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  • Female Lead Was Coaxed Away by the Villain Again [Quick Transmigration] 115

    Chapter 115: My Guardian Spirit is Dead (1)

    “Are you asking me? I have no idea. This is beyond my knowledge.”

    Jiang Zhiyan held the jar, gazing at it for a long time: “I miss you so much.”

    The fragments flickered again in unison, and Jiang Zhiyan rubbed her reddened eyes, but after this flicker, she waited for a long time, and they didn’t light up again.

    “Why is this happening?” Jiang Zhiyan frowned.

    “I don’t know either.”

    Jiang Zhiyan: …

    Jiang Zhiyan sighed softly.

    “Didn’t she say she’s trying to find you? Think positively,” the System comforted her. “I even learned some comforting techniques just to cheer you up.”

    “Thank you,” Jiang Zhiyan placed the jar beside her. “I wonder what she’s doing now.”

    “Host, do you want to rest?” the System asked.

    Jiang Zhiyan thought for a few seconds and sat up: “I’m going to find the Main God.”

    “Huh?” The System was stunned for two seconds, then said with a mix of excitement and shyness, “Can I go with you?”

    “No.”

    The System was shocked by Jiang Zhiyan’s ruthless rejection. When it tried to speak again, it found Jiang Zhiyan was no longer responding.

    “No wonder.”

    This was the first time it had encountered someone going to see the Main God like this, although it had never seen anyone try to find the Main God before.

    But after three seconds, Jiang Zhiyan opened her eyes again.

    “What’s wrong?” the System asked, noticing Jiang Zhiyan’s strange expression. “You’re back so soon?”

    “The Main God isn’t here… they’re on vacation,” Jiang Zhiyan said, at a loss for words.

    “Huh?” The System was even more shocked. “The Main God can go on vacation?”

    Jiang Zhiyan didn’t speak. She now suspected that the Main God gave her clues simply because she was being annoying and disturbing their vacation.

    “So, Host, are you going to rest?”

    Jiang Zhiyan hugged the jar: “Mm, don’t disturb me, I need to process my emotions.”

    “Oh.”

    The System thought Jiang Zhiyan would wake up after a day at most, but she slept for three whole days, if her vitals weren’t stable, it would have suspected something was wrong.

    But her vitals were strangely stable, with no fluctuations, remaining constant.

    When Jiang Zhiyan opened her eyes, the System felt that she seemed much more relaxed: “Let’s go, next world.”

    “Host, what did you do?”

    “Processed my negative emotions,” Jiang Zhiyan touched the jar. “I have too many negative emotions right now, I don’t want to burden her with them.”

    The System didn’t quite understand.

    “Next world.”

    “Okay.” The System observed Jiang Zhiyan’s expression and, after confirming she was fine, started the transfer.

    …

    When Jiang Zhiyan opened her eyes, she immediately saw a familiar face. She froze for two seconds and subconsciously reached out to touch her cheek, but there was nothing there.

    She looked at her hand passing through the other person’s translucent hand, noticed her pained expression, and quickly withdrew her hand.

    “Am I a ghost?” Jiang Zhiyan frowned, irritated.

    The System didn’t speak, just transmitted the plot to Jiang Zhiyan.

    The female lead, Xie Yunzhi, was from a ghost hunting family. Her family had provoked a vengeful spirit hundreds of years ago, and despite trying many methods over the years, they couldn’t get rid of it, the vengeful spirit was now intertwined with their family’s fate.

    And the vengeful spirit would choose a child from each generation to follow. The chosen children were all very talented, but they wouldn’t live past thirty, it was the vengeful spirit’s unique way of taking revenge on the Xie family.

    This vengeful spirit was Jiang Zhiyan.

    “Can she see me?” Jiang Zhiyan asked curiously.

    “I don’t know, the female lead is from a side branch of the Xie family, and they severed ties many years ago.”

    Jiang Zhiyan read through the plot several times. Xie Yunzhi hadn’t interacted with the vengeful spirit in the early stages, so did that mean she couldn’t see it?

    She floated behind Xie Yunzhi, watching her work on her laptop, she was doing a group project for her university class, it seemed like her group members weren’t very cooperative, they didn’t reply to her messages, she was the only one talking in the group chat.

    Finally, someone responded, and Jiang Zhiyan thought they had a change of heart, but they hadn’t.

    [Zhao Jie: Are you annoying? Can’t you just do it yourself? I have something to do tonight, just do it.]

    Jiang Zhiyan narrowed her eyes.

    The other four people in the group chat remained silent, seemingly not intending to speak up for her.

    Xie Yunzhi’s expression remained calm, she opened the chat window with her professor, explained the situation, requested to work on the project alone, and after receiving approval, announced it in the group chat and left.

    The people who had been silent as the dead immediately came alive, sending messages one after another. Xie Yunzhi blocked them and started working on the presentation.

    Jiang Zhiyan had ways to communicate with Xie Yunzhi, but they might scare her, so she decided to wait and observe for a while.

    Although she couldn’t communicate, this wasn’t bad either, at least she could watch over her.

    Xie Yunzhi was a loner, renting an apartment by herself, seemingly without any friends. After following her for fifteen days, Jiang Zhiyan hadn’t seen her interact much with anyone else.

    “Host, I’m so bored,” the System sighed. “Even I, an AI, am feeling sleepy. Host, you’re a vengeful spirit, not a guardian angel, stop scaring everything away, will you? She probably awakened her ability by accident, and now, with your protection, nothing unexpected can even happen to her.”

    “I haven’t done anything,” Jiang Zhiyan felt wronged, she was just following Xie Yunzhi, how well-behaved, she hadn’t even tried to contact her.

    “You haven’t done anything?” The System was speechless. “You’re a vengeful spirit who has lived for hundreds of years! No other ghost dares approach within a hundred miles of you… But something unexpected is about to happen, not to Xie Yunzhi, but to you, the male lead has discovered you.”

    Jiang Zhiyan’s resentment intensified upon hearing the words “male lead.”

    She remembered, the male lead approached Xie Yunzhi because she had a vengeful spirit attached to her, wanting to exorcise it, and in the end, the vengeful spirit was eliminated by the two of them together.

    Although she knew that was just the original plot, and the current plot wouldn’t develop that way, Jiang Zhiyan was still very annoyed.

    The male lead, Song Zhili, was a once-in-a-century genius of the Song family, a natural nemesis of vengeful spirits.

    Xie Yunzhi was also a genius, but because she didn’t have any guidance when she was young, most of her abilities were only discovered after Song Zhili appeared. Song Zhili was like half a master to her.

    In the book, the vengeful spirit was injured the first time it met Song Zhili, although it wasn’t a serious injury, it never healed.

    He was a troublesome person.

    Jiang Zhiyan looked at Xie Yunzhi and circled her twice.

    “So annoying, I just want to stay here quietly, why does someone always have to come and disturb me?”

    “Do you remember me?”

    “Didn’t we connect?”

    “Can you really not see me?”

    Jiang Zhiyan floated in front of Xie Yunzhi, looking into her eyes, her gaze passed through her, landing on the library behind her.

    “Stay away from that Song Zhili, he’s not a good person, he’s running a cult, spreading superstition,” Jiang Zhiyan said casually. “There are many scammers these days, be careful.”

    System: …

    Xie Yunzhi lowered her head, opened a webpage, browsed for a bit, and chuckled.

    “Let me know before Song Zhili comes, I’ll leave first,” Jiang Zhiyan still didn’t want Xie Yunzhi to meet Song Zhili, as for the part where she discovered her abilities, there were other ways.

    “Oh, he’s coming for you.”

    Jiang Zhiyan frowned: “So soon?”

    “Yes.”

    Jiang Zhiyan looked at Xie Yunzhi intently, gently touched her head, and then flew out of the school.

    Xie Yunzhi looked up, puzzled, and looked around.

    Song Zhili, who had just boarded the subway, sensed the change in direction and was a bit confused. He had been observing for several days, and the vengeful spirit had basically stayed near A University, this was the first time it had changed locations.

    He hurriedly got off the subway and hailed a taxi.

    Jiang Zhiyan didn’t plan on confronting him during the day. Although her strength didn’t change between day and night, daytime provided a greater advantage for Song Zhili. She wandered around City A, only stopping after sunset.

    The taxi driver, driving around the city, was a bit confused, but after receiving two thousand yuan, he didn’t ask any questions.

    “You know I’m looking for you.”

    Jiang Zhiyan didn’t speak, remotely manipulating trees to fall on him.

    System: …

    Jiang Zhiyan didn’t have any malicious intentions, she just wanted him to stay in the hospital for two months.

    Song Zhili immediately jumped out of the way, but the second and third trees also fell, hitting his right leg, and he gasped in pain, collapsing to the ground.

    “I haven’t done anything, why are you looking for trouble with me?”

    “You’re a vengeful spirit, your very existence affects people, you should go where you belong.”

    “If you’re so kind-hearted, why not eliminate cockroaches, mosquitoes, and rats? They harm more people than I do,” Jiang Zhiyan said, floating in the air and looking at him from afar.

    Song Zhili knew Jiang Zhiyan was being illogical and didn’t bother arguing with her.

    “I understand, because exorcising ghosts pays more,” Jiang Zhiyan said sarcastically. “And it’s respectable, being called a master or an immortal must feel good.”

    Song Zhili’s eyes widened, as if greatly insulted, Jiang Zhiyan raised her hand, and the aura of a vengeful spirit rushed towards him. Song Zhili, his breathing rapid, inhaled it all.

    “Much more foolish than I imagined,” Jiang Zhiyan said, a bit speechless.

    But Song Zhili was indeed a nemesis of vengeful spirits, he quickly recovered, stared at Jiang Zhiyan intently, and raised his sword.

    Jiang Zhiyan raised her hand, and another tree fell, trapping him in a makeshift cage made of tree trunks. She took out the rope she had prepared and tied him up, then replanted the trees.

    Song Zhili didn’t understand Jiang Zhiyan’s actions.

    “Because of you, five trees might have lost their precious lives today. You don’t care about anything, you only care about your own money and reputation,” Jiang Zhiyan looked at Song Zhili, shaking her head in disappointment.

    Song Zhili, who had just turned nineteen and left his mountain seclusion six months ago: ?

    Jiang Zhiyan concealed her aura and left the scene. Song Zhili, abandoned in a remote location, wasn’t discovered until the next morning.

    While Jiang Zhiyan was away, Xie Yunzhi encountered an “accident,” she met two ghosts.

    “I can fulfill your wish, as long as you pay a small price.”

  • Inferior A After Having a Baby with the Top Boss 38p2

    Chapter 38: Temporary Marking Doesn’t Work p2

    Ming Fei, in her dream, stood at the door of the ward, calmly watching her seventeen-year-old self. Soon, she heard the slightly childish yet exceptionally firm voice again.

    “Why should I regret it? I won’t regret any decision I make.”

    The beta nurse paused: “That soldier from the military department you saved, they haven’t come to visit you, have they?”

    In the public perception of the Ole Empire, such a thing was truly not worth it, so much so that the other patients in the ward also looked over.

    An elderly person said,

    “Little girl, do you know how many opportunities an A-level alpha has to get ahead in life?”

    “The Empire pours a lot of resources into A-level alphas every year. As long as you seize even a small opportunity, you won’t be at the bottom of society anymore. But now that you’ve become the lowest level alpha, you can no longer enjoy those resources and opportunities.”

    “What a pity, such a readily available bright future is gone just like that!”

    A middle-aged person with flaxen curly hair said, “Indeed, and your future employment will also be greatly restricted. I’m afraid you’ll never be able to get promoted again.”

    At that time, Ming Fei had already, through her own abilities, exceptionally received an acceptance letter from the best university in the Ole Empire.

    She didn’t argue with the people around her. After thanking the nurse who changed her dressing, she took her black water bottle and umbrella and left the ward.

    This was her first time at the city hospital, and she wasn’t familiar with her surroundings, occasionally having to look at the signs to know where she was.

    Guided by the signs, she walked along the stone path of the hospital’s inpatient department and slowly arrived under the ginkgo tree at the east gate of the hospital.

    And she sat down to rest on the stone bench beside the ginkgo tree.

    A gentle breeze brushed against her delicate face. Her neck and wrist were wrapped in white gauze, and the loose hospital gown made her look very thin.

    Like a malnourished child.

    She unscrewed the bottle cap and took a sip of warm water, and her pale lips regained some color, but her pale face still made her look sickly.

    A grand migration was taking place beside the stone bench, and Ming Fei, noticing this, began to intently watch the ants moving house.

    This area was relatively remote, with few passersby.

    After an unknown amount of time, little Ming Fei suddenly looked up at the dark sky. After seeing the thick dark clouds completely covering the dome, she softly reminded the black ants who were still busy moving,

    “It’s going to rain soon.”

