At this moment, a crowd had gathered around.
Zhang Chen tossed the basketball to Xu Mu. "Young Master Xu, you go first. Like I said earlier, I’ll give you a three-point lead. First to five wins."
"Whether you give me the lead or not, the result will be the same."
Xu Mu dribbled the ball casually.
Truth be told, he enjoyed dribbling—just not this kind of ball.
After becoming a martial artist, his speed, reflexes, and control over his body far surpassed that of ordinary people.
How could Zhang Chen possibly compare?
"Everyone! Young Master Xu and I are having a manly showdown here. The loser has to avoid Ye Yu from now on—otherwise, he’s a dog!"
After saying this, Zhang Chen realized it rhymed. Maybe he had a talent for rap as well as basketball.
He deliberately announced the stakes to ensure Xu Mu wouldn’t back out later.
With so many witnesses, even if just to save face, Xu Mu wouldn’t dare approach Ye Yu again.
"Exactly."
Xu Mu nodded lightly. "Let’s begin."
The onlookers chuckled among themselves. Everyone already knew the outcome.
Maybe this guy was just someone Zhang Chen had brought in to help him show off.
After all, almost no one at school could beat Zhang Chen in basketball.
The two stood at half-court. Xu Mu held the ball while Zhang Chen crouched slightly, ready to intercept.
Xu Mu took two quick dribbles, then suddenly leaped for a shot from mid-court.
Zhang Chen was stunned. A half-court shot?
And judging by Xu Mu’s confidence, was he actually a pro?
Ye Yu’s eyes widened in shock. Had Xu Mu been hiding his skills all along? Was he secretly amazing at basketball?
Then again, it made sense—given how strong he was in that area, his physique couldn’t be weak.
[Affection +10]
But just as the affection points appeared, the ball hit the ground—a complete airball.
[Affection -10]
Ye Yu rolled her eyes. That was just a wild throw. Did Xu Mu even know how to play?
The crowd burst into laughter.
At first, they thought this guy might be a serious challenger, but he was just a rookie.
Zhang Chen smirked, relieved after Xu Mu’s initial scare.
"My turn, Young Master Xu!"
He grabbed the ball, eager to show off a dunk in front of the crowd.
He dribbled low, then suddenly dashed past Xu Mu’s left side.
But at that moment, Xu Mu pulled out his phone—Lu Xueyao was calling.
Ye Yu was furious. What was Xu Mu thinking?
Did he resent her so much that he couldn’t wait to push her away?
They were in the middle of a game, and he was checking his phone?
Then, something unbelievable happened.
Zhang Chen soared for a picture-perfect dunk—only to find Xu Mu suddenly in front of him, casually talking on the phone while swatting the ball away with one hand.
Thud!
The ball bounced off the ground and flew out of bounds.
The crowd was stunned.
What had they just witnessed?
"Did you see that? His head was above the rim!"
"That’s not even the craziest part—he did it while on a call!"
Ye Yu’s eyes sparkled. What was going on?
Xu Mu was actually… kind of cool?
[Affection +15]
Especially in that suit—his movements were even more captivating.
Some women in the crowd started squealing.
Zhang Chen gritted his teeth, his face dark. "Your turn, Young Master Xu!"
He’d been too eager to show off. If he’d just taken a three-pointer, he would’ve won easily.
"Xueyao, wait at the school gate. I’ll be right there."
Xu Mu hung up and pocketed his phone.
Back at half-court, he dribbled a few times before launching another mid-court shot.
Zhang Chen watched coldly. Was Xu Mu just trying to make him fetch the ball?
"Holy—it went in!"
The crowd erupted.
Zhang Chen froze. What?
A fluke?
Most assumed it was luck, but Xu Mu knew better—it was pure control.
His first shot had been to gauge the ball’s weight and distance.
This time, he adjusted slightly, and it went in effortlessly.
"Let’s continue."
Xu Mu’s tone was indifferent.
Zhang Chen took a deep breath. "Young Master Xu, I’m getting serious now!"
He tried to blow past Xu Mu’s left again—but the ball was suddenly gone.
Xu Mu had reached behind him and flicked it away.
"My turn."
Xu Mu caught the ball, dribbled twice, then shot from half-court again.
This time, he didn’t even watch. Hands in his pockets, he walked straight toward Ye Yu.
"With the three-point lead you gave me, that’s five. Stay away from Ye Yu from now on—or you’ll regret it."
As soon as he finished speaking, the ball swished through the net.
The crowd was speechless.
A real man never looks back at his shots?
That was insane.
Zhang Chen stood frozen on the court, head lowered. Was Xu Mu some kind of monster?
[Affection +10]
Xu Mu checked the system. Ye Yu’s affection had turned positive.
As a Level 9 "Destined One," her affection granted him nine times the usual justice points.
Just 10 points of affection translated to 90 justice points—almost enough for a draw.
"Bro-in-law, you’re amazing!"
Ye Yu clung to Xu Mu’s arm, beaming.
The thought of Zhang Chen never bothering her again made her giddy.
"Basic skills."
Xu Mu remained calm. "Let’s go home."
——
At the school gate, Lu Xueyao spotted Xu Mu immediately.
At 6'1", he stood out in the crowd.
Just as she was about to call out, she noticed the petite girl beside him—Ye Yu.
Ye Yu was holding Xu Mu’s arm, chatting animatedly, her dimples appearing as she laughed.
Xu Mu noticed Lu Xueyao and her grandmother.
He quickly whispered to Ye Yu, "Tell them you’re my little sister. Got it?"
"Cheating on your wife?"
Ye Yu squinted, spotting Lu Xueyao in the distance.
"I just don’t want her grandmother to worry," Xu Mu said softly.
If the old lady knew he was married while Lu Xueyao still clung to him, she’d disapprove—and that could drive a wedge between them.
They approached Lu Xueyao and Wang Xiuzhen. Xu Mu spoke first.
"Grandma, sorry for the wait. Let’s get in the car."
Wang Xiuzhen glanced curiously at Ye Yu. "And this is…?"
"My little sister. I was here for her parent-teacher meeting." Xu Mu patted Ye Yu’s head affectionately.
"Hello, Grandma!"
Ye Yu smiled sweetly.
"Oh, I see."
Wang Xiuzhen nodded with a smile.
With Xu Mu and Lu Xueyao supporting her, the old lady took the back seat. Lu Xueyao and Ye Yu followed.
The car ride was silent.
Xu Mu first arrived at Lu Xueyao's home to escort her grandmother back.
Originally, Xu Mu intended to say his goodbyes, but Ye Yu spoke up first: "Grandma, Lu Xueyao and I want to go out together. Is that alright?"
Ye Yu saw this as an opportunity—a chance to make things clear in front of Xu Mu and drive this "other woman" away from her brother-in-law.
"Of course, just come back early," Wang Xiuzhen replied, thinking it would be good for Lu Xueyao to get to know her sister-in-law better.
After the three of them left, Ye Yu clung to Xu Mu's arm as usual.
Not to be outdone, Lu Xueyao immediately looped her arm through his other side.
Sandwiched between two stunning young women, Xu Mu could only feel awkward. He already had a hunch about what Ye Yu was planning.

't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.

his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…

to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”

transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”