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  • Qin Auntie, Save Me [Rebirth] 74p1

    Chapter 74 p1

    Li Wan had barely slept all night, her dreams a jumbled mess she couldn’t recall. She woke up with a headache, her eyes stinging, her body aching.

    Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, then turned on the faucet with a loud splash, starting her morning routine. Monday, a universally disliked day, was especially unwelcome to Li Wan today.

    Distracted throughout her commute, despite her meticulously applied makeup, more vibrant than usual, her heart pounded with anxiety. Stepping into the elevator, she felt like she was reliving her first day at the station, fresh out of university.

    As more people entered, Li Wan exchanged greetings, the elevator filling with chatter. The new management team appointments would be announced this week, and some of the more well-informed colleagues already knew the results.

    Some were happy, some worried, and Li Wan, finally understanding the situation, was surprised.

    “Is it confirmed that Director Yu is being promoted?” Li Wan turned to a colleague from the advertising department.

    “Yes, it seems the management team held an emergency meeting over the weekend and finalized the decision, they’ll be submitting the list this week.”

    It had been a rumor before, now it seemed it was about to become reality.

    But this wasn’t good news for Li Wan, or for their team.

    Director Yu not only lacked experience in program production, but he had also always been against their team’s focus on hard-hitting stories that often offended major sponsors. He had objected to their project proposals multiple times in the past.

    If he was put in charge of their team, producing quality programs in the future would be even more difficult.

    Her heart heavy, Li Wan entered the office, put down her bag, and took a deep breath to compose herself. She repeatedly told herself, It’s work time now, don’t bring your personal emotions into this.

    Then, she headed towards Lin Shuangzhi’s office, she needed to discuss the implications of Director Yu’s potential promotion with the team leader.

    The door was open, but the office was empty. Li Wan paused, then asked a passing colleague, “Is the team leader not in?”

    “She went to a meeting early this morning, seemed to be in a hurry.”

    Li Wan thought it must be about Director Yu’s matter.

    Her emotions were complex, a mix of disappointment and relief. After glancing at the empty chair behind the desk a few more times, Li Wan returned to her own office.

    She thought about it, then decided to inform Qin Qianrou. If Director Yu truly became the deputy station director, he would likely target them.

    Qin Qianrou quickly replied that she understood, adding that she was currently in training and would call her later to discuss it in detail. Li Wan then focused on her work, but her mind couldn’t quite settle down.

    By noon, Lin Shuangzhi still hadn’t returned. This was normal, her meetings were usually long, sometimes extending until the end of the workday. However, Li Wan felt like she had endured an eternity, glancing at the time to confirm it was just her own perception.

    A colleague knocked on her door. “Sister Xiao Wan, going for lunch?”

    Li Wan, her spirits low, leaned back in her chair and declined. “Not today, I have a lot of work to catch up on, I’ll just go to the cafeteria later.”

    “Okay, let me know if you want me to bring you anything.”

    Li Wan had no appetite. She pushed her work aside, her mind wandering.

    She hadn’t thought she was someone whose work would be affected by her emotions, and she had thought that after her university relationship, she had become more mature. But after meeting Lin Shuangzhi, all her previous emotional control had seemed pointless.

    All she could think about now was Lin Shuangzhi, she wanted to see her, yet she also didn’t want to see her.

    This internal conflict tormented Li Wan. She had left so hurriedly that morning, she hadn’t had a chance to talk to Lin Shuangzhi properly.

    But what could she possibly say in that situation?

    Clothes scattered on the floor, the rumpled bedsheets, and the lingering ache in her thighs, what was there to discuss?

    Li Wan cringed, but she hadn’t been in a hurry to leave at the time, she had simply been too shocked, too flustered to react appropriately.

    Lin Shuangzhi, leaning against the headboard, after a long silence, had softly said, “I’m sorry.”

    Li Wan had felt a surge of anger, pulling the blanket around her as she sat up.

    Her back still ached, and other, more sensitive areas also throbbed, reminding her that their relationship was different now. But what kind of response was “I’m sorry?”

    After such an intense and passionate night, all she could say was “I’m sorry?”

    “Between adults, there’s no need for apologies.”

    Lin Shuangzhi had glanced at the bedsheets, her expression darkening, the memories of last night weighing heavily on her. There was no trace of joy, she looked more like a child who had done something wrong, waiting to be punished.

    Her face was filled with regret, she almost said she regretted it.

    Li Wan was a proud person, having lost control in the heat of the moment under Lin Shuangzhi’s allure didn’t mean she would cling to her.

    If her feelings weren’t reciprocated, she wouldn’t impose herself on her.

    However, as she got dressed, her heart ached.

    She could feel Lin Shuangzhi’s gaze upon her, she wanted her to say something, anything, but she was also afraid of hearing something even more hurtful, so she had remained silent, the silence continuing until she was fully dressed.

    Lin Shuangzhi, in her pajamas, had silently followed her, her lips moving as if to speak, but no words came out.

    Li Wan picked up her bag, her hand on the doorknob.

    “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”

    Li Wan, her back to Lin Shuangzhi, bid her farewell, but her hand didn’t open the door.

    “Should I… drive you home?” Lin Shuangzhi’s hesitant tone, the lingering regret in her voice, it seemed she wanted to make amends for her drunken behavior.

    Li Wan’s disappointment turned into anger, but she couldn’t express it.

    She bit her lip, forced a smile, and opened the door, leaving decisively. Turning around, she smiled at Lin Shuangzhi, “I can go home by myself, I’m not that fragile.”

    “But last night…”

    Li Wan didn’t want to be reminded of last night, it had been a turning point in her life, and she didn’t regret it being with Lin Shuangzhi. But she also didn’t want to use this to force a relationship, she didn’t need her to take responsibility or any of those cliché lines.

    It was a new era, between consenting adults, there was no need to talk about responsibility. She wasn’t some object whose value decreased after being “opened.”

    She was simply… sad. She had thought she would be having a loving, post-coital breakfast at the team leader’s place this morning.

    Lin Shuangzhi had messaged her, asking if she had gotten home safely, and after she confirmed, had simply told her to rest well. Li Wan had waited, but there had been no further messages from Lin Shuangzhi.

    This was probably the most unforgettable, and also the most frustrating, weekend of her life.

    Lost in thought, she vaguely heard hurried footsteps outside, a familiar sound.

    She instinctively walked out, wondering if it was Lin Shuangzhi.

    As expected, before she could even speak, she saw Lin Shuangzhi rushing into her office, frantically searching through her drawers.

    Li Wan hesitated, then followed her. Standing at the doorway, she knocked softly.

    Lin Shuangzhi looked up, startled to see her. “Xiao Wan, why aren’t you having lunch?”

    “I have too much work, I didn’t go out.”

    Lin Shuangzhi responded with a simple “Oh,” then continued her search.

    “What are you looking for?”

    Lin Shuangzhi sighed, “An annual plan from last year, I’m sure I put it here.”

    “Isn’t there a copy on your computer?”

    “It’s not the content that’s important, it’s the signatures of the directors on it.”

    Although Lin Shuangzhi had a lot of documents, she was very organized, but today, she was clearly flustered, having searched for a while without finding it, and Li Wan couldn’t help but walk over to help.

    “Don’t worry, just calmly think about it, are you sure you put it here?”

    Lin Shuangzhi looked at her, closed her eyes as instructed, thought for a moment, then went to search another drawer.

    “Did the meeting go smoothly today?”

    “No, it was mostly arguing.”

    Li Wan was surprised, “You argued with someone?”

    In her impression, the team leader wasn’t one for confrontations.

    She herself had a fiery temper and often caused trouble, it was always the team leader who cleaned up after her, and she admired Lin Shuangzhi’s patience.

    “It was so absurd, if I hadn’t argued, I wouldn’t even have had the chance to come back and look for this document.”

    “That serious?”

    Lin Shuangzhi finally found what she was looking for, rolling it up and clutching it tightly. After a moment of consideration, she softly said, “Besides the management changes, the station’s restructuring also affects our team.”

    Li Wan’s expression turned grim; this wasn’t good news.

    Lin Shuangzhi continued, “The station intends to transfer you and Qianrou to other departments, to work on different types of programs.”

    Li Wan was furious, what did they mean by that?

    Lin Shuangzhi also felt helpless, if her two most capable team members were transferred, there was no hope of producing any quality programs in the near future.

    “Don’t worry, I won’t let this happen.”

    Li Wan, however, was still worried, if this was truly the intention of the station directors, even Lin Shuangzhi’s resistance wouldn’t be enough.

    “Alright, I have to go back to the meeting now, you go have lunch, don’t skip meals.”

    “What about you?”

    “I have a lunchbox.”

    Lin Shuangzhi’s departure was as hurried as her arrival, her expression serious. Li Wan, watching her retreating figure, was speechless.

    She had been angry, but seeing her now, all she felt was concern.

    **

    Qin Qianrou returned to Meng City on Friday evening. Shen Yiqiu strained her neck, looking around eagerly, and Li Wan chuckled, her arms crossed.

    “Look at you, like a little monkey, so impatient, your girlfriend isn’t going anywhere.”

    Shen Yiqiu glared at her; Li Wan had been acting strangely all day.

    “I can’t wait to see my girlfriend, can I?”

    “You can, but you’re making it seem like I don’t care about Qianrou.”

    Shen Yiqiu said helplessly, “Jiejie won’t blame you.”

    Li Wan felt a surge of frustration, she couldn’t understand why, besides Lin Shuangzhi, even Shen Yiqiu’s thought processes were so difficult to decipher.

     

  • Devilish Disciple [Transmigration] 62P1

    Chapter 62: What Did He Think Their Relationship Was?! P1

    The moment the stars appeared, everything around her vanished.

    She was enveloped in a night-like void.

    Countless stars, some forming rivers, some swirling into clouds, some just flickering faintly.

    They moved silently through the void, brilliant yet lonely.

    Li Yu stared at this sea of stars, a strange emptiness settling in her heart, a sense of melancholy she couldn’t resist.

    The night, the stars, they were right before her.

    This power had fueled the three-hundred-year-old resentment of the City of the Undying, caused chaos in the human realm, breached Mount Chao Yao’s defenses, and stolen the Upper Spirit Lamp.

    She had suspected the black-robed figure was the ancient god who fell into darkness four thousand years ago, but she never imagined that the culprit was right here beside her, on Mount Chao Yao.

    So, Weisheng Xuanzhu passing by the City of the Undying three hundred years ago wasn’t a coincidence.

    Or rather, it was a coincidence.

    He happened to pass by, saw the Huai army outside the city, saw the southern king’s desperation, saw the wicked cultivator, and saw Qin Ruoheng, her heart filled with pain and suffering.

    It was the perfect seed for resentment.

    He didn’t even have to exert much effort, just plant the seed and watch it grow.

    No wonder the black-robed figure was so familiar with Mount Chao Yao, knew when Weisheng Xuanzhu would enter hibernation, and could easily break the seals on the mountain gate and Suiqiong Cave.

    She had thought that someone who could break the seal on Suiqiong Cave simply by instructing others and providing a small amount of power must be far stronger than her and Weisheng Xuanzhu.

    Although both Xiang Hanyu and Si Qinglan insisted that the ancient god had perished, she had suspected the black-robed figure was that god precisely because the seal was broken so easily.

    Now, she realized it wasn’t because of the black-robed figure’s overwhelming power, but because the seal was already weakened.

    Weisheng Xuanzhu must have tampered with it when he “repaired” it.

    That’s why he said he could handle it alone, why he told her not to interfere, to focus on recovering…

    She hadn’t understood, hadn’t seen through his deception, and that was how the Upper Spirit Lamp was stolen so easily.

    He had always remained hidden, was it because he was afraid of confronting her directly?

    And what about later?

    He wanted the Upper Spirit Lamp but was betrayed by Xiang Hanyu.

    After Mu Tao’s seal was broken, Li Yu was severely injured, but he still didn’t appear, didn’t try to take the Lamp.

    That would have been the perfect opportunity…

    …an opportunity that wouldn’t even expose his identity.

    Why didn’t he do it?

    And just now, he said he wanted to see Mu Tao.

    He even asked her to bring back the Demon Bone!

    Had his plan changed?

    Initially, he only needed the Upper Spirit Lamp. Then, by breaking the ancient god’s seal, he could obtain the Heavenly Demon’s power.

    But during this process, he discovered the Demon Bone and changed his plan?

    Yes, that was likely it. There had been a strange note in his voice when he mentioned being kept in the dark for two hundred years.

    If he had known about the Demon Bone earlier, everything would have been different.

    But what did he want with the Demon Bone?

