Gu Yan had assumed that at this hour, the gates of the Leng Family mansion would already be tightly closed.
To his surprise, they were still open. How fortunate!
And even more fortunate!
Gu Yan immediately spotted Leng Qingqiu sitting on the living room sofa.
His eyes lit up, and he dashed over in a flash.
With practiced ease, he squeezed in next to Leng Qingqiu, then grabbed her arm and brought his face close: "Qingqiu, my dear Qingqiu~~"
"I missed you so much~~ You have no idea how exhausted I am today!"
Qingqiu, I've sacrificed so much for you.
Putting on a smiling face in front of others was killing me!
But I suppose this is the sense of family responsibility a mature man should have!
Gu Yan felt he was truly great.
Although his mind and body were utterly exhausted from all the mental gymnastics today, just coming home and touching Leng Qingqiu...
Then inhaling her scent, he... couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly happy~!
Leng Ling'er looked at Gu Yan with disgust as he suddenly rushed over and tightly hugged her older sister.
She yelled: "Stinky fish Gu! You finally remembered to come back!"
"Today you actually made this young lady wait for you at the school gate for so long!"
"So you went to play with your friend? Tell me! Who's this friend? Male or female?!"
Leng Ling'er glared at Gu Yan angrily.
If Gu Yan didn't give her an explanation today, she was determined to whisper some pillow talk in Leng Qingqiu's ear!
Gu Yan was already feeling a bit guilty about forgetting to pick up Leng Ling'er, so he coughed dryly and said: "Oh, I'm so sorry, I was really busy today."
"How about next time brother-in-law treats you to McDonald's and bubble tea, okay?"
Leng Ling'er was still fuming, but hearing this, her eyes immediately lit up: "Really?!"
"Hooray! Brother-in-law, you're the best!"
After saying that, she happily sat down to watch TV.
This little brat........
Gu Yan's mouth twitched as he watched Leng Ling'er's sudden change of attitude.
However, he suddenly realized that Qingqiu hadn't said anything since he arrived.
Thinking this, he lowered his head to look at Leng Qingqiu: "Qingqiu, what's wrong? Aren't you happy to see me?"
Gu Yan looked curiously at Leng Qingqiu, whose expression seemed a bit strange.
She seemed to be in a state between normal and abnormal.
In any case, Gu Yan felt it was very odd, as if something had happened to her.
On Leng Qingqiu's side, her mind was full of scenes from the TV drama she had just watched.
All that talk about being too busy and tired, about a friend's mother in the hospital.
It's all... It's all lies to deceive me, right?
Thinking this, Leng Qingqiu's face turned cold. She shook off Gu Yan's arm around her and said coldly: "Get away."
Gu Yan: ???
Hiss!
Gu Yan slowly made three question marks in his mind, looking at Leng Qingqiu in shock as she turned her head away, not wanting to look at him.
What's this?! She's angry!
Gu Yan instantly understood. It must be because he hadn't come all day! That's why Leng Qingqiu was angry!
This anger was justified. Who would stay away for a whole day right after confirming a relationship?!
This!
Although he wasn't sure if this was the exact reason for Leng Qingqiu's anger, anyway!
"Qingqiu! I'm so sorry!"
Gu Yan immediately activated his passive skill — apologizing.
Leng Qingqiu had originally wanted to hear Gu Yan's explanation.
But now, hearing his apologetic tone, a wave of sadness and grievance immediately welled up in her heart.
She never thought that Gu Yan had really done something to wrong her.
She had even secretly asked Mei Xue to help clear away unfavorable factors for Gu Yan, but now...
Was it all just her one-sided wishful thinking?
Leng Qingqiu had thought she had finally developed some feelings for a man, but now...
She realized that outsiders would always be outsiders, and these outsiders would only betray her.
Leng Qingqiu, oh Leng Qingqiu, you really can't be like a normal girl after all.
You're destined to walk the path of revenge for your entire life.
