You're just jealous, second brother.

If we're talking purely about overall vision, long-term foresight, and high-stakes power struggles, Old Tai Shan is undoubtedly among the top-tier players.

But,

when it comes to bluffing with borrowed prestige and flexing future knowledge like a boss,

if Young Master Cao claims second place, who dares call themselves first?

Perched on the shoulders of giants, he played the fox parading as a tiger, leaving Old Tai Shan utterly dumbfounded.

Even the older and younger elegant ladies watching from afar were stunned.

When had they ever witnessed such a scene?

Usually, what they saw most was Tang's Father holding court on stage, lecturing while others took notes.

But now,

it was Young Master Cao doing the talking, with Tang's Father jotting things down—even pouring tea proactively.

The sheer absurdity of it all was mind-blowing.

……

Young Master Cao grew more and more animated as he spoke.

This was also his first time experiencing what he'd call an "emotional value explosion."

Old Tai Shan's status was genuinely sky-high.

In fact, he was the most influential figure Young Master Cao had ever interacted with in both his lifetimes—no contest.

The emotional payoff was almost too hot to handle.

Of course,

negative emotional outbursts were nothing new to Cao Cheng; he'd seen plenty.

But a surge of positive emotions? That was a first.

Talk about an eye-opener.

Guess I’ll have to meet Old Tai Shan more often and shoot the breeze with him.

At least for now, the positive feedback made it clear—Old Tai Shan was thoroughly charmed and delighted.

A win.

……

Truth be told,

Young Master Cao hadn’t spilled any earth-shattering secrets.

He’d just outlined some potential future trajectories, all extrapolated from existing policies and higher-level developments.

Young Master Cao wasn’t stupid.

He knew better than to spout nonsense about things that didn’t exist.

Yet even this was enough to leave Old Tai Shan utterly mesmerized.

It was as if the fog of uncertainty had lifted for the old man, clarifying many things.

The way Old Tai Shan looked at Cao Cheng had shifted noticeably.

A long silence followed.

After two cups of tea,

Young Master Cao finally wrapped up.

Only then did Old Tai Shan speak, his voice laced with skepticism:

"Did you figure all this out yourself?"

Clearly, the old man had doubts.

Not distrust toward Young Master Cao per se,

but because the depth of foresight, the meticulous synthesis of information, and the airtight logic weren’t just products of intelligence.

They required experience—especially a nuanced grasp of global dynamics and top-tier policy.

Some of it even shocked Old Tai Shan.

Had he not known for certain that Young Master Cao hadn’t attended certain classified closed-door meetings, he’d have sworn the kid was an insider.

In short,

Old Tai Shan had met countless exceptional young men, yet none seemed to measure up to this irreverent little rascal.

Looks like our little cabbage might’ve lucked out with this one.

"Some of it. The rest? Just stuff I dreamed up," Young Master Cao replied, uncharacteristically truthful for once.

Old Tai Shan shot him a sidelong glare. This brat could never be serious.

The old man’s voice turned grave. "Kid, ever considered a stint in the system? Some real-world tempering?"

"Tempering what? Drinking tea, reading newspapers, and counting down to quitting time?" Cao Cheng feigned curiosity.

"…"

Old Tai Shan’s eye twitched. "Do you really think that’s how it works?"

Cao Cheng shook his head. "Sorry, not my calling."

The old man had heard enough about this kid’s personality—carefree, unserious, and terminally lazy.

He might as well be some retired grandpa.

Old Tai Shan sighed inwardly.

If the boy had ambition, he wouldn’t have minded pulling a few strings, maybe even mentoring him personally.

With a resigned shake of his head, Old Tai Shan picked up his teacup, paused mid-sip as if remembering something, then set it down with visible distaste.

He grabbed a fresh cup and poured himself a new serving.

(ˉ▽￣～) Hmph.

You dislike me?

I didn’t even complain about your old-man musk.

And so, father- and son-in-law enjoyed a harmonious tea session.

Old Tai Shan was sly, though—casual chitchat laced with subtle tests and verbal traps.

But Young Master Cao? Sharp as a tack.

He sidestepped every loaded question, deflecting with such finesse that Old Tai Shan’s frustration spiked.

This kid was slicker than a damn eel.

None of that youthful naivety, purity, or adorable cluelessness.

Who knew if their little cabbage would survive his antics unscathed?

Dammit!!!

……

It was the family’s first meal together.

The atmosphere was pleasant enough.

They ate, chatted, and shared a shot of baijiu.

Old Tai Shan couldn’t drink much—he had business later.

After the meal,

before getting into his car, the old man clapped Young Master Cao’s shoulder with deliberate weight. "Listen, boy. Don’t you dare bully my daughter. Or else—I might not come for you myself, but she’s got brothers."

If earlier had been a superior evaluating a subordinate,

now, Old Tai Shan was just a father issuing a warning.

"Relax, Old Tai Shan," Cao Cheng waved him off, thinking: Brothers, huh? Bring ’em on. I’ll bully them too.

He watched the motorcade disappear,

followed by the discreet escort vehicles.

The low-profile approach was probably to avoid a spectacle.

Otherwise,

during that meal,

local officials would’ve been lined up outside, awaiting orders.

