Chapter 63 – Joy of a Bountiful Harvest

Chapter 63 - Joy of a Bountiful Harvest

As night fell, a gentle rain began to fall, casting a hazy veil over the flickering lights outside the window. Raindrops traced patterns on the glass pane.

The winter drizzle was light and incessant, clinging to hair strands and seeping into knees, irritatingly persistent.

It felt like only yesterday when Tang Fei sat on a plastic stool, her nose reddened by the cold raindrops.

Today, she was oblivious to the annoyance of the rain, nestled in a cozy hotel room, wrapped in warmth as she sat on a plush bed with a pillow, pondering over whether to practice typing speed or spend money.

To spend or not to spend?

"Tighten my purse strings, money should be spent wisely," Tang Fei decided, gritting her teeth. With quick enough fingers, there would be no difference between pressing one button or ninety-nine – a little extra effort could earn her more cash.

If the System could speak, it would probably be jumping up in frustration: "Host, are you still young?! Spend that money! Live it up! Spending brings happiness! Don't have a twenty-year-old body with a fifty-year-old mindset! This is risky for me!"

Rolling up the sleeves of her silk pajamas, revealing smooth, pale arms, Tang Fei exhaled onto her palm and flexed her nimble fingers.

Click, click, click...

Bundles of lucky bags untied, revealing their plump contents, as their silken ties were gently loosened, shimmering cards sprang forth in various poses, suspended in mid-air like stars in a celestial sea.

"Fortune Bags Unpacked (Quantity: 99)"

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on acquiring the Card Slot Panel function. It allows for the merging of similar cards and enables drawing of the smallest unit during use."

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on obtaining Time Cards, totalling 40 minutes."

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on receiving Vitality Pills, 70 in total."

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on gaining Memory Cards, with 12 uses."

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on obtaining Divination Cards, 3 uses in total."

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on acquiring Invocation Cards, usable twice."

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on receiving Skill Enhancement Cards, increasing proficiency by 20%."

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on unlocking the Attribute Panel feature, with the addition of Aura attributes."

"Congratulations on obtaining the Card Slot Panel feature: Battle Card Slots. Insert cards with different attributes and activate them simultaneously by clicking. There will be a 2-hour cooldown after usage."

New card!

New function!

Indeed, the more luck bags one opens, the better the rewards!

It's a bountiful harvest! Tang Fei's face lit up with a farmer's contented smile, as if she were standing on a dike, gazing at the endless golden waves of her rice paddies.

The theory of the lucky emperor had once again proven true. Perhaps next time, after saving up more, she might even get a reward that refunds all her purchases.

Or perhaps directly send her the dream prince? Or a ticket to travel between two worlds, with a homecoming prize?

Rubbing her hands together, Tang Fei felt her life brimming with hope.

Let's see how this new item fares.

"Fortune-Telling Card, Five Stars, produced by White Cloud Temple. Upon use, it can divine the fortunes of people or events."

The card's pattern resembled a divination tube.

"Summoning Card, Six Stars, Folklore Technique. Upon usage, it allows you to perceive the thoughts and memories of the person you envision for 50 minutes. After consecutive use twice, it will induce an eight-hour deep sleep. Please use with caution, Empress."

The pattern on the next card depicted a pair of standing chopsticks.

As Tang Fei read the description, her hairs stood on end, just like the lines on the card. Childhood memories of eerie Hong Kong horror films flooded back to her - scenes of dark shadows, blood-red chopsticks, and the figure of a grandmother waiting under such ominous circumstances.

She vigorously rubbed her face and got out of bed, turning on every light in the hotel room. She switched on the television and tuned into a news channel.

The illuminated world and the news anchor's voice reading the script provided a semblance of security.

Back in bed, Tang Fei clutched two pillows tightly.

Phew, that was better.

Focusing on the system-generated card again, she pondered about envisioning a character.

Would envisioning a virtual character also grant access to their memories and thoughts?

What if she visualized herself as a character in the script?

As Tang Fei pondered, she found herself unexpectedly eager to try it out. Despite the card's eerie appearance, her curiosity got the better of her, tempting her to experience the thrill of danger.

"Maybe I should give it a shot with a new character."

After examining the card, Tang Fei checked her newly unlocked attribute panel. Amidst the system's text, she spotted the word "Attributes" followed by a glowing "New."

She clicked on it.

The text before her transformed:

Name: Tang Fei (Customer ID: 0000001)

Title: None (Title Discount: None)

Attributes:

Presence: 9+ (First-time claim of the Full Presence Package, only 9999!)

???: ???

???: ???

...

An overwhelming multitude of question marks filled her vision. She doubted if they would ever be answered by the time she was covered in a white cloth.

Attribute Aura – this was tailor-made for tomorrow's signing ceremony!

Buy!

She had just saved 10,000 yuan by opening the lucky bag herself! Rounding off, it offset the cost of the gift package perfectly!

Wealth through hard work, savings through diligence! I'm truly an angel of positivity!

