After school in the evening.
The classroom instantly erupted into chaos—chairs scraping, desks colliding, papers rustling.
Everyone followed Su Mingzhao’s lead as they packed up their things.
Lin Mo paid no attention to the commotion.
He slung his backpack over one shoulder with a single hand and casually tossed the lone pen from his desk inside, his movements smooth and almost indifferent.
Homework?
That had ceased to exist halfway through the second class in the afternoon.
Carrying an empty bag home was just for show, to make himself look like a proper student.
Just as he zipped up his bag and prepared to leave, a faint rustle of fabric sounded behind him, followed by a hesitant voice.
"Um..."
It was Chu Miaomiao.
"My mom won’t be home tonight... so I’m staying at Xie Yuling’s place."
Lin Mo nearly jumped.
"Sure, no big deal," he said, turning to face the girl nervously twisting the hem of her shirt, her gaze flitting around.
Chu Lintian was still managing the Great River Group—a responsibility thrust upon her, leaving her swamped with work.
Lin Mo had once asked if she’d consider selling the company outright.
But Chu Lintian insisted that the Great River Group had been her brother’s life’s work. She wouldn’t let it collapse, at least not without a fight.
Because of this, her schedule grew increasingly packed.
Chu Miaomiao understood.
But the issue of transportation meant she’d likely end up staying at Xie Yuling’s more often.
Not a bad thing, really. Spending more time with Xie Yuling might help Chu Miaomiao come out of her shell.
And walking home together, the three of them, felt nice.
Nearby, Jiang Yunlu, having finished packing, couldn’t help but glance at Chu Miaomiao.
The girl’s excitement and anticipation pricked at her heart like a tiny thorn.
Chu Miaomiao going to Xie Yuling’s meant she could walk home with Lin Mo.
The thought sent a pang of bittersweet longing through her.
She wanted that too—to stroll side by side with him after school.
But the sight of the private car waiting faithfully at the school gates made her feel like the door was an insurmountable barrier.
Her gaze drifted across the classroom and accidentally locked with Xie Yuling’s at the door.
In that moment, Jiang Yunlu envied Xie Yuling intensely.
Meanwhile, Xie Yuling stood by Class 7’s back door, staring at Lin Mo from afar.
Her thoughts had already wandered to Jiang Yunlu’s seat—if only she could sit there, she’d have the perfect view of his profile, the chance to listen to lectures together, discuss problems, even just pass him a notebook now and then.
Their eyes met across the room, and in that silent exchange, they both recognized the same unspoken yearning.
"Let’s go."
Lin Mo and Chu Miaomiao walked out the front door, shattering the quiet moment.
Soon after, a boisterous crowd of boys from the back of the class surged into the hallway.
Su Mingzhao led the pack with resigned amusement, trailed by a swarm of Class 8 guys, all mimicking movie tough guys—eyes defiant, strides exaggerated, like they were heading out to claim turf.
This scene practically demanded a soundtrack.
I’ll sweep your streets clean, plant my flag, then talk to you!
Roaming freely through the storm...
Anyone watching might’ve thought Su Mingzhao was gearing up for a brawl.
But Class 8’s presence was undeniably strong.
Fang Jun passed by and raised a hand in greeting. "Hey, Lao Mo, coming with?"
Lin Mo eyed the massive entourage—at least a dozen guys—and smirked.
"Don’t need me. This lineup alone would scare Dai Wen off."
That Dai Wen might talk big, but he wouldn’t dare start anything near school. At most, he’d throw around empty threats.
Fang Jun didn’t press, just nodded and rejoined the group.
"Are they going to fight?" Xie Yuling couldn’t help asking.
Normally, she avoided speaking around others, saving her words for their walks home when it was just the two of them.
But lately, especially after the incident with Chu Ling’s dad, she’d grown more comfortable talking even in crowds.
"They’ve just watched too many gangster movies. Nothing’ll happen."
Lin Mo shrugged, then noticed the eager glint in Chu Miaomiao and Xie Yuling’s eyes.
Chu Miaomiao’s excitement was plain as day, while Xie Yuling’s curiosity was more restrained but unmistakable.
His brow arched. Suddenly, this seemed a lot more interesting.
"Wanna go see what happens?"
Before he finished, Chu Miaomiao was already clutching Xie Yuling’s arm, nodding vigorously.
Xie Yuling was more composed, offering only a soft "Mm," but the slight upturn of her lips and the way her gaze followed the group gave her away.
Students walking home in clusters wasn’t unusual.
Lin Mo and the two girls trailed behind the main group, with Jiang Yunlu following at a distance, never quite joining their trio.
Outside the gates, Su Mingzhao spotted Dai Wen immediately—along with the girl beside him.
Fang Jun somehow slipped back from the crowd.
"Damn, she’s cute. Su Mingzhao actually played hard against her?"
Similar murmurs rippled through the guys.
Lin Mo studied the girl too.
Toned muscles marked her as athletic, her delicate features carrying a hint of sharpness.
No wonder the other team’s guys went easy on her.
Just a bit flat-chested, though.
Su Mingzhao frowned and stepped forward, addressing the girl directly.
"You’re the one who insisted on a serious match. Now you lose and send your brother after me?"
The girl flushed, smacking Dai Wen’s arm.
"This is all your fault!"
Dai Wen turned away, silent.
Facing Su Mingzhao, the girl bowed slightly.
"I’m sorry for the trouble. My brother misunderstood—he thought you bullied me."
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
Su Mingzhao blinked, glancing back at his classmates.
Their earlier outrage had melted into gossipy curiosity.
Fang Jun piped up, "Wait, your brother said you cried after the game."
The girl took a deep breath.
"That day, I bought sushi after the match. My friend loaded it with wasabi—I took one bite and teared up. My brother happened to be asking about the game..."
Ah. A misunderstanding. The crowd collectively facepalmed.
She kicked Dai Wen again.
"Dai Wu! Enough! I’m your brother!" Dai Wen roared.
"Apologize already! With this whole scene, people will think I’m some sore loser who needs her brother to fight her battles."
Dai Wu snorted arrogantly. With no other choice, Dai Wen walked over to Su Mingzhao, placed a hand on his shoulder, and steered him aside.
"Listen, kid—stay away from my sister! Got it?!"
Su Mingzhao rolled his eyes.
"You’re out of your mind."
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.”
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?!
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!
close your eyes and open them again, only to find yourself transmigrated into the role of a villainous male supporting character. Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels know that it is only through the relentless antics of the villainous male supporting character that the plot between the male and female leads can progress. As the villainous male supporting character, Long Aotian not only has to bully the female lead, harass the second female lead, and flirt with the third female lead, but he also has to go all out to antagonize the male lead. In the end, when his body is discovered, he is still clutching half a moldy fried dough stick in his hand. Fully aware of the plot, Long Aotian is determined to change his fate, starting with the female lead! In the beginning, the female lead lacks confidence: "Big brother, I hope I didn't scare you?" In the middle, the female lead treads carefully: "Brother Long, please don't hit me, okay?" Later on, the female lead becomes coquettishly clingy: "Aotian, it's time to pay the 'public grain' tonight." Long Aotian's legs go weak, and he feels like crying: "I taught you to be thick-skinned, not shameless!"
