Crown of Thorns - Chapter 31

Shen Hua, the daughter of the Shen family that ran an embroidery business in Fengzhou, was pampered since she was a child. She had a pretty face and smooth, fair skin. Unfortunately, her body was weak, and she'd run out of breath after walking merely a few steps. She didn't have very long to live.The Shen family gradually faced its downfall, and her wedding was delayed again and again.Cui Yun, the eldest son of the Cui family, was a noble and stern man. He was entrusted to look after Shen Hua. Why not just marry her? He thought.Since Shen Hua reincarnated, she had focused all her attention on the embroidery business. She hoped to change her life and regain her former glory.When she heard about Cui Yun's decision to marry her, she fainted on the spot.After waking up, she turned him down with tears in her eyes. “I don't have very long to live. I don't want to waste your time.”Cui Yun was very considerate. “It's not a big deal. I know you feel touched, but there's no need to cry. Since you already depend on the Cui family, you might as well just become part of us. After you die from your sickness, I'll even hold a grand funeral for you.”Shen Hua felt hopeless. But I'm only pretending to be sick!***Cui Yun had many younger female cousins.Many of them had confessed their feelings for him, but he turned all of them down nonchalantly.“It's getting late. Please look after yourself.”Shen Hua had never met such a clueless man when it came to romance.One night, while she was on her way home, she took a shortcut and passed by the Cui family's courtyard. Cui Yun stopped her.He was standing near the entrance, and his sleeves danced to the wind.“It's cold outside. Would you like to come in and stay for a while?”

In the swamp, mosquitoes danced, and a five-meter long bay crocodile was firmly bound at the snout, its vertical pupils gleaming with ferocity. At that moment, a young man cover in mud was straddling it, and he was very modest in the face of audience’s praise.“I’m Bi Fang, a professional explorer. I have trekked atop the roof of the world and traversed through the Valley of Death, and I’ve even challenged the mysterious Amazon. Even the National Geographic has named me the world’s premier survival expert, the king of the wild at the top of the food chain, but trust me, that’s all an overstatement…”Under the crimson clouds, Bi Fang silently tightened the rope in his hand and, seeing that the bay crocodile beneath him had finally stopped struggling, he pulled out the Hunting Knife and killed it with a single strike to the underside of its jaw.“Today is the second day of survival. I thought I would have to endure another hungry night, but now it seems, dinner has taken care of itself.”

Volume 1 (Set between volumes 13 and 14)

A series of short stories set before the events of volume fourteen including how Team GROUP was formed.

Volume 2 (Set between volumes 16 and 17)

A series of short stories including two separate meetings between Touma’s and Mikoto’s parents, two tales involving two of the Level 5s of Academy City, and other funny stories involving some of the characters.

In her past life, Qin Ruan was deeply embroiled in a family feud, framed, and died with unfulfilled desires.Having been reincarnated, she returned armed with a pregnancy report and made her way to the gate of the prestigious Huo Family in Capital City, one hand on her lower back.It was rumored that Huo Sanye, the legitimate grandson of the Huo Family, was decisive and ruthless, endowed with an aloof sophistication, unpredictable mood swings, and was utterly unfeeling and heartless.Sanye was about to take a wife, an illegitimate daughter located and brought back by the Qin Family.This news exploded throughout Capital City!No one believed that an illegitimate daughter could securely hold the position of the Huo Family Head's wife; everyone was waiting for their divorce.Leveraging her reincarnated mystical abilities, Qin Ruan set up shop under Tianqiao, stirring up the major power dynamics within Capital City.The fourth-generation golden grandson of the Huo Family even crawled out from Qin Ruan's belly.As her true identity gradually revealed itself, no one dared to belittle her anymore.Year after year passed by, not only did Qin Ruan and Huo Sanye not divorce, they flaunted their love daily.Everyone was frustrated to the point of smashing their bowls, they had their fill of this sickening sweetness!——Mini-theater:Qin Ruan: “Young man, you have a peach blossom curse, and you are likely to encounter a blood disaster soon.”The famous movie star scorned her remark and turned to leave.That evening, the movie star, disheveled, begged Qin Ruan, “Miss Qin, save me!”Qin Ruan: “Sir, I see a dark aura surrounding you, you're likely in grave danger.”A tycoon in the business world nearly upturned her stall in anger.But two days later, the big shot knelt before Qin Ruan, pleading for his life!From then on, everyone from newly established nobility to members of the prestigious and powerful families all treated Qin Ruan as a respected guest.