C2 Life Is like a Play It's All about Acting!

August 1st, 2018, in Haibei City, Quanzhou.

Haibei City, one of the four major cities in Jinling Province, encompasses seven provinces with Quanzhou at the helm.

The July sun in Quanzhou was scorching, and the streets were dotted with beautiful women in short skirts, their every frown and smile eliciting stares and drooling from passersby.

As the economy flourished, Quanzhou saw the construction of many public bathhouses. In the sweltering heat, taking a cool bath was akin to discovering an oasis in the desert.

At noon, inside one such bathhouse, a group of girls with glowing skin and stunning figures were rinsing off their sweat-drenched bodies with icy water.

Some were playfully spraying each other with showerheads, their cheeks flushed with delight.

"Huff... Huff... Huff..."

Out of nowhere, a wild wind whipped through the bathhouse, sending clothes flying off the shelves and out into the open.

The women shrieked in surprise, the gusts so strong they could barely open their eyes. In a frantic scramble, they covered themselves and pressed against the walls, seeking a sliver of safety.

Suddenly, the space distorted, and a vortex materialized. A figure emerged slowly from the swirling portal.

"Time travel with the Moonlight Treasure Box complete. Date: August 1st, 2018. Location: East City Region of Haibei City, Quanzhou. Weather: clear!"

Su Hao listened to the mechanical voice with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

Back ten years in time, he was resolved to alter the course of history.

He inhaled deeply, scanning his surroundings to determine his exact location in Quanzhou.

But that single glance left him thunderstruck, frozen in place.

Around him, girls clutched their bodies and gritted their teeth, their faces a mix of embarrassment and fury.

Overhead, sprinklers continued to shower down cold water, drenching Su Hao completely.

What in the world was happening?

The Moonlight Treasure Box had transported him to a women's bathhouse?

Could this be a mistake?

He, who only ever drank purified water and milk, who had thrice passed by a women's restroom without entering, had somehow stumbled into the sacred realm of a male otaku's dreams?

In that moment, Su Hao felt like he was on the verge of a breakdown!

In the past, such a situation might have sent him into an exuberant national dance, but now, surrounded by hostile stares, he was drenched in a cold sweat.

Run?

Running was out of the question, not in this lifetime.

A 300-pound soul was blocking the bathhouse entrance, and the sheer bulk of it could probably smother him right there!

"System, are you there?" Su Hao called out in his mind, desperate.

"Foolish host, state your wish!"

"..."

"Get me out of here, now."

"System Notification: The Literary Pretentious Experience Card is available for use. Would you like to activate it?"

"Activate it!" Su Hao commanded without hesitation.

As he spoke, a surge of information flooded his brain, filling his head with an abundance of literary knowledge.

With a thoughtful pause, his eyes sparkled with inspiration. He smeared some saliva under his eyes to feign tears and, with a dramatic sob, turned to the group of girls before him. "Do you think hiding will keep you from me? Futile! Women as remarkable as you shine like fireflies in the darkest night, so vivid and distinguished!"

"Your eyes, coy and bewitching, your lips, slightly pursed, your radiant skin, and that alluring face have utterly enchanted me!"

"I've always watched you from a distance, yet when I come within five meters, I'm overwhelmed by the ineffable gentleness that radiates from you."

"Poets sing of spring flowers and the autumn moon, but to me, they pale in comparison. Only the smile in your dimples is the most beautiful sight in my eyes."

"How can the tender willow strands hold a candle to your lustrous hair?"

"How can the emerald ripples of a pond match the depth of your beautiful eyes?"

"Ah, your beauty, so pure and angelic from within, inspires affection!"

"Ah, your beauty, from bone to skin, moves the heavens and stirs the soul, demanding to be cherished!"

"I bear the scorn of the world just to set your reflection right!"

"I've reversed the heavens themselves, all for the day when nothing can obscure the beauty of your eyes as they open!"

At this moment, Su Hao's voice resonated like a melodic string of pearls, endlessly captivating.

As he spoke, his words were imbued with a poetic and picturesque quality.

His earnest expression seemed to convey, "I apologize, but I am consumed by art. Even in your nakedness, 'art' is the sole occupant of my thoughts."

Each girl's cheeks flushed in unison, their hearts skipping a beat, as if struck by a silent understanding.

Noticing he had successfully shifted their focus, Su Hao pressed on. Empowered by his literary pretentious experience card, he continued with fervor and abandon, "I've forgotten the changing seas and shifting sands, the teeming masses, even myself, but you... you I cannot erase from my memory..."

"In the darkness, I see you, radiant. I do not yearn for your arrival; I wish only to be the indelible shadow that exists to highlight your brilliance..."

"I've pondered—if we walked through the snow, just kept going, would that journey take us to our life's end together?"

