My CEO Harem Cultivation System

It's hard to narrow down people into a box and categorize them neatly. People are bound to do things that might surprise you—and yet for peace of mind, it's easier to arrange them into little boxes and labels.

Oh, he's the quiet and loner one.

She's super bubbly and has that air of innocence around her.

And what about her? Why, she's quite mature and has that womanly grace and charm.

If a person happened to not fit into the category that several people prescribe themselves unto, then it was sometimes where one was bound to encounter trouble. Be it social rejection, becoming an outcast or simply standing out too much from the crowd. 

And yet each one of them has their own breaking point, or an event where something that seems out of character occurs. As the group is not privy to the individual's thoughts and emotions, they may needlessly make trouble.

Perhaps it was terribly easy to get caught up in the life of the rich and famous. We tend to scrutinize them underneath a microscopic lens—

Li Yang was going home.

The sky was a gorgeous bright blue and clear from any sort of clouds to detract from it. A small airport was currently experiencing a temporary suspension of their flights due to an emergency inspection.

Although that was more or less a ruse.

"Thank you so much for putting in a word." Li Yang thanked the Song couple with a small bow. His robes from Telriah were now discarded for clothes that suited his old fashion sense and even received an entire suitcase filled with other new outfits.

Li Yang was currently about to board a privately flagged plane to bring him back to the city. 

And though he thought that what the Song Family asked from the small airport was a bit too much—even if it was only for three hours—he only thanked them for not asking too many questions.

"Such nonsense, this is the least that we could do after you saved my husband's life." Angeline Song smiled at him.

"It might take some time before we actually return back to Shanghai, but if we're around the area—we'd love to have dinner with you." Song Chunlai shook his hand firmly.

Angeline Song sighed wistfully. "Maybe you could meet our daughter next time and that might get her interested in the business industry." 

Li Yang raised a brow, but simply nodded. "If that is how I'd repay my indebtedness to the Song Family then I have no problems at all."

Both Song Chunlai and his wife suddenly laughed at Li Yang's words.

"Ah, my apologies—we don't mean to dismiss your very generous offer, Li Yang." Song Chunlai cleared his throat. "But, ah… what is there to say about my dear daughter—?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if my daughter is currently passed out at someone else's house party." Angeline chuckled. "She's still a little immature, which is quite a contrary to you. There's not much recent news besides your disappearance, but you've started the Olympian Corp at such a young age didn't you?"

"It was a small start-up that my brother and I ventured into during our university years," Li Yang explained.

"Indeed. Hah, I hope our daughter has grown up like you. Both you and your brother seem to be very responsible people," Song Chunlai said.

Li Yang blinked once, before he simply stifled a chuckle. "Thank you for the compliment, but it's also great to know that she grew up in what seems to be a lovely family." Possibly spoiled—if Li Yang were to say anything else from what the parents said. 

But he thanked the family and then finally boarded the plane for his trip. 

It was easy to think that something like this would have gone unnoticeable from the eyes of people. And yet it wasn't that often that a private plane was boarded and kept to one person alone, so in such a way, the news flew faster than the plane.

The specifics or from whence it started could have been traced from anywhere.

What only mattered now was that it was heard. Even though all that Li Yang did was board the plane and take a short nap throughout the entire trip. After what felt like nearly a year since the man was gone, news of a very private businessman started to sweep in. 

Questions as to where or how he ended up Japan was easily thrown underneath the rug when wealth and power was underneath its fingertips. It wasn't exactly distasteful for everyone—if one had the influence, then it was natural to use it.

And so the spotlight naturally veered into his direction.

But it wasn't fair to say that all of the changes occurred to simply the man put underneath the microscopic lenses of the world.

.

.

.

.

.

The news was probably buzzing on too much—he wasn't a celebrity or even a rather influential man in terms of media. If anything, he may have been enough to get onto the financial side of the news industry, but mainstream news somehow managed to get a hold of it. 

One's wealth, family and his long absence, even if not entirely felt, was enough to warrant Li Yang on the news:

Former CEO Li Yang Returns To Shanghai After Break In Japan

Stocks on Olympian Corps May Soon Pick Up Once Again? Other Financial News

Prodigal Son Set To Return To Country After Suddenly Quitting

"Hah… the media couldn't make anything more cringy than it already is. Prodigal son? Geez," A woman said and shook her head.