    Was the cost of breaking the Lamp’s seal too high, and using the Demon Bone as a catalyst could reduce it?

    Or was it that if the power within the Demon Bone was sufficient, he wouldn’t need to break the seal on the Lamp and release the more dangerous Heavenly Demon Soul Seed?

    But that didn’t make sense. Whether it was the former or the latter, he should have taken the Demon Bone earlier.

    He had opportunities to take Mu Tao, during their escape from Mount Chao Yao, during her imprisonment, even during their journey in the human realm.

    He didn’t, was it because he was wary of the Demon Bone’s power, or because the Heavenly Gate was still open, posing a risk…?

    Perhaps both?

    Because of these concerns, he hadn’t dared to act directly, fearing failure.

    Perhaps, at some point, he believed his plan had failed and needed a new one.

    And then she returned, injured and bearing the guilt of releasing the Demon Bone, giving him a new opportunity.

    He knew the Heavenly Gate could only be destroyed when it was open, so he watched as she and Si Qinglan faced pressure from the immortal sects, waiting until they were forced to open the Gate before “helping.”

    Now, the Heavenly Gate was severed, she was injured, and news of the Demon Bone in the Demon Realm had arrived.

    He knew it was time to continue his plan.

    But the obsession in his eyes told her that he truly just wanted an answer.

    Li Yu couldn’t understand what kind of answer required the power of the Heavenly Demon.

    What was he planning to do with that power?

    “Weisheng Xuanzhu!” Li Yu couldn’t help but shout at the void. “What are you trying to do?! Isn’t there another way?!”

    “Haven’t you always known?”

    A cold, disembodied voice echoed through the void.

    “What I want…has always been to revive the Heavenly Demon.”

    Not to obtain its power, but simply to revive it, just like he told the demons…?

    Then the Demon Bone wasn’t just a catalyst for breaking the Lamp’s seal.

    He wanted a vessel for the Heavenly Demon Soul Seed.

    The Heavenly Demon would devour Mu Tao!

    “Why? You just wanted an answer!”

    “Are you finally willing to tell me?”

    “…If she did, would he stop?

    But she didn’t know, she truly didn’t!

    Reviving the Heavenly Demon, such a heavy price.

    What kind of truth was worth such a price?

    The original story didn’t mention any of this; just how much had the author deviated from the outline?!

    What should she do now?

    He had first asked her to bring back the Demon Bone, now he trapped her in this void, what was he planning?

    It was all so confusing!

    —System, can you help me break free from this illusion?

    【The host is currently low on spiritual energy. The system is unable to assist.】

    She now suspected that the system, while claiming she was free to do as she pleased, already knew what awaited her.

    Was this…her main storyline mission?

    Weisheng Xuanzhu had been targeting her all along; there was no escape.

    His sudden visit, right as she was about to leave, wasn’t a coincidence!

    He knew she was leaving and came to give her an ultimatum!

    If she couldn’t give him a satisfactory answer, he would reveal his true intentions and continue his plan to revive the Heavenly Demon.

    She wasn’t being harmed in this void, so perhaps there was still a chance…

    Li Yu said urgently, “Weisheng Xuanzhu, let’s talk, alright?”

    She was met with silence.

    “Are you even listening?” Li Yu persisted. “Whether you believe it or not, I truly don’t know the truth you want! But I’m willing to help, we can find a way together, I…”

    “You’re still the same, always lying.”

    “No, I’m not…”

    “If you’re willing to help, then sleep.”

    “Sleep?”

    “When you wake up, you will have already helped me greatly,” the disembodied voice said calmly.

    “…”

    What did he mean?

    How could sleeping help him?

    Could he control her body while she was unconscious? Was he planning to use her identity to deceive Mu Tao?!

    He couldn’t do that; it would ruin everything!

    Li Yu wanted to say something but found she couldn’t speak, the silence impenetrable.

    A wave of drowsiness washed over her.

    She looked up at the stars, feeling herself being swallowed by the vast, lonely cosmos.

    The nebula collapsed, the stars reversed their course.

    All the starlight twisted and flickered, like a silent alarm, signaling impending destruction.

    A star, as white as snow, descended towards her.

    She instinctively tried to block it with her spiritual energy.

    But it passed through her defenses, like snow through moonlight, and entered her forehead.

    Everything blurred as her consciousness faded.

    “If you’re tired, just sleep.”

    She heard a voice, unfamiliar yet gentle.

    Like a spring breeze, whispering in her ear.

    “When you wake up next time…”

    When I wake up…what will happen…?

    “When you wake up, we…”

    …We?

    “Let’s go outside and see…”

    Outside where? Inside where?

    —She didn’t know.

    As the nebula completely collapsed, the starlight extinguished, she fell into darkness.

    A darkness without day or night, without time, only profound silence.

    She couldn’t speak, couldn’t hear,

    Couldn’t think, couldn’t remember.

    She didn’t even know who she was, or where she would go upon waking.

    In this nothingness, she heard the sound of waves and wind…

    And a silent voice, seemingly from nowhere—

    The North Sea, untouched by sunlight, a forgotten land of eternal night.

    It slumbered in eternal night, and it awakened in eternal night.

    The seawater flowed over it, like over a solitary island.

    How cold the night, how long the years, it didn’t matter.

    Until a moon appeared in the sky, its light illuminating the falling snow.

    It heard her song for the first time.

    So soft, so distant…

    As if it could awaken the silent world.

    But who was she…?

    It wanted to see the figure bathed in moonlight, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t…

    The mountain gate was open, and Mount Chao Yao was lively.

    Whether disciples, spirits, or visitors from other sects, everyone was talking about the same thing.

    The upcoming wedding of Cangming Revered One and Lingyao Revered One.

    With the Upper Spirit Lamp still on Mount Chao Yao, and the mountain still the most prominent immortal sect in the human realm, despite the previous tension, all the sects sent representatives, eager to offer their congratulations.

    “I never imagined Li Yu, the Exalted Immortal, would ever marry.”

    “Why not? In the past, it was indeed unlikely; no one in the human realm was worthy of her. But now, with her reputation tarnished by the Demon Bone and her cultivation weakened, even marrying the Kun Peng Monarch of the North Sea depends on whether he’s willing.”

    “You dare say such things on Mount Chao Yao?”

    “Why not? I heard she’s the one who proposed. Firstly, to repay him for stopping the opening of the Heavenly Gate, and secondly, to use dual cultivation to recover her strength.”

    “Really?!”

    “Don’t tell anyone; a friend told me this in confidence.”

    “Of course!”

    —Of course, it was meant to be spread.

    Even on Mount Chao Yao, with Li Yu being the head of the Three Revered Ones, gossip still spread like wildfire.

    And it wasn’t just the outsiders; even the disciples were whispering about it.

    As some said, ever since the Demon Bone incident, the once revered guardian of the Upper Spirit Lamp, the only god in the human realm, had lost her prestige—even the Mount Chao Yao disciples dared to gossip about her now.

    Si Qinglan reprimanded anyone she heard talking about it, but rumors were hard to suppress.

    Yet, Li Yu herself didn’t seem to react, as if she was oblivious to it all.

    Si Qinglan couldn’t understand any of this.

    Li Yu was like a different person, so unfamiliar that she didn’t even know how to talk to her.

    It was like going back to the past, when Li Yu was cold and distant—always expressionless, quiet, and aloof.

    Even more baffling was Li Yu agreeing to marry Weisheng Xuanzhu.

    She had even asked Li Yu directly.

    “Li Yu, no offense, I’m just curious, why did you suddenly agree?”

    She was so curious it made her anxious.

    “You always avoided him before, why marry him now?”

    “Are you two planning something to deal with the black-robed figure and keeping it a secret from me?”

    “If not, did he…force you?”

    “I mean, did he offer you something in exchange, something you couldn’t refuse?”

    “Nothing…?”

    “I won’t tell anyone, although I talk a lot, I can keep secrets!”

    “If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine…”

    “Tell me, did he force you or not?”

    “If he did, just blink!”

     

  • The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 74p1

    Chapter 74: Disciple and Wife p1

    In the forbidden grounds of the Hanshan Sect, the peak masters and elders gathered, their expressions grim, their gazes fixed on Sect Leader Lizhu.

    “Thank you all for coming. Let’s begin.”

    The cultivators simultaneously began forming a complex formation, Lizhu at its center, acting as the focal point.

    A vast network of shimmering, crimson runes, like flowing blood, materialized in the air, slowly descending.

    For months, the Sect Leader and the peak masters had been working on this suppression formation, the Nine Layers Demon Subduing Array. Eight layers were complete. This was the final one.

    Once activated, it would seal the volatile artifact, preventing its emergence.

    The cultivators, hovering in mid-air, their hands forming intricate gestures, channeled their spiritual energy into the formation.

    Those on the ground mirrored their movements, adding their own power.

    The small cauldron at the center trembled violently, resisting the descending formation, its aura flaring.

    It had tolerated the previous eight layers, treating them as a game, easily breaking free.

    Now, realizing their true intentions, it wouldn’t be so easily subdued.

    They were, after all, too weak.

    A surge of dark grey energy erupted from the cauldron, its size increasing exponentially, its shadow falling over the assembled cultivators.

    The force of the Wanhun Cauldron’s aura sent several cultivators tumbling from the sky, landing heavily on the ground.

    “Is everyone alright?” Lizhu asked, her voice filled with concern.

    “We’re fine, Sect Leader,” they replied in unison.

    The cauldron’s aura pulsed, its power now undeniable, making them hesitate.

    Elder Qianlian’s expression was grim. “The first eight layers were so easy, but the ninth… There’s something wrong.”

    Cen Dianshuang agreed. “It has developed a spirit. This won’t be easy.”

    The cauldron, surrounded by the formation, bobbed up and down.

    If not for its master’s instructions, its spirit would have devoured these cultivators who dared to imprison it.

    Lizhu, her usual casual demeanor replaced by an air of authority, said, “This isn’t working… The competition starts tomorrow. Too many eyes, too many rumors…” She sighed, shaking her head.

    “Sect Leader, if we fail today, it will be difficult to contain it later.”

    “Those rumors… they’re targeting our Hanshan Sect. I’ve traced them back to the Demonic Beast Realm.”

    “But the Demonic Beast Realm and the Radiant Realm are separate. Why would they interfere?”

    “The current Beast King is ambitious. He covets the Radiant Realm’s abundant spiritual energy. He’s trying to provoke a conflict.”

    “I’ve noticed the Demonic Realm’s increased activity as well… Junior Sister Cen, look out!”

    The cauldron, tired of being confined, lunged towards… Cen Dianshuang.

    It had sensed its master’s aura on her, its curiosity piqued.

    Why does she smell so strongly of Master? I must investigate.

    Cen Dianshuang, summoning Xuan Ying, intercepted its advance, her sword’s light forcing it back.

    Lizhu rushed to her side, her voice filled with concern. “Are you alright?”

    Cen Dianshuang, her brow furrowed, shook her head, looking at Lizhu with confusion. “I’m fine. It didn’t seem like an attack.”

    Just as she said this, a burst of energy struck her shoulder, the impact like a small stone, not painful, but… deliberate.

    Lizhu shielded her, the cultivators staring at the cauldron, their expressions a mix of fear and confusion.

    The cauldron’s aura pulsed again, then subsided, the earlier attack seemingly a hallucination.

    The cauldron’s spirit, however, was thinking, Why are you so aggressive? I just wanted to ask if you knew where my master was!

    The spirit’s thoughts echoed in Tao Ning’s mind, like a child’s frustrated whining.

    Her head throbbed, assaulted by the cauldron’s complaints on one side and 520’s incessant questions about the song on the other.

    Receiving no response from its master, the cauldron’s aura intensified, its desire to be released echoing through the mountains, its cries directed solely at Tao Ning, careful not to disturb the others, heeding its master’s instructions.

    Tao Ning, pressing her fingers to her temples, her face a mask of long-suffering patience, muttered, “I understand now.”

    520, unsure what profound realization its host had just achieved, but ever the supportive companion, asked, 【What do you understand?】

    Tao Ning’s voice was heavy with the weight of newfound wisdom. “Never lie. Early childhood education is crucial. Foster independence. Don’t resist sending your children to boarding school.”

    520: 【???】 What does that have to do with anything? It checked the song title again. It was a love song. When did we switch to parenting advice?

    The next day, the disciple competition began, the aspiring cultivators eager to prove themselves.

    The first day, usually a low-key affair, with mostly younger disciples competing, was surprisingly crowded.

    The Hanshan Sect’s training grounds were filled with cultivators from various sects.

