After adding Master An's alternate account to the blacklist, the matter with Chen Hai was temporarily put to rest.
Today marked the opening day of the school sports festival. Since it also doubled as a parents' open day, the atmosphere was especially lively. The stands were packed to the brim with people, a sea of heads and waving flags.
"Heh, heh, hup!"
Inside the Light Music Club's activity room, Bai Yuyou was stretching her legs with Tang Keke's help. Her waist-length hair was tied into a ponytail, and she had changed into more comfortable sneakers.
"Just relax and do your best. Ranking doesn't matter," Ye Shuang said as he crouched down to tie her shoelaces. The girl was wearing athletic shorts, and from this close, he noticed how impossibly fair her calves were—so pale that even the fine hairs were barely visible.
"Okay."
Tang Keke giggled beside them. "Yuyou's athletic skills are seriously impressive. Even the teachers have praised her."
"The teachers praised your athleticism?" Ye Shuang straightened up, looking slightly surprised.
"Mm." As if to demonstrate, Bai Yuyou flipped nimbly into a handstand, balancing steadily against the wall.
"Ooooh—" Everyone clapped in admiration.
But the next second, her T-shirt slid down, revealing her navel and sports bra—the hem even covering her head.
"I can't see…" she mumbled.
"Get down now. No more handstands," Ye Shuang quickly helped her back to her feet.
Zhixia and Linlin weren’t in the activity room at the moment. Though they weren’t participating in the sports festival, they had other tasks to handle. On the first morning of the event, the only competition the girls were involved in was the relay race.
"An Shiyu, you’re not joining?" Ye Shuang asked the girl lounging in the corner.
An Shiyu lay sprawled on the sofa, her body hidden behind the armrest with only her legs dangling lazily. Her voice was just as languid. "Relay races… I don’t wanna be dragged down by deadweight teammates."
Tang Keke blinked. "Are you talking about me…?"
"You figured it out?"
"Hey! You are talking about me!!!"
As Tang Keke and An Shiyu started bickering, Ye Shuang focused on helping Bai Yuyou get into the right mindset. Though he claimed rankings didn’t matter, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to see her shine on the field.
Watching her perform brilliantly was something to be proud of.
"Ye Shuang… I want a hug," Bai Yuyou suddenly said.
"Hm? Why?"
She stretched out her arms. "Hugging gives me energy."
Ye Shuang chuckled and pulled her slender frame into his arms, giving her a firm squeeze. "Better? Feel energized now?"
"No. Not long enough." Her expression remained blank. "Charging… takes time."
"Alright." He continued holding her.
A few seconds later, "Done?"
"I didn’t bring fast charging today," Bai Yuyou replied.
Ye Shuang couldn’t help but laugh. This girl was even making up excuses about charging speeds now. But considering it was the sports festival, he indulged her clinginess to boost her morale.
As he gently stroked the back of her head, she suddenly murmured, "Charging stopped halfway."
"Stopped? Need some extra conditions?" he teased.
Bai Yuyou lifted her face from his chest and said, "Need a kiss."
"Pushing your luck, aren’t you?"
"I’ll be too tired to run later," she countered immediately.
With a sigh, Ye Shuang pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "There."
Bai Yuyou knew not to push further, but she still asked, "After running… showering is tiring. I won’t have energy… Tonight, let’s shower together. Ye Shuang can wash me."
Ye Shuang: "…"
This girl… was she getting sneakier?
He had noticed Bai Yuyou wasn’t as easy to placate as before. Her mind was clearly maturing along with her awareness.
"No can do."
"Ye Shuang promised before. If I did well, we could shower together," she muttered. "Ye Shuang… is a liar."
She was referring to an old promise from back when Bai Yuyou was still called "Stinky Girl" at school. Ye Shuang had only said it to encourage her then—never expecting her to bring it up now.
"Bold words, Yuyou." He pinched her soft cheeks and stretched them playfully. The girl didn’t resist, obediently letting him squish her face, even leaning in closer.
"Fine, we’ll talk about it after the race," Ye Shuang conceded.
"Promise?" she pressed.
"Mm… yeah."
He couldn’t shake the feeling he’d walked right into her trap. Did Tang Keke teach her this?
Checking the time, he noted they’d need to head to the track soon. With so many students, events were held in batches across multiple venues.
"Keke, time to go. The relay’s about to start," Ye Shuang called to the two girls still roughhousing.
Tang Keke was currently locked in An Shiyu’s grip but managed to reply,
"O-okay, just—ah! Eek!!!"
"Tch. Stop groping around," An Shiyu deadpanned.
"Groping?! There’s nothing there—eek?! Why’d you squeeze harder?!!"
After another round of chaos, they finally locked the activity room and left.
Judging by Tang Keke and An Shiyu’s disheveled hair, their tussle hadn’t been gentle—though Ye Shuang figured An Shiyu had held back. She wouldn’t use any serious moves in a playful scuffle.
Just then, Bai Yuyou’s phone vibrated.
Though it was hers, Ye Shuang was holding it since she couldn’t carry it while running.
He glanced at the screen—
Mom: Sweetie, something came up. I might not make it in time.
Ye Shuang: "…"
Is Aunt Xian really that busy?
"What’s the message?" Bai Yuyou tilted her head, noticing his expression.
Ye Shuang smiled gently and pocketed the phone. "Just an ad. Nothing important."
"Oh."
"Ye Shuang… will she come later?" Bai Yuyou asked quietly.
He knew who she meant.
Did she sense it?
"I think she will. Don’t worry," he reassured her. "I’ll be watching closely too."
Bai Yuyou nodded softly.
"Mm…"
"If Mom doesn’t come… it’s okay." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Because… I have Ye Shuang."
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'!"
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."
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!
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
