"That would also give you a legitimate reason to ask them to leave openly."
As soon as these words were spoken, Su Cheng froze in bewilderment.
He clenched his fists nervously and spoke urgently, "But—"
Before he could voice his objections, Ji Qingyi cut him off. "What are you worried about? Fear of being gossiped about in private? Do you think that isn’t happening already? As an outlier who got in solely through high scores, you were bound to be talked about behind your back. Not to mention all the incidents you’ve caused lately."
"But… engagements usually require both families to meet and finalize things, don’t they?" Su Cheng said with visible discomfort. "I… I don’t have parents, and I’m not ready yet. Can we take more time to think it over? Let me prepare myself first."
Hearing this, Ji Qingyi’s gaze turned cold. She straightened up, looking down at him with an impassive expression. "You think you’re not ready to bear the weight of being my fiancé now. But tell me—once you’ve ‘prepared,’ do you really believe you’ll be able to handle it? Can your preparation bridge the gap of a great family’s thousand years of effort and legacy?"
She paused briefly before continuing, "As for the matter of family, I won’t elaborate further. In short, when it comes to my own affairs, once I’ve made a decision, I alone will bear the consequences. And right now, I can shoulder this responsibility."
Her tone remained emotionless, yet it carried an undeniable authority that left Su Cheng stunned.
After a long silence, he lowered his head, his face twisting with anguish. "But… but I…"
"Are you afraid that announcing this will undermine your masculinity?" Ji Qingyi reached out, her fingertips lightly brushing his cheek. Her voice was eerily gentle. "It’s alright. You can confide in me freely. In this regard, I’ve always respected your feelings."
Su Cheng shuddered violently.
Respect… respect me?
He lifted his head, meeting Ji Qingyi’s gaze with a flicker of hope. "You… you’d really respect my thoughts?"
Ji Qingyi nodded, her lips parting slightly as she spoke in a calm, measured tone. "Am I not doing so right now? Go on. Tell me just how deep your self-doubt runs."
"I…" Su Cheng lowered his head again, as if unable to face her. But in the end, he mustered the courage to voice his fears. "I want to at least reach your level in one aspect before…"
"No need."
Ji Qingyi shook her head. "You’re already enough as you are."
"What do you mean?" Su Cheng looked up in surprise.
"You have remarkable talent and a diligent spirit."
Ji Qingyi extended her slender, pale fingers, leisurely tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her words were slow and deliberate. "I believe you’ll achieve extraordinary things in the future. There’s no need to waste time and energy proving your worth—not to me, and not to anyone else."
Su Cheng was speechless.
Ji Qingyi’s eyes shimmered. "So let’s spend our precious time together… simply being together."
Su Cheng’s breathing grew heavier. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay composed. "But…"
At this point, he stood up as well, locking eyes with Ji Qingyi as he spoke with unwavering resolve. "President Ji, I’m deeply honored by your feelings and sincerity, and I’m willing to accept them. But if this gets out…"
"And what if it does?"
Ji Qingyi countered. "We’re already in mutual agreement. Even if the whole world knows, would that crush what we feel? Is the bond between us so fragile?"
"I’m afraid!" Su Cheng suddenly raised his voice, his tone raw with emotion. "That’s not what I want—it’s not like this!"
"You want to prove you can accomplish something significant on your own?" Ji Qingyi’s brows furrowed slightly, a trace of confusion in her voice.
Su Cheng pressed his lips together, glaring at her in silence.
Their gazes remained locked until Su Cheng finally spoke again. "I want it to be proper. I want everyone to see us as a perfect match. I want them to believe we’re truly suited for each other. I want their genuine blessings…"
He gasped for breath before continuing, "I’m terrified of people saying I’m not good enough for you. Because I know… just how exceptional you are. And I truly don’t measure up…"
His voice grew increasingly agitated until he could barely breathe. Finally, he slumped back into his chair, covering his chest as he coughed violently. Yet even then, he stubbornly muttered under his breath—as if trying to convince someone, or perhaps just himself. "In my life so far, I’ve failed far more often than I’ve succeeded. I’ve never accomplished anything truly pivotal. Even my long-held dream… you were the one who made it come true. I’m scared. Terrified that all this sudden good fortune will eventually lead to an even greater failure."
This was the first time Ji Qingyi had seen Su Cheng in such a frenzied state. She studied him for a moment before slowly stepping behind him. Her soft hands rested on his back, gently rubbing in slow, soothing motions.
As she helped ease his breathing, she sighed. "You’re no less than anyone else. In fact, you’re outstanding. You’re just overly sensitive, leading you to misjudge things."
"President Ji, what do you think true love is?"
Unexpectedly, Su Cheng shifted the topic, turning to stare at her with burning intensity.
She hesitated. From an intellectual standpoint, this was a question with no definitive answer.
Given his current state, was he referring to societal validation?
Or spiritual harmony and connection?
"I don’t concern myself with that question," she replied after a pause. "But throughout my life, most of the affection I’ve received has been hollow and cheap. So-called ‘love’ holds little value to me. However… I care deeply about you now. I suppose that could be considered true love."
"I don’t know what it is about me that drew you in, that made you like me." Su Cheng held her gaze, speaking earnestly. "That’s why I’ve always believed that even if we were together, it wouldn’t last. That’s one of my biggest fears."
Ji Qingyi fell silent.
After a moment, she said, "In that regard—" She paused, softening her tone slightly. "What attracts me is your kindness, your sincerity, your perseverance… and the way you somehow make miracles happen."
"That’s too common, too abstract." Su Cheng couldn’t accept it. "How can you be so sure I’m what you need? Maybe you’re just…"
"Enough." Ji Qingyi cut him off coldly. "I won’t tolerate anyone disparaging my judgment."
Su Cheng was left speechless.
A beat later, he couldn’t help but ask, "Then, President Ji… would you like to hear my definition of ‘true love’?"
Ji Qingyi arched a brow, signaling for him to continue.
"To me, compatibility in personality, values, and material conditions is just the starting point."
Su Cheng hesitated before going on. "In truth, what true love really is… my understanding is abstract. I can only describe it in vague, metaphysical terms."
"Oh, then how do you determine its usability and reliability?" Ji Qingyi asked with keen interest.
"I can't really explain it either."
Su Cheng looked at her, his gaze firm. "Because I've never been in love before, I don’t know how to describe true love. But right now, I just hope the president can give me some time—wait for me to catch up. At least until I’ve gained enough ability in some aspect to stand before you properly. Maybe then, I’ll have an answer."
As he spoke, his tone was sincere, his expression solemn, and his eyes shimmered with a kind of hope and longing that even his glasses couldn’t conceal.
Ji Qingyi studied his face for a long moment before slowly looking away.
"I know what you’re trying to do, but..." She raised her hands, gripping his shoulders and turning him to face her squarely. "Your body can’t handle it."
"How do you know without trying?"
"You’ll die."
Her words were absolute, leaving no room for argument.
"My body is already as weak as withered wood," Su Cheng murmured, his voice low and calm. He lowered his gaze to his feet, lifting a hand to press against his heart before speaking slowly. "If my heart also rots away, devoid of desire... then how is that any different from death?"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
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?!
] [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!"
