The 'we'll talk tomorrow' part came after five long months. 
The following morning when Kai went back home to get some sleep and put some sense into his wife he was shocked at not finding her in their home. He made a bee-line for the fridge i.e., after wandering around the whole house- where he found her note as usual. 
'Mom called after you left. Papa had a stroke. Don't wait up for me. There is food in the fridge, get some sleep and have your breakfast. I might be back around noon.'
He couldn't sit still after that note but he couldn't reach his wife who had forgotten her phone at home. As a last attempt he tried calling his mother-in-law and luckily she answered on the last ring. 
Kai: Mom, I just found Min-Soe's note. Where are you all at now? How is Papa?
Cerise: (tiredly) Kai, we are at City Hospital. Min-Soe has gone out to bring some medicines. I'll tell her you called. Min-Soe's Papa is stable now.
Kai: yes, mom I'll be there in an hour.
After that, he didn't bother freshening up and made a straight bee-line for the hospital.
After that incident, the couple became busy with their careers. Kai had to tour different cities around the world with his group and hold shows there- the result of the new album and the need of his fans. On the other hand, Min-Soe became busy with extending her father's business in foreign countries. They both came back home just for a bath and change of clothes. Kai had late-night concert rehearsals while Min-Soe had long hours of gruelling meetings with people she couldn't remember. They were living like two room-mates in the huge house.
The proof of each other's existence was Kai's video notes and her handwritten notes. The situation became like as it was at the start of their married life. 
He sent her video notes and messages, telling her about where he was, what everyone was doing and how much he was missing her. He made the others record messages for her too. Sometimes the guy's didn't hold back and sent their own recorded videos to her involving Kai who was caught off guard by their rapid-fire at him involving her or all of them just being a crazy bunch. 
Min-Soe too didn't hold back and sent pictures of her having a great time of her own during her free hours in the different cities she was visiting as a part of her business expansion tour. To top it off, she also left him her handwritten notes on their fridge door. Which mostly included scolding's from her when he didn't take good care of himself and also telling him how much she loved him. 
The notes were a great source of hope for Kai who was coming back to an empty home week after week. Some days he found piles of notes stuck to the fridge. Usually filled with all the chores he was supposed to carry around the house while she was gone. 
The five months of their separation came to an end finally and one fine night the couple sat on their porch in silence just enjoying the noise of the night. The stars shone brightly in the dimly lit area which made their moment much more meaningful.
Kai: (breaking the silence) do you remember that one of our talks is pending?
Mel: (leaning her head on his shoulder) um- so how did you find out about my previous CEO?
Kai: (glaring in the distance) the hosts on the show I was shooting there were loudmouths. Also, we did some research.
Mel: (looking up in his eyes) you want to say something?
Kai: Min-Soe I was really angry with you back then. I couldn't understand why you didn't tell me such a big thing.
Mel: (casting down her eyes) at first I thought that it would die down but it just went on becoming worse. (Shuddering at the thought) I considered telling you but then I couldn't understand how you might react so I kept quiet.
Kai: (softly) don't you trust me?
Mel: (looking in his eyes) I do trust you.
Kai: (pecking her knuckles) sometimes you do make me feel like an outsider you know? 
Mel: (bowing her head down) L-Love I-
Kai: (placing a finger on her lip to silence her) I know baby, you want your space in certain situations even I do, the feeling is mutual but I am your husband too. You need to understand that I worry for you. It's my duty to worry about you. I am not saying that you should tell me everything but I do feel like I have the right to know if something is bothering you. I would appreciate it if you tell me rather than I hear about it from others.
Mel: (nodding in understanding) I understand Love, I'll try not to hold back. It won't be easy and I may slip up sometimes but you have to know that old habits die hard.
Kai: (pulling her closer) I know it and I am also aware that our jobs don't make it easy for us either but we have promised each other that we will work hard for our relationship and for our love. For that promise to be fulfilled I want you to be with me by my side not just as my support system but also as my everything. We have promised each other that we'll be for each other in sickness and in health; it won't be fair if only you get to keep your end of the promise.
Mel: (slightly smiling) no Love, it won't happen again. I promise. 
Kai: (kissing her forehead) I hope so. (Picking her up bridal style) let's get you in bed now.
***
On their anniversary's eve, the couple had luckily got another free night in between their busy schedules. Kai sat on a stool playing his piano checking out different melodies which were making way into his mind one after another. Mel sat beside him absently going through her phone looking for one or another update. 
It had been a month ago when they had made it public, revealing that they were dating- rather than coming out with the huge bomb of being already married. 
Kai had posted a few pictures of both of them in his private social account to share them with his closest friends and family but someone had hacked his private account and leaked those pictures for the whole world to look at. It sure did cause a huge uproar as many hearts were broken but many even admonished the hacker for being a big-nosed prick for doing something shameless as putting his long nose into someone's private life. 
The couple had been quiet in the beginning but once Kai's president approved for them to come out as couples who were dating they had agreed and together released an official statement to confirm what the general public already knew. Their relationship got mixed reviews but they could care less about it. They were partly relieved about the fact that the news had seen the light of the day. Truth be told keeping the whole thing a secret was becoming tiring for both of them. 
Mel: Love, I'll have to leave tomorrow night for Shanghai.
Kai: (absently) hmm-
Mel looked up at him frowning. She could clearly tell that he hadn't heard a word of what she had said. He just sat there humming to himself and pressing random keys on the piano- well random for her. 
Kai: (to himself) I think this melody sounds good.
Mel couldn't take it anymore and bit him hard on the shoulder. He was shocked by the pain that rushed through his 'moments ago perfect arm' and blinked in surprise to see Mel biting him hard. A random scream tore through his lips a beat later. 
Mel stopped biting him and met his angry eyes calmly, she patted him once on the shoulder which she had been treating like a loaf of bread not moments ago and got up from the bench to head back to the kitchen. Too bad for her, the luck wasn't on her side because Kai recovered quickly enough to grab her retreating arm and pulled her back to the place she had vacated. 
Kai: (glowering) What was that for?
Mel: (flushing red at the proximity) you were ignoring me.
Kai: (licking his lips) well, you have my complete attention now.
Saying so he crashed his lips onto hers before the heated kiss turned to something much more intense and fiery. 
Thus, the couple celebrated their first new year's eve in each other's arms before the imminent separation coming towards them the very next night.
Next night, Kai came to see off his wife at the airport. He was holding her hand tightly not ready to let go of her just yet. 
Mel: This is the first time you've come to see me off, Love.
Kai: This does remind me, our honeymoon is still due.
Mel: (grinning up at him) I had completely forgotten about it.
Kai: believe me even I had. My tours will end next month baby, will you be free then?
Mel: (nodding) yes. This will be my last trip anywhere for some time.
Kai: (groaning) it's really hard when your wife is one of the young leading tycoons in the country. 
Mel: (swatting his shoulder gently) I had to find a way to keep myself occupied when I've got a world star for husband. So where will you be taking me?
Kai: (pecking her forehead) I have several destinations in my mind. We'll pick one when you return.
Mel: (hearing the last call for boarding and sighing) I should probably leave.
Kai: hmm-
Mel: (feeling low) why is it hard this time? You shouldn't come to see me off in future. It's your fault.
Kai: (staring deeply into her eyes) ok.
Mel: I've left notes for you, don't forget to water the plants and take care of my home and my husband-
Kai wouldn't have it if she started to talk about plants at such a crucial moment. He silenced her ranting by pulling her closer and gently kissing her forehead. 
Kai: (letting her go) I'll be waiting for you. Come back soon.
Mel nodded mutely but a small smile on her lips made a huge difference, it worked like a charm and lifted the melancholic air around them into the one filled with waiting and love for each other. She made sure to turn around and wave goodbye at him still beaming while Kai stood looking at her retreating back until she vanished from his sight.
Kai spent his days- i.e., a week- reminiscing about the memories they had made together. 
The first was about their time spent together working on projects in their middle school. He had been intrigued about her back then when she didn't even spare a second glance in his direction while the whole school swooned at just his single smirk. 
The girls around him had labelled her to be an egoistic bitch but he knew better than to believe others words. He had often found opportunities to observe her outside the school environment. She hadn't seemed like a stuck up to him in her natural environment. 
Then the day came when the teachers announced them to be the partners for an upcoming project. The whole class population had groaned at the most non-interactive pair of the class. He still remembered how she had taken a deep breath whilst giving herself a pep-talk and found the courage within to greet him for the first time. It was then that he knew she was different from others. When their project was completed and they had developed a pretty strong friendship Mel had broken the news of her moving out of the country. She hadn't told him for how long as she too had zero ideas about it. 
Fast-forwarding to a point a decade later that they met again- all thanks to their parent's meddling. He was awestruck when he saw her again for the first time. She had been grown up into a confident and beautiful young woman who lived by her own rules. Although both of them had been wary about the idea of getting married they just knew deep down that it would work. 
Kai sat alone in their love seat puffing out the smoke from his cigarette while he doused it out by pressing it hard on the ashtray. He closed his lyric-book as no idea came to his mind in his current lovesick state. He heard the door click open in the silence of the empty house. 
He couldn't remember anyone with a key to their home visiting him that day. His wife had told him that she would be coming back the next night as an urgent meeting was scheduled at the very last moment. 
He really didn't understand how she changed her priorities so easily. He still had a hard time wrapping his head around the idea that the journalist he had married was now one of the most sought out youngest entrepreneur- adding beautiful to that list too.  
Curious about who could have been visiting him he made a beeline to the front door. To his shocked surprise, he was met with beaming eyes of Min-Soe who was grinning from ear to ear. His words got stuck in his mouth and he stood there once again surprised by her. Mel chuckled to herself when she saw him shocked beyond surprise before she sprung onto him hugging him tight and whispering that she missed him.
Kai responded not a moment later now completely sure that their decision of getting married when the opportunity presented itself was the best thing that they could have ever done before he inhaled deeply and buried his face in her neck.
The-End

