"It's really raining!"
The downpour came without warning. Peng didn’t even care about his clothes getting soaked as he rushed to set out bottles and containers to collect rainwater. "Xiaojuan, that NPC you know is seriously reliable—said it would rain, and here it is!"
"Wait!" Da Chang stopped him, cautiously touching the rainwater dripping from the eaves. The water didn’t corrode his skin, nor was it poisonous.
He withdrew his hand, muttering to himself, "This is bad."
"Is there something wrong with the rain?" The players' expressions immediately tensed, and even Xiaojuan couldn’t help glancing out the window.
"No, that’s exactly the problem—it’s too normal to be safe." Da Chang wiped the water from his fingers. "We’ve all been in survival dungeons before. When have you ever seen rain this harmless?"
In survival dungeons, rain was either toxic, cursed, or filled with flesh-eating insects. But no matter what, it was never this… ordinary.
Rain this normal in a survival dungeon was the most unsettling thing of all.
Xiaojuan hesitated, staring at the storm outside. This was supposed to be a 3S-level dungeon, yet they’d ended up in another world. In a way, that was terrifying in itself.
But they didn’t have time to dwell on it—the roof was leaking.
A torrent of water gushed through a hole in the ceiling, instantly drenching the room. Everyone scrambled to patch the leaks, only for new ones to spring up elsewhere. After half an hour of frantic effort, the house had effectively turned into a waterfall.
"I’m… not really good at repairs," Little Rou admitted, staring at the massive hole she’d accidentally made. Her smile was equal parts awkward and guilty.
"We can’t stay here anymore." Huaba wrung the water from her clothes. "Let’s move to those abandoned buildings across the way."
At least the middle floors of the abandoned buildings wouldn’t turn into indoor waterfalls.
"The abandoned buildings?" Little Rou remembered that one of them seemed to have people living inside.
"Yeah." Huaba nodded. "With this wind and rain, I’m worried this place will flood soon."
"Then let’s hurry." Peng gathered the bottles and containers and was the first to dash into the rain.
The muddy path, slick from the downpour, made walking treacherous. Xiaojuan followed the group to the third floor of the abandoned building, where the doors and windows were relatively intact—only a small hole in one of the windowpanes.
She grabbed a thick plastic bag and moved to cover the hole, only to lock eyes with someone in the opposite building.
The moment the stranger realized she’d spotted him, he ducked out of sight.
Xiaojuan frowned. These buildings weren’t meant for living in, and the way he was hiding didn’t exactly scream "upstanding citizen."
---
"Boss!"
The man scurried back inside, stepping over scattered instant noodle containers. "I got a good look—three guys and three girls, all young. They’d rather squat in a dump like this than go out and find work. Definitely not the law-abiding type."
"People these days are getting harder to fool. Even the old man at the village entrance has anti-scam software on his phone," one of the lackeys chimed in. "If those kids across the way had any connections, they wouldn’t be stuck in a place like this."
The Eldest Brother stubbed out his cigarette and glanced around the room, his expression hardening. "Go talk to the pig traders. Get us a good price."
"Got it, Boss!"
"Pigs aren’t worth much. The real money’s in that woman’s daughter," the Eldest Brother said, tossing the cigarette butt into a corner. "The Chen woman runs a massive factory—even the city officials respect her. She’s gotta be loaded."
"Boss, we’ve been tailing her daughter for days. Whether it’s school drop-off or pickup, someone’s always escorting her. We can’t find an opening."
"If there’s no opening, make one." The Eldest Brother stood up and kicked the flimsy table in front of him. It flipped over, splashing noodle broth all over him.
The lackeys quickly turned away, stifling laughter.
What a bunch of idiots.
---
"The rain’s getting heavier." The six of them had barely finished tidying the room before they were drenched in sweat again.
"If this were some school or office dungeon, I’d look like a beggar walking outside like this," Peng remarked, sticking his hand out the window to rinse it in the rainwater.
"Xiaojuan, with the rain this bad, won’t that NPC who took you in get mad if you’re back too late?" Peng sounded concerned.
