In Jiangbei City, in an ordinary residential building of a common neighborhood.
The range hood hummed steadily.
The clanging sound of a spatula filled the air, stirring up the aroma of cooking.
A woman with delicate features, wearing an apron and with a slightly rounded belly, was cooking in the kitchen. She occasionally tasted the food with a spoon for seasoning, then sprinkled a bit of fine salt into the pot, and then a bit more.
Click!
The electronic door lock made a slight sound and slowly opened.
"Rui Rui, I'm home."
Zhang Fan walked in from outside, carrying several bags large and small.
"You're back. Change your slippers first. Dinner is almost ready. I made braised pork today."
Hearing the commotion outside, Xue Ruirui said with a smile, carefully turning the stove down to a low flame.
Zhang Fan changed into his slippers, walked in, and put the groceries he bought into the refrigerator.
Entering the kitchen, he put on a stern face and frowned, "Didn't I tell you? You shouldn't cook now that you're pregnant. You can't handle the cooking fumes."
"It's fine. A little activity is good for the body."
Xue Ruirui couldn't help but reach down and touch her already protruding belly.
They had settled down in Jiangbei for over half a year now. The baby in her belly was already five months old—a boy.
"I'm a doctor. You should listen to me. I'll prepare a new prenatal tonic for you later."
Zhang Fan rolled up his sleeves and took over the task from Xue Ruirui.
Xue Ruirui watched Zhang Fan's back as he focused on cooking, a slight smile curling at the corner of her mouth, her expression somewhat dazed.
Even she hadn't expected that guy to transform into this frugal, homemaking, warm-hearted man.
Rummaging through the bags, Xue Ruirui frowned, "A Fan, why did you buy so much formula?"
"These are all on-sale imported formulas. The ingredients are more reliable, so I bought a bit extra."
Zhang Fan carefully placed the clay pot on the table and untied his apron.
"And you call yourself a doctor? Breast milk is actually better than anything."
As Xue Ruirui spoke, she suddenly stopped.
She instinctively looked down at her still-flat chest, unchanged even after pregnancy.
Suddenly, she understood the reason behind Zhang Fan buying so much formula.
Zhang Fan cleared his throat lightly, "Well, I don't mind."
"Mind what!"
Xue Ruirui shot him a reproachful look, saying, "Do you even know? Those international supermodels all have this kind of figure!"
"Hmm, I completely agree with that point."
"You're lying. Men clearly all like big breasts. That's definitely not what you're really thinking!"
"I'm not—"
Looking at Xue Ruirui's puffed-up, angry face, a slight smile appeared at the corner of Zhang Fan's mouth. He took the pot of warmed medicinal soup off the stove. "Drink the medicine first, then you can be angry."
"I won't drink it. It's too bitter."
Smelling the strong herbal odor, Xue Ruirui pinched her nose and frowned.
Zhang Fan said seriously, "It can enhance your bust."
"Pour me a bowl!"
In the kitchen, Zhang Fan was washing dishes.
Xue Ruirui was watching a drama. A small kitten gently rubbed against her ankles.
Sunlight filtered softly into the room.
Everything seemed exceptionally cozy and warm.
"A Fan."
Xue Ruirui called out.
Zhang Fan wiped his hands and walked in. "What's wrong?"
"Our wedding..."
Xue Ruirui mustered her courage, but as soon as she started, she couldn't continue.
Zhang Fan spoke slowly, "We'll just follow the plan we made. But... I don't have any family on my side."
"It's, it's okay."
Seeing Zhang Fan's downcast expression, Xue Ruirui quickly added, "I, I was thinking of inviting Yuan Yuan. It's been a year since us sisters last met. Oh, she's a big star now, really amazing. She works with major directors. A few days ago, she finished filming a TV series where she played the second female lead..."
Zhang Fan didn't say much, quietly listening to Xue Ruirui talk.
After a long while, Xue Ruirui lowered her head, her eyes dim. "A Fan, let's just live a good life from now on, okay?"
She knew what her man had been involved in. She didn't want to be entangled in the world of martial artists anymore.
She preferred to live a secluded, anonymous, ordinary life in a quiet corner.
Zhang Fan nodded gently. "I've already disbanded the Poison Sect. In a while, I plan to open a clinic."
Hearing this news, delight flashed across Xue Ruirui's face. She stepped forward excitedly, hugged Zhang Fan, and gave him a hard kiss on the cheek. "Zhang Fan, I love you!"
Zhang Fan looked at Xue Ruirui, reached out, and gently stroked her belly, his eyes soft. "I also want to accumulate some virtue for our child..."
Unfortunately, he had committed too many evils.
Yunzhou, in a dark, damp alley.
A beer can was hurled out, crashing against the wall with a clang before falling to the ground, spilling golden liquid everywhere.
"Damn it, that bastard Zhang Fan! If I ever catch him, I'll tear him to pieces!"
A thin, sinister-looking man with a scar on his face said furiously, slamming a knife into the ground.
The handle of the knife quivered slightly.
In the alley, seven or eight martial artists, looking disheveled and dusty, also wore expressions of resentment.
They were all desperate outlaws.
They made a living through unclean means, constantly evading the law enforcement bureau.
Later, it was Zhang Fan who sought them out, formed the Poison Sect, and gave them a place to survive.
What they never expected was that just a while ago, Zhang Fan, the one who personally formed the Poison Sect, had abandoned them, quitting just like that, without a second thought!
Without Zhang Fan, the Poison Sect lost its brains.
Living off dwindling resources, they decided to take a desperate risk.
However, due to the disorganized nature of their operation, within a few days, law enforcement had raided their hideout!
Now, the once sizable Poison Sect was finished—some arrested, some on the run, completely disbanded!
"Brother Ma, I told you, we shouldn't have touched the powder. The boss never allowed us to touch it before; the law enforcement bureau watches that stuff too closely."
A martial artist said plaintively.
If they hadn't dealt with that stuff, they wouldn't have been hunted down like rats.
"Damn it, still calling him 'boss'! If that beast Zhang Fan hadn't run off, would we have had to risk our lives selling powder!"
The thin man's eyes grew even fiercer. He punched the wall. "Thinking of walking away so easily? Zhang Fan, I won't let you off!"
They had finally gotten a taste of the good life. Going back to those rootless, wandering days was worse than killing them.
"So that guy really is still alive. Tsk tsk, no wonder."
A man hidden in the corner, toying with a crimson dagger in his hand, said leisurely.
"Ah Lang, has your brain been screwed by a donkey? What the hell are you babbling about?"
The thin man glanced at the martial artist addressed as Ah Lang.
Ah Lang slowly walked forward and reached up to wipe his face.
A ferocious ghost mask came off, revealing an extraordinarily handsome face.
"You... who are you? Where's Ah Lang?!"
The group was stunned. Coming to their senses, they quickly surrounded the young man.
"My name is Night Emperor!"
An Yi grinned, revealing a smile, a glint of light appearing in his eyes.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
