The Beautiful and Useless “Straw Bag”

The private room was spacious. Warm yellow light spilled down, softly enveloping everything in the room. The decor was exquisite: a table of pure black fragrant wood, leather sofas, and a thick, deep-blue carpet that muffled the sound of footsteps to a near-silent level.

To accommodate the guests’ need for privacy, the walls of the Night Banquet rooms were layered with soundproofing material, ensuring there were no “ears against the wall.” It was an ideal setting for conversations or transactions that weren’t meant for public knowledge.

“Tang the Elder is here.”

Four or five young men sat inside, roughly twenty-five or twenty-six years old. They seemed very familiar with one another, laughing together over some topic of conversation. Their attire was sophisticated, radiating a visible sense of flamboyant luxury—expensive suits, shirts made of costly fabrics, and wristwatches studded with diamonds that fractured the light into brilliant glimmers.

Liquor had been opened on the table, and ice cubes in a glass bucket emitted a frosty mist. Occasionally, as glasses clinked, a few drops of deep red wine would splash onto the thick carpet.

When the door opened, the chatter ceased. Everyone’s gaze naturally drifted toward the entrance. Tang Zhan had just stepped out after receiving a call, telling them he was bringing someone over.

Bringing someone was fine, of course. But who he brought was a matter of social nuance. Everyone seated here was an acquaintance—young masters and second-generation heirs of the same circle. They met often, and introducing newcomers was normal.

However, Tang Zhan hadn’t specified who it was, and they weren’t discussing business today, which made the gesture intriguing. Was it a junior looking to enter the circle, or… a companion?

Fueled by curiosity, the group’s interest peaked the moment the door swung wide. Behind Tang Zhan followed a youth. A beautiful youth.

“Beautiful” was the only word for it.

A faint, nearly imperceptible gasp rippled through the room. The men present had seen plenty of attractive people; given their status, there was no shortage of those who threw themselves at their feet. But this person was different. Even with only half his face visible, there was a loveliness to him that made it impossible to look away.

The youth walked in behind Tang Zhan, looking young with black hair and snowy skin. He seemed a bit lazy, possessing an air of composed calm. When he looked at them, his gaze was merely a casual sweep. His soft black hair rested tamely on his shoulders, still holding a hint of dampness. His skin was too white—as if he were molded from a pile of fresh snow.

His appearance was outstanding, carrying a touch of lingering innocence. His pupils were pitch-black and lustrous, as if containing a pool of water. He had a small face and a pointed chin, with just a bit of soft baby fat on his cheeks. His aura was clean and gentle; when stared at for too long, he simply lifted his lashes and stared back with those bright black eyes.

He was likely raised in comfort, possessing a slight air of arrogance and a very reserved demeanor. He easily brought to mind a cat curled in a corner, tail twitching as it quietly observed humans.

Who is this to Tang Zhan? Why hasn’t he brought him out before?

Amidst the crisp sound of clinking glasses, the men—their minds now racing—subtly exchanged glances.

“Xue Zhen,” Tang Zhan cleared his throat, his voice actually softening a bit. “Come and say hello.” He gave a broad wave. “These are all my old acquaintances.”

Xue Zhen was pushed toward the center.

Multiple gazes converged on him—probing, curious, dark, and intense—observing him from head to toe. For a moment, the atmosphere turned peculiar.

As he was being scrutinized, Xue Zhen’s gaze also made a round, roughly identifying their roles. Antagonists. They were just like the villains he had played countless times. If he were the protagonist, he would probably be facing a blatant attempt at intimidation right now.

Xue Zhen shared this thought with 886.

886 was baffled and asked cautiously, [Host, why?]

Xue Zhen glanced at the Romance System. “I couldn’t explain it to you if I tried.” A villain doesn’t need logic to do what they do.

“Yo.”

A man leaning against the table, wearing a fine checkered suit, was the first to speak, his tone tinged with pleasant surprise. “And this is…?” He had dyed his hair platinum blonde and slicked it back with gel, revealing a rather handsome face.

