"How is that possible..." Shen Nian felt a wave of guilt. Was he really acting that unnaturally?
"Then why are you..." Xia Yanchun pursed her lips. Her eyes held the same pinkish hue as her cheeks, as if the corners of her eyes had been dusted with blush.
"It's all your fault, anyway."
Shen Nian couldn't hide it at all. With a soft and fragrant little girl sitting right next to him, he couldn't just calmly pretend that nothing had happened. To make matters worse, Xia Yanchun was highly sensitive to his moods; the moment something was off, she could tell immediately.
Especially since they were watching a horror movie—a proper horror movie with clowns, monsters, and gore...
He could calmly accept being teased by Xia Yanchun, but he couldn't stand her misunderstanding that he was reacting this way because of the movie...
How the hell could he clear his name now? Skip it.
"When you die, just write 'Xia Yanchun takes full responsibility' on your tombstone. Blame everything on me," Xia Yanchun blinked, her voice soft.
"This time it really is your problem. Can't your hands just behave? What the hell were you doing moving them up and down?" Shen Nian grimaced, pinching the girl's soft fingers and mimicking what she had just done.
"I did not..."
"You totally did."
One of her hands was still holding Shen Nian's fingers. She looked down and realized that maybe she actually did...
She let go of his hand and fell silent for a long time, feeling even more embarrassed than he was, while looking a bit innocent.
It was truly just a subconscious action... She hadn't had a single impure thought just now!
People never remember their subconscious actions clearly. In fact, she didn't even know if she had actually made such a motion, but since Shen Nian was already in this state...
It couldn't possibly be that watching a horror movie got him all worked up like this. That would be genuinely terrifying.
Realizing her unintentional actions had made Shen Nian blush, Xia Yanchun quickly patted his head to comfort him.
"I didn't mean to. Do... do you want to go to the bathroom?"
"..."
Do you think I dare to stand up right now?
You're just using all your dirty tricks on me, aren't you?
Shen Nian felt a chill, turning his back to her and watching the movie by himself. "Just don't laugh at me, seriously."
"Hey..." Xia Yanchun shook him gently.
Shen Nian ignored her, afraid of the awkwardness.
Xia Yanchun was afraid of the awkwardness too. She sat up straight, gave him a light peck on the cheek, and said, "We didn't eat lunch, so I'm going to fry some fish. Let's have an early dinner today!"
"Alright, go ahead."
"Mhm."
Xia Yanchun dashed out, closing the bedroom door behind her to let Shen Nian stay in his room alone.
She had originally wanted to tease him but failed. Was this a case of a happy accident?
Shen Nian looked so goofy when he blushed. He looked silly, like the kind of guy who would get scammed out of an iPhone by a bad woman out there. Of course, he only looked that way. In reality, Shen Nian was quite smart, and ordinary people couldn't easily deceive him.
Xia Yanchun really didn't do it on purpose. She had no idea she even had this little habit. Just like how some people blink frantically when they lie, the person doing it is completely unaware.
No matter how you look at it, she couldn't be blamed!
It was clearly Shen Nian who was too sensitive... She was only holding his fingers, why did his mind have to go there!
Shen Nian was a huge dummy.
Patting her pink cheeks, Xia Yanchun washed her hands and earnestly began cooking in the kitchen.
Frying fish was quite simple. Chop some garlic and ginger, fry them to bring out the aroma, then scoop them out to prevent them from burning. Next, put the fish in, fry it until both sides are golden brown, and finally pour the garlic and ginger back in along with a drizzle of soy sauce, and it's ready to serve.
Since there was a lot of leftover fish, Xia Yanchun also cooked a braised one, using a seasoning packet she had bought a long time ago but never used.
The steps were similar to frying; she just had to pour in water and the seasoning once the fish was golden on both sides.
The rice wasn't ready yet, so Xia Yanchun washed her hands and opened her bedroom door again.
Sniff sniff. The room still smelled as nice as ever. Shen Nian was lying there just like before, looking as if he was completely fine now.
"Dinner will be ready soon," Xia Yanchun said, standing by the head of the bed with her hands behind her back. "Later, you should pack some in a bowl to take to your sister. I cooked enough rice for everyone."
"No rush, no rush."
"Shen Nian... have you started abstaining again?"
Shen Nian replied gloomily, "...What the hell are you mumbling about? If you keep asking random questions, I'm going to pick my nose and flick my boogers onto your bed."
"Don't you dare, or I'll tear you apart!"
If such a thing actually happened, Xia Yanchun felt she really would tear him to pieces.
Anyone who could resist beating up a jerk like Shen Nian truly deserved a thumbs up.
"Then ask fewer questions, you dirty-minded girl. You want to know everything, don't you, you little eager learner?"
"Tch, I don't even want to know. I was just guessing because you're always acting like that."
"The fish is done, right? I'll eat a little first, and then have some more when the rice is ready." Shen Nian threw off the covers and got up.
Xia Yanchun nodded and walked out of the room with him.
The rice was about to be ready anyway. Shen Nian picked up a piece of fish, and before he could take more than a couple of bites, Xia Yanchun proactively served him a bowl of rice.
