“Mom, a friend of mine is throwing a New Year’s Eve party at their place. I’m going over this afternoon to help out. Um… I won’t be coming home tonight,” Wen Yuanting said as he entered the kitchen and took the food-waste bag from Mrs. Wen. “I’ll take it out. I’ll take it out.”
“Oh, don’t drink too much. If you end up throwing up in someone else’s house, that wouldn’t be very nice.” Mrs. Wen didn’t make much of it. Wen Yuanting had always been well-liked, so it was perfectly normal for three or five friends to invite him somewhere. Young people liked getting together for parties and things like that, and she wasn’t worried about them doing anything inappropriate. She knew her son’s temperament well enough. Besides, the shop was busy around New Year’s, so their own family didn’t really celebrate.
Wen Yuanting’s face went blank as he headed outside. “When have I ever had too much to drink…?”
“Oh, please. Didn’t you have that one incident at the beginning of the year…?” Mrs. Wen continued recounting Wen Yuanting’s embarrassing behavior with great enthusiasm, her face full of disdain.
Wen Yuanting hurried away, grateful that no one else was home to hear about it. When he thought back on the incident, he had to admit there had indeed been one. It had happened after he opened his eyes and found himself back on the same day yet again. Depressed and desperate, he had resorted to alcohol to numb himself.
But this time…
Wen Yuanting took a deep breath. It didn’t matter. Even if he failed, meeting Mu Yue this time and forming this kind of connection with her meant the whole thing hadn’t been a total loss.
Time passed minute by minute. At home, Wen Yuanting checked the time every few minutes, or else wandered restlessly around the house. His sister watched him as if he had fleas crawling all over him and commented, “What are you doing? If you’re itchy, go take a shower. Or are you waiting for some message from someone?”
“Right! A shower!” Wen Yuanting had no time to deal with his sister’s teasing. He hurried into the bathroom, leaving her staring after him in bewilderment.
When he came out after showering, he saw that it was still early. He thought about playing a couple of games, but he really wasn’t in the mood. Just then, Zhao Yang messaged him to ask what he was doing for New Year’s Day.
Only then did Wen Yuanting remember to tell Zhao Yang that he would be attending the New Year’s Eve party Mu Yue was hosting on the first.
“I knew it! You lucky bastard!” Zhao Yang immediately perked up. “Junior Mu invited you? Can you bring me along too?”
Wen Yuanting gave him a brief reply. Zhao Yang grew even more excited. On one hand, he was curious how far his good buddy had gotten with the rich young lady. On the other, he wanted to see what Mu Yue’s family home was like. Everyone who knew Mu Yue knew she was wealthy, but most people had no concrete idea just how wealthy. Judging by the cars she drove and the way she dressed, she definitely owned a villa, but nobody knew exactly how big it was or what kind of place it might be.
Because of Wen Yuanting, Zhao Yang knew a little more than the others—Mu Yue owned a super-sized apartment of more than six hundred square meters.
“Damn, a place big enough to ride a bike indoors. I’m really benefiting from knowing you this time. Even a poor guy like me gets a chance to broaden my horizons.” Zhao Yang grinned foolishly.
Wen Yuanting rubbed his face, feeling that his friend was a little embarrassing to bring along. He hesitated over whether he should invite him the next day, then added, “Not that place. It should be her new home.”
“She bought another house? I’m so jealous. Junior Mu’s life is my dream!”
Wen Yuanting chatted with Zhao Yang for a while to kill time. At last, he watched the clock pass three in the afternoon.
He quickly ended the call and stood in front of the mirror to straighten his clothes and fix his hair. After making sure nothing looked out of place, he finally left the house.
Gu Zhirou peeked out from her open bedroom door, leaning to one side as she watched Wen Yuanting leave in his particularly flashy outfit. She gave a mischievous grin and immediately reported the latest news in the family group chat—the one Wen Yuanting’s family didn’t include him in:
[My brother’s heading out! That party he mentioned definitely has Sister Mu Yue there! I saw him wearing that light-gray overcoat he just bought!]
Wen Yuanting took a taxi. The car stopped at the outermost entrance of Yujiang Garden. Even the driver let out an impressed “Whoa,” rolled down his window, and stared for several seconds.
There was a security guard at the entrance. Wen Yuanting stepped forward and said a few words, and before long, a car came out from inside to pick him up.
The taxi driver only left after seeing the car’s badge. On the way back, he even told the other drivers that he had taken someone to Yujiang Garden that day, and that the cars sent out to pick up guests were all worth tens of millions.
