Amya just meet this really cool guy, who she weirdly feels connected to and doesn’t know why, she is left asking herself do I like him or is there something else. After knowing him for a while he feels he could trust her and gives her a hardcover notebook. Will this answer her questions or draw her into confusion.

The quiet place that Edward found ended up to be a small and quaint bookstore that also sold aromatic drip coffee. While he did plan to bring Scarlet out for a shopping trip after playing at the arcade, he wasn't quite expecting the girl to choose such a place. They ventured the less crowded areas of the city and stumbled upon this old gem that Scarlet immediately fell in love with.
The lady of the bookstore had cataracts and seeing difficulties. However, she still welcomed the couple, more than happy to have customers.
"How can I help you?" she asked and ushered them to a seat.
The bookstore was rather tiny because of how many books there were cluttered in the small shop. There wasn't even a menu to offer, just an option of coffee with milk or sugar or tea. Edward wondered how such a place was able to sustain until now and the old lady hobbled back with the order of two black coffees.
"Scarlet, are you feeling better now?" he asked.
The writer nodded with a small smile. Normally, she would feel claustrophobic in small enclosed spaces but now, the tiny shop cluttered with books made her feel at home. As a writer, this was like a dream come true to be surrounded by books and coffee. However, she couldn't tell Edward that yet. 
"I'm fine," she smiled to reassure him but Edward wasn't thoroughly convinced. It wasn't because Elfie told him not to trust a girl when they say that they're alright but because he was still genuinely worried about her.
Even though she wasn't able to see clearly, the old lady brewed the drip coffee with practised ease, her body remembering just where everything was. Edward and Scarlet glanced back when the air was filled with a delicious aroma. As coffee addicts and appreciated, they knew that this old lady's skills were top-notch. No fancy machines, no fancy beans. Just pure skills and a touch of motherly love.
When the two steaming cups came, Scarlet offered her gratitude and told the old lady that she loved her shop. Edward could see the true joy and enthusiasm as Scarlet talked about the books that the old lady collected. Her collections were a little out of taste for the younger generation so she was pleasantly surprised when the bookish lady started talking about them.
"You must be a true lover of the old kind of literature. Most young people prefer to glue their eyes onto phone screens. Back in my days, getting our hands on any one of these would have been considered a luxury. I used to flip through the same book until the pages were worn simply because I couldn't afford new ones. We traded books with friends so that there was a healthy variety to go about. Young people nowadays are too privileged but they don't treasure it."
Edward sipped his coffee and didn't know how to ease himself into the conversation between the ladies. He knew that Scarlet was a little bookish. According to Elfie who studied with her for a brief period of time, the girl was not only smart but also hard working. He knew that Scarlet liked reading because she had a bookshelf in his guest room. The books on her bookshelf were very diverse so Edward didn't know what Scarlet liked. She didn't seem to be collecting anything in particular but after hearing her talk about books with the old bookshop owner, he now understood her better.
She wasn't simply collecting them. She was a true master when it came to books. Those books that she kept must have been special. Scarlet's memory was incredible. Edward knew that he had better memory abilities than most people because he was trained as a spy. He had a photographic memory but Scarlet's abilities surpassed his own. She didn't just remember things quickly. She was able to analyse them quickly as well.
For every book that Scarlet read, she remembered the names of every character, every scene and could even quote their dialogues to the old bookshop owner. Her analysis was very different and her opinions about each masterpiece were very detailed almost as if she was giving it a critique. If Scarlet could remember everything from just glancing through a book once, why would she need to keep any physical copies of books with her? Now, that made him curious. Learning new sides to Scarlet was always something that excited him. For everything new he found out about her, Edward couldn't help but fall for her more and more.
"You have not read it? What a shame," the old lady sighed when she brought up a book that Scarlet never had the chance to read before.
Hobbling over to one of the tall but overly tall bookshelves, she started to climb a wobbly stepladder and Edward quickly stood up and offered his assistance. Scarlet watched as her boyfriend played the role of a gentleman and blushed. How was it possible that she was able to get such a thoughtful boyfriend like Edward? She still found it hard to believe that they were dating and just the thought of calling him her boyfriend made her heart seize up so fully that she found it impossible to breathe.
Impressed by the courtesy of this young man, the old lady nodded in approval. The young lady was delightful and this young man was kind. They made a good couple and even though they were strangers, the old lady was starting to treat them like her grandbabies. She had taken a liking to them and decided that she would gift this book to Scarlet as part of their fated meeting.
"Is this the one?" Edward asked from the top of the stepladder.
The old lady nodded. "It is. Thank you, child."
The teen climbed down carefully with the book in his hand and Scarlet watched as her boyfriend suavely delivered the book into the shop owner's waiting hands.
"This is the book," she said and pushed it into Scarlet's hands. "You should have it."
Scarlet took a look at the dusty hardcover and dusted it lightly. "How much is this?" she asked.
When Edward heard that, he quickly reached for his wallet but the old lady chuckled and shook her head. She saw what the young man was about to do and she couldn't let him do that. University students should save their money for more important things. Books like this hardcover would be very lucky to have an owner like this young lady. Finding a well-read youngster nowadays with an old-fashioned sense of manners and respect for the elderly didn't come by every day. She liked them very much and thought that this would be a lovely gift to commemorate their meeting.
"It's not for sale, it is a gift," she smiled. "A gift with a prayer that someday you'll come by again to keep this lonely old lady company. I used to be able to talk to my husband about books but ever since he passed away, I talk to walls. My children aren't interested in good literature, what can I do? My grandchildren prefer playing Boxcraft over picking up a good read."
With a sigh, the old lady grabbed Scarlet's hands tightly with a strength that one wouldn't expect from a frail woman like her. Her eyes might have been covered with cataract but they reflected clarity and wisdom.
"Take care of it. Someday you will come to understand it the way I do. I know that you are a very intelligent lady but don't let your heart be clouded by logic. Listen to it sometimes, love can save you when everything else fails."
Scarlet looked at the romance novel and blinked. It wasn't the kind of genre that she usually read simply because she preferred to read about a character going on an adventure to accomplish something. It didn't matter if they were doing it to fight noble battles or if they were doing it for revenge. Scarlet liked to read stories that inspired her to be stronger, smarter and better. There was an insurmountable wall by the name of Anastasia and Scarlet had always felt weak and small whenever she was reminded of reality. It was only in books that she could find the courage and borrowed the bravado of heroes to face her fears.
If there was anything being an actress taught her, it was to fake it till she made it. With her talent, Scarlet knew that it wasn't easy for other people to read her. Yet, this old lady who she had only met for less than an hour could see right through her, all her vulnerabilities, flaws and insecurities. The fear that she suppressed like a monster locked in a vault was threatening to break the chains of control and Scarlet's heart trembled upon hearing the words.
Edward didn't know what it was that caused such a reaction but he knew it when he saw that flash of fear in her eyes. It was there for only a brief moment and anyone would have thought that it was their imagination because Scarlet reigned it in very quickly and thanked the old lady politely before making payment for the drinks and leaving. However, Edward knew better. He has been watching Scarlet for a while now and that smile wasn't fooling him. It was the fake one that Scarlet gave to the camera. Still waters run deep and what he saw might only be the tip of an iceberg, waiting to be discovered.


