Chapter 12: Touch

Lying in bed, Jiang Lingwei couldn’t sleep.

The closet brimmed with clothes suited to her current form.

Skipping the skirts and odd garments, she chose pajamas and slipped into bed.

Back then, she’d slept naked, but here, an extra layer felt safer.

After rushing home, she’d grabbed the cold takeout left at the door, reheated it, and waited for Jiang Yao to eat.

Then she explored the villa’s third and fourth floors.

The fourth floor was an entertainment room.

She peeked into the attic—empty—and returned.

Among her finds were photos showing her at 21, matching her current appearance.

Some captured her with a young girl, likely Jiang Yao as a child.

One chilling photo showed her pregnant, smiling at the camera.

‘I can’t wrap my head around it. Why did this happen? What went down after the final battle?’

Confirming Jiang Yao as her daughter and finding traces of her life brought some comfort.

But one person was absent from the photos.

Her husband, Jiang Yao’s father.

A little-known fact: humans don’t reproduce alone.

It takes two.

In the photo album, family shots had a blank space where the father should’ve been.

‘Magic.’

The word surfaced in Jiang Lingwei’s mind.

This defied a scientific worldview.

The father had clearly been in those photos.

Now he was gone.

Only magic could erase someone’s existence like that.

Jiang Yao was too weak to do it.

Even Jiang Lingwei’s prime teammates, or herself, couldn’t manage such a feat.

But Jiang Yao must know something.

Her body felt too young, and Jiang Yao likely noticed her mother’s youthful appearance.

Yet she never mentioned it, unsurprised.

‘If I can avoid asking her, I won’t…’

Whatever happened had deeply scarred her daughter.

In their short time together, Jiang Lingwei saw Jiang Yao’s craving for family.

If there was a way, Jiang Yao would be more desperate than her.

Her silence as an active magical girl suggested she was clueless about some things.

“Tch.”

Jiang Lingwei scratched her hair, rolling over irritably.

Today’s discoveries complicated everything.

She didn’t care who that man was—her only tie to him was Jiang Yao.

But her memory loss and this bizarre situation sparked dark thoughts.

As a boy, she’d read sketchy manga labeled “hypnosis” or “control.”

As a righteous magical girl, she knew ways to erase ordinary people’s memories.

But she refused to entertain those ideas.

Becoming that kind of heroine felt like the sky collapsing.

“Alright! Finding that man is on hold indefinitely. First, find everyone else!”

No overthinking—just decide.

Escaping was shameful, but it felt so good.

Jiang Yao mentioned the “first generation” of magical girls.

But Jiang Lingwei knew her team was the true first generation—the “zero generation.”

They’d erased nearly all memories of their existence.

Not for fame—hero titles weren’t their goal.

But… where were her old friends?

“Sigh…”

On the soft, cozy bed, staring at the ceiling, Jiang Lingwei felt restless.

The comfort didn’t ease her unease.

She’d rather return to 2012, sleeping on a hard bed in a rundown apartment, attending school with friends by day, fighting darkness with them by night.

Not stranded alone in 2032’s future.

Knock, knock, knock.

Three knocks jolted her as she tried to sleep.

“Who?”

She sat up, eyes blazing, fingers gripping her transformation device’s gem.

“It’s me… Mom…” Jiang Yao’s voice came softly.

“Oh.”

Jiang Lingwei relaxed, releasing the gem. “Come in. What’s up?”

Jiang Yao peeked in, scanning the room.

“Did Mom have a nightmare?”

Realizing her tone, she backtracked.

“Oh, no.”

Smoothing her messy hair, Jiang Lingwei smiled. “I haven’t slept yet. I was in a sanatorium coma for so long.”

Making a playful finger-pointing gesture, she asked:

“What brings you here?”

Jiang Yao gave a shy smile.

“Um… well…”

“I can’t sleep. Can I sleep with Mom?”

“Sure.”

Jiang Lingwei shifted, lifting the quilt.

The bed was plenty big for two Jiang Yaos.

“Mhm.”

With permission, Jiang Yao, in Little Shark pajamas, slipped in.

“Um… Mom.”

Rolling over in bed, Jiang Yao whispered, “Can you… touch me?”

Jiang Lingwei: “?”

What’s that supposed to mean?

In the dark room, the quiet hid Jiang Yao’s blush.

“Pet my head… Mom.”

Lying on her side, back to Jiang Lingwei, wrapped in her mother’s scent, Jiang Yao murmured.

“…”

Silently, Jiang Lingwei stroked her head.

“Mmm…”

A deep sense of security washed over Jiang Yao.

She closed her eyes.

The day’s events lingered—the pink-haired magical girl’s touch had felt just as comforting.

But no! Only Mom could do this!

She wanted to reject it, but her feelings were honest.

In her magical girl state, her senses were sharper.

Returning to her mother felt shameful, like a cheating husband facing his wife.

She’d longed for her mother to wake, yet indulged in another’s head pat.

Wasn’t that betraying Mom?

But her mother’s touch was so comforting, calming her magic into a gentle flow.

‘As expected, Mom’s the best… not some pink-haired magical girl…’

Her eyes blurred as security and sleepiness enveloped her.

‘Not as gentle as Mom…’

She drifted off.

“Good night.”

Jiang Lingwei whispered, pulling her hand back.

The pink gem in her other hand dimmed.

Gazing at a moon from an unfamiliar era, she leaned against the headboard, silent for a long time.