Wisps of white steam rose from the bowl of hot rice.
"Why are you being so nice, even serving me rice?" Shen Nian smiled.
"This won't happen tomorrow."
"Damn, so this is a perk of being the 'number one best' today?"
"Just be content."
Tonight's dinner consisted of just the two fish dishes. It was casual yet slightly formal; if there had been a side of greens and a soup, it would have been perfect.
Xia Yanchun's culinary skills were genuinely good, and the food tasted surprisingly delicious. Shen Nian's cooking wasn't bad either nowadays. Thanks to his Glimmer Experience system, his cooking level should be about the same as hers.
The only flaw was his limited repertoire of recipes; he only knew how to cook a few dishes.
The silver lining, however, was that while his dishes might not always taste the best, they were definitely effective.
If he said his cola chicken wings could heal bruises, they would. If he said his plain rice porridge could keep you awake like coffee, it would.
Xia Yanchun sat across from him, her bare feet playfully stepping on his, and tilted her head. "Is it good?"
"Wow, this is incredibly delicious! Your cooking is so amazing, it's like a heavenly melody~" he said in an exaggerated anime girl voice.
"Cringe."
"Damn it, you're insulting me now."
"Now you're only half-cringe."
...
It was late evening, and the sky featured rare mackerel clouds. Illuminated by the setting sun, they shimmered brightly, painting the sky in patches of brilliant light and pale orange. It was exceptionally beautiful.
After the meal, Shen Nian let out a satisfied burp.
"Good thing I cooked extra rice, it was almost not enough." Xia Yanchun scooped out the remaining rice and placed some fish on top. "Take this to your sister when you head back. Don't forget."
"I know, I know. Hey, aren't you going to give me a cut of the money we made from selling the fish today? I wouldn't blame you for taking a cut, but keeping all of it would just be bad manners, you know."
"So what? I was the one shouting to sell them and collecting the money. What's the problem? You were just my fishing tool."
Shen Nian rested his chin on his hand and chuckled lightly. "Are you the lady boss or something? Collecting the money with such righteous confidence?"
"I... I think I can be for today!" Xia Yanchun babbled back. "Lady boss it is, then."
As long as she didn't feel embarrassed, Shen Nian would be the one at a disadvantage.
Anyway, she was the "number one best" today. Tomorrow, she wouldn't be the lady boss anymore, hehe.
"Are you seriously willing to become my lady boss just to pocket this money? Haji-Chun, you cheeky girl..."
"Hmph, I kept you company while you fished and hawked the goods for you. This little bit is my hard-earned money."
"Alright, thank you for your hard work, Madam Boss."
As a big boss with a six-figure net worth, Shen Nian had no intention of haggling with Madam Boss Haji-Chun over a hundred-odd bucks. Back when Haji-Chun lent him two thousand, she kept insisting she would charge him daily exorbitant interest rates, but in the end, she didn't take a single extra penny.
Since Chunbao was already acting as his Madam Boss, what else was there to say? The hundred-odd bucks were hers to keep.
The blushing Madam Boss was also very cute.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
] [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!"
close your eyes and open them again, only to find yourself transmigrated into the role of a villainous male supporting character. Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels know that it is only through the relentless antics of the villainous male supporting character that the plot between the male and female leads can progress. As the villainous male supporting character, Long Aotian not only has to bully the female lead, harass the second female lead, and flirt with the third female lead, but he also has to go all out to antagonize the male lead. In the end, when his body is discovered, he is still clutching half a moldy fried dough stick in his hand. Fully aware of the plot, Long Aotian is determined to change his fate, starting with the female lead! In the beginning, the female lead lacks confidence: "Big brother, I hope I didn't scare you?" In the middle, the female lead treads carefully: "Brother Long, please don't hit me, okay?" Later on, the female lead becomes coquettishly clingy: "Aotian, it's time to pay the 'public grain' tonight." Long Aotian's legs go weak, and he feels like crying: "I taught you to be thick-skinned, not shameless!"
ress Kneels to Admit Wrong] [Dealing with Love-Struck Fools] [Forced to the Throne] Ren Tianye transmigrated into a female-oriented novel world, only to find everyone in it was utterly insane. He risked his life to save a young girl from barbarians, but was accused of arriving too late and branded the real murderer. He held a knife to a military officer's neck, demanding the troop tally, but the officer only cared about questioning his wife: "Do you not love me anymore? All these years of affection and time together, they were all a mistake, a mistake!" After seizing Yunji City, the original defending general, to save face with the Empress, knelt on the ground: "You must give Yunji City back to me, or I'll hang myself at the city gate and let everyone know you're a villain!" The young lord of the Duke's mansion, to please a woman, directly ordered a merchant: "The menstrual pads you buy for her must be studded with diamonds. Loving her means giving her the best." Having become a great general, he was about to marry a merchant's daughter, who set a pre-nuptial rule: "I can divorce you anytime. When that happens, you must give me half of your troops and soldiers!" Even the Empress was a severe love-struck fool, who ordered the execution of 70,000 elite troops simply because they stood in the way of her romance. Ren Tianye was speechless. He was done. Let it all burn! This deranged female-oriented novel world! ...
