The female salesperson continued to encourage them:
"Your current bond is beautiful—hold onto it."
"Think back to the brightest, most dazzling, sweetest moments you've shared in life."
"Let the emotions you most want to convey to each other show through, just a little more..."
Their noses remained gently touching.
Chen Qimeng could vividly sense...
Lin Yu was leaning closer to her.
More noticeably than during the last photo!
So...
How did Lin Yu truly see her in his heart?
At the same time,
A familiar and enchanting melody began playing in her ears...
"Finally made this decision~ No matter what others say, I won’t care~"
"As long as you feel the same way~"
"I’m willing~ To follow you to the ends of the earth~"
"I know it won’t be easy~"
"..."
Perhaps it was the power of the music.
Here and now, in this very moment,
Chen Qimeng felt as if she had mustered just a little more courage.
The subtle shift in her emotions was conveyed through delicate movements, making Lin Yu acutely aware.
He could sense it—
Chen Qimeng’s hand resting on his shoulder was gradually relaxing into a natural state.
He couldn’t help but marvel.
This song truly had a unique charm.
Even if the joke had been overused,
The Lin Yu of the past had listened to "Courage" hundreds of times yet remained a coward in life.
Perhaps, they really did need some courage.
The courage to love.
Right now,
The mission was completely forgotten.
He was absolutely certain of what he wanted to do.
"Love really takes courage~ To face the rumors and gossip~"
"Just one affirming glance from you~ Gives my love meaning~"
"..."
"If my stubbornness and pride~ Ever hurt you by mistake~"
"Could you gently remind me~ I may be impatient, but I fear missing you more~"
"..."
Their noses brushed lightly.
Lin Yu took the chance and pressed forward.
Chen Qimeng’s eyes fluttered, but she didn’t resist.
Slowly closing them, she surrendered completely to the moment.
Not an accident.
More than a coincidence.
It was the courage of this very second.
"Click!"
A dazzling flash erupted, but it didn’t disturb them in the slightest.
The photographer glanced at the photo, about to tell them it was perfect—
But the saleswoman immediately shushed him.
Photographer: "They... aren’t they—? Wait, why are you crying?"
Saleswoman, sniffling: "Shut up, you don’t get it."
Photographer: "???"
Watching the beautiful scene before her, the saleswoman was utterly moved.
Today, she was undoubtedly the best "matchmaker" in the room!
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host! You’ve completed the "Soul Cultivation Bonding" trial mission and successfully bound a cultivation partner!]
[Rewards: 200 Sect Contribution Points, 300 Spirit Stones.]
[Partner’s Sect Status: Acting Sect Leader!]
[Friendly Reminder: As the number of partners increases, new reward categories have been added to the prize pool.]
The system’s voice didn’t distract Lin Yu.
Only when the song fully ended did the two part ways in silent understanding.
Chen Qimeng’s shoulders rose and fell unevenly.
Her breathing was far from steady.
Just moments ago,
She had made what felt like a "life-changing decision"!
Yet now, her mind was in chaos.
She wasn’t sure if she truly possessed that "courage."
Seeing her state, Lin Yu could easily imagine her turmoil.
But a shopping mall was no place for baring hearts and deep conversations.
After that kiss, everything would naturally fall into place.
Lin Yu: "Qimeng? Qimeng!"
Chen Qimeng: "Huh?"
Lin Yu: "Let’s go claim our 'prize.'"
Chen Qimeng: "Oh... right."
Moments ago, she had been wondering—
What would Lin Yu say next?
How should she respond?
Should she admit she got carried away?
Or point out that he was the one who initiated it?
But instead,
Lin Yu stayed silent.
He simply took her hand and led her off the stage.
With that step,
It wasn’t just the "dappled lights" behind them that scattered—
It felt more like shedding a long-worn "identity shackle."
Just now...
He called her "Qimeng," didn’t he?
...
The saleswoman handed Lin Yu four discount coupons with both hands.
Noticing Chen Qimeng still lost in a daze,
She patted Lin Yu’s chest and gave him two enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Lin Yu waved it off, then pointed back at her—
Returning the gesture with a slight bow of gratitude.
This saleswoman was undoubtedly his lucky charm today!
Without her help, who knew when or where the right moment would have come?
Flattered, the saleswoman floated on cloud nine.
Before they left, she even tossed in one last assist:
"Handsome, beautiful, I forgot to mention earlier—"
"Most of our partnered discount stores are women’s boutiques."
"They’ve got lots of new arrivals lately—hope you two enjoy shopping!"
Chen Qimeng stared at the coupons: "???"
Several men’s and unisex stores were clearly listed!
But Lin Yu, catching on immediately, replied:
"Got it. Thanks!"
...
Once out of the photo area,
Chen Qimeng walked slightly slower beside Lin Yu.
Her hand was still in his.
Her eyes darted around nervously.
What if they ran into someone they knew?
In a small city like Pingchuan, the odds were high!
If a familiar face spotted them—or worse, one of Lin Yu’s classmates—
She could brush off gossip, but what about him?
He was the family’s top honor student.
How could he afford...
Had she been too reckless earlier?
Now... what on earth should she do?
She tried subtly putting distance between them, hoping their hands would naturally separate.
But—
The moment she pulled away even slightly, Lin Yu only held on tighter!
Chen Qimeng’s cheeks burned: "..."
[Ding!]
[Masterful move! Your assertive intimacy made your partner feel truly cherished!]
[Reward: 50 Spirit Stones.]
Her heart swelled with sweetness, but her words betrayed hesitation:
"Lin Yu, we’ve already got the coupons..."
"Do we really... need to keep holding hands while shopping?"
"The sales staff won’t see us this far out anyway."
With the system’s reassurance, Lin Yu stood firm.
He stopped walking and lifted their joined hands between them:
"Chen Qimeng, I have a question for you."
His sudden seriousness made her panic.
Was he...
About to bring up their two kisses earlier?
Heavens!
No matter how he phrased it—how was she supposed to answer?
Chen Qimeng: "W-What is it?"
Lin Yu: "Are you trying to run after kissing me?"
Chen Qimeng: "Huh???"
What kind of question was that?
Was he serious?
Lin Yu: "Yes or no?"
Chen Qimeng: "Lin Yu, didn’t we agree earlier that..."
Lin Yu: "Yes or no?"
Chen Qimeng: "It’s the activity’s fault, they made us..."
Lin Yu: "Yes or no?"
Chen Qimeng: "..."
Lin Yu: "So—yes or no?"
Chen Qimeng: "...No."
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
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.”
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?"
