Dobytranslations

Blog

  • Reincarnated as a Holy Nun, I Refuse to Lose! v2c5

    Volume 2: Witch Kingdom Arc

    Chapter 5: A Leg-Weakening Punishment

    Doris gently held Luo Yuxi’s ankle, her touch light yet inescapable. Luo Yuxi could only watch as Doris, like a bee drawn to a fragrant flower, extracted her “honey.” She knew she couldn’t endure hours of a witch’s “lessons.”

    “Please, spare me, I can’t take it anymore…”

    “Not yet, we haven’t finished covering all the knowledge points and important equations~”

    Doris looked at Luo Yuxi, her arm covering her eyes, tears streaming down her face, seemingly without the strength to resist. Doris pressed against her, the weight of her body and her dominant aura overwhelming Luo Yuxi. Their breasts pressed together, a soft, squishy sensation.

    “Such sinfulness, such lewdness from a nun, tempting one to betray their faith…”

    Although Doris wasn’t as voluptuous as Luo Yuxi, she was still quite curvy. The best way to counter a “breast attack” was to return it in kind. Luo Yuxi simply leaned against Doris, creating a visually stimulating display, their breasts squished together, the perfect side ( ) view on full display.

    “It’s not like I wanted to grow theseā€¦ please spare me…”

    Luo Yuxi had been surprised by her own beauty when she first arrived in this world. Now, it seemed her beauty had a purpose: to become a witch’s plaything.

    “You can’t blame others for being tempted by you. I should take you with me on missions, so I can ( ) anytime~”

    As Doris spoke, the potion took effect. Luo Yuxi felt her body shrinking, her slender fingers becoming small and cute, her D-cups deflating towards an A. Doris’s eyes lit up.

    “Finally, it’s working. It took long enough~”

    Luo Yuxi’s perspective shifted. After a few minutes, she was back in her loli form, even weaker than before. Doris easily pinned her wrists above her head with one hand.

    “Round two~”

    “No! Stop!”

    Luo Yuxi looked at Doris in terror, her hand moving towards her stomach. She hadn’t been so sensitive before, but in her loli form, Doris’s aura and long fingers were terrifying. A single finger could almost reach her chest. Faced with such an intense “lesson,” how could she not be afraid?

    “Stop it! I’ll ( ), I really will!!”

    “Then keep your healing magic active. You’re good at that, aren’t you~?”

    “No!! Stop!!!”

    Luo Yuxi’s struggles were just like a child’s tantrum to Doris. Under Doris’s skillful “guidance,” Luo Yuxi eventually fainted. When she woke up, the potion’s effect had worn off, and she was back to her normal form.

    “I’m… back to normal…”

    “Feeling good…?”

    Luo Yuxi looked around, her body once again covered in marks. She wondered if she could really save these witches. Was there even a point? She was just a plaything.

    “Don’t even think about escaping next time. I’ll help you increase your Order level. You’ll stay in this room forever, a caged bird, a canary~”

    Doris wiped her hands, got dressed, and looked at the exhausted Luo Yuxi, picking up the nun’s habit and the map from the table.

    “I don’t know who gave you this map, but it doesn’t matter. You can’t escape. I’m taking your clothes. If you want to escape, you can try wrapping yourself in a sheet, but you know what will happen~”

    Luo Yuxi didn’t respond to Doris’s threat, simply turning away and covering herself with the sheet. Doris snapped her fingers, and two golden chains appeared on Luo Yuxi’s ankles.

    The chains on her fair feet created a strangely alluring image of restrained beauty. Doris, seeing no reaction, left the room. Luo Yuxi, hearing the door close, couldn’t hold back her tears.

    “This is a nightmare. When I wake up, it’ll all be over…”

    Luo Yuxi tried to rest, but after just a few minutes, the door opened again. She turned listlessly, wondering who it was this time.

    “…”

    “They just ravaged me, and they’re back for more…?”

    Luo Yuxi sat up, covering herself with the sheet, but the pink marks on her body, like a natural-born succubus, were incredibly alluring. However, it wasn’t Doris. A girl shrouded in black mist entered the room.

    “So it’s you… wait… who… who are you…? Why do I feel a sense of familiarity…?”

    “Unpleasant memories… it’s better to forget…”

    The girl placed her hand on Luo Yuxi’s head, and her mind went blank. It felt familiar, like she had experienced this before. In her final moment of consciousness, she realized who this girl was.

    “You’re the one who helped me! Why are youā€”!!”

    Luo Yuxi lost consciousness. The black-robed girl placed a new set of clothes and a map on the bed before disappearing into the darkness. Luo Yuxi slowly came to.

    “Did someone come in…?”

    She looked around, confused, then saw the items on the bed, realizing someone had indeed been here. She had just forgotten.

    “The chains are gone again. And the map I had was taken. My escape plan was discovered before I could even try…”

    Luo Yuxi packed her clothes again, putting on a clean nun’s habit to cover the marks. She paused.

    “These marks should have healed. What did Doris do to me after discovering my escape plan…?”

    She realized she couldn’t afford to waste time. If another witch came, she would be “educated” again. Although she didn’t remember what had happened, it couldn’t have been good. It was better to forget.

    “Alright, according to the mapā€””

    “La la la, I’m here for dinner~”

    As Luo Yuxi reached the window, Ruo Li opened the door, looking at the messy room in surprise. It hadn’t been this messy when she left. Then she saw Luo Yuxi by the window. The air grew thick with tension.

    “What… are you doing there…?”

    “I’m enjoying the breeze, do you believe me…?”

    T/N:

    I guess ( ) are censored parts

    Author’s notes:

    (Ruo Li’s image inspiration) (Partially from the author’s imagination)

  • Malicious Female Lead’s Guide to Causing Trouble [Quick Transmigration] 57p1

    Chapter Fifty-Seven p1

    Since Assistant Xu was the one handling the investment in the production team, Bo Chi wasn’t worried at all that her “private visit in disguise” would be recognized by the director and the others.

    After getting the number plate, the audition hadn’t started yet. Bo Chi and Yu Zhao reviewed the female lead’s character settings, and were discussing which part of the plot the director would ask them to perform later, when another woman walked in through the door.

    The woman looked pure, her walking posture graceful, and there was even a small assistant behind her, holding her bag and water.

    Bo Chi glanced over, and before she could recognize who she was, she heard the people around her gasp, as if a pot had exploded, and exclaimed: “Tao Su? Why would she come to audition for this low-budget drama!”

    “It really is Tao Su, as gentle and weak as she is on TV.“

    “This isn’t right, isn’t the female lead in ‘Rise of the Phoenix’ a resilient and stubborn character? This is completely different from the type of roles Tao Su has played before. With her current status, she wouldn’t come to audition for the second or third female lead, would she?“

    “And the female lead’s face is also of the gorgeous and disastrously beautiful type, which doesn’t match her pure appearance and temperament, does it…?“

    The murmuring gossip made Bo Chi suddenly realize something. She turned to look at Yu Zhao beside her, and saw that the other party’s cold face showed obvious disgust and hatred, her hand unconsciously clenching into a fist, looking like she really wanted to slap Tao Su.

    Bo Chi knew the plot of this world, and understood the grudge between her and Tao Su very well. Previously, she had been so focused on Yu Zhao that she forgot to teach Tao Su a lesson and vent her anger for her wife.

    Now that Tao Su had taken the initiative to come, she smiled instead, just waiting for Tao Su to go in for the audition, and then she would follow and slap her in the face.

    However, to everyone’s surprise, Tao Su asked her assistant to get the number plate, but she came to Bo Chi and Yu Zhao accurately, and smiled softly at Yu Zhao: “What a coincidence, Sister Yu, I didn’t expect you to enter the entertainment industry too, and we’re even auditioning for the same drama.“

    She drew out her voice, with a deliberately delicate posture, her gaze moving from Yu Zhao’s face to Bo Chi’s face, and then from Bo Chi’s face back to Yu Zhao’s face. The jealousy in her heart was like a venomous snake sticking out its scarlet tongue, bubbling with sourness.

    It was said to be a coincidence, but in fact, she also received the company’s order temporarily. When she learned that the company wanted her to audition for such a simple and unknown small production team, she was so angry that she threw a tantrum, and after smashing who knows how many things, she calmed down and became the delicate and weak ‘little jade girl’ again, coming here obediently.

    When she first entered the room, she saw Yu Zhao at a glance.

    Not only because they were ‘sisters’ from the same orphanage, but also because her nightmare had come true – Yu Zhao had been beautiful since she was young, and whenever parents came to choose children, Yu Zhao was always the first to be chosen.

    If it weren’t for the fact that many cases of child molestation had been exposed during that time, and the director was worried and didn’t dare to let go, and Tao Su deliberately grabbed Yu Zhao, crying and refusing to let others take her away, Yu Zhao would probably have been adopted long ago, and become a rich and powerful young lady.

    Tao Su’s jealousy of Yu Zhao started from a young age. She hated Yu Zhao’s beauty, and resented that she was only average-looking, with plain features and flaws, and could only become a ‘little jade girl’ bit by bit through makeup and minor plastic surgery.

    And Yu Zhao? She didn’t need to do anything, just enter this circle, and she could get a lot of resources because of her appearance.

    How could Tao Su not hate her?

    On the first day she entered the circle, Tao Su was afraid that Yu Zhao would also follow.

    Now that her nightmare had come true, she was both angry and hateful, but she still had to play the role of a good person in front of outsiders, so she could only smile and say: “Long time no see, how come you’re wearing Nobility’s clothes? Their clothes start at five figures, and aren’t you still an orphan?“

    Hearing ‘five figures’, the onlookers immediately stared at Yu Zhao in surprise.

    After looking for a while, the group silently looked away, and whispered: “Are these really five-figure clothes?“

    “How would I know? Don’t all clothes look the same?“

    “I heard that big-name clothes have unique logos.“

    “I can’t even tell the difference between BMW and Audi logos, and you want me to recognize clothing logos? Aren’t you making things difficult for me?“

    A bunch of lowlifes!

    Tao Su gritted her teeth and cursed in her heart for a long time.

    Anyone who wanted to lead the public to look at Yu Zhao with strange eyes, but in the end, was defeated by the public’s innocent ignorance of even having heard of the brand, would be so angry that they would vomit blood.

    Tao Su really couldn’t stand these stupid onlookers anymore, and put on a smile again, preparing to personally tear off Yu Zhao’s fig leaf.

    Bo Chi spoke at this moment, and said with a smile: “I didn’t expect Miss Tao to only be able to afford three-figure clothes, but to be so familiar with five-figure brands. That’s right, Ah Zhao is indeed a poor orphan. As soon as she earns money, she sends it back to the orphanage, and doesn’t have any money to buy clothes. The reason why she can afford five-figure clothes is because her rich girlfriend bought them for her.” Tao Su subconsciously repeated: “Rich girlfriend? Hmm? Girlfriend???“

    Bo Chi said shamelessly, praising her profusely: “Yes, her girlfriend is very good to her, and bought her a truckload of clothes, shoes, and bags. These five-figure clothes are nothing among them, so Ah Zhao doesn’t care about them at all.“

    Tao Su’s smile stiffened, and she said reluctantly: “There’s such a thing? That’s really surprising. But two girls being together definitely won’t last long, right? Maybe after a few years, the rich woman will change her mind and not want Sister Yu anymore, what then?“

    The more she spoke, the smoother she became. In the end, she even added: “Being a kept woman is not a good thing. It’s not good for you two sisters to say it so blatantly, what if others hear it?“

    “It’s not being a kept woman.” Bo Chi said leisurely: “The rich woman and Ah Zhao have already decided to get married in two years. At that time, the rich woman’s billions of assets will all be shared with Ah Zhao.“

    Tao Su’s breathing suddenly quickened, her fingers digging deeply into her flesh, and her voice hoarse: “Billions of assets? Are you kidding? How can it be so much?“

    Bo Chi admired her face that couldn’t hide her jealousy, and said with a smile: “It’s precisely because it’s so much that she’s called a rich woman.“

    Tao Su’s mentality cracked, and the others also felt envious, jealous, and hateful.

