Chapter 221
"A toast to the boss!"
"A toast to us for crushing Penguin!!"
"More than just crushing them, we literally rubbed their faces in the dirt! The whole internet is flooded with posts saying WeChat is too greedy, and they couldn't even copy our homework right!"
"So satisfying! We absolutely killed it this time!"
The programmers excitedly pumped their fists, the exhaustion usually hidden behind their thick black-framed glasses completely swept away.
It was replaced by the ecstasy of surging adrenaline.
Li Sinan stood in the crowd.
Looking at these soldiers she and Gu Ran had personally trained, her nose tingled with emotion.
This battle had been risky, but they won it beautifully.
"Boss."
Li Sinan adjusted her emotions and walked over, her voice filled with sincere admiration.
"I've already booked the place for tonight's celebration party, 'Heaven on Earth', the most prestigious club in Qinglin! The brothers are all waiting for our greatest hero to say the word. Tonight, we don't go home until we're drunk!"
Hearing this, Gu Ran smiled.
His gaze swept over Li Sinan's face, flushed with excitement, and then looked at the group of fired-up brothers.
"I won't be going."
His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
Everyone looked at him with a "Did I hear that right?" expression.
Not going?
Was this some kind of joke?
This was the celebration party for taking down an internet giant!
How could the main character be absent?
Li Sinan was also stunned, her smile freezing on her face.
"Why? Everyone... everyone really wants to celebrate with you."
She subconsciously gripped the hem of her shirt.
The man before her was calm and powerful.
Even though he had just won a commercial war worth tens of billions, he remained indifferent.
This composure that radiated from his very bones held a unique attraction for her.
She knew very well that her feelings for him had long surpassed the mere appreciation of a subordinate for a superior.
Gu Ran seemed to see through something, but he just acted like usual.
He gently patted Li Sinan's shoulder, his tone relaxed.
"Teacher Li, take the brothers out and have a good time. Put all the expenses on my tab. Full reimbursement, no limit."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the astonished employees.
A gentle smile suddenly rippled in the depths of his eyes.
"I'm... busy going home to pet my cat."
"Pet your cat?"
Everyone looked at each other, their heads full of question marks.
Wasn't this excuse a bit too outrageous?
Whose cat was more important than a multi-million dollar business?
What kind of new humblebrag was this?
Only Li Sinan understood instantly.
This cat was not an actual cat.
It was the "cat" in Gu Ran's heart.
Being able to meet such an excellent boss and fight alongside these lovely colleagues
was a blessing in itself, and she was already very satisfied.
Having figured this out, a bright smile bloomed on Li Sinan's face again.
She waved at Gu Ran and teased.
"Alright, the world is big, but the boss's cat is the biggest! Then we will celebrate properly for you. We'll definitely eat you into bankruptcy tonight!"
"Go on, don't try to save me money."
Gu Ran smiled and nodded, saying no more.
Amidst the deafening cheers of the employees, he turned, pushed open the door, and blended into the night without any hesitation.
To Gu Ran, defeating WeChat and securing financing were just the first stepping stones in the blueprint of his massive business empire.
It was expected, so why be surprised.
His real treasure was still in school attending classes.
This feeling of anticipation was more addictive to him than making any amount of money.
Sigh... he felt like he hadn't seen her in ages.
He missed her.
Carrying this anticipation, the young man quickened his pace.
Gu Ran didn't go straight back to school; instead, he took a detour to the commercial street.
He stopped in front of an elegant flower shop.
"Boss, please wrap a bouquet of flowers for me."
"Okay, sir. What kind of flowers would you like? And who are they for?"
The female shop owner came up to him enthusiastically.
"Jasmine and white roses."
Gu Ran's gaze swept over the brightly blooming flowers, his eyes softening unconsciously.
"For my girlfriend."
When he said the word "girlfriend," his tone naturally softened.
"Ninety-nine stems, the freshest ones. As for the wrapping... um, make it look ceremonial, but not too tacky,"
he added.
Seeing that he drove a luxury car, spent generously, and was handsome, the shop owner's eyes were full of envy.
"Your girlfriend is so lucky, sir. Don't worry, I'll definitely wrap it beautifully and grandly for you."
Leaving the flower shop, the young man went to a famous French bakery nearby.
"Please give me a six-inch strawberry cake. And two small desserts."
He pointed at the most exquisite one in the display window.
Ye Zhenzhen had a typical sweet tooth, but she always complained about being afraid of getting fat, so she only dared to take a tiny, careful bite every time.
This size was just right.
It would satisfy her cravings without making her feel guilty.
Carrying the cake and flowers, he drove to the Nanning District Library.
This was the closest district-level library to Qinglin University.
After Gu Ran got a library card made, he carefully placed it on the bouquet.
He remembered Ye Zhenzhen casually mentioning last time that the school library during finals week was like the set of Train to Busan.
It was impossible to grab a seat.
He heard that the district library had complete resources and a good environment, but the threshold for getting a card was high and the procedures were troublesome.
...
Twenty minutes later.
Gu Ran glanced at his watch and parked his car steadily below the medical school's teaching building.
He had checked Ye Zhenzhen's schedule, and this time was exactly her last class.
Turning off the engine, Gu Ran rolled down the window and rested his elbow on the ledge.
He quietly looked at the brightly lit teaching building not far away, feeling completely at peace inside.
"Ring, ring—"
The class dismissal bell finally rang.
Soon, students poured out of the teaching building in twos and threes.
"Holy crap, look, it's God Gu!"
"Wow, he's here to pick up Goddess Ye from class again? This is way too sweet!"
"I'm so jealous. Why are other people's boyfriends so amazing? Handsome, rich, and loyal!"
"I just saw the news saying his company's valuation doubled, and he immediately turns around to pick up his girlfriend from school. What kind of fairy tale plot is this?"
Amidst the uncontrollable discussions,
Gu Ran pushed open the car door and stood leaning against the vehicle.
The streetlights stretched his shadow long. A luxury car, flowers, and a handsome guy—this scene was even more like an idol drama than an actual idol drama.
The young man's gaze accurately pierced through the crowd and locked onto that familiar figure.
The girl was wearing a light yellow dress and carrying a backpack, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders. She was so fair she seemed to glow in the crowd.
She was looking down and saying something to her roommate next to her, seemingly not having noticed him yet.
The smile in Gu Ran's eyes rippled outward.
He didn't make a sound, but just stood there quietly.
Waiting for his prey to discover him.
...
] [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!"
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】
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!
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
