Lin Ao, Will You Marry Me?

Gu Wanqing took Liu Nian and Lin Ao all around the entire mall.

The two girls had a wonderful time shopping.

Lin Ao, meanwhile, felt as if half his life had been drained away. He'd never been this exhausted, not even when he'd fought Xiao Fan and the others.

Seeing them laughing and chatting the whole way, he didn't want to spoil their fun.

As long as they didn't cry, that was fine. He'd let them do as they pleased.

But why had Gu Wanqing changed so much?

Ever since she'd refused to break off their engagement, she'd been clinging to him. Could it be... Xiao Fan had sent her?

Was she deliberately getting close to me so I'd let my guard down, then she'd take me out and swallow up the Lin Family?

But I haven't openly fallen out with Xiao Fan yet. We haven't even met. Could things have changed again this time?

Gu Wanqing's change really left him confused and worried.

He was afraid things would become uncontrollable again.

Had Heaven made him think he was "free" now?

Both girls turned to look at Lin Ao at the same time, because they'd both seen his status panel change.

[Character's current state/thoughts: Worried. Could Gu Wanqing really have been sent by Xiao Fan?]

Liu Nian stared at Gu Wanqing with wide eyes. Gu Wanqing gently shook her head at Liu Nian.

"Let's get something to eat. We've been shopping for so long, so you must be hungry too. Let's go to that restaurant on the third floor."

Pretending she knew nothing, she went up and took Lin Ao by the arm.

The three of them arrived at the restaurant. Gu Wanqing said she'd take Liu Nian to the restroom, leaving Lin Ao alone inside.

The two of them went somewhere secluded.

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

Swish, swish, swish: "I can."

"You got the prompt about leaving the Fate route too?"

Swish, swish, swish: "Yes."

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

Gu Wanqing's demeanor suddenly changed, turning as cold as ice. If this little girl was Lin Ao's enemy, she would stop at nothing to kill her.

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

Liu Nian glared fiercely at Gu Wanqing. She looked a little cute doing it, but she wouldn't spare anyone who wanted to hurt Uncle Lin Ao either.

"So you've hurt Lin Ao before too, just like me?"

Gu Wanqing glared fiercely ahead.

"I won't hurt Lin Ao either. Before, I had no choice, but in this life, I'll do everything I can to keep him alive. Xiao Fan is one of the people I intend to eliminate."

"What about you? Which future figure are you?"

Swish, swish, swish: "Night Heron."

Gu Wanqing was stunned. This adorable little girl was Night Heron, Ye Chen's subordinate? If she remembered correctly, she was also the child who'd gone missing from the Liu Family.

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

It really was impossible to tell.

She couldn't connect Liu Nian here with Night Heron, who was renowned for her ruthless nature and bizarre killing methods.

But in that timeline, Xiao Fan hadn't appeared, so Lin Ao had lived for so long.

Still, in the end, he hadn't escaped the man called Ye Chen.

What had she been doing back then? She'd dragged things out for ten years without marrying him?

What a strange situation...

Swish, swish, swish: "Xiao Fan, Ye Chen, Lin Feng, Chu Tian."

Liu Nian held up her notebook with a fierce look. It listed the people she wanted to eliminate. She was still too young, and although she'd retained her memories, she hadn't trained her strength yet. Gu Wanqing seemed like an excellent partner.

"Looks like we have the same goals~ I look forward to working with you~"

Gu Wanqing smiled and shook Liu Nian's hand.

They continued talking for another twenty-odd minutes, exchanging information.

Every now and then, Gu Wanqing let out a strange giggle.

Meanwhile, Lin Ao was sitting at the table, lost in thought.

Where had things gone wrong this time?

Why was everything different from before?

Xiao Fan probably hadn't gotten involved yet. In a few days, once that little man Xiao Fan had said a few more nasty things about Gu Wanqing to her, she should break off the engagement.

Then things ought to return to normal, and I'll be able to get away cleanly.

Lin Ao still didn't know that Gu Wanqing had already kicked Xiao Fan out.

Forget it. When soldiers came, he'd block them; when water came, he'd dam it. He'd eat when it was time to eat and drink when it was time to drink.

"What were you two doing? Why did it take so long? Taking a dump?"

Lin Ao watched as the two girls who'd disappeared for nearly half an hour finally returned. He'd almost gone to the restroom to fish them out.

"Don't talk nonsense~"

Gu Wanqing gave Lin Ao a flirtatious sidelong glance and sat down with Liu Nian. She noticed that Lin Ao's status panel had changed again.

[Character's current state/thoughts: Giving up.]

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

Just then, someone walked past the restaurant and took a photo of them with a phone.

"Beep—!"

A photo arrived on Xiao Fan's phone. It showed Lin Ao, Gu Wanqing, and Liu Nian.

Xiao Fan glared fiercely at Lin Ao and Gu Wanqing as they chatted and laughed.

Yesterday, he'd wanted to call Gu Wanqing and ask her properly what had happened.

But he found that she'd blocked him.

He'd managed to get through once using someone else's phone. As soon as Xiao Fan started talking, Gu Wanqing hung up on him and blocked that number too.

"Keep a close eye on them for me. Don't lose them this time. Wait until I get there."

After sending the message, Xiao Fan hurried over.

Monkey received the order and continued watching Lin Ao and the others.

After Lin Ao finished eating, they dragged him around for another lap.

He really couldn't understand what was so interesting about shopping when they weren't buying anything. Could simply walking around make them happy?

Seeing that evening was approaching, Lin Ao suggested going to the amusement park to see if anything might jog Liu Nian's memory.

Liu Nian really wanted to say, I actually remember everything. I just don't want to go back yet.

But she had to keep up the act, so she agreed.

They soon arrived at the amusement park.

Gu Wanqing insisted on taking Lin Ao on the Ferris Wheel.

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

Lin Ao had no choice but to let himself be dragged aboard.

The Ferris Wheel began to turn slowly. Watching the ground shrink beneath him and the sky turn orange, Lin Ao gradually relaxed.

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

"Lin Ao, will you marry me?"

Gu Wanqing looked at Lin Ao seriously.

"Couldn't you let me enjoy the view a little longer?"

Lin Ao turned back to Gu Wanqing with an exasperated look. He'd only just begun to relax, and she had to bring this up now. Come on, what you're asking could get me killed!

Suddenly, Gu Wanqing, who'd been sitting across from him, pounced on him.

Lin Ao's heart gave a thump. Was she going to assassinate me here?

Was this another new turn of events? Had things changed again? First the male leads came to kill me, and now the female leads are taking their turn?

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

She looked down at Lin Ao.

"Did you hear what I just said?"

Her gaze was alluring, with a hint of aggression.

"Huh?"

Lin Ao was completely bewildered by her rapid-fire actions.

Just as he was about to say something, Gu Wanqing leaned in and kissed him on his open mouth.

Lin Ao felt a faint sweetness melt into his mouth.

"She even stuck her tongue in again! Damn it!"

As a man, how could Lin Ao let a woman take the lead?

He turned the tables.

He freed his hands, lifted Gu Wanqing up, and settled her onto his lap.

Feeling Lin Ao's movements, Gu Wanqing became even more eager, taking all she could.

Her long legs clamped around Lin Ao's waist, and her hands ruffled his hair.

[Character's current state/thoughts: Whatever. I might as well die.]

[H-Index: 100.]

Neither of them noticed that the more wildly they acted, the faster the faint red energy around them dissipated.