Chapter 5: Oh no! I’m about to transform in front of my sister!

The warm, soft sensation on her fingertip carried the unique fragrance and heat of the girl.

Bai Wanting lowered her gaze, watching Lin Qingya kneel before her.

She was cleaning her finger with an almost reverent devotion, her movements gentle and intoxicating.

Bai Wanting pursed her lips, as if savoring the feeling…

The sensation of having complete control over the one she loved, making her abandon thought, abandon dignity, and surrender entirely to a single word or gesture…

It was utterly addictive.

Bai Wanting closed her eyes, quietly reveling in it all.

Reveling in Lin Qingya’s absolute obedience, in this twisted yet intimate bond she had crafted between them.

But amidst this overwhelming pleasure, a pang of pity unexpectedly surfaced from the softest corner of her heart.

She felt heartache.

Heartache for the girl kneeling before her, docile as a tame kitten.

Bai Wanting knew better than anyone that Lin Qingya’s defenses had crumbled so easily not just because of her masterful hypnotic techniques.

The deeper reason was that Lin Qingya’s heart was already riddled with wounds.

Her father, a dedicated police officer, had been true to his duty.

But just a few months ago, a dangerous mission left him with a severe brain injury, reducing him to a vegetative state, sustained only by a ventilator.

A happy family had shattered overnight.

Her mother had to quit her job, spending day and night at the hospital, clinging to the hope of a miracle.

The weight of the entire family, the pressure of life, the despair for the future—all of it fell on the fragile shoulders of Lin Qingya.

She could only watch helplessly, powerless to change anything.

Already introverted and socially anxious, she became even more withdrawn, no longer having a warm home to look forward to after school. Instead, she walked alone down a desolate night road.

At an age when she should have been laughing freely under the sun, she was shrouded in heavy gloom.

It was at her most helpless, most desperate moment that the “magical girl” contract found her.

That cursed cat-ear transformation device made her an offer she couldn’t refuse—

Complete eighteen tasks assigned by it, protecting so-called “love and justice,” and it would grant her any wish.

Yes, any wish.

To Lin Qingya at the time, those four words were a lifeline.

Without hesitation, she put on the cat ears and became a magical girl.

For that faint hope of saving her father, Lin Qingya signed the contract, becoming the secret guardian of the city’s nights.

From then on, her life’s pressures only grew.

By day, she forced herself to cope with demanding schoolwork, bearing the immense mental strain of her family’s tragedy.

By night, she dragged her exhausted body to carry out those bizarre magical girl tasks whenever they arose.

Her sleep was severely curtailed, her mental state grew increasingly frail, and her grades inevitably slipped.

Bai Wanting let out a long sigh in her heart.

With her free hand—the one not in Lin Qingya’s mouth—she gently lifted one of Lin Qingya’s twin tails, letting the silky strands slip through her fingers, entranced by their smoothness.

“Qingya, how many magical girl tasks have you completed so far?” Bai Wanting asked softly.

Lin Qingya didn’t pause her task, continuing to clean with focus, her response muffled.

“Two… Sister.”

Two…

A flicker of understanding passed through Bai Wanting’s eyes.

She wondered if there was still time…

There were still so many tasks left until eighteen.

That meant Lin Qingya would have to endure this dual torment of body and mind for a long while yet.

This magical girl reward system was absurdly cruel.

Even Mario got coins on his way to save the princess, but this demanded eighteen unpaid tasks before granting a single wish.

Bai Wanting pinched the bridge of her nose, too exasperated to even rant.

Well, look on the bright side!

At least it meant she had plenty of time to carry out her plan.

She was determined to pull Lin Qingya out of that quagmire, no matter the means!

Only she, Bai Wanting, could be Lin Qingya’s true salvation!

She gently withdrew her finger.

“Alright, Qingya, it’s clean now. You can stop.”

At the command, Lin Qingya obediently released her mouth, her glossy lips still shimmering with a faint sheen, looking irresistibly alluring.

She didn’t look up, simply resting her hands on her knees like a well-trained maid, quietly kneeling before Bai Wanting, awaiting her next order.

Bai Wanting helped her up from the floor and guided her back to the chair.

Then, she snapped her fingers crisply.

Snap.

“Wake up.”

Lin Qingya’s body gave a slight shudder, and her vacant pupils began to regain their light.

She blinked in confusion, her gaze still slightly unfocused.

She looked at the fork now inexplicably back on the table, then at Bai Wanting, who sat nearby with a warm smile, her face full of bewilderment.

What… happened?

Was I… spacing out just now?

“What’s wrong? Daydreaming already?”

Bai Wanting’s teasing voice pulled her thoughts back.

“Hurry and eat. This cake has an ice cream filling, so don’t let it melt. We’ve got studying to do afterward.”

“Oh… right!”

Lin Qingya snapped out of it, sticking out her tongue sheepishly before quickly picking up her fork to eat faster.

The sweet cream melted in her mouth, soothing the faint sense of unease in her heart.

She soon finished the cake and obediently took out her physics workbook and textbook, spreading them on the table.

“Little Sister Bai, I’m ready!”

Bai Wanting nodded with satisfaction, slipping into tutor mode as she began explaining complex Newton’s second law problems.

High school physics was, frankly, disgusting.

Ugh!

Thankfully, Bai Wanting’s mature, soothing voice was pleasant, and her patience and clear logic made even the most convoluted concepts accessible through vivid, relatable metaphors.

Lin Qingya listened intently, one hand propping her chin, the other scribbling in her workbook.

Her comprehension was sharp, and with Bai Wanting’s guidance, she slowly tackled those infuriatingly tricky problems.

Time slipped by in this warm, focused atmosphere.

An hour later.

Lin Qingya finally grasped a mechanics problem that had long stumped her. Just as she was about to let out a relieved sigh and sneak a break…

A sudden burning sensation flared at the top of her head!

It was…

Instinctively, Lin Qingya raised her hand, reaching for her scalp.

Hidden beneath her hair, the cat ears—her magical girl transformation device—were faintly glowing, emitting a heat only she could feel.

This was… the precursor to a task!

Her hand, gripping the pen, trembled uncontrollably, leaving a stark black streak across her workbook.

Oh no!

Why now, of all times…

A magical girl task… had been issued!