New World

I continued my monotonous daily routine: exercising in the morning, researching stocks, making telemarketing calls, browsing real estate listings, and flipping through books.

Day after day, it was no wonder I couldn't find a partner; not a single thing I did had anything to do with women.

In the past, life had no prospects and I had no ambition, so I basically spent my time playing on my phone and scrolling through videos. Now that I had a goal, my time was occupied by busy studies and the need to make a living.

This is all the greed of human nature; it is evident that people never truly attain real freedom.

One day, while Wang Yan was busy with his daily routine of harassing people, a system prompt arrived.

"Lin Youyou from Nothing But Thirty wishes: To be with Xu Huanshan."

This was a hit drama from a while back, and Wang Yan had naturally watched some of it. To summarize Nothing But Thirty in one sentence, it was "the story of three women," and he still remembered some of the plot.

Regarding this task from Lin Youyou, Wang Yan figured there were only two possibilities: either Lin Youyou truly loved Xu Huanshan, or her competitive nature made her want to get the better of Gu Jia, after all, jealousy makes people unrecognizable.

The system also provided a one-year stay, allowing him to see what choice Lin Youyou would make after the fireworks factory explosion.

This task was actually quite interesting.

It had been a while, and he had forgotten most of the plot.

He opened his computer, logged into his membership, and started watching episode by episode.

He spent his days busy making money and his nights watching the show. It took him four full days to finish it all. He gained a renewed understanding of the entire plot. To put it bluntly, it still came down to money.

Moreover, he didn't even need to do much for this mission. He just needed to make sure Xu Huanshan and Gu Jia divorced early and prevent others from interfering with useless nonsense. With Lin Youyou's limited tricks, Xu Huanshan was definitely not going anywhere.

Wang Yan memorized some stock information; this was the key to his wealth. He couldn't keep running off to the Golden Triangle, that would be too inappropriate.

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

A blue light flashed, and Wang Yan vanished from the bed once again.

Wang Yan opened his eyes, looked at the unfamiliar environment, and received the information transmitted by the system in his mind.

This time, the system was quite generous, starting him off with over a hundred million in assets and the status of a financial elite. According to the system, he was currently in the Junyue Mansion where Gu Jia lived in the show.

He had experienced two worlds; in the first, his net worth was fifty thousand, and in the second, he started off in prison. By comparison, this was truly like a vacation.

After understanding all the information, Wang Yan looked around the apartment.

The system had quite good taste; the overall decoration leaned towards a Jiangnan style. There was a large bedroom and a large study. The remaining space, aside from the kitchen and dining area, had all been opened up as long as they weren't load-bearing walls. The space was partitioned with indoor landscaping and bookshelves, and the walls were decorated with books and various art pieces.

The living room featured Japanese-style tatami mats paired with a low table and several cushions, with no sofa or coffee table in sight. There was no television on the wall, only a massive ink wash painting. Except for a few spots, the entire house had solid wood flooring. The layout was spacious and deep, and as the sunlight streamed in, a sense of comfort and ease naturally arose.

Looking out at the vast Huangpu River and the flowing traffic below, the atmosphere really hit home.

It was low-key and restrained, simple yet unadorned. Yet, the materials were exquisite, finding tranquility amidst the noise. It carried a sense of "everyone else is drunk while I alone am sober."

The style was instantly elevated, and the pretension was perfectly executed.

In Wang Yan's view, only the decoration was decent; everything else was just so-so. Not to mention that he had been a billionaire before, even in his regular job, he had seen plenty of luxury homes; these were all small potatoes.

It was currently morning, and the sun wasn't too harsh. Wang Yan walked to the balcony, the warm sunlight feeling wonderful on his body.

Watching the surging river water below, Wang Yan couldn't help but think of Liu Sihui. Back then, they had leaned against each other watching the Huangpu River. She never said anything, never asked for anything, and always looked at Wang Yan with gentle eyes.

The impression she left on Wang Yan was too profound; it was just that he never managed to marry her, and thinking about it now, Wang Yan felt quite regretful.

