novelraw Chapter 83
Chapter 83
Chapter 83
"Hoo..."
Ye Mansion, third floor.
The balcony door stood open, letting in a cool breeze that set the gauzy curtains drifting. A shadow-black tail swept by, brushing the bed where Ye Lan lay. Her long lashes fluttered once, then she opened her eyes, exhausted, and glanced at her phone.
"Mm..."
Seeing the time, she flipped the phone face-down, rolled onto her side, and closed her eyes again.
Creak...
Creak...
A faint, almost ghostly scratching tugged at her ears. Just as sleep returned, Ye Lan snapped awake. She sat up and looked toward the door—something was pawing at it.
Still half-asleep, she grabbed her phone, ready to call the police, then remembered they had a small visitor tonight.
"Meow-chan?"
She padded to the door and opened it. Sure enough, a round black kitten blinked up at her with emerald eyes, tilting its head and letting out a soft "mew."
"Meow-chan, didn't you want to sleep with your brother? You'd rather share a bed with Auntie?"
Ye Lan smiled, crouching to scoop the cat up. But the plump fur-ball darted aside, gave her a look, and scampered down the hall.
"Meow-chan."
Ye Lan straightened, bemused. "What goes on in that little head of yours?"
With the invitation declined, she turned back—only to notice, in her peripheral vision, that the door beside her own, Ye Shiyu's, stood wide open, revealing a dark void.
Odd. Why would her daughter sleep with the door ajar? Probably the wind. Ye Lan crossed the hall to close it, sparing Shiyu an early-morning wake-up call from Auntie Chen.
Then she glimpsed the empty bed.
"...Not in her room?"
Ye Lan frowned; sleep evaporated. She checked her phone: after one in the morning. She moved to the railing, scanning the spacious living room below—no Shiyu fetching water. The master bath was en-suite; no reason to leave.
Out this late? Ye Lan worried. A delicate girl wandering at night—anything could happen. She dialed immediately.
Ring... ring...
At the same moment, on the second floor, in Yan Huan's guest room.
Yan Huan lay shirtless, pale skin now stippled with crimson stamps—each one spelled "Shiyu." Ye Shiyu, perched on the edge of his bed, squeezed an oily liquid from a plastic bottle.
"These marks are special, Xiao Huan. They'll fade by morning, so you won't see them. Temporary, but right now..." She smiled. "You look amazing."
Every inch of me is your name—how is that amazing? One stamp even rides my cheek; are we branding cattle?
Yan Huan squinted under the bright lamp, catching a few characters on the bottle—yin-yang-huo, she-chuang-zi, rou-cong-rong. Whatever those were, they sounded ominous.
Shiyu's cheeks flushed. She drizzled the viscous oil into her palm; it cascaded like molten gold onto the square red mark on his abdomen. Cool at first, then searing, as if lava traced every ridge of muscle.
"Hss—"
While reading the instructions, she spread the oil in slow circles. Glancing at the flush rising on his skin, she murmured, "It might get intense. Don't hold back, Xiao Huan."
Her cool, soft hand pressed gently; Yan Huan sucked in a breath. Hormones—inescapable magnets—pulled his gaze to her flawless face, her lithe curves, her ivory skin. Instinct.
Adolescent males, once the breeding spark ignites, see nothing else. A fire impossible to smother, clinging like a parasite until release leaves only hollow regret.
Such wretched creatures, ruled by chemistry.
Just as Yan Huan bit back a groan and Shiyu reached for something even more alarming, her phone rang.
Ding-ding-ding...
Shiyu froze. The caller ID read "Mom" in bold.
"Mom?!"
Heart hammering, she set the bottle down and glanced toward the ceiling. After a breath, she answered.
"Hello?"
"Shiyu, it's past one. Why aren't you in your room?"
How did Mom know?
"I got up for some air," came Ye Lan's voice, "and your door was open. You're not downstairs. A girl out alone at this hour—Mom's worried."
Did I forget to close it? Shiyu had no memory; excitement had overridden detail. Probably the wind.
But one look at Yan Huan—half-dressed, skin a map of red stamps—and her pulse spiked. Mom couldn't find out.
She whispered, "I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk. I'll be back soon."
"Where are you now?"
"Just inside the compound. It's safe. I'll come up after some fresh air."
"All right. Come back quickly."
"Okay."
The call ended. Shiyu exhaled in relief. Soundproof rooms and a soft voice—Mom hadn't heard a thing.
Upstairs, Ye Lan ended the call, worry still pinching her brow. She wasn't a controlling parent; her daughter had never given her cause to be.
She had simply been worried that her daughter might be wandering the streets after dark, so she'd called to check.
After all, the girl was almost grown; she deserved her own space. Pushing and prying would only make Ye Lan look like an overbearing mother.
Ye Lan glanced at her phone, meaning to head back upstairs, but a sudden thirst sent her looking for water.
She walked into her room and found, to her dismay, that the thermos on her nightstand was bone-dry.
"Ugh, should've put a water cooler in the bedroom too. Rookie mistake."
They'd only moved to Linmen recently; a few domestic details still needed ironing out.
Before, Shiyu had had to trudge down three flights just to fill a glass.
Since sleep had deserted her, Ye Lan didn't mind the trek. She padded down to the first floor.
"Glug-glug~"
She refilled the stainless-steel cup, took a sip, and was about to head back up when something by the entrance caught her eye.
Shiyu's going-out shoes sat neatly on the mat.
"."
Ye Lan paused, thermos dangling from her fingers. A small frown creased her brow.
Shiyu hadn't gone out?
She was still in the house—yet not in her own room?
Then where?
And why had she spoken so softly on the phone just now?
The more Ye Lan thought, the stranger it felt. She pulled out her phone, ready to dial, when an awful possibility slammed into her mind.
She froze.
In the dim living room she glanced toward the second floor, set the thermos down, and climbed the stairs.
She stopped outside Yan Huan's door, hesitated, and wrapped her fingers round the handle.
"Sorry, Xiao Huan," she whispered to herself, "Auntie Ye just needs to check—please let it not be—"
She eased the handle down.
Click.
Locked.
Inside, Ye Shiyu's excitement—already frayed by the earlier phone call—crumbled into panic.
She shot a guilty glance at the ceiling, then gently closed the balcony door, terrified a single sound might escape.
Once everything was sealed, she turned back to the bed, cheeks flushed.
"Sorry, Xiao Huan, that took longer than I thought... You must be uncomfortable. Let me help—"
Click!
The doorknob rattled.
Ye Shiyu froze, eyes wide.
Hovering in the room, the translucent Meow-chan smirked as if to say,
"Now you know what it feels like when you scare the wits out of Yan Huan and me!"
But terror had already swallowed Shiyu.
Mom?
Right outside?
Why would she try Yan Huan's door?
Had she noticed something?
No—don't panic!
Shiyu slipped off the bed, tiptoed to the door, and pressed her ear to the wood. Through the heavy panel she caught the faint shuffle of footsteps.
Tap... tap...
She swallowed hard. Mom really was standing there.
Outside, Ye Lan frowned at the locked door, said nothing, and turned toward the far end of the hallway.
"I'm sure the spare key's up here somewhere..."
She stood on tiptoe, feeling along the top shelf of a cabinet.
Nothing.
Her hand swept the surface again—empty.
The key had vanished.
Ye Lan's face darkened. She spun around.
At the other end of the corridor, Shiyu—still in her nightgown—was hunched at the door, eavesdropping with guilty intensity.
Unbeknownst to her, the boy on the bed had risen, expression stormy.
Tap... tap...
The footsteps were returning.
Shiyu's pulse hammered. The only spare key was in her pocket; Mom couldn't get in.
Worst case, she'd call, and Shiyu could climb off the balcony later and re-enter through the front.
For now, bluff and stall—whatever it took to keep Mom from discovering what she'd been doing to Xiao Huan.
Her phone stayed dark; the hypnosis app never flickered on.
Tap... tap...
Closer now—too close.
The sound wasn't coming from the hallway anymore.
It was—
Shiyu realized a fraction of a second too late.
Thump!
A tall, burning-hot body crashed against her from behind.
"Xiao Huan?!"
Before she could react, she was crushed into a searing embrace, her back slammed gently against the door.
Outside, Ye Lan's thumb paused over the call button.
Shiyu's face flared crimson. She tried to turn, but a broad hand—veins bulging—locked her right wrist against the wood, while another arm snaked around her waist.
He leaned over her like a living avalanche, pinning her. Before she could protest, his lips brushed the nape of her neck, then her ear, and every nerve in her body short-circuited.
Her mind went white; her limbs melted.
What... what's happening?
I hypnotized Xiao Huan—how can he—
Ah!
The last command I gave him was...
"This might get intense, so don't hold back, okay, Xiao Huan?"
So he isn't holding back?
