Xia Ling was at a loss for words.
She was really not qualified. How could she obstruct someone from buying the clothes they wanted?
However, she could not let this go easily. If she really bought these suggestive clothes to wear in front of Li Lei, what did it say about her position in Nangong Qingya's and Li Lei's eyes? She took out her phone with the intention of calling Li Lei to clarify matters. However, she suddenly remembered that in the dark container that night, he took advantage of her…
So far, he had not even called her once to apologize.
Why should she give in first?!
She put her phone back and looked at the fishnet suit in Nangong Qingya's hands. Its red rosy color looked like it was mocking her for overestimating herself.
Suddenly, she felt dispirited.
She turned around to walk out but heard Nangong Qingya calling after her. "Why, planning to leave now? If you can't afford it, then don't come in to look. You should really think about what your worth is!" 
From the time they bumped into each other, Nangong Qingya kept talking about their difference in social class, so Xia Ling couldn't help but feel a little irritated. These people were trying to use their status of being part of a rich family to bully her. What was so impressive about basking in the shade of their parents? She took out her credit card and slammed it on the checkout counter. "I want that."
She was referring to the item that Nangong Qingya had in her hands.
At first, Nangong Qingya was startled. Then, she smiled disdainfully. "Do you think that I won't be able to give up this treasure and let you have it rightfully without paying? Here, have it." She tossed the fishnet suit to Xia Ling like she was throwing away rubbish.
Xia Ling avoided it, and it fell to the ground.
"Oh no, this is the latest limited edition piece from this season! There are only 10 pieces in the world!" The staff rushed to pick it up. She was extremely distressed. What should she do if such an expensive piece of clothing was dirtied?
Nangong Qingya continued to smile. "Aren't you going to wrap it up for Miss Ye?" She was from an eminent family and was usually self-important. She had already sworn not to sleep with anyone unless she encountered real love. Thus, she was still a virgin. How would she know what sort of underwear to wear to seduce him?
The only reason why she wanted to buy this rose-red fishnet suit was that the staff said that this was the most expensive and sought after item. It was also available in limited quantities in the world and was studded with diamonds.
The price was six figures.
The staff member carefully reported the price to Xia Ling.
Xia Ling's heart hurt as money did not come easily to her. She couldn't believe that such an ugly piece of underwear that she would never wear was so expensive. However, despite the pain in her heart, she couldn't appear weak on the surface. She calmly said to the staff, "Take my card."
The staff swiped her card and said, "I will help you wrap your clothes up."
"No need." Xia Ling said, "These clothes can't even be used as rags. Only a person like Miss Nangong who has a taste which is contrary to ordinary people will like it. You can throw this piece of clothing in the trash."
"What?" The staff was stunned. 
Those who had seen a battle of wealth rarely saw it taking place in an underwear store.
However, the customer was always right. With the principle of serving customers well, the staff endured heartbreak and threw the fishnet suit that was originally placed in the best cabinet of the store into the trash can.
Nangong Qingya's elegant expression was slightly distorted. How dare this Ye Xingling mock her like that!
Bam! She slammed her card down on the table and pointed to more than a dozen of the most expensive clothes in the store. "This, this, and this… I want them all. Miss Ye, do you still have money to compete with me?"
This was pure provocation.
Logic told Xia Ling that there was no advantage in fighting with his woman, but she was really angry. She decided that life was short, and the rush of happiness after seeking her revenge was worth it!
"I want them!" Xia Ling gritted her teeth. "I want all of them!" She learned from Nangong Qingya and pointed at many of the clothes that Nangong Qingya wanted to buy. "Does Miss Nangong want to buy these? It can't be that she can't afford them, right?"
Nangong Qingya smiled calmly without blinking. "Of course. I'll buy them all."
What a joke. Why was this stupid woman trying to prove who was richer? She was the eldest daughter of the Nangong Family. Why would she be afraid of a commoner female artiste?
With this thought, she smiled more delightedly and pointed at more clothes for Xia Ling.
At this time, Xia Ling felt that things were becoming difficult. At this rate, she would definitely lose. She gritted her teeth and sneered as Nangong Qingya chose a pile of clothes for her and pointed at the remaining clothes for Nangong Qingya. "It's just a shop. I'm sure Miss Nangong can afford it, right?"
Nangong Qingya was smart and quickly guessed Xia Ling's intentions. With a faint smile, she said, "Of course, I can afford it. However, I'm more curious about whether Miss Ye can afford it."
"What can't I buy?" Xia Ling said faintly. "Miss Nangong, you don't have to encourage me to do something by criticizing my ability. It's your turn to buy your clothes."
"If I buy them, how will I know if Miss Ye can afford them?" Nangong Qingya was not fooled. She deliberately wanted to see Xia Ling get humiliated. "This time, I won't fight with Miss Ye anymore. You can buy them."
Xia Ling replied, "Miss Nangong, are you admitting your loss?"
Nangong Qingya raised an eyebrow. "How am I admitting my loss?"
"If you aren't buying them, doesn't that mean that you've lost?"
Seeing that there was a stalemate, the staff did not wish for the scene to become bigger. She quickly persuaded them otherwise. "Both of you have bought many things today. How about this? I will give both of you VIP cards for this store. In the future…"
"It seems that it can only be like this." Xia Ling tried to stop while she still could.
However, Nangong Qingya was certain that Xia Ling didn't have enough money. She said, "Miss Ye, you aren't planning to admit defeat, right? How about this. Since both of us can afford it, let's have an auction. The highest bidder will be the winner."
She quoted a price which was double the price of the clothes there.
Xia Ling's heart skipped a beat. This woman was really vicious! If she were really just a common artiste, she would probably be humiliated. She would have exceeded her credit card limit and not be able to pay back her debt. Luckily, she still had a brother who just gave her a card.
She took the card out and gave it to the staff. "Help me check how much money I have in this."
The staff couldn't stop her, so she could only follow her orders. The young female staff drew a cold breath as she tried to do a check. "Oh god…"
"What's wrong?" Xia Ling asked.
"I'm really… sorry." The staff was a little nervous. "Let me try again with another card machine. I don't know if this one is spoiled." She hurriedly tried again with another machine.
Listening to the staff, Nangong Qingya chuckled. "This can't be a fake card, right? Ye Xingling, your credit card limit is not enough, and you're trying to use this fake card for more money?"


She died in her prime as the Queen of Song.

After being reincarnated, she becomes a simple trainee. 

Losing her former glory? It doesn't matter—no one can compete with her voice as a beautiful singer.

Mocked by her lowly birth? It doesn't matter—her true identity is enough to make the whole world tremble. 

She owes huge debts? It doesn't matter... 

A powerful boss once whispered to her, "Your debt will disappear if you become my woman." 

But the proud her would reply, "I'm sorry. I would sell my art, but not myself." 
———————————————— 
This is the story of the Queen of Song, return to the peak... and an overbearing chairman.

You might have read the comic, but here's the novel that it was adapted from!

-Meanwhile in the hotel-
Yi Tian checked Wen Xi's temperature and found that she no longer had a fever. She asked if she had a fever, complaining that she felt better already. She really wanted to walk around and have fun! It was called a holiday for a reason. Yi Tian shook his head and said, "Nope, no fever." She smiled widely at him and squealed with excitement. Since her friends weren't coming back until dinner time, Yi Tian and Wen Xi went outside together instead. 

They went for a walk and stopped at a café. They walked inside the café to take a look at the menu. After taking a glance at the menu, a waiter came over to where they were at and ushered them to a seat. They sat down and continued to look through the menu. Wen Xi chose to eat the chicken pie and Yi Tian chose agio olio pasta. Yi Tian called for a waiter and he took down their orders and went back to the kitchen. 

They were chatting as they waited for their food to arrive. Through that chatting session, they learnt a lot about each other, their interest and habits. Wen Xi found out that Yi Tian works as a singer! He plays the guitar and piano as well, he started learning music when he was only 3 years old! As he has an interest in music, he decided why not pursue his interest and be a singer? Well as for Wen Xi, she likes reading, not in the way Rui Xing LOVES books. She likes reading books, and only of a certain type, comics and manga. So she started worked at her parents' bookshop when she was 15, and now she is the boss of the shop.

