Magical Girl Heavy Dependence

Chapter 50, Azure

With a soft click, the office door closed.

Cheng Chen and Zhong Ai stood side by side in the corridor of the administration building, both sides quiet.

After closing the office door, Cheng Chen and Zhong Ai stood side by side in the corridor of the administration building.

"Miss Cang Qing, it's been a long time."

He turned his head to the side, his tone as calm as if he were talking about what he ate that day.

A flash of emerald light streaked across the sky, the dazzling blue light aimed directly at his face, but Cheng Chen simply turned his head slightly and deftly dodged it.

The cyan sword blade stopped just inches away, its sharp magical aura stinging his skin. Even more scorching than the sword's energy was the pair of cyan eyes staring intently at him from less than a meter away.

What are you doing here?

Cang Qing's voice was very low, and the sword-shaped magic wand in his hand hummed.

Suddenly, a square cardboard box was placed in front of her.

The cyan magical girl, whose body was tense, was clearly taken aback for a moment.

"A gift," Cheng Chen said calmly. "I can't come to visit my mentor empty-handed."

He smiled and said, "You used to really like this doll. I remember when Lao Deng went to a faculty meeting on the weekend and left you with me. I took you to the amusement park, and you were glued to the claw machine staring at the rabbit inside, refusing to leave no matter what... I wonder if you still like it now."

Cang Qing pursed her lips, her face revealing no emotion.

The sword blade remained at Cheng Chen's neck, but the wand's owner's gaze had become somewhat absurd, as if he were looking at an out-of-place oddball.

"Open it and take a look."

Cheng Chen handed the box forward a little further.

Cang Qing remained silent, and didn't even raise his hand to take it.

They remained in that position for a long time, until finally, the blue magical girl took the initiative to give way.

The sword blade moved away from Cheng Chen's neck, and with the scattered magical light, the gorgeous cyan dress was removed from her body. In the blink of an eye, she returned to the appearance of an ordinary girl.

"Feel sorry."

Zhong Ai accepted the gift box with both hands, lowered her eyes, and somewhat awkwardly added the unfinished address.

"…elder brother."

Cheng Chen smiled with satisfaction.

"I didn't see that you brought a gift for my dad." Zhong Ai lifted the box with one hand, took out a pink and white rabbit doll, and frowned slightly. "Besides, I'm not a child anymore."

"I gave him a big hug." Cheng Chen paused for a moment. "If you're not satisfied with this, I can change it for you to the same one as Old Deng's."

"satisfy."

Zhong Ai rolled her eyes at him, her hostility completely vanishing, and the two walked together toward the teaching building.

"What's your brother doing at the academy?"

"Find someone."

"Who should I look for?"

"It's about the company."

"Yinfu Entertainment?"

"You still remember?"

"It's hard not to remember. After all, my brother was like a pervert, clinging to me and trying to drag me into becoming an idol trainee."

"That's called enthusiasm."

"But it looks like a pervert."

"What if I invite you again now?"

"I must refuse."

Sunlight streamed obliquely through the windowpanes, casting two long shadows on the hallway floor.

The road was eerily quiet; the only sound was the faint footsteps of two people walking side by side.

"...Brother, aren't you going to ask me how I became a magical girl?" Zhong Ai looked ahead and said casually.

"You didn't even ask me why I'm a demon."

"oh."

Chung Ai hid her gaze behind her black-rimmed glasses, making it impossible to discern her emotions.

As Cheng Chen walked out of the administration building, he saw more and more students coming and going. He looked at the floor signs and went up to the first grade, then followed the door signs to find his way through the classrooms one by one.

Attending classes at the college is very flexible; there are no fixed class times, and you only need to maintain a certain attendance rate. Therefore, the teaching buildings are not crowded, and most classrooms only have a few teachers and students, creating a relaxed atmosphere of leisure.

He quickly stopped outside the door of Class 12.

"Are you still following me?"

He turned to look at Zhong Ai.

Zhong Ai looked over with a puzzling expression, hesitated, and finally walked quickly past him, saying, "Goodbye, brother."

She walked into the classroom and immediately attracted most of the attention.

No one spoke to him, and no one approached him.

Only when Zhong Ai sat down in the empty seat at the very front of the large classroom did those subtle stares shift away, and the scattered chatter resumed.

Cheng Chen stood outside the door, scanning the entire classroom through the door frame.

At the back of the classroom sat a black-haired girl wearing a baseball cap, resting her chin on her hand and gazing listlessly at the playground outside the window; at the very front of the classroom sat a white-clad girl who had just entered and was meticulously preparing for class.

The black and white figures seemed to form two vacuums, with no one around, as if they were some forbidden zone where strangers should not approach.

"What a coincidence."

Cheng Chen murmured a sentence to himself.

"Excuse me! Excuse me! Thank you so much!"

A loud-voiced female student rushed across the corridor from the other side and headed straight for the door.

Cheng Chen stepped aside, and the latter slammed on the brakes in front of the door frame, hurriedly tidying up his disheveled sideburns and bangs, and took a heavy breath before walking into the classroom.

"Um?"

Zhong Ai looked up.

The female student greeted her with a smile: "Hello, hello."

"Hello there."

Zhong Ai's answer was extremely formulaic; she nodded and then lowered her head to read again.

The girl didn't mind. Like a cheerful sparrow, she greeted every classmate she encountered in the classroom while nimbly weaving through the desks and chairs towards the girl in black at the very back corner, excitedly calling out, "Lulu! I'm here!"

The girl in black turned her head at the sound, and Cheng Chen hid himself from the classroom doorway at the right moment.

"Collecting paintings".

