Chapter 19: A Sweet Memory, A Stark Interruption

Ten minutes before Lily of the Valley forced him to his knees and dragged him away, Lu Chen was wandering aimlessly through the streets.

Now, his mind was adrift, his movements sluggish, making him appear much like a zombie from a horror film.

However, when Xia Shi had previously clutched her handbag and bolted from the café, he hadn’t hesitated for long, immediately giving chase.

Yet the girl ran with such swiftness and silence that she vanished like a phantom into the crowd, leaving him to search in vain.

He then tried sending her numerous messages and calling her, but was met only with silence and the persistent ring of an unanswered line.

Recalling that Xia Shi was scheduled to meet Lin Wan and her new partner at the office later, he reached out to Lin Wan for an update.

To his dismay, he learned that the girl had canceled her appointment and, despite Lin Wan’s persistent inquiries, refused to disclose her reasons, offering only incessant apologies.

Lu Chen attempted every conceivable method to contact the girl, but each effort proved as futile as a clay ox entering the sea, yielding no results.

‘Ultimately, did the girl truly wish to see him?’

And so, he now found himself wandering the streets alone, his mind adrift, his fingers idly tracing the bracelet on his wrist.

Pedestrians bustled past on the street, while the advertising screens on the buildings shimmered with vibrant colors.

Lu Chen felt as though all these people and objects were separated from him by an invisible screen, not tangible realities within reach, but rather distant, illusory programs on a television.

As he rounded another corner, a sweet, dry fragrance suddenly wafted on the breeze, finding its way into his nostrils.

Following the scent, he turned his head and realized he had unconsciously arrived at ‘A Spoonful of Sweetness’ cake shop, the very place he was supposed to visit with Xia Shi.

Inside, a refrigerated display case showcased an array of cakes, varying in size and color, neatly arranged under a soft, warm glow.

A thought naturally sprang into Lu Chen’s mind.

‘…I should buy one. She would like it.’

He pushed through the glass door, entering the small shop.

The moment he approached the counter, the shop assistant greeted him with a smile.

“Welcome! It’s been a long time. Will it be the Chestnut Mont Blanc cake again today?”

Lu Chen felt a pang of surprise.

While he wasn’t averse to sweets, he rarely bothered to go out of his way to buy them, having not visited this shop in over a year.

Yet, this shop assistant remembered him, and even Xia Shi’s favorite cake.

“Yes, please. Your memory is truly remarkable.”

The shop assistant opened the refrigerated display, and as they meticulously packed the small slice of brown cake, they offered Lu Chen a warm smile.

“Thank you for the compliment. It’s mainly because you and your girlfriend used to come here every Sunday.

Seeing you both always made me envious, so it’s quite hard to forget.

Here you go, your cake.”

A small, pristine white cake box was presented to Lu Chen, and memories that were not so distant resurfaced with vivid clarity, causing the young man to momentarily lose himself in thought.

In the past, Xia Shi would often arrange to meet him at this shop on Sundays, sharing a small slice of cake together—though it was usually Xia Shi who savored the cake, and Lu Chen who savored Xia Shi as she savored the cake.

The girl quite adored this place, always arriving half an hour early, brimming with enthusiasm.

Lu Chen, naturally, always kept his appointments promptly.

No, to be precise, there was one occasion when he nearly broke his promise.

***

That particular Sunday, he had arrived at the cake shop twenty minutes early, yet even after half an hour, Xia Shi still hadn’t appeared.

Furthermore, neither his messages nor his calls received any response.

Amidst his confusion and growing unease, he suddenly noticed the building’s advertising screen flicker, beginning to broadcast an urgent news alert: a powerful monster had abruptly attacked a nearby district.

Fortunately, the magical girl Fireworks had arrived just in time, successfully defeating it after a prolonged and arduous battle.

However, upon reaching the scene, the logistics personnel had only discovered the monster’s remains, distinct bloodstains, and Fireworks’ damaged phone.

Fireworks herself, who should have been injured and in urgent need of treatment, was nowhere to be found.

She had neither remained at the scene nor sought out her supervisor or partner.

Lu Chen was instantly seized by terror.

He immediately left the cake shop and rushed to the operation site, searching everywhere with the logistics personnel and volunteers, yet by dusk, their efforts had yielded no results.

