The warm afternoon sunlight filtered through the gaps in the silk curtains in the master bedroom. Wei Ruoxin slowly opened her eyelids. The first thing she saw was the high ceiling with its intricate gold carvings, and the second—and most striking—was the handsome face of her son, Wei Yan, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at her anxiously.
"Mom? You're awake?" Wei Yan's voice was soft, filled with relief.
Ruoxin blinked. She felt her body. It was strange. The soreness in her back from standing for hours at the market, the joint pain that had plagued her for years, and the tightness in her chest... all disappeared. Her body felt lighter, fresher, and healthier, as if her cells had miraculously been renewed. However, that gratitude was overshadowed by the recent memory of the lobby flooding back into her mind.
Instead of responding with emotion, Ruoxin's hand shot out with lightning speed.
"OWWW! MOTHER! IT HURTS!" Wei Yan yelped in surprise as her mother's fingers clamped and pulled at her earlobe with full force.
"You say it hurts?! My heart aches more because I nearly had a heart attack!" Ruoxin scolded, continuing to pull mercilessly at the Maestro of the Multiverse's ear. "Wei Yan! Explain to me now! What kind of integrity do you have as a man, huh?! Fifteen beautiful women? You think you're collecting antiques? How could you allow fifteen such extraordinary girls to be tied to you at once?!"
"Mother, wait... Ouch, this isn't what I imagined! Ouch, let go!" Wei Yan tried to defend himself, wincing, his body, which had been able to withstand dimensional blows, now helpless under a mother's pinch.
Seeing their "King" being domesticated, the 15 women in the room immediately moved forward to calm the situation.
"Auntie, please let him go. Wei Yan is innocent!" Li Yuantong exclaimed in a rare panic.
"Yes, Mother-in-law. It was our own decision to follow him," Shen Ruobing added, gently trying to hold Ruoxin's hand to get her husband's ear free.
"We all love him very much, Auntie. Please don't be angry with him," Xia Chunyu pleaded with a pleading expression.
Seeing the group of powerful women defending her son so sincerely, Ruoxin's grip loosened. She looked at them each in confusion. "You... you really don't mind sharing?"
However, before they could give a lengthy answer, Ruoxin's ears picked up the sound of a loud commotion from outside. The clink of cooking utensils, the crisp laughter of dozens of women, and the mouth-watering aroma of food wafted into the room.
Ruoxin immediately threw aside her blanket and rushed to the large second-floor window overlooking the mansion's backyard. As soon as she looked down, her eyes nearly popped out.
In the spacious backyard, there were approximately 105 additional beautiful women. They were all wearing elegant yet very casual long silk housedresses. Beneath the thin layer of fabric, Ruoxin realized that they looked completely "natural," with no additional coverings underneath.
They were bustling about. Some were chopping vegetables at breakneck speed, others were setting the long table with porcelain plates, and still others were moving large cauldrons of soup whose aroma wafted up to the second floor. Everyone was moving back and forth preparing the grand banquet with perfect coordination.
Ruoxin turned slowly, her face ashen, and lunged at Wei Yan again. This time, she pulled her son's ears, forcing Wei Yan to look up.
"WEI YAN!!! Explain to me! What are those women doing outside again?! Those aren't fifteen, that's an entire battalion! Are you trying to build a nation or what?!"
Wei Yan could only surrender, her face flushed with a mix of pain and embarrassment. "Those... those are the people who live in Pagoda World, Mom. They are... a part of my life too..."
The women in the room once again crowded around Ruoxin to explain. This time, Ning Shuang stepped forward with extraordinary courage. She held Ruoxin's shoulders and looked her in the eyes with a very serious gaze.
"Mom, listen to us. We defend Wei Yan so much because he is such an extraordinary man. His abilities, his kindness, and the way he protects us leave us no choice but to love him," Ning Shuang began, her voice steady. "But you must know one fact... because Wei Yan is so 'extraordinary' in every way, even the fifteen of us are sometimes overwhelmed by his presence. His energy... is truly limitless."
Ruoxin gaped, her face starting to redden as Ning Shuang's conversation began to turn sensitive.
"Even," Ning Shuang continued without hesitation, "even adding those who are cooking outside is still not enough to truly satisfy Wei Yan emotionally and... physically. So, we ask for your understanding, Auntie. In the future, please understand if he suddenly has another new one. This is for our own good, so we don't have to 'fall' alone."
