Ye Yiyi slapped Tang Coco’s hand away, her mood rising like a storm tide. The glass of red wine shivered, a dark lake about to spill. Tang Coco caught her, pulled her close like shelter under an umbrella.

“Coco, let Yiyi rest in my room,” Mo Zitong said from his seat, voice flat like a stone on still water. “She looks drunk.”

“Drunk? I’m not. Don’t you dare try to get rid of me.” Ye Yiyi’s eyes sparked like flint in dry grass.

“...”

“Yiyi, let’s go rest,” Tang Coco murmured, voice soft as a spring breeze through bamboo.

“Coco, you think I drank too much?”

“No. Be good, okay? Rest a bit.” Her tone curled like silk around a wrist.

“...”

“Fine...” Ye Yiyi’s anger ebbed like a tide at dusk.

With her agreement, Tang Coco rose and steadied her, a hand like a branch bearing fruit. Mo Zitong led them down the hall, his steps quiet as rain.

Tang Coco set Ye Yiyi on the bed, the mattress breathing like a meadow in summer. She bent and slipped off the heels, two red boats beached at last.

Then Ye Yiyi moved. Her arm looped Tang Coco’s neck like ivy claiming a wall. Tang Coco lost balance and fell forward, a feather landing on warm grass.

“Coco, don’t go... that guy is dangerous.” Ye Yiyi’s eyes stayed closed, her voice drifting like fog over a river.

“...” Tang Coco’s pulse flicked like a moth at a lantern.

She glanced back. Mo Zitong offered a helpless smile, thin as moonlight on glass, then turned and left like a shadow leaving the room.

“Okay. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay,” Tang Coco whispered, her promise steady as a tied knot.

“Mhm...” Ye Yiyi answered low, the sound sinking like a pebble in a pond.

She held Tang Coco tight, then slowly calmed, her breathing even as a quiet drum. Fatigue took her in minutes, sleep closing like petals at night.

Tang Coco tested gently, fingertip light as snow. She eased Ye Yiyi’s arm away and stood, the motion smooth as a crane lifting. She brushed Ye Yiyi’s messy hair, silk strands falling back like dark water, and slipped out of the room.

In the living room, Mo Zitong sat curled in a chair, knees folded like a cat in winter. He drank alone, worry written like rain on a window.

“Tell me. What’s going on between you two?” Tang Coco sat, sipped wine, the taste heavy as iron and cherries.

“Didn’t Yiyi tell you?” Mo Zitong’s words moved like slow smoke.

“Some of it. She told me what happened back in middle school.” Tang Coco’s gaze stayed level, a blade laid flat.

“Sounds like Yiyi really likes you. She even told you that.” Mo Zitong’s mouth hooked, a crescent smile thin as paper.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind you knowing. Honestly, it was because of my Anomaly Power.” His confession fell like a stone into deep water.

“...”

“Before I talk, one question.” His tone sharpened like frost on leaves.

“What?”

“You’re an Abnormal, aren’t you?” His eyes watched like a hawk over wheat.

“!!!” Shock surged in Tang Coco’s chest like lightning in a summer cloud. Her face stayed calm, a lake hiding its depth.

“No need to lie. Because... I’m an Abnormal too.” Mo Zitong’s words landed like a bell in a temple.

“...” Silence stretched thin as silk.

He took a sip, then went on, voice steady like a slow drum. “What happened with Yiyi was because of my Anomaly Power.”

“In middle school, I really liked her. I wanted to be with her. I knew rushing would push her away, so I did nothing.” His restraint held like a closed gate.

“But that night, we drank a little in a quiet corner, the lights soft as lanterns. My power awakened.” The memory rose like mist from old stones.

“For the first time, my body released a special fragrance, sweet and soft like night-blooming jasmine. We didn’t notice until Yiyi collapsed.” His hands trembled like leaves in wind.

