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  • Malicious Female Lead’s Guide to Causing Trouble [Quick Transmigration] 59p3

    Chapter Fifty-Nine p3

    Bo Chi was most afraid of these small insects, her face turned pale with fright, and she couldn’t help but take a few steps back.

    Just as she steadied herself, the spider that was weaving its web stopped, and suddenly said: “Chi Niang, aren’t you afraid of your soul being scattered if you get so close to that Buddha statue?“

    Bo Chi stared at the spider blankly.

    The spider’s puzzled voice sounded again: “What are you staring at me for? These insects are my prey, I won’t share them with you. You should focus on the passing scholars, they are your food.“

    After confirming that it was the spider that was talking, Bo Chi’s pupils shook, and she almost screamed.

    Her face was pale, she chuckled and responded, then carefully moved to the side, away from both the Buddha statue on the high platform and the spider, and began to receive the memory and plot with a cold sweat.

    This was an ancient world with ghosts and monsters, very similar to the story of A Chinese Ghost Story, where a scholar stayed overnight in an ancient temple and met a female ghost. But in this world, the scholar was not the protagonist, but cannon fodder, killed by the female ghost at the beginning.

    The female ghost got a taste of it, and wanted to kill the second lucky person, but the newcomer was an exorcist, who directly captured her in a demon-subduing bag and began to refine her soul.

    During the following forty-nine days, the exorcist subdued demons and eliminated monsters along the way, experiencing many things. And just as the female ghost was about to die, the exorcist’s enemy came to her door and fought with her, both sides seriously injured.

    The female ghost seized the opportunity and desperately perished together with the exorcist, successfully killing the protagonist with her weak and insignificant identity, turning this world into a tragedy.

    A bad premonition suddenly arose in Bo Chi’s heart. She tremblingly opened Yu Zhao’s task, and saw a line clearly written on it – [Kill the female ghost Chi Niang. ]

    Heh, hehe.

    Obviously, Yu Zhao was now the protagonist of the story, the tragically dead exorcist.

    Thinking of the setting where the exorcist’s whole family was killed by a ghost, which made her extremely hate demons, Bo Chi wanted to cry. According to this setting, how could she hook up with Yu Zhao?

    In modern terms, she and Yu Zhao were now natural enemies!

    Bo Chi was completely dejected, squatting in a corner, depressed.

    When Jin Xi stepped into the temple, she didn’t react at first. After realizing that this white figure was a human-shaped creature, she immediately turned pale with fright, and screamed: “There’s a ghost!“

    This scream also startled Bo Chi, who jumped up and ran outside, crying: “Ahhh, monsters and ghosts, go away!“

    Jin Xi: “?”

    Her footsteps slowed down, and Jin Xi looked at her in horror, and hesitated: “You’re not a ghost?“

    Bo Chi was dumbfounded, and said belatedly: “Oh, you’re talking about me.“

    Jin Xi was stunned, and said in confusion: “Are you human or ghost? Why are you alone in this deserted temple?“

    Of course, Bo Chi wouldn’t tell the truth, and said seriously: “I’m naturally human, and a good person. The reason why I’m staying in the temple is because I’m passing by and staying here temporarily. But you, what are you, a girl, doing here?“

    Jin Xi’s eyes widened, she subconsciously covered her chest, and stammered: “Wh, what are you talking about? I’m not a girl, I’m a man! And a scholar!“

    Bo Chi looked at her with dead fish eyes: “Do you think I’m blind? Your face is delicate and soft, completely without the firmness of a man, your voice is delicate, you’re not tall, and most importantly, you don’t even have an Adam’s apple, and you’re telling me you’re a scholar – huh? Scholar?“

    She remembered something, and said in surprise: “You’re not Jin Xi, are you?“

    The food that was eaten by the female ghost in one bite in the plot?

    Jin Xi was shocked again, and said fearfully: “H-How do you know my name!“

    Bo Chi thought about the plot, and said casually: “I was sent by your parents. You impersonated your brother’s identity, wanting to go to Bailu Academy to study. Your parents are very angry, and they asked me to catch you and bring you back.“

    Seeing that she knew everything about her, Jin Xi couldn’t help but believe her words, and pleaded with tears in her eyes: “I don’t want to go back, and I don’t want to get married, kind sister, please let me go.“

    Bo Chi pondered for a while, her eyes lit up: “I can not take you back, but you have to let me follow you.“

    She was now a new ghost who had just died not long ago. If she rashly appeared in front of Yu Zhao, her identity would definitely be discovered by the spirit-seeking compass. Only by consuming flesh and blood to a certain extent, or by having long-term contact with a woman with a cold constitution, would there be a chance of confusing the spirit-seeking compass’ tracking.

    Bo Chi wouldn’t harm humans, so she could only set her sights on Jin Xi.

    Fortunately, Jin Xi was only stunned for a moment, and quickly nodded readily: “No problem, sister, you don’t know how scared I’ve been along the way, but I really don’t want to get married. I want to study and take the imperial examination like my brother. Actually, the best choice is to become an exorcist, so that whether you’re a man or a woman, you can travel around, but I’m afraid of ghosts, I really don’t dare…“

    Jin Xi, who had relaxed, treated Bo Chi as one of her own, and revealed her talkative nature, chattering non-stop about how scared she was of ghosts. Bo Chi listened attentively for a while, and said: “I’m afraid of ghosts, but ghosts haven’t harmed me at all. I’m not afraid of people, but people have hurt me all over.“

    Jin Xi looked at her blankly: “Sister, wh, what do you mean?“

    Bo Chi said profoundly: “People know that ghosts are terrifying, but ghosts know the evil of the human heart. Everything is not static. You have to learn to have your own judgment, and don’t blindly think that all ghosts are evil and all people are good. After all, those ghosts, in the end, are still transformed from people.“

    Jin Xi was stunned, as if she had never heard such a statement before, and was lost in thought for a moment.

    They returned to the dilapidated temple. The spider on the roof was staring at them on the cobweb. Bo Chi acted as if she didn’t see it, and pointed to the ground: “Gather the straw, you’ll sleep here tonight.“

    Jin Xi came back to her senses, hurriedly responded, and while working, she asked: “Where is sister sleeping tonight? Do you want me to spread some straw for you too?“

    “No need.” Bo Chi was now a ghost, and didn’t need to sleep: “I rested during the day, and I’m not sleepy at night. I plan to keep watch.“

    ——And absorb some yin energy by the way, to quickly consolidate her soul.

    Jin Xi looked at Bo Chi gratefully, lay down on the straw and talked to her for a long time, until she fell asleep in a daze late at night.

    After she fell asleep, the spider finally asked in confusion: “This person is human, why don’t you eat her to strengthen your soul, but instead keep watch for her?“

    Bo Chi was silent for a while, and said seriously: “She’s too thin and small, I’ll wait until she’s fat before I make a move.“

    Spider: “…You’re really picky.“

    After dispelling her doubts, the spider didn’t say anything more, and began to taste the mosquitoes and insects that came to her door.

    Bo Chi stood quietly at the entrance of the temple for the whole night. When the sky turned slightly white, she pinched her soft and slightly cold fingertips, and showed a satisfied smile.

    Rustling sounds came from behind her. She turned around and saw Jin Xi rubbing her eyes and standing up, giving her a bright smile, and saying: “Good morning!“

    As soon as she spoke, the person, ghost, and spider in the temple all froze with dumbfounded expressions.

    The first to react was Jin Xi herself. She covered her neck in horror, her rough voice like that of a strong man: “Ahhh! My voice! Why has my voice become like this!“

    The culprit swallowed, remembering the yin energy she had absorbed all night, and said weakly: “Maybe, maybe you have a cold and fever!“

    Jin Xi burst into tears, and said in a loud and deep voice: “Wuwuwu, it’s so scary, sister, I’m so sad, wuwuwu.“

    Bo Chi couldn’t stand her manly and coquettish tone, but thinking that she was the one who did it, she still closed her eyes and endured: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve studied medicine, this is just a temporary cold, you’ll recover after resting for a while.“

    The girl was a living person, and it wouldn’t hurt her to lose a little yin energy. She would naturally return to normal after a few days, so Bo Chi wasn’t lying.

    Jin Xi sniffed, believed Bo Chi’s words, and said with a dejected face: “Then, then I won’t talk until I recover!“

    Bo Chi suppressed a smile, nodded and said: “Okay, if we meet other people on the road later, I’ll talk to them.“

    Jin Xi hummed sullenly, wiped her tears, picked up her luggage and walked out.

    Bo Chi’s gaze swept over the spider, and she nodded slightly as a farewell.

    The two left the dilapidated temple and walked down the mountain.

    Although Bo Chi had stabilized her body, she was essentially still a ghost, and it didn’t matter how long she walked. Jin Xi was different. Even though she could endure hardships, after walking for a whole morning, she was still very tired, and could only stop to rest with a bitter face.

    After wiping the sweat on her forehead, she suddenly noticed something was wrong, and said in confusion: “Sister, why aren’t you sweating at all?“

    Bo Chi paused, and smiled: “Because I have ice muscles and jade bones.“

    Jin Xi suddenly realized, and said with envy: “Sister is so amazing, not only are you beautiful, but you can also come out alone to find me, and you even have such a magical physique, I’m so envious!“

    Bo Chi coughed lightly: “Don’t be envious, you might have it in the future too.“

    ——This ‘future’ referred to after death.

    Jin Xi didn’t understand her hidden meaning, and shook her head dejectedly: “I’m just an ordinary girl, I can’t even think about it in this lifetime. Sister, can I touch it? This is the first time I’ve heard that there really are ice muscles and jade bones in the world!“

    Bo Chi, who had fooled the person, held her forehead, and helplessly stretched out her paw: “You can touch it.“

    Jin Xi’s eyes rolled, and she smiled and pounced on Bo Chi, making a fuss: “What’s the point of just touching your hand? I want to touch sister’s bo— Hey, hey, hey, sister, be careful!”

    She exclaimed, but Bo Chi was still pushed down by her unexpectedly.

    The two of them were lying on the ground, and just as they were about to get up, they suddenly heard rustling sounds from the bushes beside them.

    They instinctively turned their heads and met a girl’s calm eyes.

    The girl didn’t look very old, with a peach wood sword on her back, her long black hair neatly tied up, and a compass in her slender hand.

    Her features were beautiful, and even though she was wearing a gray robe and had a cold face, she still couldn’t hide her gorgeous and elegant beauty.

    After staring at the two women not far away for a while, Yu Zhao looked down at the compass again, and then became confused.

    According to the compass, the woman who was pinned down should be a ghost.

    But… wasn’t there something wrong with a ghost being pinned down by a human?

    The author has something to say:

    At the beginning.

    Yu Zhao: What a useless ghost.

    Later.

    Yu Zhao (pulling the sword with murderous intent): No matter how useless she is, you can’t bully her!

  • A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life 160

    Chapter 160: A Trip Out of the Palace, Nangong Mian’s Old Home 

    “…”

    The etiquette official’s momentary look of surprise didn’t escape Luo Xue’s notice, and her expression turned serious.

    From her expression and words, it seemed that the etiquette official knew about this.

    She knew “Luo Xue,” and also knew that Concubine Min was acquainted with “Luo Xue.”

    But she hadn’t told Concubine Min’s daughter…

    There must be a hidden reason.

    However, Luo Xue didn’t ask.

    Since the etiquette official didn’t intend to tell her, asking would probably be futile.

    “Since there are no lessons today, Madam, can I leave the palace for a while?”

    Luo Xue blinked, a hopeful expression on her face.

    “…You can leave the palace, but not alone, Your Highness. This is for your safety.”

    The etiquette official’s expression softened slightly.

    “Your Highness must find this old servant’s constant nagging annoying. I won’t follow you, but someone still has to protect you.”

    “It’s not that I find you annoying, Madam, I just want to… clear my head…” Luo Xue lowered her head slightly, looking at the ground. “It’s fine if someone accompanies me… but I don’t want anyone from the palace.”

    The people in the palace were too shrewd. Luo Xue’s every move would be watched. She didn’t want to be constrained after leaving the palace.

    The etiquette official paused, then realized that Her Highness had just returned from the Cold Palace and probably hadn’t recovered from her encounter with her Mother Concubine.

    She needed some time to clear her head, and the people in the palace would only remind her of unpleasant things… It seemed she could only ask her for help.

    “I understand, Your Highness just wants to go out with Nangong Mian, I’ll contact her for you.” The etiquette official said faintly.

    “Sister Mian? Yes, yes!”

    Luo Xue’s face lit up with genuine joy this time.

    This was an unexpected surprise. Nangong Mian was a naive and easily fooled girl.

    And Luo Xue also wanted to learn more about the Nangong clan.

    But seeing the etiquette official’s expression, Luo Xue seemed to realize something and coughed awkwardly, lowering her head slightly.

    “Ahem…”

    Had she been too happy… The madam still had some strange misunderstandings.

    Looking at the seemingly shy Princess Xue, the etiquette official could only sigh.

    Her Highness hadn’t given up… her worries from yesterday seemed to be true.

    Well, Nangong Mian would be leaving the Imperial Sacred Land in a few days anyway.

    By the time they met again, it would be many years later.

    By then, Her Highness should have matured and learned to let go of such inappropriate feelings.

    “Your Highness, please wait in your palace for a while. This old servant will go and make arrangements…”

    The etiquette official stood up, paused, and then added,

    “But I still have to remind you that even within the Imperial Sacred Land, under His Majesty’s protection, there are still many unsavory characters. Your Highness, please be discreet and don’t attract attention.”

    “Okay, I understand.”

    Luo Xue nodded obediently and sat down on the bed.

    The etiquette official didn’t say anything more, bowed, and hurriedly left.

    …

    Noon, Imperial Sacred Land.

    The imperial palace complex stood atop the immortal mountain, and surrounding the mountain was the renowned Imperial Sacred Land, the Great Qin Imperial Capital.

    As the center of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, this place was where the dynasty’s fortune converged, blessed by the Immortal Emperor, comparable to the best blessed lands.

    And it wasn’t just a capital city, but more like a vast nation.

    The territory encompassed by the Imperial Capital was comparable to one of the nine provinces.

    Besides those born here, only cultivators at Foundation Establishment and above could enter the Great Qin Imperial Capital.

    In other words, a Foundation Establishment cultivator who could control wind and rain in a city within the nine provinces and four domains could only be considered an ordinary person in the Great Qin Imperial Capital.

    The prosperous Imperial Capital was divided into several rings, one nested within another.

    The further in, the higher the quality of spiritual energy, and therefore, the higher the required cultivation level for entry and residence.

    The innermost first and second rings were only for the imperial family—although the imperial family wasn’t as large as the ancient clans, it wasn’t just a few royal members either.

    Luo Xue had six older brothers and four older sisters, most of whom had already started their own families and had descendants, some even having over a hundred generations.

