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  • Captivating Beauty 72p1

    Chapter 72 p1

    Shen Shu lay on the bed, her pale fingers just barely visible beneath the collar of her pajama top, the glimpse of her collarbone tantalizing.

    Xu Jinnan sighed inwardly. Shen Shu had a way of rendering her completely helpless.

    She sat down on the edge of the bed and opened the tube of ointment, when Shen Shu’s phone vibrated on the nightstand.

    She paused, picking up the phone and handing it to Shen Shu.

    It was a call from an unknown number.

    Shen Shu glanced at the caller ID, then answered. She didn’t give out her number often.

    She waited for the caller to speak.

    “Hello?”

    Hearing the voice, she instinctively looked at Xu Jinnan, who was examining the ointment, as if studying the ingredients.

    Sensing her gaze, Xu Jinnan looked up.

    “Ah Shu?” a hesitant voice asked. It was Xia Chun.

    The rain had stopped, but the balcony windows were still closed, the apartment quiet, amplifying the sound of Xia Chun’s voice through the phone’s speaker.

    “Is something the matter?” Shen Shu asked.

    “Your voice… are you okay? I’ve been meaning to call… are you badly hurt? Can I… come visit you?”

    Xu Jinnan calmly looked down, continuing to read the instructions on the ointment tube, as if she hadn’t heard.

    Shen Shu also looked away, releasing her grip on her collar. “No, thank you,” she replied.

    “I’m sorry,” Xia Chun said.

    “It wasn’t your fault.”

    “But I saw it happen. If I had been more alert, if I had checked on you, you wouldn’t have gone through that. I’m so stupid! I was so close!” A slight slurring in Xia Chun’s voice betrayed her distress. “Xia Chun…” Shen Shu began, her voice softening.

    Just then, Xu Jinnan leaned closer, her cool fingers applying the ointment to the bruises on Shen Shu’s neck, the contrast in temperature making Shen Shu’s breath hitch.

    Xu Jinnan didn’t speak, her gaze fixed on the marks on Shen Shu’s neck.

    She examined them closely. The mark Cai Ying had mentioned, while resembling a love bite, wasn’t one she had made.

    Xia Chun’s voice continued, seemingly oblivious to Shen Shu’s silence. “I’m always one step too late. When we broke up, I almost managed to change your mind. When you were attacked, I was almost there. When Xu Jinnan forced you into that marriage, I was almost there… and now…”

    Shen Shu gasped softly, the ointment on her skin surprisingly sensitive, Xu Jinnan’s touch sending shivers down her spine.

    Xu Jinnan’s finger gently traced the outline of Shen Shu’s collarbone, her touch cool and smooth against Shen Shu’s warm skin.

    “Ah Shu?” Xia Chun asked, her voice sharp, finally sensing something amiss.

    Shen Shu looked at Xu Jinnan, her heart pounding, unable to reply.

    Their faces were inches apart, and she could see the subtle softness in Xu Jinnan’s eyes, despite her usual aloof demeanor.

    She felt Xu Jinnan’s finger gently tug at her collar, her breath catching in her throat.

    She mumbled a quick reply, then hung up, her gaze fixed on Xu Jinnan.

    After a moment, Xu Jinnan, finished applying the ointment, looked up, a smile playing on her lips. “Why are you staring at me?”

    “Teacher Xu, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Shen Shu asked, her voice soft.

    “Did what on purpose? You asked me to apply the ointment,” Xu Jinnan replied innocently.

    The ointment had a slightly greasy texture.

    Xu Jinnan straightened up, wiping her hands with a tissue.

    Shen Shu watched her for a moment, then looked away, a faint smile playing on her lips, her earlier drowsiness forgotten. She didn’t bother arguing.

    “Let me see your elbow and knee,” she said.

    Xu Jinnan, remembering the other injuries, had Shen Shu pull up her sleeve and pant leg, revealing more bruises.

    After applying the ointment, Xu Jinnan placed the tube beside Shen Shu. “Shu Shu, you can do the rest yourself,” she murmured.

    Shen Shu paused, understanding.

    Her earlobes flushed slightly. “There’s no need,” she said softly. The bruises had been more noticeable when she woke up, but they had faded slightly, except for one, a little darker than the others.

    She paused, then, before Xu Jinnan could reply, unbuttoned another button on her pajama top, pulling it down slightly to reveal the “X” tattoo on her collarbone, a small, dark red mark beside it, about the size of her pinky fingernail.

    “Just here. The others are fine.”

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    She stared at the tattoo, her fingers twitching. She squeezed some ointment onto her fingertip, then, as if casually asking, said, “Does that tattoo have any special meaning? It’s the same as your WeChat profile picture.”

    “Teacher Xu.”

    Xu Jinnan looked up.

    Shen Shu didn’t answer her question, instead saying, “You’ve been wanting to ask about that for a while, haven’t you?”

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    She had been curious ever since learning about Shen Shu and Xia Chun’s past relationship, but she hadn’t found the right opportunity to ask.

    “Not really. I just… remembered to ask,” she said.

    Shen Shu looked at her for a moment. “Really?”

    Xu Jinnan, unable to meet her gaze, admitted, “It’s not Xia Chun’s initial, is it?”

    Shen Shu paused, then chuckled softly. “Is that why you kept… biting it?”

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    She didn’t reply, not wanting to revisit the memories of last night.

    Shen Shu, her cheek resting on her bent arm, said, “It has nothing to do with Xia Chun.”

    “Then what is it?”

    “I’m not telling you.”

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    Shen Shu, clearly enjoying her curiosity, her mood having lifted considerably, seemed determined to keep it a secret.

    Xu Jinnan sighed inwardly. She couldn’t exactly force her to tell her.

    If it wasn’t Xia Chun’s initial, then what did it mean?

    Shen Shu didn’t take the herbal supplements, and Xu Jinnan didn’t press her, simply putting them away. “Alright, aren’t you tired? Go to sleep,” she said.

    Shen Shu, seeing her stand up, asked, “What about you?”

    “I still have some work to do. The company is waiting for my reply.”

    “Oh.”

    Xu Jinnan paused at the doorway, looking back. “I’ll be in later,” she said.

    After a brief pause, and hearing Shen Shu’s “Okay,” she left the room.

    —

    The rain continued throughout the night, finally stopping just before dawn.

    Xu Jinnan opened her eyes, squinting against the faint light filtering through the curtains.

    She rubbed her eyes and heard Shen Shu shift beside her.

    She turned slightly to see Shen Shu, facing her, fast asleep, her hand, warm and soft, resting on Xu Jinnan’s arm as she turned over.

    The faint scent of medication mingled with Shen Shu’s sweet pheromones, the two distinct yet somehow harmonious in Xu Jinnan’s heightened senses.

    Sometimes, all she could smell was that sweet fragrance.

    A sudden tingling sensation in her scent gland made her heart skip a beat.

    But it quickly subsided.

    Afraid of losing control, she had been deliberately maintaining a distance from Shen Shu since the night before last.

    She had been relieved when Shen Shu had already been asleep when she came to bed last night. Sleeping in separate beds had made it easier to control her impulses, but sharing a bed was different.

    Not only was her body still affected by the original Xu Jinnan’s… quirks, but Shen Shu’s attitude had also changed, her occasional displays of affection both surprising and unsettling.

    She carefully moved her arm, preparing to get out of bed, when a soft moan came from beside her.

    “What time is it?” Shen Shu murmured, her voice still hoarse, but less so than yesterday.

    “It’s only 7 a.m. Go back to sleep,” Xu Jinnan replied. “I have to go to the Special Ward today.”

    Shen Shu’s eyes fluttered open. “Because of the… incident?”

    Xu Jinnan shook her head. “No, remember my brother’s friend, Li Lan? She’s in North City now, and she’s taken over the case. I just have to go through the formalities,” she explained, then got up and started getting ready, putting some porridge on the stove before leaving.

    She had a busy day ahead of her.

    —

    After a morning meeting, which ended around 10 a.m., she went to the North City Special Ward.

    It was similar to a regular police station, but specifically for ABO-related matters, its jurisdiction more focused.

    Li Lan took her directly to her office and briefly explained the situation.

    While she was the director, she still had to follow protocol; she wasn’t one to bend the rules.

    Xu Jinnan understood.

    “A week, ten days at most. I’ll have an answer for you,” Li Lan said.

    Xu Jinnan, taking a sip of the cappuccino Li Lan had ordered for her, smiled faintly. “You’re that confident?”

    “This woman seems tough. She’s not giving us anything useful. We need to change our approach,” Li Lan explained.

    Xu Jinnan didn’t ask for details, simply saying, “Then I’ll leave it to you.”

    Li Lan’s words reminded her of something.

    They had never found out who had supplied the drug to Yin Xue.

    “If you handled that case, do you think you could get anything out of Yin Xue?” she asked.

    Li Lan leaned back in her chair. “I interrogated her.”

    Xu Jinnan was surprised. She had known Li Lan had helped with the aftermath, but not that she had personally interrogated Yin Xue.

    “Yin Xue is different from this woman. She’s incredibly resilient. Even after two weeks in solitary, on the verge of a mental breakdown, she didn’t say a word. Meaning whatever she’s hiding is more important than her own well-being. Without more evidence, I can’t keep interrogating her.”

    That was why they hadn’t been able to get anything out of Yin Xue.

    But this woman, the one who attacked Shen Shu, wasn’t as strong.

    Xu Jinnan’s thoughts paused.

    “Speaking of Yin Xue, she was acting crazy for a while, causing trouble every day, but lately, she’s been behaving, even actively participating in rehabilitation programs,” Li Lan said.

    “She wants to get out?”

    “She’s not getting out,” Li Lan said firmly, standing up. “Didn’t your brother tell you that?”

    He had.

    Xu Yincheng had said Yin Xue would never be released.

    —

    Xu Jinnan sat in her car outside the Special Ward for a while, lost in thought.

    She had a feeling that the person behind Yin Xue and the person behind the attack on Shen Shu were the same.

    She hadn’t been able to go to the hospital that day, having received an urgent call from the company on her way there.

    She had been putting it off, and now, with work piling up, she hadn’t had time.

    —

    Shen Shu had returned to filming.

    Despite the three-day delay, no one on set held it against her. Xu Jinnan had been providing catered meals and afternoon tea for the entire crew, and had even given all the women, both Alphas and Omegas, gifts from Meilai Jewelry.

    Someone had even posted about it on Weibo, praising Xu Jinnan as the “perfect wife.”

    The post had gone viral, and the hashtag #CEO Wife had trended.

    By the time Xu Jinnan heard about it, her and Shen Shu’s names had been trending for three days – after the attack on Shen Shu, someone had promoted their CP super topic, and it had quickly climbed the ranks, reaching the top spot.

    Then, someone had dug up more information about their relationship.

    This time, a more thorough profile of Xu Jinnan had emerged.

    Third daughter of the Xu family. (Need I say more? There’s only one Xu family in North City.)

    Notorious playboy, known for her wild ways. (Everyone in the upper echelons of the wealthy socialite circle knows this.)

    Used underhanded tactics to marry the stunningly beautiful Shen Shu. (A classic case of forced marriage turning into love. Basically, a reformed scumbag Alpha falling for her wife. I’m not a CP fan, but CEO Xu is definitely cool.)

    Started investing a year ago, and her assets are already among the top ten in North City. (What does that mean? It means while your mom gives you a dollar and you think about what kind of candy to buy, she takes a dollar and thinks about how to buy a factory, and succeeds.)

    Her most successful ventures so far are Meilai Jewelry (which she saved from bankruptcy, and which is now an international brand) and the “Show” live streaming app (which she personally designed – yes, you read that right, personally designed – and which is revolutionizing the short video industry with its innovative design).

    And for those in the financial world, you’ve probably heard about the Song family’s downfall. A friend of mine, a financial manager, said if the Song family hadn’t apologized, their company would be bankrupt by now…

    And you’ve probably noticed, there’s almost no information about her online, no photos unless she posts them herself.

    Think about it, what kind of background grants you that kind of power? A simple business wouldn’t be enough.

    In conclusion, powerful family, powerful CEO.

    I know my account will probably be deleted soon, but I’m so jealous! This is a real-life rags-to-riches story!

    Xu Jinnan read the post, which, while omitting some details, was relatively accurate, and she was pleased with the praise.

    She liked the post using her “RichSisterWithStamina” account.

    To her surprise, Shen Shu had also seen the post and liked it.

    And because of Shen Shu’s like, their names trended again.

    It also boosted the popularity of the “Show” app, its registered user count exceeding five hundred thousand in a single day, and still climbing.

    Even celebrities and influencers were joining the platform.

    With their names constantly trending, Shen Shu’s Weibo follower count also skyrocketed, many of them CP fans, and the “NanShu” super topic continued to grow.

    From the parking garage incident to the #CEOWife hashtag, Shen Shu had been trending almost non-stop for a week.

    It even spawned a new term – the Shen Shu Effect.

    Anything associated with Shen Shu seemed to trend.

    Of course, there were still plenty of haters.

    Seriously? Someone with no work to her name is actually famous? What is this world coming to…

    Isn’t she an actress? Where are her dramas???

    Trending Queen. Ugh, barf.

    Xu Jinnan didn’t think the negative comments were a bad thing. If she hadn’t seen Shen Shu’s acting herself, she might have doubted her talent, but she had witnessed it firsthand.

    These comments would only fuel Shen Shu’s future success.

    —

  • My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 64

    Chapter 64: Basking in the Sun

    Xiao Luohan recognized Dan Yuanyuan. Besides Dan Yuanyuan and Xie Xitong, she could also name the other students who participated in the performance.

    But it was Dan Yuanyuan’s first time seeing her. Since class hadn’t started yet, she asked curiously, “What’s your name? How did you come to Si Ling?”

    “Xiao Luohan,” she replied, picking up a sticky note and writing her name for her to see.

    Dan Yuanyuan gasped, her eyes lighting up. “Your handwriting is so beautiful! If you had come earlier, the blackboard newspaper—”

    “No, no! Xiao Luo’s health isn’t good, she’s allergic to dust and paint!” Jiang Xue immediately interrupted.

    Then she said apologetically to Xiao Luohan, “Yuanyuan is our class’s arts committee member. She’s in charge of the performance planning I mentioned before, and also the blackboard newspaper at the back of the classroom.”

    Although Xiao Luohan had read and heard about Dan Yuanyuan’s responsibilities from Jiang Xue, seeing the “person” in the flesh standing before her was a different feeling.

