MTL - Take Taobao to the Ancient Times - Chapter 23 Paper walnut

On her wedding night, Jian Ran met Zhou Huai'an, the man rumored not to like women.After that, she was cautious and humble in front of Xu Zichuan every day.Until that night, when blood flowed and rain poured, she learned the truth.She collapsed in the pouring rain, hugging herself, laughing madly with tears streaming down her face.Then, she slowly bent her proud spine, trampling her dignity into the mud.In the end, when Jian Ran left, Xu Zichuan went mad.Zhou Huai'an kneeled on the ground, “Jian Ran, I was wrong. What must I do for you to return to my side?”

Situ Xin was highly intelligent, but because she had been an orphan since a young age, she was quite unemotional.During her last mission, she was betrayed by “one of her own.” As her soul was in the process of Soul Formation, she was saved by the Phoenix Jade Pendant she wore, allowing her to be reborn as a fetus in her mother's womb. Moreover, she carried a space with her.Let's see how she lives a different life after being reborn in 1988.A new work by Ai Guo—Rebirth: Not To Be Cannon FodderIntroduction: Mi Zhiyao, the heir of the mysterious and ancient Aristocratic family—the Mi Family, woke up from her sleep, only to inexplicably become another Mi Zhiyao from a different time and space, who committed suicide for love in the Mi Family.The same name and a similar status, but two completely different personalities.Watch as Mi Zhiyao fiercely dumps her scumbag fiancé, deals with her greedy cousin, and then leads the once-declining Mi Family back to the pinnacle of their family.

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

Princess Anastasia of Orsenia is regarded as the kingdom’s treasure. However, she carries a heavy secret— she is diagnosed with an incurable illness. She is fated to die before she turns 18.

For years, her parents desperately searched for a cure but to no avail. That is, until a mysterious letter arrives, claiming that the only way Anastasia can escape her cruel fate is to send her to a monster:

King Caspain, the ruler of Sorvando, a vampire kingdom.

The letter prophesizes that Anastasia will live, only if she makes that bloodthirsty King fall in love with her. However, Anastasia knows it’s nearly an impossible task. Sorvando is filled with dangers. And she is only but a weak human.

Yet, her will to live won over her fear. No matter how cruel the king may be, Anastasia will still try to win his heart.

Now, if only she can keep her own heart from falling for him as well.

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[Excerpt]

“Cas-pian…”

And he looked back to see that she was biting her lower lip as though she greatly enjoyed that kiss.

He smirked again and whispered in his deeply seductive voice, “I like my name even more ever since I started hearing it from your beautiful lips. And I like it even further when you say it in that hushed tone.”

Anastasia had no idea what Caspian was hinting at yet.

So he dropped some more hints, “Wife, weren’t you asking me what the first night meant? Let me show you.”