Chapter 21: A Shared Secret and a Hidden Truth

“Can’t you write it more clearly…”

Half a moment later, Ye Qing grumbled under her breath, her earlier assertiveness completely gone.

“Alright, alright~ Next time, for sure~”

Listening to An Yueying’s soothing tone, Ye Qing hesitated to speak several times, finally only managing:

“I’ll find you later.”

Returning to the room, Ye Qing felt a wave of embarrassment as she saw the other two girls guiltily turning their backs to her.

‘Fortunately, they can’t see me.’

With that thought, Ye Qing spread open the photo album once more.

Inwardly, as she gazed at her own image within the photos, Ye Qing muttered.

‘I’m not narcissistic; it’s simply because I’m too adorable.’

As she pondered, she subtly glanced at the girls on either side, trying to discern something from their expressions.

‘I wonder what they’re actually seeing.’

Recalling An Yueying’s words, she felt a slight easing of her mind.

‘At least it’s not the same as what I saw. But judging by their exaggerated reactions, did they see something truly scandalous?’

If Ye Qing could have heard their inner thoughts, she would likely have been terrified, for they were echoing:

Tang Nuo: “Ye Qing is so lewd!”

Lin Shaoyao: “Ye Qing is so lewd!”

Though the scenes they envisioned differed, the character in both was Ye Qing. Yet, they had tacitly agreed not to mention it.

In their minds, Ye Qing must have seen it too, but she was still feigning composure while showing it to them, which implied she didn’t mind.

She didn’t mind!

Given this, no one would be foolish enough to ask Ye Qing embarrassing questions at this moment.

Stupid questions like, “Ye Qing, Ye Qing, is the person in this photo album you?” would only make her uncomfortable and prevent everyone from seeing the photos.

Thus, even the socially awkward Tang Nuo wouldn’t ask.

‘Just watch, don’t speak.’

A moment later, Ye Qing gently closed the album, faking a cough.

“Ahem, ahem, Xiao Nuo, this isn’t your fault. If it were me, I’d have to admit, she’s truly adorable.”

‘Regardless of who Tang Nuo saw, it’s clearly a type she likes. I’ll just play along for now.’

Upon hearing this, Tang Nuo nodded vigorously, her golden eyes gleaming with excitement.

‘This is great! Ye Qing understands me; she doesn’t think I’m a weird friend!’

Listening nearby, Lin Shaoyao’s expression was even more vibrant.

‘Little Ye Qing might seem pure and aloof on the surface, but deep down, she’s clearly a hypocrite. A dishonest girl like her deserves a thorough ‘lesson’!’

Although a superficial harmony had been achieved, each of the three harbored their own secret thoughts.

Ye Qing wanted to quickly reclaim the photo album, terrified of being exposed. Tang Nuo, meanwhile, now regarded Ye Qing as a “confidante.”

Lin Shaoyao was already plotting to use the “cost of silence” as an excuse to abduct Ye Qing and turn her into ‘material.’

“Since you’re fine, we’ll be leaving now. Xiao Nuo, this photo album is a bit too advanced for you. I’ll hold onto it for safekeeping.”

“Eh?”

Tang Nuo reluctantly watched the album, yet was too shy to refuse. She could only gaze with conflicted feelings as Ye Qing walked away.

A moment later, Tang Nuo was once again alone in the room. Everything seemed unchanged from before, but as she looked at the walls adorned with Magical Girl figurines, she felt only a profound sense of boredom.

Those exquisitely crafted models could no longer stir a single ripple within her heart. The perfectly assembled battle suits now appeared exceptionally jarring.

Most critically, she could no longer see the black-haired girl in her Magical Girl uniform, left only with memories and imagination.

Tang Nuo slumped softly onto her bed, her legs clamping a pillow, her golden eyes lost in a silent daze.

“It’s so stifling…”

***

On the other side, beneath the moonlight, within a secluded manor, a silver-haired girl tiptoed towards a bedroom door.

