Xia Liang often wondered if her daily life was truly what she wanted.

She muddled through school, laughing and joking with those "friends" who had a bad reputation. After school, she would check in at so-called "internet-famous spots." Then, she would go home alone and pretend her life was fulfilling on social media.

Was she happy? Maybe.

She learned to put on makeup, dress fashionably, and keep up with trends. She made friends and became the center of attention for the boys. Shouldn't she be happy?

Yet, she often felt that the smile on her face didn't belong to her. The more she smiled and acted nonchalant, the more the emptiness inside her grew.

To fill that void, she craved attention and validation.

She knew that her "friends" didn't really like her.

They felt overshadowed by her presence, thought she stole the attention they deserved. More importantly, she wasn't one of them.

The reason was simple: Xia Liang refused to join their "part-time jobs."

No matter how they bragged or encouraged her, Xia Liang never wanted to go. She believed true friends shouldn't be like that.

But her resolve was eroding over time.

If she accepted the "part-time job," would her "friends" accept her more?

If she accepted the "part-time job," could she find closer relationships?

With these thoughts in mind, Xia Liang's attitude began to waver.

So today, after school, when she received another invitation from her "friends," she finally figured it all out.

Fine, she thought.

She agreed.

She followed her "friends" to Electronics Street, heading to the "meeting spot" they mentioned.

She decided to abandon her meaningless persistence and pride, to give up unnecessary boundaries and fantasies. She could pursue something more practical, more real.

She felt ready and determined.

—But then she saw a cat.

A pink, flying cat.

It was following a petite girl with a ponytail, who wore the same school uniform as Xia Liang, sneaking behind her group.

What was going on?

Xia Liang's innate curiosity made it impossible for her to ignore what was happening behind her.

More importantly, when she saw the pink cat, she felt a strange calling, urging her to get closer.

A voice in her heart told her she should go over, that she would find something very important to her if she found that pink cat.

So she stopped in the middle of the street.

She was in the middle of the group, so when she stopped, the other girls immediately noticed her unusual behavior and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Xia Liang looked at them, unsure whether she should say she saw a flying pink cat and wanted to check it out.

She noticed the girl at the front, the usual leader of their little circle, also turned around and gave her a puzzled look.

"I..."

She hesitated but gradually made up her mind, "I suddenly have something to do. I might have to leave early today."

Then she smiled apologetically, waved her hand, and said to the others, "Have fun without me!"

With that, she started to jog away.

"Xia Liang."

The girl at the front called out to her.

She was holding her phone, her long, manicured fingers tapping rapidly on the screen, not even looking at Xia Liang, "If you leave today, don't bother coming back."

Xia Liang's steps faltered.

She turned around, looking at the girl, then slowly turned her head to look at her "friends."

Maybe she hoped they would laugh it off, curse her lightly, ignore her, and let her go as usual.

But this time, everyone looked at her with a strange expression.

No, it wasn't a strange expression. She knew it well. She saw it every day at home. She couldn't mistake it.

—It was indifference.

Maybe she really couldn't fit in with them.

It was only at this moment that Xia Liang realized this reality.

No matter how much she forced a smile, no matter how much she flattered and pleased them, she could never be one of them. She could never be their companion from the start.

The distant, strange calling was still strong, urging her to go quickly.

The cracks she usually tried to cover and ignore had now formed a deep chasm, separating her from the girls in front of her.

Xia Liang finally put away the smile she always wore and looked seriously at her "friends," nodding:

"Okay."

Without another word, she turned and left quickly without looking back.

She didn't expect that this decision would lead her to the rooftop of a tall building ten minutes later.

Kneeling on the ground, her heart racing, she listened to the girl named Cui Que in front of her talk about something that sounded like a delusion.

"Magical Girl?"

She had heard of it. She knew what a Magical Girl was.

Magical Girls often appeared in children's cartoons, representing love and justice, fighting various villains.

At the same time, Magical Girls were the protectors of this world, fighting against the Brutal Beasts that occasionally appeared in the city. They were real warriors.

Perhaps being a Magical Girl was a dream for many young girls. Even knowing they would face dangerous battles, they still longed to be that shining figure in a fancy outfit.

But for the general public, Magical Girls were too distant and mysterious.

If it were any other time, Xia Liang would have thought someone claiming to be a Magical Girl was a liar or a joke and would have laughed it off.

But now it was different. She had just been grabbed by the girl in front of her and experienced flying.

Whether it was the sudden change of clothes, the ability to fly, or the strange particles that appeared when they moved, everything told Xia Liang that she had encountered the real deal.

"So, what does a Magical Girl want with me?"

She had never even been on a plane before, and her first flying experience was being taken to the sky by someone. It was too much for her heart to handle, leaving her in a daze.

So she could only follow the girl's logic and ask, without any reason to refute.

Then she heard something that made her even more dazed:

"Do you want to be a Magical Girl?"

Be a Magical Girl?

Could she really be a Magical Girl?

Xia Liang had never thought about this question.

She was just an ordinary girl who was never noticed, never truly received attention. She never thought she could become such a special existence.

Even during those nights spent in fantasy and prayer, she never thought she could become a Magical Girl.

The term was too dazzling, making her feel she would get burned if she got too close.

"Ah, seriously, after all the trouble of finding someone with talent, why does it have to be this frivolous girl!"

Not far away, Lin Xiaolu, now dressed in a light blue dress with her hair turned into golden twin tails, looked displeased, "I don't want to be her companion at all!"

"…Don't be stubborn, Bai Mei."

Cui Que glanced at her, "This girl's talent might be strong and could be a great help."

"But…"

Lin Xiaolu was taken aback, looking at Cui Que with some grievance, "She doesn't look like a Magical Girl at all—"

—"I want to be one."

Xia Liang suddenly spoke up.

Having adjusted to the sudden flight, she had already stood up and was now walking to the edge of the rooftop.

In fact, from the moment she said goodbye to her "friends" and chose to follow her inner guidance, she had already made a choice.

She glanced at Lin Xiaolu, raised her hand, grabbed her earlobe, rubbed it, and then released it, revealing two shiny objects in her hand. She then threw them to the ground.

She took out her phone, scrolled through her contacts, selected a dozen names, brought up the edit screen, paused for a moment, and then decisively pressed "delete."

"I've decided. If everything you say is true, none of these things matter. I can give them up."

Putting down her phone, she smiled, her eyes shining with hope, her shoulder-length black hair fluttering in the rooftop wind:

"But in any case, I want to be a Magical Girl!"