    Dozens of platforms had been set up, each overseen by a Hanshan Sect judge.

    The competition was divided into three divisions: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core. Participants faced each other in single combat, the winners advancing to the next round until a champion was declared.

    Held every hundred years, the competition also determined the rankings for the Heavenly Pride Ranking, a list no cultivator could resist.

    This year’s ranking was being compiled by the Cloud Soaring Palace’s Young Mistress, their sect renowned for its impartiality, their disciples, while not necessarily powerful warriors, known for their unwavering objectivity.

    With the Palace Mistress in seclusion, the Young Mistress, dressed in flowing purple robes, her face veiled in white silk, only her eyes visible, attracting admiring glances, led the delegation.

    Her spirit weapon was unusual: a scroll, the Spirit Jade Tablet.

    She was often seen writing, recording everything she observed, and in battle, the characters on the unfurled scroll would come alive, attacking her opponents.

    “The Young Mistress of the Cloud Soaring Palace has arrived!” A wave of white silk, like a floating cloud, appeared, and the purple-clad figure, stepping onto it, landed gracefully on the viewing platform, her arrival as ethereal as a celestial being’s.

    The other Cloud Soaring Palace disciples, their faces uncovered, their spirit weapons mostly bells or flowing red ribbons, followed.

    Cultivators were rarely unattractive, and their appearance was met with appreciation, not criticism.

    The arrival of the sect leaders and family heads was even more extravagant, each trying to outdo the other, their appearances delayed for dramatic effect, their presence greeted with respect and awe.

    It wasn’t just the disciples competing today. It seemed the elders were also vying for attention.

    Lizhu, as the host, appeared last, her robes flowing and majestic, her expression betraying no hint of yesterday’s setback.

    Her priority was the competition, ensuring its smooth execution and the departure of the guests. The Wanhun Cauldron remained sealed in the forbidden grounds, under the watchful eyes of several elders.

    While they were all puzzled by the cauldron’s fluctuating aura and its inability to be fully contained, they had no other choice.

    After a brief welcoming speech, the competition began.

    Tao Ning’s turn came early. Standing on the platform, she felt a twinge of regret at not being able to speak to Cen Dianshuang.

    Another cultivator, dressed in black, jumped onto the platform, and they bowed to each other.

    “Gongye Miao of the Asking Gods Sect.”

    “Tao Ning of the Hanshan Sect.”

    No need for boasts or threats. The judge signaled the start of the match, and they drew their weapons.

    Jin Jiamu’s turn was later. Descending from the viewing platform, intending to watch Tao Ning’s match from a closer vantage point, she felt a gaze on her, subtle but persistent, as she passed by the Cloud Soaring Palace delegation.

    Never one for subtlety, she turned, meeting the gaze directly.

    Ling Huabi, the Young Mistress, her hand resting on her scroll, the other holding a brush, looked away.

    Jin Jiamu: …Seriously? She’s still holding a grudge? It had been just a veil. She’s acting like I ripped her clothes off. I shouldn’t have helped her.

    She continued her descent, eager to watch Tao Ning fight. A friend’s support was essential.

    Ling Huabi, seeing her leave, let out a soft humph, marking a small “x” on the turtle she had been drawing on her Spirit Jade Tablet.

    Still annoyed, she called out, “Fellow Cultivator Jin.”

    Tao Ning, unaware that Ling Huabi’s veil had already been removed in this timeline, disarmed her opponent with a swift flick of her wrist, then, with a palm strike to his shoulder, sent him tumbling off the platform.

    The Asking Gods Sect disciple, staggering back, looked stunned. Defeated in five moves?

    The judge announced, “Tao Ning of the Hanshan Sect wins!”

    Jin Jiamu, hearing the announcement, stopped, turning back to address Ling Huabi. “What can I do for you, Young Mistress?”

    Ling Huabi was about to respond when a loud, mocking laugh echoed through the arena, amplified by spiritual energy, reaching every ear.

    Gongye Miao, his face dark with anger, turned towards the source of the laughter. “The match is over. I lost. What’s so funny?” He raised his sword, its tip pointed at the laughing cultivator. “I challenge you! Let’s see how skilled you are!”

    The man, seated among the rogue cultivators, finally stopped laughing, waving a hand dismissively. “No, no, I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the Hanshan Sect. So… blind.”

    Gongye Miao glared at him. Are you mocking me?

    The man’s words caused a stir.

    Lizhu, her voice cold, demanded, “Which sect are you from? Identify yourself!”

    The man, his face pleasant, his demeanor that of a gentle scholar, his words, however, anything but gentle, stood up, bowing to the assembled cultivators.

    “I’m but a humble rogue cultivator, my name unknown. Chu Jingtong, of the Chu clan.”

  • On How to Conquer System Fairies and Make Them Your Wives 200

    Chapter 200: Wu Xuan Ancestor

    It was a massive, ancient face.

    The body was hidden, concealed by the enormous canopy of the tree.

    But even just the face radiated an overwhelming, ancient power.

    A power that transcended even the Grand Clarity Realm.

    …An Immortal? He stared at the face intently.

    The ancient eyes opened, their gaze fixed on the three intruders.

    “Even I,” the raspy voice echoed through the chamber, “have been waiting here for seven hundred years for this Phantasmal Harmony Ganoderma to ripen.”

    Seven hundred years… The Grand Witch’s eyes widened in disbelief.

    “Y-you’re the Wu Xuan Ancestor?!”

    “Oh?”

    The ancient face turned towards her. “A child of the Wu Xuan Cave? And a Sacred Child physique… To think this generation has produced someone who passed the Sacred Child trials. No wonder the Ganoderma has been lacking nourishment these past few years.”

    Nourishment? Chen Yin frowned.

    “The Wu Xuan Ancestor was supposed to ascend seven hundred years ago,” the Grand Witch whispered to Chen Yin. “But for some reason, he didn’t. He’s been hiding in this secret realm.”

    “Wait here, let me talk to him.”

    She stepped forward and bowed respectfully. “Ancestor, I am Bi Luo, the current Grand Witch of the Wu Xuan Cave. The sect’s scriptures say you ascended seven hundred years ago. Why are you here?”

    “Ascend? Heh.”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor’s voice turned cold. “You un-ascended children wouldn’t understand. Ascending is just changing one cage for another. What’s the point?”

    The Grand Witch was confused.

    Chen Yin, however, looked up thoughtfully.

    “True transcendence can only be achieved with the Phantasmal Harmony Ganoderma.”

    “But after centuries of waiting, it still lacks nourishment.”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor looked at them, his ancient face suddenly contorting into a grotesque smile.

    “Haha, what a pleasant surprise.”

    “A Sacred Child as nourishment… this Ganoderma will finally ripen.”

    The Grand Witch’s eyes widened in horror.

    “Ancestor?!”

    “You’re a disciple of the Wu Xuan Cave. It’s your duty to serve the sect.”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor’s eyes were cold and ancient as an irresistible force surged towards the Grand Witch.

    She desperately tried to resist, but his power was like an unbreakable chain, binding her tightly.

    “System!” She cried out mentally in panic.

    “It’s no use. He’s already on the path to enlightenment. My abilities are useless against someone like him.”

    The System’s voice was filled with alarm. “How can someone like this still exist in this world?!”

    Despair filled the Grand Witch’s eyes.

    But then, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, and the pressure on her body vanished.

    She turned and saw Chen Yin’s arm protectively around her.

    He was staring at the Wu Xuan Ancestor, his expression calm. “Stay close. My protective aura will shield you.”

    The Grand Witch was stunned, then, slightly flustered by his embrace, she nodded silently.

    “Hmm?”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor’s eyes narrowed slightly.

    “Immortal Qi? Strange.”

    “How can a child from the Lower Realm possess such pure Immortal Qi?”

    Immortal Qi? Chen Yin paused.

    Was he referring to his blue spiritual energy?

    “Hahaha, all the more nourishment for me.”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor chuckled. “Such pure Immortal Qi, a true delicacy! After all these years, such a feast!”

    “Thank you for this gift.”

    Chen Yin’s expression remained unchanged. “A question. Was the Sacred Child trial designed to provide nourishment for the Phantasmal Harmony Ganoderma?”

    The Grand Witch looked at him, surprised.

    “What if it was?”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor didn’t seem to care. “The Ganoderma thrives on human flesh and pure toxins. The Sacred Child trial provides both. Even if they die, their bodies nourish the Ganoderma. In fact, this entire realm, even the Yama’s Valley above, was created for the Ganoderma. And you,” he grinned sinisterly, “have taken the bait.”

    Chen Yin didn’t speak.

    He just looked at the ancient face,

    As if he were looking at a dead man.

    The Grand Witch’s expression flickered, then her eyes hardened with fury.

    “You… monster!”

    “Little girl, I am your ancestor.”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor snorted. “You dare disrespect your ancestor? You deserve to die!”

    The branches of the tree suddenly lunged towards them, each one radiating a terrifying pressure that made it difficult to breathe.

    The Grand Witch desperately dodged and counterattacked, but it was useless.

    “It’s futile. I created the techniques you cultivate. Do you think you can use them against me?”

    The Grand Witch gritted her teeth, dodging the incoming branches.

    Before she could be overwhelmed, Chen Yin’s sword flashed, deflecting the attacks.

    “Be careful. His physical body might be decayed, but his cultivation has reached the Immortal Realm.”

    The masked man moved closer to Chen Yin and whispered, “Immortals have comprehended the Dao. Even with our Heavenly Dao Fragments, we’re no match for him.”

    “Oh? You’re Chosen Ones?”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor chuckled. “Excellent! What a delightful surprise! Even your souls and blood will nourish the Ganoderma!”

    “Die!”

    The Grand Witch and the masked man’s eyes widened in horror.

    The tree’s branches and leaves grew rapidly, its aura growing more terrifying with each passing moment.

    Even the surrounding lava seemed to boil and churn under its immense pressure.

    The branches, like writhing tentacles, lashed out at them.

    “Damn it!”

    The masked man’s System shrieked. “Run! He’s using his full power! No one in this world can withstand the full might of an Immortal!”

    But the masked man didn’t move. He just gritted his teeth.

    “System, exchange for a Heaven Severing Talisman.”

    “Are you crazy?! Even with the talisman, you can only exchange one blow with him! What then?! We should escape!”

    “The Grand Witch also has a System. She can use a Realm Breaking Talisman to escape with him. We just need to block this attack. Otherwise, none of us will survive.”

    He stepped forward, his eyes filled with a desperate resolve.

    “I won’t let him die.”

    “You…” the System sighed helplessly. “So stubborn and foolish! Fine, then let’s fight to the death—”

    But then it stopped.

    The masked man felt a hand on his shoulder.

    “There’s no need for such heroics, my friend.”

    Chen Yin’s gaze was calm as he looked up at the sky.

    “Heaven’s wrath will punish those who defy the natural order.”

    “Don’t throw your life away so easily.”

  • Back to Three Years Old: Crushing Scumbags on a Parenting Reality Show 133p1

    Chapter 133p1

    After tricking Cheng Tingyan into eating the candy, Wei Maomao turned around and saw Wei Chengli leaning against the door, his cheeks puffed out, chewing, chewing, chewing.

    Usually, she wouldn’t care what an adult ate. But today, it felt different.

    Last night, the speculation about Cheng Rongrong’s actions, the guilt over Wei Maomao’s fall, the shock and self-blame, they all kept the six-year-old Cheng Tingyan awake. Wei Maomao, of course, wouldn’t leave Cheng Tingyan alone to fall asleep, so after Wei Chengli left the bedroom, they whispered under the blanket for a long time.

    They chatted… for quite a while.

    The sounds of Shi Dingshan visiting again outside, the sound of the camp bed being moved, the sounds of footsteps coming and going… Wei Maomao, comforting Yan Yan while listening intently, didn’t miss anything. After the sounds outside subsided, and Yan Yan’s voice gradually softened, her breathing becoming even, Wei Maomao had just closed her eyes when she was woken up by the continuous, gentle knocking on the door.

    How should she put it, Wei Maomao could understand Wei Chengli, who was also startled, insisting on sleeping by the door no matter what she said, she could also understand his worry about whether the fall would have any aftereffects, so he wanted to check on her in the middle of the night.

    But… she couldn’t understand why he had to ask four times in one night!

    Wei Maomao rubbed her eyes, glanced at Cheng Tingyan, who was yawning, then her gaze slowly landed on Wei Chengli’s face.

    There were no aftereffects, but they had created three pairs of panda eyes! Thankfully, this room was at the end of the corridor, they probably didn’t disturb the other families last night, otherwise, it would be a panda party today.

