The journey of a demon through this world of Cultivation and Magic.

Dream a dream, of a life so new
One brimming of potential.
Of starting all again, leaving all behind, 
Only happiness is essential.

- Netherworlds’s Guidance

When Lily arrived in Zhou Jingren's office she immediately gave him his lunch before taking another nap. For some reason, she had been really tired since they arrived from Singapore. Of course, to Lily, this was normal. After all, they spent most of their time walking in Singapore. It is not surprising that the trip would tire her this much.
The sound of soft jazz woke Lily up from her nap. She immediately glanced at the watch and frowned when she realized that it was already three in the afternoon. Who takes a three-hour nap?
"Madam, The President is still in the conference room." Secretary Go spoke when he notice that Lily is already awake. He stood a few feet away from Lher. "He said that if you want to buy cookbooks and other stuff for the kitchen, use his card." He handed her a sleek black card that Lily immediately recognized as one of the invite-only credit cards that Zhou Capital offers.
"I was expecting him to accompany me," she uttered in a gloomy voice. "But yeah… it's alright. He said that some American clients are coming over today?"
"Yes, they will stay in Hong Kong for three days before they visit Zhou Capital's branches in Mainland China. I already sent a copy of the President's schedule for this week and the next to Miss Yang."
Lily smiled as she rose from the couch. "Very efficient, Jichen." She said before going to the bathroom in Zhou Jingren's office so she could freshen up before she started shopping. Since Secretary Go was inside the office, Lily knew that Yang Mi must be waiting for her outside or in the lobby. 
For some reason, since the accident, Yang Mi and Go Jichen have stopped talking and had been avoiding each other.
"Alright, tell him to meet me at home. I will cook something special." Lily said before leaving Zhou Jingren's office. While she wanted him to come and shop with her, Lily also understood that he needed to run a business so he could feed her. Lily laughed at her own thoughts.
...
Harmony Isle
"President, I think you should include these baking books too." Yang Mi said as she eyed the pile of cookbooks in Lily's cart. "Maybe some desserts too. I mean… everyone loves sweets."
"Hmmm… alright. Put it in." She looked at the current pile of books before she nodded. When it comes to learning, there is no such as thing as enough. Since she will be staying at home anyway, Lily decided to learn new things- a lot of them. "Also… can you choose some books about self-defense for me? I don't know… maybe archery too."
Yang Mi immediately eyed Lily's thin arms before she pursed her lips and reluctantly nodded. Surely, President Zhou would not allow her to learn these things without proper exercise and preparation, right?
"President, someone is following us, a paparazzi." Yang Mi suddenly lowered her voice as she handed Lily the book that she chose for her. She had notice this guy following them for a while now, yet she chose not to say anything and observed him instead,
"Really?" Of course, this would surprise Lily. She was not a famous celebrity or a scandalous businessman. Why would someone follow her around while taking her boring pictures?
"Should I call President Zhou and let him know?"
"It's alright." Lily shrugged. "I will let him know tonight." She uttered. She wondered what kind of person would decide to follow her around like this? Were they extremely bored that they decide to follow a businesswoman shop for books? "Hmmm… I think we should go and shop for other things too… pillowcases and… towels. Yeah, I think I need a new one. Also... I may need some baking tools as well." Lily said.
The duo then spent the rest of the day shopping some things that Lily needed in Sky City as well as some ingredients for tonight's dinner.
This time Lily decided to make some beef stroganoff. Of course, with the cookbooks that she had, she was sure that she could easily pull it off. 
Since Lily was alone in the house, Yang Mi insisted that she stay to help her out with her cooking. Additionally, she also wanted to accompany her and does not like to leave her alone without President Zhou in the house.
"President… I think I smell something… burning?"
"Whatis it!?" Lily roamed her eyes inside the kitchen and just as expected she could smell what seemed like... paper.
Yang Mi furrowed her brows before she eyed the cookbook that Lily accidentally left on the burner and went to get it. As expected, half of the cover was already burnt.
Seeing the surprise and horro in Lily's eyes, Yang Mi immediately said. "Please, don't worry President, I will not tell President Zhou about this." She attempted to comfort Lily. "I will immediately throw this away."
"Throw away what?"
Both Lily and Yang Mi widened their eyes as they turned to look at the devilishly handsome Zhou Jingren a few feet away from them. A smile was already on the man's face as he shoved his hands in his pocket.
"Why are you here?" Lily asked. "I — What I mean was…" she did not finish her sentence when she saw Zhou Jingren looked at the burned cookbook. "I — That was a mistake." She stuttered, her face turning red as she looked at Yang Mi. "I think… I think you can leave now."
Of course, Yang Mi did not wait for Lily to repeat her words. She immediately bolted out, of the kitchen and went straight out of the house. Even Yang Mi could not imagine the amount of embarrassment that Lily must have felt at that moment. Still, when Yang Mi reached the lobby, she was not able to stop herself from laughing.
Who burns their own cookbook while cooking? Lily was extremely good at scheming when it comes to making money. Yet… her cooking skills are… 
Yang Mi burst into another puddle of laughter before she shook her head. Ah, she had never seen Lily that flustered before. Yang Mi was sure that she will remember this event her whole life.
...................
Meanwhile, in Mainland China.
It was dark, suffocating as the only thing that illuminated the room was a scented candle. The smell of jasmine wafted inside the room. Yet, it did not change the cold atmosphere that the woman in the leather chair was immiting.
"Madam, the articles are ready. Shall we go ahead and release it now?"
"No." The woman wearing a long cheongsam shook her head. "Do it tomorrow at six in the morning. I want to wake the whole of Hong Kong and China with a big surprise." She said, her sweet voice echoed inside her room as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
.......................
Mass release today: Total of 5 chapters.
Please don't forget to vote with your powerstones.