Nevertheless, when he returned to the branch office, utterly exhausted and intending to report the situation to Lin Wan, he was astonished to find the girl sitting at a table inside the cake shop, idly toying with a plastic fork.

Xia Shi’s civilian appearance had not been disclosed to the public, and the cake shop on Sundays was typically quiet, with no one familiar with the girl usually frequenting it.

Consequently, she had simply sat there in the small shop from morning until afternoon, completely unnoticed by anyone.

Breathing a long sigh of relief, Lu Chen, feeling both amused and irritated, stormed into the shop, intending to scold the girl for her irresponsible behavior.

To his surprise, the moment they met, Xia Shi furrowed her brows and questioned him instead.

“You’re so slow. Why are you late? Even later than me.”

Lu Chen, utterly incredulous, retorted: “…Late? Late for what?”

The girl, equally incredulous, lifted the plate before her.

The cake on it had sat at room temperature for far too long, becoming soft and mottled.

“What do you mean? Didn’t we have an appointment?”

After further detailed questioning, Lu Chen realized that the girl had been completely oblivious to the fact that Lin Wan and the logistics department were frantically searching for her.

She always undervalued herself, and having accidentally damaged her phone during the battle, she hadn’t received any relevant messages.

Thus, she simply assumed that no one would be looking for her.

All she knew was that she was terribly late, that she had left Lu Chen waiting alone at the cake shop for half a day, and that she absolutely had to rush to their appointment.

Consequently, she had disregarded her still-bleeding wounds and headed straight for the cake shop.

Lu Chen was caught between laughter and tears as he recounted the entire story to Xia Shi.

Upon hearing it, the girl’s face paled with fright, and she trembled, intending to immediately transform and fly to Lin Wan to apologize.

As she hastily removed her hair clip, Lu Chen cautioned her: “Next time something like this happens, regardless of whether you think you need to handle the aftermath, you must first report the situation to Sister Lin. It’s protocol. I’ll be fine.”

The girl’s hair and pupils transformed into a fiery crimson.

She looked at Lu Chen, her eyes flickering as she spoke: “Hmm… the reason I rushed over wasn’t entirely for you, you know.

It was a transaction.”

“A transaction?”

“Yes. Let me think how to put it…”

Xia Shi pondered for a moment, observing Lu Chen, then removed a bracelet from her fair wrist, one that felt a little loose on her.

She handed the bracelet to Lu Chen, saying: “This is an enchanted bracelet confiscated from Envy.

They used it to sense if their subordinates harbored any discontent.

It’s for you.”

“Uh? Such a valuable item, I couldn’t possibly…”

The girl shook her head, interrupting Lu Chen.

“It’s not valuable, not truly.

This is a fair price.

I’ll use this to sense your feelings.

I’m still quite weak, and if a monster too powerful appears, I might not be able to… but I promise I’ll do my best not to let you be lonely or sad, and I won’t leave you alone.

So, in return… if I ever get lost, I hope you’ll find me too.”

***

“…Sir? Are you alright?”

The shop assistant’s concerned voice pulled Lu Chen from his reverie.

He looked at the shop assistant and nodded solemnly.

“I’m fine, thank you. I’ll be back next week.”

“Wonderful! We’ll be looking forward to it!”

After bidding the shop assistant farewell, Lu Chen picked up the packaged cake and left the shop, much of the hesitation in his heart having dissipated.

He was unsure of Xia Shi’s current feelings, uncertain if she still wished to see him.

Nevertheless, he resolved to continue visiting this small shop every Sunday, lest she arrive to find no one waiting for her.

The young man silently made his decision and began walking toward the subway.

Suddenly, a figure blocked his path.

Lu Chen looked up in confusion, seeing a girl standing before him.

Her suit was perfectly tailored and immaculate, and dark circles sagged heavily beneath her sanpaku eyes.

Most strikingly, she carried a dozen long blades and firearms on her back, weapons utterly disproportionate to her slender frame, causing passersby to hastily detour around her.

“A pleasure to meet you. I am a magical girl under New Light, and you may call me Lily of the Valley.

May I ask if you are Mr. Lu Chen, Fireworks’ lover?”

The girl’s voice was polite yet detached.

Lu Chen nodded.

“…Yes. What is it?”

Lily of the Valley offered a smile devoid of warmth, and replied: “I need to fight Fireworks. Please call her out.”