    The things in this world were truly interesting, a father’s love, something that was completely absent in her previous life, was now a bit too much.

    But…

    Judging from the number of times she was woken up last night, the one who needed to be checked on wasn’t her, but someone else.

    Speaking of which… Shi Dingshan and someone else, she didn’t know who, came over again last night, she had to ask what they were here for.

    Thinking of this, Wei Maomao looked at Wei Chengli by the door, chewing diligently, and walked towards him.

    Wei Chengli, as he chewed, saw the little chubby dumpling stare at him for a few seconds, then walk towards him with her chubby legs. He pretended to be indifferent, but inwardly, he praised himself for his enthusiastic chewing.

    Hmph, little foodie, he could still control her!

    Wei Chengli leaned against the door, watching as the little chubby dumpling walked to his feet and patted his… knee with her warm, chubby paw.

    “Dad, what are you eating?” Wei Maomao asked, looking up, starting with a casual greeting.

    An expected question, but this time, Wei Chengli didn’t have time to be smug.

    To maintain his proud image, he was focusing all his energy on controlling his knee-jerk reaction.

    This little rascal, if she wasn’t only three years old and hadn’t learned about biology yet, he would truly suspect that she was deliberately targeting this spot.

    “I’m eating candy.” Wei Chengli said, exaggerating his smacking sounds. “It’s the same kind of candy you gave Yan Yan earlier.”

    “Oh.” Wei Maomao said casually, acknowledging his answer, then moved on to the main topic. “Dad, I seemed to have heard Uncle Shi’s voice last night, he…”

    “Why aren’t you asking where I got the candy from?” Wei Chengli asked, still immersed in his own trap, completely unaware that for the little rascal, it was just a casual opening.

    “… “ Thinking about the four times she was checked on that night, Wei Maomao patiently followed Wei Chengli’s lead. “Didn’t Uncle Shen give it to us? Every baby and every dad got one yesterday.”

    Wei Chengli was stunned, he shook his head. “Not that one, this one is from last night, when I went to the next room to shower, Uncle Shen heard that you fell and asked me to bring it to you.”

    “???” Wei Maomao felt like her sleep-deprived brain couldn’t keep up with Wei Chengli’s anymore. “For me? You ate it?”

    Wei Chengli smiled. “Mmm! I saw that you didn’t even eat your two pieces, I thought you didn’t like it, and your bitter old father needed a bit of sweet comfort~~~ You know~~ I’m not giving you the other one either, that one is for your mom.” Ask me! Why bitter! Why needing comfort! Get angry!

    However, there was no questioning dumpling, no curious dumpling, no angry dumpling, and no crying dumpling…

    “Mmm, eat more.” Wei Maomao said calmly, bringing the topic back. “Uncle Shi last night…”

    Wei Chengli, who had been feeling sour from the little chubby dumpling feeding another child candy early in the morning and had meticulously set a trap, but failed to catch a single dumpling, reached out to stop her. “Wait… Are you angry?”

    Wei Maomao, her topic being repeatedly derailed, sighed helplessly. “No. You’re my dad, you eat, I’m not angry. Uncle Shi…”

    “Well… Good morning.”

    A familiar female voice suddenly came from behind Wei Chengli, interrupting their conversation.

    They both turned to look and saw Liu Ming, with matching panda eyes, standing awkwardly in the corridor.

    “Maomao, did you sleep…” Liu Ming was about to ask if Maomao slept well last night, if she was feeling uncomfortable, but she was startled by the dark circles under the little chubby baby’s eyes. “Your eyes!”

    “I’m fine.” Wei Maomao said quickly, knowing what Liu Ming was afraid of.

    “Maybe I checked on her too many times last night, she didn’t sleep very well.” Wei Chengli added, explaining.

    Liu Ming: “… “

    Wei Maomao smiled. “Four times, Dad, you woke me up four times!”

    “It’s because you were with… cough…” Wei Chengli said, thinking about Cheng Tingyan, who was cleaning up the bed in the room, he swallowed the rest of his words. “Anyway, it’s your own fault.”

    “Well, as we discussed yesterday, the live broadcast will resume at 8 AM when everyone goes downstairs for breakfast.” Liu Ming said to Wei Chengli, she made a “six” gesture with her hand and held it to her ear, hinting, “Director Shi asked me to come and get this before the live broadcast starts.”

    “Oh, oh.” Wei Chengli said, quickly walking to the camp bed, he took out the phone from under his pillow, put it back in the password box, and handed it to Liu Ming.

    Wei Maomao watched the whole thing, envious.

    What was going on?

    She was the one who fell, but Wei Chengli was the one who got to play with the phone?

    Where was the fairness in this world?

    Liu Ming, hurriedly carrying the hot potato of a password box, ran off. Wei Maomao, dissatisfied, patted Wei Chengli’s knee. “Dad, what did Uncle Shi come for last night? To give you a phone to play with?”

    “Shh, shh, shh!” Wei Chengli said, covering the little chubby dumpling’s mouth, he carried her into the room, closed the door, and whispered, “What’s wrong with you? I was even facing away from you, and you still saw it so clearly, you even recognize a phone… Your mom saw you fall on the live broadcast, she was worried, Director Shi let me call her to reassure her. Don’t let it slip when the live broadcast starts later, we’re not allowed to use phones according to the rules.”

    “Not ‘we,’ just ‘you,’ right?” Wei Maomao hummed.

    “Behave yourself.” Wei Chengli said, rubbing her messy hair, he glanced at Cheng Tingyan, who must have overheard their conversation.

    Their eyes met briefly, Wei Chengli was still hesitating whether to remind Yan Yan when he saw her cover her ears with her hands.

    “I can’t hear anything.”

    Wei Chengli: “… “ It was this kind of heart-wrenching thoughtfulness! It made him unable to bring himself to knock the little chubby dumpling unconscious and run away with her.

    “Is Mom okay now? Is she reassured? I also want to talk to Mom… Dad, you’re playing with the phone by yourself, not including me. You woke me up four times and still didn’t include me!” Wei Maomao complained, then thought for a moment. “Can I say ‘Mom, don’t worry’ to the camera later?”

    “Mom is fine now. You can talk to Mom through the camera, she’ll see it.” Wei Chengli said, his heart softening as he rubbed her messy hair, then added, “But do you remember what happened last night, how should we explain it?”

    “I fell on my own.” Wei Maomao said, stamping her foot as if annoyed. “Ahh, I, the baby, am so unlucky!”

    Wei Chengli couldn’t help but chuckle, he pinched her chubby cheek. “Okay, no need to act, you little drama queen.”

    “Hmph.” Wei Maomao said, proudly raising her chin.

    How should he put it, just consider it entertainment for her old man, he hoped Wei Chengli would be happier, forget about last night’s scare, and not make any decisions that would make her turn against him.

    At this moment, Wei Maomao was still worried about whether Wei Chengli would run away with her. But in the next second, she received a huge reassurance.

    “Yan Yan, come here.” Wei Chengli said, beckoning Cheng Tingyan, who was still shaking the blanket. After she came over and stood next to the little rascal, he said softly, “We’re not filming now, and there’s no audio recording. Before the live broadcast starts, let me ask you, Yan Yan, do you truly not want to live with your dad anymore?”

    Wei Chengli, still shaken by last night’s events, needed some time to think.

    Thanks to Shi Dingshan, he had watched for an entire night, and thought for an entire night. They could just leave, never to return, but… He couldn’t just stand by and watch Yan Yan walk into a tiger’s den, knowing there was danger. To put it more artistically, it would become his inner demon. Wei Chengli even felt that it wouldn’t just be his inner demon, it would also become the little rascal’s…

    Since they had reached a point where they couldn’t just walk away, then they had to see this through to the desired outcome.

    In a society ruled by law, kicking down the door was the fastest way to restrain the bad guys and ensure Cheng Tingyan’s safety.

    But he had to confirm one last time.

  • You’re Not Allowed to Kiss Me Anymore! [Quick Transmigration] 51p1

    Chapter 51 p1

    Xin Yao took off her creamy white fleece pajamas and lay naked on the bed, her skin exposed to the air.

    Her dark hair cascaded around her, her body nestled in the soft bedding, her legs slightly bent, a subtly alluring pose. Her pale skin contrasted sharply with the white sheets, glowing like warm milk in the dim light.

    Beside her, the soft rustling of fabric against skin echoed through the room as Xu Jingyu undressed, the sound barely audible, yet amplified by the quiet intimacy of the moment, the dim light, and Xin Yao’s racing heart.

    Her eyelashes fluttered nervously, her fingers gripping the sheets, wrinkling the fabric.

    Her eyes, shimmering with a soft light, like a pool of spring water, held a mix of vulnerability and allure.

    The rustling stopped.

    Xu Jingyu had been wearing only a thin white nightgown.

    Xin Yao’s gaze, hesitant yet curious, fell upon her, her face flushing crimson as she bit her lip, her grip on the sheets tightening.

    Her eyes softened, her body relaxing slightly as she took in the sight before her.

    Xu Jingyu knelt on the bed beside her, also naked, her long black hair cascading around her, her skin even paler than Xin Yao’s, her body a work of art, her curves and angles illuminated by the soft light.

    The light traced the delicate lines of her face, her elegant collarbone, the smooth skin of her stomach, her long, slender legs.

    She looked less like a real person and more like a breathtaking sculpture.

    And Xu Jingyu, her personality naturally dominant, her gaze intense even as she lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting shadows that made her eyes seem even darker, her silent scrutiny like a physical touch, a possessive caress that made Xin Yao’s heart pound.

    And the desire in her eyes, like a smoldering flame, threatened to consume Xin Yao whole.

    Her girlfriend, in this moment, had become a dangerous predator.

    The thought made Xin Yao even more nervous. She shyly turned her head away, the curve of her neck a graceful arc in the warm air, her teeth gently biting her lip.

    The predator, sensing her prey’s unease, leaned closer, one hand resting on the bed beside Xin Yao’s head, the other gently tilting her chin up.

    Her voice, cool and clear yet slightly husky, was a sensual whisper.

    “Yaoyao, look at me. Don’t hide.”

    Xin Yao, her chin held captive, turned her head, her gaze meeting Xu Jingyu’s.

    Her eyes, dark and intense, like storm clouds gathering on the horizon, made Xin Yao’s heart race.

    She parted her lips, wanting to speak, but her throat was dry, the words catching in her throat.

    Xu Jingyu’s gaze softened slightly.

    “Don’t be afraid.”

    And then it began.

    Xu Jingyu’s fingertip, cool and smooth like jade, traced Xin Yao’s lips, the delicate touch making her moan softly.

    The sound made Xu Jingyu’s eyes darken, but she didn’t push further.

    Her fingertip continued its exploration, sliding down Xin Yao’s chin to her neck.

    The room was still warm, and Xu Jingyu’s touch, like a burning ember, sent shivers down Xin Yao’s spine, her skin tingling with pleasure.

    She instinctively arched her neck, her throat tightening.

    Her involuntary response made Xu Jingyu smile, her amusement a silent sound, a sensual vibration in the quiet room.

    Xu Jingyu’s finger continued its descent, tracing Xin Yao’s collarbone, the curve of her breasts, her skin flushed with a delicate pink.

    Xin Yao shivered, her legs pressing together, her hand reaching out to capture Xu Jingyu’s wandering finger. She opened her eyes, their depths shimmering with a mix of desire and vulnerability, her gaze soft and pleading.

    Xu Jingyu’s eyes darkened.

    Xin Yao’s gaze held hers, a silent plea in her eyes.

    After a brief moment, Xin Yao released Xu Jingyu’s finger, her resolve crumbling beneath the other woman’s intense gaze.

    Xu Jingyu’s touch continued its exploration, her fingers tracing Xin Yao’s arm, then her wrist, her touch lingering, her fingers gently caressing the delicate skin.

    Then, slowly, deliberately, she began to intertwine their fingers, her touch a gentle tease, her movements slow and deliberate, as if wanting Xin Yao to savor every sensation, the warmth of their joined hands, the subtle friction of their skin against each other.

    Her fingers slid between Xin Yao’s, then closed around her hand, their fingers intertwined, their palms pressed together.

    The sensual torture ended with their hands clasped together, the simple gesture strangely intimate, making Xin Yao’s heart pound.

    And then, Xu Jingyu leaned closer, their bodies pressing together, inch by inch.

    The cool, pale skin of her arm against Xin Yao’s warm flesh, their shoulders touching, their chests rising and falling in unison, their legs intertwined.

    They were like two flowers, their colors different yet complementary, their petals intertwined, their bodies pressed together, bare and vulnerable.

