"What are you laughing at?" You Jiu stared at the smile on Xiaojuan's face, finding it oddly unsettling.
"Nothing." Xiaojuan grinned even wider. "Maybe I just love laughing by nature. Wait here, I'll change and be right down."
After Xiaojuan left, You Jiu took a moment to survey his surroundings.
Since entering the instance yesterday, he had been assigned to Old Master Chen's main residence. The kitchen area was a far cry from the opulence of the main house—so how had Xiaojuan, a mere kitchen helper, earned the steward’s favor?
He carefully retraced every event since entering the instance, recalling the scene he had witnessed outside the VIP pavilion that afternoon.
The police, Secretary Liu, the mysterious guests, the female servant…
If the servant standing beside those two men had been Wang Xiaojuan, then the steward’s preferential treatment made sense.
This Chen family in the instance seemed unusually distinguished. Just what kind of guests could prompt the arrogant steward to promote Xiaojuan after keeping her in the VIP pavilion for two or three hours?
Earlier, while accompanying Old Master Chen, he had noticed how deferential the guests were.
When Old Master Chen drank tea, they praised its aroma. When he played chess, they subtly let him win. Even the old turtle in the pond was lavished with compliments about its "divine aura" and "auspicious presence."
He didn’t understand talk of metaphysics or karma, but he could tell these people were deliberately currying favor.
The two men he had seen that afternoon had been treated with such caution by the usually haughty steward—meaning their status must surpass even the Chen family’s.
Xiaojuan returned, now changed, and glanced at You Jiu’s trademark fake smile. She couldn’t be bothered to speak and headed straight for the banquet hall.
You Jiu remarked, "As expected of the 'Queen of Grinding'—memorizing the estate’s layout after just one day in the instance."
"Likewise." Xiaojuan didn’t turn back. "You seemed pretty familiar with the paths yourself when guiding the police earlier."
"So it really was you in the mysterious VIP’s courtyard this afternoon." You Jiu’s smile didn’t waver. "I recall you have plenty of talisman items. Shouldn’t a supernatural instance like this be easy for you?"
"Supernatural?" Xiaojuan didn’t dare underestimate You Jiu, a notorious old fox in the infinite space. While she ranked first in Kunlun Corporation’s instances, this garden instance was another matter. "From yesterday till now, have you seen a single ghost?"
Whether ghosts existed here wasn’t up to the Main God anymore—it was the world’s own consciousness that decided.
You Jiu glanced at the osmanthus trees tied with red ribbons and the distant "mountain god stone" Old Master Chen had spent a fortune on—all classic elements of a supernatural setting.
He assumed Xiaojuan was lying to avoid cooperating and simply chuckled, letting the matter drop.
Fair enough. With rewards this high, which player wouldn’t want to claim them all?
The Chen family’s banquet hall stood on an artificial island surrounded by water. Lotus blossoms dotted the lake, fish shimmered beneath the surface, lanterns glowed overhead, and live musicians played—an experience fit for an emperor.
Most guests, eager to flatter Old Master Chen’s tastes, wore clothing adorned with embroidery.
Chen Yue, in an embroidered fitted dress, exchanged polite greetings before spotting Chen Fang in a corner. She fanned herself with a sandalwood folding fan. "Chen You’s out there charming the guests, so why are you hiding here?"
"What’s it to you?" Chen Fang frowned impatiently. "Stay away from me!"
"Tsk." Chen Yue smirked, but her smile faded when she noticed the faint swelling on his left cheek. She lowered her voice. "You know Grandfather favors Chen You, so why provoke him instead of trying to impress him?"
Chen Fang twisted away, refusing to engage.
"I know you’re upset." She snapped her fan shut. "But this is a public place. Don’t let others notice, or Grandfather will be angry again."
"Who besides the eldest branch can please the old man?" Chen Fang muttered bitterly. "I’ll never outshine Chen You."
