Ye Shuang unlocked the door with his key and noticed Bai Yuyou was already awake—she was kneeling by the balcony door, feeding Yīwàn (Ten Thousand) cat food with her fingers. However, the cat didn’t seem hungry at the moment, instead showing more interest in the strands of hair swaying in front of it, playfully batting at them with its tiny paws.
Bai Yuyou didn’t mind. In fact, seeing how much Yīwàn was enjoying itself, she gathered all her hair and handed it over to the kitten. The waist-length locks were far too much for the little cat, practically burying Yīwàn under them.
Just then, Bai Yuyou seemed to sense something. She turned her head and noticed Ye Shuang standing not far away.
"Ye Shuang…"
She immediately stood up and hurried over, but Yīwàn, still clinging to her hair, wasn’t quick enough to react. The sudden movement sent the kitten bouncing along behind her, its little body bobbing up and down near her backside.
"Don’t let Yīwàn ruin such beautiful hair," Ye Shuang said, reaching out to pluck the cat free. After lightly tapping its little head, he set it down. Yīwàn promptly rolled onto its back, exposing its belly—a sign of trust and relaxation among cats.
"Little troublemaker," Ye Shuang murmured, his gaze lingering on Bai Yuyou.
Perhaps recalling the old man’s words from earlier, Ye Shuang’s mood hadn’t fully settled yet. There were things he needed to know.
"Yuyou, why aren’t you eating breakfast?" He steadied his emotions before gesturing to the nearby table.
Bai Yuyou replied, "Ye Shuang was gone just now… wanted to eat with Ye Shuang…"
"Eating is a happy thing… wanted to be happy with Ye Shuang…"
Ye Shuang reached out and gently pinched her cheek. "Alright, sit down."
Once she took her seat, she watched as Ye Shuang began eating before picking up a steamed bun herself. She nibbled at it delicately, her movements reminiscent of a small animal—adorable enough to lift anyone’s spirits.
Ye Shuang studied her for a few seconds before suddenly asking, "Yuyou, do you remember anything from your childhood?"
"Childhood?"
"Yeah, around five or six years old. Any memories?"
Bai Yuyou nodded.
"What do you remember?"
After a moment of thought, she answered earnestly, "Very hungry… and, my body hurt."
Ye Shuang: "…"
The air around him seemed to thicken, making it hard to breathe. A suffocating weight pressed against his chest, and he forced a weak smile, deciding not to press further.
"I took the day off. Want to go out somewhere?" he offered, though what he really wanted was to take her to the police station.
"Okay."
"Anywhere you’d like to go?"
"Want to be with Ye Shuang."
Ye Shuang blinked. "I’m right here, aren’t I?"
"Mm." Bai Yuyou nodded. "That’s enough."
After a brief silence, Ye Shuang suddenly said, "Let’s go to the beach."
Haizhu City was a coastal town. Though most locals insisted that staying home with their phones was better than visiting the shore, it didn’t stop tourists from flocking there every year to see the ocean. For Ye Shuang, the beach was also a good place to clear his mind when he was feeling down.
"The sea."
"Yeah. Has it been a while since you last went?" He smiled faintly—truthfully, it had been a long time for him too.
But Bai Yuyou shook her head. "I… have never been."
Ye Shuang froze for a second before understanding dawned on him. This girl had been locked in an attic for eight years, then spent another two years fending for herself in confusion. Unless there had been some extraordinary circumstance, she wouldn’t have had the chance to visit the beach.
"Let’s head out after breakfast?"
"Okay."
After finishing their meal, they rested for a while, watched a short show, and then left the house.
The weather was beautiful—the sky a pristine blue, the warm sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting shifting patterns like gray fish swimming across the parked cars below. A gentle breeze rustled the branches, making the "fish" appear to dart about.
Ye Shuang’s heavy mood lightened slightly. He glanced at the girl beside him, who was quietly holding onto the hem of his shirt. Her small, delicate face was serene, though a bandage still wrapped around her forehead.
Once in the car, Ye Shuang drove off.
The beach wasn’t far—just a twenty-minute drive. Fortunately, it wasn’t a holiday, or finding parking would have been a nightmare. He still remembered the days when he’d haphazardly parked by the shore, only to return to a windshield plastered with parking tickets.
Bai Yuyou gazed curiously out the window as the scenery rushed past. Her unfamiliarity with the world made everything seem new and fascinating.
Ye Shuang drove at a leisurely pace, long past the age where he’d speed down highways at 150 km/h. Even in a sports car, he preferred a smooth, steady ride.
Soon, they approached a tunnel, about a kilometer long.
As a few car horns echoed around them, the surroundings plunged into darkness.
Bai Yuyou instinctively shuddered. The sudden blackness wrapped around her, stirring an inexplicable fear that tightened around her heart. She reached out, seeking Ye Shuang’s sleeve for comfort.
But the next moment, warmth enveloped her hand.
Ye Shuang kept one hand on the wheel while the other gently held hers. He’d noticed her reaction immediately—though the tunnel wasn’t particularly dark, the abrupt change must have unsettled her.
"Don’t be afraid," his soothing voice reassured her.
"Yuyou, do you trust me?"
"Mm."
"Close your eyes."
The moment he spoke, Bai Yuyou obeyed.
About thirty seconds later, a rush of wind filled her ears, carrying the briny scent of the sea.
"Okay, open them."
Bai Yuyou slowly opened her eyes. Bright light flooded her vision—the car window had been rolled down at some point. She stared blankly at the scene before her.
The ocean stretched endlessly, merging with the horizon in a seamless blend of blue. Sunlight danced across the water’s surface, casting shimmering arcs of light that reflected in Bai Yuyou’s clear, wide eyes.
She watched, as if trying to imprint every detail into her memory, unmoving for a long moment.
Ye Shuang drove on, occasionally glancing at the faint blue hue mirrored in her gaze. He didn’t interrupt her thoughts.
"That’s the sea…"
"Yes, that’s the sea."
"I… think I’ve been here before," Bai Yuyou murmured. The sight felt familiar, as though it existed in her mind but was veiled by a hazy filter.
Ye Shuang studied her intently before suddenly asking, "Yuyou, did you have another name before?"
"Name…"
"I think… I did…"
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
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!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