    The group of people who were just indifferent and aloof immediately came over honestly, and said with smiles: “Little sister, I’m the number before you. Anyway, I have nothing to do, and I have plenty of time, why don’t we switch number plates and let you audition first?“

    “Me, me, me, I’m first, I’m number one!“

    “Sister, what will you do if you two girls are together and don’t have children? How about this, I’ll be your daughter! If that doesn’t work, I can also be your granddaughter!“

    “Rich woman, hungry, hungry, food.“

    Once upon a time, Tao Su had desperately longed to be surrounded by everyone, to be the only pearl under the spotlight, and for everyone in the world to praise her generously.

    But the reality was cruel!

    She wasn’t even as good as Yu Zhao, who had just entered this circle. She was clearly a somewhat famous actress, and in this unknown production team, she was considered a dimensionality reduction attack, but these people were all fawning over Yu Zhao, and ignoring her!

    Tao Su’s heart was twisted with hatred, and just as she was trying to add fuel to the fire, the closed door on the side suddenly opened, and a gentle-looking woman walked out, and said with a smile: “The audition will officially start in five minutes, please get ready, number one.”

    As she spoke, she looked around the room, saw Tao Su with some surprise, nodded, and then glanced at the crowd surrounding Yu Zhao, her eyes filled with confusion.

    But she didn’t say anything more, and quickly returned to the room and closed the door.

    After number one switched number plates with Yu Zhao, he tactfully stepped aside, and even pulled the others, saying: “Don’t disturb the rich lady, give her some time to prepare.“

    The others glared at him, cursing him for his scheming, and said sullenly: “We know, we know, we just haven’t had time to leave yet.“

    The crowd dispersed, and Tao Su didn’t have any more time to cling to Yu Zhao, so she could only sit down aggrievedly and snatch the number plate from her assistant’s hand.

    Her nails were long and sharp, and accidentally scratched a long mark on the assistant’s arm. The assistant hissed in pain, but didn’t dare to say anything, and could only continue to twist the bottle cap and hand her the water.

    Theoretically, only one person could enter the audition at a time.

    But who was Bo Chi?

    She was the sponsor of the entire production team!

    She didn’t need to be present at all, just send a message to Assistant Xu, and she could naturally enter the room with Yu Zhao. And the two people in the room didn’t complain at all, and the gentle assistant director even gave Bo Chi a stool.

    The director was a young-looking man surnamed Wei. Bo Chi remembered that his resume said that he had just graduated from school not long ago, but looking at his somewhat sparse hair, her eyes gradually deepened – It seemed that this Director Wei had signs of premature balding.

    Director Wei’s temper wasn’t very good, but in front of Yu Zhao, he was very humble, without any airs of a director: “Miss Yu, just choose a part of the play you like and perform it, Assistant Director Fang and I will give our evaluation seriously.“

    “Okay.” Yu Zhao nodded in agreement, pondered for a moment, and suddenly her eyes reddened, her eyes burning with fire: “Ten years of marriage, and you break it off just like that? Has the General’s Mansion forgotten that without my father’s support, your Xie family would have been wiped out ten years ago, where would your glory today come from?“

    “Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side, don’t bully the young and poor! I, Ye Canghua, swear here that I will achieve the Great Dao in the future, and return all the shame the Prime Minister’s Mansion has suffered today to Xie Ze!“

    This was the beginning of the plot, where the male supporting character, Xie Ze, was found to have dual spiritual roots, and came to the Prime Minister’s Mansion to break off the engagement.

    The female lead’s father couldn’t bear the humiliation, and spat out a mouthful of blood in anger. The female lead then lifted the curtain and came in, her eyes red as she supported her father, and said these words word by word.

    A big female lead drama was very demanding on the actress playing the protagonist. It was very important whether she could vividly interpret the female lead’s resilience and unyielding spirit. Yu Zhao’s acting skills were undoubtedly good. After spending a lot of time studying the script and analyzing the character, she not only successfully portrayed that unyielding spirit, but also acted without any awkwardness.

    Now that ‘don’t bully the young and poor’ had become a joke, she successfully used her acting skills to bring everyone into the scene at that time, not only moving their hearts, but also making them feel genuinely excited.

     

  • A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life 152

    Chapter 152: A New Dream, Princess Xue, Imperial Daughter of the Great Qin

    Luo Xue slowly opened her eyes. After a moment of disorientation, she was once again greeted by familiar darkness.

    However, having experienced this before, Luo Xue quickly calmed herself and adjusted her state of mind.

    Her last memory was of slaying the deep space behemoth, but it felt like a distant memory, a fleeting moment stretched across a vast expanse of time.

    However, Luo Xue couldn’t recall anything that happened in between, only emptiness and silence.

    “Phewā€¦”

    Luo Xue exhaled softly and sat up.

    “Splashā€¦”

    The gentle sound of water startled Luo Xue, but after a moment, she realized she was sitting in a shallow puddle.

    She could feel the water with her hand.

    “ā€¦Where is this?”

    Luo Xue frowned slightly. The last time she entered this space, it shouldn’t have been empty.

    She had previously speculated that this space was either the deep space above the Suspended High Tower or the void within a spatial rift, but now it seemed neither was the case.

    However, Luo Xue couldn’t figure it out and gave up after a moment of thought.

    There were more important things.

    When she heard about “string theory,” Luo Xue had wondered if the Immortal Martial World overlapped with the post-apocalyptic world through a different kind of “string.”

    But when she killed the deep space behemoth, she realized that “string theory” was probably wrong.

    To discover the truth, Luo Xue had deliberately approached the deep space behemoth to examine it.

    And at the moment of their mutual destruction, Luo Xue closed her eyes, focusing all her senses on her surroundings.

    She wanted to know how she traveled between worlds, whether it was truly a dream, or a change in “string vibrations.”

    Then, Luo Xue discovered that the death of the deep space behemoth did indeed trigger a strong “string vibration” phenomenon, similar to Qualcomm’s experiment in Suspended High Tower 132.

    But the “string vibration” didn’t cause her to jump to another world, but instead triggered a more intense space-time collapse, and Luo Xue was caught in it.

    The true cause of her death wasn’t the deep space behemoth’s final attack, but being annihilated in the space-time collapse, a death similar to Qualcomm’s, but more complete.

    In other words, Qualcomm, the dictator, had been on the wrong path all along.

    Even if his fifty-year plan succeeded, the result wouldn’t be salvation, but taking Suspended High Tower 132 to its grave, annihilated in the space-time collapse, without a trace.

    “I can only be thankfulā€¦ that I stopped Qualcomm’s plan. Otherwise, the consequences would have been terrifying.”

    Luo Xue breathed a sigh of relief, then her thoughts turned to worry.

    “I wonderā€¦ what will happen to Ling Ling after I leave.”

    Based on her previous experience, the time of her return should be related to the time she spent in the Immortal Martial World.

    If it was similar to last time, Ling Ling would probably meet her again in a few years. She should be able to see Ling Ling all grown up, right?

    “It should be fine. Ceres promised to take care of her. Qualcomm is dead, so she should be able to have a happy childhood.”

    Luo Xue composed herself. Although she looked forward to reuniting with Ling Ling, Xiao Yao in the other world was also waiting for her.

    Thinking about it like this made her seem like a bit of a scumbagā€¦

    Ahem, better not to dwell on it.

    Before entering the dream again, Luo Xue opened the panel and checked her current status.

    [Current Realm: Foundation Establishment (Peak)]
    [Survival Points: 950]
    [Poison Resistance: 100]
    [Strength: 100]
    [Soul: 100]
    [Cultivation Aptitude: Extraordinary Talent (Next Stage: Peerless Aptitude)]
    [Divine Ability Aptitude: Barely There (Next Stage: Extraordinary Talent)]
    [Obtained Law: Space-Time Sword Intent]
    [Currently Possessed Laws: Sword Intent of Withering, Sword Intent of Space-Time]

    She had used some survival points in the battle at the Suspended High Tower. Otherwise, she could have upgraded her divine ability aptitude again, which might have upgraded her “Double Pupils” talent.

    There was a huge difference between the Calamity Poison Body and the Eternal Withering Body, but the latter’s side effects were too severe.

    Although Phoenix Venerable had said that it could theoretically reach the Great Emperor Realm, the problem wasā€¦ it required a time even Phoenix Venerable considered long.

    For Phoenix Venerable, to whom tens of thousands of years were but a blink of an eye, “long”ā€¦

    Luo Xue couldn’t even imagine how long that would be.

    In the final battle against the deep space behemoth, Luo Xue had also comprehended the Sword Intent of Space-Time, the second law she had comprehended at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

    If this were known, even the Peerless Summit Sect would revere her as a once-in-a-millennium Sword Immortal.

    Although ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators possessed the power to control laws, most were still in the comprehension stage. Someone like Luo Xue, who could use it in actual combat, would have to be at least at the early stage of Nascent Soul.

    Besides comprehending laws, Luo Xue’s cultivation had also reached the peak of Foundation Establishment.

    She had already gained enough comprehension during the battle at the Blood Sea, and with the massive amount of spiritual power from the overloaded disaster engine, her cultivation advancement was natural.

    However, since this wasn’t an advancement through the Calamity Poison Body, Luo Xue’s current cultivation was forcibly raised, and she needed some time to consolidate her foundation before attempting to form her core.

    After sorting through her current situation, Luo Xue took a deep breath and looked at the option that appeared with her thoughts.

    [Do you want to enter the dream?]

    [Yes/No]

    She didn’t know what would happen in this dream.

    Would she awaken with her Eternal Withering Body, or appear in a new body?

    And what would her identity be, her past, her experiences?

    [Yes]

    Luo Xue’s mind drifted, and she lay down, the shallow water beneath her submerging her body.

    [“A thousand-year dream, finally awakening.”]

    “Born on a rare day of heavy snow, this is an auspicious sign! She shall be named Xue, with the title of Princess Xue!”

    ā€””Who do you think you are? You lowly thing! You disgust me!”

    “Your servant greets Your Highnessā€¦ Your father? Apologies, His Majesty is busy with state affairs.”

    ā€””Beat her, beat this bitch to death! If not for your luckā€¦ you think you’re worthy?!”

    “Slow down, Your Highness is so playful, this old servant can barely keep upā€¦ Wait, you can’t go this way, let’s go back, Your Highness.”

    “Who am I?”

    “You are, of course, Your Highness.”

    “ā€¦Really?”

    ā€””Heh.”

    ā€¦

    The heavy snow that had lasted for over a decade finally ended, and the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty welcomed the long-awaited warmth of the sun.

    And on this auspicious day, another major event occurred within the dynasty.

    Today was Princess Xue’s sixteenth birthday, also her coming-of-age ceremony, and lords and nobles from all over came bearing gifts to celebrate.

    The palace complex of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty stood atop a mystical, ethereal mountain, the light of the sun and moon flowing across its domes, like the eyes of a god opening and closing, casting down endless radiance.

    Magnificent golden palaces stood among the clouds, surrounded by jade pavilions and towers, like stars embedded in the sky.

    Exquisite carvings adorned every palace, showcasing the prosperity and glory of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

    Ancient auspicious beasts were everywhere, flying and circling amidst the clouds and mist, their every movement carrying an ethereal aura of good fortune.

    They were the protectors of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, symbolizing its eternity.

    The carriages traveling between the palaces were mostly large, spirit-stone-powered celestial boats, almost blotting out the sky, but on the mountain peak, they still seemed small.

    The princess’s birthday banquet was held in the Sun and Moon Twin Halls, the heart of the Immortal Dynasty. This was the first time the Great Qin Immortal Emperor had held a banquet here, showing his love for this princess.

    Therefore, the lords and nobles all showed their respect, almost all attending the banquet personally.

