Chapter 17: Making Money

Ye Ning clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, forcing herself to turn around.

She squeezed out a slightly stiff smile, her tone deliberately confused.

“Huh? Lark? Classmate Xu Zhihe, what are you talking about? I don’t really understand.”

“Are you talking about the legendary S-rank Magical Girl Lark? I’ve heard of her deeds. They say she sacrificed herself fighting Disaster Beasts years ago. She was a great person.”

Xu Zhihe looked at her, just blinking calmly, and said nothing more.

Seeing this, Ye Ning quickly seized the opportunity.

“Um… Classmate Xu Zhihe, I just remembered the teacher has something to discuss with me. I won’t disturb you anymore, I’m leaving!”

Without waiting for Xu Zhihe’s response, she turned and hurried away.

Throughout the entire day’s classes, Ye Ning was somewhat distracted, occasionally paying attention to Xu Zhihe beside her.

But Xu Zhihe sat quietly the whole time, either listening attentively to the lecture or lowering her head to work on practice problems, never once taking the initiative to look at her.

Soon, the school bell rang. Students packed up their bags and left the classroom in twos and threes.

The noisy classroom gradually quieted down.

Just as Ye Ning and Hua Niao were about to get up and leave, their Class Teacher, Ms. Li, suddenly came over, saying she needed to verify some things regarding their transfer.

The two had no choice but to stay and follow Ms. Li to the office.

By the time they came out of the office, the sky was already growing dark.

The other students in the classroom had long since left, leaving only Xu Zhihe sitting quietly in her electric wheelchair, reading a book.

Hearing footsteps, Xu Zhihe slowly looked up.

Her gaze fell on Ye Ning and Hua Niao.

Her expression remained as indifferent as ever, but she took the initiative to ask, “Classmate Ye Ning, are you leaving now?”

This sudden question made Ye Ning pause, clearly not expecting Xu Zhihe to speak to her first.

“Ah… yes, we’re about to leave.”

Ye Ning snapped out of it and quickly nodded, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

“What about you, Classmate Xu Zhihe? Why aren’t you heading back yet?”

Xu Zhihe closed her book, raised a hand to gently tidy the stationery on the corner of her desk, and said in a flat tone, “My older sister hired a driver for me. He comes to the school gate every day to pick me up and drop me off. The driver isn’t here yet, so I’ll wait a bit longer.”

As she spoke, there wasn’t the slightest ripple in her eyes, as if she were stating the most ordinary thing.

Right after her words, Xu Zhihe’s gaze swept between Ye Ning and Hua Niao, and she spoke again slowly.

“So, Classmate Ye Ning, is it true what everyone says? That you and Classmate Hua Niao are living together?”

“Huh?!”

Ye Ning’s eyes instantly widened.

The smile on her face froze instantly.

Her cheeks and ears flushed with a scalding blush, like a ripe apple.

Even her voice became a bit stammering.

“W-we…”

Just as Ye Ning was at a loss, Hua Niao suddenly leaned in with a smile.

Her body tilted forward slightly, and she gently took Ye Ning’s earlobe between her lips, her warm breath brushing against Ye Ning’s ear.

“That’s right~ Ningning can’t do without me~”

“Eeek!”

Ye Ning was startled by her sudden action.

She pushed Hua Niao away abruptly, as if burned, her tone carrying a mix of embarrassment, annoyance, and panic.

“Y-you! Don’t talk nonsense!”

She turned and hurried toward the classroom door, practically fleeing in disarray.

Hua Niao watched Ye Ning’s flustered fleeing back, her eyes filled with doting amusement.

She slowly straightened up, turned to Xu Zhihe, and waved with a grin.

“Classmate Xu Zhihe, we’re off now. You should head back soon too.”

Xu Zhihe nodded, saying nothing, just calmly watching the direction Hua Niao left.

The classroom returned to silence, leaving only her alone.

Her fingertips lightly tapped the armrest of the wheelchair.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound echoed in the empty classroom, slow and steady.

—

On the other side, Ye Ning walked huffily on the way home from school, arms crossed over her chest, head turned to the side, lips pressed tightly together, not saying a word.

The blush hadn’t fully faded from her cheeks; she was clearly still angry.

Hua Niao strolled leisurely beside her, watching her puffed-up appearance, her eyes full of laughter.

She didn’t say anything more.

She quickly walked up to a street vendor, bought two sticks of sugar-coated hawthorn, and handed one to the sulking Ye Ning, her tone gentle.

“Don’t be mad. I bought you your favorite sugar-coated hawthorn.”

Ye Ning looked down at the treat in her hand.

The bright red hawthorn berries were coated in a thick layer of sugar glaze, emitting an enticing aroma.

She hesitated for a few seconds but ultimately couldn’t resist.

She took the stick and bit into one.

The crisp texture mixed with the sweet flavor instantly dispelled the anger in her heart.

She munched on the hawthorn, chomp chomp, her mouth puffed up like a little hamster’s, asking vaguely, “Hu-Hua Niao… is there anything we need to do tonight?”

“This area hasn’t been very stable lately. It seems there are people from the Angel Cult active here. I used some connections and found out their approximate stronghold location. Coincidentally, the savings we earned last time are almost gone. Let’s go check it out tonight.”

Hearing this, Ye Ning, with the hawthorn still in her mouth, mumbled a complaint.

“Just where do you get all these connections from… You can even find out a cult’s stronghold. With connections that solid, why do we still have to work so hard every day to make money…”

Speaking of making money, Ye Ning couldn’t help but sigh.

Neither of them had proper identities; they were “black households,” completely unable to find normal jobs.

Moreover, Ye Ning always had her own principles and was unwilling to let Hua Niao use magic to deceive ordinary people and obtain money.

So, their usual income almost entirely came from things like clearing out these cults.

After each purge, they would directly loot the place clean to sustain their livelihood.

“But still…”

Ye Ning swallowed the hawthorn in her mouth and took another big bite, her tone carrying a hint of disdain.

After leaving school, she no longer deliberately put on a sweet voice, reverting to her natural tone.

“Don’t these idiots know what Angels really are? Still foolishly believing in them. If an Angel really descended, they’d be the first ones it’d go after. They wouldn’t even have time to cry then.”

Hua Niao listened to her rant, her face showing little expression.

She just spoke calmly.

“The world is vast, and there are all kinds of people. Some people have a hard time in reality, powerless to change their situation, so they can only pin their hopes on these vague, intangible things, entrusting their fate to an existence they cannot resist. That’s just the nature of some people.”

Ye Ning shrugged, biting down on the last hawthorn berry, mumbling, “Anyway, no matter what, in my opinion, people who pin their hopes on vague, intangible things and escape reality are just stupid!”

After saying this, she picked up the skewer again, licked off the remaining sugar glaze, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

Hua Niao watched her childish appearance, a trace of imperceptible tenderness flashing in her eyes.

She didn’t refute her words, just nodded gently.