Chapter 98: Late Summer Coolness at the End of Heat (4.5k)

More than a month ago, during the tracking misunderstanding at the shopping mall, Xia Liang had already uncovered some clues after dialing the "Cuique's phone" on Lin Yun's person.

At that time, to avoid awkwardness and cover up the truth, Lin Yun's explanation was, "I know Cuique; she left her phone at my place."

There were actually many contradictions behind such a statement, but at the time, his thinking time was extremely short, and under the urgency of the situation, he could not provide a better explanation.

Now, when Xia Liang used almost the same tactic again and asked this question, Cuique knew: there was no room for explanation left.

Even if she used the same lines to deceive again, saying "Lin Yun left the phone at Cuique's place," she could not explain the logic behind it: why would she be carrying someone else's phone?

To patch up a lie, one must use more lies to cover the gaps; to hide a matter, one's behavior will inevitably become distorted.

Cuique was neither a professional orator nor a liar; she did not want, nor was she willing, to invest too much energy into endlessly fabricating lies. So, she squinted her eyes and slowly sighed:

"Chasing these matters relentlessly makes you seem too willful."

She chose to completely abandon the argument.

"Chasing what matters?"

Holding the phone, Xia Liang tilted her head and said innocently, "I don't know what you're talking about, Junior Senior?"

As soon as she finished speaking, her forehead received a sharp flick from Cuique.

"It hurts!" Xia Liang immediately covered her head.

"You've already guessed it, so why pretend?"

Cuique helplessly withdrew her hand, looking at Xia Liang with drooping eyelids: "You child, exactly when did you start noticing?"

"Junior Senior, does that mean you're admitting it?" Xia Liang pressed her forehead and asked in surprise.

"At this point, why not admit it?" Stepping back a few paces, Cuique leaned against the balcony railing. "Although it is somewhat difficult to bring up, I am not the type to lie to a child."

"Hehe, that's good." Releasing her hand from her head, Xia Liang grinned mischievously and stepped forward two paces again, lowering her voice to ask Cuique in her ear: "So, the 'Uncle Lin' I saw really is the same person as Junior Senior?"

Cuique did not reply.

She just looked at Xia Liang expressionlessly, then turned her head toward the balcony door.

The meaning of this gesture was also clear: tell Xia Liang to close the door first, so the upcoming conversation would not be overheard by Lin Xiaolu in the room.

Xia Liang quickly understood; she turned around and ran very actively to close the balcony door, then looked at Cuique again with eyes full of curiosity and inquiry.

"... First, tell me exactly how you found out," Cuique said, lowering her gaze.

"Does this count as letting me give an acceptance speech?"

"You can think of it that way, because I also want to understand your line of thinking," Cuique stated bluntly.

"Hmm... if we're talking about when, it should have been after the last phone call?"

Xia Liang tapped her chin and said thoughtfully, "At first, I really didn't think along those lines; I just thought you and Uncle Lin knew each other. After all, Junior Senior you said it yourself: you and Xiaolu's mother were teammates before, so it's normal to know her father."

"But last time, when the Claw-Mark Magical Girl called, Junior Senior you appeared at Uncle Lin's workplace immediately."

"After that, I remembered previous things Xiaolu told me: the day Uncle Lin went to attend her parent-teacher meeting, the light rail train encountered a Remnant Beast on the road. That Remnant Beast was also dealt with by Junior Senior, right?"

Cuique's expression paused slightly, then she nodded: "That's correct, but this still cannot serve as evidence. If it were only at this level, it could still be explained away by saying 'I have a close connection with him'."

"But this is the second time, the phone."

Hearing Cuique's counter-question, Xia Liang pointed at the other's pocket: "If Junior Senior you and 'Uncle Lin' were truly two different people, and connected so closely that you could arrive at the fastest speed every time a Remnant Beast appeared... then there would be no reason to let the other person's phone be left here, causing a loss of contact between you two, right?"

"Just as Junior Senior you worry about our safety and therefore require Xiaolu to notify you upon discovering a Remnant Beast, if you and 'Uncle Lin' also had some kind of intimate relationship, even if the phone was left with the other person, you would definitely retrieve it immediately."

"There are many other suspicious points, such as how Junior Senior you and 'Uncle Lin' seem to have a close relationship but your actions overlap; Sister Hong Siyu also seems to have some interest in 'Uncle Lin', yet she has no objection to your relationship..."

As she explained point by point, Cuique's expression changed from helplessness to contemplation, and finally settled into calmness.

