The dining table was laden with an array of dishes, each one so enticing that just the aroma was enough to make one’s mouth water.
As Yan Huan glanced over the spread, he turned to find Ye Lan, now dressed in casual cotton homewear with her long hair loose, sitting at the head of the table. Her chin rested on her hand, and her eyes sparkled as she watched him.
“Hungry, little foodie? Wait until Aunt Chen brings the bowls and chopsticks, and we’ll start when Shiyu gets here.”
The affectionate tone and playful nickname sparked a rare flicker of embarrassment in Yan Huan. Avoiding her gaze, he stood up to help.
“I’ll go help Aunt Chen bring the utensils.”
“No need, Little Huan. Sit down, I’ve already taken care of it.”
As she spoke, Aunt Chen emerged from the kitchen, carrying bowls and chopsticks, which she placed in front of Ye Lan, Yan Huan, and the seat beside him.
Three sets?
Just as Yan Huan assumed Aunt Chen wasn’t joining them, she returned with a single black ceramic bowl and matching stainless steel chopsticks. She set them down opposite Yan Huan.
Puzzled, Yan Huan examined the bowl. The glossy black surface bore delicate white script:
“Ye Shiyu”
Even the ends of the stainless steel chopsticks had her name engraved on them.
Yan Huan cast a questioning glance at Ye Lan, who responded with a wry smile. It was Aunt Chen who explained with a chuckle,
“This set was custom-made in the Dragon Nation’s porcelain capital—Shiyu ordered it for herself and brought it back. She prefers black, though her mother and I think it’s not as nice as regular white bowls.”
“And the chopsticks? Were they custom too?”
“No, those are store-bought. But Shiyu has a habit of writing her name on everything she owns. Every single item! After shopping, she spends ages labeling everything.”
Aunt Chen dished out rice and poured drinks for everyone as she spoke.
“She also never throws anything away unless it’s completely unusable. If she loses something, she won’t rest until she finds it.”
What an unusual habit.
Yan Huan blinked, mulling it over.
Ye Lan smiled with a touch of exasperation but didn’t criticize her daughter’s peculiar tendencies. Instead, she chose to see the silver lining.
“She’s much better about it now that she’s in high school. If it’s not something particularly valuable, she’ll let it go. I think it shows she cherishes what she has—it’s a good quality.”
“If I had a habit like that, my middle school teacher wouldn’t have called me scatterbrained.”
Yan Huan’s remark drew a soft laugh from Ye Lan.
At that moment, faint footsteps sounded from the staircase. Turning to look, Ye Lan smiled as Ye Shiyu descended.
“Shiyu, come have dinner.”
“Mm.”
Ye Shiyu nodded without much expression. Neither warm nor cold, she silently took her seat opposite Yan Huan and lightly gripped her glass.
As expected, Ye Lan raised her cup with a smile, directing the gesture toward Yan Huan.
“Let’s start dinner. Here’s to welcoming Little Huan to our home. Cheers!”
“Thank you, Aunt Ye.”
“Don’t thank Aunt Ye, silly.”
Even Ye Shiyu raised her cup, lightly clinking it against everyone else’s before taking the smallest sip. She then licked her lips with a barely perceptible motion.
And with that, dinner officially began.
Ye Shiyu held her black bowl in her left hand, her fingers tracing the engraved name. She watched as her mother piled food onto both her and Yan Huan’s plates.
In Ye Lan’s house, there was no rigid “no talking during meals” rule. Dinner conversations were casual and lighthearted, with Aunt Chen often chiming in about trivial topics, such as the poor quality of vegetables at the supermarket.
It was through this chatter that Yan Huan learned the Maritime Gate, being an artificial island, had no farmland of its own. Vegetables were all imported.
Ye Shiyu ate with measured elegance, chewing slowly, and remained silent throughout.
Ye Lan, meanwhile, directed most of her conversation toward Yan Huan, asking about school life and subtly steering topics toward things that might interest someone his age.
