The clamor inside the venue continued to surge, refusing to settle.
On the screen, the glaring "9,326 points" hung like an insurmountable monument, weighing heavily on everyone.
Yet, all this commotion seemed irrelevant to Liu Yuan, who stood quietly in the corner.
Leaning against the cold wall, she kept her head slightly lowered, her long lashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyes.
Words like "record," "top scorer," "domination," and "clown" drifted into her ears but failed to stir even the slightest ripple in her heart.
Her world, at this moment, was unusually still.
Her fingers glided lightly across her phone's smooth screen, unlocking it. The glow illuminated her delicate face.
She ignored the flood of news notifications about the martial exam.
Instead, she went straight to Yuanxin and tapped on the pinned name at the top.
[Iris: I’m done with the test! Are you busy, brother? Can I come find you~?]
Send.
Then she stayed like that, motionless, staring at the screen, her fingertips absently tracing the edge of her phone.
Someone passed by, waving their arms excitedly while discussing with a classmate: "Did you see that? Nineteen thousand kilograms! My god, is that even human?"
Liu Yuan paid no attention, her gaze fixed on the screen, waiting for the familiar avatar to light up with a new message.
She didn’t care who the top scorer was or who broke the record.
She only cared about one person’s whereabouts.
The screen flickered slightly.
Almost instantly, her eyes caught the new notification.
[IWantToSleep: I’m in Rest Area B, by the window.]
The corner of Liu Yuan’s lips lifted—just a fraction, so slight it was almost imperceptible—yet it melted away the faint coolness in her expression.
Her beautiful eyes brightened, shimmering with tiny sparks of light.
Liu Yuan immediately pocketed her phone and straightened up.
Her movements were swift and precise, without a trace of hesitation.
She strode toward Rest Area B.
Navigating through the noisy crowd, she dodged someone who nearly bumped into her while gesturing wildly.
"Hey, did you see—?"
The person tried to share their excitement, but Liu Yuan simply sidestepped with a soft "Excuse me," never breaking her stride.
The speaker blinked, watching her retreating figure, then muttered, "Weirdo. Doesn’t even care about Jiangxia’s big celebration..."
The sign for Rest Area B grew clearer as she approached.
She could already make out a faint silhouette by the window.
Compared to the bustling corridors, this area was noticeably quieter.
A few examinees who had finished early sat scattered around—some looked tense, others whispered among themselves, while a few still buzzed about Yun Huang’s record-breaking performance.
Liu Yuan didn’t pause. Her eyes swept across the room.
By the window...
Her gaze skipped over empty seats, past figures hunched over their phones or resting with closed eyes.
Then—she stopped.
The sunlight by the window was bright, outlining the profile of a young man.
He lounged casually against the back of his seat, one arm draped over the empty space beside him, his head slightly tilted as if dozing.
The light traced clean, sharp lines along his features.
The moment she spotted him, her steps quickened—from a walk to a jog, then almost a sprint, as if carried by the wind.
A faint creak of the chair.
Su Qi, who had indeed been on the verge of sleep, suddenly felt a soft figure crash into him.
The impact nearly toppled him backward, chair and all.
Luckily, his reflexes kicked in—his hands braced against the armrests, barely steadying himself.
Warmth pressed against his chest, carrying the faint, sweet scent of a girl.
The person in his arms buried herself against him, her arms locked tightly around his waist, her face hidden in his chest. Though he couldn’t see her expression, he could feel it—dependency?
Su Qi raised a hand and patted her back lightly.
"You’re back."
His voice was rough with sleep but laced with a trace of gentleness.
Liu Yuan didn’t answer. Instead, she nuzzled deeper into him, as if trying to press her cheek even closer.
He didn’t say anything else, letting her hold him.
The position was a little awkward, but it was warm.
After about half a minute, Liu Yuan’s grip loosened slightly, though her arms remained wrapped around him.
Few people were in the rest area. Some glanced over curiously but soon looked away.
Liu Yuan tilted her head up to look at Su Qi. In her bright eyes, only his reflection remained.
"I just... finished the test and suddenly missed you."
Her voice was soft.
The sunlight outside slanted in, wrapping the two of them in a warm, golden glow.
th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"
lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
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'!"
