Chapter 10: The magical girl’s personal psychologist?

Lin Qingya woke slowly, enveloped in warmth and softness.

It felt like she was sinking into a giant marshmallow, a familiar, comforting scent lingering at the tip of her nose.

Mmm… Little Sister Bai’s scent.

Her mind still foggy, she instinctively nuzzled closer, the softness beneath her head so incredible it made her want to stay there forever.

What the—?

This sensation…

Something was off—nine out of ten levels of off!

Her brain hit the reset button, memories from last night flooding back.

West City Wetland Park… the cold construction site… that bloodstained bone fragment… the murder case…

Then… Little Sister Bai’s call…

And then what?

Lin Qingya’s eyes snapped open, greeted by smooth, fair skin and the strap of a black silk nightgown.

She was being held, her head resting on someone’s stomach.

It was Bai Wanting.

Meow meow meow?!

Blood rushed to her head, her cheeks turning so red they could drip.

She stiffly glanced down, horrified to find herself in just her underwear!

Her blue-and-white school uniform and magical girl dress were nowhere to be seen!

Oh no, oh no, oh no!

How was she here? And like this?!

“Good morning, my little Qingya baby.”

Bai Wanting’s voice, tinged with sleepy laziness, came from above as she gently stroked Lin Qingya’s hair, like petting a kitten.

“L-Little Sister Bai…”

Lin Qingya responded instinctively, letting Bai Wanting gently sit her up.

In that moment, she fully woke up.

Her memory was a patchwork of gaps and blanks.

She remembered discovering the dismembered remains, then being overwhelmed with fear and panic, her mind consumed with thoughts of Little Sister Bai.

And then… she must have been so tired and scared that she ran to sleep with Little Sister Bai.

So… did Little Sister Bai undress her? And let her sleep in her bed?

Oh my gosh! How could she do something so embarrassing?!

How could she abandon her magical girl duties out of fear and run to Little Sister Bai for comfort?!

Always so timid, so weak, always troubling Little Sister Bai… Would she… would she start to dislike her?

“How did you sleep last night? Did you have a good rest?”

Bai Wanting gently cupped Lin Qingya’s face, her thumbs brushing her burning cheeks, her voice full of concern.

“I… I slept really well, super comfortable…” Lin Qingya mumbled, blushing. “With Little Sister Bai by my side, I slept so soundly…”

“Good to hear.” Bai Wanting chuckled softly, clearly pleased with her response.

She leaned down to Lin Qingya’s ear, her voice dripping with indulgence. “Your sleeping face was so adorable~ Sister couldn’t stop staring.”

Ohhh!

Lin Qingya felt her brain frying, her whole body practically steaming.

Watching the impossibly cute girl in her arms, Bai Wanting launched into another 40-second no-laugh challenge.

Of course, she wouldn’t tell Lin Qingya that she’d been summoned back from the park dozens of kilometers away with a hypnotic command.

Nor would she mention how, after Lin Qingya fell into a deep sleep, she’d carefully stripped off her bothersome school uniform and “inspected” her body.

Hmm… the little one’s nutrition seemed to be improving—things were developing a bit more since the last check.

Looks like more milk for breakfast was in order.

Satisfied with her thoughts, Bai Wanting decided to let the adorable creature off for now.

“Alright, time to get up, or you’ll be late for school.” She patted Lin Qingya’s back gently. “I’ll grab breakfast; you go freshen up.”

With that, she got out of bed, the silky black nightgown accentuating her perfect curves as she moved.

Lin Qingya stared dazedly at her retreating figure until the bedroom door closed, then jolted upright, frantically searching for her clothes.

At the dining table, Bai Wanting had prepared a hearty breakfast.

Warm milk, perfectly runny fried eggs, and golden-brown toast.

Lin Qingya, face red the entire time, kept her head down like a guilty child, quietly shoving food in her mouth, too shy to meet Bai Wanting’s eyes.

Bai Wanting didn’t speak, just smiled warmly, occasionally placing a strip of bacon on her plate or nudging the milk glass closer.

The cozy, slightly intimate atmosphere made Lin Qingya feel like she was dreaming.

After breakfast, Bai Wanting picked up her small crossbody bag and said casually, “Let’s go. I’ll walk you to school.”

Lin Qingya froze, then was overwhelmed by a wave of happiness.

Overwhelmed with joy, she placed her small hand in Bai Wanting’s palm.

Bai Wanting took it, gently separating her fingers to interlace them tightly with her own.

Interlocked fingers.

Ohhh! Sister, how is she so good at this?!

The walk to school wasn’t long, but Lin Qingya was so enchanted by her Little Sister Bai that she felt lightheaded, almost floating.

She kept her head down, her blush never fading, all her senses focused on the hand gripping hers, feeling the warmth and softness of Bai Wanting’s palm.

“What’s wrong? Why’s my little cutie so quiet?” Bai Wanting’s teasing voice sounded beside her.

Lin Qingya looked up, her face still flushed with that captivating red.

She murmured, “Because… I just feel so happy right now, with Little Sister Bai walking me to school…”

This happiness came so suddenly, it felt almost unreal…

Bai Wanting just squeezed her hand tighter.

“Don’t worry, Sister’s graduated now and staying in the city. My job as a counselor is pretty chill, so I can walk you to school and pick you up every day.”

She paused, turning to Lin Qingya with a soft promise.

“You’ll never be alone again.”

Never be alone again…

The words stirred a mix of bittersweetness and gratitude in Lin Qingya’s heart, making her nose tingle.

She nodded vigorously, a thousand words condensing into one heartfelt sentence.

“Having Little Sister Bai by my side is the best!”

Soon, they reached the school gate.

It was peak morning rush, with students in the same uniform passing by in small groups.

Reluctantly, Lin Qingya let go of Bai Wanting’s hand.

“Little Sister Bai, I’m going in. You should head back.” She waved, lingering as she walked toward the school building, looking back every few steps.

“Alright, study hard. I’ll pick you up tonight.” Bai Wanting stood in place, smiling as she waved back.

Lin Qingya steeled herself and finally turned to enter the building.

As the petite figure disappeared around the corridor corner, the gentle smile on Bai Wanting’s face slowly faded, replaced by a calm certainty of control.

She didn’t leave.

Instead, she adjusted her clothes, strode confidently toward the school gate.

The security guard, noticing an unfamiliar face, stepped forward to stop her.

“Excuse me, miss, who are you looking for? Please register.”

Bai Wanting paused, her face breaking into a warm, approachable smile.

She pulled a shiny new ID from her bag and handed it to the guard.

Her lips parted, her voice soft and pleasant.

“Hello, I’m the new psychology teacher hired by Principal Tian.”