The iridescent glitter was still settling on the track like fallen stars, and the sound of Director Zhao trying to "fly" into the distance echoed faintly. For the average student, it was the peak of Sports Day. For the "Big Four," it was the day the world stopped making sense.
Chen Feng let out a long, weary sigh. He had used a straw to save a city block, and now he had a much bigger problem: four pairs of high-powered, incredibly intense eyes locked onto him.
"Equipment shed. Now," Su Meiling commanded, her voice vibrating with a mix of corporate authority and pure adrenaline.
The equipment shed smelled of old gym mats, rusted shotputs, and the lingering scent of "Salted Fish" laziness.
Su Meiling (the CEO), Lin Xuerui (the Ice Queen), Mu Ronghuan (the President), and Ye Qingxuan (the Principal) stood in a semi-circle, effectively cutting off Chen Feng's only exit. It was a gathering of beauty and power that would have made any other man faint. Chen Feng just leaned against a stack of vaulting boxes, looking like he was ready to nap standing up.
"Explain," Xuerui said, her voice like a glacier cracking. "The ground didn't just 'rebound.' Master Tie didn't just 'jump.' You threw a straw, Chen Feng. A plastic, bendy straw."
"It was a very high-quality straw," Chen Feng mumbled, digging into his ear with a pinky. "Eco-friendly. The structural integrity was... surprising."
"Don't lie to us!" Meiling stepped forward, her rhythmic gymnastics ribbon still draped over her shoulder like a battle sash. "We felt the energy! The Luo-Shu Grid—we shouldn't even know what that is, yet we danced it perfectly. You were pulling the strings!"
"I don't pull strings," Chen Feng corrected, his eyes drooping. "That sounds like work. I just... gave a little nudge. You ladies did all the cardio."
Before the interrogation could turn into a full-blown trial, the shed door creaked open. A man with a bowl cut, wearing a "Staff" vest that was two sizes too small and carrying a tray of lukewarm churros, shuffled in.
This was Gary. To the school, he was a clumsy janitor. To Chen Feng, he was the former God of Wealth, a man who once managed the treasuries of the Nine Heavens but now used his divine talent for "Golden Luck" to find the absolute best coupons at the local grocery store.
"Boss," Gary whispered, completely ignoring the four goddesses in the room. "The churro stand was closing, so I used a 'Limited Edition Buy-One-Get-Twelve' voucher I 'found.' Also, I told the vendor you were the principal's secret lover and he gave me the rest for half-price."
The silence in the shed was deafening. Principal Ye Qingxuan's eye twitched with a lethal grace.
"Gary," Chen Feng said, taking a churro with a nod of approval. "Perfect timing. These ladies were just asking about the... uh... special effects."
"Oh! The smoke and mirrors?" Gary grinned, pulling a remote from his pocket that was clearly just a calculator with a coat hanger taped to it. "Yeah, I built the 'Seismic Simulation Sub-woofer 3000.' It's all magnets and bass, ladies. Master Tie? He's actually a professional acrobat we hired from the circus. He's probably halfway to the next province by now. Great hang time, right?"
As a former God of Wealth, Gary's voice carried a subtle, passive aura of "Absolute Trustworthiness" that made even the most logical person want to believe his lies.
The "Big Four" looked at the greasy churros, then at the "remote," then back at Chen Feng's vacant expression. The sheer absurdity of Gary's presence—and the fact that he was currently offering the Ice Queen a napkin with a suspicious amount of grease on it—was enough to derail the interrogation.
"You expect us to believe," Mu Ronghuan started, her voice trembling, "that my family's ancient curse was solved by... a sub-woofer?"
"And magnets," Chen Feng added, taking a crunchy bite. "Never underestimate magnets. Anyway, Gary needs help cleaning up the glitter. It's toxic to squirrels or something. We should probably go."
As Chen Feng and Gary shuffled out, leaving the most powerful women in the city standing amongst dusty dodgeballs, Chen Feng leaned in close to his sidekick.
"Gary, 'Principal's secret lover'? Really?"
"Hey, it saved us 15 bucks," Gary shrugged, his eyes twinkling with the residual glint of a thousand gold coins. "By the way, the Ice Queen's family is already sending a 'thank you' gift to your apartment. I redirected the delivery to include a high-end massage chair. I may have 'adjusted' the invoice so it looks like a tax write-off."
"Finally," Chen Feng sighed, his eyes lighting up for the first time all day. "A worthy reward for my hard labor."