The 30-Year-Old Magical Girl - Chapter 64

Tidal recognized the box of chocolates immediately.

It was the exact same box she had given Chen Xi for Valentine’s Day earlier that year.

“Girls who receive this will cry tears of emotion.”

She had ordered it after seeing that ridiculous tagline online.

Chen Xi hadn’t cried.

She hadn’t even been particularly moved.

Instead, she had scolded Tidal for wasting money on such overpriced nonsense.

“This was way too expensive. I never had the heart to eat it.”

As she spoke, Chen Xi opened the elegant wooden gift box.

Beneath the elaborate packaging were seven colorful, neatly arranged chocolates.

So this is what 1,200 yuan bought?

Tidal stared at them in disbelief.

Before she could say anything, Chen Xi had already picked up a dark chocolate dusted with cocoa powder and held it against Tidal’s lips.

“Eat it. I like sweets.”

“This is an order,” Chen Xi added.

“An order?”

“Mm. The first of the ten.”

She smiled.

“Pretty easy, right?”

Tidal said nothing.

She reluctantly parted her lips.

Chen Xi gently helped her open her mouth and slipped the chocolate inside.

The aroma of cocoa spread across Tidal’s tongue, followed by a bitter, slightly dry aftertaste.

“It tastes no different from a ten-yuan chocolate.”

Tidal frowned.

“Right?”

Chen Xi tilted her head with a smile.

“That’s exactly why I scolded you. Remember?”

“Yeah…”

Tidal nodded.

“I remember.”

“Honestly, I thought you’d at least compliment me or something.”

Tidal gave her a bitter smile.

“But I was happy.”

Chen Xi’s expression softened.

“Even if it was a waste of money, you spent it on me instead of someone else.”

“Is that so?”

Tidal finally understood.

“You’re so slow.”

Chen Xi smiled mischievously.

“Penalty.”

Before Tidal could react, Chen Xi playfully pinched her tongue before letting go.

Tidal stared at her blankly.

“…Done yet?”

She genuinely couldn’t understand what Chen Xi found so amusing about this.

Was it really that fun?

While Tidal was still wondering, Chen Xi picked up another chocolate.

This one was white.

“Try this one.”

“I really don’t like sweet things.”

Tidal protested.

But because of their agreement, she obediently opened her mouth.

The second chocolate was much sweeter and creamier, with a rich milky fragrance.

It was actually delicious.

Still, Tidal couldn’t understand why it was worth so much money.

“I’m done. You eat it.”

After finishing the second piece, Tidal tried to refuse any more.

“Okay.”

Surprisingly, Chen Xi agreed without argument.

She picked up a third chocolate and brought it toward her own mouth.

Then, as though she had suddenly thought of something amusing, she grinned and offered it to Tidal instead.

“I said I don’t want it.”

Tidal sighed.

Even so, she opened her mouth.

Chen Xi slipped the chocolate inside for a moment before pulling it back out.

“What are you—”

Tidal’s words stopped when Chen Xi pressed the chocolate against her cheek.

What are you doing?

The hard candy pressed uncomfortably against her skin.

Tidal had no idea what was going through Chen Xi’s mind, but she didn’t dare resist.

Chen Xi said nothing.

She simply twisted the chocolate slowly, clearly enjoying herself.

Before long, the chocolate began to soften from the warmth.

Chen Xi smeared the sticky cocoa across Tidal’s cheek.

“Mm. That’s enough.”

She finally released her grip.

A thin strand of melted chocolate stretched between her fingers and Tidal’s skin before breaking.

“Are you a child?”

Tidal grumbled.

“Drawing on people’s faces?”

She touched her cheek and looked at the chocolate coating her fingers.

She thought the joke was finally over.

But then Chen Xi leaned closer.

Tidal froze.

Chen Xi carefully cleaned the chocolate from her cheek, treating it like the most important part of the entire experiment.

“Having fun?”

Tidal didn’t pull away.

Instead, she quietly watched Chen Xi’s face from such a close distance.

Her bangs brushed lightly against Tidal’s nose.

When Chen Xi finally finished, she smiled with satisfaction.

“Delicious. Truly luxury-grade.”

She wiped her lips and looked pleased with herself.

“When did you develop this strange hobby?”

Realizing that Chen Xi had simply been playing with her, Tidal felt a surge of annoyance.

But she didn’t show it.

She merely stared at Chen Xi with her usual cold expression.

“Mad?”

“No.”

Tidal shook her head.

“Can I go now?”

“Mm. We’ve played enough for today.”

Chen Xi stretched lazily.

“One more bite.”

She picked up another chocolate between her thumb and forefinger.

“Say ahhh~”

Tidal sighed and opened her mouth.

Chen Xi slipped the chocolate inside.

But this time, Tidal decided to retaliate.

Instead of gently biting down on the chocolate, she clamped her teeth around Chen Xi’s fingers.

Chen Xi froze.

Tidal looked at her with playful eyes.

She deliberately maintained the pressure for a moment.

“…It hurts.”

Chen Xi tried to pull her fingers free.

But Tidal wouldn’t let go.

Chen Xi attempted to push her away, yet when she looked at Tidal’s delicate, porcelain-like face, she couldn’t bring herself to use much force.

Perhaps the room hadn’t been ventilated properly.

The air suddenly felt unusually warm.

The two remained locked in this strange little standoff.

Finally, Chen Xi couldn’t take it anymore.

“…I give up!”

The moment Tidal heard her surrender, she released her bite.

She leaned back and smugly savored the remaining chocolate in her mouth.

“Are you a dog?”

“Same to you.”

Tidal raised her right arm and showed Chen Xi the faint purple bruise and ring of teeth marks left on her skin.

“You bit deeper.”

Chen Xi complained.

She held up her finger in front of Tidal’s eyes.

The finger that had once been clean and elegant was now stained with chocolate and marked by Tidal’s teeth.

For some reason, seeing it gave Tidal a sudden impulse.

It made sense, really.

She had always loved Chen Xi.

That feeling hadn’t changed simply because her appearance had.

So, acting on the moment, Tidal gently reached out and wiped the remaining chocolate from Chen Xi’s finger.

Chen Xi immediately turned her flushed face away.

She had started this entire game.

Yet somehow, she was the one who had become embarrassed first.

The humiliation made her want to disappear.

“Is that enough?”

Tidal calmly withdrew her hand.

She wiped her mouth and returned to her usual indifferent expression.

“…I’m happy.”

Chen Xi spoke softly, still refusing to look directly at her.

Her face remained flushed as she replayed the entire exchange in her mind.

“Good.”

Tidal nodded.

“If you’re happy…”

She smiled gently.

“…then I’m happy too.”

“Don’t say such corny lines so seriously…”

Chen Xi muttered, still avoiding her gaze.

“Idiot.”