At first, Mo Zitong’s red wine bloomed with a sweet bouquet. Tang Coco sat beside Ye Yiyi, and Yiyi drank deep. The air pooled heavy with scent.

When Mo Zitong’s triumphant smile flashed like a blade, Tang finally noticed the fragrance swelling around them. It mirrored the wine, easy to miss, like a drifting ribbon of incense.

“Looks like you smelled it, huh? I told you—your Anomaly Power has slipped for some reason. You only noticed now.”

Mo Zitong rose slowly, like a shadow peeling from the chair, and circled the table toward Tang Coco.

Alarm pricked like thorns. Tang Coco frowned. “What do you mean?”

She already felt Mo Zitong’s Anomaly Power. The scent was lovely, drawing her under like warm water. Soon, her limbs grew a little soft. It couldn’t pin her, though, thanks to her own strength.

Seeing Mo approach, Tang rose slowly and demanded, “Explain.”

“Don’t rush. Sit down.”

Mo Zitong smiled. With a light push, she pressed Tang back into the seat. Then she slid in beside her. The bench was narrow; their bodies leaned close, like two reeds sharing a raft.

“You!”

“Haven’t seen you for a while. How’d you get prettier? This skin… enough to drown a person.”

Her fingers skimmed Tang’s neck, soft as a feather over porcelain.

“Pull your Anomaly Power back, or you’ll regret it soon.”

Tang’s eyes were frost as she stared at Mo Zitong.

“Gosh, why so fierce? I didn’t even do anything.”

“That’s not ‘nothing.’ You invited me for dinner and treat your guest like this. I suspect Yiyi’s state was something you planned.”

“Well… I didn’t want this. I didn’t expect her to show. So I swapped her bottle for high‑strength red.”

“…”

“What exactly do you want?”

Her temper flared like a spark in dry grass. Tang Coco shouted at her.

“I want you!”

Mo Zitong’s voice rose with heat, her gaze burning like a brand on Tang Coco.

“Uh…”

Tang Coco froze. The answer wasn’t what she expected. For a heartbeat, she thought she misheard.

“Huh? Say that again?”

“The first time I saw you, I liked you. Since then, your face keeps drifting through my mind. So… I want you.”

Her voice fell like rain. Her head bowed under a heavy cloud.

“…”

Tang Coco’s mind crashed, a blank screen in her skull.

What’s going on? I used to be a man; liking women was normal. How are girls suddenly into girls too? Is everyone around me yuri? Were you all guys who became girls?

“There’s something I never told you. Since I was little, I liked girls. Yiyi was the first to stir my heart.”

“After that incident, when I was locked at home, my parents learned about my ‘special taste.’ They fought it hard, iron against silk.”

“In college, I finally slipped their grip and came to Ninghai to find Yiyi. They found out anyway and sent me overseas to control my Anomaly Power.”

“There was another goal—to fix me.”

“Overseas, I met the boyfriends they arranged. Rich heirs, polished smiles. I still couldn’t let Yiyi go.”

“So I ruined them—left them disabled. They were ordinary, without Anomaly Power.”

Tang jolted like lightning striking a tree. This beauty wasn’t just prone to violence—she lived it. Good thing I’m a woman now…

“Because of that, our family’s influence abroad took a hit. They ordered me back at once.”

“I was supposed to return to Yanjing, but I didn’t listen. I ran back to Ninghai.”

“I thought I could linger. Last week, the family sent a message—I must return. In days, someone will come to take me.”

Her head dipped; sorrow pooled like rainwater along her lashes.

“Then why… did you come to me?”

Confusion knotted like vines in Tang Coco’s chest.

“After I came back, I heard about you and grew curious. After seeing you once, I was drawn in.”

“That feeling was the same as when I first met Yiyi.”

“When I approached you, I meant to take you home, because I’d checked—you had no strong backing.”

“…”

Tang’s face went dark, lines of exasperation crawling down.

My god! What kind of people are these? See no background and plan to kidnap? What did I almost walk into?

“But later, I dropped it. I found your background was fake.”

“You have powerful forces behind you, or Meng Xiaoxiao wouldn’t stay so close.”

“And after your long return this time, I realized you’re a strong Abnormal.”

“I know Yiyi’s fallen for you. But this time I didn’t get angry because she likes someone else.”

“So I steeled myself. I’ll pursue you—and I’ll win Yiyi too.”

Her stare was a blade, unwavering on Tang Coco.

“Done talking?”

Tang Coco gently pushed Mo Zitong aside.

“Mm?”

Mo Zitong blinked, not getting it.

“Alright. There are a few things I need to make clear.”