Chapter 20: Wasn’t This Supposed to Be Shopping? 

 “Eh?! Do I have to go too?”

Lin Lu finally snapped back to reality, ‘Please, no!! I really don’t want to go shopping!’

To Lin Lu, shopping was pure torture.

She still vaguely remembered accompanying her younger sister to buy clothes during the last holiday. 

Her legs had gone completely numb, yet her sister had remained as energetic as ever. 

Just the thought made Lin Lu feel exhausted.

However, Lin Qingqing had already grabbed Hoshino Hikari and Lin Lu by the hands, dragging them toward the door.

“Of course you have to go! Senior Yuki has been part of our group for a while now, but we haven’t gone out to play together yet!”

“It hasn’t been that long…” Lin Lu muttered under her breath.

It had only been a few days since she joined. 

‘Sigh, but if I really refuse, will I seem heartless?’

Lin Lu sighed inwardly.

“Stop complaining! Let’s go, let’s go!”

Minazuki followed behind them, unhurriedly adjusting her glasses with a slight curl to her lips.

***

Ten minutes later, at the busiest Commercial Street in Beijiang City.

Four beautiful girls, each with a distinct style, walked down the street. 

The rate of people turning their heads to look was easily 300%.

The orange-haired Hoshino Hikari was full of energy, looking around as she walked. 

The green-haired Lin Qingqing clung to her arm, chatting incessantly. 

The blue-haired Minazuki followed behind expressionlessly, holding a cup of milk tea she had just bought.

Lin Lu brought up the rear, watching their backs in a daze.

Since turning into a girl, it hadn’t even been one month, but she had already grown accustomed to this lifestyle.

“Senior Yuki?” Minazuki suddenly appeared at her side and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.” Lin Lu shook her head, pulling herself together. 

“But… you guys should stop calling me ‘Senior’ from now on. It’s a bit embarrassing to hear.”

Minazuki glanced at her and nodded with a smile.

“Hehe~ Then what should we call you? How about~ Yuki-yuki?” Lin Qingqing leaned in close, grinning.

“Cough… whatever you want.”

Lin Lu felt a bit flustered by Lin Qingqing’s sudden proximity, and her earlobes turned a faint shade of red.

The Commercial Street grew more crowded.

Since it was a weekend afternoon, the foot traffic was massive. 

Couples on dates, groups of students, and parents with children were everywhere.

Lin Lu didn’t pay it much mind at first, until she noticed — it seemed like a lot of people were staring at them.

‘What’s going on? Why are so many people looking at us?’ Lin Lu felt confused.

“That… that orange-haired one…”

“Isn’t that the leader of the Starlight Magical Girl Group, Hoshino Hikari?”

“The green-haired one next to her is Lin Qingqing, right? I love her so much!”

“The blue-haired one is Minazuki! Oh my god, what are they doing here?!”

The whispers grew louder and more frequent.

A sense of foreboding rose in Lin Lu’s heart.

She looked at the three girls beside her — Hoshino Hikari was happily buying skewers, Lin Qingqing was picking out hairpins, and Minazuki was expressionlessly sipping her milk tea.

They hadn’t noticed the commotion at all.

“Um…” Lin Lu said softly, “I think we’ve been recognized.”

Hoshino Hikari looked back and asked, “Recognized for what?”

She followed Lin Lu’s gaze and froze.

A crowd had already formed a semicircle around them. 

At least twenty or thirty people were holding up their phones, their eyes sparkling as they stared.

A boy in the front wearing glasses was so excited his face had turned red. 

“It’s the Starlight Magical Girl Group! It’s really them!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted.

“Ahhh! Hoshino Hikari! I’m your biggest fan!”

“Qingqing! Qingqing, look over here!”

“Lady Minazuki! Ahhh!”

“I’m a total simp for the magical girls!”

Before Lin Lu could even react, she was swallowed by the surging tide of people.

Lin Lu stood in the center of the crowd, her mind a total blank.

‘Eh? What happened?’

