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  • Second Time Around, the Villainous Daughter Decides to Indulge First 49

    Chapter 49: Did She Used to Be This Brave?

    In a world driven by material desires, only the struggle between people remained pure.

    Then there was the spectacle of women pulling each other’s hair, and men comparing sizes…

    Wherever there were people, there were comparisons, and comparisons often led to conflict.

    Calling each other “brothers” and “sisters” one moment, then wishing death upon each other’s families the next.

    Compared to the deceitful human world, the physical clashes in the arena were much more direct, much more pure.

    Lena sipped her ten-copper-coin iced drink, watching the reigning champion in the arena with an indifferent gaze.

    She knew who owned this arena. Without the empire’s tacit approval, it couldn’t possibly operate so openly.

    That’s right.

    The existence of the Fran Black Market was a manifestation of the Empress’s will.

    The empire needed a lawless place, free from social norms, to cater to the extravagant desires of the wealthy and powerful.

    What to do with all that excess money?

    Spend it in the black market, guaranteed to enter dressed to the nines and leave with nothing but your bare skin.

    Tired of your old wife?

    Choose a new slave from the black market, all sorts of exotic races available, stockings, fishnets, there was always something to satisfy your desires.

    In short, the Fran Black Market was indeed operated by the empire. And the arena manager, upon learning of Lena’s arrival, was on high alert, ordering his staff to ensure Lena won this match.

    “But the odds are one to one thousand, how can we afford that…?”

    The rabbit-masked man trembled, kneeling on the ground, his hands covering his head, his speech slurred. “If I had known the young lady of the Falmouth family was coming, I wouldn’t have dared approach her. This jinx, of all places, she had to come here. We’re doomed! We’re going to lose a fortune!”

    “Shut up! It’s not over yet!!”

    A man emerged from the shadows. Jonathan Trelawney grabbed the rabbit man by the collar, his rank four Butcher profession allowing him to crush the man’s head like a watermelon.

    He roared in his deep, violent voice, “So what if we let her win?! The Imperial Princess will compensate us!”

    The news of Lena’s advancement to rank six had spread like wildfire, reaching even the imperial higher-ups.

    Pressure came from above, forbidding any offense against this sixth-rank Necromancer, even offering an olive branch and a hefty reward.

    Although these were the orders, it put him, the newly appointed arena manager, in a difficult position.

    His superiors’ words were his command.

    The arena was already short on funds, and its assets couldn’t be touched. It seemed he would have to use his own money to avert this disaster.

    The only good news was that his direct superior was the Imperial Princess. If he reported truthfully, he might be reimbursed for some of the losses.

    “How much did she bet…”

    Jonathan took a deep breath, sighing. “If it’s just a small amount, we can still handle it…”

    The rabbit man stood up, trembling, and held up five fingers.

    “Fifty?” Jonathan asked.

    The rabbit man shook his head, holding up his other hand, fingers spread.

    “One hundred?”

    “…”

    “Don’t tell me it’s a thousand gold coins.”

    Jonathan’s eyes widened, his voice losing its composure.

    A thousand gold coins multiplied by a thousand, that was a million!

    Deliberate, it was definitely deliberate!

    Jonathan was furious, but he didn’t forget to think.

    This wasn’t a coincidence.

    She must have a hidden motive. What should he do? Was there a foolproof plan? He couldn’t let her win all that money, nor could he offend her…

    “Boss…”

    “What! Can’t you see I’m angry?!”

    “To be precise… it’s one thousand four hundred and eighty-seven… I gave her a gold coupon worth one hundred… I thought she was a newbie, a whale…” The rabbit man dropped another bombshell, closing his eyes tightly, waiting for the storm.

    Damn it…

    He had just taken over the arena, and now this hot potato had landed in his lap. He couldn’t offend either side, and the brunt of the anger would fall on him. He was doomed…

    The rabbit man had already decided what to be reincarnated as in his next life.

    “Bandit! She’s here to rob us!!”

    The enraged, six-foot-three giant of a man slammed his fist onto the floor, shattering the tiles beneath the rabbit man’s feet.

    With a loud crash, the VIP section on the second floor collapsed, dust flying everywhere.

    Jonathan jumped down from above, his fierce eyes searching through the dust, finally locking onto the gray figure. He strode towards Lena, his thick finger pointing at her. “You…!”

    “Me?” Lena tilted her head.

    “You! You!”

    Pointing at Lena, Jonathan suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon, his anger vanishing, replaced by a stiff, flattering smile. “Have… have you eaten yet… ahahaha, Rabbit! Where are the fruits, snacks, and drinks?! A distinguished guest has arrived, and you didn’t even inform me, have you no manners?!”

    Endure! A true man must be able to bend and stretch!

    He would leave this problem to the Imperial Princess; this was a sacrifice for the empire, and the princess would surely understand.

    “Miss Lena, this way please.”

    Jonathan’s swift transformation from manager to lackey shocked even Lena, making her look at him with newfound respect.

    He was a capable person, but that was all.

    “Move aside, move aside! Rabbit! Where are Miss Lena’s refreshments?!”

    Jonathan pushed aside the gamblers, calling for the rabbit man while announcing Lena’s name as if she were a descending deity.

    This had many benefits. Jonathan, having climbed his way up from the bottom, was a master of opportunism.

    “Miss Lena’s presence here can’t be just for casual gambling, right?”

    He probed, mentioning Princess Diana’s name. “I heard Her Highness is about to enroll, and she’s a classmate of yours…”

    “So what?”

    Lena glanced at him sideways.

    The bull-like man instantly fell silent, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, forgetting to breathe.

    The pressure was immense, as if he were an ant at the foot of an insurmountable mountain, facing a towering storm. He could only curl up, minimizing his resistance.

    “Since you’re a classmate of Her Highness, then you’re also a friend of mine, Jonathan. Today’s expenses are all on me, how about that…”

    Jonathan hinted, rubbing his rough hands together like a fat, green fly.

    “Mister Jonathan.” Lena interrupted, her voice light and airy. “I have a bad habit of being drawn to exciting things, like your arena… I personally think it’s a very worthwhile investment, don’t you agree?”

    “So, you mean…?”

    Jonathan was unsure.

    What? Lena wanted to invest in him?

    The young lady representing the Falmouth family wanted to go against the Imperial Family?

    Didn’t she know the arena was Princess Diana’s property? Poaching like this, did she used to be this brave?

    Uh… it seemed she actually was.

    Lena’s reputation preceded her; who in the empire didn’t know her name?

    Even Jonathan, a former mercenary, had heard of this “human bulldozer” with a preference for women. But this was too audacious. Jonathan couldn’t agree, he didn’t have the authority.

    He would have to refuse her, politely.

    Jonathan opened his mouth.

    Lena’s gaze was fixed on the arena below. “The game has begun, Jonathan. Who do you think will win?”

    …

  • Captivating Beauty 58

    Chapter 58

    “Who said I don’t care?” Xu Jinnan whispered, her warm breath brushing against Shen Shu’s cheek, sending shivers down her spine.

    Shen Shu instinctively raised her hand to shield herself, her arm bumping against Xu Jinnan’s chest.

    It was a light touch, barely a graze.

    If Xu Jinnan had to describe the sensation, the only word that came to mind was “coquettish,” though that was clearly not Shen Shu’s intention.

    Xu Jinnan was well-endowed, her figure particularly striking in low-cut dresses.

    Shen Shu had experienced it firsthand…

    The moment her arm brushed against Xu Jinnan’s chest, Xu Jinnan let out a soft moan.

    Shen Shu’s breath hitched, her earlobes flushing a delicate pink, like ripe summer fruit, tempting and inviting.

    Xu Jinnan’s gaze lingered on her ear, her lips slightly dry. She swallowed, her voice husky as she whispered, “Shu Shu.”

    She needed a response, a sign, a flicker of emotion from Shen Shu to guide her next move.

    Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating Xu Jinnan’s figure against the door. Shen Shu took a deep breath, then slowly turned around, meeting Xu Jinnan’s gaze. “Care about what?” she asked.

    As she turned, the distance between them closed, her nose brushing against Xu Jinnan’s smooth chin, the faint scent of powder and the warm, sunny fragrance of her pheromones filling the air.

    Their breaths mingled, and Shen Shu’s fingers tightened slightly.

    Xu Jinnan looked down at her, her gaze lingering on Shen Shu’s slightly parted lips, the color of the lipstick now a soft, inviting red, smudged from their earlier contact.

    She could almost feel the warmth of Shen Shu’s lips against her own.

    Her fingertips tingled.

    Just then, a soft knock came at the door, and Zhou Pei’s hesitant voice called out, “CEO Xu, Mr. Qin from Meilai Jewelry is here.”

    Xu Jinnan looked at Shen Shu, then called out, “I’ll be there in a moment. Please have him wait.”

    Shen Shu lowered her gaze, breaking eye contact, then turned towards the window. A moment later, as if making a decision, she reached for the doorknob.

    Her wrist was caught in a firm grip.

    Xu Jinnan held her wrist, locking the door, then led her towards the desk by the window.

    The sun hadn’t reached that part of the room yet, and Xu Jinnan placed her hands on Shen Shu’s shoulders, gently guiding her into the chair, then leaned against the edge of the desk, her body angled towards Shen Shu.

    They stood in the shadows, the sunlight a few feet away, like a dividing line between two worlds.

    “Shu Shu,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice serious, “can you tell me why you thought I was involved with Tan Jie?”

    The uneaten steak lunch still sat on the desk.

    Shen Shu’s gaze shifted from the food to Xu Jinnan’s eyes. “Do you really not know, or are you pretending?”

    “I really don’t know,” Xu Jinnan replied.

    Shen Shu paused, then said calmly, “Tan Jie sent me a steak lunch too.”

    “…” “I thought you sent it,” Xu Jinnan said.

    Shen Shu: “…”

    A brief silence filled the office, then Xu Jinnan chuckled softly. “So, that’s cleared up then? Let’s talk about something else.”

    “Shu Shu,” she said, her voice serious.

    Shen Shu looked up, her beautiful features as cool and composed as ever, but a flicker of something in her eyes betrayed her emotions.

    “I thought I had misunderstood, but now, I don’t think it was a misunderstanding,” Xu Jinnan said, then, feeling the distance between them, pushed herself away from the desk and leaned against the armrest of Shen Shu’s chair, closing the gap between them slightly.

    “I said the wrong thing earlier, or rather, I expressed myself poorly…” she continued, her voice low.

    Shen Shu remained silent, waiting.

    “I do care,” Xu Jinnan said, then, after a brief pause, added, “You might not know this, but you’re special to me.”

    At least, in this life, no one had ever made her feel this way.

    While the feeling was still undefined, a seed just beginning to sprout, Shen Shu was special, undeniably so.

    Shen Shu had been watching her intently, her expression finally softening at those words.

    “Xu Jinnan, do you even understand what that means?”

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    “I do,” she replied, meeting Shen Shu’s gaze. “I understand why you’re angry, and I understand what I’m saying.”

    A long silence followed.

    “Shu Shu,” Xu Jinnan said softly, “let’s not rush this. Let’s take things slow, okay?”

    Making this decision had been difficult. Before, she had been unsure of Shen Shu’s feelings, and her own feelings had been unclear. And there was also a lingering fear.

    It wasn’t just the fear of the Xu family’s secrets, or the fear of suddenly disappearing from this world, like she had arrived.

    It was the fear of not being good enough… she had her flaws.

    Perhaps, if they truly explored this connection, if Shen Shu truly got to know her, she would be disappointed.

    But despite her fears, she had still said those words.

    Even though she knew it was selfish, even though she knew it was a risk for both of them, she had still said them.

    The tension in Shen Shu’s heart eased, a sense of relief washing over her, like a flower finally blooming after a long winter.

    Neither of them pressed for further explanations or definitions.

    A subtle shift had occurred, a silent understanding passing between them.

    They both knew things would be different now.

    —

    Xu Jinnan personally drove Shen Shu to the studio, the privacy divider still up from their earlier conversation.

    “You should finish your lunch,” Shen Shu said, glancing at the uneaten steak on Xu Jinnan’s desk.

    “Can I even eat after that?” Xu Jinnan asked, a playful smile on her lips as she opened the car door for Shen Shu. “I was already full, but I thought you sent it, so I forced myself to eat it.”

    “…” Shen Shu bit her lip. “I’ll go then.”

    “Okay,” Xu Jinnan replied, nodding.

    —

    “Did you two have a fight? Is that why you came here alone?” Tong Jia asked anxiously as soon as Shen Shu arrived.

    She had been worried. The atmosphere between Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu had been strange these past few days.

    Shen Shu had even been replying to her messages privately, not in the group chat.

    While Shen Shu’s demeanor seemed normal, she had been unusually quiet, her focus solely on her script, the pages already dog-eared from constant rereading.

    “No, why would we fight?” Shen Shu asked, sitting down.

    Tong Jia: “?”

    Shen Shu’s voice was calm, but the slight upward inflection at the end…

    And the faint smile playing on her lips…

    “You two made up?” Tong Jia asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

    “We didn’t have a fight,” Shen Shu repeated.

    “Really? The way you stormed out of the office earlier scared me.”

    “…”

    “Are you sure you didn’t fight?”

    “No,” Shen Shu said firmly. “What’s the address of the restaurant?”

    “What are you doing?”

    “Just send it to me.”

    Tong Jia sent her the address, assuming Shen Shu was ordering takeout, and didn’t think much of it.

    After scrolling through her phone for a while, she suddenly leaned closer to Shen Shu. “You two made up so quickly… did you… do it?”

    “…” “No,” Shen Shu replied.

    Tong Jia, as if she hadn’t heard, tapped her chin thoughtfully. “That’s not right. You were only gone for ten minutes… CEO Xu isn’t that fast, is she?”

    Shen Shu: “…”

    She didn’t even look up. “If you’re that bored, why don’t you go for a run?”

    Tong Jia, seeing her flustered expression, chuckled. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop teasing you.”

    Before going to chat with the director, Shen Shu put down her phone and picked up her script.

    “Still reading that?” Tong Jia teased. “You’ve practically memorized it backwards. What’s the point?”

    After she left, Shen Shu stared at the script, the words already ingrained in her memory.

    It was just an excuse to avoid interacting with the others.

    Her thoughts drifted to Xu Jinnan’s spacious office, the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

    Let’s take things slow, okay?

