Chapter 146 – Honey Cookies Made with Love

A whole night of yuri vibes… yeah, right!

It had just been a perfectly ordinary, peaceful night.

The only passionate part was the “pillow fight” before bed.

Zhou Lin had started it.

Despite being a grown woman, she had done the most childish thing of them all.

Only after everyone had worn themselves out and had their fill of fun did they finally settle down to sleep.

Unsurprisingly, the spots on either side of Lin Xi were claimed by Zheng Mo and Zhou Lin.

When they woke up this morning, the two of them unanimously agreed that sleeping beside Lin Xi was incredibly warm.

Warm and reassuring.

Now Lin Xi finally had to wonder if she really did have the same effect as a “Sleeping Pill.”

After breakfast, Zhou Lin needed to head to A City; Zheng Mo and Qin Ling were going to Lanfeng Academy; Lin Xi, Shi Yu, and Lu Yi were going to Z City No. 1 Middle School; and Thor was returning to Lin Xi’s home.

Zheng Mo arranged a car to take Zhou Lin to the station and had Sebas drive Lin Xi and the other two back to school. As for Thor, she would simply fly back on her own.

Zhou Lin promised them that she would make time to come back next month, and then they could all get together again.

…

“Zhao Xinning comes to your house every day so you can go to school together?” Shi Yu asked.

It wasn’t until Lin Xi arrived at school that she remembered she needed to message Xinning and tell her not to come looking for her this morning.

“Yeah,” Lin Xi said. “Xinning and I share a bond stronger than gold.”

“Oh, I get it. You like her, don’t you?”

“As if I’m worthy of liking Angel-sama. I’ll be satisfied if Xinning and I can stay best friends for the rest of our lives.”

“So you’re secretly crushing on her. Got it.”

“It’s not a crush. A friendless person like you would never understand true friendship or the bonds between people.”

“Fine. Then she must like you.”

“You’re talking nonsense again. How could Xinning possibly like someone like me? She only sees me as a good friend too.”

“Mm. I understand now.”

“Huh? What do you understand this time? Shi Yu, when did you become Ms. Know-It-All? Go on, tell me what you’ve figured out.”

“You and Zhao Xinning are a pair of oddballs.”

“You dare insult me? You’ve got some nerve!”

“I’m sorry! I was wrong-” Shi Yu apologized instantly.

Their positions had now been reversed. Lin Xi was the one who could push Shi Yu around however she pleased.

Shi Yu claimed she wouldn’t mind no matter how Lin Xi bullied or humiliated her… That actually gave Lin Xi an idea. She planned to take Shi Yu to a psychiatric hospital for an evaluation.

She had wanted to take Shi Yu to one for ages, but unfortunately, she had never gotten the chance.

As they approached the classroom, the two of them pretended they were nothing more than ordinary classmates.

Shi Yu entered through the front door. Lin Xi’s seat was in the back by the window, so she always entered the classroom through the rear door.

Whenever she appeared in the rear doorway, she would receive Yang Shanshan’s customary morning greeting.

“Good morning, Miss Lin Xi!”

“Mm. Good morning, Miss Shanshan.”

Lin Xi had barely sat down when she received a message from Xia Xun.

Xia Xun had bought breakfast and said she was going to bring it over.

Lin Xi’s head started to ache.

Previously, Magical Girl Su Tang had acted as Lin Xi’s pilot, though the rumors had eventually been cleared up. But this time, if Magical Girl Xia Xun walked in carrying breakfast for Lin Xi, Lin Xi would once again shoot straight to number one on the campus trending list.

As someone who always kept a low profile in both word and deed, Lin Xi immediately replied and declined Xia Xun’s kind offer.

But in the very next second, Xia Xun sent more than a dozen crying stickers in a row, begging Lin Xi not to dump a girlfriend-to-be like her.

Lin Xi: “…”

Xia Xun was humbling herself so much that it was heartbreaking…

“Does Xia Xun really like me that much?”

“If I weren’t a witch, it would probably be really hard to turn down a wonderful girl like Xia Xun…”

Lin Xi’s heart ached a little.

