Chapter 3: Absurd
At the end of the road stood a building with no sign. Grayish-white stone exterior, clean sharp lines—it looked a bit like a museum.
But Ke Miantang knew for sure this wasn’t a museum. It was dinnertime. Why would Rong She bring her to a museum?
Looking out the car window, she already thought the place was unrealistically pretty. But after stepping out, she still couldn’t help letting out a gasp.
In that moment, she finally understood what “understated luxury” meant.
Two sculptures stood at the entrance, carved from pure white Hetian jade.
Ke Miantang’s family had been well-off in her past life. She’d run in A10 circles before. The family business was huge in their city, so she considered herself someone who’d seen the world.
But seeing these two jade carvings, she still couldn’t help looking twice.
The two sculptures were at least two meters tall. Exquisite craftsmanship, lines so smooth they seemed alive. Every single detail held up to scrutiny.
Conservatively estimated, just these two sculptures could buy an apartment in downtown Lingzhou City, where land cost more than gold.
The System popped up casually to drop some knowledge: [Yun Shen Chu is one of the top three private clubs in Lingzhou City. It belongs to Rong She’s personal assets. Not open to the public. Only accepts whitelisted members and their guests.]
Ke Miantang: “Oh.”
Rong She held her hand as they walked inside. Their palms pressed together, heat spreading from where they touched.
His thumb idly stroked the webbing between her thumb and index finger. Casual, yet intimate.
At first, Ke Miantang would get nervous. But now she was used to it. She was even starting to think…
Mm, it felt pretty nice.
The inside of the club was even more ridiculous than the outside.
The lobby ceiling looked about eight meters high. An entire wall was an aquarium. Dim blue light glowed from within, illuminating a few large deep-blue fish whose names she didn’t know.
Ke Miantang had been transmigrated into this world for a month. She thought she’d become immune to the extravagance of conglomerates.
But right now, she realized she wasn’t. As the saying goes, there’s always a sky beyond the sky.
Some things, even the well-traveled Ke Miantang couldn’t truly imagine.
Every time she thought she’d hit the ceiling, another door would be pushed open, revealing an even more absurd world behind it.
“Young Master, you’re here.” The manager jogged over, bowing ninety degrees, a respectful smile plastered on his face.
He’d held this position for twelve years. He’d seen plenty of conglomerate heirs. But every time he faced the Crown Prince of Nebula Group, he still got nervous.
Rong She gave a slight nod, not even sparing him a glance. He pulled Ke Miantang straight inside.
Her mind had already drifted to dinner. The food here must be amazing. Wonder if it’s Chinese or Western. Maybe they’ll have that steak she ate last time.
Just then, she caught sight of a few figures walking quickly over from the lounge area on the right.
Leading them was a young man, early twenties. Proper features, nothing stunning, but he carried himself with an easygoing vibe. A man and a woman followed behind him.
Rong She saw them too and stopped walking.
「Whitelist characters. Perfect timing. Let me help you put faces to names.」
Ke Miantang mentally went “mm.” Chengxin Academy started its fall semester tomorrow. She hadn’t met the people on the whitelist yet, but today she ran into them early.
「The one in front is Zhou Ran. Whitelist rank two. Eldest grandson of the Xijin Conglomerate. Rong She’s childhood friend, and half a lackey. Looks carefree on the surface, but actually has a sharp brain. The type who stabs you while smiling, and you still have to thank him for it.」
「The guy behind him is Shen Zhiyan. Whitelist rank six. Second Young Master of Dazhou Group. Awkward position in the family. Capable older brother above him, favored younger brother below him. Clung to Rong She to squeeze into the inner circle. Loyalty questionable.」
“The girl…”
The System paused.
Ke Miantang noticed the girl standing next to Zhou Ran, eyes fixed dead on the hand Rong She was holding.
「He Yayin. Whitelist rank five. Eldest daughter of Shiyang Group. Outstanding looks, outstanding methods, outstanding ambition. Has been secretly in love with Rong She for three years. Host is advised to stay alert.」
Ke Miantang rolled her eyes internally.
Great. The romantic rival makes her entrance.
Zhou Ran walked over first, gaze landing directly on Ke Miantang. He grinned, “Rong She, you’re really not cool. Bringing Sister-in-law out to eat without giving us a heads-up?”
Rong She tilted his head toward him, voice flat. “No need.”
Zhou Ran wasn’t offended. He smiled and stepped half a pace aside, making room for the people behind him.
Shen Zhiyan hurried forward, waist slightly bent. “Brother Rong She, long time no see.”
The last to walk up was He Yayin.
She wore a cream-colored suit, hair pinned in an elegant low bun. Her beauty was aggressive—thick brows, deep-set eyes.
Genuinely pretty.
Ke Miantang admitted it inwardly. This kind of beauty wasn’t piled up with money. It was a temperament soaked in privilege since childhood.
“Rong She.” He Yayin spoke with a smile. “Getting you to dinner is so hard. After the last banquet, you said ‘next time for sure.’ That ‘next time’ was over a month ago.”
As she spoke, her gaze slowly shifted from Rong She to Ke Miantang’s face, smile never wavering.
Ke Miantang didn’t flinch or look away. She stared right back.
He Yayin’s eyes flickered slightly. She probably didn’t expect the other party to return her gaze so openly. She withdrew her look and turned back to Rong She.
Rong She didn’t respond to her words. He pulled Ke Miantang closer, his palm sliding naturally from her hand up to her waist, lightly wrapping around it.
“Hungry?”
Before Ke Miantang could answer, Zhou Ran chimed in with a grin, “Ah, we bumped into each other anyway. Let’s eat together. You’ve only got two people, we’ve got three. Let’s share a table.”
Ke Miantang thought Rong She would refuse.
This counted as their date, right? A date! For someone as moody as Rong She, he definitely wouldn’t want interruptions.
But Rong She actually didn’t refuse. He gave a lazy nod.
Zhou Ran immediately laughed, “Let’s go, let’s go. I know you booked the lake-view private room.”
The private room was at the very deepest part of the club.
Pushing the door open, an entire floor-to-ceiling glass wall came into view.
Outside was an artificial lake, water clear as a mirror, reflecting the last orange-red glow of dusk.
A small island sat in the center of the lake. On it grew a massive ginkgo tree, covered in gold, as if someone had splashed a bucket of gold powder into the sky.
Ke Miantang couldn’t help looking twice. Her steps paused for half a beat at the doorway.
Zhou Ran followed behind and instantly caught her expression. “Sister-in-law likes the view? Next time, have Rong She bring you to stay a few days. There’s a suite up there facing the island directly. Right, Rong She?”
He turned to look at Rong She, but Rong She ignored him. Rong She pulled out a chair, signaling Ke Miantang to sit.
After she sat down, he naturally took the seat beside her.
He Yayin noticed this. The curve of her lips didn’t change, but her jawline tightened.
Ke Miantang’s seat was the main seat—the best spot in the room.
She hadn’t expected Rong She to give the main seat to Ke Miantang, someone not even in the top ten of the whitelist.
In whitelist circles, seats were never taken casually.
Who sits in the main seat, who takes the secondary seat, who sits next to the host, who sits by the door—every position corresponded to an insurmountable boundary.
Rong She giving the main seat to Ke Miantang was basically declaring her position right in front of them.
Shen Zhiyan, ever perceptive, sat down next to Zhou Ran.
He Yayin had no choice but to sit next to Shen Zhiyan, diagonally across from Rong She.