The next moment, she saw that Long Aotian was completely unharmed, grinning at her with a triumphant smirk.
At this point, she understood everything—he had tricked her again, the absolute rascal.
Long Aotian’s eyes curved with amusement as he gently stroked her cheek. "You do care about me. Instinctive concern can’t be hidden."
"I do not care about you!" she protested.
He pulled Hu Yuying into his arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his voice thick with emotion, as if choked up like a girl on the verge of tears. "Ah-Ying..."
For a moment, Hu Yuying stopped resisting and let him hold her, feeling his warm breath against her skin.
The heavy exhales against her neck sent tingles down her spine.
She lifted a hand and rested it lightly on the back of his head. "I just want you to always put me first."
"You always have been. From now on, you’re my only priority."
"Long Aotian, you’re such a fool... a complete fool..."
"Yes, I am. This fool keeps making my little girl angry, keeps making her cry."
"But this fool will always put you first. I hope my little girl can forgive this fool."
Sniffling, she cupped his face. "If you promise to treat me well—always, always well—then I’ll forgive you."
"Good. I, Long Aotian, swear to protect Hu Yuying and cherish her forever."
He patted her back gently, and before long, she was asleep against his arm, her breathing steady.
Carefully shifting, he turned to face her, watching her peaceful expression. His fingertip lightly tapped the tip of her nose.
His thumb brushed tenderly over her still slightly reddened eyelids.
He had promised to protect her as his little follower, to shield her from harm—yet he was the one who kept making her cry.
His touch must have disturbed her, because she nuzzled against his palm like a kitten.
Smiling silently, he stiffly adjusted his position, pressing close against her. He placed her hand over his heart and, listening to her soft breaths, drifted off to sleep.
Morning sunlight spilled into the room through the window.
Hu Yuying stretched lazily, the cool air against her exposed skin jolting her awake.
She blinked, then froze.
Last night, she was certain she hadn’t undressed.
Pulling back the covers, she looked down—and realized she’d been stripped bare, save for her underwear.
"Awake?" Long Aotian propped his head up, grinning smugly at her sleepy daze. "You kept kicking the blankets last night. I figured you were too hot because of your clothes."
"So you took them off for me?"
He chuckled. "Don’t mention it. Just a small favor."
Casually, his hand found its way to her chest. "All part of the service."
Hu Yuying rolled her eyes. "Shameless, taking advantage like this."
But since she was already his, she didn’t mind his wandering hands.
She sat up, searching for her discarded clothes.
Long Aotian got up too, wrapping the blanket around her before handing her the clothes. "I’ll grab breakfast. You boil some water and freshen up."
"Wait." Hu Yuying called out softly as he turned to leave.
"What is it?"
She bit her lip, then took a deep breath and let the blanket fall, baring her youthful, delicate figure before him.
Her face flushed crimson, and she quickly turned her back to him. "Help me fasten this."
Long Aotian swallowed hard. Her skin was smooth as silk, her waist slender, her curves enticing. He stepped closer, suddenly thinking breakfast could wait.
"Long Aotian~" she murmured, her cheeks burning. "I said fasten it, not take it off..."
"Ah, sorry. Saw an ant. Had to deal with it first!"
She shot him an exasperated look. Couldn’t he at least come up with a better excuse?
On their first day back together, he was already obsessed with her body.
The little rabbit struggled, but the big bad wolf pounced, and soon, soft whimpers filled the air as he got his way...
......
By the time they finally got moving, over an hour had passed.
This time, she managed to dress properly—though not without stepping on his foot in annoyance.
Long Aotian, thoroughly satisfied, wore the expression of a man who couldn’t care less. Stomp all you want—he was content.
Seeing him like this, Hu Yuying felt both flustered and annoyed. The dignified big brother image she’d once held of him was crumbling.
He used to claim he was the most proper guy around. Now? He was the least proper of them all.
The utterly improper man sighed in bliss. "I think I’ve been poisoned by you, little girl. You’re my only antidote."
Her face reddened again. "Shameless Long Aotian."
At that, Long Aotian straightened up, slipping on his jacket and smoothing out his clothes—and his hair—with practiced ease. "Better now?"
She blinked. "Huh?"
"Do I look more proper now?"
Hu Yuying covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling into crescents of laughter. "Yes, yes. Very proper."
He pulled her into his arms. "You’re so beautiful when you smile."
"Let’s go eat. I’m starving." She said it lightly, but her heart was soaring.
The streets of Beijing never seemed to sleep.
No matter the hour, hurried pedestrians filled the sidewalks.
But if you looked closely, you could see the exhaustion lingering in their eyes.
Only after stepping out of campus and into society did they truly understand how relentless the pace of life in the capital was.
"Long Aotian, will we stay in Beijing for work in the future?" Hu Yuying asked softly.
They’d already bought a home here. It seemed this would be their life from now on.
Long Aotian sensed her hesitation. "We’ll bring your grandparents and my parents here too."
"And if we ever get tired of the city, we’ll go back to the countryside."
"You’ll cook, I’ll grow vegetables, and we’ll sell them at the market."
The image of that peaceful, rustic life made her nod happily.
"We’ll plant fruit trees in the yard too. You sell veggies, I’ll sell fruit."
"But don’t price the fruit too high. Folks in town won’t buy if it’s expensive."
At that, they exchanged a smile.
Together, they dreamed of the future—bright, hopeful, and full of promise...
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s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
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?”
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
