Xia Zhi left, closing the door behind him.
Charlotte walked back to her bed, practically bouncing with excitement.
Mona stared. "Wait, when did you change clothes? Weren't you in pajamas just now?"
Charlotte giggled and buried her face in the blankets.
"Don't laugh—tell me what's going on!"
"Alright, alright! We never actually left the room."
"No way. I saw you disappear!"
"You disappeared. Remember when I took your picture?"
"Of course. That flash nearly blinded me."
"Well, that's why. When I took the picture, you got teleported into it."
"Huh???"
"Really! Look—these are the special films Mr. Xia gave me."
Mona went quiet for a moment, staring at her. "…And that outfit? Did you two do something while I was gone?"
Charlotte's face turned crimson. "W-What are you talking about?!"
"Why are you so nervous, then?"
"You don't get it! Don't joke about Mr. Xia like that!"
"Oh?" Mona smirked.
"Because I'm already one of his people!"
"!!!"
"Not like that! I mean, I'm a magical girl!"
Charlotte hurriedly explained everything.
Mona fell silent again, processing it.
Finally, she said, "So that fortune-telling you asked me to do last night—the one about getting closer to Mr. Xia—you meant this kind of relationship?"
"Of course! What else could I mean?"
"…Not that."
"Then what?"
"Take a guess."
Charlotte stared at her friend's mischievous expression—and realization dawned.
Her face turned scarlet. "You can't be serious…"
"What do you think?"
"You—you said the competition was intense!"
"Isn't it?"
"…"
Charlotte buried her face in her pillow with a muffled groan.
I'm dead. I'm so dead.
…Good thing Mr. Xia didn't know about this yet.
----
After leaving Charlotte's room, Xia Zhi walked down the hall and stopped outside Xia Lin's door.
He knocked lightly. "Xia Le, Xia Lin, you two still awake?"
Inside, there was the sound of hurried rustling before a flustered voice answered, "Not yet! Come in, Papa!"
Xia Zhi stood outside for a moment, a strange mix of amusement and melancholy passing through him. His daughters were growing up—already hiding little secrets from him.
"Can I come in?"
"Of course!"
He pushed the door open and found both girls sitting together on Xia Le's bed. The air carried a faint trace of cherry blossoms, the scent leftover from the Seed-Converting Box.
Xia Le smiled sweetly. "What brings you here, big brother?"
"I came to give Xia Lin something."
Xia Lin's eyes lit up. "Huh? A gift from Papa?"
"Yeah."
He pulled out a bracelet. "Here—it's a Magical Girl transformation device."
Xia Lin's eyes sparkled as she gazed at it. "It's so pretty!"
Xia Zhi walked over, gently taking her hand and slipping the bracelet onto her wrist. "Klee came by earlier and said she wanted to become a Magical Girl. I made her one like this. Then I thought, since Yaoyao and Klee both have theirs now, I should make you one too."
Whether it was because his hand was holding hers or because she was genuinely touched, Xia Lin's cheeks flushed pink. "Thank you, Papa."
"It's easy to use. Just say 'transform' in your mind."
The moment he finished, a dark glow surrounded Xia Lin.
Inside his mind, the system's voice echoed.
"Detected prayer from a fanatic believer."
"Respond?"
"Yes."
Just as he thought—like Yaoyao, Xia Lin was a fanatic. That faint melancholy from earlier disappeared completely.
While he adjusted Xia Lin's transformation outfit through the interface, he chatted idly with Xia Le.
"Big brother, why didn't I get a gift?"
"You're a dragon of time."
"I'm not talking about a transformation item! I mean a gift! I want one of those pretty bracelets too."
He sighed. "Fine."
He crafted another bracelet using alchemy—same design, just without divine inscriptions.
Xia Le didn't take it right away. Instead, she stretched her hand toward him, eyes shining expectantly.
He chuckled and helped her put it on.
She lowered her head, grinning to herself.
Hehe, not washing my hands tonight.
By the time Xia Lin's transformation was complete and he turned off the interface, she reappeared before him in her new outfit.
"Papa!"
"Get familiar with your new power."
"Mm-hmm!"
"And remember to rest early. Don't stay up late on your phone."
"Got it! Big brother, I never stay up late on my phone!"
"Good."
He left the room.
Xia Lin shot her sister a knowing look. Never stays up late, huh? You literally do it every night.
Xia Le, still admiring her bracelet, noticed Xia Lin's stare. "What's that look for? You got all nervous when big brother knocked. What were you hiding?"
Xia Lin's eyes darted away. "..."
She'd panicked earlier and stuffed the Seed-Converting Box away, terrified their little plan would be discovered.
Xia Le sighed. "Forget it. Just be careful next time. Now, where's the Box? Bring it out—we're continuing."
"Oh!"
----
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