Chapter Summaries

My Girlfriend Is a Magical Girl!
237 summaries

Ch. 21Fighting Shoulder to Shoulder with Lu Annuan

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing help a parent whose child Lu Ming saved. The grateful parent gives Lu Ming an extra 20,000 yuan, then deletes him from WeChat to prevent him from returning it.
  • The principal uses the incident to promote Haiyang No. 2 Middle School, secretly taking a selfie with the appreciation banner and posting it in a teachers’ and principals’ group chat while pretending to criticize Lu Ming’s recklessness.
  • Back in class, Lu Ming proudly recounts the incident, turning the attention into playful teasing. His classmates admire him, while Ran Yanyue quietly listens and appears emotionally affected.
  • Tang Zhiqing asks Lu Ming to help with something soon and reminds him about learning Karate. Lu Ming agrees, sacrificing his weekend plans to train with her.
  • Lu Ming meets his childhood friend and roommate-like companion, Lu Annuan, and realizes that the anniversary of her mother’s death is approaching.
  • The system reveals two major regrets from Lu Ming’s original future:
    1. He never discovered that Lu Annuan was a Magical Girl, causing them to drift apart and leaving him unaware that she injured her leg protecting him.
    2. He failed to accompany her to her mother’s grave, where the powerful code-named Evil Beast Wendigo later appeared. Lu Annuan was defeated and hospitalized for six months.
  • A new mission is issued: help Lu Annuan survive Wendigo’s attack. The rewards are unusually valuable: increases to Physique and Magic Power, plus two additional seconds for the Antique Pocket Watch’s time-stop ability.
  • Rather than avoid the cemetery or prevent Lu Annuan from going, Lu Ming decides to accompany her and confront the threat directly.
  • He researches code-named Evil Beasts and warns Lu Annuan about Wendigo, though he disguises the concern with a joke about making her wash the dishes.
  • On May 25, Lu Ming and Lu Annuan travel to Haiyang Cemetery with lilies and chrysanthemums to honor Lu Annuan’s mother. During the visit, a mysterious person in a black raincoat enters the cemetery and asks for directions, suggesting the coming danger may already be nearby.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming becomes more confident after receiving the money and public recognition, but beneath his joking behavior he is increasingly serious about protecting the people close to him.
  • His knowledge of the future causes him to act decisively. Instead of repeating his past regret, he chooses to stand beside Lu Annuan even though he is only an ordinary person.
  • Lu Annuan remains independent, proud, and resistant to accepting help, paying for the flowers herself. However, Lu Ming’s unexpected knowledge of Wendigo makes her suspicious that he may know more about her identity than he admits.
  • Tang Zhiqing continues to take an active role in Lu Ming’s development by arranging future training and encouraging him to learn Karate.
  • Ran Yanyue reacts subtly to Lu Ming’s return and boasts, suggesting she cares about him despite keeping her feelings hidden.
  • The principal is shown as opportunistic and humorous, turning Lu Ming’s heroic act into school publicity while pretending to treat him as a negative example.

Significant Themes

  • Correcting past regrets: Lu Ming is given a chance to change events that once caused lasting tragedy, especially by supporting Lu Annuan during a crucial moment.
  • Courage versus avoidance: Although hiding would be safer, Lu Ming refuses to evade the cemetery visit and chooses to confront Wendigo.
  • Hidden identities and trust: Lu Annuan wonders how Lu Ming knows about Wendigo, while Lu Ming must conceal his knowledge of her Magical Girl identity and future fate.
  • Friendship and loyalty: Lu Ming’s decision to accompany Lu Annuan shows that their childhood bond remains important, even if neither openly discusses their deeper feelings.
  • Humor amid danger: School publicity, classroom teasing, and Lu Ming’s jokes contrast with the serious supernatural threat approaching.
  • Public recognition and genuine responsibility: The banner and money celebrate Lu Ming’s heroism, but his real motivation is not fame or reward—it is preventing Lu Annuan’s suffering.

Important Character Interactions

  • The principal and Lu Ming share a humorous moment over the phone and appreciation banner, with the principal later exploiting the event for school publicity.
  • Lu Ming’s classmates tease and praise him after hearing about the rescue, while Ran Yanyue silently reacts from her desk.
  • Tang Zhiqing and Lu Ming establish a future Karate-training arrangement through playful, indirect conversation.
  • Lu Ming and Lu Annuan maintain their familiar childhood banter, including arguing over keys, paying for flowers, and doing dishes, while an unspoken emotional closeness remains underneath.
  • Lu Ming warns Lu Annuan about Wendigo without revealing the full truth, causing her to become suspicious of his knowledge.
  • At the cemetery, Lu Ming quietly observes Lu Annuan mourning her mother, then notices the black-raincoat stranger—ending the chapter on an ominous sign that the Evil Beast incident may be beginning.
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Ch. 22A Hundred Martial Arts Skills

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • At a cemetery, Lu Ming and Lu Annuan encounter a man in a black raincoat asking for the location of the Rao family grave. Lu Ming gives him absurdly complicated directions despite the grave being nearby.
  • The stranger reveals that he enjoys watching people mourn victims he has killed. Lu Ming immediately attacks him with a nail-studded baseball bat, knocking him across the cemetery.
  • The “man” is revealed to be Wendigo, the third-most dangerous known Evil Beast in Haiyang City. He disguises himself as a human and uses deception to hunt people.
  • Lu Annuan recognizes Wendigo as the creature that killed her mother years earlier. She transforms into Magical Girl Polaris and openly reveals her identity to Lu Ming.
  • Lu Ming also makes an awkward “confession” of sorts, admitting that he accidentally saw Lu Annuan bathing, prompting an irritated and embarrassed reaction from her.
  • Wendigo attacks. Lu Annuan protects them with magical barriers while Lu Ming uses improvised weapons and objects from his backpack, including dry-ice spray and exam-preparation books taped to his chest as armor.
  • Lu Ming’s physical attacks damage Wendigo, proving that the monster can be hurt. Wendigo then enters a more dangerous second phase, becoming smaller, faster, and more lethal.
  • Lu Annuan struggles to fight Wendigo directly, while Lu Ming uses a one-second time-stop ability to land another heavy blow.
  • Lu Ming covers Wendigo in gasoline and sets it on fire, but Wendigo survives by controlling the air around its body and extinguishing the flames.
  • Wendigo’s ability creates an oxygen-deprived area, weakening Lu Annuan and placing both heroes in serious danger.
  • With their supplies exhausted and escape impossible, Lu Ming carries Lu Annuan and unexpectedly kisses her, transferring the last oxygen in his lungs to her. The chapter ends on this cliffhanger.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Demonstrates extreme decisiveness, resourcefulness, and willingness to use unconventional methods against danger. He prepares improvised weapons and combines physical strength, time manipulation, and bizarre objects to challenge a powerful Evil Beast. His final act shows concern and self-sacrifice toward Lu Annuan, despite his usual joking and eccentric behavior.
  • Lu Annuan/Polaris: Reveals her identity as a Magical Girl and confronts the monster responsible for her mother’s death. Her transformation reflects her determination to obtain revenge and closure. Though weakened in battle, she remains brave and focused. Her initially innocent concern about Lu Ming killing a stranger is humorously contrasted with her suggestion that they bury the body.
  • Wendigo: Shifts from a smug, manipulative predator into a surprised and enraged opponent. Its confidence is shaken by Lu Ming’s bizarre human behavior and unexpected attacks. It reveals a powerful second phase and an air-control ability, establishing itself as a genuinely dangerous adversary.

Significant Themes

  • Improvisation versus overwhelming power: Lu Ming compensates for Wendigo’s strength with preparation, creativity, and unconventional tactics.
  • Trauma and revenge: Wendigo’s appearance forces Lu Annuan to confront the memory of her mother’s murder and strengthens her resolve to defeat it.
  • The contrast between comedy and danger: Absurd jokes, improvised weapons, and awkward romantic moments coexist with violent combat and genuine mortal peril.
  • Trust and sacrifice: Lu Ming and Lu Annuan increasingly rely on each other, culminating in Lu Ming sacrificing his remaining oxygen to save her.
  • Human unpredictability: Wendigo expects humans to behave rationally and fearfully, but Lu Ming’s strange tactics repeatedly disrupt its assumptions.

Important Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming’s nonsensical directions irritate and confuse Wendigo before the battle begins.
  • Lu Annuan is horrified by Lu Ming’s sudden attack but immediately worries about concealing the evidence rather than reporting it.
  • Lu Annuan reveals she is Polaris, while Lu Ming responds with an embarrassing admission about having seen her bathe.
  • During combat, Lu Ming provides tactical support while Lu Annuan supplies magical defenses and attacks.
  • Wendigo repeatedly targets Lu Annuan as the greater threat, forcing Lu Ming to protect and assist her.
  • At the end, Lu Ming carries Lu Annuan and kisses her to give her oxygen, transforming their partnership into a more emotionally intimate—and potentially romantic—relationship.
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Ch. 23The Classic Chinese Bathroom Scene / I Think I Really Do Like Lu Annuan a Little

Chapter 23 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Annuan fatally wounds the Wendigo with a silver magical beam, but the dying Evil Beast prepares to attack her and Lu Ming.
  • A mysterious blue-clad Magical Girl intervenes from a distant high-rise, using a magical arrow to pin the Wendigo down and destroy its suffocating ability.
  • Lu Annuan confronts the Wendigo, explaining that the victims trusted it not because it was intelligent, but because they were compassionate. This includes her mother, whose kindness led to her death.
  • Lu Ming and Lu Annuan combine their magic and annihilate the Wendigo. Their attack destroys the creature, clears the dark clouds, and sends a massive magical signal across the region.
  • The battle attracts attention from authorities, nearby Magical Girls, and the powerful “Empress” in the capital. The Empress recognizes that Lu Ming’s power resembles that of a “Star Bearer.”
  • After praying at Lu Annuan’s mother’s grave, Lu Ming carries the exhausted Lu Annuan out of the cemetery. They later return home to clean up.
  • Lu Annuan reveals that she has been a Magical Girl for four months. She explains that she had nearly given up on defeating the named Evil Beast responsible for her mother’s death.
  • After bathing, Lu Annuan becomes too weak to stand and reluctantly asks Lu Ming to help her. He enters the bathroom wearing an eye mask, creating an awkward and flirtatious situation.

