Chapter Ten: The Opened Door and the Gentle Guide

"Hello, Senior Jiang Si."

When Jiang Si saw Jiang Keke enter with a friend, he momentarily thought he was imagining things.

This sister, who had fallen out with him ever since their parents died three years ago, was not only hostile toward him, but was also cold and distant toward everyone else, as if she wanted to sever all ties with the world.

Forget about friends; she barely spoke to anyone at school. Every time he attended a parent-teacher meeting, the homeroom teacher would emphasize this issue to him.

"Your child is too withdrawn. This can’t continue. Should we take her to a hospital to see if she’s ill...?"

Nowadays, schools focused heavily on students’ mental health, which made Jiang Si uncomfortable.

Back in their day, such conditions didn’t exist...

“This is my friend, Yin Lian,” Jiang Keke interrupted his thoughts.

Jiang Si nodded, “Get along well.”

“No need to tell me.”

It wasn’t that Jiang Si was childish like Keke, wanting to play cold war games.

He had always communicated with Jiang Keke normally, continuing the style he and their father had at home in his past life.

Compared to his sister, Jiang Keke was actually more like his daughter; their emotional and mental ages were about the same.

When their parents were at work during their childhood, he had helped take care of this little girl—changing diapers, feeding her milk, putting her to sleep—all of which he had done.

Saying he was her father wasn’t an exaggeration, especially since their parents had passed away; as the eldest brother, he took on a fatherly role.

As to why he was so cold and indifferent as a father figure, even casual...

Because his biological father in his previous life had been just like that.

Although his parents in this life were kinder, they didn’t spend much time together and were not very familiar, so Jiang Si was still more accustomed to the way things were in his past life.

During rebellious phases, he would punish her; otherwise, he left her alone, rarely appearing around. As long as she didn’t cause trouble, she could do as she wished.

If it got unbearable, she could stay with relatives for a while and be less troublesome.

So after exchanging greetings here, Jiang Si went to the kitchen to cook, and Jiang Keke completely ignored him, pulling her friend to the bedroom.

In that regard, as family members, they still had a tacit understanding.

As for Yin Lian, she was in a tough spot.

She initially came along with Jiang Keke to visit her home, intending to persuade her parents to let her join the Disaster Response Bureau.

But upon arrival, she encountered this awkward situation, stuck right in the middle.

"Your brother is Jiang Si..."

Back in the bedroom, hearing Yin Lian’s exclamation, Jiang Keke was also curious. “What’s wrong? You know him?”

“Who in high school doesn’t know him? His name’s known in every nearby school.”

Yin Lian’s face was complicated. “He often skips class, drives teachers crazy, and’s the biggest troublemaker. He even provokes gangsters outside school, calling it ‘real combat training.’ He put people in the hospital. Those gangsters’ parents came to the school... Luckily, they all have criminal records, so the school can handle it.”

Jiang Keke twitched the corner of her mouth. Of course, she knew her brother’s notorious reputation.

But she didn’t expect it to be so widespread that even a magical girl knew about it.

“He’s just that bad.”

“Well, not exactly bad...” Yin Lian smiled awkwardly and said softly, “At least the local gangsters don’t dare come near the school anymore. They’re scared of him. So, in a way, he’s doing a good deed—no bullying of students.”

“Our parents told him to focus on graduating college,” Jiang Keke took off her slippers, sat on the bed, hugging her knees. “But he never really studies; he’s always skipping class or fighting, saying he’s training...”

“Your parents...?”

“Died three years ago fighting disaster beasts.”

Although her tone was calm, Yin Lian still offered a word of condolence.

She had somewhat guessed that Jiang Si’s parents were deceased, having overheard during a fight outside the high school gate once.

Later, the homeroom teacher came out to take him away, scolding him furiously.

“Just because you’re an orphan, you don’t take this school seriously?”

But she had never been sure if the teacher was just angry and calling him an orphan, or if his parents had truly passed away.

Now that it was confirmed, she felt a bit guilty.

“As you see, it’s just me and Jiang Si at home, and we don’t get along. If you want to convince him to let me join the Disaster Response Bureau, you can try. I’m not interested in discussing this with him.”

Their relationship was visibly strained.

Yin Lian sighed, “I’ll give it a try then.”

Hmph, Jiang Keke turned her head and lay on the bed hugging her legs, “Do whatever you want.”

...

While eating, Jiang Si noticed Yin Lian coming out of Keke’s room and paused.

He didn’t expect Keke’s friend to come out, nor that Keke wouldn’t come out herself.

Usually, Keke would come out to eat, and he would quietly go upstairs afterward.

That was the usual routine.

Seeing that Keke still showed no sign of coming out, Jiang Si cleared the table and planned to go back to his room.

