After discussing with Ying Gong Tong, who wasn’t familiar with the nuances of otaku culture, Yan Huan decided to ease her into it by taking her to the entertainnt zone for a while.
It was just a little past 9 a.m., and Bai Yi’s event wouldn’t be relevant until after noon. In the anti, strolling around the venue with Ying Gong seed like a great idea. Opportunities like this didn’t co often; though the Student Council mbers often spent ti together, true team-building events were rare. Coming to this fan convention was one, and the last ti was last sester when they visited Ying Gong’s house to see her kittens.
“Hello, you two! Before entering the entertainnt zone, everyone gets a chance to draw a prize. You could win plushies, free tickets to attractions, and more!” A staff mber holding a lottery box stopped them at the entrance.
“Really? That’s a nice surprise,” Yan Huan remarked, glancing at the entertainnt zone attractions. While so were free, most required additional tickets.
“Hmm, testing our luck sounds fun,” Ying Gong said as she nodded and approached the box. Reaching in, she turned back to Yan Huan. “President, would you mind if I draw for you too?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
Ying Gong drew two slips, opened them, and revealed the results. “Looks like we won sothing.”
Yan Huan leaned in to look at the rewards. “We both got free haunted house passes. One slip also has a free fortune-telling session and 10 tokens for the claw machine, while the other has 15 shooting ga bullets and 5 claw machine tokens.”
“Pretty lucky, huh, President?” Ying Gong chuckled softly, covering her mouth.
What a scher.
The slips had been strategically placed by Nara on the inner wall of the lottery box. A quick upward feel was all it took to retrieve them. To make it look convincing, Ying Gong had even arranged different rewards to maintain the illusion of randomness.
Since the two would visit attractions together, there was no need to worry about discrepancies.
“Seems that way. Should we check out this fortune-telling booth first?” Yan Huan suggested.
“No problem,” Ying Gong replied with a graceful smile, though her thoughts were far more calculating. Soon, the President will see everything she had planned.
Her preparations were ticulous, from the fortune-telling emphasizing “your soulmate is right by your side,” to Nara interpreting the fortunes and adding, “With effort, your destined love can co true.” The claw machine prizes included couple-thed plushies: two matching kittens whose tails ford a heart when joined.
All of these subtle hints would quietly plant seeds of affection in the President’s heart, only to bloom in the haunted house under the perfect conditions.
The dark, narrow school-thed haunted house, populated with lurking ghost NPCs, would create a tense atmosphere. Then, with just the right amount of physical contact... When the President paused, startled, and turned to her, she’d softly whisper:
“President, I... I’m scared. Can I hold onto you for a bit?”
Following closely behind Yan Huan, Ying Gong’s mind already raced ahead, fantasizing about the President inviting her to his apartnt, where she would install her second Room Barrier, completing the last piece of the puzzle of Yan Huan’s life.
What a beautiful future.
Just as she started imagining nas for their first child, Yan Huan suddenly stopped and pulled out his phone. “Looks like Yaqiao and the others are done. They want us to et them at the doujin area.”
“...”
Hearing this, Ying Gong maintained her composed smile, but it felt unnaturally stiff, like a rusty hinge.
Oh, Yaqiao, you really have impeccable timing. Did tending your virtual bonsai ss up your sense of ti? Just wait—I’ll hack your ga account later and lt down every weapon and resource you’ve gifted to your in-ga wife!
“Alright then...”
Clouds drifted across the sky, casting shadows on the convention center’s glass ceiling. In the dimd light, Ying Gong turned to Yan Huan with an understanding smile. “Let’s go et Yaqiao and the others.”
In the shadows, Nara sighed quietly. As expected, it turned out this way.
When you wear a mask and refuse to take it off, no matter how genuine your expressions are underneath, the world will only ever see the mask. Perhaps Ying Gong understood this too well. Her real expressions were unacceptable to society, so she hid them behind the mask.
It was inevitable unless the world could accept her “ugliness,” or even normalize it. But that was impossible.
What a waste of effort.
Nara blinked, picked up her walkie-talkie, and was about to issue a retreat command to the staff secretly stationed nearby. However, Yan Huan, standing under the shadow, looked at Ying Gong with her graceful smile and paused to think.
