Su Ning reappeared inside her sport car in a blur that left the night air trembling faintly in her wake, and for a brief moment she remained seated behind the steering wheel, her fingers resting lightly on the leather, her breathing steady yet charged with a thrill that still hummed through her veins.
Outside, under the pale wash of the streetlights, she lifted her gaze and watched Hu Zhen's men scrambling into their vehicles in hurried, disordered movements, their usual swagger nowhere to be seen, their faces tight with lingering fear as engines roared to life and tires screeched against the smooth stone-paved driveway.
A slow, exhilarated smile curved her lips as she leaned back into her seat, her heartbeat finally beginning to settle.
Her cultivation had already reached the peak of level one, and her ghost steps were nearly perfected, a realization that sent a ripple of excitement through her chest.
She had felt it clearly just moments ago, the way her body had slipped through space without disturbing the air, without leaving even the faintest ripple behind, as though the world itself had folded quietly around her.
She was certain no one had seen her leave the private room and she was even more certain that even the door she had brushed past remained closed to mortal eyes, because her speed had surpassed anything that logic or physics could account for.
The realization made her laugh softly, the sound low and incredulous as she shook her head.
Her ghost queen aura had been far more terrifying and far more intoxicating than she had imagined, and she was still surprised by how easily it had obeyed her will when she pushed it to that extent.
She had never unleashed it so completely before, and the memory of the oppressive power, the way even seasoned gangsters had crumbled beneath her presence, made her pulse race again with a dangerous sort of delight.
Her laughter rose, clear and unrestrained, as she started the engine and guided the car smoothly onto the road, her excitement impossible to contain.
She wondered what more she could do with the ghost aura once she fully mastered it, and the thought of reaching level two in her cultivation filled her with a fierce, almost arrogant confidence.
When that day came, she was certain there would be very few people in this world who could even think of standing against her.
By the time she reached the Chen family's villa, the restless thrill had softened into a warm, buoyant mood that lingered in her smile.
The iron gates had barely finished sliding open when Chen Anya and her mother, Liu Ting, rushed out from the front steps, their worry so evident that Su Ning felt her chest tighten with affection before she had even stepped out of the car.
Liu Ting was the first to reach her, wrapping her arms around Su Ning in a firm, protective hug that smelled faintly of her familiar floral perfume.
"Ningning, don't you dare take any of those nonsense comments to heart," Liu Ting said urgently, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and concern.
"People online are fickle and cruel, and they always jump to conclusions without knowing anything. You hear me? None of it matters."
Before Su Ning could even respond properly, Chen Anya had already grabbed her hand, her eyes blazing with indignation.
"I swear, if I ever meet those keyboard warriors in real life, I'll give them a piece of my mind," Anya exclaimed, her grip tightening. "They're so unreasonable, so disgusting, spreading rumors like it's their life. I was so angry I almost threw my phone."
Su Ning laughed softly, the tension in her shoulders easing as she squeezed Anya's hand back. "I'm really okay, Anya, Auntie Liu," she said gently, her voice warm and steady. "It looks worse than it actually is."
They ushered her inside with a flurry of fussing and worried glances, and just as they stepped into the living room, Chen Wei came down the curved staircase from the upper floor, his expression a mixture of concern and restrained fury.
"Ningning," he called out, his steps quickening. "Are you all right? Did anyone bully you today? If someone dared to touch you or say something to your face, just tell me who it is. I don't care who they are, I'll fight them to death."
Liu Ting shot him an exasperated look and smacked his arm lightly. "Stop talking nonsense in front of Ning," she scolded, though her eyes were still filled with worry. "You're going to scare her."
Su Ning couldn't help smiling at their exaggerated protectiveness. "Uncle Chen, Auntie Liu, I promise I'm fine," she said, her tone sincere. "Nothing serious happened. Please don't worry so much."
Liu Ting exhaled, though she still looked unconvinced, and took Su Ning gently by the arm. "Come, come, you must be hungry," she said, guiding her toward the dining area. "I prepared all your favorite dishes. You need to eat properly. Stress on an empty stomach is the worst."
The dining table was laden with carefully arranged dishes, the warm aroma of food wrapping around Su Ning like a comforting blanket.
