Restricted Fantasy Invasion

Chapter 7
The windows in the house were not closed last night, and the curtains were slightly shaken by the morning breeze, waking up the boy in the bed.

Groggily opening his eyes and staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, Yan Huan only felt his body heavy and his whole self tingling and numb.

And that sensation brought back the bad memories from last night, making him rub his brow helplessly.

"Awoo~"

From the warm bedding, a hot little black furball also struggled out, shook itself at the edge of the bed, then stretched its body with its mouth wide open, claws gripping the sheet.

Following the motion, Yan Huan propped himself up a bit and picked up his fully charged phone from the bedside, realizing it was already just past nine.

After checking the time, he sighed, lay back down, and buried his head deep into the pillow.

Last night, he'd fallen asleep thinking about how to deal with Ye Shiyu's modifier, which led to him having a nightmare.

He dreamt he was standing at the edge of a cliff, his body uncontrollably taking step after step toward the brink.

That feeling of knowing danger was near but being unable to resist, like torture, accompanied him as he fell and was smashed to pieces.

No need to guess, it was definitely because he'd confronted Ye Shiyu's modifier last night, leaving him unable to sleep soundly.

If he really had to stay here long-term, not only would he have to face Bai Yi's Indifference at school, but he'd also be hypnotized by Ye Shiyu at home.

Seriously, it feels like his whole life is doomed.

No, he has to run.

Face down in the pillow, Yan Huan thought with a head as heavy as iron.

The good thing is, driven by a sense of crisis yesterday, he managed to hedge a bit and didn't immediately agree to stay; the bad thing is, he still has to spend the weekend here at least.

Otherwise, if he suddenly left for no reason, Ye Lan might just be confused, but Ye Shiyu would probably sense something was off and suspect Yan Huan knew about last night's hypnosis.

So, he could only tough it out a bit longer.

"Sigh."

A muffled sigh came from within the pillow.

Normally, even on weekends, he'd get up early for morning exercise, but today he just couldn't do it and decided to give himself a day off.

"Meow~"

Meow-chan meowed and snuggled up, making Yan Huan reach out to rub its head. Thinking of something, he asked,

"Meow-chan, you don't need to eat either, right?"

"No need, meow."

"That's a shame, you won't get to taste those delicious cat treats and canned food."

Isn't it you who feels it's a shame because you can't feed me cat treats and canned food?

Meow-chan had already seen through everything, and then solemnly recited,

"But if you really want to feed me, I can eat just a little."

"Alright then, you greedy little kitten."

.

Yan Huan sat up, ignoring Meow-chan who was howling and about to pounce and bite him, and got up to wash up in the bathroom.

By the time he finished everything and came downstairs, Ye Lan and Aunt Chen were already in the sunlit living room.

"Xiaohuan, you're up? Did you sleep well last night?"

Ye Lan, dressed in a white home gauze dress, sat at the dining table, the bright morning light tracing a blurry outline of her slender figure on the gauzy fabric.

With her back to the streaks of light, she crossed her legs, her toes barely hanging onto the swaying slippers.

Yan Huan used a flawless smile to hide last night's nightmare: "I slept great, nothing to get used to."

If it weren't for the restrictions about the modifier, he'd be reporting Ye Shiyu for reckless hypnosis right now-an unforgivable crime.

"That's good, come have breakfast. Your sister is still sleeping. She's a little lazybones, always likes to stay in bed."

Ye Lan's voice was still gentle. Though they were mother and daughter, there was a world of difference between them.

One is an angel, the other a devil.

Aunt Chen served up a breakfast full of Longguo flavor-some pastries, soy milk, and a plate of boiled eggs.

Ye Lan only took one egg, and as expected, there was a cup of banana-scented milk by her hand.

Noticing Yan Huan was still wearing the white shirt from yesterday's school uniform, Ye Lan peeled her egg and smiled,

"I forgot to buy you some clothes on the way home yesterday. Today we'll go out and get some, okay? I heard there's a big aquarium nearby, right next to a famous shopping center. We'll head out soon!"

"Okay, Aunt Ye."

Ye Lan smiled warmly at the boy sitting before her. Seeing the dampness at his temples, she knew he'd just washed up.

His hair was still a little messy, clearly not carefully styled.

With a face like Yan Huan's, he looked good no matter what, not enough to be off-putting, but if he paid more attention to these details, he might just drive the girls crazy.

Boys really aren't as meticulous as girls in this regard. She'd have to teach him step by step later.

"Here, eat an egg."

Thinking this, Ye Lan handed Yan Huan an egg with a bit of shell left at the bottom for easier holding.

"Thank you, Auntie."

After taking the egg and just eating half, with his cheeks still puffed out, Ye Lan peeled another one and handed it to him.