Coming back to her family after staying abroad for many years she receives the shocking news from her mother that is going to change her life!


He was leading a pretty comfortable life with a pretty successful career as an idol but one morning his mother threw a hot potato in his hands to handle!


The only comfort in this turmoil is that they once knew each other
***

The second book of the series: 'Runaway Rich Guy's Love Endeavour'
The third book of the series: 'Chance Encounter (love at first sight)'

The following days, Lu Zi Xuan kept finding handwritten lesson notes under his desk.no one. Would ever do it for him, so he began to suspect that they were for the wrong person. Until one day, he found another stack of lesson notes, with a beautiful card on it, saying "The notes are for you".

Who would have placed them? He want around the class asking, but everyone denied it. Anyways, since someone wrote it, he read it, and found out that it recorded all the topics tested for each subject. Hw began to cherish it and revised it everyday. He was kept in the dark.

One day, Lu Zi Xuan exited the staff office...

As he walked past the classrooms, he saw a shadow near his desk. Thinking he might solve the mystery of the lesson notes, he hid behind the door, observing the person. He realised that the girl placed a thick stack of handwritten notes under his table. When she turned around, Lu Zi Xuan saw her face clearly, it was Mo Zi Ying! Eh has never expected that his class president would write him lesson notes.

Ever since then, he cherished it very much and would revise them numerous times Everyday. When he got back his exam results, he scored 93 over 100 marks, ranking in the TOP 10 of the class and top 20 of the whole level. This result shocked many, including his classmates. Who would have thought the most rebellious boy in the class would score this high?

Only he knew the reason behind his scores. He wanted to thank Mo Zi Ying, but did not dare to talk to her face to face about this thing, therefore, all he could say was stuffed deep down in his stomach. The girl he loved so much, the girl that helped him so much, yet he did not dare to talk to her face to face...

One day, after school...

Lu Zi Xuan was walking along the sheltered pathway they met 4 years ago. But the sight in front of him caught his eye. Mo Zi Ying was walking in front of his with another boy... He was really devastated at the sight, the girl he loved so much, was with another boy.

"No! I cannot let anyone else be with her!! I need to work harder to chase her back!" He encouraged himself. From that day onwards, he put in more effort in everything, wanting to do well in everything and surpassing his previous past. He was working for the girl he loved for 4 years...

A rebellious boy and his class president. What will happen next?

A mysterious incident occurred on a otherwise normal science centered world where all of the children from the age range of eight to sixteen suddenly vanished.

“Where have their kids gone and will they ever return?” The now childless parents never got to really ask that question, because a strange new element replaced their lost children.

This element slowly mutated the various animals that they once ruled over with their technology to the point that they were immune to their modern weaponry.

The barren land of savages on a continent far away from theirs also had their children taken, but they easily mutated just like the beasts and only grew stronger thanks to the incident.

A revolution of animals eventually took place after the mutations started to cause the animals to understand just how badly the humans ruined their lives and planet.

Humans were the slowest to figure out how to use this strange new element to evolve, while their opponents were evolving and growing stronger by the day they couldn’t even surpass their modern technology.

When humanity was on the brink of extinction a long forgotten event finally ended and their children finally started to return from the various worlds they were summoned to!

It turns out that the mysterious new element that they didn’t know what to call was mana and that it’s everywhere in some fantasy planets.

The children brought back a increase in technology and techniques to grow stronger with, which caused the humans to finally be able to build safe havens for their race.

They grew stronger and started to finally adapt to their brand new environment.

This is the story of a orphan who was taken away from his world, before he could gain a sense of attachment to the world.

Who only has his older sister to care about and how he ends up adapting to the new world in front of him.
------------------
Dog notes by Doggo

First 'five' chapters aren't what the story is really about and is more of a prologue. The reason why some are separated into parts is because Doggo originally posted them as a entire chapter. The main setting is Ghost's actual world and not any foreign world.

So this story was already posted once to another site three years ago… and Dog is finally ending that three year hiatus!

It was written in the first point of view, but Dog ended up having to change that all to third person because Dog read a first person novel which made Dog realize how bad Dog was at writing in first person.

The explanation on why Dog was on a three year hiatus is written in the review section.

The update schedule is a chapter a week till Dog get a editor and then two chapters a week till Dog gets enough money to pay for Dog’s bills.

The final goal is to release a chapter every other day. Dog writes 4k word chapters so they are about twice as long as some of the other authors so every other day is actually more like once a day.