After a mont, he suddenly said, “We’ve co all this way. It’d be a sha to leave without doing anything, especially since we won those prizes.”
“...”
Ying Gong blinked in surprise, and even Nara, standing in the shadows, turned her gaze to him.
Yan Huan, it’s precisely because of this that Miss Ying Gong is so obsessed with you. If she ends up consuming you entirely, it’ll be your own fault.
Well, not that he’d ever realize that.
Nara sighed, letting go of her walkie-talkie. Ying Gong brushed a strand of black hair behind her ear—a small gesture she only made when her emotions wavered. Despite her facade, such habits were hard to suppress around Yan Huan.
“Won’t it make them wait too long?” she asked.
“It’s fine. We waited for them earlier; now it’s their turn. Let’s pick one or two attractions and not keep them waiting too long. Ying Gong, have you ever been to a haunted house?”
“No, but I’d like to try.”
“Great. Let’s give it a shot.”
Yan Huan sent Yaqiao a ssage, letting him know they’d be delayed. He received an “OK” reply along with a cute ani girl emoji. “We’re just browsing nearby,” the ssage added.
In the shadows, Nara smirked as she raised her walkie-talkie. “Prepare the haunted house. Check the traps and chanisms. It’s ti to start.”
“Understood.”
Clouds shifted again, letting sunlight flood the haunted house queue. It looked like there would be a short wait.
Ying Gong followed Yan Huan, shielding herself with her parasol to block the sun. “Please wait here. The haunted house can only accommodate two groups of eight at a ti. Once we gather everyone, our staff will guide you in,” the attendant explained with a polite smile, handing out blindfolds. “For the best experience, please wear these before the briefing begins.”
Yan Huan, familiar with escape room procedures from his previous life, accepted the blindfold and turned to see Ying Gong already adjusting hers.
“President, how will we get in if we can’t see anything?” she asked curiously.
“The staff will guide us,” Yan Huan replied.
“I see...”
As the waiting room lights dimd, eerie music filled the air. A woman’s voice began narrating in a chilling monotone: “I’m Rina Saito from Year 1, Class A of Fujitō High School. What I’m about to tell you is a story about my school and my friend, Manako...”
Even Ying Gong, despite knowing the setup, couldn’t help but feel tense. Her lips pressed together as the chilling narration intensified. Yan Huan, noticing her reaction, smiled faintly before putting on his own blindfold.
The air grew noticeably colder. As the narration ended, the voice returned, now chillingly close behind Ying Gong.
“Please, take each other’s hands and enter Fujitō High School together.”
Ying Gong froze, but a warm hand suddenly grasped her cold one.
“Let’s go, Ying Gong,” Yan Huan said.
“Okay, President,” she replied softly.
His hand felt so big and warm... unconsciously, she rubbed her thumb against his palm before quickly stopping, fearing he might notice.
“Careful, Ying Gong. I feel a draft from the open door ahead. Let’s move slowly.”
“Mm-hmm, President.”
As they ventured deeper into the haunted house, Nara watched the scene unfold through night-vision monitors. With a walkie-talkie in hand, she was ready to coordinate her team. But before she could issue any commands, a frantic voice interrupted.
“Nara, we’ve got trouble! Two girls are trying to barge in without waiting!”
“What?”
“They don’t want to queue! That blonde girl’s as strong as an ox. We tried holding her back, but she threw one of us to the ground!”
Nara blinked in disbelief, then cursed, “Are you all useless? So many of you, and you can’t even handle a girl?”
“It’s not that, Nara-sis. It’s just—”
Nara couldn’t be bothered to listen further. She switched the monitor to view the entrance, picking up the voices from the scene.
On the screen, two staff mbers crouched on the ground, clutching their sore wrists from their failed attempt to grab the intruder.
“Ouch...”
anwhile, a blonde girl led another girl, who carried several black bags, straight toward the haunted house. On the way, she casually scanned the QR code at the ticket counter to buy two tickets.
“Two tickets. Make it quick,” she said brusquely.
The timid girl behind her whispered nervously, “Uh, Spencer... Maybe you can go to the haunted house alone? I’ll just wait outside...”
“Scared?” Spencer sneered, a mischievous glint in her eye.
