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.
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
u serious?" Chen Feng watched helplessly as his painstakingly trained disciple, fresh off a championship victory, publicly abandoned him. "You had your chance, but you didn’t appreciate it. Now, face the consequences of your choice!" Chen Feng possessed the "Master System," a treasure trove of supreme martial arts techniques, capable of molding ordinary individuals into peerless prodigies. "Legs like yours? A shame not to train in the Crippling Kick." "Ever heard of a palm strike that descends from the heavens?" "Auntie! I see extraordinary bone structure in you—a martial arts prodigy, one in ten thousand." The once-defiant senior disciple, now watching her juniors rise to fame one after another, dominating the internet, was consumed by endless regret.
Explosive Plot Song Gua crossed over into another world, bringing along a whole crew of his doppelgangers—all of them mischief-makers. This was a world where everyone could choose a class. Song Gua became a "Bondweaver," capable of borrowing power, while his doppelgangers took on a wide variety of classes, covering just about everything. The number of doppelgangers grew day by day, each one a talented individual with a charming way of speaking. Under Song Gua's brilliant leadership, they would "greet" each other daily and engage in friendly "sparring," pulling off one major scheme after another on Earth. Sometimes they were bandits—stealing bosses, plundering mines, snatching resources. Sometimes they were saviors—descending like divine warriors to face world bosses threatening to massacre cities. Sometimes they even went undercover, infiltrating various major factions to stir up trouble from within, keeping their enemies constantly on edge. To prevent their doppelganger abilities from being exposed, Song Gua made them wear masks with mahjong tile patterns and don Taoist robes in various colors. "Remember, in front of outsiders, call me 'The Dice.'" "Got it! Boss!" "Not 'Boss'—it's 'The Dice.' Think about the vibe, pay attention to the vibe." "Yes! Boss!" "For crying out loud..." From then on, whenever they appeared, they would have their own theme song playing: ~Hey~ paying respects at the mountain stronghold at night~ whose arm is draped over whose shoulder~ gather your courage and follow along...
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...