    The warmth of their joined bodies, the shared intimacy of the moment, made Xu Jingyu sigh with pleasure, a soft moan escaping Xin Yao’s lips.

    But in their close embrace, Xin Yao could feel every detail of Xu Jingyu’s body, the smooth texture of her skin, the gentle caress of her touch, the warmth radiating from her.

    Like warm milk, soothing and comforting, yet also a heavy, possessive weight.

    She felt Xu Jingyu’s weight, her strength, her gentleness.

    And her excitement, her rapid breathing against Xin Yao’s ear.

    Xin Yao’s fingers trembled, her eyelids fluttering.

    And in that moment, their hearts beat as one.

    Thump, thump.

    The sound of their heartbeats, synchronized and echoing in the quiet room, was a testament to their unspoken love.

    Xin Yao’s hand, still clasped in Xu Jingyu’s, her other arm wrapped around her back, her eyes closed, savoring the moment.

    She finally understood Xu Jingyu’s obsession with touch.

    Xu Jingyu, her face buried in the curve of Xin Yao’s neck, her breathing becoming more rapid with each passing moment, her excitement palpable.

    But despite their close embrace, she didn’t move, her body still, her touch gentle.

    As if she had only wanted to hold Xin Yao, nothing more.

    Really? Xin Yao wondered.

    She waited, but Xu Jingyu, while pressing even closer, still didn’t make a move.

    Xin Yao, her arm still around Xu Jingyu’s back, looked at her beautiful profile.

    Then, she leaned closer and gently nipped at Xu Jingyu’s earlobe, her breath warm against her skin.

    “Xu Jingyu, are you really just planning to cuddle tonight?”

    A beat of silence.

    Xu Jingyu slowly lifted her head, her hand bracing against the bed as she looked at Xin Yao.

    Xin Yao looked up, her gaze meeting Xu Jingyu’s, her heart skipping a beat at the intensity in her eyes.

    In the dim light, Xu Jingyu’s eyes were even darker, more intense than before, like burning embers.

    “Is that okay?” she asked, her voice husky and low, a dangerous sensuality in its depths. “It’s only our first day together. Isn’t this a bit too fast?”

    Xin Yao paused, then reached out and gently caressed Xu Jingyu’s face, wiping away a bead of sweat from her forehead.

    “Since when did Xu Jingyu become so hesitant?”

    Xu Jingyu’s fingers tightened around Xin Yao’s hand, her face nuzzling against Xin Yao’s palm.

    “I’m afraid you’ll dislike me.”

    Your suggestion of cuddling was already bold enough, Xin Yao thought.

    But she didn’t say it. Instead, she gently caressed Xu Jingyu’s face, her gaze soft and loving, then leaned forward and kissed her.

    In this moment of closeness, they needed this kiss, this shared intimacy.

    And then, they should be even closer, their bodies and souls intertwined.

    But half an hour later, Xin Yao regretted her decision.

    They weren’t cuddling anymore.

    She sat propped up against the headboard, her legs draped over Xu Jingyu’s shoulders, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, her lips pressed together, a soft moan escaping her lips.

    Then, she covered her mouth with her hand, her mind reeling.

    After a long moment, she recovered, her legs kicking against Xu Jingyu’s body, her hands pushing against her chest, trying to escape.

    Xu Jingyu’s hand tightened around her thigh, her fingers pressing into her soft flesh.

    She looked up at Xin Yao, her lips glistening in the soft light, her fingers tightening their grip, her touch both gentle and firm.

    “Don’t,” Xin Yao whispered, her voice barely audible.

    And in that moment, she finally understood the true extent of Xu Jingyu’s unrestrained desire, her insatiable hunger for touch.

    For the past half hour, Xu Jingyu had been licking her, exploring every inch of her skin with her tongue, her touch both gentle and demanding, a sensual torture that had left Xin Yao breathless and wanting to escape even before they had begun.

    Xu Jingyu pulled her closer, her lips finding Xin Yao’s in a deep, possessive kiss.

    All her pent-up desire, her unspoken love, was unleashed in that kiss, Xin Yao’s arms wrapping around her neck, her body surrendering to the other woman’s embrace.

    But Xu Jingyu’s kiss was too fierce, too demanding, her tongue exploring Xin Yao’s mouth with a hungry urgency that left Xin Yao breathless.

    Just as she felt like she couldn’t take it anymore, her fingers digging into Xu Jingyu’s back, her legs tightening around her waist, her body trembling, she reached her peak, her body convulsing, then relaxing, her strength fading.

    Xu Jingyu held her close, her eyes, still filled with desire, now also shining with a soft, warm light, her lips brushing against Xin Yao’s.

    “Yaoyao,” she murmured, her voice soft, “I’m yours.”

    Xin Yao, her body still trembling, her eyes shimmering with tears, clung to Xu Jingyu, her voice a soft whisper.

    “And I’m yours.”

    Her words were tender, but her actions weren’t.

    Perhaps because of her insatiable need for touch, Xu Jingyu’s possessiveness seemed even stronger than before.

    During their lovemaking, Xin Yao wasn’t even allowed to look away, her gaze held captive by Xu Jingyu’s intense stare, her every thought, every sensation, focused solely on the woman before her.

    Her body, her mind, her soul, all consumed by Xu Jingyu.

    If her attention wandered, even for a moment, Xu Jingyu would pull her back, her touch becoming more demanding, more insistent.

    It was both infuriating and exhilarating, Xin Yao’s protests eventually turning into soft pleas and whispered moans.

    But her tears only fueled Xu Jingyu’s passion.

    Finally, seeing Xin Yao’s exhaustion, she relented.

    She carried her to the bathroom, gently washing her body, then tucked her into bed, Xin Yao’s eyelids already drooping.

    Xin Yao, looking at Xu Jingyu, still naked and lying beside her, her body warm against Xin Yao’s, gathered her remaining strength and bit Xu Jingyu’s neck.

    “You beast,” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.

    Xu Jingyu chuckled, not denying the accusation, her hand gently stroking Xin Yao’s back.

    “Mm-hmm. I love you.”

    Their relationship, escalating so quickly, so intensely, on their first day together, might have seemed too fast, too bold.

    But Xin Yao had been waiting for this moment for a lifetime, and Xu Jingyu, always a woman of action, didn’t believe in holding back.

    The only problem, from Xin Yao’s perspective, was that Xu Jingyu, having opened that door, could no longer control herself, wanting to be close to Xin Yao every night.

    And her idea of closeness wasn’t just cuddling. She would keep Xin Yao awake until the early hours of the morning, her demands relentless.

    So, Xin Yao often refused, her resistance both playful and firm.

    But Xu Jingyu, always resourceful, had learned to use her vulnerability to her advantage.

    She wouldn’t say anything, simply standing there, her eyes lowered, her expression slightly forlorn.

    And Xin Yao, unable to resist her pitiful appearance, would often relent.

    Until one morning, covered in love bites, she finally realized she had fallen into Xu Jingyu’s trap.

    And she had promptly kicked her out of bed.

    As their relationship progressed, the blizzard finally ended, the sun returning, its warmth melting the snow.

    Their short vacation was over, and both productions prepared to resume filming.

    So, the night before, Xin Yao had firmly refused Xu Jingyu’s advances, going to bed early.

    The next morning, refreshed and energized, she went to the set alone.

    When she arrived, Xu Jingyu was already there, her makeup and costume done.

    Xin Yao walked towards her, deliberately maintaining a professional distance, her voice polite and slightly formal.

    “Good morning, Ms. Xu.”

    Xu Jingyu raised an eyebrow, a soft smile playing on her lips.

    “Good morning, Ms. Xin.”

    They had almost slept together last night, yet now, in public, they were pretending to be strangers.

    Only they knew the hidden intimacy beneath their professional facade.

    But they didn’t have much time for small talk. The crew, after their long break, was eager to resume filming.

    And Xin Yao’s beloved Lu Duanjing’s story continued.

    After witnessing the horrors of the slums and recovering from her illness, Lu Duanjing had decided to take action.

    She remembered Wen Sigu’s words:

    Being small wasn’t a weakness. Even the smallest person could make a difference.

    The Lu family had one thing in abundance: money.

    While Lu Duanjing wasn’t favored by her father, and her movements were restricted, she was still the eldest daughter of a wealthy family.

    Her father had always provided for her generously, showering her with gifts, especially on holidays and birthdays.

    She had a large collection of jewelry.

    Ironically, she had never had the opportunity to wear any of it, her life confined to the Lu residence.

    But now, her unused jewelry had a purpose.

    She secretly sold it and used the money to fund an orphanage.

    It wasn’t a proper orphanage, just a dilapidated courtyard house she had purchased.

    She hired two women from the slums, one to cook and the other to care for the children.

    Together, they cleaned and renovated the house, transforming it into a bright, welcoming space.

    Then, Lu Duanjing brought the children, orphaned and abandoned, their lives threatened by poverty and hardship, to their new home.

    It wasn’t much, but it was a safe haven, a place of refuge.

    Their stories were heartbreaking.

    Some were so young that they didn’t even understand what it meant to lose their families.

    One child, when one of the women had undressed her for a bath, Lu Duanjing assisting, had startled Lu Duanjing.

    The little girl’s toes were gone.

    Seeing Lu Duanjing’s horrified expression, the woman had quickly explained.

    “Don’t worry, Miss. It’s normal. It gets so cold in the winter. Some children lose their fingers and toes to frostbite. We have to cut them off to prevent the frostbite from spreading. Otherwise, they might lose their entire foot, or even their leg.”

    “It’s normal, Miss. Really.”

    Normal?

    How could that be normal?

    Lu Duanjing had been stunned.

    Seeing the woman’s matter-of-fact tone, she had hesitantly asked, “Did your child also…?”

    The woman had been silent for a long time, then she had chuckled softly.

    “My son… he didn’t survive last winter.”

    He had frozen to death, in her arms.

    Every winter was a struggle for survival in the slums.

    Lu Duanjing, standing there in the warm afternoon sunlight, had felt a chill run down her spine. She had looked at the woman, then at the children playing in the courtyard, her heart aching.

    She had always thought of herself as unfortunate, her life confined to the four walls of the Lu residence, her future predetermined, her days a monotonous, unchanging routine.

    But now, she realized how fortunate she was, how much she had taken for granted.

    At least she didn’t have to worry about surviving the winter.

    The wealthy were trapped in their gilded cages.

    The poor struggled to survive in the slums.

    Everyone, it seemed, carried their own burdens.

    After selling two more bracelets, and with the orphanage finally running smoothly, Lu Duanjing decided to celebrate by treating the children and the two women to a special meal.

    She planned to make it a weekly tradition, a small luxury they could all look forward to.

    So, that morning, she had given the women some money to buy some meat, enough for a simple red braised pork dish.

    It wasn’t much, just a small piece of meat, enough for two or three pieces per person.

    She hadn’t expected their reaction to be so… intense. Even the two women had been smiling all day, their faces beaming with anticipation.

    And the children, their excitement palpable, had been chattering about it since morning.

    That evening, as the aroma of the braised pork filled the courtyard, the children gathered around the table, their eyes wide with anticipation.

    But they were well-behaved, their gazes fixed on Lu Duanjing, waiting for her permission to eat. Even the two women looked at her expectantly.

    Lu Duanjing smiled. “Why are you all looking at me? Eat!”

    But the children remained motionless.

  • Sickly Girl Doesn’t Die in Zombie Simulator 136p3

    Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Six: Perfect Hunt p3

    Lin Jiayao encouragingly patted Huayibai’s head lightly, signaling her to continue.

    Then, Huayibai continued:

    “Then she stopped for a long time. I don’t know if the line was disconnected. Later, she connected again and told me that she didn’t want to find my mother, but the leader of the organization behind me.”

    When Huayibai said this, she pursed her lips and said angrily, “She seemed to not understand human language. Huayibai had already said that Huayibai had no organization and no superior, but she still didn’t understand.”

    “But Huayibai remembered what Mommy said, don’t get angry easily, so Huayibai held back, Huayibai used ’empathy’!”

    “Yes,” Lin Jiayao nodded, indicating that she was listening carefully, and at the same time continued to stimulate Huayibai’s desire to talk, “What did you say?”

    “Don’t you have a mother?” Huayibai said proudly.

    “Hiss—”

    Lin Xiwan and Lin Jiayao inhaled sharply at the same time. Lin Xiwan put her bent right index finger under her nose in a thinking pose, and Lin Jiayao touched her upper lip with her left hand. Both of them coincidentally covered their mouths.

    It would be impolite to laugh out loud.

    Huayibai didn’t know why her mother was smiling. In her thinking, what she said was indeed said after empathy.

