“Niece, stay for a meal. I booked a private room at a hotel nearby.”

“No need, Uncle Luo, we’ve gotta hurry back.” Mujin glanced at the status bar at the top right of her vision. She had about twenty minutes left in her transformation.

“Alright, I’ll drive you back.” Luo Sheng was very courteous.

Though his face was beaten black and blue, that watch gave him face and even made him money. He valued profit most. A little resentment melted in the gains before him. One black eye? Even two—so what?

“Uh... we can head back ourselves.”

“No can do. I brought your boyfriend over; I should see you two back. It’s not far from your school, just a tap on the gas. Girls don’t like riding in an off-roader, right? We’ll take the sedan.” Luo Sheng waved and opened the villa’s garage gate.

Two cars sat inside. The off-roader from earlier, and a stretch Lincoln sedan.

With Mercedes and BMWs everywhere now, Luo Sheng spent big on a Lincoln to have his own taste. The several million price tag hurt, but for face, he gritted his teeth and bore it. In business, it’s all about the facade.

Mujin remembered it took about ten minutes to get here. Going back would be in time.

She did the math and smiled. “Then thank you, Uncle Luo.”

The car rolled out of the villa courtyard and onto the avenue outside Linhai Garden.

Linhai Garden was like a small city. It had roads, a bank, a mall. Every villa stood alone with a small yard. It felt like the single-family homes in Crayon Shin-chan.

Without the tension of the rescue, Mujin finally had time to enjoy the scenery. Spectacular rockeries, a clear man-made lake, plants in striking shapes. With villas sprinkled around, it looked like a hidden paradise.

Her eyes brightened, soothed by the view. She couldn’t help thinking—when would she get to live in a place like this?

She had hoped to overturn her fate with the System. But she’d already changed that wish to “not become a tycoon.” That dream was probably gone.

The car ran fast. In under ten minutes, they reached the gate of Jiujiang University. It was noon. Students flowed in and out to hunt for food.

The long black Lincoln eased up to the gate and drew a storm of stares.

“Damn, Kai, look. Isn’t that a Lincoln? We got someone rolling up in a Lincoln?”

By chance, Jiang Kai, An Meng, and Wu Hao were heading out to eat. Sharp-eyed Wu Hao smacked Jiang Kai’s arm. “Kai, you know them?”

Jiang Kai’s family had some money, and he knew people. Most of the rich kids on campus were his friends.

“Weird. None of our rich second-gens drive a Lincoln. Did someone swap cars and not tell me?”

As he puzzled over it, the door opened.

When they saw who stepped out, the three of them jolted.

“Zhou Ruiyang?!”

The shock didn’t end there. After Zhou Ruiyang got out, the brown-haired girl who’d called him “husband” that day followed right behind. Today she was stylish and expensive, every move carrying a rich girl’s poise.

Several men in black got out from both sides. “Miss Ye, Mr. Zhou, we’ve arrived at the school. We’ll escort you in.”

Passing students stared. Jiang Kai and the other two gaped till their jaws were about to pop off.

They looked at each other, blank and lost. What even was this?

...

“Really, no need to walk us in, Uncle Luo. We’ve got urgent business, we won’t trouble you!”

“Alright, then come by often, niece.”

“Next time for sure!”

After a few pleasantries, Mujin finally said goodbye to Luo Sheng. The moment the Lincoln pulled away, her smile vanished. She grabbed Zhou Ruiyang’s hand.

“Run!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t ask! Just run!”

She had just received a message from the System.

[Notice: The host’s rented Top-Tier Luxury Set will expire in five minutes. After expiry, the host will be completely naked. Please keep yourself concealed.]

That’s right. The luxury set wasn’t permanent. It was a time-limited item Mujin redeemed.

Even so, the set had cost her a painful 100 points.

The System would match the most fitting luxury outfit to the host’s vibe. That’s why she could show up in labels that even made Luo Sheng wary.

Too bad it was timed. Otherwise she could sell it and live easy for life.