    Her expression softened, a faint smile playing on her lips, the gloom of the past few days lifting.

    She had actually calmed down before even reaching Xu Jinnan’s office.

    Knowing Xu Jinnan, she wouldn’t have accepted the lunch box if she had known it was from Tan Jie.

    But in that moment, she hadn’t been thinking clearly.

    Seeing the lunch box had triggered a surge of irrational anger, a desire to confront Xu Jinnan, to put an end to her confused and conflicting emotions.

    But seeing Xu Jinnan’s worried expression and hearing her concerned tone, “What’s wrong? Did someone bully you?”, her anger had dissipated, replaced by something else.

    Her harsh words had been partly true, partly a deliberate provocation.

    While 95% of her had wanted to end things with Xu Jinnan, the remaining 5% had hoped for a different outcome.

    And Xu Jinnan had made that 5% win.

    Was she happy? Yes, she was.

    At that moment, she felt like she had won too.

    —

    After seeing the Meilai Jewelry representatives off, Xu Jinnan rubbed her lower back and glanced at the film crew’s office area across the hall. She didn’t see Shen Shu, so she messaged Tong Jia, asking when Shen Shu would be done.

    Just as she was about to return to her office, Xinxin called out to her.

    She ran over from the elevator, handing Xu Jinnan a paper bag. “Shu Shu bought you afternoon tea!” she said, her voice full of playful innuendo.

    Xu Jinnan took the bag, smiling. “Really?”

    “Huh?”

    A few minutes later, Zhou Pei, Viola, and the two assistants arrived at the film crew’s office with afternoon tea.

    To avoid disrupting the filming, they waited for a break before setting up the food and drinks.

    “Thank you, CEO Xu,” Director Zhang said, accepting a cup of black tea from Zhou Pei. “And thank you for the discount on the space, and the food and drinks.”

    The assistant director chuckled. “Having a wife on set makes a difference. Thank you for your generosity, CEO Xu.” Everyone smiled at Shen Shu.

    “Thank you for your hard work, Director, and everyone,” Shen Shu replied politely.

    “Miss Tan, I apologize for my earlier misunderstanding. I thought you sent that lunch box to CEO Xu. But she said it was delicious. Thank you for your kindness. These pastries are for you,” Viola said, her voice loud enough for everyone around Tan Jie to hear.

    They all looked at Tan Jie.

    Tan Jie, flustered by the public apology, quickly recovered, forcing a smile. “You’re welcome. CEO Xu provided us with such a wonderful space, and free access to the pantry. Consider this a small token of my appreciation.” Her assistant took the pastries from Viola.

    After Viola left, Tan Jie looked inside the bag – green tea pastries.

    Her face stiffened, but she maintained her composure, her fingernails digging into her palm.

    Viola then handed a separate bag to Shen Shu – grape juice.

    “Shu Shu, can you ask CEO Xu to give me the same special treatment next time? Maybe some plum juice?” Tong Jia asked, nudging the grape juice with her elbow.

    Shen Shu, knowing she was being teased, glanced at her but didn’t reply, simply taking a sip of the juice.

    It was refreshing, sweet and slightly tart.

    “You’re so heartless,” Tong Jia muttered, turning away.

    Just then, a slender hand appeared in front of her, holding a bottle of plum juice. She looked up to see Viola smiling at her.

    “We have some in the office fridge,” Viola said.

    Tong Jia took the bottle, giving her a thumbs-up. “Thanks, sis!”

    Viola paused. “Miss Tong, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”

    Tong Jia also paused. “Me? 27.”

    Viola smiled. “Miss Tong, I’m 29.”

    Tong Jia: “…?”

    She watched as Viola walked away, then, opening the bottle of plum juice, went over to Shen Shu. “Your CEO Xu’s secretary is interesting. 29? She doesn’t look a day over 25.”

    “You two are already on a first-name basis?” Shen Shu asked. She hadn’t heard their conversation.

    Tong Jia recounted their exchange, then realized, “I just called her ‘sis,’ and she’s already correcting me? Is she saying I shouldn’t call her ‘sis’ because she’s older than me?”

    Shen Shu chuckled softly. “Maybe you should tone down the casual flirting.”

    Tong Jia shrugged. “29, huh? How old is Xu Jinnan again?”

    Shen Shu took another sip of grape juice. “26.”

    “Oh, she’s younger than you! A younger woman! Impressive,” Tong Jia commented, sitting down beside Shen Shu.

    Energetic younger Xu Jinnan vs. elegant older Shen Shu.

    She instinctively wanted to make a suggestive comment, then stopped, a shadow crossing her face.

    She suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

    Shen Shu, sensing her sudden silence, handed her the script. “Help me with my lines,” she said.

    —

    It was past 7 p.m.

    Xu Jinnan, leaving the office after working late, rubbed her aching back and noticed the lights were still on in the film crew’s office area across the hall, but the filming was taking place further inside, so she didn’t see Shen Shu.

    She sent Shen Shu a message, then sat down in the waiting area.

    As she scrolled through Weibo, she saw a comment on one of her reposts calling her a “fan icon.” She considered it. It wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

    If those fans knew she not only followed Shen Shu and interacted with her online, but also lived with her, they would probably lose their minds.

    She chuckled, opening the “NanShu” CP super topic.

    The giveaway post was still pinned at the top, and she noticed that “WhoDaresBreakUpMyCP” had increased the prize amount from 50,000 to 60,000 yuan per winner.

    She clicked on the comments, surprised.

    Is the Sheng Xia CP threatened? Seriously? A bidding war for CP dominance? They’re matching our prize amount now?

    They’re copying us! Initially, they only had three winners, then they increased it to ten, like us. And as soon as we increased the prize to 60,000, they did the same… Interesting.

    I hope they keep escalating! More giveaways! I want to win!

    If this isn’t the real Xu Jinnan behind this, then that user is crazy.

    At least we’re shipping the real couple. What are they even shipping? This is infuriating!

    @WhoDaresBreakUpMyCP Just let it go. We don’t need to compete with them.

    Xu Jinnan paused, then opened the “Sheng Xia” CP super topic, confirming that the giveaway details – the prize amount and the number of winners – were identical to the one in the “NanShu” super topic.

    It was clearly a competition.

    She also noticed that the “Sheng Xia” super topic now had over eight thousand followers…

    Is this a CP war? she wondered, touching her forehead.

    She returned to her messages and saw a private message from ShuShu’sNumberOneFan.

    ShuShu’sNumberOneFan: [Boss Lady!! That guy in our CP super topic is amazing! He increased the prize again, to 700,000 yuan per month! Is this how rich people casually spend their money? Crying emoji]

    Xu Jinnan decided to ignore the super topic drama, knowing this fan would keep her updated anyway.

    As expected, a few minutes later:

    ShuShu’sNumberOneFan: [Holy shit! The Sheng Xia super topic just increased their prize too… This is going to trend! It’s already climbing the ranks!]

    If this continued, it would get out of hand.

    She sent Tong Jia screenshots of the two super topics, asking how she wanted to handle it.

    Just as she returned to Weibo, several new messages from ShuShu’sNumberOneFan popped up.

    ShuShu’sNumberOneFan: [This is insane!]

    ShuShu’sNumberOneFan: [He increased it to 200,000 yuan per winner! Two million per month! This isn’t just a flex; it’s a diamond explosion!]

    ShuShu’sNumberOneFan: [Hahaha, they gave up!]

    Xu Jinnan: “…” This is a true fan.

    She was strangely touched.

    She sent a private message to WhoDaresBreakUpMyCP.

    Bro, judging by your ID, let me know if you need backup.

    Just then, she heard the clicking of high heels approaching.

    She looked up to see Shen Shu, still in her business attire from the shoot, without her glasses, her aloof demeanor unchanged.

    Xu Jinnan’s gaze lingered on her legs.

    There was a small run in her black stockings, a few threads unraveling, revealing a sliver of pale skin beneath the torn fabric.

    The contrast between black and white was striking.

    Imperfection, in a way, was alluring.

    A human flaw, or perhaps an Alpha flaw, or perhaps just her own.

    She pushed the thought aside, standing up and rubbing her lower back. “Done with work?”

    “Yes, let’s go home,” Shen Shu replied.

    “Okay, I’ll get the car keys,” Xu Jinnan said, glancing at the other crew members leaving the office. She turned back to Shen Shu. “Your stockings are torn. Do you want to change before we leave?”

    “I snagged them on something,” Shen Shu said. “I’ll change when we get home.”

    Seeing her weariness, Xu Jinnan grabbed her keys and they left.

    As they got out of the car, Xu Jinnan instinctively rubbed her lower back again.

    Shen Shu glanced at her slim waist, accentuated by her high-waisted dress.

    “Are you feeling unwell?” she asked.

    Xu Jinnan turned to her. “I’ve been sitting in meetings all day. My back is a little stiff,” she explained.

    Shen Shu opened the apartment door, changing her shoes. “You should take better care of yourself,” she said.

    Xu Jinnan looked at her, her gaze lingering on Shen Shu’s bowed head. “I should,” she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

    Shen Shu, realizing the double entendre, paused, then didn’t bother correcting her.

    Xu Jinnan’s throat tightened at her silence.

    She told Shen Shu to take a shower first, then lay down on the sofa, her lower back aching. It wasn’t a sharp pain, just a dull, persistent ache.

    The sound of the shower running filled the apartment, and Xu Jinnan turned on the TV, the movie channel drowning out the noise.

    When Shen Shu emerged from the bathroom, Xu Jinnan handed her a two-piece silk pajama set.

    She didn’t usually wear matching sets, finding them cumbersome, but the nights were getting colder.

    After a quick shower, Xu Jinnan stood in front of the bathroom mirror, running her fingers through her damp hair, then, as she was about to leave, noticed the discarded stockings in the trash can.

    —

    She sat down on the sofa, shifting uncomfortably.

    “Is it that bad?” Shen Shu asked.

    “It’s a little uncomfortable,” Xu Jinnan admitted. “I think I need a massage.” She reached behind her, trying to massage the aching spot.

    Shen Shu looked at her for a moment. “Lie down,” she said.

    “Huh?”

    Xu Jinnan paused. “It’s fine. I’ll just lie down in bed later,” she said.

    “Lie down. Now,” Shen Shu repeated, her tone firmer this time.

    Xu Jinnan met her gaze. “…Okay.”

    She lay down on the sofa, facing away from Shen Shu, who sat down beside her.

    Shen Shu’s hands were warm, her fingernails neatly trimmed, as she gently probed Xu Jinnan’s back, searching for the pressure points.

    Xu Jinnan guided her hand, but after a few moments, she lost her place again.

    “Here?”

    “…A little lower… too much.” Forget the ache in her back; Xu Jinnan’s entire body was tingling now. “Shu Shu, are you doing this on purpose?”

    Shen Shu: “…”

    Xu Jinnan winced as Shen Shu’s fingernail dug into her back, a sharp, unexpected pain that made her tense up.

    “That’s what ‘on purpose’ means,” Shen Shu said calmly.

    Xu Jinnan: “…”

    Shen Shu lifted her hand. “Your skin is too slippery,” she said.

    Xu Jinnan was about to tell her to stop; this wasn’t relaxing, it was torture.

    Then, Shen Shu’s cool voice said, “Should I pull up your shirt and try again?”

  • My Evil God Girlfriend (gl) 90

    Chapter 90: Summer Days

    That night, they still slept separately, Xiang Er maintaining her cold demeanor, her bedroom door locked.

    The next morning, Akhe had already prepared breakfast, a local specialty, waiting for Xiang Er to wash up and join her.

    After breakfast, they returned home to Lǜ’è City.

    At the car, Xiang Er opened the passenger door herself, sat in the back, her arms crossed, her face cold and distant, not speaking to Akhe.

    She regretted saying those words at the playground last night. What was she doing? Was she really… that pathetic, that desperate for love?

    She could still clearly feel the resentment towards Akhe, the pain of the past betrayals, still festering, no matter how much Akhe tried to make amends.

    But she could also feel the sincerity of Akhe’s remorse, the genuineness of her affection…

    And… that night, in bed, Xiang Er knew she hadn’t truly resisted. Perhaps it was the thrill of the unfamiliar environment, or perhaps her own feelings had shifted over time, but in that moment, when she had been pressed against the bed…

    For some reason, inexplicably…

    Her anticipation had outweighed her aversion.

    And Akhe could read minds.

    Akhe could hear her innermost thoughts, and although it was… considerate, it was also… incredibly annoying!

    Xiang Er sat in the car, lost in thought, aware that Akhe could hear her, but she didn’t care anymore. She felt conflicted, like riding a banana boat in a dense fog, one side a chasm of pure hatred, the other the promise of a beautiful, unconditional love, and she… was stuck in the middle, pulled in both directions.

    She was… getting angry.

    She wasn’t sure who she was angry at, at Akhe for being able to read her mind, at herself for being so weak, at this messed-up world for not giving her any other options!

    It was all so absurd and frustrating!

    As she thought, Xiang Er ate her snacks and drank her milk tea, a spiteful thought crossing her mind: She would just eat until she was fat, then the Evil God wouldn’t love her anymore, and she would be free.

    A soft chuckle came from the front seat, a happy, carefree sound, and Akhe’s voice, gentle, said:

    “Eat all you want, I’ll love you no matter what you look like.”

    Xiang Er’s annoyance intensified, and she put down the cake, her appetite gone.

    The thought that even her unspoken thoughts, the constant stream of complaints and insults in her mind, were heard by Akhe, made her even angrier!

    She couldn’t help but speak:

    “Can you stop reading my mind? Don’t I deserve any privacy?”

    Akhe, hidden behind the driver’s seat, extended a thick tentacle, which gently patted Xiang Er’s knee.

    Her voice came from the front:

    “Okay, I’ll try. But… our connection is very deep now, I can’t guarantee I can completely sever it, I can only try to… lower the volume.”

    Then she fell silent, the tentacle also still, resting on Xiang Er’s knee, like a rubber toy.

    Xiang Er looked at the blunt, black tentacle and covered it with a tissue. It was ugly, she didn’t want to look at it. The red ones were slightly better… no, they were all disgusting!

    After a while, Akhe’s voice, soft, said:

    “Okay, I’ve lowered the volume, I shouldn’t be able to hear you unless you shout in your mind.”

    Xiang Er, testing it, thought silently: Can you really not hear me?

    Akhe didn’t react, the tentacle also still.

    She tried again: Akhe, get out of this planet!

