Under my desperate pleading, Li… no, Xiaoguang, Xiaoguang finally relented!
Tomorrow, the first day of summer break, she’s allowing me one day off!
A whole day!
No problem sets, no equation drills, no tortured review of my mistake notebook!
Free. Dom. Air!
I rolled around on my bed, nearly tumbling onto the floor, and then…
I calmed down and started thinking about one important question.
Tomorrow, what should I do?
The answer popped into my head almost instantly—
Ask Xiaoguang out!
She already let me call her “Xiaoguang,” isn’t that basically a yes?
We’re practically boyfriend and girlfriend now, right?
She just needs to admit it out loud!
I grabbed my phone right away and messaged her:
“Xiaoguang, Xiaoguang, want to hang out together tomorrow?”
Xiaoguang replied in seconds!
“Sure.”
I stared at the screen, my heart racing.
She said yes!
She agreed to a date!
I immediately asked her where she wanted to go.
“Wherever Aqi takes me, that’s where I’ll go.”
I stared at that line for a long time.
Then I started frantically searching!
“Best date spots for high schoolers!”
“Where to go on a first date!”
“Foolproof places to take your girlfriend!”
Movie theaters, aquariums, amusement parks…
…They all felt so cliché!
And during summer break, they’d be packed with people!
For a first date, how could we squeeze into a crowd?
I wanted to take her somewhere that was just for us.
Yeah.
That’s settled!
I turned off the light, stared at the ceiling, and thought back to yesterday at the library.
When she told me to call her “Xiaoguang”…
I felt like I suddenly remembered something?
Something… important, maybe?
And then, when she heard me call her “Xiaoguang,” she got all shy.
She raised her hand and tapped me on the head!
In that moment…
I forgot everything again.
What had I remembered back then?
…Forget it, if I can’t remember, I won’t force it.
Right now, the most important thing is tomorrow—our first date!
I turned over and buried my face in the pillow, letting out a muffled laugh.
Xiaoguang.
Hehe, Xiaoguang.
Xiaoguang, Xiaoguang, Xiaoguang…!
That nickname is so cute!
…
…
Today, I’m taking Xiaoguang out on our date!
I rode my mountain bike to the downstairs of her apartment and waited for her.
She lives in a neighborhood that’s neither new nor old, with a few crooked ginkgo trees planted out front.
My heart was pounding harder than during final exams!
When she came out, I froze completely.
It was the first time I’d seen her not wearing a school uniform.
A light-colored short-sleeve T‑shirt, a white sporty skirt, and her long black hair pulled back into a neat ponytail.
She stood at the entrance, tilting her head to look at me, the corners of her mouth slightly raised.
“What are you spacing out for?”
“…N‑nothing!”
I fiddled with the seat of my bike and checked the handlebars.
My face was burning!
She looked so good!
She was already stunning in her school uniform, but in this sporty outfit…
She was absolutely killing me!
Her bicycle was a cute little girl’s bike.
White with pink accents, and a little rabbit decoration on the basket.
Just as adorable as she was!
Compared to my mountain bike, her little bike looked so small.
I swung my leg over my bike:
“Come on, I’ll take you to a place I’ve always thought was beautiful!”
“Is it far?”
“Not far at all! We’ll get there soon!”
But…
Her stamina really was terrible.
I felt like we’d only just started riding—just a few turns and a couple of small slopes—
And she was already out of breath!
By the time we got further in, she was glaring at me:
“Why aren’t we there yet…!”
“Almost there, almost there! We’re almost there!”
And then…
We rode for another half hour.
“We’re still not there…!”
“Almost there, almost there, seriously!”
Another half hour!
By the time we finally reached our destination, Xiaoguang’s T‑shirt was soaked through with sweat, clinging to her.
She leaned on her handlebars, gasping for air.
Her ponytail was crooked, and she was still glaring at me:
“Who… who takes someone on a forced march for their first date!”
I was thrilled!