There is no RAPE or MAJOR MISUNDERSTANDINGS. WARNING: FL is scheming and evil.

Like almost every dramatic romance novel, Lily Qin’s story began with an evil stepmother, a scheming stepsister, and a dumb ex-fiance. At twenty, she fell prey to their grand scheme and became the laughingstock of the country. In despair, she left.


Seven years later, Lily Qin rose from the ashes.


She was labeled as an empress, an iron lady, a genius, and a prodigy. She was Miss Tycoon.


Now, at twenty-seven, Lily Qin was an established businesswoman who was single-handedly controlling her multinational company abroad. She was beautiful, smart, and successful. Women envied her while men couldn’t help but worship her ethereal beauty.


With her devastating past, everyone had assumed that Lily would exact revenge on the people who had wronged her. Who would have guessed that behind that beaming smile of hers was a numb heart that aimed only to make more profit?

"You got it wrong." Lily elegantly propped her chin on the back of her hand. "I am seeing you today because we have something in common. We're both villains in somebody else's eyes. And I think it's time for us villains to get our own happy ending. Don't you think so?"


---


Zhuo Jingren’s love for Lily Qin was something that only he knew. Ever since they were children, he had his eyes on her. Yet, every time he had tried to confess, he would end up fainting from nervousness.


So when Lily Qin promised to marry him if he became richer than her, Zhou Jingren did not hesitate to leave the orphanage and work his way up just to become her man.


Who would have thought that years later, when he was successful and feared by many, he would come back to an engaged Lily Qin?


Then she mistook him for an escort after eating his tofu? Preposterous!


The worst thing was, she seemed to have forgotten everything about him. Hadn’t she promised to marry him the moment he became more prominent than her family? Now, after taking advantage of him, she dared to run away?

This woman was a liar!

He gritted his teeth as he watched her approach him. He was about to say something mean when she suddenly spoke. “Are you my new bodyguard?” She did not even wait for him to answer before tossing her car keys at him. “Drive. Let’s go wreak some havoc.”


Thus, the mafia’s big boss became Lily Qin’s bodyguard.


---


"So? What do you want as a compensation?" Zhuo Jingren asked her once again before laying down next to her. His elbow was resting on the ground and his palm was supporting his head as he looked at her intently. 

The first thing that Lily noticed about Zhuo Jingren when he laid next to her was his exposed tanned chest. This made him look more casual… and hot. She didn't even realize she was staring at the latter.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" He smirked at her. "Do you want me to compensate you with my body?"

Lily immediately rolled her eyes at the latter. "Who wants your body? Hmp! I want money!"

"Your mind is always thinking of money but your body actually betrays you. Am I right to say that I have a shameless wife?"

