Morning.
Jiang Xun awoke.
The massive bed beneath him felt almost too luxurious, a stage wide enough to host an entire party. Every pore of his body hummed with a sense of lazy comfort.
He rose, threw on a loose shirt, and headed downstairs.
In the dining room, Mu Qingxue was already seated neatly at the table. She wore a cream-colored loungewear set, her long hair cascading smoothly over her shoulders, makeup flawless as ever.
Yet beneath her perfectly drawn eyes, faint shadows betrayed the sleepless excitement of someone who had spent the night chasing miracles.
As soon as she saw him, she sprang to her feet and presented a document in both hands—as solemnly as if she were offering an imperial decree.
"Sir."
Her voice trembled ever so slightly.
"About that vitality serum…"
She took a deep breath, gathering all her courage.
"I had Tianqi Biotech's top laboratory run an overnight analysis."
Jiang Xun arched a brow, wordlessly gesturing for her to continue.
"The results…" Her tone quivered, eyes flashing with disbelief.
"We couldn't identify it. Not a single component. Even with the most advanced mass spectrometer available, it remained… unreadable."
She swallowed hard."It's like—like something not of this world."
Jiang Xun smiled faintly to himself.Of course it is. If the system's products could be analyzed by human science, that would be the real miracle.
Mu Qingxue bit her lip, hesitating, then confessed like a child admitting a misdeed.
"So… I diluted one drop with pure water—a hundredfold dilution."
"And I authorized internal testing."
Her voice trembled with mounting excitement.
"From lab mice… to human volunteers."
By now her tone was incandescent.
"Sir! There were no side effects!"
"And the results—were extraordinary!"
"One researcher, after seventy-two straight hours of exhaustion, recovered over eighty percent of his energy and stamina in just thirty minutes!"
"This isn't a supplement anymore. It's—divine medicine!"
She paused, eyes darkening.
"But somehow… the news leaked."
"Now the whole of Jinling is in chaos. The rich wives—especially the married ones—nearly crashed my private line last night."
"They're offering ten million. For a drop of the diluted solution."
Jiang Xun took a leisurely sip of milk, a glint of amusement in his eyes.Ah, so the market discovered itself already.
He studied her face—the expectant, cautious reverence—and said lazily,"One drop, ten million?"
"Sounds like you're about to make a fortune."
Mu Qingxue shook her head so fast her earrings trembled.
"No! I would never! This belongs to you, Sir. Without your permission, I wouldn't dare touch a thing."
"I only wanted to… report its potential."
Jiang Xun's lips curved slightly. That smile—half indulgent, half predatory—made her heartbeat stutter.
"I remember," he murmured, "you're not the only voice in Tianqi Group, are you?"
Her face paled. She lowered her gaze.
"No… there are still a few elder directors—those who once followed my mother and helped build the company…"
"Good."
He cut her off gently, tapping the table twice—thud, thud.
"The elixir is mine."
"But how to use it—that's up to you."
He leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with her. Each word landed with deliberate weight.
"Use it to buy what they still hold."
"Shares. Power. And most importantly—loyalty."
Mu Qingxue froze, then her breath caught in revelation.
He wasn't dismissing her. He was… anointing her.
Authorizing her ascent to the throne.
Her lips trembled. "I understand."
"Sir, I will not let you down."
"Good." Jiang Xun reclined back, waving a hand with lazy grace.
"Now go prepare breakfast, Your Majesty."
Watching her stride toward the kitchen with fiery determination, he felt a quiet satisfaction.
That's more like it.
He didn't need ornaments vying for favor.He wanted blades—sharp, intelligent, and fiercely loyal—capable of conquering and defending his growing domain.
Jiang Xun, humming, wandered toward the living room.
Then he stopped.
Leaning against the banister, he glanced down.
There, on the Persian carpet below—
—a flame in motion.
A woman in a blazing red yoga outfit, body bent into a pose that defied anatomy, every line taut and glistening with sweat.
Su Qingyu.
Balancing on her arms, one leg extended straight toward the ceiling while the other bent backward, her toes nearly touching the back of her head.
Her outfit, darkened slightly by sweat, clung to her like a second skin, tracing every perfect curve—from the proud arch of her hips, to the sinuous waist, to the trembling muscles of her back.
Each movement radiated power and life. A few damp strands of hair clung to her flushed cheeks, lending her a feral beauty.
She muttered through clenched teeth:
"Hmph. That Mu Qingxue only knows how to look elegant."
"Men prefer someone fiery! Someone exciting!"
But the dark circles beneath her eyes betrayed the truth—she hadn't slept a wink.
She was running purely on stubborn pride.
Ah, Jiang Xun mused inwardly, so the "Battle of the Curly Queens" enters overtime.
He crossed his arms and leaned casually against the rail, like an amused audience member in a theater box.
Su Qingyu suddenly felt the weight of his gaze.
Her body froze.
Then—like a startled cat—she lost balance.
"Oh no—!"
She tumbled to the floor in a graceless heap.
"Xun… Xun-ge! When did you wake up?"
Scrambling up, she blushed furiously, yanking at her crumpled yoga top in a futile attempt at dignity.
"I—uh—I was doing morning exercise! Yes! Morning exercise!"
"You know what they say—'life is motion'! Look at me! Strong as ever!"
To prove her point, she slapped her own hip—producing a loud smack! that only deepened her blush.
Jiang Xun nearly laughed aloud.
Her little performances were as bright and obvious as her scarlet clothes—written in bold letters, impossible to miss.
Just then, Mu Qingxue emerged with a breakfast tray, perfectly composed, as though the entire scene before her were beneath acknowledgment.
"Milk at forty-two degrees. Whole-wheat toast, ninety seconds—just the crispness you prefer."
Jiang Xun descended, settling into his chair.
Su Qingyu plopped opposite him, trying to act natural, stuffing bread into her mouth to hide her embarrassment.
Mu Qingxue handed him a tablet.
"Sir, here is your elective course schedule for today."
The digital screen displayed beautifully formatted slides:
Founding and Inheriting a Financial EmpireIntroduction to Classical Music AppreciationEssential Golf Techniques
They all looked polished—and utterly unappealing.
"What's the most popular elective these days?" he asked idly.
Mu Qingxue immediately switched interfaces and pulled up data charts.
"According to the Jinling University Women's Comprehensive Development Center, the top two electives this semester are Royal Equestrian Training and Advanced Pelvic Health & Conditioning."
"Pfft—!"
Across the table, Su Qingyu sprayed milk everywhere, coughing violently.
"Wha—what kind of course is that?! Pelvic conditioning?!"