On a midsummer afternoon, Lin Xiaolu returned to consciousness from a long stretch of Spiritual Thought, sitting on the couch with the air conditioning on, listlessly picking up her phone in the living room.
She breezed through some boring messages on social media and chuckled at a few short videos before putting her phone down, sensing something amiss, and saying with confusion, "Hasn't Fairy been out for too long?"
"Relax, it has its own things to do."
Leaning on the couch, Xia Liang drawled, "Didn't we talk about this before? The search for potential Magical Girls is making progress or something."
"But this is too long; usually, it's back before or around lunchtime, but now it's almost three in the afternoon."
Resting her chin in her hand, Lin Xiaolu pondered for a moment and then abruptly looked up, making a sudden judgment, "Something's fishy."
"What's fishy?" Xia Liang asked languidly, already used to her somewhat jumpy logic.
"Fairy is keeping something from us," Lin Xiaolu said with conviction.
"Fairies need their privacy too. But I didn't expect, do you actually care about it that much since you always end up arguing with Fairy?" Xia Liang laughed aloud with sarcasm.
Lin Xiaolu rolled her eyes, hitting the couch cushion beside her, "Care? I'm suspicious!"
Xia Liang sat up, using the back of the couch for support, and stretched, "Hmm—if you're suspicious, should we go and check it out?"
"We can't, right? Isn't it almost time for the afternoon practice?"
"Just ask the junior for a leave of absence."
"How can we bother Emerald Sparrow with such a reason?"
"Hmm, if you say so..."
Noncommittally pulling out her phone, Xia Liang typed a message into their group chat and said with finality, "Okay, sent!"
"What? I just told you not to do it, and you just went ahead and sent the message! Withdraw it now!"
Seeing her actions, Lin Xiaolu raised her eyebrows and then turned to try to snatch Xia Liang's phone, "Give me your phone!"
"Hng-hng, no way, we should be honest in times ."
Avoiding Lin Xiaolu's attempt to grab it by lifting the phone high with her slight advantage in height and reach, Xia Liang dodged comfortably and laughed. After a brief scuffle, she suddenly felt her phone vibrate and so she blinked and lowered her raised phone, "…Ah, a reply?"
Being unable to wrestle the phone away and feeling somewhat annoyed, Lin Xiaolu was also surprised, "A reply? That fast?"
"Yep, instant reply."
Swiping through the messages, Xia Liang drawled out, imitating Emerald Sparrow's usual cold, calm tone, "Let me read it out for you: 'You can go, but be sure to come back on time in the evening. If there really is a new recruit, notify me, and I'll come over later.'"
After reading the contents of the message page, she flashed the screen toward Lin Xiaolu, "That's pretty much it, seems like she's agreeing?"
Lin Xiaolu ignored her and retreated, pulling out her own phone and seriously read through Emerald Sparrow's words. After confirming it matched what Xia Liang said, she found a string of other information trailing behind, "What's this? An address?"
"Lixing District, going west 150 meters from the intersection of Xihelu with Yuyun Road..."
Xia Liang immediately continued reading, "Huh, isn't this near Fangting City's First Welfare Institute?"
"Is this Fairy's location?"
"It seems so, but why would the junior know where Fairy is?"
"Just a location; what's so strange about Emerald Sparrow knowing it?"
Lin Xiaolu didn't find anything problematic and said proudly, "For a Magical Girl as powerful as her, she must have lots of tricks up her sleeve we haven't seen yet. Don't limit her capabilities with your narrow view."
Just by looking at her expression and not listening to what she's saying, you might think her arrogance was about herself.
"Haha…that's true, the junior probably was already prepared," Xia Liang could only respond with a dry laugh to Lin Xiaolu's fervent fan talk.
The two agreed on the odd circumstance and didn't dwell on it further. Soon, Lin Xiaolu spotted another point of suspicion:
"Speaking of the welfare institute, aren't there a lot of children there?"
"Calling others children, but they might not be younger than us."
Xia Liang helplessly corrected, "But considering that, it's indeed suspicious. If we leave now, perhaps we could catch them in the act?"
"But, about the practice..." Lin Xiaolu was still hesitant.
As she struggled to decide, Xia Liang suggested, raising her index finger, "Then how about I go alone to check it out and tell you the result?"
"You—ah! You're really...!"
That was the last straw for Lin Xiaolu, who could no longer sit still. Her internal struggle ended with curiosity winning out, and she sprung to her feet, "I can't stand it anymore! Let's go! Who's afraid?"
It was during the summer vacation, and with Emerald Sparrow's green light, there were no obstacles for them to go out.
So, after quickly changing into casual clothes for going out, the two took a light rail train to Lixing District.
Fangting City's First Welfare Institute was on the edge of Lixing District, near the suburbs, but fortunately, the transportation was very convenient and did not take much effort to reach.
Passing through the somewhat deserted station, Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang walked leisurely along some of the older streets, glancing left and right, taking in the surroundings.