After chatting a few more words, the girls gradually disconnected.
On the virtual display, only Blood Butterfly’s figure remained.
She turned off the communication device, and the virtual screen instantly vanished.
The meeting room returned to silence.
Standing up, she stretched her stiff body.
The tightness in her chest faintly resurfaced, but it was much better than before.
Blood Butterfly raised her hand and gave a gentle wave.
The blood-colored film enveloping the meeting room slowly dissipated, returning everything to normal.
The receptionist girl saw her come out of the room and quickly stood up, asking respectfully, “Miss Blood Butterfly, is the meeting over?”
“Yes, it’s over.”
Blood Butterfly nodded, her tone gentle.
“Thank you for the tea and your help. I’ll be going now.”
“Of course, of course! Take care, Miss Blood Butterfly! Be safe!”
The receptionist girl hurriedly replied, her eyes filled with reluctance.
Blood Butterfly gave a slight nod, said nothing more, turned, pushed open the branch office door, and stepped into the night.
The night was deep, the evening breeze slightly cool, lifting her ink-black hair.
Not far from the branch, she stopped.
Her fingertips moved slightly, and the dark red combat suit on her body gradually transformed into specks of crimson light, dissipating into the air—the Magical Girl transformation was quietly undone.
Xu Zhiyuan raised a hand and put on a black hood, hiding most of her face beneath it.
She lowered her head slightly, her figure blending into the thick night.
Her steps were light yet steady as she headed towards the station.
The mission wasn’t urgent; she needed to find a place to rest and recuperate for a while first, then set off for A City.
“…”
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
“To, to your house?”
During break, Ye Ning’s eye twitched slightly as she looked at the serious-faced girl before her.
Xu Zhihe maintained her usual indifferent expression, as if stating an insignificant little matter.
“Classmate Ye Ning, you’ve been very concerned about me all this time. I’ve kept it in mind and wanted to thank you.”
As she spoke, the corners of her mouth showed no curve, and her tone held not a hint of expectation.
She just added matter-of-factly, “I’ve recently learned to make some pastries. I’d like to invite you to my house to taste them, as a token of my thanks.”
Her eyes looked quite sincere, without any ulterior motives.
A trap! Definitely a trap!
Ningning became alert.
“N-no, it’s okay! Classmate Xu Zhihe, there’s no need to be so polite. I just did what I should do. No need for a special thank you!”
“Besides, I have a lot of things to do. I need to help Classmate Hua Niao organize things, and I have to review my lessons. I really don’t have time to go to your house. Sorry, Classmate Xu Zhihe.”
To make her excuse more believable, Ye Ning deliberately furrowed her brows, pretending to be troubled, and even lowered her head, putting on a look of guilt and helplessness.
Seeing this ‘protesting too much’ display, Xu Zhihe’s eyes still held no emotional fluctuation.
She neither exposed the lie nor showed any disappointment.
She simply nodded lightly, her tone still flat.
“Alright, I won’t force you.”
Seeing Xu Zhihe give up so easily, Ye Ning instantly felt a wave of relief in her heart.
Watching Ye Ning’s fleeing back, Xu Zhihe pursed her lips slightly.
Her fingertips lightly tapped the armrest of her wheelchair, producing a soft tap-tap-tap sound.
Her empty gaze followed the direction Ye Ning had fled, and she murmured thoughtfully, “Lark Sister, you’re still the same.”
“…”
Time passed quickly, and soon it was dismissal time.
The noisy school gradually quieted down.
Students left the school with their backpacks, and the classrooms slowly emptied.
The helpful, good child Ningning was called by the teacher again to help organize homework.
By the time she finished, the sky was already getting dark.
Rubbing her sore arms, she slowly walked into the classroom, only to find Hua Niao was the only one left.
Hua Niao was sitting by a desk, quietly reading a book.
The setting sun cast a soft golden light on her, making her look exceptionally gentle.
Xu Zhihe, who usually sat quietly in the corner of the classroom, had also left unusually early today.
Just as Ye Ning reached her own desk, the phone in her pocket suddenly rang.
The screen flashed with the three characters “Xu Zhihe.”
Ye Ning had a bad feeling.
She subconsciously pressed the answer button.
“Hello? Classmate Xu Zhihe?”
Xu Zhihe’s clear voice came from the other end.
“Classmate Ye Ning, sorry to bother you. I left in such a hurry after school that I forgot my homework in the classroom. I remember you help the teacher organize homework. I wanted to ask if you’re still at school?”
“Y-yes, I am.”
Ye Ning answered almost instinctively.
Xu Zhihe’s tone on the other end showed no change, only a hint of imperceptible certainty.
“That’s great. My house isn’t far from school, about a ten-minute walk. Could you bring my homework over? I’ve prepared pastries and tea to treat you, to make up for not being able to invite you for pastries at noon.”
She paused, then added, “I’m home alone. It won’t be any trouble.”
