As closing time approached, Su Mu felt a mixture of fatigue and a strange sort of exhilaration. 

It had been a day of intense experiences, from the shock of the store's true nature to the ugly confrontation with Young Master Zhao, and the even more surprising interactions with Xu'er. 

And through it all, her Golden Finger had awakened, revealing a path she hadn't known existed.

Just as she was mentally tallying her small gains in Source Power – it had reached 5.8% by the end of her shift – Xu'er reappeared. 

She had changed out of the red lace nightgown and was now wearing a stylish, figure-hugging black dress that was somehow even more alluring, paired with knee-high boots. 

Her makeup was fresh, her dark hair gleaming.

"Ready, Missy?" Xu'er asked, leaning against the counter, her purplish eyes sparkling. "Or did you 'maybe' change your mind?"

Su Mu took a breath. "No," she said, a little more firmly than she expected. "I'm ready."

A genuine, almost dazzling smile spread across Xu'er's face. "Excellent." She pushed herself off the counter. "Go get changed, then. I'll wait right here. And don't take too long, I'm thirsty."

Su Mu quickly headed back to the changing room. The black leather corset and lace skirt felt strangely familiar now, but she was relieved to peel them off. 

The momentary constriction gave way to a feeling of freedom as she slipped back into her own clothes – the white turtleneck crop top and mint green high-waisted pants she'd worn earlier. 

It felt more 'her', or at least, the 'her' she was currently navigating.

She glanced at the watch her uncle Ye Fan had insisted she wear – a sleek, modern piece that also seemed to track ambient spiritual energy. 

The display showed it was only a little past four in the evening. The day had felt incredibly long.

When she returned, Xu'er was patiently examining a display of intricately designed massage oils, one eyebrow arched in amusement at a particularly exotic-looking bottle.

"All set?" Xu'er asked, turning as Su Mu approached.

"Yes," Su Mu confirmed.

Yang Shi, who had been discussing something with Li Wei near the main office, noticed them. 

Mei Lin and the others were still busy with closing tasks, restocking, and tidying up.

"Leaving already, you two?" Yang Shi called out, a warm smile on her face.

"Yes, Sister Shi," Su Mu replied. "Thank you for today."

"It's quite right, Mu'er. You did well for your first day." Yang Shi's eyes flickered with a brief understanding. "Xu'er, you're taking her out?"

"Just for a little drink, boss lady," Xu'er said with an innocent flutter of her eyelashes that didn't fool anyone. "To properly welcome our new star."

Yang Shi chuckled. 

"Alright. It's still early, and since I was so busy all morning, I didn't get a chance to show Mu'er around properly myself. Go on then." Her expression softened as she looked at Su Mu. 

"But Mu'er, be careful, okay? Monster City can be a lot. If you need anything, anything at all, call me or your Uncle Ye immediately. Don't hesitate."

"I will, Sister Shi. Thank you," Su Mu said, feeling a genuine warmth for her uncle's vibrant wife.

Then, Yang Shi turned to Xu'er, her eyes narrowing in a half-joking, half-serious manner. "And you, Xu'er. Don't you dare tease our Mu'er too much. Behave yourself, or you'll answer to me."

Xu'er placed a hand over her heart in mock solemnity. "Sister Shi, you wound me! Would I ever?"

"Mu'er is perfectly safe with me." She then shot Su Mu a wink that suggested 'safe' might be a relative term.

After saying their goodbyes to the other staff members who were still around, Su Mu and Xu'er left RomantiX, stepping out of the store.

As Su Mu and Xu'er stepped out of RomantiX, the filtered, perfumed air of the store gave way to the vibrant, multifaceted atmosphere of Monster City in the late afternoon. 

The sun passed for it in this sky-bound metropolis, was beginning its descent, casting long, ethereal shadows between the towering, eclectic buildings. 

The sky above wasn't a simple blue; it was a swirling canvas of purples, oranges, and deep indigos, a hallmark of Blue Star's unique atmospheric conditions.

While the multi-layered streets of Monster City thrummed with a vibrant, chaotic harmony. 

Flying skiffs zipped through designated air lanes, their anti-grav engines humming. 

Pedestrians – a dizzying mix of humans, beast-kin with an assortment of ears and tails, and other more exotic-looking demon races – crowded the elevated walkways, their conversations a lively babble in dozens of tongues. 

Holographic advertisements flickered and danced on the sides of towering buildings, promising everything from the latest spiritual cultivation aids to exotic street food. 

The air smelled of a thousand things: roasting meats, strange spices, ozone from the skiffs, and the faint, metallic tang of raw spiritual energy that seemed to permeate everything.

"So, where are we going?" Su Mu asked, finding herself walking a little closer to Xu'er than strictly necessary. 

The sheer sensory input of the city was already a little overwhelming to Su Mu.

Yet, Xu'er's confident presence, and her black dress that hugged her curves in a way that drew more than a few appreciative glances from passersby, was strangely stimulating her nerves with every step they took.

"Missy," Xu'er said, linking her arm through Su Mu's, a casual, possessive gesture that sent a little jolt up Su Mu's arm. 

"Looking for a drink? I have the perfect spot in mind. It's a quiet place with a fantastic view, and their cocktails, made with pure spiritual essence, are so good you might forget your own name."

"I know a discreet and cozy little place in the Emberlight district," she suggested in a smooth, inviting tone.

"They make a drink called a 'Succubus's Kiss' that I think you'll find... no, you'll love it." She glanced at Su Mu, her purplish eyes sparkling.

"Emberlight district?" Su Mu echoed. 

She knew from her uncle's brief explanations and her own fragmented memories that Monster City was built on a colossal floating island, with districts that often corresponded to different altitudes. 

"Succubus's Kiss?" Su Mu repeated, a slight blush warming her cheeks. "Sounds... potent."

Inside, the Su Yang part of her was still trying to process the rapid shift from a rather intense first day at an adult store to a "date" with a half-Succubus. 

'What has my life become?' he'd be thinking. 

But the Su Mu part, the one who was very aware of the captivating and extremely sexy woman beside her, felt a definite pull of curiosity to explore more about herself and her new body.

"Mmhmm," Xu'er confirmed, expertly navigating them through a throng of shoppers laden with glowing packages. "Not too high, or not too low-life. Just right for us."

However, before Xu'er set off towards her intended destination, she paused, her purplish eyes scanning Su Mu from head to toe with a thoughtful, appraising look. 

"Hmm. That outfit is… practical. Cute, in a 'girl next door trying to be sensible' kind of way." 

Xu'er tapped a perfectly manicured nail against her chin. "But for our first proper outing? No, no. We need to elevate this."

"Elevate?" Su Mu asked, slightly taken aback.

"Precisely!" Xu'er declared, her eyes lighting up. "Before drinks, my dear Missy, we are going shopping. My treat." 

And with that, she linked her arm through Su Mu's, her touch surprisingly firm yet silky, and began to lead her not towards a quiet bar, but into one of the nearby dazzling and clearly expensive-looking commercial stores in the Emberlight district.