An all-around good boy, especially in character

"Here you go. Thank you for your business."

Yan Huan walked into the gift shop with the three freshly made drinks in his left hand. Since the shop was semi-open, he went in through another entrance.

Although he was still some distance away, Yan Huan spotted Ye Shiyu and the beautiful Blond Hair standing before her, her head raised and a sneer on her face.

Yan Huan raised his eyebrows and quickly realized that Ye Shiyu had gotten into a dispute.

He promptly stopped and set the other two drinks on a nearby shelf.

He picked up his Méngméng Blue Brew, inserted a straw, and started drinking while furtively watching the increasingly tense scene over there.

Watching the drama.jpg.

Oh, oh! It seems contestant number one, Ye Shiyu, and the unidentified second contestant, Blond Hair, have gotten into a dispute over an item!

Contestant number two appears far superior physically to contestant number one. Not only that, is she even speaking more and exerting more verbal pressure than contestant number one?!

"What do you mean? You saying no doesn't make it a no! If I take it, what can you do about it?"

"..."

Faced with Blond Hair's aggression, Ye Shiyu remained as unmoving as an iceberg. Or rather, she had absolutely no idea how to respond.

Oh dear, this is truly a tough situation for our socially awkward contestant number one. She's fallen behind!

Can you win against an opponent like this, Sister Shiyu?

Yan Huan provided impassioned commentary in his head while enjoying his drink.

Give me a break. Ye Shiyu only just came to hypnotize me last night and gave me nightmares all night long.

Yan Huan had already shown her plenty of consideration in front of Ye Lan. Now that he had a chance to watch her get put in her place, Yan Huan certainly wasn't going over.

But there really was a large gap in strength between Ye Shiyu and the girl before her, and the hand clutching the keychain was growing whiter and whiter.

"You're about to lose that keychain."

"..."

The blonde girl's sneer deepened, even taking on a strange hint of excitement.

Watching the drama, Yan Huan bit his straw, somewhat speechless.

What the hell? They can even fight over a keychain.

It was normal for Ye Shiyu to be this obsessive. Given her habit of putting her name on everything, Yan Huan wasn't surprised that she refused to give up on something she wanted.

But what's the deal with the other contestant?

She's not normal, and neither are you?

Yan Huan marveled at this excellent matchmaking system. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw the phone in Ye Shiyu's left hand light up.

"..."

Unable to beat her opponent, contestant number one has chosen to cheat?

And Coach Yan Huan's response is...

The coach-the coach is warming up!!

Yan Huan picked up the drinks beside him and walked toward the battlefield, speechless.

The theory went like this:

The Modifier helped its host achieve her goals through cheating, and once the host tasted success, she would use the Modifier frequently to fulfill her wishes.

In turn, this made the Modifier stronger, allowing it to fulfill more of its host's wishes while also exerting an ever-deeper influence on reality.

In short, this was a vicious cycle that would plunge everyday life straight into hell.

And Yan Huan felt that there were two key points to breaking this cycle:

First, quantitative changes led to qualitative changes, so he had to reduce how frequently they used their Modifiers as much as possible, preventing things from reaching the point where they needed a Modifier's help for everything they did.

Second, he had to keep them from getting what they wanted even when they used their Modifiers, so they would ultimately realize that using a Modifier was a dead end and they needed more normal ways to solve their problems.

Honestly, both were as difficult as reaching the heavens, but at least Yan Huan could stop Ye Shiyu from using her Modifier to solve this particular problem right now.

After all, he was an all-around good boy, especially in character.

Yan Huan's resentful expression was covered by Perfect Facial Expression Control, turning into the same expressionless look Ye Shiyu wore.

He walked briskly over. Only when he got close did the blonde girl, still caught up in the dispute, realize someone was approaching.

She looked up and saw a handsome boy who looked a little... familiar coming toward them.

She instinctively loosened her hand, causing Ye Shiyu, who was still pulling hard, to stumble back a step.

And that step sent Ye Shiyu straight into Yan Huan's arms.

Feeling his searing body heat, Ye Shiyu stiffened. But before she could remain in his arms for even a moment, a hand took her shoulder without pausing and pulled her behind him, separating her from the other girl.

It looked as though he was protecting Ye Shiyu, but in reality, he was preventing her from hypnotizing someone else.

Last night, he had heard the illusory voice coming from her. Its effect was [Individual Hypnosis], meaning it could only be used when she was alone with someone.

With a third person present, her current Modifier had no opportunity to work.

Ye Shiyu blinked, her beautiful eyes turning toward the figure in front of her.

