"Work hard, damn it! Work like your life depends on it! With so many people around, if any of you slack off, you might as well hand in your resignations right now..."
The store manager, hands planted firmly on her wide hips, barked orders as she directed a swarm of employees bustling in and out.
After wielding the stick, she didn’t forget the carrot—flaunting her managerial finesse: "If you perform well this month, I’ll make sure last month’s wages are paid out. So snap to it!"
Amid the chorus of grumbling employees, An Yi stood out as the most diligent.
After all, he was being paid. The bare minimum effort was non-negotiable.
Fifty-pound sacks of flour? He hauled two at a time without breaking a sweat.
But after a couple of trips, regret set in.
A sudden epiphany struck him—why waste such strength in a supermarket?
He could be earning way more hauling bricks at a construction site!
The manager, however, was pleasantly surprised by An Yi.
At first glance, he seemed like a lazy slacker with a rogue air about him, but when it came to actual work, he was shockingly reliable—steady, hardworking, a model employee compared to the jaded veterans.
The supermarket’s promotions were a hit, and Lan Ruoxi’s stunning looks drew crowds, making the place busier than during its grand opening.
The manager was practically giddy with joy all day.
"New guy, follow me to the storage room."
After delegating tasks, the manager singled out An Yi, ordering him to join her in the back.
An Yi complied—then froze.
A rush of alarm hit him.
He wasn’t naive. Storage rooms were prime locations for... incidents in certain materials he’d read.
The manager was in her forties—a woman in her prime. Could she be...?
His face paled.
"Quit dawdling! Move it!"
Her sharp voice echoed from inside.
The other employees shot him knowing looks.
Lucky bastard, huh?
An Yi strode in with heroic resolve.
If this woman dared lay a hand on him, he’d resist to the death! He’d rather let Shen Muxuan have him than surrender to her!
Then, with a creak, the manager shut the door, plunging the room into darkness.
An Yi: "..."
---
A luxury car pulled up at the mouth of a shabby alley, drawing hushed stares from onlookers.
A vehicle like that usually parked outside high-end spas—this dingy backstreet was way beneath its pay grade.
Qiu Xu stepped out, scowling. "What dump is this? You’re sure your niece works here for the summer?"
Lan Yihe carefully shut the car door behind him, frowning. "Yeah, weird, right? No clue why she’d pick this place."
"Tch. Poor girl, huh? Can’t imagine she’s much to look at, given your genes."
Adjusting his blazer’s tie in the stifling heat, Qiu Xu radiated impatience, already unimpressed with the girl he hadn’t even met.
Lan Yihe forced a laugh. "Ugly trees bear sweet fruit. I’m no looker, but my brother was handsome, and his wife was a famous beauty back in the day. The girl’s a stunner—guaranteed to knock your socks off."
"Seeing’s believing. I’ve bedded more women than you’ve had cups of tea. If she’s not up to par, not only are you repaying that three million, but with interest—loan shark rates."
Qiu Xu’s lips curled into a cold smirk.
Sweat beaded on Lan Yihe’s forehead.
"Don’t worry, Young Master Qiu. She just graduated high school—no boyfriends, untouched. Her mother’s critically ill, hospitalized. Desperate for cash. Once I dangle the money for treatment, she’ll fold like a house of cards."
Qiu Xu paused mid-tie adjustment, staring at Lan Yihe before slapping his chubby cheek with a grin. "Damn, fatty. You’re ruthless."
Lan Yihe chuckled nervously, praying his niece would meet Qiu Xu’s standards.
"Enough ass-kissing. This the supermarket?"
Qiu Xu eyed the "Shengda Supermarket" sign and smirked, turning to the hulking driver still in the car. "Fu, stay here. You’ll scare the locals."
"Yes, Young Master!"
The driver’s voice boomed like a gong, his massive frame barely contained by the vehicle.
The supermarket, strategically positioned, was easy to spot.
At the entrance, Qiu Xu’s gaze locked onto a figure—and his breath hitched.
A girl with a high ponytail, dressed in a JK uniform—Lan Ruoxi—stood there, her gentle, shy smile cutting through the gloom like a beam of light. His heart lurched.
Whoever took her photo should be shot.
It hadn’t captured even half her beauty.
Noticing Qiu Xu’s heated stare and quickened breath, Lan Yihe relaxed slightly. "Well, Young Master Qiu? My niece up to snuff?"
Qiu Xu exhaled slowly, clapping Lan Yihe’s shoulder with a grin. "Heh. Uncle Lan. Looks like we’re family now."
Uncle Lan?
The title sent a thrill through Lan Yihe.
He’d only intended to lend Lan Ruoxi to Qiu Xu as a plaything, maybe shave some debt off.
But Qiu Xu was smitten.
That three million might just vanish!
"Her name?" Qiu Xu’s eyes never left Lan Ruoxi, drinking in her flawless features.
"Lan Ruoxi. Top student at Donghai University. Classy, too—won’t embarrass you."
Lan Yihe’s grin widened.
saw a female celebrity tied up and stuffed in the trunk! Little did he know, countless cameras were aimed at him at this moment - this was a new type of reality show. The first randomly selected passerby was caught in less than an hour. But when Xu Moru was selected, things started to take an unexpected turn. "Damn, this isn't how the script goes. This Xu Moru is too bold, he's not following the rules at all." "Crap, is this guy taking it seriously?" "The female celebrity has been scared to tears!"
th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"
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?"
with Taming My Adopted Niece) (Multiple Heroines + Power Fantasy) Before transmigrating, Wang Jianqiang suffered greatly from novels with no female leads. Holding firm to the belief that "women only slow down my blade," he stubbornly maintained his virginity even after decades in the Sect of Dual Cultivation. In his twilight years, with his cultivation stagnant at the third level of Qi Refining, he finally succumbed and "rewarded" himself once—triggering the awakening of the Godly Cultivation System. From then on, he realized women might actually be his lucky stars on the path to immortality. Deciding to indulge freely and savor life, he found his ungrateful adopted niece knocking at his door...