Her ruby-like pupils glowed with an eerie allure in the darkness.

She cautiously watched the direction of the bathroom, and after confirming that Silver Moon wouldn’t emerge anytime soon, Gu Xuanyu pushed the door open and entered her bedroom.

Ever since becoming a Magical Girl, Silver Moon had been residing at Gu Xuanyu’s home.

Although she was willing to help Gu Xuanyu comb her hair, Silver Moon was exceedingly private, almost never allowing Gu Xuanyu into her room.

Gu Xuanyu understood her desire for privacy and had always reined in her curiosity, refraining from prying into Silver Moon’s personal space. Tonight, however, she had no choice but to make an exception.

Taking advantage of Silver Moon’s bath, Gu Xuanyu intended to retrieve her diary.

When she first became a Magical Girl, Silver Moon had claimed the diary was an important medium for “love” and borrowed it. Since then, Gu Xuanyu had largely forgotten its existence.

Whenever she occasionally remembered to inquire, Silver Moon would vaguely brush her off. Despite her growing doubts, Gu Xuanyu had still chosen to trust Silver Moon.

Recently, however, after encountering the black-haired girl named Ye Qing, these doubts had intensified, even causing her sleepless nights and a sense of fatigue during her Magical Girl duties.

After much internal struggle, she had finally made a decision.

If she had forgotten something crucial, it would surely be written in her diary. Perhaps that was the key.

When Silver Moon had asked her about the wish she wanted to fulfill as a Magical Girl, Gu Xuanyu had inquired about the price. Silver Moon’s reply had been, “It depends on your wish.”

And Gu Xuanyu’s wish was—

“To no longer be the me who can only be cared for by them, but the me who can care for them.”

Pushing open the door, Gu Xuanyu found the room even more ordinary than she had imagined.

It was almost identical to how Gu Xuanyu had initially prepared it for Silver Moon; even the walls remained pristine and new, like a guest room rarely occupied.

The desk was spotless, holding only a desk lamp, a pen, and a notebook.

Gu Xuanyu recognized it as her diary at a glance, yet she couldn’t comprehend why it was simply placed on the desk, as if Silver Moon frequently read it… or perhaps even took the liberty to alter some of its contents.

This thought surfaced, pressing heavily against her chest like a massive, precarious stone, making it difficult to breathe. Unconsciously, she clenched her hands.

After confirming once more that the sound of water from the bathroom hadn’t ceased, Gu Xuanyu gently closed the door and eagerly began flipping through the diary.

Her eyes first fell upon some ordinary daily entries, but the modified sections were particularly striking.

[July 20, 2119, Sunny ♡

Perhaps it was the good luck brought by the clear weather, today ■■ Silver Moon finally agreed to accompany me to the movies. It was a struggle to get that blockhead out, but she’s changed a lot.

Heh, I bet she sighed before leaving and grumbled about the hassle in front of the mirror.

I said I’d pay, but she secretly bought the tickets. She’s as thoughtful as ever, but then she got shy when I praised her. You can’t hide what you feel just with your expression; at least learn to look people in the eye.

But it’s better to keep things like this to myself. It’s best if she never knows, otherwise, I won’t get to see her clumsy attempts at lying next time.

That blockhead is still a blockhead. I even tried to press my hand against the back of hers, and her first reaction was to worry my hand was cold. It was my first time receiving fluffy gloves as a gift in summer…

When winter comes, I’ll take off my shoes and step on her feet. Who knows, maybe she’ll give me a pair of warm leg warmers?]

Aside from the redacted name, the radical of the character for “she” also showed clear signs of alteration.

Although her handwriting was messy and her diary entries short back then due to difficulty writing, Gu Xuanyu had always been meticulous, rarely making mistakes, and certainly never modifying things so crudely.

An ominous premonition urged her to keep flipping, causing her to ignore the gradually fading sound of water from the bathroom.