This is really not mechanical ascension - Chapter 34 - : A Rainy Night is Perfect for Murder!

(This is a sweet love story anthology, don’t be fooled by the first story!). Bai Qiuyi has a curse on her body: if she does not take the antidote, her whole body will be as painful as if her bones were being scraped. And her antidote was a specific type of men’s semen.

—The full text is sweet, super sweet, and the sugar content exceeds the standard.

Xiao Rou, a girl growing up in a poor countryside family, finds that she’s actually the daughter of a wealthy couple. Her mother had mistaken another girl for her back at the hospital. Thinking she would change from an ugly duckling to a noble swan and live happily ever after with her real family, reality strikes her in the face.

The other girl, Xiao Jinning, who had taken her family, her fiancé and everything else from her, uses every mean possible to frame her up, so when she returns to her biological parents, she finds her parents despising her while still doting on Xiao Jinning. Framed as a thief, she is expelled from the family and as soon as she walks out the door, she gets hit by a car and her spirit dies a miserable death thanks to Xiao Jinning.

Meanwhile, Tang Xi, a real princess, the heiress of the powerful Empire Group, is murdered by her greedy relatives. When she opens her eyes again, she finds herself in another girl’s body. She has become Xiao Rou and has a magic system—008 in her body! With the help of 008, she begins her journey for revenge. She would avenge poor Xiao Rou, punish her murderers, become the most famous star, and… make up with her true love—Qiao Liang.

- Description from Novelupdates

Heaven and earth are the guest house of all living beings, and time is the passing guest through the ages.

The difference between life and death, just like the difference between dreaming and waking, changes and cannot be questioned.

So beyond life and death, beyond heaven and earth, beyond time, what is waiting for us?

This is Ergen’s sixth novel “Beyond Time” after “The Immortal”, “The Devil”, “I Want to Seal the Heavens”, “An Eternal Thought”, and “Three Inch of the World”.

- Description from novelbuddy

“You are offering me a marriage of convenience, but princess… there's nothing convenient about me.”

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Izabelle had underestimated the fire she thought she was going to play with tonight. But how could she ever have foreseen that the man she had happened to come across with does not play with just a small fire, but a whole inferno?

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Excerpt:

“You going through this marriage with me might as well be like you digging your own grave. Because the moment you start to want more from me, I will divorce you. And the moment you break your promise and try to fight me… I will ruin you and break you apart completely. Mercilessly. You will regret ever meeting this devil tonight.” His threat was given in the same soft but cold voice.

But Elle did not even flinch. Her gaze never faltered either. This man was ruthless, and she knew that clearly. His eyes that moment promised nightmares and darkness without any promise of respite.

But no matter what he says now, it would still not change her decision. She truly had no other choice.

“I understand now…” she said quietly, steeling herself. “Since you don't trust that I will keep my word, how about we do this? You prepare the divorce documents beforehand now and I'll sign it. That way, once you decide to divorce me in the future, the papers would already have been signed and there would be no way I can trouble you about it. You would just need to send it to the lawyers and have it notarized.”

A heavy silence reigned before his quiet disbelieving laugh broke the silence.

“I'm at a loss for words, Princess Izabelle.” He looked wickedly amused. But then he started nodding in approval. “Fine, princess. I will marry you.”