This premonition was vague and impossible to articulate, nothing more than a faint stirring in her gut.
Whatever was about to happen next, she sensed, would not bode well.
Lin Qingyan walked up to Luo Zhao and stopped.
Her cold, clear eyes held a light that was impossible to read.
She raised her hand, extending one finger.
The pale, slender tip gently hooked under Luo Zhao's chin, forcing her head up.
Luo Zhao instinctively tried to pull away.
But Gu Chengyin was gripping her arm, and Lin Qingyan's movement was too fast, too sudden.
She had no time to react, could only watch helplessly as Lin Qingyan leaned in close.
That ethereal, untainted face was now inches away, so near that Luo Zhao could make out the curve of Lin Qingyan's lashes, could catch the faint, cool fragrance that clung to her.
The corner of Lin Qingyan's lips curved up ever so slightly, forming a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
Gentle, dangerous—like a blade hidden inside a warm spring breeze.
"A naughty child like Zhao'er, who has no manners and doesn't respect her elders,"
Lin Qingyan's voice was soft and tender, like a mother coaxing a child to sleep.
But beneath it lurked a chill that made Luo Zhao's spine run cold:
"Of course, she needs to be properly disciplined."
Luo Zhao's pupils contracted sharply.
Naughty child?
Disciplined?
Before she could process what those words meant, she saw Lin Qingyan's hand withdraw from her chin.
Then, in one fluid, seamless motion, Lin Qingyan took her from Gu Chengyin's grip and pinned her in place—
Like a parcel being handed over, like a misbehaving child seized by the scruff of the neck, utterly unable to move.
Lin Qingyan turned to Gu Chengyin, the smile on her face deepening.
"Chengcheng, I'll take care of Zhao'er. You go attend to your business."
"When you're done, I promise Zhao'er will be very well-behaved."
Gu Chengyin nodded. If there was one person Luo Zhao feared most, it was undoubtedly Lin Qingyan.
Besides, he did have matters to handle, so he couldn't afford to linger here.
"Then I'll leave Her Highness in your hands, Aunt."
With that, Gu Chengyin turned and walked out of the hall without a moment's hesitation.
Luo Zhao watched his retreating back, and the ominous feeling in her heart grew stronger.
What exactly was Lin Qingyan planning to do to her?
Only after Gu Chengyin had taken several steps did Luo Zhao finally snap back to her senses.
She couldn't let him leave.
Not because she was reluctant to see him go, but because her instincts screamed that if Gu Chengyin left, leaving only her and Lin Qingyan in the room, whatever awaited her would be far from pleasant.
After all, the aunt she knew was no soft-hearted saint.
"Gu Chengy—"
Luo Zhao opened her mouth, trying to call him back, but before she could finish the second syllable,
Lin Qingyan's hand lifted and covered her mouth with precision.
That hand was pale and slender, fingertips cool, carrying that faint cold fragrance. It landed on Luo Zhao's lips, cutting off everything else she meant to say.
Luo Zhao's eyes went wide, muffled whimpers escaping her throat.
But Lin Qingyan's hand didn't budge an inch, leaving her not a single opening.
On top of that, she even used spiritual power to seal off the sound.
All Luo Zhao could do was watch helplessly as Gu Chengyin's figure vanished beyond the hall's threshold.
Now, only the two of them remained inside.
Lin Qingyan released her hand.
Luo Zhao gasped for air, gulping down the fresh breath that filled her lungs, clearing the dizziness clouding her mind.
She realized just how disadvantageous her situation had become.
She looked at Lin Qingyan, her phoenix eyes tinged with a careful, fawning plea.
A flicker of guilt, a hint of evasion, and a fear she couldn't quite name.
"Little... Aunt..."
Luo Zhao called out weakly, her voice soft and pliant, laced with a coaxing quality,
trying to awaken Lin Qingyan's maternal instinct with that single word.
It might not stop anything, but at least it could soften the mood a little.
Besides, Luo Zhao rarely spoke in such a tone.
She was the crown princess, always cold and aloof—when had she ever stooped so low?
But right now, she was genuinely afraid.
Not that Lin Qingyan would strike her—of course she wouldn't.
What she feared was that gentle yet perilous gaze.
What she feared was that expression on Lin Qingyan's face—the smile that wasn't quite a smile.
What she feared was the way Lin Qingyan could say things in that soft voice that sent chills down her spine.
Lin Qingyan lowered her eyes to look at Luo Zhao, her beautiful pupils shimmering with an unfathomable gleam.
She heard the soft "Aunt," saw the plea and guilt in Luo Zhao's eyes.
But she didn't soften. Instead, she let out a cold huff.
Then Lin Qingyan spoke.
"Zhao'er, now it's just the two of us."
She raised her hand, her long fingers gently brushing through Luo Zhao's hair, the motion slow.
"So, don't you think you owe me an explanation..."
Her fingers slid from Luo Zhao's hair down to her cheek, the tips gently tracing along her cheekbone.
The touch was cool, yet it burned Luo Zhao's skin like a brand.
"What did you mean by 'sleeping with your aunt isn't enough'?"
"And what did you mean by 'one day you'll have me too'?"
"Zhao'er, Chengcheng is your uncle-in-law. How could you speak to him like that?"
Luo Zhao's breath caught. She knew exactly what accounts Lin Qingyan intended to settle with her now.
These words were spoken in a moment of rage, when she was frantic and desperate, when she was speaking carelessly because the matter of becoming the emperor's consort might fall through.
She had never thought about the consequences at all. She had never imagined that Lin Qingyan would hear these words.
And even less did she expect that Lin Qingyan would choose this moment to settle the score.
A drop of cold sweat slid down Luo Zhao's forehead.
It traced along her temple, down her cheek, slowly trickling until it landed on her trembling eyelashes, blurring her vision.
Luo Zhao felt Lin Qingyan's gentle gaze, felt that slightly cool hand softly caressing her face.
She felt the suffocating pressure of being locked onto by a fierce beast, with nowhere to run.
She was afraid.
Yes, afraid.
Even when facing Emperor Luo's trials, even when surrounded by countless rebel troops, even when teetering on the edge of life and death, Luo Zhao had never been as afraid as she was right now.
Because in those moments, she knew what she was facing, she knew how to respond, she knew what mindset to adopt.
But the one standing before her now—
Was Lin Qingyan.
The aunt who had been like a mother to her ever since her mother passed away.
That was also the real reason why no matter what happened, their relationship would never truly break apart.
Luo Zhao's gaze drifted, not daring to look Lin Qingyan in the eyes at all.
She stared at the tips of her own shoes, at the patterns on the floor tiles, at the shadows cast by the sunlight.
She looked at anything and everything, just not at Lin Qingyan.
Those phoenix eyes that were usually filled with cold pride and sharpness now looked as guilty as a child caught doing something wrong.
Dodging, evading, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Luo Zhao had no idea how to answer Lin Qingyan's question.
Because she knew that no matter how she answered, it would be wrong.
No matter how she answered, it would be a dead end.
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
] [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!"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