At age 10, Scarlet Liu Xiu Wen was tested with a Mensa IQ of 156.

By age 12, she was publishing books with the pen name Permanent Frost. By age 14, she was a successful vocalist-composer in the band called Britannia. By age 16 Scarlet had a successful career as a model and actress going by the stage name of Liu Xiu Wen.

However, there was a secret that the world didn't know. Away from the limelight, Scarlet took on yet another persona online as Pirate S - the eccentric half-genius. Everyone who lurked in the forums knew her name. Known for her unusual takes on life and mostly popularly for her "Human Observation Diary" blog, Scarlet enjoys the nerd life in secret.

Human Observation Diary has always kept to a very standard format but one day, a reader pointed out that the blog has recently been differing from its usual format. Intrigued by the trigger, Scarlet investigates her latest human observation - an online NEET by the name of Jedd77.

From further interactions, Scarlet finds herself helplessly drawn to him. As their friendship develops into something more, Scarlet has to make a choice.

To give up her secrecy and allow Jedd77 to be a part of her life? Or continue the game of cat and mouse even after the face reveal.

***

Special chapter release on other milestones, check out my discord and patreon for more details, thank you for the support!

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Yi Tian tried to look super pitiful, and she made sure everyone saw her grievances. In contrast, Ling Tianya seemed rather aggressive and cold.
In order to properly play one of Ling Tianya's fans, Yi Tian must have flipped through all of her books and learned the important plots and dialogues. She did everything she possibly could, given the time limit.
"I only ever have 2,000 hardcover copies of each of my books. Since I was still abroad when they came out, all the hardcover books are in English and they never made it to China."
Having said that, Ling Tianya smiled. "I think Miss Yi still underestimated the popularity of my books overseas. There were only 2,000 hardcovers. I wouldn't say they were sold within seconds, but it was close." Ling Tianya slowly sipped on some hot water. "I saw you carrying my books around recently. At first, I thought you were really a fan. Then, I accidentally discovered that all those hardcover books you had were in Chinese."
Yi Tian's face went stiff,and she started to look around with a guilty conscience. She was afraid that Ling Tianya's words were heard by others.
Ling Tianya chuckled. "The contract on hardcover Chinese editions has just been signed. It is estimated that it will take at least a month before the books are printed, packaged, and put on sale. You, Miss Yi, already have your hands on them. That is really amazing."
"Miss Ling, there's nothing amazing about it. It is called piracy!" Zhang Ke said sarcastically.
Yi Tian's expression completely froze. The way she looked at Ling Tianya was no longer pitiful like before. Yi Tian couldn't remain calm regardless of how strong she was inside. Being publicly debunked by the book author as a fake fan like that was a shock.
Li Fei couldn't even handle such an easy task! She got her pirated books and she was exposed by Ling Tianya herself!
Yi Tian's mind was racing rapidly, as she tried to salvage her image.
"Miss Yi Tian is a fake fan?" The small bodyguard looked at Yi Tian in disbelief. The admiration and concern she showed toward Ling Tianya didn't seem fake. It must be that Miss Yi's was poor and couldn't afford the genuine books, or that she was cheated.
"Miss Ling, it's a misunderstanding. The books I brought with me were indeed pirated. That's because my English is not very good, and I can't read the English books entirely. I really have your genuine books, and I have them all at home, never opened. I valued each one of your books very much, and it took me a lot of effort to get them in the first place!" Yi Tian's face looked sincere and honest, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Ling Tian with great devotion.
Hearing Yi Tian's explanation, the small bodyguard relaxed his brows. He knew that Miss Yi was not the kind of woman that would lie.
The big bodyguard noticed the change in his brother's expression and quietly sighed. His prejudice against Miss Ling was so deep that it would become problematic sooner or later.
"You must believe me, I really admire your work. I can even recite the passages. Would you like to hear…?"
"No need." Ling Tianya coldly interrupted Yi Tian's enthusiasm.
Suddenly, Yi Tian stood up from the chair, and without any notice, dropped down to her knees in front of Ling Tianya.
The series of actions happened too fast. The people there all stared at Yi Tian in astonishment. What was she doing?
Even Zhang Heng stopped filming and looked over there. Earlier on, he already sensed that Ling Tianya seemed to have a prejudice against Yi Tian. He had no clue what happened to make Yi Tian kneel in front of Ling Tianya.


He's the dream guy of women world wide, the CEO of a formidable mega-corporation. But, he's absolutely powerless against her, resorting to all kinds of methods to force her into a marriage, tying her to his side with a certficiate. 

