Chapter 44: Shopping for the Reunion · The Indulgence System

I glanced up at the antique wall clock in the study. The hands pointed directly to 4:00 PM.

There’s still plenty of time before evening, I thought to myself, leaning back in my executive chair. I should head out and pick up some thoughtful gifts for my old school friends.

Despite losing touch over the years, there were a few people who had genuinely cared for me during our middle school days. I vividly remembered Tristan, who used to willingly share his packed lunch with me when i was struggling financially, and Michael, who had repeatedly stood up and traded blows with anyone who dared to badmouth me behind my back. Those bonds were worth honoring.

I walked out of the study and found the head butler in the hallway. "Tell the driver to bring the executive car around to the front gates. I’m heading out for a brief shopping trip."

"Right away, sir," the butler replied respectfully, pulling out his communication device to notify the driver.

I walked back toward the grand living room where my women were still relaxing. "My lovely ladies," I announced with a warm smile, "I’m stepping out for a little while to run some errands. I’ll be back well before dinner."

As I spoke, I walked over to each of them, pressing a gentle, lingering kiss onto their lips. When I reached Seraphina, I whispered, "Tonight, we continue our schedule, Sera—since it’s your turn."

Sera’s cheeks instantly flushed a brilliant, tomato-red shade of bashful pink, making the other three women giggle softly. Chuckling at their reactions, I turned and walked toward the main entrance.

Stepping outside, I climbed into the rear cabin of the luxury vehicle. "Take me to Preston Mall," I instructed the driver. "It’s the largest luxury shopping center in Metro City."

As the vehicle smoothly glided out of the estate gates and merged into the afternoon traffic, I pulled out my phone and began browsing the web. Most of the trending news headlines were still dominated by Iris, the global pop diva. Articles announced that she was scheduled to hold a massive live concert tour next month right here in River City.

Curious, I clicked on some of her older news articles, music videos, and photo archives. Sure enough, as Clara and Sera had mentioned earlier, there wasn’t a single frame showing her standing or posing beside a male model or celebrity.

She really is a fiercely independent and unique figure in the entertainment industry, I thought with a faint, amused smile, locking my phone screen and setting it aside.

After a smooth fifteen-minute drive, our car pulled up to Preston Mall. I instructed the driver, "Park in the underground garage and wait by the vehicle. I’ll call you when I’m finished."

Stepping into the grand marble lobby of the mall, I gave a mental signal, and two of my elite shadow guards materialized silently from the pillars behind me, blending effortlessly into the civilian crowd.

"Follow my lead," I instructed quietly.

"Yes, Boss," they murmured.

I headed straight toward the high-end luxury watch boutique on the first floor. The store assistant hurried over, bowing politely. "Welcome, sir! How may I assist you today?"

"Tomorrow is my middle-school class reunion," I explained calmly. "I need you to pack two high-end gentleman’s wristwatches suitable as gifts for close male friends."

"Of course, sir! Please, right this way," the assistant beamed, leading me to a glass display case lined with velvet cushions. "These models are specifically crafted for elite gifting—elegant, durable, and timeless."

"How much are they?" I asked, inspecting the craftsmanship.

"Sir, they are priced at 2 million Stardollars each. For the pair, the total comes to 4 million Stardollars."

"Charge it to my card," I said, handing over my black card.

Once the transaction cleared and the watches were securely boxed, I handed the shopping bags to one of my shadow guards to carry.

Next, I walked over to a prestigious jewelry boutique nearby. An elderly, dignified female manager greeted me at the counter. "Good afternoon, young man. Looking for something special today?"

"Good afternoon, ma’am," I replied politely. "I have a class reunion tomorrow, and since I haven’t seen my friends in years—and missed their wedding ceremonies—I want to pick out some exquisite jewelry pieces to give to their wives as wedding gifts."

The manager’s eyes lit up with professional appreciation. "Oh, what a thoughtful gesture! We have several magnificent collections perfect for such a milestone occasion."

She escorted me toward a secure inner counter and pulled out a velvet tray featuring a pair of glowing jade bracelets. "Sir, these are the last two pieces of this limited edition. They became exceptionally famous after being worn by the pop queen Iris during one of her televised music specials."

Iris, again? I thought inwardly with a faint chuckle.

"They’re lovely," I nodded. "I’ll take both pairs. Please swipe my card."

"That will be 4 million Stardollars for the pair, sir."

"No problem, swipe it."

Just as the manager reached for the card terminal, my eyes drifted toward an adjacent glass pedestal displaying four breathtaking platinum earrings encrusted with brilliant-cut diamonds. "Excuse me, miss—why are those four particular earrings displayed separately?"

