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therosefrontier · 2 months

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TWST Family Lore: Heartslabyul Part 1

As a fanfic writer, the family question has been coming up a lot for me with these guys, especially with me wanting to potentially actually write these unseen family members that get mentions thrown out there, so I started collecting information, and then, I thought I'd make a post about it! This first part is just Heartslabyul, about their family members and what we know about them (that I could find, anyways), plus some of my thoughts/guesses. This very well might not be exhaustive, but maybe if I see something more I'll add on!

That said! Spoiler warning! I am including info from various vignettes, card voicelines, and events, including JP server only cards, but I will try to avoid too many specific JP event story spoilers (which in this post is pretty much just a lot of White Rabbit). I include main story stuff from book 1 and also the first part of book 7 (which is out in EN), but nothing from the rest of book 7 which is out in JP. Which probably doesn't have anything Hearts-related anyways (I do not know)? I might be waiting for the rest of book 7 to come out before posting a Diasomnia edition to this, though...

So anyways! Let's get to it!

ACE TRAPPOLA

He has an older brother (seven years older than him, as mentioned in his school uniform vignette), whom he seems to be fairly close with. We also have mention of his dad, but so far, as far as I can tell, there is mention of no one else. He does mention his parents in the plural once: in his ceremonial robes voicelines, he says that "I think my brother was happier than my parents when we found out I made it into this school." We also know that his brother was a student at NRC himself and was also in Heartslabyul, which may very well be one reason for his enthusiasm at his little brother getting into the same school. At the freshmen orientation ceremony, Ace shows no surprise to getting chosen for Heartslabyul, assuming that he'd end up in the same place as his brother (Ace robes vignette).

But first, Ace's dad! He gets mentioned in his birthday boy vignette. He is not a mage (implying that, perhaps, Ace and his brother get their magic from their mom's side? As it does appear to be a genetic thing of some sort according to some mentions, but also, it can skip generations, as is seen with Epel), but he is really good at old-fashioned magic of the sleight-of-hand variety. When asked what got Ace into sleight of hand by Yuu for the birthday interview, he says it'd be his dad, who was "ridiculously good" at it.

(image credit: Songstress Studios)

Ace goes on to say that he learned the "nuts and bolts" of it from his brother, whom he believes was also inspired by their dad, and he also says that whenever he visits home, he and his brother will show off to each other and challenge each other to spot the trick!

Ace also talks about his brother in relation to learning tricks in his dorm uniform vignette. He shows sleight of hand tricks to his dormmates, and when Riddle shows surprise and awe over the 'pick a card' trick he's definitely never seen before, Ace says that he reacted in pretty much the same way when his brother first showed it to him. When asked about his brother, Ace says that he "started playing around with cards for funsies" while he was a student, and Ace later learned from him, but not directly. He never gave away the secret, but Ace learned by watching him. (And he learned well, too! Ace has been shown to be very good at this, also coming up notably in the Fairy Gala IF event, for instance).

(image credit: RedAngel)

Earlier, Cater had asked Ace to show him the secret, and Ace made a deal with him for it since he'd never do it for free, and after hearing Ace's story, Cater guesses that Ace's mentality of never giving away anything for free could have come from his brother.

It also seems that Ace's brother was absolutely the type to tease him. In his birthday boy vignette, Ace tells a story of how on his birthday, his brother gave him a box with a fancy watch inside, which got Ace all excited, but then he clarifies that the watch was *his* watch, not Ace's. Ace's gift was the box. His brother afterwards fills the box with candy, but Ace was not amused.

And in other notes:

He is bad at cooking, according to Ace, who says he "doesn't know a cake from a steak" (school uniform vignette).

He taught Ace how to "kill time in the dorms" (school uniform vignette).

He took a theme park management internship in his fourth year at NRC, and he's continued to work there after graduation (Book 7, Chapter 4).

(Also, this thing about the theme park might be a reference, maybe?? In the Tokyo DisneySea park, there was this "villain recruiters" show that ran from 2015 to 2018, featuring original minions of various Disney villains who would make a pitch to invite guests to join the "Villains' World," and there was a Queen of Hearts card soldier character named Jack Heart, whose costume design does resemble Heartslabyul's! And he does the heart thing with his hands like Ace does in his official art! So, might have been inspiration? Anyways, this tumblr post by ceeyuin666 has a nice summary of it so there).

Anyhow, back on track and back to the school uniform vignette, Ace mentions how before he came to NRC, his brother would "take him about everywhere," which does seem to imply they spent a lot of time together, and he also seems to have been a big influence on Ace. For better or worse :). In this vignette, Ace does a favor for Trey in exchange for a slice of cherry tart, when tips for the history test were what he really wanted, a second motive Trey totally expected, and when asked if he was lying about loving cherries so much, Ace said that he wasn't: his brother told him "the most convincing lies are sprinkled with a dash of truth." Knowing Ace, Trey is not surprised.

(anyways I really want to meet this guy so please Ace hometown event please!!)

DEUCE SPADE

(translation credit to Ekala on Youtube!)

He has no siblings and was raised by his single mother, whom we have actually met! In the JP server, anyways! She shows up in Deuce's hometown event, the White Rabbit Festival. So, we have a name! Meet Dilla Spade (or Dilah? Dira? Deela?)! Romanization isn't clear yet; I'll just say "Dilla" for now. Also, we find out she's a delivery truck driver for the thematically-named White Rabbit Delivery company.

