Most of the stack of books he had brought back from the Ability Users' Guild library offered only general discussions of basic mental power meditation, providing limited help in consolidating Luo Li's [Remembrance] Path.
But he was not discouraged. Instead, he settled down even more, meditating at a fixed time every day and attempting to control his mental power more precisely and sense subtler fragments of memory around him.
He kept the system's warning firmly in mind, neither rushing ahead nor taking on too much, and devoted most of his energy to strengthening his foundation.
As for the affection level, which had crawled up at a snail's pace to 98.3%, he regarded it with an unprecedented sense of calm.
"As long as Castorice is happy."
This became his new guiding principle.
He no longer deliberately calculated how much affection each interaction could bring. Instead, he focused entirely on how to make Castorice's life in this world more comfortable and happier.
And recently, Castorice seemed to have found a new source of happiness-romance movies.
It had started one afternoon when she accidentally clicked on a clichéd romance movie on a video platform's recommendation page. It had beautiful visuals, and its cover showed a man and woman embracing beneath a cherry blossom tree.
At first, she watched only with the intention of learning about this world's culture.
But soon, her clear purple eyes were riveted by the delicate emotional exchanges between the leads, their sweet misunderstandings, and their eventual heartfelt confession.
She was so absorbed that she did not even notice Luo Li walking up behind her.
Even after the movie ended and the closing song began, she remained immersed in that bittersweet atmosphere, a faint blush on her cheeks and a somewhat dreamy look in her eyes.
"Was it good?"
Luo Li could not help asking.
Castorice startled and turned around like a frightened fawn. Only when she saw that it was Luo Li did she relax. She nodded gently, her voice carrying a barely perceptible trace of shyness. "Mm... The 'feelings' between them were very... complicated, but also very beautiful."
From that day onward, there was no stopping Castorice.
Using the streaming subscription Luo Li had purchased for her, she began systematically "catching up" on all kinds of romance movies.
From innocent school romances to turbulent urban love stories, and even some fantastical romances between different races...
She watched very attentively, sometimes pressing her lips together in a quiet smile at a lead's clumsy confession, sometimes frowning slightly at an unavoidable separation, and sometimes brightening a little at a reunion after countless hardships.
Luo Li noticed her changes and found them utterly delightful.
And so, watching romance movies became a new, regular activity they shared.
Usually, after Luo Li finished streaming for the night, they would curl up on the rather small living room sofa, share a soft blanket, and choose a movie that interested Castorice.
Luo Li would prepare snacks and drinks and dim the lights, creating just the right atmosphere.
Once the movie began, Castorice would immediately become absorbed, leaning slightly forward with her purple eyes fixed on the screen, as though she wanted to engrave every detail into her mind.
Luo Li, however, often had more than half his attention elsewhere.
What he enjoyed more was the atmosphere of that moment.
Castorice's uniquely cool, delicate fragrance lingered around his nose, mingling with the warm scent of the blanket's fibers.
As she concentrated, their arms would occasionally brush by accident, sending a faint, heart-fluttering sensation through him.
He could hear her soft, shallow breathing change with the rises and falls of the plot.
At times like these, he felt especially safe and peaceful.
It was as though the threat of vampires outside, his own meager strength, and the uncertainty of the future had all been temporarily shut out of this small, warm little world.
At that moment, a classic romance movie was playing on the screen.
After spending years apart because of a misunderstanding, the leads finally reunited at the café where they had first met.
The music was gentle and heartfelt, and the camera slowly moved closer, capturing the complex emotions in the actors' eyes.
Castorice watched with particular concentration, her hands unconsciously tightening around the edge of the blanket, her purple eyes glimmering with emotion.
When the male lead finally said the words that had come years too late-"I've always loved you"-Luo Li felt Castorice take a soft breath beside him and lean a little closer.
An indescribable impulse rose within him.
Quietly, extremely slowly, Luo Li extended his arm over the back of the sofa and finally rested it gently, tentatively, on Castorice's far shoulder.
It was almost an embrace.
Castorice's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
The movie's light and shadows flickered across her face, and Luo Li could feel her hold her breath for an instant.
His own heart rose into his throat, afraid she would pull away.
Yet the retreat he had imagined never came.
Castorice merely turned her head slightly and darted a glance at him with purple eyes that looked especially hazy in the dim light.
There was no resistance in her gaze, no surprise, only a trace of bewilderment at being disturbed, and... a deeper, unreadable softness.
Then, as though accepting it, she gently, almost imperceptibly, let more of her weight lean toward Luo Li, fitting her shoulder more snugly against the curve of his arm.
Her hair brushed Luo Li's chin, bringing a faint tickle and a clearer trace of her fragrance.
It was as though something had suddenly filled Luo Li's heart, and an immense happiness, almost aching, swept through him.
He held that position, not daring to move, even keeping his breathing exceedingly light for fear of breaking this hard-won intimacy.
The movie continued, the leads embracing and crying as they spoke of how they had missed each other during their separation.
But Luo Li could no longer make out the actual dialogue.
All his senses were focused on the warmth and softness of Castorice's body against his arm, and on her reassuring scent.
He could feel Castorice gradually relax from her initial slight stiffness. By the end, she was almost entirely nestled in his arms, her head resting lightly on his shoulder.
When the movie ended, the closing song rang out melodiously.
The living room was silent apart from their soft, intermingling breaths.
Castorice did not get up immediately. She remained leaning against him, as though still immersed in the movie's atmosphere and the warmth of the moment.
Luo Li did not move either, reluctant to let go of this quiet intimacy.
Only after a long while did Castorice gently straighten and leave his embrace.
He could not clearly see her cheeks in the dim light, but Luo Li could sense that they must have been quite warm.
"The movie... was very good," she said softly, her voice a little hoarse.
"Yes, very good," Luo Li agreed, his own voice somewhat dry.
He withdrew his slightly numb arm, his fingertips seeming to retain the feel of her shoulder and the softness of her hair.
Neither spoke for a moment, an unspoken romantic tension and warmth filling the air.
[Ding! Detected that the host and target 'Castorice' spent an extended period together with a high degree of intimacy and an excellent atmosphere. Their emotional bond has grown stronger.] [(Although the affection percentage did not directly increase, this has laid a solid emotional foundation for a future breakthrough.)]
The system's notification reassured Luo Li.
Although there had been no direct numerical increase, strengthening this "emotional foundation" might be more important than that 0.1% climb.
Watching Castorice fold the blanket, he asked softly, "Would you... like to watch another tomorrow?"
Castorice's hands paused. Without looking up, she simply gave a soft "Mm."
"All right, then. I'll finish streaming earlier tomorrow," Luo Li said with a smile, already planning what snacks to prepare tomorrow.
He knew there was still a long way to go before that final breakthrough.
But he was in no hurry at all.
Just as he had told himself-
As long as Castorice was happy.
Being able to see her genuine smile every day, share the same sofa and the same movie with her, and feel her gradually open her heart to him, rely on him, and draw closer, just like this...
That, in itself, was already the greatest gift fate had given him.
He could cultivate his strength slowly, and nurture her affection slowly.
As long as she was by his side, every day was a step worth cherishing toward a beautiful future.
Watching her graceful figure head toward the bedroom, his heart filled with gentle certainty.
Good night, Castorice.
May you have no more nightmares tonight.