After leaving the LV store, Su Yang took Lu Yun to a spicy Chongqing-style hotpot restaurant in the nearby commercial district.
Su Yang himself was quite fond of hotpot—it was economical, satisfying, and delicious.
Even though he had money now, he wasn’t interested in indulging in extravagant feasts every day.
Those fancy dishes were enjoyable once in a while, but eating them daily didn’t suit his taste, nor did he see the point.
No matter how rich you were, you should still eat what you liked. He thought it was downright stupid to frequent high-end restaurants just to show off.
It was peak dining hours, and the restaurant was nearly full. Busy waiters hurried back and forth with trays, creating a lively atmosphere.
Su Yang and Lu Yun waited in line for twenty minutes before finally getting a table and placing their order.
They ordered a feast: fatty beef rolls, duck blood, tripe, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and more.
"Did we order too much?" Lu Yun glanced at the spread and immediately corrected herself.
"I’m not being stingy—I just don’t want to waste food if we can’t finish it."
Su Yang smiled faintly. "Don’t worry, we’re all about not wasting food. I have a big appetite—I’ll definitely finish it."
"As long as you can eat it all, order as much as you want," Lu Yun replied.
Soon, the red oil in the pot began to bubble, and Su Yang started adding ingredients.
"Do you usually eat Chongqing hotpot?" he asked.
"Yeah, I like it too," Lu Yun said.
"Good. I’d feel bad if you were just forcing yourself to eat it for my sake."
"I really do like it," Lu Yun said with a cute smile.
As they chatted and ate, Lu Yun’s face turned red from the spice. Su Yang had already ordered the mildest level of spiciness, knowing she couldn’t handle too much heat.
Watching her pant and stick out her tongue, Su Yang teased, "Is it really that spicy? This is just mild."
"I don’t know why I can’t handle it today. Normally, I’m fine with spicy food."
"Maybe it’s been too long since you last had it. Let me grab you a drink."
Su Yang stood up and headed toward the beverage fridge near the entrance.
But after just a few steps, he froze—someone he never expected to see was walking into the restaurant.
Their eyes met, but Su Yang pretended not to notice and continued toward the fridge.
The newcomer, however, brightened up and called out, "Su Yang? Is that you?"
Su Yang rolled his eyes. ‘Damn it, I pretended not to see you. Couldn’t you just walk away instead of greeting me?’
It was Lin Xiaomo, his ex-girlfriend from college—the one who had once mocked him for being "not good enough." She was the only girl he had ever officially dated.
Beside her stood a tall, muscular man, about 6'1" (185 cm), slightly taller than Su Yang.
The man had a strong build, looked around 25, with a slicked-back undercut, a square jaw, and a bit of stubble. His face was oddly pale, as if he wore makeup.
He wore a rolled-up black T-shirt, knee-length casual shorts, and white sneakers.
His overall vibe was polished but slightly effeminate.
Lin Xiaomo, on the other hand, was dressed provocatively—a tight gray dress that hugged her curves, a white handbag, and small white sandals.
She was undeniably attractive: long hair, a delicate face, big eyes, and glossy lips. Her chest strained against the tight fabric of her dress.
Su Yang turned his back to grab a drink, but Lin Xiaomo walked up and tapped his shoulder.
"Still pretending not to know me? I’d recognize you even if you turned to ashes."
Su Yang sighed and turned around. "What do you want?"
"Can’t I just say hi? We did have a history, you know." She smirked, completely unfazed, her eyes scanning him up and down.
"When did you get so fit? And you’ve gotten handsomer too—did you get plastic surgery?"
"None of your business."
"Who’s this?" the man behind Lin Xiaomo asked, stepping forward.
"Oh, my ex-boyfriend," she said bluntly.
"Ex? The ‘not good enough’ guy?" The man crossed his arms and smirked mockingly.
"Yeah, that’s him. But he’s gotten way hotter since college."
"Doesn’t matter how hot he is. If he’s bad in bed, that’s just how it is. Can’t change genetics unless he gets surgery."
Su Yang glanced at the man, then back at Lin Xiaomo. "This your new boyfriend?"
"Still under evaluation. Not official yet."
The man didn’t react, so Su Yang grinned. "You sure he’s not gay?"
"What the hell? You’re the gay one!"
"You give off major ‘three-second man’ vibes. You’re calling me bad in bed? I bet you don’t last any longer."
Lin Xiaomo burst out laughing.
"What’s so funny? Did I hit the mark? You must’ve tested him already."
"Not yet. But if he really only lasts three seconds, I might as well get back with you."
"Dream on. I don’t have time for this. Bye." Su Yang grabbed his drink and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Lin Xiaomo called after him.
"What now?"
"Add me on WeChat. You deleted me before, so we don’t have each other’s contacts anymore."
"No way. I’m over you. Bye." Su Yang walked off without another word.
"What a pretentious ass," the man muttered.
"So… is it really three seconds?"
"Of course not! You’re really gonna believe that crap?"
Lin Xiaomo covered her mouth, giggling. "Just kidding. Let’s go—I’m starving."
......
Lin Xiaomo and the man were seated by a waiter—coincidentally, right next to Su Yang and Lu Yun’s table.
Su Yang was beyond annoyed. ‘Are you kidding me? Why the hell are they sitting here?’
Lin Xiaomo noticed Su Yang and the pretty girl across from him. ‘Oh, so he’s on a date with a cutie.’
"Hello again! What a coincidence, huh?" she said, grinning at Su Yang.
Su Yang rolled his eyes. Lu Yun, confused, asked, "Su Yang, who is this?"
"Oh, uh… my ex-girlfriend."
Lu Yun gave an awkward smile. "Oh… okay."
"Is this your girlfriend?" Lin Xiaomo asked after ordering, leaning over.
"No, just a classmate."
"Just a classmate? She’s really pretty. What a shame."
"What’s the shame?" Su Yang snapped.
"That she met you—ruining her future happiness."
"Can you just shut up?" Su Yang glared at Lin Xiaomo’s smug face.
He wanted nothing more than to prove his current "capabilities," but he couldn’t say that with Lu Yun sitting right there.
Still, he had no interest in Lin Xiaomo anymore—even if she was skilled in certain areas.
But now, many of his thoughts had undergone a tremendous shift—he wasn’t as keen on competing or proving himself as before.
However, if Lin Xiaomo still insisted on pushing him relentlessly on this topic, he wouldn’t mind making sure she couldn’t get out of bed.
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
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.
't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
