NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3:
Chapter 3: Plan Plan:
Late at night.
After taking a shower, Wang Zhenxing stood before a full-length mirror, admiring his reflection. At 36, his body and appearance could rival that of a man in his twenties. Thanks to the system’s bonus of a “perfect body,” his charm value on the attribute panel had increased from 93 to an impressive 113—an additional 20 points.
A charm value of 95 already qualified someone as exceptionally attractive, but 113 was beyond extraordinary.
Lying on his spacious bed, he began piecing together the details of the plot. Xu Yourou’s son, Qin Yi, was the protagonist. A little over a year ago, Qin Yi had been forced to flee Qing Ling City after crossing paths with a super-rich, second-generation villain named Qing Ling. The wealthy scion had hired people to deal with Qin Yi, who barely escaped with his life, thanks to the protagonist’s protective aura.
By sheer luck, Qin Yi encountered a hidden master who accepted him as a disciple and took him to Kunlun Mountain to learn martial arts. Meanwhile, Qin Yi’s actions had brought trouble to his mother, Xu Yourou.
Before her son’s troubles, Xu Yourou had owned a modest clothing company, which earned her over a million yuan annually. However, after Qin Yi offended the wealthy Qing Ling, her company was crushed under pressure and eventually went bankrupt.
Even that wasn’t enough for Qing Ling, who continued harassing Xu Yourou. For months, her home was targeted with vandalism, including paint and even feces thrown at her door.
Finally, Wang Zhenxing stepped in and managed to resolve the issue, though only temporarily. His company’s market value of one billion paled compared to Qing Ling’s family’s wealth, which exceeded tens of billions. If Qing Ling had chosen to persist, there wasn’t much Wang Zhenxing could have done.
The real reason Xu Yourou had enjoyed peace for the past year was the protagonist’s aura protecting her as his mother. However, Xu Yourou was unaware of this. To her, it was all thanks to Wang Zhenxing, whose efforts had earned her gratitude and admiration.
Her feelings toward him were a mix of respect for his competence and heartfelt gratitude. But Wang Zhenxing knew this wasn’t enough.
“Before Qin Yi officially returns, I need to solidify my place in Xu Yourou’s heart—preferably even more important than her son,” he thought.
He understood the challenge. A mother prioritizing her partner over her child was rare, but history showed it wasn’t impossible. Even the infamous Queen Mother of Qin had valued her lover Lao Ai more than her son.
“My current condition isn’t inferior to Old Ai’s,” he mused, smirking.
But how to achieve this?
If he kept things as they were, he could only expect Xu Yourou’s feelings for him to plateau at “heartbeat” level by the time Qin Yi reappeared. Strengthening their bond afterward would be even harder.
The only way forward was to act decisively and escalate their relationship quickly. After thinking for a while, an idea came to him.
Two days later.
Xu Yourou was working at her small fruit shop near the community. Though the shop didn’t earn much, it was enough to cover her daily expenses.
That day, a young couple entered the store to buy fruit. After they had selected their items, Xu Yourou weighed them and calculated the total.
“The total is 335.53 yuan, but I’ll round it down to 330 yuan,” she said with a kind smile.
“Wow, that’s expensive—more than 300 yuan!” the young woman exclaimed in surprise.
“The prices here are already cheaper than the market rate,” Xu Yourou explained patiently. “I wouldn’t cheat anyone. If you don’t believe me, you can check other fruit shops.”
The young man interjected, “There’s no need for that. I’ve bought fruit elsewhere, and it would’ve cost me at least 400 yuan. You’re already giving us a good deal.”
Turning to his partner, he added, “Sweetheart, it’s just over 300 yuan. As long as you’re happy, I’ll buy you whatever you want.”
The woman’s eyes lit up, and she kissed him on the cheek. “You’re the best!”
“What are you doing? We’re in public,” the man said, though he was smiling.
“Who cares? We’re getting married soon. What’s there to be embarrassed about?” the woman replied playfully.
“That’s true. Come here,” the man said, leaning in for another kiss.
The woman rolled her eyes but indulged him, giving him another kiss.
Xu Yourou stood awkwardly to the side, feeling both amused and embarrassed. It took nearly a full minute for the couple to leave, giggling and carrying their fruit.
As they walked away, Xu Yourou watched them with a hint of envy. Deep down, she longed for a relationship like theirs—someone to share her life with, instead of running the fruit shop by day and returning to an empty home at night.
She had lived this solitary life for over a decade. While she had grown accustomed to it, the loneliness was becoming harder to bear.
If it were nighttime, she might have closed the shop early, gone home, and sought solace in private. It was the only way she could cope.
In her heart, she already had someone in mind—Wang Zhenxing. But she hesitated, unsure of how her son Qin Yi would feel. Qin Yi had been opposed to her finding a partner when he was younger. Even though he had been gone for years, she worried about what might happen if he returned.
Suppressing her thoughts, she forced herself to focus on work.
Later, a group of rough-looking young men entered the shop. Their appearance immediately put Xu Yourou on edge.
They picked out fruit but soon began causing trouble, accusing her of selling rotten produce and demanding compensation.
Xu Yourou knew her stock was fresh—she inspected it daily. She refused to pay, which angered the group. They began smashing displays and throwing fruit around the shop, creating chaos.
Xu Yourou was so furious she nearly fainted.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!”
A commanding voice rang out from the shop’s entrance.
It was Wang Zhenxing.