I'm a magical girl in the future

Chapter 36 Smiling Mask

After the "unexpected natural disaster," Guangyang City, devastated by the disaster, was reduced to ruins. Naturally, He Yuran could no longer continue living in this city.

Later, the Civil Defense Bureau took He Yuran away and settled her in the neighboring Yuehua City.

She and Shen Zixin were separated just like that.

Of course, this wasn't out of any deliberate malice. The complete destruction of Gwangyang City and the sheer number of survivors overwhelmed any rescue system. Dispersing them to surrounding cities was the only feasible solution at the time.

However, in that all-encompassing disaster, the coordination and cooperation of personnel were extremely difficult. Often, it was impossible to meet everyone's needs. During the subsequent evacuation, He Yuran and Shen Zixin completely lost contact with each other.

After that, He Yuran settled down in the new city.

The Civil Defense Bureau's care for her was undeniably thorough.

She has a fixed address, her guardian visits her regularly to check on her daily life, and her living expenses are always deposited into her account on time.

All of this often left He Yuran perplexed.

Why?

Why am I suddenly "free"?

The pure white cage that bound her vanished along with the disaster. It was as if she, this "experimental subject," had lost all her value.

But shouldn't a piece that has lost its value be ruthlessly discarded? Why does the Civil Defense Bureau... still go to such lengths to support me and allow me to live a normal life?

This "goodwill" only made her feel more uneasy.

The prolonged isolation has created a significant disconnect between He Yuran and normal modern society. How to communicate with others, how to express emotions, how to integrate into a group... things that are natural for ordinary people are lessons she needs to learn from scratch.

He Yuran reluctantly began to adapt to this completely new world.

But... the light that illuminated her entire world went out. Without that light, her world once again fell into endless loneliness.

The Civil Defense Bureau arranged for her to enroll in a nearby junior high school.

However, the school, a place that should be filled with laughter and joy, was just another, larger, and noisier cage for He Yuran.

I have no friends.

There was no one to talk to.

She was like a ghost; no one deliberately bullied her, and no one took the initiative to care about her.

The aura emanating from He Yuran kept strangers at bay, rejecting anyone who tried to approach her.

Yes, it wasn't that she was isolated, but rather that she chose to isolate herself. Or rather, it was her already closed heart that shut out the entire world.

She didn't know how to respond to those greetings. Faced with those well-intentioned invitations, she simply responded like a puppet with a wooden, emotionless "oh" or "um".

Over time, no one was willing to waste their time on her anymore.

It was a heart that had been completely shut off.

The only exception was perhaps Aunt Li—the person from the Civil Defense Bureau who regularly visited her. Every time they met, He Yuran would cling to her like a lifeline, persistently asking about Shen Zixin's whereabouts.

"I've asked many colleagues to inquire about this matter..." Each time, Aunt Li could only show an expression that was a mixture of apology and helplessness, "but... I still haven't found it."

"The experiment at that time... all the subjects should have been girls. Since you're looking for a boy, it means he's not a subject; he's likely just someone who was granted special permission to visit the lab."

"In that chaotic situation, it's really hard to find information on non-core personnel. After the 'unexpected natural disaster,' most of the paper documents were destroyed. The headquarters' network backups weren't very complete either, and records of visitors like these... weren't preserved either..."

"They all have specific names... Can't the Civil Defense Bureau find them?" He Yuran asked in a low voice.

"...I'm sorry, Yuran." Aunt Li also tried to comfort her.

"But, looking at it from another angle, since he was rescued just like you after that disaster, right? Then he must be living a good life somewhere in this world now. One day, you will meet again."

Every conversation with Aunt Li is spent in the comfort she offers.

He Yuran was well aware that Aunt Li was indeed trying to find Shen Zixin. However, several months had passed... and there was still no news, which left her very disappointed.

Next came their usual conversation. She mainly asked He Yuran if she had encountered any difficulties in her life, or if she needed any help.

This time, after a moment's hesitation, He Yuran recounted her experiences at school.

Having lost all color in her heart, she at least hoped that she wouldn't be so lonely in life anymore.

Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to live as a "normal, ordinary person." If I could escape this "isolation," it would at least be beneficial for my future life.

Aunt Li pondered for a moment, as if she had thought of something: "Yu Ran, you'll be in the second year of junior high soon, right?"

"There will be a class reshuffling at the beginning of the second semester of junior high. The original classes will be shuffled, and new classes will be formed. There will be many new classmates. How about you make a slight change in front of them?"

"Change...?" He Yuran looked at her blankly.

"Yes," Aunt Li smiled, "The new classmates won't know anything about your past personality, so they won't have any stereotypes about you. Take this opportunity to interact with your new classmates and try to integrate into the group."

"Then... what should I do...?" Hearing this suggestion, He Yuran still showed no interest. "Someone like me... nobody wants to talk to me anyway..."

"Then... smile more," Aunt Li said.

"Eh...? Smile more...?"

"That's right." Aunt Li maintained her smile, but there was a hint of bitterness in it. "Ever since I met you, you've never smiled. You've always been expressionless. I think a smile is the best way to bridge the gap between people."

"But... without A-Xin... I can't laugh at all." He Yu-Ran lowered her head.

How can I smile if I lose that light?

Aunt Li sighed and reached out to pat her head.

"You're just a child, and you've already gone through so much... It's really too cruel for you."

"But... Yu Ran, in order to survive in this world, we all have to do things that we don't like, or even things that cause us pain. This is also a kind of growth."

"So, give it a try. Try to smile at others, even if... it's just a 'mask'."

Mask...?

The girl murmured to herself, seemingly understanding something as well.

In the new semester of the second year of junior high school, He Yuran began to show her "smile".

When classmates ask for help, she "enthusiastically" agrees—"No problem, let me do it!"

In the lively atmosphere of group activities, she would occasionally show her "joy"—"Hehe! Not bad at all!"

Listening to her classmates share their holiday experiences, she would express envy and longing—"That's so nice, I want to go see it too!"

Yes, this is the "mask." Just smile at the world like this. Try your best to play the role of a "normal," "cheerful," and "sociable" girl.

But even so, it couldn't fill the void in her heart. At best, it only made her feel less lonely in life.

Wearing a mask of "smile," He Yuran spent the rest of her junior high school years in an ordinary way.

She successfully integrated into the group and even made a few superficial friends.

But He Yuran's heart had completely lost its color.

until……

Until that dreamlike reunion.

The light that had once illuminated her entire world returned to her life in a way she had never imagined.