Establishing a Relationship

Some things happen naturally, without any deliberate effort.

All those damn vows and absurd promises simply don’t exist.

Just like that, their relationship was established.

It seemed to lack the extravagance of romantic gestures,

and the intensity of overwhelming passion.

They simply came together, plain and uncomplicated.

Honestly, the serenity of "the highest virtue is like water" felt just fine.

Elegant—

Perhaps it had something to do with Young Master Cao’s state of mind, given his experience of "two lifetimes."

In most matters, he had indeed matured considerably.

His planning and actions had become far more seasoned.

His interactions with others carried more depth and calculation.

And when it came to wooing women, he was much more composed!

No longer as brash and noisy as he had been in his student days.

No initiative—

No rejection!

No…

Well, occasionally, he could flip through Buddhist scriptures.

……

She hadn’t woken yet.

Curled up beside him, her leg draped over Young Master Cao.

As he pondered the situation and how to take responsibility moving forward,

his hands remained busy.

Before long, a soft moan came from beside him.

Tang Xin opened her eyes.

The two locked gazes.

Tang Xin was slightly shy but still poised, smiling sweetly: "Hubby~~!"

That voice alone sent shivers down his spine.

Damn it.

You’re asking for trouble.

Cao Cheng flipped over and pinned her down.

Tang Xin yelped, "No, no, no~~~~"

……

……

The next three days,

they stayed holed up indoors, not stepping outside.

No one knew what they were up to.

During that time, they also acquired three diamond treasure chests.

One per session!

The emotional energy came pouring in—this thing was truly efficient…

Meanwhile, the market continued its steady decline, unaffected by their absence.

Though the drop was slow, it was unrelenting.

From around 5500, it had dipped to approximately 5050 over those three days!

A 500-point swing in the index sent small-time investors on an emotional rollercoaster—up and down, hearts racing with excitement.

……

The next day was the weekend.

Finally, the two ventured outside.

After being watered, flowers bloom brighter.

However,

aside from Tang Xin looking even more radiant, there were no visible changes.

They carried on as usual—holding arms at social events, walking side by side otherwise, like a boss and his secretary.

To outsiders, it was impossible to tell whether they were together or not.

Weekend shopping.

Now fully recovered, Tang Xin dragged Cao Cheng around to buy all sorts of things, especially gifts for his four elder sisters.

This was a shift in mindset.

Even though they’d agreed to keep things private for now, she couldn’t help slipping into the role of "wife," naturally wanting to win over her future sisters-in-law.

Preparing for the future!

Gifts now would soften them up later—once the truth came out, how could they oppose her when they’d already accepted so much?

As for why they weren’t going public yet,

it wasn’t Young Master Cao’s decision.

She had insisted.

Perhaps, as Second Sister had hinted, she had reservations about her own family.

The timing just wasn’t right.

So,

this shopping spree also included gifts for her close friends, while she deliberately avoided buying anything for Cao Cheng—afraid of raising suspicions.

……

That weekend,

stock discussion boards, forums, and offline meetups were buzzing.

But the mood was far from cheerful.

The three consecutive days of "red" had everyone anxious about what Monday might bring.

Especially with the "Green Post" still pinned at the top.

Few were even cursing anymore—instead, people gathered there to discuss, piling up replies in the thread.

It seemed everyone was hoping "Stock God Ao Tian" would say something.

Belief or disbelief aside,

insults or not,

at least Stock God Ao Tian was more relatable than the so-called experts.

Those experts spouted jargon, dumping piles of data like they were writing a thesis—sounding impressive but saying nothing.

Meanwhile, Stock God Ao Tian?

Most of the time, just a few sentences, easy for anyone to understand. The most complex thing so far had been those vacation photos.

A bit artsy, sure,

but not that hard to decipher, right?

"Stock God, it’s the weekend—say something."

"Make another post, Stock God! What’s your take on next week?"

"Up or down, doesn’t matter—just point us in a direction."

"……"

Their desperation was understandable.

What they wanted wasn’t necessarily the right answer—just some peace of mind.

For those who didn’t believe Cao Cheng, if he said "down," they’d feel reassured.

For those who did, if his words aligned with their own thoughts, they’d relax too.

Either way, it was an outlet for their nerves.

These gamblers had it rough.

So,

after much clamoring,

Stock God Ao Tian finally posted again—right after a new policy announcement on Saturday.

Post title: 《……》

Content:

"Been traveling lately—made so much money I didn’t know where to spend it, so here I am!"

Nice.

Opening with a jab to rile people up.

Then: "Between sightseeing, I’ve been sparring with trolls to pass the time, so I haven’t paid much attention to the market. Not like it matters—everything I touch turns to gold anyway."

Another taunt.

"Everything worth saying has already been said!"

"So there’s nothing left to add. The title says it all—speechless."

"Market aside, some of you like me, some don’t. Envy, jealousy, hatred, disgust, annoyance… all kinds of emotions, but I’m grateful to each of you."

"We’ve been through almost a year together. Whatever happens, there’s some camaraderie here. I just hope you all stay safe and find your own spring blossoms."

"So let’s not talk about the market."

"Let’s talk about life."

"Recently, I watched a few decent movies. Figured I’d recommend them—give you all something to do over the weekend besides staring at charts. A little relaxation is necessary."

"Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em. Rest up, then fight another day. Victory will come eventually."

"The Shawshank Redemption—solid choice!"

"Papillon’s good too."

"And Then There Were None—my top pick. Give it a watch."

"Take care, everyone. Till we meet again."

……

Tang Xin, massaging Cao Cheng’s shoulders as he posted, mostly understood his intent.

But some parts still puzzled her.

"When did you have time to watch movies lately?" she asked softly.

"Watched them before," Cao Cheng pulled her close, grinning, hands wandering.

Tang Xin swatted him lightly. "Stop it. Explain—what’s the meaning behind these movies? Feels like you’re up to no good."

Cao Cheng laughed. "You’re wrong. This is the most well-intentioned post I’ve ever made. I’m in a good mood, so I’m throwing out one last piece of advice—call it easing my conscience."

Tang Xin could relate. She’d been in high spirits these past few days too.

And she’d developed quite the appetite…

Twenty-some years wasted.

"The Shawshank… Papillon… And Then There Were None? What’s that last one? Never heard of it—is it famous?"

Cao Cheng smirked. "It’s also called: None Shall Escape!"

"……"

Tang Xin suddenly understood.

Looking back—

Shawshank was about breaking free.

Papillon—another escape.

And Then There Were None? Still a tale of entrapment.

All three films revolved around the same core theme: getting the hell out.

No wonder…

At this moment, Tang Xin finally understood.

The entire post had one core message: Run!

Whether you could comprehend it or not was up to fate!

Indeed.

This post was probably the most well-intentioned one yet. Compared to his previous antics, Cao Cheng had truly "turned over a new leaf."

And it was all thanks to her.

Tang Xin smiled beautifully.

"Honey~~~~"

Her voice sent a shiver down his spine, and Cao Cheng immediately stood up. "Damn—let's bounce!"

"Hehehe..."