"He won’t." Xiaojuan sat on a plastic bag, looking thoroughly unbothered. "Don’t worry about me. I’m safe out there."
She had a clean hotel bed, hot showers, meals with meat and vegetables, and—most importantly—air conditioning.
Every time she brought them food and heard them fret over her safety, she couldn’t help feeling a little guilty.
Ding.
Everyone assumed it was a system notification and ignored it.
Ding. Ding.
Wait—the system hadn’t made a sound. What was that noise? The five players, who had been lounging against the walls, instantly tensed, their auras sharp with lethal intent.
"Relax, it’s just my phone." Xiaojuan pulled out her phone and opened the messaging app.
Why had Chao Musheng suddenly sent her three red packets?
[?]
[Chao Musheng: Sharing good vibes.]
Huh?
Confused but quick to act, Xiaojuan accepted the packets—600 yuan total. Generous as always, Chao!
"Xiaojuan, what are you doing?" Peng asked, baffled. In this dungeon, players’ phones were about as useful as bricks. What could she possibly be tapping at?
Xiaojuan didn’t hide it. "Collecting red packets."
"Oh, collecting red packets… Wait, what?!"
Collecting red packets?!
All five players stared at her, eyes wide with shock.
Forget the question of why her phone even worked—this was a survival world. Since when did red packets exist here?
"Was it that NPC who took you in?" Da Chang had always prided himself on being quick-witted, but ever since entering this dungeon, the sheer absurdity of everything had left him utterly lost.
Was this survival dungeon even real?
"Yep." Xiaojuan nodded. "This phone was also bought in this world."
Technically, the phones assigned to players when they entered the Kunlun Company dungeon counted as "bought in this world," right?
"Oh, so that’s why it can receive red packets—it’s a local product." Peng scratched his head, still trying to make sense of the outside situation.
When they’d first entered the dungeon, he’d been too focused on finding food to pay attention. By the time he realized they were trapped in this area, it was too late to get a proper look at the world beyond.
"Xiaojuan," Da Chang said, eyeing her phone, "exactly what kind of status does that NPC you’re with have in this dungeon?"
"The kind where almost everyone in Hanyue County treats him with utmost respect?" Xiaojuan smiled. "Just remember this: he’s incredibly powerful, and under no circumstances should you ever try to harm him."
Hanyue.
The players filed the name away.
"What happens if we do hurt him?" Peng asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
Xiaojuan stared at him for a few seconds, her tone deathly serious.
"You’ll die."
The room fell silent as Xiaojuan's unusually serious demeanor commanded attention, until the sudden ring of a phone broke the stillness.
"Brother Chao." Xiaojuan answered the call swiftly.
"Me?" Hearing that Chao Musheng was already off work and asking where she was, she glanced guiltily at the others in the room. "I'm out right now."
The other players tensed up as well.
Oh no, Sister Xiaojuan got caught hanging out with them by an NPC!
"You and President Su are coming to pick me up?" Xiaojuan shuddered at the words.
President Su?
Coming to get her with Brother Chao?
As someone who barely clung to Brother Chao's coattails, was she even worthy of President Su's time?
"No, no need." Xiaojuan stood up from the plastic bag she'd been sitting on. "I'll head back soon. You and President Su should rest at the hotel first."
After hanging up, she couldn't shake the feeling that Brother Chao was acting strange today.
"You should hurry back," the five players urged, worried Xiaojuan might provoke the NPC's anger. "With the situation unclear, offending an important NPC won't do you any good. We still have plenty of the food you prepared—don’t bring us dinner tonight."
"Alright, I'll come by tomorrow at noon." Xiaojuan lowered her voice in warning. "Be careful of the people in the building across from you. They might be suspicious."
Once Xiaojuan left, Peng sniffed the air—he could swear he smelled instant noodles.
Was it coming from the opposite building?
Xiaojuan walked downstairs, where a man in a dark raincoat emerged from the distant downpour, carrying a large bag of instant noodles and sausages. Half his face was hidden beneath the raincoat, obscuring his features.
As she passed him, the heavy scent of cigarettes and sweat hit her.
