Lin Li furrowed his brows.
He didn’t know who had harmed him, but he was certain it couldn’t have been Lin Xuan.
The shock in Lin Xuan’s eyes when he saw him without that thing that day couldn’t have been faked.
Yet, since he couldn’t find the real culprit, perhaps he could pin it all on Lin Xuan.
The more malicious Lin Xuan appeared in the eyes of the Lin family, the more they would despise him, and the slimmer his chances of ever returning to the family would be.
“It was him.” Lin Li clenched his fists.
“Before I went abroad for the exchange program, Lin Xuan kidnapped and tortured me, even forcing me to drink the Root-Severing Water.”
“I didn’t dare tell you. What’s done is done. I was afraid you’d worry, and I was terrified you’d reject me because of it.”
“Dad, Mom, Sisters… I never imagined Lin Xuan not only wanted to turn me into a eunuch but also planned to expose this at my wedding.”
“What did I ever do to deserve such cruelty from him?”
Lin Li covered his face in despair and crouched on the floor.
“Does he hate me for taking his privileged life in the Lin family? Is this his revenge? It’s my fault, all my fault…”
Jiang Shuqin’s heart ached as she comforted him. “Li’er, don’t be afraid. No matter what happens, you’ll always be my son.”
“That’s right, Xiao Li. Don’t overthink it. You’ll always be the little brother of us three sisters,” Lin Qingwan added reassuringly.
Lin Chang, however, had no mind to console Lin Li.
His thoughts were a tangled mess.
Had Li’er really lost his fertility?
Lin Xuan clicked his tongue and shook his head.
Seemed like he was shouldering another undeserved blame.
He had no intention of explaining himself. He knew it would be useless—without evidence, the Lin family wouldn’t believe him, and frankly, he couldn’t care less about clearing his name in their eyes.
As for whoever had fed Lin Li the Root-Severing Water, they’d done a fine job. He didn’t mind taking the fall this once.
“Take your time comforting Lin Li as a family. I won’t intrude as an outsider.”
“Oh, and one more thing.” Lin Xuan’s gaze swept mockingly across the Lin family members.
“Cherish the good days you have left, because I’m about to start reeling in the net.”
Until now, he hadn’t gone all out against them, only occasionally stirring trouble—mainly because his capabilities had been limited.
But after a year of development, his company had risen to a position where it could rival Starlight Group.
Starlight Entertainment’s films and TV series had flopped one after another, crushed under the dominance of Celestial Screen Group’s productions. Several of Celestial Screen’s artists had also skyrocketed in fame and value thanks to those hits.
From now on, Starlight Group would no longer be able to hinder Celestial Screen’s expansion in the entertainment industry.
Entertainment was Starlight Group’s core business.
Losing ground here would deal them a devastating blow.
And the gaming industry would be the final straw that broke their back.
“Lin Xuan!” Lin Chang’s face darkened.
“Starlight Group has been thriving for twenty years. You think your little startup, barely a year old, can make waves?”
“President Lin, don’t be so sure.” Lin Xuan smirked. “Remember what you did when my films and series were about to release? You blocked their screenings, hired armies of trolls to smear us, and went all out promoting your own projects.”
“And how did that turn out?”
“Your works bombed spectacularly, while mine raked in profits. My streaming platform flourished, and the theaters I invested in are now thriving.”
Lin Xuan’s voice dripped with triumph.
Lin Chang’s expression grew uglier by the second.
But it didn’t matter.
Let Lin Xuan gloat while he could.
Once their company launched that King’s Glory game, all of Lin Xuan’s efforts would go down the drain.
And Starlight Group would ride that game to become the nation’s top gaming company.
The thought eased Lin Chang’s mind somewhat.
“Hah! Don’t get ahead of yourself, Lin Xuan. I’ve been holding back out of consideration for our father-son bond. But now, you’ve crossed the line,” Lin Chang sneered.
“President Lin, I know exactly where your confidence is coming from. Let’s wait and see.” Lin Xuan raised a brow.
Knows his confidence?
Lin Chang scoffed inwardly.
More of Lin Xuan’s scare tactics. There was no way he could know that Starlight had bribed members of his game development team and obtained all their data.
The game was in its final stages of development now.
Once it launched, Lin Xuan’s face would be priceless when he saw his own creation released under Starlight’s banner.
“Lin Xuan, worry about yourself first. My company doesn’t need your concern,” Lin Chang said coldly.
“Fine, I won’t bother then.” Lin Xuan nodded. “You’d better clean up your own mess. I’ll take my leave.”
As Lin Xuan slid a hand into his pocket and turned to go—
“Xiao Xuan!” Lin Qingwan called out urgently.
Lin Qingyan and Lin Qingxiu hurried after him as well.
“Xiao Xuan…”
They could only utter his name, at a loss for anything else to say.
“Xiao Xuan, today…” Lin Qingwan began, but Lin Xuan cut her off.
“Save it. Whatever you have to say, keep it to yourself. I’ve no interest in your apologies—they’re nauseating.”
“And don’t forget, I’ve severed ties with the Lin family. I’m an outsider now. Stop pretending I’m your brother.”
Hua was waiting for him outside.
He needed to get back to her—no, apologize to her.
After the Feng Yaya incident, he had to smooth things over before her anger took root. Otherwise, his kidneys would pay the price.
“If you sisters truly regret what you’ve done, then stay out of my sight. Do you have any idea how obnoxious you are?”
His words struck like a barricade, choking Lin Qingwan’s voice in her throat.
Her lips parted, but nothing came out.
Lin Qingyan and Lin Qingxiu stared at him, their faces twisted in anguish.
They longed to make amends, but Xiao Xuan refused to give them the chance.
Jiang Shuqin snapped, “Why are you wasting time on Lin Xuan, the root of all this? Can’t you see your brother is suffering? Comfort Li’er now!”
But Lin Li didn’t need the Lin women’s comfort.
What mattered was Lin Chang!
The decision over the family’s wealth lay with him. Before, Lin Li had taken his status as the biological son for granted.
But now that Lin Chang knew he was… incapable, he might never consider passing the inheritance to him.
“Dad…” Lin Li looked at Lin Chang in torment.
Lin Chang didn’t say a word, just walked step by step toward Lin Li.
When he finally stood before Lin Li, he stared at him for a long time.
He took a deep breath and spoke: “Lin Xuan just mentioned ‘Root-Severing Water’?”
“He said if you drank that stuff, not only would that part of you wither away, but your essence would be cut off forever—no way to reverse it.”
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?"
u serious?" Chen Feng watched helplessly as his painstakingly trained disciple, fresh off a championship victory, publicly abandoned him. "You had your chance, but you didn’t appreciate it. Now, face the consequences of your choice!" Chen Feng possessed the "Master System," a treasure trove of supreme martial arts techniques, capable of molding ordinary individuals into peerless prodigies. "Legs like yours? A shame not to train in the Crippling Kick." "Ever heard of a palm strike that descends from the heavens?" "Auntie! I see extraordinary bone structure in you—a martial arts prodigy, one in ten thousand." The once-defiant senior disciple, now watching her juniors rise to fame one after another, dominating the internet, was consumed by endless regret.
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'!"
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?
