Cafeteria, third floor.
Dongfang Zhixia and her assistant had already vanished, leaving only Ye Cheng and Shen Qinghan behind.
"Young Mistress, you mustn’t take that wicked woman’s words to heart—she was just trying to drive a wedge between us!" Ye Cheng lamented with exaggerated distress, condemning Dongfang Zhixia’s earlier behavior.
"So, you’re saying it wasn’t you who confessed your love during the freshman opening ceremony?" Shen Qinghan nodded calmly before asking, her expression unreadable.
Beads of sweat formed on Ye Cheng’s forehead. "That was just a joke between us! Kids messing around, you know?"
Shen Qinghan remained silent, as if weighing his words, then gave a slight nod. Ye Cheng exhaled in relief.
Phew. Dodged a bullet.
"Then, does that mean the black shoe in your backpack before wasn’t Dongfang Zhixia’s?" Shen Qinghan’s question instantly yanked Ye Cheng from heaven straight into hell.
Ye Cheng’s brain kicked into overdrive—every neuron firing, every circuit scrambling for an answer.
After cycling through possible responses, his brain short-circuited, opting for self-destruction by replaying mind-numbing, dopamine-fueled short videos.
Ah~
Slippery… what is this?
This is a brain.
The cerebellum took over while the cerebrum smoothed out its wrinkles.
Cerebellum: So, it’s my turn? The azure beast slumbering within awakens!
After three agonizing seconds of deliberation, the cerebellum delivered its verdict—here’s your lifeline, kid. The secret to survival lies within!
Full offense!!!
Ye Cheng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and reopened them with newfound determination.
"I saw it lying on the ground, so I picked it up!" he declared, utterly shameless.
Slap!
…
Noon.
On the way back to the classroom, Ye Cheng’s cheeks were "rosy," carrying the icy-hearted Young Mistress on his back.
The rosy flush suited him, reminding him of his childhood days standing at the school gate in winter as a Young Pioneer, inspecting students’ red scarves… courtesy of Shen Qinghan’s slap.
"Young Mistress, you’re such a stickler for details."
Ye Cheng’s words slurred slightly, his tongue still thick from the cafeteria incident. Choosing to let his cerebellum take the wheel had thoroughly enraged Shen Qinghan.
Faced with the choice between death and a slightly more dignified death, Ye Cheng had chosen to dig his own grave.
Zhao Zilong charged through enemy lines seven times with unshakable courage—Ye Cheng, letting his cerebellum lead, embodied Zhao Zilong in spirit.
Shen Qinghan scoffed but said nothing, silently tightening the scarf around Ye Cheng’s neck into another knot. At this point, it wasn’t a scarf—it was a noose.
One wrong move, and she’d add another.
The suffocating pressure coiled around Ye Cheng’s neck like a python, growing tighter by the second.
He felt like a donkey grinding grain—exhausted, overworked, and still subjected to the Young Mistress’s relentless whipping and exploitation. He was barely holding on.
But whenever he reached his limit, the soft warmth pressed against his back triggered a survival mechanism, pushing him forward.
No wonder donkeys were tempted with a carrot they could never reach—zero cost, maximum productivity.
The sweltering heat, combined with Ye Cheng’s winter-ready attire, made even the lightly dressed Shen Qinghan uncomfortable.
Her white dress shirt clung faintly with sweat.
Her delicate face remained stern, but the strands of hair sticking to her temples betrayed her discomfort.
Shifting slightly to adjust her position, she inadvertently caused Ye Cheng to speed up. Shen Qinghan blinked, realization dawning, then flushed and went still.
Ye Cheng, now with an even bigger "carrot" dangling before him, tapped into boundless energy. His passive skill, "Lightning Steps," cut their usual ten-minute walk to under five.
Back in the classroom, cool air greeted them.
"Come on, Young Mistress, let’s enjoy this properly."
Ye Cheng carried Shen Qinghan to their seats at the back, then—bundled up like a bear—adjusted the fan blades to direct the breeze at them.
