A Fateful... Meeting?

Chapter 34

Her father was merely an ordinary company manager and her mother a newspaper editor, putting their family's financial situation slightly better than average, yet still falling short of the wealthy.

Moreover, Yu Muqiu's parents loved her dearly, and it was precisely within such an environment that Yu Muqiu could harbor a heart completely filled with love and hope.

However, regardless of whether it was Yu Muqiu's father or her mother, their current jobs were vastly different from before.

To better protect the families of the Magical Girls, the family members of Magical Girls who worked in more complex environments, more remote locations, or places unsuitable for protection were uniformly arranged with new jobs.

Take Yu Muqiu's parents, for instance; their jobs were likewise reassigned to the Investigation Department.

Yu Muqiu's mother, being a newspaper editor, was conveniently arranged to handle matters concerning the Magical Girls' websites.

As for Yu Muqiu's father, things were a bit more troublesome.

Because Yu Muqiu's father, Yu Nian, was a sales manager in an electrical appliance department, a position for which the Investigation Department could find no suitable work, he was currently considered unemployed at home.

Therefore, when Fang Ming went to visit the Yu family, he happened to run into Uncle Yu drinking tea and watching the news at home.

"Well, Xiao Ming is here? Oh my, you came all this way, why bring anything at all?"

Wearing glasses and giving off the aura of an intellectual, Yu Nian greeted him warmly upon seeing Fang Ming.

Fang Ming walked into Yu Muqiu's home, naturally setting the gift in his hand to the side, and then said to Yu Nian:

"It's not often I get to visit, and I figured coming empty-handed wouldn't look too good, so I just casually picked up a few things. They weren't expensive, so Uncle, please don't refuse them."

After exchanging a couple of polite pleasantries with Yu Nian, Fang Ming looked around in other directions and asked:

"Where is Xiao Qiu?"

"She went to school."

"Magical Girls still have to go to school?"

"Forget about being a Magical Girl, even if she were some kind of immortal fairy, as long as she hasn't graduated yet, she has to go to school for me!"

Yu Nian said with a smiling chuckle.

After all, a Magical Girl was still just a 'girl'. Yu Muqiu was only in her second year of high school; if she didn't go to school, what else could she do?

If she truly went to be a Magical Girl full-time, and the profession of a Magical Girl happened to become unnecessary one day, wouldn't they all be left with nothing?

Therefore, let alone Yu Muqiu, Chen Xiaoxia and Murong Xiaochun also needed to go to school.

Especially Chen Xiaoxia, who was still following in her father's footsteps to apply for the police academy and become a police officer later on; without studying, there was simply no way she could test into the police academy.

After saying this, Yu Nian suddenly began to sigh with emotion:

"I never would have imagined that one day my Xiao Qiu would become a world-famous celebrity. Sigh... I just don't know whether this is a blessing or a curse for her."

"..."

There was no way Fang Ming could respond to that.

In truth, he did not support Yu Muqiu becoming a Magical Girl, for anyone could clearly see the dangers a Magical Girl had to face.

Yet now, regardless of whether Fang Ming supported it or not, the Sky Screen was right there, and the fact that Yu Muqiu was a Magical Girl was also an indisputable reality.

After thinking for a moment, Fang Ming had no choice but to say: "Since Xiao Qiu is the 'protagonist', she will definitely be fine. You can just rest assured."

"That's true. Let's not talk about her anymore. Did you just arrive today?" Yu Nian turned his head to ask Fang Ming.

Fang Ming shook his head: "I arrived yesterday and stayed at the Investigation Department for a night. Today I'm going to check out the apartment assigned to me by the Investigation Department, and thinking it was right on the way, I came to see you."

"Oh, so you're moving to Spring City to live?"

Yu Nian realized with a start, then smiled and said: "That's great. Actually, we wanted to invite you over earlier, but we didn't expect... this sort of accident to happen."

Yu Nian pointed at the ceiling.

Though in reality, he was pointing at the Sky Screen beyond the ceiling.

