Chapter 38: Ink Crystal’s Bold Proposal

“Speaking of which, I’ve always been curious, Teacher Lin, have you ever been in a relationship before?”

Lin Han hesitated. “Not exactly.”

“So, you’ve had someone you liked in the past?”

He Yao was perceptive; from Lin Han’s ambiguous phrasing, some answers became clear. With a flash, he transformed into the magical girl, Ink Crystal.

Lin Han watched her, a helpless expression on his face. “Could you please stop transforming so casually?”

Ink Crystal arched an eyebrow. “What’s the big deal? Isn’t this just between us?”

She added, a hint of provocation in her voice.

This immediately reminded Lin Han of his conversation with Liu Xingyue yesterday, where she had also said, ‘This is just between us.’ ‘Do you two really have such unspoken understanding as a couple?’ he mused. ‘Even your expressions are identical!’

For some reason, Lin Han suddenly felt a pang of guilt. He hadn’t done anything to betray He Yao, and he had certainly drawn a clear line with Liu Xingyue. As for taking advantage… ‘I wasn’t even aware,’ he thought.

“Teacher Lin?”

Lin Han snapped back to reality. “Aren’t you afraid someone will discover your identity if you keep doing this?”

“Magical girls have a spell that blocks recognition, anyway. As long as I don’t intentionally reveal myself, it’s not easy to be found out. Liu Xingyue had been transforming for a whole year before you accidentally discovered her, didn’t she?”

While that was true…

“All in all, I just find it more convenient this way.”

She leaned in suggestively. “I thought you hadn’t dated, Teacher Lin. But since you’ve liked someone before, I shouldn’t have to explain what it feels like to like someone, right?”

Lin Han remained highly vigilant around Ink Crystal. The events of their last encounter were still vivid in his mind.

At that moment, the girl’s scent wafted over him once more from an unnervingly close proximity. He deliberately fixed his gaze on a distant vase, attempting to divert his attention.

“What are you trying to say?”

“If you hadn’t dated, Teacher Lin, I would suggest you try talking to Teacher Liu; you might find her surprisingly wonderful. But since you have, you surely know what it feels like to like someone. I believe your reason for intending to refuse her is precisely because you don’t feel that kind of affection for Teacher Liu, isn’t that right?”

Lin Han’s gaze retracted from the vase, and he looked at Ink Crystal before him with surprise.

“You really do understand me!”

“Oh? Teacher Lin, are you finally willing to look at me now? Does that mean I can interpret this as… you like this body of mine? Could it be that my magical girl form resembles your first love?”

Lin Han’s cheeks flushed. “Nothing of the sort!”

“Hmm?”

Ink Crystal observed his reaction, a thoughtful expression on her face. This meant that while she didn’t resemble his first love, he certainly found her current body appealing.

She had known ever since transforming into Ink Crystal that this particular body possessed a slightly alluring quality.

In contrast, Amethyst and Emerald, both equally curvaceous, conveyed mystique and nobility, and gentle compliance, respectively.

Ink Crystal, however, was simply more provocative.

Of course, she quite liked it herself.

From this, it seemed that although Teacher Lin had been in relationships, he was indeed drawn to a more ‘fiery’ type. This was quite typical for a pure-hearted young man.

Just as people often desire what they cannot have, the purer one is, the more they desire the ‘fiery,’ and the more of a playboy a man is, the more he seeks purity.

‘That’s precisely the logic!’

She acted as if she understood it all deeply, but in reality, she had gleaned all this knowledge from novels.

‘If I keep enticing Teacher Lin like this, what if he loses control one day and actually pushes me down?’

‘That simply won’t do.’

‘After all, I’m a magical girl. I’d definitely have to refuse Teacher Lin, and he couldn’t possibly force me to do anything, considering I’m a magical girl.’

‘How would I maintain my relationship with Teacher Lin then?’

‘I can’t just let Teacher Lin have his way, can I?’

‘Impossible.’

‘She didn’t believe that true gentlemen wouldn’t do such things; men who didn’t do such things weren’t men at all. Teacher Lin was a kind person, so light teasing was fine, but she absolutely couldn’t go too far.’

‘Only Teacher Lin and I would end up hurt.’

‘Teacher Lin was her only genuine friend.’

So, she took two small steps back, creating some distance between herself and Lin Han. “Since you intend to refuse, Teacher Lin, there are still a few methods we can try.”

Seeing her retreat, Lin Han breathed a sigh of relief. If Ink Crystal had continued her antics, he would have been truly put on the spot.

“Such as?”

“Hmm… for instance, making her dislike you. However, I don’t approve of that plan. Teacher Liu has rejected many teachers’ advances, so if she likes you, she clearly understands you deeply. Even if you act in ways to make her dislike you, she might sense something is off. More importantly… I don’t want your reputation to suffer because of this, Teacher Lin.”

She spoke very earnestly. “So, just listen to this idea and dismiss it. I only brought it up because I was afraid you might consider doing it yourself. I don’t want you to become infamous because of this.”

“…”

In fact, Lin Han had genuinely considered that very plan.

