Chapter 140: Interrogation

“Wait… wait a second!”

Lin Xue felt her CPU overheating.
Standing outside, she immediately raised her hand and made a “pause” gesture.

She snapped her head up, palm facing toward Mr. Luo.

“You… you need to say that clearly.
K–kissing?
You mean that kind…?”

Luo Shaotian shut his eyes in pain, like a criminal awaiting judgment, and gave a heavy nod.

“…Yes.”

Lin Xue was utterly speechless now. She turned stiffly toward her brother, staring at him like he was some mythical creature.

What the hell??

For the sake of saving your buddy, you even sacrificed your own…?

This isn’t brotherhood. This is… this is something I don’t even know how to categorize…

“Looks like you really do l— cough.”

The atmosphere at the table instantly became so strange that even the air felt distorted.

Luo Shaotian lowered his head, hands gripping his knees tightly, knuckles turning pale.

“That night, at the police station…
To save me, he—”

“Stop!”

A sharp voice cut him off.

Lin Yu, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.

He slowly raised his head.

His face, originally pale from guilt, was now covered in tears.

“This matter… I already knew.”

“A-Yu… you?”

“You don’t need to blame yourself, Shaotian.”

Lin Yu’s hand on the table trembled faintly.

“Because… this is originally part of a magical girl’s setting.”

“Setting…?”

Luo Shaotian froze.

“That’s right.”

Lin Yu closed his eyes, as though preparing for an Oscar-winning monologue.

“The power source of a magical girl is love, emotion, and the heart.”

“When their spiritual energy runs dry… In order to protect the ones they want to protect… They must replenish that power through some form of intimate contact with the opposite s*x.”

He clenched his teeth, tears flowing again.

“And Lulu… she confessed everything to me right after.”

“She told me… in that desperate moment, if she didn’t do it, both of you would’ve died in the monster’s hands.”

“She asked me… whether I would hate her, whether I’d think she was an unchaste girl.”

“A-Yu…”

Shaotian’s eyes reddened.

“What could I even say? Was I upset?”

Lin Yu let out a miserable laugh, grabbed his milk beer, and chugged deeply.

“Was I supposed to scold her? Scold a girl who sacrificed her innocence to save my brother and protect civilians?”

“No. I couldn’t.”

“I could only hold her and tell her, ‘It’s not your fault. It’s your duty. It’s okay. It’s your job. You’re a hero. I’m proud of you.’”

His sudden emotional outburst peaked—he slammed the table and shot to his feet.

“Luo! Shao! Tian!”

“Do you think I’m some cuckold s*ave?!
I’m a MAN!! Do you think I don’t feel pain?!”

“I also want her to belong to only me!”

“But when I knew she did it because she was trying to save you—
save the city—
what choice did I have except forgiveness?!”

Absolute silence.

Lin Xue stared slack-jawed at her brother’s righteous expression.

In her mind, only one sentence existed:

Holy. F**ing. Sht.

**************************

Later — Inside the Car

Night deepened. Streetlights slid across the windows.

Lin Xue drove while checking the rearview mirror occasionally.

Lin Yu sat slumped in the backseat, staring emptily out the window like a war veteran.

“Bro.”

“It felt like… being sucked dry by a demon fox, beaten up, tossed aside like a rag doll, waiting for death.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.”
Lin Xue snorted. “Honestly, that performance? Incredible. Oscar owes you a golden statue.”

“If Shaotian hadn’t cried and drowned me in alcohol, we’d still be stuck there tonight listening to him repent.”

“He’s in that mode now. If you told him you wanted to rob a bank, he’d probably offer to buy you stockings.”

“YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO TALK?!”

Lin Yu exploded, face red, hair mussed.

“It’s all your fault! COMPLETELY your fault!”

“Hey hey, don’t be mad. It’s not like I did it on purpose. And besides, you back then…”

“Yes! If it weren’t for your stupid manipulation and romance nonsense, would I be in this tragic position now?!”

“You’ve turned me from a normal guy into a tragic hero sacrificing himself for righteousness!”

“Ha? You’re blaming ME?”

Lin Xue sneered. “If YOU hadn’t hidden the most IMPORTANT part, would things have escalated like this?”

“That… that’s because…”

“Because what?”

Lin Xue raised an eyebrow in the mirror.

“Uuuh…”

Lin Yu’s face flushed like a tomato. He buried his face in his hands.

“H-How was I supposed to SAY something like that casually?! I have dignity, okay?! That was… that was… uncontrollable circumstances, dammit!!”

Silence Falls

After a moment, Lin Xue spoke again.

“Anyway. The lie’s out. The act’s done. No point regretting it.”

She sounded calmer, almost adult-like.

“Honestly… this is already the best outcome.”

“Best my ass…”

“I’m serious. Some relationships are better kept at a distance. Let things cool down. If you want that secret to stay hidden—this is the cleanest solution.”

Lin Yu fell silent.

He watched the passing neon lights.

His heart felt strangely empty.

Then… the Question

“Bro.”

“Mm?”

“I need to ask something… But I’m afraid you’ll explode.”

“When did you ever get polite with me? Just say it.”

“…Do you… kinda… like Luo Shaotian?”

“What the— YOU IDIOT!!”

Lin Yu jumped like a scared cat.

“I’m STRAIGHT!! Steel straight!! Why would I like that unshaven gorilla?!”

“…Oh.”

Lin Xue nodded, but her look was suspicious.

“It’s just… you’ve changed recently.”

“What change?!”

“Your skin.”

She pointed at the rearview mirror.

“Your face used to be full of breakouts from your terrible lifestyle. Now it’s… softer than mine. And your posture—knees together, hands on your lap…”

“Oh, and the way you sit lately? You’re becoming a full-on… femboy.”

“WHAT?!”

Lin Yu panicked, spreading his legs apart instantly like asserting manhood.

“It’s just the transformation’s side effects, okay?! Manager Qian said so!! The high-dimensional energy reflects back onto the original body!”

“Uh-huh. And your leg hair?”

Lin Xue’s gaze dropped.

“Last time I helped you clean up your wounds, your legs were smoother than mine. You used to be a fuzzy winter-leg giant!”

“T-THAT’S NOT IMPORTANT! I still have my beard! SEE?!”

He shoved his chin forward desperately.

“THERE! Stubble! I’m still a man!!”

Lin Xue went silent.

After a moment, she sighed.

“What about later? Another six months? Another year?
Do you even remember what you looked like half a year ago?”

“You keep transforming.
Your body, your mannerisms, even your scent—
you’re becoming… like a girl.”

“What if one day… you really can’t change back?”

Lin Yu froze.

Her voice softened, but every word stabbed him:

“Bro… if this keeps going…
Should I still call you ‘brother’?
Or… ‘sister’?”

Lin Yu’s face went pale.

He wanted to deny it.

But he couldn’t.

Not convincingly.

*******************

The Hard Truth

“Your company… will they ever give you time to rest?”

She continued:

“You think you’re their treasure? No.
To them, you’re just a convenient, high-efficiency tool.”

Lin Yu opened his mouth.

No sound came out.

Because…

He knew she was right.

He knew how thrilling it felt whenever he transformed.
How addictive that overwhelming power was.
How that monthly bonus… or the praise from his seniors… or the faint “good job” from Chen Bing… made him crave more.

He knew the truth.

If this continued—

Would he really… one day… be unable to change back?

He glanced at the window.

The reflection looked blurred.

But the silhouette—

The silhouette had grown softer.

More delicate.

Almost… feminine.