Chapter 62: Lina’s Return — A World for Two?

“Cha-bao~! I’m back!! Did you miss me!?”

The moment the golden-haired loli appeared, she launched herself into a flying tackle. The surprise was effective — almost too effective — because the startled Jiang Cha nearly blasted her in the face with a Lightning Arrow.

Fortunately, she managed to stop herself in time.

Otherwise, her roommate would have come home with gifts and hugs, only to be greeted by an electric shock to the face — that would’ve been very bad for their friendship!

“I did, I did. Lina, you came back so early?”

Jiang Cha smiled helplessly, her fingers naturally rubbing the little golden puppy now clinging to her.

Admittedly… kind of cute.

“It was too boring at home, so I figured I’d just come back early… Where’s Qin-bao? Not back yet?”

Lina looked around the dorm with a puzzled expression.

Since the fighting at the front lines was over, the shop where Qin worked shouldn’t be that busy anymore, right?

“She’ll be back in a couple of days.”

Jiang Cha explained softly.

She had just talked to He Qin last night — apparently, there was still one last order to wrap up, so she’d be delayed by a day or two.

It was vacation, after all. Jiang Cha couldn’t exactly demand that her friend rush home to keep a lonely single old lady company.

“Then that means… it’s our two-person world now! Yay~! Finally I can do my pretty Cha-bao from morning till night!”

“Estelle’s home too, you know?”

“Pfft~! She doesn’t count! We can still do it big and loud! Let her watch if she wants!”

“Hey…”

Jiang Cha squinted at her, deadpan, then couldn’t help laughing along.

Some people were like that — you didn’t realize how much a part of your life they’d become until they left… and came back.

When it was just Jiang Cha and Estelle at home, the atmosphere had been dead silent.

Every day, Jiang Cha would make enough food for two, then go read her books. Estelle would take her portion, eat quietly, and go back to her room.

It didn’t feel like living with a roommate — more like keeping an extremely quiet cat.

Come to think of it…

A white-haired shut-in loli cat…

“Ehh~ Cha-bao, what are you smiling at? You look creepy.”

“I was just thinking how to lock you in the basement as my pet.”

“Ohhh, so that’s your thing!?”

The golden-haired loli jumped back, crossing her arms protectively and widening her eyes in mock fear.

“T-then… please be gentle with me, Master~”

“Pfft—!”

Jiang Cha spat out a mouthful of water.

No, no, no! With He Qin gone, if she and Lina started flirting like this, there’d be no one to hit the brakes! One wrong move and things would really get out of hand!

“Speaking of which — the Witch Cup’s coming up this semester, right? Lina, got any plans?”

She brought it up not because she suddenly had a burning desire to fight, but because the prize money was pretty tempting this year.

Especially tempting — apparently a big sponsor was involved.

“What plans can I have? We don’t even have a full team…”

Halfway through her sentence, Lina’s gaze drifted toward the white-haired loli who had silently appeared in the living room.

“Hey, Estelle — interested in joining us for the Witch Cup?”

“No.”

That was fast.

If it had just been Lina asking, that would’ve been the end of it. But Estelle hesitated, glanced at Jiang Cha, and added, “I’m not good at combat.”

“Eh?”

Lina blinked, glancing between Jiang Cha and Estelle, confusion written all over her face.

“Wait—! Cha-bao, when did you two get together!?”

“What do you mean get together…”

Jiang Cha rolled her eyes.

They’d been living under the same roof for two weeks, but barely exchanged a word.

She only made extra food because she was cooking anyway — Estelle wasn’t helpless, just reclusive!

At the very least, she could still order takeout — she wouldn’t starve if left alone!

“But she never talks to anyone except Qin-bao!”

“Maybe — just maybe — she just doesn’t want to talk to you?”

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

“…”

Watching the two of them bicker like idiots, the white-haired loli sighed softly, closed her book, and turned back toward her room.

“Too many idiots,” she muttered under her breath.

The faint words were swallowed by the air — completely muffled by the dorm’s soundproofing runes.

Truth was, she actually liked Jiang Cha as a roommate.

As long as Lina wasn’t around.

That quiet, gentle girl — the one who stood in the morning sunlight wearing an apron and smiling softly as she said good morning — that was the Jiang Cha she liked.

…

Since Estelle said she wasn’t good at combat, Jiang Cha dropped the idea of recruiting her.

The Witch Cup wasn’t mandatory anyway — for Jiang Cha, it was more about returning a favor to Professor Carol. The prize money was just a bonus.

“Come to think of it, since we met, you and I have never really gone out alone together, huh?”

The next day, as they walked toward the library, Lina glanced around, suddenly realizing something.

“It feels kind of weird, doesn’t it?”

“Now that you mention it… you’re right.”

Jiang Cha nodded, amused.

It wasn’t that they didn’t get along — it was just because of He Qin.

“She just hates being alone too much.”

“Yeah, Mama Qin’s super afraid of loneliness. Always wants to be with someone — total clingy type~”

Lina giggled.

That was exactly what He Qin was like — she looked calm and dependable, but that was mostly an act.

Take the dueling club, for example — she didn’t have to tag along every Saturday, but she did anyway.

She’d say it was to “keep an eye on them,” but really… she was afraid.

Afraid that Jiang Cha and Lina — who had more in common — would leave her behind.

Both of them knew. They just never said it out loud.

“So then…”

Jiang Cha smiled softly, threading her fingers between Lina’s, resting her chin on the girl’s shoulder as she whispered, her voice low and teasing:

“Want to enjoy a rare little world for two?”

“Waaah~ Cha-bao, you’re being so seductive right now~”

Lina shivered at the warmth of her breath, but smiled playfully.

“Still… I like it~ Where do you want to go?”

“Let’s just wander?”

Jiang Cha thought for a moment, but nothing specific came to mind.

“I’ve been enrolled this long, but I’ve never really looked around the campus properly.”

“Wandering’s fine by me! I know a ton of great spots — guaranteed satisfaction! There are plenty of pretty places around here!”

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Lina~”