Li Muyan rushed up to the second floor, her breath like a small wind; Ye Yiyi’s bedroom door sat ajar like a sleepy eyelid, so she drifted closer.

“I know! But I’ve decided,” Ye Yiyi’s voice sparked like flint, sharp and hot. “I won’t follow her plan. Tell her to stop meddling in my life.”

Li stopped at the threshold, held by the heat of that anger like a moth near a lamp.

“Yeah. I’ve made up my mind… I won’t regret it.” Her words thudded like stones dropped in a well.

“Fine. She can do whatever she wants,” she said, her tone like frost on grass.

“Okay, that’s it.” She hung up; the phone went down with a little snap, tossed aside like a pebble into sand.

“Yiyi?” Li called softly, her voice a warm ribbon at the doorway.

“Mm? Muyan?” Ye glanced over; she forced a smile like a paper lantern, thin and bright.

“What happened, a fight?” Li asked, worry rising like mist; it was rare to see Ye this stormy.

“It’s… fine…” Ye gave a bitter smile and shook her head, the motion like a wilted leaf.

“Come on, tell me. We’re besties; I’ll back you like a tree giving shade.” Li sat beside her, slipped an arm around Ye’s slim waist like a sash, voice sweet as honey.

“…” Ye lowered her head, thoughts sinking like stones, then said, “A while ago my dad called. He wants me to go home during Golden Week. My mom plans to introduce me to someone.”

“Huh? Introduce someone?” Li blinked, confusion fluttering like a moth.

“A boyfriend…” Ye’s voice fell, soft as ash.

“What? Seriously? Who is he?” Li asked, surprise knocking like rain on a window.

“I don’t know. Dad said it’s my mom’s classmate’s son. But knowing her, it’s probably about money and status, like clouds she chases,” Ye said lightly, sadness and helplessness glinting like dusk in her eyes.

“How can they! Did they ever consider your feelings?” Li’s temper flared like a flame; she hadn’t expected parents to treat a girl like Ye so carelessly. Then memory tugged like a hidden current—what she’d learned days ago about Ye’s parents—and understanding settled like dust.

“…” Ye kept her head down, gloom heavy as a rain-laden sky.

“Yiyi, I’ve wanted to ask—did you move out because your parents treated you badly?” Li held her, voice soft as silk.

“No… no,” Ye shook her head, the denial thin as smoke.

“Don’t fool me. If not, why live alone for so long?” Li’s words fell steady, and silence pooled between them like still water.

“…”

“What did he say just now that made you this angry?” Li pressed, her tone a gentle but firm tide.

“My dad… said if I don’t go back and do something for the family, my mom won’t give me living expenses anymore.” Ye finished; Li’s anger burst like thunder under a summer cloud.

“What!? Who does that! Using their daughter as a bargaining chip and then threatening her with money! Did they forget back then—” Li snapped, nearly tripping over a secret like a loose stone.

“Back then? What?” Ye asked, puzzled, curiosity pricking like thorns.

“Forget it…” Li waved it off, the gesture like a leaf in wind, then patted Ye’s shoulder.

“It’s okay! Yiyi, I’ll take care of you,” she said, warmth like sunlight spilling.

“Pfft—” Ye was coaxed into a laugh, the sound like a bell; she knew Li was comforting her, and said, “Don’t worry. I’ve long stopped wanting to rely on them. I plan to use the money I saved and start something of my own.”

Li nodded deeply, the motion firm as a hammer. “Good. I’ll support you.”

“Mm-hmm~” Ye answered happily, her mood lifting like a kite; she was lucky to have a friend who stayed when the sky went gray.

“By the way, why’d you come find me?” Ye asked suddenly; Li blinked, realization smacking her forehead like a playful tap.

“Oh man, I forgot the main thing. Coco woke up. Let’s go see her tonight.” Her voice carried relief like clear water.

“Really? Coco’s awake!?” Ye grabbed Li’s hand, excitement dancing like sparks.

“Of course.” Li’s smile was steady, a settled lake.

“Then let’s go now.” Ye leaned forward, eagerness like a rushing stream.

“Hey, don’t rush. Marilyn said we should go tonight. Coco probably still has issues to sort out,” Li said, tugging Ye’s hand gently like a reins.

“I see…” Ye cooled, calm returning like evening shade; knowing Tang Coco had woken eased her heart.

“Okay then, we’ll go together tonight,” Ye said, resolve smooth as polished stone.

“Mm-hmm. I’ll go check on the two little ones downstairs,” Li said, rising like a reed.

“Got it.” Ye nodded, then flopped back onto her bed like a falling feather.

After lunch, Tang Coco returned to that bedroom; on the bed, Gu Xin had laid out fresh bedding, clean as snow.

Tang Coco sat on the soft mattress, lifted her gaze to her body like studying a moonlit lake—long legs, slender arms, skin crystal-white, so flawless it looked less like human skin and more like porcelain.

“Even for a girl… this is a bit much,” she muttered, pinching the tender flesh of her arm like testing dough, helplessness sighing in her voice.

“Ah…” She let out a soft sigh and fell back, lids closing like petals; since waking last night, this was her first real exhale.

“I’m coming in~” A voice floated from the door like a playful breeze. Tang Coco turned; Gu Xin pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“What is it?” Coco didn’t sit up; she asked while lying on her back, her tone flat as a line of sand.

“Nothing. It’s just the two of us now, so of course I came to find you~” Gu Xin’s smile curved like a crescent.

“Uh…” Coco thought for a beat, and had to admit it made sense like a simple sum.