    Within the banquet hall, celestial maidens in flowing robes, holding jade zithers, danced gracefully.

    They wore colorful, feathered garments, like butterflies flitting among flowers.

    The lords and nobles enjoyed the beautiful scene and chatted amongst themselves.

    “Myriad Ghosts King! I didn’t expect you to come. I thought you would use illness as an excuse again.”

    “Your Highness You Wang, long time no seeā€¦ Don’t tease this old man, I am indeed old and frail, butā€¦ this is Princess Xue’s birthday, I had to come even if I had to drag my sick body here.”

    The surrounding lords and nobles laughed. Everyone knew that the Myriad Ghosts King’s illness was just an excuse.

    But this timeā€¦ he couldn’t use that excuse.

    Princess Xue’s name was enough.

    Their gazes subtly shifted towards the light gauze beside the throne. The protagonist of this banquet sat within.

    “The coming-of-age ceremony of the Great Qin Imperial Daughterā€¦ is not something one sees every day, especially sinceā€¦ she is His Majesty’s most beloved Princess Xue.”

    Behind the gauze, Luo Xue sat, wearing a rare touch of light makeup, which enhanced her delicate features, adding a touch of elegance.

    Coupled with her unusual silver-white hair, she already possessed a breathtaking beauty at such a young age.

    But her expressionā€¦

    Was complicated.

    “This timeā€¦ I’ve been reborn as a princess?”

    Luo Xue raised her hand and rubbed her temples.

    But she was immediately glared at by the elderly etiquette official, and she quickly stopped, resuming her dignified posture.

    Luo Xue had no problem fighting life-or-death battles, but sitting still like a statue for several hours at a banquetā€¦ was torture.

    In this life, when Luo Xue woke up, she was already in a luxurious palace, lying on a bed several dozen meters wide, surrounded by a dozen maids waiting to attend to her.

    Luo Xue was startled, but after searching her memories, she discovered that she was a princess, granted a title at birth.

    A titled princess was no ordinary person in the Immortal Dynastyā€¦

    This meant that Luo Xue, shortly after birth, had already received her own fief.

    She didn’t have to do anything, just sit at home and collect her income.

    Luo Xue’s memories were fragmented. She could only recall this much, just like in her previous life in the Peerless Summit Sect. It would take a few days for her memories to fully return.

    Butā€¦ shortly after waking up, she was brought here for her coming-of-age ceremony.

    Fortunately, these court etiquettes had almost become instinct, and with the elderly etiquette official correcting her, no one noticed anything unusual about Luo Xue.

    “Coming-of-age ceremony, sixteen years oldā€¦ well, it’s a bit later than adulthood in the post-apocalyptic world.”

    Luo Xue sat there bored. Even with the table filled with delicacies emitting a rich spiritual energy, she had no appetiteā€”because she couldn’t eat yet, the banquet hadn’t started.

    But where was she?

    ā€¦Was she still within the nine provinces and four domains?

    Probablyā€¦ notā€¦

    Besides her memories, the only people Luo Xue had seen so far were the elderly etiquette official and the maids.

    She couldn’t tell the etiquette official’s strength. Perhaps she was an ordinary person, or perhaps a powerful expert, like Nascent Soul or above.

    As for the maids, she could tell their strength. They were mostly around Spirit Condensation, having embarked on the path of immortality.

    At least within the nine provinces and four domains, Luo Xue had never heard of an empire or dynasty that used Spirit Condensation cultivators as maids.

    She had come to the wrong place againā€¦

    Luo Xue sighed inwardly, but afraid of being glared at by the etiquette official, she could only endure and continue sitting there.

    She was currently behind a light gauze curtain, which seemed to have a restriction placed on it, preventing outsiders from seeing clearly inside, only a blurry shadow was visible.

    But Luo Xue could easily see what was happening outside.

    “ā€¦I can’t tell these people’s strength. They should all be at Nascent Soul or above, right?”

    Luo Xue looked at them one by one but didn’t dare to use her spiritual sense. What if she offended some big shot? Would her status as a princess be enough to protect her?

    After watching for a while out of boredom, Luo Xue suddenly noticed that these lords and nobles who came to celebrate her birthday all had one or two handsome young men beside them, standing with a seemingly humble yet arrogant demeanor.

    They all seemed to be around Luo Xue’s age, probably the descendants of these lords and nobles, occasionally glancing at Luo Xue curiously.

    But behind the gauze, these young masters could only see a blurry, silver-haired figure.

    Just then, Luo Xue finally realized something, her eyes widening slightly.

    “Wait, could this beā€¦”

    Coming-of-age ceremony, lords and nobles, young mastersā€¦

    And their strange gazesā€¦

    Damn, the classic marriage arrangement trope for princesses!

    This wasn’t a birthday banquet, this was a large-scale matchmaking event!

  • Reincarnated as a Holy Nun, I Refuse to Lose! v2c4

    Volume 2: Witch Kingdom Arc

    Chapter 4: A Lovely Punishment

    “Who am I? Where am I? What happened…?”

    Luo Yuxi looked around in a daze, her vision, which had gone dark, returning. She quickly got out of bed, looking around warily.

    “What… happened? Why is there a gap in my memory?!”

    She felt like she had forgotten something. The room looked familiar, but she remembered someone being there. The closed door made it seem like it was all a hallucination. She tried to recall what had happened, but it was just a blur.

    “Was my memory altered…?”

    [Ding]

    [%^#*]

    Luo Yuxi looked at the garbled text on the panel, confused. It had been working fine just now. This must be related to the missing memory.

    “Why did I forget that specific event? What was it? This is so frustrating!”

    Luo Yuxi angrily got out of bed, wanting to calm down, then noticed something was off. The magic chain on her ankle was gone. She crouched down in disbelief.

    “It’s really gone! Did a kind soul visit me?!”

    She checked her ankle, the chain was indeed gone. She found a map with an escape route on the table and a miniature nun’s habit on the bedside table. She remembered Doris giving her a potion that could temporarily turn someone into a loli.

    “Who was it? Is there someone from the Church among the Seven Deadly Sins Witches? Or are they just playing a game, wanting to enjoy the thrill of the hunt again…?”

    Luo Yuxi looked at the escape route on the map. Although she didn’t know if it was a trap, it was similar to the map she had obtained in the game, stealing it from Pride after being “played” by her.

    “I got it so easily? According to the plot, I should have been thoroughly ‘trained’ by Pride first…”

    Luo Yuxi recalled the blonde girl, seemingly just a loudmouth, but actually possessing a strong desire for control and conquest. Luo Yuxi had been quite aroused by the CG of the protagonist being tied up by Pride’s expert rope work.

    “But having a map is good. At least I don’t have to be tied up and ‘used’ to get it…”

    Luo Yuxi opened the map. Although she was worried about her map-reading skills, she was surprised to find it resembled the minimap from the game.

    “Everything’s ready, I just need the right opportunity! Then I can finally escape!”

    Luo Yuxi packed her clothes in a sheet, not knowing where to go after escaping the Seven Deadly Sins Witches’ castle, but it was better than staying here and being forced to sell her body.

    “I’ll escape this place, then the Witch Kingdom, then return toā€””

    “Return to the Church?”

    “Yes! Huh?!”

    Luo Yuxi turned sharply and saw Doris smiling at her. Her heart sank. She threw the bundle at Doris.

    “Don’t come any closer!!”

    “You’re making me sad. Why are you wearing clothes? Toys shouldn’t wear clothes~”

    Doris easily caught the bundle. Luo Yuxi’s escape plan had been thwarted before it even began. She didn’t know how to react.

    “I just went out for a bit, and I come back to find you planning this little scheme~”

    [Divine Art: Holy Flame!]

    “If you come any closer, we’ll die together!!”

    White flames engulfed Luo Yuxi, but Doris was unfazed. She simply smiled, and Luo Yuxi felt an oppressive force, the flames weakening until they were extinguished.

    “It seems you haven’t learned your place yet, a toy whose only purpose is to relieve my stress. If you get back in bed now, I might be gentle~”

    “Damn it! I told you, the Church won’t let you get away with this! Ah!”

    Luo Yuxi was pushed onto the bed, her newly donned nun’s habit torn open. It was clear Doris wanted another “study session.” Thanks to her powerful healing, the marks from last night had vanished. Doris licked her lips, the taste of peach-flavored “drinks” and sweet “cakes” still lingering.

    “Please… can we continue next time? I really can’t take it anymore…”

    Doris ignored her pleas, snapping her fingers, and four chains bound Luo Yuxi’s limbs. Luo Yuxi struggled, but it was useless. She once again realized the difference in their power.

    “Such a sweet scent, studying while enjoying delicious drinks and cakes, how delightful~”

    “You… wicked witch…”

    Luo Yuxi, unable to resist, decided to at least voice her complaints. But seeing Doris pull out the age-reversal potion, she panicked and clenched her jaw.

    “I still want to taste your loli form. Be a good girl, open your mouth and drink~”

    Doris smiled. Luo Yuxi shook her head and thrashed around, but Doris simply poured the potion into her mouth.

    “Mmm!!!!!”

    A sweet liquid filled Luo Yuxi’s mouth. Doris wiped her lips and looked down at her. Luo Yuxi tried to spit out the potion but swallowed it involuntarily.

    “Be a good girl and turn into a loli, let me have some fun. Just enjoy it~”

    “Cough, cough! Enjoy my ass! You must have drank some too!”

    “I’m a witch, even if my age is reversed, it won’t affect me. But you, the potion should take effect soon. Enjoy your remaining time~”

    Doris licked her finger, a predatory glint in her eyes, and left a bite mark on Luo Yuxi’s chest, like a magical brand.

    [Low-Level Magic: High-Frequency Movement]
    [Low-Level Magic: Mucus]
    [Low-Level Magic: Swift Feathers]
    …

    “Stop! Stop! So much magic, I’ll break!!”

    “Don’t worry, you’ll faint in ten minutes. You won’t know what happens after that. Just think of it as a massage~”

  • Second Time Around, the Villainous Daughter Decides to Indulge First 50

    Chapter 50: My Name Is…

    A slender girl stepped into the arena.

    She wore a blood-red evening gown, adorned with flamboyant decorations, looking more like she was attending a picnic than a duel.

    Her short black hair was slightly curled, a single, tragically beautiful red spider lily tucked behind her ear. Her dove-like eyes were still and lifeless. Her beautiful face was undoubtedly a gift from the heavens, but at the cost of a frail body.

    She was incredibly thin…

    Malnutrition had resulted in a pale complexion, her emaciated frame seemingly ready to be blown away by a gust of wind.

    She was like a dove with broken wings, circling and falling within the arena, pure and beautiful, helpless and pitiful…

    And her opponent was Taylan, the undefeated champion with 311 consecutive victories.

    Taylan showed no mercy to challengers.

    “Fight, embrace the ultimate pain, and die with glory.”

    Taylan extended his hand, his thick, bandaged fingers slowly tapping his chest.

    This was the gesture he made before every deathmatch, and even facing such a frail girl, he still showed her the warrior’s highest honorā€”respect.

    “Will my death please Master?”

    The black-haired girl adjusted the black suit jacket that was slipping off her shoulders, revealing the blood-red dress beneath. Her slender, bare legs were exposed to the dust and grit of the arena, fragile and vulnerable.

    Her voice was soft, just like her 1.6-meter stature compared to Taylan’s 2.4 meters.

    Lena could easily lift her with one hand, snapping her slender leg with a slight squeeze…

    “What do you think her chances are?”

    “Asking me?”

    Jonathan was dumbfounded.

    Weren’t the odds obvious? How could a novice girl defeat a seasoned veteran with over three hundred consecutive victories?

    From the beginning, the odds were overwhelmingly in Taylan’s favor. No one believed the challenger could win.

    But he only dared to think these words. Jonathan could see how much attention Lena was paying to the girl, so he asked cautiously, “Do you know her?”

