Passing through the gate, Xu Le returned to his rented apartment. The 80-square-meter space consisted of a kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room furnished with a few pieces of old furniture—it had been Xu Le's residence for the past three years, and could be considered a semi-home. Xu Le removed his black robe and mask, placing them on the coffee table, and sat down on the sofa. The sofa was of ordinary material; it didn't feel soft, but rather a bit hard. However, Xu Le quite missed this feeling. He recalled how, after finishing work each year, he would collapse onto the sofa, close his eyes, and slowly rest. A slight smile appeared on Xu Le's lips.
However, he didn't forget his business. He turned on his phone, connected to the real-world network, and the time automatically updated to June 14, 2017. The day he set off was the 1st, so only 14 days had passed in the real world. This time, he stayed in the Jackie Chan Adventures world for almost seven months, a time ratio of 1:15.
After a while, WeChat notifications kept appearing at the top.
Opening WeChat, it's the same picture again: a dark background, a huge Earth with only a lone figure in the background. After logging in, the screen is filled with red unread message notifications. There are greetings from his colleagues, and his landlord asking why he's gone missing, jokingly telling him that the rent hasn't expired yet and there's no need to run away. At the very top, and most prominently, is a message from someone with the username 'Lu Mengmeng,' whose profile picture is of a cute girl. The unread notification in the upper right corner already shows 99+.
Xu Le felt a warmth in his heart. Although this boss was quite unreliable, he was indeed quite concerned about him. He opened WeChat and saw 176 unread messages. With a light tap, he scrolled to the top.
"It's been a week already, why haven't you come to work yet?"
"I've already called in sick leave for you. What happened? Why aren't you replying to my messages?"
"It's been so many days, why haven't you replied to a single message?"
"I've come to your house looking for you, but you're not home. Where did you go?"
Looking at these messages of concern, Xu Le was somewhat moved. Xu Le was not low in emotional intelligence. He knew that Lu Siyun was interested in him, but he had been avoiding the issue before. Marrying someone of equal social standing is not something that can be said casually. Although there was no dramatic story of the girl's parents throwing money at him to keep him away from his daughter, Lu Siyun's conditions were far inferior. She was beautiful, kind, generous, and well-mannered, and came from a wealthy family. She was a standard "rich, beautiful, and successful" woman.
Xu Le felt he was just an ordinary person, and that differences in family background would inevitably lead to disagreements and conflicting views. Therefore, he thought Lu Siyun was just acting on impulse, so he treated her like a subordinate at work, not giving her any further opportunities. However, this backfired, making her even more relentless in her pursuit.
Xu Le wasn't heartless. How could he not be moved by a girl going to such lengths? In the past, he didn't want to be with Lu Siyun because of the difference in their circumstances. But what he truly wanted was to continue pursuing power. Having already tasted the joy of power, how could he be willing to give it up? As for whether they would be together, he would leave it to fate.
So why bother finding a girlfriend? Is magic boring, or spells not fun?
bite!
The WeChat notification sounded again. Xu Le saw that it was from Lu Siyun. He opened it and his expression immediately changed.
"Oh no!"
The message clearly stated in bold: I'm still worried, I'm going to the police station to report it to the police right now.
Xu Le typed a message, telling her that he had just gone to the mountains for a relaxing trip, and that the signal was bad there, so she hadn't seen the message. He assured her that he was safely home. After sending the message, he wiped the non-existent cold sweat from his brow, sighed, and said with a hint of helplessness, "What a mess."
After sending a message of peace to most people, Xu Le began to test the power of the talisman.
He was extremely worried that something like the different world laws or suppression might happen, as depicted in some novels, which would truly leave him devastated. With a thought, the rabbit pattern on the God's Cube lit up, and Xu Le vanished instantly, leaving only a blur. He reappeared in the kitchen.
"The power of the rabbit talisman hasn't been weakened." Xu Le was in a good mood and continued to try other talismans. He hesitated because it wasn't convenient to use powerful talismans in the real world, especially in China, a country where even props are strictly regulated. If an explosion occurred, it could be on the news headlines tomorrow. Xu Le had no doubt that those reporters, like hunting dogs, could report on what had just happened immediately, although he couldn't imagine what the headlines would look like.
However, after testing all his abilities, he found they were basically unaffected, which dispelled Xu Le's worries. This meant that if he brought things from other worlds into the real world, he wouldn't have to worry about elixirs turning into mud or swords becoming scrap metal. The current world is undoubtedly an ordinary world; the world's hierarchy cannot be faked. Once a high-level being appears in this world, the world will advance. For someone from a high-level world to descend into a low-level world, the journey is fraught with difficulties, bringing no benefit whatsoever and even damaging the boundary membrane.
This was part of the information he had received within that vast consciousness, so Xu Le could safely consider this a resting world. The strongest individual in this world wouldn't exceed the limits of mortals; there might be martial arts masters capable of taking on a hundred opponents, but it was impossible for someone with the ability to control fire and water to appear. The information he received earlier had already explained that nothing like the suppression of laws would occur.
Xu Le was still worried. Now that he had tried it himself, he could finally rest for a few days before setting off for the next world. He believed that a balance between work and rest would produce better results. As for his job at the company, Xu Le was ready to quit. As a rising powerhouse, it would be too beneath him to work for someone else. If he wanted money, his Shadow Warriors would collect it for him.
Yes, you heard right. Xu Le has brought three hundred Shadow Warriors back to the real world. These three hundred men are now lurking in the area, ready to face a swift and fierce attack from the Shadow Legion should anything unusual happen. Therefore, Xu Le felt there was no need to stay in this room any longer; the facilities and environment were too poor. Now that he had the means, Xu Le naturally wanted to enjoy a better life. With so many wealthy people in China, one more person living in a villa and driving a sports car wouldn't attract much attention unless someone was particularly fussy about investigating.