“Senior Jiang Si, you should know me, right?”

The other asked cautiously, and Jiang Si glanced at her, “Don’t remember.”

Ah, this opening was truly a failure!

Yin Lian had been preparing to build rapport all this time. After all, they went to the same school, and she was the class monitor who often helped teachers in the office, while Jiang Si was a poor student often punished to stand in the office, so they had met before.

Thinking carefully, they hadn’t met often, but three or four encounters in such a context should have left an impression, right?

So she thought to start with this as a way to get closer.

But it turned into a complete failure...

She wished she could just disappear into the floor but quickly recovered, cheeks a bit red, yet maintaining a professional smile.

I am the captain of the Magical Girl Squad—I won’t lose to an ordinary person!

“I’m Yin Lian, class monitor of Grade 10, Class 6. We’ve met before in the office...”

“Oh, sorry, don’t remember.”

“No, it’s okay.” Yin Lian tapped her thick-soled Martin boots on the floor. “There was a disaster beast at Jiang Keke’s school today. You must have heard about it, right?”

“No.”

“...It was on the news.”

“I don’t watch the news.”

Yin Lian finally understood why Jiang Keke didn’t like her brother.

This was too hard to communicate with.

Just as she considered giving up, Jiang Si paused and asked, “No injuries?”

Yin Lian’s eyes widened, then blankly asked, “Who? Me?”

“...Do we know each other well?”

Only then did she realize he was asking about Jiang Keke. “Uh, no.”

Actually, she had been injured once while dealing with a disaster beast, so she thought he was referring to herself. Another misunderstanding.

Dying inside...

“Oh, then that’s nothing.”

Though cold, Jiang Si had actually shown concern for Jiang Keke just now.

Confirming this gave Yin Lian some confidence, so she asked, “What do you think of magical girls?”

“Strong.”

“Uh, if Jiang Keke becomes a magical girl, what would you think?”

“I won’t be able to beat her.” If she didn’t transform.

Yin Lian rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache.

Because his answer was sincere, without any evasion or joke.

If his sister transformed into a magical girl, his first thought was that he couldn’t beat her anymore?

How do these siblings usually live? Do you really fight your own sister?

But she thought Jiang Si was simply answering from a combat strength perspective, not that he’d actually fight his sister.

Yin Lian wasn’t naive; she knew how family relationships deteriorated after fights.

Although Jiang Keke was cold and somewhat resentful toward her brother, it was never to the point of hatred or violence.

“Usually, magical girls don’t use their powers to fight family,” she explained seriously, “Their strong powers are carefully regulated by the Disaster Response Bureau.”

“Oh, are you a staff member there?”

“I’m an external member, responsible for guiding magical girls to join the bureau. Of course, I’m just an ordinary student most of the time. The bureau thinks it’s easier to communicate with peers...”

That was a lie. Jiang Si held a partial list of BH City’s Disaster Response Bureau magical girls.

Yin Lian, fifteen years old, 1.5 meters tall, captain of BH City’s Magical Girl Squad, the pink magical girl specializing in mental attacks, with both parents alive and an older sister also working at the bureau.

She was not an external member but a genuine combatant.

They had even sent a core member directly to recruit Jiang Keke—a sincere move.

But it was understandable. In the past two years, all magical girls born in Beihai had been intercepted by the Qingyun Sect—Ice Sugar always found magical girls the bureau couldn’t.

BH City’s bureau was so desperate they even borrowed magical girls from other cities.

Other cities’ bureaus weren’t this bad; not only were they helpless against a civilian magical girl organization, but they also lost recruits and had to borrow from elsewhere.

It even raised the question: which organization was truly official?

So when a new magical girl appeared, sending the captain to recruit made perfect sense.

Jiang Si didn’t intend to expose Yin Lian’s lie and simply said, “Keke became a magical girl? You just need to take her to the bureau to register.”

After registration, as an official magical girl, she could receive a government salary, keep her identity secret and ensure daily safety, and gain the bureau’s protection.

“Currently, Keke isn’t an adult. She needs a family member to accompany her, and she seems hesitant about joining,” Yin Lian said worriedly. “I’m afraid she’ll become a freelance magical girl. Disaster beasts are increasing, and the Qingyun Sect’s activities are more frequent. Freelancers are in danger, and if they’re tricked into joining Qingyun Sect, it’s even more dangerous...”

“Several magical girls were tricked before and disappeared. That hateful Qingyun Sect will be captured one day!”

Seeing Yin Lian’s clenched teeth, Jiang Si remained calm, “That’s truly hateful.”

After calming down, she continued, “In short, I hope you’ll convince Keke to register officially. That way, she won’t be targeted by Qingyun Sect. I know your relationship isn’t great, but you’re the only family she has. If you speak up, she’ll at least listen, right?”

