Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 58: Secretary to the Director

Vol 2 Chapter 58 Secretary to the Director

Hong Siyu’s day began in a kitchen filled with the rich aroma of coffee.

After years of working life, a cup of coffee first thing in the morning had become a daily habit for her. No matter how groggy she was when she dragged herself out of bed, the familiar smell from the coffee machine was enough to jolt her awake.

It was still early; outside the window, the sky remained a little dim. But the first ray of sunlight had already pierced through the clouds, casting a thin layer of golden light across the floor of her single-bedroom apartment. Humming a song, Hong Siyu busied herself with preparing breakfast.

Turn off the stove, wipe the counter.

Wash the cup, brew the coffee.

After a series of practiced, efficient moves, a simple breakfast was laid out on the small round table by the stove: a boiled egg, a bowl of vegetable porridge, and a cup of coffee. That was Hong Siyu’s breakfast for the day.

After leisurely finishing her meal, Hong Siyu began to change clothes. When she was dressed in her professional outfit and walked over to the bathroom mirror, ready to apply some makeup, her movements froze the moment she caught sight of her reflection.

In the mirror, a girl who looked impossibly young—like a high schooler—was staring back at her.

Realizing this, Hong Siyu's lips tugged upwards. She almost burst out laughing, but she had already done that many days ago. With the self-restraint of an adult, she simply coughed a few times to compose herself.

A few days prior, after completing treatment with Emerald, she had finally been able to return to a normal life. And the most important part of returning to normalcy was, of course, going back to work.

However, she didn’t return to the Countermeasure Bureau under her original identity. Now, she was rejoining under the delicate guise of being “Hong Siyu’s niece.” Her new job was simple—serving as the Bureau Director's secretary.

Thanks to the "niece" cover story and her assignment being sanctioned by the Kingdom, the others in the Countermeasure Bureau merely assumed it was another case of someone parachuted into a position. No one thought it had anything to do with Lin Yun. Otherwise, if it became public that he had hired a secretary who looked barely out of her teens, Lin Yun would have had to endure a lot of strange looks.

Even now, plenty of people were suspicious about Lin Yun’s relationship with the new secretary.

Of course, none of that had anything to do with Hong Siyu. No one could stop her now.

Arriving early at the Countermeasure Bureau, she made her way alone to the still-empty Director's Office. She wiped the desk, organized documents, poured water, watered the plants... executing every task with seasoned skill.

By the time she finished all her chores, it was already 8 a.m. The previously quiet office building was starting to fill with the sounds of people arriving.

This was also the time Lin Yun typically showed up for work. In just a few short days, Hong Siyu had already memorized his schedule, precisely timing her actions.

Standing by the window, she checked her reflection once more, making sure her hair was neat and her outfit impeccable. Only then did she sit down, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the office door.

She was waiting for it to open. The moment he walked in, she planned to rush up and claim credit for her work.

After all, the outfit she was wearing today was the one she had picked out with Lin Yun; her makeup, though subtle, was perfectly tailored to her own aura; and her seemingly naturally straightened hair had been professionally styled at a salon just yesterday—all crafted to create the perfect "workplace literature heroine" look.

Every element had been painstakingly chosen, every angle meticulously customized. This was based on her mature aesthetic sense honed through years of navigating society, coupled with careful research into Lin Yun’s preferences. The almost 100% head-turn rate she had earned walking down the street this morning made her more confident than ever. This was her battle cry.

Come on, Senpai.

She chanted silently in her heart.

And as if her burning determination had pierced through the door and reached the heavens, it wasn’t long before she saw the office door swing open.

A figure in a suit walked in.

"Good morning, Senpai," she immediately beamed, flashing the smile she had practiced countless times. With a file in her hand, she stepped forward gracefully, her posture just right. "Have you had breakfast yet? If you don’t mind, how about we—huh?"

Halfway through speaking, Hong Siyu suddenly realized something was off.

The person walking in might have been wearing a suit, but it was clearly a woman—tall, with fair skin, sunglasses covering her eyes, and striking orange hair tied neatly into a bun. She radiated a cool, bold vibe.

A stranger? A guest? No, somehow she looked familiar...

Hong Siyu stared at the woman, her mind racing, desperately trying to match her face to someone she knew. But before she could come up with an answer, the woman suddenly spoke:

—"Ninety-five points."

And the only thing she said was that brief string of numbers.

"Ninety-five points?"

Completely thrown off, Hong Siyu just parroted her words: "Excuse me... what do you mean?"

"Charm, seductiveness, or just sheer cuteness—basically, that’s the score I’m giving your little performance just now," the orange-haired woman said, propping her chin up with one hand as she faced Hong Siyu.

Even though there were sunglasses between them, Hong Siyu could feel the woman’s gaze scrutinizing her from head to toe. In fact, it felt like her eyes lingered especially long on all the places Hong Siyu had carefully dolled up, making her feel like she was being seen through completely.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Hong Siyu instinctively clutched the file tighter to her chest and took a step back.

But the woman didn’t seem ready to let her off that easily. As Hong Siyu retreated, the woman stepped forward, closing the distance again. "Do you know where you lost points?"

"Lost... points?" Hong Siyu stammered.

"You lost points on your approach. Instead of this bold, cheerful style of invitation, a slightly shy, soft-spoken request would have triggered more guilt and made it harder to refuse," the woman mused, tapping her chin. "But really, I’m nitpicking. Overall, it was super cute! I loved it! A cute junior putting in so much effort to welcome me—it would be too cruel to turn you down!"

Saying that, she finally backed off, spun around smoothly, and pushed the half-closed door fully open. "Come on, lead the way. I don't know where the cafeteria is."

However, after walking a few steps out the door, she noticed no one was following her.

"What's wrong?"

She looked back in confusion. "Still got things to do?"

"No... I just wanted to ask... who exactly are you?"

Hong Siyu fought to keep her smile polite. "If you have an appointment to meet with the Director, please wait at the side..."

"Huh? Girl, you just called me 'Senpai,' and now you’re asking who I am?"

The woman looked genuinely puzzled. "Though, yeah, you didn’t used to call me that... What’s going on?"

"Used to"? "Didn’t call me that"?

Her words triggered something in Hong Siyu's mind. Like flipping a switch, her tangled thoughts suddenly connected in a flash of realization. She finally remembered why this woman looked so familiar—and whose bizarre speaking style this was.

—"You... huh? Madoka?!"

Only, the feeling wasn’t so much surprise as pure shock.