The old district in the southern suburbs of Jingzhou.
A refurbished blue-brick house was adorned with red silk.
Wang Tongwen had moved his art gallery from Haizhou to Jingzhou.
This was a new beginning.
On opening day, the gallery was bustling with guests.
Nearly all the prominent figures from Jingzhou’s cultural and art circles had arrived.
Lu Chenyuan pushed a stroller, walking through the crowd with Mo Qingli.
Little Lu Shi'an sat inside, wide-eyed, curiously taking in the novel world around him.
Wang Tongwen, dressed in a modernized Tang suit, strode forward to greet them.
He radiated energy, his scholarly demeanor tinged with joy.
“Chenyuan, Qingli, you’re here.” His address for Lu Chenyuan had grown much more familiar.
“Uncle Wang, congratulations.” Lu Chenyuan extended his hand.
“Congratulations, Uncle Wang.” Mo Qingli smiled warmly.
“Please, come inside.” Wang Tongwen’s gaze landed on Lu Shi'an, and he beamed.
The gallery was bathed in soft light, its walls lined with paintings.
The artworks, rendered in warm hues and delicate strokes, depicted ordinary scenes from daily life—
A shaft of sunlight illuminating floating dust, a cat napping on a windowsill, rain-slicked cobblestones after a shower.
The exhibition was titled Rebirth.
The artist was Lou Mengling.
Lu Chenyuan spotted his mother immediately.
She stood at the center of the gallery, dressed in an elegant qipao, her long hair loosely pinned up.
She was conversing with a few art critics, her expression composed and confident.
No longer shackled by the identity of the Lu family’s matriarch, no longer burdened by marital resentment.
She was no longer anyone’s appendage.
She was simply Lou Mengling—a painter who had rediscovered her brush and herself.
“Mom.” Lu Chenyuan approached her.
Lou Mengling turned, her eyes lighting up at the sight of them.
“Chenyuan, Qingli, An’an.” She smiled, scooping Lu Shi'an into her arms.
The little one knew his grandmother well, reaching out to grasp the jade brooch pinned to her chest.
“Oh, my precious.” Lou Mengling laughed heartily.
Mo Qingli watched the scene, a soft smile playing on her lips.
She could tell her mother-in-law had truly been reborn.
That inner peace, nourished by love and self-worth, was unmistakable.
Wang Tongwen naturally took his place beside Lou Mengling.
He didn’t say much—just quietly replaced her tea when it cooled, or stepped in with professional insight when someone posed a tricky question about her work.
Their interactions held no grand declarations.
Only this quiet, steadfast understanding.
Seeing this, Lu Chenyuan felt a weight lift from his heart.
His mother was happy.
And as her son, he could finally rest easy.
He took Mo Qingli’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
She turned to him, smiling.
……
A week later.
A small, private ceremony was held in a closed-off auditorium at Jingzhou University.
Lu Ruoxi and Su Yang were married here.
No media, no extravagant displays.
Just simple flowers and warm lighting.
Only their closest family and friends were present.
Lou Mengling attended as the representative of both families, alongside Su Yang’s mother.
Lu Chenyuan and Mo Qingli sat in the front row with Lu Shi'an.
Lu Chenxiao, Lu Chenyan, and Lu Chenjin also arrived with their partners.
Lu Qianqian, currently in the Middle East, sent her blessings via video call.
On the screen, she looked tanned and thinner, but her eyes sparkled like stars.
Behind her, a group of children of various ethnicities waved cheerfully at the camera.
From the Mo family, Mo Zhenbang and Lin Shuhan attended in person.
Two other elders with unique ties were also present—
Chen Jingzhi, Lu Ruoxi’s mentor, and Lu Chengsi, her biological grandfather.
Key executives from Yuanlong Tech, including Ren Qian and Lin Yuan, were there as well.
The most striking guests, however, were a few unassuming figures seated in an inconspicuous corner.
Dressed plainly yet exuding quiet authority, they needed no introduction.
Their presence alone was the highest form of recognition.
The wedding march began.
Lu Ruoxi walked down the aisle on Lu Chenyuan’s arm.
She wore a simple white gown, free of embellishments, her makeup understated yet breathtaking in its purity.
Su Yang waited at the altar, his gaze so tender it could melt ice.
From that classroom in Anhe County to the labs of Jingzhou University—
From chasing her shadow to walking beside her—
This journey had taken him ten years.
Today, he had finally arrived.
Lu Chenyuan placed his sister’s hand in Su Yang’s.
“Su Yang, I’m entrusting Ruoxi to you now.” His voice was solemn.
“Brother, you have my word.” Su Yang’s grip on Lu Ruoxi’s hand was firm, his resolve unshakable.
……
After the ceremony, the reception was held in the university’s faculty dining hall.
Lu Ruoxi, holding a glass of juice, led Su Yang to Lu Chenyuan and Mo Qingli.
“Brother, sister-in-law.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked at Lu Chenyuan.
Those two words carried the weight of a lifetime—
The support in Anhe County, the guidance that pulled her from the quagmire of her past, the freedom to choose her own path.
“Silly girl.” Lu Chenyuan’s voice was gentle.
“You’ve earned every bit of this.”
He turned to Su Yang.
“Take good care of her.”
“Always.” Su Yang’s gaze never left Lu Ruoxi.
……
Night had fallen.
At the penthouse of Cloud Peak Residences No. 1, the space had transformed entirely after months of renovations.
The cold, fortress-like emptiness was gone.
In its place stood a true home.
Warm walnut walls, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves packed with volumes, a plush wool rug strewn with Lu Shi'an’s toys.
The living room’s lighting, personally adjusted by Mo Qingli, cast a soft, inviting glow.
Lu Shi'an was fast asleep in the nursery.
Lu Chenyuan and Mo Qingli sat together on the sofa, her head resting against his shoulder as she scrolled through a company report on her tablet.
“Qin Ya’s Edge has gained another three points in the European market,” she murmured.
“Stella’s Prometheus just launched Version 3.0, targeting enterprise customization. They’re making aggressive moves.”
“Yuanlong’s Genesis still leads domestically, but international competition is tightening.”
Her tone was calm, merely stating facts.
The business world was a battlefield—complacency wasn’t an option.
Lu Chenyuan nodded silently.
He reached for the remote, dimming the lights further.
Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the night sky over Jingzhou glittered with stars.
“Qingli,” he said suddenly.
“Hmm?”
“Do you think Earth is getting… too crowded?”
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
g Yu was preparing for retirement when her organization decided to eliminate her. She transmigrated to a zombie apocalypse world. However, a tiny unexpected situation occurred: She somehow transformed into an adorable little girl?!
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