Character Development

  • Lu Annuan achieves emotional closure by helping destroy the Wendigo that killed her mother. She moves from guilt and helplessness toward relief, confidence, and renewed hope.
  • She also opens up to Lu Ming about her identity, her grief, and her regret over not being strong enough to save her mother.
  • Lu Ming demonstrates powerful abilities beyond those of an ordinary person, especially when his magic combines with Lu Annuan’s. He remains outwardly casual and sarcastic, but he is increasingly aware of his attraction to her.
  • Lu Ming’s thoughts about Lu Annuan become more romantic and physically aware, though he insists to himself that she is merely his childhood friend.
  • The Empress is introduced as a powerful figure who recognizes Lu Ming as a possible Star Bearer, suggesting that his true nature may be important to the wider magical world.
  • The unnamed blue Magical Girl is established as another significant magical presence and a possible future ally or mystery.

Significant Themes

  • Kindness versus deception: The Wendigo exploited people’s compassion, but Lu Annuan reframes that kindness as a virtue rather than foolishness.
  • Grief and closure: Destroying the Wendigo allows Lu Annuan to confront her mother’s death and begin healing.
  • Trust and confession: Lu Annuan’s revelation about being a Magical Girl strengthens her relationship with Lu Ming after years of emotional distance.
  • Emerging romance: Their banter, physical closeness, shared victory, and Lu Ming’s growing attraction signal a developing romantic relationship.
  • Hidden power and destiny: The Empress’s recognition of Lu Ming as a Star Bearer expands the story beyond the Wendigo conflict and hints at a larger magical hierarchy.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Annuan and Lu Ming fight cooperatively, with Lu Ming physically helping guide her wand during the final attack.
  • Their post-battle journey is filled with teasing: Lu Ming carries her, while she suspects him of deliberately touching her leg.
  • Lu Annuan apologizes for having ignored Lu Ming for years after her mother’s death, and he reminds her that she had once ignored him first.
  • During the bathroom conversation, Lu Annuan thanks Lu Ming for helping avenge her mother. Their exchange shifts from childhood familiarity and teasing toward emotional intimacy.
  • The chapter ends with Lu Ming helping the vulnerable Lu Annuan out of the bathtub while struggling to deny his growing feelings for her.
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Ch. 24Buy Balloons; They’ll Last Three Years

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • After Lu Annuan finishes bathing, she accidentally slips and falls into Lu Ming’s arms. Both become embarrassed, though they pretend nothing happened afterward.
  • Lu Ming notices Annuan’s natural fragrance and becomes increasingly fascinated by it. He later visits a perfume store to find a similar scent, but none of the perfumes compare.
  • Over lunch, Lu Ming and Annuan discuss the Magical Girl Crystal, an archer who specializes in long-range attacks and has saved many people. Annuan becomes defensive when Lu Ming suggests Crystal may be stronger than her.
  • Annuan asks about the tall, busty girl from Lu Ming’s dream, revealing her jealousy and suspicion that Lu Ming is attracted to other girls.
  • Lu Ming reflects on his feelings and admits that he probably likes Annuan. He finds her cute and has begun thinking about her romantically, although he continues to behave in a crude and self-deprecating manner.
  • Upon returning home, Lu Ming finds police officer Zhuang Ming at Annuan’s door. He discovers that Zhuang is Annuan’s official contact and support person as a Magical Girl.
  • Zhuang initially worries that Lu Ming may be an outsider who has learned Annuan’s secret, but Annuan reassures her that he already knows about her identity.
  • The group discusses the recent cemetery battle. They reveal that the powerful Evil Beast Wendigo, which had disappeared two years earlier, has returned.
  • Zhuang panics at the news and prepares to alert the authorities and the public. Annuan then reveals that Wendigo has already been defeated—by both her and Lu Ming.
  • Zhuang is shocked that an ordinary-looking boy helped eliminate such a dangerous Evil Beast. As she contacts her colleagues, one of them hints that even more astonishing information has emerged.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Becomes more aware of his romantic feelings for Lu Annuan. His attraction is triggered partly by her scent and physical closeness, but he also recognizes that he genuinely finds her kind and cute. He is now actively involved in the Magical Girl world despite still viewing himself as an ordinary person.
  • Lu Annuan: Shows embarrassment and jealousy around Lu Ming, especially when discussing other attractive girls. She remains proud of her abilities and dislikes being compared unfavorably to Magical Girl Crystal. At the same time, she trusts Lu Ming enough to let him share her secret.
  • Zhuang Ming: Is introduced as Annuan’s official contact and a responsible police officer. Though initially suspicious of Lu Ming’s involvement, she quickly realizes that he is connected to Annuan and has played a major role in defeating Wendigo.

Significant Themes

  • Romantic awakening: Lu Ming begins acknowledging that his relationship with Annuan is becoming romantic rather than merely convenient or accidental.
  • Jealousy and attraction: Annuan’s questions about Lu Ming’s dream reveal her insecurity and jealousy, while Lu Ming’s search for her scent highlights his growing fascination with her.
  • Hidden identities and trust: Annuan’s status as a Magical Girl requires secrecy, but she chooses to trust Lu Ming with the truth.
  • Ordinary people in extraordinary conflicts: Lu Ming’s involvement in Wendigo’s defeat challenges assumptions about who can fight Evil Beasts and suggests that his abilities may be more significant than he realizes.
  • Humor amid danger: Embarrassing domestic situations, exaggerated comparisons, and Zhuang Ming’s cat slippers contrast with the serious threat posed by Wendigo.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming and Annuan’s awkward physical encounter increases the romantic tension between them.
  • Their lunch conversation mixes discussion of Magical Girl powers with teasing and jealousy, revealing their increasingly intimate dynamic.
  • Zhuang Ming’s arrival creates tension because she initially treats Lu Ming as a possible outsider, while Lu Ming jokes about being excluded from the secret.
  • Annuan openly includes Lu Ming in the discussion of Wendigo, confirming her trust in him and emphasizing that they now operate as partners.
  • Zhuang’s disbelief at Lu Ming’s role in Wendigo’s defeat sets up the chapter’s cliffhanger about an even greater revelation.
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Ch. 25It’s Both Their First Kiss

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Zhuang Ming reviews security footage showing Lu Ming and Lu Annuan confronting and killing the Evil Beast Wendigo at the cemetery. Lu Ming uses a prepared baseball-bat mace, while Magical Girl Crystal delivers the final attack.
  • Zhuang Ming offers them a city-level reward of 50,000 yuan and confirms that rewards for defeating Evil Beasts are officially sanctioned. She also asks to add Lu Ming’s information to the secret Magical Girl information network, which he accepts.
  • Lu Ming reflects on his and Lu Annuan’s first kiss, which occurred when he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation during the battle.
  • His system confirms the mission’s completion, granting him increased Constitution, increased Magic Power, and an additional two seconds to his pocket watch’s time-stop duration.
  • Wendigo’s ghostly remnant appears in Lu Ming’s room. After he touches it, he absorbs its residual magic power, gaining another five points of Magic Power and an unidentified minor ability.
  • Lu Ming suspects that he may only be able to absorb the power of Evil Beasts he personally kills and briefly worries that his unusual abilities could lead him toward becoming a future Demon King.
  • The next morning, Lu Annuan cooks steak. Lu Ming discovers that his new ability lets him distinguish food that is beneficial or harmful to them, represented by white and black light. He deliberately takes the better piece for himself so Lu Annuan will not eat food that might harm her athletic training.
  • Lu Ming asks about Magical Girl Crystal. Lu Annuan explains that Crystal is a highly skilled Magical Girl and that Magical Girls rarely interact with one another.
  • On the bus, Lu Annuan admits that the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was her first kiss. She asks whether it was Lu Ming’s first kiss as well, and he confirms that it was. Both are quietly pleased by this mutual discovery.
  • At school, Lu Ming encounters Li Deng struggling with physics. Ran Yanyue orders him to improve his score and promises to quiz him, reinforcing her strict, studious personality.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming grows significantly stronger after defeating Wendigo and begins discovering that he can absorb Evil Beast magic and possibly gain abilities from it. His thoughts also reveal growing romantic interest in Lu Annuan, despite his attempts to deny it.
  • Lu Annuan becomes more openly affectionate and emotionally vulnerable around Lu Ming. Her embarrassment over their first kiss and happiness upon learning it was also his first show that she reciprocates his feelings.
  • Zhuang Ming treats Lu Ming and Lu Annuan as legitimate contributors to the fight against Evil Beasts, offering them official recognition and access to Magical Girl resources.
  • Crystal remains absent in person but becomes more important through the characters’ recognition of her strength and the debt they feel toward her.
  • Ran Yanyue continues to act as a disciplined and demanding study representative, while Li Deng provides comic relief through his absurd approach to academics.

Significant Themes

  • Growing romantic intimacy: The shared first kiss becomes a meaningful emotional milestone for Lu Ming and Lu Annuan.
  • Power and transformation: Lu Ming’s increasing strength and ability to absorb Evil Beast magic raise questions about the source and consequences of his powers.
  • Responsibility and recognition: The official reward and Magical Girl information network show that fighting Evil Beasts is part of a broader organized system rather than an isolated secret.
  • Care expressed through teasing and sacrifice: Lu Ming hides his concern for Lu Annuan behind jokes while giving her the safer piece of steak.
  • Ordinary life alongside supernatural danger: After a deadly battle, the characters return to domestic routines, school, meals, studying, and awkward romantic conversations.

