Dimensional Hotel

(.)

After sending his message, Yu Sheng went downstairs to prepare dinner. As he worked in the kitchen, he moved in a calm, measured way. He knew Little Red Riding Hood was usually online—her wolf was always around, phone in hand—so she would see his message soon enough.

But this time, minutes passed without any reply.

Yu Sheng wasn’t worried, though; he was sure she’d respond eventually.

He finished frying up a pot of savory meat sauce. While waiting for the water to boil, he cut up a large plate of cucumber strips. Meat sauce noodles were a simple, speedy meal—perfect for Foxy, who loved them.

Just then, the kitchen door creaked open. Two fluffy white ears poked inside, twitching with curiosity. Yu Sheng glanced over his shoulder and saw Foxy’s bright eyes gleaming, her nose lifted to catch the mouthwatering scent.

“Almost done—meat sauce noodles tonight,” Yu Sheng said, nodding at her nine swishing tails. “Hungry?”

He couldn’t help wondering how she managed to keep all nine tails moving in different directions without tangling them.

Foxy nodded happily, her silver-white fur rippling like a wave of moonlight. From across the dining room, Irene’s irritated voice shouted, “What’s with the sudden draft?!”

Yu Sheng chuckled and ladled a small bowl of meat sauce. He picked up a cucumber slice and offered it to Foxy, who watched him with wide, eager eyes. “Here, snack on this. No need to bring the bowl back—just use it for your noodles, okay?”

Foxy left with a delighted smile, hugging her little bowl.

Almost at once, Yu Sheng felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. The familiar ringtone chimed.

It was Little Red Riding Hood calling, rather than texting.

He answered, barely lifting the phone to his ear before a tense, urgent voice spilled through the speaker. “I was going to type it all out, but it’s faster to talk. What’s going on? Everything you said earlier—is it true?”

“These things aren’t the sort of thing you can invent,” Yu Sheng replied calmly, anticipating her reaction. “Remember the museum? When that wolf crawled out of your shadow and bit me? You remember that, don’t you?”

She paused for a moment. “Yes, of course I remember.”

“Well, it bit me and got some of my blood,” Yu Sheng continued, holding the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he dropped the noodles into the boiling pot. He washed the cutting board and knife as he talked. “It couldn’t have been much, and it was indirect, so you haven’t noticed any real effects yet. But from my experience, it’ll ‘activate’ eventually. For now, though, I seem to have formed some sort of link with your ‘curse.’ Or, to put it differently…”

Yu Sheng took a breath, choosing his words carefully. “I’ve connected with the part of you that belongs to the ‘wolf.’”

He heard Little Red Riding Hood’s breath catch on the other end.

Given her sharp mind and spirit realm detective training, she’d instantly grasp the implications, though it clearly unsettled her.

“You see,” Yu Sheng said, stirring the noodles and leaning against the counter, “you—or, well, the wolf—took a bite out of me, even if it happened by accident. Don’t worry; it won’t harm you. But before we move on, I want to talk about the Black Forest.”

She fell silent for a while before finally replying in a weary voice. “What do you want to know?”

“That squirrel—do you know its origin?”

“I… I’m not sure. It was already there when I first stumbled into the forest. I was so lost at the time, I barely remember meeting it,” she said thoughtfully. “It told me a lot about the Black Forest. As far as I can tell, it’s some sort of special being created by the fairy tale itself—a product of how fairy tales usually work.”

She took a moment, then went on, “For every villain that targets a child, there’s a friend who helps. It’s a standard fairy tale rule. You follow me?”

“I do,” Yu Sheng answered, nodding. “I didn’t stay long in the Black Forest, but I sensed the rules at play. By the way, that squirrel got eaten by the wolf. It happened so fast that I couldn’t do anything to stop it. But if it’s part of the forest, it’ll be alright, right?”

“It’ll be fine,” Little Red Riding Hood reassured him. “It’s been eaten more than once. That goes for me, too—I’ve been caught by the wolf many times. The squirrel will pop up again somewhere on the path.”

Yu Sheng hummed in agreement. Then he paused before asking, “Tell me the truth—are you in serious trouble right now?”

“…Did the squirrel say something?”

“I pieced it together from its ramblings,” Yu Sheng said, switching off the burner. He fished out the noodles and rinsed them under cold water, then leaned against the sink. “The forest is swallowing you. And you’re not the first Little Red Riding Hood, right? This is that curse you mentioned. What happens next? Does this affect the other fairy tale members, too?”

For a long time, there was no sound on the line.

After counting a few seconds, Yu Sheng quietly asked, “How much time do you have left?”

Finally, she answered, her voice calm but subdued. “…Next month. My eighteenth birthday.”

Yu Sheng’s grip tightened on the phone.

He suspected it was bad, but not quite so urgent.

“I might not die,” she added quickly. “Dr. Lin says I’m the strongest among us. My chances of making it to adulthood are good. I’ve also been good at hiding, and the wolf hasn’t caught me too often…”

“The squirrel said the real threat isn’t just being devoured—it’s turning into one of them,” Yu Sheng interrupted gently. “We need to meet in person. I need to know everything about the forest—and not just the forest, but the ‘fairy tale’ itself. From what I can tell, it’s a lot bigger than that, isn’t it?”

She hesitated for a few seconds, then let out a quiet sigh. “Why do you care so much? It has nothing to do with you. No offense—just genuinely curious.”

Yu Sheng paused, pondering. “Aren’t we friends?”

“We’ve only known each other for a few days,” she pointed out. “And if you don’t count that mess in the valley, we’ve basically collaborated once. Does that really make us friends?”

“Kid, don’t take everything so literally. I’m older than you, so I get to pick and choose who I help. No special reason needed,” Yu Sheng said with a slight laugh. “And let’s not forget, your shadow-wolf bit me. I’m tied to the Black Forest whether I like it or not.”

He could sense her wavering.

Finally, she sighed again, a gentle hiss of static in the phone’s speaker. “Alright. Let’s meet tomorrow. I’ll send you an address—it’s where we live. You can… come visit us.”

“Sure.”

She hung up.

Yu Sheng set down his phone and spent a moment in silent thought. Then he exhaled, grabbed a big bowl of noodles, and called out, “Dinner’s ready—Foxy, mind helping me carry this?”

“Coming!” Foxy called happily.

In another corner of the city, Little Red Riding Hood lowered her phone, staring at it until a tap on her shoulder made her jump.

“Hey, what are you standing around for?” asked a short-haired girl. “It’s time for dinner—come on, help out.”

Little Red Riding Hood turned to look at the long dining table.

The younger children were already seated, while the older ones bustled around, bringing out dishes and straightening utensils. At the far end, by a steaming pot of soup, Cinderella and Dorothy ladled out portions and kept a watchful eye on a few troublemakers trying to crawl under the table.

Night had fallen. By policy, the staff sent by the council left before sunset. As the evening darkened, the fairy tale’s influence grew stronger—and while the staff were trained, they weren’t required to remain at the orphanage after hours.

Taking a slow breath, Little Red Riding Hood moved to help the youngest children with their chopsticks. Her gaze lingered on a timid, silent girl near the edge of the table.

The girl looked about six or seven, with dark, slightly wavy hair framing her small face. She wore a faded dress and sat stiffly among the others, her lips clenched, her tiny body tense and watchful.

Little Red Riding Hood hadn’t gone to school that afternoon—she’d taken a half-day off.

A new child had arrived at the orphanage, and as one of the “parents,” she was responsible for making sure everything was ready for the newcomer’s first night in their care.

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation