Cao Cheng looked at the overly familiar and slightly 'forceful' young girl in front of him, feeling a headache coming on.
With the experiences of two lifetimes combined, he had technically lived for 115 years.
He had spent half his life as a father and the other half as a grandfather—was he really going to be manipulated by this little girl now?
Older sister?
Yeah, right.
In terms of life experience, she was practically a child in Cao Cheng’s eyes.
Ren Yuege was like a lioness inspecting her territory.
She wandered from the living room to the kitchen, then from the kitchen to the bathroom, followed by the master bedroom, the guest room…
Finally, she returned to the living room.
Ren Yuege nodded approvingly. "The place isn’t bad, quite cozy. I’ll be staying here for the next few days—you don’t have a problem with that, do you, little brother?"
"Hold on right there," Cao Cheng waved his hand dismissively. "First of all, we’re not that close. Second, my dad and your mom aren’t even officially married yet, are they? They’re just on a trip together—at most, it’s a trial marriage."
"So, strictly speaking, we have no relation whatsoever—not by blood, not by law, nothing!"
"And if you stay here, people will talk—a man and a woman alone together? That’s bad for my reputation."
"???"
Ren Yuege’s brain short-circuited for a second.
For a moment, she wondered if she had misheard.
"You’re saying… it’s bad for your reputation?"
"Well, yeah. This is the old cotton mill’s residential compound. Most of the people here are former employees and their families—everyone knows each other. We see each other all the time."
"If word gets out that I, a pure and innocent young man, let you stay here, how am I supposed to face anyone? Might as well jump off the third floor and die to prove my innocence." Cao Cheng spoke with complete seriousness.
"..."
This was an era before the internet had fully taken off.
Such nonsense left her utterly bewildered.
"Heh."
After a long pause, Ren Yuege laughed.
Sometimes, when people are speechless, they laugh.
"You’re quite the character, little brother," she said with an amused smirk.
"!!"
Oh, so now she’s talking like some domineering protagonist?
Ren Yuege picked up her bag and pulled out her phone.
Phones in this era still had buttons, but they did come with cameras—though the image quality wasn’t exactly crisp.
"Take a look. This is my mom and your dad’s marriage certificate!"
"Sure, our household registrations aren’t merged yet."
"But legally speaking, we are siblings."
"See it clearly now, little brother? Don’t say I’m taking advantage of you!"
Staring at the photo on the phone, Cao Cheng froze for a second.
They got married that fast?
That rich woman must be out of her mind.
Doesn’t she worry about someone coming after her money?
Old Cao’s got some moves, huh.
No wonder…
No wonder so many people have been investigating him lately, even keeping an eye on me.
Seems like someone’s getting impatient.
This Ren Yuege in front of me is probably no different—
Her showing up like this…
Most likely, she wants to keep a close watch on me.
Looking for dirt on me and my dad, so she can kick him out later without having to split any assets.
"Should I call Uncle Cao and have him explain it to you? I doubt he’d turn me away or refuse to let me stay this late." Ren Yuege put her phone away, smiling sweetly at Cao Cheng.
What a shameless move!
"Fine, stay if you want. Whatever makes you happy."
Cao Cheng shrugged. If she was going to drag Old Cao into this, what else could he say?
Truthfully,
Cao Cheng didn’t actually mind living with a girl.
Especially one this pretty.
But—
He knew she and her sisters were up to no good.
Plus, Cao Cheng had his own secrets.
So he wasn’t keen on having an 'outsider' in the house.
Too bad Old Cao had no idea these girls were scheming against him. If Ren Yuege called him now, he’d definitely agree—and probably tell Cao Cheng to take good care of this 'older sister.'
...
"Here~~"
"This is a little gift from your older sister. Picked it out just for you—see if you like it."
With that, Ren Yuege pulled a small box from her bag and handed it to Cao Cheng with a smile.
If Cao Cheng didn’t know about their schemes, he might’ve actually fallen for her act.
Anyone else would think they were the picture of sibling harmony.
Cao Cheng took the velvet box and opened it.
He didn’t recognize the exact model, but he knew the brand.
A famous luxury label.
