The bathroom was filled with a hazy mist of steam. At this moment, Bai Qianshuang sat on a chair, her legs stretched out stiffly.
"Don’t be nervous. It’s pretty common here for people to scrub each other’s backs," Ye Chuan said, noticing how Bai Qianshuang kept her eyes lowered.
"......"
A few seconds later, Bai Qianshuang’s gaze landed on Ye Chuan. Her long, delicate eyelashes fluttered slightly before she muttered in a quiet voice,
"Liar. I’m not that easy to fool."
Huh?
Wait, has Qianshuang gotten smarter?
Still, the girl swept her long hair aside, revealing her reddened ears, and Ye Chuan began lathering soap bubbles onto her back.
"By the way, Qianshuang, I have a question for you," Ye Chuan said as he continued scrubbing her back while seated. He couldn’t help but bring up the person who had impersonated Bai Qianshuang earlier.
"Do you have any sisters who look just like you?"
"Sisters..." Bai Qianshuang didn’t understand why he was asking but shook her head. "No."
I see...
If she didn’t have any, then who was the one pretending to be Bai Qianshuang?
As Ye Chuan pondered this, he continued scrubbing the soap onto her front. Perhaps because she was too sensitive, Bai Qianshuang flinched after just a few moments of having the bubbles massaged in, stiffly standing up.
"I’ll... scrub your back instead..."
Seeing Bai Qianshuang, who looked like a startled rabbit, Ye Chuan knew the girl had already been bold enough for today. He chuckled. "Sure, you scrub my back."
After rinsing off the soap, Ye Chuan and Bai Qianshuang left the bathroom.
Noticing the girl beside him keeping her head down in silence, Ye Chuan took Bai Qianshuang’s small hand in his. "Want to come to my room later to cultivate?"
"I-I should go back first!" Bai Qianshuang fled like a startled hare, darting into her own room.
Watching the girl retreat in a fluster, Ye Chuan glanced at his palm before pulling out his phone to check the tenant information—
Bai Qianshuang’s affection level had risen again.
[Daily earnings increased from 16,000 → 50,000. Daily chance to obtain cultivation tools or cultivation progress.]
[Current Bai Qianshuang affection level has reached quasi-maximum. Please fulfill hidden conditions.]
Hidden conditions?
What?
Ye Chuan wasn’t entirely sure what the hidden conditions were, but since the affection level was at a quasi-maximum, there must be something left unfulfilled.
Just… take her?
That probably wasn’t the hidden condition.
"I’ll find a chance to make a move. She shouldn’t be too resistant now—after all, we’ve bathed together." Though Ye Chuan thought this way, based on his understanding of the system’s usual antics, the so-called hidden conditions definitely wouldn’t be that simple.
Most likely, it involved something related to emotional barriers.
For example—
The matters of the Qingyun Sect or the Jade Void Sect.
But given Ye Chuan’s current cultivation level, helping Bai Qianshuang exact revenge would still take time.
"Hidden conditions..."
Since it was a main quest, Ye Chuan still wanted to complete it and see what the rewards would be.
Not dwelling on it further, he dried his hair with a towel and returned to his room to rest.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Bai Qianshuang returned to her room feeling unsettled. She didn’t understand why she had been so bold as to agree to bathe with Ye Chuan.
Just thinking about it made her heart race uncontrollably.
"This feels uncomfortable." Bai Qianshuang didn’t understand these emotions. All she knew was that a strange sensation tugged at her thoughts, making her unable to stop thinking about Ye Chuan.
"Qianshuang!"
A sudden voice beside her made Bai Qianshuang jolt, instinctively drawing her sword!
"Eeeek?!!!!" A terrified shriek came from the other side. Bai Qianshuang turned to see Lan Xiaoke, her face deathly pale from fright.
"Ah..." Bai Qianshuang quickly sheathed her spiritual sword. "Sorry, Xiaoke. Reflex."
"Reflex? More like ‘reflex and I’m deceased’!" Lan Xiaoke collapsed onto the bed like a melted puddle of slime, only her eyes peeking out. "Ahhh, I almost died. Scared the ghost outta me."
Hugging her sword, Bai Qianshuang poked the blob-like Lan Xiaoke. "I’ll compensate you with money."
Hearing this, Lan Xiaoke bounced back like jelly. "Ohhh, should’ve said so earlier! No problem then."
Watching the white-haired girl return to her usual form, Bai Qianshuang asked,
"It’s late. What did you come here for?"
Though Bai Qianshuang didn’t mind Lan Xiaoke visiting, she wasn’t used to the girl suddenly phasing through walls.
"I saw you weren’t live-streaming, so I came to check." Lan Xiaoke sat on the edge of the bed, noticing Bai Qianshuang’s freshly bathed appearance. "Oh, you just took a bath? Was it nice?"
"A bit ticklish. And sore." Bai Qianshuang’s eyes flickered away.
Ticklish? Sore?
Lan Xiaoke scratched her head.
Huh? Did the showerhead spew sulfuric acid or something?
"Xiaoke, there’s something I don’t understand," Bai Qianshuang said.
"What is it?"
"If you can’t stop thinking about someone, always caring about them… what does that mean?" Bai Qianshuang voiced her confusion. "I don’t get it."
"You’re in love, duh. With Ye Chuan?"
"No, it’s not that kind of feeling." At the mention of Ye Chuan, Bai Qianshuang immediately denied it.
"It totally is, though?" Lan Xiaoke blinked. "Qianshuang, you like Ye Chuan, right? I mean, who else could it be? You don’t interact with anyone else."
Seeing Bai Qianshuang shake her head in denial, Lan Xiaoke suddenly grinned mischievously, scooting closer. "It’s fine to admit it! At your age, liking a guy is totally normal."
"Is it normal?"
"Is it not?" Lan Xiaoke held up a finger. "Didn’t you say before that you wanted to become cultivation partners with Ye Chuan?"
"That’s different. Cultivation partners don’t necessarily involve romantic feelings. It’s just to make joint cultivation easier." Bai Qianshuang shook her head.
"Your customs are so weird." Lan Xiaoke scratched her head.
"Did you have a cultivation partner before?"
"I grew up with my master and mother." Bai Qianshuang shook her head. "Some of my senior and junior sisters in the sect had cultivation partners, so I only know a little."
"They told me forming a partnership isn’t always about emotions. Benefits are what matter most to us."
"Oh, well, people in this world also get together for benefits sometimes." Lan Xiaoke figured that part wasn’t too different.
But right now, she thought the main point was elsewhere. "Qianshuang! I think you’ve fallen for Ye Chuan!"
"I haven’t."
"Suuuure~" Lan Xiaoke teased. "Qianshuang, do you know what’s harder than the sword you carry?"
"?"
"Your denial."
Bai Qianshuang fell silent for a long moment. Seeing Lan Xiaoke’s smug expression, she finally asked in a small voice, "Xiaoke… are you experienced in matters of the heart?"
"Of course! I, Lan Xiaoke, have battled on the frontlines for decades. What kind of man haven’t I seen?" Lan Xiaoke declared proudly.
"That’s… impressive." Bai Qianshuang hadn’t expected Lan Xiaoke to have such a background.
"Damn right." Lan Xiaoke had binge-watched enough idol dramas to consider herself an expert.
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.
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
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?
