You Man thought to herself that she must be going crazy, fantasizing at a time like this.
"Let me pour that for you, Sis Man."
"Ah, okay."
When Zhou Yi let go of her hand, she actually felt a twinge of regret.
As she sipped her water, You Man tentatively asked, "Xiao Yi, is there anyone you like at school?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it.
She felt like a lovestruck teenager—how could someone her age be so immature and impulsive?
She scolded herself inwardly, trying to regain her composure before she did something reckless.
Zhou Yi didn’t try to hide anything. With a bitter smile, he said, "I wasn’t going to talk about this, but since it’s you asking, Sis Man, I’ll tell you."
"Actually, there’s a girl I like. But yesterday, she humiliated me. They all said I was a toad unworthy of a noble swan. Sis Man, do you think someone like me just doesn’t deserve to be loved?"
You Man’s heart ached for him. "Of course not! They’re the ones with no taste. I think you’re wonderful."
Yet hearing that Zhou Yi had feelings for someone else made her chest tighten. So, he already had someone he liked.
Zhou Yi shook his head and took a gulp of water. Only after swallowing did he realize—he had just drunk from You Man’s cup. His face flushed as he stammered an apology, "Sorry, Sis Man… I drank from your cup."
His expression and tone were the picture of innocence.
Even a system would have to applaud the boy’s expert-level acting.
You Man stared at the cup in Zhou Yi’s hand. Didn’t that mean… they had indirectly kissed?
"It’s fine. It’s just a cup. It’s not like we actually kissed."
The moment those words slipped out, the air between them froze.
What on earth was she saying?!
Zhou Yi propped his chin on his hand and smirked at her. "Sis Man, what do you mean by ‘actually kissed’?"
Her mind went blank. She had no idea how to face him. Trembling with nerves, she abruptly stood up, her eyelashes fluttering.
"I need to go prep the ingredients." She turned to leave, but a hand suddenly gripped her wrist.
—Zhou Yi had stopped her.
"Sis Man, I think this is the first time I’ve seen you wear lipstick."
He stepped closer, his words vague yet loaded, making You Man’s ears burn.
She knew—he had noticed.
He had seen right through her. Not only had he picked up on her deliberate effort to dress up today, but he might have also sensed her unusual behavior… or even guessed the inappropriate thoughts she harbored for him.
She didn’t dare turn around, yet she didn’t pull her hand away either.
"I found an old tube of lipstick yesterday and thought I’d try it."
"Sis Man, you seem… different from before."
Her heart skipped a beat, her breath quickening. She took a deep breath and asked, "Do I? I’ve always been like this, haven’t I?"
Zhou Yi’s tone remained deceptively innocent as he leaned in, his breath brushing her ear. "No. The way you look at me now… it’s soft, like spring water."
Biting her lip, she finally turned to face him. She felt utterly exposed under his gaze.
Struggling internally, You Man mustered her courage.
"Xiao Yi, you’ve figured it out, haven’t you? I know I shouldn’t feel this way—shouldn’t have these thoughts about you. But I can’t help it. I want your attention. I want you to look at me tenderly. I want to be held in your arms and comforted."
"Maybe it’s just been too long since anyone cared about me like this, so I… Ugh, I don’t know. I’m a mess right now. Just pretend I’m rambling."
She had laid her heart bare. Her last words were both a cover-up and a genuine admission of her flustered state.
She had no idea how to face this boy, over a decade her junior.
Covering her face in distress, she suddenly felt strong arms wrap tightly around her.
"Sis Man, whether you’re 30 or 18, it doesn’t matter."
"You’re still you, and you’re wonderful at any age. I just wish I’d met you when you were 18—not because you were younger or prettier then."
"But because if I’d known you back then, I could’ve changed your fate. You wouldn’t have had to live like this, endure so much hardship. Every time I see you sitting alone in the kitchen, washing dishes with that distant look, it breaks my heart."
Tears spilled down You Man’s cheeks as she buried her face in Zhou Yi’s shoulder.
"Xiao Yi, I…"
She clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably.
No one had ever spoken to her like this in all these years.
Men had pursued her before, but they only ever wanted her face and body. She knew none of them truly cared for her.
So she had rejected them without hesitation, remaining single all this time.
But Zhou Yi was different.
He saw her—her heart, her pain, her struggles.
[Host, You Man’s affection for you has skyrocketed to 89.]
This wasn’t just fondness anymore. There was love in it now.
Zhou Yi gently rubbed her back, comforting her as she poured out years of pent-up sorrow and frustration.
She didn’t know how long she cried, but when exhaustion finally overtook her, Zhou Yi carried her upstairs.
"Sis Man, rest here. I’ll handle the customers downstairs."
He laid her on the bed and carefully tucked her in.
Just as he turned to leave, You Man grabbed his hand.
"Xiao Yi."
He looked back at the beautiful woman in the bed. "Hmm? What is it?"
After a brief hesitation, she bit her lip and asked softly, "Do you… want me?"
Realizing what she meant, Zhou Yi bent down and stroked her hair. "Sis Man, don’t do anything you’re not comfortable with. Everything I said wasn’t for this. You know that, right?"
You Man blinked, then warmth and gratitude flickered in her eyes.
Sitting up, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I know. But I want you to understand—I’m not unwilling. It’s just… I’ve already… Would you even want someone like me?"
Zhou Yi pressed a finger to her lips, his expression solemn. "Don’t think like that. To me, you’re precious—not some gift to be unwrapped. Don’t ever put yourself in that position. I don’t need you to give me your body to prove anything."
Zhou Yi wasn’t impatient. Besides, things between them were still undefined—they were caught in this ambiguous tension, not officially together. What would it make him if he took advantage now?
He might play the field, but he wasn’t a scumbag.
His words sent You Man’s affection soaring straight to 90.
077 had never seen anyone level up their romance stats this fast.
Just two days! You Man's affection level had already reached 90—this young man was truly remarkable. It couldn't help but marvel at its own excellent judgment.
When Zhou Yi went downstairs to attend to the customers, You Man stood by the escalator, watching the boy's busy figure with deep affection shimmering in her eyes.
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
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.
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!" "......"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