They continued talking when their food arrived. They talked as they ate. They ate their food as slowly as they could because they wanted to continue their conversation. They went from occupation to interest to daily lives to talking about the interest they both had in common. They had so much fun talking to one another that they lost track of time. It was almost 7pm! They talked for almost 3 hours! Luckily, there weren't many customers so the staff didn't chase them out the café. Even if they did, they'd probably wouldn't understand what the staff was saying. Yi Tian and Wen Xi went to the counter to pay the bill. They both took out money to pay. The cashier lady saw a credit card and cash in front of her, she didn't know which to take. Finally Yi Tian said, take my credit card, it isn't right to let a woman pay. Wen Xi blushed slightly after hearing Yi Tian's words. 

"Alright, it will be $50," she said while she tapped the credit card machine. She took out the card and let Yi Tian type in his PIN number. After which she returned the credit card to Yi Tian and said, "Last long! Both of you make a great couple!" The two of them were shocked by her words as they were not together. Yi Tian didn't deny the fact that they weren't together and nodded his head in response. They walked out of the café.

Why did Yi Tian nod his head when the lady told them to last long together? Does Yi Tian like me? No, this can't be, we only just met. But, I didn't blush when he said that comment, could it be that I like him? No no no, the person I like is Li Nang. But...Li Nang doesn't make my heart beat really fast unlike Yi Tian. Could it be that I only like Li Nang as friends? Thoughts filled up inside Wen Xi's mind. Yi Tian noticed that Wen Xi wasn't fully attentive in walking, she was probably lost in thought. He waved a hand in front of Wen Xi. She immediately came back to reality and looked at Yi Tian. 

"Anything the matter? You seemed like you were deep in thought," Li Tian asked concerned. 

"No, it's nothing. Everything's good," Wen Xi responded.

They walked back to the hotel quietly, in peace. 

-

Rui Xing, Shang Ying and Li Nang walked around the place to explore. They also took solo and group pictures together. To capture pictures for the the group pictures, they placed Li Nang's phone onto the ground and they crowd together to take the pic. Many people were staring at them doing so, they were probably wondering why they placed the phone on the floor which was most likely dirty. After exploring the place, they chose to eat at yet another Japanese restaurant. 

Li Nang chose the cold soba, Rui Xing ordered the curry chicken rice and Shang Ying chose the chicken katsu don. The trio chatted till the food arrived. Shang Ying sat next to Rui Xing so Li Nang kept staring at him. Li Nang kept signaling for Shang Ying to change seats with him when Rui Xing wasn't looking.

"Hey Li Nang, I've something to tell you. Do you know Wen Xi likes you?" Rui Xing asked.

"Oh yeah...I heard"

"Do you like her?" 

"Not right now..." 

"But you will in the future!" She exclaimed.

Does this mean I stand no chance with her? Is she saying I will never be with her? Is she saying she will never like me? What is she trying to tell me? Li Nang thought to himself. While Rui Xing was playing a game on her phone, Shang Ying messaged Li Nang. He texted saying, "I guess she doesn't like you..." 

Li Nang's phone vibrated as he was thinking, he took out his phone and saw Shang Ying's message. He started typing back. He said, "That doesn't mean Rui Xing will end up with a loser like YOU!" Shang Ying rolled his eyes and thought, "He's so childish..." The food arrived as soon as Li Nang sent that message. They put their phones away and started digging into their dinner. They finished their food in 15 minutes and placed a takeaway order for both Wen Xi and Yi Tian. 

The takeaway order came and Shang Ying paid for them. They took the takeaway order and headed out of the restaurant. Rui Xing thanked Shang Ying for paying for the dinner and said that she'll pay for lunch tomorrow, at the airport. They all agreed and walked back to the train station to go back to the hotel.

A 21 year old girl is in a love triangle. Whose heart would she break? Who will she end up with? How would her loved-ones react? 
(Editor of this story: @nalubae)
(Co-writer of Vengeful In Love)

