Chapter 64: Night Talk (Part 1)

After finishing the study of the magic armor's uses with Xia Liang, the time was already approaching midnight. The three of them parted ways at the open space, each setting off on the path back to their own home.

Cui Que walked slowly away from the open space and looked out into the distance once more. Just as she found a relatively secluded spot and prepared to take flight from there to return home, she discovered that someone was still following her.

It was Lin Xiaolu.

Lin Xiaolu stood beside her with her head bowed, her face full of hesitation, wanting to speak but stopping herself; it was clear there was something she wanted to say.

"What is it?" Cui Que asked directly.

Lin Xiaolu raised her eyes to look at her, then lowered her gaze again: "Cui Que."

Seeing her call out her codename, Cui Que turned around and looked at her earnestly to show she was listening.

"I heard about it a few days ago, that is, um, about my mother."

Lin Xiaolu did not meet Cui Que's eyes, saying in a low voice: "She was actually a magical girl too, right?"

"Yes."

"And you were once teammates."

"That is correct."

Regarding these questions, Cui Que made no attempt to hide anything. Because she knew that Lin Xiaolu would have such doubts only because she had shown her that old photograph a few days ago.

Whether or not to tell Lin Xiaolu that "Cui Que" knew Anya was something he had actually considered seriously. After all, there was no doubt that this would cause the identity of Cui Que to be linked to Lin Yun in Lin Xiaolu's perception.

Although she had no reason to realize that the two were the same person because of this, the risk had increased nonetheless.

Yet Cui Que was also clear that she could not deceive Lin Xiaolu with two identities for a lifetime. As the time she spent with her daughter grew longer, one day, Lin Xiaolu would realize the fact that "Lin Yun" and "Cui Que" never appeared together.

She actually did not like the feeling of deceiving her daughter, but given the previous, and even current, father-daughter relationship, the identity of "Cui Que" still had its necessity.

There were many questions that she could not explain in too much detail while acting as Lin Yun, but as Cui Que, she did not mind saying a little more.

At this moment, seeing that her daughter truly had questions about the photo, she felt she also had an obligation to answer them properly.

After receiving Cui Que's affirmative answer, Lin Xiaolu continued to ask: "Then, my mother... what kind of magical girl was she?"

"Your mother..."

What kind of magical girl was Anya? Cui Que could not help but begin to reminisce about this.

From her perspective, powerful, upright, shining... all these many beautiful words could be applied to Anya, because she was indeed an excellent magical girl who held a kind heart.

However, if one had to choose the most prominent trait, these words were not comprehensive enough.

To describe Anya, there was a more suitable word.

"Perhaps, it was optimism." Thinking of this, Cui Que said softly.

"Optimism?" Lin Xiaolu was somewhat puzzled.

This was not the answer she had expected; after all, the word sounded too ordinary, not even like something used to describe a magical girl.

"No matter how strong the enemy she encountered, she never despaired; no matter what kind of predicament she faced, she never gave up; no matter what kind of blow she suffered, she never sank into depression. She was, perhaps, that kind of person."

Facing Lin Xiaolu's confusion, Cui Que's explanation was this: "Although she might not have been the strongest or the wisest person, and sometimes you might even think she was just a fool who only knew how to be happy, her emotions were always able to infect you, making you feel that things had not yet reached a dead end, that there was still a turning point, and that as long as she was there, hope still existed."

This answer left Lin Xiaolu somewhat yearning.

But following it came a sense of inferiority that lingered in her heart:

"In that case, my mother must have been a very beloved magical girl, right?"

"As a matter of fact, that is true." Cui Que did not shy away and nodded decisively.

"Then, are you a bit disappointed now?" Lin Xiaolu asked suddenly.

"Hm?" The shift in topic made Cui Que somewhat uncomfortable.

"I've been thinking about this for the past few days, because you, Cui Que, actually came to Fang Ting because of my mother, right?"

Lin Xiaolu unconsciously pinched the corner of her shirt: "Then, compared to my mother, I must make you feel disappointed."

"Is that what you think?" Her thought made Cui Que frown as well.

"I actually don't want to think in this direction... but I also feel there is no other possibility."

Lin Xiaolu's voice was somewhat dry: "I know what kind of person my mother was, and I can actually imagine that if she was a magical girl, such an enthusiastic personality must have been very popular with everyone."

"By comparison, my talent is poor, my personality is bad, I don't know how to be likable like Xia Liang, and I'm always making requests that put people in a difficult position. It's actually very annoying, right?"

"And then, seeing that I am so different from my mother, won't you feel a great disparity? In the end, if it weren't for this layer of connection, what merits do I have to keep your gaze on me?"

Cui Que moved a little closer to Lin Xiaolu.

She tried to see clearly the expression on her daughter's face when she said these words, but Lin Xiaolu turned her head away, stating somewhat to herself:

"I heard from that woman named Hong Siyu that you, Cui Que, are an Inspector, and actually a big shot in the magical realm, right? And coming to Fang Ting City seems to have been just to investigate the disappearance of that senior, Moke. In the end, because you discovered a good-for-nothing like me, you have to waste your energy on me every day like this; that is too unfair to you."

Cui Que's cold voice carried a hint of confusion: "Are you saying you want me to just stop caring about you?"

"No, it's not like that!"

Lin Xiaolu hurriedly raised her head, explaining in a somewhat flustered manner: "I'm not driving you away, how could I ever think that! I really hope you can stay here, it's just that, I am now..."

"You feel you don't have that worth right now?" Cui Que helped her summarize while thinking along with her.

"I, I guess you could say that." Lin Xiaolu answered somewhat stutteringly.

"If I tell you now that it's not like that, you'll just think I'm only comforting you, right?"

"...Yes."

Lin Xiaolu's soft answer melted into the night sky.

Seeing her answer this way, Cui Que knew that her daughter indeed had a deficiency in self-identity and even felt inferior, which was why her mood was so low.

This low mood had actually been quite obvious over these past few days; after all, Lin Xiaolu was not a child skilled at hiding her emotions.

Cui Que had originally wanted to find an opportunity to talk to her, and now it seemed this was the moment she had been waiting for, so she took the opportunity to suggest:

"Then, shall we go for a walk together?"

"A walk at this time? What for?" Lin Xiaolu was somewhat bewildered.

"Let's walk and talk about other topics."

Cui Que turned to the side and pointed toward the road ahead, signaling for Lin Xiaolu to accompany her: "For example, now that you know your mother's identity, do you have any other thoughts?"