Chapter 44: A Quiet Morning After the Storm

On the rooftop of Chutian Provincial Library, Plum Blossom pushed open the door.

The early summer night breeze swept over her, carrying an ineffable tranquility.

The rooftop lay desolate.

No witches, no swirling mist, no ghostly white apparitions remained.

Only the moonlight.

And two figures, nestled close together.

One girl, clad in a pure white, multi-layered lace dress, her silver-white hair fanned out across the ground like spilled moonlight.

Clutched securely in her embrace was another person—their long, slightly curly goose-yellow hair, their pale brown eyes tightly shut, their complexion almost transparently pallid.

Jasmin.

Gentian.

Both lay there, unconscious.

Jasmin’s face still bore tear streaks. Dried by the night wind, they left faint impressions beneath the moonlight.

Gentian’s brows were subtly furrowed, as if she were lost in a very long dream.

Moonlight spilled over them, draping them in a shimmering silver veil.

Plum Blossom stood at the rooftop entrance, silently observing the scene.

Behind her, Gentian, Snapdragon, and Ziyuan also arrived, halting at the doorway.

No one spoke.

Only the night wind, softly caressing the rooftop, stirring Jasmin’s silver-white hair and Gentian’s goose-yellow hair, intertwining their strands.

Plum Blossom stepped forward, crouching down. She extended her hand, hovering it gently near the two.

The magic blooming from her palm reached into them.

Thankfully, they were merely exhausted, not seriously harmed.

She withdrew her hand, gazing at the two intertwined young women, silent for a moment.

Then, she lifted her head, looking towards the horizon.

The moon still hung in the sky, utterly unchanged.

In the distance, the lights of Star River Han Street still gleamed, the night’s revelry seemingly unending, with no one paying heed to the provincial library at this hour.

Plum Blossom softly closed her eyes, carefully sensing, trying to detect any aura that might once again be concealed.

The conclusion was clear: Ghost Orchid’s presence had indeed vanished completely.

She had departed, taking with her the ‘Erosion’ she had sheltered, disappearing into the depths of the night.

From the moment her clone was shattered, she must have already retreated far away, surely sensing the pain inflicted upon that clone.

And was that abandoned clone truly her abandoned past self, as she had claimed?

Plum Blossom stood there, her gaze returning to the two young women nestled together in the moonlight.

A First-Stage Bloom, protecting a Zero-Stage Apprentice.

The night wind whispered past, fluttering her pibo and the silver tassels at her temples.

She suddenly recalled a time, many years ago, when she had similarly protected someone, and had been protected in turn.

However, that was a very, very long time ago.

She said nothing further.

She simply stood there, watching quietly, watching the moonlight, watching them.

Watching this night settle into silence.

****

The next morning.

Su Xinxin prepared to visit ‘Apricot Grove’ for a check-up early that day.

Though she called it a check-up, it was merely an examination.

She remembered nothing of what had transpired last night after being captured, having been unconscious the entire time.

Upon waking, it was already morning, and she found herself comfortably tucked into her own bed at home, not at ‘Apricot Grove’.

This must have been… the work of other Magical Girls?

However, she was already in her un-transformed state, dressed in pajamas. Surely… no one had seen her naked, right? After all, there was magic!

Shortly after she woke, Xiao Ming relayed the message it had received, instructing her to come to ‘Apricot Grove’ for a check-up.

Currently, aside from an occasional dizzy sensation in her head, she felt no other discomfort. Perhaps she had recovered quickly after being rescued, or perhaps the witch had not harmed her at all.

“Master, watch your step!”

“Oh, right…”

Xiao Ming was currently perched on her shoulder, munching on breakfast, its cheeks delightfully puffed out.

It had mentioned that when Su Xinxin was captured, it too had fallen unconscious. It didn’t know why it had been stuffed into a book, but upon waking, it was with her, also in bed.

Su Xinxin still remembered some of the knowledge Jasmin had taught her. She recalled that after signing a contract, a Bloom Spirit’s abilities were linked to its master’s. So, because she was weak, her Bloom Spirit was also weak, naturally unable to provide much assistance.

Su Xinxin, now transformed, entered ‘Apricot Grove’. She once again took in the atmosphere; it felt subtly different from a regular hospital.

