Evening.
The setting sun cast its orange-red glow over the surface of East Lake Park's waters.
By the lakeside, a gentle breeze rustled through the weeping willows.
"Si—tu Wenyao!"
Feng Youqing viciously pinched Situ Wenyao's ear and snapped,
"Do you even know how to take a photo? Or are you doing this on purpose?"
"At least get me in the frame!"
"Look at this—does the ghost in this picture look like me?!"
As she spoke, she shoved her phone screen right in front of his face.
The photo showed her distorted, with eerie lighting—indeed resembling a ghost.
"Ow ow ow!" Situ Wenyao winced in pain, his face scrunching up as he hurriedly pleaded,
"I think it looks great... really! It has a unique artistic vibe."
"Great?! You turned me into a ghost, and you call that great?" Feng Youqing’s anger flared even hotter.
Her grip on his ear tightened, and her other hand slipped under his school uniform, finding a precise spot on his waist to twist mercilessly.
"Hiss—"
"Ow ow ow ow!"
This time, Situ Wenyao gasped in pain, nearly in tears as he begged again,
"Could it be that you're just too beautiful, so no matter how I take the photo, it looks good?"
"Smooth talker, just like a playboy."
Despite her words, Feng Youqing finally let go, crossing her arms and tilting her chin up with an air of a domineering general.
Situ Wenyao exhaled in relief, one hand rubbing his reddened ear, the other clutching his waist, his posture comically awkward.
Pathetic.
Absolutely pathetic.
Seeing his pitiful state, Feng Youqing snorted disdainfully,
"Look at you. How did I end up with a childhood friend like you?"
"What a disgrace."
"Yes, yes, yes..." Situ Wenyao nodded frantically, like a sycophant.
Being scolded was still better than being beaten.
It couldn’t be helped—they’d been in the same class since kindergarten, all the way through to Guangya High.
He’d basically grown up being beaten by Feng Youqing.
A minor beating every three days, a major one every five.
After so many beatings, he’d gotten used to it.
"Hey, Wenyao, I really like Gu Luo."
Feng Youqing suddenly dropped this bombshell, her gaze fixed intently on him.
Hearing this, Situ Wenyao froze for a second. Before his brain could process it, his mouth blurted out,
"I like Gu Luo more than you do..."
And then a fist slammed into his stomach.
"Hiss—"
His face twisted in agony as he doubled over, clutching his abdomen.
"I—SAID—I—REALLY—LIKE—GU—LUO," Feng Youqing enunciated coldly, looking down at him.
Situ Wenyao shivered, hesitating before tentatively replying, "Then... I won’t compete with you..."
"THINK—CAREFULLY—BEFORE—YOU—ANSWER." Feng Youqing let out a chilling laugh, her head tilted and eyes narrowed.
For a moment, Situ Wenyao felt like she was a demon straight from hell.
One wrong answer, and he might not make it out alive.
Taking a deep breath, he said,
"What I mean is... your liking Gu Luo and my liking Gu Luo are the same kind of liking..."
'We’re both just shallow fans of his looks.'
"Go on."
Feng Youqing’s expression softened slightly.
"...Because we promised each other before... that we’d get married someday..."
As he spoke, memories flashed through his mind.
One day, Feng Youqing had cornered him in the park, declaring imperiously that he had to marry her and be her punching bag for life.
At the time, he hadn’t agreed right away.
But after a thorough beating, he’d given in.
"Hmph, then why aren’t you jealous?"
Feng Youqing demanded.
Situ Wenyao tensed, cautiously asking, "If... if I were jealous, what would you do?"
"Beat you up."
Her reply was swift and decisive.
"......"
Situ Wenyao looked up at her, on the verge of tears. "Then... can I not be jealous...?"
Feng Youqing slowly raised a finger and wagged it. "No. You have to be jealous."
"......"
He opened his mouth, thought for a moment, and rephrased his question, "Then... how do I avoid getting beaten?"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Feng Youqing stared at him seriously. "Haven’t you heard the saying? ‘Hitting is affection, scolding is love.’"
She paused, clenched her fist, and narrowed her eyes.
"Got a problem with that?"
"No... it’s just..."
Before he could finish, an elderly voice called out from behind him.
"Kid."
They turned to see a hunched old man, a scavenger, limping toward them with a smile.
It was the same lame old man they’d met once before.
"Hello, Grandpa."
Situ Wenyao forced a polite smile, still clutching his stomach as he straightened up.
"...Hello, Grandpa."
Feng Youqing instantly turned sweet and demure, though her expression was slightly strained.
"Kid"?
She didn’t know their relationship.