    “Oh! Of course I wouldn’t actually make Xiao Luo write it!” Dan Yuanyuan said, smiling at Jiang Xue. “I would have Xiao Luo write a template, and you would copy it onto the blackboard!”

    Jiang Xue: …?

    She opened her mouth, about to retort as usual, but then felt she shouldn’t leave a bad impression on Xiao Luo, so she changed her tone. “That’s not a bad idea.”

    Dan Yuanyuan’s smile froze.

    “So protective…” she muttered after recovering, then patted Jiang Xue’s shoulder meaningfully and returned to her seat with her water bottle.

    Xiao Luohan looked at Jiang Xue, a little confused.

    She could tell that Jiang Xue and Dan Yuanyuan had a good relationship and understood the meaning of Dan Yuanyuan’s words before leaving, but precisely because she understood, she wasn’t sure how to act in front of Jiang Xue in this situation.

    So, she simply presented this dilemma to Jiang Xue, playing the role of the confused and helpless newcomer.

    Jiang Xue coughed lightly and waited until the students getting water behind them had dispersed before explaining, “Yuanyuan is sometimes joking, don’t take it seriously. I’ll respond to her.”

    Xiao Luohan nodded and asked softly, “Then, what if I also want to be friends with her?”

    “You can either retort with a joke, or give a polite smile,” Jiang Xue patiently explained. “She likes you, and she’ll remember your reaction. Next time, she won’t make this kind of joke with you and will only talk about serious matters.”

    “Likes?” Although she could sense that Dan Yuanyuan didn’t have that kind of interest in her, Xiao Luohan still deliberately pointed out the word.

    “Just that she thinks you’re compatible,” Jiang Xue said. “But for now, it’s just her unilateral thought. Whether or not to be friends with her is up to you. Friendship is a two-way street.”

    Just then, she saw the history teacher enter the classroom, followed by the AV club member, who quickly turned on the computer, moved the portable blackboard to the side, and revealed the projection screen on the wall.

    Xiao Luohan’s attention was captured by the AV club member’s actions.

    Jiang Xue didn’t disturb her and took out her review materials for the next class.

    As class time approached, she said to Xiao Luohan, “Read my book first. If you’re interested, I’ll get you the textbook and workbook during the long break.”

    Xiao Luohan knew from reading the diary that Jiang Xue had submitted a request to the school a long time ago and had always been exempt from the long break exercises.

    This was a physical limitation, a congenital defect. Even though she had received treatment as a child, she hadn’t fully recovered. Even now, the seemingly healthy Jiang Xue couldn’t engage in strenuous exercise for extended periods.

    Ms. Wei had even cried about it several times, and even Ms. Jiang felt troubled.

    But Jiang Xue herself was optimistic.

    If she couldn’t run fast, she could still jog! She could control her own pace and rest whenever she wanted. How freeing!

    Besides, there were rarely any situations in her daily life that required strenuous exercise, so life went on as usual.

    The two morning classes were both liberal arts, one history and one Chinese. Xiao Luohan listened attentively throughout, confident that she could grasp the essentials of these two subjects in a short time.

    During the long break, after most of the students had gone to the playground for exercises, Jiang Xue took Xiao Luohan to the logistics department.

    Since it wasn’t Monday, when the flag-raising ceremony was held, the teacher in charge was usually present in the logistics department during the long break.

    Xiao Luohan walked up to the female teacher, who looked to be in her fifties, and obediently followed her instructions, raising her arms and straightening her back, so she could take her measurements.

    The teacher in the logistics department was familiar with the Jiang family. Before Jiang Xue could even speak, she said slowly, “Your sister has already transferred the uniform fee to me. Alright, you can go back and rest. Remember to come and pick it up next week at this time.”

    “Do you want to get the textbooks, or watch them do exercises in the hallway first?” Jiang Xue asked after they left the logistics department. “Our school has too many classes, and some classes run laps around the teaching building. I sometimes bask in the sun in the hallway and watch them run.”

    Xiao Luohan wasn’t very interested in watching the exercises, but she liked basking in the sun, so she expressed her preference.

    Jiang Xue thought for a moment, then headed towards the club building. “Then let’s try our luck.”

    Xiao Luohan had been to that building a few times and was familiar with it.

    The long break wasn’t over yet, and no one was coming up the stairs, so she took Xiao Luohan straight to the spiral staircase, quickly reaching the gardening club’s succulent glass room.

    They were in luck; the glass room was open today.

    Shelves filled with various succulents lined the walls of the glass room, and stools were scattered around for visitors to bask in the sun.

    Being able to observe the succulents up close was a delight. Xiao Luohan admired them one by one, and when she saw one she particularly liked, she asked Jiang Xue to take a picture, so they could buy the same one for their home later.

    She wasn’t sure if she could be responsible for a cat or a dog, but she had grown vegetables and tended to flowers with her mother, so she felt confident in taking care of plants, especially low-maintenance succulents.

    “When I was still participating in club activities, I loved basking in the sun here,” Jiang Xue reminisced, sitting down on a stool. “Once, I came here at noon. There were comfortable lounge chairs in the glass room back then, and I even fell asleep, not even woken up by the bell for newspaper reading class. In the end, it was Teacher Ai, who was in charge of this place, who came looking for me after receiving a call from my homeroom teacher.”

    Her homeroom teacher in her freshman year and her current one weren’t the same person. Her freshman year homeroom teacher was an elderly woman nearing retirement, very strict and by-the-book.

    “My homeroom teacher criticized me for being too carefree afterwards, but I felt that since I hadn’t disturbed anyone, and only accidentally overslept, it was just a small, unintentional mistake, and there was no need to make such a big deal out of it.”

    Jiang Xue continued, “Later, when I was also in a position of looking after other students, I understood where her worries came from.”

    Xiao Luohan sat beside her, basking in the sun, listening to her reminisce.

    Compared to actively speaking, she preferred listening.

    Seeing that she was willing to listen, Jiang Xue shared more stories from her time in the club.

    It wasn’t until she heard the music signaling the end of the long break that she suddenly remembered she had forgotten to take Xiao Luo to get her textbooks.

    “No rush, we should be able to get them during lunch break or after dinner, right?” Xiao Luohan, also influenced by her relaxed state, became more patient. “If not, there’s still the long break tomorrow.”

    “That’s not the point… sigh!” Jiang Xue sighed with a wry smile. “I’m always like this, getting carried away by whatever I’m interested in at the moment.”

    She had promised to take Xiao Luo to get her textbooks, but halfway there, she had suddenly decided to bring her here to bask in the sun and look at succulents.

    Xiao Luohan, however, didn’t think this was something to worry about. She smiled faintly. “It’s alright, it’s not an urgent matter. If it were truly urgent, you would have prioritized it.”

    Because of these words, on their way back, she couldn’t help but think of the things Jiang Xue had done for her.

    Senior year was the most crucial and stressful time, yet Jiang Xue had put her studies aside to save her, a princess in distress from a feudal society, even taking four days off.

    Fortunately, her situation hadn’t affected Jiang Xue’s important matters, nor had it wasted too much of her time. Otherwise, she would truly blame herself for affecting Jiang Xue’s future.

    Xiao Luohan didn’t know that Jiang Xue was also thinking about this.

    But she didn’t feel that her choice to help Xiao Luo was a “whim.” She sincerely wanted to save this girl, hoping to see her life improve day by day.

    Since her original environment wasn’t good, she would help her escape and place her in a more suitable environment for her physical and mental well-being.

    If she had to say, she was simply taking advantage of her favorable circumstances and abilities, and having encountered such a rare “supernatural event,” she had done her best to help.

    Fortunately, the outcome was good. Otherwise, this incident from her youth would probably become a lifelong regret.

    Lost in their own thoughts, the two returned to the classroom accompanied by the energetic background music.

    The students who had returned earlier were already opening the windows for ventilation. As soon as Jiang Xue saw that the window beside her seat was wide open, she hurried over and quickly closed it, afraid that the cold wind would harm the frail Xiao Luo. The third period was math class, reviewing the test papers from the previous day.

    Jiang Xue had been abroad that day, but she had already seen the test paper from Xie Xitong on the plane and had also done it herself, but she hadn’t had time to grade it yet.

    Now, as the teacher read out the answers, she graded her paper and then, as usual, listened attentively to the lecture.

    Even if there were problems she didn’t understand, she could always ask A-Xi and her older sister later, but she preferred to solve problems independently.

    Sometimes, during math class, if the teacher’s pace was fast, she wouldn’t even dare bend down to pick up a dropped pen, afraid that if she got distracted, she would miss the most crucial steps.

    As a result, she was completely immersed in the mysteries of mathematics for the entire class. It wasn’t until near the end of class that Jiang Xue realized she had completely ignored Xiao Luohan.

    Panicked, she quickly wrote a note on her scratch paper and pushed it over: 【I’m sorry! I was too focused! Don’t worry or be afraid if you don’t understand this class. Even my older sister wouldn’t dare get distracted!】

    As she handed over the note, she glanced at Xiao Luohan’s desk and found that she was doing… elementary school arithmetic?

    Jiang Xue was puzzled for half a minute before remembering that this was the workbook she had given her last night.

    Although there was also mathematics in the ancient world, and Xiao Luohan had managed account books, Arabic numerals were another special “language” for her. Before understanding mathematical formulas, she had to first familiarize herself with the commonly used numbers and symbols of this world.

    —After hearing her explanation last night, Xiao Luohan had happily accepted the arithmetic workbook.

    So for the entire math class, she had been diligently working on the problems. By the time Jiang Xue wrote her the note, she had already progressed from single-digit addition and subtraction to mixed operations with fractions and parentheses.

  • Second Time Around, the Villainous Daughter Decides to Indulge First 69

    Chapter 69: A Spiteful Decision

    Diana crouched in the shadows of the cage.

    She hugged her knees, her chin resting on them, her eyes fixed on her toes, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows on her delicate skin.

    Huh?

    Vanessa rubbed her eyes, her expression incredulous. “I checked the rooftop before, there was no one there.”

    “Sometimes you should believe in miracles, not your eyes. Magician Lena is skilled at bringing miracles to polite audiences.” Lena raised an eyebrow, her smile wicked and beautiful. “And to perform the next trick, Magician Lena needs the help of a capable assistant…”

    Diana seemed to be asleep.

    Her eyelashes fluttered, and she woke up from her slumber, her elegant lolita dress slightly dusty, adding a touch of earthly beauty.

    Confused, Diana looked around frantically, as if unaware of anything amiss. “How did I get… Lena… no! Where’s Senior Weakling?!”

    She saw Lena lying in a pool of blood, and Vanessa, her hands covered in blood, her expression blank.

    “What… what happened?”

    Her mouth opened slightly in shock. Smelling the blood, Diana rushed over, forgetting her usual grace, first checking Lena’s “injuries,” then standing up and confronting Vanessa.

    “How could you hurt her? She’s my dog!”

    Diana’s childish voice was sharp and shrill. “Although I don’t know how you defeated Lena, the facts speak for themselves. You can’t escape suspicion, even if you’re the hero’s fiancée!”

    You don’t have to love, but please don’t hurt.

    Diana had finally found the perfect toy, and Vanessa had ruined it… She hadn’t even had a chance to play with Lena yet!

    Hmph, annoying.

    And Senior Weakling had even given her that interesting pinwheel; she had already forgiven Lena’s rudeness.

    Speaking of which, where was the pinwheel?

    Huh?

    And… how did she get here?

    Diana racked her brain, but couldn’t figure it out.

    Vanessa, knowing the truth, remained silent, flipping through a book, her gaze unfocused.

    “Anyway, you have to compensate me!”

    “Huh? Why?” Vanessa closed her book with a snap, her bare feet dangling in the air, kicking impatiently.

    “Ahem, I mean…” Diana hesitated. As royalty, she couldn’t afford to offend the hero’s side, but given her personality, she wouldn’t let this go so easily. She softened her tone, saying, “Take us away from here, you can do that, right?”

    “Is that part of our agreement?”

    “Yes.” Diana remembered their cooperation, nodding. “Caramy should have told you, about the cooperation.”

    Vanessa sneered. “Plotting against Lena, and when the plan failed, using spatial magic to escape. Hmph, such underhanded tactics from royalty…”

    “You didn’t have to say that last part.”

    Diana pouted, inwardly fuming.

    Considering Vanessa’s engagement to the hero, she couldn’t openly retaliate. How infuriating.

    When had she ever been treated like this?

    She would remember this!

    “Hurry up, what if it delays her treatment? Can you take responsibility for that?!” Diana could only regain some face by acting like the employer, demanding justice for her beloved “dog.”

    “Idiot,” Vanessa rolled her eyes.

    Hey, she was the one who started the insults!

    Diana’s veins bulged, and she clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. “Stupid weakling!!”

    “I don’t talk to creatures lower than the parasitic flies on a Hippora bull.”

    She even brought her family into it! How vicious!

    Diana retorted, “You’re the same! You’re insulting yourself!”

    “Heh.” Vanessa tossed her hair, revealing her pointed ears. “My mother is a noble, pure-blooded flower elf. I’m different from all of you, understand? You little goblin, you should dig a hole and bury yourself, then take a piss and see how stupid you look.”

    “Reflect!”

    “Idiot.”

    “Reflect!”

    “Where is your royal dignity? If you have the ability, refute me directly, instead of repeating yourself, you onion-headed dwarf.”

    “Waaah… weakling! Don’t insult me, weakling, waaaah…”

    Diana’s voice wavered, her imposing presence weakening..

    But Vanessa, enjoying her verbal assault, pressed her advantage, her lips curling into a smirk. “Are you a child? Is that all you can say?”

    A critical hit!

    Being verbally abused…

    Diana’s age advantage was useless against someone her own age.

    Diana was on the verge of tears.

    Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

    “Crying?” Vanessa lay on her carpet, circling Diana in the air. “Seems like you’re still a child. Do you need a lollipop? Or should I send you home to your mommy?”

    Diana wasn’t crying, she just had something in her eye.

    Her voice choked with resentment, “Just send me home… no, to the Smith Lake Hotel!”

    Hearing this unexpected destination, Vanessa paused, asking hesitantly, “Are you sure?”

    “Yes!” Diana blurted out without thinking.

    “Alright, I understand.” Vanessa looked at Lena, still lying “dead” on the ground, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, quickly replaced by resolve. “This is Your Highness’s decision, I have no right to interfere… Please step back, long-distance spatial magic requires some preparation.”

    “Heave-ho—!”

    Diana struggled to lift the “unconscious” Lena, placing Lena’s arm around her neck, then lifting her onto her shoulder. “Stinky weakling, you’re so heavy! I’m taking Lena, you just have to teleport us… Ugh, such a heavy, soft bag, don’t press against me, ugh! Ugh!!”

