Chapter 187: Inner Turmoil

The light curtain dissipated, and Tang Song said softly, "Then thank you, Seeing Xiao Xue."

After speaking, his gaze shifted to Lin Empress Mu Xue.

His mind pondered the purpose behind the second act of the dungeon instance.

From his perspective, ever since their meeting, a mist had constantly shrouded Lin Empress Mu Xue.

At the very beginning, she spoke of LV with every opening and closing of her mouth, frequently bringing up the decoration and service of five-star hotels.

Combined with her high-quality clothing and bags with conspicuous logos, she was clearly a standard 'Bai Bai Fumei' persona.

She told friends that someone with a Mercedes-Benz G-Class was picking her up, only to turn around and get into a Corolla.

At Yunxi Tower, her demeanor was calm and confident, exuding a distinct goddess aura.

Online, she was a sophisticated financial woman, exquisitely refined, living a colorful life.

Yet he had personally seen her walking to work in high heels, her actual job being merely a receptionist at Rongxin Venture Capital.

After learning about the treatment Qian Qian received, she had begun to actively approach him.

The bullet comments seen through the 【Whisper】 skill revealed that her true self was not as calm or wealthy as she appeared.

This series of contrasts and contradictions stirred a strong desire for exploration within Tang Song's heart.

His emotional history was simple, and his understanding of women was not extensive.

In the past, he had always been at a disadvantage when facing Wen Wen Wen Ruan; this was a good opportunity to exercise his emotional intelligence.

It could also help him better manage the team and his time.

"No need to be polite, we are friends after all." Lin Empress Mu Xue gently shook the lemon fruit drink in her hand.

She extended her long, fair fingers, raising the cup to her lips, bowing her head slightly to conceal her excited expression.

Bullet comment: 【The situation looks very promising, I still have a lot of hope!】

She lifted her head, crossed her legs elegantly, and said with a charmingly calm demeanor, "You have a great figure; you must like working out, right?"

"Mm, yes."

"That's good; I also persist in morning runs and workouts every day..." Lin Empress Mu Xue lifted the corners of her mouth slightly, describing her disciplined daily life to Tang Song.

Recently, she had been constantly reading about Tang Song's transformation journey on his Opening Opening Xiaohongshu account.

Her words perfectly aligned with the qualities Tang Song displayed: loving life, positive, upward-looking, and highly executable...

Bullet comment: 【He seems to be looking at my chest; should I lower it a bit!】

Immediately after, Tang Song saw Lin Empress Mu Xue pick up a piece of fish and place it on his plate, saying elegantly and generously, "I eat very little and am almost full; you eat more."

As she spoke, she leaned her upper body forward slightly, subtly pulling down her off-shoulder base layer to reveal a deep, snow-white cleavage.

Under the table, her leg seemed to accidentally brush against his.

Her expression and tone possessed a true goddess quality, and her attire was atmospheric and fashionable, yet the bullet comments above her head were explosively contradictory, giving Tang Song a massive sense of dissonance.

Good heavens, Seeing Xiao Xue! You truly understand contrast!

Tang Song gently put down his chopsticks, took a sip of iced lemon juice, and stared unblinkingly at her beautiful face.

Bullet comment: 【What's wrong? Is there something dirty on my face?】

Lin Empress Mu Xue pressed her lips together, picked up her bag, and said, "I'm going to the restroom; wait a moment."

After waiting about five minutes, the sound of "click-clack" footsteps rang out, accompanied by a familiar scent of perfume.

Lin Empress Mu Xue bent down and sat.

Her long hair, originally pinned up, was now let down; her teeth were clean and neat, and she had reapplied her lipstick.

"I've also eaten enough; shall we head out now?"

Lin Empress Mu Xue nodded gently. "Sure. Whatever you want to buy and however much it costs, I'll take you to the most suitable store."

Since she both lived and worked around Xingyue City, she basically visited every week and knew the place very well.

Especially regarding luxury goods.

She knew clearly what items each store had, when new arrivals would be released, and what the approximate price ranges were.

Of course, due to her relatively tight finances, each time she could only try things on and take photos before slipping away dejectedly.

Then she would strive to save money for a while to secure the one item she desired most.

Moreover, when selecting, she also had to consider factors like value retention and maintenance.

Once she had enjoyed showing off enough, she would sell them at a discount in group chats to recoup some funds.

Tang Song pulled his wallet out of his pants pocket.

Then he took out his salary card from inside it and held it in his hand.

