1: Chapter 1 Wedding and Fire

Brain Storage: This story is created for personal pleasure, and all content is fictional. Readers, please forgive any irrational parts.

Some main and supporting characters are based on the author's group members, and only their names and some personality traits are borrowed. Their family backgrounds are all fictional, so please do not over-identify.

The pacing of this story is slow in the beginning, mainly to set up the emotional lines. The pace will speed up after chapters 15 to 20, so please bear with me.

[This story contains no cheating/cuckolding/NTR/giving away female leads, so you can read with peace of mind.]

One last thing: There are many memes in this story. If I offend you, I apologize; please don't "single-kill" (assassinate) the author offline. Oh, group attacks aren't allowed either.

--- Main Text ---

2015, in a wooden hut in a rainforest in a country in Southeast Asia.

"Am I going to die?"

Yang Shiguang stumbled into the hut as gunfire echoed continuously in the distance behind him.

He slumped into a corner. There were four knife wounds on his back oozing blood, and his handsome face was covered in dust.

Glancing at the gasoline drums stacked in the hut, Yang Shiguang took out his phone, intending to make one last call.

"Shiguang? I'm at Zishan's wedding."

A familiar voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Oh? Is the wedding going well?"

"Very well. Didn't you ask me to send your blessings? I gave 2,000 as a gift, haha."

Yang Shiguang forced a bitter smile.

"You Ge! Damn you, is that what I meant by sending blessings? Did you..."

"Forget it. I guess you couldn't have caused trouble even if I asked you to."

Gunfire echoed from outside the hut, getting closer and closer.

"Boss, we can't hold them off anymore! Ahhh..."

Before he could finish, there was a burst of gunfire.

"Shiguang, what's going on there? All that crackling, are you setting off firecrackers?"

Yang Shiguang did not answer him, but instead requested: "I want to say a few words to Zishan."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment.

"...Fine, she's coming over for a toast soon. I'll tell her."

After waiting for a while, the gunfire outside the hut gradually ceased, but this was not good news.

On the phone, after a burst of cheering and clinking of glasses, You Ge's voice came through.

"Uh, Zishan, Shiguang wants to say a few words to you."

However, as soon as this was said, sarcastic remarks came from the side:

"Yang Shiguang? Isn't he Zishan's simp?"

"He's still alive?"

"He doesn't even dare to show up, yet he has the nerve to want to talk to Zishan?"

Then, a female voice, extremely familiar to Yang Shiguang, came through. It was melodious, but the words were extremely cold.

"Nothing to say. Tell him not to disturb me again."

In the scorching rainforest, Yang Shiguang felt as cold as if he had entered an ice cellar.

"Drag him out for me! I want him alive!"

The voice from outside the hut finally made Yang Shiguang laugh. His laughter was full of resignation, despair, and unwillingness.

"Zhang Zishan, I won't disturb you again!"

With a roar, Yang Shiguang lit his lighter and threw it at the gasoline drums to the side.

Instantly, the phone transmitted cheers, blessings, and the sound of fireworks.

The entire hut exploded with a deafening roar, erupting into red and blue flames, leaving only the intermittent sounds from the phone.

"Shiguang!"

"Yang Shiguang!"

...

"Yang Shiguang!"

In a daze, Yang Shiguang seemed to hear someone calling his name.

Where is this? Heaven? Is that an angel calling me?

"Wake the hell up!"

"You didn't actually die, did you?"

Where did this vulgar angel come from, spewing vulgarities with a vulgar voice?

"Smack!"

Yang Shiguang felt as if he had been slapped; his face burned with pain.

No way! Screw this heavenly civil servant; why are they hitting people?

"You called me here to hang out, and then you slept like a pig!"

Nia! I don't think I'm dead!

Yang Shiguang suddenly woke up and sat up, looking at the chubby, goofy-looking "vulgar angel." No, if an angel looked like this, everyone would choose to go to hell!

It was his childhood friend, You Ge, and a younger version at that.

"What time is it now?" Yang Shiguang asked, looking at You Ge in confusion.

"It's already 3 PM! You said to meet at my place at 2, look at you, just look at you." You Ge looked at Yang Shiguang with annoyance, accusing him.

"What year is it now?"

"No way, did you sleep until you're stupid? It's 2007!"

You Ge looked at the dazed Yang Shiguang with surprise and pity, as if looking at a fool.

Yang Shiguang was stunned.

I've been reborn? Oh wow!

Don't novels say that rebirth comes with a system? Where's my system?

"System, activate!" Yang Shiguang raised his right hand into a fist and shouted.

However, only the chirping of birds outside the window and his childhood friend's look of "you're an idiot" responded to him.

