Chapter 92: First the Cake, Then You

Thirty minutes ago, in the main hall of the Water and Wind Guild.

Within the ancient courtyard, a pavilion stood amid mountains and rivers, where a middle-aged man dressed in traditional robes sat leisurely on a meditation cushion, savoring his tea.

A young guild member, his hair tied up in a cheeky ponytail, hurried through the corridor and approached the middle-aged man, bowing respectfully.

“Master, the newly established guild office in game lobby 36792 has been completely dismantled.”

“Good,” the middle-aged man replied warmly, a faint smile on his lips.

The young member remained standing respectfully, unwilling to leave and hesitated as if he had something more to say.

“What is it?” The middle-aged man glanced at him, gesturing to the opposite cushion, inviting his disciple to sit and speak.

Upon receiving permission, the young member smiled and took a seat, crossing his legs and leaning forward. He asked, “Master, I don’t understand. When the trial map wasn’t finished yet, you said that if Jun Wuming failed to obtain the fragment, you would intervene yourself. But when the trial ended, you changed your mind at the last moment...”

The middle-aged man laughed, unoffended by his disciple’s questioning, and answered calmly, “I am no immortal. It’s perfectly normal to make mistakes from time to time. Admitting one’s errors and correcting them is the greatest virtue.”

The young member smiled but didn’t press further.

He had been in the Water and Wind Guild for quite a while, and this was the first time he had seen the guild leader miscalculate. He didn’t believe it was normal, but since his master had admitted the mistake, it wasn’t his place as a disciple to say more.

Scratching his head, the young member moved on to the next topic. “Master, I met that person. He’s truly formidable.

“I tested him at the time. He’s definitely a hidden master, someone who keeps his abilities well concealed!

“I gave him the invitation letter on the spot, but just as you predicted, he refused.”

The middle-aged man nodded, responding with a quiet hum.

The young member continued, “As for the blonde, I expelled him as well, and I’ve spoken with several medium and large guilds, asking them to refuse him.”

He paused, his expression turning serious. “That blonde went straight to the new guild opened by that man and became his first member.”

The middle-aged man sipped his tea serenely. “Very good.”

Seeing the guild leader’s reaction, the young member was momentarily confused. “Master... you intentionally set things up to push the blonde into that man’s guild?”

The middle-aged man smiled and shook his head. “I wouldn’t call it a scheme—just going along with the flow and doing someone a favor.”

The young member was full of questions and wanted to ask more, but at that moment, a flash of golden light flickered across the jade pendant on the middle-aged man’s chest.

Seeing the light, the middle-aged man’s expression changed immediately.

For the first time, the young member saw his master lose his calm demeanor, replaced by surprise, confusion, and gravity.

Staring at the jade stone on his chest, the middle-aged man murmured softly, “…Why choose to submit willingly?”

The young member sensed that his master’s words weren’t meant for him, but wasn’t sure if he should respond. As he hesitated, he saw the middle-aged man come to a realization, nodding to himself and answering aloud:

“Once a dungeon is opened, players can no longer intervene. To break the game’s rules and send your own player account in, there’s only one way—apply to bind the golden mastery mark across all domains.”

He paused, then continued, “That account clearly has twenty-eight stars. It’s more than enough to deal with a few female ghosts in the beginner dungeons. So why the rush to send in your top-tier account...

“Could it really be, as the hackers from the Ghostmaster Alliance discovered, that a powerful external force appeared on that map, forcing you to act with your player account?”

Thinking this through, the middle-aged man lowered his gaze, staring into the clear tea for a while, then slowly shook his head. “Just for this—does it truly warrant such drastic action?”

He looked up, his eyes settling on a spot in the void, and asked silently in his heart:

“Or is there another hidden reason behind all this, Jun Wuming?”

...

...

Li Shuyi’s home, bedroom.

After Yu Shujun left without looking back, Wen Nan approached Li Shuyi slowly, bending down slightly. “You’re awake?”

Li Shuyi withdrew her gaze from the doorway and looked at Wen Nan. “Who was that woman?”

“My friend. Since you weren’t feeling well, I called her over to check on you.”

Wen Nan gave a half-hearted, rather implausible answer.

But Li Shuyi didn’t pursue it, accepting the explanation easily—whether because Wen Nan’s charm value was at its peak, or because characters naturally tended to ignore players unrelated to themselves. In any case, Li Shuyi held the corner of the thin blanket, glanced at her bare body half-hidden under the covers, and smiled awkwardly at Wen Nan.

“Mr. Ye, could you bring out the birthday cake from the fridge? I’ll… change and come out.”

Wen Nan nodded gladly, placed the cake on the coffee table, and as he unwrapped the box, looked up to see Li Shuyi emerge from the bedroom in a tight camisole dress.

“Happy birthday,” Wen Nan said with a smile. “Want to make a wish and blow out the candles?”

Sitting close to Wen Nan, Li Shuyi looked at the three candles on the cake, then cast a meaningful glance at the man beside her.

9527: [Congratulations, target ‘the wolfish next-door young wife,’ current strategy progress: 10%!]

Wen Nan lit the three candles.

Li Shuyi nestled sweetly against him, wrapping her arms around Wen Nan’s muscular arm and squeezing gently.

It was pleasantly firm; Li Shuyi was quite satisfied.

9527: [Congratulations, target ‘the wolfish next-door young wife,’ current strategy progress: 18%!]

Feigning ignorance, Wen Nan carefully finished lighting the candles, his lips curving slightly.

This wife whose affection increased each time she touched him had returned.

“Go ahead,” Wen Nan gently pushed the cake toward Li Shuyi.

Li Shuyi clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish, then blew out the candles in one breath.

“What did you wish for?”

“If I say it, it won’t come true.”

Li Shuyi turned to smile at Wen Nan, and from this angle, she noticed the wound at the corner of his lips for the first time. Her smile froze.

She leaned closer, raising her hand to touch the wound, but fearing it might hurt him, her fingers hovered in midair, hesitating. She frowned and asked, “How did you get that?”

Wen Nan replied casually, “It’s nothing. I was careless.”

Li Shuyi seemed to guess what had happened, guilt flickering in her eyes. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s alright,” Wen Nan smiled.

“Let me help with the pain?”

Li Shuyi leaned in, extending her tongue like a kitten, gently licking the wound at the corner of Wen Nan’s lips, which hadn’t yet scabbed.

It stung a little, but was mostly ticklish.

As Wen Nan savored the kiss, the system prompt sounded in his mind—

9527: [Congratulations, target ‘the wolfish next-door young wife,’ current strategy progress: 26%!]

Well then...

Wen Nan wrapped one arm around Li Shuyi’s waist, his other hand cupping her neck, taking the lead as he deepened the gentle kiss.

Li Shuyi’s breathing grew heavy, her palm pressed against Wen Nan’s chest, fingers kneading the firm muscles as delicately as a kitten kneading milk.

9527: [Congratulations, target ‘the wolfish next-door young wife,’ current strategy progress: 38%!]

Wen Nan grabbed her naughty hand on his chest and, his voice husky, said, “Cake first, then you?”

Li Shuyi froze for a moment, then withdrew from his embrace.

Lying back on the sofa, she scooped two dollops of creamy frosting from the cake and smeared them across her chest.

“If Mr. Ye wishes, you can enjoy both at once.”

(End of chapter)