That evening.
The Gu residence.
"Ho ho ho~ Xiao Yan, take your Yunrou-jie and Yingying-mei to pick out their bedrooms."
Su Murong couldn't help but adore the two sisters at first sight.
As for why...
"Thank you, Su-jie."
Gu Yunrou and Gu Yingying replied in perfect unison.
Watching this, Gu Yan and Gu Tianming exchanged several bewildered glances.
Well then... Is this the so-called charm of language?
"Xiao Yan, why are you just standing there?"
"Tianming, don't just idle around either—go help clear the table."
Seeing the two men frozen in place, Su Murong frowned in displeasure.
These father and son really have no situational awareness at all!
"Oh, right."
Gu Tianming hastily tied his apron and made his escape.
Gu Yan could only sigh helplessly as he turned to the smiling Gu Yunrou and Gu Yingying: "Alright then, follow me."
"Understood, didi."
"Thank you, gege~"
...
...
The Gu family villa was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate additional guests.
Gu Yan gestured toward several vacant rooms: "Take your pick—any of these are available."
"If you need anything, just call the servants."
After inspecting a few rooms, Gu Yunrou nodded in satisfaction. Then, as if struck by a thought, she gave Gu Yan a meaningful look: "Which room does Leng Qingqiu stay in?"
??
"Why are you suddenly bringing up my Qingqiu?"
Gu Yan's lips twitched: "Qingqiu hasn't moved in yet."
Pausing briefly, he added with emphasis: "And where she stays is none of your concern. The Gu family isn't short on money—if needed, I'll just buy a couple more properties for us to alternate between."
Hearing this blatant display of extravagance—and with no outsiders present—Gu Yingying's true colors resurfaced. She snorted coldly: "So the young master finally shows his spoiled rich-boy face?"
"If someone like you becomes family head, won't you just squander the entire Gu fortune?"
Gu Yingying was thoroughly irritated. Damn it, why did it have to be that Leng Qingqiu?!
Ugh, so infuriating.
Gu Yan merely chuckled and shook his head: "Setting aside that I'm not the Gu family head yet..."
"Even if I were..."
A note of pride entered his voice: "With my Qingqiu by my side, the Gu family could withstand any amount of my 'squandering.'"
Hearing Gu Yan repeatedly refer to her as "my Qingqiu," Gu Yunrou felt increasingly vexed. Outwardly, however, she maintained a cheerful smile: "You have that much faith in the Leng Family's young mistress?"
"Though... even I've heard of her reputation from back then."
"A master of all arts—music, chess, calligraphy, painting. Even the business elite circulate legends about her."
"To this day, her paintings are preserved in Westernia's greatest international museum."
"So then..."
Gu Yunrou studied Gu Yan with feigned curiosity, her tone laced with implication: "A legendary figure like that wouldn't just marry any man, even after experiencing... certain events."
"Especially not a good-for-nothing like... oh wait, didi, seems you can cultivate again now."
"But that still doesn't explain why Leng Qingqiu would fall for you."
"Have you considered that she might actually be after..."
Before she could finish—
Gu Yunrou fell silent.
Because Gu Yan simply kept smiling as he gently shook his head: "Jie, I know what you're implying."
"That she's after the Gu family assets, or our martial forces."
"Or something else."
"But..."
His expression turned earnest: "I understand better than anyone—Qingqiu would never agree to be with me for those reasons."
That's right—he knew Leng Qingqiu better than she knew herself.
Because... he was aware of everything about her.
The genuine emotions Leng Qingqiu had shown him couldn't possibly be faked.
So if there was one explanation...
"Because Qingqiu and I share a pure love."
Gu Yan said this with absolute sincerity.
Gu Yunrou was momentarily stunned.
After a long pause, she finally smiled and ruffled Gu Yan's hair: "You've really grown up."
"Still, I'll need to meet Leng Qingqiu before the family gathering."
"Because..."
She smiled meaningfully at Gu Yan: "As your jie, getting to know my future sister-in-law shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"?"
"Is... is that really appropriate?"
Gu Yan resisted the idea—he didn't want their date interrupted.
"Perfectly appropriate. Unless... the pure love between you and Leng Qingqiu isn't as strong as you claim?"
Gu Yunrou countered.
"........"
"While I don't need to prove our bond to anyone..."
"That tone of yours is really grating."
Gu Yan brushed off her hand and smiled amiably: "Fine—the day after tomorrow. I'll introduce you to Qingqiu and my sister-in-law."
"Then I'll look forward to it."
Gu Yunrou returned the smile before walking over to Gu Yingying, who wore a complicated expression. Patting her shoulder, she asked: "I'm settled here—what do you think, Yingying?"
The moment she finished speaking—
Gu Yingying gritted her teeth and hissed: "I don't care about any of this!!"
She glared at Gu Yan: "You worthless gege—you're the type of idiot who'd help count the money while being scammed!"
After hurling this insult, Gu Yingying stormed off to her room.
?
"What's up with that kid?"
Gu Yan blinked in confusion.
Gu Yunrou merely shrugged: "Who knows? Oh, and..."
She turned back to Gu Yan: "I haven't properly explored Jianghai yet. Take us shopping for clothes tomorrow?"
"When meeting Leng Qingqiu the day after, I don't want to be outclassed in looks or presence."
Gu Yan glanced her up and down before chuckling.
Shaking his head without regard for her darkening expression, he stated bluntly: "You? ...Compared to my Qingqiu?"
???
Her fists clenched involuntarily.
Gu Yunrou forced a smile, though veins bulged on her neck from suppressed rage.
"Heh."
She took a deep breath—don't lose your temper.
With a strained laugh, she smiled sweetly at Gu Yan: "Then this jie will await tomorrow with anticipation."
Having said this, she turned and retreated to her room.
Gu Yan could only stare blankly.
What's going on?
Why were Gu Yunrou and Gu Yingying acting so strangely?
Weren't they overly fixated on Leng Qingqiu?
Unless...
A realization struck Gu Yan.
His eyes widened.
Could these two... actually have feelings for me?!
Er... no.
Gu Yan quickly dismissed the thought—how could he succumb to one of life's three great delusions?
Given his (former) good-for-nothing setting, who would possibly like him?
Therefore, their interest wasn't in him.
But rather...
Leng Qingqiu!!
After all, Leng Ling'er's behavior had already taken a bizarre turn.
And according to the principle that geniuses attract one another...
Wasn't it natural for Gu Yunrou and Gu Yingying to develop feelings for Leng Qingqiu?
No wonder they insisted on meeting her.
Gu Yan let out a soft sigh.
Being too perfect really wasn’t ideal—attracting both men and women was just too much to handle.
As expected of our Qingqiu~!
With that thought, Gu Yan headed toward his bedroom, already looking forward to their date the day after tomorrow.
Lost in his thoughts, he pushed open the door.
But then...
The moment he stepped inside, an inexplicable chill swept over him.
At the same time, his eyes landed on a figure that left him frozen in place.
There, draped in an elegant, flowing dress, stood a woman before the half-drawn floor-to-ceiling window.
Bathed in moonlight, her ethereal, ice-cold beauty was unveiled.
She tilted her head slightly and spoke with eerie calmness: "Finally here, my cauldron."
"I’ve been waiting for you."
Gu Yan: ??
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
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…
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