“...Yes.”
The blonde girl’s grin widened wickedly. “Well, I refuse.”
“Ugh...”
Initially, Nara suspected the intruders might be targeting Ying Gong Tong, given their audacity to overpower security guards. But after observing the situation, it seed they were genuinely just here to enjoy the haunted house.
“...”
Now what?
Nara switched the monitor back to Ying Gong Tong and Yan Huan. Due to the blindfold and her fear, Ying Gong was moving hesitantly, holding tightly onto Yan Huan’s hand as he slowly led her forward.
This ant they hadn’t gone far when Spencer burst through the waiting room door.
“Whoa, so this is the haunted hou—oh?”
Spencer, hands on her hips, was about to declare her presence when she spotted the pair holding hands. Despite their blindfolds, the faint chemistry between them was impossible to miss.
After a mont of stunned silence, her expression lit up with excitent, her grin widening tenfold.
“Eh~”
Her tone carried a teasing curiosity, but the girl behind her wasn’t as robust. Panting from exertion and weighed down by the bags, An Le struggled to keep up.
“Hah... hah... Spencer...”
Because she was lagging, An Le only noticed the pair monts later. When she did, her gaze landed squarely on the handso young man in front of her.
Instant recognition struck.
!!
Xiao... Xiao Huan?!
Excitent, joy, nervousness, anxiety, fear, and worry exploded within An Le like fireworks. Even the spectral puppet, Little Finger, perched on her shoulder, seed as energized as if the national soccer team had secured an unexpected win.
“No way! What luck! An Le, hurry! This is your chance!” Little Finger shouted.
“Huh?”
An Le’s heart raced. She hadn’t expected the long-anticipated reunion orchestrated by Little Finger to materialize so abruptly. Compelled by emotions, she wanted to speak up, to reveal her identity to Xiao Huan.
“That—”
But then her peripheral vision caught sothing.
Yan Huan’s hand was firmly clasped with Ying Gong Tong’s.
Huh?
Hand... His hand was already being held by Ying Gong Tong...
An Le froze, her brain going blank.
At the sa ti, Yan Huan and Ying Gong Tong turned toward the noise behind them. They both frowned, the synchronization uncanny, like two pilots sharing a neural link in a ch.
Removing their blindfolds simultaneously, they were t with what could only be described as a colossal beast invading from the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
Code Na: The Bull.
“It’s you?!”
They spoke in unison.
Yan Huan recognized Spencer as a highly dangerous Modifier wielder, while Ying Gong Tong was equally wary of the woman who had once shattered her barrier with a single kick.
This shared understanding created a united front, their combined deanor like an impenetrable iron wall, clearly rejecting Spencer’s presence.
Spencer, both annoyed and thrilled by this reaction, crossed her arms and raised her chin defiantly.
“Well, what a coincidence, eting you here, President~”
Her voice carried an unmistakably mocking tone as she deliberately emphasized the title “President,” sending a chill down Ying Gong’s spine.
Yan Huan was about to retort when a staff mber entered, forcing a strained smile as she explained, “Um, to enter the haunted house, you’ll need to wear blindfolds and hold hands during the guided introduction.”
Little Finger seized the opportunity to nudge An Le, snapping her out of her daze. “Stop standing there like an idiot! They’re only holding hands because it’s part of the haunted house. Ying Gong hasn’t won yet—you still have a chance!”
“R-Really?”
Regaining so composure, An Le noticed the tension filling the room, even causing the staff mber to retreat after delivering her ssage.
Huh?
Why do Xiao Huan and Spencer seem so hostile toward each other?
Oh, right... It’s because of that study group incident. They nearly got into a fight back then, and I... I made things worse by overloading Xiao Huan with excitent.
I’m so sorry, Xiao Huan. It’s all my fault.
“Um... You two...” An Le timidly attempted to intervene, her voice soft and hesitant like a small animal.
It wasn’t until she spoke that Yan Huan noticed the other girl standing behind Spencer. His gaze turned curious, wondering who could possibly be friends with soone like Spencer.
But before he could say anything, An Le wilted under his gaze, her cheeks flushing crimson as she quickly ducked behind Spencer.
“Ugh...”