    No reaction.

    She thought for a moment, then thought a little louder: I really hate Akhe!

    Still no reaction.

    She shouted in her mind, as loud as she could: Akhe, you’re a fucking idiot!

    The tentacle twitched, knocking the tissue off Xiang Er’s knee. Akhe, in the driver’s seat, sighed:

    “I heard that. Try not to curse so much, you’ll strain yourself.”

    Xiang Er, surprised, said aloud:

    “I told you to stop reading my mind before, why didn’t you listen to me then? Why now?”

    Akhe’s voice was calm and gentle:

    “I was afraid you would hurt yourself. Now, I don’t think you will, you said… we have a future.”

    Xiang Er pursed her lips, silent. She shouldn’t have said those words yesterday, now this tentacle monster was treating them like a sacred decree… truly a crazy, tentacled monster!

    Xiang Er, annoyed, continued shouting in her mind: Akhe, you’re a fucking idiot! Akhe, you liar! Akhe, you’re an idiot! Akhe, you’re terrible at that! Akhe, your tentacles are disgusting! Akhe, your true form is disgusting! Aaaah, I hate Akhe!

    Akhe, in the driver’s seat, sighed occasionally, offering a mild rebuke, but she didn’t seem angry.

    The tentacle coiled around Xiang Er’s knee, patting it gently, like a patient adult comforting a child.

    It seemed that since Xiang Er had mentioned “the future,” Akhe’s mood had stabilized considerably. Xiang Er remembered the times Akhe had cried or hidden herself after being insulted, she seemed to have developed a tolerance now.

    Xiang Er, having run out of insults, just repeated “I hate Akhe” over and over again, until her head started to hurt, and she gave up.

    The scenery along the way was beautiful, and as they reached Lǜ’è City, Xiang Er felt a sense of relief, a homecoming, but she quickly suppressed the feeling.

    Akhe chuckled softly, the sound light and joyful, like a dove taking flight, echoing in the narrow stairwell.

    As they opened the apartment door, Akhe turned to get the luggage, and before Xiang Er could step inside, a small, black thing launched itself at her, colliding with her chest.

    For a moment, she felt like she had a cat.

    The small eyeball clung to her, its tentacles wrapping around her, its slit-like mouth emitting childish cries:

    “Wuwuwah! Wuwuwah! I missed you! I missed you!”

    Before Xiang Er could react, Akhe, grabbing the small eyeball with one hand, tried to pull it away:

    “Don’t cling to her, she’s my wife!”

    The small eyeball wailed, its thin tentacles stretching like rubber bands, refusing to let go, its cries loud enough to raise the roof.

    Xiang Er, exasperated, grabbed her bag and started hitting Akhe:

    “What nonsense are you spouting! Who’s your… get out, get out, get out! I hate both of you!”

    The bag hit Akhe’s temple, drawing blood. Her hair tumbled over her beautiful face, and she looked at Xiang Er with an expression of pained innocence, as if wronged.

    Xiang Er hesitated, then lowered her bag, still fuming, ignoring the small eyeball still clinging to her, and walked inside.

    Akhe finally managed to detach the small eyeball, holding it in one hand, the suitcase in the other, and followed Xiang Er, a smile on her lips, her voice a soft murmur:

    “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry, okay? It was a slip of the tongue, you’re not my wife yet, you’re my precious Miss Xiang Er, my Little Ears…”

    Xiang Er didn’t look back, entering the guest room and closing the door just as Akhe reached it, almost catching Akhe’s nose.

    Akhe touched her nose and smiled at the closed door, a blissful, contented smile, tinged with disbelief.

    She couldn’t believe it, happiness had come so quickly, she had been prepared to wait a lifetime.

    Xiang Er was truly the kindest, most gentle person in the world.

    Akhe, touching the small cut on her temple, smiled sweetly.

    Oh, right, they hadn’t had lunch yet. There was still time to prepare something light, and Akhe, unleashing her tentacles, hurried into the kitchen.

    Summer was drawing to a close.

    The days passed, one after another, a peaceful, uneventful flow, and before Xiang Er even realized it, it was the end of September.

    These days… how to put it, they were similar to before, yet different.

    Mainly, she and Akhe had developed a strange, unspoken understanding. Akhe could no longer read her mind, giving Xiang Er some much-needed privacy, but her care and attention hadn’t diminished, in fact, it had intensified.

    For example, when Xiang Er wanted milk tea, Akhe would buy every new flavor, every brand, a luxurious indulgence, even more so than when she could read Xiang Er’s mind.

    And when Xiang Er wanted to go out, Akhe would offer several options, letting Xiang Er choose, and if Xiang Er changed her mind, Akhe would adapt, her mood always calm and accommodating, Xiang Er’s wishes her top priority.

    Xiang Er gradually realized that living with a god… was much better than living an ordinary life, at least, she never had to worry about money.

    Akhe seemed to have an endless supply of it.

    Xiang Er, finally unable to contain her curiosity, asked worriedly:

    “Where do you get all this money? You’re not… robbing banks, are you?”

    Akhe chuckled and patted her phone:

    “It’s all legal income. I help those investigators kill monsters, the government pays me, I’m even on their payroll now, you can ask An Yue if you don’t believe me.”

    So, one day, Xiang Er asked An Yue, who was following them at a discreet distance, pretending not to be there.

    An Yue, her voice filled with respect, said:

    “It’s true, Ms. Shen is now a special consultant for our bureau, a department-level position, several ranks above mine. She’s single-handedly eliminated over thirty Class S+ monsters, she’s definitely getting the Investigator of the Year award this year, you should come to the ceremony!”

    Xiang Er’s expression was complex:

    “…But… your bureau knows she’s an Evil God, right?”

    An Yue’s eyes widened:

    “So what if she’s an Evil God! As the great leader once said, it doesn’t matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice! If an Evil God can kill monsters, then she’s not an Evil God, she’s our comrade! And she’s saved many of my comrades, you just don’t know it, why don’t you come with us next time she goes on a mission?”

    Xiang Er’s expression grew even more complicated, taken aback by this twisted logic, but she still nodded:

    “Okay.”

    So, the next time Akhe received an urgent call from An Yue, she took Xiang Er with her.

    Akhe, carrying Xiang Er, flew to the designated location, a coastal area, where a giant, mutated fish, the size of a skyscraper, was wreaking havoc.

    With a single flick of its tail, the monster fish had demolished a thirty-story building.

    Akhe, arriving just then, immediately unleashed a cloud of black mist, which transformed into countless tentacles, swiftly rescuing the people trapped inside the building.

    While the mist-tentacles were busy, Akhe set up a lounge chair and a small table on a nearby rooftop, complete with flowers, milk tea, and a telescope.

    She placed Xiang Er in the chair and smiled:

    “This is the best viewing spot.”

    Xiang Er sat in the chair, her mood a strange mix of emotions, she took a sip of her milk tea, her favorite flavor.

    Ahead, several giant, snake-like tentacles erupted from behind Akhe, who winked at Xiang Er before flying towards the giant fish.

    Xiang Er:

    “…”

    Even her tentacles seemed to be showing off.

    However, despite being the “best viewing spot,” Xiang Er hadn’t even been watching for two minutes when the giant fish was completely devoured.

    It was a complete annihilation… Xiang Er, sipping her milk tea, finally grasped the true extent of the Evil God’s power.

    Akhe, after devouring the fish, continued to help with the rescue efforts on the ground, her tentacles carefully carrying the injured to the ambulances, some even receiving the Evil God’s direct healing touch.

    Soon, it was over, and Akhe, flying back to the rooftop, her voice cheerful, said:

    “Another zero-casualty mission, we’re definitely getting a big bonus this time!”

    Xiang Er’s expression was complex:

    “You’re really… good at making money.”

    Akhe smiled, her tentacles swaying behind her like a gorgon’s hair, as she pulled out a bank card and offered it to Xiang Er:

    “My salary card, for my wife.”

    Xiang Er was about to angrily throw the card away…

    When Akhe added:

    “Nine figures.”

    Xiang Er:

    “…”

    Her hand, holding the card, trembled slightly.

  • Female Lead Was Coaxed Away by the Villain Again [Quick Transmigration] 112

    Chapter 112: I Want To Do As I Please (14)

    Perhaps because Xie Liaoyi had awakened and a weight had been lifted from her heart, Jiang Zhiyan slept until noon. When she opened her eyes, Yu Qici wasn’t there.

    Jiang Zhiyan rubbed her temples, casually put on some loungewear, and after washing up, went downstairs, hearing sounds coming from the kitchen.

    “Are you cooking?” Jiang Zhiyan followed the sound and walked over.

    “Making amends.”

    Jiang Zhiyan snorted: “So, if you weren’t making amends, you wouldn’t have made me lunch?”

    “Of course not.” Yu Qici had the robot bring the prepared dishes to the table and went to Jiang Zhiyan’s side, trying to appease her.

    “Are you deliberately wiping grease on my hair?” Jiang Zhiyan raised an eyebrow.

    Yu Qici looked at Jiang Zhiyan. So that was why Jiang Zhiyan had been relatively agreeable last night, because she was sleepy? Now that she was well-rested, she was back to her prickly self.

    “Explain yourself. Who are you working for? What are you plotting against me?” Jiang Zhiyan sat down, pulling out a chair.

    Yu Qici blinked: “It wasn’t really plotting, I was just curious about what you were doing… I started suspecting you at the banquet.”

    “Why?” Jiang Zhiyan didn’t understand, she hadn’t done anything at the time.

    “A gut feeling. I saw you at the school gate.” Yu Qici pointed to her head. “Subconsciously. See, I really, truly care about you.”

    “Hmph, I’ll believe you for now, even though I know you’re probably just trying to appease me,” Jiang Zhiyan snorted. “Are you really not working with anyone else?”

    “It’s just you, always and forever,” Yu Qici said with a smile, looking at Jiang Zhiyan, her expression becoming more serious. “Yu Qici really isn’t part of any organization, and I don’t know if it’s because of my influence, but this character doesn’t have a strong sense of loyalty to the alliance, so you don’t have to worry, and with your strict surveillance, she really hasn’t sent out any information.”

    Jiang Zhiyan nodded: “Do you know?”

    “Hm?”

    “This is the fifth world I’ve experienced, and you’re the first one to distinguish yourself from the character,” Jiang Zhiyan snorted. “Because you hurt me the most.”

    Yu Qici: …

    She had originally wanted to divert Jiang Zhiyan’s attention by talking about serious matters, but unexpectedly, it didn’t work.

    “How many people within the Stargazers know your identity?” Yu Qici asked, patting Jiang Zhiyan’s hand and winking at her, but Jiang Zhiyan covered her eyes and pushed her back.

    “Basically all the high-ranking members,” Jiang Zhiyan replied.

    Yu Qici frowned: “Then you might already be a target, there are also alliance spies within the Stargazers.”

    “I know, they should be dead already,” Jiang Zhiyan said calmly, picking up some food.

    “That’s good,” Yu Qici smiled. “You wouldn’t make such an oversight anyway.”

    Jiang Zhiyan glanced at her: “So, if I wouldn’t make such an oversight, you weren’t going to ask?”

    “I would still ask, after all, asking means I care about you,” Yu Qici looked at Jiang Zhiyan, she felt her survival instincts reaching their peak.

    It used to be Jiang Zhiyan who coaxed her, how the tables had turned.

    “What are you thinking about?” Jiang Zhiyan asked.

    “Thinking about you, about the past.”

    “You don’t like the current me, you like the past me?” Jiang Zhiyan raised an eyebrow, her tone indifferent.

    Yu Qici went to Jiang Zhiyan’s side, held her arm, and softened her voice: “I really know I was wrong, please forgive me.”

    “Help me build the mech this afternoon,” Jiang Zhiyan said.

    “What do you mean ‘help’? Your matters are my matters, I would have helped even if you didn’t ask,” Yu Qici kissed Jiang Zhiyan’s arm. “You’re scaring me, acting like this.”

    “Hmph.”

    “Are you still going to work?” Jiang Zhiyan asked.

    Yu Qici thought for a few seconds and glanced at Jiang Zhiyan.

    “Go if you want to.”

    “I’ll finish this stage of my work and then I won’t go anymore, it’s uncomfortable leaving things half-finished, speaking of which, how’s the situation over there?”

    “Dozens of students died, but your lab is fine, so are you leaving this afternoon?”

    “No, I’ll work with you this afternoon, now that I’ve regained my memories, I basically know how to solve it…” Yu Qici paused, then continued, “Then I won’t go, I’ll handle it here, you can just send the results to my mentor.”

    “Okay,” Jiang Zhiyan said, satisfied.

    After lunch, Jiang Zhiyan took Yu Qici to the underground base. Yu Qici looked at the scene in front of her in shock: “How did you manage to build this here without anyone noticing?”

    “You should ask the author that question, it was already here when I arrived,” Jiang Zhiyan said. “Part of the basic setting.”

    Yu Qici chuckled softly, took Jiang Zhiyan’s hand, and followed behind her. There were all sorts of strange things here, many of them clearly created by Jiang Zhiyan, no wonder she hadn’t been seen for a while, Yu Qici suspected Jiang Zhiyan also worked here secretly while she was asleep.

    The System was a bit speechless: “I thought you two would go on a date after she woke up.”

    “We’ve been together for so many years, there’s no need at a critical juncture like this,” Jiang Zhiyan said. “Let’s try to finish this within a month.”

    “Ah…” the System sighed.

    Yu Qici opened Jiang Zhiyan’s mech design and was surprised: “I remember your previous mech designs were either meant to kill the opponent or get yourself killed, why are you being so conservative this time?”

    “Because I’m taking you with me this time, not just myself.”

    “I can also pilot a mech after I awaken,” Yu Qici looked at Jiang Zhiyan. “Do we have enough materials? We can fight our way out together.”

    “No way, you two aren’t planning to dismantle it and start over, are you? I’ve already completed forty percent!” the System shrieked. “Although I’m an AI, I also feel pain!”

    No worker liked redoing half-finished work, especially with a tighter deadline.

    It would be fine if Jiang Zhiyan installed more manipulator arms for it to control, but there were only four, it couldn’t make bricks without straw, it couldn’t speed up even if it wanted to.

    Jiang Zhiyan held her head and frowned.

    “What’s wrong? Is your System screaming?” Yu Qici asked with a smile, looking at Jiang Zhiyan’s expression.

