"Buzz!!"
When he donned the Mask of Perfect Poise at the key fra and was subjected to Hypnosis, Yan Huan suddenly felt as if every single cell in his facial muscles had been struck by a heavy hamr. The weight was terrifyingly oppressive.
Just like in the Battle Defeat CG, successfully executing a Counter-Parry placed an imnse burden on his facial features.
However...
It was slightly lighter than what he had experienced in the Battle Defeat CG.
'Perhaps it has sothing to do with the duration?'
Yan Huan was not entirely sure. But looking at Ye Shiyu, who had cast Hypnosis without saying a word, her image in his eyes increasingly overlapped with her terrifying counterpart in the Battle Defeat CG.
'Could it be...'
'That the Counter-Parry is ineffective this ti as well?!'
"..."
Without the lifesaver of his remaining Battle Defeat CG chances, Yan Huan was now panicking out of his mind.
However, he had learned his lesson from the Battle Defeat CG. Even though the Counter-Parry was successful, he still struggled to manipulate his incredibly heavy facial features, pretending to be under her spell.
"Hah... Hah..."
Ye Shiyu, who was similarly covered in a cold sweat, breathed a little faster. She raised her eyes to look at Yan Huan, whose gaze had grown vacant once more, and tremblingly pulled out her phone.
Yan Huan could clearly see a very distinct Yezi AI page displayed on the screen.
It seed...
He had successfully managed to cross the sea under false pretenses.
Upon seeing that he was under her Hypnosis, Ye Shiyu finally lowered her guard slightly, even exposing the interface of her Index Finger Modifier disguised as an AI.
"Xiao Huan... what you said just now, was it true? What exactly do you feel for
right now?"
"I... I don't know if my feelings for Sister Shiyu are those for family or for the opposite gender... And Sister Shiyu as well, do you see
as family or..."
Yan Huan spoke in a dazed tone, absolutely determined to keep his story straight.
"Then, what you said before about having feelings for ... is that true?"
"Yes..."
But this ti, when Yan Huan answered her like this while in a Hypnotic State, Ye Shiyu did not completely relax as she usually would.
She stared at the Yan Huan in front of her, her eyes faintly harboring a wariness and fear that he could not understand.
It was as if, even though he was supposedly under Hypnosis, she still worried that he would deceive her just like in the Battle Defeat CG, leaving her to end up as nothing more than a tool to vent his desires.
"..."
Thus, she imdiately looked down at the phone in her hand.
[Detected that Yan Huan's Affection Value for you is: 1%]
[When this value reaches 50%, you will receive a reward!]
Yan Huan saw these two lines of text as well.
Seeing that system interface, which was strikingly similar to Myau-chan's Modifier, Yan Huan could not help but let his face darken.
It was just like Li Gui t Li Kui—a cheap imitation encountering the genuine article.
But what made his expression darken even further was Ye Shiyu's reaction to that number.
"Why... If it's true, why is there still no change..."
Ye Shiyu muttered this to herself as she looked at her phone, and then suddenly raised her eyes to look at Yan Huan.
In her eyes, the dazed, handso youth before her was gradually rging with the Xiao Huan from the Battle Defeat CG who ssed around behind his wife's back.
'At that ti, since even An Le could be played with until Xiao Huan grew tired of her...'
'I would probably be treated the sa way by Xiao Huan, wouldn't I?'
"Crack, crack..."
With this thought, the grip of her hand steadily intensified, causing faint cracks to appear around the edges of her phone screen.
'No way, Ye Shiyu, did you eat my Aruiya's Modifier or sothing?!'
'Does your Index Finger have the ability to strengthen your physique for you to do this?!'
The sight left Yan Huan stunned. He had no idea how Ye Shiyu was managing to do that.
"Zzzzt... Zzzzt..."
The phone screen flickered brightly and dimly, the Yezi AI disconnected for a second, and then the page displayed on it actually underwent a slight change.
[Detected that Yan Huan's Affection Value for you is: 2%]
[Congratulations, the Affection Value has doubled!]
[When this value reaches 50%, you will receive a reward!]
"..."
The change in the nurical value allowed Ye Shiyu to calm down a little, and the force in her grip relaxed slightly.
Her attention shifted from the phone to Yan Huan.
She paused for a second. Within her expressionless face, a hint of doubt driven by anxiety surfaced.
"Could it be that because Xiao Huan is currently feeling confused, it isn't displaying properly?
