On Duty

The Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau was much quieter than usual on New Year's Eve.

At the request of the current director Lin Yun, a considerable number of employees will stay on duty this year. However, Lin Yun is not the kind of leader who can't stand seeing employees idle. Ultimately, more people will be able to take a normal holiday and go home for the Spring Festival.

Most of the staff who remained on duty were combat personnel. Even those who were not high-ranking Mage had some ability to use Spell Formula. A small number of clerical staff were assigned to ensure minimal operation, thus preventing problems before they occurred.

Of course, in order to serve and to some extent compensate these hardworking employees, those who work a night on New Year's Eve can not only receive the equivalent of a week's salary, but also have a rather sumptuous dinner in the canteen, which can be considered as making up for the regret of not being able to go home for dinner.

As for whether this compensation could truly eliminate the employees' complaints, or whether the employees would harbor any doubts, Lin Yun really couldn't care less.

After all, he's having dinner at the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau right now.

With a blank expression, Lin Yun picked up a piece of fish from the plate, took a bite, and then pondered his plans for the evening.

According to his idea, he should first take the position of director and inspect the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau to confirm that all departments are operating normally and that all personnel are on duty, while also letting them know that he is also on duty.

After that, he had to temporarily leave the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau and return to the Magical Girl Base in Larkspur Fangting City to ensure that "Larkspur attended the New Year's Eve party as usual".

Then, he had to rush back and spend midnight in his office as Lin Yun. The reason was simple: Lin Xiaolu was still there, and he was destined not to be away for long.

Yes, he ultimately couldn't think of an excuse to reject Lin Xiaolu.

Or perhaps, he was genuinely happy about Lin Xiaolu's suggestion, regardless of the underlying reasons.

After finishing dinner, Lin Yun handed his plate and cutlery to the cleaning window, then returned to the food pick-up area and took several stacked lunch boxes from the smiling chef. He put these lunch boxes into a pre-prepared tote bag and left the cafeteria without stopping.

Along the way, passing employees would nod and greet him from time to time, and he would respond to each one. This included an employee he already recognized quite well— Tian Sheng.

Compared to when he first joined the company two months ago, Tian Sheng now shows almost no trace of his naivety as a newcomer. Moreover, probably because he has been participating in high-intensity battles, he now exudes a certain vigor.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Working in such a dangerous position ultimately means that those who are adaptable to combat can go further.

After exchanging a few words with Tian Sheng, which took about half a minute, Lin Yun parted ways with him, quickly entered the office building elevator, and pressed the button for the floor leading to the director's office.

A few minutes later, he finally pushed open the door to his office, carrying a heavy packing bag.

Inside the room, a girl in a down jacket was reclining in a chair, holding her phone high and tapping the screen repeatedly with her thumb. Her cheeks were slightly puffed out, as if she had something in her mouth, and she occasionally made indistinct muttering noises.

Even after hearing the door open, she didn't stop what she was doing. Only when Lin Yun placed the bag on the desk with a "thump" did she finally reluctantly look away from the screen.

"So slow." And her first words were quite blunt.

Seeing her speak like that, Lin Yun didn't hold back and put his hand on her head, giving it a hard slap. "I've already been very quick, eat up, or it'll get cold."

Just as Lin Yun had told Lin Xiaolu at home, in order to avoid appearing at the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau with his family as much as possible, he did not take Lin Xiaolu directly to the cafeteria, but instead chose to bring the food back to the director's office.

There are three reasons for doing this: in addition to being on the safe side to prevent any more undercover agents from being infiltrated into the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, it is also to prevent the rumor that "the director is spending the New Year with his daughter in the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau" from spreading among the employees.

More importantly, a considerable number of employees in the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau had actually seen Lin Yun's "daughter" before—a quiet girl with shoulder-length short hair who looked to be still in elementary school.

Yes, the fact that Bai Jingxuan would go to the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau with nothing to do and call Lin Yun "Dad" without restraint eventually spread to a small circle.