What Fang Ming had mentioned to He Xuan before—that Yu Nian's family had once invited Fang Ming to live in Spring City—was no lie. Yu Nian really had invited him, only Fang Ming had declined every time.

Hearing Yu Nian bring it up again now, Fang Ming smiled and said:

"I didn't want to cause trouble for you before. As for now... well, it's actually for Xiao Qiu's sake as well."

"The 'second season theory' mentioned by the Investigation Department, is that it?"

Yu Nian surprisingly understood what Fang Ming was talking about in no time.

Fang Ming wasn't surprised either. Yu Nian was a fiction enthusiast who had basically read all kinds of novels, especially loving science fiction and fantasy, so he had actually been keeping up with matters regarding the Sky Screen all along.

Naturally, Yu Nian was also aware of the second season theory He Xuan had raised.

Fang Ming nodded:

"Yes. If there were no Sky Screen... then I suppose I would have accepted your invitation to come live in Spring City."

"Mm. Because I'll be going on a business trip at that time, and Xiao Qiu's mother's work will also get busy, leaving no time to take care of Xiao Qiu. So... the responsibility of taking care of Xiao Qiu will fall on you."

Saying this, Yu Nian pointed at Fang Ming.

Right, this was the fundamental reason why Fang Ming would come to Spring City in the 'second season'.

On one hand, he wanted to observe these Magical Girls up close; on the other hand, it was because of the reason Yu Nian had to go on a business trip.

Yu Nian fell quiet for a brief moment, then said: "If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be going on a business trip to another province in mid-September, and I probably won't be back until around November."

"Then the plot of the second season is very likely to happen during this period."

Fang Ming added.

If something major really was going to happen in the second season, then since Yu Nian wouldn't be in Spring City by that time and Xiao Qiu's mother would also be away for investigation and interviews due to her work at the newspaper office, only Xiao Qiu would be left in Spring City alone.

With her family members absent from Spring City, Xiao Qiu's actions and style would definitely be much bolder, and at least on certain occasions, she wouldn't have to deliberately conceal her identity as a Magical Girl.

The "plot" by that time would probably be even more exciting.

From this perspective, Yu Nian's business trip felt more like a plot setting rather than an assignment from his superiors.

Hearing this, Yu Nian was silent for a moment, then suddenly said to Fang Ming, "Actually, compared to Xiao Qiu, I'm more worried about you."

"Huh?"

"No matter what, Xiao Qiu is a Magical Girl and the protagonist. In normal plots, protagonists always have a halo around them, and at least they won't face life-threatening danger. But you're different."

Having read countless books, Yu Nian said earnestly to Fang Ming, "You're only a supporting character. You're not even like me—just an extra who only appears in the background and has barely shown his face a few times. You have a certain amount of screen time, a supporting character who will appear in both the first and second seasons."

"And often, supporting characters who are blood-related to the protagonist and have a certain role in the plot are the most dangerous. This means... you are very likely to become one of the sources for Xiao Qiu's 'power-up'."

"..."

Yu Nian was right.

Why were most protagonists set up as orphans?

Because orphans have no weaknesses, and no one can use family members to threaten them.

In other words, once a person had connections and cared about family and friends, they were very likely to be threatened by enemies using those family and friends.

Xiao Qiu was a Magical Girl, and moreover, a simple, naive Magical Girl possessed of "love".

Therefore, once an accident really occurred in the second season and the enemies couldn't find Xiao Qiu, they would very likely treat Fang Ming as one of their primary targets.

That was assuming Fang Ming really was an ordinary person.

However, Yu Nian's words did serve as a reminder to Fang Ming.

If the plot of the second season involved "Fang Ming" as well, then without a doubt, he would definitely get involved in the affairs between Xiao Qiu and the other Magical Girl.

What Song Niandong wanted to do was currently unknown, but judging from the intelligence obtained so far, Song Niandong and Xiao Qiu were definitely enemies.

Since they were enemies, would Song Niandong make a move against Fang Ming?

Now that Song Niandong's whereabouts were unknown, if he wanted to find Song Niandong, would it be feasible to use himself as a bait to lure her out?

Thinking about this, a new idea gradually formed in Fang Ming's mind.