"You and Chen You are both his grandsons—neither is inherently superior." Chen Yue smiled. "Unlike me. My mother and I would be content with just a little extra inheritance."
Chen Fang’s expression remained sour, but he didn’t argue.
Old Master Chen had two sons and one daughter. Chen Yue was his youngest daughter’s child.
Chen Fang had little respect for Chen Yue and her mother. His aunt had borne Chen Yue out of wedlock, then shamelessly insisted Chen Yue call them "cousins" and Old Master Chen "Grandfather"—all to secure a bigger share of the family fortune.
"Don’t worry. When our branch inherits the Chen estate, we won’t forget you and Auntie." Chen Fang glared at Chen You, who was effortlessly working the crowd. "Let him enjoy his moment for now."
"Thank you, Second Brother." Chen Yue nodded. "Wait here—I’ll fetch something for the swelling."
"Go ahead." Chen Fang relaxed slightly at her attentiveness.
Women who chased such petty advantages were the easiest to control—and the least threatening.
"Third Miss."
On her way back with medicine, Chen Yue was stopped by an unfamiliar young man. She tilted her head. "And you are?"
"Third Miss, I’m Chen Er." He offered an ingratiating smile. "My great-grandfather and yours were cousins. Twenty years ago, when your great-grandfather passed, my grandfather attended his funeral."
"Oh, a family relation." Chen Yue’s smile didn’t falter. "Here to see Eldest Brother and Second Brother? They’re hosting guests in the main hall."
Chen Er forced a smile. The Chen heirs wouldn’t know him from a stranger, but with his family in need, he had no choice but to ingratiate himself.
"Perfect timing." Chen Yue handed him the medicine. "I have matters to attend to. Deliver this to Second Brother for me."
Chen Er brightened—this was his chance to get close to the second young master!
He eagerly took the package. "Thank you, Third Miss! I’ll go right away."
Watching his retreating, jubilant figure, Chen Yue swayed her fan, lips curving. The Chen family had countless distant relatives, but she remembered exactly who Chen Er was.
A worthless bully who’d been expelled from school.
She lingered until Old Master Chen appeared, then snapped her fan shut and bounded toward him with an innocent smile. "Grandfather!"
Old Master Chen had been conversing with Su Chenzhu’s group. At his granddaughter’s approach, he apologized with a chuckle. "Forgive my family’s lack of decorum."
Su Chenzhu remained silent, but Secretary Liu spoke up. "Not lack of decorum—just a granddaughter’s affection. My nephew never greets me this warmly."
"Ha ha ha ha." Old Master Chen laughed. "Secretary Liu is so young, your nephew must still be a child. Kids love to play—how could they understand such things? When he’s a little older, he’ll grow closer to you."
"Grandfather." Chen Yue noticed the unusually affectionate look in the old man’s eyes today. She supported his arm and smiled warmly at Su Chenzhu, Chao Musheng, and the others.
"This is President Su of Kunlun Enterprises, and this is Secretary Liu," Old Master Chen introduced. "And this is Mr. Chao, President Su’s capable assistant. Xiao Yue, Mr. Chao is around your age—you must take good care of our distinguished guests."
"President Su, Secretary Liu." Chen Yue’s gaze lingered on Chao Musheng for a few extra seconds. "Mr. Chao."
There was something familiar about him.
"Hello." Chao Musheng smiled. "If I’m not mistaken, Miss Chen is a philosophy student at Changning University?"
"Oh?" Old Master Chen’s grin widened. "Have you met my hopeless granddaughter before, Mr. Chao?"
"My father is a philosophy professor at Changning University. I’ve seen Miss Chen in his lectures." Chao Musheng remembered her for another reason—a few months ago, when he’d gone to deliver materials to his father, a girl had fainted from heatstroke. Chen Yue had swept her up in a princess carry and dashed off.
Chen Yue studied Chao Musheng discreetly. Before leaving home, her mother had specifically mentioned that Mr. Chao was a descendant of the Song Family, though like her, he carried his mother’s surname.
