Nothing But Thirty

He continued his monotonous daily routine: exercising in the morning, studying stocks, making nuisance calls, looking at houses, and flipping through books and such.

Day after day. No wonder he couldn't find a girlfriend; not one thing he did had anything to do with women.

Back then, he'd had nothing to look forward to and no ambition. Whenever he had nothing to do, he'd just play on his phone and scroll through videos. Now that he had something to look forward to, his time was taken up by busy studying and making a living.

It all came down to human greed. People never seemed to find true freedom.

That day, Wang Yan was making his usual nuisance calls when the system's notification arrived.

"Lin Youyou from Nothing But Thirty made a wish: to be with Xu Huanshan."

It was a hit drama from a while back. Wang Yan had naturally watched some of it. In a nutshell, Nothing But Thirty was "the story of three women," and he still remembered some of the plot.

Wang Yan figured there were only two possibilities behind Lin Youyou's wish: either she truly loved Xu Huanshan, or her competitive streak made her want to get one over on Gu Jia. After all, jealousy could make people unrecognizable.

The system had also given him a year to stay, so he could see what Lin Youyou chose to do after the fireworks factory explosion.

This mission seemed pretty interesting.

It had been a while, and he'd almost forgotten the plot.

He turned on his computer, logged into his streaming account, and started watching one episode after another.

He spent his days working to make money and his nights watching the show. It took him four whole days to finish it and refresh his memory of the entire plot. Put simply, it was all about money.

And this time, the mission wouldn't even require him to do much. He just had to get Xu Huanshan and Gu Jia to divorce early, and keep anyone else from getting involved and making a mess of things. With Lin Youyou's limited tricks, Xu Huanshan was bound to fall for her.

Wang Yan jotted down some stock information. That was the key to making money. He couldn't keep running off to the Golden Triangle, after all. That would look ridiculous.

After noting down the key information, he drew the curtains, lay on the bed, pulled up the panel, and tapped confirm.

A flash of blue light passed, and Wang Yan vanished from the bed once more.

Wang Yan opened his eyes and took in the unfamiliar surroundings as he received the information transmitted by the system.

The system had really gone all out this time. It had set him up with assets worth over a hundred million and the status of a financial elite right from the start. According to the system, he was now in the very apartment where Gu Jia lived in the show: Junyue Mansion.

In the first world, his net worth had been fifty thousand. In the second, he'd started out in prison. By comparison, this time really was like a vacation.

Once he'd absorbed all the information, Wang Yan looked around the apartment.

The system had pretty good taste. The overall decor leaned toward the Jiangnan style. There was a large bedroom and a large study. Aside from the dining room and kitchen, everything else had been opened up, provided it wasn't a load-bearing wall. Indoor landscaping, bookshelves, and other features divided the space, while some of the walls were lined with books and others displayed works of art.

The living room had Japanese-style tatami mats, paired with a low table and a few cushions instead of a sofa and coffee table. There was no television on the wall, just a huge ink painting. Except for a few areas, the entire apartment had solid wood flooring. The rooms were spacious, and sunlight poured in, bringing with it a sense of comfort and ease.

Then he looked out at the mighty Huangpu River and the traffic streaming along the roads below. The feeling really hit him.

Unassuming and restrained, plain and simple, yet built with carefully chosen materials and somehow peaceful amid the bustle. It had the air of a man who alone remained clear-headed in a world of drunks.

The whole place elevated his style, and made his act of showing off feel perfectly complete.

To Wang Yan, the decor looked pretty convincing, but otherwise it was nothing special. He'd run the Grand Fortune before, and even in his line of work he'd seen plenty of luxury homes. This was small potatoes.

It was morning, and the sun wasn't too harsh. Wang Yan stepped out onto the balcony, where the warm sunlight felt wonderful on his skin.

Looking at the river rolling past below, Wang Yan couldn't help thinking of Liu Sihui. Back then, they'd leaned against each other as they watched the Huangpu River. She never asked for anything or said much; she'd just looked at him with gentle eyes.

She'd left a deep impression on him. He just hadn't managed to marry her, and now, when he thought about it, he regretted it.

He shook his head and put aside his thoughts of Liu Sihui. Things like this would only happen more and more often. How could everything in life ever be perfect?

Junyue Mansion had twenty-one floors, and Wang Yan lived on the eighteenth. According to the information the system had provided, the apartment was considerably cheaper because of its floor. It was worth a little under fifty million. His was over two hundred square meters, which worked out to more than two hundred thousand per square meter.

He also owned a few other properties, including ones in other cities and even Paris, along with some commercial units and the like. Add the assorted stocks he held and more than seven million in cash, and his assets came to over a hundred million.

The system hadn't said where the story stood, so Wang Yan had no idea what point the plot had reached. Since Wang Manni worked at the shopping mall downstairs, he decided to go see what he could find out.

He turned and went inside, freshened up, and headed downstairs.

When he stepped out of the elevator, he saw a property manager patiently explaining something to a family of three.

They were none other than the Gu family, who had just moved in.

Seeing them, Wang Yan immediately understood. The story had just begun, and Gu Jia had only just moved into Junyue Mansion.

