A private team from the Points Store

A month later, Su Jin stood before the floor-to-ceiling mirror in her penthouse at China World Trade Center Phase III, seriously studying the person in the glass for the first time.

The woman in the mirror wore a simple white silk robe, its belt tied loosely around her waist, revealing her collarbones and a little of her lower legs.

Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind her, tracing a soft golden halo around her.

Her skin was more than a shade fairer, but not in a sickly way. It was translucent and lustrous, like fine Hetian mutton-fat jade, with pale blue veins faintly visible beneath.

Her hair was far thicker than it had been a month ago, having grown from shoulder length to her waist. Black and glossy, it hung loose, curling slightly at the ends, like a model who had just tossed her hair in a shampoo commercial.

Her features were still the same, but together, their effect had completely changed.

Her eyes seemed to have opened up a little, their outer corners tilting slightly upward. Without a smile, they lent her a touch of cool detachment; when she smiled, they curved into crescent moons.

Her nose was straight and delicate, its bridge a fraction higher between her eyes than before, giving her whole face a more sculpted look.

Her lips were a little fuller, their color a pale rose pink. Even without lipstick, they gave her a healthy glow.

Most striking of all was her bearing-something relaxed yet assured flowed through her expression, something the Su Jin who had once worked overtime late into the night and worried over her credit cards had never had.

[Data report:] Little Golden Egg poked half her body out from behind Su Jin's shoulder and recited solemnly,

[Host's current beauty score: 92 points (out of 100). One month ago: 78 points. Increase: 14 points.

Current figure score: 90 points. One month ago: 75 points. Increase: 15 points.

Overall charm score: 95 points. You have entered the top tier of "people who stand out at a glance in a crowd."]

Su Jin raised a hand to touch her face. It felt fine and smooth, like a piece of silk fresh from the refrigerator.

"So this is what you meant by 'spending money makes you beautiful'?"

[Not "makes you beautiful." It's "must make you beautiful."] Little Golden Egg corrected her,

[This system's core logic is: how can a top-tier tycoon not be top-tier? Once you have money, status, and businesses, your looks must keep up too. Otherwise, if you attend a banquet and stand among a row of socialites and wealthy ladies only to be outshone, this system would lose face.]

Su Jin laughed. "You're pretty concerned about saving face."

[Of course. This system has professional dignity.] Little Golden Egg proudly puffed out her round body,

[And host, this isn't just an improvement in your looks. You've spent over forty million this past month, and the system has detected simultaneous optimization of your physical fitness, skin condition, hair quality, and even the alignment of your teeth. If you went for a physical now, your results would crush those of professional athletes.]

Su Jin looked at the face in the mirror and suddenly remembered something.

"I've spent forty million this past month. The system must have accumulated quite a few points, right?"

[The host finally asked!] Little Golden Egg spun around excitedly,

[This system thought you only cared about spending money, not saving it! Yes, based on your cumulative spending, your currently available points are: 4,280. Points are awarded at a rate of one point per 10,000 yuan spent, with amounts under 10,000 rounded to the nearest point. Points are valid forever and aren't reset when your spending allowance refreshes.]

"What can I exchange the points for?"

[Good question!] Little Golden Egg flapped her wings, and a screen of light unfolded before Su Jin, densely packed with product categories,

[Welcome to the 9527 System Points Store! Products are divided into four major categories-]

She cleared her throat and began the announcement:

[Category one: skills. Basic skills (such as wine tasting, flower arranging, and basic horsemanship): 500-1,000 points. Intermediate skills (such as multiple languages, advanced connoisseurship, and professional race driving): 1,500-3,000 points. Advanced skills (such as art authentication, corporate strategic management, and top-tier investment insight): 3,500-5,000 points. Top-tier skills (such as photographic memory, perfect pitch, and extraordinary intuition): starting at 8,000 points; some require special authorization to unlock.]

[Category two: status. Admission to various social circles, credentials, and social titles. Examples: membership in a top-tier golf club (800 points), a seat on an art collectors' association council (1,200 points), limited VIP status with an international brand (2,000 points), lifetime membership in a mysterious chamber of commerce (5,000 points, subject to review).]

[Category three: resources. Networking leads, investment opportunities, and priority purchase rights for scarce items. Examples: a top investor's private contact information (300 points), an opportunity to visit the studio of an artist about to become wildly famous (600 points), the right to purchase the last remaining unit worldwide of a limited-edition supercar (1,500 points).]

