In Jiangshan City’s upscale Lanling District—nestled in the urban bustle yet cradled by emerald hills and clear waters—it felt like a hidden utopia.

Truly, money really did let you do whatever you wanted.

Compared to someone like Ye Huaixian—a commoner whose only shot at wealth was probably his old house getting demolished by the government—the kids born in Lanling were mostly called “Young Master” or “Miss,” silver spoons firmly in their mouths from birth.

Right now, inside a villa bedroom, a girl sat alone on a plush cushion before a massive screen. Controller in hand, a faintly bored expression on her face, she racked up victory after victory in the arena. In the unbalanced free PvP matches, her pay-to-win god-tier gear ensured victory—even against far more skilled, serious opponents. The scales always tipped her way.

She was Gu Qianqian, the Gu family’s young mistress. After years studying abroad, she’d recently transferred to nearby Lanling High School, moving from her father’s side back to her long-absent mother.

Free-spirited and stubborn, she was a handful her mother couldn’t manage.

Descending the stairs, a beautiful woman with a face mask spotted her daughter slouching carelessly before the screen. Annoyance flared. “Look at Jiang Yueyan from the Jiang family—accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, painting. Did you hear that piano just now? If you played half as well, I wouldn’t worry so much!”

Gu Qianqian let out a listless yawn. She’d heard it—but following “less trouble is better,” she pretended the headphones drowned it out.

*Jiang Yueyan, Jiang Yueyan… ugh, so tiresome.* The classic “other people’s child.”

Gu Qianqian only knew Jiang Yueyan as the neighbor whose nightly piano melodies haunted her. Each time, her mom would slip in a jab—*Am I even her real daughter?!*

Oh, and Jiang Yueyan was Lanling High’s student council president—her senior. But after endless praise, Gu Qianqian felt nothing but resistance. *Always acting so high-and-mighty. Didn’t I see her laughing with some guy on enrollment day?*

Her mother sighed again, muttering as she walked away: “Should’ve never bought into that ‘foreign education’ myth… Look at Jiang Yueyan—so proper, polite, graceful…”

Gu Qianqian KO’d another player, yanked off her headphones, padded barefoot to the door, shut it firmly, and double-locked it.

PvP was getting dull. *When’s he logging on?!*

She played the hot new MMO *The Fantasy Sky*. Her class: Sword Saint. Her IGN: *Only I Am Supreme*—meant to flirt with girl players.

Turns out the first person she met—a cute little mage girl, her very first friend—turned out, during voice chat, to be… a guy.

Gu Qianqian felt utterly betrayed!

And naming himself *Xian Xian*? So girly! Was he an idiot? A creep?!

At that exact moment, Ye Huaixian sneezed while washing dishes. *Autumn’s chilly. Gotta layer up… and check Xiao Xian’s clothes soon.*

Too late now. He’d already joined that squad. What choice did he have? Empress was insane—wrecking his pay-to-win gear with low-level stuff. Panda Brother was chill and kind. Only *Xian Xian*… that infuriating guy.

He grumbled inwardly, but the weekly raid still waited for him. They were teammates. They’d promised long ago… right?

Unseen by anyone, tucked deep in Gu Qianqian’s inventory, lay a “Pledge Starlight Ring”—priced at 520 RMB.

Its purpose?

One thing only.

To propose.

The marriage system was a core feature of *The Illusory Sky*.

But no one knew when she bought it.

Or for whom.