Does the taste of the food matter when dining in a shopping mall?
Not at all.
If you really want to try local specialties, who would choose to come to a place like this?
For a mall to boost revenue, what matters is table turnover.
Simple, fast, and decent enough in taste—that’s all it takes to qualify as a decent mall eatery.
Du Ruxue asked Chen Qimeng for a recommendation, putting her in a tough spot.
Chen Qimeng rarely ever dined here.
Which place was good, which had a nice ambiance, which was suitable for chatting…
Chen Qimeng had no clue about any of it!
She could only look at Lin Yu with pleading eyes.
Lin Yu immediately stepped in and said,
"Aunt Ruxue, we hardly ever come to Wanda Plaza."
"But I know a chain hotpot place with great service."
"How about we go there?"
"It’s straight ahead, the one at the end."
"Hotpot… what does everyone think?"
What to eat didn’t matter much to Lin Yu.
He only needed to consider where they could chat quietly.
The hotpot place he mentioned was a bit pricey for students.
But at least it guaranteed they wouldn’t run into any acquaintances.
Otherwise, they might bump into someone like Xiang Tiange right after sitting down.
Good grief, no wonder he’s not paying attention to Xiao Chi—he’s got someone else by his side~
How awkward would that be?
Chen Qimeng: "Xiao Yu’s suggestion is great. It’s been a while since I’ve had hotpot."
Du Ruxue: "Fine by me, no objections."
Maomao: "Mm, I’ll go with everyone."
...
Before long.
At a four-seater in [a certain hotpot chain].
"Say goodbye to all your troubles~ Say hello to all your happiness~"
"Dear~ dear~ Hap-py Birth-day to you!"
"Make every day wonderful~"
Chen Qimeng and Du Ruxue were busy ordering.
Lin Yu hummed the tune under his breath.
Every time he came to this hotpot place, if he didn’t hear this song, it felt like a wasted trip.
Too bad it was still 2014.
This chain hadn’t rolled out its birthday singing program yet.
Even The Birthday Song hadn’t been written!
The hummer had no ulterior motives, but the listener read too much into it.
Maomao, sitting beside Lin Yu, stared at him intently, her eyes brimming with unspoken words.
Lin Yu: "What’s up?"
Maomao: "I’ve never heard that song before. What’s it called?"
Lin Yu: "..."
From Maomao’s expression, Lin Yu could guess—
She wasn’t actually curious about the song!
She was worried it might turn into a "test question" someday, leaving her clueless!
She’d even take an interest in a random tune someone hummed.
Yet she couldn’t recognize such an easy route?
Lin Yu studied her for a moment before whispering:
"Ohhh~"
"So Maomao hasn’t heard this song? That makes things easier next time!"
"Such a secret—why would I tell you?"
His teasing tone dredged up Maomao’s memories of their last defeat…
Maomao glanced at the two aunts across the table.
Making sure they were engrossed in ordering with the server,
she mustered the courage to lean closer to Lin Yu and say:
"Ah Bin, I watched…"
Lin Yu: "!!!"
She actually went and watched it?
Fine, she watched it—but why bring it up here?
Did she want a medal or something?
If the aunts asked what they were talking about, could her terrible lying skills even cover it?
Even so.
Lin Yu couldn’t suppress his curiosity…
"And then?"
Maomao murmured faintly:
"Yu, I suggest… you watch less of that stuff."
Lin Yu: "..."
He asked for her thoughts.
She advised him to reform.
It wasn’t like he watched much anyway!
Wasn’t this just…
teenage hearsay among peers?
Back then, a single thick novel could be torn into a dozen parts for alternating reading.
He definitely wasn’t the originator, just one of the relayers.
Lin Yu knew this wasn’t the time or place for a deep discussion.
He’d have to wait until after dinner to properly explain things to Maomao.
Before the hotpot arrived, the four chatted about light topics—
mostly the two aunts’ shopping experiences that day.
The real conversation only began once they started eating…
"Maomao, is there anything you’d like to say to me?"
Du Ruxue’s question came out of nowhere.
Maomao, who was scooping a fish ball, nearly dropped her spoon into the pot.
She stiffened as if facing a crisis, about to stand up and speak—
but Du Ruxue’s gaze pinned her back down before she could rise.
Lin Yu, sitting beside her, could clearly sense her tension.
Yikes!
Was the interrogation starting now?
He thought they’d gotten through the day without this.
Turns out…
what’s coming will come.
Too brutal!
Lin Yu wanted to mediate, but there was no opening.
Aunt Ruxue had singled out her "younger daughter."
What right did he have to interrupt?
He could only shoot Maomao a good luck look and wait for her response.
After a long pause, Maomao finally spoke:
"I’m sorry, Aunt Ruxue."
"I should’ve discussed moving into Aunt Qimeng’s apartment with you first."
"It was wrong of me, and I deserve to be punished… I’ll accept any punishment willingly."
Her head was bowed, hiding her expression.
But the way she said "willingly" made it clear she was anything but.
Silence followed.
Du Ruxue acted as if she hadn’t heard, continuing to eat unhurriedly.
Chen Qimeng nudged her lightly with an elbow.
In Lin Yu’s [Aunt Database], this kind of interruption was strictly forbidden!
It wouldn’t serve as a reminder—it might even provoke Du Ruxue’s irritation.
Maomao’s half-hearted apology clearly hadn’t hit the mark.
At the very least,
it didn’t satisfy Du Ruxue.
Her silence meant she expected Maomao to keep talking.
Qimeng shouldn’t have touched her!
But then again…
when it was Qimeng doing the nudging, all rules seemed to vanish.
Du Ruxue finished chewing, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and finally addressed Maomao:
"The mistake’s already made. Punishing you won’t turn back time."
"Tell me what you really think, Maomao…"
"How do you like Qimeng’s apartment?"
"Are you planning to stay for a few days, or settle in long-term?"
Maomao looked up at her, startled.
When Aunt Ruxue first questioned her, she’d felt like she was back under her strict household rules.
But now…
Aunt Ruxue was actually asking for her opinion?
Was this a dream?
...
(Second update for today. More coming soon!)
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"
