Chapter 23: Haha, I Can’t Laugh Yet

Magical Girl Mansion, break room.

Qiong Ling had her black-stocking-clad feet propped up on the coffee table without any grace, leaning back against the chair and rocking it like a rocking chair.

She hummed a cheerful little tune, her bunny ears bouncing along with the rhythm while her fingers flew across the calculator.

“Haha! I still can’t laugh yet!”

She stopped the calculator and picked up several of the photos the fat guy outside had been selling earlier, admiring them with clear appreciation.

“Aiya, Lady Fei Xia even got MVP!”

“Not only did you help me deal with the trouble, you also boosted drink sales outside and even brought in these nice little side profits from the merch… Those legs, that waist, tsk tsk. I kind of want to get stepped on by them too~”

Boom—!!!

The heavy solid-wood door was violently pushed open with a loud bang, causing the entire wall to tremble slightly.

Qiong Ling jumped in fright and immediately lost her balance. 

She fell backward along with the chair, landing flat on her back as the photos in her hands scattered all over the floor.

She awkwardly pulled herself up using the edge of the table. 

The moment she raised her head, she saw Fei Xia standing at the doorway radiating murderous intent.

The red-haired girl’s face was as dark as a storm cloud about to unleash thunder.

Without saying a word, she walked over with a cold expression, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

Slap!

The stack of photos she had snatched from the fat man was tossed onto the table.

Then she crossed her arms, crossed her legs, lowered her head, and sulked in silence.

Fei Xia glanced at the wall clock. 

There was still some time before her scheduled shift.

But right now she didn’t want to go anywhere.

Just thinking about that fat guy’s face made her feel like ants were crawling all over her body. 

No matter how she sat, she couldn’t get comfortable.

“Aiya! What’s wrong?”

Qiong Ling straightened her messy butterfly tie and leaned over with great interest.

She casually picked up the scattered stack of photos on the table, took one look, and a playful glint flashed in her eyes.

“Aren’t these shots pretty nice? Look at those slender arms and legs.”

Qiong Ling held the photo up next to the real person for comparison and teased with a smile.

“Not nice.”

Fei Xia replied sullenly, her voice thick with resentment.

“Not nice at all.”

“Really?”

Qiong Ling covered her mouth with her fan and giggled secretly.

“Then who made our little kitten unhappy? Tell big sis so I can have a good laugh?”

Fei Xia turned her head. Her dead-fish eyes stared at Qiong Ling gloomily.

After a long silence, she finally spoke through gritted teeth. 

It was less an answer and more a vent of the resentment in her heart.

“There was this guy outside.”

“He said because I’m a black household—an unregistered person—anyone can take pictures of my face however they want.”

“Even if he prints my photos on toilet paper and sells them, not only can I not sue him, I should actually thank him.”

The more Fei Xia spoke, the angrier she became. Her fists clenched unconsciously.

She looked up with a trace of barely noticeable hope in her eyes, seemingly wishing that this industry insider in front of her would refute the fat man.

Qiong Ling looked at Fei Xia’s wronged and furious expression and instantly understood the whole story.

She dropped her playful attitude, sat back in her chair, and lightly tapped the tabletop with her fingers.

“Hmm… That guy really is quite disgusting.”

“But what he said is actually true.”

The corner of Qiong Ling’s mouth twitched as she tried to hold back a laugh. 

She had seen this kind of thing many times.

“Let me ask you this: Would you sue someone for taking pictures of a scenic landscape and selling postcards?”

“…No. But what does that have to do with me?”

A trace of confusion appeared in Fei Xia’s eyes.

Qiong Ling reached out and gently poked Fei Xia on the forehead.

“To put it bluntly, you’re a black household. In legal terms, you’re considered unowned property… or a natural landscape.”

“Anyone can take pictures of you, and anyone can sell those pictures afterward.”

Fei Xia’s body instantly stiffened.

That phrase again.

Black household. Unowned property.

It was clearly her own face, her own body, yet others could trample on it and profit from it freely—just like having her phone stolen. 

It was right there in front of her, yet they wouldn’t even let her prove ownership.

