Chapter 15: I Really Can’t Do Anything About You, Sit Tight

Last, naturally, was Zhen Hong.

So where could Zhen Hong be found?

Bai Qiu thought deeply for 0.1 seconds and decided to head to the kitchen.

[Finally, it’s Mom’s turn.]

[This is what I’ve been waiting for!]

[Host, I advise you to behave yourself. Don’t do anything inappropriate to everyone’s mom.]

[Watching all the way through, I think we should be worried about whether Mom Zhen Hong will do something inappropriate to the host.]

[The host beat Alice, so next comes the inevitable pride before the fall.]

The comments were already dying to see the outcome of Bai Qiu versus Zhen Hong.

Actually, they wanted to see the punishment segment.

Bai Qiu couldn’t be bothered with the comments anymore—hundreds of thousands per second, plus countless rainbow SCs lined up in a row.

A closer look revealed that many were from the official accounts of other magical girl teams, congratulating them on forming a team.

Fortunately, since less than half a year into streaming, she had stopped thanking gifts and SCs altogether, except for large donations like [Legendary Member] and [Magic Heart] that cost tens of thousands.

But there was no time to thank them now.

She planned to thank them all at once when she ended the stream.

Amazingly, that “Is a reason needed to fall for Bai Qiu?” was there too, and had already donated nearly 400,000.

Bai Qiu thought, ‘It’s about time I properly educated them on their views about money. They’re so young and already holding huge sums—they can’t handle it.’

Because it was an open kitchen, she saw Zhen Hong by the island counter as soon as she entered the living room.

An apron was wrapped over her loose lab coat, and long benches were placed in front of both the stove and the island counter.

Bai Qiu remembered there were no benches this long at home, so Zhen Hong must have made them with magic.

She had no idea where Zhen Hong found the materials.

A huge pile of ingredients was on the island counter.

Zhen Hong worked three ways at once—cutting vegetables with a slicer, repeatedly washing ingredients with magic and putting them into pots to cook, and cutting meat with a knife.

‘Why is everyone at home in magical girl form? Are they this dedicated, or did they know I was streaming and deliberately stay in magical girl form?’

Thinking about this question now seemed pointless.

[If I could marry Zhen Hong, I’d be willing to become rich and powerful!]

[Get out, get this person out of here.]

[Zhen Hong is everyone’s mom. How dare you fantasize about marrying her!]

[Exactly! Zhen Hong belongs to everyone!]

The somewhat chaotic comments instantly became uniform, launching attacks on the person who had made the outrageous declaration.

Yes, yes, that’s right.

Bai Qiu nodded with satisfaction in her heart.

‘Zhen Hong can only be my wife.’

“Quick Q&A round~ Please answer the question: What dishes are for lunch today?”

Bai Qiu held the lavalier mic up to Zhen Hong.

[Host, where’s your “woof”?]

[What woof? Forgotten hundreds of years ago.]

[Punchline analysis: “woof” and “forgot” sound the same, hilarious.]

“It’s potato stewed beef, steamed sea bass, hand-torn cabbage, blanched choy sum, and spicy boiled pork slices~”

Zhen Hong propped her cheek with one hand, showing a kindly smile.

[A…lo…]

[Nat…]

[Embarrassing…]

[Where’s the embarrassment…]

[Between people…]

[Human nature…]

“As expected of Zhen Hong. With you around, I don’t have to worry about what to eat!”

Bai Qiu gave Zhen Hong a thumbs-up.

“Are you impatient already, Senior? Not yet, though.”

Zhen Hong gently tapped Bai Qiu’s head and smiled softly.

“Please wait a little longer.”

“No, it’s still early. Let’s play a game.”

“A game?”

Zhen Hong tilted her head.

“That’s right. The winner can order the loser to do anything, and no order can be refused.”

“Sounds like a fun punishment.”

Zhen Hong put down the knife, jumped off the bench, untied her apron, and placed it on the island counter.

“So what game shall we play?”

“Hmm~~ That’s a question.”

Bai Qiu also jumped off the bench and closed her eyes to think.

The games she could think of that were suitable to play with them had become completely empty.

After thinking it over, it could only be that one.

Bai Qiu opened her eyes.

“Let’s play rock-paper-scissors.”

With the simplest game, she would bring this stream to a close.

“Okay.”

Zhen Hong readily agreed.

Both raised their hands together.

