The morning breeze stirred the curtains left open overnight, letting soft sunlight creep into the room. It brushed against Yan Huan’s face, rousing him from sleep.
Opening his eyes groggily, he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, his body feeling heavy and tingling slightly. The sensation brought back unpleasant mories from the night before, and he massaged his temples with a sigh.
“Yawwwwn~”
A warm, fuzzy black ball erged from under the blanket. ow-chan stretched out, paws gripping the bedspread as it arched its back and opened its mouth wide in a luxurious yawn.
Sitting up slightly, Yan Huan grabbed his fully charged phone from the nightstand. Seeing it was just past nine, he sighed again and buried his face into the pillow.
Last night’s events weighed heavily on him. The encounter with Ye Shiyu’s Modifier had lingered in his mind, twisting into a nightmare. He had dreamt of standing at the edge of a cliff, his body unwillingly moving closer to the precipice. He knew the danger but couldn’t stop himself, plunging into the abyss.
It wasn’t hard to connect the dots: Ye Shiyu’s hypnotic abilities had disrupted his subconscious, leaving his sleep restless.
Staying in this house seed like a death sentence. At school, he had Bai Yi’s Lack of Attention to contend with, and at ho, there was Ye Shiyu’s Individual Hypnosis. How was he supposed to live like this?
I need to get out of here.
Face pressed into the pillow, he considered his options. Fortunately, he hadn’t agreed outright to stay long-term. Unfortunately, he still had to make it through the weekend without raising suspicions. Abruptly leaving would arouse Ye Lan’s curiosity, and Ye Shiyu might realize he had resisted her hypnosis.
He sighed heavily into the pillow, his muffled frustration barely audible.
“ow~”
ow-chan padded over, pressing its soft body against him. Yan Huan reached out to scratch its head. “You don’t need to eat, do you, ow-chan?”
“Nope, ow.”
“Pity. You’re missing out on tasty cat treats and canned food.”
You an you’re the one who feels bad about not being able to spoil , ow-chan thought, narrowing its green eyes. Aloud, it said dryly, “If you insist, I could try eating a little.”
“How greedy of you, little cat.”
“...”
Ignoring ow-chan’s indignant huff, Yan Huan got up and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
When Yan Huan finally made his way downstairs, the living room was bathed in warm morning light. Ye Lan and Aunt Chen were already there.
“Good morning, Little Huan! Did you sleep well?”
Ye Lan, dressed in a white chiffon house dress, sat at the dining table. The sunlight illuminated her silhouette through the delicate fabric, casting a soft glow around her as she casually dangled a slipper from her toes.
Yan Huan covered his exhaustion with a practiced smile.
“Slept great, no complaints.”
If Modifiers weren’t a problem, he would have tattled on Ye Shiyu’s inappropriate use of hers.
“That’s good to hear. Co have breakfast. Your sister’s still asleep—she’s such a little lazybones and loves sleeping in.”
Her warm tone felt worlds apart from Ye Shiyu’s icy deanor. Mother and daughter seed like polar opposites: one an angel, the other a devil.
Breakfast featured classic Dragon Nation dishes—dumplings, soy milk, and boiled eggs. Ye Lan took a single egg for herself, pairing it with her usual banana milk.
Noticing Yan Huan still in his school uniform’s white shirt, Ye Lan peeled her egg with a smile.
“We forgot to shop for clothes yesterday. Let’s fix that today, okay? There’s a big aquarium near a famous shopping center. Let’s visit both!”
“Sounds great, Aunt Ye.”
Ye Lan’s eyes sparkled as she watched him take a seat, still damp from his recent wash. His slightly mussed hair only added to his charm.
As she peeled another egg, she handed it to Yan Huan with the bottom shell intact for easier handling.
“Here, have another.”
“Thank you, Aunt Ye.”
Halfway through eating the first egg, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, Ye Lan handed him another freshly peeled one. Startled, Yan Huan glanced up, his expression amusing her. She laughed softly, covering her mouth.
“Slow down, eat at your own pace.”
Just as she reached for a napkin to wipe his face, light footsteps descended the staircase. Yan Huan didn’t need to look—his sixth sense told him exactly who it was.
Quickly taking the napkin from Ye Lan, he said, “Thanks, Aunt Ye, I’ve got it.”
He wiped his mouth, avoiding eye contact with the approaching presence.
Ye Lan chuckled, but she wasn’t done. Taking another napkin, she gently wiped at his still-damp temple.
“Your hair’s not fully dry. Do you want to be a little cat with ssy fur?”
As Ye Lan’s teasing continued, Yan Huan’s “spider sense” failed him entirely. He hadn’t expected the second napkin ambush and could only blink in surprise.