Thinking this, Leng Qingqiu held back her sadness, took a deep breath, and said: "You don't need to say anything more. Since you've done it, there's nothing left to say between us."
"No! I have to say it!"
Gu Yan shook his head and grabbed Leng Qingqiu's shoulders.
Leng Qingqiu felt utterly dejected. Is this person... going to humiliate me even more?
She turned to Gu Yan in exasperation and shouted: "I don't want to hear it!"
"You have to listen!"
"I don't want to!"
"You absolutely must!"
"Why must I?"
"Because! I like you! That's why I need to apologize!!"
"You! How dare you say that at a time like this?!"
"Yes! Precisely because it's a time like this! That's why I have to say it!"
Gu Yan and Leng Qingqiu's voices grew louder and louder.
Even Leng Ling'er on the side began to feel uncomfortable staying there.
She looked at the two who seemed about to start fighting and swallowed hard.
This! Is this what they call a married couple's quarrel?!
No, no, I'm just a high school senior, can I really watch this kind of thing?
Leng Ling'er covered her eyes with her hands but couldn't resist peeking through her fingers.
Then she saw.
Gu Yan took a deep breath and said sincerely to Leng Qingqiu: "Qingqiu, I'm sorry. I have a female friend named Wang Yulan."
"Her mother was in a car accident and is hospitalized at Jianghai Hospital, which my family owns."
"It's only right that I go visit her. She's had a tough life. Her father died when she was young, and her mother became a vegetative patient six months ago after a car accident."
"She works several jobs a day and has borrowed from all her relatives and friends just to barely keep her mother in treatment."
"I only found out about this yesterday, and I didn't want to hide it from you, Qingqiu."
"I paid off her debts because, with her abilities, she could never repay the millions in medical fees."
"But her mother is a very good teacher, and I didn't want... to just watch her mother die because they couldn't afford the medical bills."
"I also didn't want... to not do something that was just a small gesture for me."
"I'm sorry, Qingqiu. I originally didn't want to tell you because I was afraid you might misunderstand..."
"But I still wanted to explain to you why I came home so late."
Gu Yan's explanation left both Leng Qingqiu and Leng Ling'er stunned.
Leng Ling'er looked at Gu Yan, and for some reason, he seemed to be surrounded by a saintly glow.
Her eyes welled up with tears. Brother-in-law... I thought you were a bad person, but you're actually a good person!
Leng Qingqiu was also dumbfounded. She never expected it to be like this.
For a moment, she felt a bit embarrassed and stammered: "I... this... you..."
Leng Qingqiu couldn't speak. She simply lowered her head and said in a weak voice: "I'm sorry... I didn't know..."
Before she could finish.
Gu Yan interrupted: "It's okay!"
He looked at Leng Qingqiu lovingly, and while she was still in a daze.
Gu Yan said loudly: "I like Qingqiu like this too!"
"Qingqiu! I love you so much!"
"Sniff sniff sniff sniff sniff!!!"
Gu Yan buried his head in Leng Qingqiu's chest and started sniffing vigorously.
"Ah! What are you doing?! Ling'er is still watching!"
The misunderstanding cleared up, Leng Qingqiu's heart started racing from Gu Yan's sudden action.
Oh no, I can't get too excited. What if Gu Yan hears my heart beating so fast?
"She's just a kid, she doesn't understand."
Leng Ling'er: "???"
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
lan, the Luo family, tracked him down - along with the babies in their arms. Mo Xuan stared pensively at the paternity test results from over a dozen top institutions, both domestic and international, showing a 99.99% match between himself and the two baby girls. At 23, Mo Xuan, a doctoral student, had become the father of two three-year-old children. The kicker? The mothers weren't even the same person! He gradually realized he was being lured step by step into an elaborate trap designed by these two yandere sisters. "Be good, little Xuan. Sister's life belongs to you entirely." "Brother, if you try to run away, I'll have no choice but to tie you up." Mo Xuan: "Do whatever you want, ladies. I give up."
