Chapter 13: Unexpected Returns and Secret Plans

After returning home, He Yao received a message from Liu Xingyue.

“I heard some people are speaking ill of you, and Ye Liuyun’s seat change to sit beside you is somewhat related… but don’t worry, I’ll help prove your act of bravery.”

Oh?

Hearing this, He Yao began to understand why Ye Liuyun had become his so-called “deskmate,” and why he had stared at him during class.

However, he didn’t believe the other party harbored any ill will; he had that much confidence in himself.

‘It must be tough being a handsome, sunny-type guy!’ he couldn’t help but muse.

He logged into the Magical Girl Domain. During the day, he rarely dared to access the site while at school.

Soon after, he discovered a private message from Magical Girl Amethyst.

[Do you want to join us in hunting down a Regenerator? I plan to locate one and eliminate it in a single strike, working with Emerald. We need a melee-type magical girl.]

‘Speaking of which, Amethyst and Emerald, if categorized by MMORPG roles, would be a mage and a support. Did they need him, the warrior, to provide some backup?’

‘That sounded like a good gig.’

He hadn’t expected his first monster takedown to be one he personally dealt with.

Helping Amethyst and Emerald defeat a monster would be a commendable feat.

Moreover, he already knew Emerald.

Although his share of the reward might be reduced, the Regenerator bounties were never small to begin with. Assisting in the hunt should still net him tens of thousands in bonus money.

‘The risk was minimal too.’

‘Perfect!’

With those tens of thousands, he could ask Teacher Lin to take him on a trip during the upcoming Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays! Since his parents wouldn’t have time to accompany him, he was actually quite interested in traveling.

‘Just because he was a homebody didn’t mean he couldn’t travel, did it?’

He immediately replied: “I can. Just let me know when you need me.”

Amethyst’s response was incredibly swift.

[Alright, the operation is set for tomorrow afternoon after school. We’ll meet at the same location where we last hunted a Regenerator. I have a way to pinpoint its location, and we must resolve this in one go.]

“Okay.”

He immediately agreed.

He planned to transform directly before heading there.

After all, he didn’t want Emerald to know his true identity. He had finally gained some leverage over others, and he certainly didn’t want to be caught in a bind himself.

‘Perhaps a quick game first?’

Just then, Su Gu unexpectedly returned home.

“Mom, you’re home surprisingly early today.”

He Yao was quite surprised. His mother usually didn’t return until the dead of night, and she left for work very early, meaning they rarely saw each other.

Of course, he usually stayed up late playing games or watching anime, so he’d often greet Su Gu even then. But for Su Gu to be home just as he arrived was truly uncommon.

Su Gu smiled. “I took a short leave and came back.”

“A leave… Mom, are you feeling unwell?”

Seeing the worried expression on her son’s face, Su Gu suddenly felt that her decision was correct.

Ever since her son’s last incident, she had abruptly realized how grown-up he had become. He would undoubtedly face all sorts of troubles.

Thanks to Teacher Lin’s help with the previous situation, their family’s relationship had managed to become “decent” once more.

However, her son’s hospitalization after his act of bravery had made Su Gu realize for the first time just how distant she still felt from her child.

‘What if… just what if… what if something unexpected happened one day…’

For the past few nights, she had been on the phone with her husband until midnight, discussing this very matter. Subsequently, she had made a decision.

She would gradually begin to delegate her authority.

Perhaps this would mean earning less money, and there might even be operational crises at the company.

Yet, the company didn’t lack talent. She wasn’t indispensable, nor were there matters only she could handle. She realized she shouldn’t continue to pour so much energy into the company.

‘That would be… too selfish.’

If she only focused on her own desires and ambitions, then why had she brought a child into the world in the first place?

And so, she had left work on time.

“Is there anything you’d like to eat? Mom will make it for you.”

He Yao put down his phone.

It was just past six o’clock, and he usually didn’t eat until eight or nine. After all, his parents weren’t home. Eating later meant he wouldn’t get hungry if he stayed up past midnight, avoiding the need to find a late-night snack.

He said, “I’ll cook. You probably don’t even know what’s in the fridge, Mom.”

His mother rarely ate at home, after all.

Meanwhile, He Yao always made sure to stock the ingredients he enjoyed.

Moreover, while his mother wasn’t incapable of cooking – she was intelligent and could learn anything quickly, even mastering a dish after a quick online tutorial –

his own skill level was undeniably superior. Many nuances weren’t found in tutorials, requiring genuine intuition. However, his mother was a person who prioritized efficiency above all, so she would never patiently delve into such subtleties.

