After pouring the hot water, Larkspur returned to the living room with several teacups, just in time to see Xia Liang emerge from the bathroom in a bathrobe.
"I found them in the kitchen."
To avoid any misunderstanding, she explained as she set the brewed tea on the coffee table.
Setting down the cups, sliding them into place, returning to the sofa, and lifting her tea, Larkspur fell silent for a moment before casually asking:
"Why did you run away from home?"
When she asked, she did not look at Xia Liang, simply because she did not want to put too much pressure on her.
Though it was only intuition, she could sense that Xia Liang might be hiding quite a few secrets.
"Ahaha, um... can I just muddle through this one?"
Faced with the question, Xia Liang's voice sounded somewhat dry, and there was a hint of probing in her answer.
Larkspur raised an eyebrow. "And what excuse would you use to muddle through?"
"Let me think... how about an ordinary argument with my family?" Xia Liang looked around and smiled as she raised her right index finger.
"That sounds pretty believable."
Noncommittal, Larkspur took a light sip from the edge of her teacup before continuing, "Is that what you told White Rose too?"
"Xiao Lu hasn't asked me yet."
Xia Liang shook her head, looking somewhat disappointed. "She agreed to let me stay at her house so easily without knowing anything. I'd prepared so many interesting excuses, too."
"That child may not admit it, but she really can be a little single-minded. Don't bully her too much."
Larkspur set down her cup and looked at Xia Liang from the side. "Still, that nickname, 'Xiao Lu'... did she tell you her real name?"
"Hm? She told me when we first met."
Xia Liang did not understand, but she caught another implication in Larkspur's tone. "Is there a problem?"
"There is. When appearing in public as magical girls, we generally address one another by our codenames."
Larkspur lowered her eyes. "I'm Larkspur, you're Little Brocade, and Lin Xiaolu is White Rose. When you transform into a magical girl, your codename is your name."
"And not only when enemies or strangers are around. Even between magical girls, revealing your real name and identity is something that should only happen after mutual trust has been established."
"Don't casually expose your vulnerable side to someone you don't trust, unless you're strong enough."
At that, Larkspur looked up and folded her hands together. "That's why I'll always call you by your codenames while transformed. It's not just because I only told you my codename, and relationships should be equal. It's also a good habit."
Xia Liang nodded as if enlightened, then suddenly clapped her hands. "Can I apply to change my magical girl codename to 'Xia Liang' now?"
"Don't ask stupid questions."
"Then what should I do, now that I've already told Xiao Lu my name?"
"Nothing."
Larkspur sighed. "Companions in the same city will always have to share their real names eventually. But once you leave Fangting City, you'll meet magical girls who aren't companions. That's when you need to keep this in mind."
"Companions..."
Murmuring the word, Xia Liang's eyes flickered slightly. Then she narrowed them, lowered her head, and pulled her bathrobe tighter around herself. "Then... does that mean I've successfully muddled through things with a companion?"
"I suppose?"
Either not noticing Xia Liang's small movement or pretending not to, Larkspur stood and patted down her skirt. "Stay vigilant around enemies and strangers, and try to place trust in your companions. That is how magical girls should act."
"White Rose is an innocent child. She'll believe you. I know you'll be a good child, and I'm willing to believe you too. If there's something you don't want to say, no one will force you to answer."
"So, when you feel that you trust us enough, tell us what's truly in your heart."
After all, every magical girl in the Material Realm had more or less some confusion in her heart.
She did not say that aloud.
"Senior..."
Pulling herself out of her subtle low mood, Xia Liang raised her head, seemingly moved.
She slowly opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, then pressed her lips together, hesitated, and parted them once more—
—"I'm done washing up! Sorry to keep you waiting, you can go in now..."
Xia Liang's words were interrupted by a boisterous voice. Lin Xiaolu came walking over from the bathroom, dressed in loungewear with a towel around her neck, still covered in steam.
She stopped halfway through her sentence upon entering the living room. Seeing the two seated there and meeting their slightly strange gazes, she cut herself off and widened her eyes. "What's wrong? Were you talking about something just now? The atmosphere feels kind of weird..."
Larkspur glanced at Xia Liang and found Xia Liang looking back at her as well. They held each other's gaze for a moment. One closed her eyes, while the other showed a somewhat helpless smile.
It seemed their earlier conversation could not continue.
"Just some casual chatting. Nothing much."
Larkspur casually brushed off Lin Xiaolu's question, lifted her teacup for a sip, then set it down and headed toward the balcony.
"Well then, now that you two are settled here, I'll be leaving first. I have other things to do."
She truly could not stay any longer. She had slipped out during her lunch break, and she still had work in the afternoon. She had already been delayed by more than an hour because of this unexpected situation. If she did not return soon, she might miss something important.
"Huh? You're leaving already? Larkspur, stay a little longer."
Hearing that Larkspur was leaving, Lin Xiaolu instinctively tried to keep her, glancing around in an attempt to find a reason. Finding nothing, she spotted the cups of hot tea on the table. "...What's that water over there?"
"I couldn't sit still, so I found it in the kitchen."
Without slowing, Larkspur walked straight to the edge of the balcony, then looked back at the living room. "I was thirsty, so I made tea without asking. The water's a bit hot, though, so let it cool before you drink it."
"See you tomorrow," she said at last.
With that, she did not linger. She leaped over the railing and vanished into the air amid a stream of azure magic.
Leaving Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang staring at the now-empty balcony.
"So... so..."
After Larkspur left, Lin Xiaolu stood where she was, brows furrowed and eyes unfocused, muttering something under her breath.
"I don't really think it was anything?"
Guessing that she was unhappy about Larkspur's hasty departure, Xia Liang smiled and waved her hand, trying to smooth things over. "Senior is usually very straightforward, so she probably really does have work to do. She wasn't making excuses to brush us off. There's no need to be mad at her, right?"
"...So cool."
"What?"
"So cool!" Lin Xiaolu lifted her face, her eyes sparkling like stars.
"Huh?" Xia Liang froze once she understood what Lin Xiaolu was saying.
"Did you see it? You saw it too, right?"
Abandoning her usual distant attitude toward Xia Liang, Lin Xiaolu pointed at the balcony and gestured eagerly with both hands like some overzealous preacher. "Did you see it? That thing where she was talking while jumping down from up high, then stirred up a burst of magic and flew away? Don't you think that whole sequence was insanely cool? I want to learn it too!"
"Um... I guess?"
Watching Lin Xiaolu get excited over something so strange, Xia Liang forced a smile while recalling what Larkspur had said earlier.
She really is single-minded, huh?
Thanks to Omniscient and Almighty Cat, XMy, Random Scribble, Fire Within Ice Wuji, Truth Jiji, Frozen Hand, and reader 20191217145728656 for the tips.
And thanks as well to all the readers who came to show support today because of the chapter recommendations from the big shots. I'm a new author with a new book, so please forgive any shortcomings.
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