The 30-Year-Old Magical Girl - Chapter 59

“Xianjie, what’s this?”

You Xi looked at the gift box Chen Xi had handed her, her expression full of confusion.

The box was about the size of a basketball, wrapped in colorful paper and topped with a bright ribbon.

“A gift for you,” Chen Xi said with a mischievous smile.

It was afternoon, and the two were sitting together at a drink shop in Sunlight Shopping Plaza.

A little over an hour earlier, Chen Xi had called You Xi and asked her to meet, claiming she had something “important” to discuss.

You Xi had been feeling miserable ever since what happened with Bai Mian. Wanting a chance to get out and clear her head, she agreed.

But apparently, this “important matter” was nothing more than a gift box.

What could possibly be inside?

Why was Xianjie suddenly giving her a present?

Curious, You Xi began removing the wrapping.

The colorful paper fell away, revealing a pair of premium over-ear headphones from a well-known brand.

“Xianjie, I—I can’t accept this.”

You Xi’s eyes widened as she immediately tried to return them.

She remembered seeing this model before. It cost more than 2,000 yuan—far too expensive to casually accept as a gift.

“Come on, just take it,” Chen Xi insisted, gently pushing the box back toward her. “Think of it as an apology.”

“If you refuse, I’ll feel guilty forever.”

“An apology?”

You Xi looked at her in confusion.

“Yeah.”

Chen Xi nodded.

“After that day when we went shopping together, I thought about what I did. I realized I was kind of awful—using your secret to force you to bring Miss Tidal along.”

“I’ve reflected on my actions.”

As she spoke, Chen Xi lowered her head and pursed her lips, looking genuinely remorseful.

“Xianjie, I wasn’t angry with you.”

“Really?”

Chen Xi immediately lifted her head, her eyes sparkling.

“Actually… I had fun that afternoon.”

“Right?!”

Chen Xi instantly brightened.

She pulled out her phone and began scrolling through the photos she had taken of Tidal that day. Excitedly, she showed them to You Xi, reliving every moment.

Then, suddenly, her expression became serious.

“About that apology…”

You Xi looked at her suspiciously.

“You need to help me arrange a meeting with Miss Tidal. I think I should apologize to her properly—in person.”

“…Are you sure you’re actually reflecting?”

Watching Chen Xi go from pretending to feel guilty to revealing her obvious ulterior motive, You Xi couldn’t help rolling her eyes internally.

The two continued chatting.

Then, without warning, the ground beneath them trembled.

The drinks on their table rippled.

An earthquake?!

The two girls stared at each other, alarm flashing across their faces.

“Something’s wrong! There’s an aberration!”

Someone suddenly shouted.

Instantly, the drink shop erupted into chaos.

Customers and employees abandoned everything and rushed toward the exits.

When You Xi and Chen Xi stepped outside, they found the first-floor plaza in complete pandemonium.

People screamed.

Children cried.

Thousands of terrified shoppers surged toward the exits, desperately trying to squeeze through doors several meters wide.

You Xi turned toward the source of the disturbance.

Thick green tendrils erupted from the ground.

Each was nearly a meter wide, resembling the roots of some enormous and grotesque plant. They burst upward from beneath the floor, twisting and thrashing violently through the air.

A car display area had once stood there.

Now, several vehicles had been overturned.

Everywhere the tendrils struck, buildings and structures collapsed like fragile paper. Within moments, the entire area had been reduced to rubble.

Then, a middle-aged man entered You Xi’s sight.

Panicked, he attempted to run through the tendrils’ reach.

It was a desperate gamble.

“Watch out!”

You Xi shouted.

But she was too late.

A massive tendril swept toward him.

In an instant, it struck.

The man was thrown through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground.

He didn’t even have time to scream.

He died.

Just like that.

Pitifully.

Insignificantly.

Watching someone die right in front of her shattered something inside You Xi.

“Xianjie, run!”

“Wait—Xiao Xi!”

Before Chen Xi could finish speaking, You Xi pulled her hand away and ran toward the chaos.

If she hesitated, more people would die.

She couldn’t just stand there and watch.

Turning away from the fleeing crowd, You Xi pressed her soul gem against her chest.

Light began to gather.

The crimson flame deep within the gem flickered.

Then, slowly, it began to burn.

But at that very moment—

Bai Mian’s face appeared in her mind.

The terrified expression she had worn when You Xi’s sword had nearly struck her.

The hollow, empty look on her face when she confessed everything.

And then—

A memory from high school.

The first time they had truly spoken.

Bai Mian’s shy, nervous face.

Her blushing smile.

“…Will you raise your sword against me again, Xiao Xi?”

In her mind, You Xi saw Bai Mian standing among the writhing tendrils.

Her body seemed fused with the monster.

She looked down at You Xi with cold, accusing eyes.

“No…”

You Xi’s breath caught.

“It’s not like that…”

Her determination collapsed.

The light surrounding her began to fade.

The flame within her soul gem weakened.

Then—

It went out.

The transformation failed.

You Xi stood frozen in place, staring blankly at the lifeless soul gem in her hand.

“Xiao Xi!”

Chen Xi rushed toward her.

From Chen Xi’s perspective, You Xi wasn’t transforming.

She wasn’t running either.

She was simply standing there.

Motionless.

Right in the middle of the danger zone.

It was practically suicide.

“Run!”

Chen Xi grabbed You Xi’s arm, desperately trying to pull her away.

But at that moment—

One of the green tendrils swept toward them.

It moved as though it had eyes.

Mercilessly closing in.

—!

Too late.

Without thinking, Chen Xi shoved You Xi to the ground.

Then she could only watch helplessly as the tendril approached.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer—

I’m going to die.

The thought flashed through her mind.

Then—

A brilliant blue light flashed.

Slash!

The enormous tendril was cut cleanly in two.

The severed halves crashed to the ground, foul-smelling fluid pouring from them.

They narrowly missed Chen Xi.

Green slime splashed across her body.

“—Aaaahhh!”

The warmth of the disgusting fluid made Chen Xi scream.

She curled into a ball in terror.

“Xianjie! Are you okay?!”

…That voice?

Chen Xi slowly forced her eyes open.

The first thing she saw was Tidal.

Tidal’s face was filled with worry.

And panic.

—!

Before Chen Xi could say anything, Tidal grabbed both her and You Xi, lifting them into the air.

She quickly carried them away from the tendrils and placed them safely outside the danger zone.

Then, without saying another word, she turned around and rushed back toward the battlefield.

Chen Xi stared at her retreating figure.

She was completely stunned.

…Xianjie?

Very few people had ever called her that.

Her parents.

A few elderly relatives—some still alive, others long gone.

And one other person.

Someone who used to call her that.

…You Dong.