However, the corners of his eyes tilted upward, and he smiled constantly. Under the dim light of the room, he carried an indefinable air of deviance. He looked like a frivolous person. And indeed he was; his gaze landed on Xue Zhen with a direct, almost physical weight.

Xue Zhen gave him an indifferent look.

“My brother, Tang Xue Zhen.” Tang Zhan seemed to be on good terms with the man; he walked over quickly and bumped the man’s shoulder. “Xu Xu, I told you about him a while ago. How did you forget?”

The man called Xu Xu smiled. “Is that so?” The younger brother brought along by Tang Zhan’s stepmother?

Soon the others chimed in, crowding around to inspect Xue Zhen as if he were a rare specimen. “How old are you?” “What’s your name?” “How come you haven’t come out to play with us before?”

Question after question was hurled at Xue Zhen. He didn’t know them and had no desire to answer, so he simply took a step back, pursing his lips in silence. What an annoying group of people. He never had to deal with this when he was a villain.

“He’s not in the mood to acknowledge us,” Xu Xu laughed. He walked over with a wine glass, subtly nudging aside those in his way to stand next to Xue Zhen, casually draping an arm loosely around the youth’s shoulders. “Look at how you’ve scared him,” he said, playing the savior. “Spread out a bit, don’t make such a racket.”

Tang Zhan chimed in, “Right, what are you all standing around for? Sit down.” He was even less self-aware than Xu Xu, resting his hand heavily on Xue Zhen’s shoulder until the latter skillfully dodged it. “Why aren’t you greeting them? This is Xu Xu, the second young master of the Xu family’s pharmaceutical firm. This is the nephew of the General Manager of Hengyang Real Estate…”

Xue Zhen: ?

Tang Zhan was entirely oblivious to Xue Zhen’s disdain as he introduced everyone in the room one by one.

Everyone took their seats. Xue Zhen chose a spot for himself at the corner of the sofa. He intended to minimize his presence, but the group—as if they’d taken the wrong medicine—all crowded into the corner with him.

Xue Zhen patted his shoulder and leg where Xu Xu had almost touched him, complaining to 886 again. These people have zero sense of boundaries.

886 was spinning in circles in the air with anxiety. [Heavens!] it screamed like its tail was on fire. [Why are these NPCs like this? Touching and leaning! So shameless!]

Xue Zhen: “Oh?” “You even know how to use idioms now?” He narrowed his eyes at the system, which only he could see, as it spiraled frantically. “You’re improving.”

886: [Host, ahhhhh…]

Xue Zhen was young and dressed like a student. He turned his face away, clearly showing he had no interest in interacting with them. It was blatant loathing. In the eyes of the others, however, it looked like the peak of spoiled arrogance.

Tang Zhan’s cheap little brother certainly had a temper, snubbing them the moment he walked in. Ordinarily, they should have been angry. But Xue Zhen was too beautiful; and beautiful people always have certain privileges.

Xu Xu kept a smile on his face. Noticing Xue Zhen’s gaze lingering on the liquor table, he asked, “Want a drink?”

Someone else chimed in, “You’re already here, might as well have a bit.”

Tang Zhan frowned. “Better not…” The alcohol they were serving wasn’t weak, and he’d never seen Tang Xue Zhen drink before. He was afraid the boy would be a “one-glass wonder.” Tang Zhan hesitated. He looked at Xu Xu, wanting to say something, but when his eyes met the playful smirk on Xu Xu’s lips, he held his tongue.

Ignoring them, Xu Xu stood up and poured a small glass, the deep red liquid swirling slightly in the crystal. He held the glass out to Xue Zhen. “How about one?”

The youth sitting quietly on the sofa didn’t say a word, just watched him with those dark eyes. Xu Xu’s smile didn’t waver; he held the glass steadily. He was confident he wouldn’t be rejected. After all, he wasn’t just wealthy; he was capable and had taken over his family business early. He looked down on “rice worms” like Tang Zhan, though he never showed it. In this circle, people usually flattered him. Besides, it was just a drink.