Having cleared the table, Jiang Si politely poured her a cup of tea.

“Would you like something to eat? I can make you something.”

“Thanks, no need. I ate before coming.”

Of course, even if she said she wanted to eat, Jiang Si wasn’t going to cook again—he had cleaned the kitchen and wasn’t in the mood to cook. At most, he’d order takeout for her.

“Let’s get back to Jiang Keke’s matter...”

“I don’t intend to interfere with her choice,” Jiang Si interrupted. “She’s already in tenth grade and capable of discerning right from wrong. If she doesn’t want to, there must be a reason. It wouldn’t be right to send her to the bureau without knowing why.”

Her prepared argument was blocked by Jiang Si’s words. Yin Lian stared at him for a moment, then hesitated.

“I think she might not know what’s best for herself and could make a decision she’ll regret. That’s why she needs adults to help...”

“I’m not much older than her. My decision won’t necessarily be better either.”

Jiang Si pushed the tea cup toward her.

“Thinking adults always know best is arrogance. Why can’t children regret? They have the right to choose and bear the consequences. Whether failure or success, they should experience and taste it. She’s already tenth grade; it’s time to be independent.”

For a moment, Yin Lian felt like she wasn’t speaking to a senior from her grade but to an elder.

Jiang Si’s tone was less like Keke’s brother and more like her father.

More importantly, there was no condescension in his tone. Whether toward Keke or toward her, it was like talking to a peer.

Others often underestimated Yin Lian because of her height or treated her like a child.

Jiang Si’s wary distance, tinged with caution, though not friendly, made Yin Lian feel respected.

And he truly cared about Keke, not the cold person she was rumored to be.

When she became a magical girl, her family constantly opposed her. Her parents wanted her to quit. Without her sister, she might still be an ordinary student.

Adults’ decisions aren’t always best, and when they’re wrong, they can’t bear the consequences for the children.

After thinking for a moment, Yin Lian nodded in agreement.

“You’re right. Keke should decide for herself.”

Jiang Si added, “But I want to visit the bureau too.”

It’d be good to see where their miracle seeds came from.

“That means Jiang Keke will need to register.”

After answering Jiang Si’s question, she suddenly whispered, “Senior Jiang Si, you really care about Keke, don’t you?”

Jiang Si raised an eyebrow but didn’t answer.

She wondered how he figured it out—such a unique thought process.

Fortunately, Yin Lian didn’t press the topic and lowered her head.

“I’ll go ask Keke herself. As a senior, I’ll take good care of her.”

“Thanks, that would be great.”

“No trouble at all.”

Jiang Si glanced outside; the sky had darkened. He frowned slightly.

“Are you staying here tonight?”

“Eh? Is that okay?”

Jiang Si rubbed his forehead. He was the one asking the question.

He disliked others answering questions with questions.

He got up and went upstairs.

“I’ll put the bedding outside your door. You can take it yourself.”

Yin Lian blinked and called down, “Hey, Senior Jiang Si, want me to knock on your door and help you in?”

“Better not.”

“Hehe, just kidding.”

Watching Jiang Si leave, Yin Lian took a deep breath and returned to Jiang Keke’s bedroom.

Seeing Keke hugging a doll and staring blankly, she spoke seriously.

“Jiang Keke, you heard everything, right? Your brother wants you to decide for yourself. He wants you to live independently.”

Jiang Keke pouted.

“Just sweet talk. He’s just afraid of trouble.”

“I think he’s sincere. I can feel it. You should trust a magical girl’s intuition. I don’t think he’s as bad or cold as you think. He respects others and doesn’t treat me like a kid just because I’m short...”

“Oh, then he’s fair to everyone,” Jiang Keke shrugged. “Fairly troublesome.”

Yin Lian sat on the nearby chair, leaning over the backrest.

“Forget it. I’m not here to change your attitude toward your brother. It’s mainly about being a magical girl. Do you want to join the Disaster Response Bureau?”

Lying back on the bed, clutching her doll, Jiang Keke mumbled, “I’ll think about it...”

“Alright, alright. I’ll stay with you until you decide.”

“But it doesn’t hurt to check it out first.”

“Great! Your brother also wants to visit the bureau. That’ll satisfy his wish.”

“Hey, shouldn’t you care more about me?”

“What difference does it make...”

Sighing, Jiang Keke stopped talking about it.

Compared to someone like Jiang Si who was indifferent, she was more curious about Teacher Ziyuan’s opinion.

Would she want her to join the bureau? According to Yin Lian, Teacher Ziyuan might be the leader of the Qingyun Sect.

Why did she save her? After saving her, why didn’t she take her away like she did with other magical girls and make her join Qingyun Sect?

She couldn’t figure it out at all.

If only she could meet her again...