"Remember, from now on, you're not allowed to enter unclean entertainment venues, not allowed to accept drinks from other men, not allowed to have physical contact with men other than me. If not, bear the consenquences."

Ling Tianya felt that she was just like a girl undergoing puberty, under strict supervision of her parents, shackling her down with restrictions upon restrictions.

"Your requests are ridiculous, I have meetings and obligations, I... ..."

The man held tightly onto her, as though wanting nothing more than to absorb her into himself. "Ling Tianya, this is not a discussion." Therefore, the CEO had became a complete slave to his wife.

"My love for you is your perogative. Use me to your heart's wishes, I am more than willing!" 

But all he got in exchange was an eye roll, "Keep it for yourself, I don't need it!"

"Aaaaaah" Amani woke up with a splitting headache after a night of drinking and party with some of his new friends, he knew that they were there just for the money nothing else. There was a massive amount of information flowing into his head from an unknown source. This added to his headache making his clench his head as if to help but it was a fruitless endeavor.
  After a period of time the pain slightly lessened but there was still a throbbing pain. He didn't even bother to review what was added to his head but just headed out of the hotel room. The hotel was quite small scale and it was the closest place he found during the previous night drunken stupor. 
  He had just dropped in bed after getting in the room, his so called friends leaving him after drinking their fill. Checking his phone to find that no one had wondered how he was just confirmed his theories. [Well at least they knew how to party hard as that was what I need after a stress full year] he thought as he headed to restaurant area.
  He immediately ordered a bowl of bone soup as it was the most common remedy of hangover that he knew of and the easily available as he didn't want to move too far from his current location. It was an ordinary Saturday nothing particular would happen but those strange memories and information that surfaced in his mind. 
  Reviewing them a bit and he thought made he was starting to hallucinate a little bit. This was because all the memories seems of a future version of himself and the information seems to be about magic, meditation, fighting techniques, magic spells and other stuff of similar nature.
  The first thing that came to his mind was that he could use this information to write a book as the information encompassed a large area. The information could make the novel quite popular as it built a whole system and world to it, its bases been magic.
  "Maybe I could make something like Harry Potter, hahaha" while he laughed at himself for his bug dreams. He had to have his dreams as those help to keep his mind from imploding and make him go crazy. The year had not gone well, he lost his job due to his boss's mistake and the boss had made his life a living hell by destroying his name to his various contacts making his efforts to find a new null and void.
  He thought of going back home but still wanted to maintain his independence. His parents would likely to welcome him back home but still......
  An hour later the throbbing pain in his head had subsided as he had headed to his and checked out a few minutes later after collecting some stuff he had left in his room. He headed to the nearest supermarket and both several hardcover books. He thought it would be better to write down every bit of information maybe that novel could become a reality or a least it could distract him from his current problems. 
  Later in his small rented apartment, Amani started writing down every piece of information and memories, the memories were about an invasion on earth by a foreign entity through portals that seem to randomly appear around the earth. 
  When it all started he was back home and had escaped a bad fate as portal had appeared right in front of his apartment. The Kenyan military had to move to stop the beasts at the time, there was a massive loss of life and this happened simultaneously around the world. People died in the millions,
  His memories showed the areas in Kenya and eastern African countries that were largely affected and some other areas around the world. [From the looks of it most people died due to their curiosity as they had crowded the area where the portal opened up and when the beast spilled out it was a massacre, truly curiosity killed the cat]
  As Amani continued writing down the memories and information he started to have a nagging feeling that something didn't seem right about this memories they felt too real almost as if these things had happened but he just couldn't believe it
  This was fantasy stuff only read in stories.
  [Maybe I should stop reading fantasy novels for a while, it combined with drinking has made me feel that this stuff is going to happen]
  Amani just stuffed the feeling down and continued writing down everything as he felt he will forget some things which were good novel writing material.

