Chapter 112 – Beloved of the Big Boss
Seeing the fiery gazes around, Jian Luo felt very complicated.
Before he could speak, people had already surrounded them. A bold girl, holding a flower, blushing, stammered, “H-Hi, this is for you.”
Jian Luo glanced at the girl, feeling a bit sulky.
The girl kept glancing at Lu Shifeng, shyly waiting for his nod to eagerly add him on WeChat.
Lu Shifeng showed no reaction, but Jian Luo watched them with a fierce glare, his eyes wide and sparkling, his ears perked like an elf. Naturally, such a direct gaze caught Lu Shifeng’s attention.
Lu Shifeng glanced sideways at Jian Luo.
Jian Luo snorted, “Why are you looking at me when someone is giving you a flower?”
The girl, curious about their interaction, stubbornly tried to hand over the flower, “Please accept it.”
Lu Shifeng coldly looked at her and said, “I don’t need it.”
“……”
The girl was stunned.
Lu Shifeng didn’t care, leading Jian Luo past her and away with such grace and decisiveness that it left others in awe.
The girl was dumbfounded.
Jian Luo was also a bit dazed, admiringly saying, “So decisive.”
Lu Shifeng sneered, “Not as decisive as you hanging up on the people you were on the line with before.”
“……”
He still remembered that.
As Jian Luo silently cursed him for being petty, more people gathered around. The first girl being rejected didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of others.
“Hi, this is my flower.”
“Here’s my number.”
“Hello…”
A group of girls surrounded them, chatting noisily.
At first, Lu Shifeng politely rejected them one by one, but eventually, he ignored them entirely. Jian Luo watched in awe. There were even boys among the flower givers, which was surprising.
Jian Luo said to Lu Shifeng, “You seem calm despite all these people liking you.”
Lu Shifeng walked on, “Is it surprising?”
The implications of his words were complex.
Jian Luo suddenly had a bold guess, “Have many people confessed to you before?”
Lu Shifeng replied calmly, “Dark Stars don’t usually give flowers.”
Jian Luo: “What do they give then?”
“We’re more direct, giving items based on preference or capability,” Lu Shifeng explained as they walked.
Jian Luo realized something important, hesitating, “Giving items is a way of confessing? What if you give something out of politeness, wouldn’t it be misunderstood?”
They arrived at a toy store.
Lu Shifeng stopped in front of a shelf, “Dark Stars don’t casually give items unless they want to express goodwill.”
Jian Luo choked.
He had never known this custom.
Unexpectedly, Small clothes, small shoes, small accessories, baby products—everything was available.
Jian Luo stopped in front of the shelf, looking at the adorable children’s clothing, and liked everything he saw. “It would be great if I could take some back.”
Lu Shifeng said, “Remember the styles, and you can get someone to make them when we get back.”
Jian Luo nodded.
Beyond this shelf was the accessories section, filled with bracelets, rings, necklaces, all glittering and attracting many young girls, and of course, some who were there with their partners.
In the ring section, the crowd was especially dense.
Young couples naturally loved buying rings. Some girls were trying on rings, incredibly happy. “Does it look good?”
“It looks good.”
“I like it too, it’s really beautiful.”
“When I have money in the future, I’ll definitely buy you a real one.”
Young girls often yearn for love and are willing to go through hardships with their boyfriends. Sometimes, just a promise is enough to win their hearts.
As expected, one girl said, “It’s okay, we can save money to buy a house. When we get married, we can buy a small diamond ring…”
Jian Luo watched with great interest from the side.
Lu Shifeng seemed to gain some insight and said, “Do Earthlings need accessories for marriage?”
Jian Luo casually replied, “Not just any accessory will do. Usually, you need a diamond ring for a proposal. For the wedding, there are the three golds, but the wedding itself can be a bit more complicated, with the three letters and six etiquettes, and so on.”
Seeing that many people liked diamond rings, Lu Shifeng asked, “Do you like them?”
Jian Luo didn’t expect the question to turn to him. He thought for a moment and honestly replied, “These things feel so distant. Besides, humans on Dark Star stopped following these customs a long time ago. It probably won’t have anything to do with me in this lifetime.”