Even their cheapest men’s watches started at 100,000 yuan.
"This must’ve cost a fortune, right?" Cao Cheng raised an eyebrow.
"Of course. I spent ages picking it out. The salesperson said it’s the latest limited edition—do you like it?" Ren Yuege asked softly, her tone laced with anticipation.
Cao Cheng blinked.
Now he was genuinely confused.
Her attitude didn’t seem like she had any grudge against Old Cao.
Was she faking it?
Cao Cheng shook his head inwardly. He’d seen enough of life to spot a fake from a mile away.
Unless she was a professional actress.
And even if she was acting, if she really despised the Cao family, there should’ve been some negative emotions leaking through.
But so far, Cao Cheng hadn’t picked up on any.
Could it be…
The four sisters weren’t actually on the same side?
Possible.
Rich family drama and all that.
No way they’d all get along.
Money always complicates things.
Maybe this one’s the nice sister, and the last one was the villainess?
"It’s alright. How much did it cost?" Cao Cheng asked.
Ren Yuege’s eyes curved into crescents. "As long as you like it, that’s all that matters. Don’t worry about the price—a gift from your older sister is priceless. It’s the thought that counts."
"...Well, thanks, then." Cao Cheng didn’t refuse, though his guard wasn’t about to drop anytime soon.
"Can you come out with me now?"
"Out where?"
"To buy some things! I only brought one suitcase, but I still need daily essentials."
"Plus, you’ll have to help me carry my luggage from the car. There’s no elevator here, and I can’t lift it myself."
Cao Cheng was about to refuse, but seeing her hopeful expression, he swallowed his words.
Fine. Since you gave me a watch, I’ll humor you.
...
...
It was only a little past seven in the evening.
Plenty of department stores were still brightly lit.
They drove to one.
Inside, Ren Yuege wore a face mask, hiding her stunning features—but even so, heads turned as they walked by.
Great figure, impeccable poise.
And those sheer stockings on her legs.
In an era dominated by cringe-worthy fashion trends, a refined beauty like her was a rare sight. Most girls these days were… not exactly easy on the eyes.
Life wasn’t as comfortable as it would be in the future. Many families struggled with nutrition, so naturally beautiful girls were fewer in number.
A lot of kids looked scrawny and malnourished.
And because society was full of 'rough grains,' the whole emo/scene subculture took off—those outrageous hairstyles and outfits helped hide unflattering body shapes and square faces.
That was one of the reasons the whole 'kill-matto' trend blew up.
Once inside the mall,
she naturally looped her arm through Cao Cheng’s and said excitedly, "Come on, little brother! You’re carrying my bags today. But don’t worry—I’ll get you a nice outfit later as thanks."
"..."
What followed was a shopping spree. Bags upon bags piled up in Cao Cheng’s hands in no time.
She actually gave Cao Cheng a set of clothes.
A work suit, no less.
Cao Cheng was speechless.
That little brat was downright vicious.
She actually wanted him to work.
Since when did our Young Master Cao look like someone who would work?
Work? Not a chance. He’d never work in this lifetime. His days were meant for lazing around, playing cards, moving chess pieces, and annoying people—that’s just how he rolled.
...
She spent money like water.
Even though Cao Cheng had earned a million, her shopping spree left him stunned.
A single men’s outfit—three-piece suit, tie, and belt—cost over a hundred grand.
In other words, that one set of clothes was equivalent to Old Cao’s entire life savings for retirement.
iaobai: "Councilor Dad, front me some funds. I want to hire ten thousand professional miners for a project!" [Five-Star Mission Issued: Capture the leader of the Blood Heaven Pirate Gang, who is on the run in the Radiant Star Sector. It is said the gang has over a hundred members. Proceed with caution.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, lend me the family's hundred-thousand-strong Lu Army!" [Seven-Star Mission Issued: Subdue a juvenile Void Dragon Beast.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, I'm taking your tamed Void Dragon Beast King out for a family reunion!" I said, System, don't you have any slightly more challenging missions? You're just not up to par! [Nine-Star Mission Issued: Become the Human Councilor.] Lu Xiaobai: "Dad, there's a small matter I'd like to discuss with you..."
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
