The morning sun was bright.
Sitting at a table near the balcony in the coffee shop, Su Tianqing glanced out the window and sighed softly.
"The weather is so nice today. I feel like it's been days since I saw such blue skies and white clouds in the morning."
"Yes, the mornings have been gloomy for the past few days, only getting a bit better in the afternoon," Hua Ling echoed.
The little Fox turned her head, looking at the restrained girl across the table.
This was her first time observing Hua Ling so carefully.
Her bangs were neatly trimmed, and with those round glasses, the girl appeared refined, unlike Nan Xiaofeng's boisterousness.
She also wore practical dresses and skirts.
Because the bookstore had air conditioning, she had taken off her knitted cardigan, revealing her slender figure.
She's a very delicate girl, Su Tianqing thought.
Due to the Magic Girl's cognitive block, even with such careful observation, she was completely unable to connect "Hua Ling" with Iris.
Who would have thought that a slender, delicate literary girl would transform into such an elegant and noble Magic Princess?
"Um... Tianqing Jie... Is there... something on my face...?"
Under the gaze of the Golden Fox, Hua Ling became even more flustered.
"Because Hua Ling is very pretty, you know."
Su Tianqing did not stint on her praise, saying with a smile,
"Since you're so cute, you'd be even more dazzling if you were a little more confident."
"Cu-cu-cu-cute... I..."
A blush rose on the girl's cheeks. She pursed her lips, making it impossible to tell if she was surprised, happy, or both.
Compared to Hyacinth, or rather, Nan Xiaofeng, Su Tianqing found a reserved and quiet girl like Hua Ling more interesting.
Just a little teasing could elicit a very amusing reaction.
"So, be more confident, or you won't even realize how cute you are."
Seeing Hua Ling's adorably flustered expression, Su Tianqing covered her mouth and chuckled softly. She pulled a memo pad from her satchel and gently pushed it in front of Hua Ling.
"Jia Yu already told me that you have something to discuss with me. I'm guessing it's about that matter from last time, right?"
The Golden Fox smiled softly,
"If you feel shy, just write it down on the memo. I'll keep your secret, you know~"
"Tianqing Jie..."
Hua Ling dazedly took the memo pad. After a moment of silence, she nodded vigorously.
Su Tianqing picked up the latte beside her, silently added a lethal amount of sugar cubes, and gently stirred.
The girl lowered her head and wrote diligently, the sunlight spilling over her head and body, making her already smooth and neat long hair shine brilliantly.
Gentle, quiet, soft-spoken, graceful—this was Su Tianqing's impression of Hua Ling.
Actually, this child's background was quite heartbreaking.
Her parents were killed by a Monster, and for many years she had relied on relief aid to attend school. It was clear that the trauma from that experience was far greater than she could have imagined.
And some inside information Nan Jiayu told her yesterday made her readily agree to today's chat with Hua Ling:
Since that incident, Hua Ling had been silent for a long time and had several hospitalizations in the Hero Association's affiliated hospital's psychology department.
This child's psyche was actually very fragile.
Even the catalyst for becoming a Magic Girl couldn't withstand scrutiny—it was an act born of impulsive emotion, so it was normal for her to waver.
But this was something all proper Magic Girls had to experience!
What she needed to do was help her strengthen her belief! She absolutely must not graduate from being a Magic Girl!
"Tianqing Jie, I'm finished."
Just as Su Tianqing was sipping her coffee, lost in thought, a soft call came from across the table, pulling the Golden Fox back to reality.
"Finished? Now let me help you resolve your worries~"
Winking at the nervous Hua Ling, Su Tianqing picked up the written memo and read it carefully.
Hua Ling's handwriting was beautiful, clearly practiced with care.
But the content made Su Tianqing slightly pause:
"Tianqing Jie, I've been encountering some strange things lately. There's a child who often plays pranks on me and Nan Xiaofeng recently. Nan Xiaofeng dislikes her very much."
"Her pranks haven't caused much trouble, and I don't think she's bad, but she makes Nan Xiaofeng very annoyed, and I don't know how to face her."
"And lately, I've been having strange dreams. In those dreams, I... have all sorts of things happen with that child..."
All sorts of things?
Upon seeing this, Su Tianqing's eyes widened slightly. She looked up at Hua Ling as if seeking confirmation.
The girl's slightly reddened cheeks spoke volumes.
So, it was this kind of thing after all! A night of passion in a warm bed!
It seemed Hua Ling had also reached the age where a girl's heart begins to stir.
But speaking of pranks...
It was probably harmless pranks she encountered at school. This Fox has seen too many such things.
Being interested in a certain child but not daring to approach, so using pranks to attract their attention.
It must be like that!
But why would she have such dreams at night? Could it be...
After much thought, Su Tianqing silently wrote down her reply.
"So that's it. Do you know what the things that happen in your dreams mean, Hua Ling?"
"I know. It was taught in health class, but the class said that's only for boys and girls... Could it be that between two girls...?"
Su Tianqing pinched her chin and fell into thought.
Should I say it?
No, I can't say this.
It's better to change the subject. I just feel like this topic is a bit dangerous.
"Do you dislike the child who pranks you, Hua Ling?"
"It's not really dislike. Although it's annoying sometimes, she knows her limits and doesn't keep bothering me when I'm feeling troubled."
"I see. That means that child just cares about you a lot and is doing it on purpose to get your attention. I've encountered that before too, you know."
"Is that so...? But every time I think about the dreams I have at night, I don't know how to face her..."
Why is she bringing this up again!
It seemed the topic of these dreams couldn't be avoided. Su Tianqing cleared her throat twice to adjust her mood, then tore off another memo.
"Since you're having those dreams, Hua Ling, it means you don't dislike that child; in fact, deep down, you quite like her."
Looking at the line she had written, Su Tianqing added another sentence:
"Why not try to approach her and understand her true feelings? You might even make a new friend."
Hua Ling looked at the note and remained silent for a long time.
Not dislike, huh...?
Tianqing Jie was right; she didn't dislike Xin Yuehu.
...But that was only if she stayed still and didn't come over to prank her.
"So, her pranks on me are actually because she cares about me a lot?"
"Most likely, yes."
"So that means... I should try to accept these pranks?"
"If it's too much, you should still speak up directly. Have you tried doing that, Hua Ling?"
"Hmm, I told her about it last time, and she hasn't pranked me since then."
"I see... That means that child knows her limits. She might even be thinking about how to explain herself. It would be much better if you actively approached her now."
"I understand. I'll try to actively approach her next time I see her. Thank you, Tianqing Jie!"
Hua Ling showed a bright smile and nodded to Su Tianqing in thanks.
The Golden Fox wagged her tail.
"No need to thank me so much. If you encounter anything in the future, just come to me, you know~"
Su Tianqing confidently patted her flat chest.
"Speaking of which, is that child your classmate, Hua Ling?"
"Um... not exactly. She's someone I met recently, a very cute Fox-person, just like you, Tianqing Jie."
Su Tianqing nodded lightly, but fell into thought.
Oh? There are other Fox-people?
Hmm... Such a difficult child, who could she be?