Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 52: Elevator Door

Nightfall

Lin Yun stepped out of the office building, his expression weary. As he gazed at the bustling street filled with cars and lights, he turned around and, as always, started his journey home.

He walked through the sparsely populated residential streets, then wandered near the business district by the light rail station. He avoided the outstretched hands of provocatively dressed women in the crowd and eventually stopped in front of a shopping plaza.

The brightly lit, sprawling building made him feel as if he had stepped into another world.

The conversation with Hong Siyu that morning still echoed in his ears. And as for whether he should resign and fully return to the path of a Magical Girl, he had finally reached a preliminary decision:

—Once he attended the mid-month summary meeting and wrapped up a few ongoing tasks, he could submit his resignation.

Before leaving, he had even made a special trip to the general manager’s office. After bringing up his resignation, he discussed the handover of his remaining tasks, ensuring everything was in order before stepping out of the company.

The reason he didn’t head straight for the station after work, instead taking a detour through the business district, was because an important date was coming up.

For example, his wedding anniversary with Aya.

This year marked their 15th year of marriage, traditionally known as the "Crystal Anniversary"—a milestone worth celebrating for couples who had been together this long.

That was why this date suddenly crossed his mind. He wondered if he should buy Aya a gift she would love.

He remembered that Aya adored jewelry—every piece he had ever given her, she had cherished like a treasure. Since this was their "Crystal Anniversary," a crystal accessory seemed like the perfect choice.

He could buy the gift on their anniversary, carefully wrap it, and place it in Aya’s jewelry box.

—Then, on the day of her death anniversary, he would personally bring it to her grave.

Because Aya’s death anniversary was exactly one week after their wedding anniversary.

It was an irony that sounded both tragic and cruel. But for Lin Yun, aside from revenge, this was the only way he could honor her memory.

As for revenge—whenever the thought surfaced, an image of Lin Xiaolu would appear in his mind. It never made him abandon the idea, but it reminded him that now was not the right time.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Yun collected himself, tightened his grip on his briefcase, and moved forward.

He stepped into the shopping plaza, silently weaving through the various storefronts. He listened to the enthusiastic sales pitches from the shop assistants, taking note of their recommendations, and politely nodding in acknowledgment.

It took him over an hour to browse through the jewelry stores on the first floor, getting a general idea of his options. Feeling somewhat unsatisfied, he walked out of the mall.

It wasn’t that he didn’t find anything he liked—rather, something just felt... missing.

By the time he reached the station again, hunger crept up on him, and he suddenly realized he had completely forgotten about dinner.

Standing on the light rail platform, he watched as the train approached from a distance. The headlights grew brighter, cutting through the dense evening crowd and illuminating the path home.

"I'll just heat up some leftovers when I get back," he muttered to himself, stepping onto the train and finding a moment of quiet as he held onto a hanging strap.

The Road Home

On the way back, he mentally planned out what to cover in tonight’s study session. Middle school textbook knowledge replayed in his mind, making him recall his own school days.

Balancing daily life with being a Magical Girl, worrying about schoolwork on the way home—how similar, yet how vastly different things were now.

Lost in thought, he arrived at his high-end apartment complex.

As he walked down the hallway, he headed straight for the elevator, only to run into a woman approaching from that direction.

It was Hong Siyu.

"Ah, finally off work?" she greeted him casually.

"Yeah. And in a few days, I probably won’t have to go to work at all anymore."

He answered matter-of-factly, then added, "Anyway, thanks for today."

"What's there to thank me for? Getting to see cute juniors is a real treat for an old senior like me, whose Heartstone Flower is practically withering away."

Hong Siyu waved her hand dismissively. "That being said, don’t mind me for saying a little too much earlier."

"A little too much?" Lin Yun raised an eyebrow, catching the key point in her words.

"It’s nothing, really. Just forget it," she laughed it off. "Anyway, I’ve been here long enough—I'm heading out now."

"So, what exactly did you say?"

"I told you, don’t overthink it. It’s nothing you were deliberately hiding, anyway." Hong Siyu winked at him playfully. "Just focus on spending time with the kids."

With that, she waved goodbye and walked toward a nearby parking space.

Lin Yun watched her back for a moment, then shook his head and continued toward the elevator.

Just as he reached the entrance, he noticed an elevator door closing. The indicator showed it was heading up—straight to his floor.

His heart skipped a beat.

The scene at the apartment entrance replayed in his mind, and in just a split second, he realized what was wrong:

"…No one else should have entered the building just now."

After Dinner

After dinner and some idle chatting in the living room, Hong Siyu finally said her goodbyes and left Lin Xiaolu’s home.

Back in the living room, Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang collapsed onto the couch, too exhausted to speak.

"I should’ve just eaten leftovers for lunch," Lin Xiaolu muttered, lying sprawled out.

"Even if she insisted on cooking, I should’ve stopped her," Xia Liang sighed. "I just didn’t think it would be that bad."

Even hours after dinner, they were still haunted by the unforgettable disaster that was lunch.

Hong Siyu had proudly declared her cooking skills, but if her goal was to torment her guests, she had certainly succeeded.

Technically, her knife work and cooking times were fine. But when it came to seasoning… it was an outright catastrophe. The flavors were so jumbled it was as if she had swapped all the seasonings at random—what should have been salty turned sour, and what should have been sweet became bitter. The result was utterly inedible.

In the end, only Hong Siyu managed to finish her meal, even asking the girls, "Why aren’t you eating?"

So by dinnertime, under Xia Liang and Lin Xiaolu’s insistence, they opted for leftovers from the fridge instead.

After the day’s hectic training, Lin Xiaolu was about to take a nap on the couch when she suddenly felt something stuck under her leg.

Shifting to the side, she looked down and found—Hong Siyu’s certification badge.

At some point, Hong Siyu must have casually left it there and completely forgotten about it.

Lin Xiaolu picked it up and exchanged glances with Xia Liang. "What should we do?"

"Do you have her contact info?" Xia Liang asked, equally surprised.

"No." Lin Xiaolu ruffled her hair in frustration.

"Then just have Veronica return it tomorrow… Wait, what are you doing?" Xia Liang paused mid-thought, watching as Lin Xiaolu suddenly stood up and stuffed the badge into her pocket.

"She just left. I can still catch her."

"Do you really need to rush?" Xia Liang sighed, watching her walk toward the entryway. "Veronica’s coming over tonight anyway. You could just return it tomorrow."

"It’s bad manners to let a guest lose something on their first visit."

Lin Xiaolu waved her hand casually. "Don’t worry, I’ll be right back."

She slipped on her sandals, stepped outside, and pressed the elevator button, heading down to the first floor.

As she exited the elevator, she immediately heard Hong Siyu’s voice nearby. She pulled the badge from her pocket, raising it as she prepared to return it.

But the moment she stepped out, she froze.

Because standing there with Hong Siyu—talking to her like they knew each other well—was someone she never expected.

Not a stranger, but her father.

Lin Yun.