Lin Ao, will you marry me?

Gu Wanqing dragged Liu Nian and Lin Ao through the entire shopping mall.

The two girls were having a wonderful time shopping.

Lin Ao, however, felt like he had lost half his life; he hadn't even been this exhausted when dueling Xiao Fan and the others.

Seeing them laughing and giggling along the way, he didn't have the heart to dampen their spirits.

As long as they weren't crying, he figured he would just let them be.

But why had Gu Wanqing changed so much?

Ever since she refused to break off the engagement, she had been clinging to him constantly. Could it be... that Xiao Fan sent her?

Was she intentionally getting close to me to lower my guard, only to eliminate me and annex the Lin Family?

But I haven't officially turned hostile toward Xiao Fan yet; we haven't even met. Could it be that things have changed again this time?

Gu Wanqing's transformation truly left him feeling perplexed and anxious.

He worried that things were becoming uncontrollable once again.

Is Fate letting me believe I am "free" on my own?

The two girls turned back to look at Lin Ao simultaneously, as they both saw the status bar above him change.

[Current Character Status/Thoughts: Anxious, is Gu Wanqing really sent by Xiao Fan?]

Liu Nian widened her eyes as she looked at Gu Wanqing, who gently shook her head at her.

"Let's go get something to eat. We've been walking for so long, I'm sure you're hungry. Let's go to that restaurant on the third floor."

Feigning ignorance, she walked up and linked her arm with Lin Ao's.

The three of them arrived at the restaurant, and Gu Wanqing said she was taking Liu Nian to the restroom, leaving Lin Ao alone at the table.

The two of them arrived at a secluded spot.

"You can see the information panel on Lin Ao, too, right?"

Scratch, scratch, scratch: "Yes."

"You also received the prompt about deviating from the path of Fate?"

Scratch, scratch, scratch: "Yes."

"Were you sent by someone else to get close to Lin Ao?"

Suddenly, Gu Wanqing's temperament shifted, becoming cold as frost. If this little girl was an enemy of Lin Ao, she would stop at nothing to snuff her out.

Scratch, scratch, scratch: "No, I won't hurt Uncle Lin Ao again. What about you? Xiao Fan?"

Liu Nian also glared at Gu Wanqing with a fierce expression that looked rather adorable. She, too, would not let anyone who wanted to harm Uncle Lin Ao off the hook.

"So, you're saying that, like me, you've done things to hurt Lin Ao in the past, right?"

Gu Wanqing stared fiercely ahead.

"I will not commit any acts that harm Lin Ao again. Before, I had no choice, but in this life, I will do everything in my power to keep him alive. Xiao Fan is one of the people I intend to eradicate."

"What about you? Which person from the future are you exactly?"

Scratch, scratch, scratch: "Night Heron."

Gu Wanqing was shocked. This adorable little girl was the "Night Heron" under Ye Chen? She remembered that she was also the child who went missing from the Liu Family.

Thinking about it, the time she went missing was this very year.

It was truly impossible to tell.

She couldn't reconcile the Night Heron, known for her ruthlessness and bizarre methods of killing, with the Liu Nian standing before her.

However, on that timeline, Xiao Fan didn't seem to appear, which was why Lin Ao had lived for so long.

But in the end, he still hadn't escaped that man named Ye Chen.

What was she doing back then? Dragging out the marriage for ten years without ever tying the knot?

That really was bizarre...

Scratch, scratch, scratch: "Xiao Fan, Ye Chen, Lin Feng, Chu Tian."

Liu Nian held up her notebook fiercely, listing the people she intended to eradicate. She was too young now; although her memories remained, her strength hadn't been trained yet. She figured Gu Wanqing would be an excellent partner.

"It seems our goals are aligned~ Looking forward to working with you from now on~"

Gu Wanqing smiled slightly and shook hands with Liu Nian.

They continued to talk for another twenty minutes, exchanging intelligence.

Gu Wanqing let out a few strange chuckles from time to time.

Similarly, Lin Ao sat at the dining table, lost in thought.

Where exactly had things gone wrong this time?

Why was everything happening so differently than before?