Memories of a future, a dark future. A future that will happen. 100 people worked together to send their memories into the past to work to save earth from an inevitable destruction.

I am one of them, am not consider the most powerful but most knowledgeable. Will I  be able to change anything or will the butterfly effect change the future to come or it will remain the same as it was?

This is my story

This was his trick; he used the simplest way to sell them. All the books were classified into multiple packages and then they started to sell them to libraries

He called to all the schools and universities in Flagstaff, including elementary schools, high schools, and colleges. He also gave a call to the schools and universities located near Flagstaff.

They only spent a morning selling all the books. Compared to the time they spent classifying the books, it took a much shorter time.

Starting from the afternoon, they drove separately to send out these books and collect the money. They spent the whole afternoon and the second day to clear all the books. Finally, their house and trucks were empty.

Hans counted the money. They invested 10,000 dollars and they earned 49,000 dollars. The net profit was nearly 40,000; indeed, it was a lot.

Li Du patted his shoulder and said happily, "You did a good job. Big Fox, you’ve earned my respect this time."

"I wonder how you view me in your heart," Hans said sourly. "Why did I only get your respect just now?" 

Hannah said, "Don’t you feel ashamed for saying this? Li, you don’t have to praise him. In fact, the biggest contributor is you. The books would have been unable to sell if it weren’t because you chose the hardcover books."

This was the real reason the libraries were willing to take the books; mainly because they were hardcovers and limited edition.

Hardcover books were expensive, and Hans had sold them at a fifth of the market price. That was why libraries were happy to accept the deal. 

Hans felt dissatisfied and said, "My sister, why don’t you say God helped us? Without God’s blessing, we could not have sold them at all."

"Thank God." Hannah took a silver cross from her clothes and kissed it.

Hans was angry and rolled his eyes. "Get out of the way. I'm going to drink a beer."

Li Du said, "Don’t get angry—no matter who is the biggest contributor, you did a good job this time. We should bid for more books."

He scared Hans. "No, never do that unless they are all hardcover books. Otherwise, we will screw things up."

Even if there were hardcover books, he was not willing to do this again. He had worked from the night before last until now. He was exhausted. 

Hans’s cell phone rang after he took a sip of beer.

He answered the call lazily and asked, "Hello, Hans Fox speaking. Who is it?"

Soon, he sat up on the sofa and said, "Yes, yes, I am the one who published the photos online. The original copies are with me. Yes, there are a lot… 

"Yes, there is Egyptian architectures and patterns on the photos. I remember there are some patterns above. Please wait a moment, I’ll check it for you... "

Li Du knew what he meant and immediately took the album over.

Hans described the photos. After he hung up the phone, he looked pleased. "I am the biggest contributor. Guys, I am the biggest contributor!

Li Du asked in surprise, "Someone is interested in the photos? How much are they willing to pay?"

Hans hurried to change clothes and said, "Yes, I think he is really interested. He is willing to pay 4,000 for a photo if they were original copies. However, it seemed like they only interested in the architectural photographs! "

4,000 for a photo. They could earn a total of 160,000!

They were ready to depart after they packed the album. Hans took out the landscape photos and winked at Li Du. "Perhaps we can be profiteers without against the rules!

During the journey, Li Du found out that the man who interested in the photos was a professor from the history department at the University of Arizona. His students saw the pictures which published by Hans on the internet, so they told the professor.

Hans said, "I like dealing with well-educated people. They are easy to talk to."

They were going to the city of Tucson, the second largest city in Arizona; also the most important city in the southern Arizona desert. It was also the place where the University of Arizona was located.

