Chapter 124: Evaluation Time! (2)

When Li Yang finally woke up much later, it would be because of the sound of the television. He might have panicked if he hadn't been keenly aware that it was the weekend. A Sunday, to be exact.

The CEO stepped out of the third room in the executive suite and saw his secretary Ying Yue He on the couch. She had been about to yawn but stifled it and quickly greeted him instead. "Good morning, Mister Li. Did you sleep well?" She asked. "The hotel attendant had already arrived earlier with their breakfast accommodations, but it's also possible to go to the buffet hall if you wish to do so."

"What kind of boss wakes up later than his employee?" Bao, the creature, was on the couch and had an entire piece of a waffle in its paws, munching and even dipping it into a chocolate dip. "But also a rough night, huh? I can swear that one of you guys was squealing like a whale and I'm not sure which one of you was it."

It was too distracted to even give him a proper mocking.

Regardless of that slight distraction, Li Yang's attention was on Ying Yue He. The man had no clue of whether his secretary had any clue, or had pretended she was oblivious, and so he nodded. "I have slept well. What about you, Miss He?"

"I'm good. Have you recovered from your injuries, Mister Li?"

She had bought the excuse then? Li Yang wasn't sure if it was good or not that she did, but he went along with it. "It wasn't too grievous."

"Ah, that's a relief then." Ying Yue He scratched her cheek. "My apologies for forcing myself to come with you last night, I think I only ended up as a burden. You had been more than capable of handling it."

"No, I should have insisted on taking you home."

"Would you like to take a seat first, Mister Li? Can I get you coffee? Eggs? A souffle?" Ying Yue He stood up from the couch. "I was planning on visiting the buffet once you or Miss Bai Minghua had woken up."

"There's no need… or perhaps just a cup of coffee?" He finally said once he noticed her expression fall slightly. "Take your breakfast first though, I'll be fine."

The two of them didn't engage in much more small talk, his secretary leaving him be. Perhaps it was because things were awkward? Or possibly just hungry. Li Yang plopped down the couch and muttered to himself. "It really would have been better to keep my personal and work life separated."

"What personal life?" the creature asked after swallowing the waffle and then reaching for another piece left on the coffee table. "You're downright workaholic as far as I can see."

Li Yang rested his head against the couch and shut his eyes. He took advantage of the creature's presence and said, "It's not like I can simply go out of my way to tell her I slept with someone in the bathroom. All of that has nothing to do with her, and could even be too much unnecessary information and yet…"

"You feel guilty that you were fucking someone else? Are you two even together? Sounds like you're getting worked up for nothing."

"I have been dishonest." Or the Mermaid had been for giving an excuse.

Not that he hadn't enjoyed any of the incident from last night, but like recovering from the high or a state of drunkenness, he was now experiencing a hangover in exchange.

"Oh, now I get why you want to keep your so-called 'work' and 'personal' life separated." Bao said sarcastically.

"Nevermind it then." Li Yang finally paid attention to the screen in front of them.

One could already take note that the news was tackling the incident at the hotel which had been linked to faulty and weak foundations of the hotel and a minor earthquake that had triggered it. The CEO couldn't help but wonder if there were people involved in this that had hidden the truth or if it was truly hard to find a cause.

A five-star hotel would experience a heavy blow to their business because of it—and it didn't even take into account the possible accidents that occurred that time.

But the CEO's thoughts would temporarily be swept away once Bai Minghua stepped out from her own room, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "I feel parched." She walked right past him and headed towards the bathroom.

The creature let out a whistle and elbowed the CEO. "That's 60,000 points walking, huh? Finally, did your job this time. Should have known you were into women like her, a bit more spicy than your secretary."

"You don't even know what you're talking about." he sighed and finally checked his notifications.

