In a private room at Qinghe Tower Restaurant in the city center, Lu An’s weathered face broke into a wide grin as Lu Yue pushed open the door.

He beckoned her to take a seat.

“Well, look at our big girl arriving!”

“Evening, Grandpa,” Lu Yue said timidly.

“Order whatever you want,” Lu An said, handing her the menu.

“Okay, Grandpa,” Lu Yue replied, taking the menu obediently.

“Hey, Xiao Yue’s here, and you’re still glued to your phone?” Lu An said, slightly annoyed, smacking Lu Xin’s thigh.

He leaned over to peek at Lu Xin’s screen.

Hmm, let’s see… a ‘Confidential Notice of Child’s Magical Girl Awakening’ marked for destruction after reading?

So, Xiao Yue awakened as a magical girl?

Well, let’s leave the parenting headaches to Lu Xin.

Lu An gave Lu Xin’s shoulder a sympathetic pat, each tap adding weight to Lu Xin’s burden.

As a magical girl’s parent, Lu Xin felt a headache coming on.

He’d been too lax with Xiao Yue lately, missing that his usually well-behaved daughter had become a magical girl behind his back.

Lu Xin pinched his furrowed brow.

Just then, the dishes ordered before Lu Yue arrived were delivered to the door.

What’s done is done.

Dinner first—eating is the priority.

Lu Xin reached for the food while checking a private message from Yan Huimeng on his phone, detailing Lu Yue’s magical girl status.

Thankfully, magical disruption didn’t count as an external attack, so it hadn’t triggered the protective measures he’d placed on Lu Yue.

He’d need to invest heavily in upgrading those soon.

Lu Xin looked up, sipping tea from his cup, and saw his father piling food onto Lu Yue’s plate while his own remained empty.

Noticing Lu Yue’s discomfort, Lu Xin spoke up.

“Dad, stop piling food on Xiao Yue’s plate. Eat something yourself.”

“Try this—it’s their signature dish, braised magic beef,” Lu Xin said, turning the dish toward Lu An.

“Magic beef, huh? Rings a bell,” Lu An said, picking up a piece.

The tender meat released a gentle wave of magical warmth in his mouth.

About twelve years ago, a young researcher at the Central Republic Academy of Sciences, where Lu An held an honorary title, had broken the reproductive barrier between hooved magical beasts and cattle, creating a new species: the magic cow.

Though magic cows couldn’t produce high-grade magical beast cores, only crystal embryos, it marked a crucial step toward mass-producing beast cores in the Central Republic.

In the years that followed, various hybrid magical beasts were developed, but most were less stable than the magic cow and unsuitable for domestication.

Now, only magic cows and magic chickens were mass-bred for the public market, while other species were still being scaled up.

“Come to think of it, I was among the first to eat magic beef,” Lu An said, sliding the plate toward Lu Yue.

His words sparked Lu Yue’s curiosity.

Usually quiet around elders, she asked, “How did you get to eat magic beef, Grandpa?”

“Hmm, let me think,” Lu An said, stroking his beard as if deep in thought.

“An old comrade sent it to me, already cooked. He had connections at the Academy and got a spot in the first trial batch.”

“As long as it’s edible and not genetically modified, I’m good. Don’t want to wake up with three heads and six arms,” Lu Xin said, grabbing a piece of braised pork.

“Fair point. Eat, eat, eat! It’s rare for us three generations to gather—can’t talk on empty stomachs. Xiao Yue, have more magic beef. It’s great for your cultivation,” Lu An urged.

“Mm-hmm,” Lu Yue mumbled, her mouth full of beef.

Overstuffed from the meal, the three decided to walk home along the riverbank, stopping now and then as a gentle evening breeze blew across the water.

“If only Mom were here,” Lu Yue said, watching a family of three pass by.

“Your mom will be home tomorrow. Don’t worry,” Lu Xin said softly, comforting her.

“But Mom hasn’t been home for days. I’m not used to life without her.”

“Didn’t expect our Xiao Yue to still be so clingy to her mom at this age,” Lu An teased from the side.

“Guess Xiao Yue’s still a baby who hasn’t weaned.”

“No, that’s not true! I weaned ages ago,” Lu Yue said, blushing and tugging at her clothes.

Realizing her slip, she quickly clarified, “I just miss Mom a little.”

“So, who do you love more, your mom or your dad?” Lu An asked, grinning mischievously, fanning the flames.

“I, I, I…” Lu Yue stammered, flustered.

“Alright, Dad,” Lu Xin interjected, placing a hand on Lu Yue’s head.

“Xiao Yue’s thin-skinned. She can’t handle your teasing.”

“Fine, fine, Grandpa’s at fault. Will you forgive Grandpa, Xiao Yue?” Lu An said sincerely.

“Okay, I forgive Grandpa,” Lu Yue replied.

“Haha!” Lu An laughed, delighted.

The walk from the restaurant to their home wasn’t far.

Chatting idly, the three soon reached their residential complex.

At the entrance to their building, a noisy crowd had gathered, all there to watch the commotion.

Lu Xin tugged the sleeve of a security guard, who was also spectating with his arms crossed.

“Brother Li, what’s going on here?”

The guard turned, recognizing Lu Xin, and said, “What else? That kid from the Zhao family, the ones who run the supermarket in your building, got scammed.”

“The Zhao kid said he met someone online who claimed they could help him awaken as a magical girl.”

“Then he stole his dad’s bank card and transferred over a million to the scammer.”

Oh-ho-ho! The sound of a kid being disciplined came from the front of the crowd.

“I raised you, fed you, clothed you, and you dare steal my money for some nonsense!” Old Zhao, the father, was yelling, swinging a belt with a copper buckle, spinning his kid like a top.

“Even if you became a magical girl, so what?” Whack!

He struck the kid with the belt.

“When you die, I’d at least know where you went. Do you know how dangerous being a magical girl is, huh?” Whack, whack!

Little Zhao spun faster as his mother stood nearby, silently wiping tears.

“Stop, stop, don’t hit him!” voices from the crowd pleaded.

“What a brain full of tofu dregs,” Old Zhao grumbled, still furious, delivering two more lashes.

“That kid’s too disobedient,” Lu Xin commented.

Suddenly, his sleeve was tugged.

He turned to see Lu Yue, her eyes flickering with unease.

“Dad, let’s go home,” Lu Yue said, looking preoccupied.

“Grandpa’s getting old and needs rest. Let’s head back, okay?”

Sensing Lu Yue’s thoughts, Lu Xin nodded.

He found Lu An, who was at the front of the crowd watching the spectacle.

“Old man, let’s go. Time to head home. The guest room’s not even ready yet.”

Lu Xin and Lu An exchanged a glance, then, in perfect sync, turned to look at Lu Yue.

“Let’s go,” Lu An said, smiling at his son.

“Don’t keep Xiao Yue waiting.”