The female manager, who was wearing a beautiful white shirt, was more knowledgeable than the other staff members. The manager's wavering eyes were rapidly expanding, as she took the unlimited credit card from the hands of Huang Xia. Huang Xia enjoyed this kind of interaction, especially in front of a great beauty.
Beep beep beep!
After quickly typing in the password on the machine, Huang Xia looked to the side and talked to Chen Fan in a condescending tone, "Uncle Wang, who is the president of CCB, has a good relationship with my dad. If you want to change to a better card, I can help you get the CCB Gold Platinum Card or the Olympic Platinum Card, both of which offer VIP treatment at the airport, as long as your points are sufficient."
Chen Fan rolled his eyes. "It's okay, my memory is not that good. I might easily forget the passwords if I got too many cards."
"You've spent 5,800 yuan. The balance on your card after the payment is now...18,369,700 yuan, please sign!" The female staffer handed the receipt to Huang Xia with trembling hands. The eight figure balance made her immediately jealous, as she wished that she could have that series of numbers in her own account!
Usually those bosses, who were well-dressed and had big bellies, would come there and spend crazily, but the balance on their cards could be disappointing to look at upon their checking out. Some even had negative balances on their accounts! But, this dressed up guy in front of her was clearly a legitimate son of a wealthy family!
"My dad only withdrew 30 million last week, and this is just his private account. Most of his money is kept in the company's account!" Huang Xia bragged aloud, as he pretended to sign his father's name. He wanted to see Chen Fan's surprised expression. Unfortunately, the latter's expression remained the same, as if the staffer had reported a balance amount of only a few cents, instead of more than 10 million!
Seeing that his expected effect had not been achieved, Huang Xia hummed. He was waiting to see how much money Chen Fan had left on his card.
Although the item that Huang Xia had bought was less expensive than Chen Fan's, Huang Xia still believed that this guy couldn't possibly be richer than his family. A raging fire rose in Huang Xia's mind after having such thoughts. It was very difficult for him to understand why Yun Meng, a girl as wonderful as a fairy, would like this man. After all, he was not eye-catching, nor did he even dress well!
If Chen Fan knew the exact thoughts of this little boy at the moment, he might have been thrown into a depression. This judgment was a direct reveal of the generation gap that was present as well. The younger generation always liked to be the focus, whereas the more mature generation were low-key. This was because they'd been raised with more scruples and discipline!
Huang Xia stared at Chen Fan, who was pulling out the credit card from his pocket slowly. Chen Fan's actions were naturally interpreted by Huang Xia as revealing Chen Fan's lack of confidence, after hearing Huang Xia's account balance. Thinking of this, Huang Xia's face became even more smug.
If Hermès products were not made of leather, they might not be so pricey. For example, the two items of the brand that Huang Xia and Yun Meng possessed, were relatively reasonable. However, when it came to their leather products, the price would increase exponentially. For example, Chen Fan's leather jacket was priced at 160,000 yuan!
When she saw the price, Yun Meng's small mouth opened in a surprised oval, and stayed that way for quite awhile! She wondered if the tag was over-reporting one or two zeros!
After receiving the bank card, the female staffer skillfully slid it over the magnetic slot.
After Chen Fan inserted his password on the machine, the female staffer quickly typed in her operator's password.
Tap tap tap.
Then, she glanced at the balance at the bottom of the screen, preparing to report to Chen Fan his balance.
"What!?"
Several people at the scene were alerted by her sudden scream. They looked at her like she was a psycho!
Ah, is something wrong with the computer? How am I getting a series of Arabic numbers?
The staffer was feeling kind of dazed. She even wiped the screen twice, unsure of whether or not what she was seeing was true.
"One...two...three..."
The female staffer counted the numbers on the screen weirdly, her eyes getting bigger as she was counting. Her eyes were about to bulge out of their sockets, when she reached the ninth figure.
When she finally counted to ten, her eyebrows and lips were squeezed into a weird geometric shape.
"Oh!"
With a savings balance of more than 1.3 billion yuan, it would not be a problem for Chen Fan to buy out all of the Hermès stores in China! Everyone was confused, after hearing this number, which revealed Chen Fan's assets to be over 100 million!
Everyone wondered who exactly this man was! However, the person most affected by the ten-digit balance was Huang Xia. The series of numbers had completely smashed him!
"Are you certain?" Huang Xia's eyes were red. "That makes no sense! If you have so much, why is your bank card the most common one?"
Chen Fan was feeling depressed, upon being challenged to explain. The money on this card was the oil transportation fund card, which he had opened in recent months, under the name of his father. He had indeed received a phone call from the bank to invite him to upgrade the savings card, but Chen Fan disliked the cumbersome procedure, so he had not agreed. Now, he was being bothered by this issue again, so of course he would feel upset.
"Sir, could you kindly leave your contact information with us?" The staffer, who was still winking at Huang Xia, immediately changed her focus back to Chen Fan. She realized that she might have spoken too bluntly, so immediately explained her reasonings for the request in a polite and succinct manner.
"If you make a total purchase of more than 100,000 yuan here, you can get a tailor-made loyalty card, which can be exchanged for some limited-edition products," she explained.
"Ehhh, maybe next time!" Chen Fan was almost unable to resist the staffer's persuasive enthusiasm. After taking the carbon pen from her and signing the cardholder's name, he held Yun Meng's hand, prepared to leave.
Huang Xia tried to say something, but could not utter a single word in the end. There was an uneasy and panicked expression in his eyes.
"Wait, I remember!" The middle-aged man, who was accompanying his wife to buy silk scarves, suddenly shouted. "The card that was dropped just now, wasn't it an UBS A-level customer card?"
"Why do you have to raise your voice?" his companion scolded. She felt that her man was out of his mind, so she immediately raised her head and glared at him.
"Haha! Woman, what do you know?" the middle-aged man said with a low voice. "This card is more valuable than the Centurion card, which is issued by American Express. It is not an exaggeration to say that the card is the world's top bank card!"
The Centurion card? The woman knew that her favorite movie actor had one of those! She knew this because that guy used to be snapped by the paparazzi while using the centurion card to buy food at the market! After these images were picked up by the media, a lot of celebrities were envious and thought that he was putting up a show.
But, a name like UBS's A-level customer card, it just sounded so very common! However, the middle-aged man's next sentence immediately made her lose her composure, enough to where she didn't even notice that she had dropped the silk scarf that she had been holding in her hands!
"Seventy percent of the world's top 500 executives use the Centurion card. With this card, you are able to make any luxury store on Fifth Avenue open exclusively for you at night. But, if you take out a UBS A-level customer card, any luxury store would be willing to go even further, solely doing only business with you from now on! Moreover, the chief designer of the brand would also be happy to travel to New York to personally serve you! This is because, among the presidents of all of the Fortune 500 companies worldwide, there are only 27 people who own this card!"
....
Rumble.
A powerful sound suddenly broke the peaceful environment, as the turbulent airflow even tore the white mist out of a crack, which was several hundred meters long. The beginning of the crack was actually the shiny skull of the monster!
"It's nice to have a heavy fog!" The electric squirting mouth sucked in a white mist as it spoke, and the huge water molecules inside it made it cry. If the fog had not scattered, the electric raft would not have even needed to start the electrolysis process, as the water system could have supplemented its oxygen consumption.
Today was the day of delivery for the old man Argyll. For this reason, Chen Fan controlled the electric eel to work all night, so that he could move all of the bows in the warehouse to the beach.
If calculated according to the current price rate of two hundred for one gram of metal palladium, then the tens of millions of capital that he had at this time could be exchanged for billions in profits!
Of course, this was still only a theoretical outcome. If he really wanted to get that much money, he would have to sell all of the metals. Therefore, Chen Fan was also preparing to establish a strategic international trading company offshore, under the name "Cruiser."
As rice has to be eaten bit by bit, the road to this eventual outcome had to be walked step by step. If the transactional relationship with Argyll could be maintained, Chen Fan was determined to turn his new offshore company into an absolutely monopolized strategic metal export enterprise. In the meantime, he would keep developing the business of oil transportation, too!
These lofty goals were not signs of his arrogance, but rather, they were the results of his self-confidence. He knew that, due to the current level of technology that was available here, any modern item could be considered a miracle in Argyll's country. Thus, it would be no problem to lure those citizens into purchasing his goods!
In the real world, Chen Fan had a powerful electric eel at hs disposal, so it was no problem for him to occupy the sea. After all, the ocean was the economic lifeline of all mankind, as two-thirds of the global circulation of goods depended on the ocean!
Chen Fan was really very brilliant indeed in his business strategies, as metal and oil were the cornerstones that support the development of the entire industry. So, in theory, the industry, and even the entire world, would have nothing left without these two priceless commodities!
Chen Fan had the right timing and the right place for the meeting, so all he must do now was wait. Suddenly, a burst of propellers interrupted Chen Fan's thoughts. Without a doubt, he knew that it must be Argyll coming!


Because of an accident, Chen Fan obtained the power to possess an electric eel!
Of course, being an ambitious guy, Chen Fan just HAD to explore his Electric Eel Avatar thoroughly!
Captains, are the Somali pirates still giving you a headache? Come and hire me online, and I will guarantee that your ship will be even safer than protected by an American aircraft carrier!

