An Xiaowei finally understood what it meant to "drop a brick on one's own foot."
This dog food was fed way too well—next time, please don’t.
But do girls really like being called "big sister"?
An Xiaowei couldn’t quite wrap her head around it.
Nighttime—
An Xiaowei wasn’t fond of going out at night. The An family’s old house didn’t even have an ensuite bathroom.
But as luck would have it, Lin Zixuan was using the shower. An Xiaowei curled up on the sofa, scrolling through videos until she got tired. When she looked up, she saw An Wan in a pink nightgown knocking on the bathroom door—just as it swung open from the inside.
An Wan stumbled straight into Lin Zixuan’s arms.
The clean scent of his shower gel made her cheeks flush instantly, and she scrambled back in a panic.
"Uh, that wasn’t on purpose."
Before she could finish, An Wan darted back to her room like a startled rabbit.
Lin Zixuan ruffled his damp hair, chuckling to himself, only to meet An Xiaowei’s icy glare from the sofa.
Lin Zixuan: "…"
This went on for four whole days before An Xiaowei finally snapped.
No! She was staging a rebellion.
This place was no longer fit for single people.
Sure, Lin Zixuan wasn’t terrible to her—whenever he bought snacks for An Wan, he always got her a share too.
But An Xiaowei still felt the universe’s cruelty toward singles.
This place? Unlivable.
"Hey, Xiaowei, are you really leaving?" Before she left, An Wan held her little sister’s hand, reluctant to let go.
"The kid’s got school stuff to handle. Let her go back. She’s almost graduated anyway. Once she does, Grandpa will give her those apartments in the eastern suburbs. She can live off the rent and just visit the old man more often."
Grandpa An couldn’t bear the thought of his precious granddaughter suffering through a job.
After all, girls should be spoiled.
"Thanks, Grandpa." An Xiaowei flashed him a sweet smile.
"Grandpa, that’s unnecessary. Xiaowei’s still young." An Wan wanted to refuse on her behalf—not because she didn’t care, but because someone Xiaowei’s age could use the life experience.
"Enough, Wanwan. Let’s not dwell on it. And you—punk," Grandpa An shot Lin Zixuan a stern look, "make sure you drop my girl right at her doorstep, not just the gate."
He’d seen right through that brat’s schemes ages ago.
If not for Xiaowei stopping him, he’d have kicked the boy out first. He’d treated Lin Zixuan like a grandson, only for the kid to dare eye his granddaughter.
"Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’ll get her home safe." Lin Zixuan patted his chest in assurance. Only then did Grandpa An relax, watching Xiaowei climb into the car.
An Xiaowei waved until the two were out of sight, then turned her attention to her phone.
Si glanced at her, itching to ask what she really thought about Ning Moqing—but he held back.
"Xiaowei, thanks." Lin Zixuan spoke up while driving.
"No need. Just get me home." An Xiaowei mulled over Grandpa’s words, an uneasy feeling creeping in.
That premonition came true half an hour later.
"Car’s out of gas." Lin Zixuan hadn’t seen this coming.
An Xiaowei: "…"
She looked around—nothing but barren emptiness. Perfect. The middle of nowhere, a place even dogs would scoff at.
"What now?" Lin Zixuan met her gaze.
"Call someone. Get a friend to bring fuel." An Xiaowei stretched lazily.
Fortunately, Lin Zixuan was reliable enough to actually have contacts.
"Most of my friends are downtown. I checked with Wanwan—Ning Moqing happens to be nearby. I asked her to come."
An Xiaowei’s phone slipped from her hands.
"Who?!" She blinked, stunned.
"Your sister’s agent, Ning Moqing. Heard she’s great. Met her at a gathering once—really nice." Lin Zixuan scratched his head.
"You know her, right? Since she’s your sister’s manager."
An Xiaowei: "…"
"No other friends available?" Her expression twisted in pain.
Lin Zixuan hesitated. "Well, yeah, but they’re all in the city center. It’d take two hours for them to drive here."
Then he paused, sensing something off.
"You seem scared of her. Does she eat children?" He pulled over, confused.