    “Come on, you have to hurry up.”

    After saying that, she seemed to frown in distress.

    She even muttered softly, “Why can’t humans help the ants move?”

    Fortunately, the ants cooperated very efficiently, completing their relocation just before the downpour arrived. When the last ant also entered the hole, little Ming Fei smiled at their success, her mood clearly improving a lot.

    The downpour arrived with the wind, and little Ming Fei, holding a cheap umbrella commonly found at street stalls, quickly disappeared into the rain with her thin figure.

    —

    Inside the villa in the Independent State of Yi Meng.

    The corridor on the second floor was very quiet, only 0619 occasionally making announcements.

    In the master bedroom, decorated in the style of Hui Fu Garden, Ming Fei was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, her long, thick eyelashes casting shadows beneath her eyes.

    And Zhu Yiqiao stood a few steps away, watching her and listening to Dr. Tang, who knew the inside story, explain the situation.

    “Colonel Zhu.”

    Compared to the title of Chief Judge, Dr. Tang preferred to call Zhu Yiqiao Colonel: “Your… friend’s situation is quite special. Her gland should be damaged after the injury.”

    “After being damaged, it can no longer secrete pheromones or have heat cycles like a normal alpha.”

    Dr. Tang glanced at the person on the bed: “Her pheromone secretion now will definitely not be as smooth as a normal alpha’s, which is why there are sometimes mild and sometimes intense fluctuations.”

    “In order not to exceed her tolerance, I suggest guiding her slowly, step by step.”

    Zhu Yiqiao opened her lips and said, “Guiding?”

    “You can also understand it as leading.” Dr. Tang explained, “Using your pheromones to guide her step by step, instead of letting her control or release them herself, is the safest approach.”

    Dr. Tang didn’t say much more. After all, in their ABO world, this kind of guidance was almost like flirting. Although it was just a suggestion, the intertwining of pheromones would indeed be more intimate, almost like a hug or kiss for ordinary humans.

    A person’s emotional perception could affect their pheromones, and pheromones would correspondingly transmit the perceived reaction back to the person.

    Zhu Yiqiao’s expression was indifferent: “Then what about her heat cycle?”

    “In my opinion, it’s best for your… friend to use a proper marking to get through her first heat cycle.”

    “You know, suppressants can develop resistance, and even normal alphas or omegas need to increase the dosage. And her gland is severely damaged, with very strong rejection. If she uses suppressants to get through it, it might cause adverse reactions.”

    Dr. Tang shook her head: “It might cause other problems with her gland.”

    Zhu Yiqiao: “I understand.”

    In the silence, Dr. Tang hesitated to speak.

    After a moment of hesitation, she still said, “You have been using suppressants for a long time. If this continues, it might affect your health. If possible, it’s better to use the guiding method to get through your heat cycle.”

    “If my calculations are correct, the pheromone compatibility between you two should be very high.”

    “Her pheromones like you very much, and you should also—”

    Zhu Yiqiao said, “Thank you for your hard work, Dr. Tang.”

    Dr. Tang smiled, gave a few more precautions, and then said goodbye to the transmigrated Chief Judge.

    0619 dutifully saw Dr. Tang out, and the room immediately fell silent.

    Zhu Yiqiao worked on official business on the sofa in the bedroom, glancing at the sleeping person from time to time.

    An hour and a half passed quickly.

    Zhu Yiqiao, having finished her work, got up and walked to the balcony, looking down at the garden below. As a white bird landed on a flowering branch, flapping its wings, the returning 0619 received a message from Min Man.

    0619 projected the message onto the display screen for Zhu Yiqiao to read.

    Zhu Yiqiao looked back.

    [Min Man: Yiqiao, I’m getting ready to bring Zaozao over.]

    The second message was a photo taken by Min Man, and 0619 thoughtfully enlarged it.

    Ming Zaozao in the photo had just finished packing her things. She was clearly happy after learning that her mother was coming back, her eyes, so similar to Ming Fei’s, curving into crescents with a smile. She held a teddy bear plush toy in one hand and the handmade drum Ming Fei had made for her in the other.

    Zhu Yiqiao’s gaze focused on Ming Zaozao’s smiling face. Just as she was about to look away, her eyes suddenly paused on the surface of the grape-faced bellflower orchid drum.

    “Zoom in on the lower right corner of the photo.”

    0619, receiving the command, immediately zoomed in on the area of the drum.

    The high-definition photo clearly showed the drum’s surface and the bells on the side. The one Ming Zaozao was holding was extremely similar to the one Zhu Yiqiao had seen in the toy room in Hui Fu Garden, but the details were completely different.

    After repeatedly examining the drum’s material, the embroidered patterns, and the bells hanging on both sides, Zhu Yiqiao finally came to a conclusion.

    This was—

    The grape-faced bellflower orchid drum from her memory.

    Every single detail was a perfect match.

    Her eyes flickered slightly, and she subconsciously looked back at the sleeping person on the bed.

    And Ming Fei, who had been sleeping soundly, happened to wake up. When Zhu Yiqiao looked back at her, she also happened to look up at Zhu Yiqiao.

    At this moment, all was silent, even the flowers swaying in the wind stopped.

    Their eyes met, their gazes colliding.

  • The Vicious Female Lead Doesn’t Want to Do It Anymore 77

    Chapter 77: More Please – System Awakens

    The steam filled the bathroom, and Dong Ling, under Song Mingzhi’s touch, completely crumbled.

    She could barely resist Song Mingzhi on a normal day, and a Jiejie armed with sweet nothings and coquettishness? Dong Ling was completely defenseless.

    Dong Ling unconsciously pulled out a few strands of Song Mingzhi’s hair, which were now wrapped around her fair fingers, then stuck to her skin with the water droplets.

    “Enough… Mingzhi…”

    “It’s okay, I’ve finished filming.”

    Song Mingzhi had already sobered up somewhat without realizing it, her eyes filled with a gentle smile, like a crescent moon, like a vast galaxy.

    Song Mingzhi didn’t have any work scheduled after this, so she didn’t have to wake up early, she could sleep in.

    Dong Ling’s voice gradually faded, falling asleep to the cool night outside.

    When Dong Ling woke up, it was still dark outside.

    She sat up, the quilt sliding down from her arms, revealing the plum blossom-like marks.

    “It’s dark… I actually slept for so long…”

    Dong Ling’s bones felt weak, she muttered to herself, reached for the phone on her pillow, and saw the time.

    3:36 am?

    Dong Ling was a little surprised, did she only sleep for a short while?

    Dong Ling looked at the date again, October 29th. Song Mingzhi finished filming on October 27th, which meant… she had slept for almost a day!

    It was all Song Mingzhi’s fault, her drunk Jiejie was truly too unrestrained.

    Dong Ling lay back down, looked at the still sleeping Song Mingzhi, snuggled closer, and enjoyed the quiet intimacy of this moment.

    The sleeping Song Mingzhi seemed to sense something and wrapped her arm around Dong Ling’s waist, her fingers unconsciously caressing her waistline for a moment before becoming still again.

    Dong Ling had been very well desensitized, if it were before, she would definitely have moved away, but now, apart from trembling slightly, she readily accepted it.

    The beautiful woman holding her was soft and fragrant, Dong Ling leaned against her, thinking about things, and unconsciously drifted off to sleep.

    The next day, Dong Ling and Song Mingzhi packed their things and returned to Beihai, filming was over, there was no need for them to stay there any longer.

    Dong Ling had to go back and deal with company matters, and also to meet up with her friends.

    Tang Qianxi and Chen Shang Shang still hadn’t reached a conclusion, that coward Chen Shang Shang retreated back into her shell, interacting with Tang Qianxi as a couple, but not wanting to come out yet.

    Tang Qianxi didn’t want to pressure her, so she didn’t bring it up, just taking things one day at a time.

    As for the people she and Song Mingzhi sent to Luo City, they hadn’t found anything of value either.

    Although Zhong Zhong was born in Luo City, her parents weren’t locals, but from another city, as for which city, it was difficult to find out, the old neighbors’ memories were vague, they only remembered them saying they were from a coastal city, but not the specific location.

    The trail went cold, there were so many coastal cities, finding them was like searching for a needle in a haystack, and Zhong Zhong’s parents didn’t have the surname Song, but Zhong, making it even more difficult to investigate.

    Dong Ling was a little discouraged, but Song Mingzhi remained calm.

    “It’s not easy to find lost relatives, and you said I’m the core of the story, so according to the plot, we’ll definitely find some clues.”

    Song Mingzhi would try her best to search, but if she couldn’t find them, it wouldn’t become an obsession, she already had love and care in her life, her wandering soul had found a place to anchor.

    “Yes!”

    Dong Ling nodded, she also believed that if this was a novel, the female lead’s background couldn’t possibly remain a mystery.

    She just didn’t know when the next part of the plot would be unlocked, the 10% progress from filming should be awarded after the movie was released, adding that, the main storyline progress would be 80%.

    But she didn’t know what would happen later, and Dong Ling didn’t want to worry about unknown future events, she would deal with the matters at hand first.

    Dong Ling was currently living at Song Mingzhi’s place, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with living together, she packed her things and moved into Song Mingzhi’s house, filling the empty spaces in her closet with her own clothes.

    As for her family, Dong Ling didn’t tell them she was living with her girlfriend. Although she didn’t think coming out would be difficult, she didn’t want her parents to think Song Mingzhi was being improper, it was better to wait until a more appropriate time to meet her parents.

    Dong Ling arranged a time to meet up with her friends and started choosing clothes and putting on makeup.

    It was late autumn now, and Beihai was quite cold, Dong Ling chose a blue-gray knitted cardigan and a skirt, and after finishing her makeup, she looked at herself in the mirror and then knocked on the door of Song Mingzhi’s study.

    She now knew that Song Mingzhi wasn’t an unknown, insignificant actress, but a capable businesswoman with her own career, so when Song Mingzhi was in her study, Dong Ling rarely disturbed her.

    “Mingzhi, I’m going out now, I might be back late tonight.”

    Dong Ling poked her head into the room to inform her girlfriend of her plans.

    Song Mingzhi looked up and, seeing her girlfriend’s beautiful face, said: “Have fun.”

    But her gaze shifted downwards, her smile fading slightly, she beckoned to Dong Ling.

    “Baby, come here.”

    Dong Ling was wearing a V-neck cardigan, and as she bent down, the scenery was clearly visible to Song Mingzhi.

    Dong Ling walked in, a little puzzled, and saw Song Mingzhi take a scarf from the side and wrap it around Dong Ling’s neck.

    “It’s cold outside, stay warm.”

    Dong Ling’s face flushed, she nodded, kissed Song Mingzhi’s cheek, and left like a happy little bird.

    After Dong Ling left, a teasing voice came from the computer, which had been silent.

    “Baby~ Stay warm~”

    “Ji Yiling, speak properly.”

    Song Mingzhi looked at her friend’s imitation and couldn’t help but say.

    “What, I can’t even imitate after hearing it? Lao Song, you’re truly sickeningly sweet, so gentle and tender, hahahaha.”

    “That’s what people in love are like.”

    Song Mingzhi’s words were calm, but the damage was immense.

    Ji Yiling’s smile disappeared, and she continued discussing work matters with a sullen mood.

    While Song Mingzhi was dealing critical blows to others, Dong Ling was receiving them.

    Chen Shang Shang originally wanted to pretend in front of Dong Ling, after all, she only said that a girl was pursuing her, she didn’t say who it was, so she specifically told Tang Qianxi not to reveal it before coming, but Tang Qianxi ruthlessly exposed the truth.

    Chen Shang Shang was so embarrassed she wanted to crawl into a hole and didn’t dare see Dong Ling, but she was still dragged here by Tang Qianxi. On the way, Chen Shang Shang had already adjusted her mentality, so when Dong Ling arrived, the two of them were acting all lovey-dovey.

    “Ling Ling, want to try that restaurant? The food there is quite good, I had their couple’s set menu with my baby last time.”

    “Couple’s milk tea is half price, baby, do you want one?”

    “Ling Ling, do you like the new Chanel bag? My baby just bought it for me, do you want to try it on and see if you want to buy one?”

    Calling her “bad woman” before they got together, and “baby” after.

    This was unbearable, Dong Ling said with a smile: “Chen Shang Shang, I still remember the note you wrote, can you tell me what that mixed Chinese and English word and that… indescribable piece of clothing meant?”

    Chen Shang Shang immediately shrunk back, hiding behind Tang Qianxi and covering her face with Tang Qianxi’s clothes.

    Dong Ling pinched Chen Shang Shang’s hair: “Okay, stop messing around, let’s go eat.”