The man narrowed his eyes at the woman walking past him. No umbrella in this heavy rain? She must be out of her mind.
"Xiaojuan said she’d come back on her own—no need for us to pick her up." Chao Musheng hung up and turned to Su Chenzhu. "Your clothes and shoes are soaked. Go back and shower first."
Su Chenzhu was disappointed. If Xiaojuan returned alone, how would anyone know he and Chao Chao were together?
"What are you thinking about?" Chao Musheng smiled at him.
"Nothing." Su Chenzhu remained composed, his posture as elegant as ever.
He just wanted everyone to know he and Chao Chao were dating, that was all.
Assistant Yang finished organizing the files sent by his colleagues, printed them out, and knocked on his boss’s door.
When the door opened, it wasn’t the boss who greeted him, but Chao Musheng.
Chao Musheng glanced at the folder in his hand. "Assistant Yang?"
"Where’s the boss?" Assistant Yang hesitated at the doorway. "There’s a document that needs his signature."
"He’s showering. Come in first." Chao Musheng stepped aside to let him enter.
The rural hotel had no presidential suite. The moment Assistant Yang stepped in, the sound of running water from the bathroom reached his ears. He took a seat by the window. "Assistant Chao, you’re off work early today?"
"The work today wrapped up smoothly." Chao Musheng sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard.
When the bathroom door opened, Assistant Yang frantically signaled Chao Musheng with his eyes.
Assistant Chao, get off the bed now! This is the boss’s bed—how dare you?!
Seeing that Chao Musheng still hadn’t caught on, Assistant Yang nearly reached out to yank him up. But the boss had already stepped out of the bathroom, forcing him to awkwardly sink back into his chair.
"Assistant Yang?" Su Chenzhu nodded at him.
"Boss, there’s a document that requires your signature." Assistant Yang stood up, his eyes darting toward Chao Musheng, who not only hadn’t moved but had now sprawled across the boss’s blanket.
"Hand it here." Su Chenzhu took the pen from Assistant Yang, but just as he was about to sign, he paused and turned to the man on the bed.
Oh no, oh no.
Assistant Yang’s mind raced, scrambling for a way to smooth things over for Assistant Chao.
"The AC is on—cover your stomach with the blanket." Su Chenzhu waited until Chao Musheng tugged a corner of the blanket over his belly button before refocusing on the document.
Assistant Yang stared blankly at Chao Musheng on the bed, not even registering when the boss finished signing the first page.
By the time he snapped out of it, the boss’s pen had been still for a while.
"Sorry, boss." He quickly flipped to the next section requiring a signature.
"It’s fine." Su Chenzhu handed the pen back after signing. "You’ve been working hard lately. We’ll stay in Hanyue a few more days to rest."
"Understood, boss." Assistant Yang took the signed files and left, puzzled.
Since when was Hanyue County a prime vacation spot?
As he closed the door behind him, he caught sight of Assistant Chao sitting up and reaching for the hair dryer on the nightstand.
To… dry the boss’s hair?
Strange. The boss never let assistants do such things on past business trips.
A wild suspicion began forming in his mind.
"All done." Chao Musheng finished drying Su Chenzhu’s hair. "You want to stay in Hanyue longer?"
Su Chenzhu nodded. "I’d like to extend the inspection period."
Chao Musheng raised an eyebrow.
"But that’s just the excuse I’ll give everyone else." Su Chenzhu took the hair dryer from him and set it aside. "I just want to stay by your side a little longer."
What kind of newly minted couple separates right after getting together?
"Fine." Chao Musheng grinned. "I heard there’s a shop outside Hanyue County Elementary that sells amazing sweet potato jelly. After work tomorrow, we’ll drive over and try it."
"Too bad the rain’s so heavy today." He glanced out the window, where the downpour showed no signs of easing. "The project’s progressing smoothly—we should wrap up before Mid-Autumn Festival."
Mid-Autumn Festival?
Su Chenzhu recalled it was a significant holiday for humans.
"Do you have plans for it?"
Su Chenzhu shook his head.
"Then I’ll take you back to my hometown for some local snacks." Chao Musheng pulled out his phone. "Actually, it’s only about a five-hour drive from here."