“I knew you would have thought of it. After all, that’s just the kind of person you are, Teacher Lin. Sacrificing yourself to get things done, not caring if you get hurt… are you some kind of hero of justice?”

The girl’s sincere gaze moved Lin Han.

“I understand. I won’t do that.”

Ink Crystal nodded, satisfied. “In my opinion, since you don’t intend to pursue a relationship with Teacher Liu, Teacher Lin, I think a direct refusal would be best. But I imagine you’ve already done that, haven’t you?”

“Yes.”

“What exactly did Teacher Liu say to you?”

Lin Han briefly recounted the conversation, omitting the fact that Liu Yun was the magical girl Amethyst. This was out of respect for Liu Yun.

After listening, Ink Crystal was somewhat stunned. “I can’t believe Teacher Liu went to such lengths… It truly seems she likes you quite a lot. Have you ever done anything to make her like you?”

Lin Han shook his head. “I don’t recall anything specific. I helped her out with a few small things when I first started working here. But that shouldn’t be a reason for someone to fall for me, should it?”

‘I think it most likely is.’

However, Ink Crystal didn’t intend to press for details, as those matters weren’t crucial. A spark of wisdom gleamed in her eyes. “The problem now is that Teacher Liu isn’t trying to gain your consent directly. Instead, she plans to ‘capture’ you over time! To make you fall in love with her! So, even a refusal is meaningless; she won’t give up.”

“Yes.”

Ink Crystal nodded. “In that case, there’s only one last method left.”

“What?”

“Find someone you like and marry them. Then Teacher Liu would have no choice but to give up, wouldn’t she? When you don’t have a romantic partner, Teacher Liu will feel she has a chance, so she won’t quit.

But if you already have a partner, and you’re deeply in love, with a relationship that leaves no room for others? Naturally, Teacher Liu would then give up. She’s also a paragon of virtue; she wouldn’t possibly act as a third party to interfere with someone else’s feelings. That would resolve the matter naturally.”

Lin Han looked at He Yao, speechless. “Your suggestion is good, but if I had someone with whom I shared mutual affection, I would have already left bachelorhood and had a family by now.”

“What about your first love? Surely she hasn’t married someone else, has she?”

“She died.”

Ink Crystal froze.

She knew Lin Han wasn’t the type to joke about such things, so his words had to be true.

‘To think you have such a story behind you…’

“Could it be that your becoming a psychological counselor… is also because of this?”

“Yes.”

Ink Crystal was now utterly speechless.

She suddenly found herself curious about Teacher Lin’s past.

However, she had no intention of investigating. Teacher Lin was her good friend, and secretly prying into his affairs would cast a shadow over their friendship.

“Can you tell me?”

Lin Han simply shook his head.

Ink Crystal, of course, chose to respect his decision.

She let out a soft sigh. “In that case, we’ll just have to find a fake girlfriend!”

“A fake girlfriend?” Lin Han frowned.

“I know what you’re thinking: such deception is unethical. Besides, Teacher Liu isn’t foolish; if the relationship between two people isn’t intimate, she’d see through it immediately. Moreover, it wouldn’t be fair to the woman pretending to be your lover. In short, it’s a terrible idea. Right?”

The girl before him was indeed very intelligent, so if she knew all this, why would she bring it up?

Ink Crystal continued, “Because I can impersonate this girlfriend!”

“!?”

Lin Han was astonished.

Ink Crystal smugly placed a hand on her chest, then twirled cheerfully in front of Lin Han.

“Don’t you think the identity of Magical Girl Ink Crystal is perfectly suited for this?” She winked. “Firstly, magical girls are exceptionally beautiful. Even compared to a beauty like Teacher Liu, a magical girl’s allure is absolutely no less!

Secondly, you and I have a good relationship, so even if we pretend to be lovers, no one would notice anything amiss, right?

And finally, we’re not actually saying we’ll truly date!”

She chuckled mischievously. “When the time comes, I’ll transform into Magical Girl Ink Crystal, but I won’t wear my usual outfit. I’ll change into different clothes and pretend to be a high school girl you once counseled, who has grown to admire you. Then, it will become a competition between Teacher Liu and me for your affection!”

“What’s the point of that?”

“There’s a huge point, Teacher Lin! If I completely outclass Teacher Liu in every aspect, she definitely wouldn’t dare to compete with me! And…”

“And?”

Ink Crystal’s smile faded, and she looked at Teacher Lin with genuine seriousness. “Although this might be a bit presumptuous of me, Teacher Lin, if, even under these circumstances, Teacher Liu still likes you and still refuses to give up, then I hope you can reciprocate her feelings.”

Lin Han was taken aback.

Ink Crystal then continued, “I won’t ask what happened or what you’ve been through in the past, or if your remaining single until now is related to your first love. But as your student, as your friend, I hope you can let go. Although this might sound arrogant, just as you once came to save my heart, I don’t want you to remain trapped in past pain.”

She extended her hand. “So, Teacher Lin, let’s cooperate!”

Lin Han had never imagined he would hear such words from Ink Crystal.

The once solitary child, the one who trusted no one, was now, surprisingly, extending a hand to him.

He grasped her hand.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”