Lust System: Harem in Modern World

At noon, the patrons of the small teahouse began to eat their meals. Afterward, some moved into private rooms to play cards, while others stayed outside to play poker. The atmosphere was calm and orderly, with a leisurely vibe.

At a table near the back, four elegant women sat together, their demeanor suggesting they lived comfortable, luxurious lives.

"Sister Olivia, there's really no need to trouble anyone. The fried rice here is quite good," one of them said casually.

Olivia, however, glanced at the door anxiously. Shaking her head, she replied, "No, my son-in-law is bringing me lunch."

"Your son-in-law—the one who works at Tiger Real Estate? What position does he hold?"

"How would I know?" Olivia said, trying to sound indifferent. "I rarely ask young people about their jobs."

"Haha, when my son buys a house, I'll have to get in touch with him and see if he can arrange a discount."

The conversation shifted as another woman, wearing a bracelet, smiled and said, "Sister Pee, you got this bracelet too! I told you it's all the rage now, didn't I?"

"My daughter insisted on buying it for me," the woman replied with mock reluctance. "Honestly, I feel a little embarrassed wearing something so fashionable at my age. But if I didn't wear it, it would feel like a waste!"

Olivia sat quietly, watching the women's conversation with a mixture of annoyance and envy. The gold bracelet—costing several thousand dollars—seemed to have become a status symbol, and almost everyone at the table was wearing one. Not owning one felt like a social failure in this circle.

She briefly entertained the idea of buying one for herself, then casually mentioning later that it was a gift from her eldest son-in-law.

"You're too modest, Sister Pee," one woman teased. "Jewelry has a way of growing on you. Once you start wearing it, it's hard to stop!"

Another chimed in, "Exactly! I wore a piece of jewelry last time, and now I feel like I can't leave the house without it."

The women's constant chatter was grating, but this was the culture of the teahouse. People dressed up as if for a grand event, layering on their jewelry like ornaments on a Christmas tree.

When Ryan arrived, he was momentarily stunned by the sight of the women, adorned with gold and silver jewelry. It was almost comical.

"Mom, hello aunties!" Ryan greeted politely as he approached their table, placing the food he'd brought down with a smile.

"Oh, so you're the live-in son-in-law," said a young woman named Charlotte, one of Olivia's long-time friends. Her tone dripped with sarcasm. "What kind of lunch did you buy your mother? That's a pretty big bag."

Ryan ignored the jab, pulling out a chair and sitting down. He handed a gift bag to Olivia with a sincere smile. "Mom, take a look at this. Do you like it?"

Olivia looked confused. "What's this?"

The others leaned closer, their eyes lighting up as they noticed the branded logo on the gift bag.

----

Olivia gasped in shock as she opened the jewelry box to reveal the bracelet she had always dreamed of.

Charlotte, her friend, leaned over and said with a hint of jealousy, "No way, this is the most expensive one. I told you, a live-in son-in-law wouldn't buy you a high-end imitation, would he?"

"Exactly, it doesn't look like Refined Gold," another woman chimed in, echoing Charlotte's sentiment.

Ryan pretended not to hear the remarks. He gently took Olivia's hand and placed the bracelet on her wrist. "Mom, I've always wanted to buy this for you, but I never had the chance. I went to pick it out today. You know I'm not good at choosing, so I asked them to get the latest model."

Olivia gazed at the thick bracelet on her wrist, feigning surprise. As skilled as women are at hiding their emotions, she didn't let on how pleased she was.

Ryan deliberately let the invoice slip from the bag. Charlotte quickly picked it up, and the others crowded around to get a glimpse. Their eyes turned green with envy when they saw that it was the most expensive, genuine piece.

Olivia also saw the invoice, and her expression softened immediately. She said in a teasing tone, "Silly child, didn't I tell you that gold can be a hassle? Why did you buy this one?"

Everyone knew the game they were playing. Ryan grinned and replied, "Mom, as your son in law. It's my gift for you. Please accept it."