    Jiang Zhiyan twitched the corner of her mouth, a bit exasperated: “I gave it too much work, it doesn’t want to dismantle the mech.”

    “Why dismantle it? We can build two,” Yu Qici said.

    The System breathed a sigh of relief, although there was more work, at least it didn’t have to dismantle what it had already built.

    “Use the same design, just change the color, matching couple mechs,” Yu Qici said, looking at Jiang Zhiyan with a smile.

    “Your Omega physique might affect you.”

    “It’s fine, it’s not a big problem, I just want matching mechs with you,” Yu Qici said, wrapping her arms around Jiang Zhiyan’s waist and kissing her chin.

    Working with your wife made work much more enjoyable.

    Because there weren’t many manipulator arms, Jiang Zhiyan and Yu Qici were responsible for assembling the smaller parts.

    Yu Qici also found time to submit her report.

    People from the Jiang family came every day, begging her to go back and help, their attitude becoming more and more humble each day, but they didn’t even get to see Jiang Zhiyan. If it weren’t for the lights in the house being on every day, they would have thought she had moved out.

    Jiang Chen was sentenced to exile on a desolate planet, but he was killed by his “enemies” before reaching it, crying out his innocence until his death.

    Jiang Zhiyan didn’t care about any of this.

    The Stargazers launched their attack a week earlier than expected. Because it was a surprise attack, the alliance’s standing army was unprepared and suffered heavy losses.

    Even while out shopping, Jiang Zhiyan and Yu Qici could sense the tense atmosphere, although people were still talking and laughing, the moment someone mentioned space pirates, the faces of those around them would instantly darken.

    After all, the space pirates had only been harassing them before, this time they were directly waging war and trying to occupy territory. The prices of daily necessities soared, and Jiang Zhiyan also bought quite a bit.

    The two sat in an ice cream shop, each ordering a five-scoop ice cream.

    “What do you think will happen?” Yu Qici asked.

    Jiang Zhiyan rested her chin on her hand: “It’s unlikely that that Ji something will save the day. Since the Stargazers dared to launch an attack, they must have made thorough preparations. Their attack was swift and decisive, and they accurately predicted the alliance’s actions three times in a row, they must have high-ranking officials within the alliance leaking information, and I think they probably have more tricks up their sleeves.”

    “What nonsense are you talking about!” The male Alpha sitting at the next table jumped up excitedly. “Nonsense, fearmongering!”

    Jiang Zhiyan: ?

    “Heh, two Omegas discussing such things! What do you know about the arrangements at the front lines? Heh.” He couldn’t tell Jiang Zhiyan’s background and simply judged them to be Omegas based on their appearance, his condescending tone very unpleasant.

    Jiang Zhiyan looked at him expressionlessly.

    “Ha, if it weren’t for the Alphas fighting on the front lines, would you be able to sit here and enjoy your ice cream?” he continued to mock. “Just a bunch of useless Omegas, what good are you!”

    Most of the people in the shop were Omegas, and they looked over with displeasure. Jiang Zhiyan couldn’t understand this person’s logic.

    “First, Alphas only make up fifteen percent of the front lines, seventy-five percent are Betas, and ten percent are Omegas, it’s not just Alphas fighting.”

    “Second, are you one of the Alphas fighting on the front lines? Then why are you sitting here? If you’re not, then what does it have to do with you?”

    “Third.” Jiang Zhiyan stood up, picked up a fork from the table, pressed it against his chin, and pierced his bone. He screamed in pain and tried to fight back, but she kicked him to the ground. “Be polite when speaking in public.”

    The onlookers stared with wide eyes. The shop owner looked over from behind the counter, many with amused expressions, clearly pleased.

    Jiang Zhiyan released her grip and looked towards a corner of the shop: “Since you want to ask me to go back, show some sincerity and send him to the front lines.”

    He looked at Jiang Zhiyan in terror, realizing after a second that she was talking about him, he covered his bleeding chin: “No, please… I have a one hundred and sixty-year-old mother at home, I can’t go to the front lines!”

    He was quickly dragged out by two people, the other two dealt with the surveillance footage and appeased the other customers, preventing the news from spreading, judging by their practiced movements, they had done this many times before.

    Jiang Zhiyan looked at the ice cream in her other hand and frowned: “So annoying, missed a spot.”

    “I’ll buy you another one, what flavor do you want? The same as before?” Yu Qici asked, handing her two wet wipes.

    “Okay.” Jiang Zhiyan tossed her ice cream into the trash can and sat down, waiting for Yu Qici to bring her a new one, and in the meantime, stole a scoop from Yu Qici’s ice cream.

    “Host, are you going back to the Jiang family?” the System asked curiously.

    “Of course not, their sincerity isn’t enough.”

    System: …

    Yu Qici returned with a new ice cream, looked at her own ice cream, which was missing a scoop, and glanced at Jiang Zhiyan, who smiled innocently.

    “I only ate it because it was melting,” Jiang Zhiyan said. “Then you can have a scoop of mine.”

    “No need, this is enough, I’m full.”

    The other customers, looking at the two resuming their date, suddenly felt their reaction was unnecessary, that Alpha had only briefly disrupted the atmosphere, and it quickly returned to normal, quiet conversations filling the shop again.

  • Inferior A After Having a Baby with the Top Boss 37p1

    Chapter 37: Ineffective p1

    Under the temperature control system of the hovercar, the cabin was warm and comfortable.

    As the enchanting floral fragrance lingered, and the atmosphere grew increasingly strange and tense, Zhu Yiqiao, sitting in the driver’s seat, remained indifferent, like a snow-covered sniper rifle hidden in the snow, concealed and ready to fire.

    Cold, calm, dangerous, ready to fire a precise and deadly bullet at any moment.

    She appeared extremely indifferent, not even frowning, without any outward display of emotion.

    Only the pheromone bracelet on her wrist flashed a warning red light twice.

    She opened her lips and said, “Xue Xun, is this why you used your ability in public?”

    The red-haired, green-eyed woman smiled, her slightly upturned fox eyes full of charm.

    “Yiqiao, Yiqiao.”

    She said, “Speaking to your Xue Jiejie like this, aren’t you afraid of hurting Xue Jiejie’s feelings?”

    She deliberately drew out her words, her voice alluring: “Or are you saying—”

    Lan Lubai made a surprised sound, looking at the display screen and suddenly saying, “Eh? There are investigation results from the Bai family.”

    Zhu Yiqiao: “Report.”

    “The Trial Court’s investigation results are as follows—”

    Lan Lubai’s voice became more serious: “After a two-day investigation in Silla by the investigation and enforcement departments, a total of 130 members of the Bai family were screened and investigated. Only Bai He’s mother knew about Bai He’s regular contact with people outside the country. The other 129 people were unaware of Bai He’s actions, and no evidence of their involvement was found.”

    “According to Bai He’s mother’s testimony, Bai He had been secretly traveling to Sisi for a long time five years ago. At that time, she had also curiously asked Bai He about the reason for going to Sisi, and Bai He only explained that she was going to discuss business cooperation with her university roommates and have reunions with other classmates who had settled in Sisi.”

    “Because Bai He did attend university in Sisi, and the results of the investigation conducted by Bai He’s mother confirmed this, her mother didn’t investigate further.”

    “In addition, according to her mother, Bai He didn’t show any unusual behavior in her daily life, nor did she have any special contact with anyone else.”

    Lan Lubai encrypted the document and uploaded it to the intranet: “Investigation report complete.”

    The pheromone bracelet on Zhu Yiqiao’s wrist had returned to normal. As light and shadows flickered, the hovercar was three minutes away from its destination.

    “Inform the Sisi government of the investigation results through the Secretariat, and have the investigation department go to Sisi and present a search warrant to investigate everyone who has had contact with Bai He.”

    Lan Lubai said, “Okay.”

    Zhu Yiqiao said coldly, “In addition, have the intelligence department investigate the latest movements of the Ministry of International Trade of Moli and the Kail family.”

    “Okay.”

    Hearing this, Xue Xun, sitting next to them, played with her red wavy hair and said meaningfully, “Moli is adjacent to Sisi’s northern coastline. If Bai He used business dealings with people in Sisi as a cover, she definitely couldn’t avoid Moli.”

    She pretended to sigh: “Oh, I just came back from vacation and encountered such a terrible thing. It’s still better to live life offline.”

    Lan Lubai: “You were on vacation for more than two months. Everyone in the Trial Court has been working overtime on this matter.”

    Xue Xun retorted, “I’m just a businesswoman reeking of money, how can I compare to the Trial Court, which serves the country and its people? Besides, Yiqiao doesn’t look like she’s been working overtime. On the contrary, she looks radiant and happy in love.”

    After saying that, she smiled brightly: “Oh~ and she even has a cute little darling now.”

    “Xue Xun—”

    The person called by her name raised her hand: “I’m just telling the truth. I even prepared gifts for your two little cuties.”

    Zhu Yiqiao looked at her: “Get to the point.”

    Xue Xun lowered her hand, conjured another flower with her ability, and her casual demeanor finally turned serious.

    The flower in her hand was a magnificent red, its petals heart-shaped and several times larger than ordinary petals. The pistil in the center was delicate and fragrant, its scent intoxicating.

    “I can’t sense anything.”

    She shook her head and said, “Those who awakened their abilities in the apocalypse can sense the presence of others through their abilities. I’ve already tried on the way here. There are no ability users in Taiya who have transmigrated from the apocalypse.”

    Lan Lubai put on her cap: “Then that means there might not be any transmigrators in the research institute.”

    Eight years ago, there was an anomaly in the sky, and the scientists at the time couldn’t explain the specific cause.

    Lan Lubai was still in the military academy at the time and didn’t pay attention to this anomaly at all. It wasn’t until she went to the front lines and met her friend Zhu Yiqiao, and later joined the Ares Special Forces and was about to retire, that—

    An accident.

    Revealed her friend’s secret to her and Min Man.

    —Zhu Yiqiao was a transmigrator.

    They were very surprised at the time, but not to the point of dropping their jaws, after all, she wasn’t an alien with six eyes and ten legs.

    Later, after learning about the various aspects of the country her friend came from, she, as a citizen of the Independent State of Yi Meng, who had grown up in a free, equal, open, and inclusive environment, couldn’t understand the Ole Empire in another dimension.

    She and Min Man both felt that it was a kind of madness.

    So, the more they learned, the more they felt sorry for their younger “sister.”

    After quickly accepting this information, they also learned from their friend that the King of the Independent State of Yi Meng had long known about all this, and that there was another transmigrator besides her.

    —Xue Xun, from another apocalyptic world.

    Ming Fei took the elevator downstairs early and waited in the lobby on the first floor for two minutes.

    When the silver hovercar stopped by the streetlight, she immediately put on her mask and walked outside.

    Even though it was a rare sunny day, the cold wind was still biting.

    Ming Fei pulled her scarf tighter and quickened her pace.

    The distance of five or six meters quickly closed.

    When Ming Fei approached the hovercar and stopped, the back door opened from the inside, and two figures stepped out.

    One of them was Lan Lubai, whom she had just met recently.

    The other one was a stranger, her red hair, red attire, and red accessories very eye-catching. The ten-centimeter-high red heeled boots made a slight sound as they stepped on the snow-covered road.

    Lan Lubai smiled: “Good afternoon, Teacher Xiao Fei, how’s your cold?”

    The corners of Ming Fei’s eyes curved upwards: “Thank you for your concern, I’m almost recovered.”

    Lan Lubai was about to introduce Xue Xun when the latter spoke first.

    “Hello, I’m Xue Xun, the founder of Dejade.”

    Ming Fei wasn’t familiar with the name, but the brand Dejade left a deep impression on her.

    Besides the fact that Dejade was the largest real estate developer in the Independent State of Yi Meng, another important reason was—before moving out of Hui Fu Garden, it was there that Zhu Yiqiao had called the game console a lie detector, later apologized to her and returned the braided rope bracelet she had dropped, and even… asked if she had someone she liked.

    Ming Fei met Xue Xun’s gaze and then politely looked away.

    She introduced herself: “Hello, my name is Ming Fei. I’m currently a lecturer at Q University.”

    Xue Xun: “Teacher Xiao Fei is young and promising. That introduction is too modest.”

    Ming Fei didn’t know how to respond, as the person in front of her was a complete stranger, and she didn’t know the relationship between Xue Xun and Zhu Yiqiao. Also, her social skills were really average, and even with 008’s help in studying for social skills class, she couldn’t even get a passing grade.

    As she was considering how to respond, the hovercar suddenly beeped, reminding them to get in.

    Ming Fei, like a stiff robot, felt relieved upon hearing the hovercar’s reminder, as if she had been rescued.

    She smiled: “Then I’ll get in the car first, goodbye.”

    Lan Lubai hummed in response: “Goodbye, Teacher Xiao Fei.”

    Xue Xun waved as if teasing a kitten: “See you next time, Teacher Xiao Fei~”

    Ming Fei softly repeated her goodbyes, then bypassed the two and got into the hovercar.

    The car was usually clean and odorless, but today there was a rich floral fragrance. Ming Fei didn’t ask any questions, just took off her mask and greeted Zhu Yiqiao with a light smile.

    “Jiejie.”

    “Mm.”

    The hovercar sped away. As they passed through the Roda 103 public area, Ming Fei received a video call invitation from her daughter, Ming Zaozao.

    She glanced sideways at Zhu Yiqiao and, after confirming that she wasn’t working, softly asked,

    “Jiejie, are you free now? Zaozao is calling me.”

    “Project it onto the display screen.”

    “Okay.”

    The display screen switched from the latest news of ten countries to Ming Zaozao’s round face.

    She was very close to the camera. Seeing Ming Fei, her eyes lit up, calling out to Ming Fei first, then to Zhu Yiqiao beside her.

    “Good morning, Mommy~”

    “Good morning, Pretty Auntie~”

    They both responded. Ming Zaozao immediately began inquiring about Ming Fei’s condition. She was really worried about Ming Fei, asking repeatedly just to make sure Ming Fei wasn’t feeling unwell.

    Ming Fei soothed her: “I’m almost fully recovered. I’ll be back to pick you up tomorrow evening.”

    “Really?”

    “Mm.” Ming Fei’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Has Zaozao been listening to Auntie Min Man these past two days?”

    Ming Zaozao stood up, holding her plush toy, and showed Ming Fei all the gifts she had received, like a proud little peacock.