He shook his head, letting go of his longing for Liu Sihui. These kinds of things would only happen more often in the future; how could everything be perfect?

Junyue Mansion had twenty-one floors, and Wang Yan lived on the 18th. According to the information provided by the system, this apartment was much cheaper due to the floor level. It was worth less than fifty million, and his unit was over 200 square meters, which worked out to about 200,000 per square meter.

In addition, he had several properties and commercial storefronts in other cities, and even in Paris. Coupled with the various stocks he held and over 7 million in cash, he could be considered to have assets exceeding one hundred million.

The system didn't say, and Wang Yan didn't know how far the plot had progressed. Since Wang Manni was right downstairs in the mall, he planned to go and scout the situation first.

He immediately turned back into the room, tidied up, and went downstairs.

Stepping out of the elevator, Wang Yan saw the property management staff patiently talking to a family of three.

These three were none other than the Gu Jia family who had just moved in.

Seeing them, Wang Yan had a good idea; he knew the plot had just begun and Gu Jia had just moved into Junyue Mansion.

Seeing Wang Yan approach, the property staff greeted him. Seeing Wang Yan nod without leaving, the staff understood and introduced them.

"Mr. Wang, this is Mr. Xu and Ms. Gu, our new residents on the 12th floor."

He then turned to Gu Jia and her husband and said, "This is Mr. Wang, who lives on the 18th floor."

The two greeted Wang Yan, and Gu Jia, being the more sociable one, said, "Hello, Mr. Wang. This is my husband, Xu Huanshan, and I am Gu Jia. We hope to get along well in the future."

Waving his hand, Wang Yan said politely, "Just call me Wang Yan. Let's look out for each other." He then looked at the child behind them, bent down, and said, "Hello there, what is your name?"

The child was a bit shy and said in a small voice, "Hello, Uncle. My name is Xu Ziyan, I'm 4 years old." The child was used to being asked, so he knew the routine.

It amused Wang Yan, who tapped Xu Ziyan's little nose, "Well done, little guy, you're already good at answering questions."

Glancing at the virtuous Gu Jia standing to the side, Wang Yan said to them, "Haha, the little guy is quite lively."

"Alright, I live upstairs. Let's find a time to have a meal together and get to know each other. You must have a lot to take care of, so I won't disturb you."

After saying that and exchanging pleasantries, Wang Yan left. Behind him, Gu Jia was asking the property staff about the Wang Yan she had just met.

Wang Yan was too ordinary; he didn't have the kind of handsomeness that made people's eyes light up, nor was he ugly in a distinctive way. He was neither.

If it weren't for the cultivation he underwent in two worlds, and the extraordinary air he now possessed, not even a stray dog would have spared him a second glance.

Gu Jia's impression of Wang Yan was that this man was ordinary yet peculiar; his eyes were quite charming, but everything else about him was just so-so.

The property management staff told her that Wang Yan worked in the finance industry and was worth over a hundred million. To Gu Jia, this didn't mean much; her own family had tens of millions in assets, so the gap wasn't that wide.

Wang Yan's looks weren't exactly top-tier, and there was nothing he could do about that. If he didn't have a bit of money, he would have been a lost cause for sure.

Habit is a powerful force, and all Wang Yan had to do was make Gu Jia get used to his presence. Even a woman like Gu Jia—a virtuous wife and devoted mother who was also a capable career woman—could not escape the clutches of the calculating Wang Yan.

As long as you swing the hoe well, there is no corner you cannot dig.

Wang Yan walked out of the building to look for a nearby shopping mall.

The place was easy to find; after two turns, Wang Yan walked out and saw the mall. With such a massive entrance, anyone with eyes could see it, so Wang Yan headed straight over.

From a distance, Wang Yan saw Wang Manni standing at the entrance. It had to be said, she was certainly easy on the eyes, quite striking, and particularly eye-catching.