As they sat down, Liu Ting barely let Su Ning lift her chopsticks before she started piling food into her bowl, her movements brisk and affectionate. "Eat more meat, you're too thin," she insisted. "And have some of this soup, it's good for calming the nerves."
"Auntie, that's really too much," Su Ning protested softly, though she didn't stop Liu Ting, her eyes glistening with warmth.
Chen Anya watched with a small laugh, then added a piece of her own favorite dish into Su Ning's bowl. "You're not allowed to leave until you've finished all of that," she said playfully. "We're fattening you up."
The meal passed in a gentle, lively atmosphere, filled with soft laughter, worried questions that gradually turned into casual chatter, and Liu Ting's constant reminders for Su Ning to eat more.
By the time they were done, Su Ning felt comfortably full and emotionally soothed, though she had already assured them she was fine at least a dozen times.
When she finally stood up and mentioned that she should probably go home, Liu Ting immediately frowned. "Go home? At a time like this?" she protested. "Absolutely not. You're staying here tonight. I've already prepared a room for you."
Chen Anya's eyes lit up. "Yes, yes, stay!" she begged eagerly. "We can talk all night. Please, Ning Ning."
Su Ning hesitated briefly, then laughed helplessly. "All right, all right, I'll stay," she agreed, unable to refuse their combined insistence.
Her room had indeed already been prepared, warm and inviting, with soft lighting and fresh flowers placed thoughtfully by the window. Chen Anya followed her in, flopping onto the bed dramatically. "I'll stay here with you," she announced.
Before Su Ning could reply, Liu Ting appeared at the door, hands on her hips. "Anya, give her some space," she said firmly. "She needs to rest. You can talk tomorrow."
Anya pouted, dragging her feet as she stood up. "Fine," she muttered, throwing Su Ning a reluctant look. "But we're having breakfast together."
After Anya left, Su Ning went to take a shower, and when she opened the closet afterward, she froze in mild surprise. Inside were neatly arranged clothes in her exact size, all new, all clearly chosen with care.
A soft smile spread across her face as she immediately knew Liu Ting must have done this for her.
After changing into comfortable satin pants and a matching shirt, she lay down on the bed, the events of the night finally catching up to her.
Just then, the system's familiar tone sounded in her mind.
'Ding.'
'Side Mission Completed: Identify the true mastermind behind the scandal.
Reward: 150 million yuan.
God-tier System Lottery (1x).'
Her phone beeped a second later, and when she glanced at the screen, her breath caught as she saw the notification confirming the deposit.
'Your account XXXXXXX has been credited with 150,000,000 yuan.'
She grinned and clicked to check her account balance.
[Your account balance is 677,000,000 yuan.]
She inhaled sharply, she had almost a billion yuan in cash. How many in her age could boast of this?
She rolled and screamed into the pillow in pure happiness.
The system's voice sounded again. "Would the host like to spin the lottery now?"
"Yes," Su Ning answered immediately, barely containing her excitement.
The sound of the lottery spinning filled her ears, a rhythmic hum that made her heart pound, until it finally stopped with a sharp, clear ding.
"Congratulations. You have won: Mystical Pearls."
A medium sized box appeared in her hand, and when she opened it, her eyes widened at the sight of dozens of pill-sized objects inside, shimmering softly, transparent and crystalline, like tiny diamonds.
"What are these?" she asked, her voice hushed.
The system replied calmly, "Mystical pearls can be used to clear scars no matter how severe, heal wounds and broken bones within hours, improve physical appearance, enhance skin and hair condition, reshape body proportions, increase height, and cure internal diseases and sicknesses."
Su Ning stared at the pearls, her jaw dropping slowly as her mind raced. "Are you serious?" she whispered in disbelief. A rush of ideas flooded her thoughts, business plans forming almost instantly. Skincare, medicine, global markets, domination. The potential was limitless.
She laughed softly, her eyes shining. "This… this changes everything."
Carefully storing the pearls in her space, she flopped onto the bed, rolling onto her back with a breathless laugh. "You really are my lucky charm," she said to the system fondly.
The system fell silent, retreating as though embarrassed.
Su Ning smiled, exhaustion finally overtaking her as contentment settled deep in her chest, and within minutes, she drifted into a peaceful, happy sleep.