"Or... is Xiao Huan's true nature just like this, where even the lies he tells can deceive himself?
"It's also possible that the answers verified through Hypnosis are inaccurate?"
Hearing these words, Yan Huan truly felt his scalp tingle with dread.
'Co on, Ye Shiyu...'
'Do you not even believe the words I say after being Hypnotized?!'
'If even a thod like this doesn't work, and she decides to take further, more terrifying asures...'
"So, Xiao Huan... please think back to the feeling you had when your heart beat for , and prove it to ."
Ye Shiyu still insisted on verifying it!
The very next second, she stared fixedly at the Affection Value on her phone and issued this command.
'It's... It's over!!'
Yan Huan could continue to deceive her under Hypnosis using his Resistance, but there seed to be no way to trick that cheating Goodwill System!
Like is like, and dislike is dislike!
Looking at the completely unchanged value, Yan Huan suddenly felt an explosive amount of pressure.
'What do I do?!'
"..."
Yan Huan's eyes tremblingly stole a secret glance at the unchanging number, as if he were looking at a death countdown tir.
'If it doesn't change at all, the scenes from the Battle Defeat CG will probably...'
Left with no choice, he had to act as if offering a sacrifice...
He took the bit of affection for Ye Shiyu that he had so painstakingly kindled in his mind earlier, and burned it away.
That ti in the bookstore, when she held a book, her expressionless face hiding behind a manga, though her eyes dodged him shiftily...
That ti she chased after him, not using Hypnosis on him, but tightly embracing him and speaking words of care...
Burning these mories left behind countless ashes.
And rising from those ashes, all that remained was the terrifying Hypnosis Master, Ye Shiyu.
[Detected that Yan Huan's Affection Value for you is: 2%... 3%... 4%]
[Congratulations, the Affection Value has doubled!]
'It worked!!'
Yan Huan's heart relaxed slightly. Just as he thought he had successfully passed this trial, Ye Shiyu muttered,
"But... yesterday morning, it was clearly at 5%..."
Hearing this, the heart Yan Huan had just lifted instantly sank to the bottom of the ocean.
'What more do you want, Ye Shiyu?!'
'Are you going to force
to the point where my defenses break and I curse vehently at you while under Hypnosis?'
'Of course, doing that would probably lead to an instant ga over.'
"..."
'Wait?'
'Hold on, yesterday morning?'
Yan Huan suddenly thought of yesterday morning. At that ti, his Hypnosis had not yet been lifted, and he was forced to feel attracted to Ye Shiyu...
'Could it be...'
Yan Huan felt completely speechless internally, yet he still entered a state of ditation, half-believing, half-doubting.
He tried to recall the Ye Shiyu wearing white lace that he had seen when he was Hypnotized back then, and then used his Reproductive Desire to drive his Affection Value.
"Xiao Huan..."
"Xiao Huan..."
Ye Shiyu looked doubtful, but the next second, the numbers on her phone began to change again.
[Detected that Yan Huan's Affection Value for you is: 4%... 6%... 8%... 10%!]
[When this value reaches 50%, you will receive a reward!]
Looking at the data that had doubled compared to yesterday's 5%, Ye Shiyu blinked, then could not help but purse her lips.
As for Yan Huan...
His face still maintained the appearance of being under Hypnosis, but in reality, his mind was already panting with exhaustion.
Although it was incredibly difficult, he still managed to do it...
'This is all an effort made to avoid reaching the bad end, Little Yan Huan!!'
"Xiao Huan... Did you think of sothing about
from before that made your heart flutter?"
Seeing the Affection Value that had suddenly reached 10%, the dark clouds of the Battle Defeat CG that enveloped Ye Shiyu's heart finally dispersed a little.
She withdrew her gaze from the phone and suddenly asked this.
"Yes... before, during the Culture Festival, when Aunt Ye ca to the academy... When Sister Shiyu hugged , I felt very safe..."
"..."
Ye Shiyu blinked, clearly recalling the events of that ti as well.
"From Sister Shiyu, I felt the trust and gentleness of a lover... It made my heart beat very fast..."
"So that's how it is..."
At this mont, the Mask of Perfect Poise on Yan Huan's face grew even heavier, but he still struggled to maintain its flawlessness as he spoke his final sentence,
"But just now, Sister Shiyu didn't believe ... Just like in the beginning... Sister Shiyu didn't believe that I wouldn't take Aunt Ye away... I'm very..."
