Transform into a magical girl after getting off work

——"Am I mad at myself?"

Emerald Sparrow couldn't help but ask herself.

Logically speaking, when someone's secret that they've been trying to hide is exposed by another, they're usually somewhat embarrassed and upset about having their privacy intruded upon; it's a form of offense.

But now, she felt none of that. Rather than the shame of her secret being revealed, what filled her heart was a sense of relief from letting go of a heavy burden.

After all, her original intention, what she truly wanted to do, was never to deceive.

Thinking this, Emerald Sparrow's expression finally softened, and in the end, she closed her eyes.

One would inevitably reveal some clues when living together day by day, and Xia Liang was indeed sensitive enough to extract the correct answer from a pile of clues.

"...Being too smart sometimes makes you disliked,"

she said softly.

"Hehe, thanks for the compliment."

Seeing that Emerald Sparrow finally responded to her, Xia Liang's face broke into a smile again, "But I don't want to be disliked by my junior. Can I act like a silly kid from now on and you won't hate me?"

"It's enough if you don't hate me. In fact, I thought you would be very angry,"

Emerald Sparrow opened her eyes again, her gaze clear, "After all, I actually lied to you too, simply because I couldn't frankly face my relationship with Lin Xiaolu, and I concealed it from you as well."

"Moreover, isn't it strange that a man in his thirties secretly being a Magical Girl? This 'uncle' acting nonchalant in front of you, giving pointers on Magical Girl things. Don't you find that disgusting?"

——"Eh?"

At the words of Emerald Sparrow, Xia Liang was slightly stunned, then muttered, shaking her head slowly, "No, I don't."

"I, am not in a position to find anyone else disgusting, right? Especially not when it's my junior. You are the person I respect and rely on the most right now."

She walked to the edge of the balcony railing, standing beside Emerald Sparrow, "I'm very aware of my own vile nature. In my childhood, for mere self-satisfaction, I didn't raise my voice to stop the conflict between my parents; because of these things, I gave up on myself and directly turned into what most people consider a 'bad child'; It's only recently that I've managed to find a place for myself in the Magical Girl team, yet I still indulge in such desires, longing for more attention and affection."

"Such an ugly person like me is the least qualified to find others disgusting."

She said as if sighing about something.

As Emerald Sparrow turned her gaze toward her, after they looked at each other for a moment, Xia Liang suddenly spread her arms wide open.

"What are you doing?" Emerald Sparrow asked, puzzled.

"I want a hug," Xia Liang said, keeping her arms open.

"Why?"

"You don't trust me, junior. Let me hug you to prove that I don't dislike you."

"I already trust you, so don't do such an embarrassing thing," Emerald Sparrow turned her face away and said.

"If you refuse, I'll go and tell Lin Xiaolu," Xia Liang pouted somewhat petulantly.

Emerald Sparrow fell silent.

She looked up at Xia Liang, and couldn't help but glance towards her room, only to see the light still on at the window, casting the shadow of Lin Xiaolu bent over her desk.

"...Fine," she couldn't help but sigh again, somewhat stiffly opening her arms.

Xia Liang smiled a little mischievously.

She took two steps forward, bent down slightly, and then, hugged Emerald Sparrow.

At the end of summer, during the End of Heat, the dry heat in the air was pulled away by the cool breeze, and the night was slightly cold; the wind passed between the buildings, brushing over the small, low balcony.

Below, the cicadas sounded a bit hoarse and low, the cicadas in the trees striving to chirp out the last cries of their lives, as if saying goodbye, bidding farewell to the last summer of their existence.

"...How about it, do you feel it? That I don't dislike my junior,"

Xia Liang said softly, hugging Emerald Sparrow gently, "Even if it's 'Uncle Lin' standing here, my simple affection remains the same. Although, in that case, I probably wouldn't have dared to hug you."

"You didn't need to hug in the first place," Emerald Sparrow stood motionless, her body slightly stiff, "I told you, I already trust you."

Xia Liang did not respond to this, as if she did not hear it, or pretended not to hear, quietly hugging Emerald Sparrow for a while longer.

"Indeed, embracing junior feels very comforting, cool, soft, and fragrant."

After maintaining the hug for a while, she suddenly said, "Actually, I've been wanting to ask since before, junior, what shampoo do you use for your hair?"

"...If you need to, I can send you the brand of the shampoo,"

Emerald Sparrow's expression was indifferent, "You've hugged me long enough, so can you let go now?"

"I can't."

Xia Liang remained still as well, whispering, "Rather, right now, my heart is filled with an ugly joy: feeling that I've discovered a secret that junior is too ashamed to voice, we now have something in common, a shared secret, and finally, our relationship has changed."

"I need to emphasize many times, I won't dislike my junior. After all, it was junior who pulled me back from the edge of a cliff. I just want to know more about you, to understand you more."

"I've told you, I'm a child who lacks love, so please don't blame me for holding on so tight."

"After all, if I don't do this, all I ever get is the leftover affection from Lin Xiaolu, scraps of love. Although it's my ugly, insatiable greed, I don't want scraps. I want something that belongs to me. No matter the size, it just needs to belong to me."