Chapter 262
Early morning, Binjiang Garden residential area.
The temperature had suddenly dropped. The autumn wind swept up a few dead leaves, sending them swirling past the edge of the flowerbed.
Gu Xiangcheng, wearing a thin tracksuit with his hands stuffed in his pockets, was shivering in the cold wind downstairs.
His back, facing the entrance of the building, exuded an indescribable sense of desolation.
Aside from an old man walking his dog early in the morning who passed right in front of him.
Furthermore, he hadn't seen so much as the shadow of another dog!
Last night, he had received the imperial decree from his wife to accompany them on a run, so he had gotten up before dawn to wait here.
And the result?
After standing in the draft for a full half hour, those two little brats hadn't even shown a single strand of hair!
Achoo!
A loud sneeze.
Gu Xiangcheng rubbed his numb, freezing nose, the anger in his heart flaring up.
Forgot your dad once you got a wife, huh? Making your old man stand out here eating the cold wind on such a freezing day. Fine, just fine!
He toughed it out for a few more minutes, confirming that there was absolutely no movement from upstairs.
Resigning to his fate, he turned around, wandered over to the breakfast stand at the community gate, and packed up breakfast for the whole family.
......
Gu Xiangcheng returned home carrying steaming hot fried dough sticks and soy milk. The house was completely quiet.
Ye Shulian saw him come back alone and looked behind him in confusion.
Why is it just you? Where are Xiao Ran and Zhenzhen?
Gu Xiangcheng looked utterly helpless.
Don't even mention it. I froze downstairs for half an hour for nothing. No one got up to run at all!
Hearing this, Ye Shulian glanced at the tightly shut doors of the two kids' rooms and couldn't help but chuckle.
They were probably scared by whatever horror movie they watched yesterday, or they just had too much fun and haven't recovered yet.
As she spoke, she leaned in and gently planted a kiss on her husband's ice-cold cheek.
Alright, thank you for your hard work, Comrade Lao Gu. I'll go plate the breakfast first, and then we can split up to wake them up.
Gu Xiangcheng felt a warm rush in his heart from the kiss, and most of his previous resentment dissipated.
His steps became noticeably lighter as he followed her toward the kitchen, unable to suppress the corners of his mouth from rising.
It really is great having a wife!
......
Twenty minutes ago, inside Ye Zhenzhen's room.
Heavy curtains blocked out the morning sunlight, leaving the room still dim.
On the large bed, the young girl was wrapped around Gu Ran like an octopus, using both her arms and legs.
She was the first to wake up from her sleep.
Her thick eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
She slightly tilted her head up, looking at the handsome face with even breathing that was right in front of her.
The young man was sleeping soundly, his breathing even, his chest rising and falling slightly in a rhythmic pattern.
Gone was his usual sly, punchable demeanor from the daytime; right now, he looked exceptionally gentle.
Fine stubble had appeared on his chin.
It was a very different feeling...
The young girl secretly swallowed, her heartbeat betraying her by skipping a beat.
She carefully pulled out her right hand, which had been pinned down.
Extending her slender fingers, she traced the young man's eyebrows and eyes.
From the straight bridge of his nose, she slid all the way down to those thin lips that always made her suffer.
The temperature of her face soared along the path of her fingertips.
To think that...
He usually looked so incredibly punchable, but when he settled down... he was really pleasant to look at!
Just a quick, secret kiss...
He probably wouldn't notice, right?
This is Sister's special care!
Ye Zhenzhen made her little calculations in her heart, her pink lips slowly inching closer.
But before she could succeed...
She unexpectedly met a pair of eyes filled with amusement.
Caught red-handed.
Ah!
The young girl let out a yelp and frantically scrambled backward.
Coveting my good looks so early in the morning?
Sister... you're not being honest...
The young man's voice carried a trace of lazy hoarseness from having just woken up.
Ye Zhenzhen was both embarrassed and annoyed, her voice changing pitch.
Stop flattering yourself! Who, who's coveting you! I saw something dirty on your face! I wanted to help you wipe it off!
Gu Ran let out a soft chuckle, his gaze sweeping over her still slightly pouting lips.
But Sister's actions just now didn't look like you were wiping anything...
Dare to do it but don't dare to admit it?
Ye Zhenzhen felt incredibly guilty, her eyes darting everywhere as her brain worked in overdrive to find an excuse.
Since the plan had failed!
Then... retreat!
Before she could make a move, Gu Ran saw right through her intentions.
With a swift and clean roll, he pinned her straight down into the soft bedding.
He lowered his head, accurately capturing those two soft petals of her lips, and kissed her.
The unfinished romantic atmosphere from the private cinema booth yesterday reignited.
Even though she was passively receiving the kiss...
The young girl clearly wasn't resisting much either.
She subconsciously grabbed the fabric at his chest tightly, her breathing suddenly becoming rapid, her curves rising and falling in tandem.
Gu Ran's hand slid down along the young girl's slender waist...
Outside the door...
These two kids, how are they sleeping so heavily today...
The two on the bed jolted awake instantly, Gu Ran's movements freezing abruptly.
Ye Zhenzhen was so terrified her pupils shook, her heart leaping into her throat!
From next door came the sound of Gu Xiangcheng turning the doorknob.
Click.
Gu Xiangcheng pushed the door open, looking at the empty bed that hadn't even been slept in, his mind going blank for a second.