It seed as though, even under Hypnosis, Yan Huan refused to describe his feelings to Ye Shiyu any further, abruptly stopping his words there.
However, the changes in the Affection Value constantly monitored by the Yezi AI on the phone silently provided the answer,
[Detected that Yan Huan's Affection Value for you is: 10%... 6%... 4%... 2%]
Seeing this, Ye Shiyu's pupils could not help but shrink slightly, and before she knew it, she began feeling guilty.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Huan..."
"Crack."
Once again, the soft sound of a Fragnt shattering emanated from her body.
"I should believe you... I will..."
Myau-chan imdiately widened his eyes, his face revealing his excitent.
"Yan Huan, look! It's a Frag—" However, before Myau-chan could even finish his sentence, Ye Shiyu, who had been speaking, suddenly realized sothing...
This was the beginning of the tragedy in the Battle Defeat CG.
Just like Yan Huan, she instantly snapped awake, as if she had a bucket of cold water dumped over her head.
She thought of the scene where Xiao Huan was dancing with Sakuramiya Hitomi, and she thought of the Battle Defeat CG where she was reduced to either being his Paternal Aunt or rely a tool to vent his desires...
"Clasp."
With these thoughts in mind, she gently gripped Yan Huan's hand.
At the sa ti, the shattering sound of the Fragnt abruptly ceased once again.
"..."
Yan Huan remained silent, entirely out of ideas, and Myau-chan was completely numb with despair.
He truly wished he could pounce on her and take a bite out of the Index Finger to rip the Fragnt right off!
'Though the most likely outco is that the Index Finger would beat a whole bunch of fragnts out of
instead...'
"Xiao Huan, I'm sorry... but this is a necessary process to help you turn over a new leaf... You can't bla ."
"..."
Saying this, Ye Shiyu bit her lip, looking expressionlessly at Yan Huan, who was on the verge of being unable to bear the imnse weight of his Mask of Perfect Poise...
Then, she gently reached out and closed Yan Huan's eyes.
Just as Yan Huan, feeling like a prisoner waiting for the executioner's blade, tried to guess what Ye Shiyu was about to do in the darkness...
"Smooch~"
A sudden, soft sensation pressed against his lips.
"..."
'This is...'
That sensation was, unexpectedly, not cold.
In the darkness, he heard Ye Shiyu whisper softly,
"Just like our kiss in Akihabara...
"If only... it ca from Xiao Huan's sincere heart."
Hearing this, Yan Huan was slightly taken aback.
But he did not have ti to ponder the complex aning behind her words and glimpse into Ye Shiyu's thoughts...
Because in the next second, he realized sothing:
The Hypnosis had been lifted.
"Sister... Shiyu?"
Yan Huan seemingly woke up in a daze, lifting himself from the table. Rubbing his eyes, he looked at Ye Shiyu, who was already arranging the dishes neatly, and asked in a panicked tone,
"Hiss... How did I fall asleep?"
"Are you still tired from yesterday?"
Ye Shiyu looked at Yan Huan expressionlessly, not blaming him, simply pretending to be clueless as she asked.
"Really...?"
Yan Huan also pretended to mutter this while acting half-believing and half-doubting.
Ye Shiyu scooped a bowl of rice for him and thoughtfully handed it over, presenting a perfect picture of an affectionate sister and respectful brother.
"Girl Group Showdown, Season Two!!
"Featuring real-ti post-production technical support by Yezi Holographic AI! Audience bullet comnts can interact in real ti and influence the live atmosphere!
"Shot from multiple caras and angles, broadcast live throughout the entire process!
"The world's number one child star? A top-tier idol? The inheritor of Dragon Country's culture? A genius beautiful girl singer?
"Beautiful girls from all over the world? Just what kind of sparks will fly when they clash?!
"The show begins now!"
"This program is brought to you by the title sponsor, Jinshi Group!"
At that precise mont, the voice coming from the dining room television caught Yan Huan's attention.
He turned his head and saw that the live broadcast variety show was about to start.
Originally, this was the show Lemon was supposed to return to and participate in after finishing this al and taking the photos she wanted.
Yan Huan had been battling wits and courage with Ye Shiyu on the edge of life and death for so long that he didn't expect they would go right up until the show started.
"..."
As Yan Huan ate, he couldn't help but steal a glance at the program.
On screen, the variety show had begun, and the various beautiful female guests were stepping onto the set.