Character Interactions

  • Zhuang Ming humorously assumes Lu Ming and Lu Annuan are a couple, embarrassing Lu Annuan and prompting both of them to deny the relationship.
  • Lu Ming and Lu Annuan tease each other while increasingly behaving like a couple, especially during breakfast and their bus conversation.
  • Their mutual confirmation that the kiss was their first creates a quiet but important moment of shared affection.
  • Lu Ming interacts with Li Deng and Ran Yanyue at school, contrasting his supernatural experiences with the ordinary pressures of student life.
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Ch. 26Can I Watch Zhiqing Change Clothes?

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming observes Ran Yanyue, a wealthy and exceptionally diligent student who consistently ranks first academically. He notices that her thermos contains a glittering golden supplement, tastes some, and finds it bitter.
  • Li Deng tells Lu Ming that Student Council President Tang Zhiqing wants to see him. He jokes that she may be confessing her feelings, which irritates Ran Yanyue; she responds by threatening to test his memorization of formulas.
  • At the Student Council room, Tang abruptly tells Lu Ming to “take off your clothes.” It turns out she only wants him to model several possible designs for the school’s new uniform.
  • While Lu Ming changes, Tang notices his unusually well-built physique and suggests that he would be suited to martial arts. She reminds him to visit her family’s dojo that weekend, since he had asked to learn martial arts.
  • Lu Ming asks Tang whether she knows any skilled young archers, hoping to investigate the Magical Girl Crystal, but she cannot provide useful information.
  • Two workers deliver a new rosewood cabinet to the Student Council room. Lu Ming detects an enormous amount of black light surrounding it and suspects the cabinet contains a dangerous, invisible hazard.
  • He identifies the likely danger as formaldehyde and confronts the workers. When they attempt to leave, Lu Ming blocks them and easily restrains one of them after being shoved.
  • Testing confirms that the cabinet contains dangerously high formaldehyde levels. The principal reveals that the workers secretly sold the proper cabinet and replaced it with a cheap imitation.
  • The workers are fired. As a reward, Lu Ming requests a microwave and computer for the Student Council room. Tang Zhiqing adds a wool rug, taking full advantage of the principal’s gratitude.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Demonstrates heightened sensitivity to magical or hazardous energy, noticing the cabinet’s black light and correctly identifying the formaldehyde risk. He also displays impressive physical strength and continues investigating magical artifacts, particularly through his question about archery.
  • Ran Yanyue: Remains disciplined, academically dominant, and intimidating. Her jealousy or irritation at Li Deng’s joke suggests she may have personal feelings toward Lu Ming, though she expresses them through threats and strict academic demands.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Shows her authority as Student Council president and her strong trust in Lu Ming. She is academically accomplished, ambitious, practical, and willing to exploit the principal’s gratitude for the council’s benefit. Her brief admiration of Lu Ming’s appearance hints at growing romantic interest.
  • The principal: Initially unaware of the deception involving the cabinet, he becomes deeply grateful to Lu Ming after realizing the potential consequences. He rewards Lu Ming and Tang, though he is increasingly wary of their demands.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden danger beneath appearances: The cabinet looks elegant and legitimate but is secretly made from dangerous, substandard materials. This parallels the chapter’s broader emphasis on unseen forces such as magical light and concealed motives.
  • Trust and responsibility: Tang immediately believes Lu Ming’s warning and supports his investigation, while the principal recognizes the importance of protecting students from negligence and corruption.
  • Power and privilege: Ran Yanyue’s wealth and diligence, Tang’s influence over the school, and Lu Ming’s physical and supernatural abilities all highlight different forms of power.
  • Comedy and romantic tension: Misunderstandings surrounding Lu Ming changing clothes, Tang’s subtle attraction, and Ran Yanyue’s reaction to Li Deng’s joke provide humor while developing the characters’ relationships.
  • Lu Ming’s growing role: He is becoming both a protector of the school and a central figure within the Student Council, suggesting that his supernatural investigations will increasingly overlap with his ordinary student life.

Character Interactions

  • Li Deng teases Lu Ming about Tang Zhiqing’s supposed confession, provoking Ran Yanyue’s icy reaction.
  • Tang and Lu Ming share playful, mildly flirtatious exchanges while he models uniforms, though both disguise their interest with jokes and criticism.
  • Tang entrusts Lu Ming with future martial-arts training and supports his suspicion about the cabinet.
  • Lu Ming confronts the dishonest workers physically, while Tang uses her authority to summon the principal and ensure the matter is investigated.
  • Lu Ming and Tang cooperate effectively to secure improvements for the Student Council room, revealing their shared confidence and growing partnership.
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Ch. 27President Tang Gets Hit with a Sexual Rumor / Science Track, 269!!

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The principal approves Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing’s request to use the Student Council room as a study and work space. Lu Ming is delighted by the room’s comfortable furnishings and by spending time around Tang Zhiqing and Ran Yanyue.
  • Tang Zhiqing thanks Lu Ming for helping save her from trouble and jokingly offers to let him watch her change into the new Student Council uniform. Lu Ming eagerly accepts, but ultimately has to wait outside and is disappointed.
  • Ran Yanyue thanks Lu Ming for exposing two janitors who had been stealing from her family’s furniture business. She warns him that Yu Wenshan may retaliate because his uncle, the grade director, may have been involved in the corruption.
  • Rumors spread that Lu Ming cheated on his exams and that Tang Zhiqing dislikes him and only speaks to him because of Student Council duties.
  • Yu Wenshan confronts Lu Ming in the hallway, accusing him of cheating and boasting that he had originally expected to become Tang Zhiqing’s secretary. When Yu insults Tang with a vulgar sexual remark, Lu Ming becomes genuinely furious and intimidates him into retreating.
  • Afterward, Lu Ming returns to class, where Ran Yanyue confirms she knows about the confrontation. A grade-wide mathematics and science examination is then announced.
  • During the exam seating change, Lu Ming ends up behind Li Deng, who dramatically challenges him to a competition despite his comparatively poor academic ranking.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Shows his usual shameless humor and interest in Tang’s appearance, but also reveals strong loyalty toward her. His anger at Yu Wenshan’s insult demonstrates that he values Tang as a close friend and will defend her reputation. He remains confident and dismissive of rumors and academic challenges.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Continues to trust and appreciate Lu Ming, thanking him for his help and treating him playfully. Her role as a hardworking and respected Student Council president is emphasized.
  • Ran Yanyue: Demonstrates gratitude, practical awareness, and protectiveness toward Lu Ming. She uses her family connections to understand the corruption surrounding the janitors and warns him of potential retaliation. Her intimidating presence also keeps Li Deng’s crude behavior in check.
  • Yu Wenshan: Is revealed to be jealous, entitled, and obsessed with Tang Zhiqing. He resents Lu Ming for taking the secretary position and for interfering with his uncle’s interests. His frustration leads him to spread rumors and make a degrading comment about Tang.
  • Li Deng: Provides comic relief through his exaggerated confidence, crude jokes, and competitive attitude, despite being an average student.

Significant Themes

  • Friendship and loyalty: Lu Ming’s reaction to Yu Wenshan shows that beneath his lewd humor, he sincerely cares about Tang and refuses to tolerate attacks on her dignity.
  • Jealousy and entitlement: Yu Wenshan believes his family connections and interest in Tang should guarantee him status, but his behavior only exposes his insecurity and poor character.
  • Reputation and rumor: False claims about Lu Ming’s cheating and Tang’s feelings spread quickly, illustrating how gossip can be used to undermine people socially.
  • Wealth and privilege: Ran Yanyue’s family influence and Lu Ming’s humorous fascination with her expensive belongings highlight the differences in social status among the students.
  • Competition and confidence: The upcoming exam and Li Deng’s challenge continue the story’s emphasis on academic rivalry and Lu Ming’s unusual competence.

Important Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing: Their playful exchange about rewards reinforces their flirtatious, comfortable relationship, while Lu Ming’s defense of her shows genuine affection and friendship.
  • Lu Ming and Ran Yanyue: She thanks him, warns him about Yu Wenshan, and observes his confrontation with concern. Their interactions combine mutual trust with comedic tension.
  • Lu Ming and Yu Wenshan: Their hallway confrontation escalates from accusations of cheating to a personal insult against Tang. Lu Ming’s controlled anger establishes a clear moral and emotional boundary.
  • Lu Ming and Li Deng: Their banter provides comic relief and sets up a new academic contest during the grade-wide examination.
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Ch. 28Science Track, 269!! (Part 2)

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • During a science examination, Lu Ming discovers that his rival, Yu Wenshan, is seated beside him. Yu mocks Lu Ming’s future prospects and boasts about his own grades and social understanding.
  • Lu Ming ignores him and works through the test at remarkable speed, drawing Yu’s suspicion. Yu assumes Lu Ming must be trying to copy his answers.
  • Li Deng passes Lu Ming a note asking him to close the window because of the cold. Yu seizes the opportunity to accuse Lu Ming of cheating, but the note proves harmless.
  • The proctor inspects Lu Ming’s work and finds it neat, logically solved, and entirely legitimate. He also criticizes Yu for wasting time worrying about others instead of completing his own paper.
  • Lu Ming and Yu both submit early papers and ask for immediate grading. Their scores reveal a dramatic reversal: Yu receives 245, while Lu Ming scores an astonishing 269.
  • Yu repeatedly claims Lu Ming cheated, but the proctor disproves him by comparing their answers. Lu Ming’s solutions are far more complete, especially on the difficult physics problem.
  • A female student publicly mocks Yu, pointing out that he performed worse than Lu Ming despite Lu Ming only studying science for a week. The examination room erupts in laughter, forcing Yu to sit down humiliated.
  • Lu Ming sarcastically tells Yu that although he may only enter a “no-name university,” Yu’s even lower score might qualify him for a vocational college.
  • Back in class, several girls give Lu Ming a bottle of Tea Pi as thanks for embarrassing Yu. One girl flirts with him, but Lu Ming rejects her by joking that his ideal girl is someone with “530,000 combat power” who can transform four times.
  • His classmates crowd around him, astonished by his sudden academic improvement and joking that he must have been “dual-cultivating” with Ran Yanyue. Ran clarifies that Lu Ming studied independently.
  • The class concludes that Lu Ming has become exceptional in both academics and martial ability.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Demonstrates genuine academic growth, especially in science and mathematics, scoring near the highest possible level. He remains calm, confident, and indifferent to Yu’s provocations. His success strengthens his reputation as someone talented in both scholarship and combat.
  • Yu Wenshan: His arrogance and insecurity become increasingly obvious. He expects his academic standing and family connections to make him superior, but his jealousy causes him to lose focus and publicly embarrass himself. His accusations also reveal that he cannot accept Lu Ming’s improvement.
  • Ran Yanyue: Though absent from the examination room, she remains a point of comparison and is treated as the school’s academic and martial “greatest.” She supports Lu Ming indirectly by confirming that his improvement came from his own effort.
  • Li Deng: Provides comic relief by passing Lu Ming an irrelevant note during the exam, unintentionally giving Yu a chance to make a false accusation.
  • Classmates and female students: Their attitude toward Lu Ming shifts from casual familiarity to admiration and curiosity after witnessing his score.

