The Room More Dangerous Than the Evil God

Inside Enlaisi’s villa, the furnishings carried a nostalgic, retro charm.

The walls of the drawing room were covered in faded iris-patterned wallpaper, bearing faint traces of smoke. Three small brown velvet sofas were arranged in a semicircle around a wooden coffee table at the center of the room. Two of the sofas were pristine, while the third bore a noticeable depression from frequent use, its armrest marred by a scorch mark left by Enlaisi’s pipe.

A marble-framed oil painting hung on the wall, depicting a young girl in a long dress. For some reason, her face appeared blurred, indistinct, and the entire painting glowed softly under the warmth of the nearby fireplace.

Opposite the painting hung a pendulum clock, its hands ticking back and forth with a steady rhythm. At certain hours, a brass mechanical bird might even pop out to announce the time.

Xia Lun made himself at home, settling onto one of the sofas.

With four people and three sofas, the seating was just right. Enlaisi took his usual spot, Liyana sat beside him, Xia Lun settled across from Enlaisi next to Liyana, and Aina nestled comfortably in Xia Lun’s lap.

Upstairs, Mo Lini bustled about in her room, the occasional clatter and startled "Aiya!" echoing down.

On the coffee table, Xia Lun’s gaze was drawn to an old photo frame. Inside was a carefree young man with a confident grin, standing beside a slightly shy girl. Judging by her attire, she was unmistakably the same girl from the oil painting on the wall.

"Is this you, Professor Enlaisi? You were quite the dashing fellow back then!" Liyana pointed at the young man in the frame, addressing Enlaisi.

"I’m still dashing," Enlaisi retorted, instinctively reaching for the pocket holding his pipe before hesitating and withdrawing his hand.

"And is this girl your wife?" Liyana’s attention shifted to the other figure. "She’s so beautiful."

"Absolutely smitten with me," Enlaisi declared proudly. "Well… though we never actually married. We were just… involved."

"Why?" Liyana asked, puzzled, then sighed. "Were you reluctant to leave behind your other admirers? Oh, Enlaisi, you can’t be so fickle… I’ve dated plenty of girls myself, but I’ve always been faithful—"

"It was her situation," Enlaisi murmured, shaking his head slightly. His fingers clenched into a fist, veins standing out starkly before he slowly relaxed. "The night before we were to be engaged, she… had an accident."

"I’m sorry," Liyana whispered, dropping the subject.

Enlaisi’s gaze softened as it lingered on Xia Lun and Aina.

Then, with a hearty laugh, he added, "Young people should be like you—cherish what you have now, savor the sweetness of love… Because when you’re older, you might not have the chance."

"You’re absolutely right, Professor Enlaisi," Aina said, leaning into Xia Lun’s embrace. "Hear that, Xia Lun? You know what to do when we get back."

Xia Lun nodded helplessly.

Just moments ago, Aina had warned him not to pick up bad habits from these two.

Enlaisi chuckled. "Such a spirited girl… You’re a lucky man, Xia Lun."

Mo Lini descended the stairs, weighed down by a large russet backpack that swayed behind her like a squirrel’s tail.

"I… I really have to move out, Professor Enlaisi…" Mo Lini made one last attempt to resist.

Enlaisi nodded. "Yes, don’t worry about me. Go on."

"But… who will cook for you after this?"

Enlaisi straightened, adopting a serious tone. "Mo Lini… to be honest, I never thought your cooking was particularly good. Compared to the professional chefs at the school cafeteria, there’s quite a gap… and I don’t have to clean up afterward."

Mo Lini’s eyes welled up. "Waaah—"

Liyana stepped forward, hefting the large backpack off Mo Lini’s shoulders. "Don’t worry, you won’t have to cook anymore."

"We’ll take our leave now," Xia Lun said, rising slowly from the sofa with Aina cradled in his arms like a doll.

Enlaisi waved cheerfully. "Take care."

Mo Lini, still reluctant, was gently but firmly steered away by Liyana’s guiding hand.

However, the moment Mo Lini was escorted to Xia Lun’s estate, her eyes lit up in wonder.

"Wow! You live in a place like this?"

"Oh my! Such a huge garden!"

"There’s even a fountain in the garden!"

"What’s this? A golem?!"

"Amazing! This is incredible!"

Having never experienced aristocratic life before, Mo Lini was utterly dazzled by the sight before her.

She tiptoed behind Liyana, terrified that even brushing against a single flower might leave her indebted for life.

"So… where will I be staying? A dark, damp dungeon?" Mo Lini ventured timidly. "Will I be allowed out sometimes?"

"There’s no dungeon here," Liyana said flatly.

"Ah? Then… the stables?"

"No one’s making you sleep in the stables, Mo Lini," Liyana sighed. "Just pick any empty room."

Mo Lini muttered under her breath, "Just so we’re clear, you’re the ones forcing me to stay here. I… I can’t afford to pay rent."

The girl had clearly been scarred by poverty.

"And… don’t call me ‘teacher’ anymore. Just use my name."

"Got it, Mo Lini. I always thought the title didn’t suit you anyway," Liyana said, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "For now, attend your classes as usual, but if you’re free, try to stay within the estate. It’s safest that way."

Suddenly, Mo Lini noticed Aina speaking to empty air, seemingly addressing someone named Yisi.

Mo Lini paled.

This estate… couldn’t possibly be haunted, could it?

What she didn’t know was that compared to Yisi, ghosts were downright adorable.

"Oh, and there’s one more thing—extremely, extremely, extremely important. It’s a matter of life and death," Liyana said, her expression turning grave.

Mo Lini gulped. The triple "extremely" drove home the severity.

"Under no circumstances are you to approach the middle room upstairs, let alone try to open that ornate door," Liyana warned sternly.

"What… what’s in there? An imprisoned evil god?" Mo Lini quavered.

"No… nothing like that. But it’s far more dangerous!"

"Then… what is it?"

Liyana squared her shoulders. "That’s Xia Lun and Aina’s bedroom!"