Chapter 41: Family Matters and Morning Preparations

Su Qingyao had initially intended to save this surprise for the following day. However, the intelligence provided by Lu Zhichuan compelled her to share the news earlier, especially with Su Muxue, who was visibly radiating joy.

After dinner, their conversation naturally resumed within the familiar confines of Su Qingyao and Su Muxue’s apartment.

“Hmph hmph—” Su Muxue practically cradled Booboo, her face nuzzling constantly against its belly. Incidentally, Booboo’s fur in that particular spot was exceptionally plush.

“Since you already know, you should head to bed early,” Su Qingyao said, gently patting Muxue’s head with a resigned sigh. “It won’t be too late to tackle your homework tomorrow.”

Based on her own experiences during the apocalypse, excessive excitement often led to sleepless nights.

She wondered if her own daughter had inherited this particular trait.

Su Qingyao’s hand subtly pinched her own reddened cheek.

Acknowledging it, a lingering sense of resistance still stirred within her.

It wasn’t the daughter herself, but rather the very process of her birth that caused this unease.

It was truly difficult to fathom.

If she had been defiled by a monster, it would have been somewhat understandable. ‘Hmph.’ After all, nothing done to a corpse could possibly exceed Su Qingyao’s grim stereotypes of such calamities.

Yet, if Su Muxue’s paternal parent truly turned out to be human…

That, ironically, would present a far more vexing problem for Su Qingyao.

‘Just how exactly did Su Muxue come into existence?’ she pondered.

Though it felt like a broken record, Su Qingyao couldn’t shake the feeling that this point simply *had* to be addressed.

‘Wait a moment…’

It wasn’t until Su Qingyao, having been lost in her distant thoughts, vaguely guided the white-haired kitten to bed, tucked in the blankets, and casually cast a minor sleep spell, that a question suddenly struck her.

“Senior Lu Zhichuan… are you once again helping me search for this child Muxue’s father?”

Having been preoccupied for so long, she had nearly forgotten about the second clause of their agreement.

“Ah,” Lu Zhichuan uttered, his hand trembling slightly, spilling a few drops of tea.

He had, indeed, completely forgotten.

“Heh heh, Senior is precisely as you’ve always been, only looking out for yourself,” Su Qingyao remarked, her expression one of unsurprised familiarity. She didn’t even bother to feign a smile in Lu Zhichuan’s presence.

A hint of disdain even touched her features.

“After all, only a few days have passed,” Lu Zhichuan interjected, clearing his throat. He calmly explained to the young woman, “I’m merely an ordinary junior councilor now; to begin a search, I’d at least need a starting point.”

“Furthermore, since yesterday, I’ve been occupied assisting you with the [Mind Disintegration] issue.”

Admittedly, Su Qingyao found Lu Zhichuan’s sudden torrent of words somewhat suspicious.

Yet, she conceded, “It truly has been less than a week.”

Su Qingyao settled back into her seat, taking a moment to re-collect her thoughts.

Counting from the day she first encountered Su Muxue,

Su Qingyao had spent a mere four days living in this “new world” after the apocalypse.

Despite such a brief span, she had assimilated into it with remarkable speed.

‘Was it because of Su Muxue?’

As she pondered, Su Qingyao tilted her head, her vacant gaze fixed intently on Lu Zhichuan’s face.

The intense scrutiny made him visibly uncomfortable.

“Ah, well, I suppose it could be considered a good thing, in a way,” Su Qingyao murmured, shaking her head with a resigned expression. She left a bewildered Lu Zhichuan to wonder aloud, “What good thing?”

“It has nothing to do with you, Lu Zhichuan,” she clarified.

Lu Zhichuan’s utterly bewildered expression inexplicably amused her.

Su Qingyao gave a soft hum, then informed Lu Zhichuan, “This is a private family matter of my own.”

“A family matter…” Lu Zhichuan blinked. That could only mean it concerned Su Muxue.

Regrettably, Su Qingyao’s “family” was still rather small; setting aside the “outsider” Lu Zhichuan, it consisted solely of a mother and daughter.

“Alright, let’s discuss something more pressing,” Lu Zhichuan announced, pulling out another blank map. He spread it across the table and offered a pen to Su Qingyao.

“Here, jot down tomorrow’s schedule.”

The tone bordered on a command, yet for Su Qingyao, it inexplicably evoked a sense of nostalgia.

This had been the norm for them throughout those years.

Su Qingyao skillfully took the pen, outlined the perimeter of the tower, and then, using that small colored block as a starting point, she drew a path extending all the way to the outskirts.

“First, we’ll escort the children, departing from the tower in a City Defense Army vehicle…”

The exchange between Su Qingyao and Lu Zhichuan didn’t consume much of their time, concluding just as the final news report ended.