Even if all the employees who knew about it repeatedly warned the other party not to spread the rumor, the next employee would often do the same and pass the rumor on to the few people they knew best.

This actually violated the rule that employees of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau were not allowed to bring family members into the Bureau, but in reality, no one could stop Bai Jingxuan from barging into the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau. Even Lin Yun, after Bai Jingxuan's birthday, couldn't do anything about it on the surface, and over time he just turned a blind eye.

This leads to a very serious consequence: if Lin Yun brings Lin Xiaolu in and out of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, then anyone with eyes can see that the director's daughter is not the same person as her usual daughter, and who knows what strange misunderstandings might arise.

To avoid such a headache, Lin Yun told Lin Xiaolu to stay in the office and that if she wanted to go out for a visit, she would have to wait for someone he arranged to guide her.

This has ultimately led to the current situation.

Lin Yun took the lunchbox Lin Xiaolu Yun brought back, turned off her phone screen, and placed it aside, but just sat there without starting to eat immediately.

"What's wrong? Don't you have an appetite?" Lin Yun asked.

"No, I'm eating candy," Lin Xiaolu replied indistinctly, while pressing the candy in her mouth against her cheek, probably wanting Lin Yun to see it clearly.

"Where did you get this candy from?" Lin Yun couldn't help but ask, puzzled.

"I took it from the drawer."

Lin Xiaolu replied matter-of-factly, "I quite like this brand of candy; one of my teammates often brings it to me."

"Bai Jingxuan?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"She got her candy from me."

"Oh, so it's from you... What is it?"

Lin Xiaolu looked up in surprise. "Why did you give it to me?"

"Isn't this because I have a wonderful daughter? Didn't she keep urging me to adopt her teammate all this time? Have you forgotten already?"

Lin Yun said expressionlessly, "They've already found their way here."

He didn't need to hide this matter, since it was Lin Xiaolu who had started it, and Bai Jingxuan had already let it slip.

"Ah... that matter... I haven't forgotten it..."

Upon hearing Lin Yun bring this up, Lin Xiaolu recalled how she had previously spread rumors within the Fangting City Squad that "Larkspur and my dad are having an affair," and she was so embarrassed that she gripped the ground with her toes, and her voice naturally became softer.

At that time, she was completely bewitched, firmly believing that the reason Larkspur was so good to her was because she wanted to be her stepmother. As a result, she came up with a series of absurd inferences, which are now untenable when she calms down and thinks about them now.

After all, a magical girl as perfect as Larkspur is indeed as noble and aloof as a princess, and there's no reason for her to be a love-struck fool who would sacrifice herself for love.

Rather, given Larkspur's usual expression, as if everyone owes her money, Lin Xiaolu found it hard to imagine what it would be like if she actually fell in love with someone.

But what reason could this magical girl possibly have to stay for me...?

Thinking of this, Lin Xiaolu visibly became even more depressed.

On the other side, seeing her daughter lost in thought, suddenly becoming melancholic after a moment of silence, Lin Yun couldn't help but tap the lunchbox. "What are you thinking about now? I told you, it'll get cold if you don't eat soon."

"... oh."

This was forcibly pulled from her own thoughts. Perhaps because what she had thought of was indeed very shocking, Lin Xiaolu, unusually, did not retort. She just stared blankly at Lin Yun for a moment, and then nodded.

As she reached for the lunchbox in front of her, she chewed the candy she had been holding in her mouth in two bites with her back teeth.

Click.

A soft, crackling sound rang in her mouth, the broken candy leaving a slightly prickly sensation on her tongue, but it was quickly swallowed. Savoring the last taste of the candy in her mouth, Lin Xiaolu's slightly unfocused gaze gradually sharpened.

She suddenly thought of something.

"This candy... Bai Jingxuan brings it back every two days." She couldn't help but mutter to herself.

"Yes, after all, she comes every few days," Lin Yun answered quite frankly.

