Although she didn't smell a strong stench, Xia Yanchun still pinched her nose. "Eww."
"You knew it smelled, yet you still came over to talk to me. What a dumbass."
"Try me, or I'll rip those covers right off you."
"..."
He believed her; he definitely believed her. He really had to beg for mercy on this one.
Familiar as he was with Xia Yanchun, he still didn't dare go without cover. He’d die of embarrassment. Having "blackmail material" held over his head was not a pleasant feeling at all.
Fortunately, this kind of reaction—one devoid of actual desire—came and went quickly.
A moment later, Shen Nian threw off the covers himself, startling Xia Yanchun. She instinctively turned her face away, her heart going *thump-thump*.
Only after confirming everything was safe did she give Shen Nian two indignant, shy punches that didn't hurt or tickle in the slightest.
"Sleeping in your room really is comfortable."
"Or maybe you were just sleepy to begin with?"
"No way, I'm usually full of energy. I just get sleepy as soon as I'm over here."
Xia Yanchun looked straight at him, her almond eyes barely concealing the affection spilling out of them. She whispered in his ear, "Actually, I drugged you with a love potion."
Shen Nian relaxed, feeling lazy. He lunged at Xia Yanchun, pulling the soft, delicate girl into his arms and burying his face in her shoulder to take a deep breath.
Alright, still smelled a bit like hotpot. Now he was hungry.
Shen Nian grew bolder. He held Chunbao's waist, exerted a little force, and amidst Chunbao's nervousness, lifted Chunbao onto his lap.
Instinctively straddling him, Xia Yanchun was now half a head taller than Shen Nian. She rather enjoyed this feeling of looking down from above.
It was just that the pose was far too intimate. Before she could enjoy it, she had to withstand the shyness welling up from the bottom of her heart. If she couldn't withstand it, the shyness would assault her thoughts, making her mind sluggish.
"Mmm..."
Before she could speak, Shen Nian had already leaned up towards her. It was completely different from usual, as if their heights had been swapped.
She sort of understood why Shen Nian always liked kissing now.
Enjoyment gradually took the lead. It was more romantic and clingy than ever before. Xia Yanchun panted lightly, her mind a chaotic mess.
Her front teeth gently grazed the tip of her tongue. Xia Yanchun pursed her lips, then cupped Shen Nian's face with both hands and kneaded it vigorously, determined not to stop until his face was as red as hers.
"You're really bold, Shen Nian..." she breathed out hotly.
"Likewise." Shen Nian held her waist, unable to suppress the fluttering in his heart. "Looks like we're already the best couple in the world."
"Are not." Xia Yanchun ran her thumb over Shen Nian's lips. "We were just now, but not anymore."
"How come we were just now but aren't now? Are we only the 'best in the world' at random locations?"
"Because I say so."
"..."
True enough. Damn it.
Xia Yanchun hummed, her face crimson as she climbed off. She didn't dare move her gaze from his face. Slowly, she handed him the quilt, then put on her boots and trotted out.
Hungry, hungry. Time to order takeout.
Shen Nian scrolled through his phone to distract himself, waiting several minutes before he dared to step out.
"I ordered takeout for you. Thank me, Shen Nian."
"Uh, sure." Shen Nian scratched his messy hair, feeling a bit guilty. He went back to his own home first to wash his face before coming back over.
He had to find something to do, otherwise he would keep thinking about the scene just now.
That level of intimacy... he couldn't just accept it naturally yet.
His cultivation level wasn't high enough.
Did he need to train his willpower like Ma Mingfan?
Ma Mingfan, you guy, were you actually this ahead of the curve?
No wonder Ma Mingfan could stand straight up after sleeping on his desk for two periods recently. Was that not a side effect of too much "self-indulgence," but rather his willpower overriding his normal bodily reactions?
Good lord.
As expected of Ma Mingfan, easily accomplishing what ordinary people cannot. Eating what others cannot eat, doing what others cannot do. Terrifying. A man like that will succeed in whatever he does in the future.
Dinner was KFC. Chunbao ordered it, so Shen Nian naturally accepted it with a smile.
Out of a whole chicken, Xia Yanchun only ate two drumsticks, leaving the rest for Shen Nian. She also only took two sips of the cola in the set meal.
Unknowingly, Shen Nian had become her leftover disposal unit!