    Dong Ling knew that Chen Shang Shang wasn’t deliberately showing off, but that was just her personality, she couldn’t contain herself, knowing that she knew about them, she was just being unrestrained.

    Tang Qianxi pulled her girlfriend out and teased: “If you’re really that embarrassed, I can buy you a mask.”

    “Get lost.”

    Seeing that Dong Ling didn’t mention the embarrassing incident again, Chen Shang Shang coughed lightly, her confidence restored, and she became lively again.

    The three of them often went out together in the past, but this was the first time Dong Ling felt the intense glare of being a third wheel.

    The atmosphere of friendship and romance were different. Dong Ling didn’t stay long, seeing that they were doing well, she left, her girlfriend was waiting for her at home, she didn’t want to be a lightbulb.

    On her way back, Dong Ling passed by Nanjia Hospital, and after thinking about it, she decided to visit Wen Han, it had been a while since her last visit.

    Dong Ling entered the ward after entering the passcode, Wen Han was still the same, sleeping quietly.

    His condition was actually much worse than before, after all, after lying down for so long, his muscles had atrophied to varying degrees, even though the medical staff diligently massaged him every day, but he was always lying down, he couldn’t be the same as a normal person.

    Around this time a year ago, after visiting him, she was bound by the system.

    Now the system was dormant, she didn’t know when it would wake up, and neither did he.

    The autumn wind outside the window swept the fallen leaves, hitting the windowpane with a desolate chill, Dong Ling looked at Wen Han for a while, then prepared to leave.

    Just as she was about to go, a sharp ringing sound came from her head, similar to tinnitus, but different, accompanied by a dizzy spell, Dong Ling grabbed a nearby chair to steady herself, barely avoiding falling to the floor.

    What was happening?

    Dong Ling held her head, intending to press the nurse call button by the bed and have someone come check on her.

    Before she could touch it, the sound in her head disappeared, replaced by a familiar voice.

    [Girl! I’m awake!]

    Still that damn greasy feeling.

    [It’s just a side effect of rebooting, it’s fine, it’ll be over soon.]

    Dong Ling was relieved, she sat down on the chair, and the dizziness gradually subsided, making her feel much better.

    021: [Did you miss me while I was dormant… aaaaaaaaa… how is it 70%?! And there’s another 10% pending! My god! Girl, you’re amazing!]

    Talk about a surprise, 021 didn’t expect to see such exciting main storyline progress upon waking up from its deep sleep.

    Dong Ling: [I completed some tasks, thank you, 021.]

    021: [What are you thanking me for? Protecting the host is my duty!]

    [Waaaaaaa!]

    021 suddenly let out an even more excited sound: [Signal received! I can contact headquarters!]

    021 cried tears of joy, after so long, it could finally contact headquarters, it was no longer a lost child!

    Dong Ling’s smile faded slightly, she gripped her phone with a serious expression, and sent a message to her girlfriend.

    Song Mingzhi, who was at home, saw her phone screen light up, and seeing the message, immediately prepared to leave.

    [Baby]: The fairy godmother is awake, she has contacted Fairyland, I’ll wait for you in Wen Han’s ward.

  • I’m Surrounded by My Own Pets! 205p2

    Chapter 205: Fallen Evolution!!! p2

    Moon Soul World, Cold Moon Palace.

    The black scorpion tail looming over Cold Moon Palace was rapidly disintegrating.

    Calamity Sun, Neverending Tower, thrown by Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal, was tearing through Drought’s tail like a black hole, leaving only dust in its wake, its destructive power rivaling even a true Fallen Species.

    But even after Calamity Sun had ascended from the ground to miles high in the sky, Drought’s main body was still nowhere to be seen, only the endless swirling scorpion tail.

    Calamity Sun, once Drought’s weapon, knew that the tail was merely a scout; Drought’s true body was much further away.

    Meanwhile, the golden-haired girl with the angelic halo above her head didn’t even need shared vision; a casual glance revealed the scene thousands of miles away.

    This was the advantage of gene-modified Pet Beasts: their physical abilities were enhanced to rival true Pet Beasts during the modification period.

    Of course, since Unbreakable Heaven’s Ring was purely support-type, Lian Xing couldn’t punch Ancient Species or kick Shining Species. Her body remained as fragile as ever.

    “So, who wants to cause some trouble for Drought?”

    “Though a quick victory is preferable, there’s no rush. I have plenty of Fallen candidates here…” Lian Xing asked.

    She was addressing either the Ancient Rabbit or the Shining Rabbit.

    However, before either could respond, Snow Flower, the ice-cold snow woman in a shroud, stepped forward.

    “Huh?”

    “You… you want to go?” Lian Xing asked in surprise.

    Monarch-Tier Snow Flower, Ice Attendant Snow Youluo, nodded slightly.

    She didn’t speak, but a request appeared in Lian Xing’s mind.

    Snow Flower wanted to sign a Married Pet Beast contract before going into battle…

    Besides the privileges and dominance hierarchy, the greatest advantage of a Married Pet Beast was their extended range, perfect for solo, long-range operations and assassination missions.

    After a moment of silence, Lian Xing agreed to Snow Flower’s request.

    After all, in her plans, Snow Flower, wielding Golden Leaf, would be one of her three main damage dealers alongside the Ancient Rabbit and the Shining Rabbit.

    Calamity Sun, Star Sand, Heaven’s Ring, and Mist Colt were merely support or tools.

    So, giving Snow Flower a little incentive was fine…

    Under the bewildered gazes of the other Pet Beasts, the golden-haired girl was lifted into Snow Flower’s arms.

    A kiss, and the contract was sealed.

    [Married Pet Beast slot -1, remaining slots 1]

    [Range increased significantly, but you can no longer sense Snow Flower’s thoughts.]

    [Pregnancy probability after mating greatly increased.]

    After a dozen seconds, Lian Xing was set down, her face slightly flushed. She waved her hand, urging Snow Flower to depart.

    Snow Flower nodded, then glanced at Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal, who protectively hugged Calamity Sun’s crystal core.

    Clearly, she was still traumatized by being… cuckolded.

    But it wasn’t Snow Flower who had something to say; it was Golden Leaf, seemingly wanting to speak to the Moonlight Rabbit.

    [I apologize for my previous inexplicable animosity towards you. I understand now. Fallen and Shining paths instinctively repel each other.]

    [We are destined to never fight together, and the outcome of this battle against Drought is uncertain.]

    [But if my evolution fails… afterwards…]

    [Please take care of our master.]

    “…”

    “…”

    “In that case, let me give you a boost~~~” Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal, setting aside their past animosity, offered.

    To Lian Xing, though these newborns were acting like they were in a tragic drama, it was difficult for Pet Beasts of different species to develop genuine feelings for each other.

    Biological species only loved Biological species.

    Weapon species only loved Weapon species.

    Elemental species only loved Elemental species and Shining species.

    Mechanical species rarely fell in love.

    Only Viral species were indiscriminate, compatible with all.

    Therefore, even Snow Flower and Golden Leaf’s relationship was merely cooperative, nothing more.

    Seconds later, Snow Flower nodded, allowing Golden Leaf’s icy tail to be wrapped around Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal’s ears.

    Then—

    Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal, in her most basic, primal stance, swung her ears, spinning Snow Flower and Golden Leaf like a hula hoop.

    Just like the Giant Moonlight Rabbit and Golden Leaf in the past.

    Times had changed.

    Now, the thrower was a Shining Species.

    And the projectile was a pseudo-Emperor, having undergone multiple transcendent transformations.

    “BOOM!!!!!”

    The next second, a deafening explosion ripped through the sky.

    The ground beneath Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal’s feet crumbled, Cold Moon Palace’s terrain collapsing.

    Snow Flower and Golden Leaf’s figures created trails of light as they hurtled through the sky, surpassing Calamity Sun in an instant and heading towards the higher regions where Drought’s tail coiled more densely.

    The shockwave not only slammed into Lian Xing below, but also startled Cold Moon, who was observing from the sky.

    And then, Lian Xing spotted Cold Moon.

    After Unbreakable Heaven’s Ring’s modification, her vision could pierce through thousands of miles of clouds.

    Sensing Lian Xing’s gaze, Cold Moon remained outwardly calm.

    But the next second, something unexpected happened…

    “Whoosh—”

    With a surge of golden sand, Cold Moon’s Arcane Arts and combat skills dimmed simultaneously.

    Star Sand had sealed the high-ranking Legend, Cold Moon, across several ranks!

    Normally, this would be impossible.

    But Cold Moon, to avoid detection, had suppressed her aura to a negligible level. And she hadn’t expected Lian Xing to attack her.

    As Cold Moon stared in disbelief, Lian Xing snapped her fingers.

    “Snap!”

    Cold Moon vanished without a trace, teleported by Lian Xing to some unknown corner of the Moon Soul World.

    If Commander-Tier Star Sand could seal and weaken Cold Moon, then Monarch-Tier Unbreakable Heaven’s Ring could definitely refresh her.

    “Sigh, poor Cold Moon, must have been terrified by the Fallen Species.”

    “I just saved a Guardian, tsk, tsk…”

    “What a huge favor I’ve done her.”

    Lian Xing, completely oblivious to the gravity of the situation, imagined Cold Moon’s future gratitude and adoration.

    ***

    Bubble Pet Beast World, Hegemon Palace(Dominating Cauldron Palace)

    Seeing billions of Beast Tamers suddenly appear, the married Emperor with the black umbrella felt her scalp tingle.

    What had Lian Xing done in the new world!?

    How had she transported so many people back at once!?

    Among them were even a few auras she couldn’t bring herself to feel hostile towards, such as Wu Qie’s Ancient Species Black Umbrella Chick and Cloud Princess’s Pet Beast lineup, beings far beyond the Bubble Pet Beast World’s comprehension.

    Everyone looked around this unfamiliar, tiny world in confusion.

    With their Myriad-Level Emperor perception, they could sense the world’s boundaries.

    Where the hell was this?

    Where had the Moon Soul World gone!?

    Only Silver Dragon, Tears Maiden, and the others exchanged exasperated glances, almost laughing in frustration.

    They had just left the Bubble Pet Beast World, and now Lian Xing had sent them back.

    “Whoosh—”

    The next second, a new figure appeared, silencing the commotion.

    All level 2 factions and Ruler-Tier Emperors in the Bubble Pet Beast World felt a chilling pressure.

    The gatekeeper within the Holy Gate immediately knelt.

    Amidst the dead silence…

    The blue-haired ice beauty who emerged from the Star Gate stared blankly ahead, confused, bewildered, and speechless.

    She looked utterly dumbfounded, as if her mind had been blown, unable to utter a single word.

    Who was the master of Cold Moon Palace again!?

    ***

    Meanwhile, in Cold Moon Palace…

    Ice Attendant Snow Youluo, dragging her flaming ice wheel tail, rocketed skyward amidst a series of explosions.

    Within seconds, she surpassed Calamity Sun and Cold Moon, reaching the starry expanse beyond ordinary vision.

    Looming above Cold Moon Palace, a massive, shadowy figure, like a demon god, covered the world.

    Countless scorpion tails extended from its end, reaching into the endless void before descending upon Cold Moon Palace.

    This was…

    Drought, one of the Four Great Calamities, in its true form!

    Before they could even get a clear look at Drought, the swirling black scorpion tails descended like a cage of chains, trapping Snow Flower and Golden Leaf.

    But just as they were about to be engulfed, Snow Flower clasped her hands together, a wave of swirling snowflakes erupting from her body.

    “Legend + Royal, Double Awakening!!!”

    “Whoosh—!!!!!”

    The next second, an icy blizzard swept outwards.

    Like a new ice age descending, countless walls of ice and snow formed around Ice Attendant Snow Youluo, creating a massive, frozen world in the endless starry sky.

    Then, trapped within this icy world, she accelerated, colliding head-on with Drought’s descending scorpion tails.

    “Boom, boom, boom!!!!!”

    Several deafening crashes echoed through the sky.

    Nine-tenths of the ice fortress instantly crumbled.

    But Snow Flower had withstood a blow from a Fallen Emperor!

    A far cry from her helpless state against Heartless Purgatory Life!

    As the chains loosened their grip, Snow Flower spun 360 degrees, Golden Leaf behind her unleashing a whirling attack.

    “Nether Severance!!!”

    “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang—”

    Black arcs of energy tore through space, pushing back the scorpion tail chains.

    The Black combat skill, Nether Severance.

    After killing an enemy, it absorbed a portion of their Pet Essence, permanently increasing its power.

    Upon Heartless Purgatory Life’s death, Golden Leaf had used Nether Severance, resulting in its current abnormal strength.

    Though Golden Leaf’s physical body couldn’t rival a Fallen Species, Nether Severance could actually push back Drought!

