Chapter 33
With a skewer of fruit tanghulu in each of their hands, the two walked slowly along the roadside toward home.
Ye Zhenzhen bit down so hard her teeth crunched, turning her inner grief and indignation into appetite. She treated the candied fruit in her mouth as a certain annoying guy, crunching down on it fiercely.
Ten yuan for a single tanghulu skewer, why didn't that vendor just rob people?
And this idiot actually went and bought them!
She shot a glare at Gu Ran, who was eating with great relish beside her, and couldn't help but roll her beautiful eyes.
The sympathy she had felt earlier for the old grandpa had completely transformed into a deep hatred for a crooked merchant.
In 2010, candied tanghulu were generally just one yuan a stick. For this astronomical price of ten yuan a stick, she naturally felt that only an idiot would buy it.
And as it turned out, an idiot really did buy it, and the worst part was that the idiot used her money to do it!
Thinking about how a whole week's worth of her pocket money had been scammed just to buy two tanghulu, she couldn't help but get angry. Rolling her eyes slightly, she curled her lips at Gu Ran's back and muttered, Spendthrift!
Before going upstairs, Gu Ran threw the empty bamboo skewers into the trash can and wiped the sugar residue from his mouth, perfectly destroying the evidence of the crime.
This incredibly skillful routine left Ye Zhenzhen stunned; she had a feeling this guy had the potential to be a total scumbag in the future.
After returning home, Ye Shulian had left dinner for them. Once the two finished eating, they both ducked into the same room.
Ye Zhenzhen looked at the tail following behind her, her pretty brows furrowing slightly. Why are you following me?
For tutoring!
Gu Ran was as straightforward as ever. His direct answer left her a bit unsure of how to respond.
Then don't you think I should change my clothes first?
Hearing this, Gu Ran stared at her, looking her up and down.
His gaze, like he was looking at a monkey, annoyed the young girl.
She immediately kicked off her slippers and, with her small foot clad in a cotton sock, lightly kicked Gu Ran's calf.
The force was neither painful nor itchy, but the girl's kick happened to strike a rather bizarre sweet spot for Gu Ran.
If this was how she was going to reward... ahem, punish him, then please, bring it on!
However, he was a true gentleman after all. Since Ye Zhenzhen needed to change clothes, he would just go out and wait.
Returning to his own room, he grabbed a change of clothes and took a quick shower in the bathroom. Estimating the time, he then picked up his notebooks and walked across the balcony to the girl's room.
Hearing the balcony door being pushed open, the girl sitting on the bed tying her hair couldn't help but roll her eyes. She didn't even need to turn around to know it was Gu Ran again.
She was somewhat speechless at his habit of avoiding the front door and preferring to use the back entrance.
The two sat at the desk and began to study, but Gu Ran's gaze started to drift, never staying on the books.
What are you looking at!
Ye Zhenzhen, who was earnestly explaining a problem, saw him zoning out and spoke with a bit of anger.
I'm looking to see what clothes you actually changed into.
Gu Ran was equally earnest, carefully observing the clothing on the girl's body.
It was still the same school uniform she wore during the day. She had just taken off her outerwear and socks; the rest hadn't changed at all.
It took her that long just to change this little bit?
He shook his head, expressing his lack of understanding.
None... none of your business, you pervert!
Hearing his words, Ye Zhenzhen's pretty face instantly flushed red.
Forcing her emotions to calm down, she raised a hand to elegantly tuck her hair back, rolled her beautiful eyes, and spat out a scolding remark.
Gu Ran: ???
How was he a pervert?
He just asked what clothes she had changed into...
Thinking of this, he nodded as if half-understanding, his gaze taking a hasty, fleeting glance at the girl's soft curves.
But the glance was so fleeting that Ye Zhenzhen couldn't catch him in the act, so she could only grit her teeth and lightly kick him again.
He sucked his teeth, silently cursing himself. Why on earth did he wear socks after taking a shower?
It ruined the tactile sensation!
Next time, next time he came over, he would definitely wear slippers barefoot, even if it was winter!
Once they poured their minds into studying, time flew by.
With today's tutoring tasks completed, Gu Ran started packing up his notebooks.
Ye Zhenzhen tucked her hair back and said softly, You can wake up early in the morning to memorize vocabulary or ancient poems. It helps deepen your impression of them.
It was a good method, but for a cheater like Gu Ran who had a photographic memory, he might as well go for a run instead.
But he obediently nodded to show he understood, and then asked, Do you want to go running with me tomorrow morning?
Why?
Hearing the word running, Ye Zhenzhen's small face visibly scrunched up in obvious rejection.
To exercise, of course. Look at your stamina, you pant just going up the stairs. Can you even last half an hour?
Ye Zhenzhen: ???
What half an hour?
Why did it feel like this guy wasn't saying anything decent?
I don't want to.
Ignoring the problematic phrasing of his words, Ye Zhenzhen thought about being covered in sweat after a run and instinctively refused.
Oh come on, go for it. After a run, your mind will be clear for the rest of the day, your study efficiency will greatly improve, and you can keep in shape and slim down!
It can also increase study efficiency?
Is... is it really that good?
Swayed a bit by his words, Ye Zhenzhen frowned slightly, clearly starting to feel conflicted.
Seeing this, Gu Ran pressed his advantage and said in a tone that brokered no refusal, Then it's settled. I'll come wake you up tomorrow morning. Don't lock the balcony door.
After saying that, he took his things and went straight back to his room via the balcony, leaving the dumbfounded girl behind.
Don't lock the balcony door?
Then how was she supposed to sleep?!
Gu 'Dog' Ran's intentions were known to everyone!
Staring at Gu Ran as he left, she took a moment to calm her mood before pulling out a test paper to continue working on her math and comprehensive science multiple-choice questions.
Gu Ran, on the other hand, returned to his room, turned on his computer, and started typing on the keyboard. The clacking sounds rang out like an orchestra performing.
Now, in order to go to Ye Zhenzhen for tutoring, his daily study time had increased, which meant his time for making games had correspondingly decreased.
If he wanted to launch Temple Run within the planned timeframe, he had no choice but to speed up.
With lightning speed, he pounded the keyboard loudly. Fortunately, the room's soundproofing was decent, so it didn't disturb anyone else, such as the girl earnestly doing her problems next door.
Ye Zhenzhen sat with perfect posture, her back straight at the desk, biting the end of her pen as she pondered the final multiple-choice question.
For this kind of finale multiple-choice question, the difficulty was generally very high. Even a good student wouldn't be able to solve it in a short amount of time.
Such difficult problems required a novel train of thought. They didn't rigidly test rote knowledge, but rather tested the flexible application of that knowledge.
After pondering for a long time, she filled in her choice and began checking the answers.
Her accuracy was very high, having missed only one. After quickly reading through the explanation, she looked up at the time.
Standing up and stretching, she walked over to the balcony, preparing to turn off the lights and go to sleep.
A pair of fair and slender hands rested on the balcony door handle. After a moment of turning things over in her mind, she eventually moved her hand away from the handle.
Drawing the curtains properly, she changed into her pajamas and lay down on the bed.
Hugging a giant panda plush toy, she tilted her head, her clear, cold eyes staring intently at the balcony, wondering what on earth she was thinking...
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."
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
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.”
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!