    Huayibai had already said that Huayibai only listened to Mommy, but you still don’t understand. Don’t you have a mother?

    Of course, Huayibai was just asking, and didn’t mean to scold anyone.

    But her words didn’t sound so friendly to others.

    After a long time, there was a reply from Survivor’s Light. Unexpectedly, Jiang Chun directly apologized to Huayibai.

    “Although I don’t know where I offended you, please listen to what I have to say… The seeds your organization has are very important to us, to humanity…”

    Then, Jiang Chun, in this radio conversation, told everyone listening to the radio the truth about the decline of Survivor’s Light, and the changes and breakthroughs that Survivor’s Light had been making during this time.

    As expected, most of the people listening, including the people in the Qingzhou University Camp, were moved by this description.

    Struggling for many years in the apocalypse made them more able to empathize with the experience of Survivor’s Light—the raging of an unknown “virus”, struggling to find a way out, and making necessary changes.

    At the same time, Jiang Chun also confessed the current situation of Donghai City and Survivor’s Light.

    The vast majority of people had been infected. Fortunately, most people could rely on solar electrostatic collars to prevent the mycelium from spreading to the brain.

    Only a small number of Awakened and ordinary people had the ability to be immune to mycelium. Every time, they had to be completely disinfected and even undergo enemas and induced vomiting before they were allowed to leave Donghai City to carry out search missions or clear zombies.

    This was to prevent zombie spores from being spread by the bodies of the traveling personnel.

    Jiang Chun absolutely did not allow her people to become carriers of zombie spore dispersal. She might have made mistakes before when she didn’t know, but after realizing it, she couldn’t make them again.

    Moreover, Donghai City was becoming more and more restless. The most significant change was that Chongming Island had been swallowed by the sea due to unexplained vibrations. The unknown creatures in the sea seemed to be starting to attack the mainland.

    After describing the predicament and the confusion of the organization’s personnel here, after hearing this radio conversation, Jiang Chun had a way to keep the organization’s people enthusiastic.

    Obtain seeds, plant them, make emergency relief food, and after high-temperature and electrostatic sterilization and packaging, the remaining immune Awakened would carry these supplies to rescue any camps around that needed food.

    Although they could no longer set their sights on clearing the zombies in the entire China, as long as they could help the people around them and continue to let Survivor’s Light operate, it would not cause the half-human, half-fungal “survivors” of Survivor’s Light to collapse.

    Jiang Chun made a request to Huayibai, which was to use blood crystals to exchange for some uncontaminated seeds.

    Survivor’s Light had already conducted experiments. The spores and mycelium that infected Survivor’s Light were all the same species, and this species only infected flesh and blood creatures, and did not infect plants, which meant that it would not affect planting.

    As long as the canned food was sterilized by static electricity after it was produced, it would not carry any living spores.

    Survivor’s Light, after experiencing a series of changes, had changed its positioning from a “lighthouse” to an “oasis”. They wanted to use their technical reserves and factories to help others by providing food aid.

    And this was why Lin Jiayao later heard Huayibai say that she had to ask her mother before she could decide.

    This transaction had to be confirmed by Huayibai after asking her mother before it could proceed.

    After listening to Huayibai’s narration, Lin Xiwan looked at Lin Jiayao, and Lin Jiayao also looked at her sister. The two looked at each other.

    “Our location here… seems to be exposed?”

    “Yes.” Lin Jiayao nodded, but didn’t seem surprised.

    “Aren’t you worried?” Lin Xiwan asked her sister in a low voice.

    “Worried about what?” Lin Jiayao blinked and asked back.

    As long as it was a defensive battle in Kun City, Lin Jiayao could exert B-rank strength, and there was also Huayibai, who was also B-rank, supporting her. Even A4 was approaching. Lin Jiayao couldn’t find a reason to be nervous.

    Moreover, Lin Jiayao knew her sister very well.

    The further into the apocalypse, the more resources would become depleted, and there would be more and more camp help messages on the radio.

    And Kun City, which was very rich in resources, was only enjoyed by the two sisters Lin Xiwan and Lin Jiayao, plus Huayibai. Lin Jiayao didn’t believe that her sister, who was extremely humanitarian, wouldn’t have the idea of rescuing others after being idle for a long time.

    Just like when her sister was a D-rank in the resort camp, she still thought about Survivor’s Light, which was like a lighthouse at that time. Her personality was like this and would not change easily.

    So Lin Jiayao had already made plans before entering Kun City that this place might become a new large camp, and her sister would become the new leader.

    Now, it was just that the plan might be a little ahead of schedule. Originally, Lin Jiayao wanted to stay here for a while longer, use her body and resources to nourish her sister, and let her sister rise to B-rank before talking about it.

    Of course, it wasn’t that fast now. It was just a simple transaction request.

    But judging from the heavy rain in Qingzhou City… Kun City might soon welcome the first batch of “refugees”.

    But fortunately, Lin Jiayao’s impression of the Qingzhou University Camp was still relatively good. Except for their liking to spread rumors and some false information, everything else was pretty good.

    Most importantly, there were a group of people who knew how to farm, and they were self-sufficient after the apocalypse.

    If they were absorbed, the sisters wouldn’t have to do the farming themselves.

    She had to divide an area in advance that only she, her sister, and Huayibai could enter. Lin Jiayao still cared about this kind of private space. If she and her sister were so intimate all the time and were seen by others, who knows what kind of misunderstandings would arise.

    It was clearly just a pure sisterly relationship.

    “Agree to her request. Let her send people to pick them up. They don’t need to come to Kun City. Let them pick them up at the Voodoo Cult camp.”

    Huayibai could now mimic a huge flying insect and could complete long-distance material transportation tasks.

    She only needed to transport the things to Chongyu and let them pick them up. This way, they wouldn’t go too far in terms of distance, and it could also let them know that the Voodoo Cult was really destroyed, and she could also spend some more time with her sister without being disturbed…

    Oh, it was three people, there was also Huayibai.

    As for those blood crystals, just let Huayibai digest them herself, as if Huayibai was earning pocket money for herself by transporting goods.

    After truly experiencing the battle between B-ranks and understanding the limits of her abilities, Lin Jiayao was no longer timid about various things.

    Even if her sister really wanted to establish a camp, she could be behind her sister and give her all her support… As long as her sister was happy, everything was worth it.

    “Eh…”

    While Huayibai closed her eyes to contact them, Lin Xiwan hugged her sister again and sighed, sticking to her sister’s cheek, “I thought you would refuse… after all, it was not easy to find this quiet place.”

    Lin Jiayao also leaned her body back on her sister in a more relaxed manner, smiled and said:

    “Anyway, later on, sister, you will also accept others into Kun Province for refuge… This can be considered as making early contact with the outside world.”

    “Eh? No way… I…” Lin Xiwan still wanted to be stubborn, but looking at her sister’s beautiful eyes with a faint smile, she couldn’t say the tough words, and could only sigh, “That’s true.”

    “Don’t sigh,” Lin Jiayao leaned back, her head resting on her sister’s shoulder, raised her chin, and said softly in her sister’s ear, “Whatever sister wants to do, I will support you.”

    “Hmph… you’re so sweet…” Lin Xiwan felt the warm breath on her earlobe, and hearing her sister’s words, her heart warmed, and she hummed.

    “Okay… I’m going to sleep if there’s nothing else…”

    Seeing that Huayibai was communicating normally, Lin Jiayao tilted her head and fell asleep again.

    My zombie hasn’t extracted yet… and I can also listen to whether Huayibai has said anything wrong through A4.

    Lin Jiayao was considering correcting Huayibai in the future, so that she would say less words with “Mom” to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.

    And Lin Xiwan, seeing her sister suddenly fall asleep, also knew that her sister was now in a dream, controlling the zombie.

    She hugged her sister and carefully lay down, for fear of waking up or hurting her precious sister.

    Recalling what her sister said, the corners of Lin Xiwan’s mouth couldn’t help but curl up slightly again.

    They could both feel each other’s kindness and care for each other. They were each other’s irreplaceable “treasure” and “oasis” in the apocalypse.

    Yes, as long as they were together, it was fine…

    Lin Xiwan smelled her sister’s hair fragrance, slowly closed her eyes, and waited hopefully for the arrival of the next day.

  • The Delicate Female Lead Only Wants to be Loved by the Villainous Young Ladies 313-314

    Chapter 313: Exchanging Secrets

    “Fine, don’t show me then, stingy!” Adele clutched her head, looking indignant. The “Profiling” ability, when used on people, was more like a mental connection. Seraph’s sudden disconnection reminded Adele of forcibly shutting down her computer when it froze. Although the computer seemed fine and could restart normally, who knew what was going on inside?

    So Adele had reason to suspect that Seraph had damaged her precious brain. Therefore, she couldn’t care less and tearfully questioned the angel girl, “Seraph, you have to compensate me!”

    “Waaah, if I become stupid, you’ll have to take care of me!”

    “I’m easy to take care of…I don’t eat much, I’m just a bit of a homebody, I love buying games…N-No, why am I saying this!”

    “Am I really becoming stupid!?”

    “…” Seraph silently stared at the girl before her, thinking that she must have been overthinking. No matter how she looked at it, Adele was carefree. Such complicated matters couldn’t possibly be related to her.

    But undeniably, Adele’s act of peeking into Seraph’s memories also made Seraph recall those ancient events that even she now found moving. Among them, one girl was almost the most crucial key figure. She was the strongest witch in history…or perhaps the first witch. She single-handedly orchestrated many falls, including the fall of the Archangel Lucifer, said to be created by the “Lord” in his own image. Lucifer was also the first angel to fall. Afterward, many angels had the idea of approaching that girl, and all of them fell without exception, becoming traitors to the heavenly kingdom.

    Chacoco was one of them. Her real name was Maiyami. Angels far stronger than her died in the great war that marked the end of the Mythical Era. Lucifer was also taken back to the kingdom of God by the “Lord” as a sinner. What happened to Lucifer afterward wasn’t something Seraph could know. Lucifer never appeared again, so Seraph guessed she had been killed by the “Lord.”

    Unexpectedly, Maiyami survived. She didn’t seal herself away like Seraph and other angels in the ancient temples built by humans to worship God, waiting for the “Lord’s” return after his departure. Instead, she used her long lifespan to play in the human world. Chacoco should be Maiyami’s most recent identity, a retired idol singer.

    When she met her, Seraph was surprised to find that her first reaction wasn’t anger or concern for the endless feud between them, but rather a sense of melancholy and emotion. But the angel Seraph hid this well, not letting Maiyami discover it.

    As for that girl’s ending, she and her city were destroyed by divine punishment. That marked the end of an entire mythical era. Actually, Seraph didn’t understand her, never understood her, only watching from afar, listening to other angels tell her stories and legends. But for some reason, Seraph vaguely saw her shadow in Adele.

    It must be…an illusion. Because thinking of that girl, Seraph only felt a sense of unattainability. But looking at Adele before her, she only felt the urge to get closer to her.

    “…Okay, I’ll take care of you.” Seraph promised the pouting Adele. Money meant nothing to an angel. Because it was originally something that didn’t exist, a consensus. Only when people truly believed a banknote could buy something, and the seller also believed it had the value to exchange for their goods, did it become money. Otherwise, it was just waste paper.

    Seraph couldn’t create real money, but if it was waste paper, or older currencies like gold and silver…Seraph could give Adele as much as she wanted. She could easily search her memories and find the royal treasures buried underground after the destruction of many ancient kingdoms.

    As for the time it would take to care for Adele, Seraph also had plenty of that. Although she wasn’t sure how long her lifespan was, taking care of a human, whose lifespan ranked as medium among various races, shouldn’t be a problem. No, Adele was also a half-blood vampire, so add a few more decades.

    But that was insignificant, only a few dozen days for Seraph. In the past, angels had no fear of death itself. As for now, Seraph thought carefully and found that she didn’t want the thought of parting with Adele, of being separated by life and death, to enter her mind.

    So Adele saw the angel suddenly shake her head vigorously. It was more strange than cute.

    “What’s wrong, Seraph?”

    “…Nothing.”

    Despite saying nothing, Adele saw a trace of panic on Seraph’s face. She didn’t know if it was an illusion or something. But if it wasn’t, it would be quite interesting. Because it was on Seraph’s face. What happened? What surprised her so much?

    But soon, Adele would tell the angel girl something even more surprising. The reason she told her was because, in Adele’s heart, Seraph was already someone she deeply trusted. She was always so unguarded with the girls she trusted.

    “How about this, I’ll tell you one of my secrets!”

    “But in return, Seraph has to tell me one of your secrets!” Adele proposed a trade.