Unfortunately for him, Ye Shiyu, dressed in a black long dress, had already reached the foot of the stairs. Her cold gaze felt like an invisible blade, slicing through Yan Huan’s defenses.
Don’t look at
like that, Hypnosis Goddess. Please, I beg you.
“Good morning, Shiyu-jie,” he said, forcing calm into his tone.
Ye Lan waved her over. “Good morning! Go grab your bowl and chopsticks from the kitchen and join us.”
“Mm.”
Without a word, Ye Shiyu fetched her signature black porcelain set and joined them.
Now that Ye Shiyu was present, Ye Lan shifted her attention to her, peeling eggs and piling food onto her plate. Yan Huan couldn’t help but feel like a baby bird in a nest, competing with a sibling for food. Except this sibling had the power to hypnotize him on a whim.
Throughout breakfast, Yan Huan noticed Ye Shiyu occasionally glancing at him—not like an enemy, nor entirely like a person.
I’ll behave. Just don’t kill
in my sleep.
After breakfast, Ye Lan outlined their plans for the day, which Ye Shiyu silently accepted. While the won prepared upstairs, Yan Huan used the downti to catch up on group chats and send a leave request to his weekend employer.
“Sister Tong, can I take two more days off? Stuck in the north for the weekend.”
“Count it as no-show. 400 deducted.”
“So cold! Weren’t we besties?”
He sent a playful otter sticker alongside the ssage.
“Heh, you tell .”
Rolling his eyes at the dry reply, Yan Huan flipped the phone a middle finger. Just then, Ye Lan called out from the stairs.
“Little Huan, ti to go!”
“Coming, Aunt Ye.”
Looking up, Yan Huan saw her descending in a white chiffon gown, light makeup enhancing her natural beauty. Her hair was styled in an elegant princess bun, accessorized with crystal jewelry that sparkled in the light. She resembled a royal princess from a European fairytale.
Behind her, Ye Shiyu followed in a black chiffon dress with intricate chest embroidery and a longer hem. Her long black hair was styled in a high bun. She wore no jewelry, but her natural beauty rendered any accessories unnecessary.
They looked like a pair of sisters.
Yan Huan almost complinted them but hesitated, rembering the risk. Upsetting Ye Shiyu with a careless remark might earn him another hypnosis session later.
“Ready, Aunt Ye,” he said simply, keeping his tone neutral.
Ye Lan, amused by his restraint, patted his shoulder and teased,
“Be ready to carry our bags, okay?”
Glancing at Ye Shiyu, Yan Huan felt her cold stare once more. Resigned, he sighed.
“Sure thing...”
“Good boy.”
In the car, Yan Huan noticed Ye Lan’s habit of speaking to him in a tone better suited for a child. He realized this as she handed him a second banana milk from the front passenger seat.
While a chauffeur drove, Yan Huan sat in the back with Ye Shiyu, who remained as silent as ever. Sipping his banana milk, he unconsciously began comparing how Ye Lan spoke to him versus her daughter.
The subtle contrast between how Ye Lan spoke to him versus her daughter left Yan Huan feeling uneasy. While Ye Lan's tone with Ye Shiyu was calm and composed, her words to him brimd with warmth and indulgence.
The difference gnawed at him, prompting him to glance at Ye Shiyu, who quietly sipped her banana milk. She was as still as a doll, but Yan Huan couldn’t forget the liveliness she had displayed last night, complete with her reluctant pout resembling Ye Lan’s.
His thoughts wandered until the car stopped at their destination—a large aquarium. Judging by its scale, it was the kind of place where one could easily spend hours.
Being the weekend and nearing noon, the place was bustling with visitors, including groups of students gathered for team-building activities. The plaza in front of the aquarium teed with people.
Ye Lan looked outside at the blazing sun and frowned slightly.
“The sun’s too strong. You two need sunscreen before we go out.”
Retrieving a tube of sunscreen from her bag, she dabbed so onto her palm before turning to the backseat with a smile.
“Shiyu first?”
Ye Shiyu backed away slightly, shaking her head in resistance.
Ye Lan leaned over anyway, gently saring the cool sunscreen onto her daughter’s face.
“Mm~”
The chill made Ye Shiyu close her eyes, her brows furrowing in discomfort as she pursed her lips. Despite herself, her head followed Ye Lan’s movents as if being kneaded like dough.
Once Ye Lan finished, Shiyu’s expression retained a faintly bitter look, her reluctance still evident.
“Next, Little—”
Yan Huan, anticipating what was coming, bravely reached for the sunscreen.
“I’ll do it myself, Aunt Ye. I’m an expert at applying sunscreen!”
“Really?”
“Guaranteed!”
Squeezing out so sunscreen, Yan Huan dotted it on his face and began rubbing it in with deliberate flair. Finally, he spread his arms and presented his work with mock grandeur.