Deuce is shown to have been very close to his mom growing up, noticeable enough to the point that his old middle school friends teased him for it and called him "childish" (starsending vignette). We find early on that this is an important part to his story—when Deuce was in middle school, he was acting like a delinquent: skipping school, disrespecting teachers, being reckless and getting into fights. Then, one night, he overheard his mom talking to his grandma (only mention of his grandma that I know of, but, noted that she's in the picture too!), and he could tell that she was crying. She was feeling like a failure of a mother, and said that "maybe she never should have tried to raise him herself." Deuce, however, doesn't blame her at all. Seeing her like that really shook him up, and he resolved to "never do anything to make her cry" again. This is his motivation for wanting to be an honor student; he wants to be the opposite of what he was before and prove himself. He wants to be "someone she can be proud of."

As far as I know, we don't have any mention of Deuce's father or what happened to him. From context and with what his mom said on the phone that day, she might have been a single parent from the start, with the father never being in the picture.

Deuce, in talking to Silver during Silver's Wish in the Starsending event upon Silver mentioning his father in his wish, talks about his mom and how she raised him as a single parent, saying "I know she's had her share of hard times... So I just want her to be happy now. I'd love for her to live a long life." In chapter 10 of the event, Deuce wishes to be a police officer, specifically a magic marshal, which is a hard job to get, saying that he is "sure my mom will worry a lot less if I get a respectable job." He also talks about this in his event vignette! He reveals that upon getting a bad reputation at home, people stopped trusting him, and they'd accuse him of things he didn't do, but if he said he didn't do it, there were always two people who believed him: his mom and the neighborhood police officer. The officer would always come by to talk to him and hear him out, and both he and his mom were very grateful for that. Deuce says that if he could be like that, maybe his mother wouldn't worry so much, so he decided that he wanted to be a police officer.

At the end of the event, in chapter 12, Dilla calls Deuce in excitement over the falling stars in the sky. In response to Deuce saying that yes he saw it, because he's a Stargazer, his mom replies that "Night Raven College couldn't have asked for a finer Stargazer than you." And she says she's proud of him and it's really sweet :)

And then he starts crying happy tears :)

Anyways! Deuce's character arc can be a whole essay in itself, so back to his mom! Some of the stories we got include:

"Battlefield" Sales Shopping. Dilla would bring Deuce with her when shopping limited-time sales, which she seemed to seek out actively. Deuce recounts spending "forever" thumbing through pamphlets looking for sales, and Dilla would then coax him into coming with her, saying things like "Deuce is so strong, and can carry a lot." Deuce remembers getting shoved around a lot by the other customers, and so, he takes his sales quite seriously today (school uniform vignette, new year's vignette).

Spring cleaning! Or, winter cleaning? Dilla and Deuce would go on a cleaning frenzy after the holidays and before the new year, because “if the house is clean, we’ll feel renewed too” (new year’s voicelines)

In his apprentice chef vignette, Deuce recalls how recently, his mom got sick with a cold but didn't tell him until she was better. This made Deuce sad, because he wished she would depend on him a little more when she was struggling, so he was motivated to learn to cook so he could be more dependable.

Also in his apprentice chef vignette, Deuce says that he did help his mom "a little" with cooking back home and knew how to dice vegetables, and the ghost chef was impressed by his skills! So she seems to have taught him well.

In her own words she claims that she is not very good at cooking, but she does know a lot of egg dishes, because Deuce likes them (White Rabbit, 2-4)

She would bring Deuce to the office sometimes, so her coworkers know him (White Rabbit, 3-10). In the event, they were a little nervous around him at first but then were surprised to find how different his behavior was now compared to middle school, and they complimented him on getting into NRC.

She made Deuce a bunny outfit for the White Rabbit Festival long ago, saying that Deuce was complaining over not having anything special to wear, and she didn't have the money to make or buy an outfit, but she asked her coworkers for some spare fluff and made it work. She looks back on this fondly, saying she was just happy to see Deuce having fun at the festival. (chapter 6)

She is great with cars, but terrible with electronics (White Rabbit Festival, birthday boy vignette). Deuce has to show her how to do stuff and recounts “fixing” home devices by simply changing the batteries, and he is the one to set up appliances at home, as she refuses to read instruction manuals. She only uses her smartphone for calls and pictures. Dilla calls cars "trusted partners" but says that electronics are too “self-important” (White Rabbit, Chapter 2-6).

In this scene, Dilla also praises Deuce in front of his friends for "fixing" so many electronic things around the house, which embarrasses Deuce as he does not think it was that big of a deal. She also mentions embarrassing stories like she knows full well what she's doing, teasing in a very affectionate kind of way.

I do wonder if Dilla dragging Deuce onto shopping trips all the time was in part her way of finding ways to spend time with him. She really seems to care about him a lot, and quality time is something that means a lot to her, but perhaps she also struggles with connecting and really getting through to him. In White Rabbit, she mentions sadly how she used to take Deuce to the festival every year, but then he lost interest. Deuce sees this as normal, but it seems there were some growing pains there.

Also on another note which I honestly just find funny, there is a point in White Rabbit where Dilla is worried about Deuce having gotten hurt, and he says it's fine because he's "used to it," and she's just like...I don't how I feel about this but I support you! (sorry Dilla, your son's a budding shounen protagonist and his school's a disaster magnet. He's going to get so used to this haha)

One more thing we really get to see from the event, Dilla definitely seems to have nerves of steel, too. Not revealing too much about what happens, she doesn't back down from this gang that is harassing her festival stall that her coworkers are terrified of, and then joins in with the idea to challenge them without hesitation. Deuce seems to allude to this when introducing Epel, saying that he thinks they'd get along because Epel has "grit and iron courage," as if he sees his mom the same way.