    If she followed the proper address, they would have to call Luo Xue “Great-Great-Grandmother”…

    Of course, Luo Xue had a title, and they usually addressed her as “Your Highness Princess Xue.”

    The most noble members of the imperial family, like Luo Xue, naturally lived within the imperial palace.

    And those next in line lived within the first and second rings of the Great Qin Imperial Capital.

    It was worth mentioning that Nangong Mian’s residence was within the first ring because she was a member of the Empress’s family—and the Empress, after all, was also part of the imperial family…

    However, Luo Xue wasn’t interested in the first or second rings. She found even the imperial palace boring, let alone these places that imitated it.

    The same went for the inner rings. She came out to understand this world, so she wouldn’t be clueless when she eventually escaped.

    It was always good to plan ahead. Luo Xue felt this was increasingly necessary.

    But the etiquette official wouldn’t allow her to go to the outer rings. Although the Imperial Capital was the safest place in this world, Princess Xue’s safety was paramount, so they compromised and chose the fifteenth ring.

    A small girl in a light gauze veil and bamboo hat walked ahead excitedly, while a slightly taller girl yawned and followed sleepily behind.

    “Xue… slow down…”

    Nangong Mian rubbed her eyes, struggling to stay awake, and sighed.

    “Sister Mian, what’s wrong?” Luo Xue couldn’t help but smile wryly. She stopped and looked back. “Aren’t you a cultivator? Why are you so sleepy?”

    “I haven’t slept in days… Now that we’re in the Imperial Capital, I have to have some fun before leaving.” Nangong Mian said helplessly. “And my cultivation technique doesn’t involve meditation… I’m not good at staying up late.”

    “It doesn’t have to be like this, does it?” Luo Xue blinked.

    No wonder Nangong Mengxiang had to sleep almost every night… so that was it…

    “Eh, who knew you would suddenly want to leave the palace… and Madam dragged me along.” Nangong Mian rubbed her temples and quickened her pace to catch up with Luo Xue. “Not that I don’t like it… but it would have been nice to have some notice.”

    She had treated yesterday as her last day in the Imperial Capital, planning to sleep all the way back to the Nangong Sacred Land.

    After all, when Nangong Mian came to the Imperial Capital from the Nangong Sacred Land, she had already been awake for almost a month…

    She was only at the peak of Foundation Establishment and couldn’t stay awake for decades like those powerful cultivators.

    And with the Desolate Extinction Scripture, it was probably impossible anyway.

    “How about, Sister Mian, you go back and sleep first?” Luo Xue suggested. “I can walk around by myself.”

    “…Xue, if I dared to do that, Madam and Sixth Granduncle would kill me.”

    Nangong Mian looked deeply at Luo Xue. Did this princess not realize how important her status was in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty?

    One of the Immortal Emperor’s only eleven children, even in other immortal dynasties, they would send an entire elite squad to protect her, in case of any accidents.

    Even now, although seemingly only accompanied by Nangong Mian, there were many eyes and ears watching them, just not as closely.

    “Mmm…”

    Because her memories hadn’t fully merged, Luo Xue subconsciously still saw herself as she was in her previous lives.

    Her status in this life was very high…

    “It’s fine, I’ll just wake up a bit more.”

    Nangong Mian slapped her cheeks hard, startling the people around her, who quickly moved away, thinking she was crazy.

    “It’s also fine… I’ll just walk slower.”

    Luo Xue slowed down, walking beside Nangong Mian, whose face was slightly red (from slapping herself).

    Although Luo Xue was sixteen years old now, considered an adult in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, her physique was still small.

    Although Nangong Mian wasn’t as tall as Nangong Mengxiang, she still had a normal build for a young woman, at 1.6 meters tall, half a head taller than Luo Xue.

    Walking together, they looked like sisters.

    Luo Xue was simply dressed in a plain dress and a light gauze veil and bamboo hat to conceal her hair and face.

    The name of Princess Xue was known throughout the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, and every silver-haired girl would attract attention. Luo Xue didn’t want to be noticed.

    Nangong Mian was much more casual. This wasn’t the Sun and Moon Twin Halls, so she didn’t have to wear elaborate formal attire.

    To Luo Xue’s surprise, she was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt and a knee-length skirt.

    If not for the fact that the style of these clothes wasn’t much different from the clothing in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, Luo Xue would have suspected that there were fellow transmigrators here.

    “Xue, where do you want to go?” Nangong Mian asked.

    They were currently near the residential area of the fifteenth ring. There were many buildings here, rented out by various factions in the Imperial Capital, equipped with cultivation formations.

    Most cultivators who came to the Imperial Capital couldn’t afford to buy a residence and would rent one here.

    “Hmm…”

    Luo Xue thought for a moment. She actually wanted to go to a free market.

    Such places were more chaotic, and she could obtain a lot of information just by listening to people’s conversations.

    But needless to say, if she suggested it, Nangong Mian would definitely object.

    Nangong Mian wouldn’t dare to take the princess to such a place…

    “Is there an auction house for cultivators here? I want to take a look.” Luo Xue asked. “Also, didn’t Madam say she would arrange for me to start cultivating? It would be good to learn some things in advance.”

    Auction houses were another type of chaotic place, but because they had some rules, they weren’t as disorderly as free markets.

    And… to be honest, after cultivating for so long, Luo Xue had never been to such a classic place.

    She had planned to go during her last trip to Ghost Demon Pass, but what happened later… was better left unsaid.

    “There should be, no problem, I’ll find one.”

    Nangong Mian’s expression relaxed, seeing that Luo Xue’s request wasn’t too unreasonable.

    “However, we’re probably not lucky enough to encounter a large-scale auction, at most just some daily auctions and exhibitions.”

    Large-scale auctions required preparation, while daily auctions were for less valuable items.

    As for exhibitions, some rare but not particularly valuable items would be displayed in the auction house’s exhibition hall.

    These items could be bought outright, or one could place a bid, and if no one offered a higher price by the end of the exhibition, they could obtain the item.

    However, most items in the exhibition hall were bought outright.

    Nangong Mian specialized in collecting resources from Foundation Establishment secret realms in the Nangong Sacred Land, and she also needed to exchange some of these resources for things she could use, so she was naturally very familiar with these matters.

    Therefore, when Luo Xue mentioned the auction house, Nangong Mian felt right at home, even her drowsiness disappeared.

    With her keen sense for auction houses, it didn’t take long for Nangong Mian to lead Luo Xue to one.

    “Yo, it’s this one again.” Nangong Mian looked up at the signboard and immediately smiled. “I almost forgot, it’s a chain.”

    Luo Xue also looked up. The auction house’s signboard was a large hammer striking the sky, without any words.

    “The Big Hammer Auction House, that’s what I call it.”

    Nangong Mian told Luo Xue casually, without lowering her voice, instantly attracting the attention of those around them.

    These gazes weren’t friendly, some were slightly displeased, and some seemed to be mocking Nangong Mian for being a country bumpkin, not even recognizing the famous Tianlie Auction House in the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

    However, not many noticed Luo Xue. She was small and quiet.

    “I’m very familiar with this place. Come, I’ll show you around.”

    Nangong Mian became excited and, even forgetting their difference in status, took Luo Xue’s hand for the first time and led her into the Tianlie Auction House.

    If the auction house was a home, then the Tianlie Auction House was Nangong Mian’s old home.

    Every time she fenced stolen goods… no, every time she dealt with resources, there would always be some things that other auction houses couldn’t or wouldn’t accept.

    Only the Tianlie Auction House took everything, so Nangong Mian had a very favorable impression of this place.

    However… this wasn’t the Nangong Sacred Land.

    Just as Nangong Mian was about to enter the auction house, the guard at the door stopped them with his spear.

    “Ladies, you can’t enter.”

  • You’re Not Allowed to Kiss Me Anymore! [Quick Transmigration] 52p2

    Chapter 52 p2

    Xin Yao, unable to refuse, let herself be dragged along, her mind still reeling from Xu Jingyu’s sudden invitation.

    As they reached the parking lot, they saw Xue Ning waiting by the car.

    She was looking at her phone, her expression a mix of annoyance and amusement.

    Seeing them approach, she put away her phone, a smile appearing on her face.

    “Well, well, well, Miss Xin. No work for you today. Enjoy your little vacation.”

    Their behavior, their secretive smiles, made Xin Yao suspicious. Something was going on, and it probably involved her.

    “What’s happening? What are you two up to?”

    Xue Ning hesitated, then blurted out, “Apparently, it’s the prime minister of Country A’s mother’s birthday today?”

    What did that have to do with anything?!

    Even if the prime minister’s father rose from the dead, she still had to go to work!

    What a lame excuse!

    But it was no use. Xu Jingyu had already pushed her into the car.

    And as they drove away, Xu Jingyu and Xue Ning finally started discussing their plans.

    Xu Jingyu turned to Xin Yao. “Yaoyao, is there anywhere you want to go?”

    Xue Ning, who was driving, added, “It’s winter. Why don’t you two go somewhere warm?”

    And as Xue Ning spoke, Xin Yao finally understood the reason for their strange behavior.

    Liu Nuan Nuan, monitoring the online activity, had informed her.

    The internet was exploding with hate towards Xin Yao.

    Li Xu, having waited long enough, had finally made his move.

    In Xin Yao’s previous life, the original owner, despite her initial attempts to move on, had been driven to suicide by Li Xu.

    And the catalyst for her despair had been her family.

    Li Xu had used them to strike the final, fatal blow.

    But in Xin Yao’s eyes, they weren’t family.

    At the age of eight, her parents had died in an accident, her once happy home shattered overnight.

    Too young to be on her own, she had been sent to live with her aunt and uncle, her legal guardians.

    But her aunt had resented her.

    She had always believed that Xin Yao’s mother, a university graduate, had looked down on her, their relationship strained even before her death. And now, she was burdened with caring for Xin Yao, a constant reminder of her strained relationship with her sister.

    Initially, she had tried to be kind, to fulfill her duty as Xin Yao’s guardian.

    But caring for a child wasn’t a temporary responsibility.

    It was a daily commitment, the extra chores, the extra laundry, the extra work, it had all become a burden.

    And so, she had started to neglect Xin Yao, her favoritism towards her own children becoming increasingly obvious.

    She had bought new clothes for everyone during the Lunar New Year, except for Xin Yao, whose clothes were old and worn.

    Children grew quickly, and Xin Yao’s clothes had become too small, her shoes too tight, pinching her feet with every step.

    One day, accompanying her aunt to visit relatives, a long walk that had left Xin Yao’s feet bleeding and blistered, her aunt, thinking she was being difficult, had scolded her harshly in front of everyone.

    And as if to punish her further, when the relatives visited their home, her aunt had confined her to her room, giving her a small portion of food and leaving her alone.

    Outside, her aunt had boasted about her new sofa, her new clothes, her voice filled with flattery towards her wealthy relatives.

    And Xin Yao, alone in her room, her stomach rumbling, her feet aching in her tight shoes, hadn’t dared to leave.

    She had looked out the window, tears streaming down her face.

    Mom, I miss you so much.

    But she no longer had a home.

    Xin Yao’s childhood had been filled with such loneliness and neglect.

    It had made her timid, insecure, and desperate for affection, always eager to please those who showed her even the slightest kindness.

    And her sensitivity to others’ emotions made her even more vulnerable to heartbreak.

    And it was this vulnerability, this lingering attachment to her aunt and uncle, that Li Xu had exploited.

    After being dumped and publicly humiliated, her spirit broken, Li Xu had made his move.

    Her cousin, a gambling addict, deep in debt, had started harassing her for money.

    It hadn’t taken much convincing for Li Xu to manipulate him into targeting Xin Yao.

    Out of a misplaced sense of familial obligation, she had given him money, again and again.

    Until she had nothing left to give.

    And then he had turned on her.

    Following Li Xu’s instructions, her aunt and cousin had gone online, accusing her of being ungrateful and heartless, of abandoning them after they had raised her.

    The online hate, already intense, intensified, the accusations adding fuel to the fire.

    Everyone believed she was a terrible person.

    And the original Xin Yao, unable to bear the weight of the world’s judgment, had ended her life.

    Xin Yao sometimes wondered why the kindest people always seemed to suffer the most.

    But now that she was here, she wouldn’t let it happen again.

    She had known, since her meeting with Ying Xi, that Li Xu was targeting her.

    Her cousin had started asking her for money.

    Xin Yao, of course, had refused.

    She hadn’t given him a single cent, ignoring his calls and messages.

    Until he had been caught by his creditors and had his hand broken.

    Then, they had become desperate, their actions escalating beyond Li Xu’s control.

    Her cousin had broken into her apartment, stealing her money, her bankbook, and her jewelry.

    He had assumed that Xin Yao, like the original owner, would be too timid and afraid to do anything.

    It had happened just a few days ago.

    Xin Yao and Liu Nuan Nuan, watching the live feed from the security cameras they had installed, had calmly sipped their tea as they watched him commit his crime.

    Then, they had called the police.

    The police had arrived quickly, catching him red-handed, and had arrested him.

    Her cousin, terrified, his usual arrogance gone, had collapsed onto the floor, begging for mercy.

    Then, remembering something, he had scrambled to his feet, claiming that it was his sister’s apartment, that he had simply been retrieving some of his belongings.

    The police, looking at the broken lock, the ransacked apartment, had simply dragged him away.

    His mother, frantic, had called Xin Yao repeatedly, but Xin Yao hadn’t answered.

    Desperate to save her son, she had gone online, accusing Xin Yao of being ungrateful and heartless, hoping to shame her into dropping the charges.

    The online hate, which had subsided slightly, erupted again, the netizens quick to condemn Xin Yao.

    But Xin Yao had been waiting for this, waiting for them to incriminate themselves.

    She had never intended to let them off the hook, but they had to commit a crime first.

    Her cousin had been arrested for burglary, and her aunt had publicly slandered her. She wondered what the netizens’ reaction would be when the police report was released.

    And she knew her cousin well enough to know that he would immediately implicate Li Xu, shifting the blame to protect himself.

    The glamorous actor’s carefully constructed image would crumble, his secrets revealed.

    The knife he had aimed at Xin Yao would now be turned against him, the mud he had slung at her now staining his own reputation.

    The online hate she had endured would now be directed at him, each word a sharp, unforgiving blade.

    It had all been part of Xin Yao’s plan. She hadn’t expected it to worry her friends and colleagues, however.

    The crew, who believed in her, were furious on her behalf.

    And the most vocal defender had been Jian Ru’yin’s father, who knew firsthand how kind and compassionate Xin Yao was, having witnessed her unwavering support for his daughter.

    Xu Jingyu, seeing the news that morning, had immediately come to Xin Yao’s apartment, her first priority being Xin Yao’s well-being.

    She had suppressed the trending topics, arranged for someone to deal with the situation, and then, wanting to distract Xin Yao from the online hate, had suggested a trip.