"Hah! I am a strong and independent woman of the 21st century. I know what I want. But if you insist on giving your body, I will take it too!" Lily shamelessly said, taking off her stilettos. However, just when Lily was about to lie down beside Zhuo Jingren, he suddenly pulled her on top of him. With her body on top of his, their faces were really close and they could even feel each other's breath. 

"What a shameless woman," he noted, the smile on his face only deepened.


.... 
There is no RAPE or MAJOR MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
WARNING: FL is scheming and evil.
Priv Cost: 5 ss for 5 advance chapters
Discord: https://discord.gg/Jw2Yjfr
Instagram: @blips01
Editor: Swaning, Ocelot

The scent of baked pastry and caramelized fruit filled the apartment as she baked. The appliances she had were cheap and limited in their efficiency but she tried not to let it bother her. This was her favourite past time, after all. It brought back so many pleasant memories from her childhood; baking and cooking in the kitchen with her adoptive mother, gazing over cookbooks and the picturr perfect creations when it was raining, decorating cupcakes with a variety of treats, like mini edible canvases for her to paint into beautiful paintings. 

Baking reminded her of a time where things were just a little simpler, a little less violent. But the kitchen was her escape, a safe place in a dangerous violent world. A place she could honour the woman that loved Alexia as if she was one of her mother's own children. God knows she never deserved that chance. Her adoptive mother once understood, but by then it was too late. People always learn the truth far too late.

Alexia plated the dish with elegant care and grace, focusing on every little detail with a precise eye. Only in this kitchen, could she create truly beautiful things. Everything else was bloody, grotesque... mistakes. Mistakes that she purposefully caused and always regretted. Never mistakes, but to her they were nothing more. Shirk the blame and the wounds heal better, but the refusal of closure leaves nasty scars. She could see the scars in the mirror, unhealed and gaping open, leaving the canvas of her body reflecting a broken mirror of mistakes and regrets whose shards had been long lost.

She could sense her mother watching her actions, and quickly wiped the fresh tear away with her wrist, staring at the meal. It was hard to have a connection with people but her adoptive mother had stuck with her. A constant reminder of how broken she had become, compared to the child that had arrived on their doorstep, with adults claiming that with love and care she would be fine...
Could be fine...
Should be fine...
Such a simpler time... Such sweeter memories... She missed the life gifted to her, the one she drove it all to hell with a handgun and a mind too fractured to tell family from strangers, numbed by the violence she had surrounded herself with.

A gift wasted.

Another pastry in the trash.

A collection of short vignette-like stories surrounding a cast of characters living in a corrupt city. Some are evil, some are good, some are misguided and some are lost. Delve into the minds and lives of these characters and see first hand their struggles, who they hold dear, and what they are willing to sacrifice to reach their end goal.

DISCLAIMER: This book features both male and female lead stories, even though it may be classified as mostly female-lead, this is up for change as more stories are added. Some stories may also appear bare for a certain amount of time, I will be revising chapters throughout this book's life and adding more details and substance.