From her new position, all Yan Huan could make out was her masked face and the black bags she hugged tightly to her chest.
“Useless! What are you doing hiding? This is your golden opportunity!” Little Finger scolded.
This ti, sothing was different. Standing before Xiao Huan, An Le felt a sudden surge of courage. She hesitated briefly but then stepped forward to stand beside Spencer instead of behind her.
“Spencer... classmate, right? I thought students from Yuanyue Academy had better manners,” Ying Gong said coldly, fixing Spencer with an icy gaze.
“You’re disrupting the start of soone else’s ga and barging in uninvited. It’s hardly what I’d call normal behavior.”
Ying Gong paused, feigning sudden realization, then added mockingly, “Ah, I forgot. You transferred in and didn’t take the Yuanyue etiquette exams. I suppose your IQ test results weren’t impressive either?”
Spencer scowled, her grin fading as irritation flashed in her eyes. Of all things, being called stupid irked her the most.
“I—”
Before she could snap back, An Le quickly tugged at her sleeve and stamred an apology, “S-Sorry, we didn’t an to. I apologize, really...”
An Le’s attempt to de-escalate only seed to infuriate Spencer further.
“What?!” Spencer turned to An Le in disbelief.
This girl... She likes Yan Huan too, doesn’t she? And yet, in front of Ying Gong Tong, she won’t even stand up for herself?
What’s the point of this?
Spencer’s frustration boiled over as she radiated a faint, unsettling aura that rippled invisibly through the room.
Yan Huan imdiately sensed sothing was wrong. Though he couldn’t pinpoint Spencer’s ability, he knew her volatile mood ant trouble.
“Ying Gong, ignore her. Let’s go.” Yan Huan instinctively tugged her hand to move her behind him.
However, Ying Gong exerted equal force, attempting to pull Yan Huan behind her instead.
Both assud the other needed protection from Spencer, leading to an unintentional yet synchronized gesture.
Neither noticed they were still holding hands as Spencer’s grin widened mischievously.
“Well, President, don’t forget what you promised .”
Yan Huan hesitated briefly, recalling his earlier promise. Reluctantly, he considered allowing Spencer to join them, worried her presence might escalate the situation.
anwhile, Ying Gong’s mind raced.
A promise? Could it be related to the study group? Or sothing the President has been hiding from ?
No. I trust the President. There’s no way...
Both froze montarily, each grappling with their thoughts.
Both Yan Huan and Ying Gong Tong’s minds erupted with identical thoughts:
“How could I think like this about this person?!”
Feeling the thick "bullish aura" radiating from Spencer, Ying Gong’s eyes sharpened, her glare slicing toward Spencer like a blade.
“I don’t care what you said to the President before. Wrong is wrong! There were plenty of people queuing behind us. Even if we were to add soone, it wouldn’t be you! Leave now!”
But Spencer was unfazed. She ignored Ying Gong entirely, her mischievous, greedy gaze fixed solely on Yan Huan.
That brazen hunger in Spencer’s eyes made Ying Gong feel utterly repulsed.
anwhile, An Le’s gaze remained glued to the hands of Yan Huan and Ying Gong, which were clasping tighter and tighter as the confrontation escalated.
Isn’t that enough?
Xiao Huan, Vice President Ying Gong...
You’re arguing right now, so there’s no need to keep holding hands, right?
But wait... they’re holding hands even tighter now? Are their fingers intertwined?!
Is this... the bond of a married couple?
The light faded from An Le’s eyes.
mories of her childhood flooded back—the joyful days she shared with Xiao Huan. She rembered them catching cicadas in the South District park, how Xiao Huan had cheered her up with goofy faces after she tripped and cried. She rembered the mornings they woke up side by side after sharing a bed, how she’d clung to him, refusing to let him get up despite her mother’s calls.
But these cherished monts felt like they were being crumpled into a ball and tossed into the trash by Ying Gong’s invisible hand. In her mind, she saw Ying Gong smirking coldly as she embraced Xiao Huan, leaving him no space to even glance back at her. His heart, his gaze, his everything—dedicated entirely to the woman he’d only known for half a year.
An Le now understood the pain of being "bullied" by Ying Gong. Her chest tightened, and she felt on the verge of tears.