"Not exactly. I’m scared she’ll claim me." An Xiaowei hugged herself, feigning terror.
Lin Zixuan froze, then whipped his head around, eyes wide. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"She’s into girls? And she likes you?"
Oh, she’d done more than like.
But "like" wasn’t quite the right word. An Xiaowei mentally reviewed their relationship.
Yeah, no conclusion reached.
"Think of her as Yuan Ge, and me as poor little Xi Shi." She even shivered for effect, looking pitiful and brainless.
Lin Zixuan was speechless.
He knew Yuan Ge—the lane-dominating assassin who loved Xi Shi more even than Yao.
"Even so, Ning Moqing doesn’t seem the type to force anything." He paused, then added, "But if you’re that worried, wear less. Easier to run, and if she catches you, fewer clothes to rip off."
"Close your eyes, open them—it’ll be over."
An Xiaowei choked. Never had she been so thoroughly out-argued.
What a beast.
"You weren’t like this before," she said flatly.
"You corrupted me."
An Xiaowei thought about it.
Huh. She had set the tone.
Well, mission accomplished. Next life, she’d quit while ahead.
Their conversation didn’t last long before Ning Moqing’s car pulled up beside them.
"Let’s go. I promised Grandpa I’d get you home." Lin Zixuan found it oddly easy to banter with An Xiaowei.
Like… buddies.
Weird, but that’s how it was.
At least they were both destined to be pinned down by women—close enough in gender.
An Xiaowei dragged herself out of the car and noticed Ning Moqing wasn’t in her usual dress. Instead, she wore a white-and-pink casual outfit, hair in a ponytail, radiating youthful energy.
"Xiaowei’s here too? I’ll top up your gas. Since I’m heading downtown anyway, why not let me drive her home?" Ning Moqing pulled a fuel can from her trunk, handing it to Lin Zixuan.
An Xiaowei furiously typed a message to Lin Zixuan:
"See? She’s already itching to get into my bed."
Lin Zixuan glanced at his phone and decided to defend his sister-in-law’s honor.
"No need, Ning Moqing. I promised Grandpa An I’d take her all the way." He flashed her a bright smile.
m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!
iving with nine beautiful women. [Ding! Welcome back to the Joyous Sect, Host…] Lin Yu: ??? I’m clearly in a shared rental, but you’re saying I’m in the Joyous Sect? Watering plants is now [Tending to Spiritual Flora]? Cooking becomes [Researching Elixirs]? Making the bed turns into [Setting Up Formations]? A gentle and innocent auntie, twin classmates, a mysterious hacker girl on leave, a severely socially anxious artist, an elementary school Chinese teacher, a community hospital nurse, a pet shop owner, an antique clock restorer… This system… is kinda interesting.
end. Thus one must continue to cultivate, and become a saint or great emperor, in order to prolong one's life. Chen Xia, however, completely reversed this. Since his transmigration, he has gained immortality, and also a system that awards him with attribute points for every year he lives. Thus between the myriad worlds, the legend of an unparalleled senior appeared. "A gentleman takes revenge; it is never too late even after ten thousand years." "When you were at your peak I yielded, now in your old age I shall trample on you." - Chen Xia
wed him to see the innate talent, destiny, and future of those he invested in. The greater the destiny of his target, the richer the rewards he would reap. Then he discovered that the aloof girl next door, his childhood sweetheart, possessed the highest-grade crimson destiny—a future destined to reign supreme as the Empress of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands. Lately, she seemed troubled, pondering how to unlock her sealed meridians and unleash her talents ahead of time... — — — My name is Ying Bing, one of the Nine Heavenly Sovereigns, titled the Phoenix Empress, reigning invincibly over the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands. I have been reborn and bound to a Peerless Genius System, where ranking first among my peers grants me rewards. [Would you like to activate the Punishment Mechanism?] [Upon activation, rewards will increase, but after the rankings are announced, you must carry out the "Punishment of the Defeated" on the top-ranked individual.] Ying Bing: "I can’t very well punish myself, can I?" — — — Years later. Ying Bing: "Can’t you let me win just once?" Li Mo: "First, call me 'husband' properly—I didn’t hear it clearly last time."
