"Here you go, thank you for your purchase."
Yan Huan walked into the gift shop with three freshly made drinks in his left hand. Since the shop was semi-open, he entered through another door.
Though still some distance away, he spotted Ye Shiyu from afar—along with the golden-haired beauty standing before her, head tilted up with a cold smirk.
Yan Huan raised an eyebrow, quickly realizing that Ye Shiyu had gotten into a dispute.
He immediately stopped in his tracks, placing the other two drinks on a nearby shelf.
Then, sipping his own Lemon Blue Elixir through a straw, he shamelessly observed the escalating tension.
Popcorn time.jpg.
Oho! It seemed Contestant No. 1, Ye Shiyu, and the unknown Contestant No. 2, the golden-haired girl, were fighting over an item! From a physical standpoint, No. 2 was clearly superior—not to mention, her words carried far more aggression than No. 1's!
"What do you mean, 'no'? If I want to take it, what can you do about it?"
"..."
Faced with the golden-haired lioness's intimidation, Ye Shiyu stood as immovable as an iceberg—or perhaps she simply didn't know how to respond.Oh, this is quite a challenge for the socially awkward contestant number one—she's at a disadvantage for the moment! Facing such an opponent, can she win, Sister Shiyu? Yan Huan mentally commentated with excitement while happily sipping her drink.
What a joke—last night, Ye Shiyu came to hypnotize me, giving me nightmares all night long.
Yan Huan had already shown enough courtesy in front of Ye Lan. Now that there was a chance to see her stumble, Yan Huan wasn't about to intervene.
But in terms of strength, Ye Shiyu was truly no match for the girl before her. Her grip on the keychain tightened until her fingers turned pale. "It's about to be snatched away, the keychain."
"..."
The blonde girl's cold smirk deepened, even tinged with a strange excitement.
Watching from the sidelines, Yan Huan bit down on her straw, feeling utterly speechless.
What nonsense—arguing over a mere keychain.
Ye Shiyu's stubbornness wasn't surprising. Given her habit of labeling everything she owned, it made sense she'd fixate on something she wanted. But what about the opponent? If she's unreasonable, do you have to be too? Yan Huan marveled at the impeccable matching system at play here. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed Ye Shiyu's phone lighting up in her left hand.
"..."
So the losing side chooses to cheat? Well then, Coach Yan Huan's response was... Coach, coach is warming up!!
Grabbing the drink beside her, Yan Huan strode toward the battlefield with a sigh.
The theory went like this:
The Modifier helped its host achieve goals through cheats, and once the host tasted success, they'd rely on it more frequently to fulfill their desires. This, in turn, strengthened the Modifier, enabling it to grant more wishes while deepening its influence on reality.
In short, it was a vicious cycle that dragged everyday life straight into hell.
Yan Huan believed breaking this cycle required two key points: First, quantity led to quality, so reducing the frequency of Modifier use was crucial to prevent them from relying on it for everything. Second, ensuring that even when they used the Modifier, they wouldn't get what they wanted, forcing them to realize that cheating wasn't the solution—they'd have to find more normal ways to solve problems.
Honestly, both were nearly impossible. But at the very least, Yan Huan could stop Ye Shiyu from using the Modifier to resolve this mess.
Call it the duty of a model student—especially one with impeccable morals.
Yan Huan's irritation was perfectly masked by her expert expression management, replaced by the same blank look Ye Shiyu wore. She quickened her pace, and only when she was close did the blonde girl, still engrossed in the argument, notice someone approaching.
She glanced up and saw a strikingly handsome young man who looked... vaguely familiar heading her way.
Instinctively, her grip loosened, causing Ye Shiyu, who had been pulling hard, to stagger back a step.
And that single step sent Ye Shiyu stumbling right into Yan Huan's arms.
Feeling the warmth of his body, Ye Shiyu stiffened. But before she could linger even a moment, a hand firmly grasped her shoulder and pulled her behind him, creating a barrier between her and the other girl.
It seemed like protection, but in truth, it prevented her from using hypnosis on anyone else.
Last night, he'd heard the eerie whisper from her—its effect was [Individual Hypnosis], meaning it could only be used when she was alone with someone. With a third party present, her current Modifier was rendered useless.
Ye Shiyu blinked, her beautiful eyes fixed on the figure standing before her.Yan Huan tilted his head slightly at just the right moment, appearing as though he had just returned with drinks and was completely unaware of the situation. With a mix of concern and confusion, he asked,
"What's going on, Shiyu-jie?"