    If she was an acquaintance, or even a lover, and Taylan accidentally killed her, their entire arena would be in trouble.

    Fortunately, Lena shrugged indifferently. “I don’t know her.”

    Indeed, she didn’t. Lena didn’t have the habit of remembering every face, and she had no impression of this fledgling dove who had wandered into the arena.

    “Personally, I don’t think she can win.”

    Jonathan stated the obvious.

    He was incredibly nervous making this judgment.

    It meant the arena would disregard Lena’s identity and proceed with the match fairly.

    Lena smiled, sinking into the leather sofa. “I agree, but let’s watch. There might be a surprise.”

    Clangā€”

    The bell rang, and the game began.

    Taylan didn’t attack, but instead stood still, waiting.

    He stood there, firm as a mountain, motionless.

    One minute passed…

    Two minutes passed…

    The gamblers in the stands grew restless. They wanted to see a real fight between men, a clash of blood and passion. Could someone tell them how this little chick had gotten in here?!

    Drink containers rained down into the arena.

    The gamblers vented their frustration, more and more joining the protest, the situation spiraling out of control…

    Jonathan seemed to realize something, staring at the two figures in the arena in disbelief. “She…”

    “He’s dead,” Lena answered for him.

    Yes, Taylan was dead, a small hole the size of a fingernail in his heart, and no one had seen when it happened…

    In the blink of an eye, the man was still standing, his finger still pointing at his left chest, performing his unfinished ritual.

    “How did she do that?!” Jonathan exclaimed.

    “I think it must be some special weapon, hidden in her skirt, her hair, her suit pocket, or even inside her body. You know the Frontier Outpost specializes in small, concealed, high-powered magic weapons. Achieving a surprise attack isn’t difficult…”

    Lena was also curious about the girl. She wanted to know how she had managed to instantly kill a high-level champion.

    Besides the hero, no one could achieve such a feat. Could it be…

    She was hiding her strength?

    “If possible, I’d like to meet her,” Lena said.

    “The arena always keeps the challengers’ identities confidential, I’m afraid…” Jonathan feigned difficulty.

    “In that case, I’ll just take back my initial investment. As for this bet, consider it a gift, Mister Jonathan. Is that acceptable?”

    Lena offered a deal Jonathan couldn’t refuse.

    A force compelled Lena to find this girl. It was important. If she let her escape, she would definitely regret it…

    …

    The game ended.

    Lena met the girl in the blood-red evening gown backstage. She was truly thin, like a stick figure, her malnourished appearance suggesting a possibly congenital condition.

    “Hello, my name is Lena.”

    “Greetings, Master, how can I help you…?”

    Her voice was soft and carried a regional accent, as if she had to strain to speak louder.

    “Have I offended you, Master? I’ll leave immediately…”

    She addressed Lena as “Master,” likely a regional custom.

    Lena didn’t know her nationality, but she wasn’t from Almeria.

    Lena suddenly remembered that Ling Ling had also wanted to call her Master. Could there be a connection between them?

    Ah!

    Ling Ling’s homeland!!

    Lena excitedly grabbed the girl’s hand, her eyes scrutinizing. “What’s your name, where do you live, why did you participate in the arena, how did you manage to kill him with one blow…?”

    Countless questions poured out.

    Her abrupt actions made the girl even paler, a faint, unhealthy blush appearing on her cheeks.

    “Master, your hand…”

    “I’m sorry, this news is too important to me, I couldn’t control my excitement, please forgive me.” Lena released the girl’s hand, apologizing.

    She softened her tone, afraid of scaring this fledgling dove.

    “My name is Mines, Master…” The girl wasn’t intimidated by Lena’s status, answering honestly.

    “Mines.”

    Lena repeated the familiar name, unable to recall who it was.

    Her memories were too distant; she only remembered people relevant to her, or those involved in major events.

    “My home… is gone… Because my younger siblings need money, I had no choice but to… Master, have I committed a crime?”

    Mines’s bloodshot eyes trembled, her voice filled with pleading.

    She knew she couldn’t be caught by the imperial soldiers. Her younger siblings were still young and needed her care. The person before her, although possibly having ulterior motives, might be able to help her improve her current situation.

    Weighing the pros and cons, Mines took a gamble.

    “Master, please look…”

    The girl with short, curly black hair walked unsteadily, removing her suit jacket.

    Her back was covered in reddish-brown scars, her small body emaciated from long-term hunger, her slightly protruding shoulder blades like a pair of invisible wings, moving rhythmically with her arms…

    “Master, given your noble status, can you please prevent the soldiers from arresting me?”

    In the empty hallway, the scantily clad girl embraced the gray-haired woman, her arms gently wrapping around Lena’s waist, her fingers carefully avoiding Lena’s clothes.

    “I’ll do anything, including what you desire the most…”

    She whispered softly.

  • Captivating Beauty 59p1

    Chapter 59 p1

    “Should I lift it up and try again?” Shen Shu asked, her voice as calm and even as ever, making Xu Jinnan question her own suggestive thoughts.

    Shen Shu was just being practical, offering a solution, nothing more.

    But Xu Jinnan couldn’t bear the thought of Shen Shu pulling up her shirt. Even through the fabric, the touch was already making her feel a strange mix of discomfort and arousal.

    “It’s okaā€”” she began, then stopped mid-sentence as Shen Shu’s fingers gently grasped the hem of her shirt, the sudden coolness against her skin sending a shiver down her spine.

    Her earlier refusal died in her throat, replaced by a tingling sensation, a sweet anticipation she couldn’t ignore.

    Taking Xu Jinnan’s silence as consent, Shen Shu carefully lifted the back of her shirt, just enough to expose her lower back, mindful of the chill in the air-conditioned room.

    Xu Jinnan’s waist was incredibly slender, small enough for Shen Shu to almost encircle it with her hands. Two faint dimples adorned the skin above her hips.

    Instead of using her open palm, which would have been more effective, Shen Shu curled her fingers into a loose fist, using her thumb to apply pressure to the aching muscles.

    A soft moan escaped Xu Jinnan’s lips as Shen Shu pressed against a particularly sore spot.

    Shen Shu’s fingers paused, the smooth satin of Xu Jinnan’s pajama top brushing against her hand, the image suggestive from certain angles.

    Combined with Xu Jinnan’s soft moan, the atmosphere in the living room suddenly shifted.

    “Is this the spot?” Shen Shu asked, her voice slightly husky.

    “…Yes, perfect,” Xu Jinnan replied, her own voice a little breathless.

    Just then, the sound of a kiss echoed from the TV.

    Xu Jinnan’s breathing became shallow, mirroring the scene on screen.

    At this rate, her back might feel better, but she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

    After a few seconds, she reached back and gently grasped Shen Shu’s hand, sitting up. “That’s enough. It feels better now,” she said.

    “Already?”

    “Much better,” Xu Jinnan replied, touching her nose. “I’ll get a massage tomorrow, and I’ll be fine.” She released Shen Shu’s slightly warm wrist and stood up. “I’m going to get some water. Do you want some?” As she stood up, she casually grabbed the remote and changed the channel.

    “Xu Jinnan.”

    Xu Jinnan turned around. “Yes?”

    “Why did you change the channel?”

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    The reason was obvious, but Shen Shu’s question felt deliberate.

    In fact, it was deliberate.

    Xu Jinnan had noticed that despite her usually serious demeanor, Shen Shu had a playful, almost teasing side.

    And she only seemed to show this side to Xu Jinnan.

    Especially latelyā€¦

    Xu Jinnan glanced at the sofa, meeting Shen Shu’s gaze. “Miss Shen, do you enjoy watching that kind of thing?” she asked, a smile playing on her lips.

    Shen Shu, catching the amusement in her voice, retorted, “And Teacher Xu, did you change the channel because you didn’t enjoy it?”

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    TouchƩ.

    She raised an eyebrow, then decided to let it go. She was the Alpha, after all; she should be the bigger person.

    She went to the kitchen island, poured two glasses of warm water, handed one to Shen Shu, then sat down on the sofa.

    It was a cool October evening, a gentle breeze drifting in from the balcony, dispelling the lingering tension.

    A variety show played on TV.

    Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu sat side by side on the sofa, Xu Jinnan with her legs crossed, leaning back against the cushions, Shen Shu sitting upright, looking down at her phone.

    For a few minutes, the only sound in the living room was the chatter from the TV, the atmosphere peaceful and quiet.

    Their phones vibrated simultaneously.

    Cai Ying had sent a message in the group chat, asking if they were free for dinner tomorrow. Xu Jinnan turned to Shen Shu. “I’m not free tomorrow. What about you?”

    Shen Shu checked her schedule. “I’m not free either. I’m free the day after tomorrow, in the afternoon.”

    “I might not be free then either,” Xu Jinnan said.

    “You’ve been busy lately,” Shen Shu commented.

    While she had been deliberately avoiding Xu Jinnan these past few days, she could tell Xu Jinnan had been genuinely busy, sometimes returning home close to midnight.

    “I have something else to do that day, and I might not be home. Just letting you know,” Xu Jinnan said.

    Shen Shu looked at her.

    Xu Jinnan had considered this and hadn’t intended to hide it from Shen Shu. “I’m going to Qucheng that afternoon. It’s a long drive, so I might not be back until late,” she explained.

    “Alone?”

    “With aā€¦ friend. The one who’s helping me find someone,” she replied, referring to Chen Yue. He was less conspicuous, and it would be easier for him to move around freely in Qucheng.

    Shen Shu was silent for a moment. “I don’t have any scenes to film that afternoon. I can go with you,” she said, taking a sip of water, her lips brushing against the rim of the glass.

    “You don’t have to,” Xu Jinnan said. “I’m just going to take a look around. I’m not going to the Xu family home, and I won’t be contacting anyone from the family, so it’s fine.” Shen Shu had been trending online a lot lately, and her face was becoming more recognizable. Xu Jinnan didn’t want to be distracted, and she also didn’t want to risk Shen Shu encountering anyone from the Xu family.

    People like Xu Lian weren’t exactly friendly.

    She didn’t want to put Shen Shu in danger.

    “I’ll wait for you in the car,” Shen Shu said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

    Xu Jinnan paused, remembering Shen Shu’s question in the original Xu Jinnan’s bedroom.

    ā€””If it were me, would you leave me alone there?”

    She had said no.

    It was the same principle.

    If Shen Shu was going to Qucheng, she would be worried too.

    “We’re leaving tomorrow afternoon, and we probably won’t be back until late. It’ll be a long drive,” Xu Jinnan said gently. Shen Shu’s filming schedule was just as demanding as hers.

    She had seen Shen Shu agonizing over a single line for days.

    “It’s fine,” Shen Shu replied, glancing at her. “I’m tougher than you.”

    Xu Jinnan: “…?”

    She almost choked on her water, staring at Shen Shu, who had already turned away, as if nothing had happened.

    She’s acting strange today.

    Her words and actionsā€¦ it wasn’t like her.

    She remembered the massage earlier; Shen Shu had initiated it, which was surprising.

    And she clearly wasn’t experienced, a hint of shyness hidden beneath her usual composure.

    After the massage, when Xu Jinnan had sat up, Shen Shu’s face, though carefully neutral, had been flushed, her earlobes bright red.

    She had noticed that Shen Shu’s ears turned red when she was embarrassed.

    The contrast between her aloof demeanor and her shyness was endearing.

    Xu Jinnan remembered a quote: What’s truly captivating isn’t seeing someone do what they’re good at, but seeing them blush as they try something new.

    She felt the truth of those words now.

    “Shu Shu,” she called out.

    Shen Shu, her hand on the doorknob, paused and turned around. “Yes?”

    Xu Jinnan realized it wasn’t just Shen Shu who had changed; she had too. She found herself wanting to prolong their conversations, to keep talking, about anything.

    “Good night,” she said softly.

    She saw a flicker of warmth in Shen Shu’s beautiful eyes.

    “Good night,” Shen Shu replied.

