The Herta, Yoga Pants, and the Movie Theater

Lin Hai changed into a comfortable set of new clothes, the ends of his hair still damp from his bath.

The warm water had washed away more than just his fatigue.

As he dried his hair, a series of messages appeared on the panel in his mind:

[Contract mission: Share a bed and pillow (completed)]

[Hidden reward activated: Power of the Path of Erudition (beginner)]

[Effect: Establish an initial connection to the Path of "Erudition," slightly increasing information processing speed]

A cool, pure energy flowed into the depths of Lin Hai's consciousness.

His neural network was strengthened, becoming more efficient.

Lin Hai could see the subtle flow of energy in his surroundings, and his perception and control of his own power had also reached a new level!

"I've gotten stronger again!"

Though he had expected this generous reward, Lin Hai could hardly contain his delight.

He gently pushed open the bedroom door. Soft morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, bathing everything in the room in a warm golden glow.

The Herta was still fast asleep. The genius researcher who was usually calm, rational, and in control of everything was completely unguarded at this moment.

Her hair spread across the pillow, her breathing soft and even. Her sleeping face was serene, like a carefully sculpted work of art.

Lin Hai lightened his steps and stopped beside the bed, gazing quietly at her for a long while, his heart softening.

Perhaps his gaze was too intent, for the sleeping Herta seemed to sense it. Her lashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was the morning light spilling through the window. Then her eyes met Lin Hai's, full of admiration and love.

The Herta was momentarily startled, but her not yet fully awake mind was quickly occupied by the changes within her body.

She keenly sensed that the upper limit of her power, which had reached a bottleneck, had loosened considerably and risen!

Not only that, her physical abilities had improved across the board, and every cell was brimming with greater vitality!

Even more surprising to The Herta was that she could clearly feel the repulsion the world exerted on her had weakened.

This meant she could stay longer in Lin Hai's world.

An extremely concise notification appeared deep in The Herta's mind:

[Times pampered: +1]

The Herta's gaze returned to Lin Hai.

Her eyes shone with a mixture of pleasant surprise, curiosity, and a hint of eagerness.

A smile curled her lips, plainly carrying a trace of challenge.

"It seems," The Herta said, her voice slightly husky, "that as long as we try more... crazy things together, I'll keep getting stronger."

Lin Hai met The Herta's gaze and nodded slightly. "You're right. That's indeed how the Contract Lucky Star's power works."

He paused briefly, then continued, "And it won't just make you stronger. It'll grant me new powers as well."

"What power did you gain?" The Herta asked.

Rather than answer in words, Lin Hai slowly raised his hand, palm up.

The next moment, a strange, pure energy gathered and flowed at his fingertips.

The energy was cold and abstract, like wisdom and logic given form, carrying a sense of order that perceived the rules of all things.

This was the power of the Path of Erudition!

The Herta's pupils contracted sharply.

Astonishment.

Yes, unprecedented astonishment!

As an Emanator of the Path of Erudition, The Herta could sense more clearly than anyone that what had gathered in Lin Hai's hand was the pure power of the Path of Erudition.

However, The Herta soon regained her composure.

Her recent interactions with Lin Hai had already overturned the limits of her understanding time and again.

A summons across worlds.

The Contract Lucky Star's strange abilities.

Even the breakthrough in the upper limit of The Herta's own power.

Which of those wasn't inconceivable?

By comparison, one more incredible thing seemed... acceptable.

"Last night's experiment was carried out very well, and the results were excellent too." The Herta abruptly changed the subject, glancing out the window.

"Lin Hai, with such a lovely day ahead of us, why don't we try another round of... data collection?"

Lin Hai couldn't help laughing when he heard that, but reminded her with concern, "We both used up quite a bit of energy last night, especially you. You used up a lot. Are you sure you can handle it?"

The Herta smiled and showed him her answer through her actions.

She leaned forward and took the initiative to kiss him.

After the kiss, she pulled back slightly, the corners of her lips raised as she waited for his response.

The two were perfectly in sync, each able to see what the other was thinking.

The Herta stood before the full-length mirror and swiftly changed into a yoga outfit.

A pair of high-waisted, smoky-gray yoga pants and a sports tank top in a matching shade.

The smoothly tailored clothes perfectly outlined her well-proportioned, powerful figure.

The cool-toned ensemble complemented The Herta's long hair and bearing.

The outfit had been tailor-made for her.

She walked out of the changing area, came over to Lin Hai, and gave a light twirl.

"Well? Does it look good?"

Lin Hai nodded in approval. "It looks fantastic. It really suits you."

After getting ready, the two went out arm in arm, in perfect accord.

Instead of choosing the noisy downtown, they found a quiet movie theater showing classic old films.

Today's showing was Titanic. There were only a handful of people in the auditorium, and the spacious setting was better suited to spending time together in private.

As the familiar melody echoed through the theater and the story of the great ship gradually unfolded on the screen, the two sat side by side in the soft seats.

Although every frame of the film had long been etched into people's minds, Lin Hai's attention wasn't entirely absorbed by it.

His arm naturally slipped around The Herta's waist, his palm feeling its supple curve.

The Herta seemed completely absorbed in the plot.

On the screen, the classic scene of Jack and Rose spreading their arms at the ship's bow at dusk played out.

The Herta suddenly turned toward Lin Hai in the dim light and quickly took the initiative to kiss him.

At that very moment, the lovers on the screen were locked in a kiss amid the evening glow and sea breeze.

One screen, two pairs of people in love, intertwined at that moment, as though the deep affection in the film had quietly spilled over, gracing the tranquil corner beyond it.

Lin Hai said, "I have to admit, you're very good at kissing."

"Kissing is simple enough, and there's plenty of material on screen to learn from..."

"So, The Herta, was I your first kiss?"

"Well..." The Herta's cheeks flushed crimson.

The theater was too dim to make out her expression, but she was clearly shy and too embarrassed to say it.

Lin Hai smiled. "It was me?"

"Yes!" The Herta glared at Lin Hai. "You're not allowed to let it get out. Don't tell anyone else! You can't tell a soul!"

"All right, I won't."

"Promise me. Promise you won't tell."

"I promise I won't, but I have one condition."

"What condition?" The Herta asked.

Lin Hai smiled. "I'll tell you when we get home. We're in a movie theater. It wouldn't be good if other people overheard something that explicit."