"Let's take a break for now. The dog issue isn't urgent."
"Chat a bit longer, have some water and fruit. We'll check on the dog later."
Mother Chang hadn't heard enough yet.
This was just the beginning?
She'd been standing in the kitchen eavesdropping for ages, even turning the faucet to a trickle while washing peaches to avoid missing any details.
How could they stop now, before covering everything she cared about?
With Xiaoxiao back, wasn't this the perfect time to continue chatting together?
Meanwhile, Father Chang appeared notably composed. Pointing toward the balcony, he said:
"Changsheng usually eats over there—that's where his bed is too."
"Let's observe his food aggression first, then continue talking."
As he spoke,
Father Chang gave Mother Chang an almost imperceptible look.
A silent reminder not to bombard their guest with questions.
This was Lin Yu's first visit, and he'd been both forthcoming and respectful.
They shouldn't make Lin Yu feel the elderly couple had ulterior motives.
Hearing Father Chang's words, Lin Yu finally exhaled in relief.
The two clueless girls remained oblivious to the undercurrents.
Arm in arm, they cooed over Changsheng as they led him to the balcony.
Chang Xiaoxiao stroked Changsheng's head gently:
"Go fetch your bowl. You get early dinner tonight—extra portions."
The clever dog wagged his entire rear end with joy,
nimbly darting past Lin Yu toward his food dish.
Mao Ruirui whispered to Lin Yu:
"Yu, be very careful with food-aggressive dogs."
"One wrong move could get you bitten."
"Want gloves? Xiaoxiao has some—I'll ask her to bring them?"
Lin Yu waved it off:
"No need for gloves, Ruirui-jie, don't worry."
"I'll be cautious—it won't bite me."
Getting bitten by a small dog?
What a joke that would be.
Even a dragon would behave like a songbird in his presence.
"Rustle... rustle..."
As dog food cascaded into the bowl, Changsheng wriggled excitedly.
Chang Xiaoxiao cautioned nervously:
"Changsheng, you can..."
Before she finished,
the dog face-planted into the bowl like a starved beast,
devouring kibble as if he'd fasted for days.
The frantic eating scattered food everywhere.
Xiaoxiao moved beside Lin Yu, murmuring:
"Senior Lin Yu, I'll approach first so you can observe his reaction."
"If it seems dangerous, don't get too close."
"He might ignore even me during meals—despite being gentle earlier."
"Protective gear's in the drawer—want me to fetch it?"
Then she inched forward cautiously,
calling his name in her usual tone:
"Changsheng? Changsheng? Slow down..."
No response.
The dog kept inhaling food like a vacuum.
When Xiaoxiao stepped within one tile's distance,
Changsheng froze mid-bite,
side-eyeing his owner with bared fangs.
A low, threatening growl rumbled from his throat.
Xiaoxiao paused, then tried edging closer—
"Grr... WOOF!"
"BARK! BARK!"
The vicious snarls showed zero respect for his tiny mistress,
as if the next step would trigger an attack.
Retreating quickly, Xiaoxiao sighed at Lin Yu:
"You see, senior? This is his usual mealtime behavior."
"I've tried everything—researched online too—but nothing works."
"Honestly, he seems to get fiercer each time."
Lin Yu adopted a cautious demeanor, motioning everyone back.
He explained:
"Escalating aggression often stems from overindulgence."
"It believes it rules this household."
"The training process might involve some...
Xiaoxiao, I hope you and your parents won't be distressed."
Father Chang immediately declared:
"Won't happen. Train him hard, Lin Yu."
"Hit him if needed—just don't get hurt yourself."
"This can't continue—might bite the girls someday."
Spoken like a true diplomat.
"Bite the girls"—implying whose injury wouldn't pain him?
And clearly... it'd never be him!
Lin Yu glanced at Xiaoxiao.
Her deep attachment to the dog was obvious.
But disciplining required owner approval—
he couldn't perform miracles without raising suspicions.
Some theatrics were necessary.
Yet Xiaoxiao's response stunned him.
After a long sigh, she adjusted her glasses:
"It's for Changsheng's future harmony with the family."
"What tools do you need? I'll get them."
"Something long... a baseball bat maybe?"
Lin Yu: "???"
For a moment,
he wondered if he'd caught Ruirui-jie's condition.
Were they executing Changsheng today?
Seeing his shock, Xiaoxiao backtracked:
"No no, bats are too heavy."
"How about a badminton racket?"
Lin Yu shook his head, scanning the room.
Pointing to an empty soda bottle, he said:
"This will suffice."
Mao Ruirui, who'd missed earlier remarks, now interjected:
"Yu, that bottle's too risky!"
"He'll bite you before you reach him!"
"Pick something else."
"Xiaoxiao, got any broken mop handles? Or a stool leg?"
Father Chang chimed in:
"Exactly—safety first."
"I'll check the basement—think there's an iron rod."
Amid the debate,
Changsheng had already licked his bowl clean
and started hoovering floor kibbles.
After much persuasion,
Lin Yu finally convinced them to use the bottle.
Xiaoxiao refilled Changsheng's bowl—
the oblivious dog celebrating like New Year's Eve,
unaware of impending doom.
Lin Yu flexed the bottle, warning kindly:
"Xiaoxiao, you might want to look away."
"It won't take long—I'll be quick."
She shook her head:
"No need. Thank you, senior—please be careful."
Lin Yu nodded solemnly.
Careful indeed.
Though the one needing caution
wasn't him...
(First bonus chapter delivered. Writing the second now—stay tuned!)
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!
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...
] [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?"
