Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 2: Restaurant and Juniors

Hong Siyu was both a familiar face and a stranger to Lin Yun.

Familiar—because they had known each other for years. In fact, they were old friends, having met back in middle school when they could even be considered partners.

Strange—because they had drifted apart long ago. Now, he had no idea what went on in her mind.

Lately, she had been reaching out to him more frequently, seemingly eager to reconnect. But Lin Yun hadn’t figured out her true intentions.

Or rather, he wasn’t particularly interested in finding out.

“The Kingdom released a new Magical Girl ranking list last month. Two new rookies were added all at once.”

Like now.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, the woman, holding a wine cup, spoke to him with a teasing expression.

To be honest, though she was already past thirty, she still looked as youthful and radiant as ever—whether due to good skincare or for some other reason.

Hearing this, Lin Yun’s hand paused for a moment before he maintained his indifferent expression and replied, “And what’s the point of bringing this up now?”

The woman chuckled. “Is keeping up with the new generation meaningless?”

Taking a sip of lemon water, Lin Yun muttered, “It has nothing to do with me anymore. Why should I care?”

“Come on, you can’t fool someone who knows you. There’s no way you can say it has nothing to do with you, right?”

The woman took a sip of red wine, her words carrying an underlying implication. “After all, you were—”

“Stop.”

Before she could finish, his finger tapped the center of the table.

Lin Yun extended his index finger, but he didn’t meet her gaze.

“I believe I said I don’t want to talk about that.”

For a moment, silence settled between them.

Hong Siyu stared at him for a while, then smiled, an expression full of unspoken meaning.

“Alright then, let’s not talk about it. How about we chat about that apartment I bought?”

And so, the conversation shifted to mundane, everyday topics.

Lin Yun absentmindedly picked at his food, while the woman sipped her wine with an amused smile.

The elegant ambiance of the upscale restaurant set the mood, and the meal progressed as the waitstaff swapped out dish after dish.

Just when Lin Yun thought this dinner was halfway over, the woman across from him suddenly brought up a topic that forced him to pay attention.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Her voice was noticeably looser now—clearly tipsy, her tone growing more carefree. “The new Magical Girl in Fangting City, we made contact with her today.”

Across the table, her dazzling smile was both playful and suggestive. “So? Does this have anything to do with you?”

The contrast between them was stark. The woman looked youthful and vibrant, while Lin Yun appeared weary, the weight of the years evident in his demeanor.

To a bystander unaware of the truth, the two of them might have seemed at least a decade apart—who would have guessed they were actually the same age?

“I’ve heard a little. What are you trying to say?”

Lin Yun held his cup with one hand, taking another sip of lemon water, still feigning indifference.

“Oh? You already know? Your sources are sharper than I expected. I mean, I’m the one with an official position, so that kinda makes me feel like a failure…”

The slightly drunk woman exaggeratedly wiped at her eyes, feigning distress.

“If you’re aware of your ‘official’ status, then don’t blurt out classified information in a public setting.”

Lin Yun knocked on the table, stopping her. “And stop making such weird noises in a restaurant. Can’t you see the other diners looking at us funny?”

“I heard you say ‘thirty-five’? Are you mocking an independent, accomplished, single woman of advanced age?” Hong Siyu widened her eyes in mock outrage.

“I never said thirty-five, nor did I mention your age. Don’t twist my words—just get to the point.”

After an exhausting day, Lin Yun already felt mentally drained. The woman’s drunken rambling only made his head throb.

If it weren’t for her call, he would have been at home by now, lying on his couch in peace—not stuck in an absurdly expensive restaurant listening to a drunk woman ramble.

“The point?”

The woman tilted her head slightly, a gesture oddly endearing for someone her age. “I just wanted to chat with you.”

“…I meant the thing you brought up earlier. About the Magical Girl.”

“Hmm? But you already know, don’t you?”

“If I know, does that mean you don’t have to say it?”

“Oh? So I shouldn’t say anything?”

“Hurry up and say it.”

