【When I was little, my parents told me that home was a mountain village, where beyond one mountain lay another, with nothing in between.】
【Yet I still wanted to see it for myself.】
【I told myself, it’ll be better when I grow up.】
【When I grow up, I’ll leave these mountains behind.】
【In college, my advisor told me that learning is like climbing mountains—beyond one peak lies another, with no end in sight.】
【Yet I still wanted to see it for myself.】
【I told myself, it’ll be better after graduation.】
【After graduation, I’ll leave these mountains behind.】
【After starting work, my friends told me that life itself is a towering mountain—beyond one hurdle lies another, an endless chain.】
【Yet I still wanted to see it for myself.】
【I asked myself, is it time to leave?】
Before reading, Lin Yu had braced himself for something like a "cold joke compilation."
However.
After finishing, he stood frozen in thought for a long while.
Strictly speaking,
the draft in Lin Yu’s hands wasn’t quite prose.
It leaned more toward modern poetry.
Presumably,
the article meant for Lin Yu tonight wasn’t just this one.
Perhaps due to the late hour, Fang Xinran had shared a freshly written modern poem instead.
How was Lin Yu supposed to critique this?
To call the language exceptionally beautiful or profoundly moving?
It wasn’t quite at that level.
Yet these unadorned words, when read slowly and attentively, did carry weight.
Especially since the author was someone Lin Yu knew in real life.
It inevitably stirred deeper associations.
Lin Yu turned to look at Fang Xinran.
By now,
the familiar information box had appeared beside her.
【Fang Xinran】
【Age: 23】
【%￥&%-@@￥！#……】
【……】
【(Prerequisite task incomplete. Details unavailable.)】
Like the other girls not staying overnight, she was recognized by the system as a fellow sect member.
Perhaps Fang Xinran’s so-called 【prerequisite task】 was simply to seek guidance on her writing.
Lin Yu began by asking:
"Senior Fang, do you often feel…"
"that your current life isn’t what you wanted? Or that it’s not the ‘escape’ you imagined?"
"That the world is vast, and you still want to explore it?"
【Ding!】
【Brilliant move! Accurately deciphering the inner thoughts of the Teleportation Array Attendant has left her deeply moved!】
【Reward: 20 Spirit Stones】
Hearing Lin Yu’s words, Fang Xinran’s eyes lit up.
【Teleportation Array Attendant】!
So this was Fang Xinran’s official sect role.
In other words—free to go wherever she pleased.
It suited her personality perfectly.
With the system already announcing the reward, Lin Yu expected Fang Xinran to eagerly respond.
Yet,
she remained unusually calm, asking:
"Junior Lin, can you… can you really sense that from this poem?"
Perhaps due to the alcohol or her overwhelming emotions,
her voice carried a hint of tremor.
Lin Yu nodded firmly.
"The words have power. The feeling is unmistakable."
"How to describe it… Let me think…"
"Ah!"
"It’s the confusion of our generation—about the world, about life itself."
"You’re probably not the only one wrestling with these questions."
"I haven’t entered society yet, but I’ve also wondered… what’s the meaning of living."
Lin Yu was being honest.
Though such thoughts usually surfaced during… less dignified moments.
Still, having lived two lives, Lin Yu had some perspective.
The idea of "the world is vast, go explore" was somewhat illusory.
Only a select few could truly live that way.
Most people should focus on finding their own light in the world.
Of course,
sharing this with Fang Xinran now would be… less than helpful.
Like trying to convince your younger self to quit skipping class for the arcade—
pointless as a stranger’s advice.
Young people at this stage rarely heed "wise elder" clichés.
If they could, their parents and teachers would’ve gotten through already.
Fang Xinran nodded vigorously—a dozen times at least—murmuring:
"Thank you… really, thank you for understanding…"
"Junior Lin, do you think I should go see the world?"
Lin Yu replied evenly:
"Senior Fang, you’ve experienced more than I have."
"This isn’t something you need my input on."
"When you ask others, haven’t you already decided in your heart?"
Lin Yu wasn’t about to shoulder responsibility for someone else’s life choices.
Fang Xinran clearly wanted validation—
"Yes, go explore!"
From anyone.
But Lin Yu wouldn’t be that person.
Tang Yimian, sensing the tension, interjected gently:
"Xinran… weren’t we discussing feedback on the poem?"
"How did we end up on life directions…"
Fang Xinran snapped back to reality.
"Right, yes! Junior Lin, what flaws do you see in this piece?"
"Please be direct. No need to soften it."
Lin Yu: "……"
It wasn’t that he refused.
He just didn’t know!
Beyond grasping the "endless mountains" metaphor, he had no expertise.
He read more web novels than modern poetry—
he could ramble about those.
But who studied contemporary verse unless they were into literature or grad school?
After deliberation, Lin Yu opted for diplomacy:
"Senior Fang, there’s honestly little to critique."
"Even the word ‘critique’ feels misplaced."
"Modern poetry is about conveying emotion and thought."
"It has no rigid structure or fixed rules."
"If your words resonate with readers, isn’t that good poetry?"
"You’ve already achieved that."
Tang Yimian nodded in agreement.
Her reaction to Fang Xinran’s work mirrored Lin Yu’s—
any attempt at critique would’ve rung hollow.
Fang Xinran suddenly stood, declaring with fervor:
"Junior Lin, thank you. Your words today helped me immensely."
"Are you free this Saturday afternoon? I’d like to invite you and Sister Yimian to the tavern!"
Lin Yu stared at her abrupt energy: "……"
This girl—so unpredictable!
...
(Bonus chapter delivered! Will try to write more tomorrow. Your support through free "power stones" is deeply appreciated!)
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
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?"
