Cheng Jun's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance as she stood up, reaching out to snatch Shen Yi's phone.
Shen Yi, of course, wouldn’t let her succeed. He raised his hand just out of her reach, leaving her helpless.
"Give it to me, give it to me..."
Cheng Jun rose onto her tiptoes, one hand braced against the table while the other stretched as far as she could.
Leaning sideways toward him, Shen Yi caught the faint scent of her shower gel.
Her collar shifted with the movement, offering glimpses of her light blue bra—something he couldn’t help but notice.
Seeing that the joke had gone far enough, Shen Yi decided to stop teasing her.
He lowered the phone with a grin.
"Just messing with you."
"I didn’t actually take any photos. Did you really believe me?"
Cheng Jun lowered her arm, studying his expression for signs of deceit before hesitantly asking,
"Really?"
"Of course."
Shen Yi unlocked his phone, swiping through his photo gallery in front of her.
"See for yourself—nothing there."
Then, feigning offense, he added,
"You were completely out of it last night. I barely managed to get you home."
"Gave you water, took off your shoes, wiped your face—I was too busy playing caretaker to even think about taking pictures."
Cheng Jun fell silent, realizing she’d caused him quite a bit of trouble. Her expression dimmed slightly.
"Sorry..."
"My bad for doubting you."
Noticing the shift in her mood, Shen Yi quickly lightened the tone.
"Just because I didn’t take photos doesn’t mean your sleeping face was anything to admire."
Cheng Jun’s momentary guilt evaporated.
"You—!"
Caught between irritation and amusement, she pointed at him, at a loss for words.
After the laughter died down, breakfast was finished.
Cheng Jun checked her phone—9:15 a.m. Time to head to the office.
She stood hesitantly. Her car was parked at work, leaving her without transportation.
She considered asking Shen Yi for a ride but couldn’t find the right words.
After a moment of hesitation, she sighed and opened her phone to book a ride.
Before she could tap the screen, Shen Yi spoke up.
"I need to head out anyway. I’ll be passing near the office."
"Want a lift?"
Cheng Jun’s heart lifted. She closed the app, pausing before replying.
"Sure. Saves me the trouble of calling a car."
She kept her tone casual, not wanting to seem too eager—as if she’d been waiting for this.
Shen Yi grabbed his keys, ready to leave.
As Cheng Jun picked up her jacket, she spotted the socks tucked underneath and quickly snatched them up.
Watching Shen Yi’s retreating back, she called out,
"Wait a second—I need to use the bathroom."
"Sure."
Girls needing a moment before heading out wasn’t unusual. Shen Yi leaned against the door, scrolling on his phone while he waited.
Cheng Jun slipped into the bathroom, finally seizing the chance to change into the stockings she’d been holding.
After a quick check in the mirror, she deemed herself presentable and stepped out.
They headed downstairs one after the other, got into the car, and left the neighborhood.
Once on the main road, Shen Yi turned right toward Tiancheng Corporation.
Cheng Jun pretended to focus on her phone while discreetly observing her surroundings.
He bought a new car?
Though she’d ridden in it the night before, she had no memory of it.
Now, seeing it properly for the first time, she noted the temporary license plate—proof it was a recent purchase.
This isn’t cheap. Didn’t he say his family was just average?
Her thoughts churned until an image surfaced in her mind, growing clearer.
Could it be...?
The possibility made her press her lips together, a sinking feeling taking hold.
No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t find a flaw in herself—yet reality kept proving her wrong, with no hope of turning things around.
Soon, the car passed the mall they’d visited the night before and pulled up in front of Tiancheng Corporation.
Braking to a stop, Shen Yi turned to her.
"I’m not going into the office, so I won’t drop you at the parking garage."
"Mind walking the last bit?"
Cheng Jun snapped out of her thoughts, forcing a smile as she grabbed her handbag.
"No problem, it’s close enough."
"Go ahead with your errands. I’ll manage."
She stepped out, waving as he turned the car around.
Only once the taillights disappeared did she head inside.
Exchanging nods and light chatter with a few colleagues, she rode the elevator up with a small group.
The moment Shen Yi was out of sight, the ease between them vanished. No matter how she smiled or laughed, her emotions remained untouched.
Few things—or people—could stir her anymore.
Settling at her desk, she tossed her bag into a drawer and stared blankly at her computer.
Shen Yi’s driving had been smooth and direct, his pace unhurried—nothing like someone with urgent business. The realization made something click in her mind.
If you wanted to drive me, you could’ve just said so. Did you really need the excuse of ‘running errands’...?
The thought curled her lips upward.
Such a liar.
Whatever Shen Yi’s true intentions were, Cheng Jun decided to interpret them her way.
It was the best way to stay in good spirits.
Her mood lifted, and the morning passed quickly.
By afternoon tea, she’d already placed an order after confirming with Fu Nanzhi.
This time, she was the guest on the 13th floor, Fu Nanzhi’s domain.
Carrying two paper bags, she knocked and entered.
Fu Nanzhi was bent over her desk, scribbling something. Recognizing Cheng Jun, she smiled and gestured.
"Jun’er, take a seat."
"Just finishing up here."
Cheng Jun settled on the sofa, unpacking the bags onto the coffee table.
"No rush, Nanzhi-jie. Take your time."
"Join me for coffee when you’re done."
She arranged the cakes, pastries, and coffee, then leaned back with her phone, sipping her drink while scrolling.
Before long, Fu Nanzhi joined her, explaining,
"Sorry, they needed me to review a contract urgently."
Cheng Jun waved it off, nudging a dessert box toward her.
"Try these. I’ve ordered from this place before—they’re amazing."
"Really?"
Fu Nanzhi picked up a piece, taking a delicate bite.
Her eyes lit up after a few chews.
"Mmm, you’re right. Which shop is this?"
Cheng Jun took a bite herself, nodding.
"I’ll send you the link."
Fu Nanzhi sipped her coffee and asked casually,
"Shen Yi got you home safely last night?"
Cheng Jun’s gaze drifted away.
"Y-yeah."
"Though I was completely out of it. No idea how I even got back."
She pulled a face, adding,
"Next time, let’s not drink so much, Nanzhi-jie."
Fu Nanzhi covered a laugh with her hand.
"We were just having fun! I didn’t expect us to finish the whole bottle either."
Then she confessed,
"Honestly, Jun’er, I don’t even remember how I got home."
The two burst into laughter, sharing the same rueful understanding.
Amid laughter and chatter, the two of them polished off an entire box of pastries. Cheng Jun opened another box and slid it over, saying,
"Have some more, Nanzhi."
"No, I really shouldn't," Fu Nanzhi shook her head, patting her chest with a conflicted expression.
"My body is so weird—this area gains weight the moment I eat. You go ahead."
"Erm..."
Cheng Jun glanced at Fu Nanzhi's ample curves, then down at her own modest silhouette, and was instantly rendered speechless.
Once again, she had lost.
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
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."
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
