On the weekend break, Ye Shuang drove the two girls around to see the sights.
Speaking of which, Haizhu City is a tourist destination known for its ecological civilization, but Ye Shuang didn't really know where the fun places were. Like most people, his usual routine only took him to a handful of familiar spots.
The sea near the shore only looked blue on clear days; to see the truly azure ocean, you had to take a boat out to the other islands.
As Ye Shuang stared blankly at the traffic light, he noticed the girl beside him seemed to be playing a mobile game.
"What game are you playing?" Ye Shuang asked.
"A tower defense game," Bai Yuyou said, showing him her phone. "Keke asked me to play with her."
"Brother, do you want to play? It's a casual game," Tang Keke said with a grin. "And it's their fifth anniversary right now, they're giving out a monthly card. You can get like a hundred pulls in one go."
"What's a monthly card?"
"It's thirty yuan, and you get daily gacha resources from it," Tang Keke explained.
Hearing this, Ye Shuang had a moment of realization. It seemed many products from his group's companies had similar paid items, though their pricing was much higher.
Thirty yuan...
Wouldn't it be better to just buy the resources directly?
"You can just buy them directly, right?"
"Brother, you don't get it," Tang Keke said with a profound look, making a 'tsk tsk tsk' sound and wagging her finger. "Even though you can buy them, the free ones are the sweetest. Some games only give out a few pulls for their anniversaries, and if you complain, you get called an ungrateful wolf."
Ye Shuang really didn't understand, as he didn't play mobile games much. The mobile game he played the longest during his student days was on a keypad phone. He had a lot of fun back then with that turn-based game where you could freely PK and farm monsters. It was pixel art, but he found it utterly engrossing.
But thinking about it now, he couldn't even remember the game's name anymore.
"Is it fun?" Ye Shuang asked Bai Yuyou beside him.
"Mhm, the little characters are cute," Bai Yuyou said.
"Is that so." Ye Shuang continued driving, but then a thought occurred to him—
Maybe he should download it and play too, so he wouldn't run out of things to talk about with the girls.
But on second thought, he probably didn't have time for games.
It was true; once you started working, you got busy and couldn't settle your mind enough to play games properly. That was why many big bosses loved those browser games where you could just pay to get stronger. For them, there was simply no time to slowly grind for equipment and build up characters. The most satisfying thing was to just top up and dominate the entire server.
After all, time was more valuable.
Arriving at a nearby commercial plaza, Ye Shuang parked the car.
"Alright, let's go. We'll have lunch here today," Ye Shuang said with a smile.
"Okay."
Bai Yuyou hooked her arm around Ye Shuang's, while Tang Keke hooked hers around Bai Yuyou's. The sight of the three of them walking side by side immediately attracted quite a few glances.
Especially Bai Yuyou, with her adorable looks bundled up in a down jacket, she looked just like a little penguin.
As for Tang Keke, her natural assets were suppressed by the puffy down jacket, so she was far less eye-catching than Bai Yuyou.
"Should I buy you guys bags or something as gifts?" Ye Shuang asked, noticing a luxury brand boutique not far away.
He didn't know why, but he always felt girls really liked bags.
"Bags? Not interested," Tang Keke said, clearly having no enthusiasm for the idea.
She'd rather buy some figurines or merch.
Bai Yuyou tilted her head. "I already have a schoolbag."
"Is that so? Then we won't go." Ye Shuang couldn't help but chuckle. Both girls were still at an age where they were studying. Combined with their well-off backgrounds and small social circles, they genuinely didn't have any desire to keep up with the Joneses.
Even though Ye Shuang had a bit of money now, he still couldn't understand people who would take out loans to buy luxury goods for the sake of comparison, completely trapped by consumerism.
It was a common sight: assembly-line products being imbued with so-called meaning and then used to harvest customers. Even things like trash bags or tape with a logo printed on them had people lining up overnight to buy.
"Ye Shuang, a really big duck."
"Duck?"
Ye Shuang looked in the direction Bai Yuyou was pointing and indeed noticed a store decorated with a yellow duck logo, filled with products featuring various duck elements.
"Seems like a general store selling all sorts of daily necessities?" Ye Shuang led the two girls over. The store was a bit like a Miniso or similar variety shop, selling everything, all unified with the duck icon.
"I want this," Bai Yuyou pointed at a plush toy on the shelf—a large yellow duck.
And it was huge, a good meter or so wide.
"Sorry, everyone, that's a non-sale display item for our store," a sales clerk said with a smile, noticing Ye Shuang and the girls examining the duck.
"Non-sale item." Bai Yuyou seemed a bit disappointed. It looked like she really liked it.
"Can we discuss it? Price is negotiable," Ye Shuang asked the clerk, noticing the girl's dejected expression.
"Um, in that case, I'd have to ask our store manager," the clerk said, looking a bit troubled.
After all, this thing was basically a store mascot. Most people wouldn't think to buy it, and as a mere sales clerk, she couldn't make that decision.
"Alright." Ye Shuang nodded, and the clerk left.
"That duck is indeed pretty big."
If the price was reasonable, he was willing to buy it for Bai Yuyou. It would look nice in her room too.
After a while, the clerk returned with a man who appeared to be the store manager.
"Sorry, this isn't for sale," the manager said, refusing outright.
"Well, that's that then." Ye Shuang could only comfort the girl beside him. "It's okay, I'll find a factory to custom-make a new one for you."
Bai Yuyou nodded.
"Really not for sale?" Ye Shuang tried asking the manager one more time.
The manager hadn't expected Ye Shuang to be so persistent. He thought for a moment and finally said, "If you really want it, sir, the price for this item might be a bit steep."
"Our cost for this duck is five thousand one hundred."
"That is quite expensive," Ye Shuang admitted, surprised such a plush toy cost five thousand one hundred. But since Yuyou liked it, buying one wouldn't hurt.
He had a bit of spare cash now.
"Daddy, I want that duck too!" A voice came from behind them.
It looked like a family of three—a man, a woman, and a little boy.
Huh?
Ye Shuang was slightly taken aback because the man looked very familiar. Not only did Ye Shuang have this reaction, but the man opposite him also froze for a second.
"President Xu, what a coincidence," Ye Shuang said with a faint smile, not expecting to run into Xu Yitian here.
A flicker of discomfort passed over Xu Yitian's face.
"Honey, a friend of yours?" the woman beside Xu Yitian asked.
"Oh, your wife," Ye Shuang raised an eyebrow.
So Xu Yitian was already married?
[Character: Zou Xue
Xu Yitian's mistress from his university days, with whom he has a son.]
Well, well...
And this guy had the nerve to criticize me?
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
nto another world, I bought a slave for the first time, never expecting the silver wolf girl to be so cute... Lin Feng: I know it's cold, but you don't have to sneak into my bed! Yuna: Just sharing body warmth, if you dare do anything naughty, I'll definitely...
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