There was a moment of silence.
Ruoxin let go of Wei Yan's ear weakly. She turned to her son, who was now looking down, covering his face with one hand in utter embarrassment at Ning Shuang's uncensored honesty. She then turned back to the window, looking at the 105 women outside, eagerly preparing a feast to welcome her.
Ruoxin let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping. She felt mentally exhausted, yet there was a strange sense of compassion at how much her son was loved.
"Ahhh... never mind... stop it," Ruoxin murmured, massaging her temples. "It seems the world has gone mad. At least... at least you're safe, Yan-er. And seeing them all so earnestly preparing food for me, I think you can manage them well."
Ruoxin looked at Wei Yan with a softer gaze now, though traces of shock remained. "Just one word, Wei Yan... don't hurt their feelings. If you dare to take on this much responsibility, you must be fair. Otherwise, Mother will break your legs before your enemies do."
Wei Yan raised his head, his eyes glistening with tears as he watched his mother finally accept his "abnormal" condition. "Thank you, Mother. I promise, I will be a responsible man for all of them."
After the tension subsided and Wei Yan's ears were finally freed from the deadly clamp, Wei Ruoxin sat back down on the edge of the bed. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her still-racing heartbeat. Her gaze shifted to the fifteen beautiful women standing neatly in front of her, their faces respectful.
"I was so excited that I forgot to recognize you," Ruoxin said in a much calmer tone, though her eyes still held a hint of wonder. "Now, introduce yourselves. I'd like to know who this brat has been grooming—or perhaps kidnapping—for."
Xia Chunyu stepped forward first. His graceful demeanor befitted his background as an executive. "Mother-in-law, my name is Chunyu. I'm an ex-COO at Megastar Corp. Actually, I joined Wei Yan because of my own family's ungratefulness. Back then, Ruolin saved my company through an acquisition, but in return, my family 'sold me' here to reclaim that busines. However, after getting to know Wei Yan... I'm incredibly grateful. He's an extraordinary man, more so than anyone I've ever met in the business world."
Ruoxin nodded. "Former COO of a giant company... and you end up in the kitchen preparing soup for me? Your world has really turned upside down, huh, girl. But I'm glad you feel safe here."
Then, three women dressed in slightly more traditional yet elegant attire came forward together. They were Lin Huayu, Su Yan, and Xiao Ruqin.
"My name is Huayu, Mother-in-law," said the oldest of the three. "I'm a teacher at a martial arts school on the mountaintop right behind this mansion, and these two are my students. Initially, we sensed traces of Wei Yan's extremely powerful and pure power. We came to investigate, fearing a threat, but we found this place instead."
Su Yan lowered her head in shame, her face flushed as she continued, "We... we accidentally spied on Wei Yan doing... 'that' with the other sisters because his bedroom window was open. Because of that, we ended up in his arms. But we have no regrets at all."
Ruoxin massaged her temples. "Peeping? Oh my God, Yan-er, you're really careless! Huayu, as a teacher, you should be stricter, but seeing you blush like that, I know my son really has a dangerous charm.
Next, Luo Mengyi and Shen Ruobing stepped forward, hand in hand, as if offering each other strength.
"Last week, did you hear the news about the destruction of the Shen and Luo families in this city?" Mengyi asked quietly. Ruoxin nodded, remembering the news being the talk of the market for days.
"We are their descendants," Mengyi continued bitterly. "All that destruction began with my father, Patriarch Luo, three years ago. I was locked in the dungeon of my own home simply because I had a childhood friend my father disliked. As for Ruobing... her family was destroyed because they won a major tender three years ago, sparking envy among many. When the Shen family's death occurred, it was Wei Yan who saved Ruobing. Afterward, he came to the Luo residence, rescued me, and... slaughtered those who had tormented me."
Ruobing held Ruoxin's hand. "If it weren't for Wei Yan, I might have been reduced to ashes along with my family name, Mother-in-law. He was our savior."
Ruoxin paused for a moment, looking at the two girls with pity. "You've suffered so much... I don't know what to say. But if Wei Yan uses his power to avenge the injustice you've suffered, I won't blame him."