The vegetarian food Tao Ping cooked tasted quite good as well.
She tried her best to retain the original taste of the ingredients. She also tried her best to create different flavors while controlling the level of oil she used. Her meticulous cooking and ingenious fire control made even the most common of dishes like Chinese cabbages and potatoes tantalizing.
Ling Ran tasted a few dishes of stir-fried vegetables, vegetable stew and steamed vegetables, constantly fighting down his growing appetite. It was not long before he drank the spinach soup, mushroom soup, and bamboo shoot soup before lying on the couch as if he had no bones. He touched the young novice monk's head before turning the television on to a random channel to watch it.
Dong Sheng sat crossed-legged on the sofa with his body held upright in a respectful manner. He suddenly smacked himself on the head and said, "I forgot to bring incense sticks here."
"Incense sticks?"
"Yes. You can burn them to soothe your spirit and mind. I gathered all the materials on the mountain myself. I even added angelica roots," Dong Sheng said earnestly. "But I just started learning how to make them, and they might not be very effective…"
"It's the thought that counts." Tao Ping happily sat down on the young novice monk's other side and caressed his head.
Dong Sheng said, "My master says that since you gave me a place to stay, I must accept it with a pious heart and cannot see it as a given, lay Buddhist."
Twelve Fountains Temple was located on Twelve Fountains Mountain at the outer suburbs of Yun Hua City. The journey between Twelve Fountains Temple and Lower Groove Clinic took three hours by bus, and it was very laborious for Dong Sheng to head forth and back. This was why Tao Ping had allowed Dong Sheng stay for a night before going back the following day with the medicine.
Ling Jiezhou had no objections either. On the one hand, it was because Dong Sheng really was cute, and was also facing some real difficulties. The house also had guest rooms to spare.
On the other hand, it was because the small clinic operated a lot more flexibly, compared to that of hospitals. Throughout the couple dozens of years the Ling family had run Lower Groove Clinic, they had allowed their customers to pay on credit, and also allowed customers to submit valuables as deposit. In the earlier years, some residents had even carried furniture over to pay for their medical bills. The Ling family had no choice but to take them.
As WeChat had started offering a payment system during the past few years, Lower Groove Clinic also applied for a QR code of their own, and aptly timed too. Similarly, they had also been supporting credit card transactions, which required transaction fees on their part, for quite some time. 
Ling Jiezhou was even prepared to accept it if banks started implementing credit card services that allowed on the spot approval for installment payment—just like in Korean dramas—one day.
Tao Ping's thought process was a lot shallower. She only rubbed Dong Sheng's head happily and said, "Then, I'll also accept your gift with a pious heart."
"I made matches too. You can use them to light the incense sticks up." Dong Sheng was full of smiles, since his work was recognized. This made him look even more obedient, like an Alaskan malamute.
Tao Ping went by herself to fetch the accessories used to burn the incense sticks.
It was a very Chinese style enjoyment to let a trail of incense smoke hover in the room. It was also a very befitting behavior of a scholar. Tao Ping would also light an incense stick and enjoy it with all her heart when she was drinking tea, toying with her pearls, toying with her chinaware, reading or pruning her potted plants.
The incense burner she used the most on ordinary days was a decorative piece, made of ebony. It was carved into the shape of a small cello, and where the strings were supposed to be had been hollowed out, allowing the incense sticks—which were placed horizontally inside—to burn at the right intensity when lit. 
Tao Ping lit a match. After the flame stabilized, she slowly drew the lower end of the flame near to the upper end of the incense stick. She lit the incense stick with the inner flame. This way, the incense stick would burn slowly instead of burning all at once and causing wastage.
"It's a lot better than the ones I buy myself." Tao Ping wrinkled her nose delightedly.
Ling Ran and Ling Jiezhou looked at each other. Clearly, they did not share her passion.
But this was a common occurrence in their lives that was not worth worrying about.
The young novice monk put his palms together and said, "Master said that I'm very gifted when it comes to making incense sticks, too. If you like it, I can bring more next time, lay Buddhist."
"Yeah, you can make different flavored ones."
Tao Ping rubbed the young novice monk's head and said, "But you don't have to bring too many. I only light one every few days."
"Alright." The young novice monk yawned slightly as he spoke.
"It's your bedtime already, isn't it? Do go and get the room ready yourself." This was when Tao Ping did not act like a host.
The young novice monk thanked her smoothly, as if he was used to this sort of situations. He went to the guest room upstairs by himself, took out the sheets, put on the sheets over the bed, and the pillowcase…
He was already rather familiar with the Ling family's guest room.
The following day.
The moment he woke up, Ling Ran heard someone sweeping the courtyard. He craned his neck to take a look. As expected, he saw Dong Sheng in a small Buddhist robe, sweeping the courtyard diligently. There was also a basin of water beside Dong Sheng, which was used to block the dust from getting to him.
Dong Sheng waved the broom, which was the same size as him at a moderate speed.
He woke up early every time he stayed with the Ling family to clean the place. He performed tasks such as scrubbing the railings and door frames, just like when he stayed at Twelve Fountains Temple.
Ling Ran went downstairs after washing his face and rinsing his mouth. He went to the breakfast shop in the alley to buy deep-fried dough sticks and soybean milk, after rubbing Dong Sheng's head, of course. When Ling Ran returned and called Dong Sheng over to eat, Dong Sheng came over as obediently as a normal child.
Compared to the vegetarian food Tao Ping made, Dong Sheng preferred the greasy deep-fried dough sticks and the tofu pudding which was laden with flavoring.
"Take it slow. If it's not enough, you can have some of Uncle Ling's tofu pudding."
Tao Ping smiled.
Ling Jiezhou froze mid-way while he was enjoying the food.
"Why don't you let him have yours?"
"You can drink mine if you want more."
Ling Jiezhou instantly flashed a satisfied smile.
Dong Sheng did not understand what had just happened at all. He pondered for a while and said, "Master said that I will receive a salary after I study in the Institute of Buddhist Studies. Then, I will treat all of you to tofu pudding.
"Alright, alright, alright," Tao Ping said happily. She then nudged Ling Ran and said, "You have already graduated from university. Why aren't you treating us all to tofu pudding?"
Ling Ran slowly set down the ladle and said to his mother, "I was the one who went to buy the bowl of tofu pudding you are eating right now."
"Ah…" Tao Ping's face froze for a moment. She then started shouting, "I didn't take a picture of the first gift my son bought me since getting a job!"


Ling Ran, a med school senior, begins to see the world like a game UI. He uses it to pave his way towards graduation, a residency, becoming the greatest doctor in the world... And finally getting a Transformer from his newbie packs? Maybe. We don't know yet.

Hermione pov

Hermione was crying, she couldn't believe Harry not only didn't meant the gift as an apology, he also gave such a cruel 'gift' to Neville and was unwilling to apologize, so Neville ripped the gift card in front of Harry and she told him that they aren't friends anymore and that he lost his soul. Even though she knew she was right, she couldn't help but cry, after all he was her first friend.

Marcus's pov

It was the first night at the castle and Marcus put on his invisibility cloak and went on a secret stroll, after about an hour of roaming the castle he came near a room he felt a strong need to go into.
As he walked in, he found a large, impressive mirror, he removed his cloak and looked into it. There he saw himself as the hero of the Wizarding world a second time, defeating countless dark lords. After an untold amount of time he heard a voice behind him
"So, you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised." It was Dumbledore.
"I didn't see you, sir."
"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Marcus was relieved to see that he was smiling.
"I expect you've realized by now what it does?"
Marcus thought and said "It shows us what we want... whatever we want..."
"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. So it shows you the life of a man of justice who saves everyone. 
However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible."
"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Marcus, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"
Marcus was on his way out of the door when he turned and asked
"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"
"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."
Marcus stared
"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."
It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Marcus that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought, as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question.

Dumbledore's pov

'Everything went perfectly,' Dumbledore thought while putting the stone inside the mirror. 'by using a confudius charm on Marcus he found the mirror and made the mirror have a contact with his mind just enough to put an object in the mirror linked to him so next time he sees it the object would come out and he even managed to establish himself as an eccentric wise guide so when he gives Marcus explanations in their next meeting Marcus would be inclined to believe. Yes, everything is perfect.

Harry's pov

Classes returned and months went by, and it was March already.
Harry while losing Hermione and Neville as friends gain another two friends by becaming good friends with the twins while being in the ROR and continued with steady steps in his studies, well steady steps for him was gigantic steps for others . His charms study came to the second half of the sixth year and the twins and he started playing the game 'who could think of the most horrible way to die by an every day charm.' As a way to think of original ways to use regular charms. Right now the most horrifying way was ripping your enemy's heart by achio with second place an over powered laughing charm that won't stop till you choke.
In transfiguration, finished studying the transfiguration theory books in the library and he could tell you that while the exercises in class were good to see where you are now, the magical theory in transfiguration was shit. It was only about the way you move your wand and the different results with different wand movement and intent, and while intent was right, the ideas about wand movements were wrong as it would mean it is impossible to do transfiguration wandlessly and Harry can.
As for all the laws of the possible and impossibles in transfiguration and conjunction, Harry didn't believe it at all, it sounded like something the ministry uses to make sure there are no frauds in gold (as transfiguration isn't permanent) and that food can't be made in conjunction as conjunction is actually transfiguration of gases and it would go back in the end to it's base form.
his magical control became better and he was nearing the end of second year but he needs to start thinking of new exercises in control as it started to become almost easy to control the frequency of the electricity.
His occlumency became better then ever with his mental maze keeping the unsuspecting Quirrellmort in a loop of first-sixth grade in muggle school and Snape thinking he is a natural in the art as he 'become better' in each privet lesson.
His economic class was finished and he started having double classes in forging where he finished making knifes and started making swords, which were similar in shape but had much higher requirements on the balance.
A nice side affect of the forging lessons was that Harry's phisical strength and endurance started raising again after being stuck on the same level for a long time.

March 24 00:44
He couldn't believe it, the hallow he couldn't get as it was in the hands of the potters is now his! It is in his apartment in London where it would stay unless he has an important mission until he has ether a more secure, easy to access place.
How he got it? Well, it all started a few hours ago

Flashback
March 23 9:30
It was really close to bed time whenHarry came inside the Slytherin common room, he was on his way to his room when he heard Malfoy say to  Crabbe and Goyle: "I found out scarface and his friends are going to sneak their dragon out side the school and I am going to make sure they are caught, as with the points they would lose they would get no chance at winning the house cap and as the person who made it happen, I would finally get my place as the leader of our Slytherin year!" Harry wanted to laugh as Malfoy apparently forgot Snape telling them the cap is meaningless but as he didn't want to get caught overhearing, he put an invisibility charm over him and went to the astronomy tower where in the books the heros forget the invisiblity cloak.
He waited for the golden group to drop the cloak and give the dragon away when he castes a quick notice me not charm on the cloak and then waited for them to leave before taking the cloak and going to the ROR lost and founds where he left the vanishing cabinet hidden, went to his apartment, left the cloak and returned to his room.
End flashback