“All done.”
“Pfft... You missed your hairline!”
“...”
He was good at applying sunscreen—it wasn’t a lie. Years of watching beach episodes in ani had familiarized him with the process, albeit with questionable focus on technique. Reflecting on his shortcomings, he resolved to pay more attention in the future.
Sufficiently sunscreened, the group exited the car and approached the aquarium’s entrance. Ye Lan, ard with a parasol, had already secured their tickets in advance, leaving them only to queue for entry.
“Aunt Ye, the line starts over there,” Yan Huan called out, spotting the ticket checkpoint.
As Ye Lan moved to join him, her phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she sighed and turned to Yan Huan.
“Little Huan, I need to take this call. It might take a while. Can you and your sister wait here for a bit?”
“Of course.”
Smiling apologetically, she gestured to the quieter end of the plaza before walking off to answer her phone. Understanding her intent, Ye Shiyu silently handed her parasol to her mother and watched her leave.
The two were left standing together, a strikingly attractive pair amidst the bustling crowd. Shiyu stood motionless, while Yan Huan casually stepped closer to her.
“Shiyu-jie, let’s move sowhere less crowded. It’s hot here, and we’re in the way.”
“...Alright.”
She glanced around and pointed to the souvenir shop near the ticket counter.
“There.”
“Got it.”
Yan Huan led the way, and Ye Shiyu followed a few steps behind. The shop was spacious and filled with ocean-thed rchandise and refreshnts.
Standing near the entrance, Yan Huan surveyed the area while Shiyu resud her doll-like stillness, her unwavering gaze unnerving passersby. People instinctively avoided her, creating an invisible barrier around her.
“Shiyu-jie, want sothing to drink?”
Yan Huan tried to ease the tension, glancing at the shop’s drink nu.
Instead of responding, Shiyu’s eyes scanned the shop, landing on sothing of interest.
“I want to look around inside.”
Not answering the question, huh? Yan Huan sighed inwardly.
“Alright. You browse, and I’ll grab the drinks.”
She nodded and stepped into the shop, while Yan Huan moved to the drink counter.
“Two ‘Blue Lemon Sparkles’ and one ‘Big Banana Sweetie’... What are these nas?”
“Got it! Coming right up~”
Inside the shop, soft music played as patrons browsed the shelves. Employees greeted each custor with practiced smiles.
Shiyu’s gaze moved across the displays: whale models, dolphin plushies, shark toys...
These were the aquarium’s star attractions, all popular with tourists. However, Shiyu’s interest didn’t linger; she continued walking past them without a second glance.
More niche items like sea turtle board gas and stingray puzzles failed to catch her attention, either. Her indifference marked her as just another aimless visitor in the eyes of the staff.
“Welco!” another custor entered as Shiyu explored further.
Eventually, her eyes landed on a small, intricate jellyfish keychain in a quiet corner. Its delicate crystal-like design caught the light, its tentacles cleverly shaped to hold multiple keys.
Shiyu’s eyes lit up, the subdued spark in her gaze betraying her intrigue. Without hesitation, she reached out to claim it, her movents as deliberate as a treasure hunter’s.
But just as her fingers touched the keychain, another hand reached for it simultaneously.
Their grips halted the jellyfish mid-air, neither willing to let go.
Startled, Shiyu turned to the other person, her usually vigilant senses dulled by her focus on the keychain.
The other was a girl of similar age, her thick, slightly wavy golden hair catching the light like a lion’s mane. She had strikingly defined features, sapphire-blue eyes, and an unmistakably foreign appearance.
Her sharp features lent her an air of boldness, contrasting with Shiyu’s delicate beauty. Her athletic fra hinted at regular training, and she wore a casual black T-shirt with shorts and a signed baseball cap.
The golden-haired girl blinked, clearly as surprised as Shiyu. A second later, her brows furrowed, and her lips parted to reveal a small, prominent fang.
“Hmm?”
“...”
Shiyu remained silent, her grip unwavering.
Neither seed willing to release the keychain, their identical determination thickening the air between them. The golden-haired girl clicked her tongue lightly and glanced at the price tag before tilting her head arrogantly.
“I like this one. It’s mine now. Pick sothing else of the sa price—I’ll pay for it. Deal?”
Her tone was confident, an attempt to de-escalate the situation while asserting dominance.
Shiyu didn’t flinch. Her voice, soft but resolute, lacked any inflection as she replied,
“No.”
The girl’s expression darkened, her lips curling into a cold smile.
“Interesting... What if I insist on taking it?”
Her grip tightened, her strength evident as Shiyu’s fingers began paling under the pressure.
Still unyielding, Shiyu remained expressionless. Her phone, seemingly of its own accord, lit up faintly in her pocket. Her voice remained steady.
“I already said no.”
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