There were several schools that enjoyed great reputation in Arizona. These schools had similar names, such as the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and so on.

Hans was very familiar with this area. They first passed through Phoenix, and eventually, they traveled the same distance to reach Tucson in the afternoon.

Li Du sighed. "This is really a long journey."

Ah Meow smoothed its whiskers with its paws and nodded as if it agreed with this. "Meow!"

Hans did not notice the movements of the ocelot. He reclined on the passenger seat and said, "Although there are a lot of storage units in Tucson, I will not come because we can’t travel so far."

He called the professor and then they planned to meet up in a coffee shop.

When Li Du and the others arrived at the coffee shop, a brawny, middle-aged African American man was drinking coffee with two macho, young African Americans.

Seeing the three people, Li Du asked, "Perhaps we went to the wrong place?"

He thought the three men looked like gangsters, a big boss with two sidekicks.

The middle-aged man stood up and took the initiative to reach out to him. "Lewis, Matt Lewis, a passionate learner of ancient Egyptian history and the civilization of the Euphrates River from the History department of the University of Arizona. Are you Mr. Hans Fox?"

Hans nodded. "Nice to meet you, Professor Lewis. You look very brawny."

The African American laughed, "History needs to be explored. We need to keep our bodies strong to work in archeology. If you think that the scholars are old or weak, then you are wrong."

"You must have made a lot of achievements in archeology." Hans took out the photo album and asked, "Are these things necessary for archeology as well?"

Seeing the album, Lewis’s eyes lit up. He said, "I must look carefully."

Hans took out two photos and passed them to him. He said, "If I am not mistaken, the pictures are worthless. However, some of the words on the pictures are worth a fortune."

There were many buildings on the photo. The buildings appeared damaged and engraved with hieroglyphs.

One of the pictures he took out was of a sphinx without text and another one was of a building. There were some hieroglyphs engraved on the building.

Lewis took the photos and looked at the back side of the them. He held a small lamp with his hand. With the light, two lines of words appeared behind the photo. Li Du had a look at the words and believed that they were written in French.

"Maxime Du Camp and Gustave Flaubert. These are their photos." The black felt satisfied after he had a look at the photos. 

Li Du asked curiously, "Who are they? Are they explorers?"

Lewis shook his head. "No, they are a photographer and a writer. The photographer and writer who first explored ancient Egypt and captured the photos by using photography techniques." 

"According to the history books, Maxime’s father was a wealthy surgeon in France. He came into contact with the camera since youth. It was possible he was one of the first people to come into contact with the camera, as photography techniques had just been invented."

"Between 1849 and 1851, Maxime was funded by the French government to present an in-depth exploration of ancient Egypt with his friend, Flaubert, who was a writer."
　
"They finally reached the desert after they went through all the hardships. Maxime captured a series of legendary photos with his camera and tripod, including the ancient Egyptian pyramids, the Sphinx, and Aswan statue.

"However, one of the most legendary incidents was..."


They love gold, and they love silver. Even more so, they love gems that dazzle, like stars across the skies. 
Firearms, jewelleries, and precious metals; A collector’s world will not be complete without antiques.  
Storage auctions, old goods trade, re-estate sales and gold-digging. But the truth is, if one wants to make money, then the supreme way is through searching for the legendary treasures. 
Holding the fort, there’s an ocelot, a wolf, and an Andes condor. At the side, there’s a loyal hound, an irascible ape, and an African honey badger. Who said that you can only rely on humans when treasure hunting?! 

