Depression...
The mere mention of depression made Wang Lili's mentality nearly collapse.
She had long since realized that the so-called "depression" back then was just a lie concocted by two people to deceive her.
Yet, at the time, she had fallen for it—handing her precious daughter over to the wolves.
Fortunately... now it seemed Jiang Che was truly a good man worthy of entrusting Qiaoqiao's life to.
"Jiang Che, I was wrong. I pushed my daughter too hard back then. If not for you... who knows what kind of disaster might have happened?"
Meanwhile, Qin Qiaoqiao sat primly beside Jiang Che, occasionally stealing glances at her parents from the corner of her eye.
Then, she scooted a little closer to Jiang Che, looking every bit the picture of an obedient girl.
As memories of her time with Jiang Che flashed through her mind, her cheeks couldn't help but flush.
She realized... she hadn’t even properly experienced a romantic relationship.
In a moment of impulsiveness, she had skipped straight past dating and let Jiang Che have his way with her.
Looking back now, her heart still fluttered with emotion.
"Huh? Qiaoqiao, why is your face so red?" Wang Lili frowned.
"Uh... I'm just glowing with good health," the girl fibbed.
Qin Shou, who had been silent on the sofa, finally spoke up.
"Young Master Jiang, what are your plans for the future with Qiaoqiao? I’ve heard you have quite a few girls around you..."
His words froze the smile on Wang Lili’s face.
After all, they were just an ordinary family.
No parents would want their daughter’s partner to be a playboy.
"Young Master Jiang, Qiaoqiao is just a simple girl, and our family has no influence... we can’t compare to you..."
In short, they were still worried!
Even if Jiang Che seemed to dote on Qin Qiaoqiao now, who knew if he might suddenly change his tastes and cast her aside?
Qin Qiaoqiao grew visibly upset.
"Mom, Dad, stop it!"
"I’m doing just fine with Jiang Che. The other girls treat me well too... You don’t even know anything, yet you jump to conclusions!"
Her cheeks puffed up in frustration—her parents were still biased against him!
Wang Lili and Qin Shou exchanged glances, both seeing helplessness in each other’s eyes.
Was she really taking his side so blatantly?
All their efforts in raising her had gone to waste!
...
On the way home, they passed by the neighborhood where Shen Yu lived. Jiang Che slowly pulled the car over to the side of the road.
"Qiaoqiao, I’m going to pick someone up."
Qin Qiaoqiao blinked. "Who?"
"Guess?"
Jiang Che smirked mysteriously. He planned to bring Shen Yu, the aloof ice queen, to stay at the Jiang residence for a few days—to dip this pristine white cloth into the colorful dye of his household.
Let’s see if she could maintain her cold demeanor after that.
"Oh~"
Qin Qiaoqiao nodded obediently and waited quietly in the car.
...
The moment Jiang Che arrived at the Shen family’s doorstep, a loud BOOM echoed from inside!
"What the—? What just exploded?!"
Without hesitation, Jiang Che vaulted over the wall and barged into Shen Yu’s home.
Thick smoke billowed from the kitchen, an alarming sight.
"Damn, were you conducting a chemistry experiment in there?"
Just as he was about to rush in, a small, soot-covered creature darted past his feet, screeching in terror.
Apparently, the once-adorable orange cat, Huangdoufen (Soybean Powder), had now turned into Heidoufen (Black Bean Powder).
Then, a human-shaped figure covered in grime emerged from the kitchen, hair disheveled and mouth puffing out black smoke.
Jiang Che: "......"
Shen Yu: "......"
Without a word, Jiang Che grabbed Shen Yu and dragged her straight into the bathroom.
An hour later...
A freshly cleaned Shen Yu stood in the living room.
"Were you synthesizing a new type of explosive?" Jiang Che asked dryly.
"I was cooking," Shen Yu replied with complete seriousness.
Then, a trace of confusion flickered in her eyes. "I followed the instructions precisely, down to the exact timing. Why did it still fail?"
Jiang Che’s lips twitched. "Cooking? I’d believe you were demolishing the place!"
"Then again, God is fair—He opens one door and closes another. You’re already so brilliant... why bother cooking? Stick with me, and I’ll treat you to delicious food every day."
Unintentionally, he had slipped in a cheesy pickup line.
But for a girl like Shen Yu, whose heart was sealed in concrete, no amount of sweet talk made a dent. Using his "Heartreader" ability, Jiang Che couldn’t detect even a ripple of emotion from her.
"Come on, Little Yu’er... why not stay at my place for a couple of days? Let me show you the warmth of a big family."
Though he phrased it as a suggestion, Jiang Che gave her no chance to refuse.
He scooped her up in a princess carry.
"Jiang Che, I can’t leave. Who will take care of Huangdoufen?"
"What’s the big deal? Bring her along."
With one hand holding Shen Yu and the other grabbing the soot-stained cat, Jiang Che strode out.
Shen Yu was only wearing pajamas—completely "vacuum-sealed" underneath, leaving her at risk of accidental exposure.
But with no bystanders or surveillance around, Jiang Che wasn’t worried about prying eyes.
He stuffed her into the back seat of the car and climbed in after her.
"Drive us home," he instructed Dong'er.
Qin Qiaoqiao was stunned.
Seeing the stunning, barely dressed girl beside her, she froze for a second—before excitement took over.
Shen Yu!!!
Jiang Che had actually conquered this untouchable academic goddess?!
Honestly, as a girl herself, Qin Qiaoqiao had always admired Shen Yu’s brilliance.
Shen Yu was the epitome of icy elegance—what if this aloof girl revealed a completely different side under Jiang Che’s influence?
Qin Qiaoqiao sat by the window, pretending to look outside, but her eyes kept darting back to Shen Yu.
No wonder! No wonder Jiang Che took over an hour—now it all made sense!
It all made sense, hehe~
Her thoughts took a decidedly naughty turn.
...
"Little Yu’er, what do you think? Want to stay at my place for a few days?"
Only after the car had already reached the mansion did Jiang Che finally ask.
The epitome of shamelessness.
"Meow—!"
Huangdoufen, who had been holding it in the whole ride, leaped out of the car and dashed into the spiritual herb garden.
Rolling around in the dirt, the cat looked utterly delighted.
Jiang Che glanced at Huangdoufen.
This silly little cat was adorable in her human form, but taking her in outright would leave a bad taste in his mouth.
After all, she was clueless—Jiang Che wasn’t that much of a degenerate to prey on an innocent kitten.
So you see...raising something from scratch can be quite enjoyable. When Huangdoufen stays in the spirit field long enough, she naturally develops spiritual energy. A catgirl you've nurtured with your own hands...
Now that sounds exciting!
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!
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
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.
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