Bai Yi, wearing a white dress, looked flawlessly beautiful. With the exception of Lemon, she practically crushed the rest of the competition in a league of her own.
She was indeed stunningly gorgeous.
"The previous guests are all familiar faces, so how about we have our newcor for this season, Bai Yi, introduce herself?"
After the similarly pretty female host finished warming up the crowd, she turned to look at the sowhat reserved Bai Yi behind her.
"Ah?! Okay... Hello everyone, I'm Bai Yi, a student at Far Moon Academy, and also a... um, singer."
Yan Huan even caught her secretly clenching her fists, silently cheering herself on.
"..."
When he first investigated Bai Yi, Yan Huan had learned about this:
Whether she was participating in variety shows or acting, her professional business skills were actually just average.
Which was why her career had remained stagnant and lukewarm over all these years.
Yan Huan ate his food without staring constantly at Bai Yi, because he couldn't forget that Ye Shiyu was still sitting right in front of him!
As a result, when he lowered his head to shovel down so rice, he realized that Ye Shiyu was actually watching Bai Yi as well.
"..."
'You two...'
'How should I say this... could it be that their relationship is actually pretty good?'
Yan Huan couldn't judge, so he had no choice but to secretly watch the variety show as well.
"No need to be nervous, our show is very relaxed~"
The female host chuckled, while offstage, Zuo Jiangqin was dying of anxiety, quickly mouthing words at her daughter,
'Actor too! Don't just say singer! If people only think of you as a singer later, wouldn't we lose out on acting money?!'
"..."
Bai Yi could not be bothered to acknowledge Zuo Jiangqin and rely offered a sheepish, embarrassed smile.
"Yiyi... um, I can call you that, right? For our show, every episode is designed around a specific the with various segnts, so you need to be prepared..."
"Ah, okay, no... no problem."
"Hehe, alright then. Would you mind reading today's the out loud for , how about it?"
"Okay..."
Bai Yi pursed her lips and looked at the scroll-like prop the host was unrolling. As the prop opened, the the of this episode was clearly revealed:
"R-Romance?!"
Staring at the scroll in her hands, Bai Yi murmured in a daze.
"That's right! Today's topic is a little bit sensitive... Is everyone okay with that?!"
"It's fine~"
Behind her, Lemon smiled sweetly and was the first to speak up.
She simply gazed at the rather reserved Bai Yi in front of her, then glanced at the middle-aged woman pacing back and forth offstage...
'That looks like...'
'Bai Yi's mother?'
"..."
Lemon wore her professional, sweet smile, though it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
anwhile, on top of a distant building, the paparazzi who had been foaming at the mouth only just began to slowly wake up.
The very first thing he did upon waking was to subconsciously pat the area around him for his equipnt, as if those tools were his very lifeblood...
But obviously, he patted nothing but empty air.
"Huh?"
He sat up in a daze, wiped the dried saliva from his lips, and then hurriedly rushed over to the edge of the roof, peering down...
"No!!!!"
Seeing his cara equipnt shattered into pieces on the ground below, he instantly burst into tears, looking ready to jump down and join it.
Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't rember how he had "accidentally" dropped the equipnt.
Therefore, all the boiling rage in his chest could only be blad on Lemon, who had failed to show up for their eting.
'It's all because she stood
up!!'
'If it weren't for her, I never would have...'
"Ring~"
Just as the paparazzi was flying into a rage, his phone rang.
Opening it, he saw that it was a call from Lemon's assistant.
The paparazzi's face darkened, and his defenses were instantly broken.
He answered the call and imdiately began to curse vehently,
"Didn't we agree to arrive on ti?! You're already fcking going on stage at this hour, and you didn't even tell
you weren't coming!? I'll fck your fcking fck!!"
However, Lemon's assistant on the other end remained entirely unfazed and simply asked,
"Are you still taking the job or not? There's been a change in plans. You don't need to photograph that guy nad Yan Huan anymore."
"Then what the f*ck do you want
to do?! We agreed, even if I don't take the job, the deposit is non-refundable!!"
"Go help dig up dirt on soone else. The pay is five tis higher."
"...Speak. Who am I digging into?"
"There's an artist in our variety show nad Bai Yi..."
"...Never heard of her. Who is she?"
"You'd better hear about her fast..."
"...You want
to dig up dirt on her?"
"Yes... more accurately, dirt on her mother, Zuo Jiangqin."
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