Upon hearing the assistant's words, Mo Qingli's room fell into complete silence. Every executive present was stunned.
Kovate Corporation? They'd heard of it—the second-largest supplier in Country Y.
But their technology had always been a tier below that of Thorn Mining.
How could they suddenly achieve a technological breakthrough?
And why would they proactively reach out at such a critical moment?
It was all too coincidental.
"Coincidence?" Mo Qingli murmured to herself.
No.
In this world, there weren’t that many coincidences—especially not when it came to a business war involving billions.
She turned to her assistant. "Who contacted us?"
"It was Kovate’s newly appointed... Board Strategic Advisor," the assistant replied, his expression growing even more peculiar. "He said his surname is Lin."
Lin.
Lin Yuan.
Lu Chenyuan’s former chief assistant, now the CEO of Abyss Dragon Technologies.
A realization flashed through Mo Qingli’s mind like lightning. She understood everything in an instant.
This was all Lu Chenyuan’s doing.
Before she had even set foot in Country Y, before she had known she was walking into a storm, this man had already arrived ahead of her. He had acquired Kovate, developed new technology, and paved the way for her—clearing every obstacle in her path.
And he hadn’t even told her. He had simply done it all in silence.
An indescribable warmth surged in Mo Qingli’s chest, melting away the cold anxiety that had gripped her.
So, she wasn’t fighting alone. She never had been.
"President Mo?" the Chief Operating Officer asked cautiously. "Should we... engage with Kovate?"
"Engage," Mo Qingli said, snapping back to her usual composed and decisive self.
"Tell them I want to speak directly with whoever has decision-making authority."
She paused, then added:
"Now. Immediately."
......
Outskirts of Oscity.
A private ski resort.
The place had been cleared out, leaving only a few people on the vast slopes.
Lu Chenyuan was deep in conversation with an official from Country Y’s Ministry of Commerce, discussing his "New Energy Industrial Park" proposal—a plan that perfectly aligned with the country’s future development strategy.
The agreement was reached effortlessly.
After seeing the official off, Lu Chenyuan was about to leave when a black Bentley pulled up in front of the ski lodge.
The door opened, and Mo Qingli stepped out, clad in a blue ski suit.
She removed her goggles, revealing a pair of bright, captivating eyes.
She simply looked at him, wordless.
Lin Yuan, ever perceptive, discreetly withdrew.
Lu Chenyuan knew—she had figured it all out.
"The scenery here is nice," he said, breaking the delicate silence.
"It is," Mo Qingli agreed, stepping closer. "Perfect for discussing a multi-billion-dollar deal."
Her tone gave nothing away.
"That was just a side investment," Lu Chenyuan replied.
"Was it?" The corner of Mo Qingli’s lips curved slightly. "Then I should thank you, President Lu, for ‘incidentally’ solving a major problem for me."
She took another step forward, closing the distance between them to less than half a meter.
She could even catch the crisp, wintry scent lingering on him.
"Lu Chenyuan," she said, locking eyes with him. "Why didn’t you tell me?"
Lu Chenyuan fell silent. How could he answer?
Should he say, Because I knew you’d be in trouble, so I came to save you?
Who would believe such nonsense?
"I thought you could handle it on your own," he offered, a weak excuse.
Mo Qingli laughed.
"Yes, I could have handled it," she nodded. "I would’ve filed lawsuits, sought new suppliers, mobilized every resource to fight this battle."
"But it would’ve cost me time, energy. Maybe even a heavy price for the Mo Group."
"And yet, with just a wave of your hand, you made it all disappear."
Her gaze remained steady.
"Do you think I’m useless?"
"Of course not," Lu Chenyuan denied immediately.
"Then you just don’t see me as one of your own," she said, a faint trace of hurt slipping into her voice.
Lu Chenyuan had no response.
Reasoning with women—especially women like Mo Qingli—was never a wise choice.
Seeing his flustered expression, Mo Qingli suddenly smiled.
"Alright, I’ll stop teasing you," she said, stepping back to restore some distance.
"Business is settled. Now, it’s personal time."
She gestured toward the slopes.
"Since we’re here, how about a run?"
Lu Chenyuan glanced at the steep slope, hesitating.
"I don’t know how," he admitted honestly.
In his past life, he’d been a poverty-alleviation official—he’d barely even seen snow, let alone skied.
In this life, as a perpetually busy CEO, he’d never had time for such luxuries.
Mo Qingli’s eyes flickered with surprise before melting into amusement.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Perfect," she said, clapping her hands in delight. "I’ll teach you."