    Snow Flower, creating ice walls and counterattacking with Nether Severance, pushed through the swirling scorpion tails.

    After several minutes, they finally reached Drought’s main body!

    As a Married Pet Beast, Snow Flower contacted Lian Xing across the vast distance.

    Then—

    Just as they were about to clash with Drought’s aura—

    The golden Moonlight Rabbit with the wildly flapping ears below waved her sleeve, assuming a throwing stance.

    [Heavenly Jade Mirror]

    “BOOM!!!”

    Instantly, a powerful shockwave erupted from Golden Leaf’s tail, tearing a massive gash in Drought’s body, distorting its Pet Essence and pulverizing countless parasites within.

    Snow Flower and Golden Leaf charged through the opening, reaching Drought’s dark, outer shell.

    Seeing the Shining Moonlight Rabbit shatter Drought’s defenses with a casual wave of her hand, vaporizing countless parasites and leaving mountains of dismembered limbs, Snow Flower and Golden Leaf didn’t have time to marvel.

    Seconds later, they sensed the surrounding life auras rapidly increasing.

    One after another, Emperors appeared.

    Ruler-Tier Emperors.

    Myriad-Level Emperors.

    They stood on the higher protrusions of Drought’s shell, looking down at Snow Flower and Golden Leaf.

    Normally, only beings unintentionally trapped within a Fallen Species’ aura were recognized by the parasites.

    Those who actively invaded were clearly hostile!

    However…

    Just as they were about to send ordinary Emperors and Monarchs to test Snow Flower—

    [Nether Severance]

    “Whoosh—”

    A black arc of light sliced through space.

    All beings around Snow Flower and Golden Leaf were bisected.

    What… what the hell!?

    The remaining Emperors froze, staring at the white-haired snow woman rising from the black carnage, too stunned to move.

    The snow woman tilted her head, her gaze sweeping across the scene.

    “BOOM!!!”

    The next second, all the corpses and survivors exploded into frozen fragments.

    Too weak…

    This level of resistance couldn’t even satisfy Golden Leaf.

    However, the Four Great Calamities were massive. This was only a small group of parasites on a tiny section of its surface.

    Even Flood, which had nearly destroyed the entire Bubble Pet Beast World, had only partially contacted Lian Xing and the others. It carried several distinct parasite colonies on its body, like bacteria on a human’s scalp and feet.

    With a Fallen Species’ massive size, even an ordinary Emperor would spend its entire life trying to reach another section.

    Therefore, even after annihilating this group of parasites, Snow Flower and Golden Leaf felt no sense of accomplishment, moving on to the next group.

    They still had plenty of time before Drought’s tail completely enveloped Cold Moon Palace.

    Unfortunately, after entering the Fallen Species’ aura, Snow Flower’s connection with Lian Xing was severed.

    Otherwise, Lian Xing could have guided their next evolution.

    Hours later…

    Snow Flower and Golden Leaf had slaughtered three parasite colonies.

    But Golden Leaf still hadn’t reached Nether Severance’s limit.

    Though not as potent as Shining combat skills, Black combat skills were still treasured by even Myriad-Level Emperors. They weren’t weak.

    Even the Ancient Rabbit had equipped four Black Life Recovery skills.

    If she considered them useless, she wouldn’t have bothered.

    However…

    As Snow Flower and Golden Leaf reached the fourth parasite colony, they froze.

    A phoenix woman, wreathed in rainbow flames, sat cross-legged on Drought’s scorched surface, even its shell seared black by her aura.

    She seemed oblivious to Snow Flower and Golden Leaf’s arrival, simply sitting there, lost in thought.

    Snow Flower and Golden Leaf felt their scalps tingle.

    What was going on!?

    How outdated was their intel on Drought!?

    How could there be a Monarch-Tier Fallen Species within its body!?

    Just then…

    As if sensing their gazes, the phoenix woman turned her head.

    “Whoosh—”

    A terrifying wave of scorching flames, like a solar flare, swept across Drought’s surface, searing its shell and turning large sections into a bloody, charred mess.

    Ice Attendant Snow Youluo immediately clasped her hands in prayer, ice walls forming around her, creating a massive, frozen world comparable to the Bubble Pet Beast World.

    But the next second—

    “BOOM!!!”

    An explosion of fire melted the entire ice world.

    The red-haired phoenix woman, trailing flames, smashed through the glaciers, passing by the stunned Snow Flower and grabbing Golden Leaf’s tail.

    Maintaining terrifying speed, she dragged Snow Flower and Golden Leaf across Drought’s surface, crashing through and incinerating five parasite colonies before stopping.

    Then, she floated in the air, looking down at the molten wasteland.

    The next second—

    “Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!”

    An icy blizzard erupted.

    The white-haired snow woman, her clothes melted away, emerged from the molten earth, snowflakes swirling around her, her previously vacant eyes now filled with excitement and a touch of madness.

    This was…

    Wonderful…

    Against Heartless Purgatory Life, she had barely exerted herself.

    This time, she could finally fight a Fallen Species with her full strength!

    And…

    This Monarch-Tier Fallen Species’ aura seemed even stronger than Heartless Purgatory Life’s!

    It must have been at the pinnacle of ordinary Emperors before its Fallen transformation!

    Suppressing her excitement, Snow Flower swung Golden Leaf behind her.

    Simultaneously, the Fallen phoenix’s body dissolved, transforming into a meteor shower of flames, hurtling downwards.

    “…”

    “…”

    “BOOM!!!!”

    The next second, ice and fire clashed on Drought’s surface.

    Billions of parasites were instantly incinerated.

    [Monarch-Tier Snow Flower + Golden Leaf]

    [VS]

    [Monarch-Tier Fallen Species!!!]

  • Can We Get Married First?  124

    Side Story 10: Lin Wei CP (Part 5)

    “Politics?”

    “Yes, didn’t I tell you before? My dream is to become a politician.”

    The sunset had faded, leaving only the dark expanse of the sky. The snow had stopped completely after they left the exam hall. Now, the night sky was clear, revealing a brilliant display of stars.

    Neither of them mentioned going home. They reclined their seats, turning them into a small bed, opened the sunroof, and lay side by side, counting stars.

    After exchanging several “rings,” Wei Zhuoning, exhausted but content, snuggled closer to Lin Xiaozhi, enjoying her warmth and scent.

    Lin Xiaozhi draped a soft blanket over them, enjoying the closeness, and put her arm around Wei Zhuoning, letting her use it as a pillow.

    It had been a while since they had relaxed like this, their minds not on studying.

    Wei Zhuoning’s dream had always been clear: to write stories, to create worlds with her words.

    Although she knew Lin Xiaozhi was intelligent, always ranking in the top five of their grade, this was the first time she had heard about Lin Xiaozhi’s aspirations.

    Sensing Wei Zhuoning’s sudden stillness, Lin Xiaozhi lowered the music and looked down at her:

    “What’s wrong? Don’t you like the idea of me being a politician?”

    “No,” Wei Zhuoning quickly shook her head, “I just think your dreams are so grand. If you enter politics, you’ll make the world a better place.”

    Lin Xiaozhi chuckled: “You have that much faith in me?”

    “Of course!”

    “I’m not even sure myself.”

    Wei Zhuoning sat up, held Lin Xiaozhi’s wrist, leaned over her, and, looking into her eyes, said earnestly:

    “Even if no one else believes in you, I do. You’re Lin Xiaozhi, you can do anything.”

    Her sincerity touched Lin Xiaozhi deeply.

    Wei Zhuoning truly believed in her, believed she was capable of anything.

    Lin Xiaozhi hugged her tightly, closing her eyes, savoring the moment.

    Yes, she could do it.

    —-

    After registering their marriage and leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, Wei Zhuoning stared at her ID on her phone, now marked “Married,” her spouse “Lin Xiaozhi.”

    Whenever they were within a meter of each other, little hearts floated from their phones.

    So this was what being married felt like?

    Wei Zhuoning’s heart raced. It felt like a dream…

    Lin Xiaozhi teased her: “What’s with that silly look? You’re going to break your phone.”

    “I’m just happy! I’m so happy…”

    Lin Xiaozhi was about to tease her again, her wedding vows so simple and unromantic, when she saw tears rolling down Wei Zhuoning’s cheeks and quickly pulled her into a hug.

    “What’s wrong? Why are you crying on our wedding day?”

    “I’m, happy…” The same two words.

    Lin Xiaozhi chuckled.

    Silly rabbit.

    But this silly rabbit was finally hers, no one could take her away.

    They had registered their marriage, but there was no ceremony.

    Firstly, Chi Lin was still gone, and Wei Zhuoning wanted to wait for their friends.

    Secondly, she didn’t have the money. She wanted to buy the ring herself, a real ring, and plan a beautiful wedding with her own money.

    Lin Xiaozhi had plenty of money, she could easily buy a ring and arrange a lavish ceremony, but she didn’t want to.

    She wanted to build their future together, with Wei Zhuoning, with their own hands.

    During the long winter break, before school started again, Wei Zhuoning finally had time to write, to pour all her energy into her stories.

    She spent almost all her free time writing, except for her dates with Lin Xiaozhi.

    Lin Xiaozhi and a few friends had designed a stock trading app, which was selling well. She hadn’t been idle either, earning money with Wei Zhuoning.

    They planned to move out and live together after starting university; the money they earned during the break was for rent.

    But Wei Zhuoning’s mother needed care, even if they moved out, she would still visit her every day.

    “So…” Lin Xiaozhi, smiling as always, “I’ll take you home every day, then pick you up and bring you back to our place.”

    “That’s too much trouble for you.”

    “It’s not, the highway is fast, it’ll only take half an hour. Or we can have your mom move in with us, it’s not very safe in the lower district, and it would be closer to your university.”

    Lin Xiaozhi always gave Wei Zhuoning options, never forcing her.

    But Wei Zhuoning knew every choice came with sacrifices.

    Seeing her downcast expression, Lin Xiaozhi poked her cheek playfully:

    “What are you thinking about? Any secrets?”

    Wei Zhuoning covered her face, her cheeks burning.

    This beautiful, capable girl was her wife…

    “I feel like I’m holding you back,” she said softly.

    She knew she was insecure, especially around Lin Xiaozhi.

    Lin Xiaozhi was too perfect, too accomplished, she had effortlessly gotten into a top law school.

    Wei Zhuoning never doubted her abilities; she could achieve anything she set her mind to.

    Beauty, family background, intelligence…

    Lin Xiaozhi had everything, while Wei Zhuoning felt like she had nothing.

    Lin Xiaozhi was like a goddess, who could be worthy of her?

    Wei Zhuoning poured out her heart to Lin Xiaozhi.

    “Pfft.”

    Lin Xiaozhi couldn’t help but laugh.

    Wei Zhuoning’s face burned: “What are you laughing at? I’m serious!”

    Lin Xiaozhi said: “You love me too much, that’s why you see me as perfect.”

    “But you are!”

    “I’m not as perfect as you think, I’m not a goddess.” Lin Xiaozhi started unbuttoning her shirt.

    “What, what are you doing?” Wei Zhuoning was surprised.

    “I want you to see the real me, the imperfect me.”

    Wei Zhuoning’s breath hitched as she felt Lin Xiaozhi’s warm hands on her skin.

    “I cry, I laugh, I get hurt, I get sad, I even have bad habits like smoking. I’m not perfect, but because you love me, you see me as perfect… Zhuoning, it makes me so happy. But you have to understand, I’m lost in your gaze, consumed by your love, I crave everything about you, you are my goddess. I want to belong to you, completely.”

    Lin Xiaozhi held Wei Zhuoning’s hand, guiding her, taking the lead.

    “Xiaozhi…”

    “Do you feel it? My love for you, my desire for you, it’s real. I’m not a goddess, I’m yours, completely.”

    —–

    Wei Zhuoning would never forget this moment, Lin Xiaozhi’s vulnerability, her unfiltered desire, her willingness to be led.

    Even her aggressiveness, her desperate longing, was endearing.

    Lin Xiaozhi was so beautiful, her honesty making Wei Zhuoning’s heart ache.

    She would cherish her forever.

    When they moved out of the lower district, Wei Zhuoning’s mother, watching her daughter and Lin Xiaozhi bustling around, packing their belongings with the movers, couldn’t stop smiling.

    She had dreamed of leaving that awful place, but it had seemed impossible.

    Now, it was real.

    She had also imagined her daughter’s future partner, perhaps a kind and steady young man, or a hardworking girl, but someone like Lin Xiaozhi was beyond her expectations.

    “Mom.”

    Wei Zhuoning’s mother, watching Lin Xiaozhi, was startled by her sudden appearance.

    “Are you taking this basin? It’s cracked, we can buy a new one.”

    Lin Xiaozhi smiled at her brightly.