Yan Huan also turned his head slightly at just the right moment, as though he had only just returned from buying drinks and knew nothing of the situation, and asked with both worry and confusion,

"What happened, Sister Shiyu?"

"...Nothing."

Ye Shiyu said this while holding the keychain.

Yan Huan's expression stayed unchanged, but the blonde girl behind him bristled and said,

"What do you mean, nothing? I got that keychain in her hand first!"

Yan Huan turned and looked expressionlessly at the blonde girl before him, asking,

"You got it first? Really?"

The question made the blonde girl falter. Perhaps because she found him familiar, she instinctively stopped pursuing that lie and sneered instead,

"Even if we grabbed it at the same time, didn't I offer her compensation? I already said she could pick anything else at the same price, and I'd pay."

Yan Huan glanced at the price on the shelf. This tiny keychain actually cost nearly a hundred, more than many things in the shop.

The tourist-trap markup buff, combined with its decent craftsmanship, made the lone Jellyfish Keychain hanging there that expensive.

"I'll pay twice the price. Pick anything else, and I'll pay. Would you accept that?"

At this, Ye Shiyu spoke unhurriedly from behind him, making it impossible to tell whether she was offering or provoking.

At any rate, the blonde girl took it as the latter.

Her sneer grew increasingly unsettling. "Heh, I'm warning you. Don't think you can act fearlessly just because you brought a boyfriend to back you up."

Ye Shiyu first shook her head, then simply watched her, apparently not understanding what she meant and still waiting for her answer.

Snap!

Just then, Yan Huan snapped his fingers expressionlessly in front of the blonde girl's face, not only drawing her attention but also lighting the fuse of her rage like a match.

"What are you doing?!"

The blonde girl was just about to explode, but Yan Huan couldn't even be bothered with her. He turned to Ye Shiyu with a helpless smile.

His smile toward the black-haired girl was clearly helpless yet so patient that the blonde girl's expression briefly froze.

Her angry outburst stopped strangely short. Instead, she simply watched Yan Huan raise his hand and call loudly toward the entrance,

"Hello, we need some help here!"

"Coming! What can I help you with?"

The clerk at the entrance hurried over at his call. Yan Huan pointed at the Jellyfish Keychain in Ye Shiyu's hand and said,

"There's only one of these keychains left on the shelf. Both we and she want one. Do you have any more in stock?"

"Yes, we do. Please come check out first. As for you, miss, please wait a moment. I'll bring yours right away."

Yan Huan turned to look at the blonde girl whose bristling had been interrupted. His expression was as speechless as that streamer from his previous life, the Black man who spread his hands.

Did they really have to make such a trivial thing this complicated?

He seemed about to comment, "Idiots," but considered that the splash damage would hit the girl he was protecting behind him, so he gave up.

Yan Huan said nothing more to the blonde girl and didn't even look at her. He simply held the drinks and smiled at Ye Shiyu.

"Sister Shiyu, let's go."

Ye Shiyu looked at him. This time, she uncharacteristically avoided Yan Huan's eyes, seemingly also feeling that what she had just done was a little stupid.

"Mm..."

Yan Huan stood behind him, still keeping her separated from the Blond Hair girl behind them, and headed toward the counter like that.

The Blond Hair girl didn't pester them anymore either. She merely watched them leave in silence, her gaze shifting between Yan Huan's and Ye Shiyu's retreating figures.

At the counter, the jellyfish scanned the price and prepared to take payment. The service was honestly quite thorough. Even a keychain like this got a whole package, which felt rather wasteful.

Ye Shiyu picked up her phone. Only then did Yan Huan see a notification from several minutes ago on it, a message from Ye Lan.

Sensing Yan Huan's gaze, Ye Shiyu opened Plane and took a look, then turned to him and said,

"Mom sent this just now. She said it'll take a little longer and told us to find somewhere to sit and rest."

Wait, could her phone lighting up earlier have been because...

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Realizing that Ye Shiyu might not have intended to use the hypnosis app earlier, Yan Huan nearly failed to maintain his smile even with his ability.

"Beep!"

"Plane payment received: 99 yuan."

"Thank you for your business. Take care."

Ye Shiyu walked out with the bag and found a bench with Yan Huan to sit down.

As soon as she sat down, she eagerly opened the packaging, then took a very small label out of her handbag.

Yan Huan caught a glimpse of her name printed on every label.

"Ye Shiyu."

She took one, peeled off the backing, stuck it to the side of the Jellyfish Keychain, and pressed it firmly with her fingers to make sure it wouldn't fall off.

