[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-off-the-clock-then-a-magical-girl":3,"chapter-off-the-clock-then-a-magical-girl-off-the-clock-then-a-magical-girl-chapter-2":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Off the Clock, Then a Magical Girl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2349922,4594,"Chapter 2: The Restaurant and the Juniors","off-the-clock-then-a-magical-girl-chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>Hong Siyu is a familiar stranger to Lin Yun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Familiar, because they have known each other for a long time; in fact, one could say they are old friends, as the two knew each other as far back as elementary school, and at that time, they could even be called partners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A stranger, because they have drifted far apart over the years, and the current him cannot understand what she is thinking at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although she has been contacting him frequently lately, with every appearance of wanting to reconcile, he has not seen through her intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, he does not really want to know her intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Kingdom announced the new list of Magical Girl flower card ratings last month, and there are two new rising stars all at once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst the clinking of glasses, holding a wine cup, the woman with a teasing look on her face spoke to him like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, although she is over thirty, whether it is because she takes good care of herself or some other reason, the woman before him has lost none of her charm and looks young and bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Lin Yun’s hand paused, but he still maintained a blank expression as he responded: \"Is there any point in saying these things now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman laughed: \"Is paying attention to juniors a meaningless thing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sending some lemonade into his mouth, Lin Yun said vaguely: \"It is already a matter that has nothing to do with me, so why should I pay attention?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can't fool your own people with lies like that; you aren't capable of having nothing to do with it, are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman took a sip of red wine along with him, implying something: \"After all, you were...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Halfway through her sentence, she saw a finger tapping on the center of the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yun extended his index finger, but did not meet her gaze:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I should have said that I don't want to bring it up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two fell into silence for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Siyu stared at him, and after a long while, she revealed an ambiguous smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine, then we won't bring it up. Shall we talk about me buying a house earlier?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The topic thus returned to the trivialities of daily life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yun picked at his food absent-mindedly, while the woman drank her wine with a face full of smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere in the high-end restaurant was quite elegant, and the dinner progressed as the waiter changed plates time after time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that when Lin Yun felt this meal was already more than halfway over, the woman opposite him suddenly threw out a topic that forced him to face it squarely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, there's one more thing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she said this, she was clearly slightly tipsy, so her tone became careless: \"The new Magical Girl in Fangting City has already made contact with us today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the wine table, the woman’s bright and beautiful smile was heart-stirring: \"How about it, does this have anything to do with you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sat at opposite ends of the table, forming a sharp contrast in image. The woman looked young and beautiful, while Lin Yun looked listless, a picture of someone who had seen much of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who did not know the truth would likely think the two at this table were at least a decade apart, a generation removed, and would never guess they were actually the same age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've heard a little. What are you trying to express?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yun held his cup with one hand, took another sip of lemonade, and continued to put on an indifferent appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, you've actually heard of it? Your news is even better informed than I imagined. Even though I'm the official staff member, I feel like such a failure...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the drunken woman wiped her eyes somewhat exaggeratedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you have any self-awareness about being an official staff member, don't shout inside information in a public place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yun tapped the table to stop her: \"Also, stop making weird noises in the restaurant. Don't you see the other diners looking at our table with strange expressions?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard you say thirty-five? Are you mocking a lonely, advanced, unmarried woman of a certain age?\" Hong Siyu widened her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No one said thirty-five, and no one mentioned your age. Don't use this as an excuse to be unreasonable; get to the point.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having been busy all day and already incomparably exhausted, Lin Yun listened to the other party’s noise and only felt his brain throbbing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for her phone call, he could already be lying on his sofa at home enjoying peace, rather than listening to a drunken woman go crazy in a high-end restaurant with prices that made his heart ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The point?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman across the table tilted her head, with a cuteness that belied her age: \"I wanted to find you to chat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I mean what you just mentioned, about the Magical Girl.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hm? Don't you already know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I know, won't you tell me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not tell you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're actually being fierce to me? It was me who was treating tonight!