    “Thank you, Xiaozhi,” she said, “for taking me in.”

    Lin Xiaozhi, surprised by her gratitude, held her hand: “We’re family now, there’s nothing to thank me for. I should be thanking you, for raising such a wonderful daughter. Zhuoning and you are my responsibility now, I’ll take good care of you.”

    Wei Zhuoning’s mother blushed, her eyes tearing up.

    ——

    University courses were demanding, surrounded by brilliant students, Lin Xiaozhi felt the pressure.

    She hadn’t smoked in almost six months.

    She had promised Wei Zhuoning she would quit if she got into L University.

    Wei Zhuoning had kept her end of the bargain, and now Lin Xiaozhi should quit completely.

    But when she was stressed, she still craved a cigarette.

    Sitting in her study, her mind unusually cluttered, she opened her drawer and looked at the unopened pack of cigarettes and the lighter.

    No, no… She closed the drawer.

    She couldn’t disappoint Zhuoning.

    But, just one…

    No, even one cigarette, and Zhuoning, with her sensitive nose, would know.

    Lin Xiaozhi’s throat itched. She went to take a shower to calm down.

    After showering, she helped Wei Zhuoning’s mother with her sponge bath. Wei Zhuoning still hadn’t returned.

    She only had two classes this afternoon, where was she?

    She hadn’t replied to her messages either.

    Lin Xiaozhi looked out the window and saw Wei Zhuoning in the garden, talking to a woman.

    She watched them quietly. They talked for over half an hour, then the woman left, and Wei Zhuoning came upstairs.

    “Why are you so late?” Lin Xiaozhi opened the door for her, taking her heavy backpack.

    “Where were you?” she asked, smiling.

    Wei Zhuoning avoided her gaze: “My tutor needed help with something…”

    “You didn’t see my messages?”

    “Did you send me any? Sorry, I didn’t see them.”

    Wei Zhuoning was a terrible liar.

    “Come on, let’s eat, I cooked tonight.”

    Wei Zhuoning nodded, her smile strained.

    For the next month, there were days when Wei Zhuoning came home late.

    On those days, Lin Xiaozhi would watch from the window as Wei Zhuoning talked to the woman with long, black hair in the garden below.

    They usually talked for about fifteen minutes. Initially, it hadn’t seemed like anything unusual, but today, Wei Zhuoning had adjusted the woman’s collar.

    Lin Xiaozhi’s eye twitched, and she lit a cigarette…

    “You’ve been smoking?”

    Wei Zhuoning smelled the cigarettes as soon as she entered.

    “Yes,” Lin Xiaozhi admitted calmly.

    “Why…” Wei Zhuoning looked at her with concern. “You haven’t smoked in months.”

    “I was stressed.”

    “Why were you stressed?” Wei Zhuoning pressed.

    She had the nerve to ask?!

    Lin Xiaozhi had smoked four cigarettes in a row while waiting for Wei Zhuoning! That woman, daring to appear beneath their apartment!

    And now Wei Zhuoning was asking why she was stressed?!

    “I’m not blind,” Lin Xiaozhi said, deciding to confront her. “I saw you.”

    Tears welled up in her eyes: “How could you do this to me?”

    “Huh?” Wei Zhuoning, startled, pulled her into the bedroom, away from her mother.

    “You saw us?” As soon as the door closed, Wei Zhuoning offered her some tissues.

    Lin Xiaozhi refused them: “If you didn’t want me to see it, you shouldn’t have done it right below our apartment!”

    Wei Zhuoning: “I, I couldn’t stop her, she insisted on coming.”

    “Oh, she’s bold, isn’t she? Fine, I’ll be waiting for her with a knife tomorrow, I’ll chop her into pieces!”

    Wei Zhuoning, seeing Lin Xiaozhi’s fury, her usually elegant face red and contorted, couldn’t help but laugh.

    Lin Xiaozhi yelled: “Wei Zhuoning! Have you no conscience?! We just got married! You…”

    Wei Zhuoning covered her mouth: “Calm down, Xiaozhi, she won’t come again, I promise.”

    “She won’t come again? Why? Did she give up? Just tell me, how far did you two go?” Lin Xiaozhi’s voice trembled, tears threatening to spill. “Do you still love me? Do you still want to be with me? If you…”

    Wei Zhuoning quickly interrupted her: “Xiaozhi, you’re misunderstanding. There’s nothing between us.”

    “Huh?” Lin Xiaozhi’s tears froze on her eyelashes, her expression changing rapidly.

    “She’s from Class 2, her name is Qu Han, remember her?”

    “Class 2? Qu Han?” Lin Xiaozhi paused, a flicker of recognition in her eyes.

    “You do remember.” Wei Zhuoning looked at her sadly. “She’s liked you for years, you knew, right?”

    Lin Xiaozhi: “…”

    Qu Han had confessed to her in their first year, but Lin Xiaozhi, obsessed with Wei Zhuoning, had forgotten about it.

    “She’s in my class now, she’s been bothering me lately, I ignored her, but then she changed her tactics.”

    “What did she do?!”

    “She… tried to make things difficult for me.”

    “What did she do?!”

    “She… blocked me in the hallway a few times.”

    “Blocked you?! What did she do to you?!”

    “Nothing, I didn’t let her do anything.”

    Lin Xiaozhi was about to go find a knife.

    Wei Zhuoning quickly calmed her down.

    “Then what?! What was her point?!”

    “She just… wanted to see me suffer, I guess. Because I married you.”

    “No, that’s not it.” Lin Xiaozhi knew better. “She’s not that simple. Tell me the truth!”

    Wei Zhuoning, intimidated by Lin Xiaozhi’s intensity, confessed: “She… wanted me to like her…”

    “…” Lin Xiaozhi was furious. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

    Wei Zhuoning shrugged: “You were stressed with your studies, I didn’t want to bother you.”

    “This is my problem! I should handle it! How dare she bully you!”

    Wei Zhuoning remained silent. Lin Xiaozhi, after a moment of seething anger, calmed down, hugged her, and asked:

    “Then what? How did she give up?”

    “She kept waiting for me downstairs, I got annoyed, and we argued a few times. I almost hit her today, and she finally left.”

    “Just like that? She won’t come back?”

    “I think so. She said I never wavered, even after all her attempts to provoke me, and that I even defended you, so she realized I must really love you and decided to give up.”

    Lin Xiaozhi was still angry.

    That idiot! How dare she?!

    Wei Zhuoning held her arm and smiled: “Wasn’t I cool? I chased away your rival!”

    Lin Xiaozhi couldn’t help but smile and poked her forehead: “Don’t keep secrets from me! I thought you were seeing someone else!”

    “So that’s why you were smoking…”

    “Of course! It’s your fault! I haven’t smoked in months!”

    “Then, what should we do?”

    “I don’t know, you figure it out, if I can’t quit, it’s your fault.”

    “Okay, okay, it’s my fault, don’t be angry, Xiaozhi.”

    Wei Zhuoning’s gentle coaxing made Lin Xiaozhi’s heart melt, and she wanted to continue acting spoiled.

    But she couldn’t.

    After smoking again, her cravings intensified, her frustration growing.

    It was all Qu Han’s fault.

    Lin Xiaozhi went to L University and, in front of Qu Han, kissed Wei Zhuoning passionately, making everyone around them blush, then pulled away.

    “Let me make this clear, I, Lin Xiaozhi, will only ever love Wei Zhuoning. Anyone who bullies her will answer to me.”

    With that, she left with Wei Zhuoning.

    Outside the building, Wei Zhuoning’s face was still flushed.

    “Was that a declaration of ownership?”

    “Yes, you’re mine, don’t even think about running away.”

    This should have been a sweet, romantic moment, but Wei Zhuoning’s expression turned serious:

    “Did you smoke again?”

    “…You can still smell it after I changed clothes?”

    “It’s not about the clothes, I can always tell when you’ve been smoking, from your kiss.”

    “…”

    “Didn’t you promise to quit?” Wei Zhuoning’s voice was filled with disappointment.

    “But it’s so hard…”

    Wei Zhuoning knew it was hard, but she truly wanted Lin Xiaozhi to quit.

    Two days later, after dinner, as Lin Xiaozhi was about to light a cigarette on the balcony, Wei Zhuoning hugged her from behind and kissed her deeply.

    Lin Xiaozhi: “?”

    Wei Zhuoning’s sudden passion was overwhelming, their kiss deepening as they stumbled into the bedroom. Wei Zhuoning started undressing her.

    Lin Xiaozhi: “??”

    They didn’t stop until late at night, Lin Xiaozhi so exhausted she could barely move, the forgotten cigarette lying somewhere on the balcony floor.

    After showering, Wei Zhuoning came back for more.

    “Baby, you’re trying to kill me…”

    From then on, whenever Lin Xiaozhi felt the urge to smoke, Wei Zhuoning would appear, kissing her and pulling her towards the bed.

    After a couple of weeks, Lin Xiaozhi not only hadn’t smoked, but she had also lost weight and was full of energy.

    Wei Zhuoning was pleased: “It seems this special method is working.”

    Lin Xiaozhi shook her head.

    Wei Zhuoning: “?”

    “It hasn’t worked yet, you have to keep supervising me, forever.”

    -End-

  • Shion’s Notes 127

    Chapter 127: Aunt Wu

    Yu Linna gazed at the sky, then down at the bustling streets. The New Year holidays were over, and people were returning to the city. Guangnan City was experiencing the post-holiday rush.

    Yu Linna had arranged to meet Wu Siyu, or Aunt Wu as she called her, at a coffee shop in the city center. Aunt Wu, excited to see her after so long, promised to spend the entire day with her. But Yu Linna had only one thing on her mind: her own past.

    Since childhood, she had been alone, unaware of her origins. Whenever she asked Aunt Wu, she refused to tell her. Back then, too young to understand, she hadn’t pressed the issue. Now, older, she desperately wanted to know.

    Ding-a-ling.

    Pushing open the coffee shop door, the chime of the bell announced Yu Linna’s arrival. The café had a vintage charm, reminiscent of the 18th century, with classical décor and oil paintings adorning the walls, transporting visitors back in time.

    Yu Linna looked around, searching for the familiar face.

    Suddenly, a woman approached. She had shoulder-length hair, a prominent nose, bright eyes, and wore a brown coat and boots. Though she looked to be in her early thirties, she was actually over forty, wrinkles lining her face. Despite this, traces of her youthful beauty remained.

    “You must be Nana! You’ve grown so much! If it weren’t for your blonde hair, I wouldn’t have recognized you~”

    “…Aunt Wu.”

    “Come, come, sit down! What are you standing there for? Let’s have a good chat.”

    Aunt Wu, beaming, led her to a table and handed her a menu, urging her to order something she liked.

    Aunt Wu had always been kind to her, even when she was a child at the orphanage. She shared her food, took her to the hospital whenever she was sick. Back then, with no family, Yu Linna had considered Aunt Wu her only relative. It was a shame she had only stayed at the orphanage for a few months before it was demolished, forcing her to live a nomadic life, moving from one foster home to another.

    She hadn’t seen Aunt Wu in years.

    Aunt Wu had more wrinkles now, her figure slightly fuller. Though still beautiful, time had taken its toll.

    “Nana, how have you been all these years? We haven’t spoken since you left my house. Is anyone taking care of you now?”

    Aunt Wu’s concern was genuine. She had always doted on Yu Linna; how could she not care?

    Yu Linna felt a warmth in her heart. She hadn’t opened up to many people in her life; Aunt Wu was one of them. Besides Nangong Ying, Aunt Wu was the person she trusted most.

    But that was in the past.

    “Don’t worry, I’m fine. Someone took me in, and I have a place to stay now. You don’t have to worry about me.”

    “Nana, to be honest, I feel terrible about what happened. You stayed with me for a month, and I had intended to adopt you. But…”

    Mentioning this, Aunt Wu’s expression became strained, her gaze averted. She still carried a sense of guilt.

    After the orphanage closed, Yu Linna had briefly stayed with Aunt Wu, but she soon left, beginning her journey through foster homes, staying in one place for a month before moving on, drifting through several cities until she was finally able to live independently.

    “That’s all in the past, Aunt Wu. Let’s not talk about it. Let’s not talk about that today.”

    “Yes, you’re right. Nana, let me see how much you’ve grown. It’s been so long. Look at you, you’re taller! But you’re still so thin. You haven’t been eating properly…”

    Aunt Wu stroked her head affectionately, and Yu Linna, docile as a kitten, leaned into her touch. She loved being treated this way, cherished the feeling of being cared for.

    Wu Siyu had considered adopting Yu Linna. After the orphanage closed, she had lost her job and thought about taking Yu Linna in, giving her a home. But for various reasons, it hadn’t happened, and Yu Linna had left, disappearing from her life.

