"Not so fast."
He opened his eyes, a mischievous curve tugging at his lips.
"Before I go to university, shouldn't I at least 'inspect the goods'?"
"Inspect the goods?"
Mu Qingxue froze for a second—and then, almost instantly, her delicate face flushed with an ecstatic blush.
Inspection! He was going to inspect!
Finally, she didn't have to remain just a "light source" anymore!
She had waited far too long for this day.
"Yes, sir! I'm ready for your… inspection at any time!" Her voice trembled with excitement, her body instinctively leaning closer toward Jiang Xun.
Jiang Xun looked at her, trying his best to stay composed.
No, my friend, when I said 'inspection,' I meant your financial assets—not whatever you're imagining right now.
Still… seeing her that excited was rather amusing.
He cleared his throat, deciding to roll with the misunderstanding.
"Good attitude. First, let's go check the villa you've prepared. I'll evaluate your… readiness."
"Yes, sir!"
Mu Qingxue immediately straightened up, her tone crisp and commanding as she turned to the driver."To Villa No. 1, Yunqi Hills! Quickly!"
The Cullinan started smoothly, merging into the city traffic.
Forty minutes later, the car stopped before a modern villa built into the hillside.
The design screamed futuristic elegance—wide glass walls gleaming under the sunlight, clean white exterior, and a massive infinity pool mirroring the blue sky above.
"Sir, please come in."
Mu Qingxue rushed ahead, opening the car door for him before sprinting to the entrance.She unlocked it with her fingerprint and iris scan, the door sliding open with a soft chime.
The moment Jiang Xun stepped inside, his first impression was space.
A living room with ceilings over ten meters high, a wraparound sofa large enough for a small party, and a wall-sized screen that seemed straight out of a sci-fi movie.
"Please have a seat, sir."
Mu Qingxue dutifully handed him slippers, then went to the bar cabinet, pulled out an unlabeled bottle of mineral water, twisted the cap open, and presented it with both hands.
Jiang Xun took a sip.Tastes the same as the two-yuan bottles I used to buy.
He glanced around—and his eyes caught on a separate corner of the room.
An esports station.
Triple curved monitors, ergonomic gaming chair, RGB mechanical keyboard and mouse—the full professional setup.
"You game too?" Jiang Xun asked casually.
He hadn't expected that question to light her up like a power switch.
Her eyes sparkled, her posture straightened, and her face glowed with the righteousness of a martyr.
"Yes, sir! To better accompany my future partner, I've trained my gaming skills extensively!"
"I main support and jungle. I've mastered all meta champions—King-rank, thousand-star tier. I can duo-queue with you anytime and guarantee a flawless gaming experience!"
"If you ever get tired, I can even coach you to raise your rank!"
She rattled it off in one breath, her chest heaving with excitement, eyes full of "Please praise me!" anticipation.
Jiang Xun was speechless—half impressed, half horrified.
Competitive spirit? Way too strong. She trained to pro level… just to make herself more 'marriageable'? These women are under insane pressure to survive.
Back in his old world, his female teammates could barely last ten minutes in lane without feeding—compared to this one, they were prehistoric relics.
Just then, Mu Qingxue's phone buzzed softly in her pocket.
She glanced down, and her expression flickered—nervous, almost guilty.
"What is it?" Jiang Xun asked lazily.
"N–nothing, sir." She quickly put her phone away, forcing a flawless smile."It's just a push notification from the Tianhe Project app. It reminded me that, as your new partner, I need to review the Code of Conduct for Married Women and prepare for next month's Men's Welfare Association evaluation."
Men's Welfare Association?
Jiang Xun's inner voice screamed.That sounds like an NGO for endangered species!
"Explain," he said, intrigued.
"Yes, sir." Mu Qingxue instantly switched to briefing mode."The Men's Welfare Association is an official agency responsible for safeguarding all male citizens' marital rights. They conduct periodic follow-ups and KPI assessments for married women."
"The performance metrics include—but are not limited to—household satisfaction, emotional support, personal development, and… conjugal harmony."
"If we fail to meet the KPI, the Association can impose fines or formal warnings. In severe cases, they can initiate a 'forced dissolution'—terminating our marriage and freezing our status."
What the—marriage KPIs? Fail your performance review and you get auto-divorced?
Jiang Xun felt like his worldview was being violently dragged across concrete.
This wasn't marriage—it was an indefinite employment contract with performance reviews!
Then, another question struck him.
"So right now, what exactly am I to you?"
Mu Qingxue's cheeks turned crimson, her voice softening with a mix of shyness and expectation.
"According to the official registry, I'm currently your concubine-class spouse. Only when you approve it—through the Tianhe app—can I be promoted to official wife status."
"Of course, that's entirely your decision. You are the head of this household. Your authority is absolute."
A concubine? Official wife?What kind of cyberpunk feudal monarchy did I wake up in?!
Jiang Xun felt less like a time traveler and more like a beta tester in the closed alpha of Life Online, with full GM privileges.
And looking at the beautiful, intelligent woman before him—so eager, so careful, yet so proud—his mischievous streak stirred again.
After all, the slower the game, the more fun it is to play.
"Games and such… can wait."
Jiang Xun leaned back into the sofa, finding a comfortable angle.
"I've reviewed your asset report. Everything seems satisfactory."
"Now, I'd like to see your… talent report."
He deliberately emphasized the word talent.
After all, inspection shouldn't be limited to material assets—human assets counted too.
Mu Qingxue froze for a second, and then that same rush of wild joy surged across her face—stronger than when he first said "inspection."
This was it!The ultimate test!
Money and gaming skills were just the foundation.Talent would determine her true standing in the family hierarchy.
"Yes, sir!" she nearly shouted, voice trembling with excitement."I've prepared many talents for you! Piano, tea ceremony, classical dance, floral art—anything you wish to see first?"
She looked like an eager child, desperate to show off every treasure she'd ever collected.
Jiang Xun almost burst out laughing at her expression.
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Stop."
"Piano? Overdone."
"Tea ceremony? Puts me to sleep."
"Dance? Please—I've seen enough short videos already."
With every word, the color drained from Mu Qingxue's face.
By the time he finished, her flawless complexion had gone pale, her body trembling.
It was over.
Everything she'd prepared, everything she'd worked for—none of it mattered to him.
Would she lose her KPI score today? Would she be stripped of this once-in-a-lifetime chance?
Just as despair began to swallow her, Jiang Xun finally spoke again—slowly, deliberately.
"I want to see something… different."