Anacusis: a medical term that means complete deafness
*
I ran my hands through the drawers of Robyn's desk, having just emptied it of all her school books. All I could feel was space, no hearing aid. 
"Are you sure you haven't just misplaced them?" I asked. 
Ava was looking through Robyn's bed, unmaking it and lifting the mattress with Robyn's help. Ava answered, "They have to be around here somewhere. This is the third pair she's lost this month." They dropped the mattress with a loud thud, Robyn turning to the pile of clothes on the floor, as she rifled through them, Ava continued with a loud, "Robyn, you really need to take better care of them." 
Robyn didn't respond. 
Ava narrowed her eyes, nudging her with her foot and repeating her statement, "You usually take such good care of them, dude."
Robyn made a quick gesture, complaining about how she had been busy the last couple of weeks with ballet and school. There was something almost dismissive about her gesture, too quick to go back to leafing through the pockets of her dresses. 
Ava shrugged it off, starting to remake the bed as I searched the side tables. 
Robyn lived a remarkably simple lifestyle, at least by the standard of her room. While issued with the same furniture as everyone else, Robyn had barely personalised it. The walls were bare of posters or photographs, the curtains were always open day and night, and her bedsheets were a soft yellow. When I scanned her bookcase, it was proudly filled with books, mainly dance theory, cookbooks, and foreign fables, the colours and volumes being the only personality in the room. When I went to her closet to try there, I found more of Robyn's things tucked away behind the doors. Baskets of pastel coloured wool, knitting needles, other cookbooks and stuffed animals were stacked in uneven piles under her hung up dresses. 
I squatted down to the plushies, pushing them aside to find an organisation container. I opened some of the lids and rummaged through the random hobby supplies, hiding my smirk when I saw dozens of hard-core metal band CDs with very graphic art styles and images. One that took me particularly off guard was a trio of voodoo heads, their skin was a decaying dark grey and their hair painted to be black and oily. It sent a shiver down my spine as I replaced it. 
"I think I found some," I announced, grasping a pair of bright red hearing aids at the bottom of the box. 
Both girls watched as I held them up, Ava grabbing them and examining them, Robyn peering over her shoulder to look. "I haven't seen these ones in ages," Ava beamed, running her fingers over the polished red. Robyn stared at her lips when she spoke, "Do they still fit?" 
Robyn shrugged, taking one and adjusting it to her ear, Ava simultaneously doing the other for her. Robyn scratched at her earlobes for a second, before shooing me from her closet to push aside her hung up clothes to get to a mirror hidden on the back wall. She pulled it out and rested it against the wall next to her closet doors. 
"Why does Robyn hide her mirror?" I muttered to Ava. 
Ava blinked, considering the situation with puzzlement, "I don't know." 
Robyn seemed happy, tucking her hair behind her ears to see the red hearing aids that somehow still fit. She signed; happily, her fingers almost twinkling with how happy she was to find some. 
Estelle suddenly started yelling from the hallways, knocking on the walls as she approached and ringing the bell with the other until she stood at Robyn's door. "Here thee, here thee, I call upon my company to partake in masterful soap opera, Downtown Lover's Lane," Estelle announced, Simmons was quick behind her, clearly flustered by the Princess' loudness, but not objecting as Estelle added, "You guys interested? I'm making popcorn."
Ava nodded, "Popcorn sounds great." 
Robyn clicked her fingers in response. 
When we went to the living room, almost everyone else was there. The twins sat on the floor, resting their elbows on the coffee table, as they versed each other in a small video game. Alexis sat on the edge of the lounge, her hands fiddling with a strange metal object. When I hopped beside her, she jumped, "Not cool." 
"I like to think I am," I countered, placing a quick kiss on her cheek, "What's that?" 
She held it out to me, allowing me to get a better look at the strange trinket. "They're called Impossible Tricks. They come with Mia's weird science magazines," she informed. I looked over the metal object, frowning at its strange design. It was made of three bits of bronze coloured metal, all looped together but able to be shifted around and moved. 
"Each one comes with a story." Bonnie rolled towards us, a giant bowl of popcorn in her lap. "Mia usually finishes them by the time I've read the story out."
I widened my eyes, noting how easily the three parts got stuck and refused to move. "This seems really difficult," I mumbled, the metal on metal sound clinking as I tried to pull them apart. "What's the story behind this?" 
Bonnie shrugged, reaching over to the side table where all the magazines were stored. After a moment of reading, Bonnie read out, "'Long ago there were three brothers who all lived on a farm. The first brother worked in the fields, the second worked with the animals, and the last travelled to sell their trades.'" As she read, I considered the three attached parts, each resembling a strange utensil. "'One day the three got into a heated argument about whose work was most important-'"
"Never do that," Amia cooed. 
"Always ends badly," her brother added. 
Bonnie continued, "'The first announced his work in the fields fed the animals and gave the last brother the goods to sell. The second proclaimed that his animals provided for both the crops and the stalls. While the third exclaimed that without his travels and sales, they wouldn't be able to maintain the farm in the first place. During the argument, a witch overheard their harsh words-'"
"As they do," Alexis whispered. 
"'And cursed the brothers to be attached at the hip, until they could find common ground. Help the brothers work together to become unstuck,'" Bonnie finished, tossing the magazine back on the side table. 
After some fiddling, I was convinced they couldn't come apart. "They do come apart," Alexis assured, "I heard Mia do it earlier." 
"Where is Mia anyway?" Ava asked, both her and Robyn sitting on the lounge across from us. 
"Still playing the piano," Bonnie answered, "She loves that thing." 
"She's played it a lot this week," Amia cooed, her eyes still glued to her game, "I could hear her playing at like eleven at night." 
"It seems to calm her down," Bonnie confessed, holding out the bowl to Estelle who was trying to sneakily steal popcorn, "I had read an interesting therapy called Music Therapy. You play instruments to relieve tensions and such." 
"I think I've heard of that actually," Estelle cooed, coughing when she breathed in popcorn bits. 
Bonnie nodded. "I got excited when she almost sang the other day," she admitted, sighing contently. 
"Is this smart though?" Amada's voice sounded small as if he wasn't quite sure what he was going to follow up with. 
Bonnie's annoyance was ignited, reflecting in her eyes as she cast a glare at him. "Is what smart?"
I watched Amada gulp as he placed his game on the table and nervously scratch his face. "Well… you aren't a therapist, Bonnie," he put simply, "This might just be a distraction for Mia, or like an obsession trade." 
I had expected Bonnie to lash out at Amada, maybe throw something at him, lose her temper, but she remained eerily calm, which unnerved me more. "I'd rather distract her from what's going on then see the way she tries to deal with it."
"You mean panic and anxiety attacks aren't the answer?" Estelle spoke with an air of sarcasm. 
Bonnie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and barely hiding her want to pout. "Are we watching the show or not?"
Estelle apologised with a soft punch to her arm and reached for the remote, forgetting what buttons meant what as she turned on the wrong stereo system and went into the wrong settings. This caused an uproar between the twins, Bonnie and Ava, who all at once tried to snatch it off the Princess to take over the control of the TV. Alexis linked her arm with mine, resting her head on my shoulder as she continued blindly playing with the Impossible Trick. 
I instinctively tightened my grip around her, prompting her to smile and snuggle into my shoulder. 
The moment was interrupted for me, when I saw Robyn, still sitting across from me. She scratched at her ears, staring at the others as they argued, with narrowed eyes and a troubled expression. I saw her bite the inside of her cheeks, her eyes dropping to the floor as she continued to play with the hearing aids, once pulling them out and replacing them. Just as I went to question her about it, her eyes lit up, and she gave a small smile to Ava, who had returned to her seat, having won the remote-control battle.

