“Woof!”
A dog’s bark shattered the weird atmosphere in the private room. Da Huang bared its teeth at Shen Qinghan, who was standing outside the door.
Shen Ming’s heart skipped a beat as the ferocious Da Huang lunged toward the young lady at the entrance. Everyone’s hearts clenched instantly.
The younger son, seeing this, felt a surge of courage, like a buff kicking in. He slammed the table hard.
“Vicious mutt! How dare you! Stop right there!”
In his mind, he had already cooked up a whole “hero saves the beauty” scenario. As long as he seized this chance to show off his bravery in front of the pretty older sister, she would surely fall for him!
Hahaha!!!
You fat dog, I’m coming for you!!!
Zhao Zilong was brimming with guts; now the younger son was brimming with Zhao Zilong’s spirit, ready to end up in the pediatric ward if need be. Today, he was determined to steal the spotlight.
But just as Da Huang leaped halfway, it suddenly caught a familiar scent from the young lady…
A bizarre scene unfolded.
Mid-air, Da Huang executed an epic, aircraft-carrier-grade U-turn. Its rear end slammed into the charging younger son, sending him flying like an elbow strike, while Da Huang turned to the young lady with an ingratiating look, winking and fawning.
Everyone: “…”
Shen Qinghan frowned. This dog… Why did it seem so sleazy? And strangely familiar, like some idiot she knew?
Da Huang wanted to sidle up to the young lady, wagging its tail to show friendliness. But every step it took forward, she took a step back. Realizing this, Da Huang stopped moving, sat down, and wagged its tail at her with its big teeth showing.
The younger son’s hero-saves-beauty plan died before it even began. Not only did he fail to grab the spotlight, but he also made a huge fool of himself in front of the pretty older sister—thrown two acres away by a dog’s behind.
Damn it!!!
Still, the plan wasn’t a complete failure. At least one thing was accomplished.
He’d definitely be checking into pediatrics later… His butt hurt.
The dog’s tail was stuck on a tree branch, but where was his butt?…
From an angle no one else could see, Da Huang shot the younger son a death glare, clearly saying: “So, it’s you, huh?”
The younger Son: “…”
Yamete!!!
No one in the room cared about the feud between the younger son and Da Huang. All attention was fixed on the young lady.
Tang Yuyao was the most annoyed. Why had Da Huang looked like it wanted to bite her head off earlier, but the moment it saw Shen Qinghan, it instantly changed?
It didn’t even chase her—just flipped its mood instantly?
When did dogs start playing favorites too?
But that wasn’t the case. The truth was that the young lady had been steeped in Ye Cheng’s scent—smelled it from afar. If Da Huang had waited a little longer, it would have caught the scent drifting toward it, and the whole awkward misunderstanding would never have happened.
“Hanhan, what brings you here?” Shen Ming broke the silence.
Shen Qinghan stood still, staring at Ye Cheng, who was hiding in a corner: “Where’s my cake?”
Ye Cheng: “…”
Dammit! She still remembered that!
Ye Cheng quickly scanned the table for any trace of cake. He finally spotted one in front of the younger son—the same little cake that had been pushed aside earlier for fear of the “three highs.”
Untouched, completely intact, soft and lovely.
Hard to believe that after three people went out looking for desserts, only the younger son came back with a single piece.
If you counted the one in Ye Cheng’s stomach, then they had technically over-delivered…
Ye Cheng grabbed the cake, pulled a “candle” from who knows where, stuck it on top, and magically produced a box of matches. He lit it, and a rich, sweet cake aroma filled the room.
“Young lady, your cake!” Ye Cheng spoke without a hint of embarrassment, his face expressionless, even looking a bit more handsome.
That so-called “candle” was actually Ye Cheng’s “hundred-flavor novelty cigarette.”
Given Ye Cheng’s personality—the kind of guy who’d even lick the bag after eating a spicy strip—he wouldn’t pass up a chance to mooch a free cigarette. Besides, it wasn’t harmful. Didn’t hurt to smoke it.
Too bad he’d been busy lately, spending most of his time in the hospital, with the rest spent under the rotating supervision of the young lady and the guild leader.
When did he ever have time to smoke?
If he was lying in a hospital bed, coughing his lungs out, and someone turned around to see him casually pulling out a cigarette, do you think he’d get beaten to death?
Now it finally came in handy!
Tang Yuyao, standing nearby, was completely stunned. She hadn’t seen Ye Cheng’s movements at all, nor where he’d pulled the cigarette and matches from.
She remembered… Ye Cheng didn’t usually smoke, right?
On the floor, the younger son, who had been knocked flat by Da Huang, was still under its “deterrence” when he noticed his little cake had been used by someone else. His eyes instantly turned red.
Dammit! That was his cake!
“Older sister, this cake is mine. I brought it back. Sister, you eat it…”
Shen Qinghan nodded: “Then I won’t eat it.”
Younger Son: “???”
Everyone: “…”
Wasn’t that… a bit too blunt?
Tang Mu’s mouth twitched. She glanced at her eldest daughter, still hiding in the corner like a statue, and sighed inwardly.
Given the aggressiveness and attitude of this girl, she really didn’t know how her own pure-hearted eldest daughter could compete. Don’t be afraid, girl—look her in the eye! Don’t back down!
But Tang Yuyao remained an ostrich, wishing she could dig a hole to hide in, not daring to meet Shen Qinghan’s gaze.
Tang Mu: “…”
“Come here, child, sit,” Tang Mu said, patting the seat she had just vacated.
Shen Qinghan shook her head: “Thank you, no need.”
Then she glanced at the seat next to Ye Cheng—the one Da Huang had been sitting on. But Shen Qinghan had a severe case of OCD, so…
“Swish, swish!” With two quick moves, Ye Cheng took off his jacket and spread it over the spot Da Huang had occupied.