He was just thinking he was a little thirsty and wanted to get a glass of water, but before he could even lift a finger, a glass of water was handed to him. He wanted something to eat, and the kitchen started cooking. Xu Le now finally understood why rich people were so easily decadent; this kind of life couldn't be more enjoyable.
Ding-dong!
When the doorbell rang, the entire Shadow Legion transformed into a mass of shadows and hid. Xu Le listened to their report and knew that a young woman was standing outside the door.
Outside the door, a woman wore a light blue top, which accentuated her delicate features. Her smooth hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her carefully styled bangs gave her a playful and cute look. Her slender and long legs were clad in black stockings that perfectly covered her thighs, revealing glimpses of her fair skin that captivated men's hearts. A sweet smile graced her face, like the warm winter sun, capable of melting away all the ice and snow in the world.
The door slowly opened, and the woman nervously tugged at the hem of her clothes. After all, it was her first time visiting a boy's house, and he was a boy she had a special feeling for. Last time she came, she was too hasty and didn't think things through. Now that he was home and the door was open, she felt a little flustered.
Xu Le looked at the girl standing at the door. Their eyes met, and his calm gaze calmed her down as well. He said softly, "Come in."
Upon hearing this, the girl's smile grew even brighter, as charming as a blooming peony, and she walked in with grace and poise.
------------
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Sound of Water Drops? (Okay, actually I wanted to slack off ヾ(????)?~)
The girl's first impression of the rented apartment was its simplicity. The living room contained only a coffee table, a TV, and a sofa, but it was spotless, without a speck of dust in any corner. "What a clean guy," the girl thought to herself, a little pleased. If Xu Le knew what the girl was thinking, he'd be speechless. While he also liked cleanliness, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths. This was all cleaned by the Shadow Legion just now; poor assassins, they'd become cleaning staff under Xu Le's hands.
Xu Le poured a glass of water from the kitchen and handed it to the girl, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, Lu Siyun, I only have water at home. I'm sorry for not being hospitable enough. If you want any drinks, just tell me and I'll go to the nearby convenience store to buy them for you."
"No need, I love drinking water the most." Lu Siyun shook her head repeatedly. Afraid that Xu Le wouldn't believe her, she even picked up the cup and took a big gulp, but accidentally choked, her face turned red, and she kept coughing. Xu Le looked at the adorable Lu Siyun and felt a little sorry for her. She put her hand on her back and patted her gently, and for a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat romantic.
Xu Le also noticed something was wrong. Seeing Lu Siyun's face flushed red and her head almost buried in her chest, he awkwardly removed his hand. But to be honest, even touching Lu Siyun's skin through her clothes, he could feel how smooth it was. If... Xu Le immediately stopped this bad thought. Looking at Lu Siyun, who was still burying her head in the sand like an ostrich, he wanted to change the subject, so he asked, "Lu Siyun, why did you come to see me? Didn't I tell you I got home safely?"
Hearing this, Lu Siyun forgot her embarrassment and angrily questioned, "You've been so carefree, disappearing for so many days. Do you know how worried I was? Oh, don't misunderstand, I meant I was worried about you even when you were fighting. Besides, you've already used up all your paid leave for the year. You should go back to work soon." Having accidentally let slip the secret, Lu Siyun's face turned even redder, and she hurriedly tried to find an excuse to cover it up.
Xu Le looked at Lu Siyun, hesitated for a moment, and then explained to her clearly: "I'm going to resign. Go tell the company to find someone to replace me."
Upon hearing this, Lu Siyun's face turned pale, and her voice trembled slightly: "Why do you want to resign? Is the salary too low? I can help you apply to your supervisor." After saying this, she glanced timidly at Xu Le, her voice tinged with disappointment, and said, "Is it because I bother you so often...?"
"What are you thinking about all day long?"
Xu Le flicked Lu Siyun's forehead, making her rub it in pain as she looked at him with teary eyes. Xu Le organized his thoughts and said, "I made some money this time, so I don't have to worry about the rest of my life. I want to quit my job, buy a house with a yard in the suburbs, grow some vegetables, and live a simple life."
This was utter nonsense, but Lu Siyun listened with great interest, looking at Xu Le with admiration, thinking he had lofty aspirations, like an ancient scholar. Indeed, love makes a woman's IQ plummet.
"Oh, I see. If you want to buy a house, I have a few friends who work in real estate agencies. I can pass on your detailed requirements to them. After all, they are professionals, and they will be much more efficient than you looking for one yourself." Lu Siyun wisely did not ask Xu Le how he managed to get so much money all at once. In fact, she was a smart woman, otherwise she could not have become a manager at such a young age. She understood very well that everyone has their own secrets, and not knowing when to advance or retreat would only annoy people.
Besides, even if Xu Le obtained her money through shady means, so what? She's a very stubborn person; if she likes someone, these things won't stop her. To quote a line from a certain ward, "If you can't even sleep with the woman you love, what makes you think you love her?"
"Ideally, there should be fewer people living nearby, as I prefer a quiet environment. The house should be large enough, with a large garden where I can grow vegetables. The furniture should be that of a normal family. By the way, if you find a suitable candidate, I can offer up to 600,000 yuan."
Xu Le's city, Yulin, is a third-tier city. Even the housing prices in the city center are very low, let alone the suburbs. Buying a house in a remote area for 600,000 yuan is a waste, even if the house is big, because in the suburbs, no matter how big your house is, it won't be worth much.
"Is that all?" Lu Siyun carefully noted down Xu Le's request and prepared to go back and ask her classmates for help. This was Xu Le's first request to her, so she had to do it well.
Ring ring!