Also the subject audience is male cause Dog had to pick one. In all honesty Dog hopes that both genders would like to read Dog's works. This one is definitely leaning a bit more on the male side of the audience spectrum tho.

A boy inside of Bernabeu's campus was writing maliciously on his notebook. After a while, he paused and looked at the handwritten notes that sprawled a few pages satisfyingly. Handwritten notes had been his favorite despite its cumbersomeness. It was much better than audio notes in capturing the essence of his thoughts. 
This boy's name was Cao Yi, and he was Skyscraper. The riddle was solved, but even Miao Xiu had guessed wrong.
An image projected out from the open pages. It was the fighting actions reanimated based on the boy's precise descriptions. These pages were of advanced technology, to use it was a privilege not to be given freely by Martyrus unless it was a genius like Skyscraper, discovered by Martyrus himself.
Martyrus had always believed in the hidden potentials among seemingly ordinary students. Therefore, he had established a series of guidelines that would make sure students with even the slightest hint of talent would not be left out. 
When Cao Yi first entered Bernabeu, he had failed almost every single subject, which made his admission seem like a fluke. Martyrus never believed in flukes. After a few days of investigation, the old fox was shocked by what he had found: the boy was from one of the worst high schools in the city, and ever since he entered Bernabeu, he absorbed knowledge in an inhuman pace.
He had discovered the boy's talent: tenacious learning ability, an ability that sounded incredulous even to Martyrus when he first realized it. 
The image finally flickered and disappeared, Cao Yi nodded as he felt satisfied with the overall accuracy of his description. He lifted the pen again to draw the final, conclusive notes regarding the strength of the opponent — a routine he followed ever since he started to partake in TPA fights. But the tip of the pen hovered over the page as he found himself lacking words. Something was nagging him at the back of his mind, making him hesitant to draw any conclusions. He had a strong feeling that his opponent didn't even reveal his real power.

"Hurry up Luv Ma! What takes you so long? I thought that you were always fast handed!" Miao Xiu grunted impatiently. 
"Shut up or get the hell out of here!" Luv Ma refuted without sparing his friend a look. Visual analysis was a sophisticated work, and Luv Ma's task was even more challenging since he did not have the raw footage.
"Please! You know I don't have patience. He only saw the Fist of the Racing Tiger once, and there he was, the roaring and all. How could I be patient?"
Luv Ma ignored his friend's complaint and focused on his hands that danced swiftly over the keyboard. Although Luv Ma was not a fighter, he possessed the unmatched ability of digital analysis.
"Done!"
"Oh honey, I knew you were the best! Kiss." Miao Xiu closed into Luv Ma, and the latter kicked him away out of disgust.
The video of the entire fight had been broken down into segments. The segment that appeared on the screen was the finishing confrontation of the two fighters when Wang Tong had used the Fist of the Racing Tiger.
"It has to be the real Fist of the Racing Tiger. Look, I have compared Einherjar Wannabe's move with Wang Beng's move frame by frame, they look exactly the same. I wonder what kind of tactics can transform one's arm into such a deadly weapon," Luv Ma said as he showed his finished product to Miao Xiu.
"Only Wang Ben would know. It's hard to tell based solely on the magnitude of the power, it ought to be the Fist of the Racing Tiger. That Skyscraper still needs more training, and he was not matched yet against the most aggressive attack of the entire Confederation."
"Agreed. General Hu Ben was indeed a legendary fighter."
"PAUSE!" Miao Xiu suddenly yelled. "Rewind... a bit more... Yes!"
 Luv Ma watched Miao Xiu as he bit his fingernails: a sign of distress.
"Look at Einherjar Wannabe's face. There was no fear, nor excitement. He looked like as if he didn't even care that Skyscraper was using the "X" on him!"
"You mean you don't think the "X" would even scratch him? "
"Who knows. But there is one thing that is for sure: he had many other options other than using Wang Ben's Fist of the Racing tiger, some might be even deadlier," Miao Xiu spoke with certainty.
"...faced with the deadly "X", and he was still able to take his time to pick and choose, that sounds like far-fetched."
"It's achievable, I know of at least three persons who can do that." Miao Xiu knew many high-level fighters, but none of those three he thought of could care to fight in the TPA. "Who exactly is this Einherjar Wannabe?" Miao Xiu mulled over the question and repeated the name in his mind. 
Suddenly, he found a sense of irony in the name "Einherjar Wannabe". 
"What is he trying to prove? His arrogance?" he thought.

It had been a while since the TPA offered a good fight. There had been some great fights among the Military pro-users, but those contents were not meant to be published. Therefore, the fight between Wang Tong and skyscraper attracted a lot of attentions.
Both Wang Tong and Cao Yi, a.k.a. Skyscraper, had demonstrated a great deal of strength and quickly various speculations started to circulate regarding the relationship between Einherjar Wannabe and Wang Ben. However, the more people speculated, the more riddles seemed to surface.
"Why does Einherjar Wannabe know how to use the Fist of the Racing Tiger?"
"Is it because they had fought once? Or was it because of anything else?"

Eventually, the DREAM Corp. released a video analysis of the fight, which they haven't done for many years. It was the Fist of the Racing Tiger that had convinced the corporation to make the decision. Unexpectedly, this video analysis opened doors to more mysteries.
People quickly noticed that the Fist of the Racing Tiger was far from the most peculiar piece of the puzzle as they discovered Wang Tong's miraculous footwork. No matter how aggressive Cao Yi's attack was, his strike was dissolved quickly by Wang Tong's seemingly simple and short maneuver. If it were anyone else, it would have been an entirely different story. Every twitch of Wang Tong's muscle seemed to serve a purpose at dodging attacks. Wang Tong's ability suggested that he was a seasoned warrior, but his profile said that he was only sixteen.

Everyone weighted their hope and anticipation on Wang Ben's shoulder as more and more of them started to understand the motives of Wang Ben's request for a rematch. The general's son had realized the exceptional strength of Wang Tong after their first fight. Wang Tong's imitation of the Fist of the Racing Tiger screamed like a taunt at Wang Ben, making him even more determined for a rematch.


Wang Tong couldn’t wait to live his college life - girls, parties, and the dorm life - everything he had ever dreamed of. But, instead of a letter of admission to the college, he had received a ticket to the planet Norton and a contract with the Confederation as a space settler. Soon after his arrival, the Zerg overran the planet and obliterated its defenses in a matter of moments. What awaited Tong on Norton was more than just an unbearable environment - its gravity alone was five-times stronger than earth - there were also swarms of bugs, constant hunger, thirst, and desolation...

Venture into the Tempest of The Battlefield, unlock the secrets within the mysterious space crystals, and meet the legendary Blade Warriors and the potent sword combat tactic: "Ultimate Tactics of the Blade: 256 Genome Nuclear Force".

An honest and humble low-tier robot and a ghost with a mouth full of nonsense both teamed up with Wang Tong in a fight for survival against all odds.

After written exams, there were practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them up one by one to his desk to have them make a pineapple waltz across the desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox with points being given based on how pretty it was and deducted if it had whiskers. Professor Slughorn merrily peeked at all of them in a rather distracting manner as they tried to brew a Forgetfulness potion.

