The next day, Xu Youyuan was still sleeping soundly in bed, lost in her sixth dream, when Shi Yue was brutally awakened by her alarm.
"Good morning, Shi Yue. The current time is 8:30 AM Beijing time. What would you like for breakfast today?" The AI dog, equipped with a vacuum cleaner at the base of its tail, paused outside her bedroom door upon seeing her sit up. "Cheese toast with mango or French toast with milk?"
A few days ago, Shi Yue had installed a "chef program" she coded in her spare time into the AI dog, and now was the perfect time to test it out.
But milk was out of the question—just the thought of Xu Youyuan forcing her to drink nearly an entire bottle yesterday still made her nauseous.
"Replace the mango with peach," Shi Yue said, yawning as she got out of bed.
"Understood," the AI dog replied.
Shi Yue observed the silver-white AI dog, its sleek metallic body exuding a cold, mechanical aura. Though its design mimicked a canine, complete with simulated walking movements, it was unmistakably an intelligent machine. The most obvious tell? When one tail wasn’t enough, it would stand up on its hind legs, using its front paws to sweep with a broom or slip on waterproof gloves to wash vegetables. Every time it stood upright, it looked neither like a dog nor a human—just an awkward hybrid.
Now, the AI dog was in the kitchen, standing on two legs to prepare breakfast.
Shi Yue found the sight slightly unsettling.
Should she modify it into a full-fledged AI robot, or adjust its form and cover it with fur to make it resemble a talking dog more convincingly? She needed to think this through carefully.
By the time she finished showering, breakfast was ready. The AI dog returned to its wireless charging station after completing its chores, curling up as if asleep. Within a two-meter radius, it could recharge effortlessly.
The breakfast was decent, though nothing extraordinary. Maybe cheese toast wasn’t challenging enough for the chef program to showcase its skills. Tomorrow, she’d have it make zhajiangmian to test its culinary range.
Still drowsy when she first woke up, Shi Yue felt much more alert after showering and eating.
She had been too caught up in fun last night and hadn’t reviewed some work documents. Today, she skipped the electric scooter and skimmed through the files in the car. By the time she finished, there were still 500 meters to the office, and given the traffic, it would take a while longer.
Shi Yue picked up her phone and messaged Xu Youyuan, asking what time she’d be online tonight.
No reply after several minutes—she must still be asleep.
Do people really become less energetic in their thirties? At twenty-three, Shi Yue hadn’t experienced it yet.
When she arrived at the office, Little Teddy was just getting coffee. Spotting Shi Yue, she rushed over like an overenthusiastic salesperson.
"Boss! The usual latte? I’ll bring it to your office!"
Little Teddy’s voice was shrill and piercing. After getting used to Xu Youyuan’s deeper tone, the sudden noise made Shi Yue’s ears ache, her head buzzing.
"No, just an Americano today."
"Got it! Coming right up!"
"Thanks."
Shi Yue took two steps before turning back. "Where’s Yi Rushuang?"
Little Teddy seemed surprised by the boss’s interest in Yi Rushuang. "Oh, she left with Old Huang right after arriving—something about meeting a partner." Old Huang was the operations manager.
"Meeting a partner? What does an operations staffer have to do with that?"
Little Teddy hesitated. "Well… Old Huang asked her to go."
"Tell her to come see me when she gets back."
"Will do!"
Shi Yue was busy all morning. By the time Yi Rushuang showed up, lunchtime had long passed.
"You wanted to see me?" Yi Rushuang had cut her hair slightly shorter, now resting just above her shoulders—a style somewhat similar to Xu Youyuan’s. Shi Yue glanced at her a moment longer than usual before motioning for her to sit.
Yi Rushuang closed the door and sat down, nervous.
The boss hadn’t asked her to bring any reports, which was more unsettling than being grilled about conversion rates or bounce rates.
Was she being fired? Probably not—HR handled terminations, not the boss directly.
So why was she here? And why was Shi Yue looking at her like that…?
Shi Yue smiled. "You cut your hair?"
Yi Rushuang hadn’t expected small talk. "Uh, yeah," she replied cautiously.
"Looks good. By the way, didn’t you say you live in the western suburbs?"
"Yes."
"That’s pretty far. Which part? How long’s the commute?"