Sitting in the car, Wen Yuanting rested his hands on his knees, his fingers curling slightly into fists. He was a little nervous. Apart from the significance of the following day, he was also nervous simply because he was paying a proper visit to Mu Yue’s home.
Would he meet her family? Would they ask about their relationship? What could he say without embarrassing himself? And this place really was… Were the gifts he had brought too shabby?
Fortunately, he soon had no time to dwell on such questions. The main entrance of Yujiang Garden was already right in front of him.
Wen Yuanting got out of the car. The driver helped him carry his things and escorted him inside. His palms were covered in sweat. The grand entrance alone was more than ten meters high—he estimated it at twelve or thirteen meters—and nearly fifty meters wide. It was magnificent and imposing. Even the stone steps were carved with auspicious patterns: luxurious yet understated, lavish yet elegant.
When he looked up, he saw a carved mural depicting rivers and green mountains, with the two characters “Yujiang” engraved upon it.
Beyond that lay the front courtyard. It was incredibly spacious, with a square pond enclosed within its grounds. Red koi swam through the water, while Taihu rocks were arranged around the pond. Ancient-looking pines and cypresses stood among flowers and plants whose names he didn’t recognize.
Quite a few people were busy in the courtyard, each carrying a lantern or lampshade. Their designs were all different, but every one of them was exquisitely made. Mu Yue was there as well, holding a lantern and speaking with the butler. When she saw Wen Yuanting, she handed the lantern to the butler and walked over to him.
“Good afternoon. You got here pretty early.” Mu Yue looked Wen Yuanting over. His outfit today made him look as if he had stepped out of a Korean drama. With his broad shoulders and stylish overcoat, he appeared more mature than usual, with a hint of a refined bad-boy air. He had a good figure, and quite a few different styles suited him.
“Good afternoon, Junior Mu. I hope it isn’t too much trouble for me to come over like this?”
Mu Yue quickly understood what he meant and smiled. “Not at all. It’s just me here. My family is no longer around.”
The smile on Wen Yuanting’s face froze. He wished he could smack himself twice for saying that. “I’m sorry, I…”
“It’s fine. Come on. I’ll take you to choose a room. You can see which one you’d like to stay in.”
They entered the main building. As soon as they stepped through the door, Wen Yuanting saw Mu Yue climb into a boxy little four-wheeled vehicle. When he didn’t move, she patted the seat beside her.
“Come on, Senior. Get in. It’s quite tiring to walk around here.”
Wen Yuanting: …
He could already imagine the idiotic expression Zhao Yang would have on his face when that fool showed up tomorrow. Yet he hesitated again. Did he really want to call him over?
The main building had five floors in total—three aboveground and two underground. The first basement level was a garage, while the second was a collection room and safe house. The floors aboveground contained as many as fifty rooms, each of them absurdly spacious.
Mu Yue had absolutely no use for so many rooms by herself. Apart from the functional rooms, she currently had no idea what to do with the rest.
After looking around, Wen Yuanting casually asked how many people would probably be coming to the party tomorrow. Mu Yue counted on her fingers. “Not that many. Probably around ten or so.”
Wen Yuanting worked up his courage and said, “Then… can I choose a room that’s a little closer to Junior Mu’s?”
Mu Yue gave him a meaningful look. “Sure.”
There was still some time before dinner, so Mu Yue asked what he wanted to do. Wen Yuanting thought for a moment before answering, “Pool?”
“Sure. Let’s go.”
Mu Yue took him in the elevator and then led him through several corridors before they finally reached the billiards room. The room was enormous as usual, and there was no one else inside—only the two of them.
Wen Yuanting had already taken off his coat. Underneath, he wore a fitted sweater. Now, under Mu Yue’s gaze, he bent forward slightly, staring intently at the balls. The sight was incredibly captivating.
Mu Yue thought to herself that if she had met a college student like Wen Yuanting in her original world, she probably wouldn’t have been able to resist taking care of him.
In truth, Wen Yuanting’s opening shot was terrible. He couldn’t help it. The door was closed, creating the private space he had been yearning for, but he hadn’t expected Mu Yue’s gaze to be so… so—
Wen Yuanting felt a little thirsty, but he didn’t dare look back at Mu Yue. He could only pretend to be focused on the game.
Unexpectedly, Mu Yue said, “I don’t know how to play this. Will you teach me?”
Wen Yuanting’s voice trembled slightly. “…Sure.”
Mu Yue let out a soft laugh and walked closer. In a low voice, she said, “Senior, you’re so easily flustered by a little teasing. What am I going to do with you?”