[Category four: special. System-exclusive services, such as crisis early warning (500 points per use), emergency intervention by a legal support team (starting at 1,000 points), custom-tailored identity packaging (starting at 2,000 points), and the Loyalty Detection Aura (3,000 points, permanent).]

Su Jin read through the listings one by one, her gaze stopping on a particular line.

"The Loyalty Detection Aura? What's that?"

[The host has hit on the important part!] Little Golden Egg came closer and lowered her voice mysteriously. [Once this aura is activated, whenever you look at someone, you can see a number above their head-their loyalty. Zero to 30 means hostility or danger; 30 to 60 means an ordinary passerby; 60 to 80 means they have a favorable impression of you or can be used; 80 to 95 means genuine devotion; above 95 means absolute loyalty, the kind where they'd die for you.]

Su Jin raised an eyebrow. "That powerful?"

[Of course. It's a high-end product that costs 3,000 points, after all.] After showing off, Little Golden Egg added,

[But there's a limitation-you can only monitor up to 20 people at once, and you can only check three new targets per day. Otherwise, it'd be pretty strange if the host went around looking at numbers over everyone's heads.]

Su Jin thought it over, but didn't rush to exchange her points. She continued reading.

[Special category, page two: custom services. The host may commission the system to screen and recruit professionals of various kinds according to her needs.

Search scope: worldwide.

Screening criteria: industry, skills, loyalty potential, personality compatibility, and so on.

Fee per recruitment service: 500-2,000 points, depending on the target's level.

After a successful hire, the system can provide a three-month loyalty observation period.]

Her finger stopped.

"This one," she said. "Tell me more."

[Does the host want to hire people?] Little Golden Egg's eyes lit up. [Great! The host has more and more assets now-a penthouse, a private island, shares in several companies, and new things from the system's daily check-ins. You really do need people to manage them.

What kind of people do you want? A professional manager? A personal assistant? A bodyguard team? A financial manager? Or... what's that, ahem, a male companion?]

She said the last two words very softly, with a suggestive undertone.

Su Jin raised a hand and flicked her-though of course, her finger passed through the virtual body without touching anything.

"Be serious," she said.

"I want to recruit a core team. People I can trust and who can get things done. I don't need too many. Three or five to start with, enough to establish a foundation."

[Understood!] Little Golden Egg immediately became serious. [The system will start screening for you. Please set your criteria, host-]

Su Jin thought for a moment.

"First, they must have outstanding professional skills, top-tier in their respective fields. Second, they must have simple, clean backgrounds, with no complicated social ties or debt disputes. Third-" She paused.

"They can't be too curious about a rich person like me who came out of nowhere. They need to get the work done and ask fewer questions."

[Do you have any requirements regarding loyalty potential?]

"Of course," Su Jin said. "I want the kind who'll be wholeheartedly devoted if they're paid enough. I don't want emotional blackmail. I want professional loyalty."

[Understood!] Little Golden Egg flapped her wings. [The system is starting the screening process-estimated time: 24 hours. Once screening is complete, a candidate list and interview recommendations will be generated for the host. Fee: a package price of 3,500 points for this recruitment service, including three core members and three months of loyalty tracking and monitoring.]

Su Jin glanced at her points balance: 4,280.

"All right, deduct them."

[Ding-deduction successful. Remaining points: 780. Best of luck with your recruitment, host!] After her cheerful announcement, Little Golden Egg added, [Host, you're so generous. You didn't even try to bargain.]

"Is there any point bargaining with the system?"

[No,] Little Golden Egg said honestly. [But you can try, host. This system can pretend to consider it, so you'll feel better.]

Su Jin laughed at that and turned toward the dressing room.

"All right, I'll wait to see your candidate list. Now-how much is today's allowance? Time to go out."

[Today's allowance: six million.] Little Golden Egg floated after her. [Incidentally, host, the gracefulness of that turn you just made has improved by 30 percent compared with a month ago. This system recorded it. Would you like to watch the replay?]

"No, thank you."

[It really looked good. It'd be a shame not to watch.]

"I said no."

[All right.] Little Golden Egg sounded a little disappointed. [Then what are you planning to buy today, host?]

Su Jin entered the dressing room. It had originally been a second bedroom, but she had converted it into a walk-in dressing room, eighty square meters with cabinets on all four sides and an island counter in the middle, all filled with the spoils of her check-ins over the past month.

Hermès, Chanel, Dior, LV-row upon row arranged by color, like a spectrum chart of luxury goods.