Shi Yue’s tone was serious, leaving Yi Rushuang even more confused about where this was going.
"Near Chaqiao. Takes about an hour and a half by subway."
"That is far. Never thought about moving closer?"
Yi Rushuang sighed. "I have, but after checking rental prices, I gave up."
"Chaqiao… is that near Juheyuan?"
Yi Rushuang blinked. "Yeah, I live in Juheyuan."
"Huh, what a coincidence. Any gyms around there?"
"Gyms…? I’m not sure."
Shi Yue asked for her account details and transferred 10,000 yuan, instructing Yi Rushuang to find a gym near Juheyuan and get her an annual membership.
"Thanks for the help. I’ll treat you to a meal later."
Yi Rushuang stared at the sudden deposit in her account, baffled.
She had no idea where Shi Yue lived, but it definitely wasn’t the western suburbs.
Why would she want to work out so far away?
If it were Little Teddy, she’d have blurted the question immediately. But Yi Rushuang was more reserved, more mature.
She figured someone as successful as Shi Yue didn’t live like ordinary people. There had to be a reason she wanted a gym in the western suburbs.
Xu Youyuan didn’t reply to Shi Yue’s message until the afternoon, sending a long text instead. She explained she was exhausted from yesterday, hadn’t slept well, and woke up with a puffy face and sore muscles. She wasn’t in good shape to dive back into the game and needed a couple of days to rest, hit the gym, and recover before taking on the twin serpent sisters again.
Shi Yue hadn’t seen anyone send such a long text in ages. Why type all that when a voice message would’ve been easier?
She replied with a voice note: "Alright, take it easy these next couple days."
The following day, Yi Rushuang delivered the gym membership card, explaining the annual fee was only 5,500 yuan and offering to return the remaining money.
Shi Yue waved it off. "Keep it. You went out of your way to help me despite your workload."
Yi Rushuang protested, "But I can’t just—"
"Buy yourself something nice," Shi Yue said, smiling as she took the card.
Shi Yue had one of those faces where every expression looked sweet. Yi Rushuang’s heart raced under that sugary smile, and she could only nod before leaving.
Distracted, Yi Rushuang wandered down the hallway when Kun passed by. After a few steps, he turned back and pointed at her shoulder. "Hey, your seam’s coming apart! Why are you so frugal?"
If it weren't for Kun pointing it out, Yi Rushuang wouldn’t have noticed at all when her clothes had frayed, revealing the black thermal underwear underneath.
Yi Rushuang quickly covered the tear, thanked Kun, and hurried away with her head down.
No wonder the boss had told her earlier to go buy a new outfit she liked—this was why!
Yi Rushuang wished she could dig a hole right then and there to bury her head in it…
After Yi Rushuang left, Chris from the marketing department entered Shi Yue’s office and informed her that the press conference was ready and would begin in an hour.
“Finally,” Shi Yue said eagerly. “Let’s go, let’s go.”
Shi Yue, Chris, and their marketing colleagues took the elevator down to the underground parking lot. Chris briefed Shi Yue on all the business and media outlets that would be attending.
Shi Yue raised an eyebrow—the scale was even grander than she’d imagined.
Seemed like there was no need to worry about Liu Feng surviving a single strike. He had practically handed her an axe to finish him off.
When she got into the car, Shi Yue checked the time: 2:40 PM.
There should still be enough time.
Xu Youyuan attended a private fitness class in the afternoon, working out until past six. The sharp pain in her body had dulled, and she felt refreshed, drenched in sweat that dripped steadily down her skin.
By dinnertime, she wasn’t hungry. She bought some nuts and sat in the lounge watching TV, planning to relax a bit before swimming and soaking in the pool to unwind before heading home.
The gym equipment was a bit outdated, but it had everything she needed. Plus, the area was mostly populated by overworked office workers who worked from nine to nine, so weekdays were especially quiet—perfect for someone like Xu Youyuan who hated crowds.
By the time the office workers finished their shifts, she could pack up and leave, neatly avoiding rush hour.
With about two hours left before the after-work crowd arrived, Xu Youyuan massaged her leg muscles while idly flipping through TV channels. The lounge was empty except for her, so she could change channels freely.
Lately, her life had revolved around staying home or battling it out in games, leaving her out of touch with industry and social news. She switched to a tech channel to catch up.
