"Wow! Hubby, you look so handsome in this leather jacket!!! So cool!"
At the Xin Yi Bai Shopping Mall in Huoxiang City,
a young couple stood in a men's clothing store on the second floor, trying on clothes.
Fan Hecha stood in front of the mirror, wearing a black leather jacket.
"Hubby, you look absolutely amazing in this!!"
Tang Xiaofeng stood beside him, her eyes sparkling with admiration. The more she looked at Fan Hecha, the more she liked what she saw.
Indeed, clothes make the man.
Fan Hecha, who usually wore hoodies and sweatpants, now looked sharp and stylish in the leather jacket, his entire demeanor elevated.
Though his looks were average, at a glance, he was strikingly eye-catching.
He didn't look like the bookish astronomer who studied celestial phenomena at the observatory at all—now he looked super cool!
"Hubby, I love seeing you in this! Let's buy it!!" Tang Xiaofeng examined him from all angles, finding him more and more attractive.
"Sir, this leather jacket really suits you!" the sales assistant chimed in with a smile.
"This jacket is the latest design from an international designer this year, made from premium lambskin."
"If you sign up for our membership, I can give you an additional 15% discount on the sale price."
Tang Xiaofeng nodded eagerly. "Then how much would it be after the extra discount?"
The sales assistant smiled. "Let me calculate it for you."
She swiftly pulled out a calculator from behind the counter and tapped away.
"Dear, the final price after discounts is 3,800."
**3,800?!**
**That's way too expensive!**
Hearing the price, Fan Hecha's face twisted slightly in hesitation before he decisively took off the jacket and handed it back to the sales assistant.
"Let's not rush to buy it. We can look around some more."
"No!! I want to buy it for you!" Tang Xiaofeng stubbornly gritted her teeth.
Sure, it was a little pricey!
But dressing up her dear hubby was worth every penny!!!
As Tang Xiaofeng, driven by determination, marched toward the checkout,
Fan Hecha quickly grabbed her.
Tang Xiaofeng, being petite, was effortlessly dragged out of the store like a kitten.
Tang Xiaofeng pouted. "Let's buy it, hubby! You look so good in it!"
Fan Hecha sighed. "What does it matter what I wear?! With that kind of money, you could buy two dresses instead!"
"Besides, it's not like I don't have clothes. This hoodie I'm wearing is just fine."
Tang Xiaofeng pursed her lips.
"You've been wearing the same thing since the day I met you."
"I just want to dress you up a little~"
Fan Hecha waved it off. "Really, it's not necessary. 4,000 is way too much—think of all the better things we could do with that money! I'm not the kind of guy who needs a 4,000-yuan jacket!"
"Come on, let's go look at dresses for you."
After much persuasion, he finally steered Tang Xiaofeng out of the store and officially entered "bag-holding mode."
While Tang Xiaofeng tried on dress after dress, he sat on a nearby bench, pulled out his phone, and logged into his game.
The mobile game he was currently playing, *Sorcery Wars*, had just released an anniversary-limited skin and weapon for the Priest class. He couldn't wait to check them out.
As soon as he opened *Sorcery Wars*,
an incredibly dazzling splash screen appeared.
Bone chains stretched across a black sky, countless crows circled the turrets of a massive tower, and amidst the dark clouds, a Priest in a violet-gold robe, wielding a staff, led an army of undead forward. Mystical chants mixed with the clashing of swords and guns filled his ears.
Just one glance at the preview left Fan Hecha breathless!
**Holy crap… this skin is insane!!**
Then he checked the price:
**Limited-time Violet-Gold Necromancer Cloak – 5,000 yuan**
**Exclusive Dragon Sniper Scepter – 16,000 yuan**
**Damn.**
**This is a steal!**
**Not buying this would be a crime against nature!**
Fan Hecha immediately opened the purchase page. He **had** to have these flashy skins and weapons!!
**Confirm purchase, equip skin!**
Fan Hecha admired his in-game character's new look with pure delight.
"Hubby, do you like this dress?" Tang Xiaofeng stepped out of the fitting room in a pale yellow floral dress, standing in front of Fan Hecha.
…Huh?
Still dazed from the dark, violet-gold skin's impact, Fan Hecha was momentarily stunned by the sight of a plain, non-glowing, special-effects-free dress in the real world. He couldn't muster any enthusiasm.
