"Yingxue?"
The wooden door creaked open gently.
Contrary to Xu Xi's expectation of finding the girl diligently practicing calligraphy, the scene that greeted him was one of serene quietness.
A broad desk stood in the room, flanked by bronze candle holders on either side, their twin flames casting faint light into the chilly space.
The night breeze rushed in as Xu Xi pushed the door open.
The candle flames flickered wildly—now leaping high, now dipping low—dancing erratically.
Their wavering glow illuminated the sleeping face of the girl sprawled across the desk.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, her expression peaceful, lost in sweet slumber.
"Asleep, huh…"
Xu Xi paused, then softened his expression, treading lightly as he approached the desk to avoid disturbing her.
Soon, as he drew closer, Wu Yingxue's sleeping form came fully into view.
She lay face-down on the dark brown desk, her head resting on her arm, which in turn pressed against a calligraphy practice sheet. A brush lay carelessly at the edge.
In one corner, several crumpled, discarded sheets were piled up.
Xu Xi picked one up and examined it briefly.
Each sheet was densely covered with her practice strokes.
"Not bad at all," Xu Xi chuckled, his praise genuine rather than polite.
Though Wu Yingxue had trained in martial arts since childhood, she had also received royal education in her younger years.
Her handwriting could never be called poor.
Xu Xi thought it was more than adequate, but the girl herself seemed dissatisfied, insisting she must master more elegant calligraphy to impress him.
"Hehe…"
"Hehe…"
"I’m not that amazing, Master…"
"~~~"
Her eyes lightly shut, her nose twitching slightly, the slumbering princess murmured incoherent dreams.
Xu Xi couldn’t help but smile.
This side of the princess was undeniably adorable.
Whoosh—
The night wind howled, making the wooden door sway faintly, its hinges creaking intermittently.
Xu Xi closed the door and draped a thin blanket over Wu Yingxue.
"This should keep her from catching a cold."
Standing beside the desk, he gazed at her peaceful face before turning his attention to the stack of calligraphy sheets. He picked up the topmost one—the one she had been working on before falling asleep.
The ink had long dried.
Mistakes were evident.
Two lines of identical characters were written side by side—one in Wu Yingxue’s original hand, the other her attempt to mimic a calligraphy master’s style.
"You’ve really been working hard…"
Xu Xi set the sheet down and picked up another, reviewing each of her practice sheets from the night.
Some had glaring errors.
Others were hastily scribbled.
Through these sheets, he could easily picture Wu Yingxue straining under the lamplight, exhausted yet persistent.
After a moment’s thought, Xu Xi picked up the brush lying scattered on the desk.
One by one, he corrected and annotated her mistakes, grading each sheet.
[Top Grade]
[Top Grade]
[Top Grade]
Not an evaluation of her calligraphy.
But of the girl herself.
Regardless of the elegance of her strokes, in Xu Xi’s eyes, Wu Yingxue had long since proven herself worthy.
He trusted and affirmed her growth.
"Sleep well."
Finally, he set down the brush and paper.
Ensuring the blanket wouldn’t slip, he retreated from the room as silently as he had entered.
The candle flames flickered gently, casting a soft glow.
The girl remained deep in sleep, murmuring words Xu Xi could no longer hear:
"Master… even if you scream… no one will come, hehe…"
"Come home with me, hehe…"
Before leaving, Xu Xi carefully shut the windows.
He didn’t want the harsh night wind to disturb his princess’s sweet dreams.
Yet a stray breeze slipped through the gap beneath the door, lifting a few strands of hair from her forehead.
Her sleeping face, caught in a silly, happy grin, was revealed.
Mumbling to herself, her hands flailed lightly across the desk as if grasping at something.
Only as time passed and she sank deeper into sleep did her movements still, leaving only the whisper of the wind.
The next morning.
The blazing sun rose from the horizon.
Wu Yingxue awoke slumped over the desk, rubbing her eyes and yawning.
"Fell asleep again?"
"No, no—if I keep this up, how will I ever impress Master?"
"Wu Yingxue, you can’t slack off anymore!"
Pumping herself up, she reached for the calligraphy sheets, ready to resume her efforts.
But soon, she noticed something amiss.
"This handwriting… Master’s?"
Wu Yingxue froze.
Before her eyes, sheet after sheet bore the same mark:
[Top Grade]
The ink was still slightly damp, the strokes gentle.
Like a silent embrace.
Speaking volumes without words.
"Does Master mean… I’ve already passed?"
Her hand brushed against the thin blanket draped over her shoulders—warm, tender.
In that moment, realization dawned on her.
She had sought Xu Xi’s approval through calligraphy, through the refined grace of a noble lady.
But that had been unnecessary.
Because all along, Xu Xi had been supporting her, affirming her, encouraging her to move forward—never once denying her.
"I’ve been such a fool…"
Leaning back in the wooden chair, Wu Yingxue stared at the ceiling, realizing how much time she had wasted—and how much she had worried Xu Xi.
The moon had always been there.
Unmoving.
It was the restless waters that had disturbed its reflection.
"Master, I’m sorry for making you worry."
At breakfast, before Xu Xi could speak, Wu Yingxue bowed her head in apology, guilt written across her face.
"It was my own matter, yet I kept you from resting."
"It’s alright, Yingxue."
"Eat up," Xu Xi replied gently, ruffling her hair reassuringly.
As for whether she would continue calligraphy, Xu Xi left the decision to her.
"Yingxue, whatever you choose to pursue, I’ll support you."
His voice was soft.
The choice was hers.
In the end, Wu Yingxue abandoned her calligraphy practice.
She had accepted that she lacked talent in this art. Rather than waste time, she would focus on what truly mattered.
"What truly matters?"
"Yes, Master."
Her answer carried a double meaning.
The morning breeze brushed her cheeks—ticklish, cool—its delicate touch grazing the corners of her eyes, making her instinctively tuck her hair behind her ear.
She looked up at the sky.
The spring sun was gentle, far from scorching.
"Master, will you leave this place with me?"
"I want to go to where the stars are closest in this world."
With that, Wu Yingxue turned a radiant smile toward Xu Xi.
Her eyes were the only stars in the daylight.
"Of course."
The moon accepted her invitation.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