Going back to Deuce's story at the beginning...I feel like this is pretty significant, too. The impression I get from all of this is that she's scrappy and resourceful, strong-willed and vigorous, someone who'll keep an easy sense of humor and a smile in the face of a challenge... but also, she's someone who will bend over backwards to hide her struggles, such as when she hid her being sick with a cold from Deuce. Which is to say, she doesn't seem like the type to be brought to tears easily. This being just speculation on my part, but what if, that day Deuce overheard her on the phone, that was the first time Deuce really saw her break down like that? His mom, the strongest person he knows, the one always keeping up a smile? Although, in the background, she probably hid so many of the struggles she did have? Just saying, it'd have a lot of impact, I'd think...realizing the turmoil he put her through to get her like that...

But that said, I think it's important to note that she cares about him a lot, and she is proud of Deuce and who he's become, and I don't think that hinges at all on him becoming an honors student. Deuce struggles to try to make himself more reliable, but Dilla says as much in White Rabbit: he doesn't have to "go overboard." It doesn't have to be complicated. She just wants him to live life and be happy, simple as that. And also he could come home every once in a while, too :)

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst lore #twst family lore #ace trappola #deuce spade #anyways I am very invested in all of these people now #deuce's relationship with his mom giving me so many feelings #it's so sweet #and I'm also sobbing for them both :')#maybe one of these days I will write that Deuce essay #on top of all the other things I want to write #anyhow in other news I'm serious about wanting to meet Ace's brother #he sounds like such a gremlin #I love him already XD

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perhaps-in-anotherdream · 1 year

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[CN] Victor’s Confrontation Date (Eng Translation)

⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 对抗之约, that is yet to be released on the global server! ♡

[Additional warning]: ig it’s not a surprise at this point for Victor’s spicy dates LOL, but yeah, considering the vivid explicitness, if you don’t qualify for the 16+ rating of the game (CN server), it’s recommended that you don’t proceed under the cut~ :>

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

──

【Subbed Video: Date + Calls】

[Heads Up]: WATCH THE VIDEO AKSWKASDN!!! yes do read the transcript version for yk “reading,” but DO WATCH THE VIDEO FOR THE LOVE OF—— 👁️🫦👁️

youtube

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【Transcript】

【Chapter 1】

Victor: I advise you to think this through.

Donning a calm gaze, I walk leisurely through the cluster of bushes to Victor, enduring my laughter as I glance at his hands that are restrained behind his back.

MC: I was simply waving my hand just now. How did CEO Victor accidentally “fall into the trap”?

MC: And I have thought this through~ I’m just playing the game. Weren’t you the one who told me to blow off the steam as much as I like?

I gently caress his cheek, and my smile grows even brighter under his intense scrutinizing gaze.

After several months of continuous overtime work, my entire soul was consumed by a desire for vindictive entertainment.

As a way to relax, I found a new type of role-playing game that involves engaging in confrontations with other players. Over the course of three days, the players are to be divided into factions and compete for points by fighting for props inside a manor––

And naturally, Victor was dragged into it by me.

We teamed up with several college couples to form a group of eight. Each couple split up and joined one of the two teams, which meant that I ended up on the “opposing side” of Victor.

MC: Where did you hide your metal name tag? The rules state that you must carry it with you at all times.

Victor: I threw it away.

I narrow my eyes as I look up at him, while my hands don’t stop their motion of feeling around his chest and arms.

MC: Aw, it wouldn’t be fun if you were to do that.

Victor: I suggest you unlock the lock behind me right now.

MC: Well, I suggest you don’t make that suggestion~

Not satisfied with just this, I lift myself on my toes and softly peck on his slightly pursed lips.

MC: I’ll release you when I’ve found it.

Although Victor isn’t very keen on this game, I still concentrate on not missing any corners to prevent him from playing any tricks.

I slow down my movements and half-cling to him, feeling his blazing body temperature and the growing tension of his muscles slowly seeping through the thin fabric.

Shirt pockets, jacket’s inner pockets, back collar… I search through every corner of his upper body and still find nothing.

However, I hesitate for only a second before guiding my hand downward.

Victor: MC.

Victor: How much longer do you want to keep playing?

I deliberately ignore that increasingly intense stare and, with a completely innocent expression, reach out behind him with my hand––

My fingertips slide into the pocket of his suit pants, and I immediately feel a metallic touch wrapped in the warmth inside.

MC: Wouldn’t it have been better if you had told me just then?

Smiling, I withdraw my hand and look at the metal plate with the name “Victor” engraved on it. I then take out my game phone and scan the QR code on its backside––

“Player “MC” has gained 20 points, and Player “Victor” has lost his name tag.”

MC: Hehe, thanks for your cooperation.

I complacently pin his name tag to my chest and pantomime fixing the bangs falling in front of his eyes.

Victor: You wanna win that badly?

MC: When an opportunity presents itself, of course one should seize it.

MC: I joined forces with my teammates to deal with you specially. And as I thought, it was easily done.

This small victory causes me to feel a little smug and elated, but Victor suddenly breaks into laughter.

Victor: [chuckles softly] I didn’t think I’d be so easy to deal with in your eyes.

MC: You can’t say that. I know that Vic gēge(*) is going easy on me. After all, you’ve never been interested in this kind of activity.

MC: It just so happens that this manor is perfect for a vacation. As Pudding’s dad, you should take this opportunity for a good break, “Pudding Senior.”