    Xin Yao, looking at Xu Jingyu, her heart filled with gratitude, thought: My girlfriend is so sweet.

    She remembered their life together in her previous world, a sudden inspiration striking her.

    “How about the beach?”

    “Huh?” Xue Ning, sitting in the front seat, was surprised. “The beach? But it’s…”

    Xu Jingyu interrupted her. “Then we’ll go to the beach. My private beach.”

    “Tsk,” Xue Ning, glancing at Xu Jingyu through the rearview mirror, shook her head. “Love truly makes people crazy.”

    Xin Yao, noticing their exchange, frowned slightly, sensing something was amiss.

    “Or maybe we should go somewhere else? The beach is a bit far. I don’t mind where we go, really.”

    Xu Jingyu took her hand, her eyes softening.

    “It’s fine. If you want to go to the beach, then we’ll go to the beach.”

    Three hours later, Xin Yao, sitting on Xu Jingyu’s private jet, arrived at Xu Jingyu’s private beach.

    And as they entered Xu Jingyu’s beachfront villa, Xin Yao realized, with a touch of amusement, that she had once again found herself a wealthy benefactress.

    She stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the ocean, the sunlight sparkling on the water, a beautiful, mesmerizing sight.

    Xu Jingyu, watching her, her eyes soft, asked, “Do you want to go for a swim?”

    “Can we?” Xin Yao turned to her, her eyes shining with excitement.

    Xu Jingyu nodded. “It’s my private beach. And there are lifeguards and lifeboats. It’s perfectly safe.”

    A trip to the beach wasn’t complete without a swim.

    Xin Yao, eager to get into the water, ran off to change into her swimsuit.

    The swimsuit, thoughtfully provided by the housekeeper, was waiting for her in the bedroom.

    She emerged a few minutes later.

    Her slender frame and long legs, usually hidden beneath layers of clothing, were now on full display, her appearance transformed, her usual soft, gentle demeanor replaced by a confident sensuality.

    Her waist was tiny, her legs long and smooth, her breasts, straining against the fabric of the swimsuit, a subtly alluring sight.

    And her face, with its naturally seductive features, was even more captivating now, her eyes sparkling with a playful light.

    A single glance from her was enough to make your heart race.

    Xu Jingyu, who had brought Xin Yao here to relax, to escape the stress of the city and the online hate, now found herself captivated by Xin Yao’s beauty, her own heart pounding in her chest.

    Xin Yao, however, oblivious to Xu Jingyu’s reaction, was still buzzing with excitement about her upcoming swim.

    She walked over to Xu Jingyu, holding a bottle of sunscreen.

    “Baby, can you help me with this? I don’t want to get sunburned.”

    It was a simple request.

    But as Xu Jingyu started applying the sunscreen, she realized it wasn’t so simple after all.

    She sat on the bed, looking at Xin Yao, her swimsuit-clad body a vision of effortless sensuality, her gaze lingering on her long legs, the curve of her hips, her slender waist, and finally, on her smooth, white back.

    Her back was almost completely bare, the thin straps of her swimsuit a delicate, almost fragile, barrier, both protective and alluring.

    As Xu Jingyu’s gaze lingered, Xin Yao, growing impatient, spoke up.

    Xu Jingyu finally started applying the sunscreen, her hand gently tracing Xin Yao’s waist.

    “Mmm,” Xin Yao murmured, a shiver running through her body as Xu Jingyu’s cool hand touched her warm skin.

    The sound was like a hook, catching Xu Jingyu’s attention, her hand stilling.

    “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice slightly husky.

    Xin Yao smiled, her body rubbing against Xu Jingyu’s hand. “It’s cold.”

    Xu Jingyu rubbed her hands together to warm them, then resumed applying the sunscreen, her fingers tracing Xin Yao’s waist.

    Xin Yao, however, started fidgeting again, complaining that it was too hot now.

    She was so difficult to please.

    Finally, finding the right temperature, Xu Jingyu continued, her hand moving upwards, spreading the creamy white lotion across Xin Yao’s back, her touch like a caress, her fingers tracing the smooth curves of her body, the lotion like moonlight on snow.

    She reached the thin strap of Xin Yao’s swimsuit and hesitated, unsure whether to go over it, lift it, or simply untie it.

    But she didn’t have to choose.

    The strap, already loose, suddenly came undone.

    Xin Yao, feeling the sudden release, turned her head, a puzzled expression on her face.

    “Did you…?”

    Xu Jingyu, her intentions exposed, feigned innocence.

    “It wasn’t me,” she said, even though she had been thinking about it.

    Just then, Xin Yao’s eyes widened in surprise.

    “Xu Jingyu, are you… are you having a nosebleed?”

    Xu Jingyu paused, instinctively touching her nose. Her fingers came away clean.

    Xin Yao burst out laughing. “I was just kidding!”

    But Xu Jingyu didn’t laugh.

    Xin Yao, confused, turned to look at her and saw Xu Jingyu’s gaze fixed on her bare back, her eyes dark and intense, their message clear.

    Xin Yao’s laughter died in her throat, her own eyes widening in disbelief.

    “You’re not seriously… aroused by applying sunscreen, are you?”

    “Wait, are you actually having a nosebleed?”

    Xin Yao’s swimsuit strap, having come undone, had remained untied, her earlier teasing and laughter distracting her.

    As she turned, her back was exposed, her breasts rising and falling with each breath, their shape clearly visible beneath the thin fabric of her swimsuit.

    Xu Jingyu’s gaze, unable to resist, had lingered.

    And then she had heard Xin Yao’s words, her exclamation of surprise.

    This time, it seemed, it was real.

    Xu Jingyu touched her nose, her finger coming away stained with a faint trace of blood.

    Then, slowly, she looked up at Xin Yao, her gaze intense.

    Xin Yao, meeting her eyes, froze for a moment, then, like a startled rabbit, she turned and ran.

    But Xu Jingyu was faster, her long fingers reaching out and capturing Xin Yao’s ankle, pulling her back, slowly, inexorably, like a predator reeling in its prey.

  • The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v2c63p1

    Chapter 63: Miss Knight, This is Called Getting Even p1

    The darkness that had enveloped the sky finally began to dissipate. At the same time, the crimson crescent moon gradually dimmed until it vanished without a trace.

    In its place, countless stars emerged, scattered across the sky above Victoria. The clear sky was devoid of clouds, revealing a boundless expanse of stars, as if one could reach out and pluck them from the heavens.

    Elsa tilted her head back, her mouth slightly agape. She had clearly never seen such a beautiful and brilliant starry night, her face filled with wonder.

    “Wow, what a beautiful sky…”

    “It is beautiful.”

    Luo Ling looked up at the stars, suddenly thinking of a girl very similar to herself. A faint smile appeared on her lips. “I feel… Stasha would really like this.”

    This would be the place of that girl’s dreams, the girl who chased fireflies and starry skies.

    “Who?”

    Elsa paused, turning to look at Luo Ling.

    She seemed to have heard an unfamiliar name from Miss Luo Ling…

    Could it be… the older sister Miss Luo Ling just mentioned?

    “A rather well-behaved girl, you wouldn’t know her,” Luo Ling replied, stroking Elsa’s hair.

    “Ah, I don’t know her…”

    Elsa’s expression changed slightly. Hearing those words, it seemed this Miss Stasha wasn’t even the sister mentioned earlier.

    When did Miss Luo Ling meet another girl she didn’t know?

    “I’m well-behaved too,” Elsa said, puffing out her cheeks.

    Luo Ling was taken aback by Elsa’s reaction and chuckled helplessly. “Yes, yes, Elsa is very well-behaved too.”

    Elsa nodded with satisfaction, enjoying Luo Ling’s caress.

    But soon, she came to her senses, realizing something was amiss. “Wait, wasn’t it midday when we left the apartment? Why is it suddenly night?”

    Elsa looked around, noticing the scenery seemed different from the area around their apartment. It was desolate, almost completely devoid of people.

    Turning her head, Elsa was startled. The three-story apartment building was now just a frame, filled with tools, as if still under construction.

    It was different from what she knew, yet also… not much different.

    “Is this… Victoria?” Elsa couldn’t help but ask. “It feels familiar, but not quite…”

    “Yes, this is Victoria, but… not the normal Victoria. It’s a Kingdom.”

    Luo Ling sensed everything around her. She could vaguely grasp everything within this Kingdom, but it was like through a thin veil, a slightly awkward feeling, an indirect rather than direct control.

    It was simple: she was the owner of this Kingdom, but… also not.

    This was Linna’s Kingdom.

    —The Kingdom, “Starry Victoria.”

    Luo Ling was indirectly controlling this Kingdom through Linna, which was why it felt awkward. Although Linna had become a part of her, she still possessed her own consciousness.

    However, she hadn’t expected Linna to acquire a Kingdom…

    Miss Iris had emptied her pockets, incurred a mountain of debt, and even risked her life to barely seize Twilight Victoria.

    Although this was partly because the Kingdom Miss Iris desired had to possess the characteristic of immortality and couldn’t be just any Kingdom, it was… still extremely valuable.

    Don’t assume that because Victoria had experienced seventy-four collapses, there were seventy-four Kingdoms. In reality, most Boundary collapses didn’t form Kingdoms, and under certain conditions, an indefinite number of Kingdoms could be born.

    The number of existing Kingdoms was unknown, but it certainly wasn’t very large.

    Of course, not all Kingdoms were solely owned. More often, a group of Grotesquery Apostles shared a Kingdom. Victoria was large enough to accommodate millions of people.

    Even though Kingdoms were different from the real world, with extremely limited resources, supporting tens of thousands of people wasn’t a problem.

    “Kingdom?”

    Elsa tilted her head, confused.

    Although she had entered Iris’s Kingdom, Twilight Victoria, before, Iris had erased all her memories of being within the Kingdom before she left.

    “You can think of it as an abnormal Boundary, born during a Boundary collapse, preserving a fragment of the Boundary at a specific point in time.”

    Luo Ling explained the concept of a Kingdom to Elsa while checking on her teammates’ conditions.

    Among the three injured teammates, Eve’s injuries were the most severe. Even though Luo Ling had made thorough preparations and immediately used Puppet Ballad’s first ability, Proliferation, to heal her, the loss of life force was real.

    Streaks of grey now appeared in the Iron Fist maid’s hair, wrinkles formed at the corners of her eyes, and her skin had taken on a sallow hue.

    Grotesquery abilities weren’t without a price. This was the result of Luo Ling suppressing the Puppet Ballad’s instincts and not devouring Eve’s flesh and blood. Under normal circumstances, after such treatment by the Puppet Ballad, one would be half-dead.

    Miracles and magic weren’t free.

    Of course, this aging wasn’t permanent. With time and care, her body could recover. However, for a while, Miss Eve would become Aunt Eve, or even Grandma Eve.

    The essence of the Puppet Ballad was still Silent Demise, not Myriad. Luo Ling couldn’t replenish Eve’s life force.

    “At least she’s alright,” Luo Ling breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat reassured.

    Surviving a surprise attack by a Ninth-Order Awakened One wielding an Authority was already fortunate. Expecting to be completely unharmed was wishful thinking.

    Cen Xiangyun and Lu Manqing’s injuries were less serious. Cheng Jianming seemed to have held back. Cen Xiangyun suffered from ability backlash and scattered inspiration. Although she looked frightening with blood trickling from her orifices, it wasn’t fatal.

    With treatment from a true Myriad Path Awakened One and a few days of rest, she should fully recover.

    Compared to Cen Xiangyun, Lu Manqing’s condition was slightly more serious, but she had merely fainted from blood loss.

    Cheng Jianming, as a professional killer, was precise with his attacks. Lu Manqing’s blood loss could also be recovered through recuperation.

    Awakened Ones’ physiques were still far superior to ordinary humans, including their ability to recover from injuries.

    However…

    While examining Lu Manqing’s injuries, Luo Ling inadvertently noticed something unusual. A glint of silver caught her eye, coming from near Lu Manqing’s ankle.

    Luo Ling crouched down, pulling up Lu Manqing’s pant leg. Her expression immediately turned serious. “This is… Wait, why does Lu Manqing have this?”

    A plain metal ring encircled Lu Manqing’s ankle, looking strangely familiar to Luo Ling.

    She pondered for a moment, then took a ring from her hair. Comparing the two, her expression darkened. “Identical… How could Lu Manqing have something belonging to the Gypsy Girl?

    “Oh wait, the Gypsy Girl knew her father, Old Ji…”

    If they knew each other, Old Ji might have called in a favor from the Speakers, just like the plant Fiona received, which could be given to others.

    Lu Manqing’s ring might have been given to her by Old Ji.

    However… Luo Ling always felt that Lu Manqing was somewhat mysterious, her abilities not quite resembling those of the Myriad Path.

    Of course, Lu Manqing wasn’t a Grotesquery. Luo Ling’s judgment on this was extremely accurate.

    But regardless, at least towards this team, Lu Manqing’s feelings were genuine.

    After treating her teammates’ injuries, Luo Ling pondered what to do with them.

    Elsa was a given. She couldn’t stay with the Company any longer. Since Linna had acquired a Kingdom, Elsa, as her Apostle, now had a place to belong.

    Within Starry Victoria, Luo Ling and Linna were the absolute rulers.

    As for the others…

    Cen Xiangyun and Lu Manqing both had influential backgrounds. Many of Cen Xiangyun’s family elders were P8-level specialists in the Company, holding managerial positions in various branches, and one was even a P9 branch director.

    It could be said that Cen Xiangyun had been tied to the Company since birth. This was also why Cheng Jianming hadn’t killed her.

    Lu Manqing’s background was no less impressive. Before his abilities were crippled, her father, Old Ji, was one of the top Other Shore Path Awakened Ones outside the Speakers.

    Even though Old Ji was crippled, her mother was still the P9 director of the Wellington branch. These close family ties were enough to spare Lu Manqing from Cheng Jianming’s sword.

    Luo Ling didn’t intend to do anything with these two teammates. They had witnessed “Luo Ling’s death,” and they clearly saw the killer, Cheng Jianming.

    Most importantly, their safety wasn’t Luo Ling’s concern. Their families would naturally make arrangements.

    Besides, taking Cen Xiangyun and Lu Manqing with her would only cause more trouble.

    The question was… what to do with the Iron Fist Maid, Eve?

    Although Eve was a duke’s daughter in the real world, a true lady of high society, that was merely a worldly identity, holding little influence in the Awakened world.

    Unless she was like Odeletta, a princess whose influence extended across a region, and in a delicate foreign land at that. If young Odeletta had died back then, it might have triggered many unnecessary incidents.

    It might even have directly affected the Company’s plans. That was why Frick, the traitor of the Hunt team, wanted to protect Odeletta and help her escape.

    “Eve…”

    A glint flickered in Luo Ling’s eyes.