Yan Huan’s voice broke through her spiraling thoughts.
“Enough, Spencer! You idiot, have you forgotten what I told you?”
Spencer froze, her cocky grin faltering.
Yan Huan’s reminder hit her like a bolt of lightning. She had promised him not to let Ying Gong Tong know anything about this. Yet, in her hot-headedness, she’d co dangerously close to crossing the line.
Suddenly self-conscious, Spencer folded her arms, but Yan Huan’s pressure was unrelenting.
“This is our free ti, Spencer. We don’t have the energy to argue with you. We’ve got other things to do.”
Though his words were directed at Spencer, they pierced through An Le, making her feel small and unworthy.
Since that day, Spencer had been her only friend.
I didn’t want this to happen.
Cutting the line, arguing with Xiao Huan and Ying Gong Tong...
I only wanted to reconnect with Xiao Huan, but now I’m pushing him even further away.
Tears threatened to spill as An Le reached out and lightly tugged Spencer’s sleeve.
“Spencer... Let’s not argue anymore. Cutting the line was wrong. Let’s leave... If you still want to go in, I’ll wait with you in line, but we shouldn’t...”
Her voice was barely above a whisper, but for An Le, the string of words was a monuntal effort.
Spencer opened her mouth to argue but faltered.
This girl...
Spencer clenched her teeth, her frustration bubbling over.
I helped you because I saw you had nothing. I bought your ticket, brought you here. If not out of pity, I wouldn’t have done any of this!
You liked Yan Huan, didn’t you? But instead of backing
up, you side with them? They don’t even care about you! You’re just fooling yourself!
Spencer had always been indifferent to whether others liked her or not—she’d grown used to being disliked. But An Le...
An Le was different. She wanted friendship, hated being bullied, and quietly endured so much.
It was these traits that had compelled Spencer to ddle in her life.
“Tch...” Spencer scratched her head in irritation, glancing between the haunted house and the tearful An Le.
She tried to say sothing comforting but couldn’t find the words. What could she say? Her bluntness would only make things worse.
Finally, she grumbled, “Fine, stop crying! I get it—I was wrong, okay?”
“...”
An Le looked up at Spencer, her teary eyes wide with surprise.
Spencer, however, avoided her gaze, her voice growing quieter. “And... uh... sorry.”
“Eh?”
An Le blinked, watching Spencer’s face turn red as she mumbled the apology like it was being forced out of her.
“That’s it! Let’s leave it at that!” Spencer declared, arms crossed, before marching toward the haunted house.
Her voice carried back to An Le. “We’ve already cut the line, so let’s just go in. Next ti, we won’t. And hey, if you like Yan Huan so much, this has nothing to do with you. Everything that just happened was my fault. Do what you want. Need help? Just ask!”
An Le hesitated before quietly catching up to Spencer.
“Let’s go in together, Spencer... Sorry for not defending you earlier.”
Spencer shrugged, feigning indifference. “I’m used to it.”
“Spencer... Can you help
distract Ying Gong Tong inside? I... I want to talk to Xiao Huan.”
Spencer didn’t answer imdiately but led the way into the haunted house, muttering, “I’m only going in to enjoy the haunted house. Helping you is just... a side thing.”
“Thank you, Spencer...” An Le whispered, mustering her courage as she followed.
Both Little Finger and Nara watched the bizarre turn of events unfold, equally dumbfounded.
Weren’t we here to ss with Yan Huan?
Why is everyone suddenly talking about friendship and emotions instead of enacting their plans?!
Still, they concluded this was rely a detour. There was plenty of room to maneuver.
From Nara’s perspective, the incident had only strengthened the bond between Yan Huan and Ying Gong. With the haunted house’s chanisms under her control, separating Spencer and An Le from the others would be easy.
From Little Finger’s perspective, Spencer’s muscle-headed antics could pave the way for a private mont between An Le and Yan Huan. A perfect opportunity to rekindle old feelings.
Grinning in anticipation, the two unseen conspirators silently agreed:
The real ga begins inside the haunted house.
The haunted house’s entrance gave way to a maze of eerie school corridors. Yan Huan and Ying Gong, both intent on protecting the other from Spencer, wandered deeper in tandem.