“Rock, paper, scissors———”

“Forgot to mention, it’s best of three.”

“Rock, paper, scissors———”

“I think best of five is more exciting!”

“Rock, paper, scissors———”

“……….”

‘Damn it, why can’t I win even once…!’

Bai Qiu weakly pounded the floor.

This kind of luck-based game was absolute hell for her.

“In other words, I can now order Senior to do anything.”

“Yes…”

Bai Qiu got up from the floor with a righteous look.

“Go ahead, don’t hold back…!”

Zhen Hong walked over and sat down by the sofa.

She used magic to conjure a thin silver stick with a fuzzball on one end—an ear-cleaning stick.

“Then my request is~”

Zhen Hong patted her thigh.

“Please lie down here, Senior.”

“Oh… oh——!”

Bai Qiu immediately understood what Zhen Hong meant.

If it were her, she would definitely make the same request.

“Since it’s the winner’s request, I have no choice but to comply. Sigh, I really can’t do anything about you. Sit tight~”

Bai Qiu set up her phone and camera to perfectly capture the scene of Zhen Hong taking care of her.

“I’ve always wanted to try this.”

“Is this Zhen Hong’s first time?”

“Yes, it’s my first time.”

Bai Qiu rested comfortably against Zhen Hong’s lap.

Zhen Hong carefully began cleaning her ears.

[Host, do you know what I want to say?]

[Kids, is there still time to become a magical girl now?]

[Old man, just wash up and go to sleep.]

Zhen Hong wasn’t skilled at ear cleaning, but her gentleness and carefulness more than made up for it.

“How does it feel, Senior?”

“So comfortable~”

Bai Qiu closed her eyes and relaxed.

“That’s good, hehe~”

Zhen Hong continued cleaning her ears while gently stroking her head.

Zhen Hong’s body temperature was a bit higher than normal.

The warmth made Bai Qiu feel incredibly relaxed.

“Hum hum hum♪ Hum hum hum♪~”

Zhen Hong hummed a song.

“Tell me this feeling, oh wind, oh stars♪”

“Believing and waiting♪”

Zhen Hong’s singing skill was unexpectedly high.

Her gentle, soft voice was like a heavenly lullaby.

‘Ah… oh no, so comfortable, I’m getting sleepy…’

Amid Zhen Hong’s sweet singing and gentle movements, Bai Qiu gradually drifted into dreamland.

“…Hehe~”

………….

“…Mm… wah!”

Bai Qiu woke up from her dream and saw Zhen Hong’s warm smile the moment she opened her eyes.

“What’s wrong, Senior? Did you have a nightmare?”

Zhen Hong looked at Bai Qiu with concern and gently patted her head.

Bai Qiu hurriedly sat up.

“H-how long did I sleep?”

“It’s almost time for lunch~”

Zhen Hong smiled sweetly and reached out to straighten Bai Qiu’s hair.

“What a cute child. No matter when, Senior is always so cute.”

Bai Qiu’s face turned red.

She turned her head away and scratched her cheek.

“No matter what, I’m still an adult… Doing this is a bit unbecoming.”

“It’s okay. As long as you don’t mind, Senior, in front of me, you can always relax and be yourself.”

Zhen Hong’s words drifted into her ears with the wind.

“You can act spoiled with me as much as you want and rely on me whenever you need to.”

“……….”

Bai Qiu turned around.

Zhen Hong wore a kind smile, spreading her arms and waiting for her.

For some reason, Bai Qiu felt that Zhen Hong was glowing.

[What a sacred scene…]

[What a wonderful stream. I’ll probably never forget you for my whole life, Magical Girl Bai Qiu.]

[To be able to see such a wholesome stream, even death would be worth the ticket price!]

“Uh… I-I’ll go back to my room and end the stream first! Bye!”

Bai Qiu hurriedly got up, grabbed her phone, and ran to the second floor.

‘If I weren’t streaming, I definitely would have stayed a little longer.’

Zhen Hong smiled and watched Bai Qiu flee.

She looked at her lab coat.

Near the lower part, there was a stain that hadn’t completely dried.

“Senior never grows up no matter when, hehe~”

Recalling the sleepy things Bai Qiu had mumbled, she couldn’t help but show a fond and happy smile again.

“So the careless Senior still remembered the promise. That’s wonderful…”

Zhen Hong gently clenched her right hand, a determined light shining in her eyes.