Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates - Chapter 458-The Power Of Hickey

After his divorce, Lu Qin acquired a street food stall and quickly rose to fame, becoming a culinary sensation known for his unmatched cooking talent. With his young daughter by his side, he roamed the city streets, setting up his stall and making a living. His irresistible dishes attracted crowds from all over, earning him widespread recognition.Passerby: “Most places sell fried noodles, but Lu’s are worth every penny.”Food Enthusiast: “We’ve organized a group of over a thousand people just to track down where Lu sets up his stall each day.”Chef: “I’ve tried countless times to recreate his dishes, but I just can’t match Master Lu’s perfection.”One day, an old man called the police, claiming the street food stall downstairs was suspiciously good, hinting there might be something addictive in the food. The police launched an investigation, only to find…Meanwhile, Shen Muyan’s upscale hotel restaurant was flooded with complaints, forcing her to reluctantly seek help from her ex-husband.Girlfriend: “Your ex-husband is impossible to reach! When can I book him for an exclusive interview on my gourmet show?”Shen Muyan: “He still hasn’t agreed to remarry…”A celebrity chef from South Korea traveled to China to film a culinary show but ended up spending the entire season documenting Lu Qin’s street food stall instead.

The most popular game worldwide is Ancient Arena Online, a high-octane PvP fantasy game where teams fight for supremacy in mythical arenas. Millions of fans watch livestreams, bet on matches, and follow their favorite players like celebrities. The game’s competitive scene is so fierce that professional teams are treated like esports royalty.At the heart of it all is Kai Ashford, one of the top players and captain of the pro team Phoenix Edge. With lightning-fast reflexes and strategic brilliance, Kai leads his team to countless victories. But success breeds jealousy. Sabotaged by a teammate he thought was loyal, Kai is not only kicked off his team, but also humiliated in front of millions of fans. With his reputation shattered and confidence at rock bottom, Kai retreats from the public eye.However, Kai's competitive spirit is not easily extinguished. He stumbles upon a group of amateur players—a ragtag bunch who show raw potential but lack the finesse needed to win at the highest levels. Their quirky personalities clash with his no-nonsense attitude, but something about their passion reminds him of why he started gaming in the first place. Deciding to put his past behind him, Kai agrees to train them into a professional team.Along the way, Kai builds unexpected connections with his new teammates, including romantic entanglements with a fiery mage, an eccentric hacker, and a mysterious assassin player, all while juggling his personal feelings and growing attraction for multiple women. As his new team rises through the ranks, they gain attention from fans and sponsors, putting them back on the radar of the professional scene.But Kai’s past doesn’t stay buried for long. His former teammates—now rivals—plot to sabotage him once again, while jealous contenders within the gaming world aim to tear him down. However, Kai's return to the spotlight will be on his terms this time. With a darker, more calculating approach, he plans to not only dominate the game but also to get sweet revenge on those who betrayed him.

When 18-year-old Chu Miao dies in a tragic car accident, her soul vanishes; but her body does not remain empty for long. A formidable warrior from an ancient era, the daughter of a renowned general, awakens in her place. Sent into the future by a prophecy, she finds herself in a world on the brink of destruction.With only a month before typhoons ravage the land, extreme weather shifts without warning, and terrifying mutations transform animals and plants into deadly threats. Worst of all, a horrifying virus spreads like wildfire, turning humans into flesh-eating zombies. Civilization crumbles and only the strongest survive.Though her new body lacks the powerful cultivation she once had, she still possesses an invaluable advantage; her ancient spatial ring. Filled with elixirs, weapons, demonic beast cores, and rare cultivation resources, it becomes her greatest tool for survival. But modern supplies are also essential, and she must act fast to stockpile resources before the apocalypse fully takes hold.As chaos reigns, she fights to protect her family and secure a foothold in this brutal new world. Along the way, she crosses paths with a mysterious and powerful man, one of the rare few who awaken supernatural abilities and is just as determined to survive. Together, they forge an unbreakable bond, battling both the relentless undead and the desperate survivors willing to kill for a chance to live.Armed with ancient wisdom and modern strategy, she refuses to bow to fate.In this new life, she will rise again—not as a lost soul from the past, but as a warrior destined to rule the apocalypse.

A free spirit meets her match in all-around perfect bachelor whose humorlessness is his only flaw. When Xia Zhen reaches the unfortunate marriageable age, she is forced to go on a blind date where she meets Pei Cheng An. Her cunning plan is to pretend to be completely infatuated with her date in front of her mother, while sabotaging the actual relationship. Except Pei Cheng An isn’t the type to follow the script.

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In Xia Zhen’s opinion, Pei Cheng An is a person whose way of thinking belongs in the last century and whose manner of speaking reminds her of her grandpa. But since he looks dreamy and has qualifications, she’ll just pretend that she has fallen for him at first sight.

Eh? Pei Cheng An also finds her good enough to start a relationship with.

Great. Now when he finds out that she’s not a suitable partner for marriage and dumps her, she can return home all heartbroken and request to temporarily go on a brief no-blind-dates period. This is excellent. However…

“I’m so unreasonable. Why aren’t you breaking up with me?”

“A man should be tolerant towards his girlfriend.”

“I’m so mean to you. Why are you being so kind to me?”

“Girlfriends are meant to be spoiled.”

“I’m not gentle or considerate. Why aren’t you breaking up with me?”

“Likely it’s because… I like you.”

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