“You’re actually bossing me around? I’m the one paying for dinner, you know!”

Lin Yun felt his blood pressure spike.

He knew reasoning with a drunk person was pointless, but her incoherent nonsense was really testing his patience.

And unfortunately, she wasn’t just some random dinner companion he could brush off—she was someone he actually needed to communicate with. That made this conversation even more frustrating.

“Put your unnecessary mood swings aside for now. Can you tell me what’s going on with the new Magical Girl? Did she just show up recently? How long has she been active? What’s the status of your contact with her?”

Taking the initiative, Lin Yun ignored her chaotic conversation flow and directly sought the information he wanted.

The “contact” he referred to was the city government’s approach to Magical Girls.

This world contained extraordinary forces.

Ravagers and Magical Girls were entities that defied normal human understanding.

Ravagers could appear anywhere, and in every city, there would always be a Magical Girl.

Thus, every city—whether openly or behind the scenes—had specialized agencies responsible for gathering skilled individuals to handle Ravager-related matters. These agencies also maintained contact with the city’s Magical Girls, assisting them in efficiently and safely eliminating Ravagers to protect the public.

Over time, this system became a tradition.

The government agency responsible for dealing with Ravager incidents and coordinating with Magical Girls was known as the Bureau of Anomalous Attack Countermeasures, commonly referred to as the Countermeasure Bureau.

It was the Countermeasure Bureau’s standard procedure to reach out to Magical Girls, extend goodwill, offer support, and establish cooperation.

And Hong Siyu—she was a member of that very bureau.

That was why she called herself an “official” and why she had insider knowledge about Magical Girls.

“Ahh… what were you asking again? Magical Girl?”

Already slurring her words, Hong Siyu squinted as if searching her hazy mind for a shred of clarity. After some stumbling, she blurted, “Ah, right! It’s about to start!”

“…What’s about to start?” Lin Yun was momentarily taken aback.

“The interview! With the new Magical Girl—it’s airing tonight on the city news channel!”

Hong Siyu, as if experiencing a brief moment of sobriety, smacked her forehead. “Make sure you watch it! You’ll get all your answers then!”

And with that, as if her energy had finally run out, she slumped onto the table.

Soon, steady breathing sounds came from across the table. Lin Yun studied her for a moment, confirming that she had actually fallen asleep right there at the restaurant.

“All the answers…? Why?”

He muttered, but no reply came.

After calling over a waiter and settling the bill, Lin Yun returned to the table, sighing as he looked at the unconscious Hong Siyu.

After several failed attempts to wake her, he had no choice but to hoist her up and, under the bewildered stares of nearby diners, escort her out of the restaurant.

Fishing out her car keys from her wallet, he unlocked the vehicle, placed her in the passenger seat, and buckled her in before getting into the driver’s seat himself.

The car’s engine rumbled to life, and under the night sky, he drove toward Hong Siyu’s home.

The evening rush had ended, and the streets had quieted. As he watched the city lights pass by, Lin Yun felt his mood lighten—if only a little.

Then, a hand rested on his knee.

“…Senior…”

A drowsy voice mumbled beside him.

“What is it?” Lin Yun glanced at her briefly.

“You know… Aya’s been gone for over two years now. Why won’t you even consider me?”

A soft, slightly forlorn voice came from the passenger seat.

“I never got married, you know… Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting?”

Lin Yun remained silent.

He didn’t know how to answer.

The car continued moving down the highway before he finally found the words:

“…I haven’t been able to convince myself.”

He paused, then added,

“I haven’t been able to convince myself to let her go.”

But this conclusion drawn after a long consideration was not heard by the other party. Shallow breathing sounded, and in this short silence, Hong Siyu seemed to have fallen asleep again.

In a trance, Lin Yun seemed to hear a very light sob:

"I'm sorry."

The voice was so vague and hazy that it took him a long time to understand that the pronunciation was actually "I'm sorry."

It is impossible to tell whether this voice was Hong Siyu's dream talk or his illusion.