    She had initially wondered why Cheng Jianming had targeted Eve first, not her or Elsa. She only understood after seeing Cheng Jianming take out the Purgatory larva.

    It wasn’t because Eve posed a greater threat. For Cheng Jianming, a Ninth-Order Awakened One wielding an Authority-level Sacred Tool, there wasn’t much difference between a Seventh-Order and a lower-ranked Awakened One. They were all just one sword strike away from death.

    Killing Eve first was simply to quickly activate the Purgatory larva and reform the Incubation Barrier.

    …How similar to what happened back then.

    Judging from this situation, the Company had likely initiated a Boundary collapse plan similar to the one from back then, to erase any irreversible mistakes.

    Back then, the Company had made some unknown error, leading to the arrival of the “Immortality” Taboo disaster.

    Then the Harbingers intervened, and Artist conducted his ascension ritual. In the end, the Company turned the tables, using the Boundary collapse to rectify their mistake and interrupting Artist’s ascension, severing his future.

    Even when they went to Jiangcheng County, Artist still held a deep fear of the Company.

    This reactivated plan forced Luo Ling to shift her attention from the Harbingers to the Company, re-evaluating the game being played in Victoria, wondering how many pieces each side still held hidden.

    “To be safe, Eve can’t go back.”

    Luo Ling extended her hand, fungal threads spreading across Eve’s body, dominating her flesh and blood.

    Of course, Luo Ling didn’t intend to turn Eve into a Grotesquery like Linna, making her a part of herself.

    To most Awakened Ones, Grotesqueries were terrifying monsters.

    Even back then, Luo Ling had only resorted to such drastic measures to save Linna’s life, willing to do anything to bring her back. She had even prepared herself for Linna’s resentment.

    Eve’s injuries weren’t so severe that she needed to become a Grotesquery to survive. Luo Ling naturally wouldn’t make such a decision on her own.

    Nor could she casually reveal her identity to Eve. After all… Grotesqueries were Grotesqueries, humans were humans, and the difference between them was vast.

    Not everyone was like Linna and Elsa, able to accept the fact that Luo Ling was a Grotesquery.

    So Luo Ling used domination to sustain Eve’s life, keeping her consciousness dormant until her lost life force was restored.

    Otherwise, if Eve returned in her current aged state, it would cause a lot of trouble, both for Luo Ling and Eve herself.

    The Company wouldn’t overlook any clues related to Cheng Jianming’s death.

    However… taking Eve away without a trace might also raise suspicions.

    Luo Ling thought for a moment, and a… slightly mischievous idea came to mind. Even she found it a bit strange.

    “Should I… impersonate Eve?”

    Through this experiment, Luo Ling had more or less mastered the technique of using Proliferation to create clones. The fake Luo Ling she created was indistinguishable from the real one, even to Elsa, who was closest to her.

  • Back to Three Years Old: Crushing Scumbags on a Parenting Reality Show 134

    Chapter 134

    Qin Sichao stood by the road, watching as the ambulance drove away, until it finally disappeared at the end of the road.

    The sun at 8 AM in midsummer was already scorching, Qin Sichao, dressed in black, stood under the sun without any shade, his body hot, but his heart cold.

    A perfectly healthy person, how could he just collapse…

    After a long while, Qin Sichao finally moved, he returned to the villa.

    Squeezing through the half-open door into the monitoring room on the third floor, Qin Sichao glanced at Jin Youliang and Zeng Huanian, who were sitting side by side, facing the wall of monitoring screens, he walked to the corner silently, dragged a stool, and sat down.

    Since Lao Shan wouldn’t let him go with them, asking him to stay and watch over things here, then he would stay and watch.

    Although Qin Sichao didn’t say anything, the sound of the stool scraping against the floor still startled the two people in the room.

    “Director Qin, please sit here.” Jin Youliang said, standing up immediately and offering his seat, which was directly facing the screens, when he saw Qin Sichao.

    “No need, you guys focus on your work.” Qin Sichao said, waving his hand, refusing, then took out his phone.

    Trending topic #1: [Truth behind ‘Where’s Baby Going’ Season 3 Director Shi Dingshan’s Divorce]

    Trending topic #2: [Shi Dingshan’s son is not his biological child]

    Trending topic #7: [Variety show director cuckolded, raising someone else’s child]

    Trending topic #12…

    Earlier, Shi Dingshan, who was happily drinking porridge, his phone in his hand, suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed.

    Qin Sichao never expected that the little pill bottle Shi Dingshan had entrusted to him just a couple of days ago would be used today.

    After giving him the medicine and calling 120, seeing that Shi Dingshan had recovered, Qin Sichao finally noticed what was playing on his phone, which had fallen to the ground.

    An intimate couple…

    A happy “family of three”…

    It was truly outrageous, it almost cost someone their life!

    Qin Sichao scrolled through the trending topics one by one, then switched to his contacts and started sending messages.

    The current source seemed to be marketing accounts, he wanted to see what was going on.

    Qin Sichao, his head lowered, his phone screen being tapped furiously by his angry fingers, finally stopped typing after a while. He then talked to the staff member who was accompanying Shi Dingshan to the hospital, and when he looked up, he realized only he and Jin Youliang were left in the room.

    “Where are they going?” Qin Sichao asked, standing up, walking to Jin Youliang’s side, and looking at the multiple live broadcast windows on the monitoring wall, showing the inside of a vehicle.

    The earlier anger had given him a headache, his chest even felt a bit tight. He needed to distract himself, to avoid being the next one to collapse from anger.

    “They’re going to the newly built aquarium, which will officially open to the public next week. The task for this morning is for the babies to use Polaroid cameras to find the fish in the picture books we provided, inside the aquarium, and take clear photos of them. Before we come back, we’ll rank the babies based on the number of qualified photos they take, and reward them with vouchers based on their ranking. They can use the vouchers to choose souvenirs they like from the aquarium’s gift shop, and we’ll pay.” Jin Youliang explained the current situation quickly to Qin Sichao, then gestured towards the chair next to him. “Director Qin, please sit here, Xiao Zeng went to the aquarium with them.”

    “The advertising fee for Polaroid cameras is well spent, yesterday afternoon and this morning, that’s already a whole day. The babies are taking pictures, what about the dads, are they all with their own babies today?” Qin Sichao asked, sitting down, his eyes sweeping over the tray on the coffee table between them.

    “Yes, each dad is with their own baby. Right, I just contacted Xiao Wang, Director Shi is already at the hospital, undergoing further examinations, he’s doing okay. Director Qin, you haven’t eaten much this morning, right? I asked someone to bring some food, you can eat while watching.” Jin Youliang said, casually mentioning the food on the tray, then continued explaining, “We were originally planning to continue the dad swap, but Director Shi sent a message last night saying to let the dads be with their own babies, so this morning’s task is family-based.”

    Glutinous rice stuffed with lotus root, mung bean cake, bite-sized baked flatbreads, braised edamame and peanuts, peeled and diced peaches with toothpicks inserted, and a bowl of porridge with ice.

    Was this what he called “asking someone to bring some random food”? This was catering to his recent preferences!

    Qin Sichao picked up the bowl of porridge and took a sip.

    As expected, it wasn’t plain porridge, he could taste yam and soy milk, it was cold, refreshing, and slightly sweet, one sip and the anger in his heart subsided.

    He was truly thoughtful.

    Just like Shi Dingshan said, this Jin Youliang was full of little schemes, but he was also useful.

    Qin Sichao slowly drank his porridge, listening to Jin Youliang’s whispered instructions, asking someone to adjust the camera angle, asking someone else to reposition the microphone, asking someone to zoom in the lens.

    It was a level of busyness that wasn’t there when Shi Dingshan was here.

    Qin Sichao glanced at Jin Youliang, who was busy working, from the corner of his eye. He could see that this young man was trying to show off his abilities.

    This kind of ambition, it was normal.

    But it was best if it was just ambition.

    Qin Sichao couldn’t help but wonder if last night’s conversation had opened his mind too much, it still hadn’t fully closed. Sitting here, he kept thinking about the words they discussed last night.

    “Who would do something bad without any benefits? When looking for suspects, start with those who would benefit.”

    These were the words they discussed when analyzing the bathroom incident last night.

    But Qin Sichao felt that those words might also be applicable to analyzing today’s situation.

    Putting aside the thoughts of those in the monitoring room at the villa, Wei Chengli, in the car, was feeling quite tormented.

    Live broadcast, live broadcast.

    Cameras, cameras.

    He had been looking for an opportunity since breakfast, but he couldn’t find one…

    Now they were in the car, on their way, it was evident that there was no chance to talk to Shi Dingshan this morning.

    The key was, Wei Chengli looked at the little chubby dumpling on his left, then at Yan Yan on his right, he… regretted it!

    People should truly learn to be content, contentment brought happiness, greed only led to destruction.

    Heaven and earth could bear witness, he just casually poked at his egg at the breakfast table earlier, and the little chubby dumpling offered to help him mix the sauce, then he casually complained, “My baby, she doesn’t love me anymore, she only sat next to me on the first day.”

    And then…

    Under the little rascal’s enthusiastic invitation, “Dad, I love you, sit next to me,” Wei Chengli had to face the consequences of his own actions.

    This wasn’t the kind of “sitting next to” he wanted! Let him be the odd one out in the family!

    He wanted to sit in the spacious and comfortable seat in the front, Wei Chengli, squeezed between two child safety seats, silently shed tears, he couldn’t be happy anymore.

    On the moving bus, he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t be happy.

    Wen Qiming, his face grim, stared out the window. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his expression management in front of the camera, he was just too depressed to manage it.

    Last night, because of Wei Maomao’s fall in the bathroom, the program team decided to rearrange the rooms, returning to the one-room-per-family mode.

    Wen Qiming received the notification while he was showering, Shen Jianghe was the one who moved out of their room. When he hurriedly finished showering and came out, Yueyue had already been brought over by the staff.

    Seeing his daughter sitting by the bed, looking a bit startled, Wen Qiming, who rarely comforted his daughter, even tried to soothe her. But when he asked about Wei Maomao’s fall, Yueyue was very brief, she didn’t seem to want to talk about it. At that time, he even wanted to take Yueyue to the Wei family’s room to check on her, but Yueyue didn’t respond, then the staff also said the doctor said she was fine and it was too late, everyone should rest, so Wen Qiming didn’t insist.

    But when Wen Qiming woke up this morning and called Yueyue to get up, he found his daughter hiding under the blanket, secretly crying…

    After coaxing and questioning, he finally found out what happened… Wen Qiming was almost angered to death.

    No wonder the staff only mentioned it as an accident when they brought Yueyue over last night, no wonder they advised him not to take Yueyue to see Maomao.

    So that was it!

    Putting aside anything else, Wen Qiming absolutely believed his daughter wouldn’t lie.

    She said the floor wasn’t slippery when she left the bathroom, then it wasn’t slippery.

    Then who was lying, it was obvious.

    Thinking about the dramatic events in the Cheng family these past few days, Wen Qiming couldn’t help but suspect that his daughter was being dragged down.

    But they had just figured out the situation when it was 8 AM, the staff came to urge them to go downstairs for the live broadcast.

    His last bit of rationality made Wen Qiming suppress his anger, he got his daughter ready and took her downstairs. He planned to talk to the director team after filming the breakfast segment, to ask them what they meant.

    But as soon as they went downstairs, Wen Qiming saw the other dads lining up to express their concern for Wei Maomao, they all treated it as an accident, and Wei Maomao didn’t even deny it.

    Hearing that, Wen Qiming could guess what the program team was doing, they wanted the person involved to admit it was just an accident.

    Rationally speaking, whether it was intentional or an accident, for a live broadcast show, it was definitely more appropriate to handle it as an accident. Having been a host for so many years, Wen Qiming understood this kind of bias.

    If it weren’t for Cheng Rongrong’s words, an accident would just be an accident.

    But she said it!

    Although there was no live broadcast last night for the children, and not many people heard Cheng Rongrong’s words, Wen Qiming couldn’t swallow this injustice.

    Not cleaning her own house and throwing dirty water on others, then acting like nothing happened because no one pursued it, how could there be such a good thing?

    Looking at that little chubby girl, obediently being comforted by the other dads, even nodding when they told her to be careful next time…

    Wen Qiming truly… was about to laugh in exasperation.

    Where was her spirit from that day, when he didn’t immediately accept the flowers Yueyue bought him, when she rolled on the ground and made those sarcastic remarks?

    Now that she was the one suffering a loss, she just swallowed it silently?

    And Wei Chengli, where was his brain? Did he truly think his daughter fell on her own? Didn’t he even suspect anything?

    Wen Qiming truly regretted it, he should have asked Yueyue properly last night, he shouldn’t have assumed that his daughter was just startled and let her sleep after comforting her. He should have asked clearly, taken his child upstairs, looked for evidence, then gone to the Wei family, knocked some sense into Wei Chengli, and joined forces to make the program team handle it properly.

    But now, the situation was already a mess, if they tried to unravel it, not only would they fail, they would also get dirty themselves.

    Truly!

    Infuriating!

    Wen Qiming stared out the window for a long time, he took many deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, only after a while did he turn back and look at his daughter, who was also looking unhappy.

    The most pitiful thing was… during breakfast, he saw Yueyue secretly glancing at Maomao and Yan Yan several times. When Cheng Rongrong said the floor was already slippery when she entered the bathroom, Yan Yan was outside. Yueyue must be afraid that they would believe Cheng Rongrong’s words and think she was the one who made the floor slippery…

    It was truly unbelievable.

    “Yueyue, look.” Wen Qiming said gently, after calming himself down, he took out a candy from his pocket and handed it to his daughter.

    Wen Jiangyue looked down at it and shook her head.

    “It’s okay, Dad will give you another one when you want to eat it later. I got a few when I came out, you can have as many as you want.” Wen Qiming said, gently stroking his daughter’s head with one hand, while the other hand tightly clutched the candy.

    After breakfast, after announcing the morning’s task, he took advantage of the time when everyone was packing and told the staff he wanted to meet with the director team. But he didn’t see any of them! The staff member who relayed the message only said that the director team had an emergency to deal with, and he could only meet with them after the morning’s task was over.

    What emergency!

    When their car was leaving, he clearly saw Zeng Huanian at the entrance of the villa next door, about to get into the car with them!

    What, were they avoiding him?

    When Cheng Rongrong said those words, there were other staff members around, right? Could it be that the program team also knew what the problem was, but they didn’t want to correct it privately?

    He wasn’t asking them to publicly contradict their previous statement during the live broadcast.

    He just…

    Wen Qiming glanced at his daughter, who had leaned against him after he stroked her head.

    He just wanted to clear his daughter’s name and shift the blame back to where it belonged!

    In the last car of the convoy, Zeng Huanian sneezed again. He had been sneezing since they got into the car, he had a bad feeling about this.