You know the drill, I died and got wishes, than I replaced the main character and lived happily ever after... or at least that's what it is supposed to be like, so why, in instead of reincarnating in my favorite book I am stuck in this AU where I am not sure what's gonna happen? Good thing I love fan-fictions?
I don't own Harry Potter, if I did Harry would never have forgiven Ron in years four and seven and the cursed child would have never been written

"Who told you that this is a credit card?"
His forehead slightly scrunched up as he looked at the woman in front of him in resignation.
What is this dumb woman talking about?
"Huh? Ah? Not a credit card?" She was instantly dumbfounded. This dark silver card is actually not a credit card?
She looked at the card the man was handing over to her again and realized that it really did not seem to be either a credit card or a bank card!
That was because there were actually no numbers printed on it.
"Of course, not," he replied with amusement.
"What is this, then?" She shifted her gaze from the card and on to the man.
"This is this house's IC card," he explained.
"Er? What is an IC card?" she asked weakly.
Oh, my gosh. As part of the common folks, I really don't know anything about the world of the rich.
"… It is equivalent to a keycard." His lips twitched as he patiently answered her question.
"But… I don't recall seeing any door when we took the lift to your house. Where am I going to use this card?" Her brain could not seem to keep up with the happenings around her. No matter how much she tried to refresh her memories, she could still not recall seeing any door on their way up.
"… The elevator! It has a slot for swiping this card by the entrance." He looked at the ignorant woman before him and stiffly thought, How did I end up putting a woman as dumb and slow-witted as her in my heart?
"O-Oh!" She finally understood how the card worked.
Tsk, tsk, tsk! This is indeed the world of the rich! While I've seen such high-tech stuff on TV before, I really didn't know that a card is needed to use an elevator that goes straight into someone's house. How impressive!
She exasperatedly eyed the dark silver IC card in his hand and could not help but be curious about it.
"Take it." He stuffed the IC card into her hand when he noticed her curious gaze.
She only managed to react at this once she felt the IC card in her palm.
That's not right! That's not what we should be talking about!

The moment I saw this card, my question shouldn't have been on how to use it. Rather, I should've asked this annoying fellow why he's giving me this card!
"Er!" She lifted her chin to gaze at him after the belated realization and asked, "That's not right. Why are you giving me the keycard to your house?"
He took in her lost and confused look and instantly felt his breath hitching again.
"What do you think? Why am I giving you this IC card?"
Crossing his arms, he raised a brow at her. He had an unfathomable look on his face.
"Huh?" When he threw the question back at her, she blinked her eyes and scrunched up her forehead ponderously. Shortly after, her lips curled upward.
"It's because we are now husband and wife! And I, as your wife, need to have a duplicate of your keycard!"
A light smile appeared in his eyes at her words.
However, before the smile could stay around for a couple of minutes, it quickly dissipated and was replaced by displeasure at her next words.
"We are a fake couple, so if I don't have a duplicate of your keycard, others will guess the truth!" She made this guess with a grin.
Hearing her answer and seeing her gleeful look, he could feel his heart hurting.
"How is it? My guess is pretty accurate, right?" She smiled widely and blinked innocently at him.
"Yes." He stared at her through narrowed eyes and said coldly, "Since you are my wife, if we don't stay together, it will be—"
Before his statement ended, her eyes were already like saucers from shock.
"—Obvious that it's fake, right?" He casually completed the rest of his words.
She exclaimed in shock the moment he finished speaking.
"Ahhh!" She stared at him in disbelief, feeling as if she were actually dreaming.
"Ji Ziming, are you sure your brain is fine?" A heartbeat later, her tongue slipped, and she spoke whatever was on her mind.
"…" His forehead creased at her question.
This d*mn, dumb woman is actually asking me that question again!
"Pei Ge—" Before he could continue berating her, the woman shouted above his loud voice.
"While we indeed got our marriage certificate, we are still not a real married couple! Taking your house keycard is fine, but as for staying together, you should forget about it!" She made her stance very clear to him. She even sounded as if she despised the idea.
"… Pei Ge, you seem to have forgotten the terms stated in the contract. You don't actually have the right to choose, as well as the power to negotiate terms with me," he stated with a raised brow and a cutting gaze.
Her face whitened at this.
That's right. I signed a contract with this annoying fellow. I don't actually have the right to negotiate terms with him, and I definitely can't go against his wishes like I used to do.
"I—" She moved to speak, but before she could get another word out, he quickly interrupted her.
"You will move here after your mother's operation," he coldly repeated. He then shot her a gaze with warning – a warning not to fight him and try his patience.
"…" She fell silent at that.
Move over? Live with this annoying fellow?
Honestly speaking, she still did not get why he had chosen her to be his shield and wanted to make it this realistic. Was there anyone out there with the guts to force Ji Ziming, this annoying fellow, into a marriage?
"Can I not move over?" Her forehead was knitted tightly when she asked this question in vexation.
"You can't," he rejected.
"Where will I stay, then?" She glared at him indignantly, feeling stifled inside.
"The guest room," he answered indifferently.
She thanked the god for small mercies as she had no say in this and could only grudgingly abide by his order.
"I understand. I'll move over after my mother's operation…" she acquiesced, feeling powerless and tired.
Sigh… When is this annoying fellow going to divorce me? This is so vexing…


After a series of life-changing events, Pei Ge decides to start anew and rediscover her place in this world. She gets a new job, new friends and… a new boss whom she mistakes as a male host!

He helps her to get revenge on a back-stabbing friend, supports her when it seems that the world has given up on her, encourages her to be more confident about herself and even… messes up her blind dates!

With her strong working abilities and fiery attitude, she manages to climb up the ranks in the company (under the devious scheme of a certain CEO) and even gains a fan girl who can’t wait to be her sister-in-law.

As Pei Ge navigates through the ups and downs of office politics, family drama, finding her right partner and societal expectations, she realizes that things are not as simple as it seemed and everything she had believed in is tested…

The Big Misunderstanding:

“You asshole! Why didn’t you use protection?! I’m pregnant!”
“…It’s not mine.”
“Asshole! You actually dare to not admit it?! I gave all my firsts to you! You jerk!”
…
At the gynecologist, she read her pregnancy lab report and was stunned: Irregular period.
The man raised an eyebrow and smirked, “Didn’t you make a ruckus about being pregnant with my child? Where is the child?!”
“…” Who is scared of who? Let’s make a bet!

Cross watched as the clock ticked down the final minute. Almost all of the girls had arrived with the last few stragglers running in just as the bell rang. He waited for them to find their seats before standing from his chair. The class went silent as he picked up a piece of chalk and began to write.

"Good afternoon. I will be your professor this session. We will primarily cover the subject of Clairvoyance and other aspects of Sight. As a Clairvoyant myself, I hope to give you a rather unique insight to the subject. My name is… Christian Cross." Cross's teeth ground together as he heard a slight inhalation of breath that he knew to be Lexi stifling a laugh. Servilia had found the name equally amusing. He took in a small breath and continued. "You may call me Professor or Professor Cross."

Cross dropped the chalk and turned back to the class. A number of girls had their hands raised. Cross nodded towards the nearest one, a light haired girl with dull blue eyes.

"How old are you?" she asked. A number of hands dropped.

"I am twenty-four," Cross lied smoothly. Servilia had added a few years to his actual age. He pointed to another girl.

"Are you married?"

Cross resisted the urge to sigh, instead keeping an easy half smile on his face. "No, I am not married."

"Dating?" Another girl in the pack chimed in.

"Not currently, and please wait to be called on before speaking," Cross answered as the class tittered. Seeing a few hands still remaining Cross reached up and adjusted his glasses. "Are there any more question… that pertain to the class?"

Every hand fell except for a lone girl sitting near the middle of the class. Cross gestured to her and she cleared her throat, taking a moment to compose herself. She had the rigid posture of a noble. The moment she opened her mouth Cross knew she was from Dumas. He had heard enough of that accent from Romeo to ever misplace it.

"Yes, professor this class is about 'Clairvoyance' you say?" She gave off an unimpressed noise.

Cross nodded slowly. "Yes, and your name is?"

Vivian," she said it as though he should have already known. "My father says Clairvoyants and Seers are nothing more than frauds and liars."