Significant Themes

  • Effort versus arrogance: Lu Ming’s quiet preparation defeats Yu’s belief that status, connections, and natural superiority guarantee success.
  • Jealousy and insecurity: Yu’s obsession with Lu Ming causes him to neglect his own exam and lose credibility.
  • Reputation and social respect: Lu Ming’s helpfulness and good character have earned him widespread support, while Yu’s unpleasant personality leaves him isolated.
  • Hidden growth: Lu Ming’s sudden improvement surprises everyone, reinforcing the idea that people may be developing abilities or strengths unnoticed by others.
  • Humor through contrast: The chapter contrasts the high-stakes examination with absurd details such as the pointless note, card-game references, combat power, and classmates’ “dual cultivation” jokes.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming and Yu Wenshan: Their rivalry dominates the examination scene. Yu provokes and accuses Lu Ming, while Lu Ming responds with calm silence and later sharp, understated mockery.
  • Lu Ming and the proctor: The proctor initially investigates the cheating accusation but quickly develops a favorable impression of Lu Ming after seeing his orderly, correct work.
  • Yu Wenshan and the proctor: Yu’s repeated accusations irritate the proctor, who rebukes him for meddling instead of completing his own test.
  • Lu Ming and Li Deng: Li Deng’s note creates the only apparent irregularity in Lu Ming’s exam, though its trivial content turns the accusation into a joke.
  • Lu Ming and the female students: The girls praise him for humiliating Yu and one playfully expresses romantic interest. Lu Ming rejects her humorously.
  • Lu Ming and Ran Yanyue: Their classmates assume they are romantically involved or studying together, but Ran explains that Lu Ming’s improvement is self-made.
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Ch. 29Lu Annuan’s Whole World / Not the Smartest, but Definitely the Most...

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • After the rankings are posted, Lu Ming gains recognition among the second-years, especially the girls in Rocket Class, largely because he scored highly and publicly challenged Yu Wenshan’s reputation.
  • Yu Wenshan accuses Lu Ming of cheating and tries to win Tang Zhiqing’s support by offering her a university recommendation through his uncle. He then impulsively confesses to her.
  • Tang Zhiqing rejects Yu harshly, criticizing his arrogance, reliance on family connections, and immature behavior.
  • She reveals that Yu’s uncle, the school’s discipline dean, has been involved in illegal dealings and is likely to be imprisoned. This explains why she left school earlier and demonstrates her powerful outside connections.
  • Enraged, Yu attempts to grab Tang Zhiqing. Lu Ming activates his time-stopping ability, moves to protect her, and allows Yu to fall down the stairs after missing his attack. Security footage is likely to confirm that Yu caused the incident himself.
  • Tang Zhiqing thanks Lu Ming and hugs him, strengthening their closeness. She also confirms that he will begin studying at her family’s dojo the next day.
  • Ran Yanyue notices the intimate-looking interaction and teases them, while also reminding Lu Ming to return to class.
  • After school, Lu Ming goes to meet Lu Annuan at International Middle School. She is delighted to see him and invites him to watch her figure-skating practice.
  • Meng Xuan offers Lu Ming her school jacket so he can disguise himself as a student or family member and enter the skating rink.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Becomes increasingly protective of his friends and openly embraces a “God-King” persona when dealing with threats. He remains sarcastic and mischievous but shows loyalty, strategic thinking, and a willingness to retaliate against those who harm people close to him. His relationship with Tang Zhiqing grows more physically and emotionally comfortable.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Reveals herself to be extremely capable, ruthless, and well-connected. She combines beauty and confidence with a strong sense of justice, taking revenge on those responsible for mistreating her. She begins to trust Lu Ming more and appears pleased with her decision to make him her secretary.
  • Yu Wenshan: His arrogance and entitlement intensify into humiliation and rage. He relies on family influence, falsely accuses Lu Ming, attempts to manipulate Tang Zhiqing, and ultimately loses control when rejected.
  • Ran Yanyue: Continues to act as a sharp observer and occasional ally. She dislikes rumors and helps expose Yu’s behavior, but she also teases Lu Ming about his closeness with Tang Zhiqing.
  • Lu Annuan: Shows strong affection for Lu Ming, greeting him enthusiastically and treating him as the center of her world. She wants him to attend her skating practice and is visibly happy to spend time with him.
  • Meng Xuan: Demonstrates practical cleverness by devising a way for Lu Ming to enter the school, while maintaining a humorous, self-congratulatory personality.

Significant Themes

  • Justice and retaliation: Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing both reject passive forgiveness when friends are insulted or mistreated. Their methods differ, but both believe wrongdoers should face consequences.
  • Power versus genuine ability: Yu Wenshan depends on family connections and status, while Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing rely on personal skill, intelligence, and hidden networks.
  • Protection and loyalty: Lu Ming’s willingness to defend Tang Zhiqing and his friends strengthens their relationships and reinforces his preference for protecting “his own.”
  • Appearance versus reality: Yu presents himself as influential and mature but is exposed as immature and insecure. Tang appears elegant and composed yet is far more formidable than expected.
  • Growing intimacy: Lu Ming’s relationships with Tang Zhiqing and Lu Annuan continue developing, with affection expressed through physical closeness, teasing, and a desire to spend more time together.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming and Yu Wenshan: Their rivalry escalates from verbal hostility to physical confrontation, with Lu Ming decisively protecting Tang Zhiqing and allowing Yu to suffer the consequences of his own aggression.
  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing: They defend one another, exchange playful remarks, and become physically comfortable. Tang’s hug and invitation to train at her dojo suggest increasing trust and attraction.
  • Tang Zhiqing and Yu Wenshan: She humiliates him by rejecting both his romantic advances and his reliance on family power, then reveals the impending downfall of his uncle.
  • Lu Ming and Ran Yanyue: Ran observes and comments on his closeness with Tang, while Lu Ming responds with embarrassment and humor.
  • Lu Ming and Lu Annuan: Their reunion highlights Lu Annuan’s intense affection and anticipation, setting up a more relaxed, personal scene at her skating practice.
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Ch. 30Lu Ming's Spellcasting Materials and Lu Annuan's Photo

Chapter 30 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming visits Dongming International Middle School with Lu Annuan and enters its figure-skating facility. Because his arm is too thick for Meng Xuan’s borrowed jacket, Meng Xuan quickly finds him another one by chatting with students at the school gate.
  • Lu Annuan changes into her skating outfit and practices on the ice while Lu Ming observes. He notices that the other students admire her but keep their distance because of her status as a national champion and her intimidating reputation.
  • Lu Ming discovers a bottle of water containing a strange black glow. He stops a student from drinking it and alerts the coach, who realizes that the bottle expired five years earlier. The careless student is punished with extra training.
  • The coach initially assumes Lu Ming is Lu Annuan’s boyfriend and warns her not to let romance interfere with her athletic career. She later reveals that Lu Annuan has trained so intensely because, as a child, she wanted a certain boy—Lu Ming—to keep watching only her while she skated.
  • Lu Ming tries figure skating for the first time. Despite initially struggling on the ice, his enhanced physical ability and concentration allow him to adapt rapidly.
  • Lu Annuan performs an impressive Lutz jump to show off for him. Lu Ming then unexpectedly imitates her and completes a triple jump, astonishing the coach and every student present.
  • The chapter ends with the coach examining Lu Ming’s unusually well-developed physique and realizing that he is far more physically gifted than an ordinary beginner.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Demonstrates his ability to detect magical or dangerous objects through the black glow in the water bottle. He remains comically oblivious to the emotional significance of Lu Annuan’s dedication, but he also proves highly athletic, quickly mastering ice skating and performing an advanced jump.
  • Lu Annuan: Her distant and intimidating public image contrasts with her shy, affectionate feelings toward Lu Ming. Her rigorous skating career is revealed to be partly motivated by childhood jealousy and a desire to capture his attention. She becomes visibly proud and eager to impress him.
  • Meng Xuan: Is shown to be exceptionally sociable and well-liked, able to approach and befriend almost anyone with ease.
  • The Coach: Initially suspicious and protective of Lu Annuan, she gradually warms to Lu Ming after he prevents the team from drinking expired water. She becomes increasingly astonished by his unexplained athletic talent.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden affection and childhood attachment: Lu Annuan’s years of training are tied to a childhood desire to be the girl Lu Ming watches, showing how deeply her feelings have endured.
  • Talent versus experience: Lu Ming has almost no legitimate skating experience, yet his physical abilities allow him to perform at an astonishing level, challenging the coach’s understanding of natural talent.
  • Public image versus private emotion: Lu Annuan appears unapproachable and almost revered at school, but around Lu Ming she behaves like a shy girl seeking praise.
  • Supernatural danger beneath ordinary life: The contaminated water bottle and the black light hint that magical threats may be concealed within everyday objects and settings.
  • Humor through misunderstanding: Rumors exaggerate Lu Ming’s abilities, the coach mistakes him for Lu Annuan’s boyfriend, and his boast about winning a childhood roller-skating prize only makes his sudden talent more absurd.