"Ha?"

Lin Xiaolu's voice suddenly rose several decibels. "You come every few days?"

"Well, even though I didn't adopt her, as the head of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, I can still discuss magical girl matters with her and offer some life advice."

Lin Yun nodded. "That child is quite polite most of the time, so chatting with her isn't a bad thing."

"No, you're my dad?" Lin Xiaolu looked at Lin Yun in disbelief.

"I'm your dad, what's wrong?" Lin Yun looked at Lin Xiaolu with a puzzled expression.

"I haven't even been able to come to the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau every few days!"

Lin Xiaolu picked up the chopsticks next to the lunchbox and slammed them on the table. "You said you'd try not to bring family members into the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, but she comes over to you every day to act all cute? Is she clinging to you now?"

"... That statement is a bit too subjective."

Lin Yun slightly turned her gaze to the side. "That child only comes over to chat with me occasionally, saying it's to 'act cute' or something..."

"I don't know what she could possibly do?"

Lin Xiaolu stared wide-eyed at Lin Yun: "That little girl is like this every day at the base, always sticking to Larkspur and saying things that make people envious, then hugging and cuddling, and even shamelessly calling her 'Mom' a few times. It's so enviable... it's unbearable to watch! Anyway, isn't it the same routine when she comes to you?"

Lin Yun completely turned her face away this time.

Lin Xiaolu's words may be rough, but they are not without merit. Although her remarks were quite emotional, they did indeed state the truth.

As the person involved, he fully felt how clingy Bai Jingxuan had been lately.

When Larkspur was at the base, she always liked to follow behind Larkspur, wanting to help with everything. Occasionally, she would obediently ask for some intimate interaction, such as patting her head or giving her a hug. If there was no one at the base and she didn't have to patrol, she would run to the director's office of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau and pester Lin Yun to tell her about the little things that happened to her.

If this behavior isn't considered flirting... then it's definitely a lie, and we have to admit that what Lin Xiaolu said is true.

But Lin Yun also knew that the main motivation behind this was himself.

After all, for Bai Jingxuan's physical and mental health, he also hoped that she could build connections with more people, and even expressed his desire to become someone Bai Jingxuan "cares about".

It is precisely because of her statements and promises that both Larkspur and Lin Yun are regarded by Bai Jingxuan as "objects to be pampered", thus evolving to the present stage.

"... You can come if you'd like."

Thinking of this, Lin Yun was too embarrassed to say anything in rebuttal, so she could only awkwardly try to change the subject. "I just didn't know you were also interested in the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau."

"I have no interest in the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, or rather, I don't have time to come here every day like that girl."

Lin Xiaolu said with slight dissatisfaction, "Besides working as a magical girl, I also have to go to school. How can I have so much free time?"

"Then during holidays or when you have free time..."

"A holiday? I'd definitely stay at the base if I had that time."

Lin Xiaolu's eyes widened. "You know perfectly well that if this continues, Larkspur will definitely be completely distracted by her! Then there will be no place for me in the team!"

"Cough cough cough..." Lin Yun coughed repeatedly upon hearing this.

Lin Xiaolu's words were true; he should indeed have known about this.

Because this was the "truth" that Lin Xiaolu told him under the guise of seeking advice the night before.

In Lin Xiaolu's view, Bai Jingxuan has become a real and huge threat, constantly attracting Larkspur's attention and making Larkspur pay less attention to her than before.

She had felt a sense of crisis about this for a long time, as early as when Bai Jingxuan joined the team, but it wasn't until recently that she finally couldn't sit still anymore.

It wasn't just because Bai Jingxuan's abilities Blossoming speed far surpassed his own, but also because she had a huge advantage over him—she could recklessly demand more love.

Compared to Bai Jingxuan, who can often act coquettishly and use various methods to enhance intimacy, Lin Xiaolu is actually very envious, but dares not imitate her at all.

Because she was always worried about one thing: whether the Larkspur's care for her was a legacy from her mother.

This point became even more noteworthy after he won the match against Bai'an City.

If that's really the case, then it means that Larkspur's feelings for him are more about a sense of responsibility. The more he demands care and attention like Bai Jingxuan does, the more he pushes Larkspur away, until eventually even their current relationship can't be maintained.

Rather, if the other party is truly taking care of me because of my mother, perhaps I should act stronger and more independent, because that would be more like my mother Anya's personality, and would actually satisfy Larkspur.

She posed the question to Lin Yun, but clearly, Lin Yun had no solution either.

After all, he couldn't tell his daughter, "Your thoughts are completely unfounded. There's no need to worry about such things at all, because you're the only one I have."

Unable to say such things, he could only pretend to be an observer, trying to smooth things over while offering some meaningless suggestions.

For example, saying things like "Maybe you should go and confirm with her yourself" or "You should be more confident in yourself" is like scratching an itch through a boot; it doesn't pinpoint the real problem.

"It's the Lunar New Year, there's no point in saying this now, you should eat first."

In the end, this was the only way he could continue to change the subject.

Of course, that's what they say, but in reality, Lin Yun does have some room to maneuver in this matter; it's just that these things can probably only be done by Larkspur.

In his view, the most important thing in the whole matter was to help his daughter build self-confidence.

If Lin Xiaolu herself lacks self-confidence, then even if I personally tell her, using my identity as Larkspur, "how special you are," it will probably be to no avail.

After all, Larkspur wasn't the only one to say something like that.

The victory against Bai'an City was a good start. In fact, it was this victory that gave Lin Xiaolu the courage to bring the matter to the forefront and face her own needs.

Next, we need to help her gain more confidence so that she will believe she deserves to be treated differently.

What should be done, and how should it be achieved? These are the questions that Larkspur needs to consider in the next stage.

The director's office fell silent again. Lin Xiaolu, preoccupied with her thoughts, silently ate her rice, while Lin Yun silently pondered his future plans. Their silence became a tacit understanding.

This atmosphere continued until Lin Xiaolu finished her meal. The two remained silent for a while longer before Lin Xiaolu finally broke the ice.

--"Where are the restrooms?"

As she asked this, she stacked all the lunchboxes in her hand together, as if she were about to take them with her.

"The restroom? The nearest one should be the one you turn right after you go out, walk to the end of the road, then turn left, walk forward a few dozen meters, and look to your right." Lin Yun answered subconsciously.

"Oh." Having received her answer, Lin Xiaolu didn't hesitate, picking up her lunchbox and standing up. "I'll throw these things out while I'm at it."

As soon as she finished speaking, she walked out the door, and soon after, the sound of footsteps fading into the distance could be heard in the corridor outside.

The heavy atmosphere that had been hanging over the director's office eased considerably.

No longer needing to discuss those embarrassing issues with his daughter, Lin Yun felt a slight sense of relief and subconsciously let out a long sigh. After sitting there for a moment, he tidied up his desk and returned to his own workstation.

The night shift isn't without extra work; at least now he can easily process another batch of documents.

--Knock knock.

Just as he picked up one of the stacks of papers, as if deliberately not giving him time to catch his breath, there was a sudden knock on the door of the director's office.

Is Lin Xiaolu back? Isn't it a bit too fast?

Such a thought flashed through Lin Yun's mind, but he didn't think too much about it. He simply used his magic threads to sense the area outside the door and, after noticing any unusual magic fluctuations, he said, "Please come in."

Then the door to the director's office was pushed open from the outside. Accompanying Lin Yun into the office was a guest who was neither familiar nor unfamiliar to her.

There is no doubt that the person who came was not Lin Xiaolu, and the appearance of this person seems both unreasonable and irregular.

"Oh, Happy New Year, Director Lin!"

The newcomer was none other than Yuan, a Claw Mark cadre who had met Lin Yun and Larkspur several times before and even fought with them once.