At the moment Ye Wanqing’s confusion peaked, she saw Irina’s figure dissolve suddenly into the shadows below, as if sinking into deep water—but there was no splash sound.
Before she could think further, less than thirty meters away, Ye Wanqing herself was almost instantly drawn into that mysterious shadow.
Irina’s last words flashed through her mind, and she instinctively held her breath.
Then—
“Pfft!”
A cold, sticky liquid instantly wrapped tightly around Ye Wanqing’s entire body.
As she plunged into this fluid, her mind blanked for a moment, but thankfully, holding her breath kept her from choking on the strange substance.
The liquid was thicker than water, like oil, though Ye Wanqing had no way to confirm that.
Wrapped in it, she dared not open her eyes, covering her mouth and nose tightly to avoid accidentally inhaling any.
At that moment, her wrist was gently gripped.
Though startled, Ye Wanqing quickly realized the soft warmth around her wrist was from Irina’s small hand, and an inexplicable calm washed over her.
A dragging sensation came from her wrist, and Ye Wanqing was pulled along by Irina, swimming toward somewhere.
Though holding her breath was uncomfortable, she knew one couldn’t suffocate in the Dream World, so she quickly adapted to the sensation.
After a few minutes, the liquid around them began to flow, no longer a stagnant pool.
Ye Wanqing vaguely sensed the exit was near.
But just as she was about to break free, a strong sense of déjà vu engulfed her.
So familiar—the posture at this moment was just like when Su Mu had dragged her out of the water at the beach long ago.
Now it was Irina instead of Su Mu, but the feeling was nearly identical.
No time to think more.
The next moment, she broke through the surface of the fluid and was pulled ashore, gasping heavily on the loose sandy soil.
“How was that? Exciting?” Irina’s voice was light and amused, clearly accustomed to this, unlike Ye Wanqing, who still looked a little disheveled.
“Huff huff … What… was that?”
“This is the Black Sea—the chaotic state before the Dreamscape fully forms.”
Ye Wanqing knew the Dream World didn’t always maintain clear form.
In each person’s independent Second Layer, old areas vanish when entering new ones.
She just hadn’t known that after a collapse, the Dream World became this pitch-black liquid pool.
Magic Power, drifting consciousness, and concepts spread evenly through space, creating that strange tactile sensation.
She wondered if opening her eyes midway would trap her in a suddenly reconstructed dreamscape.
But it was too late now.
“Let’s go. There’s nothing worth staying for here—just a no-man’s land.”
Irina smoothed Ye Wanqing’s hair and then casually took her hand, causing Ye Wanqing to feel uneasy again.
She frowned and pulled her hand back, putting on her glasses.
It wasn’t that she disliked the touch, but it unconsciously reminded her of Su Mu.
That made her feel oddly out of place because the one holding her hand now wasn’t Su Mu but a witch who looked very much like her.
Though she said she’d make Little Mouse Mu regret losing such a close friend, Ye Wanqing wasn’t so petty as to sulk just because Little Mouse Mu had found someone else to love.
That would be like sulking at Lando for stealing her Little Mouse Mu!
Anyone would be annoyed if their duo partner suddenly said they had to hang out with their girlfriend.
Sometimes, Ye Wanqing even wanted to push Lando away and squeeze herself next to Su Mu, even if it meant their relationship would evolve unexpectedly.
But before that, she had to make sure nothing like what was described in that Magical Girl fanfic starring herself would ever happen.
— “Reliable Magical Girl Senior Miti, Being Toyed with Body and Mind by the Cunning Witch!”
Little Mouse Mu’s other stories were pretty good, but what the hell was this one about?
What did it mean that despite being calm, she was a hopeless romantic idiot?
That the witch’s sweet talk was enough to make her willingly surrender her body and soul?
Damn Little Mouse Mu!
Though it was indeed rather spicy writing.
Just now, as Irina grabbed Ye Wanqing’s hand again, a sudden realization flashed through her mind.
‘Isn’t this Irina the very witch Su Mu fabricated to toy with her?’
With sweet words and casual physical contact, treating her like a child and indulging her every whim…
The cunning witch!
“Uh, well, I kind of want to…”
“Oh? What is it?”
Looking at Irina’s gentle, curved brows and eyes, Ye Wanqing’s refusal melted away before it could form.
“Nothing.”
‘No, that fanfic was nonsense. What am I thinking? Irina is clearly being so good to me.’
Irina noticed Ye Wanqing’s little inner struggles and secretly smiled.
‘Struggle away. There’s more interesting stuff waiting for you ahead.’
***
“Is it good?”
“Not bad.”
At Su Mu’s dream home, she stuffed rice into her mouth with chopsticks, puffing out her cheeks as she mumbled her answer.
Several grains stuck to her collar, making her look like a greedy chipmunk.
Su Ya could only smile helplessly.
It was the first time she had seen Su Mu eat so happily—if only this were real.
Su Mu might have been thinking the same, though her words sounded perfunctory.
Her taste buds were honestly enjoying the meal, far tastier than anything Ning Ling had cooked.
Even if it was just a dream, this mother was much cuter than in reality.
At least she didn’t constantly pass out on the sofa.
Still, Su Mu was puzzled by what she overheard outside the office before.
‘Mother busy with work? What work?’
“Mom, what do you go out to do at night?”
Su Ya’s breath hitched.
“Uh, drinking.”
“Really?”
Under Su Mu’s suspicious gaze, Su Ya felt guilty.
Saying she was drinking wasn’t a lie, but she knew Su Mu was doubting something.
“I’m really just drinking.”
“Then what’s the work?”
“Drinking.” After Su Ya’s reply, Su Mu instantly understood.
There was definitely something fishy about her.
This quiet home was never as simple as it looked.
“Why do you have to work? Doesn’t Dad send money home all the time?”
Su Ya gave a bitter smile.
‘If only that were true.’