Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 101: Outing

“Birthday?”

When Lin Xiaolu heard this word from Veronica, she instinctively let out a gasp. But she quickly realized that wasn’t appropriate, so she covered her mouth and glanced around nervously, afraid that someone else might have overheard.

“Yes, I checked. Xia Liang’s birthday is coming up next.”

Veronica lowered her voice just enough so no one else could hear. “So, we should prepare a birthday party for her.”

“We’re not telling her?” Lin Xiaolu asked, puzzled.

“She doesn’t seem to want us to know.”

Veronica crossed her arms. “I don’t really get what’s going on in that kid’s head. Maybe she doesn’t want to be a bother?”

“So what’s the plan?”

Lin Xiaolu was getting excited. “If we’re keeping it a secret, that means it’s a surprise, right?”

“Yes. I’ve already bought all the decorations and snacks, and I’ve ordered the cake. On her birthday, I’ll take her out under the pretense of going shopping.”

Veronica delivered the explanation in an utterly matter-of-fact tone, skipping over any unnecessary details. “When we’re on our way back, I’ll message you, and you guys can get the decorations ready in the living room beforehand.”

“That’s it? Leave it to me—wait.”

Lin Xiaolu was halfway through her response when something clicked in her mind. “Shopping? Just the two of you?”

Her voice shot up several octaves.

“Keep it down. You don’t want her to hear, do you?”

Veronica made a silencing gesture. “Yes. We’ll probably leave in the morning and come back in the afternoon.”

“Ah, but, this…!”

Lin Xiaolu opened and closed her mouth, her sharp little canine tooth peeking out. “Th-That’s not fair…”

What she really wanted to say was, I want to go shopping with you too! But the words got stuck in her throat, and what came out was a jumbled, awkward complaint instead.

“Birthdays deserve a little special treatment.”

Veronica sighed helplessly and patted Lin Xiaolu’s arm. “When it’s your birthday, if you want to go out, I’ll take you too.”

“But my birthday was just a few months ago… I have to wait until next year…”

Lin Xiaolu pouted, clearly unhappy.

She really wanted to say: Why do you get to take her out and leave us behind? But a strange sense of embarrassment kept her from voicing that thought.

She didn’t want Veronica to think she was being petty.

“Sorry, just this once, okay?”

Veronica softened her voice. “Just this one time.”

“…Fine.” Lin Xiaolu mumbled, reluctantly nodding.

“And besides, even though that kid has a difficult personality, she’s actually just lacking affection.”

Veronica continued persuading her. “If we surprise her together, won’t that help you two get along better?”

“Who wants to get along with her?”

Lin Xiaolu grumbled, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her expression.

“…Fine. Since you’re asking, I’ll go along with it this time.”

“Thank you.”

Veronica smiled faintly, sealing the plan. With that, the schedule for the weekend was officially set.

She and Xia Liang had already discussed potential destinations for their outing. The initial options were an amusement park, a film studio theme park, and an aquarium.

After checking online reviews and weighing their choices, they settled on the amusement park.

According to Xia Liang, her parents had taken her to Fangting City’s old amusement park when she was a child. Over the years, newer theme parks had drawn away much of its visitors, but it was still open, and she wanted to revisit it.

The film studio was ruled out due to a series of recent operational issues, and the aquarium had several exhibits under renovation, so neither made the final cut.

If all had gone well, Veronica and Xia Liang would have spent their weekend at the amusement park.

But life rarely goes as planned.

A Rainy Sunday

On Sunday, it rained.

Sitting in the dimly lit living room, Xia Liang slumped over the back of the sofa, staring out the full-length window at the endless drizzle.

The sudden downpour had completely derailed their plans, leaving her at a loss. Even the usual smile she wore had faded, replaced by a quiet sense of disappointment.

Boom!

A deafening clap of thunder tore through the sky, and a bolt of lightning streaked across the dark clouds. The flickering light illuminated Xia Liang’s pale face for a brief moment.

Veronica remained silent.

Even the weather forecast hadn’t predicted this storm. No matter how well she had prepared, she hadn’t accounted for something like this.

No one wanted to go to an amusement park in heavy rain. Even if they did, the experience would be miserable. Their plans were completely ruined.

For now, all they could do was stay at their base and hope the rain stopped soon. But judging by the unbroken downpour and thick clouds, it didn’t look like it would let up anytime soon.