Now, this thing belonged to her.

Yan Huan watched her movements, watching her smoothly attach the name, fondly play with it for a moment, and put everything back into her bag.

Only after finishing all this did Ye Shiyu look up, meeting Yan Huan's scrutinizing gaze.

"..."

They looked at each other, neither looking away, but her pupils contracted ever so slightly.

Still smiling, Yan Huan was the first to hand her the drinks he had just bought, saying,

"Sister Shiyu, these are the drinks I just bought. I didn't know what you liked, so I picked something at random..."

"Thank you."

Ye Shiyu nodded and glanced at the drinks, then reached without hesitation for the Big Banana Sweetie in the bag.

That's for Aunt Ye...

Yan Huan blinked and was about to say that, but suddenly thought of something and kept quiet.

Ah, could Ye Shiyu actually like banana-flavored drinks too?

But after taking the drink, Ye Shiyu didn't start drinking immediately. Instead, she stared ahead blankly again.

Her fair fingers rubbed the paper cup's surface, tracing a hesitation that others couldn't decipher.

After a moment, that hesitation finally came to an end.

She raised her head to look at Yan Huan and suddenly said,

"Thank you for what happened earlier..."

"It's nothing. It's what I should do, Sister Shiyu."

Yan Huan smiled faintly, just as his name suggested.

Was he someone who liked to smile? But he hadn't been very pleasant to that girl earlier.

"..."

Ye Shiyu remained expressionless and turned away to unwrap her straw.

Well, although I misunderstood Ye Shiyu about using the app, I didn't do anything bad.

Ye Shiyu got what she wanted, the Modifier wasn't used, and I stopped a potentially stupid dispute. A win-win.

Oh, no, wait. Didn't that girl get a Jellyfish Keychain too?

A triple win, a triple win.

Yan Huan thought this while drinking.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ye Shiyu gently pinch her straw and take a sip of the Big Banana Sweetie.

Then her eyes gradually brightened, and her lips pressed together a few times as though savoring the sweetness, unconsciously revealing a faint smile.

Sure enough, just like Ye Lan, Ye Shiyu liked banana milk too.

"Beep!"

"Plane payment received: 99 yuan."

"Thank you for your business. Take care."

After paying, the blonde girl took the Jellyfish Keychain the clerk had taken so long to fetch from the storeroom and left the Souvenir Shop through another exit.

It led toward the plaza at the Aquarium's exit, so she didn't run into Ye Shiyu and Yan Huan at the entrance again.

As she walked, she held the Jellyfish Keychain up in the sunlight and examined it carefully.

After a moment of silence, she curled her lip and commented,

"Ugly as hell."

With that, she headed toward a nearby trash can, ready to throw it away.

But halfway there, a little girl wearing an elementary school uniform ran past her along the path, holding a cheap plastic pinwheel and apparently having great fun with it.

As her gaze followed the running child, the boredom on the Blond Hair girl's face gradually gave way to an interested, mischievous smile.

"Hey~"

Then she walked toward the little girl.

"Hey, kid."

"Hm?" The little girl playing with the pinwheel stopped running at her voice and turned toward her in bewilderment. "What is it, big sister?"

The blonde girl crouched down with a smile and asked,

"Little girl, what's your name?"

"...Mommy said I shouldn't tell strangers my name."

"Aria Spencer. You can call me Spencer."

"...I-I'm Wenwen."

Exchanging names seemed to be a standard ritual among children?

"I really like that pinwheel you're holding. How about I trade you this pretty Jellyfish Keychain for it?"

"Huh?"

Spencer took out the exquisitely crafted, beautiful crystal jellyfish, and its sparkling crystal body immediately captured all the little girl's attention.

Even as a fourth- or fifth-grade elementary schooler, she knew something made that well would be expensive.

But she glanced at the little pinwheel spinning in her hand, still very hesitant.

Spencer, however, gave a cold laugh, shoved the jellyfish straight into her hands, then snatched away the plastic pinwheel she had been playing with all morning.

"The pinwheel's mine now. Hold on to the jellyfish and go play."

The little girl looked timidly at the overbearing Spencer, then lowered her head and quickly ran off, clutching the Jellyfish Keychain.

Spencer stood up in satisfaction and casually blew on the pinwheel in her hand.

But it was so cheaply made that the plastic pinwheel didn't budge. It probably took some serious running to make it spin.

In short, trading a Jellyfish Keychain worth nearly a hundred for something that cost less than five was a massive loss.

Even so, Spencer didn't look upset. In fact, she was delighted.