She was surrounded by phones, flashing lights, and excited screams. 

Some of them were even her own fans.

“Who’s the one in white? Is she a new member?”

“I know! I know! She’s the one who soloed that A-level Shadow Beast on Commercial Street last week! Her name is Chiyoyuki! And I heard she’s still a student!”

“Yes, that’s her! The official account even posted a teaser PV for her idol debut!”

“Senior Yuki looks so much like a cool beauty, it’s amazing…”

“Ahhh, the mature-faced girl is so handsome! And that pure white military Lolita style — I’m dead!”

Lin Lu stood frozen, watching countless phones point in her direction.

‘It’s over. I’m completely doomed.’

Hoshino Hikari was the fastest to react. 

She grabbed Lin Lu’s wrist and flashed a professional smile at the crowd.

“Everyone, please don’t push! If you want autographs, please line up one by one!”

Minazuki adjusted her glasses and began to maintain order with a stoic expression. 

Lin Qingqing had already shifted into idol mode, waving at fans with a bright smile.

“Senior Yuki! Can… can I have an autograph?”

A girl squeezed her way to the front, holding out a small notebook with shining eyes.

“Ah… uh… sure.”

Lin Lu’s brain was still stalled, but her hand instinctively took the pen and wrote the name “Chiyoyuki” on the notebook.

Her handwriting was shaky because her hand was trembling.

However, the girl was so excited she looked like she might faint. 

“Thank you, Senior! I’ll treasure this for the rest of my life!”

“I want one too!”

“Lady Chiyoyuki, can I shake your hand?!”

“Senior Yuki, look at the camera!”

Lin Lu was pushed and pulled in every direction, and the pen in her hand never stopped moving.

After signing over a dozen names, she finally couldn’t help but look at Hoshino Hikari, her eyes pleading for help.

Hoshino Hikari was currently surrounded by her own horde of fans, signing and laughing without a care in the world, showing no intention of coming to the rescue.

Lin Qingqing wanted to help, but she was also completely blocked off by the crowd.

Minazuki was the most composed, signing names expressionlessly and occasionally looking up to adjust her glasses. 

This cold demeanor only made the fans scream louder in adoration.

Lin Lu looked away in despair.

‘No one can save me. I guess I’ll just keep signing… Consider it part of the job…’

After an unknown amount of time and even more autographs, the crowd finally calmed down a little.

Some people started taking photos, some recorded videos, and others huddled together to whisper.

“Senior Yuki’s outfit is so beautiful! A white military Lolita! What brand is that?”

“Are you stupid? Magical girl clothes are summoned!”

“Her silver hair is literally glowing! It’s so pretty!”

“Her eyes too! That shade of crimson is perfect!”

Lin Lu kept her head down, pretending she couldn’t hear them.

But the fans weren’t about to let her go.

“Senior Yuki! Can we take a group photo?”

“I want a photo too!”

“Let’s all take one together!”

Lin Lu was pushed into the center of the crowd, surrounded on both sides by people holding up phones.

She stood there stiffly, unsure of what expression to make.

“Senior Yuki, give us a smile!”

Lin Lu forced the corners of her mouth upward.

“Click.”

“One more!”

“Click.”

“Senior Yuki, give us a heart!”

Lin Lu: ???

‘A heart? What heart?’

She looked toward Hoshino Hikari in confusion.

Hoshino Hikari was currently making a large heart toward a camera, her movements natural and charming. 

She truly was an experienced idol.

Lin Lu remained silent for two seconds before lifting her hands and trying to copy the gesture.

However, her movements were incredibly stiff. 

Paired with her forced, robotic smile, she looked exactly like a machine.

Yet the fans didn’t care. 

On the contrary, they thought Chiyoyuki had a unique kind of charm.

“Ahhh! So cute!”

“Senior Yuki is so precious!”

Lin Lu: “…”

Little did she know that these photos would go viral on the internet. 

Because of this, Lin Lu would later earn titles such as the “Idiot Beauty” and the “Robot Magical Girl.”