Unlike Xia Liang, who was visibly disheartened, the others in the living room seemed entirely unbothered.

Lin Xiaolu, wearing headphones, sat comfortably on the couch playing on her phone, while Bai Jingxuan was happily playing with Moko. The atmosphere was as normal as any other day—almost as if no plans had ever been made in the first place.

Leaning forward slightly, Veronica rested her elbows on her knees and supported her chin with one hand, watching Xia Liang’s slouched back.

She was thinking.

What should she do now?

Technically, this was just bad luck. The weather was beyond their control, so she had a perfect excuse to cancel the outing and let the plan fall through.

And honestly, she could just go along with it.

After all, this whole arrangement had been Xia Liang’s idea in the first place, and her methods had been a bit underhanded. Letting the plan collapse might actually work to Veronica’s advantage.

Besides, Xia Liang’s recent pranks had been pushing the limits. She even seemed to be deliberately trying to see Veronica flustered. A little reality check might do her some good—cool her down a bit.

It would also reinforce Veronica’s position as an adult and a senior, re-establishing the proper boundaries between them.

This was a perfect opportunity.

By canceling the trip, Veronica could subtly “discipline” Xia Liang—reminding her that there was a natural hierarchy between them. That adults were adults, and seniors were seniors.

She could maintain the distance between them, ensuring Xia Liang didn’t get any closer or develop any unnecessary ideas.

But… was that really the right choice?

She asked herself.

Drawing a clear line between authority and status was the approach that best suited an “adult.”

But was it what a senior should do?

An adult establishes authority over a child.

A senior guides their juniors and helps them grow.

This guidance extended beyond just magic—it also applied to life, to understanding the world.

So, in Xia Liang’s case, should she be an adult or a senior?

After a long moment of contemplation, Veronica closed her eyes and finally made her decision.

She stood up, walked over to Xia Liang, and patted her shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

The unexpected words snapped Xia Liang out of her daze. She looked up, confused.

“…Go where?”

She had already given up on the amusement park. She didn’t want Veronica to force herself to go out in the rain just to humor her. That wouldn’t be fun for anyone.

But when she met Veronica’s gaze, she saw calm confidence—like everything was already decided.

The exchange caught Lin Xiaolu’s attention. She removed her headphones and looked over.

“Where can you even go in this weather?”

“We have some errands to run.”

Veronica didn’t explain further. She simply waved at Xia Liang.

“Come on. We’re heading out.”

“But…” Xia Liang glanced at the gloomy sky. “There’s no point in going out now, is there?”

“Then let’s change our destination. Would you rather sit here waiting or go somewhere else?”

Veronica brushed off her concerns with ease. “You were the one who wanted to go out today. Or are you backing out because of a little rain?”

“Of course not.”

Xia Liang blinked, then quickly stood up. “Why would I back out? I was just worried—”

“Then don’t worry. I’m here.”

Veronica cut her off and started walking toward the stairway. “No more questions. Just follow me.”

Something about her steady tone reassured Xia Liang.

So she followed.

Their new destination?

Fangting City’s Electric Street—a place with deep ties to the history of Magical Girls.

“Electric Street?”

Hearing Veronica’s words, Xia Liang was momentarily stunned before realization dawned on her.

“Oh—you mean…”

“That’s right. We’re going to Electric Street.”

Veronica nodded, her expression carrying a hint of nostalgia. “It’s not just a place for shopping and entertainment. There are also a few places there that you might find interesting.”

If she was going to change their destination at the last minute, she couldn’t just pick any random place.

The amusement park they had originally planned to visit held special significance for Xia Liang—it was tied to her childhood memories. So now, if they had to go somewhere else, it needed to be somewhere equally meaningful.

After considering various options, the only suitable place left within Fangting City, unaffected by the rain, was Central Electric Street.

As one of the city’s most bustling pedestrian commercial districts, Central Electric Street had thrived for decades. Generations of people had walked its streets, weaving through its alleys.

And among those generations were some rather special individuals—Magical Girls.

“…A route that the Magical Girl Squad of Fangting City used to take on their day off?”

Xia Liang repeated Veronica’s words, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “That’s a thing?”

“Yes. Twenty years ago, the Magical Girl Squad in Fangting City had a specific route they would follow when they went to Electric Street for leisure.”

Hands on the steering wheel, Veronica gazed at the road ahead, a glint of reminiscence in her eyes. “It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced it myself. Today, I’ll take you on the same route.”