Even if he were to get married in the future, there wouldn’t be these rituals.
Actually, it’s quite nice to see them in dreams. At least he could relive some moments, which wasn’t bad.
Lu Shifeng glanced at him a few more times but said nothing.
Jian Luo said, “Let’s go eat. It’s rare for us to be here. I have to show you the ancient Earth’s food culture. You’ll think the food I make is weak in comparison. Only they are true culinary masters!”
As they spoke, many men and women in the mall holding flowers started eyeing them. Some looked like they were about to make a move.
Jian Luo quickly said, “Shall we go?”
Lu Shifeng didn’t expose his various little thoughts. “Let’s go.”
To cater to the dragon’s love for spicy food, Jian Luo specifically chose a hot pot restaurant, an authentic Chongqing hot pot with great flavors.
Jian Luo ordered some ingredients not available on Dark Star. “Shrimp paste, rice cakes, this sausage is super delicious. What do you want to eat? I’ll order for you!”
Lu Shifeng sat across from him, lazily leaning against the soft couch. “Anything.”
Jian Luo ordered according to his own preferences.
When the food was served, the pot started bubbling with spicy steam, smelling incredible. Jian Luo said, “Try it.”
He had missed this taste for a long time.
Later, he still needed to pack some fried chicken and various junk foods to satisfy his long-standing cravings.
Lu Shifeng took a few bites, not showing much on his face, but it was obvious he was eating less than usual and not as much as he did when eating with Jian Luo.
Jian Luo asked suspiciously, “Doesn’t it taste good?”
Lu Shifeng didn’t hide it, simply saying, “It’s not as good as yours.”
“…”
Jian Luo’s hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly.
He looked up, trying to find some insincere traces on Lu Shifeng’s face, but the marshal was frank, as if he was just stating a fact.
Jian Luo said, “What’s the difference? Isn’t hot pot all the same?”
Lu Shifeng leaned back on the couch, raising an eyebrow. “A watermelon and a fool are both ‘gua’ (melons)1西瓜(watermelon) and 傻瓜(fool) share the same 2nd word. Are they the same?”
“…”
As expected of you.
No matter what, being recognized by others did touch Jian Luo a little. He ate two big bowls with tears in his eyes and then packed some ingredients to cook separately for Lu Shifeng later.
As they left the hot pot restaurant, a broadcast sounded outside:
“Dear guests, welcome to the large-scale dating event at our Wanxing Mall. The biggest winner of our event, the customer who received the most flowers, has been selected. Please look at the big screen!”
In the center of the square was a large screen, visible to almost everyone in the mall, making a significant impact.
Jian Luo looked up and saw Lu Shifeng in green clearly reflected on it.
Jian Luo pointed, “Dragon Bro, it’s you.”
The broadcast announced, “We detected that this gentleman is our biggest winner today. Please come to the hall on the first floor to receive our super deluxe gift package!”
Jian Luo’s mouth dropped open. “Wow, you won.”
Lu Shifeng remained expressionless.
“I wonder what the prize is.” Jian Luo was as excited as if he had won. “Shall we go see?”
Lu Shifeng had no interest in the prize, but the excited Jian Luo, who hadn’t won anything in ages, was very keen on the deluxe gift package, chattering all the way down.
Finally, they arrived on the first floor.
“Bang!”
Confetti exploded.
The gathered crowd applauded. “Congratulations to this gentleman for becoming today’s most popular contestant and winning our deluxe gift package!”
Everyone was extremely excited, smiles on their faces, except Lu Shifeng, who remained indifferent. Before presenting the prize, the manager asked, “Before we award the prize, is there someone you like among those who sent flowers to you?”
Lu Shifeng: “No.”
The manager’s smile froze.
The atmosphere turned awkward. After all, this was a dating show, and even to humor the crew, he should have said something.
The manager tried to ease the tension. “Do you have someone you’d like to send flowers to?”
Probably not.
Because this guy seemed indifferent to everything.
Just as everyone was losing hope, Lu Shifeng nodded. “Yes.”