    Zeng Huanian, worried, sent another message to Xiao Wang, asking about Director Shi’s situation.

    Xiao Wang, squatting in the hospital corridor, looked at the chat window with Zeng Huanian, just two minutes had passed, and he received the same question again… And Jin Youliang, Director Qin, Xiao Zhao, Xiao Li… they were all doing the same.

    Xiao Wang, who had already almost rubbed a hole in his phone screen from replying to messages, took a deep breath.

    Enough!

    Zeng Huanian, waiting for Xiao Wang’s reply, took a sip of water, then, accidentally glancing at his phone, he…

    “Director Zeng, you…” Xiao Zhao, in the passenger seat, turned around with a wronged expression, his shoulder wet.

    But Zeng Huanian didn’t have time to apologize, he grabbed his phone and started browsing.

    Two seconds later, Zeng Huanian slumped back in his seat, defeated, he threw his phone aside and apologized sincerely to Xiao Zhao.

    “It’s okay, I was just startled.” Xiao Zhao said, then looked at Zeng Huanian, confused, holding up his phone. “Director Zeng, this ‘Save Director Shi’ group…”

    Zeng Huanian’s lips twitched slightly. “Xiao Wang just created the group, it’s probably for us to discuss Director Shi’s current situation. But with this group name, I think after Director Shi recovers and sees it, we’ll be the ones saving Xiao Wang.” Director Shi wouldn’t beat him, but “he” would, he almost had a heart attack when he first saw the group name, he thought something serious had happened to Director Shi.

    With such a talent for naming, it was a waste for him to be a production assistant, he should go and work in post-production!

    But Zeng Huanian didn’t expect that just ten minutes later, he himself… wouldn’t want to be a production assistant anymore.

    The aquarium they were going to this morning was half an hour’s drive from the villa area. It was newly built and would officially open to the public next week. All the facilities were in place, they could visit and play normally, and there were no other tourists, it was the perfect filming location for their show.

    He was the one who contacted this place initially. But at that time… it failed. After all, opening the aquarium exclusively for the program team required a lot of manpower and resources, the aquarium had refused.

    But after the show aired, seeing the show’s popularity, the aquarium… not only contacted them proactively, but also offered many favorable terms, even saying that once the program team arrived, their staff would be fully prepared to cooperate.

    And so… They were originally going to pay to film here, and now they were being paid to come.

    Zeng Huanian, as he got out of the car, was still marveling at the world’s fickleness, then in the next second, he was dragged away by a thug… oh no, by Wen Qiming.

    “Teacher Wen, this… your cameraman…” Zeng Huanian said, after being dragged a few steps by Wen Qiming, he looked at the empty space where Wen Qiming came from, bewildered.

    “Lost him.” Wen Qiming said, getting straight to the point, annoyed. “Yesterday, Wei Maomao fell, because of who?”

    “Who? Didn’t Maomao fall on her own?” Zeng Huanian asked instinctively, then looked at Wen Qiming’s collar and waist. “Teacher Wen, where’s your microphone?”

    Wen Qiming, hearing the expected answer, sneered. “I’ve also been in this industry for many years, don’t try to fool me with this kind of nonsense. I’m asking you, our Yueyue said the floor wasn’t slippery when she left the bathroom, but Cheng Rongrong said it was slippery when she went in, what does that mean? Is she implying that our Yueyue made the bathroom floor slippery, causing Wei Maomao to fall? What evidence does she have to say that? Clearly, she came out, and then Wei Maomao went in, wasn’t it her who made the floor slippery, and now that something happened, she’s trying to shift the blame to our Yueyue? I can understand you saying it was an accident to the public, but shouldn’t we clarify it privately? Whoever’s fault it is, should be held accountable, why be so ambiguous, who are you implying?”

    “No, no, no… Teacher Wen, wait.” Zeng Huanian said, dumbfounded by Wen Qiming’s barrage of questions. “What are you talking about?”

    “What, you still don’t understand?” Wen Qiming asked, adjusting Zeng Huanian’s collar, dissatisfied. “Then let me explain it to you properly…”

    …

    As Wen Qiming finally found someone to vent to, at the entrance of the aquarium, Wen Jiangyue, clutching her microphone pack, looked worriedly in the direction Wen Qiming had left.

    “Yueyue, we should go in. Your dad said he had something to do, he’ll join us later.” Shen Jianghe said with a smile, holding Wen Jiangyue’s left hand, his right hand holding Shen Zilin’s.

    Wen Jiangyue glanced at Shen Jianghe, then at Shen Zilin, who was already excitedly walking ahead, she finally followed the group.

    As soon as they entered the aquarium, the host announced the start of the task, the families could start taking pictures of the fish based on the clues in their booklets.

    Wen Jiangyue looked back at the entrance, no Dad.

    “Yueyue, why don’t you walk with us first? Your dad can ask the staff and find us.” Shen Jianghe said, squatting down with a smile. “Uncle Shen will teach you how to use the Polaroid camera…”

    “Right, Yan Yan, come with us. Today’s task is for each baby to exchange their photos for vouchers individually, she can also take pictures with us.”

    Shen Jianghe, entrusted with comforting Little Yueyue, hadn’t even finished speaking when her attention was drawn by Wei Chengli’s loud voice.

    Shen Jianghe swallowed his words and looked over as well.

    He saw the two little ones, always inseparable, standing hand in hand behind Wei Chengli.

    And Cheng Feiying, holding Cheng Rongrong, his face grim, muttered a few words, then turned and left.

    Shen Jianghe looked at Wei Chengli’s straight and tense back, he sensed something different.

    Yesterday, Shen Jianghe had walked with them for the entire afternoon, watching Wei Chengli diligently take pictures of Wei Maomao, Cheng Tingyan, and Cheng Rongrong. How should he put it, whether it was taking pictures or showing concern, he was quite fair. But people had different levels of closeness, Shen Jianghe could still tell that for Wei Chengli, it was… his own daughter, Yan Yan, the accessory to his daughter, and Rongrong, the stranger he had to take care of for the task.

    But how come today…

    It wasn’t “Yan Yan and Maomao together,” but “Yan Yan and us together,” and that protective stance…

    Just as Shen Jianghe was lost in thought, the small hand in his left hand started to wiggle.

    “What’s wrong?” Shen Jianghe asked, turning to look at Wen Jiangyue.

    Wen Jiangyue, her lips pursed, looked at the Wei family.

    Shen Jianghe followed her gaze and saw Little Maomao beckoning them.

    “You go, you can either follow Maomao’s dad or me, but you can’t run around the aquarium alone.” Shen Jianghe said, releasing her hand.

    He released her hand, but the little girl hesitated, not leaving.

    “What’s wrong?” Shen Jianghe asked, tugging at his son’s hand. “Stop thinking about fish, be considerate of your sister.”

    As soon as he finished speaking, the little girl, who had been lingering, ran off.

    Shen Jianghe: “… “

    Just as she was about to reach Maomao and Yan Yan, Wen Jiangyue stopped, lowered her head, and started shuffling forward…

    “Is there gold on the floor?” Wei Maomao asked, unable to hold back, she went to meet her, then looked at the aquarium entrance. “Yueyue, where’s your dad?”

    “He… has… something… to do…” Wen Jiangyue said softly.

    “What? Oh… He has something to do. Are you okay? You’re speaking so softly today. You didn’t even look at me when I waved at you when we got off the bus.” Wei Maomao said, rummaging through her pocket, she pulled out a vacuum-packed braised quail egg. “Here, for you.”

    “I didn’t see you.” Wen Jiangyue said, looking at the quail egg in the little chubby paw, she nervously clenched her hand around her pants, she didn’t take it.

    “Eat it. You don’t know how to open it? It’s like jelly. Should I open it for you?” Wei Maomao said, her chubby paw searching for the opening on the quail egg.

    But before she could even exert any force, her arm was gently pulled by Cheng Tingyan next to her.

    Wei Maomao turned to her, confused.

    “Yueyue, I know… It wasn’t you. Maomao also knows.” Cheng Tingyan said, her words vague, but her tone gentle and firm.

    What wasn’t? Wei Maomao, still struggling to open the quail egg, didn’t understand what Cheng Tingyan meant.

    Then, in the next second, Wei Maomao heard Wen Jiangyue burst into tears, then, like a swift leopard cat, she rushed past her and hugged Cheng Tingyan.

    Wei Maomao: “… “

  • As a villain, I just want them to behave 247

    Chapter 247: The Honey Trap

    Meggie Liran didn’t have time to think. She quickly jumped off the table.

    Her clothes weren’t just disheveled, they were practically in tatters. Her once luxurious attire was now ripped and torn, with a gaping hole just below her chest.

    But it was too late to escape now that she had heard Chrissy’s voice.

    Meggie Liran frantically searched for a place to hide, finally settling for sitting on Kailun’s lap, using his body to shield herself from Chrissy’s view.

    “Make Chrissy stop, or I’ll…”

    Meggie Liran was panicking. She couldn’t let Chrissy see her in this state. Her image would be completely ruined.

    “Or you’ll what?” Kailun chuckled, repeating her words.

    He had reminded Chrissy to “play her role” before calling her over, so she was walking much slower than usual, giving Meggie Liran a chance to struggle.

    Seeing her on the verge of tears, Kailun waved to Chrissy, his back facing her. “Chrissy, can you please pour me a cup of hot tea?”

    “No problem. But who’s sitting on your lap? They look familiar.”

    From over twenty meters away, Chrissy could only see a woman sitting on Kailun’s lap, her legs the only visible part.

    She claimed to recognize those legs but pretended not to know who they belonged to, playing along with Kailun.

    “Oh, this is a pet I caught in the Temple. She looks pretty, so I’m thinking of ‘tasting’ her.”

    Kailun looked down at the hidden Pope, his voice full of amusement.

    “I understand. I’ll go pour you some tea.” Chrissy chuckled to herself and left the library.

    As soon as Chrissy left, Meggie Liran tried to jump off Kailun’s lap and escape, but he wouldn’t let her go.

    “I’m not done talking yet. Wait a moment.”

    He reminded her, “Besides dealing with the rebels tomorrow, you also have to keep an eye on the teleportation magic circle. I might need to use it. If anything unexpected happens, inform me immediately. If you hide anything from me, I’ll ‘take care of you’ in front of Chrissy next time I come back, understand?”

    “I understand.”

    Meggie Liran glared at Kailun resentfully.

    “Go now. Remember to be available when I need you.” Kailun removed the slave collar from her neck, restoring her strength.

    “Hmph!”

    Now free, she looked directly into his eyes, struggling to suppress the urge to crush his throat.

    The contract restricted her from harming Kailun or anyone around him, even indirectly.

    This contract was comprehensive, with almost no loopholes. She had signed an indefinite “deed of sale.”

    Now, she not only had to handle the Temple’s affairs but also teach Chrissy magic. She was basically a tool.

    “If you give me that look again, I’ll punish you even more severely.”

    Kailun squeezed a sensitive spot on her chest.

    “Hiss~”

    Pain and a strange sensation coursed through her body, making her tremble.

    Unable to stay any longer, Meggie Liran glared at Kailun and teleported back to her room.

    She needed to cleanse her “defiled” body and find a suitable excuse to explain everything to Chrissy.

    She couldn’t tell Chrissy that Kailun had suddenly had a change of heart and let her go, could she?

    “Damn you, Kailun! I’ll get my revenge one day!”

    Lying in the bathtub, Meggie Liran tried to encourage herself. She needed more excuses to justify her wrong decisions.

    But she knew that her chances of turning the tables were slim after signing that contract. She had completely sold herself out.

    She curled up in the bathtub, hugging her knees, looking vulnerable instead of strong.

    ……

    Ten minutes later, Chrissy returned to the library with a freshly brewed cup of hot tea.

    She placed the teacup on the table in front of Kailun and sat on his lap.

    “How does the Pope taste? Is she as delicious as me?” She sniffed the air around Kailun. “Such a strong scent. It seems you had fun.”

    Kailun wrapped one arm around Chrissy’s slender waist and took a sip of tea with the other. “Not bad. Although her movements were clumsy and she resisted, her expressions were quite rich. It was a good experience, worthy of praise. The biggest problem is her boring fashion sense. You can teach her sometime.”

    “You’re actually answering my question seriously. You really are a pervert. And why didn’t you call me over sooner? It’s such a pity to miss such a good show.”

    Chrissy sighed.

    Kailun placed the teacup back on the table. “If you keep pushing her, she might bash her head against the wall. Wait a little longer. Once she gets used to it, I’ll call you over to join us.”

    Chrissy: “Okay, I’ll listen to you. So, are you leaving tomorrow? Is it okay to leave all these troublesome matters to the Pope?”

    Kailun: “If she can’t even handle the aftermath, it means she’s incompetent. Then I’ll arrange for someone else to replace her.”

    However, the possibility of that happening was low. Meggie Liran had been the Pope for over ten years. Ordinary problems wouldn’t be a challenge for her.

    The only slight issue was Paul, but he was in a very precarious situation. Not only was he being manipulated by Kailun, but he was also surrounded by enemies.

    Meggie Liran and the other Cardinals alone could easily suppress him, let alone Helena, whom Kailun had left behind.

    As for Chrissy, her role was mainly to monitor Meggie Liran. Even with the same attribute boost, her combat power might not be as strong as Helena’s.

    Chrissy snuggled closer to Kailun. “It seems you’ve arranged everything. Please be careful tomorrow. I have a bad feeling about the Empress. From the division of the Temple of the Celestial God to the current invitation, she’s been surprisingly calm, as if she doesn’t care about the gains and losses.”

    “I know. I’ve made several preparations. Whether it’s attacking or retreating, I have the initiative. Moreover, I’ll be taking Afra with me. With her support, many problems can be easily solved.”

    Kailun reviewed his plan for tomorrow. There hadn’t been any major changes.

    Except for Alaye, the entire world was peaceful. The previous turmoil had subsided.

    Especially the White Jade Alliance, which had suffered continuous defeats. They had sealed off their borders and refused to take any action, choosing to watch from the sidelines.

    Everyone knew that a battle between Kailun and the Temple of the Celestial God was inevitable, but they didn’t know the exact time.

    “Oh~”

    Chrissy wasn’t interested in continuing this topic. She leaned against Kailun, feeling a sense of security.

    In the past, her mind would have been filled with lust. She would have immediately ripped off his pants and taken him, enjoying herself to the fullest.

    But now, she was more content with this feeling of intimacy and comfort.

    She wanted time to slow down so she could have Kailun all to herself for a while longer.

    Seeing Chrissy lost in her thoughts, Kailun didn’t disturb her. He continued brainstorming, searching for new magic.

    Soon, Chrissy felt sleepy. She curled up in his arms, yawned, and fell asleep.

    When she woke up again, she was lying in bed. Kailun was nowhere to be seen. Turning around, she only saw Illusion’s petite figure. Even Afra had left.