"Your father is Professor Song?" Finally, she understood why he looked familiar. Mr. Chao had attended Professor Song’s lectures—his striking looks made him stand out easily among the students.
"Yes." Chao Musheng nodded. "When I have free time, I drop by his classes."
"So there’s already a connection between you young people." Old Master Chen’s delight was palpable. "Fate truly works in mysterious ways."
Fate? What fate?!
Hearing Old Master Chen’s teasing remark, Secretary Liu instinctively glanced at his boss.
"Professor Song has students everywhere," Su Chenzhu remarked, his tone light yet approving as he looked at Chao Musheng. "With such a sharp memory, how many of his students can you recall?"
"I remember most of the classmates who sat near me during lectures." Chao Musheng shifted slightly closer to Su Chenzhu. "I heard Changning University will offer a doctoral program in the I Ching and divination next semester. Pity I won’t have time to audit it."
"Exactly, boss." Secretary Liu chimed in. "Next semester, Xiao Chao will be too busy working for you."
Do you hear that, boss? His free time is all yours!
Now you should be satisfied.
Su Chenzhu’s expression softened. "No matter. If there’s a course you’re particularly interested in, you can take leave. I won’t dock your pay."
Chao Musheng beamed. "Thank you, Mr. Su."
He’d declare it again—Mr. Su was the most benevolent boss in the world.
"Mr. Chao is also interested in the I Ching and feng shui?" Old Master Chen hadn’t expected someone so young to take an interest in such traditions, his gaze sharpening.
"Not at all. I’ve only heard bits and pieces—barely scratching the surface." Chao Musheng shook his head. "The I Ching is profound. For an amateur like me, grasping its depths is impossible."
Old Master Chen withdrew his scrutiny and chuckled warmly. "At your age, an appreciation for traditional culture is already rare."
"Building this Chen Garden took considerable effort." Pride gleamed in Old Master Chen’s eyes as he spoke. "Every tree, every stone was carefully chosen. The feng shui masters said that achieving five out of ten perfections is already a blessing—yet this garden is flawless in all ten aspects."
He would have loved to boast further, but standing before Su Chenzhu—not some sycophant eager to flatter him—he restrained himself and gestured ahead. "Please follow me. The courtyard on the island ahead is where tonight’s banquet will be held."
As night fell, the soothing strains of a pipa drifted from the banquet hall.
Chao Musheng walked across the bridge, admiring the blooming lotuses in the lake. Antique-style lanterns lined the bridge, their glow attracting moths that fluttered around them.
"You like lotuses?" Su Chenzhu slowed his pace to walk beside him. "My garden has twin lotuses."
These here are merely common blooms.
"I was watching the moths." Chao Musheng pointed at the insects repeatedly colliding with the lanterns. "It reminded me of the saying ‘moths to a flame.’"
"Destroying themselves for an illusion." Su Chenzhu followed his gaze. "Humans are no different from moths, most of the time."
"No." Chao Musheng shook his head. "Moths act on instinct. But humans can suppress their desires—sometimes to protect others."
A few moth corpses floated on the water’s surface. After a pause, Su Chenzhu murmured, "I see."
"Huh?" Chao Musheng glanced at him, puzzled. "See what?"
"Your perspective." Su Chenzhu’s lips curved slightly. "You have a fondness for humanity."
"Well, I suppose that’s one way to put it." The phrasing struck Chao Musheng as odd. What else would I like, if not people?
"Mr. Chao." A budding lotus branch suddenly extended between them as Old Master Chen spoke kindly. "Take these flowers to enjoy."
"Thank you." Since the flowers had already been plucked, refusing would be wasteful. Chao Musheng cradled them, the buds occasionally brushing Su Chenzhu’s shoulder.
Su Chenzhu glanced down at the blossoms. On closer inspection, they did possess a certain charm.
After delivering medicine to Chen Fang, Chen Er shamelessly stuck by his side. Among the many vying for the Chen brothers’ favor, he wasn’t the most conspicuous.