Her calm expression showed no joy or anger, nor could a trace of personal emotion be found, causing Xia Liang, who originally carried a hint of seeking credit, to gradually become hesitant, even somewhat guilty.

"I know that even at this stage, it is still insufficient to confirm everything. And my speculation is too strange; it is very likely just my own delusion. That is why I took this opportunity to play a prank; I wanted to get the true answer from Junior Senior you."

After describing her line of thinking and seeing that Cuique was still silent, she could only force herself to say, "Did I make you angry by doing this?"

— Was she angry?

Cuique couldn't help but ask herself.

Logically, when a person's attempt to hide something is exposed by others, they would feel some shame and annoyance, feeling their privacy was invaded by others, which is an offense.

But now, she felt nothing like that. Compared to the shame of having her secret exposed, what filled her heart more was the relief of putting down a heavy burden.

After all, her original intention, what she truly wanted to do, was never to deceive.

Thinking of this, Cuique's gaze finally softened, and in the end, she closed her eyes.

The little details of living together day and night would inevitably reveal some clues, and Xia Liang was indeed sensitive enough to extract the correct answer from a pile of clues.

"... Sometimes, too smart a child is annoying."

She commented softly.

"Hehe, thanks for the compliment."

Seeing that Cuique finally responded to her, Xia Liang's face showed a smile again: "But I don't want to be disliked by Junior Senior. If I start acting like a stupid child now, can you not dislike me?"

"It's enough if you don't dislike me; rather, I thought you would be very angry."

Opening her eyes again, Cuique's gaze was clear: "After all, I actually deceived you too. Simply because I couldn't face my relationship with Xiaolu frankly, I concealed it from you as well."

"And, a thirty-something uncle being a Magical Girl in private is quite strange, isn't it? Such an uncle casually acting as your senior, pointing fingers at you regarding Magical Girl matters. Wouldn't you find it disgusting?"

— "Eh?"

Hearing Cuique's words, Xia Liang was somewhat stunned, then shook her head mutely: "No?"

"I have no right to find others disgusting, do I? Moreover, the person in question is Junior Senior. You are the person I respect and rely on the most right now."

She walked to the balcony railing and stood beside Cuique: "I am very clear about my own vicious nature. When I was young, for simple self-satisfaction, I failed to speak up to stop my parents' conflicts; because of these things, I gave up on myself and directly became the 'bad child' in most people's eyes; now that I have finally found my place in the Magical Girl squad, I am still immersed in such desires, craving more care and love."

"Such an ugly me is the least qualified to find others disgusting."

She said as if sighing at something.

And as Cuique turned her gaze over, after the two looked at each other for a moment, Xia Liang suddenly opened her arms.

"What for?" Cuique asked somewhat strangely.

"I want a hug," Xia Liang said, spreading her arms.

"Why?"

"Little Senior, you don't trust me. Let me hug you to prove I don't hate you."

"I already believe you. Don't do such a shy thing," Cuique said, turning her face away.

"If you're unwilling, I'll tell Lin Xiaolu," Xia Liang said, pouting as if throwing a tantrum.

Cuique was speechless.

She looked up at Xia Liang, then couldn't help glancing toward her room again, seeing only the light still on at the window, casting the shadow of Lin Xiaolu bent over her desk.

"... Alright," she sighed again, unable to help it, and stiffly opened her arms.

Xia Liang smiled, secretly delighted.

She took two steps forward, bent slightly, and then hugged Cuique.

In late summer, during the Limit of Heat solar term, the dry heat in the air was drawn away by gusts of cool wind. The night was slightly chilly, and a clear breeze passed through the buildings, brushing over the small, low balcony.

The cicada songs below were somewhat hoarse and low. The cicadas on the trees strained to emit the final cries of their lives, as if bidding farewell, bidding farewell to the last summer of their lives.

"... How is it? Did you feel it? I don't hate Little Senior."

On the balcony, Xia Liang gently held Cuique, her voice humming: "Even if 'Uncle Lin' were standing here right now, this simple feeling would be the same. Although in that case, I probably wouldn't dare to hug you."

"Actually, you didn't need to hug me in the first place," Cuique said, standing motionless, her body slightly stiff. "I said I already believe you."

Xia Liang didn't respond to this, as if she hadn't heard, or perhaps pretending not to, and simply hugged Cuique quietly for a while.

"As expected, hugging Little Senior makes me feel very secure. Cool, soft, and fragrant."