“Does the school provide buses for transportation?”
“Yes, Aunt Ye. There are routes for each district, including Jinghe District. But the bus stops near here seem pretty far away. Students from this area probably don’t use them much.”
“That makes sense. It’s quicker to drive Shiyu to school anyway—saves on commuting time. Unfortunately, I’m usually too busy and have to arrange for a car to pick her up.”
Yan Huan had a vague sense that Ye Lan was building up to something unsaid.
She confirmed his suspicion by suddenly setting her chopsticks down, her eyes lighting up with an idea.
“Little Huan, why don’t you stay at Aunt Ye’s house?”
“Huh?”
“You’re both at the same school and close in age. This way, you can go to school with Shiyu. With a car, there’s no need to worry about catching the bus. Aunt Chen can handle breakfast and dinner and even pack snacks for school. What do you think?”
Yan Huan paused mid-bite, his mind racing as he looked into Ye Lan’s hopeful gaze. In a flash, he understood why she’d called herself his “mother” at school earlier.
Ye Lan wasn’t just here to reconnect or reminisce about his deceased parents. She wanted to adopt him.
Did she have ulterior motives?
No, none whatsoever.
If anything, her only stated reason was to have him help care for her eccentric daughter.
Considering her position as the Maritime Gate representative of Ye International, Ye Lan had no reason to exploit a high school student, no matter how accomplished he was.
She simply saw Yan Huan as family, the child of her late best friend, and wanted to care for him.
Objectively speaking, her wealth and status were undeniable. Logic dictated Yan Huan should be leaping at the opportunity to call her “Mom.”
But at what cost?
That lingering sense of unease quickened his pulse. His gaze shifted to Ye Shiyu, who continued eating calmly.
Yan Huan smiled hesitantly.
“Aunt Ye, isn’t this... a bit sudden?”
“Why? Do you think Aunt Ye is difficult to get along with?”
At his hesitation, Ye Lan’s glowing enthusiasm dimmed, and her lips began to pout in disappointment.
Don’t make that face, Aunt Ye!
Yan Huan averted his gaze to resist the urge to yield. He tried reasoning instead.
“Of course not. I just feel it might be inappropriate. I’m a boy, and...”
Before he could finish, Ye Lan interjected,
“Little Huan, you’re not an outsider. Besides, there’s no need to worry. Aunt Chen lives on the first floor, Shiyu and I on the third, and you’d have the entire second floor to yourself. Each room has its own bathroom, and the soundproofing is excellent. We always knock before entering—your privacy won’t be disturbed.”
Fine, so she’s playing the wealth card.
Indeed, looking around at the spacious mansion, Yan Huan couldn’t find a reason to argue on practical grounds.
He glanced at Ye Shiyu, who had slowed her eating pace, and decided to redirect the question.
“Wouldn’t it be better to ask Shiyu’s opinion, Aunt Ye? There might be things she’s uncomfortable with...”
Ye Lan immediately turned to her daughter.
“Shiyu, what do you think?”
Ye Shiyu placed a small bite of rice into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully before meeting her mother’s gaze. The subtle pout on Ye Lan’s lips seemed to weigh heavily on her.
Finally, she nodded.
“I don’t mind.”
Her voice was soft yet clear, and her tone betrayed no emotion.
“Wonderful! See, Shiyu is very kind and considerate. Don’t worry, Little Huan. We both welcome you.”
Kind and considerate?
Yan Huan stole a glance at Ye Shiyu, who resumed eating without skipping a beat. Her calm, unflinching gaze met his again, dispelling a sliver of his unease.
Still, he wasn’t ready to agree just yet. He adjusted his expression using his new ability and replied,
“I know Aunt Ye and Shiyu are very kind. But... could I have some time to think about it?”
Ye Lan’s lips tightened as she recognized the hesitation on his face, though she also saw traces of genuine emotion.