Yan Huan blinked and looked up at her. That look made Ye Lan cover her mouth and chuckle, quickly saying,

"Good boy, eat slowly. Finish this one first, then have the next."

Ye Lan put down the peeled egg and picked up a napkin, preparing to reach for Yan Huan's face, seemingly wanting to wipe something off.

Just then, light footsteps came from the stairwell behind. Yan Huan didn't turn around, but somehow, like a "spider sense," he knew who was coming down.

So, Yan Huan quickly took the napkin from Ye Lan's hand first: "Thank you, Auntie, I'll do it myself."

With that, he used the napkin to wipe his mouth.

Ye Lan blinked and let out a soft laugh.

She pulled out another napkin. This time, with Yan Huan's left hand holding the unfinished egg and his right hand still wiping his mouth, she gently wiped his temples for him,

"Didn't dry your face-are you trying to be a little dirty kitten?"

Looks like Yan the failed man's spider sense is useless against Ye Lan.

Come on, anyone would think the napkin was for wiping their own mouth-who knew there was a second round?

Yan Huan's eyes widened, and unfortunately, Ye Shiyu-now in a black long dress-had already appeared behind him.

Her emotionless gaze was like an invisible blade, making Yan Huan break out in a cold sweat.

Hypnosis master, stop looking at me, I'm begging you.

"Morning, Shiyu-jie."

Forcing down his inner awkwardness, he greeted Ye Shiyu, and Ye Lan quickly waved her over for breakfast,

"You're up, go get a bowl and chopsticks for breakfast."

"Mm."

Ye Shiyu nodded, quietly going to the kitchen to get her bowl and chopsticks-her signature black porcelain ware.

After she arrived, Ye Lan finally stopped feeding Yan Huan and turned her attention to feeding her.

This made Yan Huan feel like he and Ye Shiyu were two baby birds in a nest, mouths open for food-except, well, one of them could hypnotize the other.

But faintly, Yan Huan sensed that Ye Shiyu kept glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

It wasn't like she was looking at an enemy, nor like she was looking at a person...

He's being good, please let him off.

Yan Huan buried his head and focused on eating, finishing the meal quietly.

After breakfast, there was a long break. Ye Lan discussed the day's plans with Ye Shiyu, who didn't object, so everyone went to get ready.

Women always need more prep time before going out-from the all-important makeup, to hair, clothes, and shoes, everything has to be considered.

For Yan Huan, brushing his teeth and washing his face in the morning already counted as being ready. If he also showered, washed his hair, and fussed over his clothes, it'd have to be for a big event or a date.

While they were both upstairs, Yan Huan idly chatted in a group chat for a bit, then used his phone to text his boss for time off-he'd forgotten last night because of the hypnosis incident.

"Sister Tong, can I take two more days off? Got something this weekend, not in the southern district."

"That's basically skipping work, minus 400."

"So heartless, aren't we supposed to be the world's best team?"

He sent a "otter looking up" emoji.

"Heh, what do you think?"

Just as Yan Huan was flipping off the cold and heartless chat window, Ye Lan's voice came from the stairs,

"Xiaohuan, time to go~"

"Coming, Auntie."

Yan Huan stood up from the sofa and looked up to see Ye Lan coming down in a white pleated chiffon dress.

She wore light makeup, her hair styled in a princess bun, with crystal-studded hair accessories and earrings.

If yesterday's qipao-clad Ye Lan was a classical Eastern beauty, today she was a European royal princess.

And the reason she dressed like this was obvious-Ye Shiyu behind her was also in a black chiffon dress, carrying a small handbag.

It was a mother-daughter matching outfit, a sign of their bond.

Unlike the casual home dress Ye Shiyu wore yesterday, this one had more intricate patterns at the chest and a longer skirt.

Her long black hair was piled up high. Since her ears weren't pierced, she didn't wear earrings or other accessories, but a girl like her didn't need any embellishment.

Youthful beauty at its peak-just standing there, she drew everyone's gaze.

Even after last night's ambush by this cold girl, that was still an undeniable fact for Yan Huan.

They really did look like a pair of sisters.

Originally, Yan Huan was going to praise them like that, but then he realized it might step on Ye Shiyu's tail, so he decided against it.

If he kept interacting intensely with Ye Lan in front of Ye Shiyu and made her go "red-hot," she might just come over at night and hypnotize him into jumping off a building, and he'd truly be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

If he jumped, that's the end; if he didn't and she found out the modifier was useless, then the modifier would just evolve, his resistance would fail, and he'd still be done for in the end.

Yan Huan decided to hold back this time.

So, today's Yan Huan was a low EQ Yan Huan.

"Okay, Auntie."