—

[Tidbits]: (*) as you might’ve already guessed, yes, MC calls him “泽言哥哥” (ZéYán gēge) here, the name MC used to call him when they were kids. For those unaware, when a Chinese girl addresses a boy as gēge (an intimate term of address), if not used to address her own older brother, she’d use it to address her boyfriend~ and the reason it got both Victor and MC flustered the first time they reminisced in Preference SP~ (//∇//)

You can refer to this post for more details: ♡♡

—

As I say this, I gently run my fingertips over his chin, then check the time again before turning around and preparing to leave.

MC: The mechanism will automatically unfasten you after two minutes. See you later, CEO Victor!

Victor: Do you know why this game has a fixed time every day?

I’m stunned momentarily, then turn around to look at him.

Victor is shrouded in the shade beneath the tree, lifting his chin slightly. Both his hands are clearly bound behind his back, but he seems to be relaxed, as if he is merely in a dormant state.

MC: Because it’s exhausting to be on high alert all the time, right? We’re all here to have fun, so we shouldn’t put the cart before the horse.

Victor: And do you know…

Victor: What’s the reason behind this game’s three-day duration?

—

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【Chapter 2】

[Fair Warning in advance]: From here onwards, Victor blushes PRACTICALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DATE. As tempted as I am, it’s not possible to include over 60+ blushing sprites, so I’m just giving y'all a heads up LMAO~ \(//∇//)\

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With only a two-minute window to escape, I naturally don’t waste that time engaging in confrontation with Victor.

I know precisely what the three-day duration is for–– as long as the game is not over, there will still be possibilities to fight to retrieve our possessions.

MC: [to herself] This man doesn’t take the game that seriously anyway. If I go and stay with him after 5 pm, it should be alright…

As I calculate in my mind, I run towards the meeting point previously agreed on with my team. But before I can spot anyone, I’m dumbfounded by a string of notifications on my phone.

MC: How come both of you lost your name tags?

Qian Er: …my boyfriend! This scumbag! He duped me!

Lei Zi: My wife also totally f*cked me over…

–

[Tidbits]: He is addressing his girlfriend as “my wife” btw haha~

–

At this moment, I finally understand why the game organizers separated the couples…

MC: It’s okay. I’ve got the name tag. Our next step is to reclaim the ones we lost. And for that, everyone needs to work together as much as possible.

Xiao Xin: However, although the game time is from 9 am to 5pm, there is still a possibility of being “converted to rebel” during the break time…

Another boy in the team speaks up in concern.

Xiao Xin: I propose that for these three days, we all should refrain from meeting our partners in private. Otherwise, we will have to watch out not only for the opposite side but also for our own people.

Lei Zi: You’re right. I think if my wife tries to “convert me to rebel,” I’ll easily fall for it.

Qian Er: I’m all for it! The lovey-dovey brain must leave Loveland City!

Xiao Xin & Lei Zi & Qian Er: For victory!

MC: …

Are college students all so competitive these days!

As the three youngsters shift their gazes at me, I feel an invisible pressure coming over me. I blink and immediately raise my hands.

MC: …no problem.

—

In order to firmly adhere to the philosophy of victory, our team members remain together throughout the entire dinner time after the first day of the game.

Victor shoots a faint glance in my direction from afar. And I, encircled by several of my teammates, have no choice but to put my palms together in apology to him.

—

I’ve been unable to find a single opportunity to talk with him all night. After returning to the room, I fiddle with the phone specifically designed for the game.

MC: …I should be able to make calls with this thing, right?

But who knew there would be a knock at the door before I could even look into Victor’s contact number?

Subconsciously thinking it’s the girl from my team with whom I made plans to meet in the evening, I casually open the door without so much as a second thought.

To my surprise, I see Victor’s face instantly appearing in my line of sight. We hold each other’s gaze for a few seconds, and at this moment, the air seems to be stagnant.

The next second, my heart suddenly skips a beat. After nervously scanning the surroundings, I immediately pull him into the room and close the door.

MC: Why are you here?

Victor: Why am I here?

He repeats my words unhurriedly, crossing his arms across his chest.

MC: …hehe, let me explain.

I briefly recap to him our team’s strategy for winning.

MC: Everyone was so serious at the time, so I couldn’t say no.

Victor: I can see that your enthusiasm is no less than that of those college students.

Victor: [sounds so wronged] In order to implement your strategy, it seems like it’d be more appropriate for me to leave so as not to affect your leading-by-example image.

With a smile, I hastily wrap my arms around his neck, leaning in to peck him on the lips.

MC: Don’t leave, don’t leave! You and I came out here to have fun together. And I certainly am very clear on who is more important to me.

MC: I was thinking about calling you just now!

Victor: Really?

Victor’s expression remains unchanged as he snakes one hand around the back of my waist.

Victor: I don’t see any signs of that.

MC: Then you aren’t looking closely enough. Examine more carefully.

Beneath the dim yellowish light, the magnified shadows on the wall merge seamlessly, not leaving the slightest gap between each other.

As my fingertips dig into the back of his shirt collar, I simultaneously take the initiative to meet his slightly pursed, thin lips, softly pecking them twice.

Victor: [blushing + sexy whisper] This little sweetness is not enough.

His voice follows the rhythm of our exchanged breaths and enters my mind, causing everything to slow down and amplify every subtle touch.

MC: Wait, my teammate will be here soon. We can’t let her catch…

A kiss forcefully cuts me off, swallowing up all the unfinished words.

The hot and moist tips of our tongues intertwine with each other. He brands a rough, grainy sensation between my sensitive lips and teeth, bringing a hint of punishment.

I instinctively tilt my head back slightly, wallowing in the haze of this dimness.

