"Astra..."
He called her name softly, his voice low and husky, as if probing the night or seeking confirmation within himself.
Astra opened her eyes, a trace of drowsiness still lingering in her gaze. She looked at Jiang Ting, her eyes clear and serene, like the brightest star in the night sky. She didn't speak; instead, she raised her hand and gently touched his face, her fingertips cool to the touch.
"Can't sleep?" Her voice was soft, carrying the tenderness unique to nighttime.
Jiang Ting didn't answer, only clasped her hand, his palm wrapping around her warmth. A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes before resolve took its place.
"I don't know what this is," he murmured, his voice low, tinged with rare confusion. "I don't understand these stories of past lives and reincarnation, but I know the bond between us runs so deep that it frightens me to lose you."
Astra sighed quietly and remained silent. Minutes passed in stillness before she told him what she had extracted at the banquet: Jiang Ming was involved in August's scheme to short the currency.
Jiang Ting listened and simply said, "Mm, thank you."
His gaze lingered on her face, as if trying to pierce through layers of mist.
"What does the world you see truly look like?" His voice was a whisper, carried away by the night.
"Do you really want to know?" Astra asked softly, her voice delicate in the darkness. She tilted her head slightly, a playful glint in her eyes. Her left hand gently caressed his cheek, her cool fingertips offering a soothing comfort.
Jiang Ting's gaze fixed on her face, his voice low and firm. "Yes."
Astra's lips curled into a faint smile, like a fleeting meteor in the night sky, cool yet mischievous. "Then are you ready? You'll be exhausted."
Before Jiang Ting could react, Astra's eyes focused, and her fingertip lightly touched his forehead. A surge of powerful intent flooded into him like a tide.
Instantly, Jiang Ting's world fell into a serene calm. His eyelids drooped, and his consciousness drifted into a gentle vortex, descending into deep sleep. In this haze, his soul felt gently pulled, floating and rising, gradually freed from the constraints of his body.
In the dream, he felt an unprecedented clarity. His awareness hovered in a vast, boundless space. He saw Astra's soul, a radiant beam of light, soaring upwards.
Her figure streaked past skyscrapers, pierced through clouds, and ascended beyond the atmosphere, into deeper, higher dimensions. In the dark expanse above, countless unfamiliar points of light shimmered with unique energy waves, each whispering untold truths.
He had never imagined such a boundless perspective, that a soul's ascent could surpass the limits of the physical body.
Astra's voice echoed gently in his ear, "Follow me, and see the world through my eyes."
The vision accelerated, like a film played at high speed. Jiang Ting saw Astra's soul flitting through various scenes, her eyes determined, unseen currents of energy swirling around her.
She was exorcising.
In his company, she adjusted the energy fields, restoring suppressed spaces to life. Her hands moved delicately, dispersing invisible dark energy. Resentment and negativity hidden in the shadows were purified, and people's heavy hearts lightened. Confusion and malice peeled away, layer by layer.
He saw employees once clouded by negativity regain hope and focus after her interventions.
But the visions weren't always bright.
He saw people filled with greed, jealousy, and intrigue. These dark thoughts acted like magnets, attracting stray yin energy. The energy coalesced into twisted forms, clinging to their shoulders, backs, and even their eyes.
Those burdened by these forces had dull eyes, distorted faces, and festering malice, trapped in an endless cycle.
Time and again, Astra expelled these energies, depleting her strength and willpower.
Watching her tireless efforts, Jiang Ting felt a pang of heartache. Her world was far more complex and burdensome than he had imagined. She silently bore it all to make the world around her clearer and brighter.
The vision continued, his soul drifting in this higher-dimensional space, following Astra's figure. He saw her in dim offices, cold corridors, even bustling halls. Crowds swirled, but in her eyes, a different reality unfolded.
Her gaze was sharp and calm, piercing through illusions and facades.
She saw the shadows lurking within the crowd. A sharply dressed executive smiled, but black mist writhed around his limbs like venomous snakes, seeping into his skin and draining his vitality.
Jiang Ting felt a chill. The oppressive weight of these dark forces was suffocating.
Astra's fingers glowed with a gentle light, peeling away the mist, which screeched in resistance and despair.
The scene shifted again, revealing deeper darkness.
In a meeting room, several executives whispered conspiracies. Black-purple shadows twisted like a giant web, ensnaring them. Their eyes gleamed with greed and scheming, as tendrils of shadow penetrated their minds, eroding their reason and replacing it with desire.
Astra stood outside, frowning. She looked to a higher dimension where the source of the darkness loomed like an abyss, exuding suffocating pressure.
Jiang Ting's soul trembled. The darkness was vast, deep, and seemingly immovable.
Astra's lips pressed together, her gaze resolute. Light flared from her hands, a sword striking the darkness.
The shadows writhed and shrieked silently. Her eyes remained calm, unwavering.
Jiang Ting's soul grew weary. He had drifted too long in this high-dimensional realm, his limbs heavy as lead. He lacked the training to sustain such a journey; his spirit was near its limit.
Sensing his fatigue, Astra's eyes filled with tenderness.
She retracted her light. "It's time to return."
A warm force wrapped around Jiang Ting's soul. The soul channel slowly closed, the lights dimming, the abyss receding.
His soul felt a gentle pull, like a boat drifting downstream, guided back to his body.
In the darkness, his eyelids fluttered, and his breathing steadied. His soul settled back into his body, warmth returning to his limbs. He slipped into true sleep, his features softening.
Astra opened her eyes, fatigue spreading across her face. She touched Jiang Ting's cheek, her fingertips cool yet tender. Sighing softly, she retracted her consciousness and sank into sleep.
Morning's First Light
The first rays of morning light filtered gently through the curtains, dust motes dancing in the golden beams. Jiang Ting's gaze rested on Astra's face, his expression softened with rare tenderness.
After a long pause, he whispered, "Morning."
Astra blinked in surprise, a hint of flustered shyness crossing her cool eyes. She bit her lip lightly, "Morning... Did you sleep well last night?"
Jiang Ting smiled slightly, an innocent expression rare for him. "I remember everything, but my head feels a little cold. Is that normal?"
Astra laughed, her laughter like a breeze rippling across a lake. Mischief sparkled in her eyes. "That's normal. It was your first high-altitude flight. You'll get used to it."
Her words had barely fallen when Jiang Ting's gaze darkened, a dangerous smirk playing on his lips. His eyes gleamed with mischief, as if he'd found his chance.
She dared to laugh at him?
Jiang Ting leaned over, hands bracing on either side of her, trapping her within his arms. His voice dropped, rough and teasing. "No one's ever laughed at me in bed."
Astra's smile froze, her heart racing. A blush crept up her cheeks. She tried to sound calm. "W-what are you doing?"
Jiang Ting's eyes narrowed, lips curving wickedly. "You laughed so sweetly. Now, I want a taste."
Before she could react, his lips brushed hers, gentle yet possessive. All the unspoken tension shattered like glass.
Her eyes widened, breath caught, then softened as she surrendered.
His kiss deepened, his fingers tracing her cheek, feeling her warmth.
In that moment, the world faded away, leaving just their breath, their hearts, and the quiet morning.