Seconds ticked by. Xue Zhen didn’t speak, and Xu Xu, who had offered the drink, stayed silent too. For a moment, the room was terrifyingly quiet. Xu Xu swirled the glass, feeling the slight vibration of the cool liquid. He was starting to get impatient.

Tang Zhan’s brother just blinked. From Xu Xu’s perspective, he looked like a cat cautiously observing a stranger who had entered its territory. Those eyes were truly too beautiful—watery and pitch-black, reflecting his own silhouette so clearly that Xu Xu’s irritation was inexplicably suppressed.

Finally, under Tang Zhan’s urging, Tang Xue Zhen spoke. His voice was crisp and clear. “I don’t want to drink that.” The black-haired youth wrinkled his nose in disdain, a small gesture that made him look quite cute. “It tastes bad. I want juice.”

Juice?

The words made Xu Xu chuckle. To ask for juice at The Night Banquet—he really was just a kid.

“Fine,” he laughed. “I was being too pushy.” With Xu Xu’s laugh, the tension in the room thawed. He casually set the glass down.

Tang Zhan let out a sigh of relief. He was mostly sober now, and a cold sweat broke out on his back. He blamed himself for only thinking about introducing his brother and forgetting to tell him what he should and shouldn’t say. Making connections was good, but Tang Xue Zhen wasn’t smart and had a weird temper; it would be bad if he offended someone. But judging by the reactions of his “friends”… their tolerance for his little brother was surprisingly high.

“Right, I forgot to tell you guys,” Tang Zhan explained. “My brother is starting university this summer at A-University. He only turns eighteen after the New Year, so he can’t drink.”

“Ah, I see.” Xu Xu nodded. “No wonder. My apologies for being inconsiderate. I’ll have them bring up some fruit platters and iced drinks.” Someone agreed and went out to find a waiter.

“Consider it an apology to you.” Xu Xu turned his head back to Xue Zhen. “What’s your major? I have an elder who’s a professor at A-University; maybe he can help you out.” He insisted on leaning in close as he spoke, eyes smiling, looking quite affectionate.

Xue Zhen leaned back on the sofa. “Finance.”

“What a coincidence!” Xu Xu was genuinely surprised and perked up. “He’s a professor in the Finance department. Do you want to meet him?”

Xue Zhen shook his head. He tilted it slightly, his eyes looking exceptionally bright. “No.”

Xu Xu paused. That was the second time Tang Xue Zhen had rejected him. “Why?” Xu Xu thought the boy just didn’t understand the situation because he was a freshman, so he spoke faster. “That’s my uncle, Professor Shen Kuixing. Don’t you recognize the name?” His uncle was a titan in the industry; even members of the Qi family would have to greet him respectfully as an elder.

“Actually,” Xue Zhen looked at him, his expression surprisingly sincere, “I got in through connections. I don’t understand anything they say in class.”

Xu Xu: “…” Tang Zhan: “…”

Tang Zhan was mortified. Why does Tang Xue Zhen blurt everything out? Is that something to be proud of?! And his father too—it was one thing to spend money to shove this “straw bag” brother into a school, but why the Finance department!

For a moment, Tang Zhan didn’t know who to be angry at, so he tried to laugh it off. “Haha,” he laughed, slapping Xue Zhen’s shoulder hard. “Sorry, sorry, he’s joking.”

“It’s nothing…” “No worries, no worries…” The others started to smooth things over. “He’s only been there a short time; it’s normal not to understand.” Xu Xu’s smile was strained. “Heh… heh…”

Tang Zhan’s brother is a bit too much of a “straw bag.” Weird temper, not smart, zero social graces—all he had was a good face to look at. Xu Xu thought this and lost most of his interest, sitting back in his original spot.

During this interruption, a waiter entered with a tray. The waiters at The Night Banquet had height and looks requirements to ensure they didn’t offend the eyes of the prestigious guests. This one was no exception—standing about 185cm tall, wearing the custom uniform of a white shirt and black pants. Though his head was lowered, it was clear he was a well-proportioned, handsome man.

Two large fruit platters, the chilled fruit still emitting a misty frost, looked appetizing under the lights. There were also several iced drinks, beautifully mixed with a slice of pineapple on the rim; the liquid inside looked like a swirling galaxy.

