Chapter 45: Escape

When Feizuan said that, Xia Che subconsciously paid attention to Hui Jin’s reaction.

As expected, Hui Jin became visibly flustered:

“Huh? Why would you run away from home? Did something happen?”

‘She’s not hiding it at all… She always gets flustered when it comes to Xiao Chi, doesn’t she? No matter how you look at it, she’s just like Uncle Ye…’

Although he had some doubts, right now his biggest concern was whether Ye Xiao Chi had encountered some trouble, so he asked:

“Can you tell me the reason?”

“Well, it’s like this…”

Feizuan lowered her head and licked her ice cream, as if thinking about how to phrase it.

On the other hand, Hui Jin was extremely flustered.

Honestly, anyone would be—

What kind of daughter says she wants to run away from home right in front of her father?

She anxiously observed Feizuan’s expression, able to guess some of the reason.

“I still want to teach him a lesson, right?”

Feizuan clenched her fist and waved it in the air, complaining to Xia Che.

“Last time, because of that guy’s carelessness, the doll Miss Hui Jin gave me got broken. Guess what he said?”

“‘Isn’t it just some unimportant thing?’…”

She mimicked Ye Qianqiu’s tone, putting one hand on her hip, then turned to Hui Jin:

“Miss Hui Jin, that guy… he’s awful, isn’t he!”

“Ahaha… yeah.”

Hui Jin’s guilty eyes darted around.

“But it really isn’t that important, right? It’s just a doll… If you want, I can draw another one for you?”

“Even you, Miss Hui Jin…”

Ye Xiao Chi glared with her beautiful eyes, reached out her slender hand, and pinched Hui Jin’s cheek hard.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Hui Jin could only stand there obediently and let herself be pinched.

“No, no! That’s something Miss Hui Jin gave me. I have to make that guy understand his mistake!”

Seeing her daughter like this, Hui Jin fell silent.

She didn’t understand why her daughter valued so much a doll that she had only given on a whim.

Back then, Ye Qianqiu had planned to leave Ye Xiao Chi, so it didn’t matter if Ye Xiao Chi didn’t understand him.

But now, Hui Jin had promised Ye Xiao Chi she wouldn’t leave her.

So whether as Hui Jin or as Ye Qianqiu, she decided she would try hard to get along with her daughter, at least to understand what she was thinking and what she liked.

—Because she had made a promise, so even if it triggered her PTSD, she could bear it a little, right? Just like before.

She didn’t deserve happiness, but Ye Xiao Chi did.

“Why… Feizuan, do you like the doll I gave you that much?”

Hui Jin blurted out.

“Is it because it’s expensive?”

She suddenly realized that Ye Qianqiu knew nothing about Ye Xiao Chi’s hobbies, but Hui Jin knew that Ye Xiao Chi liked rainbow candy, liked good food, and liked her…

“Because it’s something Miss Hui Jin gave me. Of course I treasure it. It has nothing to do with value. What makes something precious is the precious person who gave it.”

As she spoke, Feizuan took out her phone and shook it back and forth.

Hanging from the phone case was the rainbow candy keychain that came as a blind box bonus.

The cute little rainbow candy figurine sparkled in the sunlight, showing Hui Jin an adorable smile.

“…So whether it’s you, Miss Hui Jin, or Xia Che, even if it’s something ordinary, I’ll cherish it, because I love you all the most!”

Hui Jin thought Feizuan was even cuter than the rainbow candy when she smiled.

Maybe a magical girl should be just like her.

“…A precious person?”

Hui Jin lowered her eyes and repeated softly.

She was liked by Ye Xiao Chi, treasured by her…

Was something like that something someone like her could get?

Whenever the girl was about to obtain happiness, she couldn’t help but question her own heart.

– “You don’t deserve it.”

Ye Qianqiu said to her.

Scenes of the hellish sight from that day flashed madly before her eyes.

Screams and sounds of gunfire exploded in her ears.

