Qianling’s arrival was naturally far more captivating than the food, so Yang Mo immediately tossed her chopsticks aside, letting them fall to the edge of her plate.
“Can I take a look at your hand?”
She asked enthusiastically, waving at Qianling to signal her to stretch out her empty hand.
“Here, but just by looking, I doubt you’ll spot any flaws.”
As she spoke, Qianling carelessly laid her palm open on the table.
Yet when Yang Mo carefully felt her hand, she could still distinguish the subtle contours of the joints.
“Amazing! Qianling, how did you manage this?”
“It’s my disguise magic.”
Yang Mo pressed on, “What about the uniform? Did you find it at school?”
“What do you mean, ‘find’?”
Qianling’s face darkened, and she pulled her hand back. Yang Mo, stunned for a moment, finally realized what she meant and hurriedly waved her hands to explain.
“No, that’s not what I meant!”
“Anyway, this is also thanks to my disguise magic.” Qianling didn’t really mind, so she just offered the same explanation as before.
“The uniform you’re seeing now is an illusion of sorts. In reality, I’m still wearing the maid outfit you gave me.”
After hearing this, Yang Mo scrutinized her clothes and finally sighed, “You’re right, if you look closely, you can see parts flickering, just like a TV with bad reception.”
“Ha…” Qianling let out a sigh. “I knew it. This disguise magic isn’t really meant for disguises.”
She became even more certain of her earlier suspicion—her ability to use this magic was probably due to the Doll Witch’s personal quirks.
But such flaws only showed because she was in front of a Magical Girl; the others around probably couldn’t tell at all.
Seeing her look so dejected, Yang Mo consoled her, “It’s fine, Qianling, no need to worry. Remember how I said I’d take you shopping for clothes? Even if you don’t use magic, I’ll make sure you have outfits for all sorts of occasions.”
“But won’t buying clothes cost a lot?”
“My parents have given me so much allowance; I’ve saved up tons! So just relax and be my dress-up doll~”
“Well, thank you… I guess…”
Qianling collapsed limply onto the table, feeling like she’d turned into Yang Mo’s kept pretty boy.
In the original story, Yang Mo’s parents, who were always away, really did give her large sums of living expenses regularly. But always accepting others’ charity was something Qianling couldn’t stand.
This couldn’t go on. She’d have to find a way to make some money herself, at least enough for daily expenses.
She resolved herself.
Looking at the idle Qianling across the table, Yang Mo suddenly remembered something.
“By the way, do you want something to eat? It’s on me.”
Eating in the cafeteria shouldn’t be too expensive, Qianling thought.
Besides, Yang Mo would probably prefer having company rather than being watched as she ate, so she might as well accept her offer.
She replied, “Sure, but I don’t know what to get. Just order your favorite.”
“Then I’ll be right back! Wait here for me, Qianling.”
With that, Yang Mo got up and headed to the busiest line.
Is she really going to be ‘right back’?
Qianling couldn’t help but be a bit skeptical.
Thankfully, the line moved quickly, and in two minutes, Yang Mo returned, carrying a plate of grilled meat rice bowl.
Yang Mo set the plate in front of Qianling and said, “This is one of our cafeteria’s most popular dishes.”
“Alright, let me give it a try.”
With that declaration, Qianling picked up the chopsticks, ready to eat, only to notice Yang Mo was still staring at her intently.
“Hmm? Aren’t you eating?” she asked Yang Mo.
“It’s not that… I was just thinking—you use chopsticks so naturally.”
“What about it?”
Yang Mo’s words puzzled Qianling, so Yang Mo explained, “It’s just… how should I put this? With your silver hair and looks, I subconsciously think of you as a foreigner.”
“…Foreigner?”
Qianling set down her chopsticks and glanced around the cafeteria.
She could see students with red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple hair—all sorts of colors.
Though most shades leaned dark, and brown and black still dominated, Qianling didn’t think she stood out that much.
When she turned back to Yang Mo, she was even more surprised.
“I can understand if it’s about looks, but you have blonde hair yourself. That’s a foreigner’s hair color, isn’t it?”
Besides, she remembered that, according to the original setting, Yang Mo’s father’s side did have a trace of mixed heritage.
