That night, Qin Luo was dragged by his sister to watch a horror movie, supposedly to “train his courage.” Yet just a minor vengeful spirit had him trembling like a leaf—how could he possibly become a competent ability user in the future?
To set the mood, the room was intentionally dark.
His sister wore a skimpy set of pajamas; the shorts barely reached her upper thighs. Her long, fair legs stood out in the shadows, their curves so striking that it was impossible not to glance at them a few extra times.
Some sayings are true after all—the bigger the mass, the stronger the pull.
Qin Luo had no idea where his sister had dug up this Hong Kong film from the last century. Nowadays, special effects had improved, yet horror films somehow felt less scary than before. Back then, plots were tight, props realistic, and action sequences thrilling.
Now? Apart from flashy effects, there was nothing— and the effects weren’t even that impressive.
“I’m gonna die… I’m gonna die…” Qin Luo shrank into his sister’s arms, trembling uncontrollably.
It was the uncut original version, and with the sound system and big screen connected, it felt completely immersive.
Su Jingyu looked down at her little brother in her arms, gently stroking his hair. Her eyes sparkled—Xiao Luo really was adorable.
“Little puppy, for a supposed grown man, you’re actually worse than your weak sister.”
Just then—
Click!
The lights suddenly flicked on.
“What are you two doing?”
A cool, clear female voice sounded.
A figure appeared at the door. Her long wavy hair cascaded down to her waist, her willow-shaped eyebrows radiating warmth. Her peach-blossom eyes seemed to hold the depth of autumn water, and her red lips were as delicate as flower petals. On her refined oval face was a faint, striking chill.
She wore a white shirt—loose, yet lifted by her full curves—and fitted pants. A pair of white high heels accentuated the length of her legs.
Her presence blended gentleness with a subtle sharpness, a mature woman’s charm that radiated at all times.
Jiang Qing’e—Qin Luo’s aunt.
She changed her shoes while glancing at the two of them. The pose appeared slightly intimate.
“Aunt!”
The soft warmth under Qin Luo’s head suddenly disappeared. Ban Jingyu had already risen and walked over to Jiang Qing’e, wrapping her arm around hers affectionately.
“I missed you so much, Aunt.”
“I missed you too. Let me see if you’ve gained weight.”
Qin Luo watched his sister behaving obediently in front of their aunt, growing even more curious about her real identity. He recalled how, at the start of school, the principal personally welcomed her—well, technically, welcomed his aunt.
“Luo Luo, what are you standing there for? Come here to Aunt’s side,” Jiang Qing’e said with a playful squint.
As soon as Qin Luo stepped forward, his aunt scooped him up, sandwiching him between herself and his sister.
The soft touch and subtle fragrance filled his senses, making him feel almost intoxicated.
After a moment, Jiang Qing’e set him down, gently ruffling his hair and planting a kiss on his forehead.
“Aunt, I’ve grown up,” Qin Luo said helplessly.
Ever since he was little, as long as he behaved well, his aunt would reward him with a kiss. Even now that he was older, the habit hadn’t changed.
“Growing up doesn’t matter. In Aunt’s eyes, Luo Luo will always be a child.”
She kissed his forehead again.
Ban Jingyu watched the scene, nearly grabbing her brother back.
“Aunt, don’t just kiss him—kiss me too!”
Though she spoke like that, she was more like a protective tigress. Still, in front of their aunt, she yielded.
“Alright, alright. Come, tell Aunt about everything that’s happened these past two years.”
Watching the intimate interaction between aunt and nephew, Qin Luo glanced at the time and went to prepare dinner.
His sister was a typical young lady, never touching a drop of household work; his aunt, however, was gentle like a woman from Jiangnan and also an excellent cook.
“Dinner’s ready!”
Qin Luo carried the final dish, sweet and sour spare ribs, and called to the two on the sofa.
“You made this?” Ban Jingyu looked incredulous.
Qin Luo puffed out his chest. “Over the past two years, my cooking skills have improved a lot.”
“Not bad… just slightly worse than Sister.” Though she said that, Ban Jingyu didn’t slow her pace in taking food.
Jiang Qing’e looked at him and gently asked, “I heard, Luo Luo, that you’ve awakened your ability?”
“Yes, Aunt.”
Qin Luo focused, and the moon-shaped mark on his hand appeared.
A flicker of unusual light crossed Jiang Qing’e’s eyes as her delicate fingers pressed gently on his hand, warm to the touch.
“Wait here, Aunt will come to your room.”
“Huh?”
“Why? Only Sister can bind you, but not Aunt?”
Qin Luo was momentarily speechless. He always felt his aunt treated him like a child, yet some of her actions were hard to understand.
After dinner, naturally, Qin Luo washed the dishes. Then, he went to take a shower. Outside the door, his aunt’s voice called softly:
“Luo Luo, I left your milk by the door. Remember to drink it.”
“Okay, got it, Aunt.”
Ever since he was little, his aunt had made him drink milk before bed, claiming it helped with growth. Whether it worked or not was unknown, but it definitely made him fall asleep more easily.
However, sometimes at night, he would feel “sleep paralysis”—as if someone was pressing down on him, even touching him, yet his body could not move.
He hadn’t thought much of it before, but now he wondered—
Could it be… that something really exists?