He flashed a mysterious smile at Lin Empress Mu Xue. "To thank you for accompanying me shopping, let's play a game."

Lin Empress Mu Xue paused, asking in surprise, "Oh? What game?"

"A very interesting little game; hold out your hand." Tang Song winked at her.

Lin Empress Mu Xue licked her rosy lips and obediently extended her hand before him, seemingly unconcerned.

It was evident she maintained her hands frequently; her fingers were long and slender, her skin delicate and smooth, glowing with health.

Tang Song extended his right hand and clasped hers.

A tingling electric current surged through; Lin Empress Mu Xue's facial expression became somewhat uncontrollable.

Immediately after, she felt a black card appear in her palm.

Tang Song released her hand, looked into her eyes, and said in a low voice, "This is one of my bank cards with some money inside. Next, I hand it to you; buy whatever you wish. It could be clothes, bags, jewelry, or even luxury cars and mansions."

Lin Empress Mu Xue's expression completely lost control; her mouth opened wider and wider, her gaze staring blankly. "You... Tang Song... what do you mean?"

Bullet comment: 【Did I hear that wrong? What is he trying to do? Sponsor me!?】

"Exactly what it sounds like," Tang Song continued. "You can judge for yourself how much worth of goods to buy; as long as this card can pay for it, it all belongs to you. However! If any single purchase exceeds the card's balance and the payment fails, then everything you purchased previously will be repossessed."

Hearing that it wasn't about sponsorship, Lin Empress Mu Xue felt a moment of disappointment, followed immediately by ecstatic joy.

Tang Song's bank card, swipe freely!

Could there really be such a good thing!?

LV, Chanel, Hermès...

She could finally look at the luxury goods she had dreamed of; as long as it didn't exceed the balance, she could obtain them.

However, very soon, she discovered the greatest difficulty of this game.

The bank card balance was unknown; she might end up with nothing at all.

Tang Song asked softly, "How about it, Seeing Xiao Xue? Do you want to play this game?"

Lin Empress Mu Xue looked into Tang Song's eyes and said somewhat nervously, "Are you serious?"

"Of course! The card is now in your hand." Tang Song pointed to the card she was gripping tightly.

Lin Empress Mu Xue licked her lips, lowered her head, and said, "I want to play."

She really couldn't bear to be polite, fearing Tang Song would also politely say offhandedly: "Then forget it."

She had already missed once-in-a-lifetime wealth; this time, no matter what, she had to seize it.

"Good, then let's set off; you can first decide on a budget limit." Tang Song stood up, his gaze seriously observing her expressions, movements, and bullet comments.

The game officially began; Lin Empress Mu Xue, as the test subject, would be completely presented under his observation.

Lin Empress Mu Xue hurriedly stood up, picked up her bag, and followed Tang Song outward.

Her gaze fell upon the bank card in her hand.

An ordinary China Merchants Bank debit card.

According to her understanding, CMB debit cards had tiers, classified based on asset status.

Golden Sunflower Card (500,000), Diamond Card (5 million), Private Banking Card (10 million).

Especially the highest-level Private Banking Card, which required a monthly daily average AUM of 10 million to apply for, representing the true high-net-worth group.

Exclusive VIP rights, global connectivity, free airport and high-speed rail transfers, overseas airport privileges, free healthcare...

It could be said to be a super-weakened version of Zhao Zhao Zhao Yaqian's trust benefits, yet even so, it was a tool for showing off that she had dreamed of.

Lin Empress Mu Xue's eyes flickered.

Looking at it rationally, the highest probability for the card Tang Song gave was under 500,000; taking the median would be 250,000.

Even 250,000 was a huge sum of money for her.

It would require working for over a year without eating or drinking to earn that much.

To date, the most expensive luxury item she had ever bought was the Chanel Gabrielle bag she was carrying today, valued at 33,000 Zhao Yuan.

If it weren't for meeting Tang Song, she would never have dared to carry it out, fearing scratches or bumps that would affect its future value retention rate.

With this opportunity, she could buy an LV Gold-Dusted Sahara; her status would be maxed out immediately when going out!

She could also buy two high-end bags worth 50,000 or 60,000 each to bolster her image, and with the remaining quota, she could still look at skincare products, scarves, clothes...

However, she also had to consider Tang Song's net worth.

He was a true billionaire, moreover one who handled matters with low profile, introversion, and generosity.

What if there were several million in this card?

Then she could make a huge haul and become instantly rich!

