Li yin didn't feel sleepy at all.
The sooner they finished redesigning the new escape room, the sooner they could open for business and start making money.
The two workaholics clapped their hands together and immediately dove into a large-scale overhaul.
Normally, upgrading a mechanical escape room would require an engineering team. It wasn't something easy to modify.
But with Liyin around, nothing was impossible.
Most of Yifan's work involved dismantling the old mechanisms.
With Liyin's abilities, levitating objects and NPCs was no trouble at all—there was no need for complex wire designs.
The only thing they needed to focus on was player safety.
For instance, chairs had to be fitted with safety belts to prevent players from falling during levitation.
Late at night, when even the King's Grill downstairs had closed, the brilliantly lit East Gate area was eerily quiet, punctuated only by the occasional meow of a cat or the sound of them rummaging through trash bins.
Yifan sat in a chair and said softly, "Alright, let's test it."
"Got it!" Liyin floated into the control room and hit the spacebar on the computer.
Thump thump!
The lights went out instantly, and a thunderous soundtrack filled the air. Darkness enveloped Yifan's vision, and he widened his eyes, unwilling to miss a single detail.
Bang!
The lights flickered on in sync with the sound effects, and Liyin, her hair loose, hovered in mid-air directly in front of him.
Bang!
Another flash of light revealed her in the corner of the ceiling, her lips curving into an eerie smile through strands of hair.
Bang!
Yifan's chair suddenly began to levitate.
Bang bang!
Liyin's figure moved faster and faster, appearing in different corners of the room.
For the final act—
Bang—
Liyin appeared right in front of Yifan, their faces only millimeters apart. He could even catch the faint scent of violets on her.
Bang!
The lights went out, and everything returned to silence.
"That's about it," Liyin floated back to the control room and turned on the main lights.
Yifan pursed his lips. He hadn't been scared, but he did feel a bit embarrassed.
Just now… they were way too close, almost touching.
His mind was filled with these thoughts until Liyin returned, her voice tinged with disappointment. "Was it not scary enough?"
"Not at all!" Yifan snapped out of it. "I've played so many escape rooms, and none of them come close to the effect you just created—not even UMEPLAY."
"Really?" Liyin's dimples deepened as she smiled.
"Really. But…" Yifan coughed. "When you perform for the players, you can't get that close to them."
"Hmm? Why not?"
"Because… it's too scary. They might freak out."
"Oh."
"And you could get hurt if they lose control and lash out. That wouldn't be good, right?"
"That won't happen," Liyin tilted her head. "If I don't allow it, no one can touch me."
Yifan was intrigued. "Why? Do you have a protective barrier or something?"
"Try and see for yourself." Liyin floated closer and extended her hand. "Come on, shake hands."
Yifan reached out, and just as he was about to touch her, he felt a strong gust of wind pushing his hand away. The harder he tried, the stronger the resistance—like sticking your hand out of a car window at high speed.
"Amazing."
After confirming that Liyin couldn't be touched against her will, Yifan still insisted, "But you still shouldn't get too close to the players… it's just… not ideal."
"Got it." Liyin nodded obediently.
To be honest, this single performance was worth the ticket price alone.
Yifan said excitedly, "I'll tweak the name later and raise the ticket price to 498 per person. Full capacity for four people. What do you think?"
"Four hundred ninety-eight?" Liyin was shocked. "Isn't that way too expensive? Would anyone buy it?"
"They will," Yifan said confidently. "As long as we establish a good reputation. The only challenge is getting people in the door at first."
Liyin nodded, still a bit confused. She didn't understand much about pricing strategies, so she left it to Yifan.
After glancing at her, Yifan added, "As for your salary, I plan to split the earnings with you fifty-fifty. If a full session brings in 2,000, you'll get 1,000 per round."
"No way." Liyin shook her head. "That's way too much. You have to cover venue costs, operational expenses, utilities, and other things. You should take the bigger share."
"The original ticket price was 198 per person. Even with the higher price and splitting with you, I'm still making a profit. Don't worry about it," Yifan said earnestly. "The entire effect is thanks to you. I actually feel like I'm underpaying you. No need to refuse—important partners should get their fair share."
"Boss…" Liyin pouted, then took a deep breath and said firmly, "Alright, I'll work hard!"
"Let's go!" Yifan grinned and waved. "Time to sleep. We're opening tomorrow!"
When they got home, they took turns freshening up.
After her shower, Liyin changed into her pajamas. Sleepiness overtook her as she rubbed her eyes and said goodnight to Yifan.
"Did you blow-dry your hair?" Yifan asked.
"Mhm." Liyin waved her hand. "I dried it myself."
With her wind abilities, Liyin was a human hairdryer.
"Alright. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, boss." Liyin went back to her room.
Yifan, however, lay in bed, wide awake.
What exactly is my relationship with Liyin?
Logically, they'd only known each other for two days. What could it possibly be?
Just a cooperative partnership, right?
But something felt… off.
For example—just hypothetically—she asked me to buy her underwear instead of using a delivery service. That means she trusts me more, doesn't it?
And she doesn't mind physical contact with me. She even cooled me down with her leg. Does that mean something else?
Argh! I can't figure it out!
Yifan tossed and turned, scratching his head.
The three great delusions of life: your phone vibrating, being able to win a fight, and thinking she likes you.
Yifan didn't want to be a delusional man, but his mind kept replaying moments that hinted at her possible feelings for him. The push-and-pull left him sleepless.
Eventually, rationality prevailed.
"Stop overthinking. Liyin is just kind, polite, and friendly. It doesn't mean she likes you."
"She trusts you more because you were the first person she met after coming out of the TV. That's nothing to brag about."
"I don't know her well enough, and she doesn't know me. Any so-called feelings are just hormonal impulses, not genuine affection."
"If I act on this, I'd become the kind of guy nobody likes."
"The more uncertain things are, the more I need to stay calm—even keep my distance—so she doesn't feel pressured."
"If she senses any discomfort, she might leave, and we wouldn't even stay friends."
"So, we are nothing but pure, professional partners. Don't overthink it."
"Wait, the last time someone said they were pure and professional, they ended up with five kids, didn't they?"
"Alright, let me rephrase: we're pure and pristine colleagues. Don't overthink it!"
With these thoughts, Yifan's mind gradually calmed, and he drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
That night, he slept soundly.
——
Tuesday morning.
Click—
The sound of a key turning in the lock came from the door, followed by a voice filled with familiarity:
"Son, time to get up."
Yifan groggily opened his eyes, his brain stalled for a few seconds.
Then, he suddenly bolted upright, turning to the living room in horror.
"Mom?! What are you doing here?"