Ye Shuang slowly exhaled, then reached out to restrain the other’s restless, snake-like waist. "Stop fooling around."
"She’s not like you."
"So what do you plan to do? Keep taking care of that girl forever?" Chen Qin’s tone was faintly melancholic as she leaned forward, slipping her fingers between Ye Shuang’s and gently interlacing them. "I want your care too."
Seeing Ye Shuang remain silent, Chen Qin realized she had overstepped. She released his hand and slid off him, letting out a soft huff.
"Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I really can’t let go of that kid," Ye Shuang admitted.
"What’s your next move, then? And why didn’t you reach out to us when something that big happened?"
"I’m lost," Ye Shuang shook his head. "I used to think I could handle anything, but reality showed me… I’m just an ordinary person."
"I don’t know how to keep living in this city—no goals, just drifting through each day, repeating the same motions. I used to believe work was everything, so losing it felt like losing my whole life."
He chuckled. "But these past few days made me realize something different."
"Turns out, life isn’t just about grinding for success. I’ve been shackled by that idea for too long. Living simply, peacefully… it’s not so bad."
"Back then, even a full night’s sleep was a luxury. Now, waking up naturally every day feels like a blessing."
"Until that girl grows up, I don’t have any other plans."
Chen Qin fell quiet for a moment before suddenly remarking,
"First time I’ve heard someone describe mooching off someone else so poetically."
"Right? Even I’m surprised," Ye Shuang laughed.
Chen Qin sighed, patting her ample chest before shooting Ye Shuang a reproachful glance.
Still, she knew him well—despite his calm exterior, he needed time to heal.
"You’re not falling for that girl, are you?" Chen Qin wrinkled her nose, her tone laced with playful suspicion.
"What do you think?"
Chen Qin propped her chin on one hand, her dark brown hair framing her strikingly alluring face. A teasing smile curled her crimson lips.
"You couldn’t even appreciate someone as gorgeous as me. Who knows if you’d actually go for a younger girl?"
"Am I that old?"
"Who can say? Your birthday’s next week," Chen Qin pointed out.
Birthday?
Ye Shuang froze, then instinctively checked his phone. Sure enough, the date was approaching.
"Can’t even remember your own birthday, but you never forgot hers," Chen Qin muttered under her breath.
"That’s all in the past," Ye Shuang mused. Was he really turning 27?
How had time flown so fast?
"I’ve got a business trip abroad tomorrow," Chen Qin said, retrieving a small box from the nearby table. "This is your birthday gift—early, since I won’t be back in time."
Ye Shuang took the box, surprised by how light it was.
It had been years since he’d last received a birthday gift from Chen Qin. Ever since he’d started dating that other woman, Chen Qin had kept her distance.
"What’s inside?"
"Open it and find out."
Ye Shuang unwrapped it to find a car key.
"I only covered the down payment. You’ll need to handle the monthly installments—eight thousand," Chen Qin said.
"Isn’t that a bit much?"
"Just kidding. I heard you borrowed Chen Hai’s precious motorcycle. If you scratch it, he’d lose his mind," Chen Qin smirked.
"Relax, it’s just a basic Toyota for getting around. Take it."
Ye Shuang examined the key. "Who gives a car as a birthday gift? Next year, are you gonna hand me a house?"
Chen Qin’s cheeks flushed pink. "Sure. The house, the company—even myself. All yours."
Ye Shuang grimaced. "A car’s already too much. I can’t accept it."
"Ugh, it’s just a cheap car! Since when did you become so fussy?" Chen Qin glared. "Fine, consider it borrowed! I just don’t want you wrecking that fatso Chen Hai’s ride!"
"Now that sounds more like you," Ye Shuang said, relieved to see her usual fiery temper return. The shy, blushing act had been unsettling.
"Hmph."
"Since when do you care about Chen Hai’s bike?"
"Who cares about him?!"