    She found a letter on her pillow and quickly opened it. As she had expected, Kailun had left Alaye for his meeting with the Empress.

    The letter not only explained his whereabouts but also contained many instructions, even trivial matters were arranged meticulously.

    As expected of Kailun, seemingly carefree, but actually more attentive than anyone else.

    “I’ll make him make up for tonight’s ‘loss’ when he gets back.”

    Chrissy folded the letter and placed it under her pillow.

    She looked out the window. It was still dark.

    Wide awake, she changed out of her pajamas and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the moon outside.

    ……

    Meanwhile, Kailun and Afra had already set off. To be extra prepared, they had left Alaye early.

    In his opinion, the Empress and Fate were the biggest problems. If he could deal with them, he would gain an absolute advantage.

    He had set up several teleportation magic circles along the way as a precaution.

    Because of his unique abilities, ordinary anti-magic formations had no effect on him, so teleportation circles were a good option.

    He admitted that some of his earlier decisions had involved gambling, but now he was more focused on stability.

    Along the way, Kailun and Afra occasionally chatted, but they mostly traveled in silence.

    At noon the next day, Kailun, fully prepared, arrived at the designated location. To his surprise, it was the Empress herself who was there to receive him.

    Strangely, the Empress’s eyes were clear and transparent. He didn’t sense any trace of Fate’s aura. It seemed she wasn’t here.

    “Welcome, Mr. Kailun. I’ve been longing to meet you. You look even younger than the rumors suggest. As expected of a young hero.”

    The Empress, dressed in casual attire, smiled. It didn’t seem like a meeting between enemies.

    He glanced at her goodwill rating. The original -60 had somehow become 0.

    When he realized this, his total attributes suddenly dropped significantly. It was the portion contributed by the Empress.

    Fortunately, he had experienced many storms and wasn’t fazed by this change.

    Kailun carefully observed the Empress. She was wearing a purple dress, elegant and noble, her long hair braided into many small braids that fell down her back.

    Her smile was gentle and elegant, completely different from the image he had in mind.

    Rumors had it that the Empress was hot-tempered and ruthless, always wearing a cold expression. But now, seeing her in person, it was a different story.

    She didn’t look like an emperor, but more like a serious older sister.

    This strange discovery made Kailun even more wary. He glanced around but didn’t sense any other presence. Besides the Empress, there were only a few high-ranking maids standing behind her.

    Moreover, he didn’t sense any magic fluctuations.

    If even he, with his powerful mental perception, couldn’t detect any magic, then there were probably no traps.

    “Mr. Kailun seems to have many questions. Why don’t you follow me to the courtyard for a chat? We have plenty of time.”

    The Empress extended her hand in invitation. The maids behind her parted, creating a path for Kailun.

    Her hospitality was impeccable, but the problem was that they weren’t guests.

    It was worth mentioning that neither Afra nor the person responsible for receiving them had appeared. Afra was one of Kailun’s trump cards.

    “Of course, thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty.” Kailun smiled calmly.

    “The title ‘Your Majesty’ feels a bit distant. You can just call me by my name, Mr. Kailun.”

    She walked ahead. “My name is Galina Stuart. You can call me Galina.”

    Kailun nodded. “I understand, Miss Galina. But I’m curious, how did you guess my identity? Logically, very few people know the truth.”

    The Empress turned back and gave Kailun a meaningful look. “That entity told me. She said you’re a very interesting person and that I should get to know you better. That’s why I invited you here, to discuss our marriage. I, as the Empress of the Empire, and you, as the Pope of the Temple, can unite and create a new era for the Temple of the Celestial God. What do you think, Mr. Kailun?”

    Kailun didn’t refuse immediately. He said, “The entity you speak of is truly remarkable. Even I admire her. I hope to have the chance to meet her one day. As for the marriage proposal, are you sure you don’t mind? After all, I’m not the legitimate Pope.”

    Empress Galina shrugged. “Whether you’re legitimate or not is not for others to decide. As long as that entity acknowledges you, you’re the only true Pope. As for the wedding arrangements, I have no objections. I’m her loyal follower and will obey her every command.”

    She walked up to Kailun, lifted her skirt with both hands, and twirled around, showcasing her beautiful figure. “As long as you’re willing, Mr. Kailun, we can embrace each other tonight. You’ll not only have me, but also the entire Empire. What do you think, greedy Mr. Kailun?”

    Her lifted skirt revealed her fair legs. Compared to the Pope’s pure white attire, she seemed to prefer darker colors. As her skirt fluttered, Kailun saw a flash of breathtaking purple.

    This straightforward expression was unexpected. It wasn’t part of his plan.

    Kailun hesitated. “Allow me to consider it.”

    He had expected a trap, but now it seemed to be a blatant honey trap?

    He wasn’t tempted, only wary.

    The more proactive the Empress was, the more he questioned what he had missed. It seemed that the key still lay with Fate.

    “If you have any doubts, Mr. Kailun, let’s have a detailed discussion in the courtyard. I’ll do my best to show you my sincerity. After all, we have plenty of time, don’t we?”

    Empress Galina gave him a sly smile.

    For a moment, Kailun saw the shadow of another person, but in a blink, Galina was still Galina.

  • Second Time Around, the Villainous Daughter Decides to Indulge First 58

    Chapter 58: The Rain Keeps Falling

    “Master probably doesn’t know, I have twelve younger siblings. They are my most important family, they’ve been with me through the toughest times.”

    Mines smiled. It was a beautiful smile, even more so if one ignored the scars on her back.

    But even now, Mines still possessed a captivating fragility, making one want to embrace her, comfort her, protect her, and give her the world.

    “A truly great mother,” Lena said, choosing her words carefully.

    “You’re mistaken, Master. I don’t have a mother.”

    Mines said sadly, but her eyes held no despair.

    Lena’s worries eased; she realized the girl before her wasn’t as weak as she had thought. “So, you adopted all those children?”

    “Well, some of them… the others…”

    Mines curled her legs up, hugging them, and looked at Lena sideways.

    That pose was incredibly feminine!

    Lena couldn’t believe such an alluring gesture could come from a “little girl,” although Mines had said she was an adult.

    “My Master…”

    Her voice was always tinged with a soft melancholy, like the sound of black and white piano keys pressed by slender fingers, captivating and intoxicating. “Master, do you have any younger siblings?”

    “I have an older brother.”

    Lena thought of the commander of the empire’s magic fleet overseas, whom they affectionately called “Commander.” “I rarely see him, but he loves me very much. He often sends letters, filled with interesting stories from the sea…”

    “Master’s brother must miss you very much, that’s why he writes to you.”

    “Him…”

    Lena’s smile was like the early summer sun as she recalled her brother. “A stubborn, hot-headed idiot, best not to mention him.”

    Time flew by, the clock ticking, the rain intensifying, as if trying to wash them away.

    It seemed she really had to see Mines off…

    “Achoo~”

    What was that sound?

    Lena turned, searching for the source.

    Mines bit her lip, her pale face betraying her distress, her trembling shoulders and the damp spot on the bed beneath her…

    “Why are you still wearing that wet dress? Do you want to catch a cold?!”

    “You gave it to me, Master.”

    “…”

    Lena looked at Mines, and Mines looked back, her red eyes shining like polished agate.

    An awkward silence hung in the air.

    Just as Lena was about to break the silence, Mines spoke softly, “Master is the first person who has been kind to me… The dress is beautiful, I like it very much…”

    “You can’t keep wearing it while it’s wet.”

    Lena reached out to tuck Mines’s hair behind her ear. The once coarse hair, after being treated with high-quality products, was now soft and smooth, like the little fox girl’s tail.

    Her delicate earlobe flushed red under Lena’s gentle touch.

    “I know you’re reluctant, consider it a loan.”

    “Master…” Mines murmured, watching as Lena left the bedroom and returned with a few sets of light maid outfits.

    These were Ling Ling’s old clothes, the perfect size for Mines.

    “Mm, not bad.”

    Lena nodded, appraising Mines.

    “It would be better if the skirt was shorter… just enough to reveal a glimpse of her white bottom, tsk, tsk…”

    Mines nervously clutched her skirt, trying to pull it down, her voice barely a whisper. “Master is lewd.”

    “Lewdness is human nature, a bridge to a new world.”

    Lena’s retort was swift, her serious yet nonsensical words sounding abrupt and flustered, as if she had just thought of them.

    “Too skinny, you need to eat more meat.”

    It sounded like a callous remark, but Lena quickly tossed a silver magic crystal card onto the bed. “There’s three months’ salary inside, consider it an advance. Buy yourself some good food and nourish yourself. You’re so thin, people will think I don’t feed my subordinates… who’s protecting whom?”

    “Are you concerned about me, Master? I’m so happy…”

    Mines carefully put away the card, holding it to her chest. “Thank you, on behalf of my siblings.”

    “Wait, I want to watch you eat.” Lena’s gaze suddenly sharpened.

    “Eh?”

    “You’re definitely planning to buy a bunch of supplements for your family and starve yourself, aren’t you?!”

    Lena seemed to see right through her, and Mines lowered her head, her blush spreading down her neck.

    She fell silent again.

    Why was she so shy after kissing Lena? After saying such seductive words, she wouldn’t even let Lena touch her.

    Did she think of Lena as her secret crush?

    Lena felt a surge of vanity.

    But then she thought, a girl from the slums, covered in scars, with younger siblings to care for, anyone would hesitate to hire her, especially in a place like the empire, where status and identity were paramount.

    Someone like Mines, unregistered and without a profession, faced even greater difficulties in finding work.

    But Lena had given her hope, and Mines believed in the light…

    In conclusion, offering herself wasn’t strange at all!!

    Ahem, Lena thought she was getting carried away, quickly stopping her thoughts.

    “You need to eat well to have the strength to care for others. You’re so weak, how can you feed your siblings?”

    “But I don’t eat much, Master.”

    “Eating less doesn’t mean not eating. Little dove, I’m ordering you, not asking for your opinion.” Lena’s domineering aura was irresistible, and Mines thought her Master was so cool, her heart warming.

    “I’ve prepared supper. If you’re hungry, come downstairs. Remember to wear your stockings.”

    Lena left the room with a meaningful glance.

    Mines looked at the lacy black stockings on the bed, her face flushing even deeper.

    Master… these weren’t just stockings…

    She hurriedly picked them up, trying to figure out how to wear them…

    Lena waited downstairs.

    Leaning back in her armchair, she closed her eyes, her delicate hands folded in her lap, the sound of rain against the windows creating a peaceful scene.

    Suddenly, a golden fox girl burst into the picture, wagging her tail happily, fearlessly climbing onto the seemingly statue-like gray-haired beauty.

    Ling Ling’s voice was as clear as a bell. “Miss, Miss, Ling Ling learned something new today! Huh…? Miss?”

  • Inferior A After Having a Baby with the Top Boss 42p1

    Chapter 42: “Are You An Omega?” p1

    The next day, as soon as the alarm rang, Ming Fei, who had already made plans for the day, got out of bed and washed up without delay, like a robot receiving a command.

    Then, she picked up the sleepy Ming Zaozao and tied her hair while Zaozao washed up.

    After getting dressed in the cloakroom, Ming Fei went downstairs with Ming Zaozao and left a message for Zhu Yiqiao on the third floor through 0619.

    Because of the Yuan Xiu matter, and Ming Zaozao’s upcoming regular physical examination, Ming Fei had made an appointment for a full checkup at the First Hospital in the city center last night after sending a message to Zhu Yiqiao.

    On the way from the living room to the garage, the cold wind instantly blew away Ming Zaozao’s sleepiness.

    “Mommy~”

    Ming Fei responded softly: “Mm?”

    Ming Zaozao buried her face in Ming Fei’s neck and yawned.

    “Baby is not cold, is Mommy cold?”

    Ming Fei’s lips curved upwards: “No.”

    “Mommy learned the magic of not being afraid of the cold!”

    Ming Fei’s eyes crinkled with laughter: “Then what magic has Zaozao learned recently?”

    The mother and daughter chatted innocently. Arriving at the garage, the black self-driving car quickly headed towards its destination.

    Although it was a public holiday, medical staff were still working in some clinics at the hospital. According to the labor law of the Independent State of Yi Meng, these medical staff received five times the normal salary on public holidays and also enjoyed legal rest rights, with their working hours reduced by an hour and a half.

    The examinations in the physical examination room were mostly assisted by intelligent robots, and there were very few medical staff on duty.

    Because some tests required fasting, Ming Fei postponed breakfast by half an hour. But perhaps because they woke up early, Ming Zaozao’s stomach grumbled as soon as she finished the first test.

    But she was very well-behaved, neither crying nor making a fuss. Even when pricked by a needle, she just hugged Ming Fei tightly, her round eyes like polished black glass.

    After completing all the fasting blood tests as quickly as possible, Ming Fei took Ming Zaozao to the restaurant where her friend Li Xing had made a reservation.

    As soon as they entered the restaurant, Ming Zaozao’s stomach grumbled again.

    She touched her deflated belly and asked Ming Fei, puzzled,

    “Is Mommy hungry?”

    Ming Fei wasn’t actually hungry, but she nodded to appease her: “My tummy grumbled too, just a little quieter.”

    Ming Zaozao believed her: “Then let’s hurry upstairs!”

    “Okay.”

    Guided by the hotel’s service robot, they went up to the private room 808 on the eighth floor. The door slowly opened, and Ming Zaozao immediately saw her favorite jujube cake on the dining table.

    She happily ran towards Li Xing.

    “Auntie Xing!”

    The room temperature was comfortable. Ming Fei followed a few steps behind, taking off her coat and scarf and hanging them on the coat rack before walking towards the dining table.

    Li Xing was rolling up Ming Zaozao’s sleeves. Seeing her friend approaching, her gossip senses tingled.

    “Teacher Xiao Fei looks very happy~”

    Ming Fei sat opposite them and, as usual, tried to change the subject: “How are things going with you and Secretary-General Wei recently?”

    “Same as usual.” Li Xing said with a smile, “Still trying to change the subject with me?”

    Ming Fei smiled sheepishly: “Let’s eat breakfast, Zaozao is hungry.”

    The two chatted casually. Ming Zaozao was the most focused eater, her deflated belly regaining its roundness, her eyes brighter than they had been at the hospital.

    After finishing her food, she tapped away on the display screen of her smartwatch, prompting Li Xing to ask,

    “Zaozao, are you chatting with the robot at home?”

    Ming Zaozao shook her head: “It’s Pretty Auntie!”

    After saying that, she took off the smartwatch, unfolded the foldable display screen, turned it towards the two adults, and showed them her chat with Zhu Yiqiao.

    [Zaozao: [Little lamb eating grass.gif]]

    [Auntie: Zaozao, eat your fill.]

    [Zaozao: [Two little bears hugging.gif]]

    [Zaozao: [Sun comes out, fishing.gif]]

    [Auntie: Zaozao, do you want to go fishing?]

