As time passed, Long Aotian became increasingly busy, mostly keeping up with Wan Ning's schedule.
Even talent shows had their scripts.
He also had to pretend to be close with people he'd only just met.
Just watching it all unfold exhausted him.
During this time, Long Aotian was busy yet happy, as if everything had returned to normal.
Soon, May 1st arrived—the official start of the "Happy Girls" talent show.
The elimination format remained: contestants would go through multiple rounds of competition, gradually narrowing down to the top three.
Judges' scores still played a crucial role, though this time, a public voting segment was introduced.
The elimination system was touted as ensuring fairness and impartiality while giving audiences a thrilling viewing experience.
Starting with 300 contestants, the battles raged on—top 20, top 10, finals—until only the top three remained. It was a clash of perseverance and musical skill.
Every contestant on that stage was undeniably talented.
"I'm so nervous! Wan Ning will be fine, right?" Li Qingxue couldn’t stop chattering anxiously.
"Wan Ning will definitely be fine," Hu Yuying said firmly, her trust in her dear sister unwavering.
"It's starting, it's starting," Long Aotian whispered as a reminder.
Every contestant on that stage had their own strengths.
The very first performer set the tone, electrifying both the stage and the audience with their opening song.
"I think this one might be Wan Ning's biggest rival," Li Qingxue analyzed.
Hu Yuying couldn’t pinpoint flaws in the singing, but she felt Wan Ning's voice was more beautiful—though the first contestant had stronger stage presence.
"Long Aotian, why are you so quiet today?"
Long Aotian raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, putting on a professional air. "Music is meant to be felt with the heart and heard with the ears. Don’t you get it, you amateur?"
"Oho, look at you, acting all high and mighty! Me, an amateur? I sing better than you!"
Watching the two bicker again, Hu Yuying covered her lips with a light laugh.
Her gaze lingered on Long Aotian. How wonderful.
After each round, ample time was given for live and TV audiences to vote via text.
Soon, it was Contestant No. 8—Lin Wanning’s turn.
Long Aotian had already pre-written his voting text, ready to send the moment the voting opened.
As expected, the highest rankings were held by Contestant No. 1, No. 8, and No. 5. Many others performed, but none surpassed the top three scores...
Advancing was practically guaranteed.
The 300-contestant elimination rounds consisted of eight knockout matches.
Each match had two rounds, with six performances per round, eventually narrowing down to the national top 60.
From May to June,
Lin Wanning’s scores consistently hovered in the top three, earning her a growing fanbase and even her own support squad.
Her reputation at school skyrocketed—maybe not overnight, but close enough.
Meanwhile, Hu Yuying wasn’t idle either.
She managed her social media accounts and, after discussions with Long Aotian, launched a webpage and group chats, planning to showcase her outfits in person.
No matter what she did, Long Aotian quietly supported her from behind the scenes.
Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.
By July,
Lin Wanning’s fanbase had expanded further. She even appeared on a variety show—though her screen time was limited, it still gave her a small taste of fame.
After all, only a select few from her season were invited, a clear acknowledgment of their talent.
Hu Yuying’s account flourished too, flooded with praise.
But with success came criticism.
"Alright, stop looking," Long Aotian said, covering Hu Yuying’s eyes from behind.
That’s how people were—countless compliments brought joy, but a single negative comment could ruin an entire day.
Sometimes, when the criticism piled up, she didn’t even dare to look.
Still, to show gratitude for the support, Hu Yuying forced herself to read through the feedback.
The result? The more she read, the more upset she became...
Even with discounts, coupons, and cashback incentives for positive reviews, it was impossible to please everyone.
"You should learn from Qingxue—carefree and cheerful," Long Aotian remarked, glancing at Li Qingxue sprawled on the couch with a watermelon.
Suddenly called out, Li Qingxue set the watermelon aside and scampered over barefoot.
"Yuying just takes things too seriously. I don’t even read them—why bother if it’ll just ruin my mood?"
Summer break arrived.
None of them went home.
No one knew how Li Qingxue convinced her parents, but she ended up staying in the capital.
Everyone stayed busy, even during the holidays.
Wan Ning often returned, shuttling back and forth, while Long Aotian took on chauffeur duties.
Hu Yuying and Li Qingxue kept up their daily livestreams, their follower count surpassing a million.
The money they earned was beyond anything they’d ever imagined.
Oh, and during this time, Li Qingxue grew increasingly interested in investing.
After trying it out a few times with Long Aotian, she was completely hooked.
Everything seemed different, yet somehow unchanged.
Except for one thing—Long Aotian started sleeping in later every day.
The girls just assumed he was slacking off during the break.
Aside from his newfound love for naps, he’d even lost his appetite.
But he was happy. Occasionally, he’d snap into action—though those moments were rare.
By August,
Long Aotian stopped oversleeping. He woke up early—sometimes so early Hu Yuying wondered if he’d slept at all.
But seeing him head out with his fishing gear, cheerful as ever, she didn’t know what to say.
After all, by 10 a.m., the heat outside was unbearable.
An early fishing trip didn’t seem unreasonable.
By late August, Lin Wanning had advanced to the top eight.
Every elimination round now felt harder than the last.
Months of competition had brought the contestants closer, and viewers had grown attached to these hardworking girls.
Every text vote became an emotional battle!
When the new semester began in late August, they’d all be upperclassmen.
Time had flown by in the blink of an eye.
"Long Aotian, don’t go out today," Hu Yuying insisted, stopping him from another fishing trip.
Lately, he’d been obsessed—leaving before dawn and returning after dark.
Today, she clung to him, refusing to let him go.
"You’ve gotten darker and thinner. I’m going to fatten you back up."
Long Aotian curled his lips into a stiff smile. "It's too hot to eat. Might as well treat it as a diet. Besides, don’t you think a tan makes me look healthier?"
That might be true, but Hu Yuying didn’t let go.
Long Aotian gave up on getting out of bed and sank back down. "Fine, I’m not going anywhere today. Staying in."
"So, what would you like to eat, Long-ge?"
"Something cold. Otherwise, I really won’t be able to stomach it."
"How about some cold skin noodles and iced beer? I’ll grab some grilled skewers too. Sound good?"
"With you spoiling me like this, I’ll probably gain all the weight back in no time..."
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
ey change clothes. Li Chuan contributed all his possessions, only to find that things were not as they seemed. Almost a year after joining, he hadn’t managed to get a single Daoist consort. Thinking he had been deceived, he was approached by a stunning senior fellow disciple who asked if he would like to form a spiritual bond. For those who don’t practice cultivation, they might not know what “forming a spiritual bond” is. Let me put it this way: A long-term relationship is called a “Daoist consort,” while a short-term relationship is known as “forming a spiritual bond.” From then on, Li Chuan discovered the true way to interact with the Yin-Yang Sect’s Daoist consorts. As long as he had enough spirit stones, he could form a spiritual bond with anyone, Whether it’s Senior Sisters, aunts, Daoist consorts of aunts, female elders, Daoist consorts of elders, or even the Daoist consort of the sect leader, anyone can form a spiritual bond as long as there are enough spirit stones.” I've already joined the Yin-Yang Sect, and you're telling me to focus on cultivation? Do you even know what the Yin-Yang Sect is all about?
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