Only then did Shen Qinghan sit down.
Everyone: “…”
Something felt… off. But at the same time, nothing seemed wrong. Shen Ming’s mouth twitched. He wanted to say something but gave up.
Eh.
Their only comfort now was that his wife wasn’t there; otherwise, things would only get messier.
The younger son was still locked in a stalemate with Da Huang…
“Child, do you like cake? Grandma’s birthday is in two days. Come to Grandma’s house, and I’ll have them make a bigger one,” Tang Mu said with a warm smile, extending a birthday invitation.
Shen Qinghan nodded, then… refused.
“I’m sorry. I have a lot of schoolwork to do.”
Tang Mu: “…”
This girl… Was she always this straightforward?
Tang Mu’s mouth twitched again. She finally realized why her pure-hearted eldest daughter was so afraid. When it came to mentality, this girl was invincible, not yielding to softness or rebuffing aggression.
She had heard about her a long time ago. They had met in childhood, but it wasn’t as obvious back then—just a lack of talking. Now that she was an adult, with a fully formed mind, she was revealing her “problem child” side.
Tough situation…
Tang’s mother muttered to herself.
Shen Qinghan’s difficult personality was only one factor. There was another more critical reason: Ye Cheng’s heart was clearly leaning toward this side… His heart had already shifted. That was a win, wasn’t it?
What was her daughter still meddling for?
She should just move on to the next one…
Classmate relationship.
Those two words instantly pulled Tang’s mother back to the winning side, and hope reignited in her eyes. There was still a chance—as long as she didn’t push this girl too hard, she might be able to steal…
“Ha ha, no problem. You young people tend to be busy—that’s normal. Our chubby little boy is also tied up all day, though I never know what he’s actually up to…”
Tang’s mother casually laughed off what had just happened.
Shen Ming had a headache but still didn’t interrupt. He planned to talk to her separately before he left.
Tang’s mother’s birthday was different from Old Master Tang’s. Only the Tang family members attended her birthday, and they never invited outsiders. Such a blunt invitation was a first.
Unfortunately, the young mistress had turned it down.
“Then how about you, Xiao Cheng?” Tang’s mother turned to ask Ye Cheng.
“I’m coming!” Ye Cheng said, his gaze as resolute as if he were being sworn into the Party.
As for why… it was probably because the area near his thigh was about to be twisted off by the “kind and lovely” Doctor Tang.
Ye Cheng: “…”
What seemed like a multiple-choice question was actually a death sentence.
The ostrich-like Eldest Daughter, who had been soft for so long, finally toughened up at that moment. Of course, only when the young mistress wasn’t looking—otherwise, the young mistress would start hissing right away.
Very cautious. Tang’s mother had asked the young mistress first, confirmed that she “wouldn’t go,” and then asked Ye Cheng. Double insurance.
Old ginger is spicier!
She had inadvertently screwed over the young mistress.
Pat!
Ye Cheng’s HP -1…
No sooner had the words left his mouth than he got kicked—by the young mistress.
Ye Cheng: “…”
“How about this, Hanhan. Dad will ask the school for a day off for you that day, and see if they agree.” Shen Ming spoke up.
Another pro had appeared!
The young master of the Shen family needing to ask for leave from school?
Could you really say those words yourself, Doudou Ge?
The bridge that had been dismantled was forcibly retrieved by Shen Ming and placed under his daughter’s feet, in the most tactful and gentle way possible.
No wonder he was the Sea City Housewife Killer!
Bullseye!
For a moment, Ye Cheng was charmed by Doudou Ge’s powerful charisma. He silently vowed that the next time his beloved Doudou Ge was kidnapped by some lady threatening to stab him to death, he would hesitate a little longer before refusing!
“Mm, I’ll see how it goes.” Shen Qinghan nodded.
Tang Mother: “…”
Little Shen…
Sigh, the plan to sneak one in had been foiled. Tang’s mother slapped her thigh in regret—such a waste.
Doudou Ge actually had another gold-tier title called “Sea City Fifty-Fifty.” He could go toe-to-toe with anyone, and no one ever gained the upper hand against Doudou Ge.
The meal continued. Old Master Tang had been sitting in the corner, nibbling on his naan bread, nodding occasionally, but not saying a word.
He was still preoccupied, hoping that his wife Guilan would cool down and come back to sleep tonight. He couldn’t care less about anything else.
These messy affairs seemed far too “troublesome” in Old Master Tang’s eyes. His way of handling things would be too rough and direct, so it was better not to speak up—otherwise, his wife would get angry again.
Also playing the role of a ghost was “Doctor Ostrich,” sitting across from Old Master Tang. Old Master Tang nibbled on naan; Tang Yuyao nibbled on a baguette—the rock-hard kind.
The kind you could use as a weapon during a fight to smash skulls, and if necessary, replenish your energy… A perfect must-have for home travel and killing people!
That baguette was a real baguette.
Tang Yuyao’s fullness +1+1+1…
Tang Mother: “…”
For a split second, Tang’s mother wanted to just give up and lie down. This teammate was way too useless—she couldn’t drag him along even if she tried!
Sigh…
Knock, knock, knock!
The doorbell rang again. The youngest son, who had been intimidated by Da Huang in the corner for most of the day, was the first to rush over and open the door. Finally! He was saved!!!
Click!
The moment the door opened, the youngest son froze…
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump… Oh no, it was love at first sight!
Lin Baizhi, with her white moonlight image, appeared outside, a sweet smile on her face: “Excuse me…”
Bang!
Shen Qinghan stood up, slammed the door shut, locked it, and did it all in one fluid motion.
Everyone present: “…”
Lin Baizhi: “???”
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
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!
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