Dorm Guard: the man or woman dedicated to the protection/guardship within a dorm. 
*
Landon Becks is a sports scholarship student at White Winter Prep, with only one duty: guard the students in his dorm. 
This duty is more easily said than done, because High School is not always kind to disabled students, and none of the students in his dorm fit the criteria of ordinary. With a blind artist, a deaf dancer and her translator, a self-proclaimed Princess of Pastries, a stubborn paraplegic girl, a mute prodigy and son and daughter of a potential mobster, it's not long before he realises it's not just inside the school he must protect his dormmates from. 


A story of High School drama, suspense, romance and family. 

Am aware the grammar isn't brilliant, would just love an opinion on the story and characters.

"You sound like you can't pay back the loan in six months. If you are not confident, then you don't need the loan." 
  The guy said pretending to get up from his seat. 
  Seeing no other way around this-- he couldn't get the loan without using  his company as collateral -- Chang Mingkai decided to compromise. 
  He didn't know where he could get five hundred million yuan faster than he could get it here. 
    The decision to give the company as collateral wasn't so hard because if he couldn't get the loan, he stood a chance of losing the company.
 And he also could lose the company if he couldn't pay back the loan in six months. 
  The options where basically the same, the only difference being that he actually stood a chance of turning things around if he got the loan. 
   Seeing that  Chang Mingkai agreed to using his house and company as collateral, the man quickly approved the loan and in an hour, Chang Mingkai walked out of the factory  with a bag containing five hundred million yuan. He had a smile on his face as he walked towards his car. 
  He could save his company and regain everything he had lost. He was glad he made the decision to get the loan. 
  He wouldn't be so  glad if he knew he just made things worse for himself. 
 Back at David Grace and Bai Yaran's apartment, Mo Ning was  sprawled lazily on the couch flipping through channels with the remote control. 
 She was extremely bored as she couldn't get any shows or movies that seemed interesting enough to watch. And any one she wanted to watch, she ended up  critiquing the actors acting skills. 
  Resigning to boredom, she continued her critiquing with the thought that it was part of learning anyway. By doing this she could learn more as an actress and it would help her not to make similar mistakes in the future. 
  Not long after, Grace walked in through the door and Mo Ning literally pounced on her like she had seen her saviour. 
"Hey Ning Ning. How was your day? Don't answer it was probably boring. "
" You bet it was. There was no snack to munch on, no good book to read, save for your cookbooks and everyone knows I don't like cooking only eating. I finally managed to find a good webnovel but my battery decided to die and I couldn't find any charger around the house. " Mo Ning complained still holding Grace in a vice like -- both arms and legs involved-- grip. 
" Hey I understand your frustration but can you let me go now? "
" Yeah I can only if you make me a pastry anyone at all I won't be picky, before I leave tomorrow. "
" Sigh! I'm beginning to get jealous of my pastries for stealing my best friend from me. "
" awww, don't be jealous I still love you best friend" She said giving her a sloppy kiss on her cheeks. 
" Alright that's enough I'll do it. Now leave me alone and before you ask the charger is in my white bag. Now off you go" Grace said wiping her cheeks while rolling her eyes at Mo Ning.