Only then did Lu Zhichuan bid Su Qingyao farewell, retreating to the solitude of his own studio.

Su Qingyao, meanwhile, quietly ascended to the rooftop. After meticulously setting up a magic barrier to conceal her aura, she began to experiment with manipulating her “other half” of magic.

****

The night passed uneventfully. By the time Su Muxue awoke, Su Qingyao was already in the kitchen, the soft sizzle of frying oil filling the air.

Su Muxue ambled into the bathroom, climbed onto a small stool, and with practiced ease, retrieved her toothbrush and towel.

Su Qingyao’s own set was neatly placed just beneath Su Muxue’s.

By the time the slightly groggy girl had finished her morning ablutions, Su Qingyao’s breakfast was already perfectly arranged on the dining table.

As they ate, Su Qingyao outlined the morning’s plans to Su Muxue, who listened intently, one cheek adorably puffed out with food.

It was the weekend, and Su Muxue, approaching graduation, had very little homework to contend with.

This time, however, it was Su Qingyao who had to “go to work.” Beyond reviewing their preparations, simply acquiring the escort pass for Lu Zhichuan necessitated both of them entering the “Tower” together.

As the temporary deputy leader, Su Qingyao naturally knew precisely how to handle the arrangements.

As a semi-annual practical training exercise, “safety” would certainly not be the primary concern. After all, most of these aspiring Magical Girls were destined for individual battlefields, confronting magical beasts head-on.

Even with the current abundance of Magical Girl personnel, allowing them to operate in teams, it was still imperative for them to learn how to confront danger.

And most crucially: ‘[What danger truly entails.]’

Nevertheless, how could any parent simply stand by and watch their child be placed in peril? Thus, the “escort” system was born.

As long as one possessed a certain Transcended rank, or could provide sufficient collateral and compelling motivation, they could apply for an “escort pass.”

Naturally, Lu Zhichuan, who was ostensibly a “First Rank” individual, could only be vouched for by Su Qingyao. Regarding personal strength, Lu Zhichuan, for now, maintained a degree of credibility in Su Qingyao’s eyes.

Given that both Lu Zhichuan and Su Qingyao would be attending, it was unthinkable for Su Muxue to remain home alone.

“I want to go too!” Su Muxue declared, having changed into a loose dress. The butterfly hair clip adorning her head bounced playfully as she hopped around.

‘Did the laws of vacation still hold true even after the apocalypse?’ Su Qingyao mused.

Su Qingyao gazed at the vibrant Su Muxue, a sudden surge of emotion washing over her. She gently pinched the girl’s cheek, rubbing it softly.

“All right, Mama will take Muxue along, and we’ll all head out together,” Su Qingyao said, her voice laced with unconcealed affection.

****

‘Lu Zhichuan and the like, skip, skip.’

In essence, this marked Su Qingyao’s first true “family outing,” with her entire household in tow.

Though, from Su Qingyao’s perspective, this nascent family was a peculiar mix of strange coincidences and reluctant compromises.

Nevertheless, it was, ultimately, “family.”

‘Senior Lu Zhichuan, don’t get any ideas; I’m certainly not including you.’

Su Muxue clung to Su Qingyao’s arm, emitting light, adorable hums, while Lu Zhichuan walked silently on Su Muxue’s other side.

“Alright then,” Su Qingyao murmured to herself.

‘If it were purely for the sake of the young girl’s emotional completeness, grudgingly including Lu Zhichuan might…’

‘Absolutely not.’

Then, a sudden realization struck Su Qingyao: ‘[The Saintess].’

She instantly calmed.

Senior Lu Zhichuan, by all accounts, should have another beloved.

Perhaps as a classmate, a friend, a brother, or even a target for pranks, Su Qingyao could interact with him with perfect composure.

It was only the delicate line of ambiguity that, for now, remained a personal hurdle Su Qingyao found herself unable to overcome.

This wasn’t merely about the male psyche dissolving in anguish.

It was also the young woman’s own steadfast conviction.

“Wow wow wow, it’s Senior Su Qingyao’s husband!” Xu Yiyi’s voice rang out, utterly ill-timed, making Su Qingyao’s scalp tingle as if struck by a sudden clap of spring thunder.

The young woman’s hair felt as though it were bristling, almost arching into two tufts resembling airplane ears.

She felt an urge to hiss.

Su Qingyao turned her head, her gaze landing on another unfamiliar girl with pink hair.

Unlike Xu Yiyi, who was already in the know, the slightly younger girl’s face openly displayed an expression of utter disdain towards Lu Zhichuan, as if she were looking at trash.