Professor Sinistra exams were rather enjoyable as it was all about being able to chart as many stars as possible. And given that it was now in the nice cool open-air everyone was able to relax as much as possible as one is capable during n an exam. Herbology was a breeze for Rowan as it was merely properly pruning and explaining the various properties of plants such as Molly. And not but least the very last exam History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons, before finally being free, free for a whole week until exam results came out! 

Everyone eagerly awaited with bated breath for the ghost of Professor Binns to speak. Finally, Professor Binns says, "Put down your quills and roll up your parchments." "Yes!" Everyone cheered as even Rowan grinned in relief.

"Freedom," Terry exclaimed as they joined the crowd flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "Now what am I to do with all the space in my days and evenings? Shall I take up music, art, or become a painter?"

"Physical exercise might be a good idea, you're rather scrawny," Rowan bluntly replied earning her a glare from Terry.

"I'm just glad that it's all over," Severus said with a sigh. "Although I wished I hadn't bothered to memorize the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager." Terry snorted under his breath and muttered something about overachievers earning him a swift glare from the twins as they wandered over to a shady tree out on the grounds and flopped under a tree.

Many others were doing the same as they watched a few of the older Gryffindor years tickling the tentacles of the giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. Yawning loudly, Rowan tiredly closed her eyes and rubbed her tired stomach. It was her last day, thank goodness and soon she would be free for another 28 days of this unfortunate monthly pest. She must have dozed off, because the next thing she remembered was Severus gently shaking her awake and saying, "C' mon Rowan, it's time to head back inside."

Rowan sleepily opens her eyes and rubs the sleep out of them. Holding out his hand to aid her to her feet, Rowan takes Severus's outstretched hand. With a grunt, she climbs to her feet as Terry stretched and says, "Well, I don't know about you two but I'm starving."

"Yes, well, I believe that is a common side effect after taking such strenuous exams," Severus drily murmured as they crossed the lawns and stepped into the castle for lunch. Taking a seat, they begin to eat hungrily eat the light spread of sandwiches and other such items. Not long after, Rowan wipes the crumbs from her mouth and rises to her feet. "I'll see you, both later."

"And where are you headed?" Severus said with a raised brow.

"The Library," Rowan resolutely chimed back causing Terry to shake his head in disdain as she walked away. 

"You know, I think there's something wrong with Rowan," Terry huffed under his breath. "Even the Ravenclaws are taking a break," and vividly gestured to the relaxing, seated Ravenclaws.

Severus could only sigh as he took another mouthful of his sandwich. "That's Rowan for you, she's simply unexplainable." To which, Terry grunted in agreement as the two boys continued to stuff themselves with food.

With some surprise, Madam Pince glanced up at spotting Rowan in the library so soon after the exams were done. Madam Pince gave one of her favorite patrons a brief nod of respect, before returning to her work. Tired and ready to be finished with the project, Rowan rolled up her sleeves and grabbed the last journal in the archive. In her haste, she accidentally knocked a loose journal to the ground. 

The book thankfully falls onto her foot causing her to grunt in pain and relief at the sound of its falling being muffled. Rowan hurriedly grabs the book off the floor least Madam Pince notice or worse. In her haste, a thin notebook slips out from inside the archive causing her to freeze in surprise and suspicion. 

Glancing around, Rowan returns the fallen journal back to the shelf and cautiously grabs the thin notebook. Taking a seat, she warily opens the notebook to find an old written letter inside. Carefully unfolding the crinkled page, she begins to read.

"If you've found my notebook that means that I've failed in my duty to bring the truth to light. I make no excuses for myself for I know that I am a weakling and a coward…."

The rest of the message is rather blurry unreadable as the ink had stained into the page. Carefully folding the letter, Rowan turns to the first page to see the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle in large letters circled with a tiny muggle photograph of him from the orphanage. The next few pages are filled with information about Tom Riddle's stay at Hogwarts, such as his achievements and friends. The next pages are handwritten interviews with four individuals related to Wool's Orphanage, the orphanage where Tom Riddle was born and resided for the first 17 years of his life. Not realizing she was breathing rapidly, Rowan skims through the interview as snippets of Tom Riddle's true character shine through. 

Billy Stubbs remarked, "He was awfully quiet, but you know that if you made him mad, he'd get even." Billy paused. "There wasn't ever any proof and I think it's rather silly now, I mean he was only a boy of our age." 

"But what?"

 "Well, my rabbit was found hung from the rafters a day after Tom and I fought."

Mrs. Cole flatly stated, "There was always something off-putting about him." 

"Oh?" 

"He frightened the other children. I never saw any proof mind you, but the children were all terrified of him especially Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop."

With great fear, Amy Benson whispered, "He can't know!" 

"I promise, I shan't speak of this a word to anyone."

 "He…he took us to a cave." 

"And then what happened?" 

"He hurt us."

The last interview was only a single statement from Dennis Bishop, "He's Evil."

Uneasy, Rowan flips through the rest of the pages that show handwritten dates and times but have no notes next to them in explanation of said written events. All to suddenly, the notes cutoff to the last page only showing a single phrase circled several times, the Knights of Walpurgis. Clear tearing in the bind reveal that the rest of the notes had been clearly ripped away removing any further clues.

 Furrowing her brows, Rowan wonders, why of all places such a notebook had been hidden in the archives of all places? But more importantly, if there was an investigation done on Tom Riddle, who was the original author? And what happened to the rest of the notebook and the author? But she needn't have wondered long as a sick unease feeling crept across her with absolute certainty. Whoever the original author was, they were very much dead. 

With great care, Rowan put away the notebook and numbly returned to taking her notes. By the time dinner rolled around, she had finally finished copying out of the last archive journal, but instead of feeling triumphant, a feeling of unease prevailed. The unknown death of the mysterious author had revitalized the thought of her own mortality. She was a just a child fighting against a fatally dangerous madman.

Before there ever was a boy that ever lived in a cupboard on Four Privet Drive, there was a similar boy in a far worse home that lived on Spinner’s End. We all know the tale of that abused boy who grew up to become a bitter spy. But not all tales end the same for in the many parallel worlds that exist in the universe there are far better endings, and equally as many worse ones. This is a tale of one such condemned universe that for better or for worse chooses to change its own fate.

(All rights to the Harry Potter world and characters belong solely to J. K. Rowling. However, I do claim creative fanfiction rights. Please do not post my fanfiction elsewhere without my express permission. This work will also be partially hosted at RoyalRoad, Wattpadd, and Archive.)

The light from Silver infuses Malik's body with light — ridding it of the evil taint. His features revert to how it was once before his death, before crumbling into dust — torn apart by the two battling forces.

Dune sobs on the ground, watching the fading figure of her protector and friend. 

"This is your fault," you bluntly tell her.

"Caleb!" Bruce protests, shoving you away from Dune.

"It's true," you plant your feet and hold back Bruce with one arm. "If she told us the truth in the first place — the three of them wouldn't have been by themselves outside the city. We could've helped but she didn't trust us."

"It wasn't about trust," Dune sobs. "My existence is a burden that I couldn't press on my friends."

"That's even worse!" you chastise, "Now you're implying we're weak-willed or that Bruce, Dune, and the rest of us never truly considered you their friend."