Olivia smiled sweetly, almost coquettishly, making Ryan feel a little dizzy. But then she shifted back into the role of an elder, scolding him gently. "You should've listened to me, son. I told you not to buy this, why were you so stubborn?"

Olivia's reaction showed how pleased she was.

She hadn't expected Ryan to act so smart or to buy her the most expensive gold bracelet. Of course, what she hadn't anticipated was that he had the money to afford it in the first place. But now wasn't the time to ask questions.

Charlotte's expression soured, and she couldn't help but make another sarcastic remark. "Sister Olivia, this bracelet's a bit heavy. Your hands will get sore when you're playing cards later."

"Yeah, Son-in-law, why did you buy something so heavy? It'll be inconvenient for me to play cards."

But Olivia brushed off their comments, continuing to show off the bracelet with a satisfied smile.

In the past, she had always addressed him dismissively, calling him "Hey, Ryan, you poor boy." But now, for the first time, she was calling him so affectionately.

As expected, when you give someone money and something they desire, no woman can resist flaunting it.

Ryan smiled and said, "If it's too heavy for you, Mom, I'll buy you a lighter one later."

"Don't waste your money," Olivia replied, "If I have an allergic reaction, I won't wear it anymore."

Ryan gave a reassuring nod. "Don't worry, gold's appreciating in value anyway."

"Okay, I got it," Olivia said, content with the gift.

This concerted effort gave Olivia's vanity an unprecedented sense of satisfaction, and her pale, powerless excuse of an allergy became more believable under Ryan's lie.

At that moment, the fried rice Charlotte had ordered arrived. She said impatiently, "Alright, alright, hurry up and finish your meal so we can play cards. If your son-in-law and mother-in-law have anything to discuss, they can do it at home. Don't waste our time."

Her tone was slightly harsh, but it made Olivia feel proud and even happier.

Ryan placed the invoice in the gift box and reminded her, "Mom, keep the invoice safe. If it's lost, you can call the police."

"Got it, son-in-law. You go ahead. And by the way, tell Lily not to buy groceries tonight. I'll take care of the shopping in the evening."

"Okay, aunties, I'm leaving now!"

Once Ryan left, Olivia smiled as she looked at her gold bracelet. It was obviously bigger than the one the gossips had shown off, and it seemed to be the thickest one. She felt incredibly proud of it, almost looking down on others.

Olivia could clearly feel the jealousy in the air, but she didn't care. She was enjoying herself so much that even her underwear felt a little damp.

Looking at the large bag in front of her, Olivia opened it. "Oh, it's from the Ocean Hotel."

In truth, the bag was quite exquisite, and the logo on the outside was so large that everyone could see it. Everyone in the city knew the Ocean Hotel, but seeing Olivia's arrogant, self-satisfied expression, no one was willing to comment.

Olivia placed the elegant boxes on the table one by one, creating a stark contrast with the ordinary boxes of fried rice Charlotte and the others had ordered.

Even if the others didn't want to comment, their attention was inevitably drawn when Olivia opened the box.

Inside, there was a vegetarian Thai fragrant rice costing just $12, along with scallion-fried sea cucumber, a high-end customized roast meat platter, and a bowl of shark fin soup.

Olivia held the takeaway order and muttered with a displeased look, "This kid only knows how to spend money recklessly. This cost more than 500 dollars. I'm definitely going to have a talk with him when I get home."

"Eat quickly, then let's play cards!" Charlotte urged impatiently, suddenly feeling that the fried rice in her mouth had lost its taste.

"Okay, okay," Olivia responded, then ate slowly, eagerly inviting others to try the food.

"Charlotte, try this scallion-fried sea cucumber. It's really delicious."

"Sister Pee, try the roast suckling pig skin. It really is the signature dish of the Ocean Hotel."

"Hey, I have to say something to my son-in-law," Olivia continued, "He wears tattered clothes and refuses to buy new ones, yet he spends money so lavishly!"

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