"Welcome, honored guests, please come in~"
The one who greeted Su Bai and his companions was a young woman dressed in a pale blue qipao, exuding an antique, graceful charm.
However, unlike the forced archaic speech often heard in domestic fantasy dramas, this server had a warm, girl-next-door friendliness.
Paired with the serene garden setting of small bridges and flowing water, the most striking feature was the sense of relaxation!
The server led the group further inside, leisurely introducing the garden’s layout, including the significance of each scenic spot and its history.
Perhaps because it was their first visit, her explanations were quite detailed.
Even though Su Bai had already warned the girls beforehand, they were still awestruck by the refined beauty of the surroundings, their steps and expressions noticeably restrained.
Only Su Bai remained completely unfazed.
Perhaps his recent high-end spending sprees had stripped away the mystique of luxury in his mind.
Noticing this, the server subtly flashed an approving smile. While the group admired a wishing pond, she discreetly sent a message to the head chef on her phone.
[The reserved guest, Mr. Su, is quite an extraordinary young man.]
[How young?]
[Probably just started university. The other four guests are all beauties—my goodness, each one fresh and lovely, but they seem like ordinary girls from modest backgrounds.]
[I see…]
After a pause, the head chef replied:
[Then I’ll come out and meet them.]
Reading the message, the server smiled knowingly.
She had worked at this members-only garden restaurant for many years and shared a rapport with the head chef—who was also the owner.
The head chef usually preferred staying out of sight, focusing solely on cooking in the kitchen.
But if a guest piqued his interest—someone intriguing—he would come out to greet them.
To those unfamiliar with him, it might seem like he only emerged to see beautiful women.
The truth was quite the opposite!
This middle-aged man usually sought solitude in the mountains, naturally disinterested in women.
In his own words: "I’m over forty now—that thing doesn’t work like it used to. Beauties? They’re all the same to me."
What truly fascinated the head chef was the young man who could handle several beauties at once.
Just what kind of person could command such a scene?
Of course, those who dined at this garden were all wealthy elites of Jiangcheng.
But holding one’s own in a "battlefield of roses" required more than just money—it demanded personal charisma and composure.
So…
The moment Su Bai and his group took their seats, the head chef came out to greet them.
A bald, amiable-looking man with a warm smile.
Su Bai noticed the marks on the man’s head and asked curiously, "Uncle, were you a monk before?"
"I was, but I returned to secular life," the man grinned. "Too many rules in Buddhism—got in the way of studying cooking. Hmm, you, kid…"
"Me?"
"A bit of kidney deficiency."
"…Wait, Uncle, you didn’t even check my pulse. How can you tell I’m deficient? I’ve got plenty of energy."
"Then it’s kidney yang deficiency."
Su Bai chuckled, realizing the man was teasing him—implying it wasn’t easy managing so many beauties.
"Don’t worry, young man. Tonight’s dinner will be specially tailored for you—a powerful tonic meal!"
"Tailored just for me?"
"Of course. We only get one or two tables a day. I always adjust the dishes based on the guests’ characteristics."
Speaking of his craft, the head chef radiated confidence.
Perhaps this was one reason the garden restaurant was so highly praised among Jiangcheng’s elite.
Once people had money and moved beyond basic survival, they sought emotional fulfillment.
Dining wasn’t just about lavish dishes—it was about emotional value.
Things like ambiance, rare ingredients, and exquisite plating were just the first layer.
This head chef’s "personal customization" was on another level.
After all, in luxury goods, the most expensive items are haute couture.
Su Bai understood—this uncle really knew how to run a business.
But…
"You call this kidney deficiency?" Chen Yusheng muttered in disbelief. "Then what are you like when you’re not deficient? Just… how monstrous would that be?"
As she spoke, a mix of longing and faint fear flickered across her alluring face.
Though Chen Yusheng had remarkable endurance, everyone had their limits.
