Bzzz, bzzz, bzzz—

Tang Song took out his phone, glanced at it, then immediately exited the chat.

What he thought was a lighthearted joke with Xu Qing had taken an unexpected turn—she actually went through with it, sending over a dozen photos in a full set.

As one of the famously beautiful alumni from his university days, Xu Qing’s looks were indisputable. Her features were refined, and her figure was lean and graceful.

Dressed in fitted cosplay outfits with matching makeup, she looked incredibly captivating.

He’d save those for later in the evening when he could fully appreciate them.

Meanwhile, Wen Ruan was on fire, controlling Hua Mulan as she dominated the game.

Tang Song’s eyes drifted to the bunny-girl skin in the game, and he couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

Wen Ruan had even mentioned that she was open to cosplaying, and with her stunning figure, a bunny-girl outfit with ears, a tail, and fishnet stockings would be out of this world.

Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down.

He opened Douyin to check his stats.

With the [Lucky Buff] still active, he was eagerly anticipating the gains.

He went to his profile page.

Current followers: 54,087.

With the recent video release, his following had grown by nearly 20,000 overnight.

This was all organic growth without any promotion—an impressive feat.

Then, he checked Little Red Book; his follower count had reached 8,868, not far from the 10k milestone.

He viewed the details for his title [Popular Me].

[Current cash reward: 2,131,000 yuan (Total: 5,981,000 yuan)]

He immediately cashed out.

[Balance: 4.1826 million yuan]

The sheer size of the sum made his heart race with excitement.

…

At noon, after an exhilarating outdoor barbecue, his coworkers said their goodbyes and headed off.

The team-building event was officially over.

Tang Song packed his clean Giant TCR bike into the back seat and drove off with Wen Ruan, leaving Huiying Riverside Creative Park.

They drove along the Taiping River, heading toward the city.

The road was lined with lush greenery, bursting with the vitality of spring.

Sunlight broke through heavy clouds, filling the car with a cozy warmth.

Wen Ruan leaned back in the passenger seat, softly explaining the sights and buildings they passed.

As a native of Yan City and an avid traveler, she was familiar with the local area.

As they turned onto a wide main road, Tang Song subtly adjusted his posture, resting his hand on her thigh.

Wen Ruan didn’t mind; instead, she closed her eyes slightly, cracked open the window, and looked quite content.

Though Tang Song drove leisurely, they still reached the entrance of Oasis Garden within 20 minutes.

Tang Song parked near the south gate and turned to Wen Ruan beside him.

“We’re here. You’re not feeling well right now, so make sure you get plenty of rest and eat well. Skip the gym for now, and once your cycle is over, you can come back to coach me.”

Wen Ruan was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned to him with a playful smile. “Come here for a sec, little brother.”

Tang Song leaned over, only to be met with a passionate embrace from her.

After an intense kiss, Wen Ruan gently released him.

She pressed her lips together, her eyes misty. “This weekend has felt like a dream—a wonderful dream.”

“But now that I’m home, I guess it’s time to wake up.”

Tang Song frowned slightly, sensing something off in her tone.

He grabbed her arm just as she was about to get out and asked directly, “Sister Wen Ruan, you’re not the type to start something you don’t intend to finish, are you?”

“Pfft—” Wen Ruan burst out laughing. “Hearing that from you sounds weird—it should be me saying that to you!”

Tang Song said earnestly, “I’m serious about you, and I really want us to continue seeing each other.”

She was quiet for a few moments, then replied, “My mom’s home right now. Want to come meet her?”

“Uh…” Tang Song’s eyes widened. He wasn’t sure how to respond.

Wasn’t this moving a bit too fast?

Wen Ruan looked at him intently, her voice soft. “Scared? I do like you a lot. In so many ways, you’re exactly what I’m looking for.”

“If I’d met you when I was in my early twenties, I’d be all for a sweet, carefree relationship, even if marriage wasn’t possible.”

“But… I’m not that young anymore. I’m at the stage where I have to consider marriage, family, and the future.”