"Chen Er, I heard you spent some time in detention recently," a distant relative probed. "What did you do?"
"I was framed." Chen Er’s expression darkened at the reminder—this was clearly an attempt to humiliate him.
"I told you to study abroad, but you insisted on Jinghua University." The relative’s tone turned mocking. "Domestic schools have too many rules. Overseas is much more fun."
"Who dares target someone from our Chen Family?" Chen Fang, slightly tipsy from drinks, overheard them. "Tell me the story."
"I had a conflict with a classmate—good-looking, the teachers’ favorite. I was just joking around with others, but he reported me for bullying." Chen Er took a sip of wine. "What can I do? He’s all charm and flattery, so I had to swallow the loss."
Chen Fang frowned. "Didn’t you tell him you’re connected to our family?"
"Someone like him isn’t worthy of knowing the Chen name."
At the time, the situation had turned ugly. As distant relatives who couldn’t be any more removed from the main family, they wouldn’t dare drag the Chen Family into the mess.
"Tell me, what’s the name of the person who’s giving you trouble?" Chen Fang spoke arrogantly. "Once he graduates, I’ll make sure he can’t survive in Jing City."
"His name is Chao Musheng."
"What?" Chen Fang’s drunkenness instantly faded by half. "Chao Musheng? As in ‘morning and evening, life unending’?"
Chen Er didn’t understand why Chen Fang had phrased Chao Musheng’s name so poetically, but he nodded anyway. "That’s the one."
Chen Fang: "..."
The air around Chen Fang seemed to freeze in silence.
"Get lost," he said, setting down his wine glass and touching his still-swollen face. "Go find Chen You. He’s more capable than me—let him avenge you."
He was living quite comfortably these days and had no intention of courting death.
The people around him who had been trying to curry favor: ?
Second Young Master Chen usually hated it when people said he was inferior to the eldest young master. Why was he suddenly belittling himself and elevating Chen You today?
Chen Er felt uneasy. "Second Young Master, are you drunk?"
"I’m perfectly sober." Chen Fang stood up and strode away without hesitation.
He needed to put distance between himself and Chen Er—better safe than sorry.
"Second Young Master—" Chen Er was about to chase after him when a commotion broke out at the entrance.
Had Old Master Chen arrived?
He looked up and immediately spotted someone who shouldn’t have been there.
Chao Musheng?
What was he doing here?!
He noticed Old Master Chen turning back every now and then to speak to Chao Musheng, his attitude warm and familiar—something Chen Er had never received.
Was Chao Musheng some kind of succubus?
At school, the teachers adored him, the students loved him—fine. But how did he have a place in high society too?
It wasn’t just Chen Er. Nearly everyone present had noticed Chao Musheng.
The young man was dressed in a light-colored suit, free of the intricate embroidery meant to flatter Old Master Chen. Yet even standing beside Old Master Chen and Su Chenzhu, he still shone brilliantly.
The lotus flowers in his arms had clearly been plucked from the garden pond. Rumor had it that Old Master Chen was a stickler for propriety and despised people picking flowers from his pond, believing it brought bad luck.
So why wasn’t the old man worried about bad luck now, when this young man was blatantly holding those flowers right under his nose?
In a corner, You Jiu watched the group enter, his gaze lingering on the lotus flowers in Chao Musheng’s arms for several seconds.
The stems had been cut cleanly—likely with pruning shears.
No guest would carry shears to a banquet, so someone else must have cut them.
In the entire Chen estate, who besides Old Master Chen would dare make such a decision?
For Old Master Chen to break his own rules for these guests… their identities must be quite intriguing.
"Grandfather." Chen You stepped forward first, smoothly displacing Chen Yue from Old Master Chen’s side and taking her place to support the old man.
"Su Chenzhu, this is my useless eldest grandson, Chen You." Old Master Chen’s smile widened noticeably when introducing Chen You compared to Chen Yue. "He currently serves as a project manager in the company. I hope Secretary Liu and Mr. Chao can offer him some guidance in the future."