In the scorching and stuffy world, there seems to be something gently coming through.

Qian Er: …sis, it’s me, Qian Er. Are you there?

The sound of knocking on the door rings out. I hear Qian Er’s voice, who was originally supposed to come looking for me, coming from outside.

My whole body shudders in surprise. Amidst the powerful predation, I suddenly regain some of my sanity.

MC: [blushing] Victor… she is here.

Victor: [blushing + raspy whisper] I heard it.

His voice is lethally cloying, but his overly scorching lips swim down my cheeks to the tip of my ear, nibbling without the slightest concern.

Victor: [flushed cheeks + slyly hoarse whisper] You need to be careful… we can’t get caught.

He deliberately repeats what I said earlier. But his soft reminder is akin to the coaxing temptation of a devil, accompanied by his heavy breaths that make my world heat up unceasingly.

Qian Er: Are you not there? You wouldn’t happen to have gone to look for...

MC: [blushing + to the girl] …I am here!

With great difficulty, I suppress the gasp that’s on the verge of escaping me. Then I struggle to crane my head and sink my teeth into his neck.

Though the subtle bite marks are not entirely clear, they do elicit a slightly insatiable chuckle from this wicked man before me.

MC: [blushing + to the girl] I was just… taking a shower, so I couldn’t hear you.

Qian Er: Should I come back after you’ve fixed yourself up, then?

The man in front of me slightly arches an eyebrow. And in the next second, he turns even more oblivious as he continues with his bullying. He plants incredibly lingering and gentle kisses, tracing his way up from my collarbones to my neck and upwards.

MC: [blushing + to Victor] You…

Victor: [flushed cheeks + brEaThEs literally into your ear] She said she would come back later.

The arm half-supporting me lifts slightly upwards again, making it even easier for him to lean his head sideways and nibble on my throat.

Qian Er: Sis?

Victor: [flushed cheeks + even raspier, proud tone] You should give her an answer.

My brain has turned into a lump of mush, and I decide to surrender before things escalate any more “out of hand.”

MC: [blushing + to the girl] I’m feeling a bit light-headed from the shower… Sorry, can we talk tomorrow? I’d like to go to bed a little earlier tonight.

I struggle immensely to get to the end of my sentence, and through gritted teeth, I capture a few glimmers of laughter in that pair of dark and silent eyes.

Qian Er: Sis, rest up then~ Good night, sis~

The footsteps outside the door gradually fade away. I clench my molar teeth and firmly grab onto his front collar.

MC: Are you getting back at me for what I did during the day?

Victor: [flushed cheeks + torrid breath] This doesn’t count.

The instigator of this episode blends his words ambiguously into his kisses, with a hint of deep meaning flashing in his eyes.

Victor: [flushed cheeks] Didn’t you just make it clear who is more important to you?

Victor: [flushed cheeks] I merely took your words for it, that’s all.

—

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【Chapter 3】

The next day, I purposely time my arrival at the front yard of the villa to avoid coinciding with Victor’s.

The other members of his team have already set off earlier, leaving only Victor, who is sitting leisurely on the sofa and flipping through a magazine.

Meeting that toneless gaze of his, I blow him a kiss from the back of the group and happily embark on my journey.

—

Today’s game proceeds smoothly beyond expectations. Relying on Lei Zi’s excellent intuition, we’ve actually found all the individuals who were separately ambushing us in different corners of the manor one by one.

“Player “Zhou Lei” gains 20 points, Player “Zhao Xin” gains 20 points…”

Qian Er: That was incredibly easy… but Lei Zi, your girlfriend’s gaze just now looked like she was gonna eat you alive.

Lei Zi: I’ll just kneel on the keyboard when I get home. It’s not a big deal.

Xiao Xin: Still, we shouldn’t let our guards down. After all, they can still snatch back the name tags.

Xiao Xin: There’s no camera in the entire manor. There are way more blind spots than we can possibly imagine…

While Xiao Xin is gesturing with his hands and contemplating the safest hiding spots on the map of the manor, Lei Zi quietly approaches me from the side.

Lei Zi: Sis, I wanna ask you for a favor.

MC: Hm?

Lei Zi: I have a special solo mission that requires the help of someone from the team... Could you help me?

Upon hearing this special invitation, I immediately perk up my ears with excitement.

MC: Sure! What do you need me to do?

—

MC: That’s odd…

I meticulously examine the surrounding area of the fountain pool, but don’t spot anything out of the ordinary.

MC: The spot Lei Zi said should be here…

I circle the place again, but still find nothing.

The water in the fountain continuously flows outward and forms cascading water curtains that carry the spraying water droplets, creating blooming specs of light under the dazzling sunlight.

I gaze quietly for a long time. Unwilling to give up, I crouch down and carefully fumble around the pool’s perimeter once again.

Suddenly, I inadvertently touch a stone, causing it to tilt slightly–– the water from the fountain ceases its flow in the next second, revealing a set of steps leading to a stone staircase at the center of the fountain.

MC: So it turns out that the stone steps were not just for decorative purposes...!

My eyes widen in amazement, and I walk up to the stone pillar at the center of the fountain, reaching out my hand to search for any special props––

“Click.”

As I watch the mechanism appear once again, the smile on my face is wiped off completely. A rubber ring suddenly emerges on the surface of the pillar, trapping my hand in place!

MC: …?!

Before I can react, a powerful force grabs my other wrist and swiftly flips me over, pinning my wrist next to the rubber ring.

“Click.”

All of this happens within a matter of moments. It’s not until both my hands are bound behind my back that I begin to comprehend the situation, staring wide-eyed at the person who is now standing in front of me.