Wrong way to open it?

Suddenly, he felt something poking his butt. He picked it up and saw it was Grandma's pocket watch.

Huh? Shouldn't this be in the drawer? How did it get on the bed? Whatever, forget it!

He picked up the pocket watch and held it above his head.

"Pocket watch, activate!"

He saw his friend's expression change from pity to fear.

"Shi-Shi-Shiguang! Who-who-who the hell are you!"

Yang Shiguang's expression changed from stunned to confused.

What's going on? Where's my system? No! It must be there, I just haven't found the right way to activate it!

Suddenly, Yang Shiguang rushed out of the room. You Ge was afraid his friend had some kind of issue, so although he was scared, he followed half a step behind.

When he caught up, he found Yang Shiguang standing in front of the kitchen stove, staring at the big pot of boiling water, the water inside already boiling.

"Kirin Arm! Activate!"

Instantly, Yang Shiguang pulled out his right hand and slapped the boiling water.

Unsurprisingly, a cry of shock followed.

"Holy cow!"

"What are you doing! Stewing yourself in an iron pot?"

After You Ge finished speaking, he tremblingly took out his phone to call 120.

"No, no, no, would it be better to call 110 in this situation?"

After muttering to himself, he noticed Yang Shiguang staring at him, unblinking. He was suddenly too scared to move.

"W-w-w-what?"

"Don't move!" Yang Shiguang roared, continuing to stare at him.

Chubby face, crew cut, wearing black-rimmed glasses.

"Hold up your phone!"

The terrified You Ge subconsciously obeyed.

"Right, just like that! Put it by your face, screen facing me!"

"Ugh, so stupid, too high, right, right, right!"

After saying that, Yang Shiguang touched his right cheek, which still hurt, and then raised his palm high.

"Smack!"

He slapped the chubby face. You Ge stood there stunned, and then Yang Shiguang walked past him.

"Ape God, activate!"

...

Half an hour later.

After trying the folding stool, tea mug, Phoenix bicycle, tricycle, toilet plunger, and various other activation methods to no avail, Yang Shiguang sat annoyed at the door of the old bungalow, smoking a Soft White Sand cigarette.

You Ge had moved a folding stool and sat opposite him, holding his red, swollen face with his right hand, trembling and afraid to speak.

It seems there really is no system.

Yang Shiguang took a deep drag and exhaled slowly.

"Hey, give me one!"

You Ge reached for the Soft White Sand before Yang Shiguang could answer.

In the blink of an eye, Yang Shiguang swiped the cigarette into his pocket.

"Smoking is bad for your health."

You Ge curled his lip.

"Then why do you smoke!"

"Me smoking is bad for my health, none of your business."

"Then me smoking is also bad for my health, also none of your business."

"It's my cigarette."

You Ge's hand froze in mid-air.

"That seems to make sense."

"Anyway, we've been here for so long, why did you call me here? Should we go to an internet cafe?"

Yang Shiguang lit another Soft White Sand and tossed one to You Ge.

"Going to an internet cafe is so boring."

Yang Shiguang walked to the desk and picked up a beautifully wrapped gift box. It was a necklace he had bought for Zhang Zishan a few days ago.

Seeing him pick up the necklace, You Ge said: "You aren't going to find Zhang Zishan now, are you? She's on vacation and should be at home. Aren't you afraid of being kicked out by her mother?"

Yang Shiguang threw the necklace box directly into the trash can, and under You Ge's shocked expression, he spoke calmly.

"Why look for her? A-You, making money is the most important thing."

Today, You Ge had received more shocks than in the last year.

"No, are you really okay? For the past six years, you've been fighting for her, singing for her, bringing her breakfast, and working like a slave. Can these words really come out of your mouth?"

"Right, I just woke up. What's wrong? You haven't woken up yet? Want me to help you 'activate'?"

After saying this, Yang Shiguang raised his left hand again. You Ge hurriedly covered his face, but found Yang Shiguang raised his right hand to stroke his own handsome hair.

"Fine, fine, fine, you tell me, where are we going to make money!"

After a moment of silence, Yang Shiguang seemed to have an epiphany.

You Ge waited for Yang Shiguang to describe his grand plan, only to see Yang Shiguang slap his own thigh.

"I don't know, let's go out first."

"You..."

Just as the two stood up, a girl, carrying a small bucket, wearing a white suspender dress, revealing a section of fair calves, stepping in lace-trimmed white socks and canvas shoes, ran lightly towards them, dancing like a butterfly and elegant like a cat.

She stopped in front of Yang Shiguang, looked up and smiled, her beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly lifted, lively and deep.

"Brother Shiguang, where are you two going?"