"I just wanted to keep everyone safe…"

"Maybe you did," your voice softens. "But when wolves are on your trail, not telling your loved ones doesn't keep them safe — it puts them at risk."

You turn your back on the others and start walking towards the city — leaving them to their thoughts.

This Necromancer — it seems most kingdoms balk at her existence. An existence that has lived for centuries and commands a horde of undead is not someone to be taken lightly — or be unaware of.

The power to change the world — that is something no man can do alone. It would take more than a measly party to change the course of destiny — it would take massive armies… cities…"

The undertaking would take years — maybe even decades. 

Human life is too short, too fragile for that endeavor.

Unless…

You shake your head. Maybe after some time.

You reach the town in an hour. 

You greet the guards as you pass the gate and continue silently walking the streets. You remember the bookshop and remember your delayed appointment with Everett.

The streets still had a smattering of people as you head to the bookshop. The lack of lights limits the activity of the populace once the sun goes down and the city council didn't deem it important to light the lampposts unless there was some form of emergency.

However, the bookshop was well-lit. 

You see several children playing outside the shop — making use of the light.

You enter the bookshop and see several people reading books. You approach the counter and wait for Everett to appear.

He emerges from the door behind the counter, looking a bit glum and tired. His eyes narrow upon seeing you and he approaches with a hint of a smile. "You've returned."

According to Trent, this bookseller was one of the most talented battle mages in the kingdom — but he chose to give it up to open a shop.

"Everett," you greet the man. "Did you discover anything more?"

The man gives you a strange look as if assessing your sincerity or motivation.

"I recently heard you brought back two mages from the city — mages quite known for their unusual interests." He takes off his spectacles to clean them. "I thought you found other sources."

"I did," you answer honestly. "But I still want to know if you dug anything more about Arun's research."

He places his spectacles back on. "I did indeed," he replies. "Arun's research wasn't about transplanting organs — it was about integrating an existing magic core into a person." 

"In the end, all Arun was looking for — was a way to cheat death and extend his life," Everett sighs, "but you knew that already."

You nod. "The two mages from the city told me as much."

"That was all I could dig up." 

You note a hint of hesitation in his voice. 

"There's something you're not telling me," you insist. 

"A minor detail," he explains. "I'm not even sure you'd be interested — given the circumstances."
You give him a questioning look.

"Bruce is already up and running," he continues. "People have seen him leaving the town with Thomas fully armored and carrying his sword. It doesn't take a smart man to realize you've already succeeded in your efforts."

The implications of his assumptions alarm you. Did everyone in town know?

"The Townsfolk assumed it was a healer," he assures you — seeing your dark expression. "They know nothing of Arun and Thomas has been bringing healers to the town the past weeks."

"That's good," you sigh. "What of your research?"

"It was how Arun tried to keep his subjects alive as well as the methods he used to cut off their hearts."

"Give it to me."

"Wait here," he back into the room and returns with a small stack of hand-written notes. "I've added a few of my thoughts to the notes — not that you'd need them anymore."

"I paid for it," you justify. "I'm taking it."

He nods, looking at his handwritten research with a hint of regret.

"By the way," he says in a grim tone. "You might want to leave town for a while."

"Why?"

"The two mages from the city weren't too discreet — especially the boy."

"What do you mean?"

"If my spies can get him to talk, what do you think the Guildhall can do?"

"You have spies?"

"Of course I have spies," he answers. "But that's not one of your problems — your problems are the two mages."

"They won't talk," you insist — although the words suddenly seem hollow.

"You gave those two validation on their work — do you think they won't tell their peers?" he chides. "Once the Guildhall Arcana finds out about Bruce and you — they would go to great lengths to… acquire you two."

"We're already planning on leaving," you exclaim. "Tomorrow or maybe the day after."

"Make it so," he urges. "While a successful subject of Arun's procedure might not interest those old mages — how he survived will."

You thank the mage and leave with a heavy heart.

You were complacent and overeager. Had you waited a week, you wouldn't have needed to seek the two mages from the city — and nobody would have known about Bruce or you.

Secrecy should be of utmost importance — especially while you're still vulnerable to groups such as the Guildhall or the Necromancer and her witches. 

You head to the Hungry Cat for what may be your last time — not knowing if you would return.
This quaint town has been your home for less than a cycle — or more than half your life, at least the one you remember.

Thomas and Bruce arrive together in the morning.

You hear them talking in the house — waiting for you to join them.

Thomas smiles as you enter — Bruce gives a grunt, still angry at how you treated Dune last night.

"That trip that you were planning," Thomas starts, "we need to get going now."

"What do you mean?" you ask — noting the eagerness in the two.

"Dune is heading to Windcrest, she says there are people there who could help her."

"And you let her go off on her own again?"

"She swore she would be fine," interrupts Bruce, "and she said this would be the last time she goes off without us."

You shake your head at the situation — once again the girl didn't trust her friends.

"We should leave by noon," you add. "The Mage's Guild in Daggerlock might also come chasing after Bruce and me — it's better to put some distance between them and us."

"Eomer is still in the city," Thomas exclaims — realizing he couldn't say farewell to one of his mentors.

"We can't wait for him," you explain. "The two of you should say your goodbyes to Trent — or anyone in the town that you value."

"You're not coming?" Bruce asks.

"No," you reply. "I don't think he'd want to see me — knowing I'm part of the reason that the two of you are leaving the town."

The two hesitate before agreeing.

The three of you decide to meet at the east gate by noon, after you were done with preparations.
You head to the guild to get the rest of your gold — you still had more than 600 gold left.

You leave 200 gold each for Trent and Eomer and take the rest.

Being on the run isn't exactly an ideal situation — but it's unavoidable given the circumstances. 
Although you would rather face your problems instead of running from them — you just don't have the time or resources to do it at the moment.

The trip to Windcrest would take a week — more if you were walking. Bandit attacks are quite common, as deserters and desperate men band together to become outlaws.

You head to the east gate when midday nears — feeling as if you've lost an anchor. 

The next few weeks would be difficult — maybe even a dangerous one. 

Pursuit from behind and war with orcs in front.

Maybe your trip to the east would shake your pursuers — or maybe the war with the orcs would prove fatal to one or all of your numbers.

The two arrive at the gate a few minutes after your arrival.

They merely nod at you — staying silent as they leave the town they've always called home.

You wake up in a strange world where magic corrupts both men and beasts. You find loyal companions who would stand by your side, weapons that would break the sky, and the makings of an army that would shake the entire world. 

Updating daily.