Finally, Ning Shuang stepped forward with her brightest smile. "Mother, I'm Ning Shuang. I was Wei Yan's classmate in college. My life was miserable because of my abusive stepfather, and I used to have a huge, ugly black spot on my face. Wei Yan saved me, removing it with a single touch, and giving me a new life. From then on, my heart has been locked with him."
Ruoxin took in each introduction one by one. She commented on each of them, from praising their courage to offering sympathy for their dark pasts. However, when she saw the remaining women who hadn't introduced themselves, she noticed the hesitation on their faces.
"Why are you so quiet? Come on, introduce yourselves too," Ruoxin instructed the remaining women standing in the back row.
Before they could open their mouths, Wei Yan interrupted with a serious expression. "Mom, before that... you know those drama series or movies usually shown on television about warriors, Cultivators, or people who can fly and split mountains?"
Ruoxin frowned. "Of course I know, I often watch them in between selling. But don't make things up, child! Those are just made-up writers—"
Ruoxin suddenly fell silent. Her eyes widened at Wei Yan, then at the women around her. "Wait... if I follow your logic... they all said you were 'amazing' and that they were 'overwhelmed'... Is that because you're a... Cultivator? Like in those movies?"
Wei Yan nodded slowly. The women who hadn't introduced themselves nodded in unison, confirming Ruoxin's suspicions.
"That's right, Mother-in-law," said one of them. "Wei Yan is no ordinary human. He possesses powers that transcend the realm of this world. That's why we're all here."
Ruoxin felt dizzy again. Her world, which had previously been limited to the prices of chilies and spices, was now being shattered by an incredible fantasy reality. "Cultivator... Oh my God... No wonder you can crush people's legs without even touching them."
Wei Yan immediately took a step forward, gently holding her mother's hand. Her gaze turned very serious and deep. "Mom, you should know, it was the power of this Pagoda that made me aware of all the humiliation you endured when you were in the Wei family. It was also because of this Pagoda that I was able to meet Yuantong, Ruolin, Zi Lan, Ao Ningyan, Feng Xiuyi, Yao Moli, Lan Xiyi, Liu Caixi, and all the women working downstairs preparing a feast for you, Mom."
Ruoxin frowned, trying to connect her son's explanation with her favorite show. "Wait... just now, you mention Pagoda inside your word, right? and if I follow this logic, Isn't the Pagoda World like a secret realm in cultivation dramas filled with treasures, medicinal herbs, and ancient relics?"
Wei Yan chuckled softly as her mother began to use grandiose movie logic. "You're a little mistaken here. The concept of a secret realm you mentioned is true, but my Pagoda space is a much more complex space-time-based artifact. It has its own unique cycle, Mom."
Wei Yan paused for a moment, searching for a simple analogy. "You know that cartoon about a robot cat who has various futuristic weapons in his magic pocket, right?"
"Ahh, that cartoon... the blue one with no ears, right?" Ruoxin tried to remember.
"Exactly. You know one of his most famous items called the Anywhere Door, right?" Wei Yan asked again.
Ruoxin nodded quickly. "Of course I do. Once opened, you can go to the North Pole or to school."
"Well, its function is similar to the Pagoda you have?" Ruoxin began to speculate with slightly childish enthusiasm.
"Exactly, Ma'am!" Wei Yan replied firmly. She glanced at the women who had hesitated to introduce themselves. "This is the reason they were hesitant to meet you from the start, Ma'am... because they aren't actually from this world. They come from another Multiverse, from different dimensions and realities connected through the Pagoda."
"WHAT?!" Ruoxin screamed, nearly falling off her bed.
"T-that means... my daughter-in-law isn't just from the next city, but from the next world?!" Ruoxin stared at Zi Lan, Ao Ningyan, and the others with wide, disbelieving eyes.
Zi Lan stepped forward gracefully, bowing deeply. "My apologies if we startled you, Mother-in-law. In our home world, we may have held different statuses, but here, before you, we are simply dutiful wives."
Ruoxin leaned back against her pillow, feeling her head spinning. "Yan-er... I thought you were just being naughty because you had so many boyfriends. It turns out you actually brought home an entire population from another universe..."
Wei Yan simply smiled resignedly, while the 15 women in the room chuckled at their mother-in-law's "giddy with happiness" expression.