Nearly sleepless through the night, but in the second half Xiaoxi managed to suppress her own sounds well, and Silver Bell didn’t come knocking again.
The next time they met was at noon the following day.
Exhausted from being tormented all night, Xiaoxi truly had no energy left to cook and could only order takeout.
When she opened the door to pick up her order, she just happened to run into Silver Bell, who was coming downstairs after cleaning her room and taking out the trash.
The latter blushed, didn’t even say hello, and immediately shrank back into her room.
Xiaoxi was already used to Silver Bell’s personality and didn’t think much of it.
She had no idea that, after returning home, Silver Bell slid slowly down the wall and sat on the floor with a flushed face.
Just thinking of last night, Silver Bell felt mortified!
Actually, after returning to her room last night, she didn’t feel like listening anymore, intending to finish that eroge she’d left halfway before.
She wanted to unlock the special CG and then go to sleep.
But as soon as she launched the game, she suddenly realized that those two’s voices didn’t sound like they were arguing—more like…
Crap, at a time like that she’d actually been so clueless as to go knock on the door.
Did she accidentally interrupt a little couple in the middle of something important?
In that moment, Silver Bell’s face turned completely red.
Hugging herself, she rolled back and forth on the ground a few times, wishing she could just die on the spot.
She shouldn’t have been this dense, but because she’d run into the two of them arguing on the subway during the day, she’d just assumed they were arguing at night too…
Who could have guessed that this little couple would quarrel at the head of the bed and make up at the foot!
N-no big deal! I’ll just keep this to myself forever!
But what she hadn’t expected was that the Blood Moon Witch would find a partner so quickly—and it was even a Magic Girl from The Association… What a shame.
But Xiaoxi knew nothing of any of this. Taking advantage of her day off, she made ample preparations for returning home the next day.
……
The next morning, Ye Xinglan was up earlier than Xiaoxi for a change.
She spent a full hour carefully choosing her outfit in front of the wardrobe, until Xiaoxi finally, with a helpless sigh, tossed her a set of everyday clothes.
“Relax, my mom’s just an ordinary housewife who likes tending flowers and plants and stuff. It’s not like you’re going for a job interview, so why dress so formally?”
“But I’m a little nervous, Xiaoxi. Won’t dressing so casually make your mom think I don’t respect her?”
Xiaoxi smiled wryly. The mighty Blood Moon Witch, nervous about meeting an ordinary housewife?
Guess her mom really was something.
“Wait a minute! Why are you being so double-standard? Aren’t you the one dressed so formally?”
Ye Xinglan stared intently at the rather expensive-looking formal wear Xiaoxi had put on—something Xiaoxi had specifically bought just yesterday.
“This is… it means something different for me. Ah, don’t worry about it, just trust me. Wearing this is definitely fine!”
Xiaoxi wasn’t comfortable explaining her reasoning to Ye Xinglan, and she doubted Ye Xinglan could really understand her feelings anyway, so she simply said no more.
On the way home, Xiaoxi couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental seeing the familiar old neighborhood again.
Her memories of her last trip home were already growing vague, but she still remembered her mom’s parting words telling her to bring her girlfriend next time…
Who would have thought she’d really be bringing her girlfriend home this time.
“You’re home so early—come in, come in!”
The door was opened by Su Yuening, her hair tied back, an apron around her waist, a small spray bottle in one hand and pruning shears in the other.
She’d clearly been tending her plants just moments before.
The “little rich lady’s” posture was straight as a rod, and Xiaoxi was surprised to see her looking so visibly nervous.
“G-good afternoon, Auntie!” Ye Xinglan bowed stiffly. “It’s my first time visiting, and I didn’t know what would be appropriate, so, um… this is for you…”
Ye Xinglan had studied a whole set of lines in advance, but in her nerves, the latter half—“I’ve prepared a little gift to show my respect”—came out sounding rather strange.
Xiaoxi herself had no idea when Ye Xinglan had prepared a present.
“My, what a thoughtful child. Come on in, don’t be nervous. Just make yourself at home.”
Maybe it was Su Yuening’s smiling eyes and gentle tone, but Ye Xinglan’s nervousness did ease a little.
Su Yuening then shifted her attention to Xiaoxi, giving her outfit a once-over.
“Our Xiaoxi is looking more and more like a grown-up these days. I guess you’ve been doing well for yourself out there?”
“Of course,” Xiaoxi tried hard to muster a natural smile, “it’s just that work keeps me busy, so I haven’t had much time to stay in touch, Mom.”
“Oh, right, Mom—I’ve saved up quite a bit this past half-year from work. Let me send you some money so you can treat yourself now and then…”
Xiaoxi breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Thankfully, after officially joining The Association, the Astrologer had given her a decent raise; otherwise, she really wouldn’t have been able to afford it today.
“Hey, Sis, you’re back… Wait, what’s with your outfit?”
Xiao Keke, who’d come home early, heard voices from the living room and emerged from her room, giving a snort when she saw Xiaoxi’s clothes.
“You look like you’re selling insurance, honestly. Nothing like that Maid outfit you wore to your part-time job.”
Xiaoxi frantically covered her sister’s mouth, glaring daggers at her. Luckily, Su Yuening didn’t suspect a thing, busy instead welcoming Ye Xinglan inside.
After a few casual conversations, Ye Xinglan felt much less tense.
Su Yuening’s attitude was nothing like she’d expected from meeting a girlfriend’s parents; it was calm and gentle, and gradually put her at ease.
So this is what it feels like to come home and meet your partner’s family? It felt like things were moving so fast—what’s next…? No, no, that’s way too soon!
Naturally, a family visit meant some talk about recent life and work. Xiaoxi answered each question easily.
“By the way, I’ve never really known what job you got in Summersea City after the New Year. Xiaoxi, what are you doing these days?”
“My sister, she’s—”
“Ahem, well, Mom! Right now I’m mainly working as the Home Economics Director of Full-Link Catering Field Experience Service at a high-end restaurant, and I also have a part-time gig with the Vertical Content Creation Model for Paid Reading.”
“Work keeps me busy sometimes, but I’m doing well out there. Don’t worry about me, Mom.”
Ye Xinglan looked at Xiaoxi’s easy smile and couldn’t help but recall how, when they first met, Xiaoxi had been so broke she was months behind on rent…
Suddenly, something clicked—she understood why Xiaoxi insisted on dressing so formally today.
But there was one thing Ye Xinglan hadn’t realized—Xiaoxi was just too embarrassed to mention “waitress” to her mom.
Letting her mom know she was currently a Maid in a Maid café… that was just mortifying!
She’d gone out into the world with lofty ambitions as a college graduate, only to come home as a little Maid… How could she possibly say that out loud!