Chapter 29: The School’s Volunteer Activities

The School’s Volunteer Activities.

On this particular day, the entire school participated in various activities, ranging from cleaning streets to visiting orphanages, nursing homes, and hospitals—essentially contributing to society in diverse ways.

He Yao, due to his donation, was excused from participating in these tasks.

This did not make him feel lonely.

He had initially thought of buying himself a day off with his fifty thousand, but he hadn’t anticipated other events unfolding.

Zhang Xiao extended an invitation to him.

It was an invitation for a ‘date’.

Upon hearing this, he found it amusing. What did a middle schooler know about dating? It was merely a trend, a way to appear ‘cool’ after hearing others discuss it. These teenagers didn’t truly understand romance.

He had no intention of getting too involved with the girl, but she clearly stated that if he refused, she would create a scene at their classroom door. This was quite rude.

Unlike in novels, where such a scene would make someone disappear—He Yao was helpless against this situation.

Of course, he could be more decisive, but what if the girl transformed into a monster again? That would be disastrous.

Thus, he had no choice but to agree to the date.

Dressing in casual attire, he met Zhang Xiao at a local mall.

It was Wednesday, a school day, and workday for adults, so the mall wasn’t overly crowded. He Yao had a day off due to his donation, while Zhang Xiao was still recovering and hadn’t resumed her studies.

Arriving at the mall, he spotted a girl sitting on a bench with a pair of crutches beside her.

Today, she wore a floral print dress. If she had an average appearance, the dress might have looked peasant-like, but Zhang Xiao pulled it off, exuding a pure and innocent vibe, which she truly was.

‘…Your injury hasn’t healed yet, and you’re already rushing out for a date?’

Zhang Xiao blinked her eyes: ‘But this leg was broken by you, He Yao!’

‘It was my fault, but you nearly gave me a concussion. I think we’re even; maybe I’ve forgotten some important memories.’

Zhang Xiao’s expression changed dramatically. She was touched and said: ‘Ah! He Yao! You finally remembered? Our precious past, our secret promise? I can’t believe you forgot! But it’s okay, now that you remember…’

‘Don’t add those obvious and impossible memories,’ He Yao retorted. ‘Enough about that, what do you want to do today?’

‘Hey, you’re no fun, He Yao. Do you have a girlfriend?’

He smiled inwardly. Had she asked this yesterday, he might have struggled to respond, but not today.

‘Well, you’re wrong. I do have a girlfriend; we just started dating yesterday.’

‘In a game?’

‘In reality!’

Zhang Xiao turned her head away: ‘Impossible! Someone like you couldn’t possibly have a girlfriend! You must have used some evil method!’

Using magic girl secrets to blackmail someone? You’re right; I can’t refute that.

‘No matter what you think, naive girl, I’ve transitioned from an otaku to a chad. Are you jealous? Ah, I’ll forgive your jealousy because I’m so charming.’

‘…Thick skin! Do you really have a girlfriend?’

‘I already said I do…’

He Yao pulled out his phone, showing her Liu Xingyue’s account: ‘Look, this is my girlfriend. She’s my classmate, Liu Xingyue. I’ll introduce you to her sometime. She’s a beautiful senior.’

‘That’s enough! I didn’t come here to see you flaunt your relationship!’

The girl, Zhang Xiao, interrupted He Yao’s boasting. Her mood seemed troubled.

‘That’s what I’ve been asking. What do you want to do today?’ He Yao had been trying to steer the conversation, but Zhang Xiao hadn’t provided a clear answer.

Zhang Xiao sighed, looking at He Yao: ‘I’ve summoned monsters before. Without you and the magic girl Emerald, I might have caused a tragedy.’

‘That’s correct.’

‘It seems like everyone at school knows about it.’

Hearing this, He Yao was taken aback. He realized Zhang Xiao’s meaning: ‘You mean, you’re unsure how your classmates view you, and you’re… afraid to return to school?’

Zhang Xiao nodded. Her eyes held a hint of testing: ‘He Yao, you agreed to my request for a date… because you were afraid I’d be upset by your refusal and transform into a monster again, right?’

