When Jiang Xun returned to the villa, it wasn't Mu Qingxue who greeted him.It was the sharp, medicinal tang of boiling herbs.
He paused mid-motion, one shoe halfway on, and looked toward the living room with mild surprise.
A woman he didn't recognize stood with her back to him in the open kitchen, busy over the counter.
She wore a simple linen dress, dull gray, slightly faded — the sort of thing one might find at a roadside stall for a few dozen yuan.
And yet, somehow, the plain fabric did not cheapen her.On her, it looked dignified, even elegant. The years had only polished her, tempering her slender frame with a quiet grace that no luxury brand could imitate.
She looked to be in her late forties.Her black hair was coiled loosely and secured with a wooden hairpin, revealing the pale line of her neck — smooth and slender as the curve of a swan's.
Sunlight spilled through the tall windows, gilding her figure in a gentle glow.For a moment, the entire room looked like an ink painting — muted, tranquil, touched by time.
Even from behind, Jiang Xun could tell: in her youth, this woman must have been breathtaking.
Sensing movement near the door, the woman turned around.
Jiang Xun's gaze narrowed slightly.
Her features resembled Mu Qingxue's — seven parts, perhaps — but without Qingxue's sharp, corporate edge.Where her daughter radiated ambition and control, this woman exuded calm composure, the serenity of one who had weathered life's tempests and learned to breathe through them.
Fine lines framed her eyes, not marring but deepening her beauty — the soft luster of polished jade that had been handled and cherished for many years.
"You must be Jiang Xun, right?" she said gently, her voice warm yet cautious, as though weighing him in her mind."I'm Qingxue's mother. Wen Lan."
Jiang Xun nodded in greeting, finally placing her face.
Wen Lan wiped her hands hastily and approached, a little flustered, gesturing toward the clay pot simmering on the stove.
"I… I heard from Qingxue that you went horseback riding today. You must be exhausted, so I came over uninvited to make you some tonic soup."
As she spoke, she ladled out a bowl.The liquid was pitch-black and steaming, the aroma thick enough to sting the nose.
"This is made with nine-section calamus, thousand-year polygonum, and a few secret herbs passed down in our Mu family," she said with maternal pride. "It's great for strengthening the body."
Jiang Xun accepted the bowl, eyeing the murky contents warily, then glanced up at her expectant face.
He couldn't help thinking — if anyone sees this, they'll assume I'm training for the Olympics.
Still, he smiled politely. "Thank you, Auntie. You're very kind."
Her expression softened instantly. Relief, then genuine warmth.
She drew out a chair for him, gesturing for him to sit, and settled across from him, her posture impeccable, hands folded on her knees.
"Drink it while it's hot — it loses its potency when it cools."
Her gaze was that of a mother-in-law appraising her son-in-law: watchful, tender, quietly evaluative.
"Qingxue is a wonderful girl," Wen Lan said after a pause, her tone tinged with affection and worry. "But she's too strong-willed. She treats life like a business plan — every detail, every goal… Sometimes I fear she'll push you too hard."
Jiang Xun took a sip of the dark soup.Bitterness exploded across his tongue, shooting straight to his brain.
He swallowed it without flinching. "It's fine," he said evenly.
Wen Lan sighed — a soft, weary sound that seemed to carry years of buried grief.
"Don't be fooled by the Mu family's prestige," she murmured. "Qingxue's father passed away long ago."
She paused, eyes dimming with memory.
"He was one of Jinling's most brilliant scholars — but his health was fragile. Overworked, always burning the candle at both ends… He didn't even make it past forty. His kidneys just… gave out."
Her voice trembled at the last word.
"This world demands too much of men," she went on quietly. "You're the pillars of the house — treasures, yes, but also the ones who bear the weight. We women… all we can do is help you hold that weight a little longer. Just a little longer."
The bowl in Jiang Xun's hands suddenly felt heavier.
He realized that this bitter soup carried more than herbs — it was steeped in expectation, in fear, in love hardened by loss.