“Items are here.” The waiter set down the tray, nodded to the people in the room, and silently withdrew.

Under everyone’s gaze, Xue Zhen picked out an iced drink. The glass was freezing to the touch, so he set it on the armrest and took small bites of fruit. Xue Zhen’s manners were elegant; he didn’t initiate conversation, only occasionally answering irrelevant questions from the others.

Over there, Xu Xu finished half a glass of wine and gradually calmed down. He glanced at Tang Xue Zhen out of the corner of his eye, his gaze lingering on the boy’s moistened crimson lips and the occasional glimpse of his red tongue. What’s so bad about being a bit dumb? It wasn’t like he was hiring an employee; being “not smart” was fine.

[Host…?] 886 flew back and forth around Xue Zhen.

“Stop wiggling,” Xue Zhen pinched it with his fingers. “Light pollution.”

886 didn’t know what light pollution was, but it obediently quieted down. [Host,] it said, struggling to process some incoming data, [The Dragon Aotian seems to be nearby.]

[But the data is too unstable,] 886 fretted. [Why? I can’t even send an error report back to the Main God Space?]

Xue Zhen remained calm. “That’s normal. The stronger the protagonist,” he explained to the rookie system, “the more stable the mission world is. As outsiders, task-takers and systems have a hard time interfering. So,” Xue Zhen’s tone shifted, “don’t place your hopes on me—a guy from the Villain Department—successfully playing a role that falls in love with a Dragon Aotian.”

886 understood, yet didn’t. [But…] 886 answered its host internally: My direct superior in the Romance Department still hasn’t sent me the criteria for judging mission results…

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Xue Zhen clapped his hands. “Alright, I’m going back.” Rather than staying here wasting time, he’d rather go home and sleep.

886 (QAQ): [?]

Before 886 could react, it saw its host stand up and say bluntly, “I’m going back.”

Tang Zhan: “Back… huh? You’re leaving now?” He had drunk more wine while chatting, and his face was flushed bright red.

“Mm,” Xue Zhen said, starting to make things up on the spot. “I have class tomorrow. If I lose attendance points, I won’t pass. Big Brother, you wouldn’t want me to fail my first semester, would you?”

Big Brother?

Tang Zhan took a moment to process that Tang Xue Zhen was actually addressing him that way. It was a bit rare. He knew this cheap brother’s personality—spoiled, impetuous, and taught certain things by his father—he’d never really liked Tang Zhan. To actually hear a “Big Brother” today? Tang Xue Zhen’s voice was crisp and sweet; hearing that one phrase made Tang Zhan feel a bit light-headed.

“Then go back first…” Tang Zhan said involuntarily. “Should I have someone send you, or…?”

Xue Zhen: “I’ll take a cab.”

“Oh, oh,” Tang Zhan was a beat behind. “That works too.”

Xue Zhen walked out of the room with perfect composure. “886,” he paused in the corridor. “Check where the restroom is for me.”

886 obeyed and searched: [Left at the next corridor, then about ten meters.]

Xue Zhen hummed in acknowledgment.

[Is Host feeling unwell?] 886 saw him rub his throat a few times. [Should I perform a full-body scan?] For task-takers in mission worlds, safety was paramount, especially for someone like Xue Zhen who insisted on using his original body.

“No need.” Xue Zhen was preoccupied. “I’m going to induce vomiting.”

No one could hear his conversation with the system. Even if someone were there, they would only see him standing sideways, revealing half of his porcelain-white, beautiful face.

886 hovered around. [Why?] The Romance System’s brain kicked into gear, and it asked in horror, [Is there something in the drink?!] 886 knew there were no good people here!

The pale blue light-ball wobbled in the corridor, creating a “light pollution” effect all on its own. Seeing its slender host holding his chest as if in great discomfort, 886’s pixelated tears were about to fall. [Heavens, this is too evil. Host, let’s file a complaint with the Main God Space…]

First the NPCs were handsy, and now they were spiking drinks. Why had no other system told 886 that mission worlds were this dangerous?