The private home theater reminded Su Bai of the music practice rooms at his high school back in the day.
Both shared the same dim, muted tones, with sound-absorbing panels lining the walls, creating an atmosphere of serene quietness the moment you stepped inside.
Of course, the materials used in his rural high school’s decor were nowhere near as luxurious as this place.
After coordinating with the apartment staff, they confirmed that the film Xia Lin wanted to watch was available for screening.
And so, the movie began without a hitch.
"Su Bai, is this your first time watching a movie with a girl?" Xia Lin twirled a loose strand of hair near her temple and asked casually.
“Pretty much. Well, unless you count childhood friends,” Su Bai replied with a light chuckle. “I have a childhood friend who lived right across from me. Our parents used to take us to the movies together when we were little. I think we watched some Hollywood blockbuster back then, but I’ve forgotten what it was about… Honestly, it couldn’t compare to Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf.”
Kids usually lack the patience to truly appreciate films.
That’s why movie theaters are always filled with the sound of children fidgeting and chattering.
"That definitely doesn’t count. Childhood friends rarely develop into romantic relationships—they know each other too well."
"True."
Su Bai’s lips curled into a faint smile as he reminisced about his many shared memories with Jiang Qiuran.
He had no idea what was going through her head, insisting on joining their travel group.
Weren’t they supposed to pretend not to know each other in college?
Yet here she was, sticking close to him again. Weird.
Ah well. Jiang Qiuran had always been hard to read, and Su Bai couldn’t be bothered to figure her out.
Back then, he didn’t care to try. Now, as a newly minted tycoon, he didn’t need to. Beautiful women ought to be the ones deciphering his thoughts.
"Alright, the opening credits are over. The movie’s starting~"
Xia Lin nudged Su Bai’s arm, signaling him to settle down, then turned her full attention to the screen.
To be honest, Su Bai had zero appreciation for art films.
He much preferred action-packed battles or lighthearted slice-of-life comedies.
But with Xia Lin beside him, her delicate fragrance lingering in the air, he found the experience oddly pleasant.
The dimly lit private theater offered excellent privacy.
Unlike commercial cinemas, there were no surveillance cameras here.
Rich guys living in luxury apartments often used this exact setup to impress their dates.
But Xia Lin was nothing like those shallow, materialistic girls.
So Su Bai took his time, occasionally stealing glances at her.
Her refined, aristocratic features looked especially striking under the flickering glow of the screen.
After a few too many looks, Xia Lin finally noticed and tilted her head to meet his gaze.
"Why do you keep staring at me?"
"You’re beautiful."
"Tsk~"
Instead of blushing, her bright eyes only grew more captivating.
"Su Bai, I’ve always wanted a close friend who could be like a 'little brother' to me—someone to hang out with, chat about anything… Sigh, but most guys I meet are so superficial."
"Do I come across as deep in your eyes, Director Xia?"
"Of course. You’re different… So, how about it? Want to call me 'big sis'?"
"Absolutely."
"Then scoot closer."
Su Bai shifted toward her until their shoulders nearly touched, close enough to feel her warm breath.
"From now on, I’ll call you Xiao Bai. You can call me Lin-jie or just 'sis.'"
"Got it, Lin-jie."
"Now lie down. Let your big sis pamper you—rest your head here."
She patted her yoga pants-clad thigh, gesturing for him to lay his head on it.
Wait—was this… the legendary lap pillow?
Her thighs were shapely and firm from regular workouts.
The moment his head made contact, he was enveloped in an indescribable, blissful softness.
"You had wine at lunch, and your face is a little flushed. Let me massage your temples."
"...This level of service?"
Su Bai was genuinely surprised. He could tell Xia Lin was trying to get closer to him.
After all, she probably had feelings for him.
Don’t assume wealthy, well-bred girls are immune to money. The stricter the upbringing, the more they prioritize a partner’s financial status—after that’s checked off, then comes looks, personality, and so on.
Not to sound arrogant, but among rich guys, Su Bai’s looks and charm were top-tier.
So Xia Lin falling for him was only natural.
Still, he hadn’t expected her approach to involve a lap pillow and a scalp massage…
Talk about wifey material.
A few strokes in, Su Bai was already humming in contentment.
"Too much pressure?"
"No, it’s perfect. Feels amazing." Su Bai admitted. "Lin-jie, did you study massage?"
"Mhm. My mom taught me. She said that after marriage, I should take good care of my husband, make him feel the warmth of home—that’s the key to a lasting, happy marriage." She pinched Su Bai’s nose playfully. "This is husband-tier treatment. Consider yourself lucky."
"Heh."
Su Bai grinned goofily but didn’t elaborate.
There was no mistaking it—this was as direct as Xia Lin, the traditional wifey type, would ever get.
With her, Su Bai finally experienced something he’d long yearned for: the feeling of being cared for by an older sister.
It resonated deeply with him.
Having lost his parents young, he’d grown up fiercely independent—but who wouldn’t enjoy being pampered?
His mind drifted to comparing Xia Lin and Zhou Jialu.
Technically, Senior Zhou was only a year younger than Xia Lin—one a college senior, the other a grad student.
Yet with Zhou Jialu, Su Bai never felt she was mentally older than him.
She gave off more of a spoiled, delicate vibe.
At her core, Zhou Jialu was the sweet girl-next-door type—just overshadowed by her bombshell physique.
Xia Lin, on the other hand, was the dependable big sister.
Elegant Noble Lady vs. Charming Girl-Next-Door—ever heard of it?
Not that Su Bai needed to choose.
They’ll both be mine eventually!
Truthfully, the wine from lunch had left Su Bai slightly drowsy, and Xia Lin’s massage was too relaxing.
Coupled with the soporific art film, he was out cold within minutes.
[Ding! Detected host sleeping on an S-tier goddess’s lap—classified as special indulgent behavior. Reward: +1,000,000 CNY. Reward: Skill—Finance & Economics (Master Level)]
If this were a pretentious artsy girl, she’d be furious at him for dozing off and probably roast him on social media.
But Xia Lin wasn’t that type.
Her reason for bringing Su Bai to a private screening had an ulterior motive.
Now that her goal was achieved…
With Su Bai fast asleep, she could indulge in something far more interesting…
Just as Xia Lin was about to lift the hem of Su Bai's T-shirt, his phone, lying nearby, lit up with an incoming message.
【(China Construction Bank) Your account ending has received a deposit of 1,000,000.00 yuan—investment portfolio settlement...】
Instantly, Xia Lin's eyes widened in shock.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
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!