    The door opened, then closed.

    Shen Shu leaned against the door, her hand resting on her racing pulse, the blood rushing through her veins, then slowly tracing a path down her neck to her chest, her heart pounding.

    It had been like this since touching Xu Jinnan’s skin, since realizing her hands could almost encircle Xu Jinnan’s waistā€¦

    She had been suppressing it, but the warmth hadn’t faded.

    She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, then opened the window slightly, letting in the cool night air.

    It helped, but the image of Xu Jinnan’s smooth, pale waist lingered in her mind.

    She had instinctively wanted to reach out, to trace the curve of her spine with her fingertips.

    This feeling wasn’t new, not lately.

    She wasn’t usually driven by desire. Even when reading or watching something suggestive, her reactions were mostly physical, rarely emotional.

    But around Xu Jinnan, she was different.

    Xu Jinnan was different, the only person who evoked such intense feelingsā€¦

    She curled her fingers into a fist, then opened them, her palm flushed, burning hot.

    —

    The next day, Xu Jinnan woke up early, her back feeling better after a good night’s sleep. Since she was leaving for Qucheng tomorrow, she took her laptop to the sofa and started working.

    Shen Shu emerged from the bedroom, drawn by the aroma of porridge, and saw Xu Jinnan typing away on her laptop.

    A pot of shrimp porridge simmered on the stove; Xu Jinnan was multitasking.

    “You’re awake?”

    “Mm,” Shen Shu replied, going to the kitchen island, opening the lid of the pot, and stirring the porridge. “Is your back still sore?”

    “It’s better,” Xu Jinnan replied, finishing a sentence and looking up. “Mostly thanks to my excellent masseuse.”

    Shen Shu put down the spoon and looked at her. “Really? Then why are you still planning to get a massage?”

    Xu Jinnan, already back to her work, replied casually, “I’ll go this afternoon.”

    “Oh.”

    Xu Jinnan paused, hearing Shen Shu’s soft, almost teasing tone.

    “Clearly, I wasn’t good enough,” she said.

    Xu Jinnan chuckled. Shen Shu seemed more playful today.

    “No one can compare to you,” she replied, the words of praise coming easily, like a practiced flirtation.

    “I’m going to wash up. Keep an eye on the porridge,” Shen Shu said.

    “Certainly, Miss Shen,” Xu Jinnan replied.

    —

    After breakfast, they left the apartment together, heading to Xu Jinnan’s office building, so there was no need for the van.

    As they walked along the path outside the building, Xu Jinnan noticed some loose paving stones and glanced at a nearby clearing.

    It had been a green space before, now transformed into a recreational area, still under construction, but already equipped with some exercise equipment and two swing sets.

    She turned to Shen Shu, who was also looking at the clearing. “You like swings, don’t you? We can come down here after dinner sometime,” she said.

    Shen Shu’s gaze lingered on the swings for a moment. “Why do you say I like swings?” she asked, turning back to Xu Jinnan.

    “You seemed to enjoy them at the Yuhua Orphanage,” Xu Jinnan replied. Shen Shu had been staring at them the entire time.

    And she had seemed happy playing with Little Crescent Moon on the swings.

    Xu Jinnan suddenly remembered hugging Shen Shu that dayā€¦

    “No, I don’t,” Shen Shu said. “I don’t know why, but I don’t particularly like them.” She just found herself drawn to them.

    The rhythmic swaying motion evoked a sense of familiarity, but since swings were so common, she couldn’t place the origin of the feeling.

    “Okay. Let’s visit Little Crescent Moon again when we have time,” Xu Jinnan said.

    “Alright,” Shen Shu agreed, nodding.

    —

    The next morning, Shen Shu’s filming went smoothly, wrapping up by 10 a.m.

    Without further delay, she and Xu Jinnan left for Qucheng.

    Chen Yue was driving. Despite his usual attempts to appear respectful in front of Xu Jinnan, he still had a slightly thuggish air about him. But the moment Shen Shu entered the car, he straightened up, as if suddenly self-conscious.

    Xu Jinnan chuckled inwardly. Even thugs are captivated by beauty.

    The drive to Qucheng was almost four hours, and Xu Jinnan, worried Shen Shu might get tired, had bought a new cushion for the back seat.

    Shen Shu, having woken up early for filming, fell asleep during the drive.

    Xu Jinnan looked out the window for a while, then glanced at Shen Shu. Perhaps her gaze was too intense, because Shen Shu’s eyes fluttered open.

    Their eyes met.

    Xu Jinnan didn’t look away, her expression calm. “Did you sleep well?”

    Shen Shu’s voice was slightly hoarse. “Not really. Can youā€¦ come closer?”

    Xu Jinnan hesitated, then moved closer to Shen Shu. They hadn’t been far apart to begin with, and now, their clothes were almost touching.

    “Lean on me,” she said, feeling a twinge of guilt. She should have offered earlier, not waited for Shen Shu to ask.

    Shen Shu’s head rested on her shoulder, her sweet scent filling Xu Jinnan’s senses.

    Xu Jinnan inhaled slowly, savoring the fragrance.

    “Xu Jinnan.”

    “Yes?”

    “Your shoulder is a little stiff.”

    “…”

    “Should I get you a pillow? We still have two hours to go,” Xu Jinnan asked, her voice slow and patient.

    Shen Shu didn’t reply, shifting slightly and resting her head against Xu Jinnan’s shoulder blade instead of her shoulder.

    Xu Jinnan’s breath hitched.

    She didn’t move, letting Shen Shu adjust to a comfortable position.

    After a moment, Shen Shu’s breathing evened out, the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest against Xu Jinnan’s back a comforting weight.

    This quiet intimacy, this unspoken trustā€¦

    It made Xu Jinnan feel a strange sense of wonder. When she first arrived in this world, she had never imagined sharing such a moment with Shen Shu.

    Sensing someone watching them, she glanced forward.

    Chen Yue immediately averted his gaze from the rearview mirror, coughing slightly to cover his embarrassment.

    He hadn’t interacted much with Xu Jinnan, but he had always been slightly intimidated by her, despite her seemingly gentle demeanor.

    Her subtle aura of authority was unnerving. Like that glance just now, so calm, not even a warning, yet it had been enough to make him look away.

    —

    They stopped for a quick meal and a bathroom break two hours later.

    Then, Xu Jinnan saw the sign ā€“ Qucheng.

    The Xu family’s ancestral home wasn’t in the city itself, but in a small town on the outskirts, so the road was mostly deserted.

    A long, winding road, stretching endlessly into the distance.

    The same road the original Xu Jinnan had run along as a child, stumbling and falling, her heart filled with despair.

    It was October, and the fields lining the road were green, some planted with crops, the scene both familiar and different from her memories.

    For a moment, she felt like she was back in that small body, experiencing the terror of being abandoned, the original Xu Jinnan’s pain and resentment seeping into her bones.

    Then, she felt a tickle on her lips and instinctively reached up to touch it ā€“ a strand of Shen Shu’s hair, ruffled by the wind.

    She glanced down at Shen Shu, who hadn’t slept well last night, having woken up at 4:30 a.m. for hair and makeup, now asleep, her head resting on Xu Jinnan’s shoulder.

    Xu Jinnan’s heart calmed slightly.

    —

     

  • My Evil God Girlfriend (gl) 91

    Chapter 91: Bonfire

    Late September, the end of summer, was a deep, inky green. The palm fronds, the camphor leaves, the grass, even the wind seemed saturated with this hue, like layers of green gauze, swirling and clinging.

    The rooftop basked in the afternoon sun, the beautiful, otherworldly deity standing amidst the light, the wind lifting her long, black hair, which intertwined with thick, black tentacles, their tips glistening with slime, their suckers gently opening and closing, tasting the sea air and the sunlight.

    She had just returned from battle, having devoured that enormous, monstrous fish, yet she stood there, her white dress flowing, ethereal and beautiful, a languid contentment in her eyes.

    The stark contrast of the white dress and the dark, glistening tentacles. The Evil God, and the protector of humanity, an equally stark contrast.

    And within that contrast, a mesmerizing beauty, a disorienting allure, like being drunk or on a roller coaster, reason and judgment suspended.

    Xiang Er waved a dismissive hand:

    “Keep it.”

    She turned her gaze towards the white foam of the waves, lapping against the shore in delicate patterns of lace. The ocean, seemingly undisturbed by the recent chaos.

    She thought, she was truly out of touch, living at home all the time, she had no real sense of the world outside.

    Perhaps she should find a job.

    Akhe seemed to put the bank card away. Her voice, soft and light, now always carried a gentle lilt.

    She asked:

    “Do you want toā€¦ spend a few days here?”

    Xiang Er was about to refuse, then, looking at the palm trees swaying in the sea breeze, changed her mind:

    “Alright.”

    Akhe’s face lit up, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, and she grabbed Xiang Er’s wrist, pulling her towards the edge of the rooftop.

    “Let’s fly!”

    With her arm around Xiang Er’s waist, she jumped!

    The strong, salty sea breeze whipped against Xiang Er’s face, the world a blur of sound and motion, fading awayā€¦ her ears popped, her heart pounded, her gaze unfocused, then she suddenly turned her head.

    Beside her, Akhe, her hair a wild halo in the wind, her face indistinct, but her eyes, dark and bright, fixed on Xiang Er.

    She mouthed the words: Don’t worry.

    Xiang Er turned back, the descent seeming endless, her initial fear giving way to an adrenaline-fueled excitement.

    A dive! Like a warrior into battle, the golden beach rushing towards them, Akhe slowing their descent just before impact, and they landed softly on the sand.

    They were alone on the vast beach.

    The beach had been closed after the monster fish attack, but Akhe and Xiang Er had the highest level of clearance, they could do as they pleased, a simple trip to the beach met with the full cooperation of the investigators, the military, and the police, their privacy ensured.

    After landing, Xiang Er pulled her hand away from Akhe’s and walked towards the sea, her feet sinking into the sand. It was her first time seeing the ocean, and she was mesmerized.

    Akhe followed, smiling, her steps echoing Xiang Er’s, silent.

    As Xiang Er walked, Akhe carefully placed her feet in Xiang Er’s footprints, her movements precise and deliberate, more so than in battle, as if this were the most important task in the world.

    After a while, Xiang Er sat down, the sand warm and soft beneath her, a comforting sensation.

    Akhe sat beside her, then suddenly looked up, her brow furrowed, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

    It was dusk, the first stars appearing, the night sky above the ocean a breathtaking sight, countless stars, clear and bright.

    Akhe stared intently, her gaze seemingly piercing through the stars, into some distant, unknowable dimension.

    Black slime, unconsciously, oozed from her, flowing across the sand, towards the sea.

    Xiang Er sighed contentedly:

    “The stars are beautiful.”

    Akhe nodded:

    “Yesā€¦”

    But her voice was distant, ethereal, and Xiang Er turned to look at her, her gaze also fixed on the stars, her expressionā€¦ strange.

    “What’s wrong?”

    “Ohā€¦ nothing.”

    Akhe looked away and smiled at Xiang Er:

    “Would you likeā€¦ a bonfire on the beach?”

    And so, that night, a group of highly skilled investigators found themselves on the beach, guitars in hand, dressed in beach shorts, tasked with creating a bonfire party for the Evil God and its girlfriend.

    They took turns performing, sharing stories, dancing around the bonfire, and Xiang Er, who hadn’t socialized in a long time, felt a mixture of social awkwardness and genuine enjoyment.

    She also noticed that, at some point, the investigators and Akhe seemed to have developed a rapport. Although still slightly intimidated by her, they would occasionally chat with her, even crack jokes.

    But Akhe seemed distracted tonight, her replies brief, rarely engaging with Xiang Er.

    The firelight, like a golden veil, flickered on Akhe’s white dress, her dark eyes reflecting the dancing flames, her gaze distant and unfocused, as if lost in thought, even Xiang Er’s presence seemingly unnoticed.