Hometown?!
Su Chenzhu’s mind blanked. Was Chao Chao… taking him home to meet his family?
"Alright." Su Chenzhu emphasized, "I have absolutely no plans for the holiday."
He discreetly opened his phone’s search engine and typed: What gifts should you bring when meeting your partner’s family for the first time?
With just over twenty days until Mid-Autumn Festival, he had to prepare meticulously. He needed to leave the best possible impression.
Humans always said relationships without family support never lasted. He knew that much!
Noticing Su Chenzhu’s sudden solemn expression, Chao Musheng chuckled and opened the family group chat: Love and Harmony.
[ChaoChaoMuMu: Ahem. Important announcement.]
Grandma was the first to reply.
[Grandma: What is it, Shengsheng? The weather forecast said Hanyue County has heavy storms today—don’t catch a cold.]
[Chao Yin: ?]
[Grandpa: Grandpa’s here. What’s the news, Shengsheng?]
[Father Chao: What’s the big deal? Why so formal?]
Chao Musheng turned his head to glance at Su Chenzhu beside him, noticing he was still staring intently at his phone with a serious expression. So, he continued typing in the group chat.
【Morning and Evening: I’m in a relationship.】
The group fell silent for a few seconds before erupting into chatter. Grandma and Grandpa asked where the person was from and whether they were a good match.
【Morning and Evening: They’re from the capital. I’ll bring them back to our hometown during the Mid-Autumn holiday.】
【Grandma: Wonderful! I’ll save all the free-range chickens and ducks for when you come back.】
Chao Yin was even more direct—she transferred him a sum of money labeled "dating funds."
【Chao Yin: Since you’ve made up your mind to date someone, treat the relationship seriously. Don’t play with people’s feelings.】
Sitting at her desk, Chao Yin sighed softly as she read her son’s messages in the group chat.
Him, not her.
Dinner was at a hotel in town. Though the plating was simple and the ingredients ordinary, the food was surprisingly tasty.
Su Chenzhu picked up his phone and snapped a photo of the meal to post on his social media. To the untrained eye, it was just a casual snapshot, but any sharp-eyed fan from the entertainment industry would spot the clues.
The reflection of a second person in the drink glass. Another hand resting at the corner of the frame, indicating they were sitting close—intimately close.
Unfortunately, Su Chenzhu’s work contacts consisted only of employees and business partners.
No one understood why the CEO had suddenly posted such a humble dinner photo, but they dutifully showered it with likes and flattery.
Some praised the food, others commended Su Chenzhu’s frugal lifestyle, and a few even complimented his photography skills.
But not a single person asked who he was dining with.
Of course not. The entire business world knew Su Chenzhu lived like an emotionless robot. Who would ever guess this was a romantic dinner?
After finishing his meal, Su Chenzhu checked the comments on his post. The corners of his lips, which had been slightly upturned, dropped by two pixels.
What a bunch of unobservant humans.
“It’s still raining outside. No evening walk tonight,” Chao Musheng said with a yawn.
“You didn’t sleep well last night. Go to bed early.” Su Chenzhu pressed the elevator button and waited for Chao Musheng to step inside before following, standing close beside him. His expression remained composed, but his hand subtly reached for Chao Musheng’s, fingers intertwining.
Feeling the touch, Chao Musheng smiled but didn’t pull away.
“Wait!”
Xiaojuan rushed toward the elevator just as the doors were closing, slamming the button to reopen them. When she saw who was inside—and their clasped hands—the popsicle in her mouth fell to the floor with a clatter.
Snapping out of her shock, she quickly bent down to pick it up.
“Come in,” Su Chenzhu said, holding the door open. His tone was uncharacteristically gentle.
Xiaojuan shuffled inside, pressing herself into the corner. “Good evening, CEO Su.”
“Evening.” Su Chenzhu shifted slightly, his wrist tilting. “Have you eaten?”
“Y-yes.” Xiaojuan dared a glance upward—only to see their joined hands again. She immediately averted her eyes.