But he still reflexively replied:
"It's nice. Sure, if you like it, let's get it."
Watching Tang Xiaofeng happily hand the dress to the sales assistant and head back to try on another one,
Fan Hecha eagerly fiddled with his phone, savoring the smoothness and feel of his new in-game skin and weapon.
**You really do get what you pay for!**
**This experience is next-level!!!**
He opened the game forum, unable to contain his excitement, and bragged to his online friends.
Even though it was just virtual skins and gear,
the joy of acquiring them was **way** more thrilling than wearing a leather jacket!
While Fan Hecha was busy showing off,
a few forum posts suddenly caught his attention.
**"Miraculous! Shocking! This spot guarantees gacha luck!"**
**"Still wasting money? Break these three bad habits, and SSRs will rain on you!"**
**"Girl pulls SSR in one try by the wishing pool—so chill she didn't even look back!"**
Normally, Fan Hecha wouldn't even glance at such clickbait titles.
After all, game forums were flooded with ads like this.
Most would get buried under new posts within minutes.
But these posts not only dominated the forum's front page but also had a **flaming hot** tag, with over **2,000 replies** each.
Curious, Fan Hecha clicked into one.
Though the content was just as sensationalized, it was surprisingly detailed.
All three posts raved about a **wishing pool at Lion Castle Hotel**, with countless replies sharing videos and photos—players pulling rare cards, wishes coming true, all sorts of bizarre requests fulfilled.
"No way… is this for real?"
Fan Hecha scrolled through the comments and found **not a single complaint**.
The occasional skeptic calling it a hotel ad
was immediately **flamed into oblivion** by believers.
They didn't even get a chance to argue back.
Intrigued, Fan Hecha searched **"Lion Castle Hotel"** on his phone.
He checked the room rates… **Whoa, pretty steep!**
But then he saw forum posts claiming that spending **5,000+ on a stay** could **guarantee all SSR heroes**…
**Damn!**
**That's a bargain!!**
Having just gotten married, he finally had a two-week vacation.
This was the perfect chance to take Tang Xiaofeng on a trip to Zaomen!
"Hubby, which of these two dresses looks better on me?"
Tang Xiaofeng stood before him holding two dresses, her eyes filled with indecision.
"Both are great. Let's get both."
Fan Hecha stood up and said to the sales assistant:
"Please ring up both of these dresses."
"Of course, sir."
The sales assistant smiled and swiftly wrote up the bill.
"Hubby, isn't buying two a bit too extravagant?"
Tang Xiaofeng whispered.
"Not at all! Together, they still cost less than that leather jacket!"
Without another word, Fan Hecha took the bill to the checkout.
Carrying two new dresses, Tang Xiaofeng looked at Fan Hecha, still in his hoodie and sweatpants, and sighed:
"We came here to buy **you** clothes,"
"but you didn't get a single thing, and I ended up with two."
"Hubby, you really looked amazing in that leather jacket. Let's go back and buy it!"
Fan Hecha quickly waved her off. "No way! 4,000 is better spent elsewhere. Anything over 400 feels like a rip-off to me."
"Oh, Xiaofeng, didn't you want to visit the Magic Century Theme Park? Let's go this weekend!"
Tang Xiaofeng's eyes lit up!
"Really?!"
"Then I'll book the hotel!"
...
As part of their honeymoon,
though Tang Xiaofeng had budgeted generously,
seeing Lion Castle Hotel's **5,000-per-night** rate still made her pause.
**This… is way too expensive, isn't it?!**
That kind of money could cover **both accommodation and meals** at a homestay in Zaomen.
Even at the Colorful Holiday Resort Hotel, 5,000 could get them **two nights with food and activities**.
"…Oh well, hubby likes it!"
Tang Xiaofeng took a deep breath.
Even though spending this much on a hotel was far beyond her usual spending habits,
Fan Hecha wouldn't even buy himself clothes. If this small wish of his made him happy, she'd do everything to fulfill it!!!
Without hesitation, she lovingly booked **two nights** at Lion Castle Hotel for Fan Hecha.
The next day, the couple took the high-speed train to Zaomen.
Though the Magic Century Theme Park's advertising wasn't as flashy as Lion Castle Hotel's,
when it was introduced to Zaomen,
the park had struck a deal with the city government
to decorate the subway line from the train station to Cream Road as the **"Magic Express."**
Each train carriage was themed after different fantasy elements—**"Wizards," "Dragons," "Mummies," "Elves,"** and more.
