The calendar turned to Friday, May 13th. Mike's birthday.
At school dismissal time, Mike was preparing to leave campus, flanked by Katie, Lena, and Paige.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted near the school gates. Students were gasping and whispering excitedly.
"It's Regina and the girls..." Katie recognized the cause of the chaos immediately, her face showing a mix of surprise and emotion.
She had a complicated history with "The Plastics," the trio of girls with devilishly good figures.
It had been nearly half a year since she last saw them. Seeing them now, looking even more glamorous and radiant than before, Katie couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia.
"Hi, Mike!" Regina spotted Mike and his entourage approaching and waved with a dazzling smile.
Time had only amplified their allure. The three girls seemed to possess an even more magnetic aura now.
Just standing there, they naturally became the focal point of the entire crowd.
Signing with Miracle Records had clearly been the correct strategic move; they undeniably had the "X-factor" required for stardom.
"What are you doing back here?" Mike was genuinely surprised to see the three stunners in front of him.
According to his intel, the trio was currently deep in production for their debut album, slated for a summer release.
Logically, this should be their busiest period.
"Surprise!"
Regina spread her arms wide, beaming. "Well? Are you surprised?"
"Definitely surprised," Mike replied with a smile.
Seeing the three girls on this specific day was indeed a pleasant deviation from the expected routine.
"I told you he'd like it..." Regina smirked with a hint of triumph.
It seemed the girls had placed a bet on his reaction.
It had to be said: Regina, the "Queen Bee," had calibrated Mike's preferences accurately.
"By the way, we have another surprise for you." Regina directed Gretchen and Karen to flank Mike, and together, the three of them escorted him out of the school grounds.
They left behind a crowd of students practically drooling with envy.
"Ta-da!"
"The latest model for this year. Do you like it?"
Regina brought Mike to a gleaming red sports car adorned with ribbons and bows, presenting it like a trophy.
It was this year's spring model Ferrari, retailing for around a hundred thousand dollars.
In an era where five thousand dollars could buy a decent commuter car, this was the definition of high-end luxury.
"This gift is too expensive. I cannot accept it." While Mike's stock portfolio meant he could technically afford such a vehicle, as a birthday gift for a high schooler, it was excessively extravagant.
"It's fine, Mike. It's from our hearts..." Regina explained, "The money for this car came from the wages the three of us earned recently. Consider it a thank-you gift."
The trio's success with Miracle Records was largely due to Mike's Christmas song from last year.
Combined with their personal history with Mike, they were genuinely happy to spend money on him.
"This..."
The girls came from wealthy families to begin with, and now that they were on the verge of stardom, money was even less of an object.
That they had saved this much cash before even debuting indicated that Miracle Records valued them highly.
This was a positive indicator.
In that instant, Mike understood the joy of having a "sugar mama"—or in this case, three.
"Well? Do you want to test drive your new ride?" Regina pulled out the Ferrari key, dangled it in the air for a moment, and then placed it on Karen's ample chest.
Karen, with her angelic face and delightfully vacant expression, obediently carried the key over to Mike like a living display stand.
Behind her, Regina—the mastermind of this little tease—wiggled her eyebrows and winked at Mike seductively.
Still the same old flavor...
The Queen Bee knew exactly how to push buttons.
Fast cars, beautiful women...
What man could resist this combination?
"Mike, I am going home." Witnessing the scene turn decidedly PG-13, Paige made the wise decision to evacuate the area.
"We're heading out too. See you at the party tonight." Katie also took the hint, grabbing Lena and leaving the scene to Mike and the Plastics.
With the audience gone, Mike didn't hesitate. Time for a test drive.
The headlights were bright... the suspension was excellent...
---
Over an hour later, having completed the preliminary "test drive," Mike drove the three girls back to the Cooper residence.
By this time, the Cooper's backyard was bustling with activity as people prepared for the birthday party.
Barbecue, snacks, and champagne were being arranged on makeshift tables.
"Mike! Is that your new car?"
Georgie, who had been slacking off while arranging drinks, rushed over excitedly as soon as he saw the red Ferrari.
As expected, no teenage boy can resist the allure of a sports car.
"Mike, come taste Meemaw's special barbecue..." Meemaw, who was manning the grill, glanced at the three flashy girls surrounding Mike and called out pointedly, "This is premium beef that Lena brought specifically from her family farm."
Clearly, compared to the ostentatious Plastics, Meemaw preferred the grounded, small-town girl, Lena.
"Mmm, the beef quality is excellent... and the grilling technique is superb..."
Mike tasted a piece of the special barbecue and made sure to compliment both Meemaw and Lena.
After making Meemaw smile, Mike went around greeting the other guests.
Originally, Mike had envisioned a simple family gathering.
However, the fun-loving Meemaw had invited Dr. Sturgis and the neighbor, Brenda Sparks, along with her son, Billy.
Mary, on her part, had invited Pastor Jeff and his wife.
Add in the surprise arrival of the three girls, and the family gathering had evolved into a lively, large-scale party.
There was a kids' table, a ladies' table, and a men's table...
The party kicked off at 8:00 PM and raged on until past 11:00 PM.
Over in the corner, Pastor Jeff, having had a couple of drinks with George, was enthusiastically preaching the Bible to an increasingly blurry audience...
"Georgie, looking at the situation over by Mike, does it inspire any thoughts?" Meemaw approached Georgie, who was sneaking sips of beer while his dad wasn't looking.
"I just wish I had a face as handsome as Mike's..." Georgie stared enviously at Mike, who was surrounded by beautiful girls, while taking another covert sip.
"Is that all you have to say?" Seeing his lack of ambition, Meemaw pressed him, annoyed.
The Cooper genes were actually quite good.
Over the past six months, Georgie had filled out.
Years of physical training combined with his maturing features gave him a distinct masculine charm.
"What am I supposed to say?" Unlike his maturing appearance, Georgie's inner self was clearly still a child.
Meemaw had hoped to use Mike as an example to ignite some kind of drive in Georgie.
But seeing his clueless reaction, she shook her head and dropped the subject.
Becoming a man wasn't as simple as growing muscles.
The clock struck midnight. After cutting the cake and making a wish, the party began to wind down.
"Mike, the house is yours for the weekend. Good luck..." As the guests dispersed, Meemaw slyly slipped a stack of "protection" into Mike's hand before dragging Dr. Sturgis off to enjoy their own couple time.
Mike, fully understanding the implication, led Regina, Gretchen, Karen, along with Katie and Lena, back inside.
Tonight, he was about to experience the rare "Quintuple Threat."
Magical Hands - Grasp of the Undying - Wild Growth - Lethal Tempo - Rhythm of War - Phase Rush - Curtain Call - Wither - Presence of Mind - Encore!
Buffed with every status effect imaginable, Mike was destined to be crowned the King of War tonight.