‘…’

He Yao was momentarily speechless. She was right. He had overlooked this. These teenagers, though pure and naive, were not foolish. Someone like Zhang Xiao, who had once become a monster, was particularly sensitive. She keenly observed the emotions of those around her.

‘He Yao, aren’t you going to deny it?’

‘Denying it wouldn’t make a difference; you can tell if someone is lying to you.’

The girl fell silent for a moment: ‘He Yao, you’re different from others…’

She stood up, picking up her crutches: ‘Anyway, we’re on a date today. We should at least do something date-like.’

‘Should I support you?’

‘Hey, if you want to showcase your masculinity, why not carry me in a princess carry?’

‘You’re overthinking it.’

The girl pouted, leaning on her crutches, and walked ahead of He Yao. He followed, always staying half a step behind, watching her movements to ensure she didn’t get bumped or trip and fall.

‘This place is quite convenient: eating on the first floor, entertainment on the second, shopping on the third, and cosmetics on the fourth. It’s like a monster waiting to devour everyone’s money before letting them leave.’

He Yao heard Zhang Xiao’s words and remarked: ‘You sound quite the literary critic. Do you excel in language arts?’

‘I’m the language arts representative!’

‘Oh, impressive!’

The girl seemed proud: ‘Let me think… You seem like a gaming expert. Let’s go to the arcade on the fourth floor?’

‘No problem. You can choose something you like; you don’t have to cater to me.’

‘I don’t have any particular favorites. If it were before, it would have been tennis.’

Tennis…

He Yao remembered the tennis racket that had split his head and decided not to pursue that topic.

‘Trying new things can be beneficial,’ He Yao nodded thoughtfully. He then led Zhang Xiao to the arcade. He was a pro in this domain.

‘…Your skills are awful,’ Zhang Xiao criticized bluntly.

She put down the simulated rifle and looked at He Yao with disdain: ‘You said you were good, but you couldn’t hit a thing! That soldier was right in front of you, and you emptied an entire magazine!’

‘It’s a hand-eye coordination issue! This rifle has problems; I didn’t mention it, but the calibration is definitely off, and I’m too lazy to argue with the staff…’

‘Is that so? Should we switch and try again?’

‘This game is boring. Let’s play something else.’

‘Never mind, I’m hungry. Let’s eat.’

He Yao agreed: ‘Sure, what do you want to eat?’

‘Wow… Even though I’m just a middle schooler, I’ve heard from friends that the worst partner is one who asks, ‘What do you want to eat?’ without any plans…’

He Yao stared at her: ‘This isn’t my planned date, remember?’

‘…That’s true.’

They decided to have fire chicken hotpot. After ordering, He Yao finally sat down: ‘So, what do you plan to do?’

‘Normally, the best option would be for my parents to arrange a transfer for me. That way, I could hide my past and no one would know about my monster transformation. It should work out.’

This was a reasonable idea.

‘But this approach has risks. It means facing an unfamiliar environment, and I can’t guarantee my state of mind there.’ Zhang Xiao sucked on her straw, sipping the juice that had just arrived.

This girl had clearly considered many things.

‘But you asking me won’t help much. Teacher Lin could provide better guidance.’

Zhang Xiao shook her head: ‘Teacher Lin is a good person, but I always feel there’s something dangerous about him.’

‘How is Teacher Lin dangerous? He just likes modifying motorcycles; it’s a bit strange, but he’s a good person.’

‘Maybe, but my instincts tell me you can solve this problem.’

Instincts? What was she talking about?

‘The monster hasn’t disappeared; the negative energy still lingers within me,’ she suddenly said.

He Yao’s expression turned serious: ‘You’re serious?’

Zhang Xiao nodded.

‘Although government officials checked and found nothing, I can feel it… You were the one who stopped me. The monster I created hasn’t truly disappeared. It’s hiding, and whenever I’m with you, I can sense its restlessness.’

She paused.

‘He Yao, are you… a magic girl?’

This was suffocating.

When the fire chicken pot arrived, both were silent, ending their dinner in an eerie quiet.