The property manager greeted Wang Yan when he approached. When Wang Yan nodded but didn't leave, the manager took the hint and introduced them.

"Mr. Wang, these are Mr. Xu and Ms. Gu. They live on the twelfth floor."

Then he turned to Gu Jia and Xu Huanshan. "This is Mr. Wang. He lives on the eighteenth floor."

They greeted Wang Yan, and Gu Jia was the first to speak. "Hello, Mr. Wang. This is my husband, Xu Huanshan, and I'm Gu Jia. We hope you'll look out for us in the future."

Wang Yan waved a hand and replied politely, "Just call me Wang Yan. Let's look out for each other." He glanced at the child behind them and bent down. "Hi there. What's your name?"

The child was a little shy and said softly, "Hello, Uncle. My name is Xu Ziyan. I'm four." He'd been asked so many times that he already knew the routine.

Wang Yan couldn't help laughing. He tapped Xu Ziyan on the nose. "Look at you, little guy. You've already learned to answer before I even ask."

He glanced at Gu Jia, who stood quietly to one side, and said, "Haha, the little guy's pretty lively."

"All right, I live upstairs. Let's find a time to have dinner together and get to know each other. You must have plenty to do, so I won't keep you."

After saying goodbye, Wang Yan left. Behind him, Gu Jia asked the property manager about the man she'd just met.

Wang Yan was thoroughly ordinary. He wasn't handsome enough to make people's eyes light up, nor was he ugly in some memorable way. He was neither.

If he hadn't spent two lifetimes cultivating an air of distinction, even a dog wouldn't have looked his way.

To Gu Jia, Wang Yan seemed like an ordinary man who was somehow special. His eyes were captivating; the rest was nothing remarkable.

The property manager told her that Wang Yan worked in finance and had assets worth over a hundred million. Gu Jia didn't think much of it. Her own family had assets worth tens of millions, so the gap wasn't that big.

Wang Yan's looks weren't much to write home about, and there was nothing he could do about that. Without a bit of money, he'd have been out of the running.

Habit was a powerful thing. All Wang Yan had to do was make Gu Jia grow accustomed to his presence. Even a devoted wife and mother like Gu Jia, a strong woman with a knack for getting things done, wouldn't escape the clutches of old Wang, who'd been plotting from the start.

If you swung your hoe well enough, no corner was impossible to dig under.

Wang Yan left the building and went to find the nearby shopping mall.

It was easy to find. After turning a couple of corners, he came out and spotted it. The entrance was so huge that anyone who wasn't blind could see it. He walked straight over.

From a distance, Wang Yan spotted Wang Manni standing at the entrance. He had to admit, she was attractive enough—quite a looker, and especially good at drawing the eye.

Seeing Wang Yan approach, Wang Manni stepped forward to greet him. "Hello, sir. Welcome to Mixia."

Wang Yan nodded to her.

"May I ask your name?"

"Wang Yan."

"Please come in, Mr. Wang."

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for? We've just received a new batch of menswear. Would you like to have a look?"

"Just pick out a couple of casual outfits for me," Wang Yan said.

From the way he carried himself, Wang Manni could tell he wasn't short on money.

"Then please have a seat. I'll put together a couple of outfits for you to try."

She sized him up, then turned to look for clothes.

Wang Yan glanced around idly and happened to spot Linda, the woman from the show who was always keeping an eye on Wang Manni. She was the one who pulled all kinds of dirty tricks to steal customers.

Linda didn't have any customers at the moment. She was just staring at Wang Manni with a murderous look.

Wang Yan shook his head. He had no interest in her. People were like that: they never looked for the cause in themselves and only ever complained about how unfair everything was.

After a while, Wang Manni came back and asked him to change in the fitting room so she could check the fit.

Wang Yan's physique went without saying; he was built like a model. And after years in the business, Wang Manni had an excellent eye. She was always at the forefront of fashion.

When Wang Yan came out of the fitting room, Wang Manni hadn't expected the clothes to fit him so well. Paired with his air of distinction, he gave them a completely different feel.

"Mr. Wang, this outfit fits you perfectly. It really suits your style."

Wang Yan looked at himself in the mirror and gave a noncommittal nod.

"Try that one too."

He tried on both outfits and thought they were decent enough. He was used to wearing suits, so changing into something else really did give him a fresh, striking look.

"What do you think, Mr. Wang?"

"They're both pretty good. Recommend a few more. Put together some clothes, shoes, belts, and whatever else. I don't shop often, so I might as well buy more while I'm here."

"Mr. Wang, it's best to make time to visit the store more often. It's good to keep your wardrobe fresh. Fashion is always changing, and if you buy too much all at once, it might go out of style. For someone like you..."

Wang Yan raised a hand and cut her off. "Fashion goes in circles. No matter how much it changes, it always comes back around. Today, workmen wear padded military coats; someday, so-called respectable people might wear them too. I trust your eye. Pick whatever you think looks good. I'm in your hands."

"You're so funny." Wang Manni giggled behind her hand. "All right, Mr. Wang. I won't let you down."

Wang Manni hurried back and forth, putting together all kinds of outfits for him. Wang Yan wasn't in a hurry. He let her pick whatever she liked.