    [Zaozao: [Strawberry bear nodding.gif]]

    [Auntie: I’ve asked 0619 to prepare.]

    Seeing the screen full of emoji exchanges, Li Xing smiled: “Chief Judge Zhu is quite patient, chatting with Zaozao so enthusiastically.”

    Ming Zaozao nodded: “Auntie is good to Baby!”

    Ming Fei, having just finished her porridge, put down her spoon and looked over.

    Ming Zaozao got down from her chair, hopped over to Ming Fei, and said in a childish voice,

    “Mommy, can Baby add a few more for you?”

    The so-called “add” referred to adding emojis. Ming Zaozao loved using these cartoon emojis. Whenever she received text messages from her mother or aunties, she would convert them to voice and then reply with emojis.

    Sometimes it was voice messages, but more often than not, it was cartoon emojis that clearly expressed the meaning.

    Ming Fei opened her phone and let her daughter add emojis: “Okay.”

    “Mm-hmm!” Ming Zaozao looked up. “Baby will add moving ones for Mommy, a little bunny rolling around, so cute!”

    Ming Fei stroked her little head: “Thank you, Zaozao.”

    Room 808 had an excellent view. Sitting by the window on the right side, one could see the chilly Lake Gabe, the Saint Youla Flame Seed statue leading to the main urban area, and the North Harbor Hover Bridge spanning two nearby suburban areas.

    Xi He City, the capital, was vast and expansive like a chessboard, and these easily recognizable natural landscapes and man-made structures were important pieces on the board.

    Ming Fei looked around for a moment and was about to take a picture with her phone when she remembered that Ming Zaozao was still holding her phone.

    She leaned closer to Ming Zaozao: “Zaozao.”

    “Mommy!”

    Ming Zaozao turned the phone to show her: “Mommy, look, Baby added so many for you!”

    Ming Fei’s gaze shifted to the chat page.

    [[Little rabbit eating carrots.gif]]

    [[Little rabbit very angry.gif]]

    [Zhu Yiqiao: What’s wrong?]

    Seeing Zhu Yiqiao’s reply after receiving the two animated emojis, Ming Fei froze.

    Then—

    [[Puppy secretly peeking.gif]]

    [[Puppy angrily bumping into you.gif]]

    [Zhu Yiqiao: Zaozao?]

    [Zhu Yiqiao: Have you finished breakfast?]

    These animated emojis were all very cute, vastly different from the smiling emoji Ming Fei had frequently used a few months ago. She originally thought she had gotten used to these cartoon emojis, but seeing Zhu Yiqiao’s replies, she still felt a little embarrassed.

    The tips of her ears even turned slightly pink.

    She played a cartoon on her smartwatch, and Ming Zaozao’s attention was immediately captured, completely immersed in the cartoon world.

    Meanwhile, she picked up her phone and explained to Zhu Yiqiao, her long eyelashes casting curved shadows beneath her eyes.

    [Sorry, I disturbed you just now.]

    [Zaozao is testing the newly added emojis. She’s already finished breakfast. I’ll take her back after the rest of the checkup.]

    Looking at the sent message, Ming Fei hesitated for a moment, then added a static emoji she already had.

    [[Kitten bowing apologetically.jpg]]

    Before receiving a reply, Ming Fei heard her friend’s teasing voice.

    “What is Teacher Xiao Fei doing?”

    Ming Fei gave a brief explanation, her peripheral vision never leaving the chat page.

    As a lecturer at Q University’s Philosophy Department, Li Xing’s area of expertise was classical philosophy. She suddenly looked at her friend Ming Fei seriously and said thoughtfully,

    “Have I ever told you about Ferenya?”

    Although Ming Fei wasn’t interested in philosophy, she had heard her friend mention many famous philosophers, and she believed that reading and learning more was necessary, because those whose names were recorded in compulsory courses must be shining stars in the history of human progress.

    But she had never heard of this Ferenya.

    “No,” she said.

    Li Xing rested her chin on her clasped hands and said with interest, “The name Ferenya doesn’t appear in classical philosophy textbooks. She liked to study ethics and was once a university music teacher. She and her partner, Avabini, were rivals since childhood.”

    “They confirmed their relationship at 20 and got married at 22.”

    “Guess how Ferenya usually addressed her in Avabini’s letters?”

    Hearing this, Ming Fei was a little puzzled, but she didn’t interrupt her friend’s enthusiasm. After some thought, she said a few common terms of endearment.

    “Wrong.”

    “Incorrect.”

    “Unfortunately, still wrong.”

    After several attempts were rejected, the answer to this question gradually aroused Ming Fei’s curiosity.

    She tried again: “Could it be… Jiejie?”

    Li Xing shook her head: “No.”

    “Ferenya, who was extremely serious in the eyes of her students, was as obedient as a student in front of Avabini. She even addressed her lover as—Teacher.”

    Li Xing teased, “When you replied to Chief Judge Zhu just now, you looked like a student called upon by the teacher. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought you were chatting with your own teacher.”

    Ming Fei’s ears felt hot, and she suddenly remembered what had happened last night.

    She thought, facing a fool who hadn’t taken specialized physiology classes and didn’t know anything, Zhu Yiqiao not only said she would teach her but also guided her step by step. These actions did… resemble a teacher.

    Her phone suddenly vibrated, and Ming Fei looked down.

    [Zhu Yiqiao: Apology accepted, but the kitten doesn’t need to bow.]

    Inside the villa area, several kilometers away from the First Hospital.

    After the highly secure door opened automatically, a flamboyant, red, modified hovercar drove into the garage.

    Xue Xun took off her ruby-studded glasses. As soon as she poked her head out, she saw 0619.

    0619 said, “Long time no see, Ms. Xue. Although the roses in the garden have withered after three months, your beauty is even more—”

    Xue Xun got out of the car gracefully: “Stop, switch personality modes.”

    When it spoke again, 0619’s tone was clearly much calmer: “Okay, please follow me.”

    “Mm.”

  • Captivating Beauty 64p2

    Chapter 64 p2

    They arrived at the riding stable a little before 2 p.m.

    It wasn’t a weekend, and with the members-only policy, the stable was relatively empty.

    They went to the changing rooms to put on their riding outfits.

    Xu Jinnan finished first. Cai Ying’s VIP card granted them access to the VIP area, and the manager personally brought her a riding crop.

    She took it, dismissed the manager, and sat down outside the changing room to wait for Shen Shu.

    “Shu Shu, are you ready?” she called out after a few minutes.

    The door opened, and Xu Jinnan’s eyes widened slightly.

    The women’s riding outfit was different from the men’s.

    A high-collared white shirt, a fitted black vest, tight breeches with a silver buckle, and tall black boots that hugged Shen Shu’s slender calves.

    The overall effect was strikingly elegant, almost severe, yet undeniably alluring.

    Xu Jinnan stepped closer, her voice full of admiration. “You look amazing.”

    “I know,” Shen Shu replied, a playful glint in her eyes. She had a confident air about her when she was in a good mood.

    Xu Jinnan smiled faintly and led her to the stables to choose their horses.

    The wooden stalls housed a variety of horses, and the manager, walking beside them, explained, “The ones with nameplates are already reserved, either by their owners or by us, on their behalf. We have many other fine horses, some newly arrived, with excellent pedigrees. Take a look and see if any of them catch your eye.”

    Xu Jinnan noticed the various nameplates hanging from the horses’ halters, some with names, others with symbols or initials.

    “This is Miss Cai’s horse,” the manager said, pointing to a pinto.

    A “C” hung from its halter, Cai Ying’s initial.

    Like a mark of ownership.

    Xu Jinnan’s gaze lingered on the nameplate, a strange sense of familiarity washing over her.

    Then, she realized Shen Shu had been unusually quiet and glanced at her to see her also staring at the nameplate.

    “Do you like this one?” Xu Jinnan asked.

    Shen Shu shook her head. “No, I prefer solid colors,” she replied, looking away. She couldn’t explain it, but the nameplate had also seemed familiar to her.

    They walked over to another row of stalls, and Xu Jinnan chose a dark brown horse, while Shen Shu picked a white one.

    It wasn’t pure white, but a creamy white, its coat shimmering in the sunlight.

    It was a beautiful horse.

    It held its head high, its demeanor proud, but as Shen Shu reached out to stroke its neck, it nuzzled against her hand, its eyes gentle.

    “It suits you,” Xu Jinnan commented.

    Shen Shu, liking the horse, decided to ride it.

    “You’re a beginner, so you can’t ride alone yet. I’ll lead you around for a bit,” Xu Jinnan said. The horses here were specially trained, and most of them were gentle and easy to handle.

    She helped Shen Shu onto the horse, then, holding the reins, led her to a less crowded area.

    Shen Shu’s expression was calm, but her knuckles, white from gripping the reins, betrayed her nervousness.

    Xu Jinnan stopped. “Are you scared?”

    Shen Shu looked down at her, not bothering to pretend. “A little.”

    “Want me to take you?”

    “Aren’t you already?”

    “A different way,” Xu Jinnan said, looking up at her, her eyes squinting slightly against the sunlight. “Should I join you?”

    Shen Shu understood instantly. “Okay,” she replied.

    Xu Jinnan stepped onto the mounting block and swung herself onto the horse behind Shen Shu, her arm circling Shen Shu’s waist, pulling her back against her chest.

    Almost the same position as last night.

    As if they were picking up where they left off…

    Xu Jinnan leaned forward to take the reins, her warm breath brushing against Shen Shu’s ear.

    “Shu Shu, ready?”

    “Yes.”

    Xu Jinnan gently flicked the reins, nudging the horse’s flanks with her legs, and the horse started walking.

    They rode across the vast green field, the blue sky stretching endlessly above them, bathed in warm sunlight.

    The scent of fresh grass and the gentle breeze filled the air, carrying with it the warmth of the person behind her.

    The horse wasn’t moving fast, but the rhythmic swaying motion brought their bodies closer, Shen Shu’s back pressed against Xu Jinnan’s chest.

    Suddenly, the horse shifted slightly, and Shen Shu instinctively leaned back against Xu Jinnan, feeling her arm tighten around her waist.

    And she thought she heard a sharp intake of breath behind her ear.

    —

    Xu Jinnan, mindful of Shen Shu’s recent publicity, had deliberately chosen a less crowded area. Seeing no one around, Shen Shu seemed to relax slightly.

    “Want to go a little faster?” Xu Jinnan asked.

    “Okay.”

    Xu Jinnan didn’t use the crop, simply applying more pressure with her legs, and the horse picked up speed, Shen Shu’s body pressing closer against hers.

    “Hold on tight if you’re going to fall,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice barely audible over the wind.

    Shen Shu grasped her arms, her fingers tightening around Xu Jinnan’s firm biceps, surprisingly strong beneath the thin fabric of her shirt.

    Xu Jinnan wasn’t particularly muscular, her arms and legs slender and shapely, but her strength was evident now.

    Shen Shu’s heart skipped a beat, her palms tingling.

    Xu Jinnan, glancing down at Shen Shu’s flushed earlobes, suddenly realized why the nameplate had seemed so familiar.

    It had reminded her of the “X” tattoo on Shen Shu’s collarbone.

    And of Xia Chun.

    And of Shen Shu’s words in the car: The Xia Chun I knew wouldn’t do this.

    Her thoughts paused, her lips pressing together, and she unconsciously pressed her legs harder against the horse’s flanks, the sudden acceleration making Shen Shu lose her balance.

    “Xu Jinnan, slow down!” Shen Shu exclaimed, her voice laced with surprise and a hint of panic.

    Snapping out of her thoughts, Xu Jinnan didn’t pull on the reins, simply tightening her arm around Shen Shu’s waist to reassure her.

    She leaned in close, her lips brushing against Shen Shu’s ear. “I said the wrong thing in the car earlier,” she murmured, her voice slightly breathless.

    She had been thinking about it ever since.

    “What?” Shen Shu asked, her own breathing uneven.

    “It wasn’t ‘maybe a little’,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice low and husky.

    “I was very jealous. Hearing you praise someone else… it made me jealous,” she confessed, her words like a tremor before an earthquake, shattering the fragile peace, the memory of their earlier kiss resurfacing, the warmth of Shen Shu’s lips a phantom sensation.

    She pulled on the reins, slowing the horse to a stop, then gently touched Shen Shu’s cheek with her gloved hand.

    Shen Shu turned to her, their eyes meeting, her gaze lingering on Xu Jinnan’s lips, then slowly moving upwards.

    She squinted slightly against the sunlight, her hand tightening around Xu Jinnan’s arm, her fingers brushing against her skin, a subtle invitation.

    Xu Jinnan didn’t hesitate, leaning in…

    The horse shifted slightly beneath them, the movement a gentle rocking motion.

    As they pulled away, Xu Jinnan’s breath catching in her throat, she looked at Shen Shu, whose flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of desire and something else Xu Jinnan couldn’t quite decipher, were a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

    Even though Shen Shu had turned towards her willingly, Xu Jinnan still felt a surge of possessiveness, a primal urge to claim her.

    Her throat tightened, and she kissed Shen Shu again, a soft, lingering kiss, then, resting her forehead against Shen Shu’s, whispered, “I’m sorry.”

    Shen Shu’s heart pounded, her fingers gripping Xu Jinnan’s arm, the warmth of her lips still tingling.

    Xu Jinnan gently brushed her gloved hand against Shen Shu’s lips.

    Shen Shu seemed to relax slightly, leaning her head against Xu Jinnan’s shoulder, the earlier intimacy having broken down the last of her defenses.

    But her head was still bowed slightly, a hint of shyness in her posture, her cheeks burning as she noticed the silver ring on Xu Jinnan’s gloved finger.

    She bit her lip, taking a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure, to hide her reaction.

    Xu Jinnan seemed so experienced, so in control, while she…

    “Have you done this… often?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

    A gust of wind carried her words away, and Xu Jinnan, leaning closer, asked, “Done what often?”

    “This,” Shen Shu clarified.

    “…”

    “Nan-jie!”

    A familiar voice called out from a distance.

    Xu Jinnan looked up to see Chen Bo and Han Wenfang approaching.

    Since Song Ronghui and Yin Xue’s downfall, they had found new companions.

    Han Wenfang, seeing someone she knew, stopped, while Chen Bo continued walking towards them.

    “Oh my god, I thought I was mistaken,” he exclaimed, seeing Shen Shu with Xu Jinnan. “Hello, sister-in-law!”

    Shen Shu’s expression cooled. She hadn’t forgotten the hospital incident.

    “I’m going to get some water,” she said, dismounting.

    Xu Jinnan glanced at Chen Bo, knowing he wanted to talk to her, and said, “I’ll go with you.” She didn’t like people like Chen Bo, but she could use him.

    She had even discussed it with Shen Shu, who had said she didn’t mind Xu Jinnan using him for business purposes. But Shen Shu clearly disliked him.