    Lena’s large breasts smothered Diana’s face, her consciousness fading, a natural, faint fragrance filling her nostrils, mixed with the scent of freshly cut grass. If she focused, she could even feel silken ribbons flowing around her, like being immersed in a field of lavender.

    It was Lena’s scent, hers alone…

    Diana suddenly woke up, the scene around her dreamlike, couples embracing, their fingers intertwined, everything surreal, like a dream.

    The moon was bright, the lights twinkling, she was on a small island in the middle of a lake on the border of the Almeria Empire.

    This was a famous honeymoon spot, and Diana’s impulsive decision…

    “We’re actually here?”

    Diana murmured, her surprise turning into panic, her heels stomping the ground.

    “I was just being spiteful… how did we actually get here?! Damn you, Vanessa!! Send me back!!!”

    …

  • Female Lead Was Coaxed Away by the Villain Again [Quick Transmigration] 132

    Chapter 132: Money Is Really Tempting (5)

    As the three of them left the tea room, they noticed the awkward and strange atmosphere outside. Jin Shuang glanced at Jiang Zhiyan, who gave her a bright smile, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding atmosphere.

    The second uncle, looking at Jin Shuang, said sarcastically, “Jin Shuang, this friend of yours is quite something.”

    “Shuangshuang, it seems your second uncle is also cheating,” Jiang Zhiyan said, looking up.

    Jin Shuang’s parents were stunned for two seconds, then stared at the second uncle with wide eyes.

    “He’s quite experienced,” Jiang Zhiyan continued, shaking her head. “If he ever tries to set you up with anyone, really, don’t trust him.”

    The second uncle’s lips twitched rapidly: “I haven’t!”

    “Alright, we don’t want to get involved in your family matters, deal with it yourselves, let’s eat first, she’s our guest, why are we discussing such things?” Jin Shuang’s mother said, no longer wanting to listen, she looked at Jin Shuang’s father.

    Jin Shuang’s father: ?

    “I don’t know anything about this,” he immediately said.

    Jin Shuang sat beside Jiang Zhiyan and smiled at her: “Everything’s fine, I’ll find a lawyer tomorrow.”

    “That’s good,” Jiang Zhiyan patted the back of Jin Shuang’s hand.

    The Jin family dinner was very sumptuous, a table full of dishes.

    Besides the second uncle and second aunt, whose moods were terrible, the atmosphere was quite harmonious, and Jiang Zhiyan blended in perfectly.

    “Don’t go back tonight, stay here,” Jin Shuang’s mother said, looking at Jin Shuang. “You haven’t stayed at home for a long time.”

    Jin Shuang looked at Jiang Zhiyan.

    “You can stay here tonight,” Jiang Zhiyan immediately said. “I’ll go back myself.”

    “You should stay too, I’ll have someone prepare the guest room,” Jin Shuang’s mother added. “Let’s have some tea and chat tonight.”

    “That’s too much trouble,” Jiang Zhiyan said, covering her mouth and smiling. “But since Auntie insists, then I’ll impose on you, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, you don’t mind, do you?”

    The second uncle and second aunt, who hadn’t participated in the conversation, looked like they had swallowed a fly, they glared at Jiang Zhiyan: “We’re not staying here tonight.”

    “Oh, right, you still have to go home and deal with your family matters,” Jiang Zhiyan nodded. “Second Aunt, really…”

    She didn’t say anything, but her expression said it all. The second aunt didn’t respond, just glared at her husband again.

    The others were already trying to suppress their laughter.

    Jin Shuang’s mother didn’t have a good impression of Jiang Zhiyan, but after meeting her this time, she felt that she had changed. She used to subtly target Jin Shuang, but now she was actually defending her.

    It was really strange.

    She felt that Jiang Zhiyan had some ulterior motive, but she couldn’t quite figure it out.

    Jin Shuang’s mother hoped it wasn’t the case, Jin Shuang was finally doing better, and she now had a good relationship with Jiang Zhiyan, if Jiang Zhiyan also betrayed Jin Shuang, she frowned.

    After dinner, Jiang Zhiyan went to wash up. The clothes were provided by Jin Shuang’s mother. Just as she came out of the guest room, she was invited to the small garden by Jin Shuang’s mother.

    Jiang Zhiyan wasn’t surprised that she would be approached.

    When she arrived, Jin Shuang’s mother was making tea. Seeing her, she smiled: “Would you like some tea?”

    “Just a little, I might not be able to sleep if I drink too much tea at night,” Jiang Zhiyan said with a smile, sitting down opposite her. “Thank you.”

    Jin Shuang’s mother looked at Jiang Zhiyan: “I remember you used to like Mu Chen very much.”

    Jiang Zhiyan didn’t expect her to be so direct, so she also said directly: “I don’t.”

    Jin Shuang’s mother was stunned for a second, looking at Jiang Zhiyan: “You don’t seem like it.”

    “I like Jin Shuang,” Jiang Zhiyan lowered her voice. “But she liked Mu Chen, so I had to take an indirect approach.”

    Jin Shuang’s mother: ???

    Jin Shuang’s mother had lived for many years and had seen the world, but this was the first time she had heard of such a thing, she was momentarily speechless.

    “Huh?” she looked at Jiang Zhiyan.

    Jiang Zhiyan held her teacup: “I discovered Mu Chen’s infidelity, and I’m the one who obtained the evidence, she’s given up on him now.”

    Jin Shuang’s mother didn’t speak.

    “I hope Auntie won’t object,” Jiang Zhiyan looked at her.

    The amount of information was overwhelming. Jin Shuang’s mother looked down at her cup, the tea had overflowed, she quickly stopped pouring and put down the teapot.

    “Are you serious?” she asked.

    “Mm,” Jiang Zhiyan nodded.

    Jin Shuang’s mother felt this was even more absurd, but Jiang Zhiyan’s gaze was sincere, she didn’t seem to be lying.

    “You’re not my daughter, I can’t object to anything, as for Jin Shuang, it’s up to her, I can’t control her either,” Jin Shuang’s mother said, then lowered her voice, “But if you try anything funny, if you hurt Shuangshuang, I won’t let you off the hook.”

    “So how are you planning to deal with Mu Chen this time?” Jiang Zhiyan asked, looking at Jin Shuang’s mother with anticipation.

    Jin Shuang’s mother looked at Jiang Zhiyan’s expression, a bit exasperated, she felt like she had misjudged her before, but to be able to pretend to that extent, she was indeed capable, but how old was this girl?

    “That’s our business, let me see the evidence.”

    “It’s a bit… explicit, we might need a computer,” Jiang Zhiyan said.

    Jin Shuang’s mother nodded and sent a message, and someone quickly brought a laptop. Jiang Zhiyan took out a USB drive from her bag and handed it over.

    With a serious expression, she plugged in the USB drive. There were more than ten videos inside, each quite long. When Jin Shuang mentioned 4K high-definition, she thought she was joking, but after opening one, she realized it wasn’t a joke at all. She watched for a few seconds and closed it, her expression darkening.

    “How did you even get this? It’s not fake, is it?”

    “Don’t worry about how I got it, it’s not fake, there are no signs of editing,” Jiang Zhiyan said, leaning back in her chair.

    Jin Shuang’s mother looked through the videos, each labeled with the date, location, and the other person involved. There were five different women, mostly actresses from Mu Chen’s company.

    “That animal,” Jin Shuang’s mother said, clenching her fists.

    “What are you two talking about?” Jin Shuang asked, pushing the door open. She had heard that Jiang Zhiyan was called over by her mother and immediately came over, afraid of a conflict between the two. As expected, the atmosphere was tense.

    Jin Shuang sat down beside Jiang Zhiyan, and her mother, noticing her action, sighed inwardly, this girl had just gotten out of one hole and seemed to be falling into another.

    “We’re watching 4K high-definition videos,” Jiang Zhiyan said.

    Jin Shuang froze for a second, then realized what she meant, glanced at the laptop screen, randomly opened a video, watched for thirty seconds expressionlessly, her face unreadable, as if she was watching some promotional video, she frowned and closed it: “It really is high-definition.”

    System: …

    “Don’t any of you feel awkward?”

    “I’m sorry, I rarely experience that emotion,” Jiang Zhiyan said.

    “Oh, right, you’re thick-skinned,” the System said, glancing at the other two, they didn’t seem embarrassed either.

    Jin Shuang leaned back in her chair and suddenly thought of something: “Should we send one to Mu Chen, to scare him?”

    “We can,” Jiang Zhiyan sat up. “That sounds fun, wait, let me add an intro.”

    Jin Shuang only understood after a moment what Jiang Zhiyan meant: “That would indeed be quite a scare.”

    Jin Shuang’s mother sat there, not knowing what to say, but she didn’t stop them either.

    Jiang Zhiyan quickly edited the video and sent it to Mu Chen’s email address.

    Mu Chen, sitting in his study, unable to focus on work, saw a new email notification, leaned closer to the screen, and seeing it was from Jin Shuang, smiled faintly, he knew she couldn’t resist, and now she was even using email, how creative, was it an apology letter?

    He opened the email and found a compressed file, he frowned, patiently decompressed it, opened the video, and was stunned by the intro, after the intro, seeing the somewhat familiar room decor, he didn’t react for a moment, until his own face appeared on the screen, he froze.

    Every second that followed shocked him, Mu Chen, who had lived a smooth-sailing life for thirty years, had never encountered anything like this before, his heart pounding.

    He finally understood why Jin Shuang had been acting strangely these past two days.

    But how did she get this video?

    The video was a single, continuous shot, without any editing, but the camera was clearly moving, as if someone was holding a camera by the bed, but how was that possible?

    Mu Chen took a deep breath, leaned back in his chair, and opened his phone, deep in thought.

    After sending the video, the three returned downstairs. The housekeeper had prepared a fruit platter.

    The other relatives had already left, only the four of them remained.

    Jiang Zhiyan sat by the coffee table, peeling grapes.

    Jin Shuang’s mother glanced at Jiang Zhiyan, this girl was truly presumptuous and informal, she hadn’t even told her to treat this place as her own home yet, thinking about what Jiang Zhiyan had said earlier, she suspected Jiang Zhiyan was very confident she could become a part of this family.

    “I wonder how Mu something is reacting right now,” Jiang Zhiyan said, popping a grape into her mouth. Jin Shuang, seeing the juice squirt out, took two napkins and offered them to Jiang Zhiyan, who didn’t take them, just tilted her face up, and Jin Shuang wiped her mouth.

    Jin Shuang’s mother closed her eyes and turned away.

    “He hasn’t finished watching it yet, has he?” Jiang Zhiyan asked.

    “He wouldn’t be that perverted and watch the whole thing, would he?” Jiang Zhiyan twitched the corner of her mouth. “Send him a message, tell him his figure is terrible.”

    “What?” Jin Shuang’s father, who hadn’t been paying attention, heard Jiang Zhiyan’s words and looked puzzled.

    His wife pulled him closer and whispered a few words in his ear, and his previously calm face darkened.

    Jin Shuang handed her phone to Jiang Zhiyan: “Say whatever you want yourself.”

    Jiang Zhiyan wiped her fingers with a napkin, thought for three seconds, and then typed rapidly, attacking based on “Top 1 thing men care about most” in her database, she couldn’t be wrong.

    [Jin Shuang: Your figure is terrible, terrible in every aspect, also, are you taking medication? Her acting was quite good though, as expected of an actress, I suggest giving her a raise, she suffered a lot, she sacrificed so much to make you happy.]

    The system suspected Jiang Zhiyan was taking revenge for personal reasons.

    [Mu Chen: You’re not Jin Shuang.]

    [Jin Shuang: But that doesn’t invalidate my assessment, you are terrible.]

    [Mu Chen: Where did you get this video?]

    Jiang Zhiyan ignored him and returned the phone to Jin Shuang: “He still has the audacity to ask me where I got the video from, shameless.”

    “Audacious? He still dares to ask?!” Jin Shuang’s father, still fuming, took the phone and sent a long, angry voice message.

    Jiang Zhiyan peeled another grape and winked at Jin Shuang, listening to her father’s relentless tirade.

  • I’m Surrounded by My Own Pets! 221

    Chapter 221: Lian Xing’s True Spirit

    “BOOM!!!”

    Golden light and yellow sand exploded, the deafening shockwave rippling to the very edges of the starry sky.

    With the first meteorite platform as the epicenter, a radiant golden domain instantly enveloped everyone present, illuminating the entire world and dissolving all the stars except the staircase into scattering dust.

    Every spectator stared, dumbfounded, their hearts trembling uncontrollably.

    Ground, planets, Pet Essence, pebbles – everything within view was swept away by the sandstorm, transforming into golden motes rising into the air.

    Simultaneously, the Pet Beast panels of Star Goddess, Nether Concubine(Nether Traveler), Ice Queen, and Tai Yin, Lian Xing’s four competitors, dimmed.

    As long as they remained within the bounds of the Pet Beast World, their skills and talents couldn’t escape this effect!!!

    Inverse Time felt particularly aggrieved.

    She had been so careful…

    She wasn’t stupid; she’d naturally taken precautions against the pre-Legend strength of each competitor, wary of being used as a stepping stone.

    Yet, this momentary lapse was seized upon by Lian Xing. The instant she realized Star Sand’s life stage had regressed too far, Lian Xing used Replay to lock Star Sand in that state!!!

    [Emperor-Tier Star Sand · Imperial Concubine’s Moon Crown!!!!]

    Level – 10870!!!!

    As a golden, feminine figure gradually emerged from the golden sandstorm, all the Seven Heavens members within the Bubble Pet Beast World were ecstatic.

    The Huang Li within Silver Dragon was particularly agitated, emitting sharp cries.

    Even Calamity Sun within Lian Xing narrowed its eyes, recalling unpleasant memories.

    In her past life, she had almost conquered the entire Bubble Pet Beast World, only to be sealed by Star Sand at the last moment.

    Calamity Sun was the ultimate weapon of destruction, known for its slaughter.

    Star Sand, on the other hand, was just a local tyrant clinging to power within the Bubble Pet Beast World.

    Yet, even so, Calamity Sun had been helpless against Star Sand’s sealing talent…

    “Whoosh—”

    The next second, Imperial Concubine’s Moon Crown, clad in a robe woven from sand and wearing a crown, floated out of the sandstorm. The fireflies flickering around her seemed to absorb all other light, dimming everything else in the vicinity.

    Besides external objects and combat skills, Star Sand possessed no offensive abilities.

