Death Anniversary

It was another Saturday, and Lin Yun got up early as usual.

He no longer needs to socialize or work overtime, but he still needs to tutor two struggling elementary school students all night, and then prepare lessons afterwards, so he finally gets to rest in the early hours of the morning.

Fortunately, at this age, the need for sleep time is much less than when I was younger; six hours is enough.

After carefully grooming herself again, still wearing a black suit, Lin Yun took out the necklace she had prepared last week from Anya's dressing case, and walked out of the bedroom.

After quickly preparing the food in the refrigerator, he woke Lin Xiaolu up, and the father and daughter ate breakfast together before driving to the cemetery where Anya was buried.

Since last week's wedding anniversary, when Lin Xiaolu failed to follow Lin Yun and instead learned the truth about her mother's death, her relationship with Lin Yun has basically improved.

Although the long-standing cold war meant that even though the rift was gradually mending, their interactions were still somewhat awkward and stiff. But at least Lin Xiaolu no longer deliberately gave Lin Yun the cold shoulder, and occasionally, with a hint of trying to repair the relationship, she would hesitantly take the initiative to talk to Lin Yun.

Lin Yun was already quite satisfied with this relationship model.

As a father, he didn't comment further on Lin Xiaolu's status as a magical girl. After all, as Larkspur, he had observed his daughter's progress and knew she was gradually getting back on track.

The only somewhat unexpected thing was the battle a few days ago.

According to the three girls' accounts afterward, Lin Xiaolu used an unknown White Magic Power in a moment of crisis, and then defeated an enemy whose strength was clearly above the Looper Tier.

The enemy's identity is also quite strange; they are Mage who can transform into Aberrant Beast.

Lin Yun had never heard of the latter's origins; however, his guess about the magic displayed by Lin Xiaolu actually coincided with that of the black-robed man from Black Ash Dawn.

It is indeed possible that Lin Xiaolu is also Offsetter.

Although neither he nor Anya showed any signs of Offsetter, just like Bai Jingxuan's parents were ordinary people, the special nature of magic does not manifest in every generation.

However, these are all just speculations. He will need to conduct more research with Lin Xiaolu on the specifics in the future.

After undergoing an identity check at the cemetery entrance, Lin Yun parked the car in the parking lot and entered the cemetery with her daughter. After finding Anya's tombstone, Lin Yun quietly placed the prepared flowers in front of Anya's grave, and then hung the prepared necklace beside it.

In fact, in the Eastern Hua Prefecture, every city used to have the custom of burning paper money to commemorate the dead. However, with the development of cities and the centralization of burial sites, this custom was gradually abandoned.

This custom eventually evolved into gift-giving.

Anything is fine, as long as it's something the deceased liked in life—wine, clothing, anything—bring it to the grave. It can be left there until the next memorial service and then retrieved.

Because city cemeteries have relatively strict management and regulations, and are patrolled by dedicated personnel to prevent unauthorized entry, there is no need to worry about your belongings being stolen.

Lin Yun used to come here several times every now and then to commemorate her, not only on the anniversary of her death, but also on some important holidays, because for him, this was the only way to remember Anya.

Lin Xiaolu didn't come here very often because, as a junior high school student, she didn't have the time or ability to go to the cemetery alone. In addition, she had been in a cold war with Lin Yun for two years, so they naturally didn't have the opportunity to come together.

If you count carefully, this is only the third time she has come here since her mother's funeral.

If she had come here before with simple sorrow and remembrance, then this time, standing before her mother's grave, she had many different thoughts.

It wasn't just the longing that erupted in my heart after learning that my mother was a magical girl, but also my feelings after talking with Larkspur and defeating a powerful enemy these past few days.

Standing in front of the small tombstone, she felt that if her mother were still alive, they would have a lot in common now.

"Mom, I'm here."

So she opened her mouth slightly and began to tell her story.

From the moment she met Moko and became a magical girl, to her encounter with Larkspur, her subsequent growth, and the companions she gained... she recounted everything in great detail, as if she were truly reporting to her mother.

If she had come here earlier, she probably would have talked about things from much further back, including but not limited to the terrible experiences she had during her cold war with her father. But now she finds that she no longer has the desire to bring those things up.

Rather, compared to her experiences after becoming a magical girl, those things became less important.

Hearing Lin Xiaolu's words, Lin Yun stood aside without saying a word.

The things he wanted to tell Anya were now inconvenient to say in front of his daughter, so he could only tell her silently in his heart: he had finally chosen to come back.

I'm coming back to face what I should have accepted long ago, to face people I no longer want to see, and to face my original aspirations.

There was no need to say more; he had thought it through clearly enough, and after resigning, he had made up his mind.

The father and daughter lingered in front of the grave for a long time, until Lin Xiaolu finished saying everything she wanted to say, before slowly standing up and looking at Lin Yun.

Lin Yun noticed that the corners of her eyes were slightly red.

"Dad."

After taking a breath, Lin Xiaolu said, "I've made up my mind."

"What decision?" Lin Yun asked expressionlessly, feigning ignorance.

"I will definitely continue down the path of becoming a magical girl."

Lin Xiaolu said firmly, "Then one day I will become strong enough to find out the whole truth and protect everything I want."

"It's a very ambitious idea, but I believe in you."

Lin Yun agreed softly.

"I want to find the person who killed my mother and defeat her; I also want to protect the people in the city, protect my companions, and even protect the Larkspur..."

As she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer, and she gradually lowered her head, finally adding in an almost inaudible voice, "... and you."

Lin Yun, who had been feeling somewhat heavy-hearted just moments before, couldn't help but chuckle at this moment.

He reached out and stroked Lin Xiaolu's head, then ruffled it. "I'm not that old yet. A grown man has legs; I know how to run away when something happens. You should take care of yourself first."

"Don't mess up my hair." Trying to move his hand away, Lin Xiaolu complained softly, "Besides, it's an old story, rubbing your head will make you grow taller."

"Trust in your genes, believe in your potential."

Lin Yun withdrew her hand and looked at the tombstone beside her. "You inherited from me and your mother, so you shouldn't be too different."

"Really?" Lin Xiaolu stared, somewhat doubtful.

"At least that's how I feel."

Turning around, Lin Yun gestured to her and said, "Alright, let's go back. Have you decided what to have for lunch?"

"Believe in yourself... how is that the same as saying 'Larkspur'?"

Lin Xiaolu muttered to herself, but quickly picked up her pace and followed her father. "It doesn't matter, there should be leftovers from last night."

"You silly girl, you were just saying you wanted to grow taller, how can you grow taller eating leftovers?"

Why does eating leftovers stunt your growth?

"Because it has no nutritional value."

"What are you going to eat? Are you going out to eat?"

The sounds of their conversation faded into the distance. The father and daughter left the tombstone, chatting about lunch as they began their journey home.

The tombstones in the cemetery still stand quietly there, with flowers placed in front of them and necklaces hanging on one side, their surfaces glowing with a warm yellow light in the midday sun.