Some said a century’s cultivation for Xu Tingsheng. Xiang Ning had only used three years. Yet, Xu Tingsheng had not been this successful at the time, having even been destitute too. If those women who were talking about accumulating enough merit for a Xu Tingsheng were to see that version of him, they probably wouldn’t look twice at him.

  So, how precious were those three years? Miss Xiang who claimed to have had a lot of suitors since young, which was probably true, had waited for a coward that ran off for over a thousand days and night.

  Fu Cheng said he had an economics teacher who liked to talk about life with his students during lessons. Once, a girl asked him, “What do men with a ten million annual salary look for in women? The teacher smiled and answered, “What do you all think?” The students gave many responses, such as a good figure, someone beautiful and smart, with high educational qualifications, a good family background, even being good to upkeep……

  The teacher simply said, “What he looks for: it’s best that when you fell in love with him, he still did not have that ten million annual salary.”


  Sometimes, men actually need more love, more proof than women do, however hearing this might cause heartburn.

  The Xu Tingsheng of this lifetime did not need Xiang Ning to prove anything again. He had long since been fully convinced. All he needed to do now was dote on her, giving her everything that he had once been unable to give her tenfold, a hundredfold.

  It might take others a century, but it had taken him two lifetimes of cultivation for a Little Xiang Ning.

  The performance on stage was still ongoing. Considering how uncles and aunties were actually an important part of the customer base for Zhicheng too, they had even arranged opera. Hu Shengming, the one in charge of arranging the performance, had chosen a local opera in inviting one of Jianhai Province’s most famous Yue opera troupes. He had invited a relatively less mainstream Wenzhou opera troupe too.

  That Yue opera troupe sang and , operas that aged audiences were most familiar with and younger audiences also more or less understood.

  Following that was the performance by the Wenzhou opera troupe that the audience comparatively found more foreign.

  At this point in time, Miss Xiang who was still not the person who would occasionally quote ‘Leaving the hometown to save Sire Li, yet who knew somehow aceing the exams’ to Uncle after studying Chinese literature in university got bored. She leaned in Xu Tingsheng’s arms, counting stars.

  Xu Tingsheng counted them with her, messing up her count. She counted 12345, and Xu Tingsheng would stick in a 9. She counted 31, 32, 33, and Xu Tingsheng would stick in a 44. Miss Xiang would exasperatedly exclaim, “Oh no, now where was I?”


  “Somewhere around two thousand,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  Hu Shengming sent over a text: Do you know why I invited over a Wenzhou opera troupe?

  “Why?”


  The reply came: Let me tell you, that woman on stage, the one who’s singing now, is crazy beautiful. It’s completely, utterly crazy. I’m curious. If a beauty of this level isn’t being ‘hidden’, how could a non-mainstream troupe like them keep her?

  This coincidental? Xu Tingsheng suddenly remembered something as he mumbled inwardly to himself.

  “You have designs on her?” Xu Tingsheng gazed upwards to confirm something before asking.

  “Is it okay?” Hu Shengheng sent a reply.

  “No,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “Why?”


  “You can’t afford to provoke her boyfriend. The swiftest rising star in politics of Jianan and the entire Jianhai Province over the past two years, his background involving military bigwigs and amazing to oblivion.”


  “.……How is that possible? Isn’t she just a member of a small troupe?”


  “You don’t understand.”


  Xu Tingsheng did not explain. He had seen this woman in Jianan University in his previous life before, when the government had promoted Wenzhou opera on campus. There hadn’t been many people willing to go at first. Having been in his fourth year and found a job as he was simply waiting around for graduation, Xu Tingshneg had been forcibly recruited to attend it.

  In the end, when that day had come, the entire lecture theatre had nearly been bursting with guys, all because of this woman.

  In terms of appearance alone, this woman might be one of the most beautiful of all those Xu Tingsheng had seen in his previous life. That combination of classic class and modern beauty appraisal standards and the switch between gentleness and valour had caused her to appear in his dreams for a few years afterwards.

  Considering this life too, in terms of figure, looks and quality, she was inferior only to Li Wan’er.

  Of course, Xiang Ning did not fall under these appraisal standards. To Xu Tingsheng, as she was flat-chested, flat was true justice-other standards of appraisal were all sorely mistaken.

  The reason Xu Tingsheng understood this in his previous life was because some wastrels had blocked the path of the Wenzhou drama troupe’s vehicle after the activity had ended, insisting on treating her to a meal.

  Besides their foul language, because others from the troupe blocked them, they even utilised violence.

  Afterwards, this was broken up by a few cars whose brands alone were frightening enough. All those wastrels whose families were said to have some background were also expelled without exception. The next time Xu Tingsheng had seen her had been in the news channel of Jianhai province. She had accompanied the political superstar in greeting the American representative squad from Boston.

  This is actually not strange. We see those actresses or singers getting married to rich dudes, but almost never see them getting married to bureaucrats. Beauties who can enter such families based on their looks often originate from various government-related troupes. Correspondingly, these are the actual bases for the beauties of important families and officials.

  So, when you are watching news sometimes and wonder why such a beauty is doing something so non-mainstream and why they don’t act in a drama or sing popular songs, becoming super popular, please remember that those female artistes, for all their worth and popularity, might really not measure up to them at all.

  “Give the Wenzhou troupe the best treatment. Be polite, don’t have any wrong designs and try to befriend her as much as possible. Also, definitely do not mention the person behind her,” Xu Tingsheng thought about it and sent Hu Shengming a final text.

  He had been close to graduation when he had seen her in his previous life. Now, he was still in his third year……if she had coincidentally not met and sparked off anything with that guy yet, now would be a perfect opportunity for some investment in the political scene.

  ‘Associating when still undeveloped’. This is basically the best reason for the ancients investing in and placing their bets on those with potential. Xu Tingsheng did not need to invest any actual thing here and had not placed too many hopes on this as well. It was just like firing off wild shots and hoping to luckily strike a fowl.

  The unveiling ceremony and performances that began at 7.30 sharp persisted till 10pm. Xu Tingsheng accompanied the happy Xiang Ning on the balcony till nearly 12pm before going home.

  After bathing, Xu Tingsheng rested on his pillow and lay down on the bed.

  Wearing her pyjamas, Xiang Ning pushed open the door and leaned against it, gazing at him with a face full of anticipation.

  “What is it? You’re not going to sleep?” Xu Tingsheng asked.

  Ever since Miss Xiang had often gotten those brain short circuits and not been averse to offering herself, Xu Tingsheng had really not dared to sleep together with her any longer.

  Xiang Ning replied, “Well, your reward……do you still want it?”


  “.……I’ve already received it.”


  “Yes, but I can reward you again.”


  “I don’t want it.”


  “.……You do want it!”


  “I don’t want it.”


  “.……You do want it!”


  “I don’t want it.”


  “Xu Tingsheng, you dirty ruffian. Are you tired of playing me and don’t want me anymore?”


  “.……I haven’t even played you yet.”


  “Then……”


  “What?”


  “Do you want to play?”


  “.……”


  “Wah, long legs. Wah, little pert waist……”


  “..Hah, and a flat chest too!”


  “You……Xu Tingsheng, you dare to shut me outside the door? You’re even locking and latching it? You……”


  Miss Xiang felt like this scene was just totally wrong somehow!!!