“This is good stuff,” after a long time, Shen Bingde exhaled deeply and said. “Although this Documents of Dispatches of the North Song Dynasty was just official paperwork, its seal is intact, characteristic and incredibly well-preserved.” Looking at the right of the paperwork, he continued, “However, seal collection stopped in the Republic of China. What a shame!”
Huang Xuan laughed secretly, “Of course it is well preserved. Although it has changed hands several times, it has been taken good care of.” As for the fact that seal collection had stopped in the Republic of China, Huang Xuan felt lucky about it. If it had continued, Huang Xuan himself would have been doomed.
Seeing that Huang Xuan smiled and didn’t say a word, Liu Ziqing asked, “Lao1 Shen, what’s the estimated price?”
“I need more time to work on it, but I am thinking of at least 1.5 million,” Shen Bingde said conservatively.
The setting of an estimated price took a lot of work. In auction houses, since each word you said represented your professional standard, the experts were very cautious about their work, especially about the appraisal, which they usually compared and weighed again and again. On the one hand, people in different times had different mentalities, hence held different opinions on the same article. For example, a modern fauvism work would have been thrown away directly if it had been shown in the Renaissance. On the other hand, the same article could be sold at different prices in different auction houses, which increased the difficulty in price estimation.
Hearing Shen Bingde’s words, Huang Xuan nodded his head slightly. Compared to Rolin’s estimated price, 2.2-3.2 million, Shen Bingde’s was ¥700,000 lower, but it was inevitable. Usually, when the deal was concluded at a price higher than the estimated price, nobody would blame the appraiser. Instead, they would thank the auctioneer. However, if the price was estimated too high, nobody would want that to happen.
Liu Ziqing took the casket from Shen Bingde. The paperwork was handwritten copies from the second year of Mingdao2 to the sixth year of Huangyou3 of the North Song Dynasty, i.e. 1033-1054, consisted of ten pieces of white hemp paper. He looked at the paperwork again and again, and then said with a smile, “Mr. Huang has a rich collection. Are you going to sell it to a private buyer this time or in an auction house?”
“If somebody is willing to buy it at the price of 2.8 million, I will sell it. Otherwise, I will consider auction.” Huang Xuan settled the price in the middle. Although he still lacked money, he was unwilling to sell the fruit of his labor cheap.
Liu Ziqing nodded excitedly and said, “Don’t worry, Mr. Huang. I will be well-prepared.”
“That will be good.” Huang Xuan glanced at Shen Bingde secretly. Seeing that he remained composed after he had shown distrust in his appraisal, Huang Xuan was relaxed. Apparently, this was a shrewd and deep one. Huang Xuan smiled and said, “Thank you, Mr. Liu. You know, people alway hope to sell their things at a higher price. But if the paperwork is sold at auction, you won’t get the commission.”
“Of course,” Liu Ziqing said. Huang Xuan had promised a 5% commission, but at the auction, he could get 12%. Therefore, to him, he could get a commission either way.
Huang Xuan wasn’t aware of that. He put the paperwork away carefully, thought and said, “I have ten other ancient books, which I also want to sell in the coming days. I hope Mr. Liu could help find the buyers.”
“Er…” Liu Ziqing had been ready to leave. Hearing this, he said with some awkwardness, “Mr. Huang, I trust you, but there is a rule in this business saying that we must see the articles first.”
This was unexpected. Huang Xuan had thought that he only needed to have one of the books authenticated. After some thinking, he said, “It is inconvenient to take them out now anyway. I can give you the names. It will be the best if there are private buyers. If not, I will bring them to the auction house.”
If he could get millions more to buy oil, he would be able to fool Rolin for a while. The rest wasn’t urgent. Pretending to be writing the names of the books, Huang Xuan opened his mouth a little and said to Rolin, “What are the names of the books? How to spell them?”
Soon, Huang Xuan handed over the names with the estimated prices to Liu Ziqing, and said, “Among these, there is a Taiwan map drawn by the ombudsman inspecting Taiwan Province, Baiying, in 1748, which he later presented to Emperor Qianlong. Except for this map and the paperwork, the rest are all ancient books. Please help me sell them as dear as possible.”
Liu Ziqing made a promise and took the paper with the names on. On seeing the numbers next to the names, he was instantly shocked. In the first line, it said “The handwritten copy of the play Yu Shuang Room collected by Cheng Yanqiu, five million.” The price of each of the rest was above two million, so the total value would be more than thirty million. Liu Ziqing took a deep breath. No matter these books were sold at auction or bought by private buyers, he would be a very rich man. That was for sure.
However, thinking of this, he became hesitant and said, “Mr. Huang, to be honest, these collections are enough to hold a special auction for them. If you are sure to sell them, I suggest you let Lao Shen authenticate them.”
“A special auction for my collections?” Huang Xuan was intrigued.
“Of course there will be other articles too.” To avoid misunderstanding, Huang Xuan said frankly, “Before the auction, we need at least one month to get prepared. Also, you need to have these articles authenticated by our firm. We will sign an agreement with you and pay a deposit for the articles.”
At this point, it became very clear to Huang Xuan that he had been too naive. He sipped some coffee and said, “Can I use the deposit?”
“Theoretically, it should be deposited into a bank account.” Seeing Huang Xuan had been moved, Liu Ziqing said, “But if Mr. Huang is short of funds, our firm can loan you a sum no more than 10% of the total value after the authentication.”
Huang Xuan calculated, “10%. That would be more than two million.” Then he nodded and said, “It will be OK if you can loan me 10% and reduce the commission to 8%.”
“No problem. I can agree to it right now,” Liu Ziqing said immediately. Huang Xuan’s request wasn’t harsh. Besides, with these best editions, his firm would be able to hold a special auction for the best editions of ancient books and gather the similar articles together, which would be totally beneficial.
Without more consideration, after informing Rolin of it, Huang Xuan made the decision and said, “Please wait for me for a moment. I will fetch my books. Then we can go to your firm together.”
“All right. If Mr. Huang has a lawyer, you can bring him or her along,” Liu Ziqing put the casket away for Huang Xuan as he said these words. Huang Xuan smiled, “Who can be a better lawyer than Rolin?”

Notes:
Lao: used before a person’s surname indicating seniority.
Mingdao: the reign title of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, which was used during the years 1032-1033.
Huangyou: the reign title of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, which was used during the years 1049-1054.


Many people felt frustrated by the lack of knowledge after time travel.

Many took their laptops with them during time travel and fell into an awkward situation with deficient electricity.

Many others took the troops with them and found that there were only logistics of 19th century.

Countless predecessors had died on the way, numerous on the land of another world. 

A large number of people had achieved both success and fame after time travel, but failed to find the way back home. 

Do you still regret not remembering the formula of glass?
Are you still confused about the ingredients of gunpowder?
Are you still trying to perfect the shape of mirrors?

Nowadays, a lot of colleges and universities are rushing about, looking for sponsorship; many institutions are drifting along the wave of bank notes; a host of experts’ and professors’ subjects have been brought to a halt  because they are short of funds.

There is a solution to every problem.
...



The path of cultivation was vast. Other than powerful magic treasures and spirit tools, there was also a variety of wondrous techniques.

With the support of spiritual power, one could shake the heavens and the earth. Although techniques were not as powerful as spirit tools, they do not consume as much spiritual power, they also did not require any mediums, so they were deeply favoured by lower level cultivators.

For example, the Ice Needles spell, Inner Sense, and Spirit Shield were all commonly used techniques.

Cultivation levels were split into the Spirit Gathering, Foundation Building, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Separation and Reunion , Profound Grotto , Spirit Severing, and Tribulation Ascension stages. Spirit beasts had the same corresponding stages. But techniques were different, they only have 3 stages, the low-rank techniques, mid-rank techniques, and high-rank techniques.