In the watch cabinet, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Richard Mille timepieces lay quietly on velvet trays.

In the jewelry cabinet, Cartier's panthers, Tiffany's keys, and Bulgari's fans glittered in tiny flashes under the spotlights.

She casually picked out an elephant-gray Birkin Bag, then chose a beige cashmere coat to pair with a simple white T-shirt and jeans.

[Going for a low-key look today?] Little Golden Egg asked.

"I'm going to see a friend." Su Jin applied a nude-pink matte lip glaze in front of the mirror.

"She was a senior of mine at university and helped me before. She runs a small company of her own now, and I want to see if there's anything I can help with."

[A senior? What's her background?]

"She comes from an ordinary family and started her own business, making custom high-end floral arrangements." Su Jin pressed her lips together to even out the color.

"When I'd just graduated, I didn't have money for food, and she lent me two thousand yuan. I paid her back later, but I've always remembered the kindness she showed me then."

[Is the host going to repay a kindness?]

"I wouldn't call it that." Su Jin picked up her car keys.

"I just want to see if we can work together. She does floral arrangements, and now I have homes, a garden, and a private island. I need someone to tend the plants and handle event decorations. Why let the rich water flow into an outsider's field? I'd rather go to someone I trust than a stranger."

[Host, you have the mindset of an entrepreneur,] Little Golden Egg praised her. [Keep the rich water in your own field: use someone you know and give her an opportunity. You can help her and put her talents to use at the same time. This system really did choose the right host back then.]

Su Jin smiled without replying.

An hour later, she parked in a creative industry park outside the East Fourth Ring Road and followed the address on WeChat to Building B7.

It was a converted old factory, its exterior painted white, with a row of tall fiddle-leaf figs planted by the entrance. "Mansheng" was written in gold lettering on the glass door.

Through the glass, she could see a spacious interior with a five-meter-high ceiling. All kinds of flowers were arranged at varying heights on metal racks, and several young women were wrapping bouquets at worktables.

Su Jin pushed the door open, setting the wind chime on it ringing.

A young woman with her hair in a bun looked up and offered a professional smile. "Welcome to Mansheng. Do you have an appointment-"

"I'm looking for Lin Man," Su Jin said. "Is she here?"

"Our boss?" The young woman looked her over, her gaze lingering on her face for two seconds-not a scrutinizing look, but a pause of sheer astonishment at her beauty.

"May I ask who you are...?"

"Just tell her Su Jin is here to see her, an old friend."

The young woman nodded and went inside.

Su Jin stayed where she was and casually picked up a nearby imported peony for a look. Its petals overlapped in layers, with a touch of pink at the edges, and it was in perfect bloom.

[This shop is nice,] Little Golden Egg said in her ear. [The decor is tasteful, the flowers are fresh, and the employees seem to be doing well. You can tell it's run with care.]

Mm, Su Jin answered in her mind. Lin Man has always taken her work seriously.

No sooner had she finished speaking than a figure came striding out from inside.

Lin Man was in her early thirties, with ear-length hair. She wore a simple black knit top and a delicate collarbone necklace, and still had rubber gloves on her hands that she hadn't had time to take off-she had probably been tending the flowers just now.

She saw Su Jin and froze for a moment, then hurried forward and threw her arms around her.

"Xiao Jin!" She patted Su Jin's back hard. "You changed your phone number, didn't you? I sent you a WeChat message last time, but it sank like a stone into the sea. I thought something had happened to you!"

Lin Man hugged her a little tightly, but Su Jin didn't pull away. She reached out and hugged her back.

"I lost my phone and changed my number, but I haven't had time to tell everyone yet." She made up an excuse on the spot. "It's been a long time, senior."

Lin Man let her go and stepped back to look her over, her eyes growing wider and wider.

"Xiao Jin, you-" She looked Su Jin up and down, her voice full of disbelief.

"What have you been eating? How did you end up looking like this? Your skin is so good you could squeeze water out of it, your hair is black and glossy, and your whole body is glowing. Do you know that?"

Su Jin smiled. "Maybe I've been getting good rest lately."

"Good rest?" Lin Man looked utterly unconvinced.

"You used to work overtime harder than anyone, and your hairline was almost receding. Looking at you now, I'd believe you'd spent three months as a VIP at a beauty salon."

