Fooling the Father-in-Law, Both Mother and Daughter Were Shocked

I'm not in the mood to dwell on attributes right now.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter one bit.

This is urban slice-of-life—better to spend time sipping tea, fiddling with bracelets, basking in the sun, and teasing my older sisters.

As for whether breaking past 100 in attributes would turn me into a superhero… who cares?

In this world, who dares to kill me now?

Who even could?

You think I’m Wei Yan or something?

Seriously.

Cao Cheng had done the math. With his current strength, even if certain countries unloaded every "chubby little boy" they had on him in one go, he’d walk away unscathed.

Well.

As long as they all came at once. If they trickled in one by one, that’d be dangerous.

A simultaneous barrage might breach his [Guardian Domain], sure.

But just his god-tier counterattack alone would be terrifying enough.

…

So,

Cao Cheng’s mind wasn’t on violence. A war of words was more his speed.

If you came at him with words, he wouldn’t lift a finger.

But if someone resorted to force? He’d make sure they learned what it meant to strike without mercy.

That’s just how a chosen one rolls.

"Hey, Mom, afternoon~" Cao Cheng cooed sweetly into the phone.

A dignified huff came through the line. "You little smooth-talker. Two months apart, and you’ve only gotten cheekier."

The Tang family had backed Cao Cheng solidly.

Especially with his investment firm—when deals got thorny, he’d just send Tang Xin to her father for help.

And time and again, he’d seen how a single word from the old man could untangle any mess.

This was the Tang family’s early investment in him, already locked in.

Last month, after the singing competition wrapped up, Tang Xin had gone home briefly before heading straight to Hong Kong.

A whole month without seeing her.

He missed her. Badly.

"Mom, don’t blame me—blame Xin’er," Cao Cheng sighed.

The dignified voice turned sharp. "My daughter’s fault?"

"Obviously! A pure maiden like me, left alone for a full month? I’m losing my mind here… so if I get a little spicy with my words, you understand, right?"

"Ugh—"

Whoever made that sound of disgust, it didn’t matter. The conversation was spiraling.

They eventually circled back to business.

Tang's Father was in Zhonghai on official duty and wanted to meet Cao Cheng before leaving.

Their last phone call had nearly given the old man an aneurysm—just the term "old man" alone was like nails on a chalkboard.

He’d even threatened to slap Cao Cheng silly, treating him like some punk.

Cao Cheng wondered: Is this a revenge visit?

"Mom, uh… I’m kinda swamped lately. Maybe you could tell the old man we’ll reschedule?"

"…"

"…"

The dignified voice laughed darkly. The sheer frustration radiating through the phone was palpable.

Wasn’t it this same dog who’d just claimed he had nothing to do but sip tea all day?

So,

In the end, despite his "hectic schedule," Cao Cheng couldn’t dodge the summons.

He owed the old man that much.

Without his connections, Third Sister’s investments wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.

Miracle Capital was past its startup phase now—future ventures would face little resistance.

Unless they involved… sensitive industries.

…

Evening.

A hotel.

Tang Xin greeted him at the entrance, planting a kiss the moment they met.

His arm slid around her slender waist.

Soft, sweet, and utterly intoxicating.

A month apart had left certain organs aching.

"After the old man leaves tonight, you’re not going anywhere…"

"Mhm." Tang Xin was just as eager, her voice breathy.

They clung to each other all the way to the private dining room.

Assistants and security lined the entrance—quite the entourage.

Cao Cheng sensed hidden sentries too.

But given Tang's Father’s status, it wasn’t surprising.

Stepping inside, Cao Cheng felt a flicker of nerves.

First face-to-face with the patriarch.

Better not give the man a stroke.

Time to dial it back.

Click.

At the door.

Tang's Father sat imposingly at the head of the table, authority oozing from every pore.

Damn.

A power play right out the gate.

Cao Cheng knew the type—dominate with presence first, lecture later.

The intimidation landed, but he volleyed right back.

The way his hand lingered on Tang Xin’s waist as they entered nearly made the old man combust.

My precious cabbage…

"…"

Tang's Father’s glare could’ve drilled holes through steel.

Approval aside,

This kid had no respect.

Every other junior in the family—hell, every scion from allied clans—wouldn’t dare meet his eyes.

But this brat?

Arm around his daughter, grinning like a fool?

"Greetings, Patriarch," Cao Cheng withdrew his hand with a theatrical bow.

"Don’t call me that."

The old man’s voice was gritted steel. "We’re not even remotely related, Mr. Cao."

The title dripped venom.

The dignified woman’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

Only this kid would dare address him so casually.

Cheeky, fearless, and shameless—that was Cao Cheng.

This is by no means a derogatory term.

In large families, this trait leans more toward being an "advantage."

Thick-skinned and cunning, you might say.

Cao Cheng smiled. "Father-in-law, no need to be so formal—just call me Xiao Cao."

The elegant older woman stood up at this point, pulling Tang Xin aside.

That left just the father-in-law and son-in-law at the scene, letting them argue it out while the mother and daughter stayed out of it.