Standing at the store entrance, Wang Manni saw Wang Yan approaching and stepped forward to greet him: "Hello, sir. Welcome to Mixia."

Wang Yan nodded at her.

"May I ask how to address you?"

"Wang Yan."

"Please come in, Mr. Wang."

"Is there anything in particular you are looking for? We have a new batch of menswear in the store; would you like to take a look?"

Wang Yan said, "Just pick out two casual outfits for me."

Seeing his demeanor, Wang Manni had a good idea of the situation; she knew this was someone who didn't lack money.

"Then please have a seat for a moment. I'll put two sets together for you to try on."

She then gauged his physique and turned to find the clothes.

Wang Yan looked around out of boredom and inadvertently spotted Linda, the one who spent her time in the show obsessing over Wang Manni. She was the type who would play dirty to steal customers.

Linda had no customers at the moment and was glaring at Wang Manni with malice.

Wang Yan shook his head; he had zero interest in her. People are always like this—they never look for the cause within themselves, only complaining endlessly about all kinds of unfairness.

After a while, Wang Manni walked over and asked him to go to the fitting room to try on the clothes and see how they fit.

There was no need to mention Wang Yan's physique; he was a standard clothes hanger. As for Wang Manni, she had been in the industry for many years, and her eye for fashion was impeccable; she was always at the forefront of trends.

Watching him come out of the fitting room, even Wang Manni hadn't expected them to fit so well. Paired with Wang Yan's temperament, he wore them in a completely different way.

"Mr. Wang, this set really fits you perfectly; it suits your temperament exceptionally well."

To her words, Wang Yan looked at himself in the mirror and nodded noncommittally.

"Try the other one."

He tried both sets and felt they were decent enough. He was used to wearing suits, so suddenly changing into casual wear actually felt like a breath of fresh air.

"How do you feel, Mr. Wang?"

"They're both quite good. Why don't you recommend some more? Pick out some clothes, shoes, and belts to go with them. I don't shop often, so I might as well buy a bit more."

"Mr. Wang, you really should find time to visit the store more often for clothes; it's always better to buy new things regularly. Besides, fashion is always changing. If you buy too much at once, it might go out of style. For someone like you..."

Wang Yan waved his hand to interrupt her: "Fashion is a circle. It changes back and forth, and there will always be a day when it comes back around. Today, a military overcoat is worn by manual laborers, but one day, it might be worn by so-called respectable people. I trust your taste; you pick them out, and I'll leave myself in your hands."

"You're so humorous." Wang Manni covered her mouth and laughed happily. "Alright then, Mr. Wang, I certainly won't let you down."

For a while, Wang Manni busied herself, back and forth, pairing various clothes for Wang Yan. Wang Yan wasn't in a hurry, just letting her choose as she pleased.

"Mr. Wang, I think this is enough to last you for a while now. It really is enough." Wang Manni didn't keep pushing; she stopped her sales pitch at the right time.

"Then let's settle the bill. I'll pay by card." Wang Yan was very straightforward.

The pile of clothes, shoes, belts, and various accessories like lapel pins added up to just under 200,000.

In sales, there is a strong sense of accomplishment the moment a deal is closed. Wang Manni happily took Wang Yan over to print the receipt and settle the payment; she would get a significant commission from this.

Walking to the entrance, Wang Yan invited Wang Manni: "I wonder if you'd be free to grab a bite to eat tonight?"

Looking into Wang Yan's charming eyes, Wang Manni hadn't expected such an abrupt invitation. After all, their interaction had been limited, but wasn't this her goal all along?

In her view, although Wang Yan wasn't particularly handsome, he had a pair of charismatic eyes. Furthermore, spending nearly 200,000 without blinking proved he had significant assets. He didn't look old either, maybe around thirty, and he carried the air of a successful person. There was no harm in getting to know him.

"Don't you think your invitation is a bit abrupt, Mr. Wang?"

Seeing her reaction, Wang Yan knew where he stood: "People are always drawn to beauty, and I think you are beautiful enough."