"Don’t listen to that uncle’s nonsense. He’s just joking—like those fake old Chinese medicine practitioners who claim you’re either suffering from ‘excess heat’ or ‘dampness,’ as if life just cycles between those two states… Same logic with kidney deficiency."
"Oh, you’ve got it all figured out."
"Of course I do. Actually, you should know better than me. Whether I’m deficient or not, you’d have the deepest firsthand experience."
"…Mhm."
Chen Yusheng flushed, feeling too shy to continue the risqué banter in front of the other girls.
She was the type who only revealed her secretly passionate side when alone with her boyfriend.
The Wan sisters weren’t faring much better, equally embarrassed.
Only Jiang Qiuran, observing the others’ reactions, sighed inwardly.
They had all already become Su Bai’s women.
Only she, Jiang Qiuran, still needed to work harder to please him.
Unable to resist, she secretly messaged Su Bai on her QQ alt account:
[MaSter, when will you favor me?]
[Keep waiting. I need to see more sincerity from you first.]
[Yes, yes! I’ll definitely prove myself~]
While Jiang Qiuran was lost in her feverish texting, her main WeChat suddenly rang with an incoming call.
A glance confirmed it was her mother.
Her expression instantly grew uneasy.
"Sorry, I need to take this call…"
She excused herself and hurried far away before answering the video call.
On the screen, a still-elegant middle-aged woman smiled warmly.
"Happy holidays, my dear daughter~"
"Mm, happy holidays to you too, Mom…"
"Are you out eating with friends?"
"Yes, with classmates… and Su Bai."
"Oh? You and Su Bai made up? That’s wonderful, truly wonderful."
Earlier, when Jiang Qiuran posted their group photo on social media, she had hidden it from relatives—or rather, most college students these days filtered their "older relatives" group from seeing outings and fun activities.
Su Bai had clearly done the same.
So, Aunt Jiang had no idea her daughter and Su Bai had reconciled.
Now hearing the good news, she beamed: "Making up is great. Su Bai is one of your few genuine friends—you should cherish that."
"…"
The mention of this twisted Jiang Qiuran’s insides.
Though she and Su Bai had now entered a relationship far more intoxicating to her than mere "friendship," it was her own past mistakes that had caused the rift.
"Mom, why do you think Su Bai is a genuine friend? I have plenty of friends."
"Because all your other friends approach you with ulterior motives. Take the guys, for instance—they’re all drawn to your beauty. Su Bai is different; he doesn’t think of you in that way at all. Unless you pursue him first, there might be a slight chance… but you wouldn’t chase after him, would you? When it comes to a husband, you’d still want someone with better prospects. Of course, when things get tough, a true friend is often more reliable than a husband anyway."
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"
saw a female celebrity tied up and stuffed in the trunk! Little did he know, countless cameras were aimed at him at this moment - this was a new type of reality show. The first randomly selected passerby was caught in less than an hour. But when Xu Moru was selected, things started to take an unexpected turn. "Damn, this isn't how the script goes. This Xu Moru is too bold, he's not following the rules at all." "Crap, is this guy taking it seriously?" "The female celebrity has been scared to tears!"
For the sake of his unrequited love, his ex-girlfriend abandoned him at the altar, indirectly causing the death of his parents. Just when he thought his life was plunged into darkness, a clueless yet beautiful girl unexpectedly took him in. Looking back, he realized how many hidden gems had always been by his side. A childhood friend who had secretly loved him for over a decade, a stunning but socially clueless school beauty, a mischievous and playful girl who lived for chaos... His ex, filled with regret, pleaded: "I was wrong—can we go back to how things were?" Before he could respond, the girl stepped in front of Ye Shuang and coldly declared, "If you didn’t cherish him, then he’s mine now." Also known as: "After Losing My Job, I Was Picked Up by a Hidden Gem," "The School Beauty I Raised," and "Oh No, I’m Surrounded by Rich Girls."