Wen Yuanting’s mind exploded again.
Had she really said that? Had she actually just called it teasing?
“All right, let’s begin.” Mu Yue’s voice brought him back to his senses.
At last, the long and hazy afternoon came to an end, and it was time for dinner.
Wen Yuanting’s severely dehydrated state from the past few hours was finally relieved. Mu Yue spared him at the dinner table, which allowed him to relax a little.
That said, he had to marvel at how delicious the food prepared by her chefs was. It was at the level of cuisine one would expect to see only from a master chef in a food-themed anime.
After dinner, Mu Yue went for a walk, a habit she had developed after moving into her new home.
Naturally, Wen Yuanting accompanied her.
The garden’s nighttime scenery was even more breathtaking than it had been during the day. The decorative lights had been arranged perfectly, and the interplay of light and tree shadows naturally calmed one’s restless heart.
After walking through the covered walkway, Wen Yuanting had no idea where they were. He only saw a pavilion ahead, furnished with a table and chairs. The table was made of stone, and a Go board had been set upon it.
The board was for Go. Mu Yue had already taken some stones from the bowl, so Wen Yuanting sat down on the opposite side. Neither of them said a word, but the game silently began.
As for their skill level… they were two beginners battling it out.
Still, since their abilities were evenly matched, they had quite a lot of fun by the end of the game. Once Mu Yue got into it, she played two more rounds.
After they had entertained themselves for a while, Mu Yue led Wen Yuanting back inside. She was going to have her beauty treatment, while he could play games or do whatever he liked in his room. She told him to message her if he needed anything.
Wen Yuanting said good night to Mu Yue and returned to his room. He stood there blankly for a few seconds. As he recalled his behavior that afternoon, his neck turned completely red.
Mu Yue had only said a few words and given him a single look, yet he had been flustered and utterly unable to defend himself. Would she make fun of him?
No. She had already made fun of him.
Fortunately, Zhao Yang sent him another message at that moment, easing Wen Yuanting’s embarrassment. That guy was genuinely excited about tomorrow’s party and asked when would be a good time to come.
Wen Yuanting had already discussed the party with Mu Yue. He could come whenever he wanted, as long as he didn’t wait until the party was ending at night to show up.
Her butler had planned a whole range of activities, including multiplayer games, board games, sports, video games, indoor escape-room puzzles, and even role-playing games. There was far more to do than at any of the entertainment venues outside.
As for the food, there was no need to mention it. Judging by tonight’s dinner, even high-end restaurants outside might not be able to match it.
Once he thought about dinner, even Wen Yuanting’s fear and anxiety about tomorrow diminished considerably.
And what was even more considerate was that, not long afterward, someone brought him a bowl of medicinal cuisine. Mu Yue had specifically asked the kitchen to prepare it. She had probably guessed that he would have trouble sleeping tonight, so she had ordered something calming to help him get a good night’s rest and be well-rested tomorrow.
Wen Yuanting was left speechless. After finishing the medicinal dish and washing up, he lay down on the unfamiliar yet extravagantly expensive bed. To his surprise, he felt an indescribable sense of security.
Sleep soon overwhelmed him. Just before drifting off, Wen Yuanting was still wondering what he could possibly do to repay her.
“Is he asleep?” Mu Yue asked after confirming Wen Yuanting’s condition with the systems. “Good. But we still need to be prepared for anything. Make sure he doesn’t get up and run away in the middle of the night.”
Top Student: “…Host, I don’t think he’s going to want to run.”
Comeback: “Exactly! Look at how dazed he is. He even wants to stay in a room closer to the host~~ He practically said outright that he wants to sleep in the host’s room. How could he possibly bear to leave?”
Mu Yue said helplessly, “I told you, it’s just to be safe. What if this fusion bug is so powerful that it completely ignores all reason? He himself may not intend to leave, but with the bug there, it’s possible he might lose control of his body and thoughts. Once midnight passes, he could start acting as a tool of the plot again, couldn’t he?”
That was indeed possible! The probability was definitely not zero.
The four systems immediately grew serious. “We’ll keep monitoring him at all times!”
As Mu Yue enjoyed her massage, she continued conversing with the four systems in her mind. “Have all the people on the prison side been marked?”
“They have! Those being released soon include…”
Mu Yue listened to the systems’ reports. Of the people she had previously had Wen Yuanting identify, three had been released from prison, while the others were still inside. Some had already been ruled out, leaving only five or six who required close attention.