There was only one reason, Core Formation cultivators can have magic treasures, with matchless power. They relied on them for both offense and defense without any techniques. In the eyes of these high-level cultivators, techniques were too weak, and were just useless things, so, of course, they would not use them.

Only Spirit Gathering and Foundation Building cultivators would know techniques, Spirit Gathering cultivators could only practice rank low or mid rank, high-rank techniques were for Foundation Building cultivators.

In fact, Spirit Gathering cultivators would use them the most, because Foundation Building cultivators generally had spirit tools, which were more powerful than techniques. Of course, everything is not absolute, and there are a few high-rank techniques that are not inferior to spirit tools. Moreover, even though spirit tools were simplified versions of magic treasures, they were still very valuable. Some of the declining sects, or the poorer rogue cultivators, even if they reached Foundation Building, they would still be unable to acquire spirit tools.

Thus, it can be seen that Lin Xuan, having three spirit tools, one of which was a top grade tool, was very rich indeed.

Now to support the spirit tool with his spirit power is still very straining and barely manageable. The alternative is to then learn some suitable and appropriate techniques. After making this decision, Lin Xuan began to put it into action.

H took out an ordinary book from his storage ring, it wasn't very eye catching, all of it was handwritten, and did not seem to have much value, but it seemed important to Lin Xuan.

These were his notes, handwritten personally by Lin Xuan over these three years.

Because he had no spiritual roots, Lin Xuan's cultivation speed could not keep up with his peers, without enough spiritual power for support, he could only be envious of the various techniques that were taught. If it was someone else, they would have long ago became disheartened, and would stop going to the Young Hawks pavilion to get ridiculed. But Lin Xuan did not do that, not only did he go to every single session on time, but he also carefully took notes, be it rain or shine.

To others, it might seem to be very stupid behaviour, but Lin Xuan had his own ideas, and now it seems, it was actually very smart and very far-sighted.

Back then, Lin Xuan thought, even though temporarily he was unable to practice some things, but when he had the cultivation later, he could slowly start to analyze. it. So he wrote it down in his notebook, so not to forget these teachings.

It was fortunate that he did copy them down, otherwise, is he wanted to practice these techniques now that he had the cultivation, he would have nowhere to start. This is one of Lin Xuan's good characteristics, he liked to take precautions before making any decisions.

Over these three years, there have been many techniques taught by many teachers, he could not practice all of them. This was because firstly, there was not that much time, and secondly, it was not all necessary. Being proficient in many techniques was not as good as mastering one, besides, there were some useless and duplicate techniques, it was better to pick a few suitable ones for himself.

After making such a decision, Lin Xuan began to carefully read his notes. First he excluded the low-rank techniques, even though they were easier to learn, they were also limited in power, he did not want to waste precious time learning them.

His goal was mid grade techniques, and after careful screening, he picked three techniques: Spirit Shield, Ice Needles, and Imperial Wind.

There was careful though put into making these choices.

Spirit Shield, its name was very clear, it is a defensive spell. To learn how to beat someone, one must first learn how to be beaten. When fighting the enemy, the first thing one must consider is how to escape with one's life. Therefore, Lin Xuan's first spell to learn is also the defensive spell.

Ice Needles was a five elements spell of the water attribute. It is characterized by its strong attacking power, it was hard to detect. Although relatively, it was harder to practice, but that was not an issue, Lin Xuan has never been afraid of hardship, as long as it had enough power it was fine.

The last spell, the Imperial Wind spell, was a support type spell. Compared to the Light-Wind spell he learned before, it much more powerful and advanced.

Although all cultivators wanted to have spirit tools, and after much practice controlling then could they fly. But after grasping the Imperial Wind technique, it was equivalent to having shocking Light Body skill. With one maneuver, they can float tens of meters, even the strongest mortal experts would be left in the dust. After all, the Imperial Wind technique used spiritual power as the basis, cultivators were not within a mortals understanding. They were simply at different levels.

Defense, attack, and escape and dodge techniques, Lin Xuan selected one each. He could move forward and attack, or retreat and defend, this kind of combination, should be perfect with nothing missing.

For the next while, Lin Xuan became very busy. Purifying pills, sitting cultivation, and additionally, he also had to make time to practice techniques. There was really no time to rest. Fortunately, as his cultivation kept rising, he required less and less time to sleep each day.

One must work harder than anyone else to be better than everyone else. If it was a different person, perhaps they would not be able to endure this difficult like of cultivation. But Lin Xuan was different, he had no spiritual roots and failed over and over again, and had to endure the taunts and jeers of his peers every day. Even the illusions of the Heart Refinement Road could not stop Lin Xuan's progress, now that he had the ability to purify and the hope of success, what would the previous bitter days count for?

Focus on cultivating!

Day by day, Lin Xuan's studies progressed smoothly. His first spell, the Spirit Shield, was a defensive spell, it was also the Spirit Gathering, and even Foundation Building cultivators favourite and most used basic defensive spell.

The principle is not difficult, it could even be said to be very simple. It was to use spiritual power to cover the body, which could block the enemy's attack.

It was very stable and nothing could get in. Of course, there was a limit, which would differ based on the spiritual power of each person.

To put it bluntly, although Spirit Shield is just a spell, but was long as there is enough spiritual power to support it, practising this spell would be very easy. Even Lin Xuan, with no spiritual roots, because his spiritual power was strong, he only split three short days to become proficient in this spell!

A young man with no spiritual roots. A person who is thought of as trash by others. He constantly acquires various items thought of as waste by the cultivation world. No matter if it is garbage pills or useless materials, he will take them all!