    Even so, the aura she exuded was overwhelmingly powerful, creating a sense of breathtaking pressure.

    Facing the regal Star Sand, even Inverse Time struggled.

    Her combat skill panels were uncontrollably shutting down, forcing her to pour all her Pet Essence into reversing her state, a complete reversal of the Unbreakable Heaven’s Ring situation.

    Star Goddess’s expression turned strange as she looked back and forth between Imperial Concubine’s Moon Crown and the child-like Lian Xing.

    This Pet Beast was absurdly powerful, single-handedly suppressing everyone present across thousands of levels.

    Even at this level, it wasn’t within the top ten Legends…?

    Meanwhile, sensing her Pet Beast lineup dimming, Nether Concubine, at the front of the group, continued walking forward, unfazed after a moment of silence.

    Qianqiu’s simulations indicated Lian Xing had no intention of targeting her for now.

    Ice Queen, on the other hand, wasn’t faring so well.

    Fortunately, she had borrowed her daughter, Heavenly Maiden’s, White Abode. Its defensive capabilities were enough to contend with Star Sand’s seal.

    Provided…

    Lian Xing showed some restraint!

    If she went all out, even White Abode couldn’t withstand the combined assault of Star Sand and Replay.

    The atmosphere became strangely balanced.

    If not for the prohibition on combat in the first round, Lian Xing would likely be facing a group beating…

    “Now, is it alright…?”

    Under everyone’s gaze, the golden-haired child muttered to herself before the staircase, unsure who she was addressing.

    Then, she tentatively extended a delicate foot.

    “Tap!”

    Her foot landed.

    Lian Xing successfully stepped onto the first step of the Lunar Divine Festival, her brow relaxing.

    Success…

    Undoubtedly, this meant she had once again attracted the attention of a True Spirit and gained the favor of some powerful being!

    Seeing this, all the Bubble Pet Beast World and Earth players cheered.

    However, the Guardians of the Moon Soul World wore expressions of disbelief and shock.

    In the Cloud Mist Sea Palace, Moonwalker and Yaochi exchanged glances, both stunned.

    Freed from Inverse Time’s interference, Lian Xing’s child form quickly reverted to her original, curvaceous, mature figure. Accompanied by the floating Imperial Concubine’s Moon Crown, she continued ascending the staircase.

    Within moments, her Pet Beast lineup returned to normal.

    Only Star Sand’s life stage remained locked, exploiting a blatant bug with the help of the Divine Machine and Replay.

    Star Goddess and Tai Yin, however, remained immobile at the starting point, completely countered by Star Sand and Unbreakable Heaven’s Ring’s abilities.

    Yet…

    Tai Yin looked at Lian Xing’s back with a mixture of shock and despair.

    Her body trembled uncontrollably, as if she had witnessed something unimaginable.

    “Just now, for a moment, did the flow of time in our world reverse?”

    “How is that possible…?”

    Who was it that observed Lian Xing and granted her this power…!!!

    There was no perceptible sign, no disturbance, as if a casual action had been taken and then its traces erased…

    This was definitely beyond the capabilities of the Eleventh Zodiac, the lower-ranked among the Twelve Moons!!!

    Why, why could this pawn, abandoned by the Eleventh Zodiac, garner the attention of a higher-ranked True Spirit!?

    Tai Yin couldn’t comprehend it.

    Logically, for their generation of Lunar Divine Festival participants, attracting the attention of the Nine-Colored Deer was the absolute limit.

    Higher-ranked True Spirits were beyond their reach.

    After all, their dimensions and planes of existence were entirely different. No matter how high an ant jumped, it couldn’t enter a god’s line of sight.

    She had suspected it more than once.

    Perhaps the higher-ranked True Spirits couldn’t even perceive the Lunar Divine Festival.

    Everything in the world was but insignificant dust to them.

    But at this moment, for the first time, Tai Yin felt confused and bewildered by Lian Xing’s existence.

    Which True Spirit had been roused by the awe-inspiring appearance of Imperial Concubine’s Moon Crown…?

    ***

    Under everyone’s gaze, Lian Xing, transformed back into her mature form, continued her indifferent ascent, holding the third position on the endless starry staircase.

    Nether Concubine, in first place, was far ahead. Ice Queen, in second, struggled to resist the combined pressure of Star Sand’s seal and Heaven’s Ring’s teleportation, relying solely on White Abode.

    Star Goddess and Tai Yin remained at the starting point, motionless.

    They silently watched Lian Xing’s retreating figure.

    Unable to break Star Sand’s seal, they couldn’t even leave the starting line.

    Suddenly, Tai Yin turned to Star Goddess.

    “I’ve heard of you, Agent of the Eleventh Zodiac.”

    “…”

    “…”

    Star Goddess didn’t respond, feigning ignorance with an aloof expression.

    Although she hadn’t met Tai Yin, she knew that the First Emperor and the First Guardian had fought alongside each other in a Beast Tamer’s lineup long ago, so she wouldn’t give Tai Yin a warm welcome.

    After a moment of silence, Tai Yin continued, using an aura barrier to shield their conversation from the audience.

    “Our faction is essentially in a resurrection match from the last era. Having lost one round, we have almost no chance of victory.”

    “Unless we secure first place in the first, second, and fourth rounds, we have no hope. Therefore, I have no intention of competing for overall victory.”

    “How about a deal…”

    “In the fourth round, we’ll join forces to defeat the other three participants. Then, I’ll forfeit. In exchange, you’ll leave the remaining three contract slots for us…”

    Star Goddess’s pupils constricted slightly.

    It seemed the fact that she retained two contract slots, plus the special slot for the Lunar Divine Festival invitation, was no longer a secret.

    However, an alliance…?

    Star Goddess didn’t immediately agree. While acquiring Tai Yin, Dao Yao, and the First Emperor’s three Pet Beasts was an irresistible temptation, the First Emperor had killed her Ancient Species. They shared a bitter enmity.

    Rashly incorporating them into her lineup could negatively impact the morale of her other main forces…

    “There’s no rush. The fourth round is still far away. Think about it during this time~~~”

    Leaving behind these words with a smile, Tai Yin stepped onto the staircase.

    The next second, the golden shackles of Star Sand’s seal around her shattered, replaced by a vast, swirling tapestry of code.

    The Mechanical Legend, Mountains and Seas!

    While Mountains and Seas couldn’t fully counter Star Sand, by maintaining a semblance of resistance, Tai Yin could leverage her own realm and rarity to overcome the seal.

    Star Goddess was left alone at the starting point.

    She remained silent for a long time before finally stepping onto the staircase.

    Her long, golden hair flowed upwards, ignited by a blazing golden aura that dyed the surrounding Pet Essence.

    A terrifying sword intent threatened to cleave the starry sky.

    If what came before was child’s play, this display was truly shocking to the inhabitants of the Moon Soul World.

    The aura of Sharp Edge Seven King Mother, one of the two Shining Bipoles, erupted without reservation.

    The concept of Shining Species was revealed for the first time to many remote regions and the Bubble Pet Beast World.

    Sensing this sharp aura, Lian Xing recalled the slightly disintegrating Imperial Concubine’s Moon Crown.

    Star Sand had done well to force out Sharp Edge Seven King Mother.

    From now on, she should exercise some restraint, lest she become too obnoxious…

    Thinking this, Lian Xing glanced at her Pet Beast panel.

    [Emperor-Tier—Elemental—Imperial Concubine’s Moon Crown LV10900]

    Hmm…

    As long as Unbreakable Heaven’s Ring remained intact, Star Sand could revert to this bugged state at any time.

    Replay had memorized Star Sand’s current life form.

    ***

    Under the watchful eyes of the Moon Soul World, the five participants spent several days traversing the first platform before reaching the second.

    However, before even stepping onto it, Nether Concubine frowned deeply.

    She sensed a tangible, terrifying aura, shaking her to the core.

    It was like the helplessness and despair mortals felt before an Ancient Species.

    [The closer to a True Spirit, the stronger the sense of one’s insignificance.]

    [Only Beast Tamers standing at the world’s pinnacle are qualified to walk alongside True Spirits.]

    [Approach a True Spirit, glimpse a True Spirit, touch a True Spirit. Attempt to reach the end of this path. This is the meaning of the Lunar Divine Festival.]

    As the new rules were announced, Nether Concubine hesitantly took a step forward.

    “BOOM!!!!!”

    The next second, like an exploding comet, she was flung backwards by the immeasurable pressure.

    After a few seconds of silence, a black, viscous liquid seeped from her skin, forming a butterfly-winged eggshell that dragged her forward.

    The first trial of the Lunar Divine Festival, Talent, tested the entirety of a Beast Tamer’s being.

    Whether they were worthy of being called the pinnacle of Beast Tamers was only just beginning to be revealed.

    Soon, the ice-cold, white-haired Ice Queen, a Legendary Beast Tamer, arrived.

    Without hesitation, she charged forward with White Abode.

    The snow maiden frowned slightly but pressed on after a moment of contemplation. She was, after all, perfectly suited for this.

    Despite White Abode’s protection, she felt the strain.

    Experiencing the pressure of a True Spirit firsthand was daunting, especially as it intensified with each step.

    With eleven more platforms ahead, she dreaded the ordeal to come.

    A few hours later, Lian Xing, with her two golden buns, limped to the second platform.

    She had been mere minutes behind Ice Queen, but White Silk Weaver Girl made walking difficult, significantly widening the gap.

    “Eh?”

    The moment she sensed the True Spirit’s pressure, Lian Xing’s golden eyes widened slightly.

    She sensed something and retracted the auras of her other Pet Beasts, summoning only Mist Colt and its viral shield.

    “Whoosh!!!”

    As Lian Xing stepped onto the platform, the invisible pressure slammed against Mist Colt’s shield like a storm.

    Just as the shield threatened to shatter, Mist Colt inhaled deeply, expelling all its injuries and exhaustion as dense mist.

    Repeating this several times, Mist Colt’s body filled with the True Spirit’s pressure, circulating like blood through its Pet Essence.

    Soon, one of Mist Colt’s exceptionally rare Throne-level Monarch evolution conditions was met.

    However, after some deliberation, Lian Xing suppressed Mist Colt’s evolution.

    A few hours later, a Legendary aura emanated from Mist Colt, swirling like ribbons of cloud and mist.

    Lian Xing had a premonition.

    This path towards the True Spirit, within the Lunar Divine Festival, could mend all her shortcomings and weaknesses.

    And then, in the final stage, the ultimate showdown would begin!!!!

  • Sickly Girl Doesn’t Die in Zombie Simulator 142p2

    Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Two: A Sweet Sister p2

    After fooling Huayibai, Lin Jiayao looked in her sister’s direction again.

    Since it was determined to plant in the ash area, then a new problem appeared.

    Now in the ash area, there were people.

    That team of camps, the Panlong Square camp that had no planting experience.

    “What about that camp? How to deal with it?” Lin Jiayao looked at her sister’s eyes and asked, “Expel them?”

    “Expel… them?” Hearing her sister’s words, Lin Xiwan couldn’t help but think of the sincere words of the camp leader before.

    It could be seen that he really wanted to protect the people in his camp. If possible, he would fight with the people in his camp to the last moment, a little like the resort camp where they were originally.

    Before, they were weak and unable to help the camp, but now if this camp was driven away, they might repeat the mistakes of the resort camp…

    “Or… let them stay in the ash area?” Lin Xiwan turned around, sat facing her sister, but just looked at her sister’s skirt, not daring to look at her eyes, “Let them help us plant the land… Anyway, we don’t know how to plant…”

    Lin Xiwan knew that this was just her own selfish desire, wanting to help those who really needed help and were trying to live as much as possible.

    This was undoubtedly contrary to her sister’s idea of wanting to develop.

    But soon, she heard a rustling sound of clothes rubbing, and before she could look up, she saw a hand gently holding her face and lifting it up.

    “Your face is full of sweat… dirty…” Lin Xiwan said, wanting to use other off-site factors to escape, but in the end she still followed her sister’s strength and looked in her sister’s direction.

    “Why are you lowering your head?” Lin Jiayao looked at her sister and asked.

    “Looking at the legs,” Lin Xiwan said casually, but soon realized that what she said seemed a little wrong, and immediately changed her words, “Looking at the skirt… pattern.”

    Looking at her sister’s eyes, Lin Xiwan finally couldn’t resist, sighed, and told the truth.

    “After all… this is the place you control, and you also used the big trees here to defeat the leader of the Voodoo Cult…”

    Lin Xiwan wanted to continue, but found that her sister’s hand had already exerted force, squeezing her cheeks flat, and the words she spoke turned into “garbled characters”.

    “So you think Kun City is mine, so you can’t make decisions without authorization?” Lin Jiayao asked, and then saw her sister nod her head a little guilty.

    “Isn’t mine yours?” Lin Jiayao released the hand pinching her sister’s cheek, and then stretched out her right hand to her sister sitting on the ground, and said slowly, “Conversely, your things are also mine.”

    “I want the bag of blood crystals and the two corpses that you put in the dormitory building.” Speaking of this, Lin Jiayao showed a sly smile, “After all, yours are mine.”

    Hearing this, Lin Xiwan was stunned, and after a while, she held her sister’s right hand and was pulled up.

    “Okay! So you’ve been thinking about this all along, and you pretended not to care and didn’t say anything!”

    Lin Xiwan said, she couldn’t help but reach out and pinch her sister’s soft cheeks, and finally kissed her directly.

    Looking at her disgusted sister in front of her, Lin Xiwan felt that her eye sockets were a little sore.

    Of course she knew that her sister must not have taken a fancy to that bag of blood crystals and two corpses, this was just to make herself feel better.

    The most important thing was the intention that her sister showed, which Lin Xiwan saw.

    Her sister had already told herself very straightforwardly that she was her very important sister, and no matter what she did, her sister would support her.

    She even used wanting blood crystals to cover up her blatant statement just now… Tsundere really…

    Lin Xiwan couldn’t help but kiss her sister’s cheek again, and then stood up contentedly and said, “I’ll go get the clothes, wait for me.”

    After speaking, Lin Xiwan hummed “Good Day” and walked away, her joy was evident on her face.

    Now Lin Xiwan was still sighing, her sister’s emotional intelligence was enough for her to learn for a lifetime. She felt that she had lived for so long and didn’t know where she had lived. Facing strangers, she would only put on a cold face and pretend to be cool, and facing her sister, she could only surrender.

    And Lin Jiayao looked at her sister’s back, a little helpless.

    Her sister seemed to have misunderstood something… but it didn’t matter.

    After all, her intentions had been well conveyed to her sister’s heart, and she was really short of blood crystals.

