At Ye Yiyi’s place, Tang Coco ate while steam curled off the dishes like silk threads.

“Mmm. Not bad.” Her brows eased, like clouds parting after rain.

“You taught me all this.” Warm pride fluttered in Ye Yiyi’s chest before her voice left her lips.

“Not me. Her. I don’t waste time on boring stuff.” Tang Coco tapped her chest, a sly moonlight glint in her eyes.

Silence fell. Shame pooled in Ye Yiyi’s stomach like cool water in a well. She lowered her head.

Tang Coco watched that bowed head. A frown creased her brow like a folded fan.

“Ugh, you little ghosts wear me out.” Her sigh drifted like smoke. She rose and moved to Ye Yiyi’s side.

“Huh?” Curiosity pricked first, then surprise. Ye Yiyi looked up with startled fawn eyes.

Tang Coco didn’t ask. She sat right on Ye Yiyi’s lap. Skin met skin—home skirt against cutoff shorts—cool as spring water on jade. Heat rushed to Ye Yiyi’s face like a tide.

“Y-you…” The words tangled. Her heartbeat thudded like a drum under silk.

Tang Coco wasn’t done. A smile hooked her mouth, fox-bright. She leaned in, breath warm as tea, arm looping softly around Ye Yiyi’s neck.

No words came. Shame swelled, petal-red, and stole Ye Yiyi’s voice.

“Do you… like this?” Tang Coco’s whisper brushed her ear like a feather in wind.

Ye Yiyi stayed red and silent, thoughts fluttering like trapped moths.

“So be happy. I’m not that prickly, prideful her. If there’s something you want, then take the chance.” Her voice lilted, honey over steel.

“I—mmph!” The protest broke. Tang Coco kissed her, quick as lightning under summer clouds.

Ye Yiyi’s eyes flew wide. Tang Coco didn’t care about the shock. She pushed past gentle lips like a wave crossing a low sandbar.

“Mmh… mmh…” Two muffled sounds slipped out. Ye Yiyi’s gaze turned glassy, like dew on leaves at dawn. She held herself back and didn’t bite. One bite at this Tang Coco, and the aftermath would be ruin.

Beep-beep-beep!

The phone cut in, sharp as a sparrow’s cry at noon. Clarity snapped back. Ye Yiyi pushed Tang Coco away.

“Hah… hah…” Air burned in her lungs, rough as wind off cold river water.

Tang Coco slid off her lap. A hint of rose touched her cheeks, but her smile stayed seductively lazy, like wine warmed by candlelight.

“Not the time, it seems. You’ll have another chance tonight.” Her tease drifted like incense as she sat opposite and kept eating.

Ye Yiyi pressed hot palms to her face, heart pounding like rain on a drum. She forced her breath steady, then took the call.

“W-who is this…?”

“Yiyi? Coco’s phone is off. Put her on.” Ningxin’s voice came cool and taut, like a drawn bowstring.

“O-okay.” Ye Yiyi walked to Tang Coco and handed the phone over.

“N-Ning-jie wants you.” Color lingered on her cheeks, the shock still rippling like circles in a pond.

Tang Coco smiled at her, then took the phone. “Speak.”

“I need your help.” Ningxin’s tone stayed level, iron under silk.

“What’s up?”

“A Huaguo delegation in the U.S. ran into trouble at an international conference. Secret intel says a clandestine Abnormal group seized their hotel. They’ve taken all our people hostage.” Ningxin’s brow knitted, storm-thick.

“What, the U.S. is that big and can’t field a few Abnormals to handle it?” Tang Coco’s voice cooled, frost on steel.

“HQ wants us to rescue our own. We’re at a critical juncture with them. HQ suspects that group may be tied to the U.S.”

“Heh. So why’s this on you? Huaguo has plenty of Abnormal organizations. Why take this thankless slog?” Her tone flipped a lazy blade.

“…I have to. So do you. Because… Li Muyan and her father are in that delegation.”

Silence hit like snow falling all at once. Tang Coco stood, left the table, and stepped onto the second-floor balcony. Wind brushed her face, clean as water over stone.

“What happened?” Her face drew tight, shadow and edge.

“It’s my fault. I lied to you and Yiyi. In truth… Muyan is an Abnormal. A second-tier one.”

Wind stilled. The night held its breath.

“Second-tier Abnormals have no overt Anomaly Power. They just carry gifts far beyond the norm in certain fields. Muyan’s mark is elite shooting and close-quarters combat. The Li family trained her in secret as a special-operations soldier.”

Back at the hospital, Tang Coco had smelled powder clinging to Li Muyan like a fine dust. Doubt had budded then, pale and sharp.

“Then why has she stayed by Ye Yiyi’s side?”

“I don’t know. Muyan told me only this: her grandfather ordered her to protect Ye Yiyi.”

The balcony rail felt cold under Tang Coco’s fingers, like midnight iron.

“In short, we can’t let the U.S. side detect us. We can’t send many. We need one person with overwhelming strength. I’m asking you. For Yiyi and for Muyan.”

Silence again, deep as a well.

“One last question,” Tang Coco said at last.

“Mmm? What is it?”

“When I get there… can I kill that organization’s people as I see fit?” Her smile curved, a knife wrapped in silk.

Ningxin shivered as if a draft slipped down her spine. “Yes. As long as the delegation stays safe. Every last one.”

“Heh. I accept.”

In Tang Coco’s eyes, crimson rose like a tide under a blood moon, restless and hungry.