Hollow Ascension - Chapter 21: The Council’s First Steps

[Raising Babies + Sweet Romance]Su Xingwan wakes up inside an old-school CEO novel—as the “evil aunt” who starves and beats the three genius children left in her care.In the original plot, the kids’ uncle arrives, sees the abuse, and locks her away to die in a psychiatric ward.But Su just got here—and she’s read the whole book.Looking at the three bony, wide-eyed toddlers, she decides:“Plot twist—I’m fixing this.”• Eldest (Da Bao): a prodigy sold to a celebrity couple, future business titan.• Middle (Er Bao): bound to a villain system that keeps whispering, “Find Uncle—destroy the aunt!”• Youngest (Little Bao): mind-reader, destined to be the story’s adored koi heroine.Su sets out to undo every scar the original owner left.Little Bao blinks: “Why is Bad Aunt suddenly… nice?”Er Bao narrows his eyes: “Trap detected.”Da Bao clutches his siblings: “She’s brainwashing you!”When the formidable Uncle Lu Yun finally arrives, he expects a rescue mission. Instead, he finds three giggling kids curled in Su’s arms—and decides the children aren’t the only ones he wants to take home.

Three years after graduating, Chu Mo, who could barely maintain his basic livelihood, activated The Tycoon System, and a bank card with an unlimited credit limit that could be safely used appeared before him. Start a company? Make investments? Buy stocks? In the face of the bank card with unlimited credit, these options seemed to lose their significance. Having already obtained inexhaustible and unlimited money, he might as well live comfortably as an infinitely wealthy tycoon.

Ethan Millers was just an ordinary man with an ordinary job — until one unplanned act reset his karma to zero. In a universe built on balance, this was not a miracle... it was an error.Erased from the world, Ethan awakens in a place without time or space — the No-Where. With nothing but his thoughts, he spirals into madness, invention, and eventually, creation itself.He imagines powers, technologies, divine systems, and worlds beyond comprehension — until the void bends to his will.Now, known as Zane Creed, the strongest existence in the cosmos, he descends into a new world with overwhelming knowledge and unimaginable power.And what does he choose to do with it?Become a teacher.After all, what better way to reshape a world… than to teach it?

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.