In the garden, Huo Guining waved two lit sparklers happily.
Nearby, Huo Yueze was fiddling with a large firework, occasionally glancing up at her.
"Sister, don't hold the sparklers so close. Keep them farther away."
Huo Guining obediently held the sparklers at arm's length.
"Brother, they're finished," Huo Guining tossed away the burnt-out sparklers and ran to Huo Yueze. Mimicking his posture, she crouched beside him and asked curiously, "Brother, is it ready yet?"
Huo Yueze smiled at her and deftly lit the fuse.
With a sizzling sound, Huo Yueze scooped up Huo Guining and quickly moved to a safe distance.
"Look, sister!"
Loud bangs echoed through the sky as enormous, dazzling fireworks bloomed like flowers, cascading with color. Sparks of various hues spread outwards before disappearing into the dark night sky.
One after another, the fireworks came in quick succession.
Huo Yueze produced a pair of glasses from somewhere and put them on Huo Guining. "Sister, wear these to protect your eyes from the dust!"
Huo Guining flashed him a big smile, about to say thank you...
"Sister, look! This is the surprise I prepared for you!"
Huo Guining immediately tilted her head back.
After a tremendous boom, accompanied by a series of crackling sounds, words appeared in the sky.
"Ningning, welcome home!"
Huo Guining's eyes welled up with emotion.
Huo Yueze, looking pleased with himself, excitedly shouted in her ear, "Ningning, welcome home! From now on, your brother will protect you. No one will ever bully you again!"
The boy's straightforward and sincere words added a touch of warmth to the dramatic scene.
Huo Guining removed her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and said in a muffled voice, "Thank you, brother. These are the most beautiful fireworks I've ever seen!"
Hearing this, Huo Yueze's invisible tail practically wagged with joy.
It was worth depleting his entire savings to arrange this fireworks display for his sister.
Suddenly, Huo Yueze had an idea: "Sister, wait a moment. The gift I prepared for you isn't just this..."
With that, he dashed up to his second-floor bedroom.
Huo Guining smiled sweetly, dutifully put on her glasses, and stood under the wisteria-covered arbor in the garden to continue enjoying the fireworks.
The fireworks illuminated the entire night sky, blooming like golden chrysanthemums against the vast black canvas, fluttering like colorful butterflies, and scattering like celestial maidens showering flowers.
Huo Guining felt a sense of peace wash over her.
"Young Miss, Young Master Yueze has prepared several special fireworks for you to light yourself."
The speaker was a burly but not tall man in a black suit, with a white earpiece. He had an air of righteousness about him.
Huo Yueze had told her that he personally lit what he considered the most important set of fireworks, and had arranged for staff to handle the rest.
Thinking this was another little surprise from Huo Yueze, Huo Guining nodded and followed him.
They walked deeper into the garden, indeed towards the fireworks launch site. Huo Guining, not suspecting anything, admired the fireworks as they walked.
When they reached a rockery, the man in the black suit suddenly stopped.
Huo Guining peered ahead, asking puzzled, "Are we here?"
Before she could react, her shoulders were gripped, a cloth was pressed tightly over her mouth and nose, and she was lifted off the ground by the man in the black suit.
Huo Guining's eyes widened as she struggled violently.
But her body began to go limp against her will.
Her movements grew weaker and weaker. Through the haze, she saw a figure running towards her.
But soon, she plunged into darkness, collapsing softly into the arms of the man in the black suit.
"Hey, wake up."
"Wake up..."
Huo Guining heard a girl's voice, ethereal and quiet.
"You can't sleep anymore... wake up."
Huo Guining struggled to open her heavy eyelids, and a little girl appeared in her vision.
She wore a white dress with a sunflower embroidered on the chest.
A colorless little girl.
Behind her was a dark, damp forest.
Huo Guining frowned, "It's you again."
The little girl smiled, revealing a small fang: "Good thing you woke up. If you slept any longer, no one could save you."
Barefoot, like an innocent child, she circled around Huo Guining.
"Stop spinning, I feel sick."
The little girl shook her head: "Feeling sick is good. How much longer are you going to stay here?"
Huo Guining was confused. This was a dream, she must be dreaming.
But what happened before the dream?
The image of the man in the black suit suddenly appeared in her mind, and her eyes narrowed sharply.
Huo Guining looked at the girl warily: "Who are you really?"
The sunflower girl shrugged: "I told you, I'm you~"
With that, she turned and walked decisively into the depths of the forest.
Unlike last time, this time a small duck was faintly visible at her feet.
She rushed forward to ask for clarification, but her foot stepped into emptiness...
Huo Guining's heart lurched, and she suddenly woke up.
She was locked in a basement, the only light coming from a dim table lamp.
The room was cluttered with discarded items, and the ceiling leaked, creating a dull, oppressive dripping sound.
Huo Guining's hands and feet were bound, and her mouth was taped shut.
Her wrists were bare; apparently, the kidnappers had disposed of her watch.
In these conditions, Huo Guining couldn't tell how long she had been held captive. She felt not only anxious but also hungry.
Surely, a considerable amount of time must have passed.
"Bang!"
A loud noise came from the stairs as someone approached.
The man in the black suit came towards her carrying a glass of water.
Huo Guining could now see his face clearly: a square, ordinary face with a large mole at the corner of his mouth. He looked unremarkable, not at all like a vicious criminal.
He ripped the tape off Huo Guining's mouth and held the glass to her lips. "Drink."
Huo Guining immediately started screaming for help.
The man in the black suit sneered and smashed the glass, sending shards flying that cut Huo Guining's face. Red droplets of blood emerged eagerly.
The man gripped her chin roughly: "Getting cocky, are we? Did you think I wouldn't do anything to you?"
Huo Guining asked timidly, "Why did you kidnap me?"
The man's eyes suddenly turned vicious: "Why? When I get the money, you can ask the King of Hell for an answer!"
Huo Guining realized she had misjudged him.
It turned out that not all demons have hideous faces. They can also, like this man in the black suit, have an utterly ordinary appearance.
Huo Guining was so frightened that involuntary tears began to flow.
She dug her nails into her palms, not daring to cry out loud.
"Uncle, I'm hungry. Can I have something to eat?"
The man in the black suit was momentarily taken aback.
He had expected the little girl to keep causing trouble, not ask for food.
He clicked his tongue: "Fine. Build up your strength. You'll need it later."
