I was riding high on the thought of getting my paycheck, itching to try the witch’s meditation for myself.

The book said you needed serious mental strength to tap into mana, a high-level energy. But transcendence wasn’t just about mana.

Before I joined the Witch School, I’d never even heard of mana.

In my studies of spell theory and elemental theory, I’d only come across transcendence energies like “elemental forces” and “spirits.”

Couldn’t my mental energy tap into mana—or any other energy?

Spells didn’t always need mana to work, but sadly, my body only had a mana core, no other energy storage. I wasn’t sure if it’d be enough.

My mental energy was too weak to do much anyway. I could barely nudge the free-floating energy in the air.

Even then, I needed Psi-vision to see my mental energy interacting with it. In the surface world, it had zero visible impact.

My mental energy was pitifully weak, but compared to my past life, where transcendence was unthinkable, just having it was wild.

The theoretical meditation techniques I’d learned were pretty basic, but they’d let me feel mental energy’s existence, hadn’t they?

Still, to boost my mental energy further, those methods weren’t cutting it. I needed the witch’s meditation method—whether to refine the thread of consciousness or strengthen my mental energy, it’d be a win.

As I stood around with nothing to do, the quiet bakery finally got a visitor.

“Welcome—oh, Bai Yu?” I started my greeting, then realized it was her. My Bai Yu.

“What, not happy to see me?” Bai Yu teased with a grin.

“No way, you’re always welcome!” I laughed. Her visit wasn’t a shock. After the academy’s invasion, she’d found out I worked here. This was her second time dropping by.

Looked like my presence was turning this place into her regular spot.

“Good to know. Thought you might be sick of me,” she said, smirking.

“Never! But, Bai Yu, you don’t have to come so often. You weren’t even into cakes or bread before,” I said, trying to save her wallet. Last time, she’d bought a ton of sweets and cookies—way more than anyone could eat in a couple of days.

My job didn’t depend on sales, so her spending felt unnecessary.

“Yuehan, you’re an employee. Why’re you telling customers to stay away?” Bai Yu said, clearly playing dumb and ignoring my point.

“Come on, tell me about these desserts. Recommend a few. If you suggest it, I’m buying,” she said, leaning in.

“Uh…” I hesitated, glancing at her. I’d picked up some baking skills from Tang Yihan, but it’d only been a few days. I barely knew enough to describe her creations.

Tang Yihan’s stuff was the real deal—carefully crafted after who-knows-how-many tries to get the taste and look just right without being toxic. Regular cookies or cakes? They were just here to fill space, not to sell.

“You’re stumped, huh? Got anything you made?” Bai Yu asked, her eyes sparkling with expectation.

“Mine…?”

I shot a guilty glance at a corner display case. There were some plain cookies I’d made—decent enough to give away as freebies, but they were just sitting there, not even packaged yet.

“So, you do have something?” she pressed.

“Yeah, but they’re just freebies. Haven’t even bagged them,” I admitted, caught out.

“What do I need to buy to get some?” Bai Yu’s goal was clear: she wanted my cookies.

“They’re nothing special. If you want some, I’ll just grab you a bag,” I said, getting up to head over.

They were freebies, and my seniors let me handle them as I pleased. Honestly, this bakery felt like a charity sometimes. It was like the ingredients didn’t cost a dime. Once, a broke freshman wandered in, and Ying Shiqian practically forced a bag of my cookies on her.

Yup, those were my masterpieces, too.

At this rate, I’d be the cookie queen.

But what could I do? Cookies were the easiest thing to start with when you’re new to baking.

I grabbed a plastic bag meant for freebies, the kind we’d tie up and slap a “Gift” sticker on. I started filling one for Bai Yu.

“Here you go,” I said, handing it over before packing more bags. Might as well get it all done now and save myself the hassle tomorrow.

“Thanks!” Bai Yu took it, a grin she couldn’t hide spreading across her face. She tucked the bag away carefully.

“It’s nothing. So, Bai Yu, you didn’t just come to buy stuff like last time, did you?” I asked.

“Nope. Wanted to check on you. See how you’re holding up. Need any help?” she said, her tone teasing but warm.

My face flushed. “I’m fine, no need to worry!” Bai Yu coming just to check on me felt… a little too sweet, didn’t it?

Her concern hit deeper than I’d expected.

“No worries, then? You’re doing alright? No big problems?” she asked. “You haven’t texted me in days, you know.”

“Got it, I’ll keep in touch,” I said, grinning. “Why’re you acting like… uh…”

“Like what?” Bai Yu cut in, her face shifting, a touch of unease flickering across it.

“Like a girlfriend or something. I’ve always been like this, haven’t I?” I teased.

“I-I’m just looking out for you!” she stammered, a flash of panic in her eyes at the word girlfriend. “Back home, you had family. Here, it’s just me, so I’ve got to check in, right?”

I laughed, “You know how it was with my family. I’m thrilled to have some freedom. Thanks for getting me out of that mess, by the way.” I meant it. If I hadn’t left, I might’ve run into those creeps from the Demonspawn School, and who knows what kind of trouble that’d bring.

Translator's note: Just friends? I'm not buying it.

Ed/n: They’re flirting! And the ‘My’ Bai Yu. She’s getting possessive.