"Young Master Chen is a man of exceptional talent and bearing." Secretary Liu shook hands with Chen You. The old man was tactful enough not to ask for Su Chenzhu’s personal guidance.
After greeting Su Chenzhu and Secretary Liu, Chen You turned to Chao Musheng. "Mr. Chao, I heard my younger brother offended you earlier in the garden. Allow me to apologize on his behalf once more."
Chen Fang, who had just arrived, overheard this. His steps slowed, and his gaze toward Chen You sharpened with hostility.
"It was just a misunderstanding. No need to dwell on the past." Chao Musheng shook Chen You’s hand. Holding the lotus flowers made it inconvenient, so his eyes swept the room until they landed on Xiaojuan in the corner. He beckoned her over.
You Jiu glanced between Chao Musheng and Xiaojuan. The mysterious guest was actually calling for Xiaojuan?
"Brother Chao." Xiaojuan hurried over. "You need me?"
"Old Master Chen gifted me these lotus flowers. Could you find a vase for them? I’ll take them home after the banquet." He handed the flowers to Xiaojuan.
"Mr. Chao, you know one of the… staff members in my estate?" Old Master Chen studied Xiaojuan. The girl was petite, with a somewhat pretty face, but hardly the type to drive men wild with desire.
"We’re friends." Chao Musheng accepted a warm towel from a servant and wiped his hands. "She’s a free spirit who enjoys trying out different jobs. I only realized she was working here when I ran into her in the garden today."
"So Xiaojuan is your friend! No wonder I thought she stood out the moment I saw her." The steward, who had been accompanying Old Master Chen, smiled brightly—while cursing inwardly.
Was Wang Xiaojuan out of her mind?
If she was friends with Mr. Chao, she could land any high-paying job she wanted. Why on earth would she work as a servant in the Chen estate?!
Now, if Mr. Chao found out about the kickbacks he’d been taking and word got back to Old Master Chen, how was he supposed to keep his position?!
"Xiaojuan mentioned you’ve been very kind to her." Chao Musheng returned the towel to the waiter and thanked him quietly.
The waiter, startled by the VIP’s gratitude, froze for a second before bowing and retreating.
"Not at all. Xiaojuan is diligent and capable. All the senior staff admire her." The steward’s internal cursing ceased abruptly. He gave Xiaojuan an approving look.
Never mind that she’d only been here a day—whether her work ethic and skills were truly assessable didn’t matter anymore.
What mattered was praise.
Xiaojuan clutched the flowers, listening as the steward—who had been harsh just yesterday—now showered her with compliments. The irony wasn’t lost on her.
With so many influential figures present, would Brother Chao lose face by calling her his friend?
She retreated with the flowers, and before she could even think about it, an array of vases was brought to her.
After arranging the lotuses in a celadon vase, a maid eagerly offered, "Sister Juan, I’ll keep an eye on the vase. You can go back to the main hall."
"Thank you." Xiaojuan didn’t refuse the maid’s obvious attempt to curry favor.
"You’re welcome!" The maid beamed.
Perfect!
Sister Juan was friends with a VIP. If she could get on her good side, securing a permanent position in the Chen estate would be a breeze.
"What item did you use on the NPC?" You Jiu waited outside and fell into step behind her, speaking quietly. "Don’t be reckless. Temporary favorability-boosting items always have backlash. Once the NPCs snap out of it, the user suffers the consequences."
"Are you worried about me, or afraid I’ll surpass you in the mission?" Xiaojuan wasn’t naive enough to believe You Jiu had good intentions.
How ignorant. Did he really think someone like Brother Chao could be swayed by mere items?
"I can give you an item to neutralize the backlash." Unfazed by her skepticism, You Jiu cut to the chase. "It’s rare to meet a player with brains like yours. Dying in a mission would be a waste."
"Just name your terms." Xiaojuan wanted to know what he was after.