Yan Xi called out the female student's name, and the two squeezed together at the same table, whispering and chatting.

Cheng Chen watched this scene expressionlessly, his fingers tapping unconsciously, before suddenly changing his mind.

Instead of rushing to catch the escaped trainee, he turned around decisively and left the teaching building.

……

"Everything at the academy is still the same as always, as you know..."

When I came to my senses, I was already drinking heavily.

Zhong Wenge's eyes were blurry with drunkenness. As a teacher known for his seriousness, he had always abstained from smoking and drinking, only breaking his vows and indulging in such behavior when he was particularly happy.

"Sigh, as I get older, my whole body aches. My back, neck, shoulders, legs... I have more and more minor ailments. I even got a cramp during the 400-meter race at the last faculty and staff sports meet, which was quite embarrassing."

"Take care of yourself."

An old chandelier hung above the dining table, casting a dim, yellowish light that illuminated Old Deng's already flushed face.

The sound of running water came from the kitchen. Zhong Ai, wearing an apron, stood with her back to the two of them, quietly cleaning up the remnants of dinner in front of the sink.

"After all these years, you still haven't given us a second wife?"

Cheng Chen watched her retreating figure out of the corner of his eye, joking with Zhong Wenge.

"Hey! You little rascal, I haven't even asked you if you've found a girlfriend yet, and you're asking me first." Zhong Wenge tilted his head back and gulped down his drink. "Teaching duties are heavy, and there are endless meetings. I don't have time for socializing, so where would I get a teacher's wife?"

"Where are the female teachers at the academy?"

"What utter nonsense are you spouting?"

Zhong Wenge laughed and scolded, "The new teachers these days aren't much older than you. I'm over fifty, how can I be embarrassed? Besides, they wouldn't even look at me."

"Old Deng, you're humorous and witty. With a little grooming, you could be considered a handsome older man. Aren't there people who have a thing for older men these days? Don't underestimate yourself."

"screw you!"

Cheng Chen received a light slap on the head.

The teachers' residential area consists mostly of old-fashioned residential buildings that have been around for a long time. The buildings are low-rise, and the neighbors are mostly faculty members and their families from the college.

The interior layout and decoration were exactly the same as he remembered, except that there was an extra photo next to the place where the family photo of the three of them used to be on the living room cabinet.

In the photo, Zhong Wenge is laughing heartily with his arm around Cheng Chen's shoulder, while Cheng Chen holds up her admission letter from Tianqiong University, her smile equally radiant.

"When you received the admission notice, this room was packed with reporters and media. The deputy director of the Education Bureau personally shook my hand and said, 'Teacher Wen Ge, you have taught a good student...'" Old Deng followed the gaze, his words already starting to slur. "Leaders who used to ignore me were all smiling, and the professional title I had been trying to get for three years was approved in two days, and I was even promoted several levels... I had been working quietly on the podium for more than ten years, and suddenly overnight, I became the vice principal..."

"Looks like I'm pretty famous."

"Of course, in the past six years, our Yincheng has only produced one student who got into Sky Dome University, Cheng Chen... I... Xiao Ai, she...zzzz..."

Old Deng's voice grew fainter and fainter, until finally the line went completely offline. His face flushed with alcohol, he slumped over the table and fell asleep.

He slowly stood up and casually snapped his fingers. In an instant, the strong smell of alcohol emanating from him dissipated completely.

At this moment, Zhong Ai dried her hands and came out of the kitchen, looking exceptionally well-behaved with her apron tied around her neck.

"Xiao Ai?"

Cheng Chen greeted her, "Your dad is a little drunk. The master bedroom is the one on the left, right? I'll move him to the bed. I'm sorry for making such a mess of the living room. I'll clean up later. You should rest too."

Zhong Ai remained where she was, without moving.

"Xiao Ai?"

Cheng Chen raised his eyebrows in confusion and called her name again.

Zhong Ai silently raised her hand, and the sword-shaped magic wand suddenly fell into her palm. A turquoise wave of magic swept across the entire kitchen and dining table, instantly transforming everything in its path.

Cheng Chen chuckled, then tucked Lao Deng under his arm with one hand and tossed him onto the empty master bedroom bed.

When I returned to the living room, the smell of alcohol that had been lingering in the air had completely disappeared.

"Thanks for your hard work."

He nodded to Zhong Ai, leaned casually against the wall, and casually remarked, "He's still the same as ever, he hasn't changed at all over the years, but you've changed a lot."

Zhong Ai lowered her head slightly and shook her head gently: "Brother, let me take you."

Cheng Chen raised an eyebrow, then shook his head: "Okay, I'll come back another day. Bye."

The girl, who had always been aloof, finally made a move.

"etc."

Cheng Chen stopped in his tracks.

Zhong Ai turned her head and stared at him with a complicated look in her eyes: "Don't come here again."

"What do you mean?"

"I hope you stay away from my father."

"What's the reason?" Cheng Chen asked with a smile.

"Because you are a demon."

Zhong Ai bit her lip and stared straight at him. Even without transforming, her eyes remained bright and beautiful.

"And what about you?"

"I..." Zhong Ai was speechless.

Cheng Chen showed no disappointment or hurt. He simply patted his sleeve calmly and then bid farewell to the girl standing there with a normal expression.

"No need to see me off, get some rest."

He waved with a smile, gently closed the door, and his steady footsteps faded into the empty corridor until they disappeared.

Zhong Ai quietly watched the man's retreating figure from the window, then noticed the pink rabbit doll lying crookedly on the sofa.

She reached out to take it, but paused in mid-air and withdrew her hand.

After a brief hesitation, she turned off the living room light and went back to her room.

……