“So you admit this is a date, too!”
Her face flushed red.
“…That’s not the point!”
Her eyes were both fierce and embarrassed.
I chuckled, leaned my bike against the roadside, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward the grass!
She didn’t pull away.
Blue sky.
Green grass.
A patch of woodland not far off.
A gentle breeze swept by.
This place—I’d stumbled upon it once while cycling around. It was on a small hill with a wide, open view.
The grass was soft, like stepping on a carpet.
The forest in the distance shimmered in shades of green under the sunlight.
We lay down on the grass.
“See? Isn’t it beautiful here?”
I rested my head on my hands and gazed up at the blue sky.
She didn’t answer.
I turned my head to look at her.
She had fallen asleep.
Lying on her side facing me, eyes closed, her lashes trembling ever so slightly.
Her brow was lightly furrowed, her lips pressed together…
“…You jerk, Aqi.”
She muttered in her sleep.
Talking in her dream.
…So cute!
Her face was very close to mine.
In the sunlight, her chest rose and fell gently with each breath.
My gaze rested on her lips.
A light pink, slightly pressed together…
…They looked so soft.
My heart was pounding wildly.
I slowly leaned in a bit closer… then a little more!
But in the end…
I turned back and lay down again, covering my face.
After all, we weren’t officially boyfriend and girlfriend yet.
I stared up at that impossibly blue sky.
My heart was still racing.
Beside me, her breathing was very soft.
The wind blew over the grass, carrying the scent of green leaves and soil.
It felt so good.
…
…
Today, Xiaoguang turned back into that demon!
The second day of summer break, we met at the city library entrance.
She was wearing a white dress, her hair loose again, looking sweet and gentle.
And then, sweetly and gently… she pulled a thick stack of exam papers out of her backpack.
“You need to finish these today.”
She smiled at me.
I was completely dumbfounded!
This was terrifying!
It’s summer break now, why is the intensity so high?
It was like I had college entrance exams in a few days!
“Got a problem?”
She tilted her head and looked at me, her smile so sweet.
“…No.”
I resignedly took the papers.
…She was definitely getting back at me for yesterday’s “forced march”!
Yesterday, she’d slept for a long time.
By the time she woke up, the sun was already setting in the west.
She rubbed her eyes, sat up, and realized she’d slept on the grass for so long. She was so embarrassed!
She even glared at me a little, asking why I hadn’t woken her up!
And then she hugged her chest and looked at me warily:
“You… didn’t do anything to me, did you?”
I was so confident!
“No! Of course not!”
I said at the time.
“I’m a proper gentleman, you know!”
I was full of righteous pride.
But for some reason, that made her even angrier.
She shot me a glare and barely talked to me the whole ride back.
I rode behind her on my bike, watching the little rabbit on her pink-and-white bike bob up and down.
…Did I say something wrong?
Could it be…
She wanted me to do something to her?
…No way, no way!
Fang Qi, how could you think that about her?
She’s a proper, respectable girl!
Anyway…
Today, she doubled down and gave me back all the exhaustion from yesterday!
One test paper after another!
...This is killing me!
I slumped over the library table, watching Xiaoguang, who was sitting next to me grading my papers in silence.
Outside the window, the sky was lit up by a fiery sunset, casting a faint blush on her pretty face.
I was slightly lost in thought.
Being able to be with her like this...
Maybe it isn't so bad?
Just a little draining on the brain...
...
...
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!
Xiaoguang said she's coming to my place tomorrow!
Today at the library, I casually mentioned that my parents are always busy, barely ever home, and that having her around was really nice.
"It'd be even better if you could be my girlfriend someday!"
I can just blurt out confessions like that now!
Probably been hanging around with her too long—my skin's gotten thick.
She was busy grading my test at the time, looked up at me sharply...
Then suddenly said:
"Then I'll just come to your place tomorrow for tutoring. Cycling to the library every day wastes time."
I froze for a second, then panicked!
