Eldest Sister's Gratitude, You Might as Well Just Kill Me

