Chapter 37: The Weight of a Smile and the Coming Storm

Xia Xingyan understood completely.

Exhibiting emotion brought not commendation, but profound disappointment and humiliation.

Joy, too, had to be suppressed.

Sorrow demanded the same restraint.

And anger, above all, had to be stifled.

From that day forward, she learned to conceal every emotion, donning a mask that obscured her true self.

As time wore on, this perfectly crafted facade became impossible to remove.

It wasn’t that she didn’t wish to, but rather that she had forgotten how to laugh, and how to weep.

A subsequent hospital examination revealed that she suffered from alexithymia.

A knock echoed through the room.

“Miss, dinner has been prepared,” Uncle Chen’s voice drifted in from beyond the door.

“I have no appetite.”

The figure outside remained silent for a few seconds, offering no further persuasion.

Just as he was about to turn away.

“Uncle Chen,” Xia Xingyan suddenly inquired, “Of all human expressions, which one do you consider the most significant?”

The elderly butler outside the door paused, then thoughtfully considered her question.

After a considerable silence, he responded in a gentle tone.

“I believe it is a smile.”

“And why is that?”

“Because anger stems from hurt, and sorrow from loss. Only a smile can truly originate from the myriad wonders of the world.”

“It can be the profound joy of acquiring a cherished possession, the simple pleasure of sharing a secret with a friend, or the deep, heartfelt contentment that blossoms when witnessing the happiness of those you love.”

Standing outside the door, Uncle Chen released a soft sigh.

Having watched his young miss grow up, he knew better than anyone the tender heart concealed beneath her seemingly strong exterior.

His sole hope was that one day, she might shed her pretense and genuinely smile for herself.

****

It was midnight.

The profound tranquility of the top-tier suite at the hot spring estate was abruptly shattered by a series of urgent knocks.

Hua Mu’ai irritably rolled over, pulling the quilt high over her head.

‘Who on earth is it? Can’t a person get some sleep in the middle of the night?’

“Knock, knock, knock!”

The knocking grew increasingly frantic.

‘Are they trying to summon a soul in the dead of night?’

She raked a hand through her disheveled pink hair, switched on the bedside lamp, and swung her bare feet onto the floor.

On the other large bed, Gu Qianqian and Lin Xiaolu were huddled together.

Gu Qianqian’s sleeping posture was nothing short of a disaster; she sprawled in a wide ‘X’ shape, one leg draped directly over Lin Xiaolu, while occasionally murmuring in her sleep.

Lin Xiaolu, pinned beneath her, had her small face scrunched up, and a fine sheen of cold sweat beaded on her forehead, as if she were wrestling with a nightmare.

‘This girl can’t even sleep peacefully.’

Hua Mu’ai grumbled under her breath, then walked over to gently reposition Gu Qianqian, carefully tucking the quilt over both of them.

“Bang, bang, bang, bang!”

The knocking escalated into a furious pounding, almost as if someone were trying to smash the door down.

‘Coming, coming! Are you in such a hurry to reincarnate?’

Hua Mu’ai flung open the door, her fury simmering, ready to unleash a torrent of curses, only to be met with a face etched with sheer terror.

It was a young waiter from the estate, his face stark white as parchment.

“This is terrible, esteemed guests!” The waiter’s voice trembled uncontrollably. “An Abyssal eruption has occurred on Golden Island! Please proceed immediately to the shelter in the central plaza!”

Hua Mu’ai was instantly wide awake, her drowsiness vanishing completely.

“What tier of Abyssal Beast?”

“N-no… it’s not an Abyssal Beast…” The waiter’s teeth chattered together. “The broadcast s-said… it’s a Witch!”

Hua Mu’ai’s heart plummeted.

Witches were far more formidable than any Abyssal Beast.

They had once been Magical Girls, yet for various reasons, they had succumbed to the Abyss, ultimately transforming into entities even more terrifying than the Abyssal Beasts themselves.

Witches were the GSA’s nightmare, a forbidden topic that no Magical Girl dared to utter.

