Chapter 10: The Opened Door and the Gentle Guide

"Senior Jiang Si."

When Jiang Ke'ke walked in with her friend, Jiang Si briefly thought he was hallucinating.

This younger sister, who had broken ties with him three years ago after their parents died, was not just ill-tempered toward him.

In fact, she was indifferent to everyone, carrying an air of someone who had severed all ties with the world.

Never mind friends; even at school, she barely spoke a word to her classmates.

Every time a parent-teacher meeting came around, the homeroom teacher would emphasize this to him.

*Your child is too withdrawn. This can't go on; maybe you should take her to a hospital to see if she's ill...*

Modern schools placed too much emphasis on student mental health, which made Jiang Si quite uncomfortable.

In his day, conditions weren't nearly this good...

"This is my friend, Yin Lian."

Jiang Ke'ke's voice interrupted his thoughts. He nodded. "Get along well."

"You don't have to tell me that."

It wasn't that Jiang Si was being childish like Ke'ke, playing games of cold war.

He had always communicated with Jiang Ke'ke normally, though he maintained the same style he had used with his father in his previous life.

Compared to his sister, Jiang Ke'ke was actually more like his daughter in terms of psychological age.

Since they were young, while their parents were at work, he was the one helping raise her—changing diapers, feeding her, and coaxing her to sleep.

To say he was her "father" wasn't an exaggeration, especially since their parents had passed away and the eldest brother was considered a father figure.

As for why he was so cold and even casual in his "fatherly" role...

It was because his biological father in his previous life was exactly like that.

Although his parents in this life were quite affectionate, they hadn't spent much time together and weren't that close, so Jiang Si was more accustomed to the way he had interacted in his past life.

If she was in a rebellious phase, you hit her; if there was no trouble, you left her alone. He was rarely seen around the house, as long as she didn't cause trouble and did what she was supposed to do.

If it became truly unbearable, she could go stay at a relative's house to reduce the hassle.

So, after exchanging greetings, Jiang Si simply went to the kitchen to cook, and Jiang Ke'ke didn't bother responding to him, instead dragging her friend toward the bedroom.

In this regard, they actually shared a certain unspoken understanding as family.

As for Yin Lian, her situation was miserable.

She had originally come to the house with Jiang Ke'ke thinking she could persuade her parents to let her join the Disaster Strategy Bureau.

Instead, she walked right into this situation, feeling deathly awkward stuck in the middle.

"Your brother is Jiang Si..."

Hearing Yin Lian's exclamation back in the bedroom, Jiang Ke'ke found it strange. "What's wrong? You know him?"

"Is there anyone in high school who doesn't know him? His name is known by every high school in the vicinity."

Yin Lian's expression was complicated. "He skipped class constantly, driving teachers half to death. And he was the best at causing trouble—actively provoking local thugs, claiming it was 'combat training,' and beating people so badly they ended up in the hospital. The thugs' parents even came to the school... luckily, they all had criminal records, so the school could handle it."

Her lip twitched. Jiang Ke'ke was, of course, aware of her brother's bad reputation.

But she hadn't expected it to be so widespread that even a Magical Girl knew about it.

"He's just that terrible."

"It's not exactly that he's terrible..." Yin Lian gave a somewhat awkward smile and whispered, "At least the thugs around the school don't dare come near anymore. They're terrified of him. In a way, he did a good deed by making sure students aren't bullied."

"Mom and Dad told him to stay in school until he graduated university." Jiang Ke'ke took off her slippers and sat on the bed, hugging her legs. "But he didn't study at all. Every day was either skipping class, fighting, or saying he needed to 'train'..."

"Your parents..."

"They died three years ago, during a Disaster Beast encounter."

Though her tone was flat, Yin Lian still offered a soft "I'm sorry."

She had actually somewhat guessed that Jiang Si's parents had passed away, as she had overheard it once when she saw Jiang Si fighting at the high school gates.