    “Baby has been very obedient!”

    “Aunties, Grandmas, they all gave Baby so many presents!”

    “They want Baby to visit them often and make delicious food for Baby every day.”

    Ming Fei chatted with Ming Zaozao in a gentle voice. Halfway through the journey, Ming Zaozao, who had to go have breakfast, reluctantly hung up the video call.

    The car suddenly became very quiet. Ming Fei was about to read again, but as she opened her e-book library, she heard Zhu Yiqiao’s voice.

    “What did you eat for lunch?”

    Ming Fei, who had given up on eating at the restaurant, looked at Zhu Yiqiao, wanting to speak but hesitating, like a puppy caught with its paw in the cookie jar.

    “Did you go into the kitchen?”

    Ming Fei’s eyelashes fluttered as she nodded: “Mm.”

    She explained, “I originally planned to eat out before going back, but there weren’t any dishes suitable for patients in the restaurants, and the only suitable thing in the hotel was plain porridge, but I wanted vegetable porridge, so…”

    Ming Fei felt a strange sense of nervousness, after all, Zhu Yiqiao had just added a new rule to the contract yesterday, and she, as Party B, had violated it the very next day.

    Zhu Yiqiao’s voice was emotionless.

    “This is the only time, don’t let it happen again.”

    “Mm!” Ming Fei’s happiness was written all over her face. “Thank you, Jiejie.”

    Zhu Yiqiao didn’t say anything in response.

    She looked at the news on the display screen. Seeing the news about a multi-person physical altercation that had unexpectedly occurred at an event in Silla, she couldn’t help but think of the person quietly reading next to her.

    Ming Fei was probably the most polite, most obedient, and gentlest person she had ever met.

    She always had the words “thank you” on her lips, politely saying “thank you” to everyone except Ming Zaozao, even to the robots at home.

    When she accidentally bumped into the robot dog, she would even squat down and pat the robot dog’s head, then apologize to it, as if she really felt sorry.

    Compared to those alphas who would fight on the simulated battlefield or use pheromones to provoke at the slightest disagreement, Ming Fei seemed to have a better temper than a rabbit.

    But when everyone thought she was so good-tempered that they could push her around at will, she would show another side, calm, decisive, and sharp.

    A rabbit would bite when angry, and Ming Fei would calmly hold a gun and make a precise shot.

    …

  • The Vicious Female Lead Doesn’t Want to Do It Anymore 75p1

    Chapter 75: More Please – Desensitization Therapy Part 1

    Of course, Dong Ling just thought about it and didn’t have the nerve to ask Tang Qianxi.

    She looked at the instantly revived Tang Qianxi, helped her choose clothes and accessories, and watched her rush out the door.

    “Ling Ling, I’m going to find her, you can leave whenever, remember to lock the door for me.”

    Tang Qianxi’s voice gradually faded as she walked away, disappearing into the air.

    Dong Ling smiled helplessly, checked the faucets and stove in Tang Qianxi’s apartment, and locked the door for her.

    She originally wanted to hang out with her friends to distract herself during these three days of cold war, but on the very first day, her friend had already run off to pursue her own love.

    Dong Ling turned her sunglasses in the car and called Dong Nuo.

    As a true party animal in their small circle, Dong Nuo always had many fun activities, going out with her was definitely the right choice, it would never be boring.

    “Nuo Nuo, where are you?”

    “Honey, you’re looking for me? I’m on a small island, surfing with my boyfriend, talk to you later!”

    Dong Nuo, wearing a swimsuit, lay on the beach, having her boyfriend apply sunscreen, she caressed his muscles and kissed him.

    Dong Ling listened to the inappropriate sounds, numbly hung up the phone.

    How come, while she and her girlfriend were forced to separate, her friends were all in love?!

    Thinking this, Dong Ling saw a group of young couples walk by. Probably noticing the luxury car parked by the roadside, they took a sweet picture together in front of the car.

    Dong Ling: …………

    So painful, truly painful.

    Only after they finished taking pictures did Dong Ling start the car listlessly.

    For a moment, she didn’t know where to go, so she went to the company.

    Busy work could fill the void in her mind, and initially, it was indeed very effective.

    But as night fell, a greater emptiness surged.

    Dong Ling was confused, it was just a relationship, why did so many things feel different now?

    Song Mingzhi wasn’t always by her side, in the past, before they confessed, such days were normal, why was it so unbearable now, even just for one day?

    Dong Ling took a picture of the night view outside the window and shared it on Weibo.

    @Jieshi: Finished work today, I can’t share tonight’s night sky and the not-so-delicious dinner with her, feeling a little down, I really want to be with Jiejie.

    Humans had a desire to share, especially with the people they liked, a desperate urge to let them know and be involved in their lives.

    Unfortunately, she was currently in the “cold war” stage, so Dong Ling could only express this desire to share online, along with her feelings of disappointment.

    Tonight’s dinner wasn’t exactly bad, but Dong Ling felt that the chef didn’t control the heat well, she liked tender meat, but the meat tonight was a bit tough and salty.

    She was too embarrassed to use that intimate address for Song Mingzhi, which she wouldn’t say out loud, but she had no such reservations online.

    Dong Ling drove home, and after arriving, she refreshed Weibo and saw new replies.

    @ILostAFightToACat: Is it my imagination, or has Jieshi become like a coquettish little girl after falling in love? A rich woman like this, who wouldn’t want her? Rich woman, please date me, don’t make me beg on my knees!

    @SongSongReallyWantToSleep: Why can’t you share with Jiejie? Is it because of work? Is she unreachable, or is she an artist in the industry?

    @MyFingersHurt: Hahahaha, I can immediately tell Jieshi’s type, I wonder who managed to capture Jieshi Jiejie’s heart, is she the same cool and beautiful type as Song Jie?

    Dong Ling mistakenly read the second and third comments together and almost had a heart attack.

    Although she felt that Song Mingzhi wouldn’t mind coming out, and didn’t even seem to care much about her career in the entertainment industry, Song Mingzhi’s popularity was still rising, revealing a relationship now would be very unwise.

    And regardless of personal or professional considerations, Yu Shuangwei’s “The Legend of Liang Jin’an” hadn’t been released yet, such explosive gossip would be a huge loss.

    Dong Ling’s intention to reply to the comments vanished, she chose to remain silent and continue reading.

    A Song Zhong sister was particularly persistent, determined to mention the CP in every comment, trying to annoy her, the “anti-fan,” and even bought a membership so she could post pictures in her comment section.

    @Tonight’sWindAndMoon: Jieshi Jiejie, why can’t you be with Jiejie? Such a pity, our CEO Dong and Song Jie are filming a movie together, so they can be together openly.

    Attached was a behind-the-scenes photo from “The Legend of Liang Jin’an,” the picture showed Song Mingzhi holding an umbrella for Dong Ling.

    Dong Ling mentally gave her a thumbs-up, the clarity of this picture was excellent.

    Not to mention, the pictures edited by CP fans were truly amazing.

    Dong Ling admired the picture for a while, lamenting her girlfriend’s beauty, and continued browsing Weibo.

    It was a pity 021 was still dormant, and she didn’t have the authority, otherwise she really wanted to see the resources it had stored.

    After all, she was a domineering CEO who had to… no, it was less than three days now.

    She was a domineering CEO who had to go out in two days, she had to prepare.

    To be more immersed in the role, Dong Ling went to the super topic forum for her and Song Mingzhi, then fled in terror.

    Absolutely not, absolutely not, absolutely not!

    “Song Mingzhi” grabbed “Dong Ling’s” wrist and said coldly: “You used to be the one keeping me, but now you’re my prisoner, please me, and I’ll consider saving your company.”

    Aaaaaaaaa! What kind of plot was this?! Dong Ling’s toes curled, she felt numb.

    The CP fans were no longer satisfied with the ordinary “canary makes the sugar daddy cry” trope, role reversal, forced marriage, sugar daddy wanting to change canaries but being ruthlessly dominated… truly terrifying.

    As Dong Ling fled, she was also indignant, did she really seem that un-dominant? There were people calling her “husband” under the video she posted before, even praising her powerful top energy, why was the general consensus in the super topic that she was the bottom?

    Even Chen Shang Shang said her cold and silent demeanor was very intimidating, full of elite aura.

    Why, why, she wanted to be the domineering CEO, these were all learning materials for being the bottom, how was she supposed to put them into practice?!

    Dong Ling felt that she must have missed something, the ones she saw were all like that, there must be new content, so she returned to the super topic forum to search, and actually found the “riding face” content she had been thinking about earlier.

    Of course, there was no actual story, just a preview from a fan fiction writer, asking if the readers were interested.

    This action was exactly what it sounded like, Dong Ling felt it was a bit much.

    @BlueBlue: I remember the author previously mentioned the sugar daddy’s special constitution, hahahaha, won’t Song Jie be choked?

    Dong Ling: ???????

    There was no need to visit this super topic forum anymore, goodbye, internet.

    Dong Ling turned off her phone, put on a violin CD, and started reading.

    After reading for half an hour, Dong Ling started practicing yoga, stretching.

    Time quickly passed, and Dong Ling decided to tidy up her room before taking a bath.

    It was at this moment that Dong Ling noticed a report, it was the medical report from when she accidentally drank Chen Fei’s spiked drink, she had put it aside and hadn’t looked at it because she was busy, and she hadn’t experienced any unusual symptoms, so she had completely forgotten about it, only remembering it now.

    Dong Ling opened the report and her eyes widened seeing the results.

    She knew she was sensitive, but she didn’t know she was this sensitive, no wonder she… Dong Ling gasped, Chen Fei really hadn’t lied to her that time, it was just an ordinary stimulant, but it was extremely potent for her.

    Dong Ling hurriedly put the report away and entered the bathroom with a troubled mind.

    Did Song Mingzhi see this report? Probably not, right? Or did she?

    It had been too long, Dong Ling couldn’t remember.

    If Song Mingzhi saw it… Dong Ling sank into the water, looked at her slightly flushed face through the water, and covered her face with her hands.

    Too embarrassing.

    These three days were longer than Dong Ling had imagined, and when she heard the task system’s notification, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy.

    [Task complete, current main storyline progress: 57%.]

    [Task: Confront the female lead angrily, and in this state, say the lines and do something extremely intimate with her. Countdown: five hours. Completing this task will reward 13% progress.]

    If 021 was here, it would be screaming.

    This was 13%!

    Dong Ling was already at the airport, she had been counting down the time, unsure when the deadline was, so she bought tickets for every flight after that, afraid of missing the optimal time.

    Dong Ling refunded the other tickets, her current flight was about to board.

    Dong Ling actually wanted to surprise Song Mingzhi, but since Song Mingzhi was on set, if she appeared too suddenly, and other people saw, it wouldn’t be a surprise, and might even cause unnecessary trouble. So before boarding, Dong Ling first asked Xiao Tan if Song Mingzhi was filming, and after learning that Song Mingzhi had finished her scenes for the day and was removing her makeup, Dong Ling immediately called her.

  • Sickly Girl Doesn’t Die in Zombie Simulator 131p2

    Chapter 131: Giddy-Up, Horsey! p2

    “Meimei, Dandan, come here and listen to this. Doesn’t it sound like the younger sister who brought you here?”

    She called over the two little girls, the twins the Lin sisters had left behind.

    The fungal tendrils within their bodies had been removed before Lin Jiayao left; they were no longer under her control, their memories of her abilities suppressed.

    “Yes,” Dandan, the older twin, now Awakened, nodded hesitantly.

    Meimei, the shyer one, seeing her sister nod, also nodded.

    They both remembered that voice, a voice they both loved and feared, a voice they would never forget.

    Even through the static, the calm, even tone, instantly recognizable.

    Seeing both girls confirm, Wan Zi froze.

    She remembered asking the sisters where they were going, that early morning.

    They had said Kun City… she’d been curious then, why such a distant destination.

    And now, the radio was reporting the deaths of three B-rank Voodoo Cult members in Kun City…

    Holy shit… I don’t know what to think anymore…

    Could it be true? Were those two part of a secret Awakened organization based in Kun City?

    An organization that, tired of the Voodoo Cult’s tyranny, had finally decided to act, to eliminate them?

    It sounded absurd, but more plausible than that “Little Sister Lin” single-handedly wiping out the Voodoo Cult.

    It was far-fetched, but the only explanation that made sense.

    Otherwise, how could three B-rank Voodoo Cult members have died in Kun City? And how could “Little Sister Lin’s” voice be on the radio, broadcasting from Kun City?

    A strange sense of calm washed over her as the message repeated.

    “Quickly, get some containers, collect the rainwater!”

    “Send someone to the mountain, see if those Voodoo Cult bastards are still there.”

    “The rest of you Awakened, come with me to the main gate…”

    Wan Zi began issuing commands, the previous despair replaced by a sense of purpose, their faces, even under the dark, rainy sky, showing a flicker of hope.

    And this scene wasn’t unique to the Qingzhou camp. Across Guangdong Province, in fleeing convoys and besieged camps, hope rekindled. And even in a convoy nearing Kun City…

    …

    “Mm…”

    Yun Province, Kun City, near the border between the burned wasteland and the lush green jungle, a giant, semi-circular “vine cocoon” hung suspended in the air.

    Large enough to comfortably hold several people, its interior spacious.

    Inside, Lin Jiayao, coaching Huayibai on what to say for the broadcast, suddenly stopped.

    A soft moan from her sister, who was lying nearby. She turned and saw her sister shift, her hand reaching out, searching.

    Her sister’s peaceful expression turned to panic as her hand grasped at empty air. She sat up abruptly.

    “Yao?!!!”

    “Thump—”

    Although the vine cocoon was spacious enough for her to stand, jumping wasn’t a good idea.

    Hitting her head on the vines, Lin Xiwan sat down, rubbing her head, her gaze instantly fixing on Lin Jiayao.

    “Yao!”

    Without hesitation, she lunged, pulling her sister into a tight embrace.

    “Sob… Yao… sob…”

    To Lin Jiayao’s surprise, her sister, instead of asking questions, started crying, like a child.

    Lin Jiayao didn’t interrupt but hugged her back, gently patting her back.

    “I… sob… I thought I’d lost you…”

    Lin Xiwan clung to her sister, her body shaking.

    Hearing her sister’s sobs, Lin Jiayao felt her own eyes welling up.

    “It’s okay… it’s over… it’s all over…” She gently stroked her sister’s back, her voice soothing.

