"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.
] [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!"
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!
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?