Character Interactions

  • Meng Xuan helps Lu Ming obtain a jacket, establishing her friendly and socially confident nature.
  • Lu Ming watches Lu Annuan practice while internally admiring her appearance, especially her long legs, though he repeatedly chastises himself for being “vulgar.”
  • The coach confronts Lu Ming for entering the rink and assumes he is Lu Annuan’s boyfriend. Lu Annuan hurriedly defends him.
  • Lu Ming protects one of the skaters by taking away the expired water bottle, earning the coach’s gratitude and the other students’ curiosity.
  • The coach privately explains Lu Annuan’s childhood motivation to Lu Ming, revealing feelings that Lu Annuan herself does not openly discuss.
  • Lu Annuan performs a difficult jump specifically to impress Lu Ming, and he responds by copying her with an even more unbelievable feat, leaving her coach and teammates stunned.
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Ch. 31Going to Zhiqing’s Today to Receive Alms

Chapter 31 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • At the figure-skating venue, Lu Ming’s impressive physique attracts the attention of the female coach and students. The coach repeatedly tries to recruit him to her school, promising national and possibly international medals, but Lu Ming politely refuses because he is loyal to Haiyang No. 2 Middle School.
  • Lu Annuan becomes embarrassed and protective when the girls stare at Lu Ming, insisting that he is her childhood friend rather than allowing them to treat him like a spectacle. Meanwhile, students mistakenly assume Lu Ming is her boyfriend.
  • After returning home, Lu Annuan shares information from Sister Zhuang about the Magical Girl Crystal. Crystal is apparently a high school student in Haiyang who still attends school, but finding her among the city’s enormous student population will be extremely difficult.
  • Lu Annuan confronts Lu Ming about failing to deny the rumors that they are dating. Their teasing exchange reveals their increasingly comfortable and flirtatious relationship.
  • While messaging Lu Ming before bed, Lu Annuan accidentally sends him a revealing photograph while trying to prove that she is not overweight. She panics, but Lu Ming responds casually, pretending not to have been affected.
  • In reality, Lu Ming secretly saves the photo and creates a heavily protected album for it, though he begins questioning whether his feelings for Lu Annuan are becoming romantic.
  • The next morning, Lu Annuan leaves for makeup classes. Lu Ming meets Tang Zhiqing, who is dressed casually rather than in her usual school uniform, and the two prepare to travel to her family dojo.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Continues to display remarkable physical ability and humility, rejecting the coach’s offer despite her promises of fame. His private reaction to Lu Annuan’s photo shows that he is attracted to her, even though he is reluctant to acknowledge the depth of his feelings.
  • Lu Annuan: Becomes increasingly possessive and self-conscious around Lu Ming. She enjoys the idea of others thinking they are a couple but is embarrassed when the possibility is openly discussed. Her teasing and concern suggest that her childhood affection is developing into romantic interest.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Appears more like an ordinary teenage girl when dressed casually, though she retains her intimidating presence and disciplined personality. Her comment about fashion reflects her stern, philosophical attitude.
  • The female coach and figure-skating students: Their reactions emphasize Lu Ming’s unusual physical gifts and the way his appearance draws attention.

Significant Themes

  • Growing romantic tension: Lu Ming and Lu Annuan’s banter, jealousy, embarrassment, and secret attraction reveal their relationship gradually shifting beyond childhood friendship.
  • Appearance versus inner feelings: Both characters try to act casually despite being deeply affected by one another’s appearance and reactions.
  • Humility and loyalty: Lu Ming refuses an attractive opportunity because he values his current school and friendships more than prestige.
  • Secret identities and hidden lives: The search for Magical Girl Crystal continues, while the characters also conceal their own feelings and private thoughts.
  • Adolescence and self-consciousness: The chapter humorously depicts the characters navigating attraction, embarrassment, changing bodies, and rumors about relationships.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Annuan shields Lu Ming from the admiring girls and later argues with him about the boyfriend rumors.
  • Their late-night messages mix insults, teasing, and concealed affection, especially after Lu Annuan’s accidental selfie.
  • Lu Ming privately recognizes that Lu Annuan is still easy to fluster, recalling their childhood bond with warmth.
  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing meet in casual clothes before heading toward the dojo, with Lu Ming noticing her softer, more ordinary side and Tang Zhiqing calmly dismissing the importance of fashion.
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Ch. 32Lu Ming: I’m Craving Cream Puffs

Chapter 32 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing travel together by Didi to her family’s dojo in Hua Lake District. Because they are both dressed casually, the driver assumes they may be dating, but Lu Ming skillfully avoids confirming or denying it.
  • On the way, Lu Ming receives a message from Qin Hanyu, the college student he previously rescued during the Evil Beast disaster. She wants to thank him and offers to show him around, but Lu Ming tries to avoid meeting her because he plans to study martial arts with Tang Zhiqing.
  • Tang Zhiqing brings Lu Ming to her large, old-fashioned family dojo and briefly leaves to deal with her troublesome cousin. She promises to cook for him afterward.
  • Qin Hanyu unexpectedly arrives and immediately tries to take Lu Ming to her own home, claiming she wants his help with her cousin and the dojo.
  • Tang Zhiqing and Qin Hanyu both reveal that they each brought someone to help with a martial-arts-related matter—only to discover that they have both chosen Lu Ming.
  • Qin Hanyu explains that she intended to find a male fighter who could defeat Tang Zhiqing, become the dojo’s first male disciple, inherit the dojo, and possibly marry Zhiqing. The situation becomes an accidental son-in-law recruitment.
  • The chapter ends with Qin Hanyu teasing that Lu Ming is the only boy Tang Zhiqing frequently mentions at home.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Displays his usual quick wit, social awareness, and humorous inner commentary. He is careful to respect Tang Zhiqing’s privacy and family boundaries, but becomes flustered when Qin Hanyu openly clings to him. He also realizes that Tang Zhiqing may talk about him more often than he expected.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Shows a relaxed and affectionate side around Lu Ming, smiling when he says he can quietly wait alone and offering to cook for him. She becomes visibly possessive and irritated when Qin Hanyu pulls Lu Ming away, suggesting deeper attachment beneath her calm exterior.
  • Qin Hanyu: Proves to be energetic, impulsive, and physically affectionate. She is grateful to Lu Ming for saving her and immediately treats him as someone close, while also revealing her eccentric plan to find a male successor for the dojo.
  • Tang Zhiqing and Qin Hanyu: Their cousinly relationship is revealed as competitive and chaotic, with both trying to recruit a male fighter for their respective dojo-related plans.

Significant Themes

  • Misunderstood romantic relationships: The driver, Qin Hanyu, and even the circumstances surrounding the dojo repeatedly frame Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing as a couple.
  • Jealousy and romantic tension: Tang Zhiqing’s darkened expression when Qin Hanyu embraces Lu Ming hints at growing emotional possessiveness.
  • Tradition and inheritance: The dojo represents family legacy, martial-arts tradition, and the expectation that a suitable male successor may be needed to preserve it.
  • Comedic coincidence: The central joke comes from both women independently choosing Lu Ming for nearly opposite reasons, creating an impossible situation.
  • Friendship turning into intimacy: Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing’s relationship is becoming more personal outside their Student Council duties, even though both continue to disguise their closeness as ordinary friendship.

Important Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming deflects the Didi driver’s questions about whether he and Tang Zhiqing are dating.
  • Tang Zhiqing and Lu Ming exchange playful banter, with her confident response making him wonder whether she is implying romantic interest.
  • Tang Zhiqing asks Lu Ming by text to help her defeat the man Qin Hanyu has supposedly recruited.
  • Qin Hanyu embraces Lu Ming and tries to claim him for her side, while Tang Zhiqing pulls him back and insists that he is her classmate.
  • Both women physically and verbally compete over Lu Ming, leaving him caught between them.
  • Qin Hanyu’s revelation that Tang Zhiqing frequently mentions Lu Ming embarrasses him and intensifies the romantic tension between the trio.
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Ch. 33Will I Be Living with President Tang in the Future? / I Can Teach the President About Gaming Peripherals

Chapter 33 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming visits Tang Zhiqing’s family dojo and meets her cousin, Qin Hanyu, a beautiful university student who lives with her.
  • Qin Hanyu teases Tang Zhiqing by revealing embarrassing details: Zhiqing is socially anxious, has few friends, is jealous of Lu Ming’s improving grades, and feels left out by his growing closeness with Ran from the Student Council.
  • Tang Zhiqing explains that the dojo has declined since her father’s death from excessive smoking. She never intended to revive it, but Qin Hanyu hopes to find her a boyfriend and arranged for Lu Ming to visit.
  • Lu Ming jokes that defeating a potential suitor could make him the dojo’s future male master, but Tang Zhiqing dismisses the idea and sends him to change.
  • While changing, Lu Ming receives a new future vision from the system:
    • After high school, he and Tang Zhiqing attend the same university.
    • Because Lu Ming’s Star Bearer constitution attracts Evil Beasts, most classmates distance themselves from him.
    • He and Tang Zhiqing eventually rent a home together, but their relationship deteriorates and they become strangers.
    • After becoming determined to destroy the world, Lu Ming realizes Tang Zhiqing’s unresolved regret—connected to her family dojo—may have influenced his fate.
    • He receives a mission to help Tang Zhiqing defeat an ill-intentioned opponent, with a reward of Focus +1.
  • Tang Zhiqing begins teaching Lu Ming her family’s martial art, Tang Hand. She easily demonstrates a technique on him, though his unusually strong body prevents her from overpowering him.
  • To preserve her pride, Lu Ming pretends that she defeated him effortlessly. Tang Zhiqing is visibly delighted by his praise.
  • They practice close combat for two hours. Lu Ming improves substantially, gaining a foundation in technique despite still being far below Tang Zhiqing’s level.
  • After training, Tang Zhiqing offers him a drink and thoughtfully chooses a sports drink to help him recover.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Becomes increasingly curious about his future relationship with Tang Zhiqing and the connection between her dojo and his transformation into a future “Great Demon King.” He also begins seriously developing martial-arts technique rather than relying only on physical strength.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Her reserved, dignified exterior is contrasted with social anxiety, jealousy, competitiveness, and a desire for recognition. She becomes flustered when Lu Ming resists her technique but is genuinely happy when he praises her abilities.
  • Qin Hanyu: Establishes herself as playful, outspoken, and deliberately provocative toward Tang Zhiqing. She also appears caring and supportive, trying to help her cousin make friends and find a partner.
  • Tang Zhiqing’s father: Though deceased, his smoking-related death and the dojo’s decline shape Zhiqing’s family history and future regret.