    Her sister’s words finally triggered Lin Xiwan’s memory.

    She’d been so relieved to see her sister that she’d forgotten about the B-rank Awakened, the lightning…

    She quickly pulled away, her hands anxiously checking her sister for injuries.

    “Huh?”

    She’d expected to find wounds on her sister, but instead, she noticed something odd about her own hands.

    They had been badly injured… her entire body burned…

    Even an Awakened’s regeneration wouldn’t be this fast.

    But her wounds… were gone…

    And as she remembered her injuries, the memories of the battle, the confusion, the questions, came flooding back.

    The vines connected to her sister… the strange tendrils within Huayibai, its B-rank abilities… how had they even survived last night…?

    Her sister must know.

    She stared at Lin Jiayao.

    And just as Lin Jiayao took a deep breath, about to speak, her sister covered her mouth.

    “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” she said, looking at her sister.

    “Hmm?” Lin Jiayao blinked, puzzled.

    “Your secrets,” Lin Xiwan smiled. “It’s okay if you don’t want to share them.”

    “Sister trusts you.”

    From the moment she’d been rescued by that bone-white zombie, and then later, her sister being rescued by a zombie seemingly controlled by the same Awakened, she’d had her suspicions.

    But her sister had been acting normally, so she’d dismissed them.

    And now, after everything that had happened, it was clear her sister was hiding something, something she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, reveal.

    But she didn’t care; she trusted her sister completely.

    Lin Jiayao blinked again, this time not from confusion, but from the tears threatening to spill. She’d been so worried… and now…

    All thanks to that battle, to her actions.

    Fighting alongside her, even to the death, whether they were zombies or not… it no longer mattered to her sister.

    They knew they could trust each other with their lives.

    Actions spoke louder than words.

    And Lin Jiayao would no longer hide her abilities from her sister.

    She would tell her everything, within the system’s limitations.

    She had practiced this conversation with Huayibai and had heard the system’s warning.

    She could reveal anything except the system’s existence.

    Not even indirectly, not even hinting at it.

    “I… I had a dream… I dreamed I became a zombie, wandering in Yangzhou City…”

    “And then one day… I realized I could actually control the zombie in my dream… I even went to the camp… I saw familiar faces…”

    Slowly, haltingly, she described her dreams, controlling zombies, rescuing her sister, meeting Huayibai, fighting giant monsters in America, facing tsunamis and terrifying sea creatures in Japan…

    Her sister listened, her mouth agape, then even more shocked to hear that after each dream, she gained an ability…

    Lin Jiayao demonstrated each of her abilities, explaining how she had used the building-trees to defeat the B-rank Awakened.

    Even after she finished, Lin Xiwan still stared at the bone claws extending from her sister’s hand, stunned.

    “Sister?”

    Lin Jiayao gently nudged her frozen sister.

    “Uh…” Lin Xiwan snapped out of it, rubbing her temples and taking a deep breath. “Let me… process this… just… give me a moment.”

    Lin Jiayao knew her story was… unbelievable; she didn’t expect her sister to accept it immediately.

    After a long silence, Lin Xiwan, having absorbed the information, looked at her sister.

    Under her sister’s gaze, Lin Jiayao’s heart pounded nervously.

    How would her sister react?

    Would she be angry… or disappointed…?

    “So… you’re saying… your legs… they might recover? If you keep gaining these… physical enhancements?” Lin Xiwan asked, gently stroking her sister’s legs.

    “Uh…” Lin Jiayao blinked, then nodded. “Theoretically… yes.”

    “That’s wonderful~” Lin Xiwan beamed, cupping her sister’s face and gently rubbing her cheeks. “You’ll be able to walk again!”

    “That’s… that’s the idea…” Lin Jiayao didn’t resist, then, after a moment, asked, “Don’t you have any other… thoughts… about my abilities…?”

    “Other thoughts?” Now Lin Xiwan was curious, her expression mirroring her sister’s earlier confusion.

    Then, realization dawning, she sighed dramatically. “So… my dear little sister is so powerful now… she doesn’t need my protection anymore…”

    She squeezed her sister’s cheeks playfully, pretending to cry. “Sister is no longer needed… sob…”

    She would miss seeing her adorable little sister hiding behind her, seeking her protection.

    Of course, she wasn’t truly sad.

    The stronger her sister, the higher her chances of survival. Knowing she was now capable of protecting herself was a huge relief.

    Loving her sister meant always putting her first; they shared the same values.

    And if she were in her sister’s shoes, unsure of her own nature, whether she was even still human, she, too, would hesitate to reveal such things, to avoid causing unnecessary worry.

    She would have told her eventually, just… not yet.

    But then, she looked at Huayibai, who was watching them intently.

    Sensing her gaze, Huayibai flinched and quickly moved out of reach.

    “Come here,” Lin Xiwan said, her voice firm.

    “Eep…” Huayibai glanced at its Mommy, who seemed… embarrassed, then, its face crumpling slightly, it shuffled closer.

    “Snuggle—”

    The moment its face was within reach, Lin Xiwan grabbed it, her fingers playfully pinching its cheeks.

    “So you and Yao were already acquainted… in your ‘dreams,’ huh? A B-rank, pretending to be a D-rank… deceiving me…”

    She continued to pinch Huayibai’s cheeks, her mock-accusatory tone making Huayibai giggle.

    “Whimper… Yibai is sowwy… Yibai won’t do it again… whimper…”

    The fungal tendrils beneath Huayibai’s skin cooperated, flushing red, creating the illusion of a blush.

    Where had it learned this? From watching Mommy, of course.

    A live demonstration. Monkey see, monkey do.

    “Speaking of deception… I’ve… remembered a few things…” Lin Xiwan’s eyes narrowed, turning to her sister.

    “It seems… a certain someone, despite being so powerful, pretended to be a weak, helpless little girl, clinging to me for protection… I wonder who that could be? Hmm? Who indeed?”

    She looked at her sister, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Was it… you~?”

    “Ahem…” Lin Jiayao blushed, a genuine blush, not a fungal flush. “Yibai, could you… excuse us for a moment…?”

    She couldn’t be… punished… in front of her “daughter.” It would ruin her image.

    “Okay!”

    Huayibai, thinking it had escaped, eagerly climbed out of the vine cocoon and jumped to the ground, landing face-first with a “thump.”

    Alone in the cocoon, the two sisters looked at each other.

    “I… I didn’t mean to, Sis…” Lin Jiayao said, trying to explain her earlier deception, her words weak and unconvincing.

    “Oh? You didn’t mean to?” Lin Xiwan smiled, a playful glint in her eyes, shifted closer, and opened her arms wide. “Come on then, show Sister how you pretended to be so weak and helpless.”

    “Huh?” Lin Jiayao blinked, confused.

    “Show me… how you did it… It’s your punishment~” she said, her eyes crinkling with amusement. “Do it, and I’ll forgive you~”

    Then, seeing her sister hesitate, she added softly, “Or do you want Sister to be angry at you… forever…?”

    Lin Jiayao, her lips pursed, looked at her smug sister.

    Since her sister had deliberately moved away, she had to crawl towards her, until she could smell her familiar scent, before stopping.

    “Hmph~” Her sister’s grin widened, her arms opening even wider.

    Lin Jiayao, looking at her sister, slowly extended her right hand, her index and middle fingers forming a pincer, and pinched her waist hard.

    “YOW!!!” Lin Xiwan yelped, jumping back.

    “Good girl, good girl, aah, let go! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!”

    Not satisfied, Lin Jiayao tickled her sister mercilessly until she collapsed, helpless with laughter.

    Looking at her sister, sprawled on the ground, Lin Jiayao finally felt slightly better.

    Where had she learned that… that annoying little act…?

    Just as she was replaying her sister’s irritatingly smug tone, a hand grabbed her, and she fell onto her sister.

    “Hmm?”

    Her sister had pulled her down, into a tight embrace.

    “No matter what, you’re still my precious little sister, and I love you more than anything… that will never change, understand?” she said, her earlier playfulness gone, her voice soft and sincere.

    Her sister’s playful anger had dispelled any lingering doubts or worries.

    No matter what they became, how strong or weak, their bond wouldn’t change.

    And that was all that mattered.

    She was still the loving older sister, and her sister, despite her cold demeanor and sharp words, still loved and relied on her.

    “Mwah~”

    “Ptoo, ptoo—Ew! Yao, your forehead is so dirty! Covered in blood and ash!”

    “You’re the one who kissed me!”

    “So gross! Mwah, mwah, mwah~ Come on, is there any clean water in Kun City? Sister will give you a bath~”

    “Stop kissing me! And yes, there is!”

    “Mwah, mwah, mwah~”

    “Stop it!!!”

  • Can We Get Married First?  121

    Side Story 7: Lin Wei CP (Part 2)

    Lin Xiaozhi knew she couldn’t hide the smell of cigarettes, especially after a deep kiss.

    Facing Wei Zhuoning’s worried gaze, she couldn’t think of anything witty to say, and her throat tickled, wanting to cough.

    “Just, couldn’t sleep… cough, cough, cough…”

    Lin Xiaozhi put her mask back on and turned away, coughing uncontrollably.

    Wei Zhuoning followed and gently rubbed her back, offering no words of reprimand. After the coughing subsided, she handed Lin Xiaozhi her thermos.

    Wei Zhuoning’s thermos was also a gift from Lin Xiaozhi.

    A white body with a pink clasp, snowflakes adorning the lid. Lin Xiaozhi had loved it at first sight, thinking it perfectly suited Wei Zhuoning.

    Anything soft, fluffy, and pink seemed tailor-made for Wei Zhuoning, the perfect colors for a little rabbit.

    Wei Zhuoning had received countless gifts from Lin Xiaozhi, from scarves and gloves to clothes and shoes, all carefully chosen by Lin Xiaozhi.

    Even in their school uniforms, with Lin Xiaozhi’s skillful accessorizing, Wei Zhuoning had gradually transformed from a girl with a “slum aura” to a stylish young woman.

    Lin Xiaozhi loved seeing her look beautiful; she was meant to shine.

    Wei Zhuoning, aware of Lin Xiaozhi’s efforts, knew that only by becoming better, prettier, more accomplished, could she be worthy of her.

    So she accepted all the gifts, using them every day.

    And she worked tirelessly, writing stories, saving half the money for her mother, the other half spent on Lin Xiaozhi.

    Lin Xiaozhi’s masks, hair dye, watch, shoes, and backpack were all bought by Wei Zhuoning.

    Marking the person you loved with your presence, there was no greater expression of affection.

    Wei Zhuoning adored everything about Lin Xiaozhi, her appearance, her personality, every detail memorized, every nuance cherished.

    When writing, her female characters often unconsciously took on Lin Xiaozhi’s characteristics.

    Were there perfect people in the world?

    Perhaps not.

    But in Wei Zhuoning’s world, there was.

    And that person was Lin Xiaozhi.

    Even her smoking habit, which Wei Zhuoning found repulsive, she tolerated for Lin Xiaozhi’s sake.

    She never wanted to change Lin Xiaozhi, but the smoking… it was unhealthy.

    Lin Xiaozhi, her hand hidden in her sleeve, pulled her mask down to take a sip of water, then offered the thermos back to Wei Zhuoning.

    “Drink more,” Wei Zhuoning protested, seeing that she had barely taken a sip.

    Lin Xiaozhi, looking at Wei Zhuoning, who was practically hovering over her, smiled and took two large gulps:

    “Happy now?”

    “Why not finish it?”

    “Your thermos will taste like cigarettes.”

    “I don’t mind.” Wei Zhuoning pushed the thermos towards her again.

    Lin Xiaozhi disliked hot drinks, even lukewarm food upset her stomach, and yet, she preferred cold drinks and food.

    She frowned after taking two sips of hot water.

    Class was about to start, and Wei Zhuoning pulled her towards their classroom.

    Lin Xiaozhi coughed softly as they walked. She was clearly suppressing it, not wanting Wei Zhuoning to worry.

    Was it really for her sake? Wei Zhuoning’s heart ached.

    After yesterday’s scolding, Wei Zhuoning was much more focused in class, resisting the urge to write.

    The only sounds in the quiet classroom were the teacher’s voice and Lin Xiaozhi’s occasional coughs.

    As soon as class ended, Wei Zhuoning disappeared. Lin Xiaozhi messaged her:

    “Where are you? Weren’t we supposed to study? Why did you run off again?”

    Two minutes later, Wei Zhuoning replied: “I’ll be right back, wait for me, let’s have lunch together.”

    Lin Xiaozhi looked down from the hallway and saw Wei Zhuoning rushing back from the school gate, holding a small bag.

    She could guess what it was.

    Wei Zhuoning’s nose and cheeks were red from the cold, her hair slightly disheveled.

    “It’s sleeting outside, did you bring an umbrella?” Lin Xiaozhi was waiting for her in the empty hallway.

    “No.” Lin Xiaozhi never checked the weather, a little rain or snow never bothered her.

    “I did,” Wei Zhuoning said, smiling sweetly, holding up the bag. “I’ll walk you home after school.”

    “What’s in the bag?”

    “I asked the pharmacist, they said you might have chronic pharyngitis, it’s not easy to treat, but these lozenges might help, want to try some?”

    Wei Zhuoning’s sincerity made Lin Xiaozhi laugh:

    “You can’t just ‘try’ medicine, it’s not food.”

    “But I don’t…”

    Lin Xiaozhi pulled her into a hug, stuffed the lozenges into her pocket, and cupped her cold cheeks, her warm hands chasing away the chill.

    A few passing students smiled knowingly, and Wei Zhuoning blushed.

    Not wanting to end the embrace, yet embarrassed by the public display of affection, she held Lin Xiaozhi’s hand, her head down, and whispered:

    “Should we go to the rooftop?”

    “The rooftop? It’s freezing, why?” Lin Xiaozhi seemed confused.

    “…Never mind.”

    Wei Zhuoning pulled away and quickly walked away.

    Lin Xiaozhi, seeing her shyness, her heart warming, couldn’t help but smile.

    They had been dating for almost a year, and she was still so easily flustered.

    Wei Zhuoning always made her feel like they were still in the early stages of their relationship.

    “Wait, we haven’t had lunch yet…” Lin Xiaozhi was about to follow when she broke into another coughing fit.

    Wei Zhuoning stopped and turned around, seeing her hunched over, clutching her chest, coughing uncontrollably.