Wen Yuanting was currently in A City. Since New Year’s Day fell during the holiday period, there would be all kinds of commercial activities taking place. Pulling off an illegal operation did have a certain chance of success, but the probability of failure was equally high.
Transportation alone could prove fatal. But this was a novel’s plot, after all; it didn’t have to make perfect logical sense. The robbery could still happen.
Mu Yue had already made preparations. Every jewelry store and gold shop in the entire area surrounding her home had been fitted with an alarm by the systems. The moment anyone broke in, the alert would be triggered even faster than the stores’ own alarms.
The thief was already finished? Wen Xue would be coming tomorrow, and she would do her best to keep Wen Xue from leaving too soon. They had also identified several people suspected of being robbers.
Finally, Mu Yue took another look at the womanizer’s current situation.
He was still at the Tang residence. Aside from the old patriarch and his granddaughter, however, everyone else in the Tang family disliked him. At the moment, he seemed to be following a plotline of enduring humiliation before striking back.
Enduring humiliation? That wasn’t his character at all. The male lead had always carried himself like a high-profile, overbearing dragon king. When had he learned to keep his head down?
And as for striking back, Mu Yue took a closer look. This time, he wasn’t doing it himself. Instead, he was borrowing someone else’s influence—the influence of the Tang family patriarch.
Had he already started losing his edge? His previous methods of striking back had never been like this. Either he personally got even, or he found an even more powerful backer to do it for him. Apart from the Tang family patriarch, how long had it been since he’d played a new card?
Mu Yue smiled in satisfaction. It seemed the incident at the underground casino had weakened his halo quite a bit.
Mu Yue was looking forward to tomorrow. Once Wen Yuanting’s problem was resolved, the storyline involving his sister and the womanizer would disappear as well. That would more or less affect the womanizer too.
All right, she needed to get to bed early tonight and rest up.
Mu Yue and Wen Yuanting slept soundly through the night, and they got up at about the same time.
They had just finished breakfast when Mu Yue received a message from Lin Xiaoxiao. She had already begun boarding her flight. Judging by the timing, she should arrive around lunchtime.
Qianqian had booked Lin Xiaoxiao’s ticket, and she would also be the one picking her up today. Mu Yue wasn’t planning to leave the house. Besides welcoming the other guests, she also had to keep an eye on Wen Yuanting. Even if she wasn’t watching him personally, someone still needed to be present in the monitoring footage provided by the system.
“Very nervous?” No one had arrived yet, but Mu Yue noticed the sweat on Wen Yuanting’s forehead and how pale his face was. It seemed today was going to be quite difficult for him.
“To be honest, it’s much better than before.” Wen Yuanting was very glad he had slept well the night before. Otherwise, he would have been in terrible shape today—he might even have frightened Mu Yue.
“I remember you have an upperclassman you’re close with. Why don’t you invite him over to keep you company? And what about your sister? Should she come over and have some fun too? If you’re busy looking after the two of them, you won’t have time to feel anxious.”
“Thanks.” Wen Yuanting had no energy to be polite with Mu Yue at a time like this. He nodded and opened his phone to contact them both.
His little sister had been sleeping in when his barrage of voice calls woke her up. She was just about to start cursing her brother when she heard him invite her over to play.
As if afraid that wouldn’t be enough to tempt her, he also sent two pictures of YU River Garden. They had been taken yesterday after Mu Yue gave her permission. There was actually another photo of him with Mu Yue, but he hadn’t sent that one.
“Oh my god! I’m coming! I’ll be there right away!” Gu Zhirou threw off her blankets and sprang into action.
He used the same tactic on Zhao Yang. Wen Yuanting also asked Zhao Yang to pick up his sister and come over together. It didn’t matter if they took their time; the most important thing was that they stayed safe.
Of the ten repeated cycles, his sister was actually the safest person of all. Even so, he couldn’t help reminding them to be careful. Once he had said it, he regretted it a little and began to wonder whether he should have invited his sister at all. What if something went wrong?
He tossed and turned, his thoughts running wild. About an hour later, two voices rang out.
“Oh my god! This gate, these trees, these rocks! This place is freaking incredible!”
“…Do you have no culture at all? How did you get into A University?”
“What do you mean? I’m a science student!”
“I feel like my brother is in serious trouble. He really is way out of her league…”
“Hey, who says otherwise? But I think we’re overlooking one crucial point. Didn’t you say your brother didn’t come home last night?”
“No way! You mean… wow!”
Wen Yuanting: “…”
The veins on his forehead bulged. His anxiety had indeed vanished in an instant. All that remained was the urge to throw these two embarrassing idiots out.