Hai Xiaotang tidak ingin mama mertuanya kembali lagi, kalau tidak dia harus terus tidur sekamar dengan Dongfang Yu.
Karena itu dia menyetujui untuk mengantarkan makan siang untuk Dongfang Yu setiap hari.
Toh tidak lama lagi mereka akan bercerai.
"Mama Zhang, keluarkan semua barang-barangku, aku akan tidur di kamar tamu." Hai Xiaotang memberi perintah.
Mama Zhang berkata dengan ragu, "Nona, mama mertuamu sudah tahu tentang kalian yang tidak tidur sekamar lagi. Beliau menyuruh semua orang mengawasi kalian, kalau kalian sampai pisah kamar, maka harus memberitahunya…"
"..." Hai Xiaotang mendadak pusing.
Kalau saja ini terjadi di kehidupannya yang dulu, dia akan sangat senang sekali bisa mendapat bantuan mama mertuanya seperti ini.
Tetapi di kehidupan yang sekarang ini semua benar-benar sudah tidak perlu lagi.
Yah, sudahlah, toh hanya perlu bertahan sebentar lagi.
Asal persiapan Dongfang Yu sudah beres, mereka pun bisa bercerai. Sementara ini, mereka hanya bisa melanjutkan sandiwara mereka saja.
Intinya dia percaya, Dongfang Yu tidak akan melakukan apa-apa padanya.
Kalau mereka tidur sekamar, selain saling memandang dengan tatapan benci, tidak akan terjadi hal lainnya.
Meskipun dia melepas semua pakaiannya di depan Dongfang Yu pun, dia juga tidak akan merasakan apa-apa.
Hai Xiaotang bisa yakin seperti ini juga karena Dongfang Yu yang menyebabkannya!
…..
Saat ini hal yang paling ingin dilakukan Hai Xiaotang adalah membuat rancangan desainnya.
Dia mengurung diri di dalam kamar lalu mulai menggambar.
Saat kecil dulu, dia belajar seni rupa sehingga dia memiliki dasar-dasar kemampuan untuk menggambar.
Bahkan dia sudah memikirkan mau merancang bentuk arsitektur seperti apa.
Di kehidupan yang lalu, dia sangat mengenali semua hasil karya Dongfang Yu. Dia suka berlama-lama menikmatinya.
Hasil karya Dongfang Yu dan rekan-rekannya yang dibawa ke penawaran di New York pun dia masih ingat.
"Dongfang Yu, kamu yang memaksaku melakukan semua ini. Lihat bagaimana aku mencuri hasil karyamu sendiri untuk mempermalukanmu!" Ucap Hai Xiaotang dalam hati.
Hai Xiaotang menggambar sambil tertawa dengan licik.
Hanya saja dia menganggap masalah ini terlalu sederhana.
Walaupun dia bisa mengingat gambar Dongfang Yu, tetapi dia hanya bisa mengingat 70-80% saja, tidak semua rinciannya dia ingat.
Setelah membuat beberapa lembar rancangan, dia selalu merasa ada yang salah atau ada sesuatu yang kurang.
Hai Xiaotang tidak mau terlalu memusingkannya, kalau tidak, dia tidak akan bisa mendapat hadiah lima juta yuan itu. Dia sudah memutuskan akan menggunakan uang itu untuk melanjutkan sekolah, mempelajari sebuah skill.
Kalau tidak, dia akan selamanya menjadi orang tak berguna dan selamanya akan dipandang sebelah mata oleh Dongfang Yu.
Singkatnya, dia harus memanfaatkan kesempatan ini sebaik-baiknya, agar dapat memberikan kepada dirinya sendiri sebuah pijakan.
Sebenarnya kalau dia ingin sekolah, kakeknya pasti akan mendukungnya, berapapun uangnya.
Tetapi dia sudah menikah, dia tidak mau memakai uang kakeknya lagi. Selain itu kakeknya sudah merawatnya begitu lama, kalau masih mau memakai uangnya lagi, dia khawatir seluruh keluarganya pun akan semakin memandang rendah dia.
Setelah hidup kembali di kehidupan yang baru ini, hal pertama yang dinginkan Hai Xiaotang adalah, dia tidak mau terobsesi lagi dengan Dongfang Yu. Yang kedua, dia tidak mau membuat kakeknya khawatir lagi.
Jadi di masa depan, dia hanya bisa mengandalkan dirinya sendiri.
Masih ada waktu sebelum kompetisi desain dimulai. Hai Xiaotang berencana memanfaatkan waktu ini untuk belajar dengan baik dan berusaha sebaik mungkin untuk menyempurnakan karyanya.
Untungnya, kamar baca Dongfang Yu tidak pernah kekurangan buku di bidang ini.
Hai Xiaotang segera ke ruang baca untuk mencari berbagai macam buku-buku desain untuk dipelajarinya.
Tanpa sengaja, dia menemukan buku gambar-gambar desain bersampul hardcover.
Buku itu adalah kumpulan karya-karya Dongfang Yu yang pernah memenangkan penghargaan. Gambar desain di dalam buku itu semuanya adalah karya Dongfang Yu.
Hai Xiaotang tidak memahami tulisannya, dan dia hanya melihat gambarnya. Berapa banyak yang bisa dia mengerti…
…..
Malam harinya, begitu Dongfang Yu pulang, dia melihat lampu di ruang baca masih menyala.
Dia naik ke atas dengan rasa penasaran, lalu membuka pintu ruang baca itu...


 Hai Xiaotang terbangun di rumah sakit setelah berusaha bunuh diri karena Dongfang Yu, suaminya yang sangat dicintainya menceraikannya. Namun dia sangat terkejut mendapati bahwa dia terbangun di masa beberapa tahun sebelumnya. Hai Xiaotang yang merasa mendapat kesempatan untuk mengulangi hidupnya kembali memutuskan untuk memperbaiki hidupnya dan tidak mengulangi kesalahannya di kehidupannya yang dulu. Dia memutuskan untuk bercerai dengan suami yang sama sekali tidak pernah mencintainya, lalu meraih kebebasan dan memulai hidup baru. Tetapi perjalanan Hai Xiaotang untuk memperbaiki hidupnya tidak semudah itu, Dongfang Yu tidak mau menceraikannya karena akan memberikan efek buruk pada pekerjaannya. Mereka pun tetap hidup bersama dalam perkawinan yang tidak bahagia.