Sighing softly, she nodded and offered a compromise.
“How about this: it’s already Friday evening, and it’s quite far to your place in the southern district. Why not stay here for the weekend? Tomorrow, we can all go out and have some fun. What do you think?”
As long as nothing was set in stone, Yan Huan was content to delay the decision and dispel his lingering unease.
He hesitated for a moment before smiling and nodding.
“Alright, Aunt Ye.”
Ye Lan visibly relaxed and turned to Ye Shiyu.
“And you, Shiyu?”
“Mm. I don’t mind.”
Same reaction, same answer.
“Great! Then it’s settled. Aunt Chen, please prepare the second-floor room for Little Huan.”
Aunt Chen, who had been quietly clearing the table, smiled warmly.
“Of course. I’ll show him the way once it’s ready.”
Elated by her success, Ye Lan added,
“Shiyu, don’t forget to exchange contact information with your brother. If you have any questions at school, you can ask him—he knows the place inside out.”
Ye Shiyu wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood. She glanced briefly at Yan Huan and said,
“Alright. I left my phone upstairs. I’ll add him later.”
“Good, good... I’ll have Aunt Chen bring you some milk, too.”
“Okay.”
With that, Ye Shiyu turned and ascended the stairs, disappearing from view.
Yan Huan stood up, stretching. “Let me help Aunt Chen with the cleaning, Aunt Ye.”
“No need, Little Huan. Stay and keep Aunt Ye company for a bit longer, alright?”
Ye Lan shook her head gently and cupped her chin, gazing intently at Yan Huan. Her eyes were soft, almost liquid, as if she were trying to see everything about him—or perhaps searching for traces of someone she once knew.
Under her gentle yet penetrating gaze, Yan Huan felt a subtle pressure and slowly sat back down.
“Alright.”
For a moment, Ye Lan simply looked at him in silence before smiling warmly.
“Little Huan, it must have been so hard for you all these years...”
Her voice carried a tender affection that made Yan Huan blink, momentarily at a loss for words. The rhythm of his heartbeat slowed, and the words he intended to say seemed stuck in his throat.
Just as he managed to find his voice, Ye Lan stretched and stood up.
“Well, Aunt Ye’s a little tired. I’ll head upstairs to rest now. Aunt Chen will show you to your room later, so you can get some rest too.”
“You should rest well too, Aunt Ye.”
Yan Huan responded a second too late, watching her retreating figure disappear upstairs.
As Aunt Chen finished tidying the kitchen, Yan Huan followed her to prepare his room. Setting it up wasn’t complicated—just some bed sheets, a quilt, and pillows.
The second-floor room was far more spacious than Yan Huan had expected. In fact, it was larger than the one-bedroom apartment he rented in the southern district.
The room not only had a private bathroom but also a separate area with a sofa, desk, and bookshelves. Beyond that was the bedroom itself, which opened onto a private balcony.
After closing the door, Yan Huan surveyed the luxurious space, his schoolbag slung over his shoulder. He tossed the bag onto the sofa and shrugged off his school jacket.
“This is... over the top.”
He squeezed the plush leather sofa, then walked to the balcony door, looking out at the night view through the uncurtained window.
Standing in the opulence of the room, the transmigrated youth from the Celestial Empire decided he’d ask his weekend employer for leave in the morning. Maybe if he left out the usual polite punctuation, he’d sound more assertive.
After a moment of contemplation, Yan Huan closed the curtains, turned on the bedside lamp, and sank into the soft bed.
“Meow~”
A gentle meow broke the silence.
Startled, Yan Huan propped himself up slightly and glanced toward the edge of the bed. A plump black cat emerged from underneath, its emerald-green eyes gleaming in the lamplight.
“Meow-chan, you’re here.”
“Meow!”
Yan Huan lay back down as Meow-chan leapt onto the bed. After nuzzling against him, the cat climbed onto his stomach, its voice echoing in his mind.
