Almost simultaneously, Lawyer Zeng stepped forward, positioning himself squarely between Chu Lintian and the man reeking of alcohol.
The atmosphere instantly turned tense.
The polite, businesslike smile had vanished from Lawyer Zeng’s face, replaced by a cold, professional detachment. His voice dropped three degrees as he said,
"General Manager Li, I suggest you show some respect to my friend."
The man addressed as General Manager Li had a greasy, flushed face, his eyes bloodshot and unfocused from drink. He blinked in surprise, struggling to fix his gaze on Lawyer Zeng, clearly taken aback by the sharp reaction.
"Friend?" General Manager Li let out a drunken scoff, his lecherous gaze sliding past Lawyer Zeng to land on Chu Lintian again.
"What kind of friend is so precious? Lawyer Zeng, you’re being stingy—introducing a woman with such a stunning figure should be a priority."
Chu Lintian ignored the drunk, her gaze drifting past Lawyer Zeng’s shoulder as she remarked in an indifferent tone,
"Lawyer Zeng, it seems you’re occupied. We won’t disturb you further."
Only then did her cool eyes settle on General Manager Li, her lips curling into the faintest smirk as she added, lightly,
"Sir, between alcohol tolerance and basic decency, at least one should be present."
The words were soft as a feather, but they landed like a boulder in General Manager Li’s ears.
Provoked, his face darkened to an ugly purple, and he exploded,
"What the hell do you mean, you bitch? You dare lecture me? I’ll make you regret this!"
With that, he lunged, his meaty hand reaching for Chu Lintian’s hair.
But Lawyer Zeng was faster. His arm shot up like an unyielding wall, intercepting General Manager Li’s grab.
There was no trace of courtesy left in Lawyer Zeng’s voice now—only icy warning.
"General Manager Li, you should understand—Ms. Chu is not someone you can afford to provoke."
It was both a warning and a reminder.
But for a drunk man devoid of reason, it only poured fuel on the fire.
"Go to hell!" General Manager Li snarled, swinging his arm with all his strength—
Slap!
The sharp crack echoed through the quiet hallway.
"Who the hell can’t I provoke? Not even the gods could stop me!" he roared, spittle flying.
Lawyer Zeng staggered from the blow, his cheek already swelling with a vivid handprint. He pressed a hand to his face, stepping back as he glared at General Manager Li, fury simmering in his eyes.
Yet he held back his anger, still blocking the drunkard from reaching Chu Lintian.
Just as tensions peaked, a figure suddenly darted in from behind—
A swift, brutal side kick slammed into General Manager Li’s ribs.
The heavy thud sent his bulky body flying like a sack of garbage, crashing into a decorative wall painting. The glass frame shattered on impact.
Before he could even groan, a white sneaker stomped down on the back of his head, grinding his face into the plush, expensive carpet.
The hallway fell dead silent.
Lawyer Zeng stood frozen, still clutching his cheek.
Chu Lintian’s expression finally flickered with something unreadable as she studied the newcomer’s straight-backed figure.
Auntie Zheng covered her mouth in shock.
Lin Mo stood impassively, his foot planted on General Manager Li’s skull, even giving it a slight twist for good measure. He leaned down, his voice quiet but razor-clear.
"Didn’t your mother teach you to apologize when you insult someone?
Today was going just fine..."
Drunken fools like this were easy to handle.
It wouldn’t take long for the restaurant staff to arrive.
And sure enough, people from General Manager Li’s private room began pouring into the hallway.
Lawyer Zeng was competent, but not yet at the level of a full law firm partner. Tonight’s dinner had been arranged by one such senior partner—a man now stepping forward.
His hair was streaked with gray, but his bearing was sharp. His gaze swept the scene, quickly landing on Chu Lintian’s unassuming figure—and recognizing her instantly.
He approached with deference, extending a hand.
"Ms. Chu, it’s been a while. I hope you’ve been well?"
Chu Lintian accepted the handshake with polite grace.
"Likewise, Lawyer Xu. Is this man your client?"
Lawyer Xu nodded—then shook his head.
"A recently concluded case." His eyes flicked to Lawyer Zeng’s bruised face.
"Though it seems we may have grounds for a new one."
Beneath Lin Mo’s foot, General Manager Li writhed, drunkenly trying to break free.
But the pressure on his skull didn’t budge.
When he flailed an arm, Lin Mo simply stomped on his hand.
The restaurant manager hurried over, his face tense as he addressed Chu Lintian.
"Ms. Chu, our deepest apologies. Should we call the police?"
The manager was shrewd—his delayed arrival had been spent reviewing security footage. His offer was clear: if needed, the restaurant would testify.
Chu Lintian turned to Zheng Yuan.
"Yuan-jie, why don’t you take the children home first? Lin Mo and I may need to visit the police station."
Zheng Yuan hesitated, eyeing Lin Mo’s still-pinned victim. "Will... will they be alright? Lin Mo, he—"
Chu Lintian smiled reassuringly. "It’s fine. With Lawyer Zeng and Lawyer Xu here, there won’t be any trouble."
Lin Mo grinned and waved at Zheng Yuan.
"Auntie Zheng, don’t worry. Take Yuling and Miaomiao back. It’s not my first time at the station—feels like home."
"Enough of that talk," Zheng Yuan chided, glancing at Chu Lintian.
"Really, it’s nothing to worry about," Chu Lintian repeated.
Still uneasy, Zheng Yuan finally nodded, weaving through the crowd toward their original private room.
At the doorway, the two girls stood watching Lin Mo’s back from a distance.
"No need to fret. Let’s head back," Zheng Yuan urged.
To her surprise, the girls exchanged a glance, then nodded calmly.
"Alright, let’s go."
Zheng Yuan blinked. "You’re not worried?"
Chu Miaomiao shook her head. Xie Yuling shrugged.
"Why worry? We’ve got the upper hand!"
Though something felt off about their confidence, Zheng Yuan decided to escort them home first.
Meanwhile, the restaurant had already called the police.
The manager bowed apologetically to Chu Lintian.
"Ms. Chu, this reflects poorly on our service. Please allow us to cover your meal tonight."
Lin Mo cut in abruptly.
"Don’t comp us—charge him!"
His foot pressed down slightly, making General Manager Li yelp.
A female secretary, who had been hiding by the private room door too afraid to intervene, immediately dialed a number.
"Hello, cousin, your husband just got beaten up."
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
] [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!"
villain is the number one simp for the book's leading female protagonist, Shen Wan'er. As expected, he later becomes a tool for the main character to show off and slap faces, ultimately meeting a tragic end with his family ruined and his life in shambles. Fortunately, he awakens the [Universal Pure Love System], which allows him to earn points by performing acts of pure love. To change his fate, Gu Yan makes a decisive choice to seek warmth and companionship with the book's biggest villain—Cold Qingqiu. ........... My name is Leng Qingqiu. To find the murderer who killed my parents years ago, I deliberately blinded myself so that everyone would lower their guard around me. Just as I was secretly accumulating power and capital according to my initial plan, a man walked into my world. "Lengleng, Qingqing, Qiuqiu, which nickname do you prefer?" I don't like any of them. You'd better leave quickly! "Why aren't you saying anything? How about I call you my baby wife?" Leng Qingqiu thinks to herself, this man is truly annoying! (Stubborn pure love warrior + single female lead + true pure love + 1v1)