Still holding hands, they andered aimlessly until they realized they had entered a dusty, abandoned classroom.
The surrounding darkness was oppressive, with eerie whispers seeming to co from every direction. Cold air brushed against them, sending a chill deep into their bones.
Instinctively seeking warmth, Ying Gong Tong tightened her grip on Yan Huan’s hand.
“Uh, Ying Gong... your hand,” Yan Huan said, his tone gentle yet awkward.
“!”
Realizing her actions, Ying Gong nearly broke character. She quickly let go and stamred, “President, I’m sorry! It’s just... because of Spencer earlier...”
“It’s fine.” Yan Huan smiled faintly, though behind his perfect mask, his mood was far from calm.
He hadn’t expected Spencer to show up here.
Initially, his goal for this visit was to find an opportunity to make progress on Bai Yi’s Modifier. But instead, Spencer’s unexpected arrival had thrown a wrench into his plans, leaving him frustrated.
It felt like preparing a perfect banquet only for two extra tables of unexpected guests to show up. Now what?
What worried him more was the possibility of Bai Yi and Spencer eting prematurely. That could trigger the start of the Linn Holy Grail War—a chaotic ss he absolutely wanted to avoid.
As Yan Huan kept his emotions hidden, Ying Gong Tong breathed a sigh of relief. She looked around at the creepy, abandoned school building and changed the subject to lighten the mood.
“This haunted house seems huge, and there aren’t any clear instructions. From what I’ve heard, we need to find the exit and the key to unlock it. That’s how we succeed.”
Yan Huan refocused, temporarily shelving thoughts of Bai Yi and Spencer. “It probably won’t be too hard. They likely left so subtle hints for guidance. Look over there, Ying Gong.”
Following Yan Huan’s gaze, Ying Gong saw a ssage scrawled in blood-red letters on the blackboard:
"She’s hiding in the equipnt room!! Kill her! Don’t let her escape!"
Pulling her eyes away from the ominous writing, Ying Gong smiled. “Looks like we need to find the equipnt room first.”
“Yeah. Let’s figure out the way there—and try to avoid running into that lunatic,” Yan Huan muttered, referring to Spencer.
“Got it, President.”
With a smile, Ying Gong nodded and walked alongside him.
As they moved through the dim corridors, their steps echoing faintly, Ying Gong glanced at the door numbers on each classroom. Hoping to ease the tension in the haunted house, she struck up a conversation.
“President, there’s sothing I’ve been aning to ask you.”
“Hmm?” Yan Huan responded, half-focused on their surroundings.
“Earlier, when you and Spencer were arguing, it seed like you were both saying things only the two of you understood. Did you talk privately before?”
Yan Huan froze for a mont, turning back to look at Ying Gong. Her eyes reflected genuine concern.
It wasn’t an act.
During their confrontation with Spencer, Ying Gong had experienced that strange sensation again—the inexplicable urge to trust Spencer and let her guard down.
It was the third ti she’d felt it, and Ying Gong was now convinced that Spencer, like herself, possessed so sort of special ability.
And if that ability could affect her, it could undoubtedly influence the President as well.
If left unchecked, who knew what kind of damage Spencer might do?
An image suddenly flashed in Ying Gong’s mind: Spencer holding a hesitant and teary-eyed Yan Huan in her arms. Her head was tilted back in triumphant laughter, baring her signature fang.
“Hahahahaha! The President is mine now!”
When Ying Gong turned to look at Yan Huan in this vision, his face was clouded with despair. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he whispered, “I’m sorry, Ying Gong... I... can’t go back anymore...”
“!!”
The horrifying thought sent a shiver down her spine, amplifying her loathing for Spencer to new extres.
No. She had to deal with Spencer before the President found out.
“Ah, sorry, Ying Gong,” Yan Huan said, breaking her train of thought. “I kept sothing from you earlier. Rember when she secretly took photos of us? I had to use so tricks to make her delete them.”
“Tricks?”
“Yeah.” Yan Huan smiled lightly, his tone calm as he glanced at Ying Gong.
“In exchange for the photos, I agreed to one of her conditions.”
Ying Gong’s pupils shrank ever so slightly as the words sank in.
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