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yun only felt his blood pressure fluctuating severely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew that reasoning with someone who was drunk and acting crazy was impossible, but the rambling of this woman before him was also enough to cause a massive headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other party was not a business partner he could easily handle at a normal dinner, but someone he truly had to communicate with, which made the conversation at the table incomparably difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Put your inappropriate, awkward emotions aside for a moment. Can you tell me what the situation is with the new Magical Girl? Did she just appear recently? How long has she been active? To what extent has your coordination work with them reached?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, Lin Yun made himself jump out of the rhythm of her conversation, turned to the initiative, and sought the information he wanted directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"coordination\" mentioned in his words was actually the city government's attitude toward Magical Girls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This world possesses extraordinary power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remnant Beasts and Magical Girls are both existences clearly distinct from ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remnant Beasts can appear in every corner of the world, and every city in the world will have Magical Girls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, every city, in places both open and hidden, has specially established agencies used to house talented and capable people to handle affairs related to Remnant Beasts. At the same time, they contact and coordinate with the Magical Girls in the city, assisting them in dealing with appearing Remnant Beasts at high speed, high efficiency, and low risk, completing the work of protecting ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over time, this formed a tradition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The government agency responsible for coordinating with Magical Girls and handling Remnant Beast affairs is called the \"Abnormal Attack Countermeasure Bureau,\" or \"Countermeasure Bureau\" for short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Countermeasure Bureau is responsible for contacting the Magical Girls in the city, showing them goodwill, providing help, and reaching cooperation; it has already become a standard procedure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Hong Siyu before him is actually a member of the Countermeasure Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is why she would call herself an \"official staff member\" and reveal news related to \"Magical Girls.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aha... what did you ask? Magical Girls?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Siyu, who was already struggling to speak clearly, narrowed her eyes, as if searching for remaining reason in her brain, and stammered: \"Ah, right, I remember, Magical Girls! Then for that, it should be starting soon!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What is starting soon?\" Lin Yun was slightly stunned upon hearing this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I mean, the interview report on the new Magical Girl, on the city channel. It's tonight!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Siyu seemed to regain a moment of sobriety and patted her forehead: \"Remember to watch it! By then, all those questions of yours will have answers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After she finished saying this, she seemed to lose all her strength and slumped onto the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, steady breathing sounds came from across the table. Lin Yun looked carefully and was certain that this woman had truly fallen asleep at the dining table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They will all have answers? Why?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked again, but unfortunately, this question was destined to receive no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calling the waiter to pay the bill at the front desk, he returned to the table and looked at Hong Siyu, who was slumped there asleep. Lin Yun sighed helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After calling her repeatedly to no avail, he could only support Hong Siyu and leave the restaurant amidst the strange looks of the people around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finding the car keys in her purse, he opened the car door, threw her into the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, sat in the driver's seat, and started the engine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the night roads, the car headed toward Hong Siyu's home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The evening rush hour had passed, and the traffic on the street had become smooth. Looking at the night view of the street, Lin Yun felt his mood improve just a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hand reached out from the side and rested on his knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Siyu’s groggy voice sounded from the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\" Lin Yun glanced at her and responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You say... Aya has been gone for more than two years now, why can't you consider me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A somewhat dejected voice came from the passenger seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm not married yet, you know how hard I've been waiting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yun was silent for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not really want to answer this question, nor did he know how to answer it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The car drove on the road for a while longer before he thought of how to express his feelings, and then he spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I—have not been able to convince myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused and added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not been able to convince myself to let her go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that the conclusion reached after this long deliberation was not heard by the other party. Shallow breathing sounds arose; in this brief interval of silence, Hong Siyu seemed to have fallen asleep again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a trance, Lin Yun seemed to hear a very soft sob:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm sorry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound was very blurry and hazy, so much so that it took him half a day to understand that the pronunciation was actually \"I'm sorry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And whether this sound was Hong Siyu’s sleep talk or his own illusion, there was no way to verify it.\u003C\u002Fp>",1747,"2026-06-21T02:45:47.620Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","e20077b3322f9693def35ab18e711d1150de3eeb54eb15782cd68414200d0945","off-the-clock-then-a-magical-girl-chapter-3","off-the-clock-then-a-magical-girl-chapter-1",364,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foff-the-clock-then-a-magical-girl-cover.jpg"]