Chapter 90: Death Anniversary

It was another Saturday, and Lin Yun still got up early.

No longer needing to socialize or work overtime, he still had to tutor two poor elementary students all night, after which he still needed to prepare lessons, so he finally rested only after dawn.

Fortunately, at this age, the need for sleep had greatly diminished compared to his youth; six hours was already enough.

After grooming himself properly once more, though still wearing a black suit, Lin Yun took the necklace prepared last week from Anya's vanity box, pushed open the door, and walked out of the bedroom.

After simply handling the ingredients in the refrigerator, he woke Lin Xiaolu; father and daughter finished breakfast together and drove to the cemetery where Anya was buried.

Since last week's wedding anniversary, when Lin Xiaolu failed to follow Lin Yun but instead learned the truth about her mother's death, the relationship between her and Lin Yun had basically eased.

Although the cold war had lasted too long, and even though the estrangement was gradually healing, their interaction was still somewhat awkward and stiff. But at least, Lin Xiaolu would no longer deliberately give Lin Yun the cold shoulder; occasionally, with an intent to deliberately repair the relationship, she would stammer and proactively seek out Lin Yun to talk.

Lin Yun was already quite satisfied with this relationship dynamic.

As a father, he had not commented further on Lin Xiaolu being a magical girl; after all, seeing it with his own eyes in his identity as Senior Cuique, he knew his daughter was gradually getting back on the right track.

Perhaps the only thing somewhat unexpected was the battle a few days ago.

According to the three girls' descriptions afterward, Lin Xiaolu used an unknown white magic at a critical moment, then defeated an enemy whose strength was clearly above the Mo rank.

And the enemy's identity was quite strange; it turned out to be a magician capable of transforming into a Beast.

Regarding the latter's origin, Lin Yun had actually never heard of it; but regarding the magic Lin Xiaolu displayed, his guess actually coincided with that of the black-robed man from Black Ash Dawn.

It was indeed possible that Lin Xiaolu was also a Deviator.

Although neither he nor Anya had shown any qualities of a Deviator, just as Bai Jingxuan's parents were merely ordinary people, the special nature of magic does not manifest in every generation.

However, all of this was still just speculation; specific matters would require him to conduct more research with Lin Xiaolu in the future.

After undergoing identity checks at the cemetery entrance, Lin Yun parked the car in the parking lot at the gate and led his daughter into the cemetery. After finding Anya's tombstone, Lin Yun quietly placed the prepared flowers before Anya's grave, then hung the prepared necklace beside it.

Actually, in the Donghua State, every city used to have the custom of burning spirit money to commemorate the deceased. But with later urban development and the centralization of burials, this custom gradually fell away.

The form this custom eventually evolved into was giving gifts.

Whatever it was, as long as it was something the deceased liked in life—be it alcohol or clothing—bringing it to the grave was sufficient; it could be left there and retrieved at the next memorial.

Because the city's public cemeteries had relatively strict management and regulations, and there were dedicated patrols to prevent outsiders from breaking in, there was no need to worry about the left-behind items being stolen.

In the past, Lin Yun would come to commemorate several times every period; not only on the death anniversary, but also on some relatively important festivals, because for him, this was the only way to miss Anya.

Lin Xiaolu actually did not come here very often; as a junior high student, she did not have the time or ability to go to the cemetery alone. Plus, having been in a cold war with Lin Yun for two years, naturally there was no opportunity to come together.

Counting carefully, this was only her third time coming here since her mother's funeral.

If coming here before meant she carried pure sorrow and longing, then this time, standing before her mother's tombstone, she had many different thoughts.

It was not only the longing that erupted in her heart after learning her mother was a magical girl, but also the reflections from these past days, talking with Senior Cuique and facing a powerful enemy to victory.

Standing before the small tombstone, she felt that if her mother were still alive now, they would already have much in common.

"Mom, I'm here."

So, she opened her mouth slightly and began her narration.

From meeting Moke and becoming a magical girl, to later meeting Senior Cuique, what kind of growth she had, and what companions she gained... she recounted everything in detail, just as if truly reporting to her mother, saying many, many things.

If she had come here earlier, she probably would have talked about much older matters, including but not limited to those terrible experiences during the cold war with her father. But now she found she no longer had the desire to bring up those things.

Rather, compared to the experiences after becoming a magical girl, those matters had become less important.

Listening to Lin Xiaolu's words, Lin Yun stood aside, saying nothing.

The things he wanted to say to Anya were not convenient to speak out with his daughter nearby, so he could only tell her silently in his heart: that he had ultimately chosen to return.

Return to face things he should have accepted long ago, return to face some people he no longer wished to see, and return to face his original wish.

More matters did not need to be spoken; he had thought clearly enough, and after resigning, he had already made up his mind.

Father and daughter stayed before the grave for a long time, until Lin Xiaolu had finished saying everything she wanted to say, then slowly stood up and looked at Lin Yun.

Lin Yun noticed the corners of her eyes were slightly red.

"Dad."

Lin Xiaolu took a breath and spoke: "I have made up my mind."

"What decision?" Lin Yun asked, expressionless, pretending not to know.

"I will definitely persist on the path of being a magical girl."

Lin Xiaolu said with determination: "And one day become strong enough to uncover all the truths, and strong enough to protect everything I want."

"Very ambitious thoughts, but I believe in you."

Lin Yun agreed softly.

"I want to find the person who killed Mom and defeat her; I also want to protect the people in the city, protect my companions, even protect Senior Cuique..."

As she spoke, her voice grew quieter and quieter, gradually lowering her head, finally adding in a voice almost inaudible: "... and you."

Lin Yun, whose mood had just been somewhat heavy, now couldn't help but laugh.

He reached out, touched Lin Xiaolu's head, then rubbed the top of her head: "As for Dad, I'm not that old yet; a big man like me has legs and knows how to run when things happen; you should take care of yourself first."

"Don't mess up my hair." Trying to move his hand away, Lin Xiaolu complained softly, "And it's an old story; rubbing the head makes you not grow tall."

"Believe in your genes, believe in your potential."

Lin Yun withdrew his hand and looked at the tombstone beside them: "Inheriting from me and your mom, you shouldn't be far off."

"Really?" Lin Xiaolu widened her eyes, somewhat suspicious.

"At least that's what I think."

Turning around, Lin Yun gestured to her: "Alright, let's go back; have you thought about what to eat for lunch?"

"Believe in yourself... why does that sound just like Senior Cuique?"

Lin Xiaolu muttered softly, but soon stepped forward and followed her father's pace: "Whatever; there should be leftovers from last night."

"You girl, just now you said you wanted to grow tall; how can eating leftovers make you grow tall?"

"Why would eating leftovers make you not grow tall?"

"Because it has no nutrition."

"Then what do we eat? Eat out?"

The sound of their conversation gradually faded as father and daughter left the tombstone, chatting about lunch while making their way home.

The tombstones in the cemetery still stood quietly there. Flowers were placed before the grave, and a necklace hung on one side, glowing with a dim yellow halo in the near-noon sunlight, tinted with a touch of warmth.

(End of this chapter)