    Seraph tilted her head, seeming puzzled. But after a while, she agreed to the girl’s request. Because a strange emotion, a desire to understand Adele, was at work in her heart. Not just because Adele could peek into her distant memories with her “Profiling” ability, but also because the girl herself was worth caring about.

    “Okay…I agree.”

    Chapter 314: Seraph’s Loss of Control

    The secret Adele wanted to tell Seraph couldn’t really be hidden. As long as Seraph continued to observe Adele, she would eventually discover it. So, as a “secret,” it was rather unworthy of the name. It was practically a cunning trap laid by the girl to trick Seraph into revealing one of her secrets. But Seraph didn’t have the ability to read minds, so how could she see through Adele’s true intentions? Even if she did, with Seraph’s personality, she probably wouldn’t be angered. She would indifferently accept it and still fall into Adele’s trap.

    “Then I’ll tell you!”

    “This incredibly precious secret!” Adele said dramatically. Even Seraph, the emotionless angel girl whose face usually lacked expression, showed interest, her eyes flickering like faint stars in the silent night sky. Having stars was better than the previous boundless, deep blue.

    Then, Adele took out the jade-like blood droplet, Xiao Ai’s transformed state, from her spatial ring. Although Xiao Ai herself couldn’t enter the spatial ring, she could be stored inside when transformed into a blood droplet. It was undeniably magical, reminding Adele of Schrödinger’s cat. You couldn’t be sure whether the cat was alive or dead, meaning it was in a superposition of both states. Just like Xiao Ai, she seemed to be in a certain superposition.

    “Ta-da! This is the most powerful treasure of the Vampire Clan, and also my precious daughter!” Adele showed it to the angel girl.

    “…Daughter? Does it refer to the human concept of a girl born with a spouse or lover?” Seraph was too rigid and serious! What was with this textbook definition!?

    However, after blinking, Adele hesitantly nodded, then shook her head vigorously. Meaning, “daughter” did indeed have the meaning Seraph described, but “Xiao Ai” was special, not belonging to any of the aforementioned situations. Adele didn’t want to explain further, so she silently called Xiao Ai back to her usual form.

    As expected, Xiao Ai complied, revealing her true form as a young girl before Seraph. Even more surprisingly, this little girl’s facial features were almost identical to Adele’s! Perhaps not as clever and cunning as Adele, but if you said she was Adele’s daughter, no one would doubt it!

    “…” After seeing Xiao Ai, Seraph fell into an unprecedentedly long silence. She and Xiao Ai looked at each other, their eyes filled with appraisal. Gradually, Xiao Ai began to avoid Seraph’s seemingly emotionless gaze. She whimpered and hid behind her “mother” Adele, clutching her mother’s skirt tightly with her small hands. Her tiny body trembled slightly, as if Seraph before her was some terrifying monster…

    “Seraph! You scared the child!” Adele expressed her displeasure angrily. Xiao Ai had been wronged in front of Seraph. She wouldn’t consider the complex possibilities, only feeling that Seraph’s silent staring could easily frighten a child.

    “I don’t understand.” Seraph murmured in a daze. It was unclear whether she didn’t understand why Xiao Ai was scared of her, or…she didn’t understand Xiao Ai’s existence. Didn’t understand why “she” existed. Didn’t understand what “she” was. Like herself, a…”creation”?

    Because Seraph felt a similar aura to her own on Xiao Ai. Not a scent, but a vague feeling. If asked for proof, Seraph couldn’t provide any. Seraph instinctively sensed that Xiao Ai might not exist in this known world, but was born from the unknown. Just like herself and all the angels. But logically, only the “Lord” whom Seraph worshipped, that once real God, could do this. But why would the “Lord” create Xiao Ai in Adele’s image? It was completely illogical.

    But if it wasn’t the “Lord,” then who could have done such a thing? Another “God”? With Seraph’s faith, she couldn’t acknowledge the existence of another God. That could only be a “false god”!

    Thinking of this, Seraph’s gaze towards Xiao Ai suddenly turned hostile. Because she felt that the creation of a false god should be eliminated. Memories and combat instincts from the ancient times, loyal to God, began to resurface in Seraph’s soul.

    Adele watched as Seraph’s eyes gradually filled with hostility. And that hostility…was completely directed at her “daughter” Xiao Ai, whom she had sworn to protect and cherish. Even knowing the power gap between herself and Seraph, even knowing that she might not be able to stop the angel’s desire to “cleanse,” that it might lead to a terrible outcome, or even… Adele still called out Seraph’s name, trying to wake her up, and then threw herself at her without hesitation.

    She pushed Seraph to the ground, gripping her wrists tightly, nose to nose, forehead to forehead.

    “Don’t be like this…Seraph!”

    “Please! Wake up, Seraph!”

    “Please…”

    The girl’s voice was weak and helpless, filled with sincere pleading. Her whole body trembled, her instincts triggering a defense mechanism against the intense, aggressive aura emanating from the angel. Her witch form manifested, a pair of pink membranous wings almost enveloping both her and Seraph, forming a nearly transparent cocoon. At the same time, Adele’s thin tail tightly wrapped around Seraph’s legs.

    This couldn’t be called an attack. It was more like a moral defense. But there was no other way. The power disparity between Adele and Seraph was too great. Besides gambling on Seraph’s unwillingness to hurt her…what else could she stake everything on?

    Xiao Ai’s eyes reddened, tears welling up. Although innocent and naive, unfamiliar with this world, and even with limited human language, she could only helplessly call out, “Mama…Mama…” Xiao Ai didn’t even know what she could do for her mother. This wasn’t the Secret Realm; she couldn’t control even a single speck of dust here. Perhaps, like First Snow, she possessed astonishingly powerful magic within her body, but the little girl couldn’t use it through magic. She could only watch helplessly as her mother struggled to protect her, standing there crying.

    Fortunately, Adele’s luck was excellent…or perhaps it was the bond between her and Seraph that moved the nearly out-of-control angel girl. Seraph actually calmed down gradually in Adele’s embrace, abandoning the destructive desires from the ancient mythical era. Her eyes became unprecedentedly clear, like the night sky after a rain.

    “…I’m sorry, Adele.”

    “I worried you.”

    Seraph was clumsy with words and couldn’t offer any explanation. But it allowed Adele to finally lower her worried heart.

    “Waaah, Seraph!”

    “You scared me to death!” The girl’s tears fell onto Seraph’s face one after another. The wet sensation made Seraph’s chest tighten. She didn’t understand why she felt this way. But according to human terms…could this be called “sadness”? Was she feeling “sad” because Adele was crying? Was she feeling distressed for her?

    For an angel who shouldn’t have emotions, this was truly the most surprising thing, even more so than Xiao Ai’s existence.

    “…I’m sorry.” She apologized sincerely again, thinking she must have lost her mind. The final battle of the Mythical Era had ended so many years ago. How could she still have that desire to kill heretics…?

    But Seraph then sensitively realized, could this be a sign of the “Lord’s” imminent return? So, even after thousands of years, the “Lord’s” command still bound her, and its power was increasing?

    But until the day the “Lord” truly returned, Seraph probably wouldn’t want to harm Xiao Ai. Because it would make Adele sad. But then, another problem was starkly presented before Seraph, leaving the angel’s brain, or rather her “processor,” almost unable to find an answer. That was…

    If, at that time, the one who truly clashed with the “Lord” was Adele…what should she do?

    The image of Lucifer resolutely falling from the sky, becoming a “Fallen Angel,” replayed continuously in Seraph’s mind…

  • Dear, it’s time for your medicine! 283

    Chapter 283: The God-Child’s Heartbeat

    Men and women alike were lost in a frenzy of unrestrained indulgence.

    They didn’t care who their partners were, how filthy or crude. They craved only pleasure, discarding all morals and laws.

    They felt their souls ascend, floating on clouds, drawing closer to the ethereal Lord of Pleasure.

    This debauchery was their most devout offering.

    The Witch Society had held many gatherings, but none as grand as this. The witches praised their great Vice President.

    The Society’s influence was greater than anticipated. Besides hundreds of noblewomen, there were also powerful female mercenaries, merchants…

    Here, social status held no meaning.

    Only the ability to offer the Lord of Pleasure greater pleasure earned his favor.

    The weariness and burdens of everyday life vanished, husbands and families forgotten. In their pursuit of ecstasy, they were willing to do anything.

    Given enough time, this depravity could consume the entire Empire.

    The abandoned church was shrouded in darkness, the torches like flickering grains of sand, casting the scene in a dreamlike haze.

    But even the torches couldn’t dispel the darkness.

    The area near the center of the circle was particularly dark, a deep gloom shrouding it, the air thick with shimmering, purplish threads.

    The threads coiled around Mavis, enveloping her.

    She lifted her head, the flickering firelight illuminating her captivatingly beautiful face. Her pale skin was like sculpted ice, her azure eyes filled with madness.

    Despite her simple, even ragged dress, she exuded an undeniable aura of nobility and elegance.

    Her chest heaved, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she listened to the cacophony around her.

    The scent of pleasure.

    The feeling of power.

    She greedily devoured it all.

    “Ahhh…”

    A man’s cry pierced the air.

    Not a cry of pain, but a scream of ecstasy.

    He stumbled back, his body trembling.

    He was a burly mercenary, once a hulking figure in heavy armor.

    Now, his skin clung to his bones, his body emaciated, as if all his vitality had been drained.

    His legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, oblivious to the blood oozing from his orifices, his face a mask of horror, the light fading from his eyes as the ecstasy consumed him.

    His rapidly heaving chest stilled.

    He was only the first. Soon, others followed, one after another…

    Blood dripped onto the floor.

    No one noticed the large magic circle beneath them, transforming the abandoned church into an altar.

    The altar was covered in strange runes and intersecting grooves.

    Blood flowed along the grooves towards Mavis, pooling at her feet, forming a crimson pool… a bloodbath.

    Scarlet threads emerged from the pool, coiling around her legs, creeping upwards.

    Mavis felt a surge of power within her.

    Thump.

    A sickly joy spread across her face.

    She smiled, her teeth gleaming.

    She placed her hand on her still-flat abdomen. She felt it. A heartbeat.

    The God-child was growing within her.

    She would become a true Holy Mother, leading this world into a new era.

    This time, she wouldn’t allow anyone to harm her son. No one.

    …

    Meanwhile, Wadsworth, frustrated by his inability to capture the missing witches, knew something terrible was brewing.

    This could pose an unimaginable threat to the entire world.

    He mobilized all his intelligence agents and even the city guard, the search radiating outwards from the city center.

    A heavy atmosphere of dread settled over the city.

    Seeing the soldiers scouring every street and alley, everyone knew something big was about to happen.

    Qin Chu finally returned to the Hero’s Residence, carrying Angelica. Her face was flushed, the recent “punishment” clearly to her liking.

    He laid her gently on the bed, and she immediately fell asleep.

    She was truly exhausted.

    “Violet…”

    “I’m here.”

    His soft call was answered instantly.

    Violet appeared silently behind him, her tall figure casting a shadow over him.

    She frowned as she looked at the sleeping Angelica.

    “If my calculations are correct, the Residence might be attacked. Protect Ange,” Qin Chu instructed.

    Violet simply nodded, not questioning him further.

    Qin Chu hoped he was wrong, but he felt a heavy pressure. Tonight would likely be a sleepless one.

    From the soldiers on the streets, he had learned of the witches’ disappearance.

    Mavis had undoubtedly taken them.

    She was planning a terrifying attack, a Divine Descent ritual, to bring a god’s bloodline into this world.

    If Qin Chu were in Mavis’s position, he would prepare for the ritual while also arranging a diversion, sending assassins to attack the palace and the Hero’s Residence, buying himself time.

    He descended the stairs. Anastasia, Norma, Heloise, Iyeta, Sylph, and Ekaterina were all awake, looking at him with concern. They sensed something was amiss.

    “Norma, Ekaterina…” Qin Chu spoke quietly. “Please, along with Violet, protect the Residence. Don’t let anyone in.”

    Norma and Ekaterina nodded firmly.

    A blush crept up Ekaterina’s cheeks, her eyes glistening.

    Whenever she made a contribution, her master rewarded her with her favorite… activity.

    What would it be this time?

    Sylph watched Qin Chu expectantly, awaiting her instructions.

    Being excluded from the initial orders made her feel strangely uneasy.

    “Sylph, Heloise, Iyeta, you’ll be coming with me. We need to go out.”

    Heloise and Iyeta nodded.

    A smug look crossed Sylph’s face. He was taking her with him, while Ekaterina and Norma stayed behind. Did this mean she was more important to him?