“Wen Ruan.” Tang Song bit his lip, understanding what she was trying to say.

Unlike the nineteen-year-old Zhao Yaqian, Wen Ruan had started seeing him with marriage in mind.

She squeezed his hand. “Come on, we’re both adults. There’s no need to overthink this. I’m not a naive girl—I know both you and myself well enough. I know I can’t keep you. To avoid tears down the line, I’m cutting my losses now.”

With that, she opened the car door, got out, unloaded her road bike, and hugged her tulip bouquet to her chest.

“Goodbye, Tang Song. Drive safe, and text me when you get home.” She gave him a casual nod, waved, then headed toward the building with an air of nonchalance.

Tang Song took a deep breath and hurried to catch up, grabbing her arm.

Wen Ruan blinked and teased, “What’s wrong? Can’t let go? We’ll still see each other. We can grab dinner whenever.”

Tang Song pressed his lips together, knowing that words were pointless at this stage—unless he could promise marriage.

Though he wanted her, he didn’t want to mislead her.

Wen Ruan smiled at him, then walked through the entrance of the complex.

As she turned away from him, her smile faded, and her eyes glistened.

She took a deep breath, raising her head to keep her tears at bay.

In the past day, she’d gotten a clear sense of who Tang Song was.

An accomplished, charming man, gentle and thoughtful, living in a luxurious apartment in Yanjing Tiancheng, with a Mercedes S-Class and BMW 330 in his garage, running a promising clothing company, and consulting for Jinxiu Commerce.

And, despite it all, he was refreshingly unjaded by the world—a rare combination of innocence and allure.

Far better than even Gu Cheng, her best former match.

Tang Song was at his peak, someone she knew had countless options. The odds of a serious relationship with him were about as good as winning the lottery.

If she allowed herself to get further entangled, it’d be impossible to escape unscathed.

…

Before she knew it, she was in the underground parking lot, loading her bike into the trunk.

Wen Ruan sat in the car for a while, spacing out. It wasn’t until she felt dampness on her face that she noticed her own tears and quickly wiped them away.

Ding-dong—

In her friends’ group chat.

[Hu Mingli: “@Zhuangzhuang, congrats! I knew you two would end up together—my future’s set!”]

[Hu Mingli: Chat Screenshot.jpg]

Wen Ruan opened the screenshot.

[Tang Song: “Thanks, Sister Mingli. We’re officially together now. But Wen Ruan doesn’t want it public yet, so please keep it low-key with her friends and coworkers.”]

[Tang Song: “I’ll be at Jinxiu Commerce next Tuesday, so get ready, Supervisor Hu.”]

There were also a few close-up photos from the team-building event.

Seeing the familiar photos, Wen Ruan’s heart grew heavier.

She had always considered herself practical, not one for melodrama, often scoffing at TV romance clichés.

Yet here she was, struggling to let go.

After a long while, she sighed.

Hopefully, time would help him cool off, and help her let go.

…

Yanjing Tiancheng

Tang Song sat in a large bathtub, his mind a mess.

Memories from the past day kept flashing through his mind.

Wen Ruan was a truly mature, independent woman, grounded with a healthy perspective on life and love.

Although they hadn’t spent much time together, Tang Song felt he had learned a lot from her.

And he’d gained a clearer understanding of himself.

He wasn’t some innocent romantic; he’d wanted Wen Ruan physically, and, having fallen for her, he wanted to have her entirely.

The same went for Zhao Yaqian, Gao Mengting—and yes, even Secretary Jin in the game, waiting for him to unlock her affection.

It was clear he wasn’t cut out to be the ideal partner, nor could he promise marriage. The best he could do was make up for it materially and emotionally.

With this realization, Tang Song stood up from the tub.

He looked at his reflection—lean, muscular, and handsome, a look of resolve in his eyes.

He was becoming stronger, better. Someday, these things wouldn’t be an issue anymore. Read full story at N0velFire.ɴet

Swipe, the system screen opened before him, lines of text appearing.

