An hour later.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully completed the daily quest "Hidden Ailments (Massage Therapy)," earning 100 Sect Contribution Points and 100 Spirit Stones!]
Lin Yu stepped out of the bathroom after washing his hands.
Gazing at Mo Shangying, who lay sprawled on the bed like a limp rag, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.
His techniques never went easy on anyone who talked big.
The louder they bragged before the foot massage,
the more utterly drained they’d be by the end.
Lin Yu: "I’m done. Take your time to freshen up."
Mo Shangying replied weakly, "Okay..."
Once the sound of the door closing faded, Mo Shangying struggled several times before finally propping herself up against the headboard.
Whether it was because she had been too immersed
or because Lin Yu’s skills had genuinely improved,
this time, his techniques felt even more varied and intoxicating than before, leaving her completely spellbound.
The warmth in her legs and feet gradually transformed into renewed energy.
As the flush on her skin faded, her limbs felt stronger than ever.
Why bother looking for a traditional Chinese massage parlor?
With her master around, as long as she was a little more diligent, couldn’t she easily fix the numbness in her legs?
And most importantly…
It was pure bliss!
……
Back in his room, Lin Yu skimmed through the chat logs between Yi Haizhou and He Jing under a critical eye.
Frankly,
the content was on par with literature from certain adult websites.
Eighty percent of it revolved around… anatomy.
Lin Yu couldn’t help but marvel at Yi Haizhou’s audacity.
The man was practically on the verge of being locked up,
yet despite the massive debt hanging over his head, he was still living by the motto "better to die a romantic than a coward"!
What Lin Yu wanted to see wasn’t the middle-aged lovey-dovey exchanges.
He was looking for clues—
any agreement He Jing and Yi Haizhou had reached about him.
In the rare moments where they discussed serious matters, his name did come up.
He Jing had relayed to Yi Haizhou that they needed to "deal with that novelist" within a week.
The plan was to reel him in "without letting him gain an inch," ensuring a clean catch.
After that,
their scheme targeting Chen Qimeng’s flower shop could proceed as scheduled next week.
As for tomorrow’s secret rendezvous with Lin Yu in the newly renovated apartment—
just as he had guessed,
Yi Haizhou knew nothing about it.
He Jing was already hunting for new prey behind the back of her useless "cuckold."
Since everything was playing out as expected,
Lin Yu could confidently stick to his original plan.
Tomorrow,
he would "teach this pair of troubled lovebirds a lesson"!
……
5:30 PM.
Lin Yu arrived early at the upscale restaurant as agreed.
Pingchuan wasn’t a major city,
and truly high-end dining establishments were few and far between.
The "International Hotel" before him was one of the best.
Business banquets, weddings for the wealthy—anything that demanded prestige was usually held here.
Walking through the parking lot,
luxury cars, both recognizable and obscure, lined the aisles.
In both his past and current life,
Lin Yu had passed by this place countless times.
Never had he imagined that after his rebirth,
someone would actually invite him to dine here.
The agreed time with Maomao was 6:00 PM.
To allow Mo Shangying and Ye Mengfu to enter first, the trio arrived promptly at 5:30.
Mo Shangying had splurged on a private room right next to Lin Yu’s.
Since the two rooms were so close,
she wouldn’t be able to see anything this time—only listen in and offer remote guidance.
Lin Yu let the two women go ahead and settle in.
He lingered in the parking lot, killing time.
Within minutes of separating,
Mo Shangying’s voice crackled through his earpiece:
"Master, Master! That stinky cat might’ve arrived even earlier than us."
"I can hear the waiters going in and out of the next room—they’re talking to someone inside."
"Are you waiting till six, or are you heading up now?"
As the host,
arriving early was only proper.
It also showed their respect for Lin Yu.
"I’m on my way up."
"Ying’er, keep your laptop ready."
"Remember, the moment you get even a scrap of intel on them—dig it up and tell me immediately!"
After Mo Shangying’s eager assurances,
Lin Yu steadied himself and walked into the International Hotel.
……
International Hotel, VIP Section.
Phoenix Hall.
Seated at the head of the table,
Xia Xiashan exuded the aura of a seasoned leader.
Today, she had swapped her usual attire for a sleeveless crop top and high-waisted shorts,
showcasing her striking figure in a way that made her almost unrecognizable from the day before.
Beside her, Maomao’s outfit hadn’t changed much.
At the moment,
Maomao sat with her hands clasped on the table,
muttering under her breath in a barely audible stream.
"Maomao? Maomao!"
Xia Xiashan called out twice before Maomao snapped out of her daze.
"Huh? Xiashan?"
"What’s wrong? Is ZerO here?"
Xia Xiashan crossed her arms, frowning.
"Not yet. It’s still not time."
"You've been muttering nonstop since you got here."
"Reciting something? Computer science stuff?"
Maomao avoided Xia Xiashan's gaze and shook her head.
"Not exactly professional knowledge. Just some... extracurricular material."
Yesterday's encounter with ZerO had left her completely outmatched.
Today was her only chance to strike back.
Maomao had spent the entire day cramming all sorts of "weird" knowledge,
just to seize an opportunity during dinner to reclaim her lost pride.
Xia Xiashan shrugged helplessly.
The world of "gods" was beyond the comprehension of mere mortals like her.
Right now, she was more concerned about something else...
"Xia Yiwei, did you die on the way here?"
"Don't give me any traffic excuses on a motorcycle!"
"If you don’t wanna eat, just don’t come!"
"We’ll have a much quieter meal without you."
Xia Xiashan fired off several voice messages to her younger sister, Xia Yiwei.
Less than a minute later,
a WeChat reply came through.
With no hesitation, Xia Xiashan played it on speaker for Maomao to hear:
"Shut the hell up, you hag. Can’t you wish me well for once?"
"Almost there! Just got in the elevator!"
Xia Yiwei’s words only stoked Xia Xiashan’s fury.
She snatched her phone and barked back:
"Which elevator are you even in?"
"Weren’t you ‘in the elevator’ ten minutes ago?"
"Does it take ten minutes to reach the sixth floor?"
"What, is the elevator stuck in traffic too?"
BANG!
After sending the message, Xia Xiashan slammed her phone onto the table.
Xia Yiwei had a magical talent—
a few simple words were all it took to ignite her temper.
Beside her, Maomao patted Xia Xiashan’s shoulder.
"Xiashan, relax."
Xia Xiashan exhaled deeply, forcing herself to calm down.
Just then,
the restaurant door swung open.
Lin Yu walked in, waving at the two of them.
"Hello, ladies. Seems I’m a bit late."
"Have you been waiting long?"
world slacker. But a genius female disciple just had to get clingy, insisting that he take her as a disciple. Not only that, she was always making advances on him, thoroughly disrupting his peaceful slacker life...
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
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?!!!"
his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…