"Nothing," Ye Shiyu replied, clutching the keychain in her hand.
Yan Huan's expression remained unchanged, but the blonde girl behind him bristled like an angry cat.
"What do you mean 'nothing'? That keychain in her hand—I picked it up first!"
Yan Huan turned and looked at the blonde girl with an impassive face. "You picked it up first? Really?"
The blonde girl faltered under his gaze. Whether it was because he seemed vaguely familiar or not, she instinctively abandoned the lie and sneered instead.
"Even if we grabbed it at the same time, didn't I offer her compensation? I told her she could pick anything else of the same price, and I'd pay for it."
Yan Huan glanced at the price tag on the shelf. The tiny keychain cost nearly a hundred, more expensive than most items in the store.
Thanks to the tourist trap markup and its decent craftsmanship, the lone jellyfish keychain hanging there seemed exorbitantly priced.
"What if I pay double, and you can pick anything else—I'll cover it. Would you accept that?"
Hearing this, Ye Shiyu spoke up unhurriedly from behind, her tone making it unclear whether she was making a suggestion or issuing a challenge.
The blonde girl, however, took it as the latter.
Her sneer grew even more unsettling. "Heh, don't think just because you brought your boyfriend along, you can act all high and mighty—"
Ye Shiyu shook her head slightly, simply staring at her as if she hadn't grasped the meaning behind those words, still waiting for her response.
Snap!
At that moment, Yan Huan snapped his fingers right in front of the blonde girl's face, expressionless. Not only did it grab her attention, but it also lit the fuse of her rage like a match.
"What the hell?!"
Just as the blonde girl was about to explode, Yan Huan didn't even bother acknowledging her. Instead, he turned to Ye Shiyu with a helpless smile.
That smile—patient yet exasperated—directed at the black-haired girl made the blonde girl pause mid-anger.
Strangely, her fury fizzled out. She simply watched as Yan Huan raised his hand and called out loudly toward the entrance.
"Excuse me, we need some help here!"
"Coming! What's the matter?"
A clerk hurried over at the sound. Yan Huan pointed at the jellyfish keychain in Ye Shiyu's hand. "There's only one of these left on the shelf, and both of us want it. Do you have any more in stock?"
"Yes, yes! Please come to the counter first. Miss, just wait a moment—I'll bring one for you right away."
Yan Huan turned back to the blonde girl, whose anger had been abruptly cut short. His expression mirrored the exasperation of that famous shrugging Black streamer from his past life.
All this fuss over something so trivial?
He almost wanted to mutter "dumbass," but considering the collateral damage might hit the girl he was protecting, he held back.
Yan Huan didn't say another word to the blonde girl, not even sparing her a glance. Holding the drinks, he simply smiled at Ye Shiyu and said, "Let's go, Shiyu-jie."
Ye Shiyu looked at him. This time, she unusually avoided his gaze, as if realizing how foolish her earlier actions had been.
"Mm."Yan Huan stood behind her, still shielding her from the blonde girl as they walked toward the counter.
The blonde girl didn't pursue them further, merely watching their retreating figures with her gaze shifting between Yan Huan and Ye Shiyu's backs.
At the counter, the jellyfish keychain was scanned, and payment was prepared. The service was surprisingly attentive—even such a small keychain was meticulously packaged, which seemed a bit wasteful.
Ye Shiyu picked up her phone, and only then did Yan Huan notice a message notification from a few minutes ago—it was from Ye Lan.
Sensing Yan Huan's gaze, Ye Shiyu opened plane and glanced at it before turning to him.
"Mom just messaged. She said she'll be a little longer and told us to find somewhere to sit and rest."
Wait, could it be that the phone lit up earlier because... "..."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Realizing that Ye Shiyu might not have intended to use the Hypnosis App at all, Yan Huan's smile nearly faltered for a moment.
Beep!
"Payment received via plane: 99 yuan."
"Thank you for your purchase. Please come again."
Ye Shiyu carried the bag out the door, and the two found a bench to sit on.
As soon as she sat down, she eagerly tore open the packaging and pulled out a small stack of sticky notes from her handbag.
Yan Huan caught a glimpse—each note was printed with her name: "Ye Shiyu."