“It’s totally different, look.” Yang Mo twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.
“My hair is so light and doesn’t have that golden shine others have.”
“So that’s how you tell the difference…”
Qianling finally understood how the original story depicted racial features—something that hadn’t been mentioned in the setting materials.
With that topic finished, the two began to eat in earnest.
Qianling started with the meat from the rice bowl.
The grilled meat didn’t taste like it was prepackaged—maybe a semi-processed product, but the sauce had a cumin base and was quite fragrant, served with crispy potato wedges and stir-fried greens.
Honestly, Qianling didn’t think the grilled meat rice bowl in front of her was particularly special, but if she had to choose, she’d say it was definitely tasty.
It had been a long time since she’d eaten such greasy, well-seasoned food.
Watching her polish off her meal, Yang Mo beamed with satisfaction.
Yang Mo finished even earlier; her plate had always had less food, so she seemed like the small-eater type. By the time Qianling wiped her mouth, Yang Mo had already been waiting for a while.
The two set aside their trays, then walked to a bench near the greenery where few people passed, and took a short break.
Yang Mo and Qianling sat side by side.
There wasn’t much to do, but they’d only come here to chat anyway.
“Qianling.”
Because they were so close, Yang Mo’s voice sounded right in Qianling’s ear.
“Mm?”
“Why did you come to school to find me?”
Qianling replied without hesitation, “I just happened to be passing by. I’m conducting an investigation.”
“I see.”
She was speaking in her normal tone, but for some reason, Qianling thought there was a trace of disappointment in Yang Mo’s voice. After she spoke, her head drooped slightly.
But Qianling quickly shifted gears, “But that’s not the only reason—I have others, too.”
Yang Mo looked up at her again.
What Qianling was about to say next was something she’d decided on from the very beginning—a true thought from her heart.
“I also wanted to see you at school. I wanted to know what you’re like here, and how you’re doing.”
Hearing Qianling say this with a smile, Yang Mo’s eyes widened in surprise—she didn’t know whether to be shocked or happy.
Qianling shrugged and continued, “But, honestly, looking at it now, I still feel a bit worried. If I hadn’t come, you’d be eating alone.”
“Qian… Qianling! Are you saying I don’t have any friends?”
Qianling nodded. Yang Mo immediately flailed, rushing to defend herself.
“It’s not like I don’t want to make friends! It’s just… I always feel like there’s something weird about me.”
“What’s weird about you?”
“Don’t laugh if I say it.”
“I promise I won’t.”
With Qianling’s firm reply, Yang Mo calmed herself.
“Alright.”
She began to talk about the things that had happened in her past.
“For example… once, I was chatting with my deskmate about holiday memories. She was so excited to tell me all the places her parents took her, then asked me about mine.”
“But I couldn’t answer. She gave me this complicated look and then said sorry.”
“And like with birthday cakes—other people seem surprised, but every year I just prepare one with my sister.”
“I don’t mind these things, but they’ve become so ingrained in my life that I mention them without thinking.”
“I just don’t want people to look at me like my deskmate did, so in the end, I feel like things are fine the way they are now.”
“I’m only telling you because you wanted to know.” Yang Mo looked frustrated, gripping her hands tighter on her lap.
“But you probably don’t feel great hearing all that, huh?”
This was something never revealed in the original story, and even Qianling was surprised.
She hadn’t expected Yang Mo’s character to be like this…
But facing a girl exposing her vulnerable side, Qianling had something more important to do than just sigh.
“That’s not it at all.”
She shook her head, leaning over to meet Yang Mo’s lowered gaze.
“Like I said, I came here because I wanted to know how you’re doing at school. So, I’m glad you shared all this with me.”
“Qianling… thank you for saying that.”
Yang Mo’s clenched hands relaxed, and the tension in her face eased as well.
Seeing this, Qianling seized the chance to tease, “I’m the one who blurted out whatever I wanted, so being thanked for no reason just makes me feel distant from you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean! Qianling, isn’t it weirder not to want to be thanked?”
Yang Mo shot back with a fierce rebuttal.
Just like that, the lively mood returned between them.
And now, on Yang Mo’s face, Qianling could finally see the familiar expression—her usual smile, free of shadows.
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