A New Business Empire Takes Shape

Su Jin woke at 3:57 in the morning.

It wasn't because she had insomnia, but because a certain round little system had set a check-in reminder in her mind-and had set it seven times.

For the past three days, Little Golden Egg had appeared right on time, chanting deep in her consciousness: "Three minutes until today's check-in... two minutes... one minute... ten, nine, eight, seven..."

On the first night, she had nearly thrown her pillow at the air. When she realized it was no use, she gave up.

[Host, thirty seconds left!] Little Golden Egg's excited voice rang out right on schedule. [Ready for today's surprises?]

Su Jin lay motionless among the soft silk sheets, her eyes closed.

The primary bedroom was eighty square meters. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows was the capital's most dazzling night view. The curtains were open, and the city lights stretched across the skyline.

Moonlight spilled through gaps in the clouds, spreading a small patch of silver-white over her quilt.

She wore a champagne-colored La Perla silk nightgown with thin straps, which set off the soft glow of her collarbones and shoulders in the dark.

[Ten, nine, eight, seven...]

Little Golden Egg began the countdown.

Su Jin slowly opened her eyes. Even in the darkness, they were clear and bright, as though holding a pool of moonlight.

[Three, two, one-ding!]

[Congratulations, host, on completing your thirty-seventh daily check-in!]

[Today's check-in reward: seven-building seaside boutique inn cluster in Shuanglang Town, Dali (includes full property ownership and ten years of operating rights; valued at 120 million yuan; concealed infrastructure renovations completed; further interior finishing required)]

[Today's check-in reward: one ski apartment in St. Moritz, Switzerland (82 square meters, unobstructed snow views, valued at 8 million Swiss francs)]

[Today's check-in reward: private art adviser Cheng Yan (already hired, loyalty score 87, will visit at 3:00 p.m. today)]

[Additional "industry cluster" Easter egg triggered today: Host has checked in for thirty consecutive days, activating Resource Integration Mode. From now on, every seven check-ins will randomly grant one opportunity for industry synergy. This time's synergy: the Dali inn cluster will establish a strategic partnership with Mansheng, reducing floral arrangement costs by 40% and increasing the brand premium by 25%]

After listening, Su Jin lay in bed for three seconds, then slowly sat up.

Her long hair slipped from her shoulders and spilled down her back, gleaming like satin in the moonlight.

She raised a hand and rubbed the space between her brows. The gesture was languid and casual, yet carried a charm that came from her very bones.

"Cheng Yan," she said. "Three this afternoon?"

[Yes!] Little Golden Egg squeezed out of thin air and floated in front of her, his round body bobbing back and forth.

[I arranged it. You kept putting off meeting this candidate, so now the system has given him to you directly through check-in-saves time and effort, efficiency first!]

Su Jin glanced at him.

There was no particular emotion in that look, but Little Golden Egg immediately tucked in his wings, his voice growing quieter:

[Um... you're not angry, are you, host? I just thought Cheng Yan would be useful to you, and a loyalty score of 87 makes him a top-quality talent. The sooner you meet him, the sooner you benefit...]

"I'm not angry." Su Jin threw back the quilt and got out of bed, stepping barefoot onto the thick carpet. "I'm just curious. Since when can you decide who I meet and who I don't?"

[No, no, no! I wouldn't dare!] Little Golden Egg waved his hands frantically. [This is an Easter egg reward. I didn't decide it; the system rules matched it automatically! I'm only responsible for notifying you! I absolutely didn't overstep!]

Su Jin ignored him and walked into the bathroom.

When she came out ten minutes later, the languor of waking had vanished from her face, replaced by an alert and self-assured expression.

She went into the walk-in closet and stopped before the wall of clothes. Her gaze swept over the coats, suits, and dresses arranged by color, finally settling on a navy cashmere coat.

It was a new Loro Piana piece that had arrived only yesterday. Double-breasted and sharply tailored, it had a band of subtle embroidery in the same shade around the collar. It was understated to the point of silence, but anyone in the know could recognize its caliber at a glance.

She took it down and paired it with ivory wide-leg trousers and a cashmere sweater in a matching shade. For jewelry, she chose pieces from Cartier's Panthère collection-a diamond-set ring and a pair of small stud earrings.

Once dressed, she stood before the full-length mirror and looked herself over.

In the mirror, she stood straight, her shoulders forming a graceful line. The navy coat drew in at the waist, outlining her slender figure.