"Your father is correct, Miss Vivian," Cross said.

The girl's eyes widened for a moment and the class went silent again. Cross started to reach up to loosen his tie, but caught himself before his hand was able to raise more than a few inches. Clenching his fists he instead paced back and forth at the front of the room.

"Clairvoyance is completely unique in the field of magic. Unlike the magics that rule over light, shadow, fire, water, or any of the many others, clairvoyance cannot be seen. A Seer must be taken at face value," Cross said before stopping and gazing at the girl for a moment. "You're a noble from Dumas. Your father holds a rather prestigious position and you are being groomed for a similar position. Your mother is also a noble, but from a lesser family background. Correct?" Cross blinked slowly as Vivian's hands clenched together.

"Well, yes, but-"

"But that is all information I could gleam from simply talking to you and knowing a general history of Dumas, you are absolutely right. It is good that you question me. Many people don't, either wanting to believe what they hear or because the actor is very skilled." Cross interrupted her. "The key to the trick is making broad, generalized speculations that appeal to the masses."

"Well then," Vivian composed herself. "How do we know you aren't simply a liar as well? By your own standards you haven't done anything special."

"True." Cross reached up and brushed his fingertips along his temple. "By the way, I'm quite sure that book you have in your bag is not on the school's approved reading list. Even if you put a different cover on it. Please refrain from bringing such items to my class in the future, or I will be forced to confiscate them."

Vivian nearly recoiled back and her hand dropped to her bag, pulling it tight against her body.

"Anymore questions? No? Good. Let's begin." Cross looked over the class as Vivian went silent. "There are multiple levels of Sight, but we will simplify it into a few broad categories. Of course, these levels are all subjective and the spectrum is quite large, but this is an entry level class and I'm going to do my best not to overwhelm you." Cross tapped his glasses into a more comfortable position. "Now, the most basic and common types of Sight are readings. They are mostly limited to the near future. Things such as Card readings, Tealeaf reading, Crystal ball readings. These are also the most likely to be faked. Now do any of you have experience with this type of Sight?"

A number of hands went up.

Cross nodded.

"As is to be expected. Even as magical ability waned over the last century, these readers stayed largely prominent. That is not to say all were frauds, but it is likely many of them were and continue to be. With any Seer, be very careful in trusting what they say, especially if they leave you with even more questions. It is a tactic to get you to return." Cross noticed a few girls fidget uncomfortably in their seats. "The next level of Sight is more advanced. Seers on this level have the ability to see briefly into the minds of others, along with the short-term images of the future."

There was another uncomfortable shift.

"For those of you worried, mind reading is not a simple act. It takes extraordinary discipline and control. Furthermore, the human mind is not like a book. You cannot simply crack it open and look for information. When viewing another's mind, most Seers' can only see hints or read emotions, and even then there are ways to mislead, deceive, and hide your true thoughts. Only those with highly developed Sight could truly read deep into your mind."

A hand went up.

"No, I do not have that ability, nor do I have any interest in reading any of your minds." Cross said easily. Only half of that was true.

The hand went down.

"Seers on this level will also often have the ability to 'sense' things around them. For example, I am can roughly divine the contents of a book I have never read before. Minute details are often lost in this translation and the ability is far from perfect."

"You said card readers and whatever can only see briefly into the future," A girl in the front row said, resting her chin on her fist. "What about the famous Prophets? Didn't they predict things that happened like, way into the future or something?"

"Ah." Cross nodded. "That is an excellent point Miss?"

"Bellina."

"Miss Bellina. You are correct. The level of Prophet is considered by many to be the highest term of recognition a Seer can gain. Prophets, however, come with a very large flaw. Do you know what that is?"

Bellina shook her head.

"Does anyone know the number one issue with Prophets? Or indeed, any Clairvoyant, Fortune teller, or any other form of Seer?"

A few students tilted their heads, deep in thought, but the majority gave him blank, unknowing stares. Cross was about to speak when Lexi's hand slowly raised.

"Yes Miss?"

"Alexis, Professor Cross!" Lexi answered him. She had pepped up tone and it took a good portion of his self control not to grin.

"Miss Alexis. The issue, please?"

"Seers are wrong a lot?" Lexi ventured.

"Well put," Cross said, moving to the chalkboard and picking up a piece of chalk. "Class, could anyone please tell me how time moves."

"Forward?" A voice called out.

Cross nodded. "What else?"

"It moves in a line." Bellina said.

"Ah." Cross drew a line on the blackboard before turning back to the class, on hand pointing at the line. That is the common idea. Time moves in a single, unbroken line. This however, is false."

Cross drew another line parallel to the first. With his other hand he reached into his pocket and produced a large silver coin. He tossed it a girl in the front row. She caught it with a small fumble and looked up at him, confused.

"Please flip the coin. Catch it, but do not tell me how it lands. Miss?"

"Tia."

"Miss Tia, if you will?"

She nodded and flipped the coin, catching it in her palm. She looked up at Cross.

"Again, please."

She nodded and flipped the coin again.

"And one more time." Cross said.

Tia complied.

"Now then. The coin flips were tails, tails, heads, correct?"

"Yes!" Tia leaned forward. "They were!"

Cross tapped the line he had drawn. "By having Tia flip the coin without my input, I was able to see how the coin fell. I can repeat this over and over again without fail. The coin and Tia are on a specific timeline. However…." He looked back at Tia. "Tia, the next three flips will be heads, tails, heads. Now, please flip the coin again."

Tia nodded and flipped the coin the first time.

"Heads!"

"That's one." Cross nodded. "Again."

"Heads?" Tia looked down at the coin confused before looking back up at Cross.

"Again, please." Cross gestured.

Tia flipped the coin a final time, a look of confusion on her face as she stared down at the coin. "It's tails."

"So it is." Cross drew a new line, cutting through the first two. "Time not static. There are more factors that can ever been accounted for. Minute changes that can send you veering from one destiny to the other. By telling Tia the outcomes for the next flip, I have influenced the timeline and set it on another path. Without conscious thought, you changed the way you would flip the coin, this changing the outcome of time. It is for this reason, I am here teaching you young ladies instead of gambling to a life of wealth and fortune."

Cross gave the class a wry smile and was rewarded with a few giggles.

"So nothing is predetermined?" Tia asked, her fingers fidgeting over the coin. "Then how did the prophets manage to predict the future?"

"I'm glad you asked that." Cross gave her an encouraging smile. "There are, in fact, certain points in time that have been predetermined. They are known as Absolute points. They cannot be changed, they cannot be broken, and they cannot be ignored. It is impossible to know what event will be an Absolute point, but with proper speculation some prophets are able to accurately predict events they believed to be Absolute. It is for this reason that history is also riddled with many more false prophets than real ones. What they say may have indeed been the future at one point, but it did not stay that way for long."

"What makes a point Absolute? Or who?" Bellina asked.

"That, is a good question and one I do not have a satisfactory answer for. It is unfortunately impossible at this time to even know when these points will exist, let alone who or what cause them." Cross said before looking around the class. He was relieved to se the majority of them seemed somewhat interested in his lecture. "Now, does anyone have any questions on the basics?"

"Professor?" A bespectacled girl with a dusting of freckles and curly, light red hair held her hand high in the air.

Cross nodded to her.

"My name is Lucy." She gave him a cheery smile. "I was just wondering, I know you said this is all subjective, but is there any level of Sight above Prophet?"

Cross's mouth opened to say 'no' but a sudden spike of pain fired through his skull and leveled out into an intense pressure. Clenching his teeth, Cross was able to keep from flinching, but only barely. He gave a thoughtful nod to mask the pain as the pressure continue to build and the idea as to what would ease his sudden suffering sprung in the back of his mind. He tried to ignore it, but the pressure suddenly doubled, threatening to send him to his knees. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Alright," he breathed, so silent the words barely took form. The pressure was relieved almost instantly. He felt Lexi staring at him, along with the rest of the class.

He had been silent for far too long.

"Ah, sorry," Cross gave his head a gentle shake. "Yes, there is a level above Prophet, however it is very rare. You are unlikely to find much information about it in the school's library, or any library for that matter." The words continued to tumble out of his reluctant mouth and he gave Lexi the briefest of glances. "Do any of you know what the Void is?"