“Hm.” Su Chenzhu chuckled. “Don’t be surprised. Chao Chao is my boyfriend. Holding hands is normal for us.”
Xiaojuan: “…”
Sir, I didn’t even ask.
She swallowed hard, hesitantly meeting Su Chenzhu’s gaze. “Um… Wishing you and Brother Chao a long and happy relationship?”
“Thank you.”
Something heavy and red landed in Xiaojuan’s palm.
A red envelope?!
Her eyes widened in shock. She shot a pleading look at Chao Musheng—Brother Chao, can I accept this?!
“You carry around red envelopes this big?” Chao Musheng reached into Su Chenzhu’s pockets and pulled out several more.
“Isn’t it customary to give red envelopes to your partner’s friends after officially dating?” Su Chenzhu’s ears turned faintly pink. “I’m just following tradition.”
“There’s no such tradition.” Chao Musheng confiscated the remaining envelopes, stuffing them into his own pocket. “Treating them to a meal is enough.”
“Oh.” Su Chenzhu glanced at the envelope still in Xiaojuan’s hand.
She instinctively hid it behind her back. You’re a billionaire, surely you won’t take it back just because Brother Chao said so?
“Since Su Chenzhu gave it to you, keep it.” Chao Musheng smiled. “We’ll all go out for dinner once the weather clears.”
Xiaojuan nodded vigorously. “Thank you, Brother Chao! Wishing you and CEO Su a sweet and blissful romance!”
With a red envelope this thick, she had to pour on the blessings.
“Thank you.” Chao Musheng turned to look at Su Chenzhu beside him—and sure enough, those bright eyes and the faint upward curve of his lips were unmistakable.
Late at night, the rain still hadn’t let up.
Little Rou was woken by the smell of instant noodles drifting in through her window. She got up and walked over, spotting a flickering light in the building across from hers—someone was secretly cooking noodles.
Swallowing hard, she dug out two bags of bread from the corner, opened the window, and leaped across to the opposite building.
“I’m so sick of eating instant noodles every day,” grumbled one of the lackeys, tossing a few wilted greens into the pot. His face was greener than the vegetables. “This place is a dump. Nothing fun to do.”
“Just hang in there. Tomorrow, that elementary school is holding some kind of fair. We can sneak in and grab the kid then,” said the other, tossing in a piece of sausage. “Keep it down. If Eldest Brother finds out we’re cooking noodles in the middle of the night, he’ll skin us alive.”
“If you don’t like it, want to trade?”
“Stop talking like a woman in the middle of the night,” the first lackey snapped, kicking his companion.
“I didn’t say anything!” The other glared. “Wasn’t that you?”
“It was me.”
A dripping-wet head appeared at the window.
Black hair clung to the scalp, framing a pale, gaunt face with sunken, hollow eyes that stared unblinkingly at them.
The two lackeys froze in terror.
This was the third floor. How was there a head floating outside the window?!
Ghost!
In extreme fear, the human voice fails.
The two lackeys watched as the ghostly head slowly rose higher—then their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed.
“What’s wrong with them?” Little Rou climbed onto the windowsill, frowning at the unconscious men. Are NPCs in this world really this fragile?
She checked their pulses, confirmed they were still alive, then tucked a bread bag into each of their hands before taking the pot of noodles.
In a survival world, she didn’t steal or kill—she bartered fairly.
Meeting someone as kind as me is these NPCs’ good fortune.
“Eldest Brother! There’s a ghost!”
The next morning, the two lackeys woke to find the bread in their hands and the empty noodle pot on the windowsill. They scrambled to their leader in terror. “We need to leave! This place is haunted!”
“What nonsense?” Eldest Brother frowned.
After hearing their story, he scoffed. “You’re telling me a ghost showed up just to steal your noodles—and even returned the pot?”
Since when do ghosts have manners?!
"Go screw your grandpa's legs!" Eldest Brother yelled, hurling the bread at their faces. "Go get that person tied up and brought back right now! If you fail again today, both of you can get the hell out!"
To think they’d come up with such a lazy excuse—what useless good-for-nothings!
Just as pathetic as those bums across the street!