In Tang Fei's mind, a background melody played – the righteous light of justice!

Wallet: -9,999 yuan

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on receiving the Grand Aura Package!"

"Full Aura Boost +99, accompanied by three expert techniques for aura manipulation."

The numbers on the Attribute Panel for Aura attribute shifted to 108+(Full).

An intangible aura radiated from Tang Fei, and threads of information about the aura were drawn from the air, infiltrating her forehead.

Qi, or Vital Energy, exists in the form of a field. For ordinary individuals, their Qi field ranges from 0 to 60. In exceptional cases, it can fall below 0, and through practice, it can surpass 60.

Qi Field Utilization Techniques:

…

This aura seemed to be a bit different from what she had anticipated?

Let's reframe this for better understanding:

It seems useful for filming too, a fine tool indeed!

Her gaze shifted to the Battle Card Slot. The original card slots were organized into categories, requiring users to locate and click on the specific slot for each card they wanted to use. However, the Battle Card Slot allowed different attribute cards to be activated simultaneously with a single tap.

System, you're truly a considerate little comforter.

What items can I place in the Battle Card Slot tomorrow?

Tang Fei browsed like she was pushing a shopping cart through a supermarket, eagerly piling her favorites into the virtual cart.

First, a concealer for radiant skin. A Smile Muscle Control Card seems useful too. And how about a Grilled Lamb Leg? Definitely practical! She had purposely saved it, resisting the temptation even when her mouth watered. Then, there's the Cleopatra Make-up Card from the Pharaoh of Egypt – the jewel of the card slot, a game-changer! Let's add that as well!

Having gone through everything, she wasn't feeling the slightest bit sleepy. What else could she do?

Divination seemed like an entertaining option. Should she give it a try?

He Zhou had always claimed that Zhou Weichuan had ill intentions towards her and ulterior motives.

Perhaps she should test him.

Tapping on the card, the divination card hovered before Tang Fei's eyes. The pattern of the bamboo tube on the card began to spin.

"Pray, Your Majesty, name the person or matter to be divined."

"Is it auspicious or ominous for Zhou Weichuan to be my superior?"

The oracle card displayed a decrementing count, and the spinning cylinder came to a halt. A divination slip descended into the void and vanished.

"A most fortunate outcome, the supreme blessing. United in purpose, climbing the steps of success together, indicating shared goals and collaboration with promising prospects."

"I knew I didn't misjudge! A Zhou's understanding of men from a man's perspective doesn't hold water."

Let's try another!

"Will tomorrow's signing ceremony bring good fortune or ill?"

Another decrement, another slip of fate descending.

"Fortune amidst peril, an average outcome. A situation akin to a sudden, stunning achievement. Misfortune and blessings intertwined, with the aid of influential patrons, danger can be alleviated."

"I've prepared so many advantages. How can there still be peril in just a signing ceremony? Is this not accurate?"

Tang Fei swallowed, hugging the pillow that had slightly slipped away closer to her.

If she were to say she wouldn't attend the signing ceremony now, would her boss want to strangle her?

"I didn't have sincere intentions earlier, so it doesn't count."

"It's fine, I'll rely on a benefactor then."

"It doesn't count..."

"I should've known better than to seek divination; it's messing with my sleep!"

Her boss was a significant benefactor in her career—skipping the signing ceremony would be ungrateful.

Back then, she claimed she could go through fire and water for her master...

Would she even go as far as being a workhorse for repayment?

Her betrayal only took one divination.

Tang Fei convinced herself:

What's a little danger compared to this?

Go for it!

With her skills, she could still save herself from any peril.

Fortune and misfortune come hand in hand—there's always a silver lining!

Tang Fei waved the system away and hid completely under the covers, not daring to even stretch her legs. The light remained on as she cautiously reached out from under the blanket to turn up the TV volume by ten decibels.

The system was no longer adorable today; it was like a holey cotton-padded jacket, letting in chills!

In room 80607 of the Ink and Water Impression International Hotel, Min Kai was preparing with his roommate the tools they'd need to do Tang Fei's makeup the following day.

He noticed a liquid in a glass bottle on his colleague's desk and gave it an extra curious glance.

He had never seen it before.

"What's in this bottle? Your secret weapon?" Min Kai sprayed a bit onto his palm.

"Don't touch my stuff!" His colleague darted over and snatched the bottle back. "It's just a hydrating whitening solution."

"You're so stingy. Boring." Min Kai yawned and brought his palm to his nose, detecting a faint unusual scent. The spot on his hand that had been sprayed did indeed seem paler.

The mention of a whitening solution wouldn't fool an insider. The bottle actually contained hydrogen peroxide, which could temporarily whiten the skin when applied, but would oxidize and alter makeup colors when sprayed on, ruining the cosmetics.

It was highly damaging to the skin; frequent use could easily turn one's skin sensitive.

Min Kai's colleague gave him a sharp glance. "Do you know why Little Ming's grandfather has lived such a long life? Because he minds his own business."