    Next, just find a library and snag a hundred books, and build the 【Library】 in the Hideout.

    If Lin Jiayao remembered correctly, when she and her sister Huayibai went to find the seed bank, they passed a large library of a research institute, and even the university where the seed bank was located had a library.

    Two large libraries, even if they had been damp for so many years, they could always find 100 good books, right?

    While her sister went to get clothes, Lin Jiayao had already begun to summon the building-tree guards through the vascular network.

    She could directly let the building-tree guards transport the bag of blood crystals and corpses and seeds in the dormitory building, so that she would not have to run in person.

    You ask her why she doesn’t go back to the dormitory? She would only look at you with sympathy.

    Obviously she could get up on the big bed of the villa, but she had to squeeze into the dormitory, that was indeed a bit of a problem with her brain.

    As for the originally sparse seed bank of building-trees, Lin Jiayao also mobilized a large number of building-tree guards to station there, with extremely strict guards.

    Since she didn’t need to guard the seed bank at all times, she could just choose a more comfortable place to live as a temporary “home”, as long as it was not too far away.

    Next, Lin Jiayao planned to take her sister to the ash area. When they arrived, the building-tree guards should also arrive at the ash area at about the same time.

    Since her sister wanted to keep those people, naturally she couldn’t let them eat for nothing. Rebuilding the ash area was their task.

    Naturally, the task of planting must also fall on them. Compared to going out to fight with zombies, just planting the land was definitely easier, and the other party would definitely agree.

    This was also good. With someone helping to plant, the sisters would not have to worry about planting things—of course, Huayibai was not counted, everyone understood.

    If Huayibai was really allowed to plant, Lin Jiayao would not be surprised if Huayibai planted the seeds on herself.

    She didn’t want to see Huayibai running to her one day and calling her Mommy with a seedling on her head.

    Her sister’s jacket was hung on the vines not far away, but because her sister went to the puddle to wash her face and wipe her body, it took some time.

    When her sister came back wearing a jacket, Lin Jiayao had already made a one-time wheelchair and sat on it.

    Just when her butt moved from the mycelium stool to the wheelchair, she could clearly see a trace of loss flashing on Huayibai’s face, but because Lin Jiayao had been observing her sister’s direction, she did not notice this emotional change in Huayibai.

    When Lin Xiwan was ready and was about to push her sister away, Lin Jiayao stopped Lin Xiwan’s movements and pointed to the building-tree guard who had already laid down and was on standby.

    “Let’s take that, it runs fast.”

    Lin Jiayao had controlled the building-tree guard, and knew how terrifying the four long legs of this big guy were.

    “We’ll take the seeds to the ruins later. If nothing unexpected happens, that place will be used to receive camps from other places…”

    On the way to the building-tree guard, Lin Jiayao began to tell her sister about the plan she had just thought of.

    Lin Xiwan, who was listening to Lin Jiayao’s plan, nodded repeatedly.

    As expected of her sister, she thought so far.

    Finally, Lin Xiwan held the wheelchair, Lin Jiayao was sitting on the wheelchair, and Lin Jiayao was holding Huayibai in her arms. Under Lin Xiwan’s forceful jump, she directly jumped to the platform on the top of the building-tree guard’s big disc face.

    “Whoosh—”
    “Crack—”

    As the mycelium on Lin Jiayao’s wheelchair connected to the winding vines on the top of the building-tree guard, the four limbs of the building-tree guard were re-injected with power and slowly stood up.

    “Woo—”

    The lifting speed was very fast, and Lin Xiwan subconsciously squeezed her sister’s shoulder and pulled the wheelchair closer to her, as if she was afraid that her sister would fall.

    Soon, Lin Xiwan adapted to the feeling of being on top of the building-tree guard. With the movement of the building-tree guard, she felt gusts of wind blowing in her face.

    It was like driving a mecha.

    It was just that she had to pay attention to avoiding the vines hanging down from other buildings, otherwise it would still hurt a little if they hit her face.

    In this way, two huge building-tree guards, one carrying blood crystals and corpses, and one carrying Lin Jiayao and others, rushed directly towards the ash area…

    ……

    “Second Brother, you say… are they just ignoring us, otherwise it wouldn’t be so long…”

    “Let’s wait a little longer, just treat it as resting in place for a few days.” The Awakened called Second Brother patted the black ash on his hands and sighed softly.

    After all, they were under someone else’s roof and asking for help, it was normal for the other party to keep them waiting.

    It was just that the environment here was really bad, everywhere was traces of battle, and from time to time a strong wind would blow up a gust of flying ash. Even he, his hands and face were covered with a lot of ash.

    The people who came later were also covered in dust after staying here for a long time, looking very dirty, as if they had just come out of a mine.

    However, just a few thousand meters away from here, there was a vibrant green.

    Although if you got closer, you could vaguely see that there were many corpses hanging on those vines, but it did not prevent the air and environment there from looking better.

    “Boss, a child just picked up blood crystals again… blood crystals! A whole one!” A person quietly approached the camp leader and said softly.

    The leader frowned slightly.

    This was already the third blood crystal that the people in their camp had found here, and there were even many blood crystal fragments that had not been fully fused… These were obviously relics left after the fire.

    It could also be called spoils of war.

    The camp leader and Second Brother looked at each other, and then looked at the camp person who came to report.

    “Pile up all the found blood crystals, don’t let others take them…” The leader said, pulling the person’s collar and pulling him closer, “Remember, don’t let anyone! Any! One! Take it, understand?”

    “Understood, boss.”

    The man nodded and continued to run to the back to direct.

    Blood crystals were certainly useful to Awakened, but the camp leader knew very well that these things were not his own, but the spoils of war of the people in this organization.

    If the other ordinary people in the camp were plunged into a desperate situation because the Awakened coveted these things, it would not be worth the loss.

    He could tell the difference between a full meal and a full meal every day.

    He had already brought his greatest sincerity, and next, he just needed to wait for the other party’s response.

    “Thump…”
    “Thump…”

    Suddenly, the ashes on the ground vibrated slightly, and many huge footsteps sounded in the distance, seeming to be running towards here.

    “What’s that?”

    “It’s coming from the woods!”

    “Run… run!”

    The terrifying footsteps were getting closer and closer, and the vibrations were getting more and more obvious, and the people in the camp were obviously flustered.

    “Don’t panic!” The camp leader stood up and shouted, and said to the camp people, “Don’t run! Wait for my command!”

    After saying all this, the leader and Second Brother, and other Awakened in the camp turned around and looked in the direction of the forest.

    Gradually, everyone’s eyes widened.

    In their sight, two huge terrifying long-legged creatures were running towards them.

    Below their disc-like huge faces, there was a whole round of pupils emitting green fluorescence, and a huge mouth like a compass with serrations.

    “This… what the hell… is this?!”

    If those two monsters hadn’t slowed down after entering the ash area, he would have almost ordered to escape.

    As the monster stepped down with each foot, countless ashes would fly up, and the impact and oppression brought by this was something that no previous zombie could bring.

    Soon, the two huge monsters stopped less than thirty meters away from them, shrouding them in shadows.

    After a brief gaze, one of the monsters slowly descended and landed heavily on the ground, setting off a storm of ashes.

    And in this storm of ashes, they finally saw clearly the top of the monster…

    There, stood a few people!

    Although the line of sight was temporarily blocked by the ashes, it could still be vaguely seen that the standing one was a woman’s figure.

    And the standing woman was leaning over in front of the sitting person, not knowing what she was doing.

    Everyone looked at this shocking scene, standing still and not daring to move.

    At the same time, Lin Jiayao and others on top of the building-tree guard were constantly coughing.

    “Cough cough—”

    Lin Xiwan leaned over in front of her sister and reached out to cover her sister’s mouth and nose.

    “Too much ash! Cough…”

    Yes, the two of them were choked by the flying ashes at the same time.

  • Shion’s Notes 144

    Chapter 144: Awakening

    Chenghe Film Productions, the largest film company in the country, launched numerous stars every year, adept at creating household names. Nangong Ying, whose film had broken box office records at the end of last year, was one of their success stories.

    Despite their dominance, they weren’t satisfied. They aspired to become a world-class film production company, a goal that wouldn’t be easily achieved.

    “Manager, the meeting materials are ready.”

    “Good, let’s go.”

    Another busy day at Chenghe. To outsiders, the company glittered with stardom, a place where actors’ dreams came true. But those within the industry knew the reality was far more complex.

    Incidents like the recent Yu Linna affair were known only to a select few, the true details hidden from the public.

    Rumors of the company’s connections to organized crime circulated, though unconfirmed.

    Yu Tianchen, Chenghe’s most renowned talent scout and star manager, known for his refined demeanor, had launched the careers of numerous A-list celebrities. Though outwardly gentle, those close to him knew him to be a shrewd and calculating man.

    “Mr. Yu, Nangong Ying declined our offer, saying she has to prepare for her exams.”

    “As expected. Don’t bother her anymore. Let her focus on her studies. She’s still a student.”

    “Speaking of which, shouldn’t we start scouting for new talent?”

    “I’ve been thinking about that. I recently tried to recruit Tang Yumeng, a third- or fourth-tier actress, but she refused to sign with Chenghe. Besides Nangong Ying, she’s the second one to refuse us so directly.”

    “No matter how headstrong they are, they’ll eventually come crawling back.”

    “Let’s not talk about that. I have a meeting to attend. Please prepare my materials.”

    Chenghe, the undisputed leader in the industry, seemed to have new plans.

    Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, only Tang Yumeng and Yu Linna remained. Though Yu Linna, in her men’s clothing, attracted the most attention, Tang Yumeng’s alluring figure drew envious glances from other women.

    “So, I thought you were playing with that girl’s feelings. Sorry, I misunderstood.”

    “It’s okay, Senior Yumeng… but… I feel a strange sense of familiarity…”

    The feeling Yu Linna had experienced when she saw Huo Ningning’s back intensified, a feeling she hadn’t had before.

    What was this feeling…?

    “Let’s not worry about that for now. You two know each other; you can explain everything when you go back to school.”

    Tang Yumeng pulled out a cigarette, placing it between her lips, about to light it, when Yu Linna stopped her, pointing to a “No Smoking” sign on the wall.

    “Sorry.”

    She put the cigarette away, frustrated. A nicotine craving at this time was inconvenient. She needed to cut back on smoking.

    “Senior Yumeng, you smoke a lot?”

    “Just sometimes. Don’t follow my example. Smoking isn’t good for girls.”

    Though it sounded hypocritical coming from her, she didn’t encourage smoking, especially after being repeatedly lectured by her father and receiving disapproving looks from her brother. She hadn’t smoked before.

    “Can’t you quit?”

    “If only it were that easy. Once you start, you always want another one, and then another, and before you know it, the whole pack is gone.”

    “Haha…”

    Yu Linna, a non-smoker, couldn’t understand.

    “I didn’t smoke before. In the past two years, with so many things on my mind, smoking helped me relax, and I couldn’t stop. I’ve tried to quit, but… I guess it’s just who I am now.”

    “Senior Yumeng, you’re an actress, right? How’s work?”

    “Not good. I haven’t had any acting gigs in a while. I’m almost broke, can’t even afford cigarettes. I’m thinking about getting a part-time job. You were an actress too, weren’t you? You understand what it’s like to have no work.”

    “I can relate…”

    Yu Linna hadn’t even landed a single role, a true nobody compared to Tang Yumeng. But she had left that world behind. She was now Shion, the Gold Award winner, her status vastly different.

    “Actually, Chenghe contacted me a while ago.”

    Tang Yumeng’s casual remark made Yu Linna’s hand tremble, her eyes widening, her expression stiffening.

    Chenghe… that name was all too familiar. It was where her dream had begun, and where it had ended. Because of Chenghe, she had almost been exploited, and because of Chenghe, her friendship with Nangong Ying had been irrevocably broken.

    That name was a nightmare.

    “And…?” she asked, trying to sound casual, her hand clenching into a fist.

    She didn’t want Tang Yumeng to follow in her footsteps. That place wasn’t a paradise; it was hell.

    “I refused. I didn’t think it was the right place for me.”

    Yu Linna’s hand relaxed.

    “Why refuse? Do you know how many people would kill for that opportunity?”

    “I’ve been in the industry for a few years now. Everyone says Chenghe isn’t a good place for actresses, not a good environment. I didn’t want to… compromise myself, so I refused.”

    To refuse such a coveted opportunity… it took incredible resolve. Yu Linna herself had been tempted, having considered it for a while, only to be swayed by Nangong Ying and almost exploited.

    Tang Yumeng’s refusal meant she either knew something or had better prospects. Yu Linna hoped it was the former.

    “What if… one day, someone from your company told you that if you betrayed a friend, offered them up to the company, they would make you a star. What would you do?”

    “…What’s wrong?”

    Tang Yumeng noticed a change in Yu Linna’s demeanor, her usual cheerful facade replaced by a seriousness, her eyes pleading for an answer.

    “Tell me. What would you do?”

    If smoking were allowed, Tang Yumeng would have lit a cigarette.

    She considered Yu Linna’s question carefully.

    “I wouldn’t do it.”

    Yu Linna’s heart relaxed slightly, but her hands remained clenched.

    “Why?”

    “To sacrifice a friend for fame and fortune… it’s not worth it.”

    Tang Yumeng’s answer was genuine, the result of careful consideration.

    Yu Linna’s hands finally relaxed.

    It seemed Tang Yumeng valued relationships over her career. She wouldn’t betray a friend; she wasn’t that kind of person.

    Perhaps that was why she hadn’t become famous, remaining a third- or fourth-tier actress.

    “You’re asking me this because you’ve experienced something similar, haven’t you? It’s not surprising. This industry is complex; it’s impossible to avoid such situations.”

    “Senior Yumeng, I…”

    “It’s okay. I won’t ask about your past. I don’t need to know.”

    Yu Linna finally felt at ease.

    Sometimes, not knowing was best.

    After chatting for a while longer, they left the restaurant. Tang Yumeng immediately lit a cigarette, exhaling a plume of smoke that dissipated in the wind, like a bittersweet memory.

    They walked in silence.

    “Hmm?”

    Yu Linna noticed a figure standing on the bridge by the park lake, a girl with glasses, a melancholic expression on her delicate face. She stood there, hands in her pockets, lost in thought.

    “Isn’t that Huo Ningning?”

    Yu Linna, recognizing her, walked towards the bridge. Tang Yumeng, cigarette still in her mouth, followed slowly. These high school girls, so young, so full of youthful energy.

    “Huo Ningning…”

    As she called out her name, she saw Huo Ningning’s lips moving, muttering something, words like “I’m sorry” and “Na…” barely audible.