No—wait—I'm not ready yet!
Let me adjust first—
I have to stop him—
"Nnh—"
But the order never left her lips. A muffled whimper escaped instead, and her forehead thudded softly against the door.
"Xiao Huan, wait—"
Inside Yan Huan's mental command center, chaos reigned.
Miniature Yan Huans labeled "Emotion," "Reason," and "Logic" sprinted in every direction while a chibi Ye Shiyu wielding a stamp marked "Hypnosis" chased them mercilessly.
"Quack! Run for it! The Hypnosis Demon's here!"
"Retreat! Retreat!"
"Hold the line—don't become her slave!"
While countless Yan Huans were being beaten back by the expressionless Ye Shiyu, the control room of his brain stood empty—unmanned, unguarded.
Then a "Littlest Yan Huan," who hadn't set foot in this pristine territory for more than a decade, gave a cold snort and slipped in unnoticed.
His head was a full size smaller than the other "Emotions" and "Reasons."
Surveying the crisis before him, he didn't panic; instead, tears of sheer emotion rolled down his cheeks.
"At last... at long last."
The next second he laid a trembling hand on the brain's steering console and, still sobbing, roared:
"I don't wanna be a virgin anymore!!"
Virgin-Breaker Mecha—activate!!
Yan Huan's body snapped into motion. The tiny Yan Huans who'd been chased by the chibi Ye Shiyu whipped around in shock.
"Crap! Short-Brain's staging a coup!"
"No—don't let Short-Brain drive the Big Brain!!"
"We're doomed!!"
Even the chibi Ye Shiyu froze, her intimidation broken by the murderous aura now radiating from Yan Huan; no more orders left her lips.
Yes—Ye Shiyu had teased him once too often. Even clay figurines have some fire in them.
He'd been holding back, and then she went and doused herself in that stuff?
Fine.
Demoness.
You'll help me finish my cultivation!!
With a dark scowl, Yan Huan threw caution to the wind and reached for Ye Shiyu—ready to carry out an on-the-spot execution.
"Meow!"
Meow-chan leapt onto his shoulder and spoke urgently:
"Yan Huan, remember! If you give her what she wants while you're under hypnosis, she wins, meow!! If you lose control now, you'll never get it back—she'll have every excuse to keep you hypnotized forever!"
Short-Brain Yan Huan hesitated. For an instant, a vision of defeat flashed across his mind like a bad ending CG.
"!!"
He saw his future self—gaunt, lying in bed, watching her spoon-feed him with that gentle smile.
She dabbed the corner of his mouth, cheeks flushed, and whispered to the frail shell of him:
"Remember, darling? That first night, you were so bold..."
"Even if you can't do that anymore, I'll always, always remember the feeling~"
"Da~r~ling~"
[Indulging desire to conquer another's desire only makes you desire's slave.]
[Defeat.]
A chill shot up Yan Huan's spine; the haze in his eyes shattered.
"Get him!"
"Everyone—pile on! Beat him up!"
With the chibi Ye Shiyu's pressure gone, the tiny avatars of Emotion and Reason swarmed the control room. They surrounded Short-Brain Yan Huan and let him have it.
"Thud!"
"Why?! Why are you doing this to me? I only—"
After the beating, Short-Brain Yan Huan—now black-and-blue—was dragged away from the console, bawling.
"I just don't want to be a virgin anymore! What did I do wrong?!"
His tears and snot were so heartfelt that every Yan Huan present began to sniffle.
"In my last life I worked myself to death and still died a virgin... I only want to be with a pretty girl, that's all!!"
"Short-Brain..."
One of the tiny Yan Huans stepped forward, visibly moved. He sighed, patted Short-Brain on the shoulder, and said:
"We know that feeling... we all do. But that's exactly why we have to choose our first time carefully, right?"
"Yeah. We've got to stay pure."
"Ye Shiyu is too dangerous—she's not worth the risk."
Short-Brain blinked, looking at the others gathering around him.
"Y-you guys..."
The lead Yan Huan gave him a sunny smile.
"We all like Sakuramiya, don't we? Let's aim for someone normal—like her. Together!"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"Better none than the wrong one!"
Sakuramiya...
Right—he liked small, ordinary girls like Sakuramiya.
How had he let beauty cloud his judgment?
Enveloped by their warmth, Short-Brain Yan Huan smiled at last. His form dissolved into light, fading from the control room.
Before he vanished, he called out:
"Guys... make sure we end up with a normal Sakuramiya, okay?"