"Uh…"
——
"Achoo!" Upstairs, Chen Hai—who’d been sitting with Bai Yuyou—suddenly sneezed. Rubbing his nose, he grumbled, "Damn, are those two downstairs bad-mouthing me?"
Or maybe his wife was mentally cursing him from home.
His gaze then drifted to Bai Yuyou, who sat quietly across from him. After sizing her up, he wondered—no way Ye Shuang would go for someone this young, right?
Still, she was undeniably pretty. In a couple of years, she’d be downright stunning.
"Hey, why’d you say you and Ye Shuang are married?"
Bai Yuyou replied flatly, "Ye Shuang said married people can sleep together."
"Holy—?!" Chen Hai’s expression twisted. "S-So… you two… did it?"
Bai Yuyou tilted her head, confused by his hand gestures.
"You know… what married couples do. Did you?"
Assuming he meant eating and sleeping together, Bai Yuyou nodded. "Yes, we did."
Chen Hai suddenly felt sorry for his sister, though he respected Ye Shuang’s choices.
Chen Qin had practically drooled over Ye Shuang since childhood but never had the guts to make a move. Meanwhile, this little girl swooped in and got him.
"Poor kid," Chen Hai sighed inwardly.
Not like him—married early and living the good life.
Just then, his phone buzzed with a message from Ye Shuang.
"Let’s head down."
"Okay."
Chen Hai led Bai Yuyou downstairs to find Ye Shuang and Chen Qin composed on the sofa, chatting idly.
"Damn, you’re a legend. Chen Qin usually cries for three days straight, but you tamed the she-devil," Chen Hai grinned, giving a thumbs-up.
"Fatty, what did you just say?!" Chen Qin snapped.
Ye Shuang shrugged. "Just a misunderstanding. Cleared it up."
The group settled into conversation, each carefully avoiding their real concerns. By eleven, it was time for Ye Shuang and Bai Yuyou to leave.
After returning the motorcycle keys to Chen Hai, Ye Shuang led Bai Yuyou to the parking lot.
Scanning the area, he couldn’t spot the supposed Toyota. A Corolla should’ve been easy to find.
Puzzled, he pressed the unlock button on the key—and headlights flashed in the distance.
"Where is it?"
Ye Shuang led Bai Yuyou over, but when she saw the pristine white body of the car, she fell silent.
Ye Shuang wordlessly pulled out her phone and called Chen Qin directly.
"What's up? Made up your mind?" Chen Qin's cheerful voice came through the phone.
"You call this a commuter car?" Ye Shuang stared at the Toyota Supra in front of her and continued,
"Isn't this a sports car?!"
"Yep, a commuter sports car."
Ye Shuang: "..."
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
is also known as: "Sword Flying Under the Desk: My School Life" "Balancing Cultivation and STEM Homework" "The System That Taught Me to Take College Entrance Exams While Surviving Heavenly Tribulations" Good news: I got reincarnated. Even better news: I got reincarnated with a system. So, should I chase wealth? Or pursue immortality? Maybe become a superhero for the motherland? But with regrets weighing on this second life, I’d rather fix what I missed before. System: "Host, the cultivation world is full of dangers. You must form your Golden Core immediately!" Lin Mo glanced at the truck he’d just stopped with one hand. "At my level, it’s not like I’ll piss off ‘Little Boy’ or ‘Fat Man,’ right? Whatever—I still have two math problems left. Go play by yourself." System: "How can you still focus on homework at a time like this?! Host! Don’t throw your life away!" Lin Mo stayed silent, burying himself deeper into his workbook.
end. Thus one must continue to cultivate, and become a saint or great emperor, in order to prolong one's life. Chen Xia, however, completely reversed this. Since his transmigration, he has gained immortality, and also a system that awards him with attribute points for every year he lives. Thus between the myriad worlds, the legend of an unparalleled senior appeared. "A gentleman takes revenge; it is never too late even after ten thousand years." "When you were at your peak I yielded, now in your old age I shall trample on you." - Chen Xia
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