Xiao Fan probably hasn't gotten involved yet. In a few days, if that scoundrel Xiao Fan whispers a few more bad things in Gu Wanqing's ear, she should call off the engagement.

By then, everything should be back on track, and I'll be able to make my clean getaway.

Lin Ao had no idea that Xiao Fan had already been fired by Gu Wanqing.

Forget it, no point in thinking about it. When soldiers come, block them with a general; when water comes, cover it with earth. I'll just eat and drink as I please.

"Where did you two go? Why so long? Taking a dump?"

Lin Ao watched the two women finally return after disappearing for nearly half an hour; he had almost considered going to the restroom to fish them out.

"Nonsense~"

Gu Wanqing cast a charming, sidelong glance at Lin Ao as she and Liu Nian sat down, only to notice that Lin Ao's status bar had changed again.

[Current Character Status/Thought: Slacking off.]

Gu Wanqing covered her mouth and chuckled; this man's moods really came and went in a flash.

Just then, someone passed by the restaurant and snapped a photo of them with their phone.

"Beep--!"

A photo arrived on Xiao Fan's phone, showing none other than Lin Ao, Gu Wanqing, and Liu Nian.

Xiao Fan stared viciously at Lin Ao and Gu Wanqing, who were chatting and laughing.

Yesterday, he had wanted to call Gu Wanqing to ask her properly what exactly had happened.

But he discovered that she had actually blocked him.

He managed to get through once using someone else's phone, but the moment Xiao Fan started speaking, Gu Wanqing hung up on him and blocked that number too.

"Keep a close eye on them for me. Do not lose them this time. Wait for me to get there."

After sending the message, Xiao Fan rushed over.

Monkey received the order and continued to monitor Lin Ao and the others.

After finishing their meal, Lin Ao was dragged around for another stroll.

He really didn't know what there was to browse; they weren't even buying anything. Can people really find joy just by walking?

Seeing that evening was approaching, Lin Ao suggested heading over to the amusement park to see if it might help Liu Nian remember anything.

Although Liu Nian really wanted to say that she actually remembered everything and just didn't want to go back yet, she knew that if you're going to act, you have to commit to the whole performance, so she agreed.

They soon arrived at the amusement park.

Gu Wanqing insisted on dragging Lin Ao to ride the Ferris wheel.

Liu Nian said she didn't want to be a third wheel and would stay below to wait for them.

Lin Ao was helplessly dragged aboard.

The Ferris wheel slowly began to turn. As Lin Ao watched the ground shrink and the sky turn orange, his mood gradually began to relax.

It had been a long time since he had looked at the world like this.

"Lin Ao, how about we get married?"

Gu Wanqing looked at Lin Ao earnestly.

"Can't you let me enjoy the scenery for a little longer?"

Lin Ao looked back at Gu Wanqing, annoyed. He had just started to relax, and she had to bring up this topic right now. Big sister, the things you're planning to do will get people killed, you know?

Suddenly, Gu Wanqing, who had been sitting opposite him, lunged at Lin Ao.

Lin Ao's heart skipped a beat. Is she going to assassinate me right here?

Is it taking another turn? Has it changed again? First the male lead group tries to kill me, and now the female lead group is starting to kill me too?

Gu Wanqing pinned both of Lin Ao's hands against the glass door of the Ferris wheel cabin.

She looked down at Lin Ao from above.

"Did you hear what I just said?"

Her eyes were alluring, carrying a hint of aggression.

"Huh?"

Lin Ao was completely bewildered by her sudden series of movements.

Just as he was about to say something, Gu Wanqing leaned in and kissed his parted lips.

Lin Ao felt a trace of sweetness melt into his mouth.

She actually used her tongue again! Damn it!

As a man, how could he let a woman take the lead!

He seized the initiative.

He broke free from Gu Wanqing's hands and lifted her up to sit on his lap.

Gu Wanqing felt Lin Ao's movements and began to demand even more frantically.

Her slender legs clamped tightly around Lin Ao's waist, while her hands grabbed wildly at his hair.

[Character Current Status/Thoughts: Screw it, the worst that happens is death.]

[H-Index: 100.]

Neither of them noticed that as they grew more frantic, the wisps of red energy on their bodies dissipated even faster.