Beyond the faint scent of disinfectant, there was a delicate, un-pungent fragrance of various herbs. The walls lining the corridors were warm white, adorned with subtle, floating patterns that resembled sunlight filtering through leaves. Occasionally, people hurried past, their faces invariably adorned with gentle smiles.

Su Xinxin followed the instructions and completed several basic examinations—magic fluctuation detection, mental stability assessment, physical function scan, and more. The process was much quicker than expected, and she experienced no discomfort.

After the examinations, she was led to a waiting room.

The room was small but comfortably furnished. A row of soft sofas lined one wall, and several green plants adorned the windowsill. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm patches of light on the floor.

She had barely settled down when the door opened.

A Magical Girl stood in the doorway. She wore a pure white off-the-shoulder crop top, a vibrant green pleated mini-skirt, white over-the-knee socks paired with light green ankle boots. Most striking, however, was her silver-white hair…

It was Jasmin. Her attire was identical to their first meeting.

Su Xinxin froze, instinctively starting to rise.

Jasmin, however, had already swiftly entered and sat beside her.

“Are you feeling alright?” Jasmin asked, her voice a little hoarse.

“Yes,” Su Xinxin nodded. “I’m fine, just a little dizzy in the head. I suppose… I might have slept too long.”

“Is that so?” Jasmin lowered her gaze slightly, staring at her fingers. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let you go to the restroom alone, leading to you being captured by the witch.”

“It’s alright, and besides, I’m fine, aren’t I? It’s just… I made you all worry.”

Su Xinxin scratched her head, then thought for a moment before asking, “Then… are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Jasmin shook her head, then thought of the other Magical Girls, but felt it wasn’t good to mention their injuries. “It’s just her…”

Su Xinxin watched her bowed profile, her downcast eyelashes, and a sudden surge of self-reproach swelled within her.

“That witch…” Su Xinxin tentatively inquired, “What happened to her afterward?”

Jasmin looked up, met her gaze for a moment, then averted her eyes.

“She left,” she said. “Plum Blossom Senior arrived and shattered her clone. Her true body has already departed.”

“Plum Blossom Senior?”

“Yes,” Jasmin nodded. “She’s the Vice Director of the Huing Division, a Fifth-Stage Division Flower Envoy. You could say she’s one of the strongest grand figures.”

Su Xinxin paused, then remembered to ask about the others.

“What about the others? The Magical Girls? Are they all alright? Just tell me directly, I want to know.”

After a moment of hesitation, Jasmin spoke.

“Pumpkin and Gentian sustained some injuries, but Ziyuan and Snapdragon are both fine.”

Su Xinxin nodded.

Though she didn’t know some of them, she understood that they had also come to help.

“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it slowly later.”

Jasmin clearly saw through her confusion.

The two fell silent again for a while.

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling onto the sofa between them, into that warm patch of light.

“Su… Gentian,” Jasmin suddenly spoke, her voice soft.

“Hm?”

“In the future…” She paused. “If anything happens in the future, you must tell me immediately!”

Su Xinxin looked at her.

In those earnest eyes, a faint glimmer shone.

“Okay.”

Jasmin looked at her and smiled.

“That’s good.”

Outside the window, the sunlight was perfect.

The early summer breeze slipped through the window’s cracks, carrying a hint of fresh grass and the faint fragrance of distant flowers.

Su Xinxin leaned back on the sofa, suddenly finding this quiet feeling quite pleasant.

After a moment, something occurred to her, and she turned her head to look at Jasmin.

“Oh, right, last night…” She chose her words carefully. “I think you were holding me?”

Upon hearing her words, Jasmin’s face flushed slightly.

“Th-that’s because you were unconscious!” she quickly explained. “And at that time, we were on the rooftop, I was afraid something would happen to you—it was just convenient, that’s all!”

Su Xinxin looked at her slightly reddened face and smiled.

“Thank you.”

Jasmin froze, then turned her face away.

“N-no need to thank me…” she mumbled softly. “It was my fault to begin with. You’re still an Apprentice, and I really shouldn’t have taken you to the provincial library…”

Su Xinxin said nothing more.

She simply leaned against the sofa, gazing at the bright sunlight outside the window.

Beside her, Jasmin also grew quiet, leaning back on the other end of the sofa.

The two sat like that, neither speaking, yet seemingly having said so much.

Outside the window, the sunlight was perfect.

The wind gently blew, lifting a corner of the curtain, and stirring their hair.

This morning was quiet and warm.

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