Tang Song walked quietly beside her, watching the bullet comments that occasionally flashed above her head, his expression becoming increasingly strange.

In his heart, he had learned quite a bit more about Lin Empress Mu Xue.

She was even more complex, contradictory, and full of contrast than he had imagined.

Indeed, many people are not as they appear.

They took the elevator down to the mall's first-floor lobby.

Lin Mu Xue stopped in her tracks, lifted her head, and stared straight at the familiar counters of one shop after another surrounding her.

Now, she could not only look, but also had the chance to own the luxury items inside.

Tang Song turned his head and asked, "Have you decided what you want to buy?"

Lin Mu Xue pressed her lips together, shifted her body forward to press against Tang Song, took a deep breath, and said, "What is the PIN for the bank card?"

After speaking, she tucked a strand of long hair behind her ear, turned slightly, and brought her crystal-clear ear close to his mouth.

The fresh scent of perfume, mixed with the warm fragrance of her body, made Tang Song's heart race; unable to resist, he leaned in closer and whispered six digits.

Quickly, a layer of fine goosebumps rose on Lin Mu Xue's neck.

Floating above her head was a prominent bullet comment: 【Does this count as him kissing me!?】

Lin Mu Xue pretended to be calm, waved the bank card in her hand, and said, "Then let's go browse the Chanel counter first; they've released a few new arrivals recently."

Just last weekend, she had come here with Zhao Zhao Zhao Yaqian, and back then she had been green with envy; now that she finally had the opportunity, naturally she would secure her favorite items first and truly indulge herself.

She stepped into the luxurious store.

Lin Mu Xue seemed to have arrived at her own home turf; the aura emanating from her underwent a transformation.

Her steps were light and quick, her spirit soaring.

Wearing seven-centimeter high heels, she hurried over to a row of glass display cases.

Nodding to the sales assistant nearby, she reached out her hand and said, "Bring me this Le Boy medium size to take a look."

Soon, a brand-new Le Boy in black and silver calfskin was placed in her hand.

She had eyed this Le Boy, with a retail price of 49,000, several times before, but simply couldn't bear to make the purchase.

Blending the 2.55 reissue bag shape, a square metal logo, diamond-quilted stitching, and a rippled frame, it was both fashionable and retro.

If she carried it out on the street, the rate of heads turning would absolutely be maxed out.

Looking at herself from left to right in the floor-to-ceiling mirror, Lin Mu Xue's eyes sparkled with light, her mood exhilarated.

The sales assistant beside her quickly spoke up, "You have excellent taste; this bag, both in color and style, suits you particularly well. It matches your aura and today's outfit perfectly."

Lin Mu Xue ignored her, turned to face Tang Song, slung the bag over her shoulder, stepped one of her long legs forward, and asked with an expectant gaze, "What do you think?"

Tang Song looked her up and down and said sincerely, "Very beautiful."

From their very first chance encounter at Shengweige, he had thought she was beautiful.

The features of her entire face were extremely exquisite: a high, straight, and three-dimensional nose bridge, large double eyelids, and full lips—a very standard internet-celebrity face.

Because it was completely natural, it looked much more harmonious.

With her graceful figure, wearing this black off-the-shoulder bodycon dress, and carrying the sparkling Le Boy, she indeed possessed the aura of a noble young lady from a prestigious family.

Sensing Tang Song's appreciative gaze, the corners of Lin Mu Xue's mouth curved upward slightly.

Bullet comment: 【I, Lin Mu Xue, have acted tea-ish, cried, been afraid, fallen from grace, and felt regret, but I have never been ugly!】

"Mu Xue! It really is you!" A delighted female voice came from the side.

Lin Mu Xue turned her head and saw several female colleagues approaching.

Li Xue Jiao said with a grin, "Your outfit today is so beautiful; we spotted you at the entrance just now, so we came over."

Lin Mu Xue felt a subconscious panic in her heart; to avoid having her rich heiress aura exposed, she basically never went shopping with colleagues.

But then she remembered Tang Song's bank card, and finally settled down.

"Xue Jiao, Sun Ran..."

The few colleagues exchanged greetings with one another.

Li Xue Jiao looked at Tang Song, then at Lin Mu Xue, and said with a gossipy expression, "Hello, handsome guy, nice to see you again."

"Good afternoon," Tang Song said with a smile.

The other few female colleagues all looked curiously at this extremely handsome man.

Being able to ask the aloof Lin Mu Xue out shopping—if the male colleagues at the company found out, they would probably clutch their heads and weep bitterly.