“However…”

Qiong Ling drew out her words. She pulled a flyer from the drawer and gently pushed it toward Fei Xia.

“If you become an officially registered magical girl with the General Bureau, things will be different.”

Fei Xia’s gaze fell on the paper.

“Once you successfully register, you’ll be protected under the Magical Girl Rights Protection Act.”

Qiong Ling raised one finger, her tone full of temptation.

“First, the authorities will crack down hard on any pirated merchandise. That fat guy selling your photos—you can directly sue him for violating your portrait rights and demand triple compensation.”

Qiong Ling hadn’t realized she had accidentally revealed that she knew the fat guy, but Fei Xia didn’t notice either.

Her attention was elsewhere.

Triple compensation?

Three times twenty-five thousand… seventy-five thousand?

“Second.”

Qiong Ling withdrew her hand and raised two fingers.

“You can authorize the official production of legitimate merchandise. Body pillows, figurines, blind boxes… After deducting operating costs, you get to keep seventy percent of the profits.”

Seventy percent?!

Fei Xia suddenly raised her head. Those previously murderous dead-fish eyes now sparkled with a hint of light.

Hooked.

Qiong Ling smiled. She withdrew her hand again and raised three fingers.

“And recently the General Bureau has launched a newcomer benefits package to expand recruitment.”

“As long as you register now, they’ll give you a full set of basic support equipment. If you don’t want it, combined with the signing bonus, you can cash it out for around thirty thousand.”

The entire room fell into dead silence.

Only Fei Xia’s slightly heavy breathing could be heard.

She wouldn’t say things like “I don’t care about money” or “I’m doing this for world peace.”

Triple compensation, seventy percent copyright revenue, thirty thousand signing bonus.

She cared about these things very much. 

Not only because she desperately needed the funds, but also because once she registered successfully, she would no longer be a black household who could only watch helplessly as others profited from her.

She looked at Qiong Ling and forced out one word through gritted teeth. 

The ice in her tone had thawed considerably.

“Good!”

“Alrighty~”

Qiong Ling snapped her fingers in satisfaction. She checked the time, a sly glint flashing in her eyes.

“However, the General Bureau hall closes at five. If you don’t hurry, you won’t make it! Listen carefully—go straight to Window 3. That window processes things the fastest.”

“Window 3. Remember that.”

Fei Xia nodded without any suspicion. She didn’t even have time to ask why before she turned and left, her cloak fluttering behind her.

For no other reason.

She just wanted to come back as soon as possible to collect that seventy-five thousand in compensation.

Qiong Ling looked at the now empty doorway. 

Instead of celebrating that she had roped in another kid, she took out her phone, lazily leaned back into her chair, and dialed a number.

“Hey, Qinghai. It’s Qiong Ling.”

While playing with one of the photos she had secretly taken from the stack in Fei Xia’s hand, Qiong Ling spoke casually:

“I was thinking of exchanging some pleasantries, but I decided to just get straight to the point. The kid you’re looking for is currently on her way to the General Bureau.”

An excited cry and the sound of chairs scraping seemed to come from the other end of the line.

“Don’t rush. Listen to me first.”

The smile on Qiong Ling’s lips became more meaningful, like a cunning fox.

“She’s quite impatient, so I sent her straight to Window 3.”

“Window 3?! That’s…”

The voice on the other end immediately became anxious.

“That’s right. It’s that notoriously snobbish one who loves making things difficult for new applicants.”

Qiong Ling let out a soft laugh, her tone filled with the joy of watching a good show.

“You know that kid is a black household with no guarantor. With that fiery temper of my little kitten, if she gets bullied…”

“If you don’t want her to demolish the General Bureau hall on her first day, you’d better hurry over and stage a ‘hero saving the beauty’ moment~”

Beep— Beep—

The call was abruptly hung up. Clearly the person on the other end had rushed out in a panic.

Qiong Ling put down her phone and looked at the stack of glamorous photos on the table. She chuckled softly.

“Perfect. The stage is set and the actors are in place.”

“Qinghai, I’ve given you the opportunity. Whether you can successfully recruit her depends on your own skills now.”

“Haha, I still can’t laugh yet!”