Transform into a magical girl after getting off work

The second person to start handing out chocolates was Xia Liang.

Putting aside Bai Jingxuan, who was momentarily puzzled after Emerald Sparrow suddenly tugged at her cheek, the other two had clearly begun to adapt to this entire process. When Xia Liang circled the table and handed out chocolate one by one, even Lin Xiaolu knew to stretch out her hand properly to accept it, quietly adding a soft, "Thank you," while at it.

Compared to the large pieces of chocolate Bai Jingxuan had given out, Xia Liang's creations were significantly smaller, judging from their packaging alone. Each person only received a palm-sized little box, tied with a silk ribbon and adorned with a bow of varying styles. Next to the bow, a dried flower corresponding to the recipient's code name was affixed. For instance, Lin Xiaolu's gift box featured a tiny dried white rose, Emerald Sparrow's box bore a paper-crafted emerald sparrow flower, and naturally, Bai Jingxuan's box was marked with an edelweiss.

"What flower is this?"

The lingering pain on her face was quickly drowned out by curiosity as Bai Jingxuan studied the package in her hands, her tone tinged with wonder.

"Yours? It's based on your code name—Bo Xue, also known as edelweiss," Xia Liang explained with a smile. "Haven't seen one before?"

"No, it's my first time," Bai Jingxuan said.

Her gaze fixed intently on the artificial flower atop the box. "So this is what 'Bo Xue' looks like…"

While she was engrossed in examining the fake flower, on the other side, Emerald Sparrow was also inspecting the box Xia Liang had given her.

As always, very thoughtful.

This was her first impression upon seeing the packaging.

There was no doubt the other party had thoroughly planned this out in her mind well in advance—deciding exactly what to do before today, so much so that she could even prepare decorations corresponding to each teammate's code name.

This was undeniably in line with Xia Liang's style. If an external judge unfamiliar with their context were to grade the chocolate packaging from Xia Liang, Bai Jingxuan, and Emerald Sparrow, Xia Liang would undoubtedly come out on top.

Of course, this wasn't to say Bai Jingxuan's efforts were subpar. Rather, compared to Bai Jingxuan's straightforward approach of putting all her heartfelt efforts into moving a select few, Xia Liang excelled at crafting painstakingly prepared creations designed to leave the best first impression on everyone.

This stylistic difference wasn't only evident in the packaging—it extended to the actual chocolates within.

When Emerald Sparrow took out the chocolate made by Xia Liang, she momentarily froze, stunned at the design: the chocolate was shaped exactly like her Heart Flower.

To be fair, while the intricate structure of a Heart's Gem made it impossible for Xia Liang to replicate every detail in chocolate, at first glance, Emerald Sparrow couldn't even pinpoint anything about this "replica" that seemed off.

The Heart Buds of Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan followed suit. Since Bai Jingxuan had been at the Leaf Level for a longer time than Lin Xiaolu, her bud appeared more mature, nearing the stage where it would sprout leaves. This difference had also been keenly observed by Xia Liang in daily life and reflected in the chocolate's design.

"So good it makes me a little envious," Lin Xiaolu muttered as she held her Heart Bud-shaped chocolate. Even though she had already known what Xia Liang would come up with, actually holding the chocolate in her hands and comparing it to her own creation left her feeling slightly deflated.

But the fact that Xia Liang had noticed the small distinctions between her Heart's Gem and Bai Jingxuan's did leave Lin Xiaolu with a tinge of happiness.

A small tinge.

"Thank you, Xia Liang Sister!"

Bai Jingxuan's gratitude was far more direct. Jumping off her seat, she ran over to Xia Liang and hugged her. "But you made the chocolate so pretty that I can't bear to eat it. Can I display it instead?"

"Well… you should probably eat it. After all, chocolate isn't exactly easy to preserve," Xia Liang said gently, returning the hug. "If it melts in higher temperatures or dries out and cracks, it'll become ugly and inedible. Wouldn't that be an even bigger shame?"

"That's true, but eating something shaped like my Heart's Gem… feels kind of strange," Lin Xiaolu remarked. She couldn't bring herself to take a bite and added her opinion from the side. "Wouldn't that feel like chewing on your own arm? It seems like it'd hurt the moment you bite into it—kind of weird."

"Really? But it's not actually you," Xia Liang tilted her head. "If anything, eating something shaped like this would make it feel like you've 'completed' yourself, don't you think?"

"Yeah, right." Lin Xiaolu rolled her eyes at her.

While the group animatedly debated whether they should bite into chocolates shaped like their Heart's Gems, Emerald Sparrow quietly fiddled with Xia Liang's chocolate box and suddenly made a new discovery.

She had a nagging feeling something was off about the weight of the box. Even after she took out her Heart Flower chocolate, the box still felt unexpectedly heavy, as if there was something else inside.

Prodding around the box with her fingers, Emerald Sparrow eventually discovered an additional compartment; lifting it revealed another chocolate hidden within.

This one was shaped like a delicate leaf, its veins intricately formed from runes. Based on her prior experience, there was no doubt—this, too, represented a Heart's Gem. In fact, it was shaped exactly like Xia Liang's Heart's Leaf.