Gunfire, smoke, crowds, severed limbs…

She had never escaped it.

It was as if these things were still playing over and over again, only she had cowardly run away.

Cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

Her body trembled involuntarily.

She could barely feel her own hands.

Splat!

The ice cream fell to the ground.

The cone stuck upside down into the muddy white cream, like a tombstone planted in a sea of corpses.

“Oh no, the ice cream dropped! How careless of you, Miss Hui Jin…”

Feizuan wanted to pick up the ice cream, but from the corner of her eye, she noticed the girl’s trembling legs.

She looked up in confusion.

“Miss Hui Jin…?”

Just as she looked over, Xia Che stepped forward, blocking her view, shielding Hui Jin behind him with his body.

He knew Hui Jin didn’t want Xiao Chi to see her like this, didn’t want Xiao Chi to worry.

“It just slipped out of my hand. It’s fine.”

He said, but from the corner of his eye, he noticed the girl’s pale, paper-like complexion and eyes like dead ash.

“Xiao Chi, you go ahead. I have something to discuss with Hui Jin…”

“But…”

Feizuan reached out her hand, then gently brought it back to her chest, looking resigned.

“Alright, go back now.”

Xia Che sighed in relief.

“Mm…”

Feizuan nodded, pretending to turn, but nimbly dodged around Xia Che.

“Miss Hui Jin, what’s wrong with you? Let me see!”

‘Damn it!’

By the time Xia Che reacted, it was already too late.

He quickly turned around, but saw that Hui Jin had already returned to her usual self.

Her delicate face held no expression.

“I… I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

The girl said softly.

“You two go to school. I still have work to do…”

With that, she turned around.

“Wait, Hui Jin…!”

Xia Che wanted to say more, but Hui Jin had already flown into the sky and vanished in an instant.

“Xia Che, what’s wrong with Miss Hui Jin? I remember it was like that at the barbecue place too…”

Feizuan turned around seriously.

“If it’s a physical problem, we should have the Special Agency do a full check-up for her.”

“I don’t know the details either, but I have some guesses.”

Xia Che clenched his fist and started walking.

“Xiao Chi, you go back to school first. I’ll go find her.”

“I’ll go with you!”

Feizuan grabbed him.

“That won’t do.”

Xia Che shook his head.

“If you skip class again, the teacher might deduct all your participation points, you know?”

“So… so what? As long as I do well on the exam, it’s fine. I’m a magical girl now…”

Feizuan said anxiously.

“Precisely because you’re a magical girl, you need to study hard. Your father… and Miss Hui Jin both hope you’ll get into a good university, right? Universities nowadays place a lot of importance on participation points… Magical girl work is important, but you can’t neglect your studies, can you?”

Xia Che patted the girl’s head.

“And you? Just because you’re top of the grade, you think you can do whatever you want?”

The girl put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

Xia Che grinned crookedly:

“Sorry, but being top of the grade means I can do whatever I want~”

“Grr! I’ll definitely beat you on the next exam!”

Feizuan punched Xia Che in the chest.

He felt like an elephant had trampled over him and couldn’t help but grunt.

“Oops, I didn’t hold back!”

The girl quickly withdrew her hand.

“Cough, cough… It’s fine!”

Xia Che, ignoring the stars in his vision, smiled:

“Trust me, Xiao Chi.”

“I’ll bring Hui Jin back safe and sound. After all, I’m her manager. Protecting her is my responsibility. As her junior, you have to cover for me, okay? If the teacher asks, just say I went on an internship.”

Feizuan pursed her lips and stayed silent for a long moment, then finally nodded firmly.

“Then I’m leaving Miss Hui Jin in your hands. If anything happens to her, I won’t let you off!”

With that, she shook her little fist.

Xia Che quickly stepped back several paces.

If he took a few more of those normal punches, he might actually die.

“Mm, for sure! Meet at my place later!”

The boy nodded and dashed into the sunlit street.