The waiter poured two shallow glasses of wine, placing them beside Xia Lin and Su Bai respectively.
Xia Lin picked up the stemmed glass, giving it a gentle swirl—her posture flawless, the kind of refinement taught by elders at home.
Every movement exuded an innate elegance, far beyond what those trained in "socialite workshops" could ever mimic.
This was the kind of grace that could only be cultivated from childhood.
Moreover, Xia Lin’s demeanor was noticeably more understated than the typical "socialite" vibe—no wonder her blind dates fawned over her so much.
Even among the daughters of wealthy families nowadays, many lacked both class and looks.
Yet even within that elite circle, Xia Lin stood out.
Diligent, gentle, and refined—she was the perfect marriage material.
As she swirled her wine, Xia Lin studied Su Bai, her eyes brimming with unmistakable interest.
"Watching a movie? That was just an excuse to brush off that uncle," Su Bai said nonchalantly. "Seemed like Director Xia was annoyed by him, so I threw in a few extra words to piss him off."
"Why call him ‘uncle’? He’s barely in his thirties."
"He’s a whole zodiac cycle older than me—what’s wrong with ‘uncle’? These days, kids see a three-year gap as a generation. Even high school freshmen call me ‘uncle.’ Who do I complain to about that?" Su Bai shrugged innocently.
"Hahaha, fair enough!"
Xia Lin was amused. This guy really knew how to hold a conversation.
She sensed a rare ease in Su Bai—not the pretentious "laid-back" act some wannabe sophisticates put on, but a genuine "whatever, who cares" attitude.
Being around someone like him would be fun.
The appetizers arrived quickly—a molecular gastronomy salad.
Molecular cuisine involved manipulating ingredients through physical and chemical processes, deconstructing and reconstructing their properties.
Think potato foam or lychee masquerading as caviar.
An occasional indulgence for novelty’s sake.
But the restaurant’s real specialty was its meat dishes.
Su Bai had a hearty appetite, especially for meat, so Xia Lin ordered him lamb chops, steak, and fish fillet, plus sides—more than enough for him to feast on.
Premium ingredients paired with wine made for an exquisite meal.
The wine of choice was Sassicaia, from Tuscany, Italy.
A blend of Bordeaux’s structure and Tuscany’s terroir, with notes of blackcurrant, cedar, and tobacco, its complexity deepened with age. Su Bai picked the 2015 vintage—priced at a steep 36,000 yuan.
Since this was a thank-you dinner for Director Xia, splurging on a fine bottle was only fitting.
"Mmm, nice… I love this one’s profile, but I’d never buy it for myself. Thanks for the treat today."
Xia Lin clinked glasses with Su Bai.
"No big deal. I’ve been craving good wine, and having you here makes it even better."
"Honestly, if you’re up for it, we could catch a movie this afternoon. There’s a new indie film I haven’t seen yet."
"Should I take that as Director Xia inviting me to the movies?"
"Yeah, pretty much. You in?"
Xia Lin was direct, without a trace of shyness.
Her smile was like a warm breeze—utterly devoid of any coquettishness, yet her toned, athletic figure and smooth, faintly pink-tinged skin stirred something primal.
If Zhou Jialu was the kind of enchantress who made men want to misbehave at first glance,
then Xia Lin was the born "wife material," the type who made you imagine her in a pure white wedding dress.
Su Bai thought for a moment.
"A movie sounds good, but I’d rather skip the theater… Hey, doesn’t the Ascott’s private screening room have on-demand new releases?"
"Yep, a perk for residents."
"Then let’s try that. See if they’ve got the one you want."
"Deal."
With plans set, both picked up their pace eating.
Xia Lin was looking forward to this.
Her upbringing was strict—openly chasing or seducing a man was beneath her dignity.
But a private screening room? Perfect for some one-on-one time.
Su Bai felt the same.
After helping Xia Lin ditch her annoying suitor, her favorability toward him had already hit 68 points.
Pushing it past 80 would bind her as one of the system’s "indulgence cashback" targets.
He wondered if Xia Lin offered even juicier returns—like her family’s business. Would investing in it count as "indulgence"?
...
The meal totaled just over 40,000 yuan.
36,000 of that was the wine—no surprise, premium booze always jacked up the bill.
Su Bai swiped his card, triggering a 3x cashback—netting him 80,000 yuan.
The thrill of splurging and still making money? Unbeatable.
Most rich people didn’t earn their wealth easily, and spending it hurt.
They might play the big spender at checkout, but inside, they weren’t so relaxed.
Su Bai’s ease, though, was bone-deep.
To Xia Lin, it spoke of upbringing—the poise of old money.
She couldn’t help speculating about his background.
She’d checked his file at the start of the semester.
His parents were factory workers, long deceased, with a neighbor listed as his guardian.
Nothing there explained his spending habits.
Xia Lin suspected the "parents" might not be his real ones.
Among the wealthy, such soap-opera twists weren’t rare.
But that was a mystery for later. Right now, her focus was the movie.
She’d canceled tennis with her bestie for this.
This screening had to nudge them into flirtatious territory—subtly, though.
True blue bloods moved with precision: steady, sharp, lethal.
The Ascott’s private theater was nestled in the complex, surrounded by a man-made brook in a courtyard.
According to Xia Lin, the design fused "neo-Chinese" elements.
What was "neo-Chinese"?
"Traditional aesthetics mutilated with weird modern touches—enough to make old-school landscapers vomit blood."
"Really? I wouldn’t know. Just looks nice… This paving isn’t cheap, right?"
"Marble. Higher grade than your average five-star hotel." Xia Lin’s lips curled. "My recommendations always match your… stature."
"My what now? News to me."
Su Bai caught her probing tone and played dumb.
The best lies were half-truths, veiled enough to mystify.
No need to spell things out—his spending did the talking for him.
Xia Lin swiftly shifted to another topic after her failed attempt, seamlessly avoiding any awkwardness.
A clever woman, Su Bai silently noted in his mind.
Cleverness is good—it’s the mark of a virtuous wife and nurturing mother.
tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