But indeed, he was handsome, far more outstanding than those colleagues of theirs.

Lin Mu Xue's eyes flickered; without showing any emotion, she placed the Le Boy black and silver calfskin bag in front of herself and said to the sales assistant, "I'll take this bag; let me see some others."

A warm smile instantly bloomed on the sales assistant's face. "Certainly! I'll hold this for you first; take your time choosing!"

The few female colleagues froze for a moment; once they clearly recognized the bag's style, their faces were instantly filled with envy.

Sun Ran swallowed hard and flattered, "This bag costs fifty thousand, but it really does suit you, Mu Xue."

The others chimed in with a few words of agreement.

Lin Mu Xue smiled lightly, as if clouds were drifting and the wind was gentle.

Bullet comment: 【Ahhh! After holding back in frustration for so long, I can finally show off in front of my colleagues!】

Next, she strode confidently to the makeup section, her posture elegant and upright, her finger constantly pointing at individual items in the display windows.

Four-color eyeshadow palette 352, Christmas palette, Tender, lipstick set, Double C Foundation, shade 608, Twilly small silk scarf...

She checked off everything she had always wanted to buy.

Soon, two more female sales guides appeared behind her to help carry things.

More than twenty minutes later, Lin Mu Xue leaned back on a soft sofa, her legs pressed together.

The female sales guide handed over the receipt and said enthusiastically, "Hello, beautiful lady, the total comes to 78,200 Zhao Yuan. We've additionally gifted you three sets of sample trial packs; we've placed them inside the packaging for you."

"Okay, swipe the card," Lin Mu Xue said, subconsciously glancing at Tang Song standing not far away, her mood suddenly becoming somewhat nervous.

Bullet comment: 【How is he looking at me right now? Will he think I'm too greedy for money?】

Bullet comment: 【How much money is actually in the card? Will it be enough?】

Taking the card terminal, she entered the six-digit PIN.

"Beep—" Payment completed; the receipt slip printed out smoothly.

The heart hanging in Lin Mu Xue's chest finally dropped; suppressing her excitement and agitation, she slowly stood up.

I knew it; such a generous billionaire wouldn't play tricks on me!

Her fingers brushed across a row of exquisitely packaged shopping bags.

Lifting her head, she smiled at the few female colleagues whose gazes were frozen in stupor. "I'm done browsing here; I plan to go check out the LV counter and buy a few more things. Bye-bye."

The few colleagues swallowed hard, feeling their mouths dry and throats parched.

Lin Mu Xue had been employed for over half a year, yet this was the first time they had personally witnessed her shopping; it was truly exaggerated!

No wonder she was usually unwilling to be with them; originally, she was afraid of upsetting them.

Bullet comment: 【Be intensely envious and spread the word! This is real money being spent! I love you, Tang Song!】

"Let's go, Tang Song." Lin Mu Xue lifted the shopping bags with both hands, smiled elegantly at him, her expression calm.

Seeing the three large characters "I Love You" floating above her head, Tang Song could barely hold himself together.

Is this the charm of money?

"Let me carry these for you," Tang Song said, stepping forward to take the shopping bags from her hands.

"Thank you," Lin Mu Xue said with a gentle smile; taking graceful steps, under the gazes of the surrounding customers, sales guides, and colleagues, she walked out the main door with a "click-clack-click-clack" sound.

Bullet comment: 【So satisfying! So satisfying! So satisfying!】

Next, Lin Mu Xue browsed around the LV counter as well.

The operation was much the same as at Chanel; she selected a Capucines handbag worth 45,000, a standard rich lady bag made of Taurillon leather with an oversized hollow metal logo, very high-profile.

She also picked out some items with conspicuous logos: headbands, silk-wool long scarves, mugs, bracelets, high heels, and so on.

The total came to 92,800 Zhao Yuan.

Handing over the bank card with some hesitation, Lin Mu Xue's expression was no longer as calm as before; the corners of her eyes twitched slightly.

Just a moment ago she had possessed nothing; now she had acquired nearly 80,000 Zhao Yuan worth of Chanel; if she lost it all now, she would truly weep tears of blood!

"Beep—"

As the prompt sound of payment completion rang out, her body trembled.

Bullet comment: 【180,000! Spent 180,000 in just over half an hour! Oh my god! I can't take it anymore!】

Lin Mu Xue, who had never experienced this kind of feeling before, could not control herself.

