Chapter 109: Love

In truth, Gu Zhuo in his previous life did not understand what love was. Or rather, people of his generation simply had no concept of romantic love in their minds. To be precise, the word "love" did not even exist in the local dialect of Jiujia Village; Gu Zhuo was merely accustomed to equating liking with love. When the older generation spoke of feelings between men and women, they usually referred to preference and fondness. Moreover, there was a common notion that preference and fondness were insignificant compared to social standing and family background compatibility, which was considered the proper rationale.

"What’s wrong, Student Huo?" Shen Mubai noticed the unease in the person beside her and involuntarily asked. Had the eldest senior brother truly changed his heart? Had he really transferred his affections elsewhere? Every night, she lay quietly in bed, enveloped by loneliness, drifting off to sleep amid a whirlwind of thoughts.

Every household in Gaojia Village had a cave used for food storage. These well-ventilated, dry caves allowed potatoes and sweet potatoes to be preserved for up to a year without spoiling. She sneaked a glance down the corridor toward the private rooms, her gaze settling on the one where Liang Qian was, and a pleased smile curved her lips. Yet, thinking that he had gone to see Sister Shui Mai, she felt at ease. Whenever he met Sister Shui Mai, he found solace in her presence.

The same sarcastic remarks bounced back, instantly refreshing her spirit and washing away the day’s vexations. What a foolish ox, utterly stupid—now that he was in heat, it happened anytime and anywhere, shamelessly exposing himself for all to see.

Noticing the president’s unsettling expression, Xiu’s face remained unchanged, as though he had not seen it at all, deliberately ignoring it. There were eighteen treasures in total. Although these eighteen items seemed to be scattered haphazardly on the table, in truth, they subtly corresponded to a formation.

Chu Tiankuo, seeing this, unfurled the Qingyun fan in his hand and flicked it out. The fan circled above the arena lightly like a dragonfly, then returned to Chu Tiankuo’s grasp. After some thought, Chu Shi emphasized the game "The King of Fighters '94," a simulation that sent players invitations to "KOF," hosting a fighting tournament in the game room. For just one yuan, participants could join, and winners could redeem lifetime free passes to the game room.

By now it was late at night. Xiao Zimo was a prince after all, and no matter how deeply he cared for her, he surely would not sneak into someone’s room in the dead of night. Could it be that Shen Miaoyin had truly changed overnight, her heart no longer with Gao Wanjie but instead beginning to accept Xiao Zimo?

Meng Xiao entered, found a seat, and ordered a drink. During the New Year, those who came alone to a bar were mostly solitary souls. Not long after she sat down, someone approached to strike up a conversation. He took a long bamboo pole nearby and, as Old Master Qin approached on horseback, suddenly thrust it toward the carriage wheel.

Ji Jinnian suddenly felt a tingling sensation at his elbow; the grip on his wrist was released, and in the next moment, his hand slipped away. However, considering the threats surrounding the alliance, after much deliberation, they reluctantly carried on, unwilling to upset the lavish feast laid out before them.

Seeing that Shen Anyang had been dealt with, Shen Miaoyin hurried toward Xiao Zimo’s room. Upon entering, she found a guard dressing Xiao Zimo, whose chest was wrapped in several layers of bandages, the rest of his body revealing pale, muscular skin.

It seemed to know exactly what Shen Wu longed for most at the moment. Moreover, scavenging for discarded treasures was addictive; after ten or twenty years of this, one would likely be hopelessly engrossed. Li Dahai lit a cigarette in a certain domain; the curling smoke blurred his eyes, making them hazy.

Xu Ruoxue stared blankly at his retreating figure, letting out several bitter laughs. She staggered into the room, gazing vacantly at the embroidered quilt on the bed, where a conspicuous crimson stain marked its surface. After about ten seconds, the ground ceased trembling and the gusts of energy no longer surged. We lay on the ground for a while, catching our breath before finally steadying our minds.