    “Why are you chasing me?” Wei Zhuoning returned to her side.

    “Why are you running?” Lin Xiaozhi retorted between coughs.

    “Stop talking, you’re hurting yourself.” Wei Zhuoning took her sleeve, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I brought you lunch.”

    “Really?” Lin Xiaozhi’s eyes lit up.

    “Yes, come on!”

    They returned to the classroom, which was almost empty, only Sha Xinyu napping at her desk.

    “You made this last night?” They sat in their usual corner, Lin Xiaozhi looking eagerly into her bag.

    “This morning,” Wei Zhuoning said, surprised by her enthusiasm.

    “You had time to cook this morning?”

    “I was making breakfast and lunch for my mom and myself anyway.”

    Wei Zhuoning’s head was down as she spoke.

    Lin Xiaozhi’s anticipation made her nervous: “It’s just, simple dishes, braised chicken leg, some vegetables, and multigrain rice, I hope you don’t mind…”

    “Braised chicken leg? Don’t torture me, give it to me!”

    Lin Xiaozhi, seeing her hesitation, snatched the lunchbox.

    “Hey! Be careful!”

    Lin Xiaozhi opened the thermos; the food was still warm.

    A bed of stir-fried greens, half the container filled with multigrain rice, and a fragrant braised chicken leg placed neatly on top, garnished with two carrot slices carved into the shape of cherry blossoms.

    The carving was a bit clumsy, but clearly done with care.

    Wei Zhuoning watched Lin Xiaozhi nervously, her heart sinking when she didn’t react.

    Was it too plain…?

    “You should eat something, your stomach will hurt later.” Wei Zhuoning promised, “I’ll make you beef stew tomorrow, you like beef, right?”

    Lin Xiaozhi put the lunchbox down and kissed her.

    Wei Zhuoning, startled, almost fell out of her chair.

    “What… what are you doing?!” She glanced at Sha Xinyu and whispered.

    Lin Xiaozhi, laughing and coughing: “A thank you kiss.”

    “You don’t have to do that! What if someone sees…”

    “Let them see.” Lin Xiaozhi started eating. “I can kiss my own girlfriend, can’t I?”

    Wei Zhuoning blushed: “Who’s your girlfriend…”

    “You are.” Lin Xiaozhi, while eating, wrapped an arm around Wei Zhuoning’s waist.

    Suddenly, Sha Xinyu sat up, and Wei Zhuoning quickly pushed Lin Xiaozhi’s hand away.

    Sha Xinyu sneezed and went back to sleep. Lin Xiaozhi chuckled.

    “You’re so easily embarrassed.”

    “…You’re just shameless.”

    “This chicken is amazing!” Lin Xiaozhi said sincerely. “Imagine, years from now, after a long day at work, coming home to a delicious meal like this…”

    “Aren’t you thinking too far ahead?”

    “What? Isn’t that your plan too?” Lin Xiaozhi’s eyes narrowed.

    Wei Zhuoning imagined living with Lin Xiaozhi after graduation… it was too good to be true. She didn’t dare to dream.

    “Of course it is…” She said, lacking confidence.

    Wei Zhuoning opened her own lunchbox. Lin Xiaozhi glanced at it:

    “Where’s your chicken? Why only vegetables?”

    Wei Zhuoning ate quickly: “I don’t like meat.”

    “You gave me the chicken, and you didn’t have any yourself?!”

    Wei Zhuoning had been spending too much this month, and she could only afford two chicken legs, one for Lin Xiaozhi, one for her mother. She didn’t mind eating vegetables.

    “I weally don’t wike it,” Wei Zhuoning mumbled with her mouth full.

    “Look how skinny you are! You need to eat meat! Here, have some!”

    Lin Xiaozhi tore off a piece of chicken and tried to feed her.

    Wei Zhuoning grabbed her lunchbox and ran, Lin Xiaozhi chasing after her.

    Wei Zhuoning was surprisingly fast, but Lin Xiaozhi’s long legs caught up to her.

    Pinning her against the classroom door, Lin Xiaozhi forced her to eat the chicken.

    Sha Xinyu, opening one eye, looked at the couple impassively.

    She had stayed up late doing homework, skipped lunch to nap, and now this PDA.(public display of affection)

    Being single was hard.

  • Shion’s Notes 123-124

    Chapter 123: I Want to Go Further

    Ye Zhiyun left with her father, despite her reluctance. She longed to stay by Yu Linna’s side, to give her everything she had always lacked. But it seemed impossible.

    “Don’t look so glum, dear. Cheer up.”

    “…You cheer up.”

    Ye Zhiyun was irritated. Her father’s timing was impeccable, choosing this exact moment to drag her off to Australia. She didn’t want to go to Australia; she wanted to go back to Guangnan City.

    She didn’t understand why her father needed her at the company when her brother was already there. She couldn’t offer as much assistance as her brother; in terms of ability and capital, she was no match for him. She was too young.

    With her luggage packed, Ye Zhiyun prepared to board the plane. Their next stop: Australia. This international business trip was a first for her; her previous trips abroad had been purely for leisure. It was clear how much her father valued her, how eager he was to cultivate her abilities, to give her valuable experience. Ye Zhiyun recognized his intentions.

    Before leaving, she called her mother, Li Xiaoyue, who was at home watching television. Hearing her daughter’s voice, Li Xiaoyue’s face lit up with a smile.

    “My dear daughter, missing your mom? Come home if you miss me. Your aunt is coming to stay with us this weekend, until the New Year. You don’t have any work commitments, right?”

    “Sorry, Mom, I actually do. I’m going abroad with Dad.”

    “Your father, honestly! You’re still in your senior year. Isn’t it a bit much to push you so hard?”

    “Is it? My brother was sent to America to study during his senior year and ended up going to university there. Compared to him, I’m still close to home. I’m quite lucky.”

    Indeed, compared to her brother, she was fortunate. She had been raised in comfort and privilege, never truly leaving the nest until she was ten, a veritable princess. It wasn’t until she learned about stock investments that she truly began to mature.

    Ye Zhiyun was quite successful at making money, especially this year, earning millions. For someone her age, it was an impressive feat.

    But her father? His annual income was in the billions…

    She was still too young.

    “Zhiyun, I think your personality is very much like mine, always wanting to compete, to win. You’re so young, yet you want to earn as much as your father. When your dad was your age, he was working as a baker.”

    “Mom, that’s different.”

    “Do you know why I quit the business world and became a housewife? Because many things aren’t worth fighting for. It’s better to let go.”

    Her mother, Li Xiaoyue, had once been a successful businesswoman, a shareholder in a large company, and a competitor of her father. After marriage, she resigned, choosing to raise her children. She preferred the comforts of home to the cutthroat business world.

    Ye Zhiyun had inherited her mother’s youthful ambition, her competitive spirit, her refusal to back down.

    “My dear daughter, do you think I want you to become another me? I don’t want you to work tirelessly like I did, forgetting who you are, only to realize you’ve lost so much when it’s too late.”

    Ye Zhiyun understood her mother’s words, but she still wouldn’t yield.

    She wanted to achieve more, go further, fly higher. She wanted to be a successful businesswoman. Investing in films, real estate, even stocks, was all driven by her desire to surpass her father, to be even more successful than him.

    Only then could she prove herself, prove she was the best.

    It wasn’t until Yu Linna entered her life that her sharp edges began to soften, though her inherent pride remained.

    She wanted to build a large, successful company, partly to avenge Yu Linna, to make Chenghe pay for what they had done.

    “Alright, I won’t say any more. Zhiyun, you’re grown up now, about to go to university. I won’t force you to study abroad like your father did. Your choices are your own. But I hope you’ll be happy.”

    Chapter 124: My Happiness

    The city buzzed with festive cheer, celebratory music echoing in every corner, television screens displaying vibrant New Year programs, even the backgrounds turned a joyous red. Many residents had returned to their hometowns for the holidays, leaving the bustling metropolis unusually quiet.

    But some remained, those who had settled in the city, their roots elsewhere.

    Gazing out the window at the empty streets, the sparse traffic and pedestrians, Yu Linna sighed. The scene was unchanged from previous years. The difference was that before, she would have been out there, hustling, earning money. This year, she didn’t have to.

    But spending New Year’s alone in the city felt pointless.

    The New Year was meant to be celebrated with loved ones, yet she was alone, surrounded by silence.

    She wished someone were with her.

    But that was too much to ask for.

    On New Year’s Day, Yu Linna embraced her inner homebody, eating, sleeping, watching anime, and repeating the cycle. It wasn’t a hardship; she was used to it.

    “Out of milk… need to buy some…” she murmured, rummaging through the refrigerator.

    Ye Zhiyun had left her enough money to last a while, giving her the freedom to do as she pleased. But she didn’t want to squander it. It wasn’t her money; she would use it only for necessities, nothing more.

    With so much free time, she had been indulging in her favorite pastime: watching anime, living the life of a carefree otaku. She had always dreamed of watching anime until she was sick of it; now, that dream had come true.

    There had been no response to her manuscript submission. Having blocked Chen Xi, she had effectively cut off communication. Yu Linna had resigned herself to another failure, something she was becoming accustomed to.

    Still, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. It was okay; it would pass.

    Ding-dong~

    The doorbell rang. Yu Linna put down her half-eaten pork floss and padded towards the door in her slippers. Who would visit on New Year’s Day? Could it be Chen Xi? Unlikely; she would be back in her hometown.

    “Coming! Who is it?”

    “It’s me! Dai Wenqian, the future big shot!”

    “…”

    Oh god, the troublemaker!

    What was she doing here?

    “Ahem, Wenqian, what are you doing here? Just so you know, Zhiyun’s not home. She’s abroad.”

    Mentioning Ye Zhiyun, her expression dimmed. Zhiyun had said she would be away, but Yu Linna hadn’t expected her to be gone for so long, even missing the New Year.

    “I’m here to see you, of course! Zhiyun told me everything. Her family is traveling abroad. She just finished a project and can’t come back yet. She asked me to check on you, worried you would be lonely.”

    “…Why would I be lonely? I’m not a child!”

    “Tsk, tsk, such a strong reaction. Not very convincing. Come on, let’s go out! I’ll be in Guangnan City for a few days, so we can hang out anytime.”

    “Hold on, I didn’t agree to go anywhere with you!”

    “Who cares? Just come with me! There’s a fireworks display tonight. Let’s go watch it!”

    Ignoring Yu Linna’s protests, Dai Wenqian grabbed her hand and pulled her outside. Yu Linna had no choice but to lock the door and follow.

    The streets were decorated with festive cheer, the traffic light but the crowds still sizable. Shops displayed newly hung banners and couplets, street vendors selling firecrackers and novelty fireworks.

    “Even if you drag me out, there’s nothing fun to do. I didn’t want to come out in the first place.”

    “Alright, alright, Linna. I know you’re just being tsundere.”

    “I’m not tsundere! Where did you get that idea?”

    “Okay, okay, you’re not. Linna, we’ve never hung out just the two of us before. This time, I’ll take you somewhere fun. My treat.”

    “…Are you sure?”

    “If you don’t want to, we can split the bill.”

    “No, no! I’ll take your offer! Actually, I didn’t bring my wallet!”

    Saying no, yet acting so agreeable. Dai Wenqian chuckled inwardly.

    This Yu Linna was easy to win over. A little spending money, and she became instantly docile, even acting cute. Dai Wenqian could understand why Ye Zhiyun was so smitten.

    That Zhiyun, usually only taking landscape photos, rarely taking more than ten pictures of people, had taken over thirty photos of Yu Linna, each one high-quality.

    There had to be something more to it.

    “Little Linna, I have a bold idea. There’s an anime convention after the New Year. I want to invite you to cosplay.”

    “I told you, I’m not cosplaying anymore. Not even for money.”

    “Are you sure?”

    “Yes.”

    “What about for a thousand yuan?”

    “…Let me think about it.”

    As expected, money was her weakness. Saying no, yet so easily swayed. Who could resist money?

    “Great! It’s a gaming convention, and our Light Comic Group is planning a King of Glory group cosplay. I’ll ask Zhiyun to be the photographer. With your blonde hair, how about cosplaying Lady Wang Zhaojun?”

    “…Frankly, I’m not suited for that character.”

    The thought of cosplaying Lady Wang Zhaojun made her want to hide her face. Wang Zhaojun was a mature, elegant woman. Asking her to cosplay that character was asking for the impossible! Though she had blonde hair, her height and… chest… were hardly those of an elegant lady.

    Dai Wenqian was out of her mind!

    “But… I don’t think you have the right temperament for Angela either.”

    “I don’t care!”

    Yu Linna refused to be an elegant lady!

    Well, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to be one, but she didn’t want to cosplay one. No particular reason; she just couldn’t pull it off.

    Dai Wenqian sighed, saying they would discuss it later.

    Being in her senior year, she would have to resign as the leader of the Light Comic Group when school started. She had to focus on her college entrance exams.

    Despite her cheerful demeanor, Dai Wenqian felt the pressure of the upcoming exams, just keeping it hidden.

    “Linna, where are you planning to go for university?”

    “…I don’t know. Haven’t decided yet.”

    Before, Yu Linna would have said she wasn’t going to university, planning to work and earn money instead. But since being rescued from despair by Ye Zhiyun, she no longer had to worry about survival and could finally think about her future.

    Whether to continue her studies or enter the workforce, she hadn’t decided.

    Many of her friends had returned to their hometowns for the New Year, some even traveling.

    Dai Wenqian was one of the few who remained in the city, which was why Ye Zhiyun had asked her to check on Yu Linna, worried about leaving her alone.

    They walked, they played, they ate, and they continued strolling through the streets. Though initially reluctant, Yu Linna found herself enjoying Dai Wenqian’s company. No one liked being alone, and Yu Linna had been solitary for so long.

    Only when surrounded by friends did she feel like she wasn’t alone in the world, that she belonged. Though she had grown up without parents, alone and isolated, now she had friends, people who cared about her. She felt… happy.

    Boom.

    Colorful fireworks exploded in the night sky, their brilliance illuminating her heart. Looking up at the fireworks, she saw a glimpse of her future, of everything she had.

    “I’ve always enjoyed watching fireworks, but it’s a shame Zhiyun and the others aren’t here. I wanted to watch them together.”

    The vibrant display seemed to open her heart, leaving her speechless. She had always been too busy working, too busy earning money, to truly appreciate the beauty of fireworks.