    This wasn’t like her. But Xiang Er didn’t ask, enjoying the evening.

    After two nights at a luxurious beachfront villa, they returned home.

    The days flowed by like water, and Xiang Er, having asked An Yue to help her find a job, waited. An Yue had submitted the request, but her superiors were still deliberating.

    Xiang Er waited patiently, it was understandable, after all, she had a Evil God living with her, it wasn’t exactly a normal situation, finding a job wouldn’t be easy.

    Butā€¦ Xiang Er had noticed that Akhe seemedā€¦ different lately.

    For instance, she would occasionally burn the food while cooking, a rare occurrence for someone with Akhe’s now-proficient culinary skills, but it had happened several times since their return from the beach.

    And she would often be lost in thought, seemingly distracted, not even paying attention to Xiang Er. A few times, Xiang Er, testing her, had deliberately left the apartment and wandered around the streets alone, and Akhe hadn’t even noticed for almost half an hour, a stark contrast to her usual, almost instantaneous response.

    A few more days passed, Xiang Er’s job search still fruitless, and Akhe’s gaze, whenever it fell on her, seemed to intensify, a hungry, possessive look, filled with yearning, yet alsoā€¦ a strange sadness.

    Xiang Er, unnerved by this scrutiny, her skin crawling, feeling like a piece of meat waiting to be devoured, would snap at Akhe:

    “Creep! Why are you staring at me?”

    Akhe would just smile and shake her head:

    “Because you’re beautiful.”

    Xiang Er would frown, retreat to her room, and Akhe, unlike before, wouldn’t follow.

    Akhe’s affection had indeed cooled.

    Xiang Er’s feelings were a tangled mess, she had thought that after their trip to her hometown, they could try again, she hadn’t expected this sudden withdrawal from Akhe.

    She wasn’t going to force it, butā€¦ she feltā€¦ a pang of sadness.

    She had almost forgotten the name “Shen Yuhe,” and the lies and betrayal it represented, couldn’t Akhe give her more time? Or was an Evil God just a Evil God, inherently fickle, its promises and vows meaningless?

    That wasā€¦ truly evil.

    Xiang Er also grew colder, her expression, when facing Akhe, as frigid as the snows of Kilimanjaro.

    But Akhe seemedā€¦ oblivious to her coldness, lost in her own world, even disappearing from the apartment for hours at a time.

    Until one day, at the end of Octoberā€¦

    Xiang Er woke up to find Akhe’s beautiful face inches away from hers.

    She whispered:

    “You’re awake? Are you free today? Will you come with me somewhere?”

    Xiang Er was surprised. Akhe hadn’t greeted her at her bedside in a while, what was this, a change of heart?

    Xiang Er sat up, and, trying to sound annoyed, said:

    “I’m busy.”

    Akhe, however, said:

    “It’s your real birthday today.”

    Xiang Er froze. The orphanage had always used the day she was found as her birthday, and since middle school, she had stopped celebrating it, the date long forgotten.

    Akhe continued:

    “I know I haven’t beenā€¦ very attentive lately, so as an apology, and to celebrate your birthday, I have a gift for you.”

    Xiang Er looked at her, her brow furrowed, wanting to appear aloof, but she said:

    “You’ve finally noticed?”

    Damn it, that sounded too eagerā€¦ Xiang Er bit her lip, regretting her words.

    Akhe smiled, her eyes deep and mysterious, like distant nebulae, and she lifted Xiang Er’s hand to her lips, gently kissing her fingertips.

    Starting with her pinky finger, then her ring finger, her middle finger, her index finger, then her thumb, then turning her hand over, kissing each knuckle, then her wrist.

    A pleasant tingling sensation, a long-forgotten warmth, spread through her hand like an electric current, and Xiang Er gritted her teeth.

    Akhe’s full lips pressed against the delicate skin of her wrist, and she looked up, her eyelashes long and dark, like a peacock’s feathers, her eyes beautiful and alluring:

    “I’m sorry, okay? Come with me, I’ve prepared a gift, it took me a long timeā€¦”

    Xiang Er:

    “…”

    This temptress!

    She pulled her hand away:

    “Fine.”

    Akhe chuckled softly, stood up as if to leave, then suddenly turned back and pulled Xiang Er into a tight embrace.

    Akhe was standing, Xiang Er sitting, and in this embrace, Xiang Er’s face was pressed against Akhe’s flat, soft stomach.

    The embrace was unusually tight, not just a hug, but as ifā€¦ Akhe was trying to absorb her.

    Xiang Er felt a surge of fear, and a strange premonition, and she tried to push Akhe away, but it was no use, Akhe, when she didn’t want to be moved, was as immovable as a mountain.

    Akhe’s arms were around her head, tentacles probably also involved, holding her back, her waist, even her legs, and Xiang Er, helpless, stood up, trapped in the embrace.

    Her face buried in the crook of Akhe’s neck, she couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, only the cool strands of Akhe’s hair against her cheek, like willow branches swaying in the spring breeze.

    Akhe, with her tentacles and her human arms, held her tightly, her lips pressing against the top of Xiang Er’s head.

    Then, her voice, low and resolute, a vibrating hum, echoed in Xiang Er’s ear:

    “No matter what happens, rememberā€¦ I will always love you, always.”

  • The Vicious Female Lead Doesn’t Want to Do It Anymore 75p2

    Chapter 75: More Please – Desensitization Therapy Part 2

    ā€œMingzhi, itā€™s done, the new ā€˜hamsterā€™ has arrived, Iā€™m coming over!ā€

    ā€œHamsterā€ was their code word for ā€œtask.ā€ As long as Dong Ling didn’t associate it with tasks in her mind, she could say it smoothly.

    ā€œIā€™ll be waiting.ā€

    Song Mingzhi chuckled and started checking her nails and applying hand cream.

    Everything had to be perfect, the girlā€™s skin was delicate, she couldnā€™t accidentally scratch her.

    Dong Lingā€™s heart raced all the way there.

    At the door, she practiced looking angry.

    She had to follow the task systemā€™s instructions to the letter, otherwise, if the task system deemed her attitude not angry enough and the task failed, it would be a disaster, this was 13%, practically the highest reward besides the initial contract.

    The task system started playing the designated lines in her mind, Dong Ling feigned anger and started reciting them.

    “Give me an explanation, why have you been ignoring me these past few days? Why were there rumors about you with someone else, and you didn’t even bother explaining? Donā€™t you forget our relationship!ā€

    Dong Ling wanted to push Song Mingzhi onto the bed, but she couldnā€™t budge her, so she quickly winked at Song Mingzhi.

    Song Mingzhi, wearing casual clothes, cooperated and fell onto the bed.

    Her loose clothes shifted with the movement, revealing part of her collarbone, her fair skin and the inadvertently displayed mature feminine charm made Dong Lingā€™s mouth go dry, she inexplicably felt a surge of genuine anger.

    ā€œListen carefully, Song Mingzhi, you can only be my woman, no other random people can get close to you.ā€

    Dong Ling knelt beside Song Mingzhi, imitating the posture she had imagined, and said with a haughty expression.

    ā€œFrom the moment I saw you, you were destined to be mine.ā€

    Dong Ling could barely maintain her arrogance, she could only cry for help at these lines.

    Song Mingzhi looked at Dong Lingā€™s faltering arrogance and slightly distorted expression, she couldnā€™t help but laugh.

    Her baby was so cute.

    Seeing Dong Ling glare at her, she immediately raised her hands in surrender, as an experienced actress, she had broken character.

    ā€œYes, Iā€™m yours.ā€

    Song Mingzhi wrapped her arms around Dong Lingā€™s waist, her eyes filled with affectionate laughter.

    Her beautiful features, with their fatal charm, struck Dong Ling’s heart.

    But no matter how flustered she was, Dong Ling still had to finish her lines.

    Unlike Song Mingzhiā€™s current cooperation, the female lead in the original novel wasn’t so compliant, fortunately, the connecting lines werenā€™t too awkward.

    Dong Ling looked at Song Mingzhi and said: ā€œYou can only be mine.ā€

    She meant these words, she wanted Song Mingzhi to belong only to her.

    Who cared about the ā€œhamsterā€ and the 13% now? This was a warm breeze that further ignited their passion.

    Dong Ling was wearing a light purple dress today, the color complementing her fair skin, even now, hanging loosely and bunched up, it still looked beautiful.

    Song Mingzhi wasnā€™t in a hurry, she was an experienced hunter, patient in everything she did.

    But her girlfriendā€™s constitution wasn’t very good, and soon, her eyes were filled with tears.

    Outside the window was the city in autumn, looking somewhat desolate in the cool weather, but not in the eyes of lovers, the captivating heat could change the very seasons.

    Dong Ling was supposed to be acting angry, but she couldnā€™t keep up the pretense at this time.

    She was very ticklish, couldnā€™t stand being touched, and even with Song Mingzhi, she was struggling to endure.

    The tingling sensation seemed to emanate from beneath her skin, a sensitivity that couldn’t be alleviated by scratching, the spreading numbness making Dong Ling go limp.

    Fragmented thoughts flashed through her mind, their meanings elusive, she was afraid of this unfamiliar feeling, instinctively wanting to protect herself, to escape.

    She repeated the name that brought her comfort, whispering: ā€œSong Mingzhi.ā€

    Over and over again, intertwined and merging.

    “Don’t be afraid, Ling Ling, thereā€™s a term called desensitization.ā€

    Desensitization was a medical term, Baidu Encyclopedia defined it as a method for treating hypersensitivity reactions caused by certain allergens, by repeatedly injecting small amounts of allergens within a short period, the active mediators in sensitized cells would be depleted until exhaustion.

    ā€œThis is the allergen.ā€

    Song Mingzhi moved her fingers, in the warm light, her fingers seemed to glow faintly, with a rich fragrance.

    Song Mingzhi was a meticulous person with a science background, her experiment scores in high school were always perfect, she was very precise with the ratio of materials, and had strict control over the tolerance of experimental subjects, even if this was an experimental subject she had never studied before, a flower.

    For Dong Ling, this was even more intoxicating than several bottles of alcohol.

    The distorted lines of the room swayed, filled with Song Mingzhiā€™s traces.

    The flowers of April have faded, but the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are just beginning to bloom. (A poem by Bai Juyi, often used to describe a late bloomer)

    It turned out that desensitization therapy was indeed effective, especially desensitization for love.

    Dong Lingā€™s hair was thick and dark, like seaweed, her eyes tinged with a faint red, her dark hair and red lips, like a captivating siren.

    Her sea was gentle, embracing the explorer, the waves crashing against the rocks, carried by the wind to the shore, the ebb and flow leaving traces on the sand.

    [Task complete, current main storyline progress: 70%.]

    Quantitative change leading to qualitative change, an eternal truth.

    Dong Ling ignored the unromantic system notification, but felt an unusual sense of ease and joy.

    Song Mingzhiā€™s gentleness and restraint were evident in every aspect, this was probably one of the characteristics of a mature lover.

    ā€œWhy is there lemonade by the bed?ā€

    Dong Ling saw a pitcher of lemonade on the nightstand and asked curiously.

    Her voice was languid, Song Mingzhi brushed aside the dark hair clinging to her arm, wiped the light sweat from her forehead, and poured her a glass of water.

    ā€œI was worried you would be thirsty.ā€

    Song Mingzhi fed Dong Ling the water, it wasnā€™t that she was being overly concerned, she didn’t want Dong Ling to end up in the hospital due to dehydration, although this reason was absurd and the probability very low, Song Mingzhi still felt it was better to be prepared.

    Dong Ling swallowed the lemonade, and after drinking a glass, she did feel much better.

    Dong Ling originally thought it was time to cuddle with her girlfriend and make up for the past few days of separation, but Song Mingzhi was being mischievous.

    “Baby, weā€™ve been apart for three days, we just started dating, I missed you so much these past few days.ā€

    Who could resist Song Mingzhi whispering ā€œbabyā€ in their ear? Dong Ling lay back down.