Significant Themes

  • Hidden vulnerability beneath outward confidence: Tang Zhiqing appears powerful and composed but is socially anxious and emotionally sensitive.
  • The influence of relationships on fate: Lu Ming’s future suggests that understanding or failing to understand Tang Zhiqing may determine whether he becomes a world-destroying villain.
  • Regret and missed opportunities: Their eventual estrangement in the future hints that unresolved issues surrounding the dojo and their relationship could have been prevented.
  • Strength versus technique: Lu Ming possesses overwhelming physical ability but must learn discipline and skill to fight effectively.
  • Friendship and isolation: Lu Ming’s Star Bearer constitution causes others to avoid him, while Tang Zhiqing remains his one lasting connection.

Character Interactions

  • Qin Hanyu openly embarrasses Tang Zhiqing in front of Lu Ming, exposing her jealousy and lack of confidence.
  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing banter over whether he could become her boyfriend or the dojo’s male master.
  • During training, Tang Zhiqing attempts to dominate Lu Ming physically, while Lu Ming teasingly pretends to be helpless.
  • Lu Ming’s exaggerated praise boosts Tang Zhiqing’s confidence and brings out a rare, genuine smile.
  • Their close physical training creates awkward romantic tension, though Lu Ming mostly reacts with humor and embarrassment.
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Ch. 34Sorry, Lu Ming Is the One Who’s Really Family

Chapter 34 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming rests with Tang Zhiqing after a martial arts practice session at her family dojo, which also serves as her living and study space.
  • While discussing university plans, Lu Ming asks whether Tang Zhiqing would live with roommates. She says she would prefer to live alone because she does not like sharing her life with others.
  • When Lu Ming asks what would make her willing to live with someone, Tang explains that she would only do so if she deeply trusted that person. Lu Ming realizes this confirms that, in the future, he is the person she trusts most, leaving him quietly moved.
  • Qin Hanyu calls Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing outside to meet three visitors: Ma Tongji, a former instructor at the dojo, along with his son and nephew.
  • Ma Tongji claims he wants to help Tang and Qin manage the large dojo, suggesting that he and the two boys move in with them.
  • Tang initially responds politely and considers the practical benefits of having men around to handle chores. However, Lu Ming notices that Ma Tongji’s behavior and the boys’ fascination with the women suggest hidden motives.
  • Tang receives a phone call and steps outside. While she is gone, Ma Tongji’s son and nephew openly become captivated by Tang and Qin’s beauty.
  • Qin deliberately brings Lu Ming away from the visitors, pretending to need help carrying things. Once out of sight, her cold public persona disappears, and she anxiously admits that she does not want three men moving into the dojo.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Becomes more emotionally aware of Tang Zhiqing’s trust in him. He also demonstrates his sharp observational skills by recognizing that Ma Tongji’s offer is not entirely selfless. His playful bargaining with Tang over cleaning duties highlights their comfortable rapport.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Remains practical, disciplined, and authoritative. She handles the visitors diplomatically but is not easily manipulated. Her statement about only living with someone she deeply trusts reveals the seriousness of her feelings and standards.
  • Qin Hanyu: Maintains a distant, intimidating image around strangers but reveals a nervous, expressive side around Lu Ming. Her private reaction shows that she trusts and relies on him emotionally.
  • Ma Tongji: Presents himself as a concerned family friend who feels guilty for missing Tang’s father’s funeral, but his eagerness to move into the dojo raises suspicions about his real intentions.
  • Ma Tongji’s son and nephew: Are immediately infatuated with Tang and Qin, showing little restraint or maturity. Their enthusiasm suggests that their interest in moving in is motivated more by attraction than by a desire to help.

Significant Themes

  • Trust and intimacy: Tang’s definition of shared living as an expression of absolute trust emphasizes the importance of emotional commitment in her relationships.
  • Hidden motives and appearances: Ma Tongji disguises his intentions beneath concern and familial familiarity, while Qin and Lu Ming both recognize the difference between his polite words and suspicious behavior.
  • Public versus private selves: Qin appears cold and untouchable to outsiders but becomes anxious and affectionate with Lu Ming. Ma Tongji also hides his displeasure behind a friendly smile.
  • Growing relationships: Lu Ming and Tang’s easy negotiation over chores, along with Qin’s dependence on Lu Ming, shows their bonds becoming increasingly close and familiar.
  • Gender and safety: The proposed arrival of three men into a home occupied by two young women creates an immediate sense of discomfort and potential danger, especially given the boys’ obvious attraction.

Important Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming and Tang discuss university living arrangements, allowing Lu Ming to indirectly confirm the depth of Tang’s trust in him.
  • Tang and Lu Ming jokingly negotiate how much leniency she will grant him in exchange for cleaning the dojo.
  • Ma Tongji attempts to persuade Tang to let him and the two boys move in by appealing to his past relationship with her father.
  • Lu Ming silently challenges Ma Tongji’s friendly facade by recognizing the suspicious nature of his proposal.
  • Qin ignores the boys’ attempts to serve her tea and instead uses Lu Ming as an excuse to escape. In private, she drops her “cold goddess” persona and anxiously asks him what they should do.
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Ch. 35Lu Ming Is Staying Over Tonight

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Qin Hanyu worries that Tang Zhiqing might agree to let Ma Tongji and his two younger companions move into the dojo. Lu Ming reassures her that this will not happen, earning an enthusiastic hug and an offer of homemade dessert.
  • Back at the dojo, Ma Tongji assumes he and the boys have already secured places to stay. One of the boys arrogantly orders Lu Ming to fetch water, believing that becoming a resident makes him superior.
  • Tang Zhiqing returns from her phone call and firmly rejects their request. She reveals that Ma Tongji had previously been expelled from the dojo for harassing girls and had deliberately been given chances to leave before being confronted.
  • Ma Tongji produces an alleged IOU claiming Tang Zhiqing’s father promised half the dojo as repayment for a loan. While Tang Zhiqing is uncertain whether it is genuine, Ma Tongji uses it to justify taking control of the dojo.
  • Lu Ming challenges Ma Tongji and the others to a martial-arts contest. Tang Zhiqing defeats Ma Yongnian instantly, while Lu Ming easily knocks down Ma Qingsheng after he attempts a cheap surprise attack.
  • Ma Tongji, an experienced martial artist, fights Lu Ming using feints and attacks aimed at vital areas. Lu Ming reveals that he had been deliberately allowing Ma Tongji to think he was struggling, then defeats him with overwhelming physical strength.
  • Tang Zhiqing exposes the alleged IOU as fraudulent and reveals that Ma Tongji is wanted for robbery, while the two younger men were expelled from school for harassing girls. She has already contacted the authorities, who arrive to arrest them.
  • As Ma Tongji attempts to flee, an arrow narrowly misses his head and embeds itself in the wall, leaving him terrified.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming becomes increasingly protective of the dojo and the women living there. He confidently takes responsibility for dealing with the intruders and demonstrates that his brief martial-arts training has been amplified by his extraordinary physical abilities.
  • Tang Zhiqing shows that she is far more perceptive and assertive than Ma Tongji assumes. She deliberately manipulates the situation, gathers evidence against him, rejects his authority, and arranges for his arrest. Her trust and affection toward Lu Ming also deepen; she openly identifies him as part of her family and sincerely laughs because of him.
  • Qin Hanyu remains affectionate, trusting, and comically unaware of the danger around her. She is delighted by Lu Ming’s support and continues to treat him warmly, though Tang Zhiqing notes that her martial-arts ability is extremely poor.
  • Ma Tongji shifts from smug confidence to rage, desperation, and panic as his scheme collapses. His combat skill proves genuine, but it is no match for Lu Ming’s strength or Tang Zhiqing’s preparation.
  • Ma Yongnian and Ma Qingsheng are exposed as arrogant bullies. Both underestimate their opponents, with Ma Yongnian especially objectifying Tang Zhiqing and Ma Qingsheng resorting to an underhanded attack.

Significant Themes

  • Trust versus manipulation: Ma Tongji attempts to exploit Tang Zhiqing’s youth and supposed inexperience, but she has already recognized his dishonesty and prepared to counter him.
  • Protecting one’s home and family: The dojo represents both a physical home and a family inheritance. Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing cooperate to defend it from outsiders who seek to seize it.
  • Appearance versus reality: The intruders present themselves as respectable martial artists and potential family members, but their criminal histories reveal their true nature.
  • Talent and overwhelming strength: Lu Ming’s minimal training contrasts with his exceptional natural power, allowing him to defeat an experienced fighter through raw ability and confidence.
  • Growing emotional closeness: Tang Zhiqing increasingly treats Lu Ming as a trusted family member, while Qin Hanyu’s affection for him remains playful and openly physical.

Character Interactions

  • Qin Hanyu affectionately embraces Lu Ming and promises to make him dessert, while Lu Ming privately enjoys her closeness.
  • Ma Tongji and the two boys treat Lu Ming dismissively, assuming they are entitled to the dojo and superior to him.
  • Tang Zhiqing publicly sides with Lu Ming, calling him part of her family and assigning him to confront Ma Tongji.
  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing work as a team: she handles the legal and investigative side of the conflict, while he handles the physical confrontation.
  • Tang Zhiqing calmly insults the defeated Ma Yongnian by calling him “trash,” and she applauds Lu Ming’s victories.
  • The chapter ends with Ma Tongji’s fear of both the authorities and the mysterious archer who warns him not to resist.
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Ch. 36Catch the Magical Girl “Liuli”!