To her surprise, she saw a familiar face on screen.
Liu Feng?
Xu Youyuan stopped massaging her legs, the nut she was about to eat frozen mid-air.
It was definitely Liu Feng. Even with the shaky camera footage, she recognized him—after all, not long ago, this man had publicly humiliated her.
This was breaking news.
Liu Feng, founder of Oyes, had been exposed for scandalous behavior during a press conference. Not only did his wife cause a scene, but the police were also called, and Liu Feng was taken away on the spot.
Rumors swirled about his chaotic personal life and his involvement in multiple loan and fraud cases.
The report was brief, lacking detail—likely because Oyes wasn’t a well-known company, hardly warranting extensive coverage.
Xu Youyuan grabbed her phone and searched for updates on Liu Feng in industry news.
After some digging, she found that Oyes wasn’t quite what Liu Feng had made it out to be. There was almost no information about the company, except for one article covering the press conference, which mentioned Oyes’ upcoming collaboration with N-COUNT.
N-COUNT?
Wasn’t that the developer of Dark Box?
Xu Youyuan remembered correctly. She double-checked—yes, it was N-COUNT.
So Liu Feng hadn’t been lying. He really had climbed his way up.
Dark Box was still in its transformation phase, brimming with untapped potential. Though N-COUNT couldn’t yet compete with SQUALL, it was a young company bold enough to pivot entirely. Its leadership clearly had vision and courage. Given time, N-COUNT would undoubtedly make waves.
If not for Liu Feng’s spectacular downfall at the press conference, Oyes might have actually had a shot at success.
Xu Youyuan read through the online reports, which offered far more details than the TV segment.
Liu Feng’s wife had stormed the event, accusing him of keeping mistresses—even fathering children outside their marriage. His wife, four years his senior, was the second daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur. Her family’s financial backing had likely been the real force behind Oyes’ founding.
Just as Oyes began gaining traction, Liu Feng started siphoning assets—the final straw for his wife.
She was the one who called the police and exposed all his illegal activities. Liu Feng had truly reaped what he sowed.
After reading the news, Xu Youyuan felt something was… off.
Poetic justice? Karma?
Sure, Liu Feng was insufferably arrogant, but this retribution felt too swift, too perfect—like something out of a revenge fantasy novel.
Xu Youyuan held her phone, lost in thought. Then she deleted “Oyes” from the search bar and typed in “N-COUNT” instead.
…
Leaving the press conference, Shi Yue hummed a tune, her mood excellent.
She sent Chris and the team back to the office—she had other plans and wouldn’t be returning. After briefing them on tomorrow’s meeting, she got into her car and drove off.
Her destination? Haoyu Fitness Club in the western suburbs.
On the way, her WeChat group buzzed nonstop with notifications. Shi Yue opened it to find her friends even more excited than she was.
Little Teddy’s Home Doesn’t Raise Cats: “It’s here, it’s here! Fresh, high-definition, unedited shots straight from the scene! Feast your eyes on Old Liu getting stabbed in the back!”
Five close-up shots of Liu Feng’s face followed—each capturing a different stage of his meltdown: from stunned disbelief to shock, then fury, followed by spittle-flecked screaming, his face flushing beet red. Every emotional shift was crystal clear.
Then, Little Teddy’s Home Doesn’t Raise Cats sent five more shots—this time of Liu Feng’s wife. Her expression was pure ice, oozing disdain without so much as a blink.
Little Teddy’s Home Doesn’t Raise Cats: “See the difference? Big Sis is next-level. Big Sis is majestic. Hey, Yue, do you know if Big Sis is—”
Before Shi Yue could reply, the third member of the group chimed in, her voice low and unimpressed.
Earth’s Strongest Alpha: “What the hell is wrong with you? How does this even get you hyped?”
Little Teddy’s Home Doesn’t Raise Cats: “Rich second-gen, master manipulator—who wouldn’t love that?”
Earth’s Strongest Alpha: “If she can screw someone over today, she’ll screw you tomorrow. Stay in your lane.”
Little Teddy’s Home Doesn’t Raise Cats didn’t respond with voice this time—just sent six dots.
These two were Shi Yue’s closest friends. Little Teddy’s Home Doesn’t Raise Cats was her high school classmate who’d stayed in China, while Earth’s Strongest Alpha was her college roommate, having returned with her from abroad.
