The setting sun cast molten gold across the sky.
Shen Nian rode his electric scooter, the autumn wind rushing against him.
After picking up takeout for two on the way, he returned home, ignored Shen Yue sprawled on the couch playing with her phone, set down the food, and ducked into the bathroom.
Such was life in the south—when the weather turned hot, you had to take two cold showers a day.
Unless you were fine with feeling like a sticky, sweaty creature.
Shen Nian preferred freshness.
"Hey, jailbird, grab me two yogurts!"
"Sure."
Shen Nian handed the "holy water" to the "saintess" and grinned. "Guess what I did today?"
"Fishing?"
"Took the catch to the market. Wanna guess how much I made?"
"You actually sold them?" Shen Yue eyed him skeptically. She’d never known Shen Nian to fish, let alone turn a profit from it. Yeah, right.
As if she’d fall for that.
"Seriously, made five hundred."
"Lying to your own sister? Where’s your conscience?"
"Who’s lying? Making five hundred from fishing is child’s play. Can’t explain it to a non-fisher like you."
Shen Yue watched him retreat to his room without another word, seeing right through him.
After slaving through a top-tier university and landing a state-owned job, her high-school brother expected her to believe he could casually earn that much from fishing? Please.
If he’d had that kind of talent, he wouldn’t have been begging her for 50 bucks to top up his game subscriptions before.
Typical eighteen-year-old bravado. As long as he didn’t start believing his own lies, it was fine.
Shen Nian dropped the subject and lounged in bed with a book.
Mentioning the fish sale was just to plant the idea that he could make money—so when he eventually rolled up on a new scooter, it wouldn’t raise eyebrows.
Doubling the reported earnings would speed up the timeline for buying one.
Flawless plan.
The next morning, Monday, Shen Nian returned from his workout, showered, and was about to leave when he found Xia Yanchun already waiting in the hallway.
"Morning." He flashed a grin. "Want a sniff?"
"Of your head? Pass..." Xia Yanchun, still groggy, was all ruffled edges.
Short hair had its perks—no need to fuss over sleekness. A little messiness suited her better.
"Too bad you were asleep yesterday. Could’ve taken you fish-selling. Made five hundred, easy."
"Really five hundred? Hard to believe."
"Dead serious. I’ll swap it for cash at the store later and slap it across your face."
"Not coins, I hope?"
"Paper bills."
"Not like, ten-cent notes?"
"Wow, you got me. Yare yare."
"..."
At school, after two English classes, Shen Nian was summoned by Yan Yuzhu to the "retirement home" (her office) to collect the week’s study plan.
This batch was heavier—not just materials, but printed exercises to reinforce his learning.
"Starting to feel the pain," Shen Nian muttered, smile strained.
"Too much?"
"A bit."
"I’ll lighten it next week. Push through for now." Yan Yuzhu smiled gently, sliding a row of Wangzai milk cartons atop the stack for him to take.
See? Teacher’s orders.
He even snagged an extra carton. She didn’t mind—just handed it over.
Standard resupply.
Rewards for sitting near Shen Nian: one Wangzai.
Chen Dong’s table got some, Xia Yanchun’s table too. He was always generous with snacks—back in sophomore year, he’d bought a 13-yuan pack of Extra gum and finished it by lunch, shared with everyone.
Last week’s test scores were out. Shen Nian aced math like picking a pocket, and English? Eighty-four.
Absolute legend. Bring on midterms—that improvement award was his.
During lunch break, Shen Nian commandeered Li Shiyan’s seat by the fan.
"Your English score?"
"Hundred."
"Total?"
"Five eighty-seven."
"Damn, impressive." Not surprising.
Xia Yanchun had always been the "model child" parents compared others to—Shen Nian included.
Not that he’d ever been an easy benchmark.
"Just wait. I’ll crush you in the gaokao."
"Sexual harassment? I’m calling the cops." Xia Yanchun flushed. Why did he have to phrase it like that?
"Talking about grades. Your mind’s in the gutter, Xia Yanchun."
"You’re the pervert. Die!" With the classroom empty, her courage surged. She pinched his waist.
"Ow—!"
Ambush?!
Shen Nian caught her wrist, grip firm. First biting, now pinching—Xia Yanchun was unstoppable.
"Let go!"
"And let you off scot-free?"
"L-let go! Someone might see!"
Shen Nian glanced. Yeah, sure—invisible spies everywhere.
Seizing his distraction, she yanked free and cradled her wrist, glaring.
"Have some shame! We’re not that close!"
"Mad." Shen Nian Tom-pointed.
"You’re mad."
"Lol."
"..."
Deflated, Xia Yanchun felt her attack backfire. His mouth was too sharp—he’d start it, yet she’d end up losing. Maybe stuffing a sock in it would help.
The skirmish ended in Shen Nian’s total victory. Just another day with his lifelong rival. Pure serotonin.
"Nap time."
In rare form, he dozed off.
His body clock woke him half an hour before the bell. Xia Yanchun still slept soundly, face peaceful.
She’d probably forgotten their clash—after years of this, if she couldn’t handle Shen Nian’s antics, they’d have stopped speaking ages ago.
Or maybe he’d adapted to her.
Xia Yanchun had always been a little menace. Lucky for him, he could keep up, or he’d have been bullied into submission—another plaything for the wicked girl.
Even now, she schemed to make him call her "big sis." After years of childhood trickery, she still wasn’t satisfied. Talk about insatiable.
Bored, Shen Nian set up a book barricade and sneakily pulled out his phone.
Better safe than sorry—last time he’d forgotten to lock the door, Xia Yanchun had caught him and held it over him.
Scrolling through videos, he remembered Li Shiyan mentioning a username change. He pulled up her profile.
Her old handle, [37-Year-Old Gorgeous Lolita], had been wild—so unlike her quiet demeanor. The contrast was unreal.
Heh. Let’s see if the new one’s just as unhinged.
Huh. Updated.
[White-Cut Chicken Dipped in Chocolate Sauce—Wanted by Cantonese]
Skip the chase. Just blend him into mist.
Seriously, why do girls love these chaotic names?
Shen Nian's curiosity got the better of him, so he looked up Yan Yuzhu's QQ nickname.
【No More Milkies】
Now that hit the spot.
Yanxi reminds you: Due to Tomato's request for 3 million+ daily visits overwhelming the server, we now recommend switching to other big-shot sources.
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!"
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
invincible power, Gu Changge transmigrates into a fantasy world, bound to a sign-in system that grants him cultivation rewards and various peerless treasures daily. While others struggle desperately to break through their cultivation realms, he has long since reached the pinnacle of the Great Dao, becoming a reclusive Emperor whose true strength even he himself cannot fathom. Originally planning to lie low and retire peacefully on Purple Bamboo Peak, the system suddenly issues a new task — take on disciples. With no other choice, Gu Changge casually picks up a few disciples: The eldest disciple, born with a War God Constitution, is thrown a copy of "War God Stratagems" by him, and ends up conquering the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, becoming a peerless War God who sweeps across the cosmos. The second disciple, possessing a Chaos Sword Body, can break all techniques with a single sword, his swordsmanship unmatched throughout history. He points his sword at the heavens: "My master said, the sword and the man stand together. If the sword perishes... my master will give me another one." The third disciple, a reborn Empress who returns to her throne, her elegance and grace overshadowing all beings. And without anyone noticing, his own sect, the Qingxuan Sect, has become the number one sect on the continent. Looking at these unbelievably formidable disciples, Gu Changge, holding the "Primordial Purple Qi" he just signed in for, falls into deep thought: — Wasn't this supposed to be a peaceful retirement? How did I become the ultimate master?!