Author: Magical Rain

Monday morning…
When Lu Xinyi arrived at her first class of the day, she found the usual gang set up their seats near the window. Yan Chen and Ye Xieren were arguing again about something about their lesson and Lan Xiaoli sniffed on one side as she watched something on her phone.
This girl… Lu Xinyi wondered why Lan Xiaoli suddenly chose to hang out with them than spend her free time with her classmates. Didn't she have a friend in her own class?
"Why are you crying?" Lu Xinyi raised a brow and placed her bag on her designated seat before taking a peek on what Lan Xiaoli and Tang Lilou watching on the phone.
"Xin Jie…" Lan Xiaoli sobbed before showing the screen on her phone properly to Lu Xinyi.
In the screen, Lu Xinyi watched a scene between a man and a woman. The man looked like he was in a lot of pain while the woman held him in her lap, crying. Lu Xinyi furrowed her brows. Was it just her, or she didn't understand why Lan Xiaoli was crying over it?
"Look, Xin Jie, isn't it romantic? He was stabbed from behind and was dying in her arms. You can see the tears in his eyes as he lost his consciousness."
Lan Xiaoli continued to cry while Ye Xieren and Yan Chen continued to argue behind her. Lu Xinyi gaped on her before turning her gaze to Tang Lilou who shrugged her shoulders.
"Or maybe he's really in pain. You know… he probably was crying that his girl chose to cry over him than to bring him to the hospital. It must be fucking painful to be stabbed from behind," Lu Xinyi said in a matter of fact tone.
The two men stopped arguing to gawk her way. Tang Liang blinked twice as the moment of silence filled their group.
Noticing their shocked reactions, Lu Xinyi arched her brow at them.
"What? I'm just telling what I think from another point of view," she justified.
It was Ye Xieren who broke the silence as he burst into a fit of laughter. His laugh was so loud that he'd taken some of their classmates' attention. Tang Liang, who was sitting in the windowsill, shook his head and continued reading his book.
"It's about fucking time! Finally, a woman who can see the scene in a man's perspective!" Ye Xieren exclaimed before laughing his ass off over the matter.
"This time, I will agree with Brother Ye," Yan Chen said as he pushed the bridge of his glasses. "It isn't a romantic scene at all. Being stabbed must be really painful."
Tang Lilou giggled beside Lan Xiaoli and patted the other woman's head.
"See, Sister Lan? Xin Jie understood what I said earlier to you. You should look at another perspective and should categorize what's romantic from not," she said.
Lan Xiaoli replayed the scene on her phone. This time, her brows knitted together as she focused her attention on it. What her Xin Jie and Tang Lilou said made sense to her now. She couldn't believe how shallow she was for finding it romantic at all!
"You are certainly right, Xin Jie." She sighed. "I can't believe I didn't realize it earlier."
"That's fine, dear. Once you get used to it, you'll eventually find what's wrong with this kind of drama series," Lu Xinyi said. She then turned to Ye Xieren and Yan Chen. "Hey, what were you talking about earlier? Please don't tell me we have some kind of surprise test today."
"Nah, we're just talking about the advanced method against the traditional method of cooking. Yan Chen here was asking me to practice some advanced cooking methods he read from his books."
"Ohh? Can I see?" Lu Xinyi asked Yan Chen who easily passed her his handwritten notes.
"I'm really interested to try it as our proctors have yet to introduce these cooking methods to us. What do you think, Sister Lu?"
Lu Xinyi's eyes scanned his notes, and she was impressed with the details and how he organized his notes neatly. How come she never thought of such a brilliant idea of using two different pens for her notes?
"I have tried doing this 'engastration' before, and I can tell you, it's time-consuming. Engastration comes down to deboning each animal you'll use for your dish, which makes it more pliable, and then using stuffing to replace the structure provided by said bones," Lu Xinyi said amusedly.
"Ohh, then what about the flavor? Did the natural flavors from each meat contradict each other?" Ye Xieren asked as he leaned on the wall next to Tang Liang.
"No, I don't think there would be a problem. Usually, the meat in the most inner part of engastration will seep out its juice to mix with the next meat around it. You have to be aware of which herbs and spices work well for each kind of meat.
"For example, Turducken. When sliced, each piece contains portions of chicken, duck, and turkey with stuffing in between the layers. Turducken is not difficult to make, but it is a little time-consuming, so plan on adequate preparation time. The end result is a worthy showstopper if you've done the steps properly."
"Oh, maybe I should start with Turducken then. I haven't tried making one." Yan Chen smacked his right fist over his left palm.
"The most difficult part is boning out the birds, but it's not as hard as it seems." Ye Xieren agreed.
"Ah, now you agreed to each other?" Tang Liang teased him.
"Shut it, Young Master Tang. You weren't helping earlier." Ye Xieren hissed back on him.
"When you go to carve it, you can slice through it like a loaf of bread. In each slice, you get a little bit of everything: white meat from the breast, dark meat from the legs, duck, carrots, bits of sausage, bread, herbs, juices, and chicken, too."
Lu Xinyi almost drooled on the spot as she remembered the last time she attempted to make a Turducken. Since she also loved bacon, she covered the whole turkey with bacon strips before roasting it. Maybe she should make one again once Shen Xue and Lu Xiulan came back from Country D.
"By the way, have you encountered a problem while doing it?" Ye Xieren pondered. He refused to believe that making Turducken wouldn't bring him problems.
"Ah, that. One thing about this dish is that the skin of the duck and chicken. When cooked between layers of stuffing, the meat stays rubbery and unappetizing; and it makes cutting clean slices difficult. Best to remove the skin and use the meat only. However, you have to remember that keeping the skin intact will also make sure your dish wouldn't lose its moisture while cooking."
"Really?" Yan Chen rubbed his chin. He surely paid attention to it then. Just by looking at Lu Xinyi, he thought no wonder she was able to become the 10th place on the Cream of the Crop. Her knowledge was based on her experience and with trial and error. One thing he wasn't aware, though, was her 'absolute tongue' that could deconstruct one's dish.
"Sister Lu! Someone is looking for you!"
Someone called Lu Xinyi's name at the doorway of their classroom. Lifted her gaze, Lu Xinyi saw one of their classmates calling her, with Han Yixin waiting in the hallway.
"Oh, if it isn't Miss Han." Lu Xinyi chuckled. She hadn't expected Han Yixin would seek her at this time.


[Status: Completed]

“You’re not taking me to bed. Ever.” 
“Who said it had to be on the bed?” 
“What?! You wouldn’t dare kick me off the bed, and I will not share it with you!” 
“The only reason I would force you out is so I can have you on the floor.” She gritted her teeth and glared at her grinning husband. 
“Go fuck yourself!” she hissed. 
“Only if you show me how,” he winked back. 

Once the tabloids released an article claiming business tycoon Shen Yi was gay, his family forced him to date and seek a relationship to stave off the false accusations. After many failed encounters, Shen Yi came upon Lu Xinyi.

Orphaned since childhood, Lu Xinyi had no safe haven left the moment her boyfriend and her best friend betrayed her. Losing her only treasures left, she felt like dying inside as soon as she boarded that ship. However, after a week-long cruise with Shen Yi, she struck a deal with him. Now the Young Madam of the most powerful Shen family, Lu Xinyi turned into a better version of herself. She would not only fight back against those who had hurt her, but she had also taken a shot at accomplishing her father's broken dream.

Attending the country's most prestigious culinary school, Silver Leaf Academy, Lu Xinyi was compelled to compete not only for herself but also for her husband’s pride. Through Shen Yi's love and support, she dreamed to emerge victorious one assault after another from a family that she had long abandoned. Oh, but love for food can be a dangerous thing! As Lu Xinyi and her friends struggle to survive the competition and schemes, more and greater challenges await her, putting her love (for food and Shen Yi) to the test. 

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Little Miss Series
(1) Little Miss Devil: The President's Mischievous Wife
(2) Little Miss Witch: Revenge of the Tainted Angel
(3) Little Miss Sunshine: Conquer the Emperor's Heart
(4) Little Miss Trouble: The Emperor's Rebellious Consort
(5) Little Miss Heiress: The 30 Days Free Trial Lover
(6) Little Miss Fae: Banshee in the Modern World
(7) Little Miss Immortal: The Nine-Tailed Imperial Consort
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My Other Books
(1) PS I'm (Not) Over You
(2) Gourmet Empress: Hubby, Why's Your Name on the Menu?

Official Website: https://www.anjeerikunovels.com/
Join our discussion on discord: https://discord.gg/DjFUwGK
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Little Miss Devil Book Cover 2019 anjeeriku

handwritten notes work from home

Home away from home

Arranged by chance and Married by choice

Rebellious?

Grey Worlds

Tempest of the Battlefield

A Bend in Time

The Day You Conquered the World

Time Smuggling Starting from the Year 2000

Tempered Immortal

Little Miss Devil: The President's Mischievous Wife

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