Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Volume 3 - Chapter 4

“Look at me,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, like he wasn't just asking her to see him—but to choose him.She did.And oh God.The moment her eyes met his, it was like the floor tilted. His gaze wasn't cold anymore. It wasn't guarded or teasing. It was raw. Fierce. Wrecking. Like he saw through every layer she'd tried to hide.She swallowed hard. Her legs trembled.Her heart betrayed her, pounding so hard against her ribs it seemed like it wanted to break free.Why did his eyes soften like that, as if she was delicate glass, and he'd do anything to keep her from shattering?She swore she was going to melt right there.And he didn't even kiss her.Didn't have to.That one look—his fingers brushing against her skin like he owned the right, it was more than any kiss she'd ever had. More dangerous. More intoxicating.Her lips parted, maybe to speak, maybe to breathe, but nothing came out. Nothing could.The tension between them tightened—thick, electric, blinding.If he moved even an inch, it would be over.But he didn't.And that restraint? That maddening, infuriating, goddamn beautiful control made her want him even more.“Let me handle this,” he whispered. “You don't have to trust Conor. Just trust me.”Her eyes dropped to his lips. They were so close now she could feel the whisper of his breath. Her heart pounded harder, like it wanted to escape.“Please stop doing that,” she murmured. For a fleeting second, nothing moved, then he dropped his hand.His brows drew together. “Doing what?”“Touching me,” she whispered. “Especially when you're trying to make a point. You did it in the restroom too.”“Why do you think I'm doing that?” he asked, voice husky now, softer.Synopsis:At an elite college, falling for the rich, cold son of a bi-llionaire wasn’t part of the plan, especially when his brother is tied to her mother’s mysterious death.But from the moment Merlina steps onto campus, the chemistry is undeniable. He’s detached, arrogant, and everything she should stay away from. Yet no matter how hard she tries, she can’t ignore the pull.She’s here for a degree, but her real mission is uncovering the secrets of her mother’s past at this very school. As sparks fly between her and the guy she should keep her distance from, she’s torn between two things: exposing the truth and protecting her heart from falling for him.The deeper she digs, the more dangerous things get. Anonymous threats, dark secrets, and a guy who’s starting to think her obsession with the past could ruin everything. When the truth finally breaks free, it threatens everything she’s worked for—the truth, her heart, and the fragile bond she shares with him.With everything at risk, she must choose: expose the truth, or hold on to the one person who makes her feel truly alive.

The world has become a playground for the world of the heavens, and all living beings are digitized, waiting for the players in the world of the heavens to come to kill and torture countless times.

Yi Zheng, who turned into the first trash rabbit in Novice Village, chose to take a group of rabbits to start running, sit-ups, bench presses, rowing, swimming on the green grassland…

A year later, when the player came, what they saw was not a group of mobs, but a terrifying devil muscle rabbit!

The Rabbit King, who was sitting high, waved a carrot and said cruel words: “Starting today, don’t even think of leaving the Novice Village alone!”

- Description from novelbuddy

Ding!{You've awakened the Echo System.}Scarlett Jerkins' dream was simple: wealth and the freedom to indulge. But when she let love in, she regretted it as her life was brutally cut short by her husband's family, ending a six-month coma but fate had other plans.Scarlett's eyes flickered open to an unfamiliar world, guided by an enigmatic system that revealed her new reality: an apocalypse world where monsters born from history deceased roamed free.She discovered that she was among the chosen members chosen by the system destined to save humanity. But this newfound purpose felt like a curse. Having escaped death only to face it again was a cruel twist of fate. And to make matters worse, her life was now tied to Garvin Johnson, her former rude, spoilt brat boss, whom she must protect at all costs.As she navigates this treacherous realm, she must confronts twisted creatures born from history's deceased. With the three elements at her command, she must gather resources, slay monsters, and safeguard Garvin.Scarlett's drive for survival becomes a quest for redemption, fueled by her past traumas and newfound purpose. As stakes escalate, Scarlett and Garvin face impossible choices, forging alliances with other chosen members who were handsome men and confronting enemies in a desperate bid to ensure humanity's survival.

For more than a decade, she disguised herself as a weakling while preyed on the strong – Qiao Qing had never viewed reputation as an important matter.But people began to take advantage and purposely hurt the ones she cared about.Qiao Qing then decided to stop hiding her real self.An incapable good-for-nothing? Her natural genius IQ can explode your eyeballs!A lowly commoner? Her real identity made her someone who you are not worthy enough to be friends with!A feeble chick? Her skills in ancient martial art can result in you looking for your teeth all over the ground!A godly student, a godly Go player, a godly night rider, a godly martial artist… as her real identity revealed little by little, all those snobs who once viewed her poorly began to switch sides and attempted to please her.Qiao Qing shut the front door. No guests welcomed.She blocked those who wanted her for their own selfish demands, but she couldn’t stop this one evildoer from approaching her.Just like that, climbing over the walls and entering through the window became Jun Yexuan’s specialty.As the President of the Jun Corporation, he had enough to protect Qiao Qing her entire life.But what bothered him was that Qiao Qing was far too independent and far too capable. Without any of his help, she was able to successfully handle everything.Jun Yexuan became moody – he felt like he wasn’t needed!So, on a random day, a cry for help appeared on Weibo, “What do I do when the wife is too capable? Waiting for immediate responses – it’s urgent.”