Holding the little pinwheel, Spencer suddenly recalled what had happened in the Souvenir Shop.

Ultimately, Spencer hadn't been interested in the jellyfish charm at all while browsing the Souvenir Shop.

She had merely noticed that the black-haired girl kept looking at the jellyfish charm and realized she really liked that Jellyfish Keychain.

That had piqued her interest, just as she had now used the keychain to snatch a pinwheel an elementary schooler liked.

That was what had led to the earlier dispute, when she and Ye Shiyu had both tried to grab the same keychain.

Now she had the keychain, but this wasn't the one she wanted. She wanted the one in Ye Shiyu's hand.

Still, who would've thought a weirdo like that had a boyfriend who doted on her so much?

Come to think of it, didn't that good-looking boy seem a little familiar?

Where had I seen him before?

Spencer rubbed her chin and thought very hard, but in the end, she gave up, seemingly because it was too much trouble.

Oh well. If I can't remember, forget it.

Still, it's annoying that I couldn't snatch it from her, and she even got what she wanted.

Tsk, didn't that voice say everything I wanted to snatch could be mine? Was it a hallucination after all?

Oh, no, wait.

I had to activate some mode myself, and there were side effects while it was active?

Can't remember.

Just as Spencer was thinking this while blowing on the pinwheel, a familiar illusory interface suddenly appeared before her.

[Activate Plunder Mode?]

Oh, right, right, right. That was the mode.

But as she looked at the illusory prompt before her, Spencer pondered for a moment and recalled Ye Shiyu's expressionless face.

A moment later, a wicked grin suddenly appeared on her face, almost identical to the smile she had worn before snatching the little girl's pinwheel.

Then, shall I give it a try?

Immediately, she silently said to herself,

Yes.

In that instant, her exceptionally beautiful face became difficult to make out beneath the shadow of her baseball cap. Only her golden hair shone ever more brilliantly.

Then two yellow phantoms appeared above her head, like a pair of antennae or a pair of bull's horns.

The phantoms burst with light, sending an invisible, strange ripple into the distance.

Some effect seemed to be activating.

But she herself noticed nothing, even looking around dubiously.

"Is this for real? It feels like nothing happened?"

[The effect has been activated]

"..."

Spencer could only choose to believe it for now.

She walked over to a trash can, looked at the pinwheel in her hand, and felt bored with it already.

Besides, the pinwheel hadn't been anything interesting to begin with. If she hadn't seen that little brat having so much fun with it, she wouldn't have bothered snatching it.

Boring. Might as well throw it away.

Spencer looked bored as she prepared to toss the little pinwheel into the trash.

"Mommy, waaah, it was her! She stole my pinwheel! I didn't want to trade at all, but she made me! Waaah!"

Just then, the sound of a little girl crying loudly behind her abruptly interrupted her.

She turned her head blankly and saw the elementary schooler from earlier, her eyes full of tears. Beside her stood an angry Auntie, her face red and her neck thick, glaring furiously at Spencer.

"You fucking stole a little girl's pinwheel? Get over here!"

"Huh?"

Intimidated by the woman's imposing manner, Spencer stiffened. She wanted to say, "I traded your daughter a Jellyfish Keychain for it," but thinking it over, she really hadn't heard the girl agree earlier...

Besides, what fun would there have been in taking it after she agreed?

But there were also several security guards beside the woman, and Spencer immediately panicked.

Wait, what?

What exactly did that little girl tell her mother? Why were even the security guards here?

Her body trembled slightly in fright. Not daring to respond, she clutched the little pinwheel, turned, and ran.

As she ran, she cursed furiously in her mind,

Didn't you say the effect had been activated? Why can't I even snatch a little brat's pinwheel?!

[The effect has been activated]

You liar! What did you activate? I want to cancel it!

[The effect has been deactivated]

Fuck, is this the only time you respond?!

[The effect has been deactivated]

Aaaaaah!

She thoroughly classified the illusory voice in her mind as a hallucination and decided to see a therapist.

Of course, her fleeing feet never slowed in the slightest.

"Whoosh, whoosh~"

The little pinwheel spun with a creak and a squeak.

As she sprinted away, the pinwheel that wouldn't turn no matter how hard she blew on it finally started spinning. Quite magical.

"You're still running? Still running?! You shameless bitch, bullying my daughter! I'll beat you to death, you little bastard!"

Spencer ran so incredibly fast up ahead that the Auntie behind her could only pant and shout after Spencer's distant back in helpless fury.

Hearing that, Spencer ran even faster.