Earth’s Strongest Alpha was a hacking prodigy. Tracking Liu Feng’s movements had been child’s play for her. When Shi Yue first asked for help, she’d effortlessly pulled up all his spending records, surveillance footage from his secondary residences and frequented hotels—making it easy for Little Teddy’s Home Doesn’t Raise Cats to gather evidence.
A-Tou ran her own agency, specializing in handling matters that were difficult to resolve through official channels. In the past, she might have been called a "private detective," but nowadays, she was more often referred to as a "proxy manager" or "personal consultant." The photos of Liu Feng's affair were all taken by A-Tou—captured with professional studio-level clarity from 300 meters away. She printed over 200 high-definition photos and mailed them to his wife, covering every possible angle, leaving no room for doubt.
Originally, Shi Yue had only wanted to ruin Liu Feng's reputation, never intending to land him in prison. But his wife turned out to be formidable—she gathered all his illegal records and reported them to the police. Rumor had it that the amount involved in Liu Feng's case was enough to put him behind bars for twenty years.
Ignoring the taunts from the so-called "Earth's Strongest Alpha," A-Tou continued her plea for the older sister's contact.
The Earth's Strongest Alpha asked Shi Yue, "You actually spent time dealing with someone like this, and in such a roundabout way? Do you have some other scheme up your sleeve?"
Shi Yue replied, "Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed."
The Earth's Strongest Alpha sighed. "Fine, whatever. But I have one demand."
"Go on."
"Change that godawful profile picture of yours. That giant pink peony makes me dizzy."
Shi Yue burst out laughing. "You idiot, that’s a peony."
"Peony or rose, just change it."
"Don’t you think it’s super wholesome?"
"Wholesome? More like polluting my feed. The first time I saw it, I thought it was my great-aunt’s post."
A-Tou cut in, "You guys are ignoring me! Fine, I’ll find the older sister’s contact myself. I know her company address! Hmph."
Shi Yue waved them off. "Enough messing around. I’ve got things to do—catch you later."
Seeing that she was nearing the gym, Shi Yue quickly ditched her friends and got ready to leave.
Her phone, still connected to Bluetooth, continued playing voice messages from the group chat.
The Earth's Strongest Alpha: "You’ve been acting weird lately. Let’s meet up—haven’t seen you in a month."
A-Tou (whose username was "No Cats at A-Tou’s House"): "You’re all ignoring me! I’m blocking you!"
Xu Youyuan put down her phone, amused by the whole thing.
Stepping onto the unfolded weight scale, she pieced together the earlier events and finally understood the hidden connections. She couldn’t help but chuckle.
Was this kid made entirely of schemes?
Lost in thought, her gaze drifted downward, casually checking her weight. Hmm, 65kg. A little heavier than usual.
…Wait.
65kg?!
Xu Youyuan thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She stepped off, then back on.
The numbers flickered—56, 57… then shot up to 66 before dropping back to 65, finally settling there.
Her jaw nearly hit the floor. How was this possible? Over the years, her weight had crept up slightly, but it had always hovered around 57kg. She hadn’t weighed herself in three or four days—how could it jump so much?
No way.
She had to try again.
"Pfft—"
Hearing someone stifling laughter behind her, Xu Youyuan whipped around and glared. Shi Yue was crouched behind her, one foot pressing down on the scale, forcing the number up to 70kg.
So this little troublemaker was behind the weight spike!
"Shi Yue? What are you doing here?" Xu Youyuan lunged to grab her ear, but Shi Yue dodged with a spin.
"Hey, no need to get handsy right away," Shi Yue said, grinning. "I was just wondering—why do I keep running into you everywhere?"
Xu Youyuan narrowed her eyes. "Everywhere? I live nearby. That’s why you ‘run into me.’ Do you even live around here?"
"Nope," Shi Yue said breezily. "But this gym is owned by a friend of mine. They gave me a free annual membership, so here I am."
"You came all this way just because it’s free?"
"Obviously. I don’t make much—why pass up free stuff?" Shi Yue bounced lightly on a pink exercise ball, smiling at Xu Youyuan like a mischievous candy. "I was kinda hoping I’d bump into you. And look, here you are. Xu Youyuan, don’t you think fate’s playing games with us?"