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Tang Zhiqing uses the dojo’s ancestral bow and arrows to frighten Ma Tongji and his associate into fleeing. They immediately collide with a police car, and the officers arrest them for robbery. Lu Ming’s system announces that his mission is complete and rewards him with Focus +1.
  • Over dinner at Tang Zhiqing’s home, Qin Hanyu realizes the men were scammers. She acknowledges that Tang should be more careful about whom she allows near the dojo and praises Lu Ming’s reliability.
  • Tang asks Lu Ming to stay overnight and help clean the dojo the next day. He agrees, partly because he is curious about her bow, which resembles the weapon used by the local Magical Girl, Crystal.
  • Lu Ming and Tang spend two hours cleaning the dojo. Lu Ming’s enhanced physical abilities allow him to work far faster than Tang, impressing her. His internal monologue remains comically distracted by Tang’s appearance and by his own Time Stop ability.
  • During their conversation, Tang explains that her mother lives in the countryside, while her university-aged cousin, Qin Hanyu, lives with her. She also reveals that her late father left the family substantial savings, so the dojo’s finances are secure.
  • Tang explains that the bow and arrows are family heirlooms, supposedly once used by an ancestor who fought the Jin forces and became a commander. Lu Ming grows increasingly suspicious of the resemblance between Tang and Magical Girl Crystal.
  • That night, while staying at Tang’s home, Lu Ming hears an Evil Beast. Soon afterward he hears its cry and the sound of a bowstring. Investigating, he finds a blue Magical Girl in the courtyard holding the missing ancestral bow.
  • Lu Ming identifies her as Crystal based on her color, weapon, and appearance. Instead of allowing her to leave, he grabs her, accidentally tackling her and startling her.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Demonstrates his superhuman stamina, enhanced hearing, and growing awareness of his abilities after receiving the Focus reward. He becomes more suspicious that Tang Zhiqing is secretly Magical Girl Crystal, though he has not yet confirmed it. His impulsive curiosity leads him to physically stop Crystal from escaping.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Shows a warmer, playful side outside her serious Student Council president persona. She trusts Lu Ming enough to invite him to stay, work alongside her, and discuss her family’s circumstances. Her skill with the bow and her knowing reaction to Lu Ming’s questions strengthen the implication that she may be Crystal.
  • Qin Hanyu: Initially misunderstands the situation but becomes more protective of Tang and more trusting of Lu Ming. She recognizes that Lu Ming is dependable, despite his irreverent internal thoughts.
  • Magical Girl Crystal: Appears as a blue, bow-wielding heroine who has just defeated an Evil Beast. Her startled reaction to Lu Ming suggests she wants to keep her identity or activities secret.

Significant Themes

  • Secret identities and suspicion: The chapter heavily hints that Tang Zhiqing and Magical Girl Crystal are the same person, especially through their identical body type, shared bow, and Tang’s evasive responses.
  • Trust and reliance: Tang increasingly relies on Lu Ming, while Lu Ming offers to help her financially and accepts her invitation to stay, revealing a growing bond.
  • The contrast between public and private selves: Tang is stern and composed as a Student Council president but playful and relaxed at home. Lu Ming likewise presents himself as helpful while his thoughts are exaggerated and comedic.
  • Heroism mixed with everyday life: Criminal arrests, Evil Beast battles, and magical transformations occur alongside dinner, household chores, and teasing conversations.
  • Comedy through absurdity: Lu Ming’s exaggerated comparisons, misuse of Time Stop, excuses to his sister, and immediate focus on Crystal’s appearance undercut the more dramatic magical-hero elements.

Important Character Interactions

  • Tang intimidates the scammers with her bow while Lu Ming observes her unexpected combat ability.
  • Qin Hanyu reassures Tang that she should not trust strangers blindly and specifically contrasts them with Lu Ming’s reliability.
  • Lu Ming and Tang develop greater familiarity while cleaning, discussing money, family, and the origins of the bow.
  • Tang teases Lu Ming with an iced drink, revealing her mischievous side.
  • At the end, Lu Ming encounters Crystal in the courtyard and tackles her before she can leave, creating a tense and awkward first direct confrontation between them.
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Ch. 37Lu Annuan Saw Me with the President / Lu Annuan Likes Milk Tea with Extra Cream

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming discovers that Magical Girl “Crystal” is actually Tang Zhiqing, the student council president. He recognizes her voice and confirms her identity after an awkward struggle in her home.
  • Tang Zhiqing is angry and embarrassed because Lu Ming accidentally pinned her down in an indecent position. She also resents that he and Polaris have been fighting Evil Beasts without her.
  • When Qin Hanyu approaches and risks seeing them together, Tang Zhiqing takes Lu Ming by the hand and leaps out of the house, carrying him to a rooftop.
  • On the rooftop, Tang Zhiqing demonstrates her abilities by transforming a magic bow and killing an Evil Beast with a single arrow.
  • Tang reveals that she has been pursuing Rust, an A-threat-level Evil Beast and officer of the Death Spiral organization. Rust is highly elusive and dangerous, and Tang believes Lu Ming may now be able to assist her.
  • The next morning, Lu Ming eats breakfast at Tang’s family dojo, where Qin Hanyu treats him warmly and flirtatiously. Tang interrupts their interaction and takes Lu Ming back to the city.
  • Upon arrival, Lu Ming encounters Lu Annuan and Meng Xuan while accompanied by Tang. Lu Annuan initially assumes he has spent the night on a date with Tang and becomes visibly jealous and distant.
  • Lu Ming quickly explains that he went to Tang’s home to help protect her from a dangerous intruder and that the police handled the situation. Tang confirms his story, dispelling Lu Annuan’s misunderstanding.
  • Tang leaves, and Lu Ming notices that Lu Annuan and Meng Xuan were shopping for swimsuits, suggesting a possible future beach trip.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Confirms Tang’s secret identity and becomes more closely involved in the Magical Girl conflict. He remains shamelessly observant and flirtatious but proves willing to help protect others. He also shows anxiety when Lu Annuan appears to misunderstand his relationship with Tang.
  • Tang Zhiqing/Crystal: Is revealed as a powerful Magical Girl with a distinctive archer-themed transformation. Though stern and embarrassed by Lu Ming’s behavior, she trusts him enough to disclose information about Rust and consider working with him.
  • Lu Annuan: Displays clear jealousy when she sees Lu Ming with Tang, then feels ashamed after learning the truth. Her thoughts reveal that she wants to spend time with Lu Ming at the beach and is increasingly conscious of romantic feelings toward him.
  • Qin Hanyu: Treats Lu Ming like family and openly flirts with him, despite her socially awkward and somewhat naïve personality. Her interaction with him adds comic tension to the household scene.
  • Meng Xuan: Appears alongside Lu Annuan while shopping but has little direct involvement in the chapter’s main conflict.

Significant Themes

  • Secret identities and trust: Tang’s identity as Crystal is exposed, strengthening her relationship and potential alliance with Lu Ming.
  • Misunderstanding and jealousy: Lu Annuan immediately misreads Lu Ming and Tang’s closeness, highlighting her growing romantic attachment.
  • Protection and responsibility: Tang’s mission against Rust and Lu Ming’s willingness to help emphasize the dangers facing the Magical Girls.
  • Comedy and romantic tension: Awkward physical situations, flirtation, and exaggerated misunderstandings balance the more serious Evil Beast storyline.
  • Appearance versus reality: Tang looks like a graceful, powerful Magical Girl, while Lu Annuan initially sees only the suspicious appearance of Lu Ming arriving with another beautiful girl; the truth is considerably more innocent.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming and Tang share an awkward confrontation that shifts into mutual cooperation after he confirms her identity.
  • Tang and Lu Ming fight together indirectly, with Tang killing an Evil Beast while explaining her mission and seeking his assistance.
  • Qin Hanyu warmly welcomes Lu Ming and teasingly flirts with him, while Tang attempts to keep the situation under control.
  • Lu Annuan and Lu Ming have a tense reunion caused by her jealousy, but his explanation and Tang’s confirmation restore her trust.
  • Tang observes Lu Annuan closely and recognizes her youthful, lively personality before departing, leaving Lu Ming and Lu Annuan to discuss the swimsuit shopping trip.
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Ch. 38Lu Annuan Likes Milk Tea with Extra Cream (Part 2)

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Annuan unexpectedly finds Lu Ming while he is out with Meng Xuan. After some awkward prompting from Meng Xuan, Lu Ming dramatically declares that he will begin swimming training and break the world record within three months.
  • The three visit a swimsuit shop. Lu Annuan and Meng Xuan help Lu Ming choose swim trunks, while Lu Annuan buys both her own swimsuit and Lu Ming’s clothing. The shop clerk mistakenly assumes they are a couple, and Lu Annuan awkwardly explains that they merely live together and share expenses.
  • Meng Xuan leaves the pair to meet other friends, asking Lu Ming to buy her milk tea. At the drink shop, an innocent comment by Lu Annuan about liking “extra-thick milk” creates an embarrassing double meaning that only Lu Ming and Meng Xuan understand.
  • Lu Ming quietly explains the joke to Lu Annuan, who becomes embarrassed and realizes the suggestive meaning. Meng Xuan playfully threatens Lu Ming into paying for her drink before leaving, teasing Lu Annuan about wearing swimsuits for him.
  • After returning home, Lu Ming asks Lu Annuan about Death Spiral. She explains that it is an organization composed of intelligent Evil Beasts and humans empowered by them. Their objective is unclear, but they seek to overthrow society and frequently cause destruction.
  • Lu Annuan reassures Lu Ming that she will protect him if a Death Spiral officer targets him. However, Lu Ming becomes worried about her safety and resolves to find a way to protect her in return.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Continues to use humor and exaggerated boasts to manage awkward situations, but his concern for Lu Annuan becomes more serious. Learning about Death Spiral makes him recognize that her role as a Magical Girl places her in genuine danger, motivating him to become stronger or otherwise help protect her.
  • Lu Annuan: Shows complete faith in Lu Ming’s abilities, immediately believing his absurd swimming goal. She also displays growing romantic sensitivity and jealousy when she notices Lu Ming’s easy rapport with Meng Xuan. Her confidence as a Magical Girl contrasts with her innocence in ordinary social matters.
  • Meng Xuan: Acts as a teasing but perceptive friend who understands the hidden meanings Lu Annuan misses. She recognizes Lu Ming and Lu Annuan’s mutual feelings, playfully identifies herself as a third wheel, and uses humor and mild blackmail to get Lu Ming to pay for her drink.
  • The swimsuit-shop clerk: Provides an outside perspective, interpreting Lu Ming and Lu Annuan’s behavior as evidence of a youthful, innocent romance.

