Weaving Lies

(Bai Ziye)

My mom followed me into the kitchen.

"Little Yezi, are you angry because your parents suddenly came back and found out that you and your girlfriend were living together and had a dog?"

I was washing potatoes in the sink when I rolled my eyes at her.

"If you go online and read the news, you'd know what a big deal A-Yao got into a while ago. And if you look at the door of the Sun Family next door, can't you guess what's going on?"

Her fingers circled my shoulder blade as she said, "Taking in an adorable, homeless magical girl, who's also your childhood friend—you've got everything going for you, son. Don't you have any thoughts about it?"

Sure enough, they're trying to set me up with Ceruno.

What kind of fujoshi (female fan of male-male romance) might my mom be?

She's always said since she was little, "It would be great if there was a girl between me and A-Yao."

I anticipated this situation, which is why I didn't want my mom to see A-Yao like that. Ceruno is so lovable, my mom couldn't possibly not like him.

I've made up my mind.

She suddenly shouted, and I almost cut my finger while peeling potatoes.

"I'm going to stay home a few more days! To keep an eye on you two young people as you develop your relationship!"

That won't do. Wouldn't it be like I'm in jail if I stayed at home?

I thought for a moment and said, "No need, you should still go on your business trip. Don't worry about it. A-Yao has a boyfriend and is waiting for her to turn back."

Unfortunately, that "object" was myself.

"Huh? That kid really has a girlfriend?"

My mother's face and eyes clearly showed disbelief.

He said, "I don't believe it."

"Really, we even went to Hawaii together these past couple of days. Did you see all those local specialties at the door? She's a fairly well-known magical girl now, not the clueless girl she used to be. I can't even reach her level anymore."

"Aren't you in a hurry?"

"Why should I be in such a hurry?" I retorted.

"Such a beautiful girl, are you just going to give her away like that? Are you willing to accept it?"

I'm not reconciled...

"A-Yao is my brother. I should be happy that he found a girlfriend."

But we cannot admit it.

"And what about your girlfriend?"

I turned around, put my hands on my mother's shoulders, and made her turn her back.

"Please, with my looks and appearance, finding a girlfriend is a piece of cake! Don't worry about it!"

I said this as I pushed her out of the kitchen, then closed the sliding door.

"Please go outside and wait!"

After a period of time

"Long live Yezi's Secret Curry! ≧▽≦!"

If you want to prepare dinner for four people without making too many dishes, curry is a very suitable option due to its relative simplicity.

And A-Yao likes it very much.

I cook a big pot at once; it's enough for me and Ceruno to eat for two or three days, let alone tonight.

"Oh, by the way, I also took the time to prepare dinner for the Golden."

"Woof!"

Dogs shouldn't eat heavily oiled or salty food, as it will cause them to shed. So I prepared boiled beef brisket and potatoes for it, with only a little salt to enhance the flavor and remove the fishy smell, along with some cooled goat milk powder.

Although I think it's good, this treatment is obviously not as good as the food at "Canis Major Kennel," and I'm quite worried that it won't be used to the food.

"Woof!"

However, judging from its wagging tail, it seemed to be fairly satisfied.

With a smear of golden curry on her lips, Mom cupped her cheeks and sighed, "My little Yezi is so good at managing a household. It's a pity that you weren't the one who became a girl."

"I don't want to be a magical girl."

"If you all become magical girls, you can become husband and wife, taking turns being each other's wives every day. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

What's going on in my mom's head? Curry?

"Another bowl, please! Yezi's curry is so delicious!"

Ceruno's plate was empty again in the blink of an eye. I took the empty plate and refilled her plate, but she asked softly, "Can I pack some to go?"

"Pack?"

Who is she going to give it to to try?

Miluno?

Are you sending me the curry I made?

Is the next step to invite them to join the same path, and then take it back?

Ceruno replied shyly, "Yes, I'd like to bring some for Miss Heat Haze to try."

... The guess was wrong.

Is she going to visit someone in the hospital tomorrow and bringing my curry as a gift?

"Taking it away is no problem, but the meals provided by the medical facility are definitely better than what I can make. After all, it's a hospital that caters to magical girls, and their resources are top-notch."

"It's okay, I'll eat it if she doesn't want to, so it won't go to waste!"

Dad asked, "Heat Haze... is she a magical girl from our area?"

I handed the curry rice to Ceruno and replied, "Yes, Heat Haze was hospitalized to save A-Yao, which was also the opportunity for A-Yao to become a magical girl."

My mother suddenly looked up, her face showing surprise.

"Oh! I know! Is she A-Yao's girlfriend?"

... She misunderstood.

It seems like an opportunity.

"Heat Haze isn't... Wow!"

Ceruno was about to deny it when I subtly kicked her shin under the table and then winked at her.

If I let Heat Haze become Ceruno's nominal girlfriend, then Mom won't pressure us to get married... Although I could get "Miluno" to do it, I'm not confident I can keep it from slipping up in front of my own mother.

But Ceruno was clueless and didn't understand what I meant through her eyes; she looked like she wanted to ask but didn't know whether she should.

Sigh, this time the teamwork wasn't quite there yet.

What's with all that flirting between you two?

My mother's observational skills are not to be underestimated, so I had no choice but to take over the conversation and use language to make Ceruno understand what I meant.

"She's definitely not A-Yao's girlfriend. A-Yao really likes Heat Haze, but she's in the hospital because of him, so her feelings for him were negative from the start."

"Unrequited love?"

Ceruno was still staring, so I had to continue, "I don't think so. Heat Haze volunteered to be Ceruno's tactical officer while she was in the hospital. If she disliked her, she wouldn't have done that, right? She might like Ceruno, but not A-Yao."

Mom asked again, "Huh? She doesn't know they're the same person?"

"I know."

Ceruno shoveled at her curry rice and said, "After my first battle, I revealed my identity to Miss Heat Haze."

"The fact that she's still willing to continue serving as your tactician means she doesn't really dislike you; at the very least, she's all bark and no bite."

"Yes, falling in love with your savior is cliché, but it's understandable, except for the heroic male characters in traditional stories."

As she spoke, Mom patted Ceruno on the back, making the latter cough as she ate curry.

"Okay! Auntie will go with you tomorrow!"

"Huh? Where to?"

Mom answered matter-of-factly, "Go meet the girl A-Yao likes!"

"... What's it to you?"

I couldn't help but complain, but my dad explained, "Lin Xi and I were going there anyway, it was just on our way, since the research institute is located above the treatment facility."

I do know that.

However, as a Bai Ziye, I shouldn't know.