This is what you call forced optimism.
Having persuaded Mu Miao, Little Wei was in an especially good mood. Humming a tune, she tied her skirt around her waist, waded into the water, and began spearing fish with a tree branch.
"Damn it! Why won’t this fish cooperate?" The moment Little Wei thrust her branch into the water, the fish darted away with nimble agility.
"Do you even know how to catch fish?" Si asked skeptically.
"Of course I do! Who do you think you’re looking down on?" Little Wei fired back, suddenly fired up.
After thirty failed attempts—and nearly choking on water when she lunged into the stream—she gave up on the idea of having meat for dinner.
"Cough, cough." Little Wei spat out the water, patting her chest to catch her breath. Soaked and uncomfortable, she sighed in frustration.
"Why do you like fish so much?" Si asked, puzzled.
"This fish is delicious, and humans can’t just live on greens and potatoes, right?" Little Wei tugged at her damp clothes, her face full of dejection.
"Got it," Si said abruptly.
Before Little Wei could react, a golden flash lit up the stream. Several plump fish leaped out of the water, landing in the bucket by the shore with a couple of splashes.
This guy’s cheating—no fair.
Little Wei froze in shock.
"Can… can I do that too someday?" She was instantly envious of city folks.
And they even know magic.
"Sure. After completing missions in a fantasy or cultivation world, you usually get rewards like cultivation techniques or immortal arts."
Little Wei was utterly smitten.
"Consider this payment for the mung bean cakes," Si said, his cheeks slightly flushed.
Who knew why, but seeing Little Wei so downcast had made him unable to resist spoiling her.
This was against the rules.
Hopefully, the company wouldn’t notice—otherwise, his paycheck would take a hit.
"Alright, thanks, Si! I’ll go grill the fish." Little Wei perked up immediately. Noticing Mu Miao still basking in the sunlight, she chirped, "Master, we’re having grilled fish today! And fish soup!"
There were so many fish—enough for two or three days.
Mu Miao’s lips curled into a faint smile.
"Good."
"Oh, Si, can I go to a fantasy or cultivation world next?" Little Wei was already looking forward to it.
"Nope." Si poured cold water on her excitement.
Before she could ask why, he continued, "In those worlds, the villains don’t get treated any better than the protagonists. You’ve read those novels—the main characters cheat their way through everything, and the world’s order is way more chaotic. You’ll probably have to wait two or three more worlds before getting a cultivation mission."
Little Wei knew he was right. By then, brains wouldn’t matter anymore.
Just brute force.
And she loved that kind of violence.
While the protagonists were busy romancing, she’d secretly cultivate and outshine them all.
Her mood lifted even further as she gathered firewood for the grill—perfect for fish and sweet potatoes. The soup simmered in a pot nearby.
Half an hour later, Little Wei emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of fish soup.
"Master, I picked out all the scallions—just fish left, and I removed the bones. There’s some diced potato in it too. Try it!" She ladled a small portion into a bowl and set it on the stone table.
Mu Miao cautiously found the spoon, leaned in to inhale the fragrant aroma, then took a sip. Pleasure flickered across her face.
"Your cooking has improved."
"Of course!" Little Wei gloated inwardly.
She had apprenticed under a restaurant chef, after all.
Turning back, she saw the grilled fish and sweet potatoes were ready. She plated them carefully.
The fish was perfectly charred on the outside, tender inside, and—most importantly—boneless. The aroma alone made her mouth water. Taking a small bite with her chopsticks, her eyes lit up.
"This is amazing!"
The spicy, numbing flavor was her absolute favorite. The fish was so silky and tender she couldn’t put her chopsticks down.
Mu Miao’s portion wasn’t spicy. Little Wei picked out the meat and placed it in her bowl.
"Master, try this one—no chili."
At the mention of no spice, Mu Miao’s expression shifted oddly, but she still picked up a bite with her chopsticks.
Then, her neck tilted slightly, as if eyeing Little Wei’s plate.
"You want mine?" Little Wei hadn’t expected Mu Miao to like spicy food.
Mu Miao nodded.
Little Wei fed her a bite. Mu Miao parted her lips cautiously, and the bold, numbing heat flooded her mouth—delicious.
"Are these your chopsticks?" Mu Miao asked suddenly after swallowing.
"Yeah," Little Wei confirmed.
Mu Miao: "…"
A visible blush spread across Mu Miao’s cheeks. Too flustered to speak, she buried herself in her meal.
After dinner, Little Wei brought Mu Miao a rattan chair to lounge by the bonfire, shielding her from the night’s chill.
Changed into fresh clothes, Little Wei sprawled on the soft grass. The firelight danced across her features, and the stars speckled the night sky like scattered dots.
It reminded her of that meadow she’d once visited with Ning Moqing.
A scene like this was too perfect to waste on anything but sleep.
She dozed off instantly.
The next morning, Little Wei jolted awake from a nightmare—a post-apocalyptic world where someone stole her last pack of instant noodles. She’d fought desperately but lost.
"My noodles!" she lamented.
Then she blinked. She was lying on a rattan bed.
Wait, hadn’t she fallen asleep on the grass?
Did Master carry me in?
No way. Blind and still managing to haul me back? That’s ridiculous. Yawning, she flopped around lazily, refusing to get up.
The journey from the valley to the capital had nearly wrecked her legs.
Today, she’d take a break—her entertainment? Teasing her master.
"By the way, how are the main couple? Fighting yet?"
If the female lead had any conscience, she’d argue with the male lead over her father’s sake.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have all that angsty back-and-forth.
(Though they’d still end up happily ever after.)
"They fought—pretty viciously. But then they still ended up… you know."
Little Wei knew exactly what Si meant, but…
At a time like this? How could they still be in the mood for that?
Is this the whole "couples fight and make up in bed" thing?
"Disgusting," Little Wei spat in disdain.
Meanwhile, Su Qingyun and Mo Yujun were still embroiled in their dramatic, tragic soap opera.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…
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'!"
