Chapter 100 – A New Storm Has Appeared

On a bright and breezy Saturday morning, Lin Xi was still sleeping in when Xia Xun’s call woke her up.

Xia Xun said she was already ready at home and respectfully awaiting Lin Xi’s honored arrival.

Then she asked if Lin Xi wanted her to send someone to pick her up.

Lin Xi got out of bed without delay. It wasn’t as if she were some celebrity or big shot. How could she possibly put on that much of a show?

Was Xia Xun being a little too enthusiastic?… After hanging up, Lin Xi climbed out of bed.

“Who exactly is this popular?”

“Oh, right. It’s me-“

Lin Xi poked fun at herself.

Still, she really did feel like she was becoming more and more popular.

Other than Shi Yu, it seemed like everyone around her treated her very well.

And they were all cute girls…

“Do I really have that much personal charm???”

“Heh-“

“Stop being narcissistic.”

Lin Xi did not want to turn into a narcissistic witch…

…

“Was I being a little too enthusiastic?”

Xia Xun tossed her phone aside and buried her face in a throw pillow.

“Calling Lin Xi this early and asking her to come over…”

“Will she get annoyed with me?”

Xia Xun was starting to regret being so impulsive.

But the call had already been made.

From the sound of it, Lin Xi hadn’t been angry.

“Mm. She wasn’t angry.”

“She probably won’t get mad at me.”

“After all, we’re best friends…”

Xia Xun lifted her face from the pillow and stared blankly at her own hand.

Over the past few days, she kept thinking back to the scene of her and Lin Xi leaving Commercial Street hand in hand.

That warm, soft sensation lingered in Xia Xun’s mind for a very long time.

“I’ve decided!”

“Today, I’m going to find another chance to hold Lin Xi’s hand.”

“That’s not weird, right? After all, we’re best friends.”

As Xia Xun muttered to herself, the phone she had tossed aside rang.

“Is Lin Xi contacting me?”

Xia Xun quickly grabbed her phone.

“What? It’s not Lin Xi-“

But she still answered, because it was a call from Captain Zhao Xing.

“Hello? Captain?”

“Don’t tell me you want me to go in for overtime right now.”

“I already said that no matter what, I’m taking the day off today.”

“Unless that Special-Grade Disaster who set the building on fire shows up, don’t bother notifying me about anything else.”

Xia Xun said all that simply to make it clear to Zhao Xing that unless there was a special situation today, she wasn’t working overtime no matter how much they paid her.

Zhao Xing: “…”

“I’m not asking you to work,” Zhao Xing said. “Captain Feng from District 2, along with Misaka Shirai and several other team members, have officially moved into our District 3 Countermeasures Bureau building.”

“We’re holding a simple welcoming ceremony. Aren’t you coming?”

“Aren’t you and Misaka Shirai on pretty good terms?”

“Uh…” Xia Xun thought for a moment. “No.”

If she went over now, Lin Xi would probably have already arrived at her front door by the time she got back.

Xia Xun had been the one who called Lin Xi over so early. Making her wait outside would be far too rude.

“Isn’t it enough that you’re there, Captain?”

Ever since the joint investigation had been announced at the press conference, some people from District 2 were officially moving into the Countermeasures Bureau building in District 3 today.

Since Xia Xun and Misaka Shirai got along fairly well, Zhao Xing had called to ask.

If Xia Xun said she wasn’t coming, then so be it.

“By the way,” Zhao Xing asked, suddenly sounding nosy, “Xun, did you secretly get yourself a boyfriend?”

“You never used to ask to ‘go off the grid’ on your own initiative.”

“I never expected that, out of the three Magical Girls in Z City, you’d be the first to get off the singles list, Xun.”

Xia Xun: “…”

“He’s not my boyfriend!”

“Lin Xi is coming over to my place.”

“Lin Xi?” Zhao Xing had some impression of Lin Xi. “Oh, the girl who went to the movies with you that one time, right?”

He still remembered that Lin Xi had visited the Countermeasures Bureau building in District 3 before.

“Yeah. We’re good friends,” Xia Xun said.

“All right,” Zhao Xing said. “Have fun, you two.”

After hanging up, Xia Xun got up and started preparing snacks and drinks.

She had already planned out what games they would play and what movies they would watch.

Everything was ready. All that was missing was Lin Xi.

…

Ding-dong-

Lin Xi rang the doorbell at Xia Xun’s home.

The door opened in a second.

It was as if Xia Xun had been waiting behind it the whole time.

“Lin Xi! Thank you for coming over.”

“Uh… I should be the one thanking you for inviting me over to hang out.” The moment they met, Lin Xi felt Xia Xun’s overflowing enthusiasm.

Xia Xun simply reached out and pulled Lin Xi inside.

It was a slightly bold move, but fortunately, Lin Xi did not resist.

Holding Lin Xi’s hand again, that warm, soft sensation struck straight at Xia Xun’s heart.

So this was what a girl’s hand felt like… Xia Xun thought. Even though she was a girl herself, when she clasped her own hands together, she had never felt anything this wonderful.

“Meow!-“

The second Lin Xi stepped inside, Little Mi’s fur instantly stood on end.

It yowled loudly at Lin Xi.

Lin Xi felt a little awkward.

She, a Special-Grade Disaster, had made Little Mi, a First-Grade Disaster, feel deeply uneasy.

Lin Xi was grateful that Little Mi couldn’t talk. Otherwise, if it reported her to Xia Xun, she would be completely done for.

Little Mi was warning its owner in its own way: Be careful of Lin Xi, that big bad villain!

However, Xia Xun directly grabbed Little Mi by the scruff of the neck, carried it into a room, and shut it inside.

Little Mi: “…”

So much for loyally protecting its master???

“Lin Xi, it didn’t scare you, did it?” Xia Xun apologized over and over. “I’ll give Little Mi a proper lesson later. I’ll starve it for a few days and see if it still dares to yell at you.”

Little Mi expressed: Nooo-

“Don’t,” Lin Xi said. “I wasn’t scared. And don’t punish Little Mi either.”

Xia Xun was deeply moved. “Lin Xi, you’re really too kind.”

She invited Lin Xi to sit down. “I’ll go make you some tea right now.”

Lin Xi wanted to tell Xia Xun there was no need to be so enthusiastic, but Xia Xun had already gone off to busy herself.

“Thank you.” Lin Xi accepted the cup. Xia Xun sat down beside her, very close, making Lin Xi a little nervous.

Xia Xun told Lin Xi not to be so reserved and to treat this place like her own home.

“You should stay the night.”

“Huh?!” Lin Xi was startled. “I, um, that would be too much trouble for you…”

“It’s no trouble,” Xia Xun said. “I’ve already prepared all the toiletries, pajamas, and everything else you’ll need.”

“There is a guest room, but since no one has ever stayed over before, I never bought a bed for it.”

“So let’s sleep together!”

Lin Xi: “…”

She was at a loss. Just then, beyond the tall floor-to-ceiling window, a figure flashed into view.

“Misaka Shirai?” Xia Xun stood up and said, “If you’re here to see me, at least use the front door.”

Misaka Shirai had not come to hang out with Xia Xun. She said flatly, “We’ve got a situation.”

Xia Xun knew what that meant. “Captain should have told you, right? I’m not working overtime today.”

But Misaka Shirai said, “That Special-Grade Disaster that loves setting fires has appeared.”

“Huh?!” Both Xia Xun and Lin Xi, who was sitting there drinking tea, froze.

Xia Xun frowned. “Where is it?”

“The south side of the city,” Misaka Shirai replied.

Lin Xi: “???”

I’m the stand-in now???