The 30-Year-Old Magical Girl - Chapter 62

“You Dong? Who’s You Dong?”

Tidal turned stiffly.

Chen Xi’s complicated expression was reflected in her wide, sapphire-blue eyes.

Oh no… it’s over.

But how?

Tidal quickly replayed everything that had happened in her mind.

Then, like a hammer striking her chest, a shocking realization hit her.

“What… what did you just call me?” Chen Xi demanded.

If one looked closely, her eyes were already red, as though she were barely holding back her tears.

So that was it…

Tidal let out a long sigh.

When she had rushed in to save You Xi and faced the tendrils alone, she hadn’t had any time to think about what she was saying. Instinctively, she had called You Xi “Xianjie.”

It was simply an old habit from their past.

But that tiny slip had been enough to spark Chen Xi’s suspicions.

From there, she had pieced everything together.

Tidal was You Dong.

They had been together for four years. Tidal knew that, apart from her family, no one else called Chen Xi “Xianjie.”

And now, she had walked straight into her own trap.

There was no point in denying it anymore.

So Tidal simply admitted the truth.

“Xianjie.”

She spread her arms, gesturing toward her current appearance.

“I became like this for a reason. You probably know that You Xi became a magical girl…”

She bit her lip before continuing firmly.

“You know I have to protect her. It’s something I must do.”

“You… you bastard…”

Tidal couldn’t tell what emotion was behind those words.

All she could do was stand there and endure it.

A choked sob escaped Chen Xi’s throat.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

It wasn’t fair.

It was so unfair…

Her favorite magical girl—Tidal—was actually her ex-boyfriend.

Was this some kind of April Fools’ joke?

If it was, Chen Xi desperately wished it were.

In that moment, she hated her own sharp intuition.

If only she had been more oblivious.

If only she could have deceived herself a little longer…

Would she have been spared from facing this absurd reality?

After You Dong had broken up with her through that clumsy act, Chen Xi had been heartbroken for a while.

But then Tidal appeared.

She had given Chen Xi hope again.

Hope that she could still fall in love.

Even if it was unrequited.

Even if the person she loved was a distant and untouchable magical girl.

As long as she could still love someone, there was still a possibility.

No.

Not merely a possibility.

There was a chance for something even more beautiful and wonderful than what she had experienced before.

But…

“What did I do wrong…?”

Chen Xi collapsed to her knees and grabbed Tidal by the shoulders.

“To fall in love with the same person…”

Her voice trembled.

“…twice…”

“Xianjie…”

Tidal didn’t know what to say.

She had often read or heard people say, “It’s all fate’s cruel joke.”

But only now did she truly understand how accurate—and how hopeless—that phrase could be.

Still, she couldn’t let Chen Xi remain kneeling there and crying.

Someone might see them.

If Huangxing or You Xi noticed what was happening, it would be impossible to explain.

So Tidal decided to take her somewhere more private.

“Xianjie. It’s not safe to talk here. Let’s go somewhere else.”

Chen Xi didn’t respond.

She remained frozen in the same position.

Then, without warning, she felt herself being lifted off the ground.

“Ah!”

Instinctively afraid of heights, Chen Xi reached out for something to hold onto.

But Tidal was carrying her in a princess carry.

With nothing else to grab, Chen Xi could only wrap her arms around Tidal’s slender neck.

Tidal flew steadily through the sky.

Through her sapphire-blue eyes, Chen Xi gazed at the vast, endless expanse above them.

In this strange situation, they were sharing the exact same view.

And an indescribable feeling slowly welled up inside Chen Xi’s heart.

She remembered four years ago.

That was when she had first fallen in love with You Dong.

Back then, You Dong had been driving his four-leaf-clover car, completely focused as he sped along the mountain roads.

Chen Xi had been sitting in the passenger seat, quietly watching his serious, concentrated profile.

Just like Tidal’s profile now.

For a brief moment, the two images overlapped.

One from the past.

One from the present.

Chen Xi couldn’t tell who was holding her.

You Dong?

Or Tidal?

But in the end…

They were the same person.

Maybe that was precisely why she had to fall in love with her.

And then, a wild thought suddenly occurred to Chen Xi.

Maybe Tidal’s appearance was simply a continuation of the relationship they had shared in the past.

So naturally…

She had fallen in love all over again.

The thought caused the sadness and confusion clouding her mind to suddenly feel insignificant.

Because at this very moment, the happiness she felt, the quiet flutter in her heart, and those vivid, genuine emotions had already overwhelmed and erased the sorrow inside her.

She wished this moment could last forever.

She wanted to keep gazing at Tidal’s profile beneath the endless blue sky, preserving this moment as something eternal and unchanging.

Could human emotions really change so drastically?

One moment, sorrow.

The next, happiness.

Chen Xi even began to wonder whether there was something wrong with her.

Tidal continued carrying her in her arms until they reached the rooftop of a nearby building.

It was secluded enough to keep them away from prying eyes.

Tidal gently set Chen Xi down.

Then she noticed the faint tear streaks still visible on Chen Xi’s cheeks.

Without thinking, Tidal reached out and wiped them away.

Just like she had done countless times during their relationship.

She rose onto her tiptoes.

Her cute leather shoes curved upward as she stretched as far as she could.

…

Damn.

She was still too short.

Tidal panicked internally.

How short am I?!

Now that her identity had been exposed, facing Chen Xi in this tiny body suddenly felt incredibly awkward.

So she decided to de-transform.

“Don’t!”

As if sensing what Tidal was about to do, Chen Xi suddenly wrapped her arms around her.

“Don’t change back…”

Her voice softened.

“Please?”

Hearing her plea, Tidal slowly lowered her hands.

“…I’m sorry.”

Her voice was quiet.

“I made you sad again.”

Holding her former girlfriend in this unfamiliar body gave Tidal an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who jumped in headfirst,” Chen Xi said.

“Four years ago, I fell for you on my own. And now, I did the same thing again.”

She smiled faintly.

“So all of this… is just me suffering because of my own choices.”

She said it calmly.

There was no regret in her voice.

“Xianjie…”

Tidal hesitated.

“It’s probably not the right time to say this, but… there’s something I need to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Keep my secret.”

Tidal looked at her seriously.

“Don’t tell anyone that I’m You Dong.”

She paused.

“Especially You Xi.”

“Why?”

“That girl depends on me…”

Tidal lowered her gaze.

“Or rather, she depends on Tidal.”

“I don’t want to disappoint her.”

Her voice became softer.

“Just like I disappointed you…”

Whether it was because of guilt or something else, Tidal couldn’t bring herself to meet Chen Xi’s eyes.

“Is that really okay?”

Chen Xi looked at her.

“You can keep it hidden for now. But what about forever?”

“Hide it for as long as I can.”

Tidal clenched her hands.

“Just… help me this once, Xianjie.”

She looked up at Chen Xi.

“If you keep my secret…”

Tidal hesitated before making her promise.

“I’ll do anything.”

“Anything?”

Chen Xi’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“Anything at all?”

She leaned closer.

“Really?!”

“—Huh?”

Tidal stared at her.

Something about Chen Xi’s sudden enthusiasm felt extremely suspicious.

She looked far too eager.

But what exactly was she so eager for?

Could it…

Could it possibly be her?

The more Tidal thought about it, the more terrifying the possibility became.

She instinctively shrank back, tucking her neck in as her eyes widened suspiciously.

Meanwhile, her ex-girlfriend slowly moved closer.

…Oh no.

Did I just walk straight into the wolf’s den?