Tia's hand went up immediately.

"Yes, Tia," Cross said.

"The Void is believed to be where Seers get their ability to foretell the future. The basis of their magic," Tia said

"Wait!" Another girl in the back interrupted. "I thought that magic came from the Gods?"

"No, it's from nature."

"It's only one God, I thought."

"I thought humans were taught by the Fey?"

"My great-great nan said it was dragons who taught us magic."

"Settle down, everyone." Cross rapped his knuckles on his desk. "Miss Tia is correct. That is not to say any of you are wrong, however. Magic is a complex subject, and in this class we will not spend time debating about how it came to be. There are many theories and each have validity. It is quite possible there is no one true origin of magic."

A few girls raised their hands.

"We can discuss it another day when we have more time if you feel that strongly about it," Cross assured.

The hands dropped back down.

"Now then, what Miss Tia here said is correct. All Sight is connected to something called the Void. A simple way to imagine it is to picture a thread that connects you and everything else in the world to a single central point. Seers have the ability to touch on this thread and that is how they are able to utilize their magic." Cross hesitated and felt a pulse in his temple. He closed his eyes for a moment. "The highest level of Clairvoyance is known as Void Walking. Seers who are able to enter the Void itself. It is a type of Sight that cannot be taught and thus, only a select few have the ability. How and why they gain this ability is unknown."

"But…" Tia's face scrunched up in thought. "If the Void is the epicenter of their magic and knowledge, wouldn't being able to enter it make them all knowing?"

"Very good, Tia," Cross said, honestly impressed. "But the Void is more complex than any of us can even begin to fathom. It contains everything than can, or ever will be, but it also contains everything that will not be."

"But then how do Void Walkers know what is real and what isn't?" Tia pressed.

"They don't," Cross said simply. "Those who walk the Void are highly secretive individuals, possessing an overwhelming desire to keep the knowledge they gain to themselves. They see things. Things that people should never see in a single lifetime. More often then not, they become obsessed with knowledge, obsessed with the Void. They look deeper and deeper into the vast nothingness. They grow so hungry for a truth they can never find that they begin to lose their humanity. They become blind to pain, to suffering, to evil itself. Their emotions are stripped away until they are nothing more than husks of their former selves." Cross paused, taking a moment to gaze at the shocked faces of his students. He could feel one set of dark eyes in particular boring into him. He licked his suddenly dry lips. "In almost every recorded mention of a Void Walker, and believe me, they are few and they are excruciatingly hard to find, they eventually killed themselves. Driven mad by the truth that ever alluded them."

"Professor," Vivian asked without raising her hand after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "What level of Clairvoyant are you?"

The rest of the class went still, waiting for Cross's answer

"I am not far from the lowest level, I am afraid." Cross said softly as he ran a hand through his hair. "Not that I am complaining." He glanced at the clock. "That will be all for todays introduction. Next class we will go more in depth on the history of Clairvoyance. Please read chapters one and two in your assigned textbooks. I will see you all then. Class dismissed."

Cross waved his hand and moved back behind his desk. As the students filed passed him he gave polite nods to those who bid him good day until the classroom had emptied completely, save one student who had stopped in front of his desk.

Cross lifted his eyes up to Lexi's. Her arms were crossed in front of her and her brow was furrowed. She stared at him through black eyes, waiting for him to say something, anything. But he remained silent.

"Void Walking." The words slipped from her lips like a curse.

Cross nodded, fighting the urge to look away from Lexi's piercing gaze.

"You never told me."

"I never told anyone."

"Then why now?"

Cross lifted and lowered one shoulder. He felt some pressure in his skull but he pushed it back. "It seemed appropriate."

"How long?"

"Lex…"

"How. Long." Lexi's fingers curled and uncurled as the lights in the room flicked.

"Before I met you." Cross said with a heavy sigh.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Lexi's voice betrayed her for the smallest of moments. A barely perceivable waver, but Cross still heard it. His stomach wrenched.

He didn't have an answer to give her.

"I see." Lexi swallowed hard gave him a curt nod. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Professor."

As the door clicked shut Cross yanked his tie loose and slumped down in his chair.

"Why?" he asked the empty room.

"I thought it would be a good experience," Kosu replied, appearing above him. She twirled around until she landed in front of him, dressed in the Academy's uniform. "You shouldn't keep secrets from your friends, Cross. Especially dangerous ones.

"She didn't need to know."

"If she had been the one keeping secrets, you would have been upset, wouldn't you?" Cross's deepening frown was his only answer. Kosu smiled at him, reaching down and cupping his cheek. "The longer you had put it off, the worse she would have taken it. I'm just trying to help."

Cross leaned back, pulling free from her touch and resting his hand over his eyes. "Yeah, I know, Kosu. I know."

With magic all but lost, mage guilds are few and far between. The Sleeping Dragon guild, a lingering relic of the past, continues to operate any way it can. So long as the price is right, the talented individuals of this guild can handle any mission thrown their way, legal or otherwise. 

 As a courier for the Sleeping Dragon Guild, Cross prefers things simple. He keeps to a tight (albeit rather lazy) schedule and does his best not to deviate from it. But things do not always go according to plan. When he crosses path with a young girl claiming to be a Spirit Goddess, he and his fellow guildmates are pulled into a dark scheme over a century in the making.

Updates Mon-Weds-Friday

After attending classes, Michael headed home. He opened this computer and started browsing the internet. He was trying to look for more investments. He still invested in options but wanted to diversify a bit more. Michael stumbled upon Bitcoins. Bitcoins were a digital currency that has been popular for quite some time. 

Bitcoins have been called the currency of the future by many fans. It was a cryptocurrency that was mined and issued without a central bank or administrator. Michael started investigating bitcoins. His main concern was if bitcoin could be used in stores. After all, the purpose of currency is to be used to buy and sell goods. Michael was disappointed to find out that most traditional stores did not accept bitcoins. 

It seemed like the most popular place where bitcoin was actually being used as currency was the Dark Web. Michael was surprised when he stumbled upon information about the dark web. It seemed to be a hidden part of the internet where anything can be sold and bought. 

Michael decided to see what the Dark web had to offer. He bought a VPN and downloaded the Tor browser. The VPN was the most popular method used to hide one's origins on the internet. Apparently, the Tor browser was the main browser for navigating the Dark Web. Michael visited several of the most famous dark web marketplaces. Alphabay is perhaps the most popular dark web marketplace. 

Michael was astonished as he browsed the marketplace on Alphabay. The site had listings for everything from drugs, hacked accounts, Fake IDs and more. Nearly everything that is illegal is sold on the website. Furthermore, Bitcoin was required to purchase all the goods on the Website. The buyer would place an order and the site would hold it in escrow and tell the seller to deliver the product; once the buyer confirms delivery, the bitcoin will be released to the seller.

The dark web was to the internet as the back alley is to a city. Michael knew that these grey areas would always remain a part of society. As long as bitcoin remained the currency of the dark web, Michael was confident that it would appreciate in value. The anonymity Bitcoin offered for online transactions was priceless, Furthermore, it had a fixed supply limit at 21 million units. Without the option to issue more Bitcoins than the limit, each Bitcoin would keep appreciating in value.

Michael's current portfolio had $200 million. He decided to invest $50 million in bitcoin. He transferred a small amount to an anonymous wallet to spend on the Dark Web. When browsing Alphabay earlier Michael had seen an ad for a comprehensive Background check. The seller had great reviews and had a very good reputation. The report would include the normal checks like credit check and employment history in addition to a comprehensive internet history report. 

Michael decided to order a background check on Jennifer. If he was going to hire her then he wanted to know everything about her. Michael paid nearly $2,000 for the comprehensive check and got an instant reply saying that the order would be fulfilled within a week. All Michael had to provide was Jennifer's full name and her Facebook profile along with the city of residence. 

Michael closed the site and turned his attention to his investments. With the Advanced tier Stock market skill, Michael needed to put in very little effort to pick winning stocks. However, he was always looking for higher returns. 

