Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 32: After the Traffic Jam

After all the morning commotion, by the time Lin Xiaolu finished brushing her hair, shuffled over in slippers to the dining table, and finished breakfast, it was already 7:25 AM.

During this time, she and Moko continued their silent standoff, occasionally exchanging glares. Perhaps because she assumed Lin Yun, as an ordinary human, couldn’t see fairies, their cold war had seamlessly extended from the bathroom to the dining room.

Lin Yun played his part well, pretending to be oblivious, acting as if he saw nothing. Silently, he gathered the dishes, gave them a quick rinse, and placed them into the sterilizer. Then, grabbing his belongings, he turned to look at Lin Xiaolu.

Though he didn’t say a word, his meaning was obvious: Do you want me to drive you?

Lin Xiaolu remained silent.

If he chose to drive her at this hour, it meant he was already prepared to be late himself. She understood his intentions perfectly, but she just didn’t want to accept them.

Every time she accepted a bit of kindness from him, she lost a bit of the resentment she held against him. She didn’t want their relationship to improve so easily. If she stopped hating him, then who else would remember the grievances her mother had suffered?

So, she lowered her head and avoided Lin Yun’s gaze.

That was probably a silent rejection.

"If you're really going by yourself, don’t blame me if you’re late," Lin Yun remarked casually.

He was used to this—completely unbothered. Lin Xiaolu giving him the cold shoulder was nothing new. In fact, it would be surprising if she suddenly agreed. Since she didn’t want to go with him, there was no need to force it.

After tidying up, putting on his leather shoes, he pushed open the door and stepped into the apartment hallway, making his way toward the elevator.

"Creak!"

However, before he had even walked ten meters, the apartment door behind him suddenly swung open again.

Turning around, he saw Lin Xiaolu peeking out from the doorway, her head slightly tilted downward, lips moving as if she were mumbling something.

"Too quiet, I can’t hear you," he said.

Lin Xiaolu froze.

Her gaze flickered—looking at the floor, then the wall, then glancing at Moko, who was grinning smugly, before finally sneaking a glance at her father.

In the end, she took a deep breath, turned to face Lin Yun, shut her eyes, and shouted—

"I SAID WAIT FOR ME, I NEED TO GRAB MY BACKPACK!"

---

Luoming District, Xidian Road, Under the Overpass.

Lin Yun tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he stared at the stalled traffic ahead.

Fortunately, he had anticipated the traffic jam, so he remained patient. He was bound to be late anyway—he just needed to make sure his daughter got to school before 8 AM.

Sitting in the back seat, Lin Xiaolu gazed silently out the window, lost in thought. Inside her backpack, Moko peeked out, curiously observing the two of them.

Glancing at his daughter through the rearview mirror, Lin Yun deliberated for a moment before finally speaking up.

"Lulu, you have finals next week, right?"

Bringing up exams at a time like this was obviously a mood killer for any student.

"Mm." Lin Xiaolu’s response was indifferent, clearly uninterested in discussing the topic.

"How’s your preparation going?" Lin Yun kept his tone as neutral as possible, avoiding any pressure.

"So-so."

"I remember you ranked somewhere in the middle last semester, right?"

"More or less."

"Do you have a target this time? If you reach it, I can get you a little reward."

"…No need."

Lin Xiaolu hesitated briefly before responding in a muffled voice, "You already got me something for my birthday."

She was referring to May. More precisely, her birthday was on May 5th.

Back then, she hadn’t yet met Moko or become a Magical Girl. She was just a regular middle schooler, grappling with adolescence and life.

On her birthday, she stubbornly refused Lin Yun’s offer to spend the day together, claiming she had plans with friends and that he should just go about his business.

Unable to change her mind, Lin Yun ended up attending a company dinner—only to find himself unable to focus. Halfway through, he left early, carrying the birthday gift he had prepared for her—a new phone—and rushed home.

It was only when he got home that he realized…

She had no “other plans.”

She hadn’t gone out with friends. Instead, she had stayed home alone, singing herself a birthday song and blowing out the candles in solitude.

Lin Yun had walked in on that exact moment.

He had felt both heartbroken and angry. When he questioned her, demanding to know why she was hurting herself like this, she had lashed out in embarrassment and refused to answer. Their relationship had grown even colder, and they barely spoke for a long time after that.

It wasn’t until much later, when Lin Yun saw her on the news—having become a Magical Girl—that their stagnant relationship finally began to move forward again.

"…I’m sorry, Lulu."

Staring at the slowly moving traffic, Lin Yun suddenly said, "On your birthday, I should’ve insisted on staying with you."

"Why bring this up now?"

Lin Xiaolu’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. But after glancing at Moko in her bag, she quickly masked her emotions and feigned indifference. "It doesn’t matter. It’s all in the past anyway."

"It’s not about how long it’s been."

Lin Yun shifted gears, gently pressing the gas pedal as the car began moving forward. "I remember, and it makes me uneasy."

"…Remember?"

Lin Xiaolu muttered the word under her breath.

Her expression shifted—first blank, then a mocking smirk, before her brows furrowed in anger. Like a bristling little animal, she straightened up and snapped,

"You have the nerve to say that? Remember? Do you even remember what you said when Mom died?"

She would never forget those words.

Before her mother’s funeral, this man had told her—to forget her.

Yet now, he spoke about remembering and feeling uneasy.

How was she supposed to believe him?

"I’m sorry for what happened to your mother."

Lin Yun remained calm in the face of her anger. Gripping the steering wheel, he kept his gaze on the road.

"I truly didn’t know how to tell you back then, so I could only say something vague like that."

"Because remembering her made me sad and pained, I wished for young you to forget. I hoped that, with time, you would move on and grow up happily."

"But I misjudged you. You were more mature than I thought. My attempts to shield you only made you more unhappy."

"If my words back then hurt you, or if you still have lingering doubts about her death… I think it’s time we had a real talk."

A long silence followed.

Lin Xiaolu held her breath.

It took her a few seconds to process his words, and in that moment, she even forgot to be angry—only confusion remained.

"…Talk? About what?"

"About your mother. About me."

Lin Yun sighed.

"You’re older now. There are things I never told you before, but I think it’s time. I just need a little more preparation, a little more time. Can you wait for me? I promise it won’t be long. When the time comes, I’ll tell you everything."

Another long silence.

Lin Yun waited for her answer.

Lin Xiaolu pondered. She hesitated. And eventually, she made a decision.

"…Parent-teacher conference."

"What?"

"After finals, next week, the school’s having a parent-teacher conference."

Resting her chin on her palm, she continued staring out the window. "If you want, you can come."

Lin Yun’s usually neutral expression finally wavered. "You mean—"

"Let’s be clear—it’s your choice to come."

She turned to face him through the rearview mirror, eyes sharp. "So if you flake on me this time, I won’t talk to you for the entire year!"

Lin Yun chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?!"

"Because I’m happy."

"Over something so stupid? You’re so annoying!"

"I promise, Lulu."

"…Hmph. Whatever."

As dawn broke, their car finally broke free from the traffic, accelerating toward the horizon.