He blurted it out without thinking, not expecting that just seeing his face would make Ye Lan laugh, so she pinched his shoulder and teased,

"If we buy anything later, Xiaohuan has to help us both carry the bags, okay~"

Stare--

Ye Shiyu's gaze, which never actually looked at people, swept over again, and Yan Huan already felt like a dead man, wanting to give up struggling.

"No problem."

"Xiaohuan is such a good boy."

"."

Sitting in the car, Yan Huan realized that Ye Lan really liked to talk to him as if coaxing a little kid-he noticed this when she handed him banana milk for the second time from the front seat.

There was a driver up front, Ye Lan sat in the passenger seat, so Yan Huan had to sit in the back with the "plague god" Ye Shiyu. Drinking banana milk, he unconsciously compared the way Ye Lan spoke to him with how she spoke to Ye Shiyu.

Only after comparing did he realize that, maybe because of the mother-daughter relationship, Ye Lan was obviously less doting when talking to Ye Shiyu.

This sense of being treated differently made Yan Huan uneasy once again, so he secretly glanced at Ye Shiyu, who was also drinking banana milk beside him.

At this moment, she was as quiet as a doll, but Yan Huan had seen her lively side last night-she could even pout cutely like Auntie Ye Lan.

Thinking about all this nonsense, they soon arrived at their destination.

The aquarium Ye Lan mentioned was huge; they could probably spend a long time inside.

And because it was the weekend, it was nearly noon and the place was crowded, with many school groups there for team-building. The plaza in front of the aquarium was packed.

Seeing the crowd outside, Ye Lan didn't say anything, but when she saw the blazing sun, she actually looked troubled.

"The sun is too strong. Come, you two darlings, put on some sunscreen before we go out."

She took out sunscreen from her bag, dabbed some in her palm, then turned around and smiled at the two in the back,

"Shiyu first?"

Ye Shiyu recoiled a little, shaking her head repeatedly.

But Ye Lan had already leaned over, her fair hand gently rubbing Ye Shiyu's face.

"Mmm~"

The cool sensation of the sunscreen startled Ye Shiyu. She closed her eyes, frowned slightly in discomfort, pursed her lips, but her head still followed Ye Lan's kneading hand like dough.

When everything was done, a trace of bitterness still lingered on her face.

"Next, Xiao-"

Seeing this, Yan Huan bravely reached out to take the sunscreen from Ye Lan and said,

"I'll do it myself, Auntie. I'm the best at putting on sunscreen!"

"Really?"

"Guaranteed."

Yan Huan squeezed out some sunscreen, carefully dabbed four spots on his face, then rubbed it in and finally spread his hands to show Ye Lan,

"All done."

"Pfft, you even missed your hairline."

"."

He really was good at applying sunscreen, that wasn't a lie.

Because in his previous life, every anime always had a swimsuit episode, and there'd always be some inexplicable sunscreen application scene-he'd learned from that.

In hindsight, learning from books is always shallow.

If he'd known, he should have paid more attention to the technique instead of just staring at all that fair, tender skin.

After his internal reflection and finishing the sunscreen, they got out of the car at the aquarium entrance.

Ye Lan got out behind them with a sun umbrella. Since she'd arranged for tickets in advance, all they had to do was queue up for admission.

"Auntie Ye, the line is over here."

Yan Huan quickly found the ticket checkpoint.

Ye Shiyu stood beside Ye Lan holding the sun umbrella. Just as she was about to follow her over, Ye Lan's phone suddenly rang in her bag.

Ye Lan took out her phone, glanced at the caller ID, and said helplessly to Yan Huan,

"Xiaohuan, wait a moment. Auntie has to take a call for a bit, so you and your sister wait here for me, okay?"

"No problem."

Yan Huan blinked, turned around, gave her an apologetic smile, and pointed behind him.

Seeming to know that Ye Lan's work couldn't be discussed here, Ye Shiyu sensibly handed the sun umbrella to her mother and watched her walk to a quieter spot to take the call.

Amid the bustling crowd, the two strikingly good-looking young people standing apart drew everyone's attention.

Ye Shiyu stood still in place, while Yan Huan naturally walked over and suggested,

"Shiyu-jie, should we stand somewhere else? It's pretty sunny here and we're blocking the way."

".Okay."

Ye Shiyu nodded, then glanced around and pointed to the souvenir shop beside the ticket booth.

The shop was quite large, with lots of cultural and aquarium-themed merchandise hanging around, and they also sold drinks.

She said, "Over there."

"OK."

Yan Huan took the lead, and Ye Shiyu silently followed behind him to the shop entrance.

At the door, Yan Huan looked around, while Ye Shiyu resumed her doll act, staring motionlessly at the people in line.

She was beautiful, and her unblinking stare made passersby uncomfortable, so they avoided her gaze-and then her altogether.

