Chapter 45: A Summer Date at Cuihu Park

Only one week remained until Su Xinxin’s assessment as a probationary magical girl.

Today was Friday, and no training sessions were scheduled. However, Su Xinxin’s mentor, Jasmin—or rather, Lin Mo, as she could now be called—had invited her out for some shopping and fun.

“Going out for some fun like this, would it simply be called… a date?”

Su Xinxin gazed at the message from Lin Mo, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Uh… you don’t even know what a ‘date’ means, do you?”

Xiao Ming, who was at the dining table eating breakfast, spoke while still stuffing food into her mouth.

“Of course, I understand,” Su Xinxin paused. “I meant… her reply to me said exactly that, that it could be abbreviated as ‘date.’ Is this how young people play now? Or is it some interesting new meme?”

She fumbled with her phone, searching for an emoji, and eventually sent a cute little cat with “Mhm,” as a reply.

“She probably just wants to tease you,” Xiao Ming finished her breakfast and yawned. “I’ve noticed she’s been sending you far more messages these past few days than when you first met. She clearly sees you as a good friend, a bestie! Ah-woo~”

After speaking, she flopped onto the table, resembling a piglet that ate and then promptly fell asleep.

Her phone vibrated again, a new message arriving.

[Great! Then it’s happily decided! Today at 3 PM, we’ll meet at Cuihu Park for our date! Then we’ll stroll around and enjoy the beautiful summer~]

Su Xinxin looked at the message from Lin Mo, a smile blossoming on her face. She then found another “Mhm mhm” emoji and sent it.

She had to admit, she missed the days of leisurely walks with old folks her age. Unexpectedly, after transforming into a young girl, she now had a friend who wanted to stroll with her, which naturally made her happy.

“This is a shopping trip for young girls, not the leisurely strolls of seniors you’re imagining, you know~”

Xiao Ming leaned over to look, seemingly understanding the meaning behind Su Xinxin’s earlier smile—she knew Su Xinxin had misinterpreted it.

Well, it was actually quite similar. She just needed to prepare a bit more money, as shopping would inevitably incur some expenses, wouldn’t it?

****

Before heading out.

Su Xinxin stood before the mirror, once again donning her familiar off-white, knee-length dress. She picked up her white crossbody bag, checked her reflection one last time, and then turned to leave.

Lin Mo had said they would meet in their original forms this time, no transformations needed. Therefore, she still had to pay attention to her appearance.

It was already early July.

The summer breeze caressed her face, devoid of the previous coolness. Instead, it brought a refreshing sensation, carrying the essence of summer from the lake.

Jiangcheng was a city dotted with many lakes. Though far from the sea, beautiful lakeside scenery was ubiquitous.

And the destination for today was also by a lake: Cuihu Park.

Su Xinxin looked at the map navigation on her phone, a slight shadow crossing her expression.

The last time, she had fought a witch by Cuihu Lake at the Chutian Province Library. The time before that, she had battled evil spirits at Xinghe Han Street, also by Cuihu Lake. Why were they going directly to Cuihu Park nearby this time?

She had a bad feeling about this.

However, upon this thought, she felt even more compelled to go. After all, she hadn’t been much help last time, and if possible, she hoped to contribute this time.

Yet, as it turned out, she had simply overthought things.

Upon entering Cuihu Park, Su Xinxin found an empty bench and sat down, leaving a space for Lin Mo.

As she waited, she noticed that here… she couldn’t sense much presence of “Erosion.” Occasionally, one or two extremely faint “dust motes” drifted by, but she truly couldn’t sense anything else.

‘Could it be… that my senses are being blocked again, like at the Provincial Library last time?’

She instinctively tensed her nerves.

However, she then recalled what Lin Mo had told her: that the area around Cuihu Lake had undergone a “thorough cleansing” purification for two or three consecutive days, and with the previous handling by that important figure, Vice-Director Plum Blossom, there shouldn’t be any other “Erosion” threats recently.

‘Oh, right! That’s why she suggested coming here to shop and play today!’

Su Xinxin recalled their previous conversation, finally connecting the dots of why they were out here today.

Just then, a voice called out to her from behind.

“Xinxin!”

Su Xinxin turned around.

Lin Mo was jogging over from a short distance, her skirt swaying gently behind her.

Today, she wore a dark green vintage academy dress—a dark green pinafore paired with a white puff-sleeved short-sleeved shirt, a large bow tied at the collar, and a light green small bag slung over her shoulder. The skirt hem featured lace and pleated details, giving it an elegant and textured look, with a length that reached just to her knees, making it both artistic and retro.

“You… I thought you’d wear that outfit from last time,” Lin Mo ran over and sat on the bench beside her, a hint of helplessness in her tone. “I was hoping we could wear similar styles and form a duo! What a shame.”

Su Xinxin looked at her, then down at her own simple off-white dress.

“…That outfit might be a bit hot to wear today, wouldn’t it?” She paused. “Speaking of which… aren’t you hot?”

She looked up at the sky. The sun hung high, and while the temperature wasn’t scorching, it certainly wasn’t cool either.

“Hehe~ I’m fine,” Lin Mo sat down, adjusting her skirt. “I’m wearing short sleeves. As for below, don’t let the skirt’s many layers fool you; it just has a wider hem and more patterns. It’s not actually that thick…”

“Mhm, that’s good. Don’t get heatstroke.”

Su Xinxin turned to face her.

Come to think of it, although Lin Mo was slightly older than her current self, she was also a little shorter. Looking at her, Su Xinxin habitually regarded her mentor as a little granddaughter who didn’t know how to dress for the weather.

She remembered her second daughter’s eldest child was probably in high school this year, roughly the same age as Lin Mo.

“I won’t get heatstroke!” Lin Mo leaned closer, nudging her gently with an elbow. “If you’re worried about me getting heatstroke… then how about you treat me to some ice cream? To cool down?”

Lin Mo’s tone was playful.

“Ice cream?” Su Xinxin looked at her. “Can you even eat it right now?”

“Of course~ My body is super strong right now!” Lin Mo blinked. “How about it? Treat me?”

Su Xinxin looked into her sparkling eyes and remained silent for two seconds.

“…About that.”

She deliberately drew out her words.

Lin Mo watched her expectantly.

“You said your body is super strong,” Su Xinxin said, “which means you won’t get heatstroke. Since you won’t get heatstroke, there’s no need for ice cream.”

Lin Mo froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.

“Pfft~ I think you just don’t want to spend money on me, do you? Or perhaps… you find me a bit too forward? And you’re not used to it?”

“That’s not it. I’m just worried that eating too much cold food isn’t good for your health, and it’s really not that hot today.”

Su Xinxin wasn’t sure if this playful banter was too ‘cold,’ but it was a method she had secretly discussed with Xiao Ming earlier.

Subsequently, the two exchanged glances and both smiled.

“Hey! Never mind, I’m older than you and your mentor, so it should be my treat! Let’s go~”

Lin Mo stood up, then took Su Xinxin’s hand, pulling her from the bench.

“Go! Go! Go! Let’s set off! Time for ice cream!”

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