    Chen Bo, aware of her disdain, felt a twinge of resentment.

    He had assumed Xu Jinnan had approved of his actions at the hospital.

    He touched his nose. “Nan-jie, I wanted to talk to you about the North District project.”

    Xu Jinnan stopped him from dismounting. “We’ll talk later,” she said. The resting area was a ten-minute ride away, and even with the safety nets along the riding path, it wasn’t entirely safe.

    At the resting area, Xu Jinnan dismounted first, then reached out to Shen Shu. “Here,” she said, then, as Shen Shu took her hand, pulled her into her arms, lifting her off the horse.

    After Shen Shu went inside to get some water, Chen Bo and Xu Jinnan sat down at a table under a parasol. A waiter brought them two cups of coffee.

    Xu Jinnan raised an eyebrow, looking at Chen Bo. “Did you follow me here?”

    Chen Bo’s back stiffened, and he quickly shook his head. “No way! It’s just a coincidence! I’ve been meaning to talk to you… And this place just opened recently. You know I frequent riding stables.”

    Normally, she would have indulged him, but today, she wasn’t in the mood. She glanced towards the resting area. “Just say what you want.”

    Chen Bo briefly explained his request – he wanted to know if there was any possibility of him getting involved in the North District project.

    “Sis, let me join your team. My old man is getting stricter and stricter with me, telling me to learn from you. We’re both spoiled brats, but you managed to turn your life around. Why can’t I?”

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    Chen Bo grinned. “If he sees me focusing on my career, he’ll stop nagging me.”

    It was true, but there was another reason – he had a sort of blind admiration for Xu Jinnan.

    Her success, in his eyes, was effortless, and seeing her “reform,” he wanted to try it too.

    “Why are you coming to me with your family problems?”

    “My father only gives me trivial tasks. It’s boring, and I don’t want to work with him. I want to work with you,” he said.

    Xu Jinnan took a sip of coffee.

    “What do you want to do?” she asked. “Or rather, what can you do?”

    Chen Bo’s eyes lit up. “Nan-jie, you decide! I’m free. I can do anything.”

    Xu Jinnan considered it, not rejecting him outright. Having Chen Bo involved wouldn’t be a bad thing. The Chen family also had some influence in North City. This favor wasn’t just for Chen Bo; it was for the Chen family.

    After discussing the details, she went to find Shen Shu.

    She opened the door to the resting room and saw Shen Shu sitting on the sofa, examining the riding crop.

    Xu Jinnan paused. Shen Shu seemed to have a particular interest in leather…

    Perhaps I should get rid of those things after all.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 171-172

    Chapter 171: Gong Lianyue’s Darkening

    –Snow Plume City, Loving Heart Spring Area

    The spirit energy radiating from the small pink figure and the blue-haired girl surged like reverse waterfalls, clashing and swirling, dividing the world into two dreamlike realms of vibrant, almost overwhelming color.

    Although weapon-type spirit beasts generally had lower combat power, Sacred Water, Lover, being at the Samsara Stage, a level above Gong Lianyue, possessed a ferocious aura that ordinary Spirit Masters couldn’t withstand.

    A single tremor from it sent scores of weaker Spirit Masters and mortals collapsing like dominoes, the few remaining ones staring in terror, their hearts pounding.

    Could this truly be the power of Loving Heart Spring, a mere high-rank spirit beast?

    Meanwhile, a teardrop slid down the blue-haired girl’s cheek, revealing the six neatly arranged beauty marks beneath.

    Gong Lianyue, her expression calm, gazed at the enraged, pink figure. Sacred Water, Lover, a weapon-type, attachment-type spirit beast… Let’s see what you’re capable of!

    Boom!!!

    The next second, a violent aura erupted, painting the sky pink.

    The tiny figure, its butterfly wings buzzing, shot forward like a falling meteor, its speed beyond human comprehension, slamming into the space before the blue-haired girl.

    The resulting shockwave sent nearby Spirit Masters tumbling, the surrounding snow and the lake itself ravaged.

    The pink wave of energy, a near-instantaneous attack, reached Gong Lianyue.

    Bang!

    Barely a meter away from the blue-haired girl, the violent pink aura dissipated.

    As the dust settled, Sacred Water, Lover, enveloped in a shimmering pink, egg-shaped barrier, was held firmly in a delicate, white hand.

    A beautiful, silver-haired rabbit woman with a massive tail, as large as a small hill, stood before Gong Lianyue.

    The Tyrant Demon Seed!

    Its arm, veins bulging, its face contorted in a grimace, tightened its grip on the pink eggshell, which trembled violently, about to shatter.

    [Battle Technique – Enhanced Leap]

    A dense, silver spirit energy enveloped the rabbit woman’s left leg, the ground beneath her feet cracking and crumbling under the pressure, spiderweb-like fissures spreading outwards.

    Her leg swelled, like a steel pipe filled with blood, its muscles hardening and bulging, its aura growing more terrifying.

    Thud!!!!

    The next second, the rabbit woman kicked, her foot arcing upwards like a falling axe, shattering the pink eggshell, along with its own arm, into a bloody, pulpy mess.

    However, only its arm was injured. The pink figure had vanished.

    After three seconds of silence, the onlookers murmured in confusion.

    “…”
    “…”

    “Where did it go?”

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    Just as someone spoke, a deafening explosion echoed, a pink arc streaking across the sky, the entire area shaking violently.

    A distant snow-capped mountain exploded, reduced to dust, a cloud of debris rising into the air.

    A massive chasm, radiating a desolate aura, like the gaze of the abyss, appeared.

    Silence, a terrifying, suffocating pressure. The Spirit Masters, their faces pale, were stunned. This was beyond their comprehension.

    A single strike, shattering a mountain.

    The Tyrant Demon Seed stood motionless for half a minute, then looked up. The small, pink figure, its eggshell barrier partially shattered, looked slightly disheveled.

    Although the silver rabbit woman had lost an arm, its aura hadn’t weakened.

    After all, for a rabbit, arms, like breasts, were merely unnecessary appendages. As long as its legs worked, it was fine.

    [A Saint-rank, the Tyrant Demon Seed!!!]

    The pink figure’s face darkened. Facing such a monstrous opponent, even with its higher rank, it had no chance of winning.

    After a moment of silence, the rabbit woman’s massive tail began to shrink, and its severed arm regenerated, the flesh reforming, filled with a viscous, silver liquid.

    The Closed Moon talent allowed it to freely convert between spirit energy and physical strength.

    The size of its tail represented its spirit energy reserves. When it shrunk completely, it meant it was completely drained, but its physical strength would also reach its peak, a terrifying level of power.

    [What to do? Fight or flee…?]

    The pink figure panicked. If captured and tortured by Gong Lianyue, it would be a lifelong humiliation.

    And without its master, it couldn’t use its weapon-type battle techniques, unless it activated its automatic control mode.

    But what if it still lost?

    Wouldn’t it be reduced to a plaything?

    As the pink figure hesitated, a powerful aura approached.

    Snow Plume City, Entrance Area

    A massive waterspout, a swirling vortex a kilometer wide, almost covering the sky, slowly moved, creating a destructive current.

    Within the towering waterspout, a three-thousand-meter-tall giant, clad in crystalline armor, gradually materialized.

    Its colossal form pierced the sky, its every move creating massive tidal waves, like an ancient god.

    “Roar!!!!!!!”

    A deafening roar echoed, shaking the entire city, the terrifying spirit energy sending buildings and Spirit Masters flying.

    A high-rank, Samsara Stage spirit beast—the Rage of the Seas!

    The earth-shaking roar, like a hammer blow to the heart, threatened to annihilate Snow Plume City.

    [Is this aura… Fourth Cycle, Broken Cycle, or Sixth Full Cycle…?]

    The sudden appearance of this powerful spirit beast made the pink figure’s face harden, and Gong Lianyue’s heart sank.

    A wild spirit beast attacking a city in this era?

    She could only think of one possible origin for this Rage of the Seas: the Pool of Hidden Secrets!

    But why send a Samsara Stage spirit beast to attack? The Snow Fairy Mansion had Nether Traverse Stage experts.

    Wait, could it be that they were sending spirit beasts of varying strengths to different factions, based on their power levels…?

    In that case, the Sea Concubine Palace would be facing more than just a Samsara Stage spirit beast.

    [High-tier, below average. I’ll deal with you later. I need to check this out.]

    Sacred Water, Lover, leaving a parting threat, turned to leave, then froze, turning back in disbelief.

    The blue-haired girl was wearing a cold, dark crown, her swirling water spirit energy tainted with a deep, inky blackness.

    “Help me resolve this situation. I’m in a hurry to return to the Sea Concubine Palace,” the girl’s cold, emotionless voice sent chills down the spines of every Spirit Master who heard it.

    Chapter 172: The Saintess Arrives

    Roar!!!

    With the sea giant’s roar, monstrous waves surged, and the violent waterspout continued to demolish the surrounding buildings.

    Its towering form loomed, almost blotting out the sky, threatening to drown Snow Plume City in a tsunami.

    Panic and despair filled the city.

    “Spirit Masters of the Snow Fairy Mansion, save us!!!”

    “How can it be so massive? It’s also at the Samsara Stage!”

    “Why is Snow Plume City under attack!?”

    The terrified crowd scattered, while several Snow Fairy Mansion Spirit Masters, their faces grim, bravely faced the Rage of the Seas.

    At this critical moment, the Snow Fairy Mansion Spirit Masters arrived!

    Three Samsara Stage Spirit Masters, their faces pale, confronted the towering, crystalline giant, a chilling dread washing over them.

    The woman leading them, suppressing her fear, shouted, “Attacking a Sea Region faction will result in your being hunted down by the entire Sea Region Alliance! Do you understand!?”

    “If this is a misunderstanding, leave immediately! Otherwise, we will attack!”

    “…”
    “…”

    Silence. Then, a strange laughter echoed from within the Rage of the Seas.

    “Annihilate my entire clan?”

    “Hahahahaha, hahaha—”

    The mocking laughter continued for a long time before abruptly stopping, the voice turning cold and menacing.

    “Snow Fairy Mansion… struggle all you want in this disaster.”

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    The Rage of the Seas’s aura erupted, a terrifying wave of spirit energy, like a tsunami, crashing down upon Snow Plume City.

    The fifth stage of the Samsara Stage, the Broken Cycle!!!

    At this stage, the spirit energy cycles weren’t visible, but the spirit beast’s size increased dramatically.

    The three Snow Fairy Mansion women were sent flying. Their faces grim, they summoned their spirit beasts.

    A high-rank, Samsara Stage Netherworld Sea Turtle, its body shrouded in a misty cloud, its size only half that of the crystalline giant.

    A high-rank, Samsara Stage Illusionary Flowing Robe, like an ethereal garment of water, draped over the giant turtle’s shell.

    A high-rank, Samsara Stage Ice Attendant Dual Swords – Sacred Puppet, a female puppet wielding two magnificent ice swords, a rare combat-type spirit beast, floating in the air.

    A mid-rank, Samsara Stage Water Skeleton Greatsword, a ten-meter-long blade with wave patterns, strapped to the puppet’s back, like a hidden weapon.

    A high-rank, Samsara Stage Mist Bewitching Melody, shrouding the three Snow Fairy Mansion women in a thick fog, their figures flickering.

    A mid-rank, Samsara Stage Heavenly Image Gate, a massive stone gate, over a kilometer wide, separating the Rage of the Seas from Snow Plume City.

    The Samsara Stage represented a qualitative change in spirit energy. Spirit beasts at this stage gained incredible power, and Spirit Masters could summon two spirit beasts simultaneously.

    This meant it was a 6v1!

    The dense water spirit energy in the air clashed and swirled, creating a massive, spectacular tidal wave.

    A dismissive snort echoed from within the Rage of the Seas.

    “I thought the Snow Fairy Mansion Master herself would come to greet me.”

    “One Third Cycle, two Second Cycles. Is that all?”

    “Pathetic!”

    “Roar!!!!!”

    The Rage of the Seas roared, a massive crystalline hand descending from the sky, creating a shockwave that rippled through the water below.

    As the hand, a hundred meters above the ground, approached, the six spirit beasts below were crushed and distorted by the pressure, the ground beneath Snow Plume City cracking.

    If that hand landed, the city would be annihilated.

    The three Spirit Masters’ faces were filled with despair. The Snow Fairy Mansion’s sole Nether Traverse Stage ancestor was nowhere to be found, and their Palace Master was in seclusion. They were no match for this beast!

    Although the Snow Fairy Mansion seemed weaker than the Sea Concubine Palace, the Gray Citadel’s ten subsidiary forces didn’t even have Nether Traverse Stage experts.

    In both the Sea Region and the Wind Realm, a single Nether Traverse Stage expert could establish a top-tier faction.

    And at this critical moment, their ancestor was absent, and their Sixth Full Cycle Palace Master had entered seclusion last month…

    As the crystalline hand descended, the Spirit Masters within Snow Plume City screamed, facing certain doom.

    Just then, a massive, jade-colored scorpion pincer, covered in dark green scales, emerged from the water and clashed with the descending hand.

    The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, Dead Sea Stage, 70 meters long, its right pincer 130 meters wide.

    The Rage of the Seas, Samsara Stage, 2980 meters tall, its right arm 110 meters wide.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    A deafening roar, and the six immobilized Samsara Stage spirit beasts were sent flying, a massive wave erupting.

    The violent shockwave rippled outwards, like a nuclear explosion, churning the sea.

    A second later, both the scorpion’s pincer and the giant’s hand shattered, raining down like shimmering dust.

    The Rage of the Seas stared down in disbelief at the tiny scorpion below.

    Such a small, insignificant creature… what was with that arm?

    “What the hell? Dead Sea Stage?” a shocked female voice echoed from within the Rage of the Seas.

    “…”
    “…”

    Just then, the air solidified, a heavy, oppressive aura descending.

    A powerful wave of water spirit energy, like the pure, primal aura of a Saint-rank, washed over Snow Plume City, transforming into a wave of despair.

    Almost simultaneously, all the Spirit Masters present, including the Rage of the Seas, turned towards the source.

    Floating in the sky above Snow Plume City, a blue-haired girl in a water-patterned robe, a crown of flowing black liquid on her head.

    Six teardrops, neatly arranged on her face, her breathtakingly beautiful face cold and indifferent.

    Under the watchful eyes of all, the blue-haired girl spoke,

    “You said you could handle this.”

    Beside the girl, a pink, glowing figure danced and spun, like a butterfly, leaving a trail of pink, heart-shaped bubbles.

    Sacred Water, Lover.

    “Just give me a suitable vessel, and I can take care of it in minutes!”

    “But that biological scorpion won’t do. I hate violence! I need a more elegant, elemental type. Don’t tell me the Sea Concubine Palace doesn’t even have a single Water Element?”