But,

unbeknownst to Young Master Cao, even with the discretion, word got around—especially since this was an official trip.

News of the dinner spread quickly,

and with it, Cao Cheng’s identity was laid bare.

The youngest nouveau riche, Young Master Cao… was actually that man’s son-in-law?

Holy hell.

No freaking way.

The golden goose was right here.

Back off, everyone. I’m gonna lick him to death.

……

……

Tang Xin rinsed her mouth,

then smacked Cao Cheng’s arm playfully before snuggling into him, savoring the warmth.

"The company—"

"Don’t mention the company."

He cut her off, voice tender. "You know I trust you unconditionally. And your skills."

The sweeter the words, the faker the sentiment.

Tang Xin wasn’t some starry-eyed girl.

With a soft humph, she pinched him. "Pretty words. You just want to be a hands-off boss, don’t you?"

"Heh." Cao Cheng grinned shamelessly, not denying it.

No point hiding bad habits from your pillow partner. They knew each other too well.

Besides, who discussed work at a time like this?

Mood killer.

Another round of "battles" ensued.

Post-cigarette,

work talk crept back in—mostly Tang Xin seeking Young Master Cao’s insights.

The secondary market had surged, nearly hitting 3500 points, only to crash below 3000, even dipping under 2700.

She was wavering.

Despite the company’s solid profits, her confidence wasn’t unshakable.

And with an Eastern Gambler—ahem, stock god—by her side, she wanted to learn.

Young Master Cao obliged,

breaking down geopolitical shifts, international tensions, and monetary policies—tying it all to market trends.

After much deliberation, they finally reached a conclusion.

Tang Xin was stunned. "You mean 3400 is the peak?"

"Around 3300!"

Cao Cheng said, "Once it falls back to 3300, it’ll start declining further. I see it dropping below 2000, maybe even lower."

"But it doesn’t really matter for us. We hold a lot of blue-chip stocks—value investing isn’t about short-term fluctuations."

"Hold onto Baishui, real estate, resources, tech… none of those are major concerns."

"And internationally, the Apple shares I told you to buy earlier, plus..."

"Also, you should consider the bond and forex markets."

Cao Cheng rambled on about a lot of things, and Tang Xin nodded along, feeling like she’d absorbed a wealth of knowledge.

There were so many key takeaways.

Lost in each other’s company, the two spent another two days together.

Only when Tang Xin had her fill did they finally part ways.

...

Returning home, Cao Cheng showed no signs of fatigue—his physical stamina was top-notch.

After seeing Tang Xin off in the morning, he arrived back home close to noon.

None of the other sisters were around, except for Second Sister, who was in the living room.

Beside her were some fruits and a bottle of wine, which she was leisurely sipping on her own.

What a coincidence.

Just these past two days, Tang Xin had asked if Second Sister had been busy lately, mentioning how her messages either got slow replies or were ignored entirely.

Cao Cheng had even helped explain—Second Sister hadn’t been home much recently, often staying at the dorm, probably tied up with a case.

Now, it seemed,

the case in Second Sister’s hands had just wrapped up.

Otherwise, why would she be drinking at home in broad daylight?

Second Sister never drank out of melancholy—she only did so when relaxed or in high spirits.

If she was truly upset, she’d usually head to the underground training room and punch a bag for an hour.

That was her way of relieving stress.

"Come, have a drink with me," Second Sister invited.

Cao Cheng didn’t hesitate, stepping forward to sit beside her.

"Case all wrapped up?" he asked casually.

Second Sister nodded. "Done. Got the suspect."

"Congrats on another success. You should get promoted this year, right?"

"Who knows?" Second Sister shrugged, pouring a glass and sliding it toward Cao Cheng.

Then her slender hand paused.

She shot him a glance. "You didn’t come home last night. Were you with Tang Xin?"

"Uh—" Cao Cheng froze.

Second Sister narrowed her eyes. "You reek of her."

"Do I?" Cao Cheng sighed, lifting his arm to sniff himself.

Second Sister scoffed. "Of course you can’t tell. But as her best friend, I know her scent all too well."

"What does she smell like?" Cao Cheng genuinely couldn’t detect it—maybe after two days together, he’d gotten used to it.

"Like a fox."

"..."

Cao Cheng chuckled and shook his head before teasing, "Are you jealous?"

Second Sister’s expression shifted, flustered for just a second, before she raised her leg and kicked at him.

Cao Cheng couldn’t dodge in time, tumbling onto the couch.

Second Sister huffed. "Keep talking nonsense, and I’ll kick you again."

Her foot was soft—it didn’t really hurt.

But Young Master Cao was a master at playing it up.

Sitting up, he rubbed his backside with a pained grin.

"Second Sister, can’t you be a little gentler? I get your job requires toughness, but this is home—I’m not some criminal."

Second Sister rolled her eyes. "Want gentleness? Go find your Tang Xin."

Cao Cheng pointed dramatically. "You are jealous, Second Sister!!"

(╬◣д◢)!

Second Sister shot to her feet, furious.

Cao Cheng bolted.

She didn’t even bother with shoes, chasing after him barefoot.

The maids had already hidden away.

Truly, they were like ducks sensing the warmth of spring—masters of avoiding trouble.