The manager’s eyes lit up. “Is he here? Can we invite him over?”
Lu Shifeng: “No.”
“…”
As expected of you.
Though reluctant, the manager had to swallow his frustration and led Lu Shifeng to unveil the grand prize.
The box was securely packaged, generally requiring scissors to open. Just as the manager was about to fetch scissors, Lu Shifeng easily untied it like unwrapping a ribbon.
The manager’s eyes widened.
The box revealed a delicate black case. Lu Shifeng opened it to reveal a sparkling ring, shining brilliantly under the lights.
The manager started explaining, “This ring, from xx, is valued at about 90,000 Star Dollars…”
Lu Shifeng closed the box and walked away.
Jian Luo, who had been standing on the sidelines unaware, saw Lu Shifeng approaching and curiously asked, “What deluxe gift package?”
Lu Shifeng didn’t hide it. He stood before Jian Luo, opened the box, and the diamond lay quietly in the velvet case. The man holding it gazed silently at Jian Luo. The mall was adorned with colorful flags, filled with floral scents, and accompanied by soft, lyrical music, making it feel like time had stood still, leaving just the two of them.
Jian Luo’s words got stuck in his throat. He could hardly believe it. “Is this the gift package?”
Lu Shifeng nodded.
Jian Luo didn’t know what to say. If it were something else, he might have taken it to look at, but with a ring, he didn’t dare to touch it.
Lu Shifeng said, “Try it on.”
“…”
How casually you give out rings.
Jian Luo pouted, “We humans don’t casually give rings.”
Dark Star people really didn’t know anything and just flirted randomly.
Luckily, the manager, who understood the situation, shouted, “Marry him, marry him!”
Because of the manager’s loud shout, other clueless onlookers thought it was a proposal and started chanting, “Marry him, marry him!”
“…”
Jian Luo looked at the manager speechlessly.
Lu Shifeng also glanced at the manager. The two of them started, making the manager feel awkward. He scratched his head, “What, isn’t it a proposal?”
Just as Jian Luo was about to speak, Lu Shifeng took out the ring. He threw away the box, took Jian Luo’s hand, and with visible care, placed the ring on Jian Luo’s finger solemnly and seriously.
Jian Luo was stunned.
Lu Shifeng said, “It fits well.”
The manager was dumbfounded. This was the most straightforward proposal he’d ever seen. Regardless of whether the other party agreed or not, he just put it on. Brother, you’re bold!
Jian Luo looked down at the ring on his finger, momentarily speechless.
The manager continued, “I wish you both a long and happy life together, may you grow old together, get your marriage certificate soon, and enter the hall of matrimony!”
Lu Shifeng took Jian Luo away.
After leaving the mall, the wind outside brought Jian Luo back to his senses. He asked, “Why did you put the ring on me?”
Lu Shifeng looked down at him, “Don’t you like it?”
“… That’s not the point.” Jian Luo pursed his lips,
“For humans, you can’t casually give rings.”
Lu Shifeng: “I know.”
Jian Luo’s eyes widened. For a moment, his heart raced inexplicably, and he breathed more slowly. He looked at Lu Shifeng, a long-held question surfacing, ready to be asked.
“Beep beep beep!”
The knocking sound persisted outside.
Jian Luo opened his eyes, waking from the dream. The room was one the elves had prepared, and the knocking continued persistently.
Lu Shifeng slowly sat up.
Jian Luo smiled wryly, “Why have people been knocking more often since I started using this bed?”
Lu Shifeng’s face was as dark as ink.
The knocking outside remained insistent. Lu Shifeng commanded, “Open the door.”
It was the young emperor, who burst in energetically, “Time to get up, the sun is shining!”
“…”
The room fell silent.
The young emperor awkwardly touched his nose, “Did I come at a bad time?”
Lu Shifeng let out a cold laugh.
Jian Luo still gave the young emperor some face: “Your Majesty, you’re overthinking it.”
The young emperor smiled cheerfully. Standing by the bedside, although he couldn’t see inside, he spoke with great enthusiasm: “Luoluo, I’m here to bring you good news. I thought about it all night, and I’ve decided to amend the law. You can check online.”