    “What are you doing here?!”

    Huo Ningning, startled by Yu Linna’s sudden appearance, panicked. Had she been overheard?

    “I should be asking you that. Why are you here? And why did you run away like that? You didn’t answer my question.”

    “…”

    Huo Ningning didn’t want to answer, not at all. That memory… it wasn’t a pleasant one.

    It was a painful part of her past.

    “Linna, do you really not remember?”

    “That’s why I’m asking! Who are you? If you don’t tell me, I won’t know!”

    Had she really forgotten…?

    Huo Ningning, without a word, took off her glasses, her face, even without them, still attractive, perhaps even more so. Yu Linna’s image in her mind blurred, becoming less distinct.

    “You might have forgotten, but I remember. You lived at my house for a month. Don’t you remember? My mother brought you home.”

    She finally confessed.

    She hadn’t expected this day to come so soon. She had thought it would be much later, since Yu Linna had forgotten.

    Yu Linna, looking at the girl, initially thought she was from one of her former foster families. She searched her memory, but none of them matched Huo Ningning’s appearance. Until…

    She recalled her first foster family…

    Huo Ningning had said her mother had brought her home. Of all her foster families, only one mother had brought her home.

    “You’re… Aunt Wu’s daughter?”

    Even Yu Linna was surprised by her own realization.

    Huo Ningning’s face, as it was now, overlapped perfectly with the face from her childhood memory. In the setting sun, their shadows stretched long, and a dormant memory began to awaken…

     

  • Back to Three Years Old: Crushing Scumbags on a Parenting Reality Show 142

    Chapter 142

    Considering the terrain limitations of the air-raid shelter and the need for more space for the little babies to play laser tag, the cameramen stopped following them, instead, the live broadcast switched between the fixed cameras inside the air-raid shelter.

    Most of the cameramen and staff who usually followed the babies stayed outside, only a few entered the shelter, either standing in conspicuous spots, acting as NPCs providing clues to the treasure chests, or hiding in corners, out of the cameras’ view, as backup.

    Cheng Tingyan followed a staff member, walking deeper and deeper into the air-raid shelter, after several turns, they finally stopped at what was said to be their starting point… a T-junction.

    Along the way, Cheng Tingyan noticed that the setup here was quite different from her previous life. Although the air still had the unavoidable damp and musty smell of earth, both the floor and walls were clean. Perhaps because of the laser tag game, which required cover, there were many more wooden boxes, cloth bags, and standing boards compared to the simple treasure hunt in her previous life. It was clearly well-prepared, not like the… dilapidated remnants and trash… from her previous life.

    The interior setup was quite different, but judging from the places they passed by, the open area seemed to be similar to her previous life.

    Then… would there be an accident at that spot in this life too?

    In her previous life, although it only took a month or two to recover from the fall and walk normally, the doctor at that time said it was just a sprain. But the lingering discomfort when walking, the faint pain during rainy days, the ankle that always swelled up after dance practice… That fall in the air-raid shelter truly caused her years of suffering.

    The doctor’s misdiagnosis, her parents’ indifference, her own lack of knowledge, multiple factors turned a problem that could have been resolved quickly into years of pain. And putting aside the later consequences, the origin of it all was indeed here, in this air-raid shelter.

    In her previous life, the six-year-old Cheng Tingyan fell while searching for treasures in this air-raid shelter, she rolled down the steps and hit a pile of debris in the corner. When those things fell on her, she instinctively protected her head and face, rolling on the ground, her panicked screams alerted the staff members hiding in the darkness, they turned on their flashlights and rushed over.

    The shock and the sharp pain in her ankle made the young Cheng Tingyan just cry, she didn’t even think of looking back at the place where she fell.

    Later, when asked what happened, Cheng Tingyan honestly said that she tripped on something and fell. But the program team couldn’t find anything that could have tripped her at the spot where she fell, they just comforted her, saying it was okay even if she was careless, no one would blame her, but she shouldn’t blame the program team for a setup error.

    Cheng Tingyan was only six years old at that time, the program team kept saying they wouldn’t blame her but asked her to be honest, and Cheng Feiying, her only parent present, agreed with the program team, he even scolded her on the spot… Cheng Tingyan was young, but she wasn’t stupid, she could tell the difference between tripping on something and losing her balance.

    However… the program team showed her the footage.

    In the footage, they could see that there was indeed… nothing under Cheng Tingyan’s feet before she fell.

    Compared to a six-year-old child’s perception, video evidence was undoubtedly more trustworthy.

    And so, the injured Cheng Tingyan was scolded, lectured, then forgiven.

    It was just an accident, the entire air-raid shelter segment was edited out, disappearing into the discarded footage, for everyone, it was over.

    But for Cheng Tingyan, it was never over.

    That clear obstruction in front of her ankle, the obstruction that even caused a moment of pain, how could it not exist, how could it just be her imagination?

    The young Cheng Tingyan couldn’t understand it, and she couldn’t forget it.

    It wasn’t until she grew up and learned more about the world that she realized videos could be edited, they could be fake.

    But that was many years later, finding the discarded footage from a variety show years ago was almost impossible. And logically… if that video was truly edited, it wouldn’t have been kept until she wanted to find it.

    Perhaps because she was unwilling to give up, or perhaps because she had some delusional hope of uncovering the truth, after growing up, Cheng Tingyan returned to this air-raid shelter twice. Once, when she was filming in Shudian, she came to take a look during her free time, but the air-raid shelter had been abandoned again, even the door couldn’t be opened. The second time, she came prepared, she found someone to open the door and even got a map of the interior.

    At that time, Cheng Tingyan, after so many years, once again stood at the spot where she fell when she was six.

    The dusty floor, there was no trace of the past.

    That visit, that “accident,” it was still an unsolvable accident.

    Who would have thought…

    Now, Cheng Tingyan was back… after… a lifetime.

    “The last team is in position.” The staff member said, raising his microphone, then turned to the two little ones holding hands. “Later, after I say ‘start,’ you’ll stay here and count to twenty, then you can move freely, use your water guns and water balloons to attack the other children, or look for clues to the treasure chests, do whatever you want. Okay… Start!”

    After saying that, the staff member in black retreated, sticking to the wall, becoming part of the backup team hidden in the corners.

    “Yan Yan, should we attack others first, or look for the treasure chests?” Wei Maomao asked, seeking Cheng Tingyan’s opinion as she silently counted in her mind.

    “Let’s just walk around first?” Cheng Tingyan said, looking to the left of the T-junction.

    Thanks to her previous life’s obsession with returning to take another look, she still remembered the layout of this place, they weren’t far from the spot where she fell in her previous life.

    She was eager to see it.

    “Then let’s just walk around.” Wei Maomao said, always following Yan Yan’s lead. “Yan Yan, I’ve finished counting to twenty, should we go?”

    “Let’s go.” Cheng Tingyan said, turning left eagerly, but after taking just one step, she let go of the chubby paw and said, looking down, “The path is narrow, let’s walk one after the other, I’ll go first, you follow behind.”

    In this life, the things in this show had changed a lot, Cheng Tingyan wasn’t sure what was ahead, she was willing to take the risk and see for herself, but it was best for this soft and chubby little bunny to maintain a safe distance from the unknown. If it weren’t for their earlier agreement to stay together, even returning one set of equipment to the program team, Cheng Tingyan would have tried to persuade the little chubby bunny to stay away from her for a bit.

    Persuasion was impossible, suggestions… would also be immediately rejected.

    “I’ll go first, you follow behind.” Wei Maomao said, quickly darting forward, trying to get in front of Cheng Tingyan.

    Then in the next second… she was lifted by the back of her collar.

    Wei Maomao, afraid of pulling Cheng Tingyan down, didn’t dare to continue running: “… “

    Cheng Tingyan, who almost couldn’t hold onto the little chubby bunny: “… “

    What else could they do? They could only continue walking forward carefully, hand in hand.

    The cool, slender hand and the warm, soft paw were once again clasped tightly together…

    The viewers in the live broadcast room were… laughing and crying!

    “Hahaha, what’s going on! They started at the same time, the others counted to twenty, CEO Mao and Yan Yan, they only took their first step after sixty counts! At this speed, if this were a battle royale game, they wouldn’t even have opened their parachutes before landing, they would be eliminated instantly!”

    “Why ‘just walk around,’ they clearly passed by Yueyue on their way here, hahaha, poor Yueyue, she immediately ran in the opposite direction after counting to twenty, it turns out no one was going to chase her! Poor Yueyue, she ran for nothing, and even encountered Shen Zilin’s pursuit.”

    “Wang Zhizhi also encountered Cheng Rongrong, hahaha, bang, a direct hit, this is laser tag! As expected of Wang Zhizhi, who specifically asked to play this, he’s already chasing after Wen Dongyu!”

    “Fight, fight, fight! Everyone fight! You two! Although you only have one set of equipment, but one can use the gun, the other can throw the water balloons, doubling the hit rate!”

    “The other little babies have already entered the intense battle, chasing and hiding, searching and attacking, while our CEO Mao and Yan Yan, hahaha… holding hands, taking small steps forward, they don’t look like they’re playing laser tag, but minesweeping, hahaha!”

    “Help! The treasure chests aren’t on the floor, babies! I can already see the treasure chest, it’s so big, you’ll see it even if you’re not so careful! Did they draw a minesweeper character card, hahaha, their tightly clasped little hands, so cute! I want to take a bite of both of them!”

    …

    Cheng Tingyan, of course, couldn’t hear a single word from the live broadcast room.

    The distant cries of the other babies made her a bit nervous.

    If they were caught in the crossfire, they might not be able to properly examine that spot… If the other babies got there first…

    Wanting to see that place with her own eyes in this life, worried that other babies might get there first and have an accident, Cheng Tingyan held the little chubby paw tightly, trying to suppress her eagerness, she took small, steady steps.

    Just as Cheng Tingyan, looking at the darkening path ahead, was about to have the little chubby bunny put on her night vision goggles, the little chubby paw in her hand suddenly moved.

    “Yan Yan, look.” Wei Maomao said, pointing with her paw.

    Cheng Tingyan followed her paw and saw a staff member squatting at the entrance of a side path on the right, which she hadn’t noticed, with a broken bowl in front of him.

    Her destination was straight ahead, it had nothing to do with the right side.

    “Is that the clue to the treasure chest the host mentioned? Should we go and ask?” Wei Maomao asked, tugging at Cheng Tingyan’s hand.

    Cheng Tingyan glanced at the little chubby bunny and followed her pull, changing direction.

    Okay, they would be quick, just listen, whether they would do it or not was another matter.

    “Three items in exchange for a clue to a treasure chest~~” The staff member said, shaking the broken bowl in front of him, welcoming the customers.

    Wei Maomao instinctively touched her pocket, uh… she came light, thinking about playing laser tag, she didn’t bring any snacks.

    All she had left… Wei Maomao looked at the small bag of water balloons hesitantly.

    If she used the water balloons for the exchange, what if a fight broke out before they found any ammo refills, and she didn’t have any water balloons left…

    After hesitating for a moment, before Wei Maomao could even ask for Cheng Tingyan’s opinion, she heard a clinking sound, she looked down and saw… three buttons in the broken bowl.

    The staff member and Wei Maomao looked up, surprised, at the same time.

    “Three. Where’s the clue?” Cheng Tingyan asked, not wanting to disappoint the little chubby bunny, but also not wanting to waste too much time here.

    The staff member: “… “ Wasn’t this task about making a choice between existing resources and unknown resources? Shouldn’t they normally choose to give up the three water balloons?

    “Yan Yan, you…” Wei Maomao asked, looking around in shock.

    “Here.” Cheng Tingyan said, pulling the little chubby bunny, she lifted the corner of her clothes and showed her. “Decorations.”

    Wei Maomao let out a long sigh of relief.

    The little one, from shock and worry to sudden relief, she was truly… super cute!

    Even with so many things on her mind, Cheng Tingyan couldn’t help but gently scratch the little chubby bunny’s nose and chuckle. “You thought I removed the buttons I needed?”

    Wei Maomao: “… “

    She froze.

    This also…

    Although they had slept together many times these past few days, why… did this feel… like a special kind of intimacy.

    Wei Maomao touched her nose, her ears burning.

    “Excuse me, the clue?” Cheng Tingyan asked, after teasing the bunny with a smile, her expression returning to her business-like demeanor as she turned to the staff member.

    “Go that way, straight ahead, there’s a limited-time treasure chest with a bunny plush inside.” The staff member said, pointing.

    Cheng Tingyan looked in the direction he pointed, it was… the direction she was going.

    “What’s a limited-time treasure chest?” Wei Maomao asked, after touching her nose and rubbing her ears.

    “It’s… a treasure chest that will disappear if it’s not opened within two minutes, starting from now.” The staff member said with a smile, picking up the buttons in the bowl.

    Run, babies!

    Towards the treasure chest of fortune!

    ?

    ??

    ???

    Time ticked by, the staff member looked at the two little babies in front of him, who hadn’t moved, he kindly reminded them, “The timer has started, why aren’t you going? It’ll disappear after two minutes! Two minutes, two minutes is one hundred and twenty counts, oh, only one hundred counts left… It’ll be gone soon!”

    “Yan Yan, we said we would walk slowly.” Wei Maomao said, turning to Cheng Tingyan.

    “Mmm, we’ll walk slowly.” Cheng Tingyan said, then reached out and pulled something.

    Clink, clink, clink, three more buttons landed in the bowl.

    “Three. What’s the clue to the next treasure chest?” Cheng Tingyan asked calmly.

    The staff member: “… “

  • Devilish Disciple [Transmigration] 73

    Chapter 73: What Was Dual Cultivation? She Had No Idea.

    The lightless Demon Realm made it difficult to tell the time.

    Their intertwined hair, like the indistinguishable day and night in the dimly lit room.

    Li Yu was exhausted.

    Her mind foggy, her body numb, no longer feeling quite like her own, yet Mu Tao still wouldn’t let her rest.

    The candles in the room had burned down, a perfect time for sleep, yet Mu Tao insisted on relighting them with her spiritual energy.

    Just to see Li Yu’s face.

    Li Yu repeatedly turned away, only to be gently drawn back by a kiss.

    Mu Tao seemed to enjoy seeing her master like this, her hair disheveled, sweat glistening on her skin, her cheeks flushed, her eyes hazy.

    She could feel her master’s every breath, rapid and hot, her body trembling beneath her.

    Her master’s beautiful hands, pushing against her, a mixture of resistance and surrender.