This person was currently located in a small bubble-tea shop and was slurping a quick and sugary taste of wintermelon tea. More importantly, she was staring at the wide television screen. 

Perhaps unaware of the eyes of some people.

If one were to stroll around the business district of Shanghai, then a view of a woman wearing dark shorts and a white shirt that accentuated her rather nice figure would be what would have been noticeable to any passerby. Her long dark hair was currently pulled into a ponytail as she idly paid attention to the screen.

The short image of a handsome man appeared in her vision which was soon cut back to the reporters giving their summary of the sudden events.

"Well he has been gone for who knows how long—but they really should have given it a more sympathetic light," A younger man in front of the shop's counter said. "I mean, he probably quit because he got stressed out or something right?"

"He seemed like the type of man who could handle more than that." She pursed her lips and then finally crushed the container of the milk tea in her hand. The woman stood up and threw it into the nearest trash bin. 

"Hey—how did you like the blend?" the young man eagerly asked.

Bo Lifen raised a brow at her brother and shrugged. She picked up her sling bag and swung it across her shoulders. "It's fine, I guess milk tea does have its own appeal. But I still like hot tea better."

"Sure you do," Bo Ling rolled his eyes. The young man started unpacking small boxes and arranging them since the shop was still low on customers. "But can you be any more specific? You got like 25% sugar, right—"

"It's still too sweet."

"Hey, everybody else said it was just fine—"

"Then why did you still ask me?" Bo Lifen rolled her eyes. "How about you ask Bo Lei?"

"The brat's obviously going to agree with you! You know how much he sucks up to his older sister." Bo Ling sighed but then redirected his gaze back to the screen. "But do you remember what you told me before? That you submitted my business plan to that guy on the news?"

Bo Lifen crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him dourly. "Li Yang… what about him?"

"Well, it's not like I ever heard anything—but he did say that it was a good idea, yeah?" 

"I suppose he did," Bo Lifen said and rubbed the back of her neck. An uncomfortable expression formed on her face and she tried to ease up on their conversation. "You were the one who insisted I bring that envelope to him in the first place."

"Well, you also happened to visit great-grandma too, right? So it was just in the area."

Bo Lifen bit on her lip. "I guess."

It all started just because the man was in the same area as their Bo Family's matriarch. When did things start spiraling back then? Somehow, the memory of the two of them having dinner at his house with his brother and that man's girlfriend flitted into her mind. It was one of those situations where you couldn't help but think as if you were already part of the family.

At least if she didn't count on her great-grandmother's insistence on bringing the man some of hot tea too. Honestly, why did she have to act as if he was already her great grandchild or something?

Bo Lifen's cheeks heated up slightly.

She went right down into the memory lane now. What happened right after that said dinner was the sudden downpour of the rain and the fact that she insisted that he drive her home. Her motorcycle was a no-go back then. That was a crazy night, wasn't it?

Although the two of them first kissed at his home to her own behest, and involved that thermos she brought him, the first time that they did it and went all the way was in his—

"Oi, old hag. What are you thinking about?" Bo Ling asked.

Bo Lifen scowled at him. "And still you wonder why Lei is my favorite brother, you ungrateful brat. What were you trying to say?"

"I mean since he just came back from Japan—how about you invite him to this milktea shop? He's going to be impressed that I actually made it thanks to his encouragement. While he didn't actually give back any concrete feedback, his words helped form what this milk tea shop is today." 

Bo Lifen gave him a flat look. "You just want to take a selfie with the guy and get more publicity, don't you?"

"... It's also a chance for the two of you to reconnect?" 

"And who said I was interested in that?"

"You would have turned off the TV if you weren't?"

—-—-

Author's Note: Phew. First proper woman reveal after Li Yang's return? I mean, Bai Minghua the Idol Mermaid was brief and short, precise maybe. But let's just say that I enjoyed Bo Lifen and her bro's antics. I wouldn't dare brag, and yet I am lol, but she's one of the greatly fleshed out characters? Maybe I'm just biased. Thanks for reading today's chapter!