She peeled one off, removed the adhesive backing, and stuck it on the side of the jellyfish keychain, pressing it firmly with her fingers to ensure it wouldn't fall off.
Now, this item belonged to her.
Yan Huan watched her movements as she effortlessly affixed the name, admiring the keychain for a moment before carefully returning everything to her bag.
Once finished, Ye Shiyu finally looked up, meeting Yan Huan's observant gaze.
"..."
Their eyes locked, neither looking away, though her pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
Still smiling, Yan Huan was the first to break the silence, handing her the drink he'd just bought. "Shiyu-jie, I got this earlier. I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I just picked something random."
"Thank you."
Ye Shiyu nodded, glanced at the drink, and without hesitation reached for the Big Banana Sweetie in the bag—the one Yan Huan had bought for Auntie Ye. He blinked, about to say as much, but then hesitated and stayed silent.
Ah... could it be that Ye Shiyu actually liked banana-flavored drinks too? But after taking the drink, she didn't start sipping immediately. Instead, her gaze drifted absently into the distance.
Her pale fingers traced the paper cup's surface, outlining an indecipherable hesitation.
After a moment, that hesitation finally reached its conclusion.
She looked up at Yan Huan and suddenly said, "Thank you... for earlier."
"Don't mention it. It was nothing, Shiyu-jie."
Yan Huan smiled warmly, true to his name.
Was he someone who smiled often? Yet he hadn't shown the slightest warmth toward that girl earlier... "..."
Expressionless, Ye Shiyu turned away to unwrap the straw.
Well, even if he'd misunderstood the situation with the app, it wasn't as if he'd done anything wrong.
Ye Shiyu got what she wanted, the Modifier hadn't been used, and he'd prevented a potential stupid conflict. A win-win, really.Oh, wait, didn't that girl just now also get a jellyfish keychain? A triple win indeed.
Sipping his drink, Yan Huan thought to himself.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ye Shiyu gently take a sip of Big Banana Sweetie through the straw.
Then, her eyes gradually brightened, her lips pursed slightly as if savoring the sweetness, and she unconsciously revealed a faint smile.
Sure enough, just like Ye Lan, Ye Shiyu also loved banana milk.
"Ding!"
"Plane payment received, 99 yuan."
"Thank you for your purchase, please come again."
After paying, the golden-haired girl took the jellyfish keychain that the clerk had finally retrieved from the warehouse and exited the souvenir shop through another door.
She headed toward the square at the aquarium exit, so she didn't run into Ye Shiyu and Yan Huan near the entrance again.
As she walked, she held the jellyfish keychain up to the sunlight, examining it carefully.
After a moment of silence, she pouted and remarked,
"Ugly as hell."
With that, she headed toward a nearby trash can, ready to toss it away.
But halfway there, a little girl in an elementary school uniform, holding a cheap plastic pinwheel, ran past her, seemingly delighted with her toy.
Watching the little girl run, the golden-haired girl's bored expression gradually gave way to a mischievous smirk.
"Hey~"
She then approached the little girl, "Hey, kid."
"Huh?" The girl with the pinwheel stopped running and turned to look at her, confused. "What is it, big sister?"
The golden-haired girl crouched down with a smile and asked, "What's your name, kid?"
"Mom said I shouldn't tell strangers my name."
"Ariya Spencer. You can call me Spencer."
"...I'm Wenwen."
Exchanging names seemed like a procedural courtesy among kids.
"I really like the pinwheel you're holding. How about I trade you this pretty jellyfish keychain for it?"
"Huh?"
Spencer pulled out the exquisitely crafted crystal jellyfish, its sparkling texture instantly capturing the little girl's full attention.
Even as a fourth or fifth grader, she knew something this well-made must be expensive.
But glancing at her spinning pinwheel, she hesitated.
Spencer, however, smirked and shoved the jellyfish into her hands, then snatched the plastic pinwheel that had been her companion all morning. "The pinwheel's mine now. Take the jellyfish and go play."
The little girl timidly watched the domineering Spencer, then clutched the jellyfish keychain and quickly ran off.
Satisfied, Spencer stood up and casually blew on the pinwheel.
But since it was cheaply made, the plastic pinwheel didn't budge—it would probably take a lot of running to get it spinning.
In short, trading a nearly 100-yuan jellyfish keychain for this five-yuan toy was a terrible deal.
Yet, despite this, Spencer didn't seem upset at all—in fact, she looked quite pleased.