When Fan Hecha and Tang Xiaofeng arrived at the Magic Express, they happened upon the **purple "Elven" carriage**.
They excitedly stepped inside.
The purple carriage's floor was covered in **lush green grass patterns**, the handrails woven to resemble vines, dotted with colorful gourds.
At first glance,
Fan Hecha and Tang Xiaofeng half-expected to see the **Gourd Brothers** pop out.
"These little gourds look real!"
Tang Xiaofeng reached out and poked a plump purple gourd.
"But why would an Elven carriage have gourds?!"
"Do their elves also pop out of gourds?"
Curious, Fan Hecha tugged at one of the vine-wrapped gourds and found it **firm and satisfyingly grippy**, the perfect size to hold onto.
It was almost the last train of the night, so the carriage was nearly empty.
Like kids, they amused themselves by touching every gourd they could find.
**"Next stop: Lion Castle Hotel. Please exit from the left side."**
The announcement rang out.
Stepping off the train and into Lion Castle Station,
Fan Hecha and Tang Xiaofeng stood in the center of the hall, **speechless with awe**.
Thousands of tiny crystal lights hung from the **blue velvet ceiling**, twinkling like a **starry dome**.
Beneath this celestial canopy stood a **massive four-faced clock** towering over the central reception desk.
Each clock face was made of **amethyst cat's eye stone**, displaying **Roman numerals, lunar phases, animal motifs, and natural landscapes**, symbolizing **time, moon cycles, astronomy, and seasons**.
The side facing them represented the **seasons**.
A bronze pendulum swung across a dial adorned with animals—**deer, horses, eagles, rabbits, sheep, snakes, scorpions**—while at the very center, a **golden lion with a flowing mane** stood majestically.
"Wow… hubby, look at that!"
Tang Xiaofeng tugged Fan Hecha's hand, pointing excitedly at the **lunar phase side** of the clock.
Right now, the pendulum pointed to the **waxing crescent moon**.
Seven small wizards in **blue star-and-moon robes** and pointed hats popped out from the clock tower, dancing around the crescent moon for a full minute before filing back inside. The last one even **kicked the door shut** with a **"clang!"**
"This clock is **unbelievably intricate!**"
Fan Hecha's eyes widened. He'd been so mesmerized that he forgot to even take out his phone for photos.
"But… the star positions are wrong!"
Outside of work, Fan Hecha had a deep interest in astronomy.
The moment he saw the starry dome, he recognized the crystal lights as **constellations**.
But no matter how he looked at it, the star map seemed **reversed**.
Just then, a janitor nearby spoke up:
"Sir, the star map in Lion Castle Station is **deliberately inverted.**"
"Inverted?!" Fan Hecha blinked.
The janitor explained:
"When our boss designed the starry dome, he depicted the sky **from God's perspective**—looking **down** at the stars, rather than up from Earth."
"In other words, it's the view **from beyond the cosmos.**"
Fan Hecha was baffled. "I've **never** seen a star map from God's perspective before."
The janitor grinned. "Well, of course—because **the customer is God!**"
"Since our boss based the dome on **medieval star charts**, the positions don't match modern astronomy. You'll notice discrepancies if you look closely."
"**Medieval star charts?!**" Fan Hecha's pupils shrank.
He immediately looked up again, his gaze darting between constellations as he muttered:
"On the night of the waxing crescent, if Gemini appears above the Scholar's Hall and Leo rises over the Saint's Chapel, the bells must toll."
"When the star at Akes' knee reaches between the first and second windows of the Scholar's Hall, hanging at the roof's peak, the lamps must be lit."
"The Scholar's Hall is northeast, the Saint's Chapel is west…"
"**This really is a medieval star map!!**"
Fan Hecha's breathing grew rapid.
He whipped out his phone, **wishing he could lie on the floor** to photograph the entire dome.
"This is **incredible…!!**"
"Who's your boss? The subway company's owner?"
The janitor looked offended.
"What subway company boss?!"
"Everything in this station was **personally designed by the boss of Lion Lake Castle Hotel!**"
He pointed at the clock, then at the statues, paintings, and decorations throughout the station.
"**All of it!** Our boss is **amazing!**"