The first rays of sunlight slipped through the gaps in the floor-to-ceiling windows, slowly climbing higher, passing through the thin gauze curtains and falling across four intertwined calves.
Li Dan's ankle brushed against Heather's skin with unconscious dependence. He burrowed into Heather's arms, his nose brushing her soft collarbone, then shifted into a more comfortable position and continued sleeping.
He had always slept restlessly, always needing to grab onto something or lean against someone. He had picked up that bad habit from Hachishaku-hime.
Heather was awakened by the sunlight. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Li Dan nuzzling against her chest, his long lashes casting faint shadows beneath his eyelids, looking like an immature child.
Though she was a Texas girl, faced with Li Dan like this, the maternal affection in her heart could not help overflowing.
She raised a hand and gently stroked his hair, her fingertips passing over his smooth forehead. Her movements were impossibly tender.
After washing up.
At four in the afternoon, everyone prepared to head back.
Jennifer sat with Heather. Their expressions made it easy to tell what they were talking about.
Even a Texas girl like Heather could not handle Jennifer's wild remarks.
Other than shopping, there was only that kind of thing in her head.
Li Dan spent his time with Hachishaku-hime, Xuexu, Tamamo-no-Mae, Isabella, and Selene.
On the last day of Christmas, Li Dan set aside his time for all the contained entities.
He returned to Collingwood Manor and gave the butler and all the servants a long holiday, letting them go home and reunite with their families.
Then he released all the contained entities.
Today, they could celebrate however they wanted. They could even hack each other apart. There was only one rule—no running out of the manor