[May 14, 2023: You’ve gained clarity on your feelings and a deeper understanding of yourself, learning to manage and balance

your emotions.]

[You feel an emotional release and sense of liberation.]

[Your mindset has undergone significant growth, Charm +1.]

[You’ve received “Su Yu’s Soulful Blessing.”]

[You’ve triggered a branch mission: “Please Yourself.”]

Tang Song took a deep breath, excitement flushing his face.

A game-character-related item had appeared!?

He quickly accessed his inventory to view the details.

[Su Yu’s Soulful Blessing]: Use to receive Su Yu’s heartfelt blessing and admiration, with a chance to gain one of her skills.

Note 1: Though accustomed to solitude, why am I still drawn to warmth?

Note 2: I once channeled my youth into him.

“Su Yu… Su Yu…” Tang Song repeated the name softly, his brow easing.

Fragments of the game’s storyline resurfaced in his mind.

The name was familiar.

Once he’d completed his initial capital accumulation and established Smile Holdings, he’d set his sights on the entertainment industry.

Aside from leveraging his foresight to make a profit, he’d wanted to experience the thrill of managing stars in the game.

[Su Yu] was an SSR-ranked character he had drawn multiple times.

Her stats and growth potential were excellent, but above all, she was strikingly beautiful, her portrait card artwork ethereal and otherworldly, like an immortal from a fantasy game.

In the game, she was a member of a girl group struggling with internal conflict and slander, with her career on a downward spiral and mental health deteriorating.

Recruiting her had been simple.

Following the system’s prompts and his preferences, he’d set up a meticulous training plan for her.

Then came the acquisition of an entertainment company, talent recruitment, investments, and expansion.

Su Yu had been refreshingly naive, her loyalty and affection levels easy to boost.

In her daily life, he would send her thoughtful gifts, and check in on her well-being.

In her career, he provided the best resources and cleared obstacles for her.

Soon, her favorability reached its maximum.

Su Yu hadn’t let him down. Within three short years, she’d become a top star and his ideal celebrity.

With her success, Tang Zong Entertainment also reached its peak.

Once he completed that side storyline, Tang Song shifted his focus to other areas, continuing to boost his Charm score.

In recent gameplay, she’d appeared only in occasional notifications, like concert or movie premiere announcements.

Pulled back from his memories, Tang Song searched for info on Su Yu online.

She was now a renowned triple-threat star, adored nationwide, a shareholder and director of Tang Zong Entertainment, with no scandals since debuting, and consistently ranked among Asia’s most beautiful.

He scrolled through her portfolio.

With perfect bone structure and harmonious features, she epitomized classic beauty.

Even with his fondness for Secretary Jin, he had to admit Su Yu was perhaps even more universally appealing.

Though Jin had the edge in physique.

Staring at her stunning photos, Tang Song felt a mix of emotions.

While he hadn’t invested much emotionally in her character in the game, he wondered what this A-list star thought of him in real life.

After a moment of reflection, Tang Song turned his attention to [Su Yu’s Soulful Blessing].

It was a valuable item, offering a skill, but unfortunately, he hadn’t acquired it while the [Lucky Buff] was active. If he ended up with some odd skill, it’d be disappointing.

This was his first character-related item, making it especially significant.

For some reason, he felt hesitant to use it.

After a moment of indecision, he shook his head and selected [Use Immediately].

[Character Su Yu—Skill Selection in Progress…]

[You have obtained “Drawing - Sketching Skill”]

[This skill will be “Awakened” when you dream tonight.]

Sketching?

Tang Song’s face lit up with a grin.

He recalled that Su Yu was indeed highly skilled in various arts, including music, dance, drawing, and writing.

With this skill, he could now sketch his [Outfit] designs himself!

Having the complete illustrations would allow him to work with a designer to create the ideal attire for maximum effect.

He opened the mission center to check the new task [Please Yourself].

[Mission Objective: Life may have its ups and downs, but never forget to find joy for yourself. Develop a hobby that benefits your mental and physical well-being and experience the happiness it brings.]

[Mission Reward: Random Gift Pack x1]