Chapter 26: An Unexpected Success
Wu Yifan was growing desperate. With less than thirty minutes left to complete his task, Ye Xiwen was still playing hardball over the 500 yuan reward.
"Three hundred now, or five hundred later," he pressed, crossing his arms.
Ye's eyes flashed. "Are you *daring* to threaten me?"
"Call it what you want," Wu said, forcing a confident smirk. Inside, he was panicking. *Hurry up!*
Ye leaned in, her voice icy. "I paid you ten days ago. Where did all the money go?"
"Emergency," Wu lied. "Family stuff."
"Spare me the sob story," Ye scoffed. "You're up to something. I can tell."
Wu threw his hands up. "Fine! Keep your money. See if I care!" He turned to storm off, hoping to goad her into chasing—*anything* to get close enough for a hug.
Then—*crash!*
A waiter, jostled by the crowd, stumbled into Ye. She yelped, her balance gone, her body tipping toward the floor.
Wu's reflexes kicked in. He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her waist to steady her.
Time froze.
Ye's body was soft against his, her perfume—floral, with a hint of musk—flooding his senses. Her hair tickled his cheek, and for a heartbeat, she leaned into him, her hands gripping his shoulders.
*Yes!* Wu's mind screamed. *Task complete!*
"Th-thanks," Ye stammered, pulling away. Her cheeks were flushed, her composure shattered. "But you can let go now."
Wu released her, grinning like an idiot. "Just making sure you didn't fall. Safety first, right?"
Ye shot him a withering look, but there was a flicker of something else in her eyes—embarrassment? Gratitude?
Before she could say more, a notification blared in Wu's mind:
*"Task completed. Performance rating: Moderate. Reward: 8 enhancement points. New attribute unlocked: Technical Precision."*
Wu nearly cheered. Eight points! And a new attribute! He could already picture enhancing his reflexes, his strength—endless possibilities.
As he stood there, grinning like a fool, a soft voice whispered in his ear: "Told you I'd help."
Wu froze.
It was Liu Wei—the journalist. She winked, then vanished into the crowd, leaving Wu to gape after her.
*She did that?* He thought. *She pushed Ye?*
Ye cleared her throat, snapping him back to reality. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing!" Wu said, too quickly. "Just… glad you're okay."
Ye narrowed her eyes, but let it drop. She smoothed her dress, her cheeks still pink. "Let's go. This banquet's over."
Wu nodded, already mentally spending his eight enhancement points. Technical Precision? He wasn't sure what it did yet, but he couldn't wait to find out.
As they walked out of Heavenly Realm, Wu glanced back at the glittering lights, a smile playing on his lips.
Who needed grand plans? Sometimes, luck was all you needed.
And today, luck was definitely on his side.