    The thought surprised her.

    She shook her head. No…

    I don’t care if he values me more than the others.

    His opinion doesn’t matter.

    But if she helped him this time, she could ask him to remove another of the Evil God’s threads. Five had been removed, but until they were all gone, she wouldn’t feel safe.

    She had no choice. Only Qin Chu could save her. It wasn’t her fault.

    Yes, that’s all I care about.

    Although Airi and Eileen’s actions had created a rift between her and the former Hero Squad, her love for Jie Luo hadn’t changed.

    He’s the only one I love. Other men’s opinions don’t matter.

    Sylph repeated this mantra to herself.

    “Anastasia, I need to talk to you…”

    After all, Empress Mavis was her aunt.

    Anastasia looked apprehensive as she followed Qin Chu to the balcony. After a moment of consideration, he told her about Mavis.

    Learning that her aunt, her father’s sister, was the Vice President of the Blissful Witch Society, Anastasia paled.

    She had encountered one of the Society’s assassins and knew their nature, but she hadn’t imagined her own family would be involved.

    She understood Qin Chu’s predicament.

    Her silence didn’t last long. She looked up, her hands clutching her skirt as she bowed deeply:

    “Hero…”

    It was a formal address she hadn’t used in a while, a sign of the gravity of the situation.

    “Please grant her a swift death.”

    Qin Chu understood. The intelligent princess knew there was no turning back.

    He nodded, about to speak, when a sharp pain gripped his heart, as if clutched by a clawed hand.

    He swayed, his face paling, his gaze turning distant.

    The Goddess’s Hair on his wrist radiated intense heat, as if sensing an immense threat. The silver threads glowed brightly. Such a violent reaction had only happened once before, when he faced the First Prince.

    Qin Chu knew the worst had come to pass.

    Anastasia stepped forward and kissed him gently: “Go, my love.”

    “And come back safely.”

    “Remember, I, Anastasia, wish for you to become the Ice Duchy’s Prince Consort.”

    “Norma, Violet, and little Karen are waiting for you…”

  • My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 52

    Chapter 52: Do You Want to Wear My Clothes?

    Perhaps because she had carefully read every piece of information about guns, even if there were parts she didn’t understand, Xiao Luohan had still memorized a lot of theory.

    Now, with Jiang Xue’s instruction, she quickly got the hang of it and started practicing on the targets.

    “You learn so fast!” Jiang Xue praised generously. “Uncle Seuss had to restrain himself from scolding me in front of my sister and A-Xi.”

    They were both handling a gun for the first time, but Xiao Luo was much calmer than she was. She had only become proficient after practicing with the AR equipment.

    Even then, she was still afraid of accidentally misfiring and injuring herself or Uncle Seuss.

    “You shouldn’t underestimate yourself,” Xiao Luohan put down the gun and turned to her. “I’m determined to do this and succeed, so I have no hesitation. You’re different from me. It’s normal for you to feel this way.”

    She believed that precisely because Jiang Xue grew up in a peaceful era, without having to worry about war or sudden separation from loved ones, she had such a pure aversion to weapons that could take a life.

    This purity was extremely rare, and she herself had lost it, so she envied Jiang Xue.

    Jiang Xue paused, then shook her head vigorously. “There’s no right or wrong way to feel.”

    She knew what Xiao Luohan was thinking, but she didn’t think Xiao Luohan should feel guilty about it.

    “Even laws are based on protecting the rights of ordinary citizens. You live in a time of war, facing a tyrant who treats human life like grass… uh, a violent Crown Prince who casually takes lives.”

    “He’s the one who killed your elder sister and the soldiers of Beiliao, and not long ago, he almost killed you—if it weren’t for Shizhu and me, you would have frozen to death in the snow, with the servants watching!”

    “Not to mention, last night, he forced you to choose a ‘path to survival’ that was actually a dead end! I can’t imagine, if you had hesitated or shown fear, if he would have chosen between poisoned wine, white silk, and charcoal, and ended your life right then and there!”

    “Such a person deserves to die. If even this is ‘wrong,’ then I don’t understand what ‘right’ and ‘justice’ mean!”

    Her words stunned Xiao Luohan.

    But she could tell from the first sentence that Jiang Xue was speaking up for her.

    Jiang Xue didn’t want her to be burdened by killing the Crown Prince, to be haunted by nightmares, and even after arriving in the other world, to repeatedly question herself, “Was it really right to do that?”

    After all… this was indeed her first time doing something like this, and most likely, her last.

    She was about to agree with Jiang Xue when the young woman, her face filled with apprehension, pushed her towards the target. “Quick, quick, quick! Practice first! In case you suddenly wake up from the dream!”

    Xiao Luohan had used the excuse of “easily waking up from dreams due to restless sleep” to change the subject, and now it was being used against her.

    So she practiced diligently, trying to implement all the details and techniques Jiang Xue had emphasized.

    “Tomorrow, I’ll ask Uncle Seuss to export the videos of my error-free practice runs, and you can watch them on your phone. Correct any mistakes and keep practicing.” Feeling that the dream was about to end, Jiang Xue hurriedly said this.

    She had thought she would also wake up, but when she closed and opened her eyes, she found herself in the real Wangmei Pavilion.

    “…What’s going on now?” She was planning to draw the map of the Eastern Palace for Uncle Seuss first thing in the morning, and she was suddenly anxious.

    Had Elder Sister Red Fox deliberately left her here? Why?

    Was something about to happen?

    As she anxiously pondered, she heard a soft groan from the bed.

    As soon as Xiao Luohan woke up, she felt weak, achy all over, and drenched in sweat.

    This discomfort wasn’t unfamiliar to her. She immediately touched her forehead with the back of her hand. It was burning up.

    She had kept warm and taken medicine the night before last, and yesterday had passed peacefully, so she had thought her health had improved and that she would be fine, but she hadn’t escaped it this morning.

    “What’s wrong?”

    She heard Jiang Xue’s voice. “Could it be that you caught a cold?!”

    Jiang Xue remembered that when her own health was poor, she would often experience “delayed colds” during flu season.

    It wasn’t a serious matter, but it was bad timing!

    Not to mention that Xiao Luohan was living alone now. No wonder Elder Sister Red Fox had kept her here, even though it was time for her to leave the dream.

    Jiang Xue first went to find cold medicine, then brought ink and paper, asking Xiao Luohan to inform the other side—after the sudden “fainting” incident last time, Jiang Mei would be watching the diary while she slept.

    “Just say that I’m staying here to take care of you for now, and ask them to send some easily digestible food,” Jiang Xue said. “By the way, where’s the water and the things for boiling water?”

    Xiao Luohan pointed her in the direction and explained the method. Jiang Xue went to find the place, frowned at the unattended stove, and simply came back and asked Xiao Luohan to write in the diary, asking her sister to send over a few kettles of hot water.

    “You need to drink plenty of water when you have a cold. You’ll need hot water to wipe your body and apply a cold compress to your forehead, and also to make instant food. You can’t wash clothes with cold water in winter, you have to add hot water…” Jiang Xue listed the things she needed to do, then casually asked, “Where are your towels, washbasin, and bathtub?”

    Although she had never taken care of a sick person before, she had often been cared for by Sister Cheng and her family, and would ask questions from time to time—after all, if she went to a university far from home, it wouldn’t be convenient for Sister Cheng to come and go, so she might have to take care of herself. It was better to learn these life skills early on.

    Xiao Luohan felt her body and cheeks burning. She didn’t know if it was because of the fever or some other reason, but she still obediently pointed out where the various items were kept.

    When Jiang Xue returned with the wooden basin and bucket filled with towels, a small kettle full of hot water was already on the diary.

    She immediately made two packets of cold medicine, poured half a glass of water into Xiao Luohan’s usual teacup, and let it cool. Then she added hot water to the wooden basin, fetched cold water from the well outside, and started adjusting the water temperature.

    “Where are your clean clothes?” she asked, then hesitantly added, “Do you want to wear my clothes? They’re warmer and more comfortable to move around in.”

    Her suitcase was large, and Sister Cheng had packed three complete sets of winter clothes, from underwear to sweaters and down jackets, all compressed, so they should be able to be sent over.

    Now Xiao Luohan finally understood why her face was burning.

    She pursed her dry lips, deliberately avoiding Jiang Xue’s gaze, and softly replied, “Okay.”

    After the clothes arrived, Jiang Xue started wiping Xiao Luohan’s body.

    Perhaps because she was eager to take measures and prevent the fever from worsening, looking at the young woman’s smooth back, she had only one thought: thin.

    So thin! Wiping her with the towel, she felt like it was all bones.

    Her heart ached. After wiping her back vigorously, she couldn’t help but say, “I’ll ask Dr. Qi to give you a proper check-up later, and we’ll nourish you for a year or so, so you can gain some weight…”

    After finishing with the back, she felt too embarrassed to continue and simply rinsed the towel in the warm water, wrung it out, and handed it to Xiao Luohan. “Um… you can do the front yourself.”

    Although they were both girls, some areas were still private.

    There was no heating in the room. Considering that even a screen wouldn’t block much of the incoming wind, Jiang Xue thought for a moment and, since she was still in the dream, tried to float over and move the bookshelf, which was taller than her.

    She actually managed to move it!

    With the bookshelf blocking the wind, she drew the bed curtains and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Xiao Luohan had just finished wiping herself down, and Jiang Xue immediately unfolded her clothes and handed them over.

    Their sizes were indeed similar, but Xiao Luohan was thinner, so the clothes looked a little loose on her. However, for someone with a fever, looser clothes were more comfortable.

    Xiao Luohan felt a faint fragrance envelop her.

    It was the lavender scent of laundry detergent, but it was also Jiang Xue’s scent, comforting and reassuring.

    With Jiang Xue’s help, she put on the unfamiliar clothes from another world, one by one. Due to her unfamiliarity, her movements were a little clumsy.

    She glanced at Jiang Xue shyly, but Jiang Xue didn’t say anything, only carefully adjusted the clothes for her, smoothing out the sleeves and collar, preventing wrinkles, and folding down the collar of the turtleneck sweater to reveal a bit of her neck.

    “This is the front of the fleece-lined leggings, and the thermal underwear is like this…”

    Seeing her embarrassment, Jiang Xue patiently explained, then tucked the clothes into the quilt. “Sister Cheng taught me this. Warming them up with the residual heat from the quilt makes them more comfortable to wear.”

    Having done everything she could, hot porridge arrived just then. It was congee with preserved egg and lean pork, with the preserved egg, minced meat, and vegetables finely chopped, clearly made by Jiang Mei.

    After watching Xiao Luohan finish the bowl of porridge, Jiang Xue closed her eyes and left the dream.

    As soon as she woke up, she quickly got out of bed in Uncle Seuss’s guest room, washed up, got dressed, grabbed a piece of toast with jam, and rushed into Uncle Seuss’s study to find drawing materials.

    “So eager, it seems Xiao Linghan has responded,” Uncle Seuss said, entering with a glass of warm milk and a bacon and egg sandwich, followed by Jiang Mei and Xie Xitong.

    “She gave me a map of the Eastern Palace, including the bedchamber,” Jiang Xue said, trying to recall the details, her pen moving swiftly across the A4 paper. “But there were no markings for a body anywhere. I originally thought we had guessed wrong, that we had considered the worst-case scenario…”

    She shared her speculation with her family and friend.

    “Hmm… then we still need to use the mannequin during the simulation,” Uncle Seuss said. “Based on my understanding of ‘Chinese-style horror,’ if the Crown Prince really hid the body, he would probably have it sitting upright in a chair on that day, even dressed in wedding attire.”

    His tone was as gentle and calm as ever, but the three present all paled.

    “Anyway, let that little princess be mentally prepared,” Uncle Seuss pushed up his glasses, a cold glint in his green eyes. “As a man, I tend to assume the worst when it comes to the minds of scum like him.”

    He quickly took the map of the Eastern Palace that Jiang Xue had drawn and went to the gym to simulate the scenario.

    Seeing Jiang Xue silently drinking her milk, her gaze unfocused, Jiang Mei asked with concern, “Did you expend a lot of energy in the dream? Do you want to rest for a while?”

    “No, Elder Sister Red Fox seems to be protecting me. No matter how much I do in the dream, I don’t feel tired.” Jiang Xue shook her head, looking down at the milk in her glass. “I have mixed feelings now. I want to fast-forward to the ‘wedding day,’ but I also hope time will slow down, at least… at least let Xiao Luo recover first…”

    Xie Xitong gently patted her shoulder. “You’ve done your best. Just let nature take its course. Besides, we and Elder Sister Red Fox are here to help!”