"God, is this your way of mocking me? Suggesting I'm unworthy of these women, hence orchestrating our meeting? Oh, you truly are..."

Seeing Su Hao break down in tears mid-sentence, the girls around him were stricken with guilt and self-reproach.

Here was a man who had defied all for their sake, casting aside morality and societal judgment just for a glimpse of them.

Yet, they had mistaken his intentions, branding him a voyeur and wounding him deeply.

Overwhelmed by their guilt, the girls collectively moved to console Su Hao.

Their delicate hands reached out, caressing him, stirring feelings of spring and a sense of enchantment.

"You're unaware, but within your lustrous locks, beneath your delicate brows, and in the depths of your limpid eyes, lies a charm that ensnares me. You bestow upon me a spiritual beauty, an artistic beauty, a beauty beyond compare!"

"Who says only light can be grand? Who says only saints can be noble? Even in darkness, you have the power to turn the moon into the sun, to make the light succumb to the night."

"If there is an afterlife, I would kneel before demons for three thousand years, turn away from the heavens, and forsake immortality—all for you, to hold destiny in my hands. And if there is this life, I would meditate before Buddha for five thousand years, piercing through the veil of illusion, unwavering in heart—just for you, to humble the flowers with your beauty."

"Close your eyes, please. The way your eyes speak without words sends my heart racing. Your noble aura ensnares me in an aesthetic rapture I can't escape. My pulse quickens, my spirit soars, my blood simmers. Hurry, close your eyes, so I might tame the emotions clamoring for release!"

...

As his words settled, a blush crept across the cheeks of the girls around him. They were utterly convinced by Su Hao's declaration, his tear-filled, affectionate gaze serving as proof of his sincerity.

Exchanging glances, the girls obediently shut their eyes, their faces adorned with shy, reluctant smiles.

Watching the group fall for his ruse, Su Hao stealthily shifted his position and silently opened the bathhouse door, slipping out like a wisp of smoke.

Life is a stage, and all hinges on the performance. The drama of life blurs the line between illusion and reality.

Dear readers before the screen, please hold back your scorn. If I ever turn rogue, remind the world of my once pure heart!

Even after Su Hao's departure, the girls with closed eyes still wore a hint of sweetness. Being lavished with such praise by a man would make anyone's day.

But as seconds ticked by, a sense of unease began to dawn on them.

The man who had so lavishly complimented them had fallen silent, vanished as if into thin air.

Unable to contain their curiosity any longer, after three seconds, they opened their eyes.

Yet, a sweep of the bathhouse revealed no trace of Su Hao.

Initially stunned, realization quickly set in, and their indignation flared, faces turning livid.

"That despicable voyeur, he tricked us?!"

"I listened with such intent, nearly moved to tears, and for what? A sham!"

"That vile man, if I ever cross paths with him again, I swear I'll flay him!"

"Oh, the nerve! My chastity, preserved for so long, and that scoundrel has seen it all. I demand an eye for an eye!"

A chorus of outraged voices erupted within the female bathhouse, a collective fury demanding justice.

Outside, Su Hao wore a look of guilty panic, hastily retreating from the scene of his mischief.

"Ding dong, congratulations to the host for a masterful display of shamelessness. You've earned 100 cool points (first-time bonus doubled)."

Under the radar, there's a certain finesse to being sleazy yet cool – a fine line between crass and class. As the host who managed to pull off such a bold act of cool in the women's bathhouse, it's clear there's a master of cool within the ranks. This brand of over-the-top cool might lack authenticity, but it can't overshadow the host's talent for unabashedly showcasing his shamelessness. Keep up the good work, host, and strive to elevate the art of cool to new heights!

The system, however, isn't one for brutal honesty – it's said that speaking the truth could cost you your tongue!

"Ding dong, your character information has been updated. Would you like to take a look?"

"Character information?" Su Hao paused, then nodded decisively, "Let's see it!"

With those words, a virtual display materialized before him.

Host: Su Hao

Pretentious Title: Minor League

Pretentious Strength: None

Pretentious Items: None

Pretentious Value: 100

System Rating: Salted Fish in Mid-Flip

Su Hao's expression turned sour as he read the last line, feeling an overwhelming urge to pin the system down and give it a piece of his mind.

Am I a salted fish?

If I confront it, it's going to get more than a slap!

I'm a salted fish with aspirations!

"System Notification: Your pretentious value has reached the maximum of 100 points. Would you like to enter the lottery draw?"

"Lottery draw?" Su Hao blinked, then commanded, "Go for it!"

"100 pretentious points have been deducted for the lottery draw. Your remaining pretentious value is zero." As the system spoke, a large spinning wheel popped up before Su Hao, its needle whirring around.

Soon enough, the needle landed on a small card.

"Ding dong, congratulations, host! You've won a Confinement Pretentious Experience Card!"