There's a saying that goes something like this:
As long as you're not embarrassed, then the embarrassment must belong to someone else.
Lin An'an took a moment to steady her emotions before picking up her phone again to review the messages.
Analyzing the content of those three texts.
After all, knowing yourself and your opponent ensures victory in every battle.
The first one could be safely ignored.
The real focus was on the latter two.
Starting from the second message—
Now that was something worth paying attention to.
Zhou Qiaoqiao already knew Xu Mo was here.
After all, she and Xu Mo had been seen leaving the café together earlier.
Probably leaked by some paparazzi.
Not that Xu Mo cared about such things, of course.
Was it possible Xu Mo had personally revealed his whereabouts?
No, no.
Lin An'an had been following him the whole time.
Besides, if he’d wanted to report it, he would’ve done so long ago.
Not to mention, Zhou Qiaoqiao wasn’t the type to ask questions she already knew the answers to.
Conclusion?
She’d deduced it herself.
But the third message—now that was truly intriguing!!!!
Zhou Qiaoqiao’s implication was crystal clear.
"Is this a test… or is it just another test…?" Lin An'an wavered, drafting a reply before quickly deleting it, unsure of the right approach.
After some deliberation,
Lin An'an decided to play it safe.
A response first.
Lin An'an: *Aiya*, Sister Zhou, sorry about that! I was just having dinner. Saw your message and rushed to reply right away~
Tea-dripping sweetness.
But what else could the esteemed Lin An'an do?
If she wanted a share of the candy,
she’d have to mind her manners.
This wasn’t humiliation—it was *respect*!
Before long, a reply came through.
Zhou Qiaoqiao: Mhm-mhm~ Eating out or home-cooked? Friendly reminder—he’s an amazing cook, you know~
Lin An'an froze. In that moment, the joys and sorrows of humanity aligned.
*Yes!!!* He really is.
So was this praise for her "training" skills… or just praise for Xu Mo himself?
*Ahem*…
Her cheeks flushed as her fingers tapped rapidly across the screen.
Lin An'an: He *is* pretty good. Sister Zhou, about what you said before—was that for real?
Zhou Qiaoqiao: (*╹▽╹*) *side-eye smirk emoji.jpg*
Zhou Qiaoqiao: My word is my bond. If you can swallow your pride, you’ve got every right to some candy~ I’ve got high hopes for you—don’t disappoint me! ヾ(◍°∇°◍)ﾉﾞ
Meanwhile, on the other side of the conversation—
Zhou Qiaoqiao was lounging at her best friend’s place.
Finally, a certain "Sister Lin" had taken the bait.
Zhou Qiaoqiao couldn’t have been more thrilled.
After waiting so long,
someone had *volunteered* to share the frontline.
How could she *not* be excited?
So,
Lin An'an was getting her full support—no backing out now!
Lin An'an’s face burned crimson.
Even with Zhou Qiaoqiao’s reassurance,
she still had her doubts.
People went back on their word all the time—
not necessarily because they wanted to,
but because circumstances changed.
Say you promised someone something, confident you could deliver.
But a few days later, unforeseen complications arise.
The cost skyrockets, maybe even crosses your moral line.
You regret it. You want out.
Does that make you untrustworthy?
No.
Even the most honorable people have their moments of weakness.
And the least reliable sometimes keep their word.
The world isn’t black and white—it’s layered, multifaceted.
Lin An'an had seen too many celebrities and directors break contracts.
Experience breeds caution.
She needed *certainty*—
because the last thing she wanted was Zhou Qiaoqiao’s future resentment,
or worse, being labeled with ugly names like "homewrecker."
Then—
*Incoming video call.*
Lin An'an nearly jumped out of her skin, glancing around like a thief.
After confirming no one else was nearby,
she fumbled for her Bluetooth earbuds.
Only once everything was secure
did she accept the call.
The screen lit up.
Zhou Qiaoqiao flashed her a reassuring smile. "How many times do I have to say it? When I promise something, I *never* go back on it."
Lin An'an gave a weak laugh. "But…"
"Oh? So you *are* at home~ His cooking really is something, huh?" Zhou Qiaoqiao winked, grinning.
Lin An'an nodded. "Yeah, it’s… impressive."
Zhou Qiaoqiao’s smile turned playful. "Tonight’s menu includes *even more impressive discoveries*—waiting just for you to explore~"
The "Goddess Lin" turned scarlet. How could she ever outmaneuver this devilish woman?
She wanted to shout:
*That’s not—I didn’t—Stop twisting my words!*
But what happened next left her utterly stunned.
A live masterclass from the seduction queen herself!
*36 Stratagems to Conquer Xu Mo!*
*How to Ambush Your Crush with the Element of Surprise!*
*The Art of Handling a Taken Man!*
No holds barred—Zhou Qiaoqiao held nothing back,
imparting every critical detail to Lin An'an.
The "Goddess" gaped.
S-Sister Zhou was *serious*?!
In that moment,
she was *completely* convinced.
A quick mental run-through confirmed it—
Zhou Qiaoqiao’s methods were *scarily effective*!
"Alright, alright. Make the most of your time." Pausing, Zhou Qiaoqiao added with a sly smirk, "And don’t worry—crying isn’t shameful~"
The abrupt subject change left Lin An'an baffled.
*Huh?*
She wasn’t a kid anymore.
Before she could ask,
the call ended.
"Eh?" Lin An'an blinked in confusion.
"Oh no—"
But there was no time to dwell.
She had a *mission* to focus on!!!
The dirty dishes weren’t going to clean themselves.
Tossing her phone aside, she scrambled to tidy up.
Roughly half an hour later,
Lin An'an emerged from the kitchen with a tray of freshly cut fruit.
Her heart fluttered—equal parts excitement and nerves.
Night had fallen.
Xu Mo mentioned leaving.
How could she make him stay?
As for Zhou Qiaoqiao’s side of things—
No discussion needed.
They were *family* now.
"Fruit’s ready~"
Steeling herself, Lin An'an summoned her sweetest, most melodic voice.
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