‘This must be the handiwork of those despicable wretches from the Heirs of Dawn!’

“Where has the Witch manifested?” Hua Mu’ai demanded, her voice cutting and cold.

“It appears to be near the Star Wishing Ferris Wheel!”

Before the waiter could finish his sentence, Hua Mu’ai slammed the door shut with a resounding ‘bang’.

She covered the distance to the bed in a few swift strides, yanking the quilt from Gu Qianqian with a single motion.

“Gu Qianqian! Lin Xiaolu! Both of you, get up this instant!”

“Ugh… what is it…?” Gu Qianqian mumbled groggily, rolling over, clearly intending to resume her slumber.

“Something’s happened!” Hua Mu’ai roared. “A Witch has appeared on Golden Island!”

“What?!”

Gu Qianqian and Lin Xiaolu shot upright from the bed almost simultaneously.

Hua Mu’ai rapidly relayed the grim details of the situation.

“We need to transform and get there immediately!” Gu Qianqian declared, making an instant decision.

“Yes!” Lin Xiaolu affirmed with a nod.

“Stop right there!” Hua Mu’ai sharply interjected. “Are you insane? Witches are at least a Tier Four threat; for the two of you to go would be nothing short of a suicide mission!”

She understood the terrifying nature of Witches better than anyone; they were certainly not something an apprentice like Gu Qianqian could hope to contend with.

“But we are Magical Girls! How can we simply stand by and do nothing?” Gu Qianqian retorted defiantly. “Even if we can’t defeat it, we can at least help evacuate tourists and save some lives!”

“Save people? You can barely protect yourselves!” Hua Mu’ai flatly refused. “Your mission is to await GSA reinforcements. That is an order!”

“Please don’t worry, we’ll simply assess the situation on-site and won’t act recklessly,” Gu Qianqian’s tone softened, yet her resolve remained unwavering. “If it truly proves insurmountable, I’ll know when to retreat.”

With that, she offered Hua Mu’ai no opportunity to retort, instantly transforming into Flame Rose before flinging open the window and soaring out.

“Senior, I can’t leave Qianqian alone…” Lin Xiaolu stated, then transformed and followed suit.

‘Two fools! Just because you’ve learned to fly, you think you’re invincible?’

She slammed her fist against the wall, a wave of helplessness washing over her.

Despite her curses, she knew she couldn’t abandon those two girls.

She swiftly discarded her pajamas, burst from the room, and at the estate entrance, commandeered a mobility scooter that hadn’t yet been driven off. With a foot pressed hard on the accelerator, she sped furiously towards the Ferris wheel.

The night wind whipped past, tangling her long pink hair.

Hua Mu’ai’s heart pounded with frantic urgency.

‘Faster! Go faster!’

Just then, a blinding high beam cut across from the side.

A black sedan abruptly swerved, cutting across her path. Its tires shrieked against the asphalt, barely avoiding a collision.

“You imbecile! Do you even know how to drive?”

Hua Mu’ai cursed vehemently, about to swerve around the obstruction, when the car door swung open.

Upon recognizing the person, she froze.

Beneath the moonlight, that exquisitely beautiful yet utterly expressionless face could belong to no one but Xia Xingyan.

“Get in my car,” Xia Xingyan stated brusquely. “I’ll take you to a helicopter to leave this place.”

“Are you out of your mind? Can’t you see I’m in a hurry?” Hua Mu’ai snapped, not wanting to spend another second in the woman’s presence.

“Your presence there would be futile.”

Xia Xingyan calmly articulated a stark truth.

“The newly manifested Witch has already received a preliminary threat assessment of Tier Five. And you, if I’m not mistaken, have temporarily lost your ability to transform into Tian Lanxing, haven’t you?”

Hua Mu’ai’s breath hitched. “How did you know that?”

“Naturally, I know,” Xia Xingyan replied, her tone remaining utterly flat. “I overheard your discussion on the yacht.”

“You used an audio receiver to eavesdrop on us?!” Hua Mu’ai instantly grasped the implication, a surge of fury igniting within her.

‘She truly is a madwoman!’