Michael turned his attention to Penny stocks. Penny stocks are basically stocks of companies that are just starting out. These stocks were not regulated like the regular stocks. Any information provided by the company such as financial documents could not be trusted. However, the upside to them was that they usually cost pennies, hence the name penny stocks. 

Normally any serious investor would stay Miles away from penny stocks. Penny stocks were often a part of pump and dump schemes. Where the company would provide stocks to journalists and other promoters who would recommend the stock. Once gullible people started buying the stock, the schemers would dump the stock and walk away with the profit. The poor investors would be left with worthless stocks. 

However, things for different for Michael, Penny stocks were practically meant for him. His deception detection would sense frauds and lies; his stock market skill would tell him the true value of a stock. Michael started investing small amounts in various penny stocks. The amounts were all less than a million so even if he lost he would not suffer much. 

Some of these companies were so small that he even got emails from the company owners because they were so grateful for the investment. Michael was especially hopeful about a company called Concur Technologies. They created an accounting software for keeping track of employee spending. The stock had gone up and down in the past. This year would mark the company's 20th anniversary and Michael's intuition was telling him that the stock would perform well. Michael finished up his investments and went to bed.

Michael was just an ordinary boy living in modern-day America. He grew up in an orphanage with a bleak future. One day he acquired a mysterious package only to inherit a system. Join Michael as he changes his fate and conquers his destiny; armed with a mysterious system that tries to convince him to take over the world.

This is my first novel so I would appreciate any constructive criticism and support.


This novel will also be posted on RoyalRoad.

In the office of the training center, Dai Li held Taylor's physical test report and shook his head slightly. He was clearly dissatisfied with the physical test results.
"I think you need to lose at least 20 pounds of body weight. If not, your flexibility will be greatly affected," Dai Li stated.
For boxers in the same weight class, greater body weight was generally advantageous; however, for the current Kevin Taylor, greater body weight would instead hinder his movement and flexibility.
Taylor was only slightly more than 1.8 meters tall, which was a disadvantage in heavyweight boxing. A taller boxer had more reach. In boxing, the longer the arms, the more extensive the range of attack. In the world of heavyweight boxing, it was common to see giants who were over two meters tall.
With Taylor's current body weight, if he were to approach a two meter tall person, he might be considered light; however, when looking at Taylor's weight relative to his height, he really needed to start losing weight.
Taylor nodded awkwardly. Even he knew that it was time for him to start losing weight.
After all, Taylor had been banned from fighting in a match for two whole years. A two year hiatus was the ultimate discipline challenge for athletes. How many athletes would maintain high-intensity training for two years with no matches?
Taylor was the same. His life during those two years was undisciplined. He had even developed the habit of drinking and smoking marijuana, which were taboos among athletes. In truth, if Taylor were not hugely in debt and so tight on money, Taylor might have been much fatter.
"I will increase my exercise intensity and start dieting," Taylor said
"Increasing exercise intensity is a must, but there is no need to diet. Just follow my training plan. Your weight will still drop quickly even if you don't go on a diet," Dai Li said with confidence.
A look of suspicion flashed through Taylor's eyes. He was considered a veteran athlete, and he had been the world's greatest boxing champion. He had met quite a few top-class coaches before, but he had never heard that a person did not need to diet to lose 20 pounds of weight.
Dai Li continued by saying, "Apart from that, you have to begin strength training. There is no shortcut there, you can only do it step by step. Also, your ban is ending soon, and you have to get your match feeling back, so you need to find a sparring partner."
"I don't have money for a sparring partner," Taylor said in a dispirited tone.
"I can help with the wage of your sparring partner. Same old rules. Pay on credit." Dai Li paused and said, "You've been a boxer for so many years, you should have some connections, right? I'm sure you know better than me where you can find a suitable sparring partner. But don't find someone too expensive, I don't have too much money."
Taylor glanced gratefully at Dai Li.
Dai Li behind his back and said, "This used to be a gymnasium. I later turned it into a physical fitness training center. I've decided to clear that space and build a boxing ring so that you can use it for training."
"Build a boxing ring especially for me?" Taylor did not manage to react immediately.
"Of course. You are a boxer, you need practical training. You can't expect to just play around and train with this bodybuilding gym equipment all day!" Dai Li said.
Taylor went silent. After a minute, he finally opened his mouth and said, "Coach Li, I don't think there's any need for you to do that. You shouldn't alter your training center especially for me, even building a boxing ring. It's not worth it!"
"Why? Why do you not think that it is worth it?" Dai Li asked.
"The investment that you want to pour on me isn't worth it, because there's a chance I won't even be able to fully pay your training fees." Taylor lowered his head in disappointment. "Don't forget. I still owe the bank over 20 million dollars. Before I came here, I'd already received a notice from the bankruptcy court that they've agreed to accept my bankruptcy application. In the coming five years, I have to execute a debt repayment plan."
For an American, going bankrupt wasn't always a bad thing. Among past US presidents, many had experienced bankruptcy, including the famous Lincoln. He went bankrupt once in 1833. There was also the current president, Trump. He went bankrupt four times, but because of celebrity effects, his brazen behavior, and his robust way of doing things, his prestige remained even after bankruptcy. And it was common to see cases similar to Trump's among US celebrities. It was common to see the news reporting that some famous person from the US had gone bankrupt, but their lives remained luxurious and exciting.
The bankruptcy of Americans could be divided into two categories. The first involved the liquidation of assets, while the second was a deferred payment scheme. For the liquidation of assets, the assets of the person would be taken away after the bankruptcy announcement. The assets would then be auctioned off to clear debts. The credit rating of the individual would also drop to the minimum. There would be no need to pay the bank any of the owed accounts, but things like debts on taxes, divorce, and alimony fees still had to be paid.
Under these circumstances, it was difficult for the bankrupt person to find a regular job, and it was also almost impossible for them to receive social relief. They could forget about renting a home outside the slums, their children would also end up in poor schools. They couldn't buy medical insurance, and they couldn't buy insurance for their children; they couldn't purchase air tickets or go overseas. They might even be monitored by the police if they entered the area of the rich.
Under normal circumstances, Americans would never choose this method of going bankrupt, because once a person became bankrupt this way, they would lose all their pride and dignity. Many homeless people out there on the streets were merely people who didn't have money, didn't have a job, or didn't have a place to stay. They were not really people who were bankrupt, they just chose to live on the streets rather than going bankrupt.
Compared to the liquidation of assets, Americans preferred the deferred payment scheme as their bankruptcy method. A deferred payment meant that assets would not be taken away; however, a debt repayment plan would exist, and repayments had to be made in the future based on the person's salary. It was actually a sort of debt reorganization. Although the credit rating of the bankrupt person would also drop, there were fewer limitations and restrictions on the person's lifestyle. However, one thing was certain; the insolvent person who used this method still couldn't spend their money however they liked.
Taylor had chosen the deferred payment scheme as his bankruptcy method. After a 20 million dollar debt reorganization, every single cent Taylor earned had to be returned to the bank according to the debt repayment plan. That meant that Taylor had to first give the money he earned to the bank, so it was difficult for him to withdraw too much money as payment for Dai Li's training fee.
However, Dai Li laughed after hearing that. "You only owe the bank 20 million dollars, right? I remember your appearance fee for a single match back in the day was between 10 and 20 million, and that's not including other earnings. You could probably clear off all your debts by fighting in just one match, couldn't you?"
"That was me from seven years ago. I was 25 years old then, but now, I am already 32 years old. I haven't fought in two whole years, so it's impossible for me to return to that kind of condition. By the time I return to the arena in a month, at the end of my ban, I might not even be able to defeat my first opponent!" Taylor said with sad resignation.
I have a modus operandi for this, Dai Li thought to himself. The age-reduction card he received earlier would solve this problem perfectly.
However, the most important thing was to have Taylor recover his confidence as a boxing champion!


How could a poor graduate student without any background or connections become successful? With a coaching system? An upgrade? This is not a computer game, but real life we’re talking about!
 
This will be a fantasy based on reality. Dai Li will fight back against all those who would mock and humiliate him with his astonishing and awe-inspiring training skills. From a nobody he’ll try to become the most illustrious coach in the sports world, so join him in proving to everyone who’s the real master here!

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