The wide-leg trousers draped beautifully, covering her ankles and leaving only the tips of her matching navy pointed-toe heels visible.

Her hair was blow-dried and left loose, the ends curling slightly inward, making her face look all the more small and exquisite.

In the morning light, her skin was pale enough to be almost translucent. Her features held a faint air of detachment, yet the corners of her lips curved slightly upward, as though she were thinking of something amusing.

[Full marks.] Little Golden Egg floated behind her and gave his assessment in all seriousness.

[Today's style says, "I'm impressive, but I won't tell you; figure it out yourself." It's perfect for meeting Cheng Yan this afternoon. He has high standards when it comes to artistic taste, and he won't find a flaw in this outfit.]

Su Jin picked up her phone from the table and glanced at it. At nine that morning, Shen Mingwei had sent several WeChat messages reporting on the guesthouse project's progress. At the end, she had added: I'm going to Dali myself next week. Want to come?

She replied with one word: Yes.

Scrolling down, she found a message from Lu Shen, sent three days earlier. He had asked whether she was done with work and said he knew a newly opened Japanese restaurant he wanted to treat her to.

She hadn't replied.

Yesterday he had sent another message, just a photo of an empty coffee cup with the caption: My coffee went cold while I waited for your call.

Su Jin looked at the message, the corners of her lips curving slightly, but she still didn't reply.

Farther down was a text from an unfamiliar number, signed "Zhou Ye": Hello, Miss Su. I'm Zhou Ye. Sister Shen gave me your contact information and said you were looking for a head of security. I'm returning to Beijing next week. Would it be convenient to meet and talk?

She raised an eyebrow and replied with one word: Certainly.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg said, coming closer, [Zhou Ye is that retired special forces soldier. You've seen his résumé; he's impressive. The fact that he contacted you means Shen Mingwei is helping you build a team-she's reliable. He's worth meeting.]

Su Jin nodded, put her phone in her bag, and picked up her new favorite for the day-a burgundy Hermès Constance with a striking enamel clasp that added a vivid splash of color to her navy-and-ivory outfit.

She opened the door and headed for the elevator.

Downstairs, the driver was already waiting.

Two

At 2:55 that afternoon, Su Jin walked into a top-floor club in an office building on East Third Ring Road.

She had asked Shen Mingwei to book the place-it was private, had an expansive view, and was suitable for a discussion.

The club was Japanese in style throughout, with natural wood latticework, private tatami rooms, and a landscaped dry garden. Incense sticks burned in a corner, giving off a light, elegant fragrance.

A server led her to the innermost private room and slid open the door. Inside, she saw a man already seated.

Cheng Yan.

He was thirty-two, and looked somewhat leaner than he had in his résumé photo. He wore a dark gray cashmere cardigan over a white shirt, with no tie and the collar slightly open.

Frameless glasses rested on his nose. Behind the lenses, his eyes had a clean, unclouded shape; his gaze was focused when he looked at someone, but not overbearing.

The moment he saw Su Jin, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. It suited his bearing-not a look of dazzled admiration, but an appraisal that said she was different from what he had imagined. He quickly stood and inclined his body slightly, the movement restrained and polite.

"Miss Su."

"Mr. Cheng." Su Jin sat down across the tea table from him. "Sorry for the wait."

Cheng Yan shook his head. "I came early. It's a habit; I always arrive ahead of time when I'm meeting someone."

The server brought tea and refreshments, then slid the door shut and withdrew.

The room fell quiet, with only the city skyline beyond the window and the tea table between them.

Su Jin lifted her teacup and took a sip, her gaze resting on his face, in no hurry to speak.

Cheng Yan was in no hurry either. He picked up his cup and drank slowly, occasionally glancing at the view through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

His composure wasn't an act; he truly was unhurried. During his years at the auction house, he had met every kind of person and seen every kind of situation, and had long since learned to wait for the other party to speak first.

In the end, Su Jin smiled first.

"Mr. Cheng," she said, "I've read your résumé. Vice president of Sotheby's Asia, an art investment expert, with more than two billion yuan in auction lots handled. I'd like to know why you resigned."

Cheng Yan set down his teacup and looked at her, a faint smile in his eyes.

"That's a very direct question, Miss Su."

"There's no point beating around the bush," Su Jin said.

"I'm looking for someone to work with, not someone to date. Your résumé is impressive and your skills are top-notch, but I need an explanation for your resignation."

Cheng Yan was silent for a few seconds after hearing her out, then nodded.