Prologue

 In a dimly lit room, the sound of paper flipping could intermittently be heard. At the source of the sound was a five-year-old boy. He could be considered cute with his golden hair and an oddly separated streak of white. Withing the dim room, the only source of light came from a runic ring that dangled down a necklace. As he continuously flipped through the book, his sapphire eyes ceaselessly shone with excitement.

 After a while, the hardcover at the back of the book firmly closed. Looking at the boy's face, anyone could tell he was brimming with enthusiasm. He looked across the dimly lit room to a silver egg, roughly his size, surrounded by red stones that gave off warmth.

 In a light whisper, "I know what I want to be when I am older, Aegon. I want to be a Sovereign."

 As though awakening from a deep slumber, the runic ring dangling from his neck began to shine a bright blue light. The originally dim room was now bursting with light. Slowly, the intensity of the light began to ease. As the light receded, star-like particles of blue filled the room, making it feel as though one was standing in the embrace of stars.

 A moment later, the particles began to move and condense; soon, an image of a large city was formed.

 Around the city stood imposing high walls that gave off a feeling of indomitability. Withing the large city, recreational areas bathed the land, and buildings reached for the skies. Everything within the city seemed to give off a feeling of grandioseness, but they all couldn't compare to the majesty of the palace at the city's center. Like a behemoth, it stood tall and wide, radiating a corporeal might.
 
 As the boy continued to watch in astonishment, the particles moved again, slowly two faces appeared. One was a handsome man with chiseled features, and the other was a beautiful woman with delicate features.  The man gave off a feeling of fieriness and sturdiness, whereas the woman gave off a feeling of fluidity and freeness.

 As the scene again changed, the man and woman were now standing side by side in front of a mass of people. In the woman's arms was a bundled up baby seeming giving of a halo of light. In front of them, a mass of people were all single kneeling with their hands cupped as they held sturdy gazes of respect and subservience.

 After a moment, the blue particles moved again. This time, however, two figures stood at the forefront of what seemed to be an army charging towards an unknown force. Looking at the desperation of the charge, it would seem that the battle was their last stand.

 Like a movie, a new scene appeared as the particles once again shifted. The new scene showed a hooded figure carrying a bundled up baby. Tall trees towered over them, seemingly hiding them from unwanted eyes. Looking past the duo and into the distance, plumes of smoke reminiscent of a city burning could be seen. 

 At that moment, unbeknownst to the golden-haired boy, a stream of tears silently slid down his face.

 With a light burst of light, the blue particles shifted again, but rather than forming a picture-like scene; the scene now began to move.

 At the shore of a wide river, the figure stood with the baby in their arms, breathing heavily. Upon catching their breath, a swirl of energy began to encircle them. Placing the baby down, the hooded figure took out a necklace with a ring as the centerpiece and placed it into the bundles of the baby.

 As the energy around him continuously grew, he began to channel the energy into his hands. As the energy reached its peak, a ray of power suddenly burst towards the baby. When the ray was about to make contact with the baby, it suddenly stopped and began to form a crystalline shell around the baby. As the figure continuously poured out the power, the crystal shell also grew in thickness and its presence hazier, nearing invisibility.  After a while, the figure withdrew his power, and after gasping for a bit, they bent down and picked up the obscure crystal encased baby. Walking to the river, the figure gently placed the baby down into it. Letting go, the figure watched the baby bob up and down as the river carried it downstream. As the figure watched the baby disappear off into the distance, they gathered their remaining energy and dashed in the opposite direction.

  As both the baby and figure into their respective distances, the scene once again changed.
An old man was seated in a canoe at the center of a lake, humming enthusiastically as he enjoyed the beauty of his surroundings. There was a peaceful look on his face as he contently enjoyed his quiet afternoon. However, a frown suddenly formed as he sensed something. With a slight shudder of his body, energy flowed forth and seeped into the surroundings. A moment later, a large crystal floated out of the lake and held itself a meter away from him. With a slight wave of his hand, the crystal landed in his hands. With a perplexed look, he infused his energy into the crystal, and after a moment, a crisp cracking sound appeared followed by the crying a newborn. With a surprised look, realization suddenly dawned on him. With another wave of his hand, the space around him warped as he and baby in the crystal disappeared.

 And with that, the blue particles that filled the dim room like a myriad of stars quietly dispersed. However, as they dispersed, they silently flowed into a Rubix-like cuboid on the desk of the boy.

The Drums Of War Have Sounded.

In A World Where The Strong Devour The Weak.

Lives Will Reaped By The Hooded Reaper Dancing In A Bountiful Harvest.

Blood Will Bathe The Lands.

