All the memories.
Without exception.
Were tragedies.
Between himself and Leng Qingqiu, even in memories—across dozens, even hundreds of different worlds—the final outcome... was always tragedy.
Why was this? What did it mean?
He had asked the system before whether these memories were real.
The system confirmed they were.
But Gu Yan was certain he had only met Leng Qingqiu after reading that novel.
So how could they have experienced so much together?
Considering Xiao Leng’s strange behavior, the memory bubbles, and their connection to Leng Qingqiu...
Gu Yan seemed to have realized something.
He asked in his mind, "System, these memories... are all related to Xiao Leng, aren’t they?"
[........]
After a brief silence, the system slowly responded.
[Yes.]
Hearing this, Gu Yan let out a sigh.
Just as he had guessed.
Or rather, there had been too many clues pointing to Xiao Leng’s involvement.
So... could he conclude now?
That Xiao Leng... might not be Leng Qingqiu’s alternate personality?
But... a composite of all Leng Qingqiu’s memories from past lives?
Then what about Leng Qingqiu in this life? Why did Xiao Ling appear within her now?
Wait, more importantly—what about him?
Wasn’t this just a world from that ridiculous urban novel he’d read?
Just as this thought crossed his mind—
Hiss... No... No...
Gu Yan’s expression twisted into something complicated. Hold on, hold on.
The memories spanned many worlds, each with different events.
Didn’t that mean...
A sense of disbelief crept into Gu Yan’s heart.
This world was yet another new one, just like those in his memories?
A world built around the premise of him transmigrating into that absurd urban novel?
But... who was behind all this? Who kept creating these worlds?
Who was the one ensuring he and Leng Qingqiu could never have a happy ending?
For some reason, Gu Yan recalled the prophecy from that cursed scripture.
Him... killing Leng Qingqiu.
His mind was a tangled mess. He couldn’t make sense of anything anymore.
"System, what’s the truth? Why have Leng Qingqiu and I gone through so many worlds?"
[Host, once your affection level with your pure love target reaches 100%, you will receive your answer.]
"Tch. Useless system."
[Host...... Ծ‸Ծ About why this is the condition... that will also be explained when affection is maxed...]
Seeing the system still refusing to say anything, Gu Yan had no choice but to drop it.
Right now, there was another headache-inducing issue.
Namely...
Had Xiao Leng... also gained all these memories?
......
......
Meanwhile.
Xiao Leng stood by the windowsill, staring blankly outside.
Her hand pressed against her chest—where an odd sensation kept welling up.
Was it joy? Or sorrow?
She didn’t understand. And what were these memories suddenly flooding her mind?
Were they of another version of herself and Gu Yan?
Or... were they of her and Gu Yan...
[Hey, hey! Don’t you dare get swayed like that other personality!]
Xiao Xie’s voice clamored incessantly in her mind.
"........."
Xiao Leng didn’t respond. She just clutched her chest, replaying the nearly hundred fragments of world memories that had surged into her mind.
.......
.........
The third day of the Gu Family’s annual gathering.
Today marked the final day of the family reunion—and the most crucial one.
Because this year was Gu Yan’s last chance to be elected as the head of the Gu Family.
On the sofa.
"Brother-in-law, I heard today’s the day that decides your fate!"
"Ah... Is that so..."
"‘Ah’ what? Just walking around the manor, I can hear people gossiping everywhere!"
"They’re all debating whether you’ll get voted out again like the past two years!"
"Oh."
"Oh......?"
Smack!
Leng Ling’er slammed her hands on the table, staring in disbelief at Gu Yan, who was lazily sprawled on the sofa—one arm draped around her sister, the other holding the TV remote.
"Brother-in-law! How are you not worried at all?"
"You even have time to watch TV?"
Gu Yan yawned, looking utterly disinterested.
After gaining those new memories last night, he had spent the entire night thinking.
But no matter how much he pondered, he couldn’t make sense of it.
Leng Qingqiu noticed Gu Yan’s unusual state and reached out to massage his temples. "Gu Yan, what’s wrong?"
"What’s troubling you? Tell me."
Hearing this, Gu Yan was deeply moved.
He immediately buried his face in Leng Qingqiu’s lap. "Qingqiu~~"
"It’s painful... so painful!"
"What’s painful?"
Leng Qingqiu held him gently, sensing the confusion in his heart.
Gu Yan often acted dramatic, but today was different.
Something must have happened last night.
Gu Yan took a deep breath, absorbing the comforting scent of Qingqiu before glancing at Leng Ling’er, who was watching with sparkling eyes. He waved her off impatiently. "What are you staring at? This is adult time. Scram, kid."
"Brother-in-law! You’re so mean! How stingy!"
Though she complained, Leng Ling’er quickly retreated under Gu Yan’s intimidating gaze.
Once she was gone, Gu Yan shifted, resting his head comfortably on Leng Qingqiu’s soft thighs.
Hiss... Damn...
Too comfortable. He didn’t want to move.
But he still remembered the important matter. "So... Qingqiu, do you really think Xiao Leng is just your alternate personality?"
Not long ago, after returning from the Fifth Forbidden Zone, Leng Qingqiu had broken down in front of him and confessed about the second personality.
That was why they could discuss it openly now.
Leng Qingqiu paused, then chuckled. "Of course. Didn’t I already tell you...?"
Her voice grew quieter, as if reluctant to revisit the past. "Xiao Leng emerged as my second personality after... that incident."
"She has no emotions and is extremely dangerous."
"But it’s fine now. I’ve sealed her completely inside me—she won’t be able to come out again."
Leng Qingqiu spoke with confidence.
Well... actually, she used your body to visit me last night.
Seems Qingqiu doesn’t know much about Xiao Leng either.
Gu Yan inwardly sighed. This much was enough.
He was now certain—Xiao Leng wasn’t just an alternate personality.
"Brother-in-law! Sister Su is calling for you!"
Leng Ling’er’s voice rang out from outside.
"Tch. Of all times..."
Grumbling, Gu Yan reluctantly lifted himself from Leng Qingqiu’s lap.
"Hehe, you should go now. After all, today is your big day."
"True, today is quite important."
Gu Yan seemed to recall something, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Then he strode out briskly.
Meanwhile, Leng Qingqiu remained seated on the sofa,
her mind lingering on Gu Yan's question.
Suddenly—
A thought struck her.
Xiao Leng...
Xiao Leng?
She... had never told Gu Yan that her alternate personality's name was Xiao Leng.
So... how did Gu Yan know?
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…
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
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.”