“Then I’ll help you out.”

“Alright.”

Stir-fried pork with Erjingtiao peppers, minced meat with eggplant, quickly stir-fried cabbage, and a white radish soup.

Three dishes and one soup. With two people working together, it only took a little over half an hour to prepare.

The menu wasn’t particularly healthy, but it had a distinct home-cooked flavor.

After a long time, Su Gu sat down at the dining table with He Yao to eat.

“The company has made some adjustments,” Su Gu explained her new arrangement. “I won’t have to go to work much anymore; I’ll only go when it’s absolutely necessary.”

He Yao, eating his meal, looked intently at his mother. “Isn’t your company doing quite well lately? Are you planning to retreat at the peak of your success? You don’t have to worry about me; I’m almost seventeen.”

He had likely guessed his mother’s reasoning. “If anything comes up, I’ll consult Teacher Lin. And if you’re worried about the last incident, I have to admit I was impulsive then, but nothing like that will happen again.”

He felt a pang of guilt as he said this. After all, he was now planning to become a magical girl, which might lead to unexpected situations. But he couldn’t reveal that now.

Knowing her son was intelligent, Su Gu wasn’t surprised that He Yao had guessed her thoughts. “It’s not entirely about worrying about you,” she clarified.

‘It seems there’s more to it…’

He Yao wasn’t overly concerned about this. They had long agreed not to interfere too much with each other’s affairs, and since the previous incident, their family had established its own set of unspoken rules for interaction.

“It’s good to rest too. Don’t they say sometimes you crouch only to jump higher?”

Su Gu nodded. She didn’t intend to explain too much.

Even saying now that she wanted to spend more time with her son would only feel awkward. It was better to demonstrate it through her actions.

“How about that girl who visited you in the hospital last time?”

“How about her… Mom, what are you trying to say?”

Su Gu’s face broke into a gossipy smile. “Normally, if the class came to visit you, it would be your class monitor, that handsome young man, right? Since it was that girl who came, she probably volunteered herself. Does she like you?”

‘…How should he put this?’

‘This was the troublesome part about having smart parents.’

Her line of reasoning was essentially the same as his, but he wasn’t surprised because he knew Liu Xingyue was Emerald, whereas his mother didn’t, leading to her misunderstanding.

“That girl is quite pretty!” Su Gu said with a chuckle. “Even compared to your mom in her youth, she’s only slightly less stunning. With our family’s circumstances, you’re free to date if you want, just don’t string anyone along. Your mom actually thinks quite highly of that girl.”

‘If only you knew she was a magical girl, you’d be worried again.’

“She’s the leader of our study group. It’s perfectly normal for her to visit me, isn’t it?”

“A group leader, huh… How youthful.”

‘Does that word truly evoke youth for you? Don’t you have group leaders at your company?’

He Yao finished his meal in a few quick bites. “I’m full.”

He carried his bowl and chopsticks to the kitchen to wash them.

Su Gu sighed.

‘There was still such a long distance between her and her son!’

‘He wasn’t even willing to open up to her.’

Teacher Lin had explicitly mentioned the need for more communication, yet she had almost made the same mistake again.

‘Still, slowly was fine.’

****

The next morning, He Yao woke up.

He found that his mother had already prepared fried eggs and hot milk, placing them on the dining table.

“Oh? You’re up?” she said with a smile. “It’s nothing too fancy, but would you like to eat?”

He Yao sat down. Of course, he had nothing to complain about. Who would turn down a freshly made breakfast?

“I’ll be back a little later this afternoon. Some friends and I are going out.”

!

Su Gu was visibly surprised, a smile gracing her face. “Will you be eating out then?”

“Probably not.”

“Alright, then I’ll prepare something delicious for when you get back. By the way, could you ask Teacher Lin if he’s free this weekend? Your dad is coming home, and we were thinking of inviting Teacher Lin for a meal.”

He Yao understood his parents’ intention. “If it’s for a meal, Teacher Lin will definitely be free.”

After all, Teacher Lin’s life seemed quite difficult lately. He Yao had long advised him not to spend all his money on modifying his motorcycle, especially since he never seemed to participate in any races. ‘He truly loves that bike…’

‘Such a distracting hobby!’

“I’ll ask Teacher Lin today and let you know tonight.”

His mother suddenly planning to stay home for an extended period wasn’t exactly good news. As a magical girl, he constantly had to go out on patrols and participate in activities. Over the long term, it would be difficult to keep it a secret from his clever mother.

‘Still… if it gets exposed, then so be it. They were his parents, after all.’

‘As long as no one else found out.’