Holding the pinwheel, Spencer suddenly recalled what had happened earlier in the souvenir shop.
Truth be told, Spencer hadn't been interested in the jellyfish keychain while browsing the store.
She had only noticed the black-haired girl eyeing it and realized how much she liked it.So, she became interested, just like how she was now snatching a pinwheel that a little girl liked with a keychain.
That's how the earlier conflict arose where she and Ye Shiyu were fighting over the same keychain.
Now, although she had gotten the keychain, that wasn't what she wanted—she wanted the one in Ye Shiyu's hand.
But who would've thought that such a weird person actually had a boyfriend who doted on her so much? Speaking of which, that good-looking guy seemed a bit familiar, didn't he?
Where had she seen him before?
Spencer rubbed her chin, thinking hard, but in the end, she gave up, as if it were too much trouble.
Ah, whatever, if she couldn't remember. It was just annoying that she hadn't managed to snatch it from that girl and let her get what she wanted.
Tch, wasn't that voice supposed to say that everything I wanted to take would be mine? Was it really just an illusion?
Oh, wait—wasn't there something about activating a mode myself, and that it had side effects while active?
Couldn't remember.
Just as Spencer was blowing on the pinwheel and thinking this, a familiar illusory interface suddenly appeared before her eyes:
[Activate Plunder Mode?]
Ah, right, right, this was the mode.
But as she stared at the illusory prompt, Spencer hesitated for a moment, recalling Ye Shiyu's expressionless face earlier. After a pause, a mischievous grin suddenly spread across her face—almost identical to the one she had before snatching the little girl's pinwheel.
Well then, why not give it a try? Immediately, she silently affirmed in her heart, "Yes."
In an instant, her strikingly beautiful features were obscured by the shadow of her cap, becoming indistinct, while her golden hair seemed to glow even more brilliantly.
Then, two yellow phantom projections appeared above her head, resembling a pair of antennae—or perhaps horns.
The projections emitted a light, sending out an invisible, peculiar ripple into the distance... as if some effect had been triggered.
But she herself noticed nothing, even skeptically glancing around. "Really? Feels like nothing happened at all..."
[Effect has been activated.]
"..."
Spencer had no choice but to take it on faith for now.
Walking over to a trash can, she looked at the pinwheel in her hand and felt bored with it.
Besides, the pinwheel wasn't even that interesting—she wouldn't have bothered snatching it if she hadn't seen how happy that brat was playing with it.
Boring. Might as well toss it.
Spencer made a disinterested face and prepared to throw the pinwheel into the trash.
"Mommy, waaah! It's her! She took my pinwheel! I didn't want to trade at all, but she forced me to, waaah!"
Just then, the loud, tearful voice of a little girl behind her abruptly interrupted her motion.
Dumbfounded, she turned around and saw the elementary schooler from earlier, eyes brimming with tears, standing next to a red-faced, furious woman who glared at her. "Damn it, even stealing from a little girl? Get over here!"
"Huh?"
Spencer froze under the woman's aggressive demeanor. She wanted to say, "But I traded it with your daughter for a jellyfish keychain!" But upon reflection, she hadn't actually heard the girl agree—and besides, where was the fun if the other person agreed before she took it? However, with several security guards now accompanying the woman, Spencer panicked.No? What exactly did that little girl tell her mom? Why are the security guards here? Her body trembled slightly in fear, not daring to respond. Clutching the small pinwheel in her hand, she turned and ran.
As she ran, she cursed wildly in her heart,
"Didn't you say the effect was already activated? Why can't I even snatch a damn kid's pinwheel?!"
[Effect has been activated]
"You liar! What exactly did you activate? I want to cancel it!"
[Effect has been deactivated]
"Damn it, only now do you respond?!"
[Effect has been deactivated]
"Ahhhhh!"
She completely dismissed that illusory voice in her mind as a hallucination and decided she needed to see a psychiatrist.
Of course, her running didn't slow down one bit.
"Huff~ huff~"
The little pinwheel creaked and spun. As she sprinted wildly, the pinwheel that wouldn't budge no matter how hard she blew on it earlier finally started turning—utterly magical.
"Still running, still running?! You shameless bully picking on my daughter! I'll beat you to death, you little shit!"
The woman chasing behind could only gasp for breath and shout impotent curses at Spencer's retreating figure, as the latter ran with astonishing speed ahead.
Hearing this, Spencer ran even faster.