"All right," he said. "I'll be direct, then. I resigned because I did something that offended someone, but I believed it was the right thing to do."

"What was it?"

"Last spring auction, a batch of paintings came in bearing the signature of a well-known modern master. Something felt wrong when I examined them, so I requested further authentication.

"The company didn't think it was necessary-the consignor was one of our major clients. They'd worked together happily before, so there couldn't be a problem.

"I couldn't persuade them, so I paid for three independent appraisers myself. When the results came back, sure enough, the paintings were fakes."

Su Jin raised an eyebrow. "And then?"

"Then I reported the results to the company and demanded the paintings be withdrawn from auction. At first, the company refused, saying it would affect the client relationship. I said that if they didn't withdraw them, I'd publish the findings in my own name. They weighed their options and withdrew them." He paused.

"Afterward, the client fell out with me, saying I'd ruined his reputation in the industry. He had people on the board, and I couldn't stay, so I resigned."

After hearing him out, Su Jin didn't speak immediately. She simply picked up her teacup and took another sip.

Sunlight slanted in through the floor-to-ceiling window, casting a small patch of light on the side of her face and making her clear skin look almost transparent.

Cheng Yan's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then moved away to the view outside.

"Mr. Cheng," Su Jin said, setting down her cup and looking at him, "I need an art adviser. It's not a formal position, just helping me manage some collections and occasionally giving investment advice. The work won't be demanding, and we can discuss the compensation. But I have one requirement."

"Go ahead."

"I don't need you to offend people on my behalf, and I don't need you to risk your neck," she said.

"What I need is your eye and your experience, your professional judgment. You offended people before because you stood by what was right.

"I don't want you to lose that quality, but I hope that when you stand your ground in the future, I'll be behind you."

Cheng Yan looked at her, and something flickered in his eyes.

"Miss Su," he said, "what do you mean by that?"

Su Jin smiled, took a document from her bag, and pushed it in front of him.

Cheng Yan opened it and saw that it was an employment contract. The figure in the compensation field made his pupils contract slightly-it was three times his previous annual salary.

"I looked into you," Su Jin said. "After you resigned, plenty of companies approached you-auction houses, galleries, private collectors-and their offers weren't low. You didn't go because you didn't want to work in that kind of environment anymore.

"So come work for me. Things are simple here. We just get things done; we don't pick sides or play office politics.

"You'll help me manage my collections, authenticate artworks, and seek out young artists worth investing in. You won't need to worry about anything else."

Cheng Yan looked at the contract, then at her, and for a long time couldn't find the words.

Outside the window, the sun gradually tilted westward, casting ever longer shadows across the room.

Smoke from the incense rose in delicate wisps, drifting slowly apart in the light.

At last he spoke, his voice a little softer than before:

"Miss Su, may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why do you want to do all this?" He looked into her eyes. "You have money, beauty, and time. Why go to all this trouble?"

Su Jin didn't answer immediately.

She picked up her teacup and took a slow sip, her gaze passing over the rim to the skyline outside, growing lower and lower.

The sun was setting in the west, dyeing the whole city a warm orange-red.

"Mr. Cheng," she finally said, her tone as calm as if she were discussing something trivial, "you're right. I could indeed do nothing at all. But that's not the life I want."

She paused, set the cup back on the tea table, and looked at him again.

"What I want is to do whatever I want, and not do whatever I don't want to do. What I want isn't comfort, but freedom.

"And freedom needs a strong enough trump card to back it up."

Cheng Yan looked at her, the appraisal in his eyes gradually giving way to something deeper.

"All right." He stood and held out his hand. "I accept."

Su Jin stood as well and shook his hand.

His hand was long-fingered and strong, with a slight chill, the distinctive temperature of someone who had spent years handling picture frames and paper.

"Welcome aboard," she said with a smile.

Three

After leaving the club, Su Jin got into the car, and her phone buzzed.

It was a message from Shen Mingwei: The renovation plan for Dali is ready. Lin Man says she can go next week. Let me know once you've confirmed your schedule.

She replied: All right, next week it is. I'll go with you.

Another message came from Zhou Ye: Miss Su, I returned to Beijing early. Are you free tomorrow afternoon?

She replied: Yes. You choose the place.

The third message came from an unfamiliar number: Hello, Ms. Su. I'm the assistant to President Lu of the Lu Group. President Lu would like to invite you to a private cocktail party next Saturday evening. Would you be available?

Su Jin looked at the message, the corners of her lips curving slightly.