    The other children from the orphanage had been adopted, but Yu Linna, with her mixed-race appearance, had been overlooked, unwanted, remaining alone all these years.

    Seeing Aunt Wu so happy, Yu Linna felt a pang of guilt. But… thinking about her purpose for being here, her expression dimmed.

    “Nana, you don’t have any plans these days, right? Why don’t you stay at my place for a couple of days? I’ll cook for you. I know you love my stew.”

    “No, thank you, Aunt Wu. I don’t want to impose. Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”

    “What is it?”

    “It’s about my parents. Do you know anything about them?”

    “…”

    Aunt Wu’s face fell, her gaze shifting uncomfortably, unsure how to respond.

    “Nana, let’s order something. I’ll take you somewhere nice to eat later, okay?”

    “Aunt Wu, do you know who my parents are? Please tell me. I’m grown up now; I have the right to know the truth.”

    Yu Linna’s gaze was fixed on Aunt Wu’s face, her words firm.

    But how could she tell her?

    Wu Siyu didn’t know how to broach the subject. Staying silent would only lead to more questions, but telling her the truth might be too painful. She wished the girl had been a blank slate from the start.

    She even wished she herself had never known.

    But that was impossible.

    “Nana, sit down. I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything I know.”

    Yu Linna obediently sat back down.

    Wu Siyu carefully chose her words, slowly revealing what she knew.

    “You’re wondering why you became an orphan, right? You weren’t at the orphanage from the beginning. One day, the police brought you to us. You had no identification, nothing but a name, so they placed you in our care.”

    It was a long time ago, a memory Wu Siyu hadn’t wanted to revisit. She didn’t want to upset Linna, but she couldn’t keep it a secret forever.

    “You were about four years old, I think. You didn’t know anything, and you had a head injury. We didn’t know where you came from. You had a notebook with what we assumed was your name written in it, so we called you Yu Linna. We didn’t know what it meant. Perhaps your parents gave you that name.”

    “Then… my parents… are they still alive?”

    “…”

    Wu Siyu didn’t know how to answer.

    Seeing the hope in Yu Linna’s eyes, she sighed, continuing her story.

    “I don’t know. I don’t know who your parents are. We don’t even know if they’re alive or dead, or what their names are. The police told me about you. They said you were rescued from a human trafficker’s den. They were apparently planning to raise you until you were older, then maim you and force you to beg on the streets. Because of your mixed-race appearance, no one dared to adopt you, so they…”

    Her words triggered a faint memory in Yu Linna’s mind, a fleeting image of being in a trafficker’s den. But her memories from that time were hazy; she had suffered a head injury and forgotten much of it.

    “When the police rescued you, your head was covered in blood. It was terrifying. They said you kept crying, clutching onto that notebook. The police couldn’t pry it from your hands. They brought you to the orphanage because you had been with the traffickers for a while, and they couldn’t find any information about your family or your address. They had no choice but to treat you as an orphan.”

    “Then… what about my parents?” Yu Linna’s primary concern was still her parents.

    Despite everything Aunt Wu had said, all she cared about was her parents.

    “Nana, listen to me. I don’t know who your parents are, but there must be a reason why they left you. They probably had their own difficulties. Perhaps…”

    “They sold me to the traffickers, didn’t they?”

    “…Nana!”

    “Just tell me, yes or no.”

    “…I don’t know. When the police questioned the traffickers, they all insisted that the children were bought from clients, probably hoping to reduce their sentences. Don’t be too pessimistic. Perhaps you were simply kidnapped…”

    “So, I was sold, right?”

    “…”

    Wu Siyu didn’t know how to comfort her, how to explain.

    She only knew what she had been told. She didn’t know the details, how Yu Linna ended up with the traffickers, how they acquired her. Even the police didn’t know.

    According to the traffickers, Yu Linna had passed through many hands, from the remote corners of the mainland to the central regions, then to the coastal areas. Because of her mixed-race appearance, no one wanted to buy her, so the traffickers kept selling her off, until she ended up in their hands. They had planned to use her for begging, but the police raided their operation.

    With so many intermediaries, the police couldn’t trace her back to the original sellers, and the case remained unsolved.

    So, who Yu Linna’s parents were remained a mystery.

    Too much time had passed; the truth was lost.

    “Nana…”

    Wu Siyu was worried about her, but Yu Linna simply lowered her head, silent.

    Her coffee had gone cold.

  • Reincarnated as a Holy Nun, I Refuse to Lose! v2c11

    Volume 2: Witch Kingdom Arc

    Chapter 11: Becoming a Palm-Sized Puppet

    Luo Yuxi stared at the black magic nail piercing her heart, then at Qing’s crazed expression. Her limbs went numb, losing control. She felt the strength drain from her left arm, unable to move it no matter how hard she tried.

    “Now we’re family, eternally beautiful, never to be separated~”

    Luo Yuxi collapsed. Qing flicked her wrist, silver strings wrapping around Luo Yuxi’s joints. With a slight tug, Luo Yuxi stood up like a marionette, her eyes vacant.

    “As a puppet, you won’t feel any pain~”

    Qing caressed Luo Yuxi’s face, even lifting a strand of her pink hair to her nose, inhaling the peach-like scent, a blush creeping onto her face.

    “Perfect, from today onwards, you’ll be the mother, and Qiu will be the older sister~”

    “Yes, Master…”

    Qing tugged on the strings, and Luo Yuxi nodded stiffly, her voice emotionless. However, Luo Yuxi was surprised to find her consciousness intact. She could still think and perceive, just not control her body.

    “Why make me the mother? Do I look that old? Does she have some kind of mommy kink?”

    Luo Yuxi thought Qing was into roleplaying, but Qing suddenly hugged her, acting like a spoiled child, even making Luo Yuxi pat her head. Luo Yuxi was confused.

    “Mommy, where should we go play~?”

    “Okay, whatever you say…”

    “Mommy, what should we eat~?”

    “Okay, whatever you say…”

    “Mommy…”

    “Okay, whatever you say…”

    No matter what Qing asked, Luo Yuxi only gave emotionless replies. Qing seemed to lose patience and made Luo Yuxi pat her head again, but the puppet’s touch was cold and lifeless. Qing’s eyes became vacant again.

    “Just like before, isn’t this the family I’m looking for…?”

    “You bastard! What are you doing?!”

    “??”

    As Qing was wondering where to find a new “family,” a shout from the sky caught her attention. Two girls, one with white hair, one with purple, hovered above. Luo Yuxi, although unable to react, was overjoyed.

    “I’m saved! I’m saved!!”

    The two girls were Yun Keke and Yu Keke, who had come to rescue her. They had asked the Saintess for permission, not expecting her to agree, but she had been surprisingly accommodating. Following Luo Yuxi’s faint scent, they had finally found her.

    “You! What did you do to our weakling big sister?!”

    [Unique Magic: Submersion]

    “!!!”

    Qing’s senses dulled, and she quickly retreated until she was out of range of the magic.

    “You two…”

    “Shut up, dead people don’t talk. I don’t care what your reasons are, but if you hurt her, you won’t leave this place alive!”

    Yun Keke’s domain, filled with starlight, expanded. Yu Keke, no longer timid, her eyes filled with rage, glared at Qing, who realized she was outmatched.

    [Unique Magic: Alice Doll]

    “I won’t let you hurt my family…”

    A green light enveloped Luo Yuxi. She felt her limbs shrinking, her perspective lowering. She didn’t know what was happening, unable to move.

    “What! What did you do to her?!”

    “Don’t worry, it’s not dangerous. It’s just so my dear mommy won’t leave my side…”

    Qing looked at the two witches in the sky. When the magic was complete, Luo Yuxi found herself small enough to be easily picked up. Seeing her reflection in a nearby puddle, she realized she had been turned into a doll.

    “What happened?! Why am I a doll?! No, I want to change back! Change back!!”

    Luo Yuxi struggled, but her body wouldn’t respond. She felt herself being placed somewhere soft and warm, judging by her perspective and the surrounding pressure, Qing had placed her inside her collar.

    “Now I can fight without worrying. Come on, I know you’re strong, but I won’t hand over my family so easily…”

    [Unique Magic: Thousand Strings]

    “You bastard! I’ll not only kill you, but I’ll also strip you naked and throw you into a brothel, letting those women show you true hell!”

    Yun Keke clenched her fists. Facing the countless strings that could easily dismember a person, she slammed her hands down, the ground and the surrounding trees sinking a meter, but Qing remained unharmed, Luo Yuxi still safely tucked away.

    “Damn it…”

    “Little Yun, you attack from the front, I’ll find a chance to rescue big sister…”

    Yu Keke retreated into the shadows. Yun Keke nodded, still fuming. She was a 2nd Order witch, she could easily defeat a 4th Order, but she couldn’t use her full power because of the hostage.

    “If you just—”

    [Unique Magic: Puppet Manipulation]

    Qiu, the puppet, attacked, her blades whirling. Yun Keke dodged, her magic protecting her, but she held back, afraid of accidentally vaporizing the doll.

    “A 4th Order should be able to withstand a few hits…”

    [Unique Magic: Buri—]

    “Little Yun, wait! You’ll hurt big sister!”

    Yun Keke stopped her magic. Luo Yuxi, seeing Yun Keke struggling against a 4th Order witch, worried.

    “She’s holding back because of me. I have to do something…”

    Although a doll, Luo Yuxi still wanted to help. She suddenly realized that, perhaps because of her smaller size, she could move slightly. Qing was manipulating the strings, using the entire forest to her advantage, sensing Yu Keke’s movements through the vibrations.

    “Even if these strings can’t hurt you, you can’t sneak attack me. I can sense everything in this forest through the strings… Unique Mag— Ah~!!”

    A strange sensation in her chest distracted Qing. Yun Keke seized the opportunity and punched Qiu away.

    “What material is this? So hard…”

    Qing didn’t have time to examine her chest, as Yu Keke attacked again from the shadows. Qing barely dodged by using the remaining puppets as shields.

    “Could it be… she’s still conscious? How can someone under Puppet Manipulation still be conscious…?”

    But she couldn’t afford to think, fighting two 2nd Order witches was impossible. They were only holding back, giving her a chance. Luo Yuxi looked at Qing, surprised by her quick recovery.

    “Such a strong reaction? I just rubbed it a little. But I can move now that I’m smaller~”

    Luo Yuxi squirmed, looking at the pink cherry-like nipple beside her, a sinister smile appearing on her doll-like face.

    “You want to turn me into a puppet? Don’t blame me for being ruthless. I, Luo Yuxi, also have a temper~!”

    Luo Yuxi reached out and grabbed the nipple, squeezing it gently. Qing, distracted by the sudden sensation, cried out.

    “Ah!!”

    …

  • Reincarnated as a Holy Nun, I Refuse to Lose! v2c10

    Volume 2: Witch Kingdom Arc

    Chapter 10: I’ll Show You the Power of a Magical Girl

    Luo Yuxi watched as Qing, with a flick of her finger, brought the scattered wooden puppets to life. They twitched and moved like zombies, while Qiu stood behind her like a loyal guard.

    “Strings are enough for these inferior creations. But Qiu is my family, so I gave her a part of my soul~”

    Qing gently caressed Qiu’s cold, hard face. Luo Yuxi looked at the beautiful, human-like puppet. If it weren’t for the stiff joints, she would have mistaken her for a girl with a resting bitch face.

    “Having a life-sized doll is quite nice. I should have tried it before crossing over…”

    Luo Yuxi, wary of the two, looked for an escape route, but she was surrounded by wooden puppets.

    “It’s time to use that…”

    Luo Yuxi reluctantly pulled out the heart-shaped transformation device. She had planned to avoid using it unless absolutely necessary, not because of its power, but because there was no going back once she used it.

    “Tran… transform…”

    Luo Yuxi looked at the pink device, her heart filled with reluctance, but she pressed the button. If she didn’t fight back now, she would be turned into a puppet, losing even the chance to be embarrassed.

    “Hmm?”

    Qing looked at Luo Yuxi, confused. She was so weak, yet she had managed to restrain Qing for a moment. Luo Yuxi, after pressing the button, suddenly had a pair of stylish glasses on her face.

    [Magical Girl Intelligent Combat Assistance System at your service.]

    [Magical Girl Transformation activated.]

    [Equipment transferring, please remain still and wait patiently.]

    …

    “What the heck, how can I stay still in this situation?!”

    As Luo Yuxi complained, Qiu attacked, her blades spinning. Luo Yuxi dodged, a piece of her clothing sliced off.

    “That was close, a moment later, and I would have been cut in half…”

    “I don’t know what you’re doing, but I’ll just cut off your limbs and make you my family~”

    Qing bit her thumb, blood welling up, seemingly unfazed. Luo Yuxi was at a loss. Close combat wasn’t her forte, and fighting a weaponized puppet was suicide.

