People are like phoenix trees - they can still stand when their hearts are hollow, and others might think they'll sprout again next spring, but in truth, they died that winter.
This was Fu Nanzhi's mindset before. Losing her life partner made it impossible for her to adapt to living alone, causing her body to rapidly deteriorate as her heart slowly withered.
Now, though the dream has ended, the days she experienced within it weren't false. Fu Nanzhi commemorates them by calling them her 'previous life.'
A brand new day has dawned, and Fu Nanzhi wakes up full of energy.
Unlike her previous life's hazy existence, her mood now is uplifted and expectant.
Humming a cheerful tune, she busies herself in the kitchen.
She didn't know how to cook before - usually Shen Yi would do it, but later when he became too busy, she gradually learned.
Though somewhat clumsy at first, she's now becoming quite proficient.
Two days ago, she didn't have the habit of eating breakfast - partly because it was troublesome, and partly due to her unique physique. Eating too much would make her chest swell up like it was being inflated.
It was as if all fat accumulated in one place. As a young girl, she was deeply ashamed and afraid to eat much, and eventually abandoned the habit of eating breakfast altogether.
A plate of stir-fried vegetables with bean threads, a bowl of sweet potato porridge, and an egg.
Simple and light - she bought the vegetables while returning from work last night.
The food emanated a sweet fragrance, and Fu Nanzhi sat down to eat as she savored the aroma.
"I wonder what he would say if I skipped breakfast..."
Drinking her porridge, Fu Nanzhi couldn't help but smile, almost hearing Shen Yi's endless nagging in her ears.
After finishing her meal, Fu Nanzhi efficiently got up to clean.
Placing the dishes in the sink, she initially meant to leave directly but thought better of it and turned back to wash them.
As she felt the water running over her hands, her thoughts began to wander.
Shen Yi loved cooking for her but never enjoyed cleaning up, always sweet-talking her into doing the dishes.
Eventually, they developed a division of labor - one would cook while the other would clean.
When you live with someone for so long, their traces are everywhere.
After tidying everything up, Fu Nanzhi went to get ready before heading to the parking garage.
She usually didn't need to put on makeup, but today was different.
"Today is the day he transfers here..."
Soft music played in the car as Fu Nanzhi looked at herself in the rearview mirror, her smile never fading.
Over the past two days, she had carefully sorted through her memories and confirmed that Shen Yi should be transferring to the Legal Department today.
Back then, she hadn't paid much attention to this small detail - their real interactions increased much later.
Having woken up unusually early today, she hurried to the company.
When she pushed open the door with anticipation, some colleagues were already there.
Fu Nanzhi had been transferred here for almost two weeks, and due to her striking beauty and elegant demeanor, many had been quietly observing her.
Seeing her enter, they all greeted her.
Fu Nanzhi responded with appropriate smiles, silently recalling everyone's names and characteristics.
After putting down her bag in her office, she took her small watering can to tend to the indoor plants, casually pulling up the venetian blinds partway.
Sitting back in her chair, she could see the outside situation with just a slight turn of her head.
Fu Nanzhi tested the view, focusing on an empty spot to the right.
Satisfied with the clear view, she nodded.
She dove into her work with enthusiasm, while the well-watered pothos leaves swayed slightly, as if matching her mood.
As noon approached, Fu Nanzhi broke free from her concentration.
It was lunchtime, and the noise outside gradually increased.
Fu Nanzhi casually looked up, her eyes suddenly sparkling.
At some point, someone had appeared in the empty spot she'd been watching.
Joy filled her heart as she put down her work and closed the drawer.
Fu Nanzhi stood up, ready to go over immediately, but after a step, she anxiously pulled out a small mirror from her bag.
Checking her flawless face in the mirror, she nodded with satisfaction.
After smoothing her clothes and adjusting her hair, Fu Nanzhi, having composed herself, finally walked out.
A woman adorns herself for the one she loves.
For this first meeting in her new life, Fu Nanzhi didn't want any imperfections - she wanted to show him her most beautiful self.
The corridor was bustling with people walking in pairs or groups, chatting quietly, or rushing to complete work.
Fu Nanzhi had only one target in mind as she slowly approached that workstation.
He was bent over, taking things out of his bag, arranging personal items on his desk.
Fu Nanzhi, with an excited heart, took a deep breath and gently tapped his shoulder.
He paused and slowly turned around.
A completely unfamiliar face appeared before Fu Nanzhi, making her hesitate.
She had lived with Shen Yi day and night, familiar with his presence, his scent, even his breathing - she was confident she could recognize him even without him speaking.
But the completely unfamiliar face and presence before her made her doubt - could this be him?
While Fu Nanzhi hesitated, the man saw her face clearly and showed signs of being stunned by her beauty.
He quickly recovered, putting on a friendly smile and introducing himself:
"Hello, I'm Zang Mingjie, a new intern. Is there anything I can help you with?"
He politely extended his hand.
If Fu Nanzhi had doubts about his appearance, his voice was the definitive proof - this was something she could never mistake.
"He's not Shen Yi..."
A tremendous roar echoed in her head, making her dizzy.
At this moment, Fu Nanzhi couldn't hear anything he was saying, as immense panic nearly consumed her.
Her hand lost its strength, and the box she had been tightly holding fell to the ground.
A variable had appeared.
Fu Nanzhi's heart felt empty, barely maintaining her composure to keep from falling apart.
She gave Zang Mingjie a forced smile, bent down to pick up the box, and left without acknowledging his outstretched hand.
Faced with Fu Nanzhi's cold shoulder, Zang Mingjie could only laugh awkwardly and sit back down.
Fu Nanzhi's actions seemed like both mistaking him for someone else and trying to greet him, but since he had just arrived, he could only keep his confusion to himself.
As for what fell on the ground, he caught a glimpse - it looked like an eyeglass case.
...
Fu Nanzhi didn't know how she made it back, collapsing in her chair with her thoughts in chaos.
She had imagined countless scenarios of their meeting, but never this one.
"In my previous life, he definitely sat there, so why has he been replaced by someone else?"
"Could Shen Yi not exist at all? Was he just my imagination?"
She couldn't help but wonder.
But she immediately rejected this thought - over the past two days, everything and everyone from her previous life had been confirmed real.
If she were imagining or dreaming, she couldn't have constructed information she didn't know about.
Like the unknown necklace and unfamiliar colleagues.
Moreover, he had been so real that Fu Nanzhi couldn't possibly believe Shen Yi was false.
But now everything was following the course of her previous life, with the only variable being Shen Yi himself.
The person who had accompanied her was gone.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