MC: …how did you get here?

Victor: I’ve been here the whole time. You were just too slow to act.

Folding his arms across his chest, he leans down slightly to meet my eye level, looking at me teasingly.

The alarm bells in my head are ringing frantically, and a strange thought suddenly rushes to my mind, causing me to swallow nervously.

MC: Could it be that you...

Victor: Otherwise, how do you think he was able to locate everyone?

Victor: And why were they all on their own?

MC: When did you talk to Lei Zi…?

Victor: [chuckles lightly] That’s not something you need to be concerned about.

He lifts his hand and presses on something unbeknownst to me, causing the pool’s fountain to activate again.

The cascading water curtain gushes outward, creating a hazy veil that envelops us within. Instinctively, I am gripped by a sense of looming danger approaching in silence.

Victor is in complete control of this series of actions. He first made his own teammates separate, then found an opportunity to make a deal with Lei Zi––

–– and tricked me into coming here.

The manor is designed to allow players’ evasion activities, and as a result, there are numerous concealed hiding spots. And Victor knows me all too well to know that I would be intrigued by these interesting features.

He is too patient a hunter, creating the opportunity to win by striking just one blow, biting the throat of his prey in an instant.

MC: Victor, you duped me!

Victor: This extent of action doesn’t really count as duping someone.

Victor: It’s just a fitting way to blow off the steam, is all.

MC: But by doing this... your team will lose.

Victor: I have no interest in winning or losing this game.

He gently lifts his hand, caressing the “Victor” name tag pinned on my chest.

Victor: And besides, I guess you’re forgetting… it’s only the second day.

Victor: Where’s your name tag?

His dry fingertips glide slowly up my breasts, passing over my neck and caressing my cheek.

—

[Notes]: bruh they really just straight went for “前胸” (breasts)— not even caring to use short/refined phrasing like 胸/心口 LMAO 🙏

—

MC: …pinned it inside the left pant leg.

Victor: [!! elated chuckle] There’s no need to be so honest.

Victor: It’d be hard to find us here, so we still have plenty of time.

The powerful fingertips lift my chin slightly, causing the falling droplets of water to be sprinkled finely, only to have this cold sensation be melted away by the extremely intimate proximity of his breath.

He rubs his lips against mine slowly and deliberately, neither delving too deeply nor drawing back too far.

The unbearable touch feels as if my entire body is being lifted into the air. The damp mist of the water stream spreads around us, bringing our closely pressed skin even closer together.

Water droplets drip down his gently fluttering eyelashes onto my upper lip, then roll along the folds of our lips as they caress against each other, finally entering our intertwined lips and teeth.

MC: …getting back at me… you’re so petty! Evil capitalist…!

Victor has done a full circle and repeated every detail of what I did to him yesterday.

Victor: [flushed cheeks + raspiest of whispers x1] Naturally, the capitalist has to pay back twice the amount.

Victor: [flushed cheeks + x2] Also, there’s only one cat at home, and that’s Pudding.

—

[Notes]: LMFAAOOO THIS MAN!!! For those who didn’t get it– at the beginning of the date, MC addressed Victor as “Pudding’s Dad, Pudding Senior,” suggesting that he is her big clingy cat, which he 110% is LOL. But he “begs to differ” ‘cause as he showed just now, feline it may be, but he is still the beast “Lion” 😩🤣

—

His muffled words are intertwined with my heavy panting, reminiscent of a predatory beast patiently teasing its prey that it has captured.

In the long time that we’ve been together, I’ve become too accustomed to him, and in his tacit acquiescence, I would brazenly play with his “belly” without any reservations.

But he’s never been an indolent kitty.

MC: Y-you propose a term… let’s talk.

Victor: [flushed cheeks + the most seductively provocative of whispers] What capital do you have to negotiate terms with me?

The teasing I capture in his eyes itches me so much that I can’t resist biting him. But this only causes the smile in his eyes to brew even deeper in response.

MC: Just- you- wait.

Victor: [flushed cheeks + chuckles] That vigor is good.

He finally draws a few steps back, then crouches down and finds my name tag with ease.

Victor scans the QR code and affixes the “MC” engraved name tag to his chest majestically. He then turns around after switching off the fountain, preparing to leave.

MC: Why don’t you take your name tag too?

Victor: I’m just leaving an excuse.

Stepping on the stairs, he haughtily turns his head sideways.

Victor: [chuckles softly] So you won’t be too bored tomorrow.

—

Victor and I, in a sense, have returned to our starting line again.

Although we don’t sit together at dinner, we both wear each other’s name tags on our chests, creating an indescribable romantic tension.

Lei Zi doesn’t dare to make eye contact with me all evening, and I don’t wish to haggle with him, either.

—

On the third day, it becomes obvious that the other side has received Victor’s instructions and has grown more structured in their approach.

As the dominant side, our countermeasure is for everyone else to stay hidden till the last moment, while I––

I keep my eyes locked on Victor from afar across the dense bushes, provocatively maintaining a distance of about ten meters from him at all times.

—

Following several pulling and tugging, I manage to hide in a flower house, intending to catch my breath.

However, the next second, there is a rustling sound outside the window. I hear the person with a steady stride approaching, treading on the broken leaves.

Victor: Think you’ve chosen a good spot?

Beneath the hot sunlight, a few flower petals float down from between Victor’s fingers. He grips the railing of the flower window with one hand, while his fingertips insert themselves into the flower’s pistil.

