"Hey? So many cars." Chen Qin gripped the steering wheel, staring blankly at the traffic ahead.
"This isn’t what you’d call a leisurely drive," Ye Shuang chuckled beside her.
"Is it because Haizhu City doesn’t have a subway?"
"Probably."
Ye Shuang glanced at Chen Qin, then his gaze drifted toward her window—
[Character: Chen Qin
"Though lacking the colorful wings of a phoenix, our hearts beat as one."]
[System Upgrade in Progress]
[Continue?]
Ye Shuang: "..."
Seeing the newly appeared pop-up, Ye Shuang felt a flicker of confusion. What did this mean?
Noticing the car wasn’t moving, Chen Qin instinctively turned to Ye Shuang—only to find him staring intently in her direction. Her heart skipped a beat. Fiddling with a strand of her hair, her ears flushed crimson as she stammered,
"Wh-what?"
Ye Shuang, still fixated on the window, reached out to tap the [Continue] button.
But the next moment, his finger met unexpected resistance.
Huh?
The word [Continue] began to tremble before the window abruptly vanished.
Snapping back to reality, Ye Shuang realized his finger was now poking something soft—and a pair of stunned eyes.
Chen Qin: "..."
Ye Shuang: "..."
"Wait, I—I didn’t mean to do that," Ye Shuang quickly explained.
"Hmph, pervert." Chen Qin’s face burned scarlet, though she didn’t seem too upset. She merely muttered, "There are cameras outside, you know."
Ye Shuang swallowed hard, forcing an awkward smile.
The atmosphere in the car grew oddly tense, but thankfully, the traffic soon eased, and they resumed driving.
Chen Qin stayed silent, cheeks still pink, but as an adult, she quickly composed herself—even going so far as to rest a hand on Ye Shuang’s thigh while driving.
Ye Shuang: "..."
Wait, shouldn’t this be the other way around?
After a while, they finally arrived at their destination—a shabby-looking little eatery with only three or four cramped tables, each barely seating two. A sign outside read: [Slope Roast Chicken].
The name likely came from the shop’s location on a slope.
The moment they stepped out of the car, the rich aroma of roasted chicken hit them, drawing a small crowd of customers.
"Wow, smells amazing."
"Agreed..." Ye Shuang studied the unassuming exterior. Places like this usually didn’t disappoint.
"How’d you find this place?" he asked.
"Someone recommended it, though some say their chicken’s a bit salty," Chen Qin said, holding up a finger.
"Probably inconsistent cooking."
Ye Shuang almost joked that the saltiness might come from the chef’s sweat dripping into the roast, but he held back to avoid ruining Chen Qin’s appetite.
"Let’s try it first." Chen Qin looked delighted. Spending her rare day off with Ye Shuang was a joy.
"Seems like the busiest spot around here," Ye Shuang remarked, noting the empty Xinjiang barbecue joint next door, its lamb skewers hanging untouched. Maybe it catered to night owls.
"One roast chicken, a plate of fried pork intestines, and stir-fried rice noodles," Chen Qin ordered.
"Got it," came the reply from inside.
They took their seats. At nearly eighty yuan for a chicken, it wasn’t cheap.
"How’s work lately?" Ye Shuang asked casually while waiting.
"Busy." Chen Qin propped her cheek on one hand. "The market’s unstable—stock prices are plummeting. Makes my head itch."
"Economic downturn," Ye Shuang said. "Being busy is normal."
Chen Qin gave him a lingering look, then whispered, "You could help me, you know."
"I..."
After a pause, Ye Shuang replied, "Yu You and the others are more independent now. If things settle, I might be able to join you."
"Really?" Chen Qin’s eyes lit up.
"Yeah."
But she suddenly shook her head. "No, it’s fine."
"Huh?"
"Ye, you like your life now, right?" Chen Qin spoke softly. "As much as I want you by my side..."
"I’d rather you choose the life you want. For yourself."
She smiled sweetly. "Right?"
What set Chen Qin apart was how she always prioritized Ye Shuang’s feelings—the one person he could truly rely on.
"Roast chicken," the server announced, placing a plate between them.
"Dig in."
"Mm."
They picked up their chopsticks. The chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces, smelled heavenly—crispy skin, tender meat... and yes, a tad salty.
Next came the fried pork intestines, best paired with sweet-and-sour sauce.
But halfway through, Ye Shuang and Chen Qin exchanged a glance.
Too greasy.
In unison, they raised their hands. "To-go boxes, please."
Back in the car, Chen Qin gulped water. "Ugh... Next time, no ordering both at once. So heavy."
"Roast chicken and fried intestines? No kidding," Ye Shuang laughed.
Chen Qin handed him her bottle. "Miscalculation. I need herbal tea!"
"Let’s go." Ye Shuang took a swig. The meal was bound to leave them feeling overheated.
They drove another twenty kilometers to an old herbal tea shop. Most of their day had been spent on the road.
During the drive, Ye Shuang brought up An Shiyu.
"Do you know much about An Shiyu’s family?"
"Shiyu?"
"Her surname’s An."
"Doesn’t matter. Two syllables is fine—you get me." Still, Chen Qin seemed curious. "I know a bit about her grandfather. She’s a local-born mixed-race girl. Her great-grandfather was a martyr for our country."
"Her parents?"
"Heard they died in an accident—something about an explosion. Not sure of details, but her family’s old-money aristocracy. Big-name conglomerate."
She paused. "Oh, and I think her parents were researchers."
Researchers?
Ye Shuang fell into thought.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