"…Why is this in my box?"

She took the chocolate out, glanced suspiciously at Xia Liang, and asked.

Lin Xiaolu and the others were still engrossed in their debate, so Xia Liang appeared to not have heard Emerald Sparrow's question and continued bantering with them.

"Jin." Emerald Sparrow called out again. This time, she noticed a subtle flicker of unease in Xia Liang's expression, though Xia Liang still pretended not to hear her.

This unusual response prompted Emerald Sparrow to narrow her eyes. After a brief moment of consideration, she got up with the chocolate in hand, walked over to Xia Liang, and tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey," she said.

"…Is something the matter, Senior?" This time, Xia Liang could no longer feign ignorance and had to respond.

"So, why is this chocolate in my box? This design should be your Heart's Gem, no?" Emerald Sparrow stared directly at Xia Liang.

"Oh, that."

Xia Liang blinked a few times, avoiding Emerald Sparrow's gaze by turning her head slightly. "That's because when I first practiced making these, I used my own gem as a reference. So, this one came out. Since I had no use for it, I thought I might as well give it away, and so I gave it to you…"

"Why me?" Emerald Sparrow pressed.

"Well, because you're everyone's senior and mentor. We all respect you the most," Xia Liang replied with a bright smile. "The extra chocolate should naturally go to the most esteemed person, right?"

"Hmm… makes sense?" Lin Xiaolu chimed in thoughtfully from the side.

"Mhm!" Bai Jingxuan, on the other hand, readily accepted Xia Liang's explanation.

With the support of the others, Xia Liang seemed to gain confidence, spreading her hands. "So that's all there is to it. It's just an extra piece I gave to you, Senior. Don't think too much about it; go ahead and eat it."

"Is that really the case?" Though the explanation sounded logical, Emerald Sparrow couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"Of course! In fact, since everyone seems hesitant about eating chocolates shaped like their Heart's Gems, why don't you try this one first, Senior, and let them know how it tastes?"

Seizing the moment, Xia Liang added, "After all, I don't think the shape matters, and it'd be a pity if no one tried it. So, Senior, you can set an example for them!"

Try it out?

Emerald Sparrow raised an eyebrow, finding this suggestion oddly suspicious. But on the surface, it seemed reasonable enough, causing her to doubt whether her own suspicions weren't an overreaction.

A fleeting glimmer of Magic Power shone in her glasses as she scanned the chocolate with a spell, confirming it was indistinguishable from the others—including Bai Jingxuan's. In other words, in terms of content, this was just an ordinary piece of chocolate.

So, was this girl truly just asking her to evaluate the taste?

After some internal deliberation, Emerald Sparrow decided there was no harm in complying. She nodded and said, "Alright."

With that, she raised the Heart's Leaf-shaped chocolate to her mouth.

Because it had been held in her hand for an extended period, the stem of the chocolate had slightly melted, leaving streaks of dark brown liquid on her fingers. The sticky sensation began spreading across her fingertips.

A sweet aroma wafted from the tip of the chocolate. By merely parting her teeth slightly, Emerald Sparrow could already taste the oncoming sweetness lingering in her mouth and sliding down to her throat.

What she hadn't noticed, however, was that Xia Liang had begun watching her intently at some point. Though her expression seemed composed, even Xia Liang herself could feel her heartbeat quickening.

Truthfully, even Xia Liang wasn't entirely sure why, but the thought of Emerald Sparrow actually eating chocolate shaped like her Heart's Gem almost felt… a bit…

Xia Liang's thoughts spiraled in that instant, her accelerating heartbeat flushing her cheeks an unmistakable red. She couldn't help but swallow nervously, her mind swirling with a curious mixture of "is this okay," "this feels strange," and "this is embarrassing."

As Emerald Sparrow finally drew closer to biting down, Xia Liang's brain felt like it was on the verge of overheating.

Then, under the gaze of everyone—

—"Nom."

Emerald Sparrow shoved the Heart's Leaf-shaped chocolate back into Xia Liang's mouth.

"If I eat your piece, it feels like I'd be leaving you out while everyone else has their share. That wouldn't be fair," she said, grabbing a napkin to wipe her fingers. "So, I'll just stick to my own portion if you really want everyone to taste it."

With that, she turned and walked back to her seat.

"Since Emerald Sparrow said so…" Lin Xiaolu, who always followed Emerald Sparrow's lead, reconsidered her hesitance and looked back at her own chocolate.

"It looked… really tasty just now," Bai Jingxuan was moved by the brief moment between Emerald Sparrow and Xia Liang, concluding that eating something delicious was the highest form of respect.

As for Xia Liang, she remained frozen in place, chocolate still in her mouth, stunned by what had just happened.

After a long pause, she finally closed her teeth around the chocolate, biting down softly.

It was good—sweet. It seemed she had done a decent job.

That was her first thought.

Being fed chocolate by Senior felt so wonderful.

That was her second thought.

And judging by the intense heat radiating to her very ears, that second thought occupied far more of her mind than the first.