After a moment of internal struggle, Ye Ning ultimately couldn’t bring herself to refuse harshly.
She could only brace herself and agree, her tone full of resignation.
“O-okay. Tell me your address. I’ll bring the homework over now.”
“Thank you. I’ll send you the address right away.”
Hanging up, Ye Ning’s gaze inadvertently swept over Xu Zhihe’s desk.
Her homework was neatly placed on the desk, the notebooks arranged meticulously, even deliberately placed in the most conspicuous spot, as if afraid she wouldn’t see it.
Ye Ning instantly looked up, her little face scrunched up in misery as she looked at Hua Niao, her eyes full of grievance.
“Classmate Hua Niao, save me!”
Hua Niao put down her book and slowly looked up at her pitiful appearance, tilting her head.
“If Ningning comes back late, there will be punishment.”
“???”
Ye Ning froze instantly, the grievance on her face stiffening.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.
Puffing out her cheeks, her tone was full of accusation.
“Classmate Hua Niao is the worst!”
“…”
Taking a deep breath, Ye Ning slowly raised her hand and gently knocked on the door, her voice tinged with nervousness.
“Classmate Xu Zhihe, are you home?”
The door opened quickly.
Xu Zhihe was wearing simple home clothes, her features seeming a bit gentler.
She maneuvered her electric wheelchair with exceptional agility, showing no clumsiness, clearly accustomed to it.
“Classmate Ye Ning, come in.”
Ye Ning hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside.
Xu Zhihe’s home was decorated simply, without many complicated ornaments.
It was so quiet you could hear the clock ticking.
The living room held a simple sofa and desk.
The air carried a faint, sweet scent of pastries.
Ye Ning quickly placed the homework in her hand on the table in the entryway.
“Classmate Xu Zhihe, I’ve brought your homework. I have things to do, so I won’t bother you.”
As she spoke, she turned to leave, but just then, a soft click sounded from behind—Xu Zhihe had raised her hand and locked the front door.
The action was casual, as if she’d just done a trivial thing.
Ye Ning’s body stiffened instantly.
The corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.
She slowly turned around to look at Xu Zhihe, swallowed, her voice full of panic and helplessness.
“Th-that, Classmate Xu Zhihe, I-I really need to go home. Classmate Hua Niao is waiting for me at home. She’ll worry.”
As she spoke, she subconsciously took a step back.
Hearing “Hua Niao,” the indifference on Xu Zhihe’s face still didn’t change, only a very faint flicker of displeasure passed through her eyes.
“Classmate Ye Ning, don’t be in such a hurry to leave. I’ve prepared pastries and tea. Sit down and have some before you go. Otherwise, the pastries I made will go to waste.”
Her tone held a kind of stubborn insistence, as if completing a task that must be done.
Looking at her like this, Ye Ning knew she couldn’t leave today.
She could only accept her fate, stop, and obediently walk over to sit on the living room sofa.
Seeing her obediently comply, Xu Zhihe maneuvered her wheelchair and turned into the kitchen.
Not long after, she came out carrying a plate of delicate-looking cakes and placed them on the coffee table.
The cakes were small and exquisite, adorned with fresh fruit and cream, looking particularly tempting.
In addition, she held a string of bright red sugar-coated hawthorn on a stick, the crystal-clear sugar coating enveloping the crimson hawthorns.
Ye Ning swallowed.
She instinctively reached out to take that sugar-coated hawthorn stick.
Just as her hand was halfway there, it suddenly froze.
Wait! Something’s wrong!
She abruptly pulled her hand back and instead picked up a piece of cake, taking big bites, nom nom nom.
Seeing her cautious act, Xu Zhihe didn’t expose her.
She just turned and went back into the kitchen, soon returning with a cup of warm milk, which she placed in front of Ye Ning.
Her tone was flat and even.
“Eating cake can make you thirsty, Classmate Ye Ning. Have some milk. We’re out of tea at home, so I could only heat milk for you. I hope you don’t mind.”
As she spoke, she took half a sugar cube from her pocket and offered it to Ye Ning.
Looking at that half sugar cube, Ye Ning didn’t hesitate at all.
She subconsciously took it and casually dropped it into the warm milk.
The action was smooth, as if she’d done it a thousand times—putting half a sugar cube in milk was a long-standing habit of hers.
But the moment the sugar cube hit the milk, Ye Ning’s body jolted.
The expression on her face froze instantly.
Her heart sank with a thud—this was bad.
She slowly turned her head to look at Xu Zhihe.
The corner of Xu Zhihe’s mouth was slightly upturned, a rare occurrence, as if she had anticipated this all along.
“Still the same. Habits are hard to hide.”
Xu Zhihe said softly, as if talking to herself, yet also speaking to Ye Ning.
“Lark Sister, you’ve never been very good at hiding yourself.”
“…”
Ye Ning held the milk cup, the corner of her mouth twitching, her eyes slightly reddening, almost on the verge of tears.
How could there be a second trap?!