Cool gusts swept over them, easing the tension in Shen Qinghan’s brows.
"Disgusting." Her face remained expressionless as she stomped on Ye Cheng’s foot.
Ye Cheng: "…"
Despite the relief, Shen Qinghan’s irritation lingered. After a brief respite, she turned away, burying herself in a book and ignoring him.
Soon, she set the book down, pivoted back, and glared at Ye Cheng—now hogging all the airflow—with icy fury.
Ye Cheng blinked innocently. "What’s wrong, Young Mistress?"
Slap!
By afternoon classes, Ye Cheng’s cheeks were even rosier, adorned with the faint imprint of a delicate hand.
Unfazed, he spent the afternoon performing "surgery" on his eraser until the final bell.
Ding-dong!
Most students had already left, but Ye Cheng and Shen Qinghan remained in the back.
Ye Cheng blinked.
"Young Mistress, school’s over."
Shen Qinghan pretended not to hear, leisurely packing her belongings before scanning the room for something.
"Young Mistress, looking for this?"
Ye Cheng held up the discarded "First Step to Courage."
Shen Qinghan extended a hand wordlessly for her cane—without it, she’d struggle to return.
Just as her fingers brushed it, Ye Cheng "slipped."
"Oops, dropped it."
Clatter. The cane hit the floor. Then came the "accident."
Wind-up… and kick!
Bang!
The cane skidded halfway across the room before vanishing from sight.
"Uh-oh, Young Mistress, your First Step to Courage seems to have fled. But fear not! You’ve got me—a reliable, trustworthy man!" Ye Cheng thumped his chest proudly.
Shen Qinghan: "…"
…
Outside the girls’ dorm.
"See you tomorrow, Young Mistress! Rest well, mwah~"
Ye Cheng waved enthusiastically, blowing exaggerated kisses as Shen Qinghan ascended the steps without a backward glance, her cane tapping rhythmically.
Only once she disappeared did Ye Cheng’s smile fade, replaced by a polite, hollow grin.
If one looked closely, they would notice two more delicate handprints on Ye Cheng's face.
"Dear Dr. Tang, we really need to have a serious talk about today's compensation issue!" The "polite" smile on Ye Cheng's face twisted into the "deranged Longtu" expression, veins bulging as he gritted his teeth.
Without wasting a second, Ye Cheng sped toward the infirmary in his "lightning-fast" stride.
As the mastermind behind his miserable day, Tang Yuyao was someone Ye Cheng absolutely couldn’t let off the hook so easily—she had to make it up to him!
What? You say you don’t have money?
Then pay with something else!!!
Upstairs.
At the corner of the hallway, Shen Qinghan peeked out with just half her figure visible, watching Ye Cheng leave before finally withdrawing her gaze.
Tap, tap, tap…
Leaning on her cane, Shen Qinghan walked back to her apartment, returning to the solitary state she was so accustomed to. Yet today, for some reason, the loneliness felt unusually intense.
Perhaps it was because a certain annoying presence was missing by her side?
The incident in the cafeteria today hadn’t left Shen Qinghan as composed as she appeared—at least not after Dongfang Zhixia kissed Ye Cheng’s forehead.
Shen Qinghan wasn’t one to fight for things. That was just her nature. What belonged to her would always be hers; no one could take it. And what wasn’t hers? She couldn’t care less.
She didn’t covet what others had.
Back in her apartment.
Click. Shen Qinghan turned on the lights, and the first thing that caught her eye was a rabbit plushie sitting in the most conspicuous spot, cigarette in mouth.
She stared at the plushie in silence, as if lost in thought.
Then, taking two steps forward, she hugged it tightly.
She didn’t want what belonged to others—but the problem was… this thing was originally hers. Why should she let someone else take it?
Her restless heart gradually settled. She pulled out her phone.
Beep, beep, beep…
"Young Mistress!"
"I want Dongfang Zhixia’s records."
...
] [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!"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