Chapter 47: The... Meeting of Fate?

If, as far as this world was concerned,

all fates were already predestined—the meetings of certain people, the friendships between certain people, and the things certain people were destined to experience—were all destined by fate,

then Fang Ming didn't need to do anything. He only needed to follow his intuition, stroll around picking a random direction, and perhaps he would be able to run into Song Niandong.

And if Song Niandong held any special thoughts toward Fang Ming, such as wanting to capture him to threaten Yu Muqiu and the others,

she would definitely make a move against Fang Ming.

This was also Fang Ming's chance to find Song Niandong.

However—

"...It's already night, and there's still no sign of anyone."

Sitting on a swing in a park somewhere in the suburbs of Spring City, Fang Ming looked at the full moon rising in the sky and couldn't help wondering if he had guessed wrong.

Even though at least everything in this world concerning Yu Muqiu and the others had become a Sky Screen hanging high in the upper air, it didn't mean that all fate was already predestined.

Perhaps Fang Ming really had guessed wrong.

Of course, it was also possible that Fang Ming had come at the wrong time.

It was already late at night, and the city's residents had all begun to rest. Even if Song Niandong had skipped school and gone elsewhere, it didn't mean she really was a night owl who only roamed around at night.

The last time he ran into her at night, it was presumably because she had consumed too much magic power and couldn't walk very far, which was why she was seen by Fang Ming who was wandering around at night.

So even if he couldn't run into her now, it was actually a very reasonable thing.

Yet there was no help for it; Fang Ming couldn't just come out as he pleased during the day.

Now that Fang Ming had been identified as an "important supporting character", he was strictly protected by the authorities.

Even when going out on ordinary days, Fang Ming would have a bodyguard sent by the military following him to prevent any accidents from happening to him.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, Fang Ming had no way to walk around freely and come here to meet Song Niandong.

He could only lock his bedroom door when everyone was resting at night, transform into the appearance of Magical Girl Xiao Bai, open a barrier to quietly leave the room,

and sit here waiting for a hare while casting magic to isolate the perception of others.

It was just a pity that after waiting here for nearly two hours, Fang Ming hadn't waited for anything.

Continuing to wait probably wouldn't yield any results; it would be better to try a different direction tomorrow night.

If tomorrow still didn't work, then this so-called "guidance of fate" probably wasn't that magical after all.

That encounter with Song Niandong that night really was just a coincidence.

Rising from the swing, Fang Ming intended to dust off his pants and leave.

Yet suddenly, a small figure appeared in the street corner.

That small figure wore a hood that concealed her hair, her hands drawn into her sleeves with only her fingers exposed.

The small figure kept her head lowered as she walked toward the unattended convenience store at the street corner.

Although she did not reveal her face, judging from the exposed school uniform trousers, she should be Song Niandong, who had gone missing in the eyes of the Federation Investigation Department.

After all, the Investigation Department was just a group of ordinary people. Without the help of Magical Girls, if a Magical Girl deliberately wanted to hide herself, they could never possibly find her.

Even if Fang Ming himself did not carry magical power, he probably would have overlooked Song Niandong at this moment.

The clothes on this girl's body possessed magic that isolated the perception of others.

Adjusting the glasses on his face, which also had magic attached to them, Fang Ming walked toward Song Niandong.

Meanwhile, Song Niandong had not noticed Fang Ming walking toward her.

She was standing in front of the vending machine in the unattended convenience store, hesitating.

"I... I always feel like this isn't right..."

Song Niandong looked at the self-service vending machine in front of her and said softly to Black Rabbit.

Black Rabbit appeared beside Song Niandong's shoulder, squatting naturally on her shoulder, and coaxed:

"It's fine. Don't you humans have a law? What is it called... um, necessity... or something.

"You haven't eaten for more than a day, and your home is being guarded by those damned Magical Girls and the human military, so you have no way to go back and get money. Right now, you're just using magic to get yourself something to eat, it doesn't count as a crime."

Black Rabbit said righteously.

Song Niandong was still hesitating: "...No matter how you look at it, this still counts as a crime."