Jian Luo’s attention was immediately drawn to work: “Really? Let me see.”
He opened StarNet and saw that it was bustling with activity. The empire had rolled out new internet laws and regulations. One clause clearly stated: “In cases of product quality issues requiring returns or exchanges, buyers are obligated to provide genuine and reliable images of the products. Fabrications or severe cases of fraud will constitute a Class B Level 1 cyber fraud, resulting in permanent account bans and entries into the credit system.”
The credit system in the interstellar world, once marred by bad records, affected more than just online shopping. It impacted citizens’ ability to get loans, buy cars and houses, and even use certain software normally. Many privileges would be restricted, and travel would be limited.
With the announcement of this law, the internet was abuzz:
“The Dark Star’s Pearl strikes again.”
“This isn’t the first time laws have been changed because of him.”
“He really doesn’t take any grievances.”
“Don’t put it that way. Some people bullied him first. It wasn’t the streamer causing trouble. I heard there were thousands of malicious refunds. Is it easy to do business?”
There were also plenty of sarcastic voices online.
Some even questioned whether it was necessary to penalize just for not providing photos. Wasn’t the punishment for that blogger too severe?
As everyone was discussing, suddenly, some large online store owners started speaking out.
Interstellar Market’s Flagship Store: “Last December, that buyer purchased a set of tableware worth 3,000 star coins from my store. After receiving the goods, they claimed the ceramics were broken. We asked for photos, and the buyer only provided a picture of a broken wine glass worth 100 star coins, refusing to provide more and demanding a full refund of 3,000 star coins, threatening to file a complaint if we didn’t comply. After machine analysis, we determined the item was broken intentionally by the buyer and not during shipping.”
Lysha’s Clothing: “In March this year, that same buyer bought a limited spring fashion set from our store, totaling about 4,200 star coins. They later returned it, claiming the size was wrong. Upon inspection, the returned item was a counterfeit, and the buyer refused to return the genuine product.”
After the first, there was a second and a third.
Store owners who had long suffered various oppressions suddenly found a public forum, all standing up to expose the nefarious deeds of such buyers.
Gradually, fewer people opposed the new law:
“Some people are indeed malicious.”
“Support the new law, protect the rights of store owners.”
“Honestly, the new law doesn’t harm law-abiding buyers.”
“Are those against it feeling guilty?”
Just when everyone thought the matter was over, the YueSe Group issued a statement regarding the complaint about damaged dried fruit: “Thank you all for your attention and trust in YueSe logistics. User Xiaoyunduo made false claims about our delivery on the 13th of this month, causing significant harm. YueSe announces that henceforth, we will not provide any services to this user. We hope for honest purchases and cooperation.”
The announcement caused a stir online.
While having a bad credit record was bad enough, being blacklisted by YueSe was severe. Everyone knew YueSe’s business spanned every aspect of life, from real estate and cars to daily necessities. Being rejected by YueSe meant being rejected by the entire commercial and daily life sector.
Netizens sighed:
“Light a candle for the brother.”
“Haha, he wanted to bully humans but didn’t know they had powerful backers.”
“He’s done for.”
Just when people thought the drama was over, the M-star’s government’s official website released a statement: “Resident Xiaoyunduo has recently incited inappropriate public opinion online and engaged in severe misconduct, significantly damaging M-star’s image and affecting others. Starting today, we will enforce Class B Level 1 punishment and repossess all properties bought with credit under Xiaoyunduo’s name.”
“…”
The entire network fell silent.
That day, everyone understood the consequences of antagonizing the global hope of Dark Star. They realized that while humans might seem weak, their backers were not. Provoking one powerful person could be disastrous, but how could one manage to offend several at once? Xiaoyunduo demonstrated it clearly.
T/N: Hey there! How have y’all been? If you missed the previous TN, been busy with life and all, so apologies for the super delayed update, but I plan on finishing this series this year so hang on tight! Please accept this mass-update as an apology! We will get back to a regular update schedule till the last chapter is published (ch180). There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! Hope you’ve all stayed healthy!
Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!
I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!
Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
and many, many more!
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