Xia Yanchun felt she really knew how to enjoy life. She was even planning to ask Shen Nian for a massage after her shower later.
Shen Nian saved a burger for his older sister, tossed it to her when he went back, and took a shower.
At 8:00 PM, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. A light breeze blew through the night. Down in the residential complex, there were still children playing, occasionally shouting loud enough for Shen Nian to hear upstairs.
"We're really buying it now?" In the elevator, Xia Yanchun frowned.
"Yeah. Why else would I call you out? To go to a hotel and hook up?"
Xia Yanchun rolled her eyes, long since accustomed to Shen Nian's smooth talk.
She had just finished showering when Shen Nian came to find her to go to the mall to look at jewelry. She hadn't even had time to hang up her laundry.
"What's the rush? I thought you were going to go fishing, sell the fish, and *then* go buy it."
"It shouldn't be that expensive... If it's really not enough, lend me some."
"Hmph, I charge interest." Xia Yanchun raised a finger and chattered away. "If you borrow a hundred, the daily interest is two yuan. You better think clearly about how much you borrow. If you borrow a thousand, that's twenty a day to pay back. That's six hundred a month. Next month, the interest will be calculated on the principal plus interest..."
"Are you a damn loan shark? I'll just use a loan app. Get lost." Shen Nian was speechless.
"Let me finish!" Xia Yanchun stomped her foot. "Calling me 'Big Sister' every day waives the interest for that day, but you still have to pay back the principal."
"I knew it..."
"Hey, this is a perk."
"We'll see. Buying something decent is enough; forget about the super expensive stuff," Shen Nian said with a drawl.
They drove to the mall.
Shen Nian had looked it up; jewelry stores in malls were usually nationwide chains. Some very famous ones would have a branch in every mall or market. While these might be a bit pricier, the quality and service were definitely better. There were no rumors online about them selling fakes.
Reputation was paramount for these kinds of stores.
It was the first time either Shen Nian or Xia Yanchun had entered a jewelry store. The lights were incredibly bright, hurting their eyes and making the jewelry sparkle brilliantly.
"Hello, how can I help you? Are you looking for jewelry for personal use or as a gift? I can recommend something suitable for you."
"We'll just look around by ourselves first." Xia Yanchun waved her hand, declining the saleswoman's offer.
These salespeople would always recommend the items with the highest commission first. With such a dazzling array of jewelry, it was best to choose for themselves.
One look at a gold bracelet priced at 8,888 yuan, and Xia Yanchun nearly fainted.
There were even more expensive ones. Xia Yanchun chose to drag Shen Nian over to a relatively cheaper display counter.
"What's your budget?"
"Hmm... three or four thousand?"
"That much!"
"Well, I've got you to cover me, don't I?" Shen Nian grinned.
Xia Yanchun was left speechless. If Shen Nian really needed to borrow money, she would definitely lend it to him.
"Let's look around then."
Xia Yanchun bent down, examining the items one by one.
Bracelets were expensive. Rings were cheaper. Necklaces were about the same price as rings, but they looked better and weren't as blatantly symbolic as rings.
So, Xia Yanchun locked her target onto necklaces, looking at whichever ones caught her eye.
Shen Nian was browsing too, but everything he thought looked good was exceptionally expensive.
He *could* buy them, but with Little Chun right there... he'd buy one today, then sneak back tomorrow to buy another one for three or four thousand. Mom and Dad had to have one each.
"Shen Nian, look! This one, this one!" Xia Yanchun had set her sights on a necklace. It was a pale, silvery piece with a pendant accented by gold and tiny gemstones.
It had a certain youthful charm to it; it would look absolutely lovely paired with a light-colored short-sleeved top.
"What do you think?"
"It looks good!"
Shen Nian leaned in close to her. "Three thousand eight? That's not bad."
"It really does look nice, doesn't it?"
"Do you like it?"
"Mhm, it's pretty..."
"Well, if you like it, I'll just go ahead and buy it for you."
"Huh...?"
Xia Yanchun tilted her head, her large, dark eyes wide with innocence. She thought she must have misheard him.

e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”

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?!

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…

to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”