Chapter 030: Claimed

"Huh?"

Lu Yuan blinked, disoriented by Cheng Xiao's sudden proposition.

"What hesitation?" She laughed behind delicate fingers. "You admitted desiring me."

"I just…" Lu Yuan stumbled, uncharacteristically flustered. "No obligations exist here. We could remain friends if—"

"No!" Cheng Xiao's interruption carried volcanic intensity. "I choose this. I choose you."

"But I might only be—"

"A fleeting distraction?" She finished his sentence. "Irrelevant." Her voice softened to a wounded whisper. "You're the first since Mother's death to see…me. Not just this." Her hand brushed collarbone to hip.

She stepped closer,浴巾 slipping precariously. "Claim what's offered, Lu-ge."

——

One hour later.

Peninsula Hotel Presidential Suite.

Steam serpentined from the bathroom as Cheng Xiao bathed. Her silhouette behind frosted glass mimicked ink dispersing in water—a living Rorschach test. Lu Yuan paced, desire and guilt warring beneath his sternum. The girl's tragic history anchored heavier than lust.

The water ceased.

She emerged,浴巾 adhering to dewy skin like second flesh. Water diamonds fell from her hair onto Carrara marble. Lu Yuan's diaphragm froze—a Renaissance muse stepped from canvas to ruin mortal men.

"My turn to shower." He edged toward sanctuary.

Cheng Xiao blocked his retreat, arms coiling around his neck. "Regrets germinating already?" Her whisper carried bergamot and danger.

"You might despise dawn's reflection."

Her pupils flared. Before countermove, she shoved him onto the acreage of Egyptian cotton.

For bandwidth-conscious readers, 36,000 words of strategic entanglement are redacted.

——

Post-engagement.

Lu Yuan combed damp strands from Cheng Xiao's sleeping face, tracing the otherworldly symmetry. "First conquest being a parallel-reality celebrity…system?"

The interface materialized:

[Name]: Cheng Xiao

[Physique]: 42

[Strength]: 43

[Spirit]: 47

[Intelligence]: 51

[Loyalty]: Tier 9

[Evaluation]: Unconditional allegiance

"Near-fanatical devotion already?" His thumb grazed her jawline. "Innocent psyche meets engineered compassion—chemical wildfire."

Self-diagnostics revealed:

[Name]: Lu Yuan

[Age]: 24

[Wealth]: ∞

[Inventory]: Attribute Point ×1, 1-Star Lottery Token ×1

[Physique]: 59

[Strength]: 61

[Spirit]: 73

[Intelligence]: 59

He allocated the point to Intelligence. Neural pathways brightened—childhood memories crystallized, forgotten song lyrics resurfacing verbatim.

The lottery token shimmered.

[Acquired: Harmonic Architecture Proficiency (1-Star)]

"Seems trivial…wait." His mind replayed Billboard-topping hits from his previous existence. This skill could replicate them note-perfect here.

A predatory grin surfaced. "Future collaborations with divas just transitioned from fantasy to business model."

Cheng Xiao stirred, nuzzling his pectorals. Lu Yuan pressed lips to her forehead while strategizing. Loyalty Tier 9 held value, but why settle for one songstress when he could conduct an orchestra of platinum-selling sirens?

The system pulsed:

[New Milestone: Maestro's Ambition]

[Reward: 2-Star Lottery Token (Entertainment Empire Tier)]

Tonight's skirmish was merely the opening chord.