An hour later.
Lu Chenyuan had gained a profound understanding of the phrase "every profession has its own mastery."
In the business world, he strategized effortlessly, commanding victories from afar.
But on the slopes, he was as clumsy as a penguin.
"Lower your stance, lean forward, use the inside edge to steer..."
Mo Qingli was a patient instructor, guiding him tirelessly.
She skied with effortless grace—like a snow spirit, or a queen ruling over winter itself.
Lu Chenyuan fell. Again and again.
Each time, Mo Qingli would glide over, laughing, and pull him up.
Their physical contact became frequent, natural.
He could sense the joy radiating from her, bright and infectious.
Even through the thick layers of their ski suits, he could almost catch the faint fragrance of her hair.
The invisible barrier imposed by the original plot seemed to soften, just a little.
Lu Chenyuan realized—he didn’t dislike this feeling.
In fact, he rather enjoyed it.
Sunlight spilled over the pristine snow, casting dazzling reflections.
The world was quiet, save for the sound of skis carving through powder and their occasional laughter.
"Let’s take a break."
Mo Qingli led Lu Chenyuan to a midway platform.
They sat on a bench, gazing at the distant mountains and forests.
"I haven’t felt this relaxed in a long time," Mo Qingli said softly.
"Neither have I," Lu Chenyuan admitted.
In both his past and present life, his shoulders had always carried too much responsibility.
Moments like this—where he could simply exist, free of thought, just enjoying the sport and the scenery—were rare.
"Lu Chenyuan," Mo Qingli suddenly turned to him, her gaze earnest. "Thank you."
"Again?"
"This ‘thank you’ is different," she said, her eyes clear and sincere.
"I’m not thanking you for solving my problem."
"I’m thanking you for letting me know I’m not alone."
"In this world, apart from my parents, there is one more person who would silently stand behind me, shielding me from the storm. This feeling... it’s wonderful."
Lu Chenyuan’s heart was deeply stirred.
He gazed at the woman before him—independent, resilient, radiant.
Yet even the strongest queen, in the depths of her heart, would not refuse a shoulder to lean on, a partner who would walk beside her through anything.
Lu Chenyuan parted his lips, about to speak.
Just then—
A sudden disturbance erupted!
A piercing roar tore through the air from the snowy slope above them.
Heart] Chen Yi traversed the cultivation world for eight hundred years, charging his way to the Tribulation Transcendence stage. Just as he was outwitting his 81st Heavenly Tribulation to ascend to immortality, he was suddenly pulled into a chat group called the "Multiverse Transmigrators Support Group." To his surprise, the group was filled with nothing but fresh-faced newbies who had just transmigrated. [Help! I transmigrated into a disgraced concubine in the cold palace, and the tyrant emperor is about to execute me!] [I ended up as a cannon-fodder villain, and the protagonist is still chasing me—WTF!] [I woke up as the protagonist’s father, but I’m about to be sacrificed in a ritual! What do I do? Urgent!!!] Chen Yi stared at the chaotic flood of desperate pleas in the group and fell into deep thought. "Seriously? You drag me into a newbie transmigrator chat group… only after I’m one step away from becoming an immortal?"
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
Explosive Plot Song Gua crossed over into another world, bringing along a whole crew of his doppelgangers—all of them mischief-makers. This was a world where everyone could choose a class. Song Gua became a "Bondweaver," capable of borrowing power, while his doppelgangers took on a wide variety of classes, covering just about everything. The number of doppelgangers grew day by day, each one a talented individual with a charming way of speaking. Under Song Gua's brilliant leadership, they would "greet" each other daily and engage in friendly "sparring," pulling off one major scheme after another on Earth. Sometimes they were bandits—stealing bosses, plundering mines, snatching resources. Sometimes they were saviors—descending like divine warriors to face world bosses threatening to massacre cities. Sometimes they even went undercover, infiltrating various major factions to stir up trouble from within, keeping their enemies constantly on edge. To prevent their doppelganger abilities from being exposed, Song Gua made them wear masks with mahjong tile patterns and don Taoist robes in various colors. "Remember, in front of outsiders, call me 'The Dice.'" "Got it! Boss!" "Not 'Boss'—it's 'The Dice.' Think about the vibe, pay attention to the vibe." "Yes! Boss!" "For crying out loud..." From then on, whenever they appeared, they would have their own theme song playing: ~Hey~ paying respects at the mountain stronghold at night~ whose arm is draped over whose shoulder~ gather your courage and follow along...