    She liked to gently nibble on those slender fingers, watching the red string on her wrist sway as she tried to pull away.

    The soft chiming of the bells made her heart race.

    Sometimes, her master, seemingly overwhelmed, would cling to her, seeking support.

    But then, realizing this only intensified the intimacy, she would give up and lie still.

    Whether active or passive,

    Mu Tao couldn’t resist that soft, yielding touch.

    There was no better master in the world, she thought.

    Even her master’s soft moans and pleas were intoxicating.

    She loved this closeness, this intimacy that belonged only to her.

    But her master was weak; she didn’t want to exhaust her.

    She would let her rest.

    But these moments of rest were always brief.

    She couldn’t help herself; holding her master like this, she always wanted more.

    And once she started, she couldn’t stop, even when her master frowned and pushed her away, she would use a spell to restrain her wrists and continue.

    “Mu Tao…” Li Yu’s mind, hazy and confused, was filled with a single thought.

    —This little glutton, couldn’t she ever get enough?

    Just like when they ate together, she wouldn’t stop until everything was gone.

    But she, Li Yu, wasn’t a dish to be devoured.

    “What time is it…” she whispered.

    “What did you say, Master?” Mu Tao gently nibbled her ear.

    “I said…what time is it…” Li Yu asked again, “Don’t you…want to rest?”

    Mu Tao seemed to consider this, then hummed softly and whispered against her ear, “I don’t know.”

    Only answering the first part of the question, ignoring the second.

    She then nuzzled against Li Yu’s neck, licking the unhealed wound.

    “…”

    It was starting again—

    This time, Mu Tao lit a few more candles, especially those near the bed.

    The dim room brightened.

    The warm, yellow light, filtering through the red bed curtains, illuminated Li Yu, making her look like dew-kissed petals, fragile yet tempting.

    These unrestrained caresses turned Li Yu’s breaths into soft moans.

    Intoxicatingly beautiful.

    Her master, though perfect, was still too fragile.

    Bruises, marks of her lost control, marred that pristine white skin, the colors darkening with time.

    Mu Tao felt that someone as perfect as her master shouldn’t be marked by such imperfections.

    —It was…unsightly.

    But these marks, her marks, were like red plum blossoms on snow, alluring, captivating.

    She couldn’t resist tasting them, savoring the slight tremors they elicited.

    Her master seemed to have given up resisting, which made her slightly less interested.

    “Master, do you want to try dual cultivation? It will help you recover faster,” she whispered, leaning against Li Yu.

    Li Yu shook her head.

    What was dual cultivation? She had no idea.

    Besides, with the curse still in her body, how could she…?

    Li Yu: “You shouldn’t use your spiritual energy…”

    Mu Tao: “Are you worried about me, Master?”

    Li Yu: “Mm…”

    Mu Tao nuzzled her ear playfully. “Let’s try it. If it’s beneficial for you, Master, I’m not afraid of the pain.”

    Li Yu: “But I’m so tired…”

    Mu Tao chuckled softly. “I’ll control the technique, Master. You just lie still and circulate your spiritual energy, it won’t be tiring.”

    Li Yu couldn’t argue with her and sighed. “If it hurts, stop immediately.”

    “Mm!” Mu Tao nuzzled her ear again.

    She had studied dual cultivation techniques ever since her master first mentioned it.

    It was simply the circulation and merging of two cultivators’ spiritual energies; one controlled the technique, and the other cooperated.

    She had tested the curse poison; its backlash was proportional to the amount of spiritual energy used.

    Dual cultivation didn’t require much; the backlash shouldn’t be severe.

    If it could help her master recover faster, she was willing to endure the pain.

    Thinking this, Mu Tao gathered her remaining clean spiritual energy and carefully entered Li Yu’s sea of consciousness as they became intimate.

    For the first time, she saw that towering tree with its vast root system in the endless, dark sea.

    The flickering candlelight was gone, replaced by the soft blue light emanating from the tree, like stars falling from the sky, like snowflakes gently landing on the earth.

    They were together, beneath the tree, their bodies intertwined.

    The sea beneath them, its surface like a mirror, reflecting their image.

    They were within it, surrounded by it, yet they didn’t sink.

    —It was just an illusion.

    That pure spiritual energy, drawing in the soft blue light.

    Their long hair, like ink in water, spread across the cool surface of the sea.

    Mu Tao endured the slight backlash, controlling the dual cultivation technique, the blue light enveloping them.

    Like a gentle stream, the spiritual energy flowed through Li Yu’s damaged meridians.

    Li Yu’s senses heightened.

    Mu Tao’s movements clouded her already hazy mind, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around Mu Tao, her eyes unfocused.

    She couldn’t describe the sensation,

    Her body both light and heavy, as if she could float away on the wind, yet also sink into an abyss.

    She wasn’t sure if this was a normal part of dual cultivation, or if Mu Tao was using the technique incorrectly.

    A gentle breeze, and she shivered.

    Her vision blurred, but she still heard Mu Tao’s soft voice: “Master, don’t let your spiritual energy dissipate.”

    How did she know if her spiritual energy was dissipating? She wasn’t even sure if she was conscious.

    Suddenly, a deep kiss, stealing her breath, brought her back.

    “Master, don’t let your spiritual energy dissipate,” Mu Tao repeated, her lips gently brushing against Li Yu’s forehead.

    Her warm breath, a fleeting warmth against Li Yu’s skin, quickly turning cold.

    Li Yu took a deep breath, trying to gather her dissipating spiritual energy.

    She felt its flow within her again.

    The clearer the flow, the more acutely aware she was of Mu Tao’s every touch, every movement.

    Even the slightest friction between their skin sent shivers through her.

    Her mind drifted again,

    Only unconscious responses remained.

    Li Yu’s spiritual energy dissipated completely, even her protective aura was gone.

    Her body, exposed to the cold.

    She shivered and instinctively snuggled closer to Mu Tao.

    Sensing Li Yu’s lack of response, Mu Tao stopped the dual cultivation technique, withdrew from Li Yu’s sea of consciousness, and shielded them from the cold.

    Silence fell.

    She looked at the jade-like figure in her arms, the emptiness within her heart slowly filling.

    Mu Tao kissed Li Yu one last time.

    Either afraid of Li Yu catching a cold, or afraid of losing control again, disturbing her sleep,

    She reluctantly tucked Li Yu into the blanket and held her close.

    Gazing at Li Yu’s flushed cheeks in the candlelight, she smiled faintly.

    It was time to sleep, she thought.

    The curse’s backlash had weakened her.

    She would clean up the mess tomorrow.

    When Li Yu woke up, the candles in the room had burned down.

    The dim light made it difficult to tell the time, only the faint outline of a figure sleeping beside her visible.

    Mu Tao, seemingly sensing her gaze, slowly opened her eyes.

    After a brief exchange of glances, Mu Tao smiled faintly.

    “Master is awake.”

    “Mm.”

    “How…how was last night?”

    “…”

    Li Yu didn’t know how to answer.

    It wasn’t that she was embarrassed, just unsure what Mu Tao was asking.

    Was it…about their intimacy, or the effects of dual cultivation?

    If the former, she didn’t have much to say.

    If the latter, she did feel that her previously blocked meridians were slightly clearer now.

    She closed her eyes, checking her spiritual energy flow.

    It wasn’t her imagination.

    Her injuries had slightly improved.

    Not significantly, but still faster than her usual self-cultivation.

    So dual cultivation was actually useful…

    As she was thinking this, Mu Tao sat up, straightened her clothes with a spell, and lit the room with spiritual fire.

    Then, she gathered the scattered clothes from the floor with a flick of her wrist.

    Looking at the torn fabric, Mu Tao glanced at Li Yu, a hint of guilt in her eyes.

    “These are…unwearable,” she muttered, stating the obvious.

    “I’m used to it,” Li Yu sighed, sitting up and pulling the blanket around her.

    She felt unclean, beyond what a simple cleansing spell could fix. Even changing clothes now would just result in them getting dirty again.

    Yesterday’s wedding attire seemed mostly undamaged; she could wear that for now.

    Although heavy and cumbersome, it would be fine for a quick bath. She could change later.

    As she reached for the red robes, the bed curtains fell around her.

    Before she could react, Mu Tao pulled her out of the bed and wrapped her in the soft red silk.

    Although translucent, the layers of silk, like a cocoon, completely enveloped her, restricting her movements.

    Li Yu frowned. “What are you doing?”

    Before she could even finish, Mu Tao lifted her into her arms.

    “I’m taking Master for a bath,” Mu Tao said with a smile, carrying her out of the dim room.

    As they left, Li Yu saw the Netherbloom Flowers outside glowing faintly.

    It must be early morning.

    Although the sky was still dim, it was light enough to see.

    Being carried like this, wrapped in silk, without any proper clothes, made her feel incredibly exposed.

    Li Yu panicked. “Where are we going?”

    If anyone saw her like this, she would die of embarrassment!

    Mu Tao seemed to sense her concern. “Don’t worry, Master, this place is like Chaoxi Pond, no one besides us is allowed here.”

    She quickened her pace, using a spell, and soon they arrived at a cold pool.

    Mu Tao tilted her head. “The water is cold, should I warm it up, Master?”

    The pool was large; warming it up would require a significant amount of spiritual energy.

    Although it would be effortless for the current Mu Tao, with the curse in her body, even a simple spell would cause pain.

    “Don’t bother, I have protective spiritual energy.” Li Yu shifted in Mu Tao’s arms. “Put me down.”

    Mu Tao obediently placed her on the ground.

    The red silk slipped from her body, and Li Yu, barefoot, carefully stepped into the pool.

    The water was cold, but her protective spiritual energy shielded her from the chill.

    It felt like swimming in an indoor pool in late autumn, a slight coolness, but not unbearable.

    She would probably get used to it.

    The water near the edge wasn’t deep, just reaching her chest when she sat down, her shoulders and neck exposed, allowing her to breathe easily.

    Li Yu exhaled slowly and sat down.

    Just as she did, Mu Tao also removed her clothes, her cheeks flushed, and entered the pool.

    Looking at her blushing face, Li Yu had a bad feeling.

    As expected, those restless hands reached for her.

    “Mu Tao…” Li Yu gave her a look, hoping she would understand her silent refusal, her weariness.

    Mu Tao bit her lip. “I’ll…wash your hair for you, Master!”

    Li Yu: “Fine.”

    Washing her hair was better than…other things.

    Mu Tao’s face lit up.

    She gently gathered Li Yu’s long, wet hair, her touch almost reverent, carefully washing and combing it.

    Her fingers were so gentle that Li Yu thought, if only she were this gentle in bed.

    Li Yu lowered her gaze, counting the bruises on her body as she washed.

    A pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

    “I’m done, Master,” Mu Tao whispered against her ear.

    That familiar, possessive warmth tickled Li Yu’s ear.

    Li Yu knew Mu Tao wanted something more.

    But she couldn’t; they had important matters to discuss. She couldn’t let this little glutton drain her energy!

    “Mu Tao, we need to talk about the curse in your body, today.”

    “Mm,” Mu Tao replied, her lips gently brushing against Li Yu’s earlobe.

    Li Yu took a deep breath. “I’m talking about something serious, control yourself.”

    Mu Tao: “…”

    Li Yu: “I told you yesterday, you have to obey me in all important matters.”

    Mu Tao reluctantly pulled away, picking up a strand of Li Yu’s hair and playing with it, a dissatisfied look on her face.

    Li Yu breathed a sigh of relief. “Weisheng Xuanzhu used me to set a trap for you. He wants the Demon Bone but is also wary of your current power.”

    “Since he came up with this curse, he must be able to sense it when it’s transferred… Even if he can’t, the news of our marriage will surely reach him soon.” Li Yu frowned slightly. “He might already be on his way to the Demon Realm.”

    “Mm!” Mu Tao listened attentively.

    “I don’t know his true strength, but what I saw before he revealed his identity was already…formidable…”

    The day he destroyed the Heavenly Gate, he single-handedly intimidated all the immortal sects.

    And he hadn’t even used that mysterious stellar power.

    Perhaps the power he displayed was just the tip of the iceberg.

    Mu Tao wasn’t the true Heavenly Demon, just a vessel for its power.

    She was young and hadn’t had much time to master the Demon Bone’s power. Even without the curse, she might not be a match for Weisheng Xuanzhu.

    Yet, he still chose the most cautious approach.

    “Even Si Qinglan couldn’t detect that curse; his cultivation is unfathomable.” Li Yu’s voice was serious. “In your current state, you’re no match for him.”

    Mu Tao’s eyes flickered, lost in thought.

    “We should prepare a trap. Even if we can’t defeat him, we have to ensure our own safety.” Li Yu looked at Mu Tao seriously. “I don’t know how fast he can travel, but it’s probably not slow. We don’t have much time; we can’t waste it on other things.”

    Mu Tao opened her mouth as if to say something, then hesitated.

    Her brow furrowed slightly, a clear sign of displeasure.

    Of course, she wasn’t displeased about not being able to touch Li Yu, but about being interrupted on their wedding night.

    Li Yu, seeing the resentment in her eyes, couldn’t help but chuckle and gently kissed her forehead. “Alright, after this is over, you can do whatever you want.”

    “To deal with him, ordinary formations and barriers won’t be enough.” Mu Tao frowned. “I don’t know much about formations, but Xiang Hanyu told me that the formation she used to trap you took three days to create…”

    Li Yu: “Then we have to hurry!”

    Mu Tao nodded and quickly got out of the water and dressed. “Master, you finish bathing, I’ll go and find Xiang Hanyu.”

    Li Yu: “Wait!”

    Mu Tao: “Huh?”

    Li Yu: “Send some people to guard the entrance to the Demon Realm, to buy us some time.”

    Mu Tao nodded vigorously. “I’ll go and arrange it, and also get you something to eat!”

    Li Yu instinctively wanted to say that it wasn’t necessary, that they should focus on the task at hand.

    But she had been hungry all day, and her stomach growled, overriding her better judgment. “Just something simple, a bowl of noodles will be fine.”

    “Okay!” Mu Tao transformed into a black flame and vanished.

    Li Yu quickly finished bathing, dressed, dried her hair with a spell, and returned to the dimly lit wedding chamber.

    The first thing she saw was the scattered clothes, jewelry, and pearls on the floor.

    Although she didn’t know if Mu Tao would bring anyone here, the thought of someone seeing this mess made her cheeks burn.

    She quickly gathered the clothes and stuffed them under the bed,

    Then collected the pearls and put them into her spatial pouch.

    She breathed a sigh of relief,

    Walked to the table, and sat down, nibbling on the leftover pastries.

