returning to her own bedroom.
The girl collapsed onto the large bed, lost in thought for a while before snapping out of her reverie about the sweet intimacy with her beloved. She couldn't resist rolling around on the bed, hugging the large plush toy and smiling.
Five minutes later, Kiriwake Yayoi refreshed. She opened a drawer, which was filled with origami cranes folded from colored paper.
These are small items that represent blessings and protection from misfortune in my hometown.
From the day she learned that Chu Yuanqing was injured, not knowing what she could do for him, she racked her brains and asked her assistant for several stacks of colored paper. Whenever she had free time, she would secretly fold origami cranes in her room.
Although we're still far from the ideal 1,000 pieces, we're sure we can finish folding them before the second Public Performance!
Kiriwake Yayoi's eyelashes drooped, her eyes tinged with cherry blossom pink, and she smiled gently as she earnestly prayed to the origami cranes in the drawer, asking the ethereal gods to help Chu Yuanqing's injuries heal quickly.
Actually, the girl didn't really believe in gods before.
Even though she had been dragged along by her mother's friend at the Hokkaido Shrine to work as a part-time Witch for a few days during the Sapporo Festival in the summer, she still didn't care much about those supernatural things. Not only was she preoccupied with having Yuki take nice photos of her, but she also kept thinking about the takoyaki on the street while at work.
But... if Magical Girl exist, then gods must exist too, right?
Based on this idea, Little Sakura has been praying with extra sincerity lately. She even wants her mother to send over the amulets she obtained from the shrine before, thinking that they might be more effective than origami cranes.
That's not right either. Should the gods of Island Nation only govern Island Nation? And the gods of Great Xia Nation only govern Great Xia?
Therefore, she should go to Sea Capital to look for Daoist temples or Buddhist monasteries.
Unfortunately, she couldn't leave the <Flash Dance> base, and she couldn't very well ask her assistant to do such a thing for her. So, Little Sakura had suddenly become a believer in God, had no choice but to settle for second best and obediently fold origami cranes.