“Only then did I sense the scent. My mind was foggy too, a boat lost in gray waters. I thought she was drunk, so I took her to the guest room.” His voice thinned like a worn thread.

“My thoughts grew hazy, strange urges rising like weeds after rain. I put her on the bed and blacked out.” Darkness closed like a thud.

“The next morning I woke and realized. Yiyi was furious. I couldn’t explain; I didn’t understand it myself.” His regret sat heavy as wet clay.

“My parents locked me at home. No matter what I said, they thought I was lying. One day I got too emotional. The power surged again.” His breath tightened like a knot.

“They both fainted in the fragrance, falling like felled stalks. That time I didn’t lose consciousness. I was shocked, staring at my own body.” His gaze went distant, a lantern flickering alone.

“Later, they found it unbelievable, but after living it, they finally believed. They searched through every channel, every corridor like a maze.” Hope flickered like fireflies.

“They learned Abnormals existed. Through the Ouyang family, my father invited one. He said I’d just awakened, had no control.” The verdict dropped like a seal on paper.

“His advice: keep calm. Don’t let emotions surge.” The rule sat cold as a stone.

“I didn’t contact Yiyi. Years passed like drifted leaves. When it was time for university, I heard Yiyi had enrolled in Ninghai University.” The name rang like a bell.

“So I applied here too. Freshman year, we met again after years, that reunion brittle as winter glass.” Distance settled like frost.

“She stayed cold. I asked her to dinner. The worst happened again. Eating with her, my emotions spiked, and my power slipped its leash.” His fists closed like doors.

“Yiyi fainted right in front of me. I’m immune to my own fragrance, so I did nothing. I was afraid she’d wake angrier.” Fear pricked like thorns.

“She woke and left in fury anyway.” The memory cut like a reed knife.

“Later, her friend Li Muyan came to my house to settle accounts, anger blazing like a torch.” His smile turned tight as wire.

“That was the first time I used my power actively and made her pass out.” The admission fell like a cold flake.

“After that, I realized I could control it. I made up my mind, talked with my family, and went abroad to an Abnormal lineage to learn control.” His path stretched like a long road.

“After a year of training, I could finally hold it. No more losing control.” Relief warmed like tea in winter.

“I came back to Ninghai and heard the school had gone wild, most stories about you.” His eyes glinted, a cat in lamplight.

“What happened after, you already know.”

“...” The air paused, a held breath.

“What a helpless story,” Tang Coco said, her tone flat, like rain tapping a roof.

“Yeah. So seeing Yiyi come here with you surprised me.” Mo Zitong’s laugh was dry as old rope.

“Heh.” Tang Coco’s smile curved like a crescent hidden by cloud. She looked at him. “But I’ve got good news.”

“Oh? What news?” His curiosity lifted like an eyebrow.

“Yiyi already knows Abnormals exist.” Her words fell clean as a blade.

“...” Silence pooled like ink.

“Because of you, right?” His guess spread like ripples.

“I can’t help it. Trouble keeps finding me.” Tang Coco’s shrug was a leaf on wind.

“Hahaha.” Mo Zitong laughed, chest shaking like drums in a parade. The sound echoed like a hallway.

“You’re fascinating. A powerful Abnormal with an interesting past.” His interest sharpened like a needle.

“I’d be careful. Some things are better left alone.” Tang Coco’s eyes cooled, winter carving clear lines in ice.

“Right. A powerful Abnormal wouldn’t let anyone read her past easily.” His tone softened like velvet. “But...”

He paused, a hinge stopped mid-swing. “If that powerful Abnormal becomes less strong for certain reasons... that’s an opening.” The words slid like oil.

“...” Tang Coco weighed the meaning, thoughts circling like hawks.

“Do you smell it?” Mo Zitong’s smile hooked, a fish catching light.

“!!!” Tang Coco felt it at once. A faint fragrance rose like midnight jasmine, sweet and treacherous as fog over deep water.