"Yeah!"
"Promise!!"
Back in reality, Yan Huan's eyes cleared. He glanced toward the door.
"Thanks, Meow-chan."
Meow-chan exhaled. "Wasn't that your own rule? When they use Modifiers—deny them. When they don't—let them succeed. Only by comparing the two will they give Modifiers up."
Looking down at the dazed Ye Shiyu in his arms, Yan Huan sighed inwardly.
"Exactly. That's why we planned this."
He tightened his grip just enough to make her wrist ache.
"Mm..."
Pain—the body's primal alarm bell, snapping the mind out of any emotional swamp.
Not everyone likes it, but for most humans it works.
Ye Shiyu was no exception.
The sting cut through her haze; her pupils shrank, her breath caught.
Xiao Huan... is the violent type?
Her breathing—
She wrenched free of the mood, trembling, and issued a crisp command:
"Xiao Huan, let go and get back in bed."
Bzzt!
Hypnotic force surged, conjuring the compulsion to move—exactly as Yan Huan expected.
He obeyed at once, shambling back to the bed with a blank stare.
Ye Shiyu leaned against the door, listening until the footsteps outside faded.
Tap.
Tap.
Only then did she relax.
Mom's gone.
Ding~
Her phone chimed. A Plane message from Ye Lan:
"I'm turning in. Come home soon."
Good. Mom hadn't noticed a thing.
"All right, Mommy."
Ye Shiyu let her shoulders drop a fraction.
Mother's problem was solved, but the unexpected turn had dulled the faint glow of fascination in her chest.
Mainly, Yan Huan's sudden surge of strength just now had startled her.
She pressed her lips together, studying the boy on the bed, and murmured,
"So... when a boy really can't hold back, it's this terrifying?"
"Nothing like a doll at all."
Yan Huan didn't answer; he simply watched her face.
[Hypnosis countdown: 3 minutes remaining]
[Please handle hypnotic interactions carefully; avoid alerting a third party after the session ends.]
At that instant another phantom alert chimed from somewhere around her.
She was quiet for a moment, then drew a slow breath. Instead of using the final weekly charge, she began collecting the vials and jars.
"That's enough for tonight. Xiao Huan, sink into sleep and don't wake until morning. Rest well... and forget everything that just happened."
The gentle command drifted over him like a lullaby, and a heavy drowsiness rolled in through the lingering numbness. Without resistance Yan Huan would have dropped off at once.
But after the order, Ye Shiyu still didn't leave. He heard her slip into the bathroom, rinse a towel, then return to wipe his body and set everything in order.
Within minutes she had tidied every trace. The marks melted away, vanishing before anyone could notice.
Click.
"Good night, Xiao Huan."
The suitcase snapped shut; she whispered the farewell.
Yet at the door she hesitated, turned back, and quietly climbed onto the bed. She studied him for a long time.
Click.
A camera shutter sounded.
Only then did she rise, conscience pricking, and tiptoe to the threshold with her case.
Click.
She eased the door open, peered into the pitch-black corridor, and, certain no one was there—Mother had long since gone to bed—slipped out.
She closed the door and, considerate to the end, used the key to double-lock it from the outside, restoring the state in which she had found it.
.
Inside the room, Meow-chan watched her go, then climbed back onto Yan Huan's chest and gave a soft mew.
"We made it through the night."
"Yeah."
Yan Huan exhaled, covering his face. "If this keeps up I'll crack by dawn. Tomorrow I'll test the plan—see if it works."
"Relax, Yan Huan. I have a hunch."
"A hunch?"
Through his black bangs he stared at the cat in puzzlement.
"What kind of hunch?"
Meow-chan tilted her head adorably.
"Ye Lan will punish her."
"...Let's hope so."
Outside, Ye Shiyu crept like a thief, scanning the hushed surroundings.
She set the key to Yan Huan's room on the hall table and inched up the stairs to the third floor.
Ye Lan's door on the third floor was shut tight; she seemed to have been asleep for hours.
Reassured, Ye Shiyu padded to her own door, stepped inside, and closed it.
Click.
The entire mansion sank into silence.
Seconds later, however, Ye Lan—barefoot, in her nightgown—ascended soundlessly, having slipped off her slippers.
She had hidden on the spiral stair between the first and second floors the moment Ye Shiyu left Yan Huan's room, unseen.
.
Phone in hand, Ye Lan reached the third floor.
She stood staring at the door that had just closed, thoughts unreadable.