Zhou Ting a successful business tycoon in country M, Suddenly runs into a young lady who looks like someone from his past. 

"hey miss have we met before? "

" I don't think we have"

"oh but I think we attended the same high school and part of college. Forget it you look too young to be her"

"obviously I am too young to have attended the same high school with you and I would definitely remember a handsome hunk like you" 

 Mo Ning was tired from a hard day at set and suddenly had such an encounter. 

"......... "

 she didn't bother to think much into it and just went home to bed. Maybe he was just trying to hit on her. 

" mmm pickup lines are weird these days" yawwwn

"whatever"



Please give this book a chance it's my first work here. Kisses????

And remember not to judge a book by its cover. 
Love esmeralda


*********
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Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/Raldakay

So, after Christmas, we should have moved down the mountain. But, we strongly agreed to spend our holiday here, until new year. Oh, one more week to be with my Minho.
During the week, we spent our days idling around. No, it was Minho idling around while I was learning how to cook and bake and everything about making food. It was good that Minho's library include a lot of cookbooks.
I believe, I've made a huge progress. I can make soup without overcooking the vegetables. Well but frying, I always hold up my shield - a casserole cover or anything just to shield me from flying oil. Yes, sometimes it happens and I'm afraid I'd be scalded. Minho just laughs at my hilarious cooking. But he goes speechless when I presented him a perfectly fried fish. Ho ho ho~
So aside from cooking, we also made time to read, and share theories and conspiracies. I also let him watch one of my favorite anime, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. Yeah, a sad story, but I really like it. 
"Cassidy. Why did you let me watch this. This is so sad."
I consoled him. I was crying too. Even if I have watched this for many times, I still get emotional.
"Why? Cassidy, don't tell me, this is your way of explaining what would happen to us in the future? I can't let that happen! No no no!"
I stared at him, dazed and confused. In the future? What? 
"Uh, you mean I showed you this because you think it would happen to us? Like I would die of some disease and leave you sad and alone?"
"Yes. Tell me, are you sick? Please don't leave me. It's too soon."
I smacked his head. "Silly. I'm not ill. I don't have a terminal disease or whatever. I just showed you this, simply because I liked it. Even if it's sad, well I don't know. I always liked watching it. And that's it, okay?"
"Really? That's comforting. And I'm sorry."
"It's okay. So, do you wanna watch it again?"
"Noooo! We should watch another one."
And on and on we went.
***
On New Year, Minho surprised me of a fireworks display when we were inside the bedroom. We were just talking, snuggled close when suddenly I heard a boom and fireworks appeared before my eyes.
"Happy New Year Cassidy," he whispered. 
I smiled and kissed him. "Happy New Year, too."
Well, of course it could have stayed romantic as it was but then Minho blurted out, "If you'd ever wonder why the fireworks are repeating, bear in mind that it's just a huge flat screen tv up."
"Ugh. Thanks for ruining this moment. Why would you even say that? I won't even remember and it doesn't matter if it's repeating! Why are you so honest Minho. Ugh."
He laughed, really really loud. What the hell is wrong with this guy? 
"Hahahaha. I'm sorry again. But well...."
"Yeah whatever Minho." I quickly rolled and sat on top of him. 
"What-" and I shut him up with my lips. 