    The disadvantage of an experienced, older lover was evident at this moment, a heart of stone, unmoved.

    Only when Dong Ling finally had the word “Jiejie” etched into her DNA did this longing finally end.

    Dong Ling slept for a very long time, and only woke up the next evening, her muscles aching, staring blankly into space.

    She was tired of saying the words “absolutely not.ā€

    Wearily getting up to wash up, Dong Ling collapsed on the sofa, there was a glass of water prepared on the table, Dong Ling gulped down two glasses, briefly feeling alive again.

    Song Mingzhi wasn’t lying, her wrist strength was truly very good.

    Dong Ling thought she wasnā€™t bad either, all those years of yoga were indeed effective, but this desensitization was a bit too much, she felt like her health bar was almost empty.

    There was a note on the table left by Song Mingzhi, the intimate address making Dong Ling blush.

    Dong Ling giggled for a while, then patted her cheeks to wake herself up.

    She didn’t ask her assistant to order food, although she was physically exhausted, she wasnā€™t very hungry.

    She was still thinking about the results of Song Mingzhi and Zhong Zhongā€™s DNA test, she had wanted to ask yesterday, but was distracted by Song Mingzhi.

    Song Mingzhi finished work at eleven o’clock and immediately left the set.

    Yu Shuangwei originally wanted to discuss some acting issues with Song Mingzhi, but when she turned around, Song Mingzhi was already gone, unprecedentedly eager to leave work.

    Song Mingzhi quickly changed her clothes, took down her hair, and returned to the hotel with her stage makeup still on.

    “Did she ask you to bring any food?”

    Song Mingzhi asked Xiao Tan, who shook her head. Song Mingzhi then bought some seafood porridge on her way back and entered the room.

    The girl was wearing her shirt, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, scrolling through Weibo, her hair tied back in a bun, revealing her slender neck, the red marks on it conspicuous.

    The corners of Song Mingzhi’s lips curved upwards, she placed the food on the table.

    “When did you wake up? Why didnā€™t you ask Xiao Tan to bring you some food?ā€

    ā€œI just woke up, Iā€™m not very hungry.ā€

    Dong Ling said this, but she opened the bag and the container.

    ā€œThen Iā€™ll go remove my makeup.ā€

    Song Mingzhi ruffled Dong Ling’s hair and went into the bathroom.

    Her face was still covered by a mask, she was a little self-conscious in front of her little girlfriend.

    After all, stage makeup was meant to be paired with costumes, it wouldnā€™t match her current casual clothes and hairstyle, and she had been filming all day, she didnā€™t want her girlfriend to see her makeup melting or caking.

    Dong Ling nodded, eating the hot porridge while chatting with Tang Qianxi, asking how she was doing.

    It had been three days since Tang Qianxi went to find Chen Shang Shang, Tang Qianxi occasionally sent her short messages, seemingly reluctant to tell her what happened, and Chen Shang Shang, she probably thought she was still in the dark.

    [Tang Qianxi]: The revolution has not yet succeeded, Iā€™m still working on it.

    Dong Ling could only reply with a ā€œJiayou,ā€ and then decided to see what Chen Shang Shangā€™s attitude was, in this relationship, the main obstacle came from Chen Shang Shang, so whether Chen Shang Shang was firm in her decision was more important.

    [Dong Ling]: Shang Shang, what are you doing? Have you eaten?

    [Chen Shang Shang]: Ling Ling, itā€™s already past eleven, why are you only eating now?

    [Dong Ling]: I woke up late, are you still out of town?

    [Chen Shang Shang]: About to go back, sigh.

    [Dong Ling]: Whatā€™s wrong? Are you troubled by something? I feel like you havenā€™t been in a good mood lately.

    The specific manifestation of Chen Shang Shang’s bad mood was that she stopped posting on her WeChat Moments, even rarely posting funny pictures.

    [Chen Shang Shang]: I am a little troubled, I have a friendā€¦

    [Chen Shang Shang]: Forget it, that friend is me.

    [Chen Shang Shang]: Ling Ling, Iā€™m being pursued by a girl, and I happen to like her too, sheā€™s very special to me, but I’m afraid to come out, what should I do?

    [Dong Ling]: Itā€™s normal to be afraid, after all, this society isnā€™t very tolerant, I think whether or not to come out is your decision, but you have to be sure that you wonā€™t regret your choice, be prepared to take on the risks, and most importantly, trust each other, and face it together.

    [Dong Ling]: Of course, I donā€™t mean coming out together, but facing the consequences together, then even if there are unpleasantries, youā€™ll remember that you did this because you like her, not because she changed everything.

    This was Dong Lingā€™s current mentality, she wanted to hold onto the person she cherished.

    Footsteps approached, Song Mingzhi, wearing a bathrobe, sat down beside Dong Ling, looked at the half-eaten porridge, and rubbed her belly.

    ā€œWhy did you only eat so little?ā€

    ā€œI was chatting with a friend, I wasnā€™t focused on eating.ā€

    Dong Ling immediately self-criticized, picked up her spoon and continued eating, placing her phone on the table, waiting for Chen Shang Shangā€™s reply.

    ā€œThen let me feed you.ā€

    Song Mingzhi took the spoon from Dong Lingā€™s hand, so she could use her hands to reply to messages.

    Dong Ling swallowed a mouthful of porridge and sighed with mock distress: “Mingzhi, youā€™ll really spoil me rotten like this.ā€

    ā€œWhy donā€™t you call me Jiejie anymore?ā€ Song Mingzhi put the tip of the spoon in her mouth, licked it, and raised an eyebrow, ā€œTastes good.ā€

    Dong Ling’s DNA moved. (Activated)

  • Female Lead Was Coaxed Away by the Villain Again [Quick Transmigration] 113

    Chapter 113: I Want To Do As I Please (15)

    The situation at the Alliance border was chaotic, and things weren’t as peaceful within the Alliance as they appeared.

    However, none of this concerned Jiang Zhiyan. As long as it didn’t involve her, others could do as they pleased. Yu Qici wasn’t planning to interfere either; after all, this wasn’t caused by the two of them, and the book also had a similar plotline, it was best to let nature take its course.

    The Jiang family, learning of Jiang Zhiyan’s actions, couldn’t quite understand her intentions.

    But they could at least deduce one thing: Jiang Zhiyan wasn’t as simple as they thought.

    “We examined the man, Jiang Zhiyan’s fork did pierce his bone, and he’s a proper Alpha, albeit only B-rank.”

    “And I don’t recall her receiving any combat training.”

    The B-rank Alphas present glared at the speaker, an A-rank Alpha, who didn’t care about their feelings and didn’t even look at them.

    “I think there are only two possibilities,” a B-rank Alpha said. “Either she differentiated again later, or she underwent surgical modification. Isn’t there a surgery now that implants mechanical bones? I think she must have done that… otherwise, a cripple, how could she…”

    “Absolutely impossible!”

    “Didn’t they say there was an Omega with her? Who is it?”

    “Unfamiliar face, I haven’t seen her before.”

    A person standing to the side handed them a photo. They indeed hadn’t seen her before. The Omega looked like the average Omega, beautiful, but not memorable.

    “What’s their relationship?”

    “They seem to be a couple.”

    Those present exchanged glances.

    “Heh, still in the mood for romance at a time like this? Such trash.”

    “Since she’s trash, why bother calling her back?” The female Alpha leaning against the sofa took a bite of a peeled fruit and glanced at the speaker. “Can’t you handle the current situation yourself?”

    …

    The “trash” Jiang Zhiyan and the unremarkable Yu Qici were researching new weapons.

    “Let’s fire a shot at the Jiang family mansion when we leave,” Yu Qici said.

    Jiang Zhiyan glanced at Yu Qici: “Really?”

    “Really,” Yu Qici nodded. “Is there anyone in the Jiang family you care about? Let me know in advance.”

    “No.” Jiang Zhiyan looked at Yu Qici, puzzled. “You think I care about anyone other than you? These people are just data, why would I care about them?”

    Yu Qici raised an eyebrow: “You do care a little, you wouldn’t bother bombing them if you didn’t.”

    “That kind of caring? Then I do care about quite a few people,” Jiang Zhiyan said, moving closer to Yu Qici and nuzzling her lips.

    Yu Qici wrapped her arms around Jiang Zhiyan’s neck and tilted her head back.

    “I don’t want to work anymore, let’s go play in those rooms,” Jiang Zhiyan said.

    “Are you asking for my opinion?” Yu Qici could already smell the pheromones.

    “No.”

    A transport vehicle arrived. Jiang Zhiyan carried Yu Qici and boarded it. Judging by the vehicle’s speed, it was clear how eager Jiang Zhiyan was.

    “Weren’t they just discussing serious matters? Why are they suddenly like this?” The System was confused, feeling both sad and indignant, left alone to work overtime again, it glanced at the small cart moving back and forth, delivering parts.

    Oh, there was also that speechless, outdated AI.

    The two arrived at the basement level and had already chosen a room, the scent of their pheromones lingering wherever they went.

    “You’re such a pervert,” Yu Qici said.

    “I didn’t design these rooms.”

    “Oh, then Jiang Zhiyan is a pervert,” Yu Qici continued.

    Jiang Zhiyan glanced at her, secured her in place, and stood up: “You don’t like it? Then should we go back to work?”

    “No,” Yu Qici said, hooking Jiang Zhiyan’s leg with her foot.

    Jiang Zhiyan leaned down again and gently blew on her.

    Yu Qici took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

    “Relax, I’m not doing anything,” Jiang Zhiyan said.

    “I can’t,” Yu Qici’s voice changed. “Don’t, don’t blow anymore…”

    “It’s too hot, of course, I have to cool it down.”

    Yu Qici’s face flushed, and she moaned softly.

    ā€¦

    The male lead killed two Stargazer leaders on the front lines, the news spreading throughout the alliance, boosting morale, everyone’s spirits were instantly lifted.

    Jiang Zhiyan received a notification from the Stargazers; they wanted her to help disrupt the alliance warships’ central control system.

    “Are you going to help them?” Yu Qici asked, looking at Jiang Zhiyan.

    “No, the plot doesn’t require it, why should I create more work for myself?” Jiang Zhiyan leaned back in her chair.

    “But you’ve rejected all their requests recently, will they do something?” Yu Qici asked, lying on Jiang Zhiyan’s lap.

    Jiang Zhiyan looked at Yu Qici: “I’ve connected to the central control systems of all the Stargazer warships, their every move is under my surveillance.”

    “That’s good, I wonder when things will calm down,” Yu Qici sighed softly.

    “We’ll be at peace once we leave this world,” Jiang Zhiyan said, carefully braiding Yu Qici’s hair.

    “There’s no suitable plot point right now, it’s not easy to leave,” Yu Qici sighed. “Most of the plot is a mess now, are there any plot points we can use?”

    Jiang Zhiyan pondered: “There are some, I can attack the imperial star, then fake my death, you’ll be taken hostage by me, and then you’ll separate when you’re rescued, leaving the rest to the female lead.”

    “That works? But will it affect the overall direction of the world?” If Jiang Zhiyan launched an attack, Yu Qici was worried that the imperial star would be captured directly, after all, the imperial star’s defense systems were probably like paper to Jiang Zhiyan.

    “A suicide attack, I just need to die in their eyes,” Jiang Zhiyan said, having finished braiding Yu Qici’s hair, two perfect braids, she took the terminal beside her, opened the original owner’s death note, and said, “But there are still many people I haven’t dealt with yet.”

    “Don’t you dislike following the plot?”

    “Some plot points are worth following.”

    Yu Qici watched as Jiang Zhiyan copied the plot from the book, modified it, created a schedule, and sent it to someone, instructing them to target these people according to the schedule, and even implanted these instructions into the android system.

    Yu Qici: ?

    “See, how convenient,” Jiang Zhiyan said with emotion. “It’s good to have subordinates, I’ll definitely get a lot of points in this world.”