[ Main Quest: Conquer the 'White Lotus' Bai Minghua ]

[ Difficulty Level: Difficult ]

[ Status: Completed! ]

[ Summary: Harem Cultivation is the method of gaining power through conquering beauties and adding them to your 'harem'. Your current target is the 'White Lotus Mermaid' or 'Two-Face Idol' and conquer them! ]

[ Success: 50,000 Charm Points ]

Besides accomplishing the Main Quest, he had also received a number of additional Charm Points for varying reasons:

A Reward for Attaining a 100% Successful Encounter

[ You Have Received 3000 Charm Points ]

Obtaining an Official Member and Adding Her to the Harem

[ You Have Received 2500 Charm Points ]

Special Bonus for Sleeping with said 'Harem Member'

[ You Have Received 1500 Charm Points ]

Then there were even tips from the Heavens who somehow found enjoyment in whatever had actually transpired from last night even as mere spectators.

[ The Observer 'Trite' Is Actually Pleased ]

[ You Have Received 1000 Charm Points ]

[ The Observer 'Dat Peach' Takes Some Enjoyment ]

[ You Have Received 750 Charm Points ]

[ The Observer 'Sea Foam' Gives A Little Credit ]

[ You Have Received 250 Charm Points ]

[ The Observer 'Owl Brain' Isn't Actually That Impressed ]

[ You Have Received 100 Charm Points ]

[ The Observer 'One Who Slaughters' Preferred a Bloodbath ]

There were other notifications that the CEO ignored and instead put aside for a future time. Li Yang wondered about their identities, not just the usernames, and yet he had no time for that.

At least, not right now.

But it was easy to see that he had gained about 10,000 Charm Points with his encounter with the Mermaid, and it truly was more compared to sleeping with Bo Lifen.

For a man like him, it wasn't hard to truly just look at the numbers and decide which one was better in the long-run. If he could focus his energies and time, it might be more fruitful to just sleep with a Harem Member.

And yet there was another odd thing.

He had already finished his Main Quest, but he couldn't check the next one—

CEO: Where are the details for the next quest?

Panda: An eager one already. What a change!

CEO: I'm trying to prepare. If I had been unlucky, it wouldn't have only been my ear that would have gotten cut by the Mermaid.

Panda: You'll get it when you get into close proximity.

CEO: Is there a chance that I won't encounter them?

Li Yang doubted it was possible, and the creature's answer confirmed it. The creature snorted and picked up another waffle. "It's like you don't even understand the power of the Heavens, there's perfect timing for everything. You can't run away from this or lock yourself in your room to avoid encountering women, idiot. It'd be more likely they'll wander up in your house if that happens."

His house—

Taiga.

He had left his bodyguard all day at his house and without even a single message to warn her that he wouldn't go home. Li Yang had prepared food for her and left it in his room, and he hoped that it wasn't something that his brother would stumble upon, but other than that… he hadn't done that much, had he?

She didn't even actually show up yesterday morning when he left for his date with Ying Yue He. Li Yang didn't think she'd do anything like run away, her responsibilities and duties were assigned to her and she spoke about wanting to support the Shou Temple Sect.

"What's with that look on your face? Are you distraught or is that your resting face?" Bai Minghua stepped out of the bathroom at last in a bathrobe, tying up her blue hair into a lazy bun. Before the man could even give a reply, she already had a hand out to him. "But other than that, I need you to give me your phone so I can contact my manager to pick me up."

He wordlessly took out his phone and offered it to her, belatedly glad that he hadn't brought it with him when he placed her in the bathtub last night.

The woman stepped towards him and glanced at the television. "Had there been any news on my disappearance from the hotel or had it been covered up properly?"

"None, I think." It was the same time that an advertisement popped up about an impromptu interview with Sun Aoyun's volunteerism of rescuing during the exact incident.

"Hmph…" She frowned at the screen and then glanced at the phone. "Maybe social media then—hey, you forgot to unlock your phone. I need your fingerprint."

If there was anything in cultivation and harem novels he had read before that they sometimes failed to portray fully at times—it was the individual needs of each woman that would become part of the harem. "Can't wait for your next official member to arrive, huh?" Bao spoke up again with a lazy grin, floating in the air at last and even stretching. "Let's hope it's not too much like this one, but then again, something like this isn't too much for a CEO, yeah?"

"I'll probably need some clothes, I just can't go out like this… and wait, your brother texted you about some DNA Test?"

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Author's Note: Only one update, but somewhat longer chapter today because I'm sick x.x Thank you for reading!