Chapter 72: A Double Triumph

The moment her hand touched Wen Nan’s chest, the young wife paused, pressing her fingertips lightly against his muscles as if she were quite pleased with what she felt. A subtle smile lifted the corners of her lips.

A crisp chime sounded in Wen Nan’s mind—the system notification.

9527: Congratulations, the target “the voracious young wife next door” has had her affection rating increased to 10%.

Wen Nan: What?

Just by touching his chest, the affection rating jumped 10%?

He stared, bewildered, at the young wife beside him.

The system continued—

Name: Li Shuyi (Shushu)
Identity: Voracious young wife next door
Background: Li Shuyi, thirty years old this year, was once a carefree housewife. Three years ago, after a tragic accident, her husband died, leaving her a fortune so vast she could never spend it in three lifetimes.

Since then, Li Shuyi has lived alone, her days drained of meaning, the only thing left to her being money. Occasionally, she meets friends, but they all have their own families and careers, unable to keep her company for long. Many nights, unable to bear the loneliness, Li Shuyi would go to bars and drink herself into oblivion.

Your first encounter with Li Shuyi was at the entrance of one such bar. She was drunk beyond measure, and two men passing by were about to take advantage of her. You intervened, escorting her home without so much as a hint of impropriety, leaving quietly that night, your good deed unrewarded.

You soon forgot the incident. But Li Shuyi could never forget the broad, gentle chest of the man who rescued her from danger and carried her home.

In the nights that followed, Li Shuyi often lingered outside the bar where you first met, waiting in vain for your return.

Unexpectedly, when she was about to give up her search, she found you again, quite by accident, in her childhood friend’s company.

Learning you were her friend’s direct subordinate, Li Shuyi began to seek any excuse to visit the office more frequently.

Today’s so-called errand—to return a trial product—was merely another flimsy pretext. What she really wanted was simply a chance to see you.

Affection Difficulty: ★★★★★★

Having absorbed this description, and recalling Li Shuyi’s earlier words, Wen Nan asked her quietly, somewhat surprised:

“To your house? When did we agree I’d come to your house tonight?”

Li Shuyi squinted, her expression darkening with displeasure. “You forgot? You said you might not have time usually, but on my birthday, if I had no one to spend it with, you’d come to keep me company for the night.”

...Birthday?

9527: Li Shuyi’s birthday is June 20th.

Wen Nan: What’s the date today?

9527: July 3rd.

Wen Nan grew increasingly confused, blurting out, “Wasn’t your birthday last month?”

Li Shuyi’s expression grew even gloomier. “My birthday is today,” she said through clenched teeth. “Why did you remember it wrong?”

9527: Attention, target “the voracious young wife next door,” affection rating decreased to 0%.

Wen Nan: ...

Just one sentence, and the 10% he’d earned by letting her touch his chest vanished?

Something wasn’t right.

Wen Nan considered that maybe Li Shuyi had lied about her birthday just to get him to her house that night. If that were the case, when he exposed her, she should have acted embarrassed, shy, or at least tried to cover up her lie.

But her anger seemed genuine, and the affection rating had dropped to zero.

Her reaction was as if today really was her birthday, and Wen Nan had simply remembered it wrong.

Wen Nan: 9527, are you sure? Shouldn’t you double-check whether Li Shuyi’s birthday is June 20th or July 3rd? Maybe she celebrates her lunar birthday and you’ve got the solar date?

9527: No mistake. Li Shuyi has only one solar birthday: June 20th. July 3rd is the anniversary of her late husband’s death.

Wen Nan: ...

Today is her late husband’s memorial day?!

A beautiful, wealthy widow, inviting him to her house on her husband’s death anniversary, insisting it’s her own birthday?

What kind of macabre storyline is this?

Is this scenario getting more and more off track?

Is this supposed to be a romance, or a thriller?

If Wen Nan actually went, would he be sacrificed to honor her late husband? That kind of affection is downright perverse...

When choosing his target at the refresh point, Wen Nan thought that this scenario finally wouldn’t focus solely on diversity. Now, it seemed he had underestimated things—

Could it be that the scenario’s diversity isn’t about the target, but about the romance plot itself?

The so-called “Forbidden Affairs of the Office”—he’d thought the “forbidden” referred to company taboos, May-December romances, blondes, or taboo relationships—a hint of the illicit, underground love.

But this? This isn’t an underground romance, it’s an underworld romance.

Seeing Wen Nan hesitate, Li Shuyi’s expression darkened further. “Are you going to back out? Don’t want to come?”

Wen Nan paused, mentally pulling up his [Mind Reading] skill, but since using it on Huang Yan last time, it was still on cooldown and unavailable.

If he refused outright, what would happen? The affection rating was already at zero, surely it couldn’t drop further?

9527: Attention, target “the voracious young wife next door,” affection rating decreased to -10%.

Wen Nan: ?!

Affection rating could go negative?

“I’ll go! Of course I’ll go!” Wen Nan no longer hesitated, quickly agreeing. “Your birthday—I wouldn’t miss it.”

Li Shuyi finally smiled again. “Good, I’ll be waiting.”

With that, she pushed open the door and left.

9527: Congratulations, target “the voracious young wife next door,” affection rating increased to 0%.

Wen Nan: ...

Zero points—is that really worth congratulating?

“Finished chatting?”

A cool, clear voice came from the other side of the room.

Wen Nan walked to the CEO, smiling sheepishly.

The CEO’s face was cold. “Mr. Night Nine, you really have a wide circle—my family and friends, you seem to know them all?”

Wen Nan defended himself, “Not very well—barely acquainted, really.”

9527: Attention, target “the ultra-cold but secretly soft female CEO,” affection rating decreased to -15%.

Wen Nan: ?

He just told the truth—and the affection rating dropped into the negatives again?!

Just at the start, and he’s already got two negative scores?

A level five scenario—how terrifying.

(End of chapter.)