The old man snorted lightly. "Director Cao, the title of 'father-in-law' isn’t quite appropriate yet."

"Understood, Father-in-law," Cao Cheng nodded obediently.

(▼ヘ▼#)

The old man bared his teeth. "You’re the first person bold enough to act shameless in front of me."

Cao Cheng grinned. "Live and learn, right? If you don’t experience things you’ve never done before in life, you’ll always have regrets, won’t you?"

"……"

Damn.

Since when do I need you to lecture me?

Tang's Father had already been irritated by Cao Cheng during their earlier phone call.

When they met in person, he had intended to remain calm—after all, the young man wasn’t entirely unimpressive.

But after just a few sentences, the old man couldn’t hold back anymore.

A lifetime’s worth of cultivated composure seemed to vanish in front of this kid.

A dangerous glint flashed in the old man’s eyes. "Are you so certain you’ll actually marry my daughter?"

Cao Cheng replied, "In 1950, the Marriage Law was enacted, guaranteeing freedom in marriage—those were the Chairman’s words. Given your status, Father-in-law, you really shouldn’t be reversing historical progress."

"Heh…"

The old man paused, then burst into laughter. "Heh heh heh… Good, very good! You’re quite something, kid!"

It sounded like praise, but his flushed face suggested it was more out of fury.

Cao Cheng poured him a cup of tea, ever the dutiful son-in-law, making sure he didn’t choke.

From a distance, anyone would assume the two were having a pleasant chat.

The two elegant women were puzzled. What could they possibly be talking about?

How could just a few words make him laugh so heartily?

Tang Xin was equally baffled.

Her father was usually so stern—even with his own son, he maintained the demeanor of a strict patriarch and authoritative figure.

Yet now, faced with Cao Cheng, he was so easily amused. Tang Xin almost wanted to ask her husband for tips.

……

The old man had figured it out by now.

This kid had absolutely no shame—even more brazen than some of his own colleagues.

Fine.

No point dwelling on formalities.

Tang's Father turned serious. "I’m aware of your dealings in the entertainment industry."

Cao Cheng humbly replied, "Ah, not worth mentioning—just minor achievements, really. Casual efforts."

The old man smirked. "You think I’m praising you?"

Cao Cheng blinked. "Aren’t you?"

Tang's Father snorted. "Do you really believe the Tang family would accept a son-in-law from the entertainment world?"

Cao Cheng suddenly understood.

He grasped the old man’s meaning—and could even empathize.

No matter what accomplishments you achieve in showbiz, you’re still just an "entertainer."

Some truths are unpleasant, but class prejudice exists.

Especially now.

The disparity in social status, clashes in values, and all the scandals—tabloid gossip, sensational headlines—it’s all just embarrassing.

And it’s not just the entertainment industry.

Even most entrepreneurs are merely white-gloved proxies—and that’s among the capitalists.

So how could the even lower-tier entertainment world ever be taken seriously?

Don’t even think about it.

But who was Cao Cheng?

Would he tolerate such nonsense?

Not a chance.

With a smile, Cao Cheng countered, "Father-in-law, that’s a rather outdated perspective. What’s wrong with the entertainment business? Earning a living is a universal right—no profession is inherently superior or inferior, only different in function. You’re reversing progress again, Father-in-law."

"……" The old man’s mustache twitched in anger.

Cao Cheng continued, "Besides, times are changing—especially in entertainment. It’s a window to the outside world. I may not understand high-level strategy, but I know one thing: the battle for perception can’t be fought without the entertainment industry."

Tang's Father was taken aback.

He gave Cao Cheng a thoughtful side-eye.

In this day and age, few outside the upper echelons even knew the term "perception warfare."

The old man nodded. "Elaborate."

"Well, it all ties back to America, of course—and can’t be discussed without mentioning Korea and Japan…"

And so, Cao Cheng began his grand spiel.

Using future historical outcomes to reverse-engineer current circumstances, he touched on matters that were still classified.

For instance, the sixth-gen—

Wait, no.

Fifth-gen.

It wouldn’t even be unveiled for another two years, yet everyone was still hyping up the "10-mod" upgrades.

All top-secret stuff.

And so-called laser weapons?

Research on those didn’t just start in this era.

It dated back to the 1960s—a time when even basic sustenance was a struggle—when the Chairman himself had set that course.

But how many outside knew?

Everything was kept under wraps, hushed up.

The entertainment industry was no exception.

Some events might seem coincidental, but behind them lay countless unseen efforts.

Cao Cheng synthesized his views on showbiz and dropped them like a tactical nuke—detonating right in Tang's Father’s mind.

Because some of these insights were things even the old man wasn’t entirely sure about.

He could only infer from subtle clues.

And as infuriating as this little bastard was…

But the idea was real... and it genuinely shocked him.

Young Master Cao, carried away by his own tall tales, raised his voice with enthusiasm and even grabbed his father-in-law's teacup to take a few gulps, wetting his throat.

The old man pursed his lips but still lifted his hand to pour him another cup of tea.

The mother and daughter watching from a distance were stunned.

This kid’s got some skills.

What a waste not joining a pyramid scheme!