    She had always been hustling, always on the move, never taking the time to appreciate the scenery.

    Since being taken in by Ye Zhiyun, she had been constantly on edge, afraid to speak up, obedient like a child, never voicing her opinions. She was terrified of being kicked out, of ending up on the streets again.

    Her heart had never truly accepted anyone.

    She had never let down her guard.

    Suddenly, her phone rang. It was a WeChat video call. She answered, and the face of a dark-haired girl appeared on the screen.

    “Zhiyun…”

    “Happy New Year, Nana. I just wanted to say that.”

    Even through the video, Ye Zhiyun’s expression was aloof, her inherent pride preventing her from showing vulnerability. But Dai Wenqian, observing from the side, noticed the flicker of nervousness in Ye Zhiyun’s eyes.

    “Nana, I hope you’ll be happy in the new year. I’ll be back soon. Wait for me.”

    Yu Linna’s expression was hidden behind her bangs.

    “I have something too! Look!”

    Dai Wenqian excitedly pulled out her phone, playing a short video for Yu Linna.

    “Linna, Happy New Year! I hope you have a wonderful year! I sent you a red envelope. Remember to open it~”

    The video featured a girl with a bright, angelic smile.

    Though it was only a few seconds long, Yu Linna watched it intently.

    Ye Zhiyun, Fang Jiangning, Dai Wenqian – each of them by her side, never abandoning her.

    Fireworks exploded overhead. Yu Linna looked up, a smile gracing her face. At this moment, she felt incredibly happy, happier than she had been in years. She wasn’t alone; she had friends. She wasn’t alone anymore.

    The image of the blonde girl washing dishes in a restaurant overlapped with the blonde girl watching fireworks, merging into one.

    “This is the best New Year’s gift…” she murmured, her voice soft, a smile illuminating her face, a blush warming her cheeks as she hid half her face behind her scarf.

    Perhaps she had found her happiness.

    She thought.

  • Miss Luo Yan’s Feet Are Buried With Corpses v3c4

    Witch’s Night: Chapter 4 Eh, Who Are You?!

    It must be said, whether in the Old Era or the New Era, what nobles couldn’t change was holding banquets.

    Of course, these banquets weren’t for eating, nor were they just for fun.

    More importantly… they were for communication.

    Banquets provided a platform for communication, and the people who could participate were all dignitaries and nobles.

    These people were basically all high-ranking and influential, their every word and action attracting attention. It was often inconvenient for them to communicate privately, as it was easy to be caught out.

    Therefore, banquet socializing came into being.

    Because of its short history, and the fact that its major families traced their roots back to refugees before the pioneering era, the so-called nobles in Yan City were more like nouveau riche, so there were rarely such banquets.

    If there were any, they would probably really be for eating…

    Lannister was different.

    It was an ancient city with nearly a thousand years of history, built by the first generation of pioneers who responded to Noah’s call. It was the oldest mega-city besides Noah.

    The gradually solidified classes over nearly a millennium had given rise to true nobility, who restrained each other with all kinds of cumbersome etiquette and rules, to show their difference from commoners.

    But this restraint only applied within the noble class. It could be said… that in the eyes of the nobles, commoners weren’t even considered the same species as them, let alone refugees.

    Hua Qingling knew this very well, so she didn’t like to participate in these noble banquets.

    However, the invitation was personally issued by Granny Zoya… Hua Qingling had to accept. This was basic respect for a pillar of humanity.

    Of course, the invitation didn’t say she couldn’t bring another person, right?

    Hua Qingling frequently glanced sideways at the black-haired young man who was a head taller than her, making Luo Yan feel a little uncomfortable.

    “Sister Qingling, there’s no need…”

    Being looked at like this by Hua Qingling, Luo Yan inexplicably felt a sense of shyness.

    “Ahem, sorry, I’m just a little surprised.” Hua Qingling sighed. “I never thought ‘Envy’ could be used this way… No, that’s not right, who would use it like this?!”

    “…Actually, basically every Devil’s Minion who has mastered ‘Envy’ has used it this way, but they distorted their own will, causing irreversible mutations to both body and soul.” Luo Yan added.

    People who hadn’t used “Envy” always misunderstood it, thinking that this ability could only be used to create monsters.

    In fact, demonic powers weren’t evil; they represented the pinnacle of an ability system.

    However, this power was easy to lose control of, and coupled with its difficulty to use, one could only resort to the will of the “Witch of Envy” to wield it, thus resulting in distorted outcomes.

    The reason why those infected by demons, that is, God’s Chosen, weren’t affected by Primordial Demons when using demonic powers was because their powers originally belonged to them and didn’t need to rely on the will of Primordial Demons.

    However, precisely because of this, God’s Chosen usually had short lifespans, and their abilities were extremely prone to going out of control.

    These were naturally not problems for Luo Yan. Compared to the recently acquired “End,” her use of “Envy” could be said to be masterful, to the extent that it could be used as a Life Hack.

    …If she were this proficient with “End,” Luo Yan wouldn’t have gotten lost in the Void.

    Their idle chat didn’t last long. Soon, a luxurious car drove towards them.

    This was a vehicle specifically for transporting nobles, here to take Hua Qingling and Luo Yan to the banquet venue—Granny Zoya couldn’t possibly make her distinguished guests walk there.

    This was the first time Luo Yan had ridden in such a vehicle. In Yan City, she had only seen that unlucky Young Master Liu (the one stabbed by Red Butterfly) ride in one. Others, including City Lord Lin, hadn’t used them for travel.

    There were only three people in the small car compartment, Hua Qingling, Luo Yan, and a tall, silent woman in the front.

    Unlike the equally tall Qin Wen, she looked more powerful and had a fierce scar on her face.

    Perhaps to avoid suspicion, Granny Zoya had sent a rare female driver to pick up Hua Qingling, but she hadn’t expected to pick up two people.

    The scarred woman’s expression was serious, and she would occasionally look at Luo Yan (black-haired young man face) through the rearview mirror, frowning.

    Unfortunately, no one had told the scarred woman that it was best not to keep making eye contact with Luo Yan, even though her condition had improved.

    After being scrutinized several times by the scarred woman, Luo Yan also noticed the strange gaze constantly falling on her.

    So, Luo Yan raised her head, and the pale red eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses met the scarred woman’s serious gaze.

    At this moment, the scarred woman’s mind went blank for a split second, and she slammed on the accelerator.

    But she quickly came to her senses. Seeing that the car was about to crash into the corner ahead, she quickly slammed on the brakes and jerked the steering wheel.

    “Screech—”

    With a sharp, ear-piercing screech of brakes, the car narrowly turned the corner.

    After the situation stabilized, the scarred woman said in a low voice,

    “…Sorry.”

    “What happened just now?”

    Hua Qingling frowned. Logically, although the person Granny Zoya sent was a female driver, she shouldn’t be unable to handle a civilian vehicle.

    In fact, almost all drivers were military personnel, because only the military had the qualification to teach driving skills.

    As for driving for nobles… that was something retired veterans did to earn extra money, and this scarred woman was obviously one of them.

    “I was distracted,” the scarred woman said in a deep voice. “If I disturbed the guests, I’m willing to accept punishment.”

    “It’s not that serious, just be more careful.”

    Luo Yan said softly. Her original voice was too gentle, so she could only deliberately lower and soften it to sound more androgynous.

    “Since you don’t mind, then I don’t either.”

    Hua Qingling nodded. The near-accident just now wasn’t a big deal to her, and obviously, it wasn’t to Luo Yan either.

    The scarred woman was silent for a moment, then nodded and said,

    “Thank you.”

    After this little interlude, and with an outsider present, Luo Yan and Hua Qingling didn’t continue their conversation.

    The scarred woman, after that scare, also became much more honest and didn’t peep at Luo Yan again.

    As for what she was thinking in her heart, it was unclear.

    The banquet venue wasn’t far away, about a ten-minute walk, so this awkward atmosphere didn’t last long.

    After the car brought Luo Yan and Hua Qingling to the banquet venue and dropped them off, it left directly.

    “…Huh?”

    Luo Yan looked up at the location of this banquet and was instantly stunned.

    “Is this… Natalie Manor?”

    Then she immediately denied it herself.

    “No, it just looks like it.”

    Indeed, what appeared before Luo Yan and Hua Qingling was an Old Era, Western-style manor. To be precise, it was indeed almost identical to Natalie Manor.

    Whether it was the layout or the castle-like mansion, even the servant’s quarters outside the manor were almost perfectly replicated.

    “Some of Lannister’s pioneers came from the West of the Old Era, so their descendants also have a special fondness for this style of architecture.” Hua Qingling said in a low voice. “Of course, it’s also possible that they want to subtly express… that as nobles, they have heritage.”

    The prominent families in Yan City didn’t have so many twists and turns, which was partly why they were seen as “nouveau riche.”

    Seeing Hua Qingling, a sharp-eyed waiter nearby immediately walked over quickly and bowed gracefully,

    “Respected ‘Wind’s Favor’ your acceptance of the invitation adds a touch of airy grace to Count Spencer’s manor. The master is very concerned about you and eagerly awaits your arrival. He specifically instructed us to carefully attend to you if we saw you.”

    After the elegant and natural string of words, Hua Qingling nodded, indicating she understood.

    Luo Yan, on the other hand, was bewildered. She tugged at Hua Qingling’s clothes secretly,

    “Sister Qingling, weren’t you invited by Granny Zoya? Why is this Count Spencer… also concerned about you? Also, why didn’t he just call you by your name, but instead used that nickname?”

    “…It’s just polite conversation, and it’s not a nickname, it’s a title.”

    Hua Qingling gritted her teeth and said in a low voice. “Every ‘Peril’ level ability user has their own title. In such occasions, they usually address each other by their titles.”

    “Oh.”

    Luo Yan nodded thoughtfully. No wonder when Hua Qiling first met Grifres in Ghost Town, she called him “Soul Spear.”

    Luo Yan had always thought it was a nickname.

    …Actually, there wasn’t much difference. It was said that this trend was started by a certain Saint.

    When that Saint walked among mortals, he had used many titles, such as “God of Black Dragon Flame,” “Dragon King of Ruin and Illusion,” “Hero Chosen by Light,” and so on.

    Later, after these were made public by a certain published book, the trend of giving titles to ability users above “Peril” level started.

    Until finally, it was embarrassing to say you had reached “Peril” level without having a title.

    The waiter politely waited for Luo Yan and Hua Qingling’s whispered conversation (actually, their voices were loud enough to be heard) to end before speaking again in a gentle and refined manner,

    “‘Wind’s Favor,’ who is this…?”

    “Is it necessary to report?” Hua Qingling said with narrowed eyes.

    “Since they are a guest brought by you, of course, it’s not necessary. I just wanted to ask, how should I address this esteemed… gentleman, so that we can properly receive him?”

    Even though the waiter was experienced and had received countless guests, he couldn’t help but pause when he said the word “gentleman.”

    There was no helping it. Even though Luo Yan had used “Envy” to distort her image in the eyes of others, her demeanor and actions couldn’t be faked.

    Moreover, using “Envy” in this way, distorting one’s image also had a limit. It couldn’t completely transform her appearance.

    However, the observant waiter had already seen that Luo Yan intended to appear at the banquet as a male.

    Since that was the case, regardless of her true gender, she would be treated as a gentleman at this time.

    Most of the plots in stories where noble servants judged people by their appearance were unrealistic. The first rule for a noble’s personal attendant was to hide their true emotions.

    Even a fake smile had to appear sincere.

    While his words were pleasant, Hua Qingling’s tone was somewhat aggressive, but the waiter defused the awkwardness with a few words.

    “You can call me Luo Yan.”

    “…Luo, Luo Yan?” The waiter’s smile seemed to crack slightly.

    Miss, if you want to crossdress, please show some respect… At least change your name, okay?

    This was obviously a female name!

    “Yes.”

    Luo Yan nodded matter-of-factly.

    The waiter could only sigh inwardly, then stepped aside, made a proper welcoming gesture,

    “Alright, Mr. Luo Yan, ‘Wind’s Favor,’ this way please. The gates of Spencer Manor are always open so that our esteemed guests can visit at any time.”

    “…Wouldn’t that attract thieves?”

    Luo Yan’s untimely remark was genuinely a question she wanted to ask.

    “Uh…”

    How could that be? They were usually closed, okay? How could you take polite conversation literally?!

    “Duke Spencer’s reputation resounds throughout Lannister. Petty thieves are scared away, so naturally there can’t be any thefts.”

    The waiter’s tone was calm and proud, but he was nervous inwardly, afraid that Luo Yan would ask any more strange questions.

    “Oh, that’s amazing.”

    Luo Yan nodded and didn’t say anything more.

    “…”

    Why did it feel even stranger that she suddenly stopped asking?

    Forget it, he had received many strange guests over the years, and this one was still relatively normal among them.

    The waiter thought this but didn’t reveal any of his thoughts on the surface, leading Luo Yan and Hua Qingling into the manor.

    “Didn’t you used to do this too? Your maid etiquette is very standard.” Hua Qingling whispered in Luo Yan’s ear. “Why do you seem so unaccustomed to these polite conversations?”

    “Natalie Manor doesn’t usually have guests. If there are any… it’s on ‘Redemption Day,’ the day to pray to the ‘Witch of Envy.’” Luo Yan also leaned in and whispered.

    “It always felt somewhat unreal, based on your descriptions of Natalie Manor and Ghost Town.”

    Luo Yan was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled,

    “Perhaps, but to me, the memories are real. Whether it’s Mrs. Natalie or Little Tini, I truly interacted with them.”

    Even though she already knew that Ghost Town was just a fragment of memory peeled from the depths of the Witch of Envy’s consciousness by the “Luo Yan” of that time, in order to seal her.

    The residents of the town wandered lonely in this fragment for hundreds of years until Luo Yan freed them all.

    Hua Qingling looked at Luo Yan’s rare heartfelt smile and couldn’t help but be stunned,

    “Beautiful…”

    “Huh?”

    “Nothing.”

    The waiter tactfully distanced himself from Luo Yan and Hua Qingling, who seemed to be whispering to each other.

    Respecting every guest’s privacy was basic etiquette for a servant in a noble household.

    Besides, which of the guests weren’t important figures? Who could afford to offend them…

    Just then, a cheerful voice suddenly came from afar, accompanied by the sound of (da-da-da) footsteps,

    “Sister Qingling! Over here, over here—Eh, who are you?!”