“Hugging you last night was so comfortable~” Gu Xin said, slipping off her slippers, climbing onto the bed. She gently pulled Coco’s arm, tugging her sideways like guiding a drifting boat, then wrapped her arms around Coco from the side.

“!” Coco stared, shock wide as stars; since when was Gu Xin this clingy?

“You’re not—” Coco started, assuming Gu Xin had some plan, but Gu Xin’s expression instantly soured, her cheeks puffing like a little drum. “Hey, what’s that face? You always hug me. Now it’s my turn, and it’s not okay?”

“Uh… no… it’s not that,” Coco said, realizing she’d overthought, her guilt small as a pebble.

“Hmph.” Gu Xin huffed, pressing her cheek to Coco’s shoulder like a warm cat; the two lay there, breathing in sync like waves.

“…” After a while, Coco spoke, voice light as mist. “Xin… the Lynx incident…”

“I looked into it, but found nothing. There’s no record of that black Anomalous Energy,” Gu Xin said, eyes closed, words steady as rain.

“Because they aren’t from this world,” Coco said, calm as iron.

“What!?” Gu Xin’s surprise cracked like ice.

“It’s like this,” Coco continued, and told her about the red-haired girl’s background and her own role as a bearer of dark power, the tale unwinding like a shadowed thread.

“So that’s it…” After a while, Gu Xin finally understood, wonder and disbelief swirling like a storm in a teacup.

“So the red-haired girl’s mission… is to fight them no matter what?” Gu Xin asked, voice cool as steel.

“Yes. It’s our fate, I guess,” Coco said, eyes on the ceiling like watching clouds drift.

“Do you have any leads on them?” Gu Xin asked, hope thin as a strand.

“No. I need my Anomaly Power to finish fusing. Then the system can analyze the last battle,” Coco said, patience like a stone pillar.

“I see…” Gu Xin lifted her head, saw the worry etched on Coco’s face like fine cracks. She thought, then said, “Alright~ let’s rest for a bit together~”

She rolled Coco gently to face her, so they lay face to face like twin moons, then hugged her and closed her eyes.

“Uh…” Coco was speechless for a beat, then she lifted her hands and hugged Gu Xin back, her arms settling like a quiet harbor.

A little past three, Gu Xin drove her sports car toward the city center, the engine purring like a cat; to avoid drawing eyes, she wore a white sun jacket, gray shorts, and white sneakers, the look bright as morning. Coco’s pearly hair was pinned up under Gu Xin’s hands like weaving silk, and a red beanie covered it; some white strands still showed like stray snow, but not enough to draw a crowd.

“Where are we going?” Gu Xin asked, awkward as a deer; she guided the car slowly like a boat. Out on the road, they finally faced it—Ninghai was a foreign map to both of them. Where do you even go to dye hair?

“Uh… maybe… let’s call Yiyi and the others,” Coco suggested, her idea like a lantern lit.

“…” Gu Xin thought, then said, “Alright… no choice. You call?”

“Mm.” Coco took the phone Gu Xin handed over and dialed Ye Yiyi’s number, fingers quick as sparrows.

“Hello? Sister Gu?” Ye picked up fast, her voice clear as a bell on the other end.

“Yiyi… it’s me,” Coco said softly, warmth flowing like tea. Silence fell for a heartbeat as Ye recognized that voice, then—

“…” A rush followed like wind. “Co—Coco!? Are you okay!?”

“I’m fine. Sorry to make you worry,” Coco said, her heart warming like sun on frost.

“Wow, you’re okay! That’s great~” Ye’s joy rang like chimes.

“Do you two have time now?” Coco asked, hope bright as a spark.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“We’re on the way to the city center, but we don’t know the area. Can you come out? Let’s meet up.”

“You’re heading into the city? Is your body okay?” Ye asked, concern like a hand on a brow.

“Mm, much better,” Coco said, steady as a drum.

“Alright, I’ll send you an address. Let’s meet there.”

“Okay. We’ll wait for you,” Coco answered, then hung up, the call ending like a soft click.

Ye ended the call and joy swept her clean like rain; she tossed thoughts of Ye Zhenghao aside like old leaves, quickly dressed, and headed downstairs.

“Muyan, come out with me,” Ye said, urgency bright as a flame.

“Huh? What’s up?” Li asked, curiosity pricking like needles.

“Mm… I suddenly remembered something. Come with me,” Ye said, glancing at Meng Xiaoxiao, keeping her words folded like a fan.

“Alright~” As Ye’s closest friend, Li understood at once, clarity like clear glass. She ran upstairs, changed, then came down and told Marilyn and Meng Xiaoxiao on the sofa, “You two behave at home.”

“Alright, I hear you. I’m not a kid.” Meng Xiaoxiao puffed her cheeks like a steamed bun, then kept watching TV with Marilyn. The screen washed the room in lantern glow.

On the road, dashboard lights flickered like fireflies. Curiosity tugged at Li Muyan in the passenger seat; she glanced at Ye Yiyi behind the wheel. “What’s up?”

“Tang Coco asked us to swing by downtown.” Ye Yiyi’s voice had a skip in it, like a sparrow lifting off.

“Tang Coco? She’s out already?” Shock pricked Li Muyan, quick as a spark.

“Mm… she didn’t say. Let’s just go first.” Ye Yiyi kept her eyes on the lane, steady as a thread on a loom.

“Okay.” Li Muyan nodded. She knew Tang Coco’s situation; a phone couldn’t carry all that. Still, joy pooled warm in her chest, like spring water.