Eli stared up at four bold characters steeped in luck and promise, a banner of auspicious red above him. His heart snagged, a deer in fog. “Huh? Where the hell am I?”

He blinked at a towering wooden gate, mind clouded like morning mist. He remembered being on horseback, racing for the imperial capital; in a blink, he stood here.

He frowned. “Illusion? Or...?”

He lingered at the threshold, thoughts buzzing like bees in a hive.

Around him, houses were draped in red fabric and paper, lantern-warm and festival-bright.

Passersby wore clothes unlike anything he remembered, color flowing like banners in wind.

Drawn by a thread he couldn’t name, he stepped up, gripped the golden lion-head knocker, and tapped. His own voice surprised him, oddly familiar. “Anyone home?”

Hurried footsteps rose inside. The gate cracked open.

A ponytailed girl poked her head out and beamed. “Uncle Eli, you finally made it?”

Eli stared, stunned. “An...gela?”

“Ah? What’s with that face? Get in!” Angela swung the gate wide. In a pink qipao, her dainty face scrunched with annoyance. She ran behind him and pushed him inside.

“Hurry up! Why’re you dawdling?” Angela scolded.

Eli was still fogged. “What is this, anyway...?”

“Aiya, everyone’s waiting for you.” Angela pouted, a sulking cat beneath lanterns.

Half urged, half yielding, Eli stepped into the big house.

Angela remembered to shut the door, the click like a pebble dropped in a pond.

Eli wandered in, eyes sliding over a siheyuan courtyard house. His mouth twitched. “This is... what is this?”

A bone-deep familiarity rose like warm steam, yet he couldn’t name a single thing. The strangeness filled him, a tide against the heart.

“Hey. Dumb Hero. What are you doing?”

A crisp voice cut his thoughts like a bell.

He turned, blinking. “Ed... Edlyn?!”

The Demonic Lord stood there in a red top and a black hanfu skirt, face impatient as a winter hawk. “What’re you staring at? Help me carry dishes.”

“Huh? What is even happening?” Eli was still lost.

“Here we go—roasted suckling pig!” A shout rang from the hall entrance. Liqianyu strolled in, one hand supporting a roast pig bigger than he was.

“Huh? Eli, you’re back?” Liqianyu grinned when he spotted Eli frozen in the living room.

“...This has to be a dream.” Eli lifted his head, shut his eyes, surrendering thought like a stone sinking into a lake.

“Stinking Hero, you looking for a beating? Come help me plate the fruit. Li Gongxuan and the others are coming to hang out.” Edlyn snapped, annoyance crackling like sparks.

“Ah?!” Eli startled. “Damn, how many people are in this dream?”

Seeing him rooted, Edlyn frowned and stepped up, standing eye-to-eye. “Stinking Hero, what’s wrong with you?”

He looked at the white-haired, heterochromatic beauty before him, wonder washing over him like moonlight.

Edlyn rose on tiptoe, looped her hands over his shoulders, and pulled his head down to her level. “Hm? Spacing out? Your soul wandered off?”

Her scent spilled over him, sweet as ripe fruit; her warm breath and tempting face closed the world to a heartbeat. He pinched his thigh hard. “Come on! Wake up!”

It did nothing.

Edlyn watched him, amused. “What are you doing?”

He laughed awkwardly. “Nothing. Edlyn... where is this?”

She studied him. “Uh-huh. Did you catch a fever? This is your place. What’re you thinking?”

“Yeah? But...” Eli grimaced.

She shrugged. “Fine, fine. You’re doing that bit again.”

Under his startled gaze, Edlyn kissed him, soft as petals after rain. His mind bluescreened.

A heartbeat later, returning to himself, he cupped the back of her head, wanting to taste this sweetness and softness more closely, like a thirsty traveler sipping spring water.

After a long moment, they parted. Edlyn’s face was flushed, dawn on snow. “Damn Hero, satisfied now? Go work.”

Eli stared at the blushing loli for a long beat, then smiled. “Alright.”

If it’s a dream, then let it be bright.

He leaned in, kissed the tear mole at the corner of her eye, then wrapped her hard in his arms. His voice trembled, a harp string. “Ah, truth is, the more you leave me, the more I crave you. I can’t suppress it.”

“You’re talking nonsense again.” Edlyn glanced, embarrassed, at her giggling sister and at Liqianyu’s complicated look. She quickly pushed Eli away. “Go! Work.”

He smiled, shook his head, and headed into the living room.

If all this weren’t a dream, how good would that be? If only...