[She got one-third of it right,] Little Golden Egg interjected in Su Jin's mind. [Host, you've been to beauty salons more times this month than in the previous twenty-four years combined. And there were medical-grade beauty treatments, meal plans customized by a private nutritionist, and two hours of personal training every day-all of that came from spending money.]

Su Jin ignored her and said only to Lin Man, "Senior, your shop is nice. Will you show me around?"

"Sure." Lin Man linked arms with her and led her inside. "I happen not to be too busy today. Let me show you my kingdom."

The shop was bigger than it looked from outside.

The first floor housed the retail area and floral worktables, the second had offices and a VIP reception room, and the third was a terrace filled with climbing roses and clematis, with a white pergola and several wrought-iron tables and chairs.

"We also serve afternoon tea," Lin Man said, pointing to a small bar in the corner of the terrace.

"When clients come to discuss custom designs, we can have drinks and talk here. When the weather's nice, I like spending time here myself."

Su Jin sat down at a table, the sunlight falling on her, warm and pleasant.

"How's business?"

"Not bad." Lin Man sat down opposite her.

"Competition in high-end custom floral design is pretty fierce in City A, but I have a group of regular clients to rely on, so my foundation is stable. I started taking on some corporate events last year. The profit is a little better than retail, but it's tiring."

"Short-staffed?"

"Yes." Lin Man sighed. "Reliable people are hard to find. The young women I have now do decent work, but none of them can take charge on their own. I have to keep an eye on things here every day. I can't even get away to expand the business."

Su Jin looked at her and suddenly said, "Senior, have you ever thought about expanding the shop?"

Lin Man paused. "What do you mean?"

"The way you operate now depends too much on you personally," Su Jin said.

"You're the boss, but you're also the head florist, the salesperson, the accountant, and the after-sales customer service rep. One person holding up an entire shop-there's an obvious ceiling. If you want to go further, you need to build a team and have people share the load."

Lin Man looked at her, a little surprised.

"Xiao Jin, when did you learn about all this?"

Su Jin smiled. "I've been reading some books on the subject lately."

"You're right." Lin Man nodded, then sighed again.

"But building a team takes money. A good florist starts at twenty thousand yuan a month, plus commission. Someone at store manager level costs thirty thousand or more.

"Add social insurance, benefits, and training costs, and one person comes to nearly five hundred thousand a year. At my current scale, I can't afford that."

Without a word, Su Jin took a business card from her bag and pushed it toward her.

Lin Man looked down. The card bore only a name and a phone number, with no company name or title. It was made of thick cotton paper with a subtle texture to the touch.

"What's this?"

"A friend who works in investment funds," Su Jin said. "If you have plans to expand, you can talk to him. Just say I referred you."

Lin Man picked up the card, turned it over several times, then looked back at Su Jin, her expression complicated.

"Xiao Jin, tell me honestly, what are you doing now?"

Su Jin thought for a moment and chose the answer least likely to invite further questions. "I help people manage some assets and make a few small investments on the side."

"Then this outfit of yours-" Lin Man pointed at her bag, her coat, and the Patek Philippe watch casually visible on her wrist.

"Did you get all that from helping people manage assets too?"

Su Jin smiled without answering.

Lin Man stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed.

"All right, I won't ask." She put the business card away.

"Everyone has their own path. Things were so hard for you before, and you made it through. Now that you're doing well, I'm happy for you."

Something stirred in Su Jin's heart-not because of the words themselves, but because there was no trace of bitterness or probing in Lin Man's tone when she said them. She was genuinely, purely happy for her.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg's voice suddenly rang out, [this system has detected Lin Man's initial loyalty to you: 78 points.]

Su Jin paused.

[What does 78 points mean? It means she has no shared interests with you, yet she's willing to trust you and be happy for you purely because of your past friendship and her goodwill at this moment. Among people who aren't family, that's already a very high score.]

Su Jin looked at the familiar face across from her, and a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time welled up in her heart.

"Senior," she said, "I actually came today because I wanted to ask for your help with something."

"Go ahead."

"I just took over a house in the suburbs, with a big courtyard. There's also a small island-don't look at me like that. It really is an island, a very small one, just a few hundred mu, down south. All those places need someone to look after the plants and do regular floral arrangements."

She paused. "I'd like to contract the work out to you. You provide the plans, the people, and the flowers, and I'll pay. We can test the waters first, and if things go well, we can work together long-term."

Lin Man said nothing for a long while after hearing her out.

"Xiao Jin," she finally said, her voice a little tight, "you came here to bring me business, didn't you?"