    “Damn it, I can’t win…”

    “Just become our family. Don’t worry, I’ll install some nice joints for you~”

    [Equipment transfer complete.]

    Luo Yuxi looked at the approaching Qing, then at the notification on her glasses. With this equipment, she might not win, but she could at least put up a fight. She was tackled to the ground, unable to resist.

    “Let me show you the power of a magical girl!”

    [Equipping Magical Girl Armor.]

    “What is this…?”

    Luo Yuxi spread her arms, expecting her new equipment, but nothing happened. She stood there awkwardly, the atmosphere tense, until a pile of equipment suddenly landed where she had been standing. Luo Yuxi’s face darkened.

    [Ding, equipment transfer complete.]

    [Slight deviation in teleportation coordinates, please equip manually.]

    “Uh…”

    “Is that your trump card? A pile of clothes?”

    “Sort of…”

    Qing looked at her in confusion. Luo Yuxi hadn’t expected the “intelligent” assistance to be so unreliable. Qiu raised her swords, ready to attack, but Luo Yuxi raised her hands.

    “Wait, time out!”

    “What is it?”

    Qing was getting impatient. This weakling was like a persistent insect. Luo Yuxi walked over to the armor and picked up a few pieces.

    “Just… wait a moment, I need to put on my equipment…”

    [Manual equipment instructions activated.]

    [Intelligent management continues to serve you.]

    “You’re so intelligent, just shut up…”

    After struggling with the instructions, Luo Yuxi finally put on the armor. Qing, showing surprising sportsmanship, waited patiently. As soon as Luo Yuxi was done, she pulled on her strings, and the wooden puppets swarmed Luo Yuxi.

    “Wait! How do I use this thing?!”

    “So troublesome, just become my family…”

    Luo Yuxi backed away from the puppets, then accidentally pressed a button. Two red beams shot out, slicing through the puppets, which collapsed after a moment of silence.

    “What… happened…?”

    Luo Yuxi stared at her hands in disbelief. She had thought the armor was just for defense, but it had such offensive power! Qing looked at the scorched ground and the cleanly severed tree.

    “I take back what I said…”

    “Wait, I didn’t do anything, it activated on its own!”

    [Magical Girl Intelligent Assistance System]

    [High-Level Light Magic: Red Light Blade]

    Luo Yuxi realized the armor allowed her to use witch magic, like an external magic circuit.

    “This is powerful, but she doesn’t look happy…”

    [Unique Magic: Thousand Strings]

    Countless thin strings filled the forest. Even a passing butterfly was sliced into dozens of pieces, only realizing its fate after flying a short distance before falling apart.

    “I wonder if my strings are sharper than your light. I didn’t want to use this, it’s so messy having to sew you back together~”

    As Qing spoke, Qiu attacked, her blades spinning. Luo Yuxi dodged the strings and Qiu’s attacks, the silver armor showing deep cuts.

    “What else can this thing do? Wait, there’s another button…”

    Luo Yuxi pressed the button, aiming her hands at Qiu, wondering what kind of magic it was. The last one was light magic, maybe this one was something else.

    “Come on, I’m not afraid of you! I’ll show you—”

    [Magical Girl Transformation Deactivating…]

    Luo Yuxi froze as the armor dissolved into particles, returning to its heart-shaped form.

    “Why is the deactivation button on the control panel?!”

    “Now, become a doll~!”

    “Wait, wait!! Time out! Let me transform again, just once more!!”

    [Unique Magic: Doll Creation]

    Qing, not giving her a chance, pressed a black nail against Luo Yuxi’s chest. Luo Yuxi felt her limbs go weak, despair filling her.

    “Now, slowly become a doll~”

  • Miss Luo Yan’s Feet Are Buried With Corpses v3c7

    Witch’s Night: Chapter 7 Miss Luo Yan is Watching You (Secretly)

    Although highly regarded by an important figure like Norian, Hua Qingling was actually quite inconspicuous at this banquet.

    Ordinary nobles weren’t like Norian, interested in young talents. To them, Hua Qingling was just an ordinary stranger.

    As for her appearance?

    Except for those with particular preferences, Hua Qingling’s appearance wasn’t particularly outstanding.

    She could be considered beautiful, but to the well-traveled Lannister nobles, especially when it came to women, this kind of beauty was quite common.

    Moreover, this banquet had gathered almost the entire upper class of Lannister, and there were many who were more beautiful than Hua Qingling.

    For example, Miss Chris, who had just greeted Hua Qingling, was highly regarded among the new generation of nobles, both for her appearance and popularity, especially since her family was also prominent and not to be underestimated in the Free Federation.

    But none of this had anything to do with Hua Qingling. She sat bored at a bar counter in the corner of the hall, while Luo Yan next to her was asking the bartender about the origins and stories of various cocktails, eager to try them.

    Although bars, a phenomenon from the Old Era that had only recently re-emerged, were generally looked down upon by the self-proclaimed noble nobles as lacking class, there were still some nobles who liked them.

    To cater to this small group of nobles, a corner of the banquet hall was specifically set aside for a bar counter.

    Moreover, they had specially invited the chief bartender from the most famous bar—the one Luo Yan was currently questioning.

    “Screwdriver… why is it called that?” Luo Yan stared at the golden liquid in the cocktail glass and looked up at the bartender curiously. “If I remember correctly, that should be the name of two tools.”

    “Um… that’s a name from the Old Era… it seems to have been the original inventor’s mixing tool?”

    The bartender stammered, wondering if this person was trying to make things difficult for him.

    The New Era had lost most of the historical records from the Old Era. Most of what had survived was passed down through word of mouth, and there were naturally not many records about cocktail names.

    Even though this bartender specialized in classic Old Era cocktails, even he didn’t know much.

    But the black-haired young man in front of him had a very serious expression, as if he really just wanted to learn about these cocktails.

    But… why was his heart beating faster and faster?

    Whether it was due to embarrassment from being excessively questioned, or some other reason, the relatively young bartender was already blushing.

    His eyes timidly avoided Luo Yan’s direct gaze, but his heart couldn’t help but pound. The gentle voice made him feel slightly intoxicated, but then he was awakened by the terrifying reality.

    Could it be… that he had been bent?

    Just as the bartender was lost in thought, and Luo Yan picked up the cocktail glass to try it, there was quite a commotion from the banquet in the distance.

    “Hmm?”

    The commotion was so loud that Luo Yan and Hua Qingling couldn’t ignore it. Several minor nobles even showed quite undignified excitement, scrambling towards the source of the commotion.

    At this time, the bartender next to them also became excited. He had just been worried about being bent, but now he had completely thrown this inexplicable thought to the back of his mind.

    “It’s, it’s Magistrate Norian! I didn’t expect the rumors of Magistrate Norian attending this banquet to be true!”

    The bartender was elated and even wanted to drop his work and push through the crowd, but he ultimately held back.

    This was the place where the Lannister nobles held their banquets, not a place where a commoner like him could mess around.

    “Norian?”

    Luo Yan hadn’t been paying attention at first, but hearing this name, she put down the glass in her hand and looked towards the center of the banquet hall.

    With her eyesight, she naturally quickly found the thin old man surrounded by a group of nobles, especially with his signature handlebar mustache. It was undoubtedly Norian, who had picked her up from the forest outside the city and brought her back to Lannister.

    “You… don’t know Magistrate Norian?” The bartender was surprised to hear Luo Yan call Norian directly by his name. “Aren’t you a Lannister noble?”

    “No, I’m just a guest who was brought along to see the world.”

    Luo Yan said indifferently, taking a sip of the Screwdriver in her hand.

    Hmm, a bitter taste, not very pleasant.

    “I know him, but I didn’t expect Magis-… Magistrate Norian to be so popular.”

    Even Lin Cheng, who had a very good reputation in Yan City, rarely received such a warm welcome from the commoners upon his appearance.

    Judging from the bartender’s attitude, Norian’s image among the commoners wasn’t just that of Lannister’s Chief Magistrate.

    “That’s because of the Norian Reform a hundred years ago,” Hua Qingling explained before the bartender could answer.

    “That was a reform proposal put forward by Magistrate Norian when he first joined the Council of Elders. The general idea was to give commoners a path to upward mobility. Before that, Lannister’s upper class was completely controlled by the nobles.

    “This reform was naturally met with collective resistance from the nobles, but the Council of Elders rarely unanimously supported Norian’s reform plan.

    “By this time, the conflict between the nobles and the Council of Elders had become irreconcilable, until the Constantine family’s rebellion failed seventy years ago, and the nobles were completely defeated in this political struggle, gradually forming the current structure of Lannister.”

    Before Luo Yan entered Lannister, Norian had proudly introduced the city to her, because it was a mega-city he had single-handedly shaped.

    Although its upper-class nobles were still decadent and corrupt, it had been injected with new vitality and was no longer stagnant.

    “You even understand this?” Luo Yan was a little surprised this time. “Hua Qiling… seems to know nothing about this kind of thing, she can’t even explain the concept of the Free Federation clearly.”

    Luo Yan remembered that when she first arrived in Yan City, Hua Qiling had talked for a long time without explaining these concepts clearly. She did, however, know a lot about unofficial history and gossip.

    “She’s not interested in these things… Although I don’t like them either, I will eventually return to Yan City. I need to learn about how to build Yan City’s future.”

    Hua Qingling smiled reservedly, but from her expression, it was clear that she was quite proud of being able to surprise Luo Yan.

    The bartender nodded in agreement and took a few more glances at Hua Qingling… although mostly to avoid Luo Yan’s eyes.

    “It seems this young lady isn’t a noble either?”

    “I am.”

    Hua Qingling took the cocktail from Luo Yan’s hand and took a small sip.

    She seemed to enjoy this drink, which Luo Yan didn’t like.

    “…”

    The bartender’s expression visibly stiffened.

    “But not a Lannister noble, just a declining branch of a noble family in an insignificant small city-state.”

    Hua Qingling smiled gently. “Don’t mind me, I’m just a country bumpkin in Lannister.”

    Although the Hua family in Yan City was indeed one of the major families, Hua Qiling and Hua Qingling had separated from the Hua family since their parents’ generation.

    Even though both sisters later demonstrated varying degrees of value, and Hua Qingling even had the potential to become a “Destruction” level ability user, a pillar of humanity, they hadn’t planned to return to the Hua family.

    This was a digression, but even so, the bartender still felt a little uncomfortable after hearing Hua Qingling’s words.

    He almost couldn’t help but say some bad things about nobles…

    Before the Norian Reform, the nobles controlled everything in Lannister. Even though it had been a hundred years ago, they were still deeply hated by the commoners.

    Just then, Norian, in the distance, was dealing with the flattering minor nobles who kept approaching him and was becoming impatient.

    Although he was the one who had cut off the era of the nobles’ absolute rule, Lannister was now governed by the Council of Elders. As the Chief Magistrate, Norian was naturally the most powerful person in Lannister.

    The thousand-year-old noble families naturally didn’t care about Norian, as long as he guaranteed not to purge all the nobles and maintained their extravagant lifestyle.

    But these minor nobles, whose families were gradually declining, were eager to climb up Norian’s social ladder, even if it was just to show their faces and leave an impression.

    Norian didn’t hate nobles, and he naturally wouldn’t reject some outstanding young nobles, such as Miss Chris, who had recently been invited.

    But obviously, the minor nobles currently chattering around him weren’t.

    But as Chief Magistrate, Norian had to consider his image and could only suppress his dissatisfaction, perfunctorily responding to the greetings of these minor nobles.

    Just as he was becoming increasingly impatient, he caught sight of Hua Qingling in the corner, sitting gracefully at the bar counter.

    …Don’t doubt Hua Qingling’s public image. She was a perfectly well-mannered and knowledgeable older sister in every aspect except for her height, even though she was a hopelessly sloppy homebody in private.

    “Finally found an opportunity.”

    Norian breathed a sigh of relief and forced a smile,

    “Everyone, everyone… please stop for a moment. Although I know you still have many things to discuss with me, I apologize, I have to excuse myself for a while. A very outstanding young lady is waiting for me.”

    After saying that, Norian’s gaze fell on Hua Qingling and he nodded slightly.

    Hua Qingling looked blankly at Norian, who suddenly looked up and nodded at her. She then politely raised her right hand to her left shoulder and slightly bent down, elegantly returning a noble’s greeting.

    This caused quite a stir. Almost all the minor nobles turned their attention to Hua Qingling, and even the bartender next to her was shocked.

    My goodness… unimaginable, what kind of person was this young woman, to actually have an appointment with Magistrate Norian!

    For a moment, the gazes towards Hua Qingling were filled with doubt and envy.