He shook his head. Forget it. Just live the moment.

“Open up, bro!” A voice with instant recognition rang at the door. Angela hopped her way over and opened it. “Ah, Uncle Li, you’re here?”

Li Gongxuan guided a purple-haired girl, Karlo, in by the hand. He laughed. “Mm-hmm. Where’s that bastard of yours?”

Angela pointed inside.

Li Gongxuan strode in.

Angela closed the door with a practiced hand, then squatted by it. “Huh? Did I just become the full-time doorkeeper?”

Eli laid out the fruit, brewed a pot of tea, and waited on the sofa for Li Gongxuan.

When the guest arrived, Eli smiled. “You came?”

“Yep. Happy New Year, Luxiao.” Li Gongxuan grinned.

“Lu...xiao?” Eli frowned.

Li Gongxuan nodded. “Ah, sorry. Guess you’re not used to it yet. I’ll stick with Eli.”

Eli frowned again. What was going on?

“Li Gongxuan, what brings you here?” Eli lifted his tea, steam curling like mist.

“What else? New Year’s greetings.” Li Gongxuan smiled.

“Huh? Paying respects?”

“Yeah. Hey, what’s with you today? Your soul’s off fishing.” Li Gongxuan peered at him.

Eli shook his head quickly. “No... nothing.”

“Phew. You’ve stayed here a while, right? Got any itch to go back and look?” Li Gongxuan sipped the tea.

“Go back?” Eli blinked.

“Yeah, back to the Reizel Continent. The Far East secret realm has already split off from it.” Li Gongxuan finished his cup.

“...Mm. No plans for that yet.” Eli smiled faintly.

He was clueless right now; better not agree to anything on a whim.

“Alright, alright.” Li Gongxuan nodded, then patted Eli’s shoulder. His tone carried weight, like a bell. “Don’t overthink. Some things—just be happy.”

Eli looked at him, smiling. “You’re right.”

“Hey, what’re you two yakking about? Food’s ready.” Edlyn strolled in and waved.

“Hahaha, say no more. I came to freeload today. You won’t kick me out, right? Karlo’s cooking is tragic. I just can’t eat it.” Li Gongxuan joked.

Karlo swatted him, annoyed. “Jerk. If you won’t eat, get out! Picky as a cat.”

Eli smiled, slid an arm around Edlyn, shot a grin at the bickering pair, then laced his fingers with Edlyn’s. “Come on, wife.”

Edlyn scowled at him. “Why’re you so clingy today?”

“Does it matter, Demonic Lord? Just stay with me today.” Eli laughed.

“Fine. Let’s eat.” Edlyn slipped free of his embrace and strode ahead.

Spring Festival for them meant eating, playing, making noise—until the world settled, and the curtain fell.

Later, on the bed, Eli folded his hands behind his head, smiling as he replayed the afternoon like lanterns in dusk.

Beside him, Edlyn pinched his face. “What’s that grin? Auntie-smile the whole time.”

He didn’t answer. He turned, hugged her, buried his face in her hair, and breathed in softly, like taking in the first scent of tea. “Wife, shouldn’t we, you know, make a move next?”

Edlyn froze, then flustered. “Uh, I just remembered something—y-you sleep first. I’ll be right back.”

Eli smirked. He tugged her down and pinned her to the bed. “My Demonic Lord, where are you running? Let your humble subject serve you.”

“Wow. Hero, you pervert—let go!” Edlyn gritted her teeth at him, but he didn’t budge.

He lowered his head, kissed between her brows, trailed down like raindrops on jade, then gently bit her lips. She let out a muffled sound and stopped struggling.

Her eyes melted with feeling. They held each other and shared a night neither of them had dared to imagine.

...

“Eli? Mr. Eli?” Hilriad’s call pulled him up from sleep. Eli opened his eyes, looked around, yawned, and stretched. “Hm? How long was I out?”

“You slept a whole day,” Hilriad said, brow tight.

Eli sensed himself, then shook his head lightly. “It’s fine. I’m in unusually good shape.”

A shadow crossed him, like wind over water. “It’s just—I feel like I forgot something. That dream we just had... I can’t remember.”

“Was it important?” Hilriad asked.

Eli thought, then nodded. “Yeah, probably.”

Marching with them, Edlyn woke from her own dream, frowning. A restless surge rose in her body, wild as fire. She bit down and, by the will of the Demonic Lord, suppressed the Succubus impulse.

Only after a long moment did she exhale, rough as a bellows. “Damn it. What did I dream about that set the Succubus animal off early?”