***
The morning came when we have to say goodbye to our little cabin. Our memories here are super precious and I want to treasure it all. I was a bit emotional when we locked it and went on our way.
I stood there, rooted, thinking if I could ever come back here. And with Minho. 
"Cassidy?" he lightly tapped my shoulder. "Are you okay? We should get going. We've got a long way to go, since you're not choosing the cable car."
"Yeah. Let's go." I bowed to the cabin, wishing it would stay there and wait for Minho and I to come back.
And then we started our trek home. 

I wish that when we get back, there's gonna be more for Minho and I. 
I wish, we'd stay like this, and grow together more. 
I wish.... I wish for our love to prosper.

He gave up.. 

We broke up.. 

We moved on and made our lives worthwile.. 

But then he calls.. I answer..  And we shared everything about ourselves. 

I was like his secretary. He was like my secretary. We know everything about each other. 

Are we now back as a couple? Or just that, friends? 

Are we doing this right? Or should I watch out?

Youyou could sense that his mother was especially emotional and worriedly asked, "Mommy, what's the matter?"
"It's nothing! Don't worry, Youyou. Mommy will protect you. No one can take you away from me!"
He was momentarily stunned and looked intrigued, but he quickly recovered himself and gave her a reassuring smile.
"What do you mean, mommy? Of course, Youyou will always be your precious!"
She was so touched and satisfied.
She gave her son's little cheeks two eager pecks and said, "Precious, mommy loves you to bits!"
"Stupid mommy, come in quickly!" As a cold breeze blew from the window, he saw her nose turning red. He gave her an oblique look as he prepared her slippers for her.
She entered the apartment and threw her backpack on the sofa. She caught sight of the magazine on the coffee table featuring Mu Yazhe's cold handsome face on its cover and her face turned pale.
"Youyou, what is that on the table?"
"It is a magazine I just bought from the bookstore," he replied. Picking it up from the table, he casually slotted it into his schoolbag.
She sighed in relief. "Youyou, don't buy such type of magazines next time. The grown-up world is quite chaotic."
He unintentionally gave a derisive laugh.
He was young but his experience with the adult world was no lesser.
He knew how filthy and unfair the adults could be.
He arranged the utensils on the dining table in front of her, scooped a bowl of rice for her, and placed her favorite dishes before her. It was impeccable service at its best!
Her heart was overwhelmed with contentment and bliss as she enjoyed his undivided attention and careful attendance.
"Dummy mommy, eat your food quickly!"
She picked up her bowl and wolfed down the rice in seconds.
He watched her with a scornful look from his peripheral view. She was so prim and proper when entertaining others, yet she was so unladylike at the moment… She could really scare others away with the way she ate.
"Mommy, please be more ladylike. You need to observe proper table manners; eat slowly and with poise."
She was not bothered by his scolding. She was home and did not feel the need to retrain herself. "It's okay. There are only the two of us here," she replied.
As a fast learner, he had learned how to cook at the age of four and could whip up delicious meals from any cookbooks.
At this point in time, he could easily cook French, continental, or Chinese cuisines. His skills were comparable to a star chef.
She had been pampered by him and his cooking all this while. She even found food prepared by hotel chefs paling in comparison to his.
This made her worry even more. She could just not live without him!
From one perspective, she could be considered as a successful mother for raising such a filial and obedient child.
On another angle, she could be considered a failure as a mother for delegating most of the household chores to her son.
Youyou did not pick up his bowl. He propped up his chin on his interlaced fingers and stared at his mother with a knowing smile.
"Mommy, can I ask you a question?"
She swallowed a mouthful of rice and reflexively answered, "Yes. What question?"
He smilingly asked, "Who is my daddy—"
Before he could finish his question, her face turned red and she choked on her rice. He calmly passed her a bowl of heated broth and stroked her back reassuringly as she tried to clear her throat of residual rice.


She became a surrogate mother in exchange for over a million yuan.

As the esteemed CEO of the most powerful Empire in the capital, he holds absolute power, while she is just an adopted daughter to a family of lowly status. She agreed to bear him his offspring, simply because her adoptive father's business was failing.
 
On the day of her delivery, the elder brother was born healthy, but the younger one was stillborn. Having fulfilled the contract, she disappeared from his sight along with the astronomical sum of money. 


