A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands - Chapter 16Book 2: : A Hero’s Burden

[Sweet, satisfying, pampering, lots of face slapping.]Zhang Caishen's era had come to an end and he could never rise again, or so they said. But why did he seem to be getting richer and more powerful even if he was now crippled and abandoned by his betrothed?Why was he suddenly so unnaturally lucky?The answer was simple; his new wife!!Lin Alix was not lucky when it came to her family. She was the older, less loved and less talented one in comparison to her younger sister who stole everything from her.But fate intervened and she got lucky when it came to a husband, not only was he wealthy but he loved to spoil her.Suggested by her infinite luck gaming system, Alix married her sister's unwanted crippled husband to be and stepped on the path of a winner in life.She swept up music awards, gained international recognition and got her revenge on her cruel family while becoming Beijing's most envious wife.“Are you crazy, you willingly married a crippled man?” her friends asked.“Yes, but have you seen how much he pampers me?” she asked in turn.“She will cheat on him, he is a cripple and he can't perform his husbandly duties.” others gossiped.Alix looked at the so called crippled man who climbed into her bed night after night and laughed. Sorry, he was more than capable.“Honey, I am here to perform my husbandly duties.” he would always say coquettishly when he flipped her over.This book is participating in the WSA and the author will appreciate all your support.Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, nothing should be compared to the real world no matter how similar.

My surname is Wu, and everyone calls me Xiao Wu.

Listen, brother, here are some of my experiences-

Don’t listen to what it says when you fight with the dragon, just fight until it dies;

It’s a little more troublesome to beat the goblin, it’s better not to let it see you, you have to shoot the black gun;

It’s a word to engage in orcs, naked!

If the devil dares to come to trouble, he will break his horns, and he will kneel;

Okay, I’m going to fight at the bar now, I’ll write more about the introduction when I get back

- Description from novelbuddy

The Shao and Cheng families have been sworn enemies for generations, though few outsiders know the exact details of their feud.

What is known to all is the Shao family’s three cardinal rules:

The Shao family must not cooperate with the Chengs, must not intermarry with the Chengs, and must never appear with the Chengs at any public event.

One day, an adorable little girl looking like a doll, wearing a puffy pink dress, pink hair clip, and pink backpack, walked into the lobby on the first floor of the Shao Group building.

The receptionist thought she was some child who had wandered away from home. But the little girl solemnly said, “I want to see your Shao Group CEO, Shao Chengze.”

Seeing the girl’s pink outfit, the receptionist knew she must be from a wealthy and noble family to dare to address their CEO by his full name. She couldn’t be the daughter of some high-ranking Shao Group executive?

Smiling warmly, she asked, “Little one, could you tell me your parents’ names?”

The girl tilted her head. “My mommy is Cheng Jinlan.”

Cheng…Jinlan?!

Second Miss Cheng Jinlan of the Cheng family?! She never thought she’d see the day a Cheng would set foot in the Shao Group building. What a miracle!

“As for my dad, I’ve come today to get some of Shao Chengze’s hair for a DNA test. Once I have his hair, I’ll know if he’s my dad or not.”

The girl’s crisp words rippled outwards from the front desk through the bustling first floor lobby. Everyone who heard froze in shock, jaws dropping.

Everyone except Shao Chengze, who had just stepped out of the elevator surrounded by a group.

He looked at the girl in pink through narrowed, fox-like eyes.

Cheng Liqi recognized Shao Chengze and covered her mouth in an “ah-oh”.

She decided that even if Shao Chengze wasn’t her dad, she’d have to help Cheng Jinlan get this man. She liked his eyes.

They were just like hers.

So pretty.

He was a simple man in his past life – a masseuse, not a hero. His hands were trained to heal pain, not cause it. But when fate dragged him into another world, those same hands became the only thing keeping him alive.Unlike the chosen ones who gain holy blessings or unrivaled power, he has nothing but skill, wit, and stubbornness. He doesn’t seek glory, nor does he dream of leaving his name in history.But the world has other plans.A kingdom built on lies. Families fighting for power in the shadows. Betrayals hidden behind smiles. And he? He’s caught in the middle, forced to navigate schemes that could devour him whole.He isn’t the strongest. He isn’t the bravest. But sometimes, the man who doesn’t want the spotlight… is the one who survives it.________I get this alot so I'm going to clarify:This is not a smut novel, there will be romantic scenes but not as pronounced.