"More or less." Su Jin didn't deny it.

"But I really do need someone to do it. I don't know anything about floral design myself, and I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving it to someone else. Of everyone I know, you're the best at it."

Lin Man looked at her, her eyes growing a little red.

"You girl..." She took a deep breath and pushed down the emotion.

"All right, I'll take the job. When do you need the plans? I'll do them for you myself."

Four

After leaving Mansheng, Su Jin got into her car but didn't start it right away.

Little Golden Egg popped out of thin air and floated over the passenger seat, its round body bobbing back and forth.

[Host, this system watched your entire operation just now and learned a great deal.]

"What do you mean?"

[The way you helped Lin Man-you didn't give her money or charity. You gave her business, an opportunity, and resources. That way, she can make money and preserve her dignity. Truly brilliant!]

Su Jin leaned back in her seat and looked out the window.

"She helped me before.

"Back then, I'd just graduated. I didn't have money for food, but I was too embarrassed to ask to borrow any. She made up an excuse, saying her shop was short-handed, and asked me to help out. When I finished, she pressed an envelope into my hands and said it was my wages.

"Only later did I find out she was poor herself at the time. She'd just opened her shop and had only a few thousand yuan left in her account."

[So the two thousand yuan she gave you came out of what little savings she had?]

"That's right."

Little Golden Egg fell silent.

A few seconds later, it said softly, [Host, this system now understands why you were willing to spend 3,500 points to recruit people. Maybe you're not just looking for capable people, but also-people who are worth it.]

Su Jin said nothing and started the car.

Her phone buzzed with a WeChat message.

It was from Lin Man: I've put your business card away safely. I'll get you the first draft of the proposal next week. Xiao Jin, thank you.

Su Jin glanced at it and put her phone aside.

The car left the business park and merged into traffic.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg suddenly said, [the candidate list is ready. Would you like to see it now?]

"That fast?"

[When this system gets things done, efficiency comes first,] Little Golden Egg said proudly. [Three candidates, two women and one man. Clean backgrounds, top-notch abilities, and loyalty potential above 80 points for all of them. Their résumés have been sent to your email, along with interview recommendations and preliminary plans for making contact.]

While waiting at a red light, Su Jin picked up her phone and glanced through her email.

The first: Shen Mingwei, 35, former managing director at an international investment bank, left due to differences in philosophy with senior management. Skilled in asset allocation and setting up family offices. Currently semi-retired, running a guesthouse in Yunnan.

The second: Zhou Ye, 29, former special forces soldier, previously employed by a private security company and had served Middle Eastern royalty. Skilled in protecting important personnel, crisis management, and team training. Currently unemployed and working toward a helicopter pilot's license.

The third: Cheng Yan, 32, former vice president of Sotheby's Asia, an art investment expert well versed in both Chinese and Western art history, with extensive connections among collectors. Resigned for personal reasons and currently freelancing.

Su Jin read through them one by one, her gaze pausing on Cheng Yan's résumé. In the photo, a man in a dark gray suit stood in front of a painting, his profile turned toward the camera. He had a straight nose, refined features, and an air of detachment.

[Is the host interested in this one?] Little Golden Egg leaned closer, its tone suggestive.

Su Jin ignored it and kept scrolling. A line of small print was attached to the end of the résumé:

[Special note: Cheng Yan has worked with the Lu Group before and has in-depth knowledge of Lu Shen, the Lu Family's young heir. If the host plans to deal with Lu in the future, this person could serve as an important bridge.]

Lu Shen.

The man holding a coffee outside SKP.

Su Jin remembered his face, and the way he'd raised his cup to her across the crowd.

"Interesting," she said.

[Then who does the host plan to meet first?]

The light turned green. Su Jin pressed the accelerator, and the car moved forward.

"Shen Mingwei first," she said. "The team needs someone who can manage money. As for the other two-set up appointments. I'll interview them myself."

[Got it!] Little Golden Egg answered cheerfully. [This system will arrange it right away. By the way, host, you haven't used up today's allowance yet. Would you like to stop by Intime on the way? I hear a new Van Cleef & Arpels store just opened there, and there's a limited-edition bracelet that would go quite well with what you're wearing today.]

Su Jin glanced at the time on the dashboard.

"Sure," she said. "It's on the way anyway."

The car turned onto the main road and headed toward the CBD.

The sunlight was just right, streaming through the window onto her and scattering flecks of light off the hardware on her Birkin Bag.