James stared at Tailsa's reply, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.
He didn't know how to respond.
Just as he was fumbling for words to salvage some dignity, his phone buzzed with a notification.
It was a red packet from Tailsa.
He opened it.
Twenty dollars.
And it came with a curt message: [Here's your money back. Goodbye.]
...
That stung.
James could almost feel the crisp sound of the bills slapping him in the face.
Twenty dollars wasn't much, but the humiliation was sharp.
Thinking about it, she was right. Someone like her, with countless admirers, would find his ten-dollar red packet laughably cheap.
Afraid she might block him, he quickly sent a message:
[Wait.]
Without hesitation, he clicked on "Transfer," entered a 1, followed by five zeros, and sent it.
He wanted to test if this system was actually legit.
After all, his balance was only around $10,000âsurely anything more than that would fail to send, right?
But then... something he never expected happened.
It went through.
He stared in disbelief at the notification on WhatsApp:
[$100,000 has been transferred.]
James froze, eyes glued to the screen.
Was this for real? Could the system balance actually convert into real money?
When he typed in those five zeros, he thought it was just a joke.
He had never seen six figures in his bank account, let alone transferred it in one go.
For a moment, he felt his heart being torn apart.
If only that money could somehow come back to his card...
No. No, no. He was thinking too small.
What's $100,000, anyway? He should recharge $100 million and hatch a plan with Tailsa to pull the money out. They'd split it 80-20 and run off with the cash...
Suddenly, a warning popped up in his head:
[Requesting monetary gifts from the Goddess is considered cheating.]
[Friendly Reminder: Please play rationally. Any cheating behavior may result in a maximum penalty of a 200-year ban.]
What?!
A ban?!
"I'm sorry, I was wrong!"
The mention of a ban instantly made James back down.
So there was no way to game the system. This wasn't about trickery.
It seemed the game was meant to spend money on women to raise their affection levels before turning it into cash.
Thinking about how an affection level of 80 would allow him to convert his Simp Fund back into real money, James's eyes lit up.
He quickly recharged another $5,000.
Looking at the now eight-figure balance in his Simp Fund, he counted the zeros over and over, slapping his thighs in excitement.
Honestly, if he used this money to win her over, he could pull off just about any stunt she wanted.
The only question was, would it work on her?
If she wasn't impressed by money, he'd need to find another target quickly.
But back in college, he'd often heard that Tailsa rode in and out of campus in BMWs and Benzes.
She probably wasn't too different from him at heart.
Yet, even after transferring the money, she hadn't clicked to accept it.
James grew anxious.
On the other side of the city...
In a modest apartment, Tailsa sat on her couch, stunned as she stared at her phone.
She had assumed the guy on the other end was broke. After all, a random $10 red packet? Pathetic.
Most unfamiliar guys who tried to flirt with her sent at least $100, sometimes even $1,000 or more. She'd even received $10,000 once.
Who in their right mind would send only $10?
After she sent back $20, she had been about to screenshot it and post it on her social media, mocking how she'd encountered such a "low-tier man."
But then, suddenly, $100,000 landed in her account.
It completely threw her off.
What kind of scam was this?
Calming herself, she sent him a message:
[What's this supposed to mean?]
James replied quickly:
[Nothing. I just wanted to reintroduce myself.]
Curious, Tailsa clicked into his profile to see who he was.
It was nearly empty. His timeline only showed posts from the past three days.
No photos of himself. Just pictures of him feeding stray cats.
She thought for a moment but couldn't piece anything together.
So, she decided to ask directly:
[Who are you?]
The reply came almost instantly:
[James.]
James?
She racked her brain, trying to place the name.
Finally, from some dusty corner of her memory, she remembered himâher college classmate.
A plain-looking, broke guy.
Could it really be him?
Was it possible he'd made it big?
Her eyes drifted back to the $100,000 transfer. She hesitated. She wanted to hit "Accept" right away but worried it might make her look greedy.
After some thought, she sent him a voice message:
"What do you want?"
Hearing her soft, melodic voice, James felt his heart race.
Feeling bold, he replied:
[You.]
Tailsa froze.
Her cheeks turned a deep red. She understood the implication immediately.
Normally, she'd block anyone who tried something so brazen.
But... this guy had just transferred $100,000. That made her reconsider.
Giving him the benefit of the doubt, she typed:
[Why'd you send me money?]
[Just a token of my appreciation. Consider it a gift for meeting me.]
[No strings attached?]
[Absolutely none.]
She hesitated. Was this for real? Did people really give away $100,000 as a meeting gift?
She'd met her fair share of wealthy heirs and trust-fund kids, but none of them had ever thrown this much cash right out of the gate.
Still cautious, she typed one last message:
[You're giving this to me voluntarily, right?]
James replied quickly and decisively:
[Yes.]
Satisfied, she scrolled through their chat history one last time, double-checking for any red flags.
When she found nothing suspicious, her lips curled into an excited smile.
She hit "Accept."
The sound of coins clinking into her account made her heart leap with joy.
Opening her wallet on WhatsApp, she saw the balance jump by $100,000. She couldn't help but grin.
[Wow, James, you're so generous! Did you win the lottery or something?]
James didn't reply right away.