Empires Will Fall.

Those Once In Slumber Will Awaken.

But, Lose Not All Hope Inhabitants Of The Realm.

 From Five Peaks, Will A Pheonix Arise.

So Weep O Ye People, Weep, For Your Salvation Comes.

 Let Thou Tears Form Rivers.

For Your Tear Drops On Earth Summon the King Of Kings.

Bow, I Say.

 Bow.

For Your Sovereign, Has Arrived.

He handed Qin Guan a colorful hardcover book.
"Take a look. It's Tasha's latest illustrations. The book will be available in bookstores soon. Considering her age, there won't be many of those getting published in the future. You were her muse, so it's a gift for you."
Qin Guan took it and looked at it carefully. There was a small farm village and some large letters on the cover. The book's title was "The Summer and Autumn Fairy".
He opened it and saw a green countryside. The colors were so tender that his heart nearly melted. 
The protagonist of the story was a handsome young man with a pair of transparent wings on his back. He looked like a fairy from old fairy tales. He was good friends with squirrels and liked to play with a cow on the field. His magic stick could make flowers bloom and corn ripen. The neat haystacks on the field were also his work.
A girl was sleeping under an orange lamplight. She had been blessed by the handsome fairy. The story was composed by a series of paintings portraying the sweet dreams of a girl. In her dreamland lived a perfect fairy.
The book had a sweet, warm style to it. The candy-like colors were refreshing for the readers. The old woman was really good at narrating tales to children.
Qin Guan put the book in his bag carefully before he asked Linn about Tasha.
"My agent received a contract and some money from her. On second thought, I will accept it."
Linn had turned on the camera. "Just keep it. It might be nothing for either of you, but it's still the kindness of an old lady."
Qin Guan nodded and walked over to a chair. "So, Mr. Linn… You are not a very loyal friend. TIME is not paying me anything, but you could at least cover my cab fare."
Linn felt the impulse to throw the camera at him. He realized that the young man was a moneygrabber, but he tried to control himself at the sight of his perfect face.
"No star has ever asked TIME for any money. Just remember all the people who have been on the magazine's cover! Who do you think has gotten reimbursed for their cab fare? I'll give you double… No, five times the fare!"
Qin Guan sat up on his chair awkwardly and switched to working mode. His eyes were sparkling in the camera like a rising sun. Every person and prop around him suffered an eclipse.
After the first click, Qin Guan changed his expression slightly, impressing Linn. He was a professional model after all. Outsiders would not have been able to distinguish between the two expressions, but the pictures were actually quite different.
In one of them, Qin Guan looked like a strict politician, both handsome and bold. In the other, he was smiling warmly like the boy next door.
In two minutes, Linn had finished his job.
"Okay, Qin Guan. Let's call it a day. Wait till your face appears in bookstores!"
Qin Guan stood up when he saw Linn's students gather around him.
Was that it? It was much simpler than a fashion magazine photoshoot.
"It would be a waste to use him only for the portrait, sir. We'll be having a figure photography exhibition this year!"
Qin Guan and Qu fled in defeat. Photographers were so greedy!
The fairy was widely welcomed by the readers. Thanks to Tasha's talent and fan base, the book started selling like crazy.
By the time Qin Guan and Cong Nianwei walked to the nearest bookshop, there were only a few books left. The shop assistants were restocking the shelves, as kindergarten students were about to be dismissed. Parents always came to the store to select a bedtime story for their kids around that time. Tasha's books were their favorite.
Taking advantage of his height, Qin Guan seized a book from the shelf and opened it, striking a naughty pose at the cashier. It was the same pose as the fairy's in the illustrations.
He looked so silly that Cong Nianwei felt like crying. She forced a smile at the cashier. "Keep the change!"
Then she pulled Qin Guan away without looking back.
Dear everyone, here is the new book of Kiki, my lovely editors. Welcome to read, thanks. https://www.webnovel.com/book/10628956105083205/Ashes-To-Ashes 


Qin Guan was reborn and sent back to his final semester in High School 18 years ago. Getting a second chance at life, he works hard to turn things around and eventually become a Prince Charming. What will his life be like the second time around? What will he have to go through? How will he succeed in turning from a loser into a Prince Charming? Read this story carefully and find out!

China's cinemas may be fearing bankruptcy due to protracted COVID-19-related lockdown restrictions, but businesses offering online entertainment are upbeat about the future.


Nearly 10 new films that were originally scheduled for release at cinemas, had reached audiences for free using online channels as of June 23. The first in the series is Lost in Russia on ByteDance's platforms like Toutiao and TikTok.
The new films' online releases have provoked uproar in China's film industry. Some fear massive loss of ticket sales revenue. Even though film production companies reportedly said online releases are not going to generate adequate profits, they still shifted to online solutions, in case waiting for theatrical release may cause more loss given the current situation.

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