Later, the homeroom teacher had come out to take him away, cursing him the whole time in frustration.

*"So being an orphan means you don't respect school anymore, is that it?"*

However, she had never been sure if the teacher was just venting anger by calling him an orphan or if his parents had truly passed away.

Now that it was confirmed, she felt a slight sense of guilt.

"As you can see, it's just me and Jiang Si. We don't get along. If you want to persuade him to let me join the Disaster Strategy Bureau, you can try, but I have no interest in discussing it with him."

The strained relationship was visible to the naked eye...

Yin Lian sighed. "Then I'll try."

With a huff, Jiang Ke'ke turned her head away and lay on the bed, hugging her legs. "Do whatever you want."

...

While eating, Jiang Si paused when he saw Yin Lian walking out of Ke'ke's room.

He hadn't expected Ke'ke's friend to come out.

And he certainly hadn't expected Ke'ke *not* to come out.

Normally, Ke'ke would come out to eat, and he would自觉ly head upstairs to his room.

That was their daily routine.

Glancing over, seeing that Ke'ke showed no intention of coming out, Jiang Si cleared the table, intending to head to his room first.

"Senior Jiang Si, you should recognize me, right?"

The girl asked cautiously. Jiang Si glanced at her. "I don't remember."

*Aaaaah! This opening is definitely a failure!*

She had actually spent a long time preparing her approach. Since they were from the same school, and as class monitor, she frequently helped teachers in the office while Jiang Si, a delinquent, was often there serving detention, they had crossed paths.

Thinking about it, they hadn't actually met many times, but surely seeing someone three or four times under those circumstances would leave a deep impression?

That was why she thought she could use this connection to bridge the gap.

But it was a total disaster...

She wanted to crawl into a hole in shame, but she quickly adjusted herself. Despite her ears turning red, she maintained a professional smile.

*I am the leader of a Magical Girl squad; I won't lose to an ordinary person!*

"I am Yin Lian, the class monitor of Class 6, Grade 10. We've met in the office before..."

"Oh, sorry. No impression."

"It's... it's okay." Yin Lian's platform Martens tapped against the floor. "A Disaster Beast appeared at Jiang Ke'ke's school today. You must have heard about it?"

"No."

"...It was in the news."

"I don't watch the news."

Yin Lian finally understood why Jiang Ke'ke disliked her brother.

He was impossible to talk to.

Just as she was considering giving up, Jiang Si paused and asked, "Is she uninjured?"

Yin Lian's eyes widened, and she asked blankly, "Who? Me?"

"...Am I that close to you?"

Yin Lian realized he was asking about Jiang Ke'ke. "Uh, no."

Actually, she had been injured while dealing with the Disaster Beast earlier, so her first instinct was that he was asking about her. Another blunder.

*I want to die...*

"Oh, then it's fine."

Even though he was cold...

He had actually shown concern for Jiang Ke'ke just now?

Having confirmed this, Yin Lian gained a bit of confidence and asked, "What is your view on Magical Girls?"

"Powerful."

"Uh, if student Jiang Ke'ke were to become a Magical Girl, what would you think?"

"I wouldn't be able to beat her," he replied, "if she doesn't transform."

Yin Lian raised her right hand to rub her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

It was because his answer was incredibly sincere, without a hint of sarcasm or joking.

His sister becomes a Magical Girl, and his first thought is whether he'll be able to beat her in a fight?

How do you two even live together? Do you fight your own sister?

However, she felt he was simply answering from the perspective of combat power, not that he actually intended to fight his sister.

Yin Lian wasn't stupid; she had seen what happens to families after they fight.

Although Jiang Ke'ke was cold and somewhat resentful toward her brother, it was nowhere near the level of hatred that leads to physical fighting.

"Actually, Magical Girls generally don't use their power to fight their families," she explained seriously. "The Disaster Strategy Bureau will strictly regulate such immense power."

