Around 9:30 AM, Pan Ge finally regained some strength and went to the spa at the Mandarin Oriental for a treatment.

At 11:00 AM, she dragged her exhausted body back home.

Then she was blocked in the foyer by Zhao Anni.

"What kept you at the hotel so long? Huh? Nannan, what's wrong with you?"

Despite her best efforts to hide it, she still gave herself away. Fatigue and soreness are really hard to conceal.

Pan Ge gave the excuse she had already prepared, "I was working out with Han Lie and Ting Ting, and I got too tired... Mom, I've decided to start exercising. They both have such great stamina; it made me look really weak."

"Oh, it's rare to see you striving to excel in anything!" Zhao Anni found it quite amusing but was encouraging.

"Working out is good; your health is always the most important thing. I support you. But you should do more aerobic exercises, don't just mess around with them like they do. Hey, what does Ting Ting mainly focus on?"

Zhao Anni asked casually, but Pan Ge didn't dare take it lightly. She knew her own mother better than anyone; the woman was incredibly astute.

Thankfully, Pan Ge had indeed asked Xi Luting.

"Her? Her main goal is body shaping. She does a lot of glute and chest exercises, and I think she also wants to broaden her shoulders a bit."

Zhao Anni pondered this and nodded approvingly.

"Oh, that's actually quite smart. She's clearly thought it through and isn't just fooling around. Ting Ting is too skinny. Adding a bit of muscle to her shoulders will definitely make her look more balanced and attractive. The same goes for her chest... What do you think? Are her methods professional?"

"Huh?" Pan Ge's eyes widened. "How would I know about that? It seems alright, I guess. Like she's just generally strengthening her chest muscle groups."

Zhao Anni laughed. "So, do you want to give it a try?"

Pan Ge displayed a perfectly timed hint of shyness. "I don't need that, do I? I think I'm still developing..."

That rascal praised them so many times...

Zhao Anni offered some professional advice, "Our Nannan could focus on her upper pectoral muscles. This would increase firmness and prevent sagging. It would be very beneficial if you stick with it. Look at me—I'm 43 and still holding up well, you know!"

Pan Ge listened intently because the advice was genuinely useful.

In an average family, it would be rare for a mother to offer such specialized and insightful advice. So, in fact, many qualities of affluent and beautiful women aren't inherent; they are sculpted through deliberate effort and adjustments over time. Things like teeth, bone structure, physique, skin quality, and so on. Most physical appearance issues can be addressed or corrected during puberty; the key lies in awareness, knowledge, and, of course, money.

Why do daughters from wealthy families always seem to possess such good temperament and poise? Because physique can be sculpted. Not through dubious means like cosmetic surgery, but through proper, established methods such as targeted stretching, exercise, and good habits.

Get everything sorted before the end of puberty, and it's a one-time fix for life. Afterward, it's just a matter of maintenance.

As the mother and daughter's conversation drifted further off-topic, it meant Pan Ge had once again successfully navigated the situation.

It wasn't that she didn't dare admit what had happened with Han Lie; she was just waiting for a better time.

***

After Pan Ge left, Xi Luting immediately escaped back to her dorm room.

Even Han Lie's attempts to hold her back failed; she adamantly refused to stay at the hotel with him. Even if Han Lie swore up and down, it was no use.

Hah, his promises? Even a dog wouldn't believe them!

And so, everyone went their separate ways.

Han Lie returned to his dorm room and still didn't see Ding Yu and Little Northeasterner. It looked like the planned beating would have to be postponed again.

After some thought, he sent a text message to Ding Xiang.

"Ding Ding hasn't returned to the dorm for a week. He's been running wild, and I'm really worried. If you get a chance, you should advise him not to always hang out with those bad kids, playing cards and staying at bathhouses. It's not good for someone so young to live such a decadent life."

"Bathhouses?!!!"

Two words and three exclamation marks; Ding Xiang was frantic.

Han Lie continued to stir the pot, "I heard it from a sophomore. I'm not entirely sure about the details, but I do know that every morning when they come back, they're all staggering..."

"Okay, I understand. But I'm too far away... Could you help me look after Xiao Yu?"

Han Lie smirked, but his reply was carefully worded to sound reluctant.

"Although we're roommates, it's really not my place to step in on these matters. Telling you this already makes me very uneasy... It feels like I'm snitching on him."

"No, not at all!" Ding Xiang was extremely anxious, sending back several messages in a row. "I know you mean well for Xiao Yu. He is indeed too playful and needs someone to keep him in check."

"I'll go see him next week. Would you like to join us for a meal?"

"I'll tell him to treat you like a big brother and listen to you more. Then you can help me keep an eye on him, okay?"

Although it was just text, the uniquely soft and melodious Jiangnan dialect, characteristic of its women, echoed in Han Lie's mind—it was utterly captivating. This was a far cry from the Northeastern girls Han Lie would later meet—stunning beauties when silent, but absolute shrews the moment they opened their mouths.

So he happily replied, "Sure, see you next week."

Ding Xiang: "Mmm, thank you! Good night, sweet dreams~~~"

Nice, sweet!

Before going to sleep, Han Lie chatted with Chen Yanfei as usual and soon confirmed that she didn't know about his communication with Ding Xiang.

Normal or abnormal? Han Lie wasn't sure.

But it didn't really matter; he had merely made a casual, preparatory move. After settling things with Pan Ge and Xi Luting, he wouldn't need any new romantic involvements, at least in the short term.

Right now, the priority was to focus on getting his career going.

The system's about to upgrade. No one better get in the way of me making money!

***

「The next day, Monday.」

Upon opening his eyes, Han Lie put himself through a grueling workout on the rings until he was drenched in sweat, then he showered and had breakfast.

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