"...Maybe we shouldn't?"
"Hmm?"
She squinted at me.
"You don't welcome me?"
That look, that smile...
Terrifying!
I surrendered on the spot!
"Of course I welcome you! How could I not? I welcome you so much!"
So the moment I got home, I started a crazy cleaning spree!
My room is usually a total pigsty.
Dirty clothes thrown everywhere, snack bags stuffed in the nightstand drawer, textbooks and rough paper piled messily on the desk...
But none of that is the real problem.
The real problem is the stuff she's not supposed to see!
I took those inappropriate little magazines from under my bed, wrapped them in several layers of plastic bags, and stuffed them into the deepest corner of my closet!
I deleted those suspicious folders on my computer... no, couldn't bear to delete them, so I just encrypted them again and again!
Anyway, absolutely cannot let Xiaoguang find them!
If she ever dug them up, just imagining the smile on her face after seeing that stuff...
Shudder!
I scrubbed the room till it was spotless. Now it looks like a proper high school student's room.
I nodded in satisfaction.
Then I plopped down onto my bed and started daydreaming.
She actually took the initiative to come to my place...?
Hehe...!
I'm so in!
I rolled over on the bed and buried my face in my pillow.
Nervous.
Excited!
Tomorrow, Xiaoguang is coming.
To my home, to my room—just the two of us!
I jumped off the bed and decided to go for a run outside!
Then my foot stepped on something.
Looking down, I saw the corner of a CD case peeking out from under the rug.
Ah.
...When did this thing get under the rug?!
I've got to check my room all over again!
What if there are more things I missed!
...
...
Xiaoguang actually came!
She stood at my doorstep, holding a small bag, wearing a light blue dress—she looked so beautiful!
She tilted her head, looking at me, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised.
"Not going to invite me in?"
"...Please come in!"
I hurriedly stepped aside to let her pass.
A faint, sweet strawberry scent.
Everything felt very natural.
She tutored me seriously while I struggled through problems miserably.
She bent her head, marking my test papers, occasionally tapping the desk lightly with her pen to remind me to focus.
But this time...
We really were alone, a guy and a girl!
And in my own room, no less!
I sat next to her, stealing glances at her profile.
Her eyelashes were so long, her nose so straight, her lips...
"You got this problem wrong."
She said without even looking up.
I quickly snapped my gaze back to my test.
No good...
Like this, I won't be able to learn anything at all!
I've got to do something to lighten the mood!
"Li! We have popsicles at home—you want one?"
"No."
"How about some milk tea? The strawberry boba downstairs is amazing!"
"No."
"And also—"
She put down her pen, looked up at me, that familiar gentle smile on her lips.
Then, from between the pages of the exercise book on the desk, she pulled out a book.
A book... with a very suspicious cover!
"Ah!"
I let out a strange yelp and lunged to snatch it away!
She dodged nimbly, still smiling:
"If you don't want me to tell Uncle and Auntie about this book..."
She tilted her head, watching me.
"Then study obediently."
I slumped back into my chair with a grimace.
"Where did you find it... I thought I'd hidden everything..."
"It was stuffed right in your study guide."
Her tone was casual, and she tossed the book onto the corner of the desk on her side.
"I bet you were sneaking peeks while doing homework and forgot to put it away."
I was completely dumbfounded.
What?
I had stashed everything away yesterday!
The stuff under the bed, in the closet, on the computer, on the bookshelf, under the rug— everything checked!
And there was still one copy hiding so deeply?!
"Keep working on your test."
She tapped her fingers lightly on the desk.
I hurriedly looked down at the test paper.
That geometry problem I could solve just moments ago...
Now it made absolutely no sense to me!
Dear lady, please put that book away first!
Don't leave it out on the table!
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
] [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!
ver to a world of cultivation and returned invincible. Modern medicine is child's play compared to elixirs; technological might crumbles before true cultivation. My name is Qin Ning, Earth's sole cultivator!
