When Lin Yu saw Yan Miaozhu's name, he immediately straightened up with respect.
Oh ho?
Just got stood up at a motel, and now she's messaging again?
This sister's got some serious persistence!
An ordinary person wouldn't have this kind of tenacity.
「Yan Miaozhu: How’s everything at home? Going smoothly?」
「Yan Miaozhu: I was actually a little upset earlier. Don’t blame me, okay? It’s the first time I’ve ever been this forward with someone. I’ll probably need some alone time to recover after this.」
Tsk tsk.
Reading Yan Miaozhu’s messages, Lin Yu could easily read between the lines.
Even after things had reached this point, she still hadn’t given up—still planning to keep trying.
Every message now was clearly laying the groundwork for the next move.
Since Yan Miaozhu was being so patient, Lin Yu saw no need to rush a response.
Keep her hanging!
Let’s see just how long her patience lasts.
Without hesitation, Lin Yu closed the chat window, leaving Yan Miaozhu’s messages unanswered.
He opened another conversation instead…
Fang Xinran!
Half an hour ago, Fang Xinran had sent him the location of a small bar.
That was exactly where Lin Yu was headed now.
He hadn’t replied earlier because he’d been busy with his academic advisor.
Aside from the address, Fang Xinran had also asked what time he’d arrive.
Estimating the timing, Lin Yu knew he’d get there before her and Tang Yimian.
The three of them had only agreed to meet for drinks, not dinner.
Lin Yu planned to grab a bite nearby first.
An empty stomach before a drinking session would definitely affect his performance.
Sometimes, a solo meal was just what he needed—a chance to sort through his thoughts and plan out the next few days.
「Lin Yu: I’ll be there by 8. Senior Fang, do we need to reserve seats at that bar?」
「Lin Yu: First time going, so I’m not sure what to prepare in advance.」
The reply came almost instantly.
「Fang Xinran: No need. It’s a quiet little place with a great atmosphere—not like a regular bar.」
「Lin Yu: Got it!」
Lin Yu knew exactly what kind of place it was.
But he couldn’t let his two seniors see how experienced he was.
A naive college student shouldn’t seem too worldly.
……
In a shared apartment near the elementary school, inside Fang Xinran’s single room…
After replying to Lin Yu, she set her phone down.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror by the door, she examined the red polka-dot dress she was wearing.
A sleeveless mini dress—a style she rarely dared to wear.
It wasn’t something she could pull off during lectures at school.
She’d bought it on a whim after seeing it online, thinking it looked stunning.
But once it arrived, she’d never actually worn it outside!
Her closet had two or three other pieces just like it.
Yet today, for some reason, she’d pulled this one out—because she was meeting Junior Lin for drinks.
“Is this… too short?”
Fang Xinran tugged at the hem, unsure if it was appropriate.
After a long moment of hesitation, she clasped her hands behind her back and murmured to herself:
“Well, it’s probably the only time anyway… Might as well leave a good impression.”
……
As if mirroring her thoughts…
In Tang Yimian’s apartment, over a dozen outfits were strewn across the bed like a multicolored quilt.
Tang Yimian herself paced between the mirror, the bed, and the closet, muttering anxiously:
“No, no—this one’s too plain. It’ll drag down the vibe at the bar!”
“…”
“No, no—this one’s too revealing. People might get the wrong idea!”
“…”
“No, no—I wore this one to the big dinner two days ago. So unoriginal!”
“…”
“Ugh!”
“Time’s running out! What on earth should I wear to the bar?”
Tang Yimian ran her hands through her hair, utterly distressed.
As Shakespeare once said:
When a person starts caring about their appearance, they’re either in love—or about to be.
……
While the two girls agonized over their outfits, the sole male attendee sat leisurely in a small restaurant, munching on a chicken rice combo while scrolling through his phone.
His birthday was this weekend.
If nothing went wrong, Aunt Ru Xue would probably join the celebration too.
They’d just had a game night at home, playing board games all evening.
But for the birthday party, he wanted something more exciting.
Sticking to the same old routine would feel lackluster.
Lin Yu was currently browsing photos sent by Brother Biao—snaps of the ongoing renovations.
Since it wasn’t a full remodel, just minor tweaks to the ambiance and equipment, progress was nearly finished.
The gaming setups Lin Yu had requested, along with some additions from the contractors, perfectly matched his vision.
Barring any surprises, everything would be ready by the day after tomorrow.
That was fantastic news!
At least the entertainment side of the party was covered, so it wouldn’t be boring.
The headquarters for their little “sect” was finally taking shape.
But there was still a lot to do.
Better to write it all down—a good memory was no match for a solid memo.
Lin Yu began listing tasks in his notes:
1. Tonight, send the story draft to Elder Chi so she can adapt it into a script.
2. Tomorrow morning, wake up early to help Mao Ruirui train her dog.
3. Tomorrow, stock up on food, snacks, and drinks for the birthday party.
4. …
5. …
…
58. …
After jotting down over a thousand words’ worth of reminders, Lin Yu finally paused, satisfied.
He’d grown used to packed schedules.
If a day ever came with nothing to do, he’d probably feel lost.
“Ding!”
Just as he was about to close the app, another WeChat notification popped up.
Xiang Tiange—the “Goose Girl”!
「Xiang Tiange: Little Lin, eaten yet?」
「Xiang Tiange: That dinner invite from yesterday still on?」
Her message didn’t surprise him.
Last night, they’d met in a dream.
In that dream world, Xiang Tiange had been open and sincere with Lin Yu, clearly interested.
It was only natural for someone you’d dreamed about to message you the next day.
The fact that she’d waited until evening showed remarkable patience.
Lin Yu snapped a photo of his empty plate—only half a complimentary drink left.
「Lin Yu: (photo)」
「Lin Yu: Little Goose, why so late? Already ate today. Rain check?」
……
(First update today. Second and bonus chapters coming soon. Free support like “power stones” would be much appreciated—thanks, everyone!)
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.