As for the “naked” part, Mujin wasn’t too worried. Not because she was shameless. She could yell “husband” at Zhou Ruiyang in public, sure. Streaking was a different story.

She wasn’t worried because the rental time and her female-form time were both thirty minutes. When the clothes vanished, she would turn back into Sparrow.

Still, five minutes meant only five minutes to dodge Zhou Ruiyang, get out of Linhai Garden, and find a place with no one around to turn back. Every second counted.

So she didn’t dare dawdle. She yanked Zhou Ruiyang along and sprinted down the road.

Zhou Ruiyang had no idea what Mujin was thinking. But he didn’t fight it. He just matched her stride in silence.

Good thing Mujin remembered the layout from flying over earlier. She could find the way back.

They quickly reached the gate of Jiujiang University. The school now checked both the green health code and student IDs. Mujin had neither. She tried to slip in and got stopped by the guard.

“Hold it. Girl with the dyed yellow hair—trying to sneak in looking that flashy? What are you here for?”

“Sir, we’re students here,” Mujin jumped in.

“Students? You don’t know there’s a check? Health code and student ID. Show them.” The guard was stern.

Mujin looked troubled. “I forgot my phone and student ID today. Please just let me in, sir. Look, this is my boyfriend. He can vouch for me.”

She wrapped both hands around Zhou Ruiyang’s arm and rested her head on his shoulder, eyes big and pitiful.

His elbow was wrapped in softness, and Zhou Ruiyang squirmed. He pulled out his own health code and ID and forced a smile. “Yeah, sir, I can vouch for her. She’s a student here too.”

He didn’t actually know who the girl was. But with his waist being pinched hard by her, he had to play along.

That pleading, watery look was hard to take. The guard waved them through, impatient. “Next time, no entry if you forget. Got it?”

“Got it, thanks, sir!” Mujin flashed a sweet smile and dragged Zhou Ruiyang inside.

“Whew... we finally got in.”

Inside the campus, Mujin let out a long breath. Looked like she’d better enter and exit in Sparrow form from now on.

“You look really nervous,” Zhou Ruiyang asked, curious. “Aren’t you a student here? How’d you not bring anything?”

Even if she forgot her ID, she should at least have her phone.

“Uh... I just forgot, hehe.” Mujin stuck out her tongue, trying to bluff it.

Zhou Ruiyang paused. “Who asked you to come save me?”

“Mm... a Sparrow. She brought your stuff in her beak to show me, then led me here.” Mujin cursed inside. She’d rushed to save him and forgot to prep a story.

“I figured it was her. Honestly, I could’ve gotten out even if you hadn’t come.”

“Huh?!” Mujin’s brows pinched. Hands on her hips, she puffed up at him. “So you’re saying I did all that for nothing?”

Zhou Ruiyang looked normal, but he had a flaw: he was too blunt with girls. He was fine with guys, measured and easy. With girls, his brain shifted tracks. He’d tried to adjust his wording. The more he adjusted, the worse it came out.

Mujin didn’t know any of that. She only knew she’d worked her tail off and even burned 100 points to pull him from the fire. His words made it feel like it was all for nothing.

“Uh, that’s not what I meant. I mean... it really wasn’t—” Zhou Ruiyang froze mid-sentence.

Because the girl leaned in and smacked a kiss on his cheek.

“How can you be so awful with words! Do you know how big a price I paid to save you?” A trace of anger glinted in her almond eyes, yet her small mouth kept raining kisses on his face.

Feeling her soft pink lips leaving marks on his cheek again and again, Zhou Ruiyang was stunned stupid. His body started to respond.

Even a saint would waver. Let alone a pure boy like him.

And that response was intense. It was visible, even through his pants.

Mujin planted kiss after kiss. When she stopped and saw him rigid as a statue, she blinked in confusion.

What’s with this guy? When I pecked him before, he never reacted this much.

Mujin blinked and bit her pink lip. A soft sensation came to her attention, and a bead of cold sweat slid down her temple.

Crap. I’ve been a Sparrow for too long!!