    The red silk decorations were still there, the burned-down candles had reformed, and even the wine pot had a red “double happiness” symbol.

    Everything reminded her of last night.

    And the memories brought back the lingering aches in her body.

    She couldn’t let Mu Tao be so unrestrained anymore.

    That girl had no sense of boundaries; she would have to talk to her about it later!

    Li Yu thought this, suddenly feeling thirsty. But there was only the bitter wedding wine.

    She stood up, intending to find some water.

    As she left the room, the usually dark sky of the Demon Realm was…

    …filled with twinkling stars.

  • Qin Auntie, Save Me [Rebirth] 85

    Chapter 85

    The restaurant had a pleasant atmosphere, and the food was delicious, but Lin Shuangzhi couldn’t enjoy it. She stared at the steak before her, her thoughts, however, on the takeout they often ordered during their overtime sessions, and Li Wan’s exaggerated expressions as she ate curry fish balls.

    She had been frequently visiting the provincial government lately, rarely returning to the station, unable to openly explain her activities to her colleagues. Li Wan, while concerned about her, had also been covering for her at the station.

    Although they hadn’t discussed it directly, Lin Shuangzhi could sense the tension between them easing since that night, Xiao Wan’s attitude gradually softening.

    “I’m not interested in your past relationship, and I certainly wouldn’t waste my time dwelling on it today. After all, yesterday’s meal is just… waste.” Lin Shuangzhi chuckled dismissively.

    “As for now, my relationship with Xiao Wan is none of your business, but if you must know, then I’ll tell you frankly, I’m completely serious about her. And I also trust her.”

    Zhuo Cheng’s carefully constructed facade of a suave gentleman crumbled, revealing his jealousy and anger. Not only had Lin Shuangzhi stolen Li Wan, but she was also mocking his past relationship with such a condescending tone.

    “Two women, what kind of genuine feelings can there be? Even intimacy… there’s no pleasure to be found, it’s just self-deception.” Provoked, Zhuo Cheng’s words turned crude and vulgar.

    Speaking of intimacy, their first time hadn’t exactly been pleasant, she hadn’t paid much attention to such things before, relying purely on instinct and fumbling around in the dark, Li Wan also inexperienced, they had stumbled along, with only fleeting moments of pleasure amidst the pain.

    It had been an awkward night, so much so that the usually meticulous Team Leader Lin had anxiously apologized to Li Wan the next morning. She had then tried to make amends, trimming her nails, keeping them short ever since, even reading relevant articles online, mentally correcting her mistakes from that night.

    It was just a shame she hadn’t had a chance to… rectify them.

    She looked down at her hands, then smiled confidently. “Whether it’s pleasurable or not is for us to decide, who understands a woman better than another woman?”

    Zhuo Cheng was furious, unable to provoke Lin Shuangzhi, his own composure crumbling instead, seeing her confident smile, the mockery and disdain in her eyes, it had been a long time since he had been looked at like that. The familiar feeling of inadequacy resurfaced, his usual calmness gone.

    Men were easily irrational, especially regarding women, and now, with his rival being a woman, it was even more unbearable for the proud Zhuo Cheng.

    He took a deep breath to calm himself down, his voice low and menacing, “Don’t be so smug, Xiao Wan is just lonely, we were the perfect couple in university, together for years, she was so happy with me, she enjoyed every moment.”

    Zhuo Cheng’s delusions seemed to have intensified, even making up such lies. However, Lin Shuangzhi couldn’t tolerate him slandering Xiao Wan like this, such a pure, noble, and proud woman, how could she be subjected to such vulgar fabrications from a disgusting ex?

    Was a woman’s reputation so worthless?

    Lin Shuangzhi’s attitude shifted, she rarely showed open hostility, but this time was different, she had to retaliate.

    “If you brought me here to listen to your delusional ramblings, then I’ll be going, I know a few good doctors, I can help you jump the queue if you want to seek professional help.”

    “What, feeling uncomfortable, so you want to leave?” Zhuo Cheng leaned back in his chair, a smug look on his face. “My request is simple, leave Xiao Wan, and I’ll delete the photos.”

    “You’re threatening me with those photos?”

    “Not a threat, I’m doing this for your own good. After all, as an outsider in Meng City, it wasn’t easy for you to reach your current position, right? Connecting with Xiao Wan was indeed beneficial for your career, but not everyone can handle the consequences.”

    Zhuo Cheng’s words stemmed from his own deep-seated insecurities, this was how he had felt back then, which was why he had strived to improve himself, to be worthy of Li Wan.

    If initially, Lin Shuangzhi had felt a pang of jealousy, knowing Zhuo Cheng and Li Wan had been together, now she understood clearly that someone like him could never truly be with Xiao Wan, she felt a sense of pity for her, for her past heartbreak and the sadness she had felt after graduating.

    That girl, who had interned under her guidance, always so energetic and dedicated at work, Lin Shuangzhi had also seen her lonely and heartbroken, secretly crying in a corner.

    Perhaps that was when her feelings had started to develop.

    “I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed, a photo won’t change my feelings for Xiao Wan, and I can tell you frankly, I love her, so her family background, or any other external factors, won’t change my mind. As for my career, you don’t have to worry about that.”

    Lin Shuangzhi stood up and left. Zhuo Cheng, surprised by her seemingly unconcerned demeanor, couldn’t believe she was just leaving like that.

    He hurried after her, catching up to her in a few strides. “You really don’t care about your scandal being exposed?”

    “Our love is pure and genuine, there’s no scandal, and I appreciate you letting me know about the photo, but I’ll make sure it never sees the light of day.”

    Lin Shuangzhi’s expression was chilling, colder than the winter air, Zhuo Cheng couldn’t accept being defeated by a woman, not like this.

    He grabbed her arm, insisting she explain herself, and during their struggle, a car suddenly swerved towards them, separating them.

    They both fell to the ground, and the driver, startled, stumbled out of the car, the strong smell of alcohol reaching Lin Shuangzhi even from a distance.

    She closed her eyes, wincing, What an unlucky day.

    **

    Li Wan, rushing to the hospital after receiving the news, her heart pounding, was relieved to hear their injuries weren’t serious.

    “What happened? Getting injured on your way to a meeting?” Looking at Lin Shuangzhi’s bandaged hand, Li Wan’s eyes reddened, but her tone was still sharp.

    Lin Shuangzhi smiled at her good-naturedly, waving her injured hand slightly. “It’s nothing serious, just a few scrapes, the doctor said I just need a few days of rest.”

    Li Wan carefully held her hand, her gaze as if trying to see through the bandages.

    “Even minor injuries hurt, what happened? Don’t you know how to take care of yourself?” She had been on edge these past few days, constantly worrying about Lin Shuangzhi.

    Now, knowing it was just an accident, she still couldn’t relax.

    Another figure appeared behind them. Zhuo Cheng, whose injuries were more serious than Lin Shuangzhi’s, a fractured wrist, had just been treated.

    “It’s my fault, if I hadn’t asked Team Leader Lin out for lunch today, this wouldn’t have happened.”

    Li Wan turned around and glared at him.

    Such a pest, so persistent, not only bothering her, but now harassing Lin Shuangzhi as well.

    Li Wan took a deep breath and said to him, “Come with me, I need to talk to you.”

    The clicking of her high heels on the hospital floor echoed in the hallway, her crossed arms unable to fully conceal her anger.

    Finally stopping at the end of the hallway, Li Wan opened a window slightly, the air feeling a little too stuffy.

    “Zhuo Cheng, what do you mean by this? Why did you go looking for the team leader?”

    “Because of you.”

    Zhuo Cheng’s affectionate words were nothing but a clown’s performance to Li Wan now, she didn’t want to see him for another second. At this point, there was no point in hiding anything anymore, it was better to make it clear, so he would finally give up.

    “Since you’ve brought it up, I’ll be frank, there’s nothing between us anymore, and there never will be, so stop bothering the people around me.”

    Zhuo Cheng, ignoring the throbbing pain in his wrist, said indignantly, “Are you all out of your minds? So many excellent men in this world, and you choose to be with another woman, what’s the point?”

    “The point? There’s no ‘point,’ I just… love her, whether she’s a man or a woman, I love her.”

    Li Wan was stunned by her own words, she hadn’t expected to confess her feelings so openly and resolutely, and Zhuo Cheng was even more shocked, although he had anticipated this.

    Having said what she needed to say, Li Wan didn’t want to stay any longer, she was still worried about Lin Shuangzhi’s injuries.

    Walking away, she saw Lin Shuangzhi’s figure not far away and hurried over, her tone filled with displeasure. “You’re injured, and you’re still running around!”

    Lin Shuangzhi waved her hand dismissively, “It’s my hand that’s injured, not my legs.”

    Li Wan glared at her, her tone softening slightly, “You’re so stubborn, if it doesn’t hurt, then don’t complain.”

    Lin Shuangzhi lowered her head slightly, the smile playing on her lips, the joy in her heart almost overflowing, she had been worried Zhuo Cheng might harass Li Wan, so she had followed them, she hadn’t expected to actually hear Xiao Wan confess her love.

    This gave her immense courage; the person she loved so deeply, reciprocated her feelings.

    **

    Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu visited Lin Shuangzhi at home, finally becoming the second group of visitors. Entering the apartment, they saw Li Wan bustling about, seemingly very familiar with the place, taking charge of everything, like the lady of the house.

    And the true “injured” owner of the house had been ordered to sit quietly on the sofa, only allowed to eat or watch TV, not to do any chores.

    Qin Qianrou glanced at Lin Shuangzhi’s hand, “Team Leader, how long will your injury take to heal?”

    Lin Shuangzhi said nonchalantly, “A week at most.”

    Li Wan, bringing them freshly brewed tea from the kitchen, corrected her, “The doctor said a week before her next check-up.”

    Lin Shuangzhi obediently shut up.

    Shen Yiqiu instinctively also looked at Lin Shuangzhi’s hand. Ever since discovering that amazing online forum, its contents had become ingrained in her mind, and “hands” were a frequently mentioned and essential… tool.

    Then, her gaze traveled down to Lin Shuangzhi’s fingertips, she had seen them before, but she hadn’t thought much of it at the time, now, looking closer, she noticed something different.

    Her nails were short, rounded, and neatly trimmed, perfectly matching the requirements emphasized in the forum posts.

    Shen Yiqiu discreetly looked down at her own nails, they were about the same length as Lin Shuangzhi’s, seemingly meeting the standards.

    The other three were discussing the Dongsheng matter, not paying attention to Shen Yiqiu’s thoughts.

    Qin Qianrou mentioned the recent hot topic online, “I don’t know which passerby posted that photo of the team leader and Zhuo Cheng struggling by the roadside, but now everyone online is accusing Dongsheng of bullying.”

    Li Wan also found it strange how someone had uncovered Zhuo Cheng’s identity and managed to turn public opinion against Dongsheng.

    Lin Shuangzhi remained silent, listening quietly.

    Qin Qianrou seemed lost in thought. “Although the online exposure isn’t exactly positive, it’s undeniable that the station is finally taking this seriously.”

    Li Wan agreed. “My father said the city government is also looking into it, they’ve even inquired about the station’s restructuring and Dongsheng’s advertising investment.”

    What had initially been just a photo of a man and a woman in a physical altercation had unexpectedly sparked a heated online discussion about the television station’s restructuring.

    And somehow, the discussion had shifted to Dongsheng Group, a company that rarely advertised on television, yet had been unusually generous this year, investing a substantial sum, then someone mentioned that it was thanks to this advertising revenue that the advertising director had become a strong candidate for deputy station director.

    With everyone adding their own speculations online, a seemingly plausible, albeit somewhat absurd, narrative had quickly formed, attracting even more attention, and the discussion hadn’t died down.

    “This is good, at least it’ll delay the restructuring.” Li Wan sighed, they had been working tirelessly, frantically trying to find a solution, and the promotion list was almost ready for public announcement.

    Qin Qianrou said calmly, “There might still be a turning point, the station might not care, but higher management will definitely pay attention to public opinion, it’s just… it’s implicated the team leader.”

    After all, the usually low-profile Lin Shuangzhi had been the subject of online discussions for days, and that photo hadn’t been flattering, recalling Zhuo Cheng’s despicable actions that day, Li Wan’s anger flared, she had wanted to confront him several times, but Lin Shuangzhi had stopped her.

    She had said, “Xiao Wan, there’s no point arguing with a mad dog, just consider it bad luck and avoid him in the future.”

    But Li Wan also felt that the team leader had become even gentler towards her since the incident, always accommodating, always listening to her, doing whatever she asked.

    She didn’t know what Zhuo Cheng had said to Lin Shuangzhi that day, but her own feelings had become even clearer after Lin Shuangzhi’s injury, compared to her, Zhuo Cheng was just… slightly more substantial than air, and only because of his repulsive stench.

    As they spoke, Qin Qianrou and Li Wan exchanged glances, then looked at Lin Shuangzhi.

    “Team Leader, could it be that you…?”

    Qin Qianrou was always perceptive, and if not for knowing Lin Shuangzhi’s personality, she wouldn’t have taken so long to realize this.

    Lin Shuangzhi didn’t deny it, and Li Wan, her anxiety flaring, lightly patted her shoulder, “Was it really necessary to go to such lengths? First injuring yourself, now risking your reputation, what are you trying to achieve?”

    Li Wan had heard Lin Shuangzhi mention returning to Yong City if she lost her position at the station, and now, more than ever, she wanted Lin Shuangzhi to stay.

    But after this incident, she might not be able to.

    “The injury was truly an accident, and I didn’t know about the photo initially, only after seeing it online did I decide to use it to our advantage.”

    Working in the news industry, they both knew the power of public opinion, however, it was a double-edged sword, if not handled carefully, it could backfire spectacularly.

    Li Wan understood, but she still felt distressed for her. “This was too risky!”

    Lin Shuangzhi, however, seemed more carefree than before. “At this point, what do I have to be afraid of? I’ve already gone to the provincial government so many times, do I really care what the station thinks of me?”

    Shen Yiqiu, who had been quietly listening, although she hadn’t spoken, sensed their unwavering determination.

    On their way back, Qin Qianrou, seeing her still silent and subdued, thought she might be upset at being ignored.

    “Jiejie, I think you’re both amazing.”

    Qin Qianrou chuckled at her use of the word “amazing.” “Why do you suddenly say that?”

    “You’re both willing to do this, knowing it won’t benefit you personally, and you persist, unwavering in your convictions.”

    Qin Qianrou was silent for a moment, then said, “Actually, it’s also for our own benefit. Everyone is a part of society, we’re just trying to do our job well.”