Chapter 63: A Mother’s Dilemma

Fireworks stood still in the center of the arena, her gaze burning brightly. With a flick of her hand, she unleashed a torrent of scorching fireballs, melting and smashing through the towering steel-reinforced walls.

Lily of the Valley moved with lightning speed, dodging and weaving with agile grace. She effortlessly darted through the dense barrage of fireballs, her form transforming into a verdant meteor. Each step she took left a deep indentation on the ground.

Flames erupted, and emerald light burst forth.

The two magical girls exchanged blows, their rapid movements transforming the training ground into a demonic realm impenetrable to mortals in the blink of an eye.

Deafening explosions and the tearing sound of bodies slicing through the air echoed incessantly, piercing the sky. Bai Ruo stood frozen behind the glass, her gaze fixed on her daughter’s fierce battle in the distance. Gradually, the color drained from her face.

Compared to the spectacle before her, matters of love and affection seemed utterly trivial and inconsequential.

She raised a hand, pressing it against the cold glass. Her eyes reflected the dazzling, terrifying magic surging within the arena.

“…That’s truly intense.”

Lu Chen quietly walked over to Bai Ruo’s side.

“Is this your first time watching Lily of the Valley fight?”

“It’s my first time seeing her fight from such a close distance. Before, I’d only ever watched her through a TV screen.”

“I’ve wanted to visit her training for a long time, but she always refused… Now, I finally understand why.”

Bai Ruo let out a soft sigh, a hint of helplessness flickering in her eyes.

“Do they train like this every day?”

“Only when they’re not on a mission. After all, they’re magical girls; this intensity is quite normal for them.”

“Not only do they have to fight for their lives like this every day, but they also engage in close-quarters combat with ruthless, mentally unstable monsters. A single misstep could get their throats slit… Gu Si has been living this kind of life.”

“Are you planning to have Lily of the Valley leave the New Light Group?”

Bai Ruo’s brows furrowed slightly, and a wave of regret washed over her face.

“Yes, I should have forced her to quit long ago, but it’s not too late now. Mr. Lu, has Gu Si ever shown you what she looked like in elementary school?”

“No, she hasn’t, though I’ve heard her mention it once or twice. I imagine she was a very sensible child.”

As they spoke, the battle in the training arena temporarily paused, and the two magical girls entered a tense standoff.

Fireworks stood composed atop a steel tower, vibrant flames dancing around her magnificent long hair.

Lily of the Valley tensed her muscles and hunched her upper body, her gaze focused and sharp as she stared at the red-haired girl. She resembled a leopard poised to strike.

Bai Ruo gazed at her daughter from afar, the wrinkles on her forehead deepening slightly.

“She wasn’t sensible at all, actually. Aside from being a bit smarter, she and her sister were practically cut from the same cloth.”

“Both of them were naughtier than the other, always running wild and never listening to a word we said.”

As she spoke, a faint smile gradually appeared at the corners of the middle-aged woman’s lips. Lu Chen returned her smile and said:

“Even so, that sounds quite endearing.”

“Of course. I often flip through their childhood photo albums, and every time I do, I have the most wonderful dreams.”

Fireworks raised a slender finger, and countless blazing, heavy fire spears instantly materialized. They rained down in an overwhelming barrage.

Emerald light flared brilliantly in Lily of the Valley’s eyes. She launched herself from the ground like a cannonball, zigzagging as she surged toward the red-haired girl.

Sharp, searing fire spears occasionally grazed her cheeks, leaving noticeable scars. Yet, the girl relentlessly pressed forward, her speed unwavering as she fixed on her target.

Bai Ruo’s lips pressed into a thin line, her voice trembling slightly.

“But look at what she’s done to herself. If it weren’t for those photo albums, I would have forgotten what her genuine smile looked like.”

“This child has already slain enough monsters and avenged what needed avenging… There’s no reason for her to continue enduring this torment.”

The verdant meteor ascended the steel tower, closing in on Fireworks.

However, the red-haired girl merely waved her hand, and brilliant flames shot skyward. Lily of the Valley couldn’t dodge in time; she was swept away by the attack, falling to the ground like a kite with a snapped string.

As the residual flames dissipated, silence fell over the arena.

Bai Ruo watched her daughter struggle to her feet, then turned to look at the young man.

“Mr. Lu, don’t you agree?”

‘Torment…’

Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then nodded noncommittally.

“Please, wait a moment.”

He walked up to the control panel. Relying on his memory, he mimicked Lin Wan’s actions and operated the keyboard for a moment. Immediately, a green light illuminated on the console.

The young man pulled the microphone to his mouth and tentatively spoke:

“Hello, hello—Fireworks, Lily of the Valley, can you hear me?”

The red-haired girl had already leaped down from the steel tower, having just helped the exhausted Lily of the Valley to her feet.

Hearing her lover’s call, she immediately cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone, imitating his tone as she replied:

“We can hear you—what’s up—”

“Nothing much! Just wanted to ask if your training is going smoothly!”

“It’s going very smoothly. Lily of the Valley, what do you say?”

The green-haired girl, still panting, pushed aside the strands of hair clinging to her forehead. She looked up at the observation room, her bright gaze momentarily meeting her mother’s.

Bai Ruo gazed at her daughter’s face, etched with exhaustion and scars, and almost couldn’t stop herself from scolding her out of heartache. However, the girl was quicker; she lifted the corners of her lips, breaking into a radiant smile.

“It was amazing, I learned so many new things! Mom, did you see?”

Her daughter’s voice, clear and bright, filled the observation room through the broadcast. The middle-aged woman stared blankly at her smile, her hand pressed against the glass trembling slightly.

She took the microphone, her lips trembling as countless words surged in her throat.

Ultimately, however, she simply smiled and replied with something utterly meaningless.

“I saw! You got beaten up pretty badly!”

Lily of the Valley’s face immediately flushed crimson, her expression even worse than when she had been struck by a fireball.

“I-I’ll win one day! Please, just wait patiently!”

Bai Ruo gazed at her daughter for a long moment, then slowly lowered the microphone. Lu Chen smiled faintly.

“Exactly. I believe you don’t need to worry about Lily of the Valley for now.”

‘This glib, refined scoundrel…!’

Bai Ruo shot a fierce glare at Lu Chen, then her shoulders slumped in resignation.

“Still, she’s only just come of age. You must take good care of her.”

Lu Chen once again displayed his hearty, salesman-like smile, reminiscent of a massage device hawker.

“Of course.”

The middle-aged woman let out a long sigh.

“I’m an old auntie now; I can no longer understand the lifestyle of the younger generation. But since all three of you can accept this… I suppose there’s not much more for me to say.”

“From now on… I’m entrusting my daughter to you.”

‘How did the conversation suddenly turn to this?!’

Lu Chen was startled, waving his hands repeatedly.

“Uh, no, let’s not. I can’t take on that responsibility.”

Bai Ruo froze for a moment. Then, a flush of anger rushed to her head, and she couldn’t resist slamming her hand on the control panel, almost dislodging a button.

“You… you scoundrel!!!”

****

“…I see, I misunderstood. I am truly very sorry.”

“It’s alright, it’s alright, you don’t need to apologize. It’s also my fault for not explaining it clearly.”

“No, it was my mistake. When I get back, I will definitely brush up on my knowledge of interpersonal relationships from scratch, and I absolutely won’t repeat today’s blunder…!”

After an exchange of explanations that went back and forth for a quarter of an hour, Lu Chen, Lily of the Valley, and Lily of the Valley’s mother finally cleared up their misunderstandings and understood the full story.