[Host, Lu Shen is getting anxious,] Little Golden Egg said in her mind. [You didn't reply when he asked you himself, so he sent his assistant instead, and he's even throwing a cocktail party-he wants to bring you onto his turf.]

Su Jin put her phone away without replying and said to the driver, "To SKP."

[What are we going to SKP for?]

"To spend money," she said. "There's still plenty left in today's allowance, and we're passing by anyway. I'll buy a few things."

The car joined the traffic and headed toward the CBD.

Twenty minutes later, she appeared outside a luxury store on the third floor of SKP.

A sales associate's eyes lit up when she saw her, and she hurried over. The last time this customer had visited, she had spent seven figures, and the whole floor had been talking about it.

"Ms. Su, welcome! Some new pieces arrived just today, and they're especially suited to your style. Would you like to take a look?"

Su Jin nodded, walked inside, and sat down on a sofa.

The clothes were brought out one by one, and she looked through them, sometimes nodding, sometimes shaking her head.

The sales associate attended her, quickly filling a long list in her notebook: two coats, three dresses, four cashmere sweaters, two scarves, and a pair of boots.

When it was time to pay, the total appeared. The sales associate glanced at it and asked carefully, "Ms. Su, should we have these delivered to your home?"

Su Jin nodded, paid with her black card, then stood and walked out.

As she stepped out of the store, someone approached from the opposite direction.

His suit was immaculate, he was in his early thirties, and his features carried the capable air peculiar to a workplace elite.

When he saw Su Jin, he paused, his gaze lingering on her face for a second before quickly moving away. He turned sideways to let her pass.

Su Jin walked past him and glimpsed the badge pinned to his chest out of the corner of her eye: Lu Group, strategic development department.

[Someone from the Lu Group,] Little Golden Egg said. [What a coincidence, huh?]

Su Jin said nothing and kept walking.

After she had gone some distance, she saw out of the corner of her eye that the man was standing where he was, watching her. Then he took out his phone and seemed to send a message.

She smiled, paid it no mind, and entered the elevator.

[Host, do you think he ran into you by chance, or did someone arrange it?]

"Never mind him." Su Jin pressed the button for the first basement level. "Either way, we'll see him at the cocktail party next week."

The elevator doors closed, and the numbers ticked down.

Four

At nine that evening, Su Jin returned to her apartment at the China World Trade Center.

After changing out of her clothes and removing her makeup, she stood in her bathrobe before the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the glittering night view.

The city spread out beneath her feet, its lights stretching into a sea, like countless diamond chips scattered across black velvet.

Her phone lay on the coffee table beside her. Its screen lit up with a message from Lu Shen: My assistant told you about the reception, right? Are you coming?

She looked at the message but didn't reply right away.

"Host, are you going to reply?"

"No rush," she said. "Let him wait a little longer."

"Host, you're really good at playing hard to get."

Su Jin smiled, picked up the glass of warm water beside her, and took a sip.

Her phone lit up again. This time it was Cheng Yan: Thank you for today. I'll do a good job.

She replied: Don't thank me. Thank yourself.

Another message came, this one from Shen Mingwei: Everything's settled in Dali. We're leaving next week.

She replied: Okay.

Putting down her phone, she continued looking out the window.

Little Golden Egg floated beside her. After a quiet spell, it couldn't hold back any longer:

"Host, today you met Cheng Yan, made plans with Zhou Ye, made arrangements for Shen Mingwei, and spent over a million. Tomorrow you're seeing Zhou Ye, next week you're going to Dali, and the week after that you're going to Lu Shen's reception. Your schedule is packed. This system would like to ask-are you tired?"

Su Jin listened but said nothing.

After a long while, she finally spoke, her voice soft:

"No. It's much easier than before, when I worked overtime until three in the morning and still had to be on time for meetings the next day."

"Then are you happy?"

Su Jin thought for a moment, and the corners of her lips curved up slightly.

"Happy," she said. "I can do what I want, see the people I want to see, and spend the money I want to spend-why wouldn't I be happy?"

Little Golden Egg fell silent.

Outside, the night grew deeper, but the city lights still shone brightly.

The woman standing before the floor-to-ceiling window cast a long shadow across the floor, a quiet and resolute silhouette.

Her phone lit up with the last message of the day: an address and time from Zhou Ye.

Su Jin glanced at it, put down her phone, and turned toward the bedroom.

Tomorrow, there were new people to meet and new things to do.