Transform into a magical girl after getting off work

"So this is the explanation you're giving? You've been whispering to each other these past few days, and it turns out you were discussing this stuff?"

Late next evening, in the living room of the secret base. Under the bright lights, Emerald Sparrow crossed her arms and said irritably, "You just jump to conclusions like that, then turn around and spout nonsense to Bo Xue? Why don't you just say I'm your biological mother?"

"Eh? Is that a possibility?" Lin Xiaolu exclaimed in surprise.

"Hm?" Emerald Sparrow voiced sharply.

"Wuu..."

After being warned again by Emerald Sparrow, Lin Xiaolu could only slump onto the sofa, looking dejected and admitting, "Okay, okay, I was wrong."

Just now, she had been thoroughly scolded by Emerald Sparrow.

Emerald Sparrow had first asked Lin Xiaolu seriously, how she could come to such a far-fetched conclusion. After listening to Lin Xiaolu's explanation of her thought process, Emerald Sparrow had ruthlessly pointed out several logical flaws, leaving Lin Xiaolu unable to rebut and even feeling utterly ashamed of herself.

It seemed Emerald Sparrow made sense, could it be she was really wrong? That would be too embarrassing.

Lin Xiaolu frowned deeply in distress.

While she was being reprimanded, the other two girls were sitting aside—Bai Jingxuan was observing with her eyes lowered as if feeling a bit guilty, while Xia Liang was covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking as if she might burst into laughter at any second.

"The one over there, don't gloat over someone's misfortune," Emerald Sparrow glanced at Xia Liang with a slight lift of her chin, "You're clearly different from them, so why do you join these two kids in their nonsense?"

"I'm older than her," Lin Xiaolu mumbled softly.

"I wasn't talking to you," Emerald Sparrow rubbed her forehead.

So Lin Xiaolu sadly shut her mouth.

"Nonsense? No way," Xia Liang said with a grin, looking innocent, "I think Xiaolu's guess was quite reasonable. I was convinced by her arguments."

"You were convinced by her?" Emerald Sparrow's cool, crisp voice fluctuated slightly.

"Isn't it possible? Are you perhaps feeling shy, junior?"

Xia Liang faced Emerald Sparrow with an innocent expression, as if oblivious, "I don't see why you should feel that way. We all support you and Uncle in pursuing your happiness—ouch!"

Before she could finish her sentence, a flick on the forehead cut her off, forcing her to swallow the rest of her words.

"Now you've teamed up with Bai Mei, go sit over there," Emerald Sparrow withdrew her hand, pointing at the spot next to Lin Xiaolu, "I need to have a proper talk with you all today." Discover exclusive content at empire

"Ah... I've been hit so hard, I need hugs and comfort before I can stand up and walk," Xia Liang didn't stand up to move but instead slumped on the sofa, wearily covering her forehead.

"Do you want another one?" Emerald Sparrow placed hands on her hips.

"Oh."

So Xia Liang dutifully sat down next to Lin Xiaolu.

After lecturing Xia Liang, Emerald Sparrow finally turned her gaze to Bai Jingxuan, who sat curled up like a helpless little animal.

Sensing Emerald Sparrow's gaze, Bai Jingxuan buried her head further in her arms.

Only she knew that her problem wasn't just spreading rumors. She'd also gone off to the Abnormal Strategy Bureau and spouted all kinds of nonsense, causing trouble for the director and others.

Since Emerald Sparrow now knew what she had said to Uncle Director that day, there was no way she'd be unaware of how she'd acted up at the Abnormal Strategy Bureau.

At that thought, Bai Jingxuan didn't dare to look up and meet Emerald Sparrow's eyes.

Seeing the girl's behavior, Emerald Sparrow's heart grew more complex and tangled, bringing on a headache and a silent sigh.

She really couldn't figure out what to do with Bai Jingxuan, her words of reprimand stuck in her throat, fearing she might distress the kid with her remarks.

Emerald Sparrow's extended silence then drew the attention of Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang, who looked at her and Bai Jingxuan with suspicion, sensing the subtle atmosphere between them.

"You... don't pick up bad habits from the two seniors," after a lengthy silence, Emerald Sparrow barely pushed out the words, "Reflect on this, alright?"

— "Huh? That's it? Favoritism!"

"That's unfair, unfair! I object to differential treatment!"

Seeing that Emerald Sparrow was significantly softer in her approach to Bai Jingxuan, almost more comforting than scolding, the two girls started to complain dissatisfiedly.

Anticipating their reaction, Emerald Sparrow glanced back at them and said coolly, "Do you also consider yourselves to be 11-year-olds?"

"Umm..." Lin Xiaolu hated being treated like a child, so she became silent after hearing that.

"If the junior agrees, I can be," Xia Liang didn't mind at all, confidently standing tall.

With the most pronounced curves among the four, her chest-thrusting motion immediately caught Lin Xiaolu's attention, causing Lin Xiaolu's eyes to widen a bit.

Hearing Xia Liang's words and noting the scene before her, Lin Xiaolu couldn't help but blurt out, "Why do you get to be 11 years old?"

"Why can't I be 11 years old?" Xia Liang's eyes widened in return.

"An early bloomer pretending to be young! Forget being 11, even saying you're 15 would be believable!" Lin Xiaolu accused sharply.

"Oh, are you jealous?"

Lin Xiaolu's words brought a knowing smile to Xia Liang's face, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Indeed, unlike someone, I'm not about to be overtaken in height by a real 11-year-old."