Jiang Yutong said, "Lin Xuan is kind and capable. Most importantly, I feel an innate closeness to him, as if we were real siblings."
Jiang Manting nodded in agreement at Jiang Yutong's words.
She also found Lin Xuan very endearing.
Oddly enough, even though Lin Li was her actual cousin, she didn’t feel the same warmth toward him.
Grandpa Jiang chuckled warmly. "I also have a very good impression of that boy, Lin Xuan."
After all, Lin Xuan had saved his life—twice.
Without him, the old man would have long been dead.
Lin Li watched the scene unfold with darkened eyes.
Just as he thought.
Lin Xuan, connected to them by blood, effortlessly won their affection without lifting a finger.
Meanwhile, he, Lin Li, had spent months trailing after the Jiang family, fawning and flattering, just to earn a sliver of their goodwill.
And Jiang Yutong!
She hadn’t even spared him a proper glance!
"Grandpa," Jiang Yutong walked over, looping her arm around Grandpa Jiang’s and pouting playfully, "Since Lin Xuan is so wonderful, why don’t you make him your grandson?"
Grandpa Jiang stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Having Lin Xuan as his grandson—that didn’t sound bad at all.
"Alright, alright," Grandpa Jiang replied with a grin. "As long as he agrees, I’ll gladly take him as my grandson!"
Jiang Yutong hadn’t expected Grandpa Jiang to agree so readily.
In the past, when distant relatives had tried offering their sons—claiming that the Jiang family only had granddaughters who would eventually marry away—and suggesting a grandson could carry on the family name and care for Grandpa Jiang in his old age…
What had her grandfather done then?
He’d chased them out with a broom.
She had worried he might refuse her request to adopt Lin Xuan as a brother, thinking she’d have to wear him down.
Yet here he was, agreeing without hesitation…
"Grandpa, why did you say yes so easily?" Jiang Yutong asked, surprised.
"Why would I refuse?" Grandpa Jiang’s face softened with affection at the thought of Lin Xuan. "That boy is capable, virtuous—having a grandson like him would be a blessing."
"Then it’s settled! No take-backs, Grandpa. Once I bring Lin Xuan home, you have to accept him," Jiang Yutong declared.
"Fine, fine, no take-backs," Grandpa Jiang agreed, chuckling.
"Pinky promise!"
Jiang Yutong stuck out her right pinky.
Grandpa Jiang laughed and hooked his own pinky around hers.
Jiang Yutong beamed with joy.
Perfect. Now that Grandpa was on board, all that was left was Lin Xuan’s approval.
A surge of panic rose in Lin Li’s heart.
They were all ready to accept Lin Xuan as family? If Lin Xuan, abandoned by Su Hua, turned to the Jiangs for support…
With a new powerful backer, how could Lin Li ever retaliate against him?
Lin Li gritted his teeth.
No.
He couldn’t let this happen.
He had to find a way to tarnish Lin Xuan’s reputation in their eyes—make them reconsider adopting him.
Jiang Manting frowned. "Cousin, are you okay? You look pale."
"It’s nothing," Lin Li forced a smile. "Just a stomachache. No need to worry, Cousin Manting."
"Let me have the servants fetch you some medicine," Jiang Manting offered.
"Alright." Lin Li nodded.
After taking the medicine with water, Jiang Manting urged, "Cousin Li, you should rest. There’s still the family banquet tonight."
"Mm. I’ll head home to rest," Lin Li said.
"Why not stay here?" Jiang Manting pressed.
Lin Li replied, "My mother hasn’t been in good spirits lately. I should keep her company."
"Very well. I’ll have the driver take you," Jiang Manting conceded.
Notably, Grandpa Jiang remained silent the entire time Jiang Shuqin was mentioned.
Lin Li returned to the Lin residence.
By evening, he was dressed in a crisp white suit, ready to leave.
A smug smile played on his lips.
Tonight, the Jiangs would introduce him to all of Yundu City’s elite.
The Jiang family’s status was second only to the Su family.
With the prestige of being Grandpa Jiang’s grandson, he’d be the center of attention.
Investors would flock to him, eager to curry favor with the Jiangs.
The thought of those who’d once looked down on him now groveling at his feet made his grin widen.
"Li’er, where are you going?" Jiang Shuqin asked, frowning.
"A friend is being formally recognized by his grandfather. I’m attending the banquet," Lin Li answered.
"Li’er, after yesterday’s kidnapping, shouldn’t you rest? Skip the banquet," Jiang Shuqin pleaded, gripping his hand.
"Mom," Lin Li reassured her, "it’s still early, and the venue is in a busy area. Criminals wouldn’t dare act so boldly. Don’t worry."
"Fine. But stay safe, and call me if anything happens," Jiang Shuqin fretted.
"I will." Lin Li nodded.
"Mom, I’m off then."
"Go on." Jiang Shuqin watched him leave with maternal warmth.
Meanwhile, Lin Xuan, who had been lounging on the sofa in Night Garden scrolling through his phone, stood up and straightened his clothes.
"It’s about time I paid Jiang Shuqin a visit."
Butler Wang’s eyes gleamed.
Young Master Lin never did anything without reason.
His instincts told him drama was afoot.
"Young Master Lin, since you’re leaving, and I’ll be bored here alone… mind if I tag along?" Butler Wang asked with a grin.
Following Young Master Lin was always a guaranteed spectacle.
Lin Xuan nodded. "Sure, come along."
"Thank you, Young Master!"
Butler Wang’s face lit up.
Young Master Lin and the young miss were meant to be—locked in forever!
He couldn’t let Young Master Lin slip away. Where else would he get his daily dose of juicy drama?
After Lin Li’s departure, the spacious villa felt emptier than ever, with only Jiang Shuqin and two servants remaining.
Once, there had been five servants, but after Starlight Group’s bankruptcy, three had been let go.
Jiang Shuqin’s heart ached with loneliness.
Distracting herself, she turned on the TV, engrossed in the latest absurdly dramatic soap opera.
"Tell me, isn’t this mother just stupid?" Jiang Shuqin complained to Nanny Zhao. "The son she adopted is actually her husband’s love child with his mistress, and she has no idea!"
"Even the ‘life-saving favor’ was staged by the mistress. So dumb, so dumb!"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
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]
] [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!"
transmigrates into the role of a villainous rich second-generation kid in an urban fantasy novel, and gets bound to a god-tier choice system. Right at the start, he catches the female lead stealing exam papers! This triggers the villain's choice options! [Choice 1: Pretend you didn't see anything] [Choice 2: Loudly call her out, drawing everyone's attention] [Choice 3: ...] And thus, a twisted villain is born. To avoid getting killed by the protagonist, he has no choice but to take down all the protagonists first. Jiang Che: Nobody understands being twisted better than me!