He froze at the doorway, his head turning mechanically.
He locked eyes perfectly with Ye Shulian, who was just about to knock on Ye Zhenzhen's door.
Ye Shulian also caught a glimpse of Gu Ran's completely empty room, and a sense of dread immediately rose in her heart.
A woman's sixth sense told her...
Something was wrong!!
Very wrong!!
She turned her head, staring at her daughter's tightly shut door in front of her, the frequency of her knocking becoming urgent.
Bang bang bang!
Zhenzhen? Are you awake?
The atmosphere outside the door froze for a moment.
Inside the room, the two were already in a total panic.
Gu Ran knew very well that if he tried to climb back over the balcony right now...
He would be caught red-handed with one hundred percent certainty by Auntie Ye or Lao Gu, who were staring from outside!
Then it would truly be a case of yellow mud dropping into his pants, even if it wasn't crap, it would be considered crap!!!
He quickly scanned the young girl's bedroom.
His gaze locked onto the large solid wood wardrobe.
Without any hesitation, he decisively pulled open the wardrobe door.
He dove straight in, pulling the door shut behind him.
Seeing him hidden away, Ye Zhenzhen forcefully patted her cheeks, which still hadn't cooled down from their recent intimacy.
She took a deep breath, trying hard to calm her violently heaving chest.
Gritting her teeth, she dawdled over to the door and twisted it open.
Click.
The door opened just a crack at first.
Ye Shulian stared suspiciously at her daughter who had opened the door, her gaze looking her up and down.
Zhenzhen, why did it take you so long to open the door? What were you doing in there?
The young girl was so nervous her toes were curling, not daring to meet her mother's eyes at all.
Her tongue felt like it was tied in knots.
N-nothing... I-I was scared by the horror movie yesterday and went to bed late, so I didn't hear you just now... What's wrong, Mom?
Ye Shulian stared at her daughter's guilty demeanor, then glanced at her unusually flushed cheeks.
She became even more convinced that there was something fishy going on in this room.
Not waiting for Ye Zhenzhen to react, she reached out and pushed the door wide open.
Stepping past the young girl, she strode into the room, searching around for something.
Ye Shulian looked around the room, not even sparing the space under the bed or behind the curtains.
She searched the entire room but couldn't find a single thing.
Standing outside the door, Gu Xiangcheng's heart was practically in his throat.
It was all that brat Gu Ran's fault. No matter how much he had warned him, the kid had absolutely no sense of propriety!
Watching Ye Shulian's leave-no-stone-unturned approach, layers of cold sweat kept breaking out on his forehead.
You little punk, if you really did something outrageous!
Even your old man won't be able to save you today!
Ye Zhenzhen watched her mother circle the room without noticing anything amiss.
Her suspended heart finally settled a little...
Only to be yanked right back up a second later.
She watched as Ye Shulian bypassed her and walked straight toward the closet!
"The weather is getting colder these days. Let Mom see if you have any suitable autumn clothes."
"If not, I'll take you out this afternoon to buy a few outfits."
Ye Shulian's hand was just about to touch the handle of the closet.
Crap!
If she got caught, she was dead meat!
Without a second thought, Ye Zhenzhen decided to go all out.
She lunged forward, firmly blocking the closet with her body and cutting off Ye Shulian's line of sight.
She forcibly threw her arms around her mother's shoulders, spun her around, and half-pushed, half-shoved her toward the door.
"Mom! I have clothes, I don't need to buy any! I really don't!"
Ye Zhenzhen stammered her emphasis, her voice carrying an unconcealable panic.
"I... I want to sleep a little longer. You and Uncle Gu go eat breakfast first, don't worry about me!"
Before Ye Shulian could even say anything, she was coaxed and shoved right out of the room.
Bang!
The door slammed heavily shut behind her.
Outside the door, Ye Shulian and Gu Xiangcheng exchanged another glance.
Gu Xiangcheng's suspended heart immediately hit the ground.
He let out a long breath and wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead.
Scared me half to death!
You little brat, are you trying to send your old man straight to the cardiology department?!
The next second, Gu Xiangcheng didn't give Ye Shulian a chance to say another word.
He rushed up and threw an arm around her shoulders, determined not to let her look back.
"If the kid is tired, let her sleep! Come on, come on, let's go eat first, the soy milk is going to get completely cold!"
Ye Shulian was half-dragged and half-pushed to the dining table, then pressed directly into a chair.
She looked up at her husband, her eyes full of suspicion.
Why did it feel like this guy was covering for someone?
"Are you— mmph."
Before she could finish her question, a warm piece of fried dough stick was shoved right against her lips.
Looking up, she met Gu Xiangcheng's completely innocent smile.
"Eat up, eat up, it won't taste good if it gets cold."
Ye Shulian sighed helplessly.
......
Forget it...
Opposite her, seeing that she had finally taken a bite of the fried dough stick, Gu Xiangcheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Out of the corner of his eye, he stole a glance at Ye Zhenzhen's tightly shut bedroom door and cursed viciously in his heart.
You little rascal—
You'd better not fall into my hands!
......

ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!

transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”

orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"

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."