He was busy reading the new data that had popped into his mind:
[Goddess Data Update]
Name: Tailsa EvansAge: 25Height: 5'5"Weight: 116 lbsCharm: 93Occupation: Beauty Sales ConsultantSpecial Trait: French KissingAffection Level: 15 (Acquaintance)Relationships: 1Rewards for Conquest: Superhuman PhysiqueTotal Spent So Far: $100,000
James whistled in awe.
Tailsa really was on another level. Even her "special trait" was something extraordinary.
And the reward? Superhuman Physique. Just the name sounded incredible.
The only question was, would his few thousand dollars be enough to win her over?
Screw it. He decided to test the waters with another million dollars.
After all, $1,000,000 in Simp Funds was just $1,000 in real money.
Feeling resolute, he sent her a message:
[I made some lucky investments. Are you still in New York?]
[Yeah, I'm working here. Just earning a boring paycheck, not like you big-shot entrepreneurs.]
Good. She was still in the city.
[Got time tomorrow? Let's grab a coffee.]
[Just the two of us?]
[Unless you're scared I'll eat you alive, feel free to bring someone else.]
Tailsa hesitated, her eyes glancing at the $100,000 transfer again.
Finally, she seemed to make up her mind.
[Alright. Where?]
[You pick.]
[Times Square works. I work near there.]
Nice!
James pumped his fist in excitement.
He couldn't believe how easy it was to set up a meeting with her.
Back in college, even if he had managed to ask her out, he wouldn't have had the courage to actually meet her.
But now?
Seeing all those zeros in his system balance gave him a confidence he'd never known before.
Money made cowards bold, and James was living proof.
It was already past midnight when James returned home.
He rented a small, rundown flat less than 40 square meters in size.
The place had no renovations, just bare walls and floors made of cement.
The walls were so damaged that the red bricks beneath the surface were exposed in some places.
There wasn't a single piece of decent furniture in sight.
Still, the rent was dirt cheap.
James was exhausted from a long day. He collapsed onto the hard wooden bed, staring at the system interface in his mind, and let out a silly laugh.
With this thing, why would he need to keep working that crappy security job?
Wouldn't it be better to just follow Tailsa around, living off her beauty and wealth?
He fantasized about the life he could have and soon fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, James woke up and confirmed the system was still there.
Without hesitation, he rushed to quit his job.
He tore off the security uniform, a symbol of his "watchdog" days, and threw it into a trash can.
Then, he hopped on his electric bike and rode to Times Square to meet Tailsa.
It was a weekday, but the mall was still bustling with people.
After parking his bike, James made his way to the meeting spot. From a distance, he saw herâthe girl he had once dreamed about in college, standing near the fountain in the square.
Tailsa looked stunning, dressed in a particularly seductive outfit.
She wore a V-neck, long-sleeved white blouse that was slightly sheer under the afternoon sunlight, revealing hints of lace trim beneath.
Her curvy, full figure stretched the fabric tightly, leaving no room for doubt about her perfect proportions. The blouse couldn't quite cover her slender waist, creating an alluring contrast.
She paired it with a black mini skirt, and her fair, smooth legs were wrapped in black stockings. High heels emphasized their straight, slender beauty.
Her face was enhanced by a delicate, natural-looking makeup, which added a mature charm to her already exquisite features.
Her once lively and innocent eyes now brimmed with a mature allure that seemed to hold infinite stories.
The only thing unchanged was her long, silky black hair, draped over her shoulders and swaying gently in the breezeâjust like it had back then.
James found himself mesmerized.
In her black stockings and high heels, Tailsa stood out in the crowd like a beacon.
Every man passing by couldn't help but steal glances at her.
Some even stopped in their tracks, openly admiring her just like James was.
"James!"
Tailsa turned and immediately recognized him. Though he hadn't changed much since their college days, her voice carried a hint of surprise as she called out to him.
Her voice snapped James out of his daze. He quickened his pace and walked up to her, smiling brightly.
"Tailsa, it's been so long. You're still as stunning as ever."
Oddly enough, with the system backing him, he felt a newfound confidence.
Even though he was a bit nervous, it didn't show on his face, and his words came out smooth and natural.
"Thanks for the compliment," she replied, tugging at the corners of her mouth in a faint smile.
She stood still, quietly sizing him up.
He was about 5'10", with thick eyebrows and bright eyes. Not conventionally handsome, but there was a subtle charm to him. His smile gave off a warm, friendly vibe.
But then...
Her gaze drifted to his clothes.
The more she looked, the more his outfit screamed cheapâa T-shirt that looked like one of those "two for $9.99" deals on Taobao.
Her eyes dropped to his sneakers, which were clearly worn-out and outdated.
Her expression grew a little awkward.
This man didn't look like someone with money.
How could he possibly afford to send her a $100,000 "meeting gift"?
No matter how she looked at him, she couldn't figure it out.
Even if a rich man dressed casually, they'd still have some aura of sophistication. But James? From head to toe, he looked as poor as he did back in college.
He didn't even have a watch on his wristâhow could someone like him afford a $100,000 transfer?
Suddenly, a ridiculous thought popped into her head.
Could it be... that $100,000 was his entire life savings, and he blew it all just to meet her?
That... That would be unbelievably stupid.