After holding for a moment, she suddenly said, "Actually, I wanted to ask last time: what shampoo does Little Senior use for your hair?"

"... If you need it, I can send you the brand of shampoo."

Cuique's expression was wooden: "We've hugged long enough, so can you let go now?"

"No."

Xia Liang also held her pose motionless and said softly, "Rather, right now my heart is filled with a very ugly joy: because I feel I've found a secret Little Senior is ashamed to speak of. We now have something in common, a shared secret. Now we finally have a different kind of relationship."

"I must emphasize many times: I will not hate Little Senior. After all, Little Senior pulled me back from the edge of the cliff. I just want to know more about Little Senior, want to understand you more."

"I've said it: I'm a child lacking love, so please don't blame me for holding on so tightly."

"After all, if I don't do this, the care I get will always be what's left over from Lin Xiaolu, scraps like leftovers."

"Although this is my ugly, insatiable greed, what I want isn't scraps, but the portion that belongs to me. Even if the size doesn't change much, as long as it belongs to me, that's enough."

This time, Cuique truly didn't know how to respond.

Although Xia Liang's expression was very obscure, she could understand what Xia Liang meant.

The same thing as Lin Xiaolu, not scraps, even if not as much. The one thing Cuique could give wholeheartedly to Lin Xiaolu, yet found very hard to share with Xia Liang, was naturally only one thing—family love.

Xia Liang's request was tantamount to saying she wanted to be treated like a parent, hoping to be treated like a child.

But precisely because she understood, she couldn't speak. Rather, for Xia Liang's somewhat overstepping, even stubborn thought, she felt lost for the first time.

This request was too abrupt and casual, yet it should be a very serious matter.

She could understand Xia Liang's longing for family love after losing her father and being coldly abandoned by her mother, but she never expected Xia Liang to make such a request at this particular moment.

If Cuique were a very casual person, completely unconcerned with the various responsibilities and ethical issues behind this request, she could naturally agree casually, saying Xia Liang would henceforth be her adopted daughter, with both sides regarding each other as parent and child.

However, she was not that kind of person. Regarding the weight of family and family love, she understood it very well and valued it immensely.

From being a senior magical girl to being a parent-child pair, the gap in this relationship was truly too large, and the responsibilities behind it were truly too heavy, so heavy that Cuique was left speechless.

Even with just one daughter, Lin Xiaolu, they had already caused so many problems between them. Could she really shoulder this responsibility?

After a long period of thought, Cuique pushed Xia Liang's shoulders, and the two separated from the embrace.

"Think about it more carefully. I also need to think about it."

She tried to keep her voice soft to avoid stirring Xia Liang's emotions: "You are a very good and excellent child. I am very happy that you are willing to recognize me like this. But I don't want you to regret it later, and I hope we can both take responsibility for your future life. So, don't make such a decision lightly."

"I already..." Xia Liang wanted to say something more, but saw Cuique make a shushing gesture, then shake her head.

"Today's time for willfulness is over. You should remember: willfulness must be 'moderate'," Cuique said.

Xia Liang stood there stunned for a moment, then shook her head and smiled helplessly: "Alright, then we'll talk about these things later."

"But I have one more request."

Patting her own face, she regrouped her spirits and looked seriously at Cuique: "As the last willfulness of a bad child, although I originally didn't plan to tell Lin Xiaolu, I want a hush money."

"Specifically?" Cuique raised her head, arms crossed.

"Specifically, just pick any day, we—"

—"Ah, you're all here!"

Xia Liang couldn't finish her sentence. Because the sentence had just begun, it was interrupted by a voice coming from the living room on one side of the balcony.

Lin Xiaolu appeared, holding a test paper in her hand, slippers dragging, marching angrily from the living room, then suddenly yanked open the balcony door: "You left me out, secretly talking behind my back! I want to listen too!"

Xia Liang could only stop speaking, because this was not something that should be brought up in front of Lin Xiaolu, so she chose to remain silent, smiling and glancing at Cuique.

Cuique understood the other's meaning. In just one evening, this was already the countless time she felt the urge to sigh.

But for now, she was not yet prepared to reveal the truth to Lin Xiaolu, so she could only droop her eyelids, and then, in unison with Xia Liang:

"Nothing, just discussing problems."

This was yesterday's update, but in the end, I got stuck and only finished it now. There will be another chapter tonight; that one is today's update. I'll try to write a bit more.

(End of this chapter)