This wasn't just a tonic.It was a mother's plea, a widow's vow, a kind of domestic KPI that measured survival.
She was determined that her daughter's marriage would not repeat her own tragedy.
As Wen Lan studied Jiang Xun's refined but slender frame, her mind began to calculate anxiously.
Handsome, yes. But far too thin.
That Qingxue girl… she's too ruthless. What if she overworks him? Drains him dry?
No. Absolutely not.This boy needed protection — and proper nutrition.She would make this tonic daily. And tonight, she would remind her daughter: pace yourself; strategy matters more than speed.
Jiang Xun had no idea that he had just been added to his mother-in-law's "Key Protection and Sustainable Development Program."
He only knew that whatever thrill Qin Lan had stirred in him earlier at the equestrian club — that pulse of conquest and desire — now felt trivial next to this bowl of existential dread.
If the universe had KPIs, this one read: Survival.
Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming urge to acquire new skills.
Silver Kidney Warrior.
In this world, such a talent might be a thousand times more useful than any martial art or concerto.
This wasn't about pleasure anymore.This was strategy. Longevity strategy.
Jiang Xun drained the bitter soup in one go and set the bowl down with solemn resolve.
"Auntie, I'll go rest upstairs."
"Go on, go on," Wen Lan said with a smile. "Your room's all tidied up."
Upstairs, Jiang Xun closed the door behind him and sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.
"System," he said, "open the lottery wheel."
Ding!Basic reward wheel activated. Current Reputation Points: 5,450. Begin draw?
"Yes. Twenty spins in a row."
Ding! Congratulations — you've won 1,000 yuan cash!Ding! Congratulations — Stamina Recovery Potion (Small) x1!Ding! Congratulations — Combat Skill Fragment x1!Ding! Congratulations — Culinary Skill Fragment x1!
One notification after another flashed before his eyes.
Jiang Xun's face remained expressionless.These were appetizers.
"Continue. Use all remaining points."
Ding! Congratulations — Stamina Recovery Potion (Small) x1!Ding! Congratulations — Helicopter Piloting Skill Fragment x1!
When the wheel finally stopped, his inventory listed:
Combat Skill Fragments: 10/10
Piano Mastery Fragments: 10/10
Helicopter Piloting Fragments: 5/10
Culinary Fragments: 6/10
"Combine Combat and Piano fragments," he commanded.
Ding! Consuming 10 Combat Fragments...Congratulations — Skill Book Acquired: [Combat Mastery]!Ding! Consuming 10 Piano Fragments...Congratulations — Skill Book Acquired: [Piano Virtuoso]!
Remaining reputation: 50.
Jiang Xun stared at the two glowing icons on his interface and almost laughed.
Combat Mastery.Useful — he could now defend his food from anyone who tried to steal it.
But could it cure kidney deficiency?
Piano Virtuoso.Even better. Refined, cultured.Perfect for performing his own requiem.
Damn it.
He had spent everything — all that effort — only to gain two "ceremonial" skills. One for fighting, one for mourning.
The system had a dark sense of humor.
Rubbing his temples, he felt the sudden flood of knowledge — muscle memory of combat forms, the fluid grace of piano fingering. His mind brimmed with both violence and art.
Downstairs, Wen Lan was already preparing lunch.
"Xun, come eat!" she called cheerfully.
When he descended, she greeted him with that same earnest, motherly expression — half concern, half project management.
The kind that said: Eat more, work hard, don't die young.
Jiang Xun sat down and said lightly, "Auntie, I might go out for a walk this afternoon."
"Out?" Wen Lan's tone sharpened briefly, then softened into a polite smile. "Did Qingxue plan something?"
"No, I just wanted to look around Jinling University. Feel the artistic atmosphere."
"Artistic atmosphere?" she repeated, thinking for a moment. Then it clicked. "Ah, you mean the music academy area. Yes, yes — music cultivates the soul. Good for health."
She nodded approvingly… and promptly placed a generous portion of deer antler slices into his bowl.
"But do be careful, dear. These days, young women are far too… forward."