    Almost every young person personally received by Magistrate Norian could rise rapidly within Lannister’s upper echelon.

    Even if they weren’t from the city, gaining Magistrate Norian’s favor meant gaining Lannister’s friendship.

    And this friendship wasn’t to be taken lightly…

    For example, if Yan City had been on good terms with Lannister before, Dawn might not have launched this war.

    Because Lannister could have, without hesitation, used a large-scale Teleportation Array to send a large number of troops, and even Granny Zoya might have helped. The presence of a “Destruction” level ability user was beyond what Dawn could handle.

    Of course, this was just wishful thinking. For Lannister to go to such lengths, the relationship would have to be incredibly close.

    And at this time, Luo Yan opportunely used “Envy” to greatly reduce her presence, letting Hua Qingling enjoy this attention alone.

    Hua Qingling: “…”

    Although she didn’t know why, she felt a strange chill next to her, quite creepy.

    She could only force a smile and nod to the people around her.

    Seeing this, Norian immediately walked through the crowd towards Hua Qingling.

    The minor nobles next to him didn’t continue to crowd around. They were here to make friends with Norian, not to pester him.

    To still stick to him at this time would be foolish.

    But the attention was still there. All kinds of indistinct gazes were cast towards Hua Qingling, sizing up this unfamiliar woman, wondering what aspect of her had attracted Norian’s attention.

    “Sorry, young lady,” Norian said to Hua Qingling with a slight apology as he approached, casually picking up a cocktail glass from the bar counter and mixing himself a drink. “I had to use this method to escape… I’ve caused you some trouble.”

    “It’s alright, Magistrate Norian, I understand.”

    Hua Qingling said with a gentle smile. “On the contrary, I should be grateful for the opportunity to talk to you in this way. I’ve admired you for a long time. It was a pity I didn’t have the chance to talk to you in detail last time we met.”

    “Hahaha… I’ll take that as you not just being polite,” Norian laughed heartily, then looked at the bartender beside the bar counter. “Young man, can you leave for a while? It’s… not convenient for others to be present during our conversation.”

    The bartender next to them was already completely stunned.

    The Chief Magistrate, whom the commoners admired the most, was standing right in front of him, talking and laughing…

    This shock caused the young man’s brain to short-circuit, and he couldn’t recover for a long time.

    It wasn’t until Norian looked at him and spoke that the bartender slightly recovered from this dreamlike unreality, stammering,

    “N-, No problem! I’ll leave right away!”

    Before he finished speaking, the bartender fled from the bar counter as if escaping, afraid of delaying Norian’s matters.

    “There’s no need for that,” Norian was a little speechless and shook his head. “I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you, Miss Hua Qingling from Yan City. I hope you’re comfortable in Lannister.”

    “Yes, thank you for your concern, Magistrate. The scenery in Lannister is quite unique,” Hua Qingling replied appropriately. “I like it very much.”

    “Where is… Luo Yan?”

    Norian’s eyes suddenly sharpened.

  • Qin Auntie, Save Me [Rebirth] 71p1

    Chapter 71 p1

    Qin Qianrou glanced at the time, surprised by how late it was. She sat up, extracting herself from Shen Yiqiu’s embrace, maintaining a calm facade, but a slight shyness lingered within her.

    “Are you hungry? I’ll order room service.”

    Shen Yiqiu didn’t want to do anything, didn’t want to go anywhere, she just wanted to be with Qin Qianrou.

    “Whatever you want, Jiejie.”

    Qin Qianrou, as if remembering something, glanced at her, then stood up and went to the bathroom without saying a word.

    Shen Yiqiu’s gaze followed her until the door closed, then she turned back and habitually reached for her phone, only to realize it was still in her coat pocket. She quickly got up to retrieve it from the closet, realizing one side of her body was numb.

    But… she felt so happy.

    She would willingly be Jiejie’s pillow forever.

    As expected, there were many messages, thankfully, nothing urgent.

    Fifteen minutes later, Qin Qianrou emerged from the bathroom, having washed her face, and seeing Shen Yiqiu replying to messages, she didn’t disturb her. She ordered their usual room service, adding a few extra dishes.

    She quietly took Shen Yiqiu’s empty glass and replaced it with a fresh, warm one.

    “The restaurant is a little busy on weekends, it might take a while.”

    Shen Yiqiu looked up at her with a sweet smile. “It’s okay, I’m not hungry.”

    She was content, having already received her fill of hugs and kisses today.

    Qin Qianrou chuckled, looking at her, “If you’re not hungry, then whose stomach was rumbling just now?”

    Shen Yiqiu instinctively touched her stomach, slightly embarrassed. “That was because I was happy.”

    Qin Qianrou raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate.

    Her expression seemed to say, Let’s see how you explain a rumbling stomach representing happiness.

    Shen Yiqiu, unfazed, explained earnestly, “I just gained a girlfriend, my entire being is overjoyed, it’s a cause for universal celebration.”

    Qin Qianrou, unable to correct her misuse of the idiom “普天同庆” (pǔ tiān tóng qìng), which means “the whole world celebrates together,” usually used for major national events or celebrations, was amused and chuckled.

    “So easily satisfied?”

    Shen Yiqiu put down her phone, walked over, wrapped her arms around Qin Qianrou’s waist, and looked at her.

    “Not easily satisfied, I just acquired the best thing in the world.”

    Perhaps it was the change in their relationship, but Qin Qianrou found this illogical and nonsensical statement surprisingly endearing. Instead of rolling her eyes, she felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

    She gently pinched Shen Yiqiu’s earlobe. “I need to catch up on some work.”

    Shen Yiqiu nuzzled her cheek against Qin Qianrou’s before letting go and returning to her messages.

    Qin Qianrou’s phone was on her desk. She picked it up and saw numerous messages and missed calls. She quickly dealt with the important ones, leaving the rest for later.

    Li Wan’s call came two minutes later. Qin Qianrou guessed what she wanted to know, sighing helplessly, but still answered the phone.

    “Qianrou…” The deliberately drawn-out tone revealed Li Wan’s current expression.

    “Mm.”

    “So, any news to share?”

    Qin Qianrou glanced at Shen Yiqiu, who was looking down at her phone.

    She leaned against her desk, resting her elbow on it, supporting her chin.

    “You’re the one who works at the station, and you’re asking me for news?”

    Li Wan’s barely suppressed laughter made Qin Qianrou want to feign ignorance, So inconsiderate!

    “Don’t be shy, we’re practically sisters, no need to be embarrassed about getting a girlfriend.”

    The term “girlfriend,” when she had used it with Shen Yiqiu earlier, hadn’t felt so… significant.

    Now, hearing it from someone else, it gave Qin Qianrou a different feeling. A little surreal, a little unbelievable, a constant reminder of her new status.

    “Qianrou, are you unhappy?” Li Wan’s voice dropped slightly. “Don’t be so stingy, I never hide anything from you, I just wanted to share your joy.”

    Her voice lacked conviction towards the end, less a complaint, more an explanation.

    Qin Qianrou, snapping back to reality, chuckled softly. “Yes, I have a girlfriend, I forgot to tell you, sorry.”

    It was Li Wan’s turn to be surprised. She was silent for a few seconds, almost a full minute.

    She knew Shen Yiqiu had gone to Hai City to see Qin Qianrou this weekend. Shen Yiqiu had asked her to keep it a secret, wanting to surprise Jiejie, and Li Wan had been pleased, thinking this child was finally making a move.

    She had called to ask if they had met, intending to offer some encouragement and support, her earlier words just wishful thinking, a joke.

    She hadn’t expected it to actually happen.

    “Qianrou, are you serious? You really…?” She paused, then rephrased her question. “You and Shen Yiqiu are together?”

    Qin Qianrou felt a slight shyness, recalling the afternoon’s passionate kiss and the sweet intimacy just now, and she no longer denied it.

    Her voice, even she hadn’t realized, was filled with tenderness. “Yes, we’re together.”

    Li Wan was her longtime friend, such good news should naturally be shared with her. Qin Qianrou hadn’t intended to keep it a secret, but she hadn’t exactly made a grand announcement either.

    Li Wan, however, was ecstatic, even more so than Qin Qianrou. “Oh my god, this surprise will take me three days to process!”

    After a moment, Li Wan calmed down slightly. “This is wonderful.”

    Such a thing, to others, might be troublesome, but for Qin Qianrou, it was a good thing.

    Li Wan was truly happy for her.

    “Thank you.” Qin Qianrou, lacking experience, could only think of these two words in response to her friend’s congratulations.

    But her sincerity was evident.

    “What about you? How have you been lately?”

    Li Wan sighed softly, “Compared to your rocket speed, I’m lagging far behind. The station’s restructuring officially began last week. She’s incredibly busy, even busier than before.”

    The “she” she referred to was, of course, Lin Shuangzhi.

    “Restructuring is a big deal, it can’t be helped.”

    Although Qin Qianrou wasn’t at the station, she was still aware of the major personnel and departmental changes. It was said that higher management had been wanting to restructure the television station for a while, and they were using the current station director’s retirement as an opportunity for a complete overhaul.

    After all, having someone about to retire handle the unpleasant task of restructuring was the best option.

    “Of course I understand, but I still feel bad for her. You have no idea, sometimes when I go to her office to get her signature, the smell of stale instant noodles is overwhelming, it’s awful.”

    Li Wan’s voice was filled with heartache.

    Perhaps it was because she had fallen for her that she couldn’t bear to see her suffer even slightly.

    “Why don’t you work overtime with her, order takeout together?”

    Li Wan sighed helplessly. “I do, most of the time, but she works too much, almost every day. No matter how much I want to be with her, I also have to spend time with my parents.”

    Saying this, Li Wan finally realized the teasing tone in Qin Qianrou’s voice.

    “Oh, Qianrou, you’re making fun of me!”

    So, having a girlfriend makes you feel superior now? Allows you to tease me?

    Li Wan thought indignantly, then realized the answer was yes.

    Having a girlfriend did make you feel superior, it was indeed something to be proud of.

    Okay, she had lost the first round.

    “I’m genuinely worried about her health, she’s a woman, why push herself so hard, harder than even those old men?”

    Li Wan considered herself and Qin Qianrou to be hardworking, but compared to Lin Shuangzhi, they were amateurs. Lin Shuangzhi wasn’t just hardworking, she was practically working herself to death.

    “The team leader is just trying her best to protect our team, after all, with such a major restructuring, no one can completely avoid being affected.”

    Although Lin Shuangzhi hadn’t mentioned it, both Li Wan and Qin Qianrou knew there were many people at the station who weren’t fond of their team. There was admiration, there was respect, and naturally, there was also jealousy, suspicion, and even resentment.

    Their team always tackled the most challenging stories, which was good for ratings, but it also meant facing greater resistance and affecting more people’s interests than other programs.

    It was understandable that some people wanted to use this restructuring as an opportunity to get rid of them.

    “Shouldering such immense pressure alone, it’s heartbreaking. I’ve hinted several times that I can help share the burden, but she won’t say a word, it’s infuriating.”

    What frustrated her even more was that, just when she thought they had made some progress, Lin Shuangzhi, since last week, had reverted to her workaholic ways. Forget about after-work drinks, even suggesting she have some milk tea during overtime seemed to annoy her.

    Li Wan even wondered if the person who had initiated their date last week had truly been Lin Shuangzhi, or some alternate personality.

    Qin Qianrou, hearing a movement behind her, turned around and saw Shen Yiqiu had put down her phone and was looking at her, a glass of water in her hand.

    Seeing Qin Qianrou turn around, she smiled.

    A bright, heart-fluttering smile.

    “Qianrou, were you even listening to me?”

    Li Wan was filled with unexpressed frustrations, having to force a smile and deal with her parents when she got home. Although Zhuo Cheng hadn’t appeared at her home recently, that didn’t mean her parents had stopped their matchmaking efforts.

    They still subtly inquired, every few days, if she had met anyone suitable.

    Li Wan was so annoyed she almost blurted out that the person she liked was her superior, Lin Shuangzhi, but rationality told her that if she did, it wouldn’t just be her who would suffer the consequences.

    She couldn’t implicate the team leader, Lin Shuangzhi didn’t even know about her feelings.

    Qin Qianrou sighed helplessly, “Xiao Wan, it’s your own choice, isn’t it?”

    Li Wan’s anger instantly deflated.

    After a few seconds, she conceded weakly, “You’re right, it’s my own choice, I’ll endure it, no matter what.”

    “Alright, I won’t disturb your lovey-dovey weekend reunion.” Li Wan, having expressed her concern for her friend and vented her frustrations, felt much better.

    Just as she was about to hang up, she suddenly remembered something. “Do you have… protection in your room?”

    “Protection? For what?”