—

[Tidbits]: The female organs of a flower are collectively called “花蕊”/ pistil, comprising of stigma, style and ovary. (!!! yeah reference to that innuendo of “the rose and the white thingie” in the PV)~ 💦🙏

—

His piercing gaze is even more intense than the sunlight, locking straight onto me. Even though clearly we are physically apart from each other, his imposing presence is still palpable.

His slender forearm may have been scratched by the thorns of the bushes, leaving a few glaring blood marks. But Victor remains unfazed, as if it were merely a minor price to be paid in the process.

MC: CEO Victor, aren’t you asking a question you already know the answer to?

This is too foul an approach to entice someone in this way to have them walk right into your trap.

MC: After all, you didn’t want me to run away again, did you?

—

[Tidbits]: MC switches to “您” here, which is the courteous term for “you” in Chinese, amplifying her bitterness LMAO~

—

Victor: The door is right there. You can leave if you want.

He raises his eyebrows, revealing all his bright schemes with unparalleled frankness.

MC: Will that cause too much loss for CEO Victor?

Victor: Unexpected opportunities like this always provide a chance to encounter the next one.

Victor: As long as you consider the aftermath, it’ll be fine.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 4】

Deflating my mouth, I tie the gauze on Victor’s arm into a knot, then look around the flower room without making it obvious. Finally, I shift my eyes again to my other party’s cool and collected face.

MC: You sign documents worth tens of billions with this hand. You need to be more careful.

–

[Tidbits]:MC uses “您” (the courteous term for “you”), here too LMAO~

–

MC: Ugh, my plan has been ruined. I wonder if a certain Mr. CEO would be as kind-hearted as me?

Victor: Your little thoughts are almost all written on your forehead.

Victor: Your plan is simply to have those college students hide while you stall for time, and then launch a surprise attack when the countdown is almost over.

MC: Since you were already aware of this, why did you still chase after me?

Victor: [delighted laugh] Because your ruses are enough to make me look forward to them.

An undisguised arrogance climbs up the corners of his lips, and he unhurriedly pulls back the rolled-up sleeve to his wrist. The light in his dark-colored pupils reflects my figure.

This arrogant stance arouses my fighting spirit completely. I compose myself and pantomime leaning toward him.

MC: I never thought CEO Victor would have such a wicked side to him. Shouldn’t it be the prey who is to bite in the first place?

Victor: Whether it’s done at the beginning or end makes no difference. Hunting has always been meant to be a deadly struggle between two opponents on equal footing.

Victor: In the face of a predetermined outcome, the process only enriches the ending.

His fingertips twirl themselves around the ends of my hair, making a circular motion in the air.

I gaze at him for a long time. Then propping myself up, I place my hands on both sides of his head, lowering my eyes to him.

MC: Have you ever considered that doing this would expose you to the risk of me biting your throat?

Victor: I never turn down any challenge.

Victor: Especially when it’s from you.

MC: Is that right?

I lower my head to his neck and, without the slightest hesitation, open my mouth and gently nibble on his prominent Adam’s apple.

He seems to have not anticipated that I’d be so decisive, causing his entire body to quiver instinctively.

I crinkle my eyes and silently concentrate on deepening the mark.

By the time I lift my head, the teeth marks are clearly imprinted on his Adam’s apple, shimmering with a light sheen of moisture.

MC: How does it feel to have someone bite your throat?

The answer I receive is a fiercely wild kiss.

Victor’s hand suddenly presses down, causing me to be caught off guard and collide with his teeth.

All the unspoken words between us are shattered into fragments in the entangled exploration. The rapid breaths entwined with the moist sound of water flood my entire sensory world.

My scorching breaths are constantly being swallowed up by his kisses. But I don’t simply want to sink into this passively. Instead, I stubbornly entangle myself back.

Whether it’s a conspiracy or a bright scheme, when faced with absolute power, you must show your strength.

The palm clasped around the back of my neck continues to exert force, allowing the predator to unceasingly penetrate deeper unchallenged. At the same time, I also step on his thigh and move up a little bit, causing him to release a hot and muffled moan.

My fingertips advance on his chest, and in the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of the phone that has been tossed aside.

14:59.

I kiss him even harder, counting down in my mind––

And just before the number is about to change, I suddenly yank off the name tag on his chest and hold it up over my head.

MC: I’ve won.

—

MC: You cheated!!

Victor: I thought you were very happy and willing to receive my flowers at the party.

MC: This was our team’s reward for victory. And, of course, I would accept the bouquet CEO Victor wrapped for me as the loser.

MC: Besides, this is an entirely different matter––

Even when we return to the hotel after the event dinner, I still can’t stop stomping my feet.

MC: I watched the digits jump to 59 at once. Even if I were to say that I counted faster, it still couldn’t be more than ten seconds.

MC: You must have paused the time!

Victor: Don’t blame other people as an excuse for your miscalculating the time.

Looking at his composed demeanor, I narrow my eyes and follow him into the elevator.

—

Suddenly, a thought occurs to me, and I press my lips together slyly.

MC: CEO Victor, could it be that you paused the time unconsciously and now feel embarrassed about it?

While speaking, I lean over and peck him on the lips.

As the elevator ascends, the dots of light that shine through the window swirl incessantly in Victor’s eyes. He lowers his gaze and doesn’t say anything.

MC: Still haven’t paused, eh.

Pressing my lips against his warm ones, I kiss him again.

MC: Still no pause.

MC: It seems that it wasn’t unintentional, but rather deliberate––

Victor: [flushed cheeks] You haven’t fully reconstructed the scene in the flower house. So, this doesn’t count.

