This is really not mechanical ascension - Chapter 40 - The Gigashield Company’s Pickup Card

“When everyone scorned me because I was merely a woman, I kept convincing myself: ‘Actually, you can give it a try.’” – Fang Feng Sheng

…

There was a famous saying in officialdom: there is no yamen without Shaoxing.

She was the only descendant of the Fang family, the most prominent family of private advisors in Shaoxing.

A calamity broke the Fang family apart. Her father was implicated and put to death, and she cut her way through thistles and thorns to prove her name.

However, walking down this path, she discovered that there were things beyond her imagination.

~ ~

Zong Yue knows that he could marry Fang Feng Sheng because he had blocked all her paths of retreat. But it doesn’t matter—one day, the person will become his, and so will her heart.

- Description from Novelupdates

A car accident causes Yan Chuang to traverse into a martial arts world resembling ancient times, bringing along a 'Purple Mist Palace'.Teaching by Example (Level 1): Your explanations will increase listeners' comprehension efficiency by 50%, and their understanding and thoughts will feed back to you, granting you corresponding 'insights'.The Great Dao Cushions (Level 1): The Purple Mist Palace contains six Great Dao cushions that aid listeners in better understanding explanations and grasping the Great Dao. The effect of 'Teaching by Example' is increased by 1000%. Note: Only two of the six seats can be changed once.Treasure Nurturing Rock (Level 1): You can use 'spirituality' to enhance and nurture items.Method Development (Level 1): You can set up research tasks, gain inspiration, develop martial arts, and complete tasks to gain 'insights' and 'spirituality'. Currently, you can create 2 tasks.Upon reaching the other shore, Yan Chuang laughed and said, “I didn't specifically study martial arts, those were merely insights gained while preaching to disciples.”

Claire Reed thought she married the man of her dreams, Evander Kensington, but she had no idea that their marriage was built on a lie; a family vow that trapped him by her side.His heart, however, belonged to another woman, his white lotus.No matter how hard Claire tried to win Evander’s love, he only grew colder, and his family treated her like she didn’t exist.When she lost their unborn child, Claire’s world shattered. She wanted to see Evander, but he didn't bother to check on her. Instead, he went to meet that white lotus.Unable to bear the betrayal, she decided to free Evander from this marriage, leaving behind a letter and divorce papers, claiming she now had someone else she loved!~~~~“You’re mine, and I’ll never let you go!” he declared, his voice dark with possessiveness.“But I don’t want you anymore! You can have Susan—I’m now in love with someone else!” Claire shot back, her words sharp and final.“You can't be with anyone. Do you even know how sleepless nights I've without you?” Evander's hold on her tightened. “I'll see how you become some else when I'll claim you,” he pronounced before crashing his lips on her.

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?