Six years later, he is still that arrogant and high-profile CEO. When she accidentally gets embroiled with him again – like a canary trapped in his cage, he closes in on her. “Woman, do you think you can escape from my clutches?!" 

However, he does not expect a little kid to interfere; the boy pompously points his little finger at him and warns, “Mu Yazhe, you’d better leave her alone! She's mine – this baby's woman!” 

The man is alarmed, simply because the little kid's facial features are identical to his...

Tags: Adorable Child, CEO, Sweet Romance, Scheming, Wealthy Aristocrats, Fluff, Two-faced, Child, Rich and Powerful, Treachery

 A couple of weeks went by. Gemma kept her eyebrows plucked thin. She bought clothes and more clothes, lovely things with fat price tags. She bought cookbooks for the flat's kitchen, though she never used them. She went to the ballet, to the opera, to the theater. She saw all the things, historic sites and museums and famous buildings. She bought antiques on Portobello Road.
  Late one night, Chance showed up at the flat. He was supposed to be in America.
  Gemma forced down panic as she looked through the peephole. She wanted to open the window and climb the drainpipe to the roof, leap onto the next building, and, frankly, just not be home. She wanted to change her eyebrows and her hair and her makeup and—
  He rang the buzzer a second time. Gemma settled on taking off her rings and putting on joggers and a T-shirt instead of the maxi dress she'd been wearing. She stood before the door and reminded herself that she had always known Chance might show up. It was Will's flat. She had a strategy. She could handle him. She unlocked the door.
  "Chance. What a great surprise."
  "Gemma."
  "You look tired. Are you okay? Come in." 
  He was holding a weekender bag. She took it from him and brought it into the flat.
  "I just got off a plane," said Chance, rubbing his jaw and squinting through his glasses.
  "Did you take a cab from Heathrow?"
  "Yes." He eyed her coldly. "Why are you here? In Willow's apartment?"
  "I'm staying here for a bit. She gave me her keys."
  "Where is she? I want to see her."
  "She didn't come back last night. How did you find the flat?"
  "Mrs. Blair gave me the address." Chance looked down at the floor, awkward. "It was a long flight. Could I have a glass of water?"
  Gemma led the way into the kitchen. She gave him water from the tap with no ice. She had lemons in a bowl on the counter, because they fit her idea of how the flat should look, but inside the cupboards and the fridge, there was nothing Willow would have stocked. Gemma ate saltines and sugary peanut butter, packets of salami and chocolate bars. She hoped Chance wouldn't ask for food.
  "Where is Will, again?" he asked.
  "I told you, she isn't here."
  "But, Gemma." He grabbed her arm, and for a moment she was afraid of him, afraid of his hard hands pressing the fabric of her shirt, thin and weak as he was. "Where is she instead of here?" He spoke very slowly. She hated the feel of his body close to hers.
  "Don't you ever fucking touch me," she told him. "Ever. You understand?"
  He let her arm drop and walked into the living room, where he draped himself on the couch without being invited. "I think you know where she is. That's all."
  "She probably went to Paris for the weekend. You can go really quickly from here through the Chunnel."
  "Paris?"
  "I'm guessing."
  "Did she tell you not to tell me where she went?"
  "No. We didn't even know you were coming."
  Chance sank back in his seat. "I need to see her. I texted her, but she might have blocked me."
  "She got a UK phone, with a different number."
  "She doesn't answer my emails, either. That's why I came all the way here. I was hoping to talk to her." 
  Gemma made them some tea while Chance phoned hotels. He had to make twelve calls before he found one with a room he could book for a few nights.
  He'd been arrogant enough to think Willow would let him stay.

Willow is a runaway heiress, an orphan, a cook, and a cheat.

Gemma is a fighter, a social chameleon, and an athlete.

An intense friendship. A disappearance. A murder, or maybe two.

A bad romance, or maybe three.

Blunt objects, disguises, blood, and chocolate. The American dream, superheroes, spies, and villains.

A girl who refuses to give people what they want from her.

A girl who refuses to be the person she once was.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gemma Lust Wilder, a white 18-year-old without a family who's staying at a luxurious resort in Columbia, spending her days swimming and studying Spanish. She's strong-willed, secretive, and always on guard.

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