After a while, it was as if a force field had formed around her, pushing tourists away, leaving only Yan Huan by her side, though he wasn't exactly at ease either.

"Shiyu-jie, do you want something to drink?"

To break the awkward silence, Yan Huan glanced at the drinks counter nearby, tempted.

But Ye Shiyu looked around the spacious souvenir shop, seeming to spot something interesting, and said,

".I want to look around."

So, do you want a drink or not?

Yan Huan was speechless and could only say, "Then, Shiyu-jie, you go browse, I'll get the drinks."

"Mm."

She turned and walked into the souvenir shop.

Watching her leave, Yan Huan walked to the drinks counter, glanced up at the menu, and said,

"Two Lemon Blue Blends, one Big Banana Sweet-what kind of names are these?"

"Okay, I'll make them for you right away~"

"Welcome!"

Soft music played in the shop, quite a few people were browsing the souvenir shelves, and the clerk greeted every customer with a businesslike smile.

Ye Shiyu stood before the shelves, her gaze sweeping over the items one by one.

Whale models, dolphin plushies, shark dolls.

Yep, these were the aquarium's star attractions. When people think of the ocean, most probably think of these-they're very popular!

But Ye Shiyu just glanced at them and looked away.

Not interested?

Then... how about sea turtle chess or stingray puzzles?

These were less mainstream but still adorable and well-liked by many!

Ye Shiyu still silently looked away and walked forward.

The shelves at the entrance always held the most popular items, but none could hold Ye Shiyu's attention. The clerk at the door also withdrew her gaze.

Looks like just another customer here to browse.

That's how Ye Shiyu was labeled in others' minds.

"Welcome!"

Hearing the clerk greet another customer at the door, Ye Shiyu quietly scanned the merchandise until, in a corner, she finally saw what had caught her interest earlier.

It was a sapphire-blue jellyfish keychain, with tentacles that could hold many keys, exquisitely crafted, almost crystal-like, hanging all alone at the edge of the shelf.

Ye Shiyu didn't hesitate, like an explorer discovering treasure, her eyes lit up, all her attention drawn to the jellyfish.

Immediately, she eagerly reached out, wanting to take it and buy it.

But just then, at almost the exact same moment, another fair hand reached out and grabbed the jellyfish keychain too.

One person on each side, the jellyfish was stuck in place, unable to leave the shelf.

Ye Shiyu, already holding the keychain, was slightly stunned. She turned her head and finally saw the other customer she'd missed because she'd been so focused.

There stood a girl about her age, who also seemed surprised for a moment.

The first thing that caught the eye was her thick, slightly wavy, natural golden hair, followed by a beautiful face just inches away.

Her features were even more defined than Ye Shiyu's, her pupils a dazzling, clear blue, obviously of a different ethnicity than Ye Shiyu.

Thus, compared to Ye Shiyu's delicate beauty, the golden-haired woman before her had sharper, more striking features, and an even more aggressive presence.

She was about the same height as Ye Shiyu, dressed in a breezy black athletic short-sleeve T-shirt, with a black baseball cap on her head, bearing some kind of signature.

Her figure was a bit more curvaceous, her muscles firmer, clearly someone who exercised often.

When she realized someone else was also holding the keychain, her brows arched slightly, and as her pink lips parted, a particularly prominent canine tooth peeked out.

Like a little golden-haired lion, the girl spoke up, her tone pitched a bit higher than most people's,

"Hm?"

"."

Ye Shiyu remained unmoved, still gripping the keychain.

The golden-haired girl did the same, showing no intention of letting go.

This identical choice subtly created a tense atmosphere, and after a moment of silence, the golden-haired girl let out a light "tsk."

She glanced at the price tag on the keychain, then lifted her chin and said to Ye Shiyu,

"I really like this one, so it's mine. You pick something else of the same price, I'll pay for it, deal?"

The temptation of getting a free souvenir could have avoided the dispute, but unfortunately, this seemingly generous offer had no effect on Ye Shiyu.

Ye Shiyu stared at her motionlessly, as if she hadn't caught the other's annoyance in her words, and her tone didn't sound like someone arguing over an item.

In fact, it didn't sound like she was talking to a person at all.

She softly said,

"No."

"Huh?"

At this, the golden-haired girl's expression instantly darkened. She let out a cold laugh and said,

"Interesting. So what if I insist on taking it today?"

The strength in her hand increased bit by bit, making Ye Shiyu's fingers gripping the keychain gradually turn white, showing just how strong she was.

Ye Shiyu's face remained expressionless. As if sensing the shift in the other's mood, the phone in her hand suddenly lit up on its own, almost eerily.

Yet her tone remained unchanged.

"I said, no."

(End of this chapter)