Meanwhile, at the tallest building in Shanghai…
Tianyue Corporation, 80th floor, CEO's office.
A stunning, curvaceous woman in professional business attire opened the office door and stepped inside. She moved toward the teapot and began preparing tea with rare, shimmering tea leaves unseen in the market—leaves infused with traces of spiritual energy.
The fragrance slowly drifted out of the teapot. She inhaled deeply, her mind instantly refreshed. Carrying the pot to her desk, she set it down, poured herself a cup, and took a small sip. Closing her eyes, she savored the soothing sensation spreading through her body.
"This tastes really good. I'll bring at least two liang of tea leaves next time I visit Grandpa Wei," the young woman murmured, sipping from her cup.
A file on the desk caught her eye. The label read: Immediate Attention Needed. She recalled yesterday's incident in traffic. Curiosity stirred, and she reached for the file. She hadn't had the time to read it because of her family's emergency meeting yesterday. Now free, she opened it and carefully examined the contents.
Ten minutes later, she set the file back on the desk, her eyes gleaming with interest.
"The man who never leaves his mansion except in a high-end sports car suddenly risked his life to block a speeding vehicle for a beggar? Did he do it on purpose, knowing we were inside? Impossible. But even if he did, what could he possibly gain by drawing my attention? This A-list actor is… interesting."
At the top of the hill…
"I can't just flaunt my powers openly. It'll disrupt my personal life and make me a target. I need to separate my public image… and create a secret identity," Chaithanya muttered thoughtfully.
After a moment, he stopped absorbing spiritual energy, descended the hill, and asked a passerby for directions back to Shanghai. Once he got the details, he rushed back at full speed. Life without Wi-Fi and internet was unbearable. Within minutes, he reached the outskirts of Shanghai and booked a cab to his mansion as soon as his signal returned.
At the mansion…
Xiuying inspected the renovation work, pointing out mistakes and making sure they were corrected. After some time, the sound of the gate opening reached her ears. She stepped out of the gym hall and headed toward the main entrance.
"You—where did you go? Why couldn't I reach you by phone?" Xiuying demanded, clearly annoyed.
"I told security. I just went for a walk. See? I'm back already," Chaithanya replied with a silly smile.
Puffing her cheeks, Xiuying said, "Fine. Come with me. Check if the renovations are to your taste. If you want any changes, I'll make sure they're done."
"Alright," Chaithanya nodded, following her. Soon, they reached the backyard and walked into the garage, where workers were busy with the ongoing renovation.
Watching them, Chaithanya admired their efficiency. China's progress in architecture impressed him. Though the work had just started, to his eyes it already looked appealing.
He reached out and gently patted Xiuying's head. "You've done well. Keep it up. I'll treat you to a grand meal tonight."
"Hmph, don't do that. Do you think I'm a child?" Xiuying puffed her cheeks again, turning her gaze back to the renovation without saying more.
Not wanting to upset her further, Chaithanya went back to his bedroom and switched on his high-end PC. Once it booted up, he began searching online for the best costume designers. But after browsing for a long time, he found nothing. Growing drowsy from boredom, he was about to give up when a Weibo post caught his eye.
In the photo, a teenager in plain, shabby clothes held a superhero costume. The caption read: "I make superhero costumes at cheap, affordable prices. Interested? Reach out." A QR code sat beside the picture.
The fabric was cheap, but the design was unique—something he had never seen before. He found the creativity refreshing. After some thought, he scanned the QR code and sent a friend request.
Three days earlier, the teenage girl who made the post had been waiting desperately for a real customer. Instead, she only received disgusting requests from perverts asking for nudes, none interested in her designs. Fed up, she was on the verge of giving up her passion for costume-making and focusing solely on part-time jobs to cover her tuition fees.
She studied at the second-tier Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts. Life in the city was expensive, and her family, poor and living in a village, could barely cover her tuition. With no money left for living expenses, she had no choice but to work part-time or find other ways to support herself.
Just as she was about to delete her post, her phone chimed with a new friend request on WeChat. She almost denied it, tired of creeps harassing her. But after hesitating, she muttered, "One last time."
She accepted—and immediately received a message. But this time, it wasn't harassment. It was a genuine business proposal.
She sat bolt upright on her bed, flicked on the light in her tiny room, and read with reddened eyes: "Hey, I like your unique style of superhero costume design. I want you to make one for me. I can pay 100k RMB. Can we discuss the details tomorrow? Will you be free?"
An A-list actor asking a university student if she was free? If she had known who he really was, she might have banged her head against the wall in disbelief.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she replied: "How can I believe your words? Offering 100k for a superhero costume—how can you prove you're sincere?"
In the mansion, inside the bedroom…
"Prove it? How can I even prove my interest in making my own superhero costume to you?" Chaithanya murmured, gently rubbing his smooth jaw.
After a moment of thought, he tapped on the keyboard and picked up his phone.
In the small rented apartment, inside the bedroom…
"No reply after I asked him to prove his sincerity. Looks like he's just another fraud, messaging me to pass the time," the teenage girl muttered, moving her finger to block his account.
To her surprise, the next second a message arrived—followed by a 50k RMB deposit into her personal bank account.
Her eyes widened in shock. "What the heck is happening here?" she exclaimed, a mix of disbelief and joy. Immediately, she opened her online banking app and checked her balance five times. The glaring 52k RMB left her speechless.
She had never imagined someone in this world would actually send money to prove sincerity before even finalizing a deal.