"Oh, are you a staff member of the Disaster Strategy Bureau?"

"I'm an external contractor. I'm only responsible for guiding Magical Girls to join the Bureau. Of course, I'm just an ordinary student normally. The Bureau thinks it's easier to communicate with peers..."

This was a lie. Jiang Si held a portion of the BH City Disaster Strategy Bureau's Magical Girl registry.

Yin Lian: fifteen years old, 150cm tall, leader of the BH City Magical Girl squad, Pink Magical Girl, specializes in mental attacks, has both parents, and an older sister who also works for the Bureau.

She wasn't an external contractor; she was a full-fledged combatant.

He hadn't expected them to send a core member directly to find Jiang Ke'ke; they were certainly showing sincerity.

But it was understandable. In the last two years, every Magical Girl born in Beihai had been intercepted by the Qingyun Sect—Bing Tang always seemed to find the Magical Girls that the Bureau couldn't.

The BH City Disaster Strategy Bureau, unable to recruit anyone, had even reached a point of desperation where they had to request Magical Girls from other cities to help.

Other cities' bureaus weren't in such a pathetic state; they weren't just powerless against a civilian organization of free Magical Girls, they couldn't even compete for recruits, being forced to borrow personnel from elsewhere.

It had even led people to question which side was actually the official organization.

So, with the birth of a new Magical Girl, it was only natural to send a squad leader to recruit her.

Jiang Si had no intention of exposing Yin Lian's lie; he simply followed her lead. "Ke'ke became a Magical Girl? You can just take her to the Bureau to register, right?"

Once registered as an official Magical Girl, she would not only receive a government salary, but her identity and daily safety would be protected by the Bureau.

"Currently, student Jiang Ke'ke is not yet an adult, so she needs a family member to accompany her. Moreover, she seems quite hesitant about joining the Bureau," Yin Lian said worriedly. "I'm very concerned she might become a free Magical Girl. Disaster Beasts are increasing, and the Qingyun Sect's activities are becoming more frequent. Free Magical Girls are in danger, and it's even more dangerous if they are tricked into joining the Qingyun Sect..."

"Several Magical Girls have been tricked into joining before and have vanished without a trace. That hateful Qingyun Sect... one day, they'll all be caught!"

Looking at the somewhat teeth-gritting Yin Lian, Jiang Si remained expressionless. "They are indeed hateful."

After composing herself, Yin Lian continued, "In short, I hope you can persuade Jiang Ke'ke to register as an official Magical Girl at the Bureau. This will also prevent her from being targeted by the Qingyun Sect. I know your relationship might not be great, but after all, you are her only family. If you are willing to speak, she will surely listen, right?"

Having finished cleaning the table, Jiang Si poured her a cup of tea out of politeness. "Do you want something to eat? I can make something for you."

"Thank you, but no need. I ate before I came..."

Of course, even if she had said yes, Jiang Si wouldn't have made anything. He had already cleaned the kitchen and wasn't in the mood to cook.

At most, he would have ordered takeout for her.

"Let's get back to the matter of Jiang Ke'ke..."

"I don't intend to interfere with her choices," Jiang Si interrupted. "She is in her second year of middle school; she has the ability to distinguish right from wrong. If she doesn't want to, she likely has her own reasons. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to force her into the Bureau without even knowing those reasons."

Stunned by his words, Yin Lian stared at him for a moment before saying hesitantly, "I think... she might not necessarily know what is best for her. She might make a decision she regrets, which is why she needs an adult to help her..."

"I am not much older than her, and my decisions won't necessarily be the best either."

Jiang Si pushed the teacup toward her. "Thinking that the decisions adults make for children are always the best is adult arrogance. Why can't children be allowed to regret? Children have the right to choose, and they should also bear the consequences of those decisions—whether they succeed or fail. They should have the right to experience and taste them. She is in middle school; it's time for her to be independent."

For a moment, Yin Lian felt as if she wasn't talking to a senior student one year above her, but to an elder.

