Chapter 15: The Magic Girl Valley

“So, there’s a Magic Girl merchandise store nearby?”

Following Tang Nuo, the group arrived at the first battle site of their friendship: the Magic Girl Valley Store.

The shelves were packed with an array of Magic Girl figurines. Despite her intention to simply keep Tang Nuo company, Ye Qing’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to the beautifully enhanced face of Magic Girl White.

Due to magical protection, the true identity of a transformed Magic Girl is unrecognizable. People can only discern that it’s an exceedingly beautiful face, which quickly fades from memory.

Thus, the figurines are merely artists’ interpretations of idealized beauty, though they perfectly fit the golden ratio, they hardly resemble the real individuals.

On the wall hung a meticulously crafted poster of a three-person team, with Magic Girl White again at the center, swords at the ready, her fiery wine-colored eyes exuding a daring and unrestrained spirit.

“Magic Girl White… she’s still so cool.”

Tang Nuo sighed, and Ye Qing couldn’t help but quip, “It doesn’t look like her at all.”

Both were momentarily taken aback.

“Huh? Ye Qing, have you seen Magic Girl White before?”

“No.”

Ye Qing firmly denied it. As she turned, she caught a glimpse of a pair of startled wine-colored eyes through the gap in the shelves.

Ye Qing froze, quickly averting her gaze to avoid the awkwardness.

At this point, the best course of action is to minimize further interaction, pretending we never knew each other.

“Ye Qing!”

However, Gu Xuanyu managed to catch her just in time, correctly calling out her name.

As always, she’s incredibly perceptive.

Ye Qing reluctantly turned back, facing the elated Gu Xuanyu.

The silver-haired girl seemed to have just escaped some trouble, her eyes betraying a hint of fatigue. Her attire showed signs of careful grooming, though it clashed with her simple hairstyle.

Noticing the black bow on Gu Xuanyu’s head, Ye Qing was momentarily lost in thought.

It suits her.

“Sorry, is your foot still hurting?”

Ye Qing glanced at her already healed ankle, wrapped in a white sock, and shook her head slightly.

“It’s fine.”

Seeing Ye Qing’s lack of enthusiasm, Gu Xuanyu didn’t press further.

“Is that so? I see, I see…”

Watching Gu Xuanyu’s dispirited state, Ye Qing furrowed her brow slightly but didn’t say more, rejoining the others.

Upon turning, she found Tang Nuo and Lin Shaoyao staring at her with surprise.

“What’s wrong? Do I have something on my face?”

Ye Qing tilted her head in confusion, and before she knew it, Lin Shaoyao had playfully pinched her soft cheeks.

“You sneaky little thing, hiding your talents. Acting all distant with the art student, only to secretly be dating the lit student. Come on, spill! How did you manage to get Gu Xuanyu?”

Even Tang Nuo seemed intrigued, her golden eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“I don’t really know her.”

Ye Qing’s cheeks tingled as she tried to free her face from Lin Shaoyao’s playful grasp, only to have the other girl pinch her other cheek, kneading it like dough.

“Don’t know her? I saw her approaching you! Even Xiao Conan knows her!”

Tang Nuo nodded, moving closer, and Ye Qing felt the pink haze intensify, almost enveloping her.

“It’s nothing, just a brief encounter. Don’t read too much into it.”

Hearing this, Lin Shaoyao finally released her, still seeming to savor the soft, smooth sensation. It was clear that Gu Xuanyu had merely been an excuse for her to pinch Ye Qing’s cheeks.

Lin Shaoyao had been wanting to feel them, like soft, white tofu, undoubtedly yielding a delightful touch.

“Speaking of which, is she in the lit department?”

Ye Qing rubbed her reddened cheeks, unsurprised by the outcome.

Since middle school, Gu Xuanyu had shown a profound interest in literature, though her performance in the field was not as stellar as in science, her passion itself was a form of talent.

Back then, Gu Xuanyu would often pestering Ye Qing, sharing her aspirations.

“Wooden Ye, I’ve started keeping a diary! I’m trying to turn the interesting things in my life into inspiration. That way, when I finally have enough, I’ll write a novel with them.”

“So, talk to me more, or you’ll only have lines like ‘uh,’ ‘ah,’ ‘oh,’ ‘that’s so bothersome’ in the novel, wouldn’t that be a shame?”

“Mm.” Ye Qing’s response was as uninspiring as ever, but she added, “But I can draw the illustrations.”

The silver-haired girl’s eyes crinkled with joy, her smile radiant, her gaze shimmering like freshly poured red wine, rippling with enchanting waves.

“Then it’s a deal. When I become a novelist, you can’t back out just because it’s too much trouble.”

“Mm.”

Whether or not Gu Xuanyu became a novelist, Ye Qing, despite her average talent, had already achieved mastery in illustration.

Though self-proclaimed, Ye Qing considered herself an honest person.

“Mm, she’s in the lit department. Rumor has it, she’s submitted many manuscripts to a certain magazine, considering whether to sign a contract as a full-time writer.”

Ye Qing’s eyelids fluttered, her butterfly lashes quivering.

Is that so? It seems she hasn’t forgotten her dream.

But if she kept a diary, why did she forget me completely? Or was I never a part of her entries from the start…

In her peripheral vision, Ye Qing caught a glimpse of a familiar figure she had recently encountered. She turned to see a white-haired girl following Gu Xuanyu.

Silver Moon? Wasn’t she supposed to be with Shen Congqing in the office? Why is she here?

And her attire was completely different, from chic and sleek to… rather outdated, almost like something Ye Qing might have worn.

Her silky white hair was loosely draped, but her captivating features remained unchanged.

For some reason, seeing Silver Moon caused a sharp, tearing pain in Ye Qing’s head.

“I’ll wait outside for you.”

On the other side of the shelf, beside Gu Xuanyu, there was another girl with a serene demeanor, a red-haired girl wearing a pair of distinctly literary black-framed glasses.

Her deep, tranquil eyes were occasionally adjusted with a hand, and a book was tucked under her arm, giving her the air of a professional librarian.

As Silver Moon approached, both girls’ gazes converged on the white-haired girl, but in their clear eyes, they saw completely different faces.

“Qiu Qingruo, let me help you put the book away. This is a public place…”

Silver Moon, unusually proactive, reached out to Qiu Qingruo, who blushed and averted her gaze, handing over the still-sealed book.

If anyone had noticed, they would have smirked, casting a knowing glance at the seemingly serene red-haired girl, who had been hiding a rather revealing section of the cover under her arm.

It was a book about a certain young prince…