“So what exactly does ‘standing tall between heaven and earth’ mean?”
Bald Golden Roc scratched his smooth head as he asked Murong Feng.
“It’s a phrase used to praise men, but I feel... Senior Qin meant something else by it.”
“Then what did Senior Qin mean?”
“Go play for now. Don’t overthink such complicated things. With your wisdom, you’ll naturally understand soon enough without me explaining.”
Murong Feng patted his bald head, his expression tinged with pity.
By then, Li Mo had finished preparing the last dish, and Ying Bing had nearly completed cleaning. She called everyone to wash their hands and eat.
With so many people, several tables had to be pushed together, and even with long benches, they barely managed to squeeze in.
The demonic beings clutched spoons, occupying two-thirds of the space.
The four members of the Li family sat together, while Shang Wu, Qin Yuzhi, and Shang Qinqing—originally residents of Autumn Water Pavilion—took their seats nearby.
“I...”
Elder Qian had just returned, ready to join the feast, only to find no space left.
“Well, I don’t really need dinner tonight...”
Though Old Li’s tone was casual, he remained polite.
“No need for that.”
Elder Qian smiled faintly. “There are no paths in this world—paths are made by walking. If you want to eat, you’ll always find a way.”
With that, he soared into the air. Before anyone could blink, he was holding a bowl with a pork knuckle already inside.
“Huh?”
Li Mo had just taken a sip of soup and reached into his robe for a handkerchief to wipe his mouth when he noticed something odd—the texture was too stiff.
Pulling it out, he saw it was yellow.
“Isn’t this the imperial decree from the Southern Suppressing King? How could you forget something so important? You still haven’t even read what’s written on it.”
Gu Xueqin shot her son an exasperated look.
“Shall we open it and see?”
Li Dalong dropped his theatrical demeanor.
“Sure, let’s see what rewards His Majesty has bestowed.”
Li Mo nodded with a smile, but then he felt the delicate hand resting on his thigh suddenly tense.
Why is the ice block nervous...?
And why do Clan Leader Shang and Qin Yuzhi look so uneasy too?
When the decree was unfurled and Li Mo saw the words, his entire body stiffened.
“What’s wrong, kid? I haven’t even read it yet.” Li Dalong nearly caught a cold from the draft caused by the fluttering decree.
“I saw a bit of it!”
“What does it say?”
“By the Mandate of Heaven...”
“Just go back to eating.”
The Whale Clan leader quietly resumed eating his braised pork, puzzled by the odd looks everyone was giving him.
“It’s a marriage decree.”
Qian Bufan, who had just taken a bite and was now standing to the side, sighed.
“The decree states: ‘Having learned of Li Mo’s virtue and talent, and Ying Bing’s outstanding grace, and considering both have reached marriageable age, We, in Our benevolence, grant them Our blessing to join in matrimony, wishing them a harmonious union and early heirs.’
Oh, and the decree only mentions an auspicious date, leaving the specifics blank—likely His Majesty’s courtesy, allowing the two of you to choose the day yourselves.”
Silence fell over the room.
If not for the rapid breathing of a certain Phoenix Clan leader and the Divine Summoning Sect’s leader, Autumn Water Pavilion would have been utterly still.
“Marriageable age...” Li Dalong muttered.
Gu Xueqin’s breath hitched. “Auspicious date...”
Ying Bing’s lashes trembled. After a long pause, she finally asked Li Mo:
“What does the decree say?”
“I’m not entirely sure.”
Li Mo blinked, offering his interpretation. “It seems to say we should continue working closely together, hand in hand, just like we did in the Phoenix Domain. That’s what it means, right?”
“You really think so?”
“Yes, sister.”
Ying Bing gazed at him, her eyes searching, but his expression was utterly sincere—not a trace of acting.
Her heart was in turmoil.
The moment the Southern Suppressing King unrolled the decree, she had glimpsed its contents. Now, hearing Elder Qian recite it aloud, her mind spun even more wildly.
It was an indescribable feeling—something in her chest threatened to burst forth, weighing heavily on her. Calm was impossible; she wasn’t even sure she could still think.
Fireworks of every color exploded in her mind, deafeningly loud.
I’m not ready for this.
Yet seeing Li Mo’s obliviousness stirred something complicated in her.
“A childish fool like him wouldn’t understand what ‘early heirs’ even means.”
Li Mo added with perfect seriousness.
“......”
Ying Bing nearly nodded, but then her toes lightly pressed down on his foot.
You understand nothing?
Then what were all those ‘new world’ fantasies in your head?
Lowering her gaze, she glanced at the stunned faces around her.
“Let’s eat first.”
“Ah, I forgot to bring in the laundry.”
“The food isn’t as good tonight, kid. I’ll take my leave.”
“I’m exhausted. Time for bed—goodnight.”
“This...”
“You can read it in your dreams. Let’s go.”
“Take care, everyone. Sorry for the poor hospitality. We’ll treat you to a proper feast next time—don’t forget the wedding gifts.”
One by one, humans and demons alike made excuses to leave.
Young Li cheerfully saw them off at the door, only to find the courtyard empty—even his parents had vanished into the kitchen.
He exhaled in relief.
This is... too sudden.
Not just for the ice block—he wasn’t prepared either. As a man raised under the red banner, he believed marriage should come after courtship.
Though they’d already done most of what courtship entailed...
Soul-searching, he admitted he wanted this.
But if both sets of parents suddenly set up a wedding feast and declared, “Get married now,” anyone would be caught off guard.
And he still didn’t know how Ying Bing truly felt...
Young Li spread out the decree again, staring blankly at the empty space for the “auspicious date.”
......
On the roof of Autumn Water Pavilion.
Moonlight silvered the tiles, casting a glow on the slender legs Ying Bing hugged to her chest, revealing only a glimpse of smooth, luminous skin.
She watched as Young Li stood lost in thought in the courtyard before finally gathering the dishes.
The strange fluttering in her chest grew stronger.
Yes, she had fled earlier.
Because some things spill from the eyes, even when the lips stay sealed.
“If we marry... does that mean doing all those things he imagines?”
Ying Bing tightened her arms around her knees.
[Next ranking comparison countdown: One day.]
Suddenly, the long-dormant voice of the system echoed in her ears.
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.
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/...
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
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?