Not giving her a chance to say more: "Let's add each other on WeChat first."

After adding her, Wang Yan said: "Alright, that's that. I'll come to pick you up at eight; I'm heading off now." He had previously seen the business hours posted on the door.

Watching Wang Yan's retreating figure as he carried his bags, Wang Manni's heart was in a flutter.

Over the years, countless people had invited her out, but Wang Yan was the first to be this overbearing. After all, there were too many sycophants, and those who wanted to keep her as a mistress were not uncommon. It was only natural to feel a sense of novelty when a unique man suddenly appeared.

Just then, a middle-aged woman carrying a bag walked up, and Wang Manni greeted her with a smile.

Of these three female leads, Wang Yan thought the only one who was relatively normal was Gu Jia. Regardless of her values, as a mother and a wife, she was competent; as for the rest, it was just so-so.

Wang Manni is a classic hypocrite; she talks about material wealth with the poor and love with the rich. She has no idea of her own worth and fails to see what kind of player she really is. She ignores her parents, single-mindedly chasing after a higher social status. In the end, they even forced a redemption arc for her—just going abroad and calling it a day, which is absolute nonsense. Do you think one hundred thousand is easy to come by? Is it really that simple?

Zhong Xiaoqin isn't exactly a saint either, even though she ended up looking like a virtuous wife and mother. Wang Yan doesn't want to comment much on her and Chen Yu, nor does he intend to have any contact with them. For one, he has no interest in her, and for another, they are a willing couple—whatever drama they want to stir up is their own business and has nothing to do with him.

As for the relationship between the three of them, Gu Jia and Zhong Xiaoqin are significantly closer. After all, they were classmates, sisters for many years, and both are locals. Wang Manni, as an outsider, is essentially drifting on the periphery of their friendship, much like how Gu Jia was positioned outside the circle of wealthy wives.

Returning home, Wang Yan tidied up a bit before heading out again.

Wang Yan went to the underground garage and found the car arranged by the system. It was a black, top-trim A8, worth just under two million. Wang Yan started the car and drove to his company.

The system had set him up with a small studio in an office building not far from his residence, only a twenty-minute drive away, with about twenty employees under his command.

Truth be told, the system was really generous this time; the arrangements were exceptionally good.

Arriving at the company, he summoned his manager and gave him a few instructions.

The main tasks were to liquidate some previously held stocks and provide information on others for the team to trade. With a principal of over ten million, they should be able to make a decent profit.

After handling some daily affairs and making a few arrangements, Wang Yan found these tasks to be a breeze. After all, his skills in management, finance, and investment were more than sufficient; dealing with these matters was a piece of cake.

His employees were quite enthusiastic, and since Wang Yan wasn't a heartless boss, he provided good compensation. There were usually no major issues at the company, and he didn't enforce overtime or rigid KPIs. With a capable team, the overall environment was very relaxed.

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

Wang Yan booked a table at a famous local cuisine restaurant; he hadn't eaten this style of food in a long time and was feeling a bit nostalgic.

The service industry has late shifts, so at eight o'clock, Wang Yan drove to the vicinity of the mall. He didn't go looking for her directly; the most basic trait of an adult is to consider others to some extent. That goes double for someone like Wang Yan, who has clear objectives.

He sent the address to Wang Manni via WeChat, and before long, she walked over with a bag slung over her shoulder.

Seeing Wang Yan lower the window and wave at her, she responded with a smile.

As a woman who had long dreamed of turning from a pheasant into a phoenix, she naturally knew a thing or two about cars. Seeing Wang Yan's vehicle, she gained a deeper understanding of his financial standing.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Wang Manni said to Wang Yan as she opened the door and sat in the passenger seat.

"It hasn't been long, and besides, what does it matter to wait for a beautiful lady?"

"No need to be so polite. Buckle up, let's go." Wang Yan started the car and merged into the traffic.

"You've been working all day, you must be starving. I booked a restaurant that's supposed to be quite good. Eat plenty later to reward yourself," Wang Yan said while driving.