They looked up at Nie Yan, their expressions completely different. Their gazes were now full of resolve.

After Nie Yan got off the stage, Little Su stepped in to replace him. She began explaining the finer details of the War God Tribe’s development plan. The audience was much more receptive to her words compared to before.

“I didn’t know you were such a charismatic speaker!” Ah Chen teased when Nie Yan returned.

Nie Yan faked a laugh, but inwardly thought, after so many years of experience, how could something as insignificant as this rattle me?

Father Nie faintly nodded. Nie Yan’s performance had thoroughly satisfied him. My son has grown up. He continued to chat with the group for a while before something occurred to him. “Wait, son, doesn’t the Tuoba Family own the Nisode auction houses you mentioned?” Father Nie asked.

Nie Yan began explaining how he acquired the auction houses as well as the Tuoba Family’s internal turmoil. All signs pointed toward Tuoba Time preparing to take action against Tuoba Hongye!

Father Nie thought of something. He looked toward the back of the crowd and ordered, “Little Li, give me an updated report on the Tuoba Family’s situation.”

“The Tuoba Family controls a total of seven companies. They’ve recently encountered some financial problems due to the Century Financial Group attempting a hostile takeover of two of their companies. Tuoba Hongye and Tuoba Fengyuan are currently scrambling to stop this by dumping shares into their less important companies and liquidating their assets...”

With the Tuoba Family and Century Financial Group going at each other so fiercely, there were definitely sharks circling around, smelling the stench of blood.

“It’s a good opportunity.” Father Nie’s eyes lit up. With Nie Yan settling the War God Tribe’s gold problems, they had a huge surplus of real world capital to invest. Why not take this opportunity to fish in troubled waters? Who knew what kind of benefits they could reap from this struggle between two large financial groups, especially if they played their cards right!

While Father Nie went to arrange these things, Nie Yan remained to delegate some of the War God Tribe’s more pressing matters.

When everything was settled, the day was almost over. It appeared Nie Yan had unwittingly played hooky all day. However, it couldn’t be helped. He drove home. After dinner, he would log back into Conviction.

...

Huahai High School.

The day had passed in the blink of an eye. As the sun set, the final rays of orange light shone through the classroom windows.

Xie Yao sat in her seat, staring at the empty desk beside her. Every time she noticed the void where he should be, she felt a sense of loss. When she logged off, she had been quite annoyed with him. However, when he didn’t show up at school, the annoyance in her heart slowly faded away, leaving behind only emptiness.

Xie Yao absent-mindedly glanced out the window.

“Xie Yao, school’s over. Let’s go.” Xia Ling walked over.

“Hmm? Oh, alright. Let me pack my things.” Xie Yao snapped out of her daze and began tidying up her desk.

Xia Ling looked at Xie Yao with a teasing smile on her face. “Nie Yan didn’t come today?”

“Yeah.” Xie Yao nodded.

“That’s too bad. He usually walks you to your car at the end of the day,” Xia Ling quipped.

Xie Yao took one last glance at Nie Yan’s computer, her emotions in turmoil. “Let’s go.”

Seeing Xie Yao’s moody expression, Xia Ling quickly changed the subject.

At this time, a young man in a white tracksuit walked over to the two girls. It was Liu Rui. The bruises on his face were already healed, and he appeared quite dashing.

“Oh my! Liu Rui, you’re back? How’s your face? Nothing wrong, right?” Xia Ling feigned pleasant surprise, her voice carrying a noticeable hint of sarcasm. Truthfully, she couldn’t stand the guy. She used to think he was alright. But with Nie Yan’s appearance, his shortcomings became all the more apparent. He was far too arrogant, his ego bruised over the smallest of things. Even though Nie Yan was far from being flawless, he was much more pleasing to the eye.

“I’m doing fine. Yao Yao[1], it’s been too long!” Liu Rui hid his embarrassment and greeted Xie Yao.

“Mhm.” Xie Yao nodded. She wore an indifferent expression.

“Are you still playing Conviction? How strong are you now? I’ve recently hit Level 42 and outfitted myself with a full set of Gold-grade equipment,” Liu Rui proudly announced. “I’ll take you levelling with me in Grand Drum Gill. it’s a Level 45 map! But don’t worry, I’ve convinced some of my brothers in Victorious Return to take us. We’ll level up really fast!” he said enthusiastically. He hadn’t seen Xie Yao in Conviction in a long time, so he had no idea what her current level was.

“Pfft!” Xia Ling involuntarily giggled. Liu Rui really was a frog living at the bottom of a well. Xie Yao was currently Level 47, and she was decked out in top quality Level 45 Gold-grade equipment, with even a few pieces of Dark Gold-grade equipment mixed in.

Liu Rui furrowed his brows, rather displeased by Xia Ling’s response. However, Xie Yao was right there, and the girls were close friends, so he wisely kept his mouth shut.

“Don’t mind me. I’m just thinking of something else.” Xia Ling waved her hand while stifling her laughter.

