Zhou Yi stood to Xie Tingwan’s left, his arm reaching around her from behind, almost as if he were embracing her from the back.
——Something like this.
When Zhou Yi’s hand grasped hers, Xie Tingwan froze completely.
The girl encircled by his arm nervously swallowed, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.
She tilted her head slightly to the left, and Zhou Yi’s handsome face appeared magnified right before her eyes.
[Xie Tingwan’s affection points +5]
She had to admit—Zhou Yi was incredibly good-looking.
For a moment, Xie Tingwan was lost in thought.
The way Zhou Yi focused intently on the screen while gaming gave off a unique kind of charm that Xie Tingwan couldn’t ignore.
The private room was already a little stuffy, and Xie Tingwan’s face grew even hotter.
A gunshot rang out from the computer, snapping her back to reality.
"See that? There’s one more hiding in the grass."
The boy’s magnetic voice sounded beside her, and Xie Tingwan finally turned her attention to the screen.
"Yeah, I see them."
"This time, you take the shot. I’ll help you aim."
Zhou Yi was smooth when it came to flirting. When Xie Tingwan successfully took down an opponent, an elated smile spread across her face.
"I hit them!"
"Happy?"
"Very!"
Zhou Yi lowered his gaze to look at her, his smile tender and indulgent.
Xie Tingwan blinked, her heartbeat quickening.
She had never been this close to a boy before—let alone had one hold her hand and pull her into his arms like this...
When Zhou Yi released her hand and pointed at the screen, saying, "This one’s all yours. If we take them down, we win," Xie Tingwan felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
She bit her lip. "Um... maybe you should guide me again? I’m afraid I’ll miss."
Zhou Yi’s lips curled faintly. "Sure."
He took her hand again, leaning in close.
Perhaps to get a better angle for the controls, his face was now dangerously near hers.
Zhou Yi watched the screen—Xie Tingwan watched Zhou Yi.
Suddenly, the boy narrowed his eyes, lips quirking into a confident smirk.
"Right here."
The moment he spoke, his finger pressed down. A gunshot echoed—game over.
They won.
Zhou Yi’s eyes brightened, and he lowered his head. "We—"
Xie Tingwan lifted her gaze to meet his, but the distance was too close. Her lips brushed against his chin.
Both of them froze.
Xie Tingwan’s face flushed visibly.
"I—I didn’t mean to, sorry."
She bit her lip, too embarrassed to look at him.
[Xie Tingwan’s affection points +1]
Zhou Yi quickly let go of her, feigning awkwardness as he retreated to his seat.
An ambiguous tension lingered in the private room.
Xie Tingwan stole a glance at Zhou Yi before pushing a glass of water toward him.
"You’ve been gaming for so long—you must be thirsty. Have some water."
She tried to ease the mood, but her heart was still racing.
Zhou Yi took a sip and asked, "Want to play another round?"
Xie Tingwan shook her head. "No, I’m too terrible. I only won because you carried me."
"Not at all. For someone who doesn’t play much, you did great."
"It’s getting late—should we grab dinner?"
"Sure."
By the time they stepped out of the internet café, the sunset painted the sky in breathtaking hues.
Xie Tingwan looked up, mesmerized.
"It’s so beautiful," she murmured.
The golden light bathed her figure, making her glow like a dream, every strand of her hair shimmering.
They walked side by side down the bustling street outside A University, where food stalls were crowded with students in line.
"What do you feel like eating, Tingwan?"
"Anything’s fine. I’ve tried everything around here a million times anyway—it’s up to you."
"Then let’s go to your favorite spot."
"Okay."
Xie Tingwan led Zhou Yi to a Hunan restaurant, a place she frequented with her roommates.
She wasn’t great with spicy food, but she adored the flavors of Hunan cuisine.
The owner, a warm and cheerful woman, beamed when she saw Xie Tingwan.
"Tingwan’s here! Come, sit—what’ll you have today?"
Xie Tingwan was not only stunning but also the campus belle, so she’d naturally become a regular.
She handed the menu to Zhou Yi. "Order whatever you like. Everything here is good—no bad choices."
Zhou Yi picked two dishes before sliding the menu back.
In the end, they settled on four dishes—three mains and a soup.
While waiting for the food, Xie Tingwan rested her chin in her hands and asked, "Why did you suddenly ask me out today?"
Zhou Yi, who was washing her utensils for her, replied calmly, "I heard about your family’s situation. Thought I might be able to help."
Xie Tingwan tilted her head, eyes curving. "And why would you help me?"
Zhou Yi paused, raising a brow. "So you think I’m doing this for you?"
"Mhm. Unless it’s for my dad?"
"Why not? Tianhua’s a massive conglomerate. If I can get Tianhua to owe me a favor, that’s worth more than money."
Xie Tingwan didn’t buy it. Smiling, she said, "You’re not that kind of person. The boss of Huanyu isn’t some profit-obsessed schemer."
"Then what am I after?"
"I don’t know."
Zhou Yi chuckled, narrowing his eyes. "If I do help you, how do you plan to repay me?"
"What does Boss Zhou want?"
"Haven’t decided yet. I’ll tell you after I’ve actually helped."
"How much are you planning to invest?"
Zhou Yi leaned back, holding up a finger.
Xie Tingwan nodded. "A million’s fine."
Zhou Yi smiled. "No. Ten million."
Xie Tingwan’s eyes widened in shock.
"Seriously? You’re not joking?"
"Dead serious. Ten million."
After a stunned pause, Xie Tingwan bit her lip. "Aren’t you afraid I’ll scam you?"
Zhou Yi smirked. "Aren’t you afraid I have ulterior motives?"
They shared a laugh.
But Xie Tingwan found it strange. She couldn’t fathom why Zhou Yi would casually offer ten million for no reason.
Even if she were the most beautiful girl in the world, that wouldn’t justify it.
Zhou Yi wasn’t the type to be swayed by looks, and they’d only known each other for a day—there was no deep emotional connection.
Her playful expression faded as she studied him seriously. "Then what are you after?"
Zhou Yi cut straight to the point. "You want to defeat your brothers and become Tianhua’s heir, don’t you? I can help you."
Xie Tingwan’s pupils constricted sharply, her palms turning clammy.
He actually saw through her...
How? She’d hidden it so well, never once mentioning anything like this in front of him.
She lowered her gaze, masking her shock and unease.
Then, the boy across from her spoke again:
"Tingwan, I’m not investing in Tianhua. I’m investing in you."
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
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?"
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.
