Lin Yu tilted his head, staring at Chi Qingchi with a heart full of bewilderment.
The world of anime and manga was truly hard to grasp.
Today was just a brief attempt to infiltrate their circle.
Becoming a full-fledged otaku was still far too difficult for Lin Yu.
“Let’s not keep saying ‘a long, long time’...”
“Didn’t you say the shuttle bus would arrive at the neighborhood gate by six-something?”
“If we keep chatting here, walking to the convention venue will actually take a long, long time!”
Lin Yu tightened his grip on the two large bags, looking ready to set off.
Chi Qingchi nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at rice:
“Right, right! The bus is coming soon—we need to hurry. It’s still a long walk...”
Lin Yu: “???”
A long walk?
How far could the neighborhood gate possibly be?
Only after stepping out did Lin Yu fully grasp the cunning meaning behind her words.
First, they reached the main gate of their complex. Then they crossed the street.
After another hundred meters, they found an alley cutting through a row of storefronts.
They trekked two hundred more meters along the narrow path, emerging onto another street.
After five minutes of brisk walking, they finally paused to wait at the entrance of a nearby residential complex.
Lin Yu set the two heavy bags down on a stone pillar by the gate.
He fixed Chi Qingchi with an incredulous stare.
Squirming under his gaze, she scratched her cheek awkwardly:
“Gotta keep people from knowing where I live, you know...”
“You understand, right, Xiao Lin?”
Lin Yu let out two cold, mocking laughs:
“Ha! Ha!”
“Chi Qingchi, you’re something else!”
“Your club friends pour their hearts out to you, and you play mind games with them?!”
Halfway through their journey, Lin Yu had already sensed something off.
He’d figured out the calculations running through her head.
No wonder!
No wonder, after renting a place for so long, none of her admirers knew her address.
Unless they stalked her to and from school, they’d never find out!
Chi Qingchi pouted, putting on a pitiful act:
“Two girls living alone is risky.”
“Sorry for making you walk so far. But you’re the best Xiao Lin in the world...”
Lin Yu: “...”
So she’d slapped a flattering label on him to shut him up?
Fine, fine.
At least he didn’t have to worry about some delinquent sweet-talking her.
With her scheming mind, she’d have any punk spinning in circles before he knew what hit him. He’d eat his hat if she didn’t.
But then another thought struck Lin Yu, and he pressed further:
“Wait, hold on!”
“You’re worried about people knowing where you live...”
“But here we are, waiting for the bus together with all these bags...”
“Aren’t you afraid they’ll think we live together?”
Chi Qingchi took a deep breath.
Then she sighed heavily:
“Ah...”
Lin Yu: “???”
What kind of reaction was that?
What did that even mean?
Just as Lin Yu grew suspicious, a shuttle bus pulled up in front of them.
At the passenger-side window, a familiar face appeared—a hand deftly adjusting black-framed glasses...
Lin Yu: “!!!”
Holy—!
Isn’t that Hao-ge?!
Zhao Yuhao, the anime club’s vice president!
Lin Yu’s very first “Outsider Demon” in life!
It had only been a few days since they last met.
Yet to Lin Yu, it felt like an eternity.
Like a reunion after years apart.
Zhao Yuhao leaned an arm against the window, his expression stern and composed as he waved at Chi Qingchi.
His gaze then shifted to Lin Yu, offering a polite nod and wave.
Ah...
A pang of melancholy hit Lin Yu. He even felt like humming a line:
Brother, you’ve lost weight~ You look exhausted~~
“Pssht!”
The bus stopped, its door sliding open.
Zhao Yuhao stood on the steps, his full appearance gradually revealed.
Lin Yu smiled appreciatively, mentally tipping his hat.
Tsk, tsk, tsk!
Only the world’s first Outsider Demon could pull off such style.
Even his entrance was meticulously staged—angles, sightlines, the whole “curtain rise” effect.
Whether he was the protagonist or not, he demanded that grand reveal.
But when Zhao Yuhao stepped off the bus alone, Lin Yu finally understood the meaning behind Chi Qingchi’s sigh.
Apart from the driver, Zhao Yuhao was the only one on board.
No wonder she wasn’t worried about people misunderstanding their living situation!
Hahahaha...
Because in Hao-ge’s mind, they were already living together.
What was left to worry about?
“Hello, Lin Yu. I’m not sure if you remember me—I’m Zhao Yuhao, the anime club’s vice president.”
“Thank you for helping us with this convention.”
“On behalf of the entire club, welcome.”
Zhao Yuhao approached Lin Yu first, extending a hand.
Lin Yu: “!!!”
Putting everything else aside, this opening line alone earned Lin Yu’s respect.
Who knew if Hao-ge still held any lingering feelings for Chi Qingchi?
Even a sliver would make Lin Yu a “love rival” or even a “homewrecker” in his eyes.
Yet here he was, setting aside personal emotions and grievances, acting purely as the club’s representative.
A true “second-in-command.”
If Lin Yu had a vote, he’d ditch A-Le and Big D next time.
Hao-ge all the way—a man of magnanimity, capable of tolerance!
Other demonic factions would still bring trouble upon second encounters.
But Hao-ge’s return triggered no “danger alert” from the system.
What did that mean?
It meant Hao-ge no longer held any hostility toward him—at least not today.
Lin Yu shook his hand courteously:
“Of course I remember!”
“No need for thanks, Vice President.”
“I’m looking forward to the convention too.”
Zhao Yuhao: “No, gratitude is necessary.”
Lin Yu: “Haha, no need to be so formal.”
Zhao Yuhao: “Let’s hope for a pleasant day.”
Lin Yu: “Absolutely.”
Beside them, Chi Qingchi watched as the morning sunlight spilled over the two young men, their smiles not quite reaching their eyes.
The scene...
Why did it somehow give off a weirdly harmonious vibe?
Chi Qingchi: “Gentlemen, mind the time? We’ve got more people to pick up!”
Only then did the two break their handshake and start loading the bags onto the bus.
When Zhao Yuhao saw Lin Yu’s heavy load, he moved to help.
Lin Yu declined: “I’ve got it. Maybe... help Qingchi instead?”
Zhao Yuhao paused, adjusting his glasses solemnly:
“Wouldn’t that be... overstepping?”
“I’ll take yours. You help her.”
Lin Yu: “!!!”
Overstepping.
A word rarely used in daily life.
Yet from Hao-ge’s mouth, it carried an inexplicable sorrow.
...
(Bonus chapter delivered! There’s a discussion spot on the homepage—the first one’s full, so a second’s been set up. Feel free to check it out. Goodnight, everyone!)
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!"
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
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?"