“Sure, I’ll tag along. But can I invite a friend?” Xie Yao replied after suddenly having a mischievous idea. It was about time Nie Yan got out of the Crystal Caverns. She wondered just what kind of reaction Liu Rui would have when he met Nie Yan’s character inside the game. Stupefied? Scared silly?

“Is your friend a guy or a girl? If it’s a girl, my brothers will certainly welcome her,” Liu Rui joked with what he thought was a bright and sunny smile.

“Sorry, I’ll have to disappoint them. It’s a guy,” Xie Yao replied insipidly.

Liu Rui’s smile froze on his face, but he forced a new one on in a pretentious show of generosity. “That’s also fine. What level is this guy?”

“I think he’s Level 30 something.”

“Oh? That’s a bit low. I don’t know if my brothers will be willing to take him. But don’t worry, it should be fine if I talk to them.” Liu Rui patted his chest.

“Then we’ll have to trouble you. Where should we meet up?” Xie Yao asked, mentally rubbing her hands and cackling maniacally. Someone actually wanted to help powerlevel Nirvana Flame? And even thought his level was too low for their standards? Ha!

“Let’s meet 30 minutes after the server opens. How about Calore’s east entrance?” Liu Rui suggested.

Xia Ling was inwardly dying from laughter to the side. Xie Yao was simply too mean! She was normally gentle and refined. But she was perfectly capable of concocting up some devious schemes.

“Xie Yao, let me send you off.” Liu Rui glanced at Xia Ling. He wanted to get rid of this unwanted third wheel and spend some quality time with Xie Yao.

“It’s more exciting if everyone goes together.” Xie Yao grabbed Xia Ling’s hand. “Xia Ling, let’s go!”

The two girls walked out the classroom, happily chatting away.

“Little Yue said she’s coming back to see us.”

“Really? When?”

“I don’t know. I heard she’s been very busy helping at her family’s company. She’s only able to come online every once in a while.”

Xie Yao and Xia Ling gossiped happily while Liu Rui quietly tagged behind. He was effectively turned into the third wheel. His expression was dark because his underlings had kept him updated on everything that happened in school, especially anything related to Xie Yao. She had been spending a lot of time alone with Nie Yan, and she was always smiling when they were together. It had caused a feeling of unease to sprout in his heart. He was intimidated by Nie Yan’s talent and ability. He only dared to show himself today because he heard Nie Yan was absent.

“I’m going home now,” Xie Yao bid farewell to Xia Ling as she got in her family car. She didn’t spare Liu Rui so much as a glance.

Liu Rui got the message of Xie Yao’s cold shoulder loud and clear. Stupid bitch! You’re nothing but a pretty face. What’s there to be so arrogant about? He was more interested in her wealth than anything else. The world was full of beauties. He could easily pick them out as he pleased.

...

As Nie Yan drove home from his parents’ company, Xie Yao’s dial tone began playing on his phone.

He pressed the answer button, and Xie Yao’s beautiful face showed up on screen. What made him almost veer off the road, however, was the fact that she was lying on a couch in a lacy pink nightgown. The tantalizing sleeveless outfit, decorated with cute polka-dots, revealed her jade-white arms all the way up to her alluring shoulders. Her pretty cheeks were dazzling, with a slightly shy blush that made her appear somewhat drunk. Xie Yao looked charmingly naive, her tight skirt and protruding chest exposing hints of white skin on both sides.

Nie Yan racked his brain, but couldn’t fathom why Xie Yao would wear such a sexy outfit to video call him. Nevertheless, his eyes were immediately glued onto the screen and refused to look away.

Xie Yao looked at Nie Yan’s face through the video screen, her pulse racing. Her face blazed as she felt his gaze roaming her body. A strange feeling arose in her heart, and she suddenly felt ashamed of the bold whimsy that led to this scene. Nie Yan had been gone for just a day, yet she already felt empty inside as if she were incomplete. She had no idea when she had become so reliant on Nie Yan.

Her parents had gone on vacation and wouldn’t be back for months. Being home alone, her sense of loss had bred a fervent desire to call Nie Yan.

「Nie Yan, why didn’t you come to school today?」She finally mustered up the courage to start a conversation.

「Something came up at my parents’ company, so I went over to help out,」Nie Yan explained. Xie Yao’s sincere concern made him feel incredibly touched. This was the first time he had felt so close to the goddess of his heart. This video call connected them to each other much deeper than ever before.

Looking at Xie Yao gave Nie Yan a feeling that an entire lifetime had passed since he’d seen her. Her sexy yet charming figure seemed too picturesque, almost like a porcelain doll. Nie Yan’s affections from both lifetimes merged together, everlasting yet impossibly distant.

「Anything happen at school?」

「Not much. Liu Rui finally came back to school today. It seems he made a full recovery.」

Nie Yan’s eyes glinted with a sharp light as he calculated how much time had passed. That kid should’ve recovered long ago, but he only returned the one day I’m not there? Hmph! Does he think people won’t see through the coincidence?

[1] This is not her IGN. Repeating a person’s “first” name twice is used as a term of endearment in Chinese.