But she had to play the part—manners mattered.
"Hello, you two." The old man chuckled, his wrinkles smoothing out.
Then he looked Feng Youqing up and down and praised,
"This girl’s a real beauty."
"Thank you, Grandpa." Feng Youqing immediately feigned shyness.
Not a trace of disdain showed for his scavenger appearance.
"No wonder. Last time, I told the kid I’d introduce him to my relative’s granddaughter, but he refused outright. Said he already had a girl he liked." The old man nodded approvingly.
"You two make a fine pair. Just standing together, you look like a happy couple."
Situ Wenyao scratched his head awkwardly. "Thanks."
...Like... liked her?
Feng Youqing’s eyes widened slightly, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.
This time, her shyness wasn’t an act.
That idiot Wenyao had never even said those words to her before!
He deserved a beating!
A beating! A beating! A thousand beatings!
While mentally listing ten thousand ways to murder him, she said aloud,
"Grandpa... excuse me, I need to use the restroom..."
With that, she turned and walked away.
Though her steps were measured, her movements seemed oddly stiff.
Once Feng Youqing was gone, the old man sighed in relief and turned to Situ Wenyao with a complicated expression.
"Kid... if you end up with this little girl, you’re gonna get beaten up a lot."
"Have you thought about my relative’s granddaughter instead?... That girl’s got such a gentle personality."
Clearly, the old man had witnessed the whole interaction between the two.
He knew this girl didn’t hold back—she really hit hard.
"No need, Grandpa."
Situ Wenyao clutched his still-throbbing stomach, forcing a pained smile as he said:
"I like her."
Just then, his phone buzzed.
[Feng Youqing: Go entertain yourself for a while. Don’t wander too far. If I can’t find you later, you’re in for a beating.]
............
After parting ways with the limping old man, Situ Wenyao started strolling along the lakeside.
The glow of the setting sun stretched his shadow long across the ground. As he walked, his mind wandered.
What was Gu Luo doing right now?
He really wanted to immerse himself in some wish-fulfillment fantasy.
The worst part of every day was after school.
As he walked, he suddenly heard a heavy sigh.
Following the sound, he spotted a tall, heavyset man in his mid-twenties, his face twisted in distress.
Situ Wenyao perked up like a bloodhound catching a scent. He quickened his pace and approached, asking:
"Hey, need any help?"
Since he couldn’t indulge in thoughts of Gu Luo right now, he’d settle for a small dose of satisfaction.
Even a tiny mosquito carries a bit of meat.
"Huh?..." The man blinked, clearly surprised by the stranger’s greeting.
But seeing the boy’s earnest, slightly naive expression, he managed a bitter smile and said:
"I’m fine, but thanks for asking."
Situ Wenyao nodded but didn’t leave. Instead, he stood quietly beside the man.
The two of them stayed there, letting the lakeside breeze wash over them.
The wind carried the crisp, fresh scent of the water.
After a long silence, the man suddenly spoke up: "Do you like reading novels?"
"Love them," Situ Wenyao answered immediately.
His whole immersion technique was something he’d learned from novels.
It had been an epiphany.
"Sigh... Well, I’m actually a web novelist," the man admitted, his face darkening with frustration.
"But my novel got thrown into the ‘dark room’ recently... Had to change the timeline to a college setting, but the plot couldn’t shift with it. Now it’s a mess, and my readership keeps dropping."
"I don’t even know what to do anymore..."
Hearing this, Situ Wenyao fell into thought. After a moment, he offered: "I’ve got a plan that might bring your novel back from the dead."
"What plan?"
Instead of answering directly, Situ Wenyao asked, "What’s the hottest industry right now?"
"What industry?"
"Edu-tech." Situ Wenyao smirked.
"Edu... edu-tech? What do you mean...?"
The man paused, then suddenly slapped his forehead in realization:
"Holy shit! You’re right!"
"If I’ve already changed the timeline, why should I hold back?"
He’d been stuck in a mental block, too afraid to write certain scenes before. But now, as the protagonists grew closer, he could just...
The two exchanged knowing grins.
"By the way, what genre is your novel?" Situ Wenyao asked casually.
To his surprise, the man answered without hesitation:
"My novel’s called []."
"Just some brainless wish-fulfillment stuff, no real logic to it."
"Wow, what a coincidence—I’ve read that one!" As a seasoned novel addict, Situ Wenyao instantly recalled the plot.
At the same time, he mentally compared it to Gu Luo.
Wish-fulfillment?
Uh... your ‘wish-fulfillment’ isn’t very fulfilling...
............
............
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."
] [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!"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
