The evening air was chilly, making Ye Shuang rub his hands together instinctively.
Gazing at the brightly lit skyscrapers, he suddenly realized he’d forgotten something important—
He hadn’t driven here.
The Bentley that had brought Chen Qin earlier belonged to their company, and Ye Shuang couldn’t just drive it away when leaving. Returning it later would be a hassle.
“Hah… Are there even any cabs available at this hour?” Ye Shuang fished a candy from his pocket and popped it into his mouth. At this time, Yu You was probably already asleep.
He glanced at the nearby convenience store and muttered, “I really want a cigarette.”
But in the end, the chewing sensation and rationality won out.
After all, Yu You hated the smell of smoke.
The ride-hailing app on his phone remained unresponsive. Though the streets weren’t completely silent, there wasn’t a taxi in sight.
From Chen Qin’s company to his apartment, the fare would cost over 300 yuan.
“So far… It didn’t feel this long when I was driving,” Ye Shuang mused. “Maybe I should go back and borrow a car from Chen Qin…”
But considering she might already be fast asleep, he canceled the ride request and checked all available options—express, luxury, carpool—before downloading a few more ride-hailing apps to increase his chances.
Ding. Finally, a match.
[3 km away, estimated arrival in 6 minutes. Driver: An Shifu. Rating: 2.1 stars, surpassing 0% of drivers in the city.]
[Vehicle: Wuling Hongguang Battle Edition.]
Ye Shuang narrowed his eyes and gritted his molars, double-checking to make sure he hadn’t misread. He tapped the driver’s profile picture.
A familiar face appeared—An Shiyu, grinning with a peace sign.
Ye Shuang: “……”
A few minutes later, a pink-and-purple minivan pulled up in front of him.
Creak— The window rolled down with a grating sound, and the driver peered out, feigning surprise. “Oh? This passenger looks awfully familiar.”
Ye Shuang wordlessly opened the door and got in. “An shifu, indeed very familiar.”
Inside, the car was blasting a high-energy DJ remix of Phoenix Dancing in the Skies, interspersed with a hype man shouting, “Is the cement ready?!”
“Uncle, what are you doing here? Bar-hopping to pick up drunk girls?” An Shiyu seemed genuinely surprised to see him.
“With all these office buildings around, does this look like a bar district?” Ye Shuang’s lips twitched.
The girl was dressed casually—if “casual” meant looking like a delinquent straight out of Shibuya. Her outfit was covered in skull motifs and spiked accessories, giving off serious early-2000s emo vibes. Even her hair was a wig, with bangs so long they nearly covered her eyes.
Ye Shuang couldn’t even muster the energy to critique her fashion sense and opted for silence.
“It’s so late. Don’t you have class tomorrow?” he finally asked.
“No big deal,” An Shiyu replied nonchalantly. “I’ll just nap in the school infirmary.”
Ye Shuang: “……”
He closed his eyes, deciding to end the conversation.
Noticing his silence, An Shiyu didn’t push further. She stepped on the gas, and the car’s roaring engine noise jolted Ye Shuang’s eyes open.
“How does this thing even have engine sounds?!”
“Oh, just simulated exhaust notes. Y’know, like those electronic sound systems. Added a speaker, that’s all.”
“Why would you even—” Before he could finish, the minivan shot forward, hitting 100 km/h in three seconds.
“Wait, what kind of speaker is this?!”
An hour later—
Apartment building entrance.
“Uncle, don’t forget to leave a five-star review,” An Shiyu called out over the deafening engine roar as the pink-and-purple minivan vanished into the night.
Ye Shuang, pale-faced, leaned against a tree, fighting the urge to vomit. “That girl… Her existence is a torment to humanity.”
After silently giving her a one-star review and blacklisting her, he staggered toward the apartment.
The elevator ride up was a blur. Swiping his keycard, he pushed the door open quietly.
To his surprise, the apartment was still brightly lit. On the couch, a long-haired girl sat hugging a pillow.
“Ye Shuang…” Bai Yuyou, drowsy, immediately stood up when she saw him. Clutching the pillow, she shuffled over, her voice heavy with sleep. “You’re back…”
Ye Shuang glanced at the time—nearly 2 a.m.—before gently patting her head. “Yu You, why aren’t you asleep?”
“Waiting for you…”
“You have school tomorrow. Why wait up?” He noticed she was still in her uniform and hadn’t even showered.
Her eyes lowered, and she hugged the pillow tighter. “Missed you… couldn’t sleep…”
His heart softened. “Yu You, next time, just go to bed, okay?”
She nodded reflexively. “Mm.”
He wasn’t sure if she’d actually listen. Sighing, he ruffled her hair. “I’ll try to come home earlier from now on.”
Her eyes brightened slightly. “Okay…”
“Go shower. Skip washing your hair tonight—just sleep.”
“Ye Shuang, come too.”
“No.”
“Please…” She tugged his sleeve, her voice soft but pleading. “I’ll be good… I’ll wear a swimsuit…”
He relented. “Fine. Go change.”
After a quick rinse, they settled into the bathtub for a short soak.
Warm water sloshed gently, bobbing the rubber duckies on the surface. Bai Yuyou, with her hair pinned up and a bath cap on, sat on Ye Shuang’s lap, mesmerized by the floating toys. Her adorable focus made him think she could watch them all day.
Meanwhile, he massaged his sore shoulders, occasionally stealing glances at her damp, porcelain skin before closing his eyes again.
A few minutes later, Bai Yuyou slumped against the tub’s edge, dozing off.
“Couldn’t hold on any longer, huh?” Ye Shuang chuckled.

tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...

ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!

rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!

young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."