The manager smiled proudly. "Ah, those are our crown-jewel masterpieces, sir—known as the Starlight Edition. Each individual piece is forged from pure platinum and set with flawless, ethically sourced precious diamonds using a custom-patented design."

"Wonderful. Swipe those four earrings on my card as well," I instructed smoothly.

The manager blinked in surprise, her hands hovering over the register. "S-Sir... those four earrings alone retail for 30 million Stardollars!"

"I said, no problem," I repeated calmly. "Just swipe the card."

Before the manager could complete the transaction, a loud, obnoxious voice suddenly shouted from behind us. "Stop right there! Don’t you dare touch those earrings—I am buying them for my girlfriend!"

I turned around slowly. Standing a few feet away was an arrogant young man in his mid-twenties, dressed in flashy designer clothes, clutching the arm of a heavily made-up woman.

I looked him up and down with utter indifference. "Mind your manners and stay out of my way. Swipe the card and pack everything up for my guard, ma’am."

The young man’s face twisted into an ugly sneer. He shoved his way past the counter, pointing a shaky finger at my face. "Are you deaf, you punk?! I said I am buying those earrings! Do you have any idea who my father is—?!"

"I don’t care who your father is, and I don’t care to listen to you bark," I interrupted coldly, my patience wearing thin. "Go outside and find a veterinary clinic for your leash."

His face turned beet red with absolute rage. Humiliated in front of his girlfriend and the store staff, he swung a wild, clumsy punch straight at my face.

With effortless speed, I sidestepped his clumsy attack, caught his swinging fist mid-air in a iron-tight grip, and twisted his wrist sharply.

CRACK.

A sharp snap echoed through the boutique as his wrist joint gave way. Before he could even scream, I swept his leg out from under him, kicking the back of his knee and forcing him to kneel hard onto the marble floor. I planted the heel of my shoe firmly against his shoulder, pinning him down.

"You made a massive mistake today," I whispered, my voice dropping into a glacial register. "I was already in a bad mood, and you decided to test me. If I ever lay eyes on you whining in front of me again, I won’t just break your wrist—I’ll break both your arms."

I turned to my empty-handed shadow guard. "Take this trash to the hospital." I pulled out a thick stack of cash from my wallet and handed it to the guard. "And use this to pay his medical bills, too."

"Understood, Boss," the shadow guard replied smoothly, hauling the whimpering young man up by his collar and dragging him out of the store.

By the time I glanced back toward the entrance, the flashy young man’s girlfriend had already fled the boutique in sheer terror.

I turned back to the pale, trembling manager. "Is everything packed and ready, ma’am?"

"Y-Yes, sir! Right away!" she stammered, frantically bagging the precious jewelry items.

Just as the final transaction receipt printed out, a brilliant, warm chime echoed through my consciousness:

[System Notification:] Host has successfully completed a spontaneous lifestyle interaction! Bonus reward unlocked: +30 Charm Points!

Instantly, a warm, revitalizing surge coursed through my entire physical form. My skin smoothed, my facial features sharpened into breathtaking symmetry, and my posture adjusted into an effortless, statuesque elegance that looked as though it had been carved out of pristine marble by a master sculptor.

Before I could even check my reflection, the system status panel updated automatically:

[System Status Overview:]

Unaware of just how drastically my appearance had transformed, I turned around and began walking back toward the central mall atrium with my remaining shadow guard.

As we walked down the concourse, I noticed a strange shift in the atmosphere. Every single person we passed suddenly stopped walking. Heads whipped around in unison. Women across the corridor froze in their tracks, staring at me with breathless, wide-eyed expressions, their cheeks flushing crimson red the moment our eyes met. Some even covered their mouths, whispering frantically to their friends.

Why is everyone acting so bizarrely today? I wondered internally.

Passing a towering floor-to-ceiling glass display window, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the polished surface. Even I paused for a fraction of a second. The man staring back was the absolute definition of perfection—an absolute eye-candy masterpiece that commanded the attention of everyone in the room.

"Let’s get out of here," I muttered to the guard, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden attention. "It’s getting too crowded."

We walked briskly out of the mall’s main entrance and called the driver around to the curb. Once the luxury vehicle pulled up, my shadow guard carefully placed the delicate gift boxes in the front passenger seat so nothing would get crushed, while I climbed comfortably into the spacious rear cabin.

As the car pulled away from the curb, we began the smooth drive back to the safety and warmth of Grandview Villa No. 1.