"Mr. Wang, I think this is enough to last you a while. You really have plenty now." Wang Manni didn't keep pushing products on him; she knew when to stop.

"Then ring it up. I'll pay by card," Wang Yan said without hesitation.

A pile of clothes, shoes, belts, and miscellaneous accessories like boutonnieres came to just under two hundred thousand altogether.

There was a powerful sense of accomplishment in making a sale. Wang Manni happily took Wang Yan to the counter to ring him up. This sale would earn her a pretty nice commission.

At the entrance, Wang Yan asked Wang Manni, "Would you be free to have dinner with me tonight?"

Looking into Wang Yan's captivating eyes, Wang Manni hadn't expected him to invite her so abruptly. They'd barely spoken, but hadn't this been her goal all along?

In her eyes, although Wang Yan wasn't much to look at, he did have a pair of dazzling eyes. And he'd spent nearly two hundred thousand without batting an eyelid, proving that he had substantial assets. He didn't look old, either—around thirty—and carried himself like a successful man. There was no harm in getting to know him.

"Don't you think that's a rather sudden invitation, Mr. Wang?"

From her reaction, Wang Yan had his answer. "People can't help being drawn to beauty, and I think you're beautiful."

He didn't give her a chance to say anything else. "Let's add each other on WeChat first."

After they'd added each other, Wang Yan said, "All right, then. I'll come pick you up at eight. See you later." He'd seen the store's opening hours posted by the entrance.

Watching Wang Yan walk away with his purchases, Wang Manni felt a tumult of emotions.

She'd had countless people invite her out over the years, but Wang Yan was the first to be so assertive. There were too many men who fawned over her, and she'd seen plenty who wanted to keep her. It was normal to feel a little intrigued when a man who stood out from the rest suddenly appeared.

Just then, a woman with a bag slung over her shoulder came in, and Wang Manni smiled and went to greet her.

Of the three heroines, Wang Yan thought Gu Jia was the only one who seemed remotely normal. Whatever her values were like, she was a good mother and a good wife. The rest was nothing special.

Wang Manni was the typical woman who wanted it both ways: she talked about material things with poor men and love with rich men. She had no idea what she was worth and couldn't see what kind of player she was. She couldn't be bothered with her parents and focused entirely on marrying up. In the end, they even whitewashed her character: she went abroad, and that was that. What a load of nonsense. What could you even do with a hundred thousand? It wasn't as easy as she thought.

Zhong Xiaoqin wasn't any better, even if she ended up acting like a devoted wife and mother. Wang Yan didn't want to comment on her and Chen Yu, and he wasn't planning to get involved with them. For one thing, old Wang wasn't interested in her. For another, the two of them were willing to put up with each other. They could do whatever they wanted; it had nothing to do with him.

Of the three, Gu Jia and Zhong Xiaoqin were much closer. They were classmates and had been friends for years, and they were both locals. Wang Manni, an outsider, was really on the fringes of their friendship, much like Gu Jia was on the outside of the circle of wives.

After returning home and tidying up, Wang Yan went out again.

He went down to the underground garage and found the car the system had arranged for him. It was a black, top-of-the-line A8, worth a little under two million. Wang Yan started the car and drove to his company.

The system had set him up with a small firm in an office building not far from his apartment. It took only a little over twenty minutes to drive there, and he had around twenty employees.

He had to admit, the system had really come through this time. It had arranged everything exceptionally well.

When he arrived, he called in the person in charge and gave him a few instructions.

The main thing was to sell off some of the stocks they already held, then pass along information on a few others for the team to buy. With over ten million in capital, they should be able to make quite a bit.

He handled some routine matters and made a few more arrangements. This sort of thing came naturally to Wang Yan now. His management, accounting, and investment skills were all more than adequate, so taking care of it was a piece of cake.

The staff were enthusiastic, too. Wang Yan wasn't heartless; he paid them well. The company didn't have much to do most of the time, and there was no overtime, KPIs, or anything like that. They were all capable, and overall the work was especially easy.

After working for a while, it was past five, time to clock out.

Wang Yan booked a table at a well-known restaurant serving local cuisine. He hadn't eaten this kind of food in a long time and was looking forward to it.

People in the service industry finished work late. At eight, Wang Yan drove to the area near the mall. He didn't go looking for her right away. The least an adult could do was consider other people's feelings, at least a little. That went double for old Wang, who knew exactly what he wanted.

He sent Wang Manni the address on WeChat. Before long, she came over with a purse slung over her shoulder.

When she saw Wang Yan lower the window and wave to her, she smiled and waved back.

As a woman who'd long hoped to turn a pheasant into a phoenix, she naturally knew about cars. Seeing Wang Yan's car gave her an even clearer idea of his means.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." She opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, then said to Wang Yan, "I'm sorry for the wait."

"It wasn't long. Besides, what's wrong with waiting for a pretty girl?"

"No need to be so polite. Buckle up. We're off." Wang Yan started the car and merged into traffic.

"You've been working all day. You must be starving. I booked a table at a restaurant everyone says is good. Eat plenty and treat yourself," Wang Yan said as he drove.