---
The next morning, sunlight leaked through the blinds, painting long stripes across the wooden floor of the apartment. The soft thrum of distant traffic and the faint rustle of tree leaves offered a peaceful backdrop. Li Chen awoke slowly, eyes adjusting to the soft glow.
His sister was still in his arms.
Su Minzhu lay curled against his bare chest, her long lashes trembling slightly as she stirred from her sleep. The robe she wore last night had slipped halfway down her body, revealing smooth skin still flushed from the heat of what they'd shared.
For a moment, he simply watched her. The slow, rhythmic rise of her breathing, the slight parting of her lips, the faint perfume of jasmine still lingering in her hair—it was a scene burned into him forever.
Her eyes opened, half-lidded, hazy.
"…You stayed," she whispered.
Li Chen only nodded, tightening his arm gently around her waist.
She blinked slowly, as if unsure if the night before had truly happened. But the soreness in her thighs and the marks on her neck told her it was no dream.
"I… should be angry," she murmured.
"You're not."
"…No," she breathed. "I'm not."
A heavy silence passed between them, intimate and loaded. She looked at him not with guilt—but with a quiet, stormy need.
"You're not a little boy anymore," she whispered, running her fingers across his chest.
"You knew that last night," he said calmly.
She gave a soft, breathy laugh—half-exhausted, half-dazed—and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.
"I need to shower before Mom wakes up."
"I'll make breakfast," Li Chen said as he stood, pulling his shirt on.
Her eyes followed him as he walked out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
---
The kitchen was warm, bathed in soft morning light. Su Mei was already there, humming faintly, dressed in a simple home dress with an apron tied around her slim waist. Her long black hair was in a loose braid that fell down her back.
"Good morning," she said, glancing over her shoulder. "Did you sleep well?"
Li Chen nodded. "I did."
She smiled warmly. "Good. I didn't hear you come out last night. I thought maybe you stayed up playing games."
"…Not exactly."
"Mm?" she asked with a playful raise of her brow, but she didn't push.
Li Chen helped her prepare breakfast—porridge with pickled vegetables, boiled eggs, steamed buns. They worked in comfortable silence, their movements familiar and efficient.
"Where's your sister?" she asked as she set the table.
"Still in her room."
Su Mei paused, giving a slightly knowing look, but again said nothing. Instead, she reached for a clean cup and poured him tea. As she handed it over, her fingers lightly brushed his. Her skin was warm.
For a moment, she held his gaze.
Li Chen didn't move. Neither did she.
Something passed between them—brief but unmistakable.
She withdrew her hand slowly and returned to the stove, her movements just a little slower, her breaths just a little heavier.
Minzhu emerged ten minutes later, her hair freshly washed and her face composed, but her steps were just slightly stiff.
"Morning," she said, taking a seat.
Su Mei smiled. "Did you sleep okay?"
"Mm." She nodded without looking up. "Better than usual."
Breakfast passed quietly. No one mentioned what had happened. But the air in the apartment had changed.
Something unspoken hung in it now—warm, heavy, and forbidden.
---
Later that afternoon, after his mother left to visit the market and his sister retreated to the study to work on her laptop, Li Chen stepped onto the balcony. The city spread before him in layers of concrete, steel, and glass. The faint hum of life echoed in the distance.
Then it came.
> [Ding! Your first summoned helper has arrived.]
Assigned Identity: Jin Zhilan
Profession: Financial Strategist
Cover: CEO of Lianhua Holdings, a shell company registered in your name.
Location: 5 minutes from your residence.
A moment later, his phone buzzed.
Unknown Number:
"Mr. Li. I'm here. Would you like to meet?"
Li Chen typed calmly:
"Send location."
She did.
---
Li Chen arrived at a quiet coffee shop in a nearby commercial zone. It was clean, minimalistic, filled with soft light and indie music. Near the back corner, a woman sat alone, a silver briefcase beside her.
She stood as he approached.
Jin Zhilan was tall and composed, around thirty. Her black silk blouse hugged her body, tucked into a high-waisted pencil skirt. She wore thin-rimmed glasses over striking, almond-shaped eyes and a calm, unreadable expression. Her lips were painted a soft plum, and her tone was crisp when she spoke.
"Mr. Li Chen."
"You must be Jin."
"Yes. Assigned to serve you under Summoning Gate protocols. Shall we?"
They sat across from each other. Her gaze never left his face.
"I've set up your first two accounts," she began, opening the briefcase. "Initial capital has been seeded through Lianhua Holdings—five million yuan distributed across three trust funds. All fully legal, protected, and untraceable."
Li Chen leaned back slightly. "That fast?"
She looked amused. "I was created to be fast."
Her words held a subtle double meaning.
She passed him a tablet. "You'll find this interface connects to your backend systems—property acquisition, shell companies, employee hiring. I will act as your public-facing CEO. You'll remain completely anonymous."
He nodded slowly. "Good."
"There's one more thing," she said, eyes glinting.
She leaned in.
"Do you wish to appear as a ghost, or a myth?"
Li Chen smiled faintly.
"A myth."
"Then we'll begin with silence and shadow," she said, standing gracefully. "Your first property is already being secured."
She extended her hand. He shook it. Her grip was firm. And yet there was a strange… warmth in it.
Before she left, she whispered by his ear.
"If you ever require more… personal assistance… I don't only manage finances."
She walked out without another word.
---
That evening, Li Chen returned home.
The apartment was quiet. He found his mother in her room, standing by the mirror, rubbing lotion on her arms.
She turned slightly as he entered. "Back so soon?"
He nodded. "Just had coffee."
"You're busy lately," she said, looking at him through the mirror. "Different. Quieter."
"You don't like it?"
"…No," she said softly. "I do. It's just…"
Her voice trailed off.
He stepped closer. "Mom."
She turned to face him.
The space between them narrowed.
He lifted his hand and gently touched her cheek.
"Thank you," he said.
"For what?"
"For everything."
Her lips parted slightly.
"You're my son," she whispered.
He stepped closer.
"And you're… my mother."
She swallowed.
Then, slowly, almost hesitantly, her hands rose to rest on his shoulders.
They stood that way—too close, too warm—for too long.
"You should go rest," she said, voice tight.
He didn't move.
Then he leaned in, lips brushing her forehead. But his mouth lingered too long, slipping lower, kissing the edge of her cheekbone, near her jaw.
Her breath caught.
"…Li Chen…"
He looked into her eyes.
There was confusion there. Guilt. But also… fire.
"Goodnight," he said softly.
And he turned and left.
As she stood there alone in her bedroom, her heart raced faster than it had in years.
---
That night, Li Chen sat on his bed, fingers brushing over the glowing system interface on his phone.
> [New Summon Available in 13 Days.]
[Lianhua Holdings assets increased: +¥1.7 million]
[Passive Growth Online.]
He looked toward his sister's room. The light was off. Then toward his mother's. He could still see the shadow of her moving beneath the door.
He leaned back, eyes closing slowly.
It was just the beginning.
The quiet apartment they shared would become a palace.
And the women who raised him, protected him, nurtured him…
Would soon belong to him completely.
---
[End of Chapter 2]