The patter of rain begins to trickle down outside the window, coating the light and shadow cast on our bodies with a hazy veil. Even our mingled breaths are imbued with the hint of dampness in the air.

MC: Humph, you capitalist! You really never lose out.

Without saying anything more, I lean against the railing and pull hard on his tie knot, yanking it off directly.

Our lips and teeth tightly press against each other as our tongues dance together. I tirelessly explore his territory, leaving my mark on every crevice and corner of it.

The delicate string, as thin as the fine rain, glues our lips together as we slowly separate, panting rapidly for breaths.

The raindrops hitting the glass are reminiscent of blooming flowers, and the world has been rendered silent.

Victor: [flushed cheeks + !!?? lethally raspy, prolonged whisper pouring into your ears] Do you think I did it unintentionally or deliberately now?

His raspy voice sounds amid the suspended light and shadow, a small cloying smile hanging at the corners of his lips.

MC: It doesn’t matter to me. Regardless of whether it’s intentional or unintentional, it shows that you seem to be working hard in my hunting ground too.

I curl the corners of my lips into a complacent smile, satisfied and ready to open the distance between us––

However, before I can, the palm covering my waist firmly holds me in place and swiftly lifts me up, pressing me directly against the railing of the elevator in a flash.

–

A sudden sensation of coldness crawls up my spine, catching me off guard. To find balance, I instinctively arch my waist and cling onto him with both my hands and feet, crashing into his burning hot breath right in front of me.

I frantically search for a point of strength on Victor’s body and grab onto his coat in a tangled mess. A soft chuckle sounds in my ear, and in the next second, the space in front of me becomes even narrower.

And Victor advances another step further toward me, hemming me in completely into the confined space.

Victor: [!!?? lethally raspy, prolonged whisper pouring into your ears but 3.0] Then let me see your hard work too.

“Susurrus——”

—

[Tidbits]: !!! the term is simply “簌—” here (suggesting a rustling noise), and now look at the long ribbon of her dress that has been untied––

—

MC: [blushing] I-I, what else do I need to do? You put me down first…

Victor: [-- 5.0] I see you’ve been very bold these few days, and now you know to be scared?

The bouquet in my hand becomes heavier and heavier, while my high heels are struggling and on the verge of slipping off my toes.

Victor: [soft chuckle + !!?? 7.0 but more dangerous tone like the hunter has you right where and how he wanted] Don’t drop my flowers.

His approaching breath is like bait. As I’m trying to escape in a panic, a warm palm has already covered my thigh, pinning me firmly in place.

The sound of clothes rustling is exceptionally clear at this moment. Gentle kisses spread along my neck all the way to the tips of my ears, and together with his scorching breaths and touches, they surge into my consciousness.

The overly steady elevator quietly erases the traces of time. However, the numbers that change from time to time become the only indicator announcing the flow of time.

“Ding——”

MC: [blushing] Victor, it’s…!

The remainder of my words are crushed between our lips and teeth, and my eyes can’t help but widen. Just as I feel my heart is about to give out, he completely usurps me of the entirety of my sanity——

The elevator door opens, but there is no one outside.

Victor: This is a VIP elevator, and we are the only ones on the top floor.

Victor: Of course, there’s no need to worry about surveillance issues either.

MC: [blushing] You’re such a…

The only response to me is a quiet chuckle. And in the next second, I’m suddenly lifted up and carried outside the elevator.

—

He holds me up skillfully with one hand, not using too much force, yet using just enough to not allow me to drop back on the floor.

MC: [blushing] Put me down!

Victor: Only you would let go of your grip after biting the other party’s throat.

He lifts his foot and steps onto the thick and soft carpet, walking extremely slowly. Each step he takes causes me to descend slightly, and my entire body is practically hanging onto his.

My thighs, which are wrapped around his waist, gradually begin to weaken. But those searing hands of his remain pressed against me.

Victor: Stay focused.

The unbearable rubbing is continuously wearing away at my willpower, and his hoarse voice sounds as if he is patiently enduring a certain emotion.

MC: Next time... I will definitely not let you go.

Victor: You don’t need to wait for the next time.

Victor: I’ll give you this opportunity tonight.

Along with the sound of the door opening, the somewhat dazzling light causes me to subconsciously squint my eyes. In my dazed state, I find myself sinking into a softness.

Victor: [!!??!! INTENSE BREATHING + SIR SLOW DOWN!! WHAT IS THAT NOOISEEE] We can continue our game for a very long time now.

────────────

Calls: here! (important read)~

────────────

#lmao remember wondering how Dance SP passed the censorship haha— well that MQ is a three year old compared to this 🤣🤣#✧after Dance SP 🤌job- another look into “Mini Victor” getting MC love lmao~ ✧MC’s possessiveness TO THE EXTREME-—#✧Victor’s already proactive MC being even more pro for this event~✧THIS MAN!! WHY ARE YOU SO!!? every day with him indeed is an adventure🫠#their eighteen year olds fresh in love and old married couple duality 😩 UNENDING LOVE PASSION YEARNING DESIRE 🛐🛐#several more 👁️🫦👁️ to add~ WILD ANIMALS THESE TWO- THE ENERGY THEY HAVE LMAO💦#also... MC’s thing for Victor’s Adam’s apple lmfao. LIKE EVERY FRIGGIN TIME. i get u girl. i would too 😩😩#LOL also... was hoping they’d bring up his unconscious time-stopping when he is turrned on after the Top-Up SP lmao so kudos for that xD #mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mr love victor #mlqc #mr love queen's choice #恋与制作人 #李泽言 #love and producer #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc translations

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