This meal.
It was Young Master Cao's finest culinary achievement.
Only by making Ren Yuege crave more could she muster the energy to work.
Truth be told,
Young Master Cao also enjoyed his own cooking—he just hadn’t wanted to deal with the cleanup before.
Now that he’d finally caught someone with a voracious appetite, why not whip up a few good meals to treat his own taste buds?
Compared to eating out, this was cleaner and cheaper.
Even Ren Yushang, who usually had a small appetite, polished off two bowls of rice today.
A cup of spiritual tea after the meal left them refreshed and invigorated.
This little life of theirs…
Sure, the living conditions weren’t as luxurious as a mansion.
And the ingredients probably weren’t as fresh as those from an organic farm.
But it felt genuinely good.
Knock, knock, knock—
A rapping at the door.
"Again?" Ren Yuege set down her teacup and stood up with a huff.
She opened the door.
Before she could blurt out a curse, she saw an old man standing outside.
Her tone shifted instantly. "May I help you?"
The old man was momentarily stunned—this young lady was breathtakingly beautiful.
But had he knocked on the wrong door?
After a brief pause, the old man asked, "Excuse me, is this Young Master Cao’s home?"
"Little brother, it’s for you," Ren Yuege called over her shoulder.
Only then did Cao Cheng rise to his feet.
The voice at the door sounded familiar—probably one of the elderly chess players from the square.
When he reached the doorway and saw the visitor, Cao Cheng froze.
No way.
How the hell did you track me down to my home?
Where did you even get my address?
"Young Cao, it hasn’t been easy finding you!" The old man’s eyes welled up with emotion the moment he spotted Cao Cheng, as if reuniting with a long-lost relative.
The old man was carrying a gift—a box of eggs.
Cao Cheng feigned recognition. "Ah, Old Fang!"
"My surname is Lin."
"Oh, Old Lin!"
Pfft—
The sisters behind him burst into laughter.
Cao Cheng shot them a glare. What was so funny?
No manners at all!
Couldn’t they see a creditor had come knocking?
This old man was the one from the other day—the unfinished chess game Cao Cheng had abandoned mid-match. He’d had urgent business at the time; it wasn’t like he’d run off on purpose.
Was it really necessary to hunt him down at home?
Couldn’t take a loss, huh?
"Old Lin, you’re too kind. You didn’t have to bring gifts," Cao Cheng said, accepting the eggs but not inviting him inside.
The old man didn’t seem to expect an invitation. He grasped Cao Cheng’s hand earnestly. "Young Cao, why haven’t you been coming to the square to play chess lately?"
"Ah, my sisters are visiting. No time," Cao Cheng replied offhandedly.
"Oh, I see." The old man nodded. "Well, about last time—"
Cao Cheng cut him off. "I know, I know. I got your gift. I’ll come find you in a couple of days."
The old man’s face lit up with excitement. "You must come! I’ll be waiting."
"Absolutely. Take care now, Old Lin."
Old Lin sensed the dismissal but didn’t dare protest. "Right, right. I’ll go. But you must come, Young Cao!"
"Don’t worry, I will."
"That unfinished game—"
"I know, I know. No need to remind me. I’ll finish it with you later. Stop obsessing over it."
"How can I not obsess? I haven’t slept for three nights!"
"Tch, maybe you should see a doctor then. Get some sleeping pills."
"..."
Old Lin gave Cao Cheng a withering look. Are you even human?
He was clearly irritated.
But the thought of resolving the chess game forced him to swallow his anger.
In the end,
Old Lin left with a resentful sigh.
Cao Cheng shook his head. This old man took things too seriously.
It was just an unfinished game—Cao Cheng had already forgotten about it, yet Old Lin was still hung up?
People, ah.
They need to learn to let go.
To move on.
Only then can the mind find peace.
Then again,
Old Lin wasn’t even a hundred years old yet. Naturally, he couldn’t match Young Master Cao’s level of enlightenment and detachment.
Whatever.
He’d find time to finish the game.
No need to give the old man an ulcer over it.
...
Back inside,
Ren Yuege was curious. "That old man came to challenge you to chess? And brought gifts?"
"Pfft."
Cao Cheng waved a hand. "My skills are unmatched. These old-timers all want to learn from me. Last time, we were analyzing an ancient chess puzzle, and I had to leave mid-explanation."
"Turns out he’s been losing sleep over it for days. Tracked me down just to get closure."
"I never gave him my address. Must’ve asked around tirelessly to find this place."
"Gotta admire the dedication."
"So,"
"I’ll make time to teach him properly."
His explanation sounded plausible.
But Ren Yuege still seemed skeptical.
The old man’s demeanor hadn’t seemed like mere admiration. If it were just about learning, why the resentment?
He’d looked like Cao Cheng owed him a fortune.
Cao Cheng didn’t elaborate—better not to dig himself deeper. "Alright, finish your tea. Weren’t we going to visit your teacher?"
Ren Yushang spoke up then. "I won’t join you. I’ve got some shopping to do this afternoon."
"Fine. Just watch out for Wang Haodong."
"I know."
...
Lingling had returned to the capital for school, leaving only the teacher at home.
The teacher was delighted to see them, though there was a hint of melancholy whenever she looked at Cao Cheng.
What a waste of talent.
If he’d dedicated himself to the piano, he could’ve become one of the youngest masters in the country, destined for international acclaim.
Such a shame.
Her granddaughter Lingling was gifted too, but compared to Cao Cheng, her ceiling was limited.
Unless Lingling experienced some sudden epiphany, she’d never reach his level.
Sigh.
Easier said than done.
Enlightenment was elusive—no one could force it. The earlier it came, the higher one could soar.
Most frustratingly,
Cao Cheng wasn’t just talented—he was an exceptional teacher.
In just a few brief sessions, his guidance had noticeably elevated Lingling’s skills.
With someone like him mentoring, an entire generation of prodigies could flourish.
What a loss.
The more she thought about it, the more it pained her.
They didn’t stay for dinner, leaving around four in the afternoon.
The teacher saw them out, repeating her usual plea to Cao Cheng: "Visit this old woman more often. And if you ever change your mind, let me know immediately."
"Yeah, got it." Cao Cheng chuckled.
Ah, fate.
He never should’ve shown off that day.
Showing off in front of girls was one thing, but the teacher would hold onto this for life.
Elderly folks tended to overthink things.
Lingling was different—she knew how talented Cao Cheng was, but she didn’t dwell on wasted potential. Her invitations were simply out of admiration, a desire to spend time with him.
Nothing more.
...
"Third sister."
"Allow me to say this."
"I love you!"
Back home, Cao Cheng was in high spirits.
This declaration made the fourth sister pout, shooting Ren Yuege a sidelong glance.
So you’re the sneaky one.
Pulling moves like this without warning me first?
In the afternoon, the two of them went to visit their teacher, while Third Sister went shopping and bought a high-end computer as a gift—far more expensive than the one Wang Haodong had.
Perhaps she had noticed Cao Cheng's fondness for computers.
When Wang Haodong presented the computer, Cao Cheng appeared indifferent, but a flicker of delight flashed in his eyes.
After all, being in this field, he couldn’t help but feel genuine excitement over such a top-tier machine.
Yet, bound by propriety, he couldn’t possibly accept it.
Third Sister, however, had keenly picked up on this, so…
That afternoon, she secretly went out alone to buy the computer, intending to surprise Cao Cheng.
Seeing his happiness, Third Sister also smiled sweetly.
Human joys and sorrows are never truly shared.
Only Fourth Sister was displeased!
] 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.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.
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.