“I thought the Modifier situation would scare you off from interacting with women for a while. Yet not even a day later, you’re actively getting closer to them?”
“This kind of thing is easy to figure out with a little thought.”
Reaching out, Yan Huan stroked the cat’s soft ears and ran his hand along its fluffy back.
“You haven’t told me who else besides Bai Yi has a Modifier, nor have you explained their effects... which means you don’t know, do you?”
“...You’re right. My knowledge is limited to their existence and general traits, but specifics are beyond me.”
“Exactly.”
Yan Huan spread his hands, his expression calm.
“The first step in resolving Modifiers is identifying their hosts and understanding their nature. Only then can we think about how to neutralize them.
“Even if there’s a chance Ye Lan or Ye Shiyu has a Modifier, avoiding them wouldn’t help. Shiyu will still attend Yuanyue Academy. Unless I cut ties with every woman, drop out of school, burn all my connections, disfigure myself, and hide away yelling, ‘I quit being human!’...”
Yan Huan trailed off, his gaze drifting. Resting his left arm across his forehead, he murmured softly,
“Besides, Aunt Ye is a very kind person.”
Meow-chan said nothing, its soft green eyes observing him as he absentmindedly stroked its fur. Suddenly, the cat began kneading his chest with its pink paws.
“Purr~”
Yan Huan glanced down, surprised by the rhythmic motion and the gentle purring sound.
“What are you doing?”
The cat continued, gazing at him as if he were slow-witted. Its expression seemed to say, I’m a cat. What else would I be doing besides kneading?
Sighing, Yan Huan reached to pick the cat up by the scruff of its neck, but his motion froze when a knock came from the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Yan Huan and Meow-chan exchanged a glance. Sitting up, he called out,
“Who is it?”
“...”
No reply.
But Yan Huan already had an idea. Lowering his voice, he whispered to Meow-chan,
“Hide, and don’t let anyone see you.”
“Meow~”
The cat obediently wriggled under the bed and disappeared from sight.
Straightening his white shirt and slipping on his slippers, Yan Huan approached the door.
“Coming.”
Click.
Opening the door slightly, he saw the dimly lit hallway. With the main lights off and only a single lamp illuminating the corridor, the second floor was shrouded in shadows.
Standing just outside the door was the tall, black-haired figure of Ye Shiyu.
She was dressed entirely in dark tones, her alabaster skin a striking contrast. Her beauty seemed almost otherworldly, as if she were a masterpiece of genetics.
Caught off guard, Yan Huan hesitated before offering her a polite smile and opening the door wider. The room’s warm light spilled out, stopping just short of her slippers, creating a clear line between light and shadow.
“Shiyu-jie, what’s up?”
Her only response was to lift her phone, speaking softly.
“Mom asked us to exchange contact information.”
So, she came to add him as a contact.
Relieved, Yan Huan dismissed his earlier suspicions. Perhaps she was just quiet and reserved, nothing more.
“Ah, right, I almost forgot. Give me a moment—should I scan you or you scan me?”
“You scan me.”
“Alright.”
Ye Shiyu unlocked her phone and handed it to Yan Huan.
Under the light, he noticed that her phone case, like everything else, had her name inscribed on it. Without much thought, he opened Plane’s QR scanning feature.
However, when he pointed his phone’s camera at her screen, what appeared wasn’t a QR code.
Instead, a swirling vortex of ominous purple light filled the screen, spinning faster and faster.
What the...?
Yan Huan froze, staring at the bizarre sight. His pupils contracted as he realized something was very wrong.
The vortex’s rotation intensified, and Ye Shiyu’s eyes, reflecting the hallway’s shadows, grew unfathomably dark. Her expression remained calm as a mechanical voice echoed from her phone.
[APP Activated]
[Effect: Individual Hypnosis]
[Duration: 15 minutes]
[Countdown: Start.]
Before Yan Huan could react, the shadows seemed to deepen, pulling his consciousness into their abyss.