Jiang Si's tone didn't sound like Ke'ke's brother, but rather like Ke'ke's father.

More importantly, there was no sense of condescension in his voice. Whether toward Ke'ke or herself, he spoke as if he were communicating with a peer.

In the past, people often looked down on Yin Lian because of her height or treated her like a child.

Jiang Si's cautious distance, even carrying a hint of solemnity, was not particularly friendly, yet it made Yin Lian feel respected.

Moreover, he truly seemed to be considering Ke'ke's best interests; he wasn't the cold person Ke'ke described.

When she first became a Magical Girl, her family had constantly tried to stop her; her parents wanted her to give it up. If it hadn't been for her sister, she might still be just an ordinary student.

An adult's decision isn't always the best, and when they make mistakes, they cannot bear the responsibility for their children.

After a moment of contemplation, Yin Lian nodded in agreement. "You're right. Ke'ke should decide for herself."

Jiang Si added, "Of course, I would like to visit the Disaster Strategy Bureau myself."

*Ideally, I'd like to see where your Miracle Seeds are.*

"Then student Jiang Ke'ke will need to go and register."

After answering his question, she suddenly whispered, "Actually, Senior Jiang Si, you care about Ke'ke a lot, don't you?"

Jiang Si raised an eyebrow but did not answer.

He didn't know how she had figured it out; her logic was quite unique.

Fortunately, Yin Lian did not pursue the topic, instead lowering her head. "Then I'll go ask for Jiang Ke'ke's opinion again. As her senior, I will definitely take good care of her."

"Mm, I'll leave that to you then."

"It's no trouble at all."

Jiang Si suddenly glanced out the window. It was already dark outside. He frowned slightly. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"Eh? Is that okay?"

Jiang Si rubbed his forehead. *I was the one asking the question.*

He hated it when people answered his questions with more questions.

He stood up and headed upstairs. "I'll leave the bedding outside your door later. Get it yourself."

Yin Lian blinked and called out from below, "How about this: Senior Jiang Si, if you knock on the door, I can help you open it?"

"Better not."

"Hehe, just kidding."

Watching Jiang Si leave, Yin Lian took a breath and returned to Jiang Ke'ke's bedroom.

Looking at Jiang Ke'ke, who was staring blankly while hugging a doll, she said earnestly, "Jiang Ke'ke, you heard everything, right? Your brother wants you to make your own decisions. He wants you to live an independent life."

Jiang Ke'ke curled her lip. "Just pretty words. He's just avoiding trouble."

"I think he's sincere. I can feel it. You should trust your Magical Girl intuition. I don't think he's as bad or cold as you think. He's actually very respectful; he didn't treat me like a child just because I'm small..."

"Oh, well, he certainly treats everyone the same," Jiang Ke'ke shrugged. "He treats everyone equally as a nuisance."

Yin Lian sat in a chair nearby, leaning against the backrest. "Forget it. I didn't come here to change your attitude toward your brother. The main thing is the Magical Girl matter. Do you want to join the Disaster Strategy Bureau?"

Lying sideways on the bed and clutching her doll, Jiang Ke'ke said mumbly, "I'll think about it..."

"Alright, alright. Then I'll stay with you until you've made up your mind."

"But it wouldn't hurt to go take a look first."

"Yay! Your brother also wants to see the Bureau. This is a perfect chance to satisfy his wish."

"Hey, you should be more concerned about me."

"What does it matter..."

Sighing, Jiang Ke'ke didn't discuss it further with Yin Lian.

Compared to someone as indifferent as Jiang Si, she wanted to know what Teacher Shion thought.

Would she want her to join the Bureau? According to Yin Lian, Teacher Shion might be the leader of the Qingyun Sect.

Why did she save her? After saving her, why didn't she take her away to join the Qingyun Sect, like she did with the other Magical Girls?

She couldn't figure it out at all.

*If only we could meet again...*