Lifting the gift bags, she walked out of the LV counter's main door.

Lin Mu Xue halted her steps, a look of struggle appearing on her face.

If she stopped right here, 180,000 Zhao Yuan worth of luxury goods would be enough to support her image and suffice for her to show off for a very, very long time.

But there must still be quite a lot of money left on this card; what if she could spend another 180,000!

Bullet comment: 【Should I continue? How much money is actually in this card? What should I do?】

She bit her lip and flashed a charming smile at Tang Song.

Speaking softly, she said, "I've already spent so much of your money; you're not angry, are you? Or should I share some with Qian Qian?"

Bullet comment: 【Can you reveal a little! Give me a hint!】

Tang Song looked at her and suddenly laughed, "Of course I'm not angry; however, if you're willing to share some with Qian Qian, that works too; she also likes bags very much."

The smile on Lin Mu Xue's face froze for a moment; she offered an awkward laugh, wishing she could slap herself.

These two bags were ones she had eyed for a long time, wanting them desperately; asking her to give away bags she had already obtained would truly be more painful than killing her.

"As long as you're not angry, I'll talk to Qian Qian later and see if she wants any of my bags," Lin Mu Xue said, lowering her head to tuck the hair at her temples.

Bullet comment: 【Chanel, LV, I absolutely cannot lose you!】

"So, do you want to continue?" Tang Song asked, looking at her with amusement.

Lin Mu Xue looked at him, her hands clenching slightly with effort. "How about we go browse Bulgari?"

"Let's go."

Stepping into the luxurious store, Lin Mu Xue headed straight for the jewelry section.

Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the diamond necklace inside the glass display case.

18k gold, double-row diamond stud necklace, 69,900 Zhao Yuan, spiral design, dazzlingly brilliant.

She had once seen it on a truly beautiful and wealthy young lady, and still remembered the stunning image from that time.

It was also one of the pieces of jewelry she had always longed to possess.

Her gaze flickered as she silently calculated.

78,200 + 92,800 + 69,900 = 240,900 Zhao Yuan.

Based on her previous estimate, the highest probability was that this card held around 250,000.

As long as she nodded, there was a high probability she would own this diamond necklace.

From now on, whenever attending banquets or gatherings, she would be the most dazzling person there, inferior to no one.

Glancing at the Chanel and LV items already in her possession, Lin Mu Xue bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "I'll take this necklace. Swipe the card..."

"Right away, beautiful!" The female sales associate hurriedly began writing up the receipt, took out the POS machine, and accepted the bank card.

"Hmm?" The sales associate tugged again, looking at her with confusion.

Lin Mu Xue pressed her lips together tightly, struggling to loosen her fingers, her eyes fixed intently on the card swiper.

Danmu: 【It must succeed! Please, it has to succeed!】

As the chime indicating successful payment sounded once more.

Lin Mu Xue's mouth opened slightly, a flush of uncontrollable redness surged onto her face, her body trembled faintly, as if experiencing a climax.

This was the first time she truly possessed so many top-tier luxury items; previously, she wouldn't have dared to even dream of it.

She turned to look at Tang Song, who stood beside her looking calm and composed, and whispered, "Thank you."

Prominent danmu floated above her head: 【Tang Song! You are my god! Fuck me!】

Tang Song blinked and asked, "Do you want to continue?"

Lin Mu Xue froze, her heart engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

This was a true billionaire! Was there any possibility that this card could actually swipe out a Porsche 911 or a Western-style house in Yanjing Yanjing Yanjing Yanjing Huating?

Then she could instantly realize her dreams.

The "Classmate Blind Box" crisis would be instantly resolved, her dignity preserved, and her life would usher in a brand new chapter.

Even if Tang Song didn't want to keep her as a mistress, she could still live a good life.

Thinking of this, her heart pounded wildly, and her desires grew crazily.

Should she spend according to the psychological expectation of 250,000, or risk it all for one big try?

If I open my mouth wide like a lion, will Tang Song think I'm a shallow, greedy, shameless woman?

In that case, would he no longer look favorably upon me?

If I successfully swipe out a luxurious mansion and a luxury car, that would be fine; given Tang Song's wealth and status, he certainly wouldn't renege on his word.

But what if I fail? Not only would I get nothing, but I would also be looked down upon by him!

Wouldn't that mean I'd never have a chance to sign the trust fund agreement in my entire life?

She looked at the handsome and upright Tang Song beside her, took a deep breath, and painfully closed her eyes.