    “So how many points have you accumulated?” Yu Qici asked curiously.

    Jiang Zhiyan blinked and coughed twice.

    The system desperately wanted to jump out and answer for Jiang Zhiyan.

    Accumulate points? More like accumulate hammers.

    Yu Qici couldn’t help but laugh, she rarely saw such a flustered expression on Jiang Zhiyan’s face, not just flustered, but also a bit uneasy.

    “Use them, it’s not much anyway.”

    “I’ll work hard to save up for our retirement,” Jiang Zhiyan said with a sincere expression.

    “I think I’m already retired, since I’m already dead,” Yu Qici said.

    Jiang Zhiyan covered Yu Qici’s mouth: “Don’t say that.”

    Yu Qici kissed Jiang Zhiyan’s palm.

    She yawned, closed her eyes slightly, leaned against Jiang Zhiyan’s stomach, and nuzzled it.

    “You two, come and work when you’re well-rested!”

    Yu Qici’s eyes snapped open at the sound, she looked at the loudspeaker not far away: “Your System?”

    “Mm,” Jiang Zhiyan frowned with displeasure.

    Although it was a monotonous electronic voice, she could still hear the System’s tone.

    “Ha ha ha ha ha,” the System laughed five times, the sound strange. “I just remembered I can talk like this, work, work! Hurry up and work! No flirting during work hours!”

    Jiang Zhiyan directly turned off the loudspeaker, but the System turned it back on, and Jiang Zhiyan gritted her teeth in annoyance.

    Thanks to the System, the pleasant atmosphere was completely ruined. Jiang Zhiyan went to the workbench, the System’s strange laughter occasionally reaching her ears.

    Whenever Jiang Zhiyan and Yu Qici got close, the System would make “tsk tsk tsk” sounds, just like in elementary school.

    “If you do that again, I’ll dismantle the loudspeaker,” Jiang Zhiyan warned.

    “I can reassemble it,” the System said. “Hmph, stop me from working if you can!”

    Jiang Zhiyan: …

    The System, looking at Jiang Zhiyan’s expression, felt unprecedented joy.

    Finally! Finally!!

    It, a dignified System, had been oppressed for so long, and finally, it had risen up! Was this what it felt like to control the Host?

    Yu Qici couldn’t help but chuckle, noticing Jiang Zhiyan looking at her, she immediately closed her mouth and pretended nothing happened.

    The System wanted to laugh maniacally, but this loudspeaker wasn’t good, it could only produce one type of sound, not befitting its image as a high-level AI, it decided to find an opportunity to modify it.

    “Be quiet, or I’ll fight you even if it’s against the rules,” Jiang Zhiyan said, giving it a friendly reminder.

    System: …

    “Your System is very cute,” Yu Qici said.

    Jiang Zhiyan glanced at her: “Average, it’s alright, just so-so.”

    “Heh,” the System interjected, dissatisfied.

    Jiang Zhiyan ignored it, perhaps because she was angry, her work speed increased today, and she even had many new ideas, the power of the new weapon would probably be much greater than initially envisioned.

    Time passed quickly. If it weren’t for the housekeeping robot delivering the meal, Jiang Zhiyan wouldn’t have realized it was already dinner time.

    “The Jiang family is at the gate,” the System reminded her.

    Jiang Zhiyan frowned: “How impolite, don’t they know not to visit during dinner time?”

    “Host…” the System hesitated. “He says he knows your secret and wants to have a chat with you.”

    “My secret?” Jiang Zhiyan raised an eyebrow.

    “He said that if he dies here, your secret will be exposed to the entire alliance.”

    Jiang Zhiyan narrowed her eyes: “Interesting.”

  • Can We Get Married First?Ā  122

    Side Story 8: Lin Wei CP (Part 3)

    Wei Zhuoning meticulously cared for Lin Xiaozhi’s sensitive stomach, while Lin Xiaozhi relentlessly pushed Wei Zhuoning’s fragile grades forward. In their final year of high school, even their moments of affection were a luxury.

    Wei Zhuoning proposed a deal: “If I get into L University’s literature program, you quit smoking, okay?”

    Lin Xiaozhi knew quitting wasn’t easy, but to motivate Wei Zhuoning, she agreed.

    During the final exam sprint, not only did Wei Zhuoning’s grades improve, but so did her cooking.

    Her mother, seeing her study until past midnight, then wake up before 6 am to prepare breakfast and lunch, even packing two extra lunchboxes, asked:

    “Is that extra one for your class president?”

    Her mother, seeing her sneakily packing the lunchboxes, teased her.

    Wei Zhuoning, seeing her mother’s knowing smile, stammered:

    “She’s been helping me study, and she always forgets to bring lunch, she eats takeout all the time. And it’s not healthy for her stomach, she has gastritis, it affects her studies!”

    “One simple question, and you give me a whole speech, you’re clearly hiding something.”

    “Mom!”

    Her mother chuckled. She knew her daughter was dating the class president. She had overheard their confession.

    She had initially thought that Lin Xiaozhi, smart, beautiful, and seemingly mature, might be playing with her naive daughter’s feelings.

    Just like she had been played before…

    One wrong step could ruin a life.

    She knew her daughter, kind and trusting, easily manipulated.

    But Lin Xiaozhi was different, unlike anyone she had met in her forty years of life.

    “Okay, okay, I won’t tease you. How’s the scar on her arm?”

    Wei Zhuoning’s expression turned somber: “It left a scar. She’s been using scar removal products, but it’s not very effective. She’s planning on surgery after the exams.”

    “How much does the surgery cost?”

    “I’m not sure, maybe tens of thousands of yuan.”

    “We should pay for it,” her mother said. “If it weren’t for her, we might have been injured too, even worse. We can’t ignore this.”

    “I know,” Wei Zhuoning said, shouldering her backpack. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it. If you want the food spicier, add some chili sauce. I made a new batch last night.”

    “Okay, I know, go on.”

    As Wei Zhuoning was about to leave, her mother stopped her.

    Wei Zhuoning: “?”

    Her mother smiled and sighed: “My daughter, you’ve worked so hard.”

    Wei Zhuoning, surprised by her words, smiled: “It’s nothing, I’m happy. I’m leaving now.”

    “Okay, go on.” Her mother’s eyes were red as she waved goodbye.

    “Will you be alright alone?”

    “Yes, Mrs. Zhang will be here soon.”

    “Then I’m leaving?”

    “Yes, go on.”

    On her way to school, Wei Zhuoning’s heart ached, remembering her mother’s words. She was the best mother in the world.

    It had been raining for two days, the temperature dropping below zero, the ground icy.

    As Wei Zhuoning got off the bus, someone slipped and fell right in front of her.

    Wei Zhuoning almost fell too, but someone caught her.

    “Thank you!” She looked back, recognizing the girl, a classmate from Class 2, known for her long, black hair.

    The girl just shook her head and walked away.

    Wei Zhuoning, checking the time, realizing she was about to be late again, rushed towards the school gate.

    Just as she entered, she slipped, slid several meters, and landed on her knees right in front of Lin Xiaozhi.

    They stared at each other for a moment, the attendance AI waiting by the closing gate, ready to record her tardiness.

    “Get up, it’s not New Year’s yet, why are you kowtowing?” Lin Xiaozhi helped her up, chuckling. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your red envelope.”

    “I wasn’t kowtowing! I fell!”

    Lin Xiaozhi burst out laughing.

    Wei Zhuoning: “…Are you enjoying this? How can you be so heartless!”

    “Poor baby, let me see if you’re hurt.” Lin Xiaozhi leaned closer, her gaze on Wei Zhuoning’s neck.

    Wei Zhuoning quickly pulled away: “You pervert! And I hurt my knee, not my neck!”

    “Who knows, maybe you hurt something else too,” Lin Xiaozhi said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

    Wei Zhuoning suddenly remembered something and quickly zipped up her jacket.

    “No way…”

    She remembered last night, after their late-night study session, the school empty, Lin Xiaozhi dragging her to the playground and kissing her for a long time. If Wei Zhuoning hadn’t insisted on keeping things PG in public, her clothes might have been ripped off. Lin Xiaozhi had been very enthusiastic, and Wei Zhuoning had also been aroused, but she had held firm, and Lin Xiaozhi, frustrated, had lingered on her neck for a while.

    Had she left a mark?

    Wei Zhuoning’s face paled: “Is there, really a mark?!”

    Lin Xiaozhi put her mask back on and coughed softly.

    Damn it! There was!

    And she hadn’t been wearing a jacket at home this morning, just her pajamas, had her mom seen it?

    Wei Zhuoning glared at Lin Xiaozhi and turned to leave.

    Lin Xiaozhi grabbed her hand.

    Wei Zhuoning, unable to shake her off, glared at her:

    “What are you doing! Not in public!”

    “The ground is icy, what if you fall? I’d be heartbroken.”

    “I’m not that clumsy…”

    Just as she said that, Wei Zhuoning slipped and fell on her butt.

    Lin Xiaozhi, caught off guard, also fell.

    “…”

    They looked at each other, their awkward positions making them burst out laughing.

    They continued laughing even after reaching their classroom, earning strange looks from their classmates.

    “Are the class president and Wei Zhuoning crazy?”

    “What’s so funny?”

    Sha Xinyu shook her head: “You single people wouldn’t understand.”

    Everyone: “??”

    During lunch, everyone left except for Sha Xinyu, who, having learned her lesson, wisely chose to nap at her desk, leaving Lin Xiaozhi and Wei Zhuoning alone.

    Wei Zhuoning had brought Lin Xiaozhi’s favorite beef dish, slightly spicy and tender.

    “How can you cook so well?” Lin Xiaozhi asked, devouring the food. The intense studying and Wei Zhuoning’s delicious cooking had made her gain a few pounds.

    “As long as you like it.” Wei Zhuoning was happy to see her enjoy it.

    Lin Xiaozhi added: “You’ll be a good wife someday.”

    This usually made Wei Zhuoning blush, but today, she just stared at Lin Xiaozhi’s right arm.

    Lin Xiaozhi: “What’s wrong?”

    Wei Zhuoning pointed at her arm: “Can I see it?”

    Lin Xiaozhi understood: “There’s nothing to see, just a faint scar.”

    Wei Zhuoning didn’t speak, just looked at her with pleading eyes.

    “Sigh… you’re so persistent.” Lin Xiaozhi rolled up her sleeve. “But promise me, no crying.”

    Wei Zhuoning had prepared herself, but Lin Xiaozhi’s words made her realize it might be worse than she imagined.

    She nodded, took a deep breath, and then, seeing the long, jagged scar on Lin Xiaozhi’s once flawless arm, felt her blood run cold.

    She held Lin Xiaozhi’s wrist, staring at the scar in silence.

    “I told you not to cry…” Lin Xiaozhi quickly grabbed a tissue and wiped away her tears. “It’s not that bad, I haven’t had the surgery yet, it’ll be fine after that, as smooth as your cheek.”

    Lin Xiaozhi pinched her cheek playfully, but Wei Zhuoning’s tears continued to flow silently.

    “Don’t cry, baby,” Lin Xiaozhi pulled her into a hug. “I don’t regret it, not at all. And wasn’t I cool back then? Protecting you, that was the best decision I ever made.”

    Her words only made Wei Zhuoning cry harder.

    “What’s wrong, Xiao Zhuoning?” Lin Xiaozhi held her tighter. “It’s okay, just let it out, but don’t let the others see you like this when they come back.”

    Wei Zhuoning’s voice was hoarse: “Haven’t you bullied me enough?”

    “Not nearly enough, but if you let me, I’ll take all the blame. So, how about it?”

    Wei Zhuoning pulled away: “You’re crazy!”

    Lin Xiaozhi gently wiped away her tears: “No more crying, okay?”

    Wei Zhuoning looked at her, took her hands, and, with a newfound determination, said:

    “Let’s get married after the exams. I want to take care of you, for the rest of our lives.”