Significant Themes

  • Emerging romance and jealousy: Lu Annuan and Lu Ming behave like a couple despite denying their relationship, while Lu Annuan begins feeling jealous of Lu Ming’s connection with Meng Xuan.
  • Innocence versus worldly awareness: Lu Annuan’s literal understanding of “extra-thick milk” contrasts sharply with Meng Xuan and Lu Ming’s awareness of its suggestive meaning.
  • Protection and responsibility: Lu Annuan instinctively promises to protect Lu Ming, but Lu Ming realizes that protecting her may be equally important.
  • Comedy amid danger: Lighthearted shopping and teasing scenes are juxtaposed with the serious revelation that Death Spiral poses a major threat.
  • Hidden identities and social order: The discussion of Death Spiral expands the supernatural conflict, introducing an organized enemy determined to disrupt society.

Important Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming and Lu Annuan: Their playful domestic familiarity and mutual concern reinforce their growing romantic bond. Lu Annuan’s willingness to pay for his clothes and belief in his swimming ambitions show her devotion, while Lu Ming’s final worry reveals deeper emotional attachment.
  • Lu Ming and Meng Xuan: Meng Xuan serves as a mischievous confidante who exposes Lu Ming’s awkwardness and teases him about Lu Annuan. Their banter also highlights her awareness of the couple’s feelings.
  • Lu Annuan and Meng Xuan: Their friendship is friendly but includes subtle rivalry, as Lu Annuan feels excluded by their shared understanding and becomes irritated by their private jokes.
  • Lu Ming and Death Spiral: Though he has not confronted the organization directly, Lu Ming’s inquiry marks his increasing involvement in the Magical Girl conflict and his determination to prepare for its dangers.
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Ch. 39I Have Two Magical Girls on My Side!

Chapter Summary: “I Have Two Magical Girls on My Side!”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming remains determined to protect his childhood friend, Lu Annuan, and eliminate dangerous Evil Beasts in the city, especially the A-rank threat known as “Rust.”
  • At school, the Student Council room has been transformed into a comfortable lounge by the principal. Lu Ming shares tea with Tang Zhiqing, and his thoughts reveal growing familiarity—and flirtatious speculation—about living together with her in the future.
  • Lu Ming lies to Lu Annuan, claiming he and Li Deng are going to play Yu-Gi-Oh!, so he can investigate Rust with Tang Zhiqing.
  • Tang Zhiqing explains that Rust disguises himself as a human and is likely hiding in a gym, where he can compete with people over physical strength. She and Lu Ming visit Haiyang’s most famous gym to search for him.
  • The gym employee is immediately impressed by Lu Ming’s appearance and physique, reinforcing his reputation as the school heartthrob.
  • While searching the crowded gym, Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing unexpectedly encounter Ran Yanyue, who questions why they came together without inviting her.
  • Ran reveals that her family owns shares in the gym and offers to guide them around. This allows the group to inspect the gym’s many muscular customers while continuing the search for Rust.
  • Lu Ming decides to attract Rust’s attention by demonstrating his strength. He effortlessly deadlifts a 200-kilogram barbell, astonishing everyone in the gym and suggesting that his abilities far exceed those of an ordinary high school student.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming: Continues balancing his ordinary school life with his secret mission against Evil Beasts. He remains protective of Lu Annuan and cautious about revealing the truth. His playful confidence and flirtatious inner thoughts contrast with his serious sense of responsibility. His extraordinary strength becomes publicly evident at the gym.
  • Tang Zhiqing: Acts as Lu Ming’s partner and strategist in the investigation. She is observant, protective of him during the mission, and increasingly interested in his personal life, particularly his relationships with other girls. Their banter suggests growing intimacy.
  • Ran Yanyue: Shows signs of jealousy or suspicion when she sees Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing together. Although she initially questions Lu Ming sharply, her concern softens when he explains that he was worried about her health. Her familiarity with the gym and willingness to guide them draw her into the investigation.
  • Lu Annuan: Appears only through messages, but Lu Ming’s decision to deceive her demonstrates how important her safety is to him.
  • The gym patrons: Serve as witnesses to Lu Ming’s startling physical power, reacting with disbelief and embarrassment at being outperformed by a student.

Significant Themes

  • Protection and responsibility: Lu Ming’s mission is motivated by loyalty to Lu Annuan and his determination to keep dangerous Evil Beasts away from civilians.
  • Hidden identities and double lives: The investigation takes place beneath the surface of normal student activities, with Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing disguising their supernatural mission as gym training.
  • Romantic tension and jealousy: The interactions among Lu Ming, Tang Zhiqing, and Ran Yanyue create a developing love-triangle dynamic, expressed through teasing, suspicion, and concern.
  • Extraordinary power in ordinary settings: Lu Ming’s effortless deadlift contrasts sharply with the mundane gym environment, emphasizing that he is far stronger and more capable than those around him realize.
  • Comedic contrast: Lu Ming’s heroic objectives are repeatedly undercut by humorous thoughts about tea, romance, gym culture, and exaggerated reactions from bystanders.

Character Interactions

  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing: Exchange flirtatious, sarcastic remarks while working together. Tang gives him mission instructions, while Lu Ming teases her about caring about his body and romantic interests.
  • Lu Ming and Ran Yanyue: Their interaction carries tension and possible jealousy. Ran questions his secret outing with Tang, while Lu Ming explains that he was concerned for her health. Their conversation becomes more relaxed as she guides them through the gym.
  • Tang Zhiqing and Ran Yanyue: Both are surprised and wary of the other’s presence with Lu Ming, creating subtle rivalry and suspicion.
  • Lu Ming and the gym patrons: Lu Ming unintentionally intimidates them by lifting 200 kilograms with virtually no effort, undermining their assumptions about his age and physical ability.
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Ch. 40I Have Two Magical Girls on My Side! (cont.)

Chapter 40 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Lu Ming visits a gym with Tang Zhiqing and Ran Yanyue to investigate a suspected Evil Beast. His enhanced physical abilities attract attention, but Tang Zhiqing detects no magical energy.
  • Ran Yanyue discovers that a former gym customer, Shi Wenkang, has recently returned with a drastically changed personality and an unusually aggressive temperament. She identifies him as a PE teacher at International Middle School.
  • Since Lu Annuan is scheduled to have PE with Shi Wenkang, Lu Ming realizes she may be in danger and immediately heads to the school with Tang Zhiqing.
  • Lu Ming uses his connection with Coach Jiang to gain entry to International Middle School. He and Tang Zhiqing disguise their visit as business related to the upcoming Joint Sports Meet.
  • Lu Ming secretly signals Lu Annuan, then punches PE teacher Shi Wenkang. The teacher’s body begins breaking apart and transforming into a powerful four-legged Evil Beast named Rust.
  • Lu Annuan prepares to transform, but Tang Zhiqing reveals that she is also a Magical Girl and attacks first with a blue magical arrow.
  • The chapter ends with Lu Ming standing alongside Lu Annuan and Tang Zhiqing as they confront Rust.

Character Developments

  • Lu Ming demonstrates significantly enhanced strength and remains calm and strategic despite fearing for Lu Annuan’s safety. He prioritizes protecting the entire school’s students rather than rushing in recklessly.
  • Tang Zhiqing shows her growing trust and concern for Lu Ming. Her identity as a Magical Girl is finally revealed to Lu Annuan, establishing her as an important combatant.
  • Lu Annuan is shown to be trusting, impulsive, and deeply attached to Lu Ming. Even after seeing him attack her teacher, she instinctively believes he must have had a reason. Her jealousy surfaces when she learns Tang Zhiqing is also a Magical Girl.
  • Ran Yanyue contributes crucial investigative information and displays a growing familiarity and fondness toward Lu Ming, even casually touching him and considering him different from her other classmates.
  • Shi Wenkang/Rust is revealed to have replaced or possessed the returning gym customer and PE teacher, using his position at the school to target young students and a nearby Magical Girl.

Significant Themes

  • Trust and loyalty: Lu Annuan immediately trusts Lu Ming, while Tang Zhiqing supports his judgment and follows his cautious plan.
  • Hidden identities: The chapter exposes Tang Zhiqing’s secret magical identity and confirms that Evil Beasts can disguise themselves as ordinary humans.
  • Protection and responsibility: Lu Ming’s restraint emphasizes his concern for innocent students, not just his personal connection to Lu Annuan.
  • Romantic rivalry and affection: Lu Annuan’s jealousy toward Tang Zhiqing adds a humorous romantic tension, while Ran Yanyue’s interest in Lu Ming hints at another possible relationship.
  • Comedy amid danger: The school-infiltration excuse, Coach Jiang’s joking recruitment of Lu Ming, and Lu Annuan’s practical concern about where to hit a teacher provide humor before the battle begins.

Important Character Interactions

  • Ran Yanyue and Lu Ming share a friendly, increasingly familiar exchange at the gym, while her mother teases her about touching him.
  • Lu Ming and Tang Zhiqing coordinate their investigation and travel together, with Tang Zhiqing admiring his composure.
  • Coach Jiang welcomes Lu Ming to International Middle School, humorously making Tang Zhiqing suspicious of his “betrayal” of Haiyang No. 2 Middle School.
  • Lu Ming uses a childhood signal to warn Lu Annuan, reinforcing their close sibling-like bond.
  • Lu Annuan initially scolds Lu Ming for attacking Shi Wenkang but immediately accepts his explanation once the teacher transforms.
  • Tang Zhiqing’s transformation surprises Lu Annuan and creates a new dynamic between the two Magical Girls, who now fight beside Lu Ming against Rust.
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