One Wrong Step, Eternal Perdition

"It's quite rare for you to hang out with us today, old Ao," Huang Fei joked half-heartedly.

"Yeah, usually after your workout, you disappear. We thought you weren’t coming back today. Spill it—did your girl kick you out after a fight?" Li Longlong chimed in with a laugh.

"I bet that’s it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t look so down," Xu Shuai punched Long Aotian’s arm playfully. "Cheer up! You’ve still got us!"

Long Aotian sighed. He had been about to head home when he got a message from his girl, and now the three of them had roped him into staying out.

They’d only just gotten together, and already he was living the "no going home" life. Long Aotian couldn’t help but feel helpless.

"You promised to introduce us to your girl ages ago. Did you forget?" Huang Fei glanced at the restaurant in front of them. "Let’s just eat here. It’ll do."

"Give it some time. I’ll have her cook for you guys," Long Aotian replied without looking up, typing a quick response to his girl.

The moment he said that, Huang Fei and the others perked up instantly. "What? Your girl can cook?"

Long Aotian suppressed a smirk, feigning nonchalance. "What’s the big deal? She’s just decent at it—like, barely passable."

"Honestly, it’s just slightly delicious. No need to make a fuss."

Then, glancing at Xu Shuai and Li Longlong, he raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Wait… don’t tell me you’ve never had a homemade meal from your girlfriends?"

Xu Shuai froze for a second before forcing a laugh. "Of course I have! Hahaha, good joke..."

Li Longlong cleared his throat awkwardly. "You know how busy my senior is. I always want her to rest when she has time..."

"Oh!" Long Aotian nodded sagely. "No worries. When the time comes, I’ll let you taste your sister-in-law’s cooking. Just slightly amazing."

Seeing Long Aotian’s smug face, the three immediately ganged up on him.

Laughing and shoving each other, the four of them walked into the restaurant.

......

Shen Mengjie glanced up as the four men passed by the café.

With a mocking smile, she turned to Ye Liangchen and Xue Shaohua, who were hiding under the table. "They’re gone."

Only then did the two cautiously peek out from beneath the table, confirming that the group had indeed left before finally relaxing. They straightened their clothes and sat back down as if nothing had happened.

Shen Mengjie watched them with amusement. "Are you two really that scared of Long Aotian?"

Ye Liangchen slowly closed his eyes.

Xue Shaohua, however, answered bluntly, "Old Ye had a little… disagreement with Long Aotian not long ago."

As Xue Shaohua finished speaking, Ye Liangchen reopened his eyes and looked at Shen Mengjie. "Just a minor misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about!"

Curious, Shen Mengjie pressed further. "What was the disagreement about?"

Ye Liangchen wiped his face with a hand, his expression tinged with disdain. "I met up with a friend I’ve known for nine years. Apparently, that made someone feel threatened. Pathetic."

He took a deep breath. "He couldn’t handle my presence, so he attacked me out of nowhere. Caught me off guard—just a single punch, no big deal."

"But he didn’t walk away unscathed either." Ye Liangchen smirked. If he’d stayed down for two more seconds, Long Aotian would’ve lost his mind!

Shen Mengjie rolled her eyes. They were clearly terrified of Long Aotian, yet they kept making excuses to cover up their cowardice. How ridiculous.

"Wasn’t the plan for you two to stay away unless I contacted you? So why are you here today?" Shen Mengjie rested her chin on her hand, blinking coquettishly.

The gesture, coming from her, was deliberately provocative.

"Change of plans," Ye Liangchen said darkly. "The original setup stays, but after you get Long Aotian drunk and take the photos, we’ll handle the rest."

Originally, the plan was for Shen Mengjie to get Long Aotian drunk, take compromising photos, and then stage a scene where she’d pretend he had taken advantage of her—complete with the classic line, "No girl would joke about her own innocence." That way, he’d have no choice but to admit guilt.

But now, they had a new idea. Shen Mengjie would just take the photos as backup, and they would personally ensure Long Aotian was "ruined" before taking more incriminating shots. Double the leverage!

The thought of Long Aotian’s smug face when he punched him made Ye Liangchen burn with the urge to retaliate—to prove once and for all who was truly weak.

Beside him, Xue Shaohua’s lips curled into a sinister grin.

Shen Mengjie suddenly felt like the two men before her had changed.

They usually reacted very differently to her charms. She knew how to use her beauty to her advantage, yet just now, neither had even blinked at her teasing. Strange.

Not long ago, they’d been so infatuated they’d probably call even her farts fragrant...

Had something happened recently that she didn’t know about?

Then, she noticed something odd—Ye Liangchen’s hand brushed against Xue Shaohua’s, and both jerked away as if electrocuted.

Why were they blushing?

"Mind explaining why? The original plan was solid. If we mess this up now, all our effort goes to waste," Shen Mengjie pressed.

Ye Liangchen and Xue Shaohua exchanged confident smiles.

They weren’t worried about failure.

If a girl’s innocence was compromised—even if forced—the gossip alone could drown a person.

That was why Hu Yuying had stayed with Long Aotian without resistance.

And the same logic applied to men. If word got out that Long Aotian had been "deflowered," the humiliation would be unbearable—especially for someone as prideful as him. It’d be worse than death!

At that thought, Ye Liangchen decided he should call Gao Quan and invite him to the capital for a visit.

If Long Aotian snapped and tried to kill someone, Gao Quan could take the hit for him.

Not only would he avoid repaying the 200 yuan he owed Gao Quan, but he’d also have proof of Long Aotian’s crime. From then on, Long Aotian would be under his thumb—forever.

The plan was flawless. One misstep from Long Aotian, and he’d be doomed.

Then, they’d force Long Aotian to call Hu Yuying to a hotel. Lights off—Ye Liangchen would make his grand entrance.

He couldn’t wait to see the look on Hu Yuying’s face when she realized it was him.

And Long Aotian? Forced to watch from the sidelines, even helping—what kind of expression would he make?

Just the thought of it made Ye Liangchen laugh out loud in excitement.

Recommend Series

Regretting After Being Forced into Marriage by a Yandere Tycoon

Regretting After Being Forced into Marriage by a Yandere Tycoon

ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】

Villain’s Diary: Why Does It Feel Like You’re All Acting Against Me?

Villain’s Diary: Why Does It Feel Like You’re All Acting Against Me?

and couldn't return to the real world. Finally, I gave up and decided to go with the flow, only to discover that writing a diary could make me stronger. Since no one could read it, Su Luo wrote freely, daring to pen anything and everything. Female Lead #1: "Not bad. This diary helped me steal all the protagonist's opportunities. I just want to get stronger." Female Lead #2: "I don’t care about reaching the peak of the cultivation world. Right now, I just want to enjoy the chaos." Female Lead #3: "What? Everyone around me is a spy? I’m the Joker Demon Lord?" ... It’s so strange. Why is the plot completely off track, yet the ending remains the same? Are you all just messing with me?!

Just Became Emperor, Already Assassinated by the Son of Destiny

Just Became Emperor, Already Assassinated by the Son of Destiny

e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.

Poor Talent? I Bought a Year of Cultivation for One Dollar!

Poor Talent? I Bought a Year of Cultivation for One Dollar!

ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!