"You used an item on that NPC, which means his identity in this instance must be important." Seeing that Xiaojuan had no patience for small talk, You Jiu cut straight to the chase: "I want detailed information about him and the man beside him."
"Fine." Xiaojuan smirked. "Hand over the item first."
As expected—even someone as sharp as You Jiu couldn’t escape the common trap of relying on past instance strategies.
If only he could think outside the instance logic and use his phone’s search function, his intelligence alone would let him piece together useful clues from scattered online hints.
Once the item was secured, Xiaojuan immediately began: "He’s an outstanding student at Jinghua University, assistant to the CEO of Kunlun Enterprises, technical consultant for Kunlun’s R&D department, a rising genius in the business world—"
"Stop." You Jiu frowned. "I asked for real intel, not a hyperbolic sales pitch. Jinghua University? Since when do academic credentials matter in a supernatural instance?"
"Seems like the NPCs in this instance care about that sort of thing, at least a little." Xiaojuan hinted carefully. "Why don’t you look up Jinghua University’s standing in this world’s academic circles?"
"Are you insane?" You Jiu snapped. "I tried the moment I entered—the search function doesn’t work. You—"
Have you finally fried your brain from running too many instances?
No search function?
Xiaojuan was baffled—her phone worked just fine.
"Never mind, then." She steered the conversation back. "Just remember he’s an exceptionally capable young man. The one next to him with silver-rimmed glasses? That’s the big boss of Kunlun Enterprises, someone even Old Master Chen has to grovel to."
"All that talk, and you still haven’t told me what tier of boss they are." You Jiu’s patience thinned. "Wang Xiaojuan, I know what your special skill is."
"I can’t read them." Xiaojuan crossed her arms. "My skill doesn’t work on those two. Every other guest here is gold or purple-tier—except them."
You Jiu scoffed at her evasiveness. "What’s next? You’ll claim this is a boss nest where not a single NPC is below purple?"
"Not quite." Xiaojuan tilted her chin toward a shifty-eyed young man lurking in the corner. "That one’s green."
You Jiu followed her gaze and spotted the so-called green NPC slinking into the shadows, as if terrified of being noticed.
"Hey there~"
Chao Musheng leaned over the back of an ornate chair, flashing Chen Er a grin. "Chen Er, what a coincidence."
To Chen Er, that smile might as well have been the devil’s grin.
He pressed himself against the wall, voice trembling. "W-what do you want?"
"Why so scared?" Chao Musheng arched a brow. "Or are you feeling guilty?"
"I’ve already paid Zhou Yi’s family plenty in compensation! What more do you want?" Chen Er blustered, though his bravado was paper-thin. "I haven’t bothered them since. Don’t think you can bully me just because you’ve got power now."
"So you do know bullying is wrong." The amusement vanished from Chao Musheng’s face. "Some wounds never heal for the victims."
"Mr. Chao." Chen Yue approached, her voice honeyed. "Chen Er, weren’t you with Eldest Brother and Second Brother? Why are you alone here?"
Chen Er didn’t dare ignore her, forcing a smile while keeping a wary eye on Chao Musheng, terrified he’d convince Chen Yue to throw him out of Chen Manor.
"Young Master Chen Er." A servant stepped forward. "Your clothes are wrinkled. The master asked me to take you to change."
"R-right. Thank you, Uncle." Chen Er exhaled in relief. How could he forget? The invitation had come from the old man himself. Even Chen Yue wouldn’t dare expel him outright.
As Chen Er scurried away, Chao Musheng turned to Chen Yue. "He’s your relative?"
"A distant one. We’ve hardly interacted before." Chen Yue frowned. She couldn’t fathom why her grandfather had invited someone like Chen Er tonight.
Chen Er followed the servant out of the banquet hall, trailing him to a dimly lit building. The oppressive darkness made his skin crawl. "This… is where I change?"
"Of course." The servant smiled. "The master heard today is your birthday, Young Master Chen Er. He prepared a special gift for you."
