Chapter 188 – A Deep Friendship Forged Through Fishing

“Xinning,” Lin Xi answered.

Shi Yu sighed softly. “So it really is Zhao Xinning. You’re quite the pure-love childhood-friend devotee…”

“Has Zhao Xinning confessed to you?”

“Of course not! How could Xinning ever like someone like me? She definitely only sees me as a good friend.”

“Then are you planning to confess to her?”

“Of course not! If Xinning sees me as a friend, wouldn’t it be awful of me to look at her that way?”

Shi Yu took a moment to process that.

“You two really are something.”

“Well, since the two of you aren’t official yet, that means I still have a chance.”

“Since ancient times, the new girl has always defeated the childhood friend. In the end, Zhao Xinning becomes the losing heroine, while I emerge as the final victor. What a happy ending. What a happy ending.”

“Happy ending, my ass!” Lin Xi shot back. “Quit spouting nonsense. You don’t even count as a close friend to me. Shi Yu, you have absolutely no chance of winning.”

“Hehehe-“

“What are you laughing at?”

“I definitely have a chance,” Shi Yu said. “Once you remember our beautiful encounter at last year’s School Sports Festival, you’ll change your mind about me.”

Shi Yu had told Lin Xi before that the School Sports Festival last year was when she first fell for her.

Lin Xi had asked what exactly had happened between them that day, but Shi Yu refused to tell her.

She asked again now. Shi Yu still wouldn’t say.

“Take your time and remember it yourself.”

“Stop acting mysterious. You obviously made the whole thing up,” Lin Xi said. “Absolutely nothing happened between us at last year’s School Sports Festival.”

Shi Yu merely said that Lin Xi would understand once she remembered.

Remember? Lin Xi wanted more of the Cuddle Witch’s memories too, but the damn System had been rewarding her with nothing except additional lifespan lately.

If Lin Xi wanted a bigger reward, she probably needed to cuddle more intimately with the girls on the list…

“Actually…” Shi Yu said, “solving your current problem would be easy. At dinner tonight, announce to everyone that I’m your girlfriend. Problem solved.”

“Of course, you’ll need to protect me afterward. Otherwise, I might not survive the night.”

“Can you stop talking nonsense?” Lin Xi said. “I’m not going to announce that. And even if I did, no one would hurt you. Don’t we all get along wonderfully?”

Shi Yu did not answer immediately.

“Try announcing that I’m your girlfriend. Then we’ll see how wonderfully everyone gets along.”

Lin Xi let the challenge hang unanswered.

The float bobbed.

Another bite.

“I’m not listening to a single word of your nonsense, Shi Yu.”

“It’s just like your claim that you’re an expert angler. What a joke.”

“I’ve already caught two fish in a row, and you’re still sitting on zero.”

Shi Yu smiled faintly, then lifted her keepnet from the water. Seven or eight fish thrashed at the bottom.

“Holy shit-” Lin Xi blurted.

…

Zhao Xinning checked the time.

Xi has been gone for over an hour. Why isn’t she back yet?

Xia Xun checked the time.

Lin Xi has been gone for over an hour. Why isn’t she back yet?

Their fishing spots weren’t far apart. But since each saw the other as her greatest romantic rival, neither had spoken a word for ages.

The silence was getting awkward.

As Xia Xun fished, she considered how best to kill Zhao Xinning. Lin Xi could never find out. If she did, Xia Xun’s relationship with her would be finished.

As Zhao Xinning fished, she considered how best to kill Xia Xun. Xi could never find out. If she did, Zhao Xinning’s relationship with her would be finished.

Since Zhao Xinning was only an ordinary person, Xia Xun decided to kill her by proxy. She would use a Dark Realm Disaster and make Zhao Xinning’s death look like a tragic accident.

Since Xia Xun was a Magical Girl, Zhao Xinning planned to wait until she attended some crowded event. Then Zhao Xinning could hide among the people and secretly prick her with the Cursed Blade.

The Queen of Curses had said that the lightest prick would be enough.

Xia Xun might not even think anything of such a tiny wound.

She would never imagine that a powerful curse was going to kill her.

Zhao Xinning would curse Xia Xun to death, summon a dump truck, and send that hateful Magical Girl off to another world.

Two girls who could only be described as perfect constructed equally perfect murder plans inside their heads…

Another hour passed, and Lin Xi still didn’t return.

During that time, Zhao Xinning caught two fish.

Xia Xun caught two as well.

They were secretly competing. Neither said it aloud, but both had decided that the two of them were now engaged in a fishing contest.

That was why neither got up to look for Lin Xi. Instead, they focused more and more intently on fishing.

They had to establish who was superior and settle the contest once and for all.

Xia Xun caught another fish. Zhao Xinning followed immediately with one of her own.

The same thought occurred to both of them.

The same master taught us. Neither of us can break the other’s moves.

Xia Xun quietly used her Magical Girl powers to lower the temperature of the water around Zhao Xinning’s spot.

The fish on Zhao Xinning’s side grew less active.

The instant Xia Xun cheated, the Queen of Curses detected it and told Zhao Xinning exactly what she had done.

Zhao Xinning stared at the water as she spoke.

“If someone can’t bear to lose, she should simply surrender and stop playing.”

Xia Xun said nothing.

Wait. She noticed?

Damn it!-

Did I make the water over there too cold? Was my cheating that obvious?

Xia Xun withdrew her power, but she still had to retaliate verbally.

“Some people have no powers, so all they can do is complain and rage at their own helplessness.”

As a Magical Girl, Xia Xun was confident she held an overwhelming advantage over an ordinary person like Zhao Xinning.

She had powers. So what if she used them?

An ordinary, powerless person like Zhao Xinning could only complain helplessly.

“Are you looking down on ordinary people, Miss Xia Xun?” Zhao Xinning called her out by name. “Isn’t Xi an ordinary person too? Do you look down on her?”

Zhao Xinning knew that Lin Xi was the Blazing Blast Witch. Xia Xun did not know Lin Xi’s true identity, so naturally, in Zhao Xinning’s eyes, Xia Xun regarded her as an ordinary person.

“I never said I looked down on ordinary people, Miss Xinning,” Xia Xun replied. “And I would never look down on Lin Xi.”

“We Magical Girls exist to protect ordinary people. That’s why I’ll protect Lin Xi for the rest of her life.”

Zhao Xinning offered no reply.

That damn Magical Girl. The sheer arrogance!

I’m the only one who can protect Xi for the rest of her life!

“Heh.” Zhao Xinning counterattacked. “Did you know, Miss Xia Xun, that there are only two kinds of people in this world? Childhood friends-and thieving cats.”

“Protecting Xi for the rest of her life is a job for her childhood friend. It can’t be entrusted to a thieving cat.”

This time, Xia Xun had no reply.

That damn childhood friend. The sheer arrogance!

I’m the only one who can protect Lin Xi for the rest of her life!

The two proceeded to hold a “friendly” debate over which of them had the right to protect Lin Xi for the rest of her life.

The debate quietly ended only when Lin Xi returned.

“Wow, you two are having quite the lively conversation.” Lin Xi smiled. “I’m not interrupting, am I?”

Had Xia Xun and Xinning forged a deep friendship through fishing?

As expected, Angel-sama and the magical beauty girl were destined to become good friends… or so Lin Xi thought.