She sent Xia Xun another message, telling her not to bring breakfast to the classroom and to go to the rooftop instead.

There were still more than ten minutes before class anyway. They could head upstairs, eat, and come back down afterward.

After the lavish breakfast she’d eaten at Zheng Mo’s home, Lin Xi wasn’t hungry in the slightest. She just couldn’t bring herself to turn down Xia Xun’s kindness…

But the moment Lin Xi saw Xia Xun carrying an enormous bag of food, she regretted it.

“This is breakfast? There’s enough here for lunch! How am I supposed to eat all this?”

“I’m sorry! I was wrong!” Xia Xun apologized without hesitation, leaving Lin Xi utterly bewildered.

“I’m not blaming you. I just… sigh.” Lin Xi stepped in front of Xia Xun and looked her straight in the eyes.

“You don’t need to walk on eggshells around me. You never used to act like this.”

“I’m afraid you’ll dump me,” Xia Xun whispered.

“Uh, well, we’re not even dating, are we? So you can’t exactly dump me or be dumped by me.”

“See? I knew you wanted to dump me.”

Lin Xi: “…”

Whatever. They could talk while she ate.

There was no way she could finish it all, but she had to eat at least a little. If she didn’t touch any of it, Xia Xun would definitely think she was angry…

Why did her life have to be so hard???

“Thank you, Lin Xi! Thank you for eating the cookies I baked for you with my own hands!” Xia Xun looked so moved that she was on the verge of tears.

Lin Xi was completely dumbfounded. Was this girl seriously okay???

“If anyone should be thanking someone, it’s me thanking you. Xia Xun, please stop acting like this. You’re scaring me a little…”

“Scaring you? Why?”

“Because you never used to be like this. I want to see the bright and cheerful Magical Girl Xia Xun I knew before. But now you’re being far too self-effacing. You really don’t have to act this way…”

Xia Xun finally opened her heart to Lin Xi. Every day, she worried that Lin Xi would dump her. She’d even started to fear that they might not be able to remain friends, which was why she’d become so painfully cautious around her.

“You don’t need to worry, much less get anxious-“

Before Lin Xi could finish, Xia Xun grabbed her hand and exclaimed, “Promise you won’t dump me, and I won’t worry or get anxious anymore!”

Now Lin Xi was starting to feel worried and anxious herself…

“Fine, fine. You win.”

Xia Xun looked as delighted as if she’d just won a great victory.

“Then stay over at my place tonight!”

Lin Xi didn’t want to spend every night away from home. If she was going to sleep elsewhere every day, what was the point of owning a house?

She might as well sell it… No, if she sold it, Thor would end up sleeping on the street…

Snapping out of her wandering thoughts, Lin Xi said, “No. I absolutely have to sleep at home. Please understand-my house wants me, its owner, to return.”

Xia Xun: “…”

She immediately dropped to one knee and looked up at Lin Xi with a pitiful expression.

“As long as you stay over at my place, I’ll do anything!”

“Onegai, watashi1-“

So much for not worrying, not getting anxious, and not groveling… Lin Xi reached out to help Xia Xun up.

Xia Xun stubbornly refused to move.

“Xia Xun,” Lin Xi threatened, “don’t make me get down on my knees and beg you!”

Faced with Lin Xi’s “threat,” Xia Xun finally stood up.

She said it was fine if Lin Xi didn’t want to stay the night. Lin Xi just had to at least come over and play video games with her for a while.

Lin Xi had no choice but to agree. If she refused again, Xia Xun was going to cry.

Were girlfriends really this much trouble? Maybe she was better off without one… For a brief moment, Lin Xi genuinely thought so.

But almost immediately, she changed her tune.

“Xia Xun, these cookies are amazing! Did you use some kind of secret recipe?”

“These cookies were made with the sweet nectar of love.”

“The sweet nectar of love? What’s that?”

“It’s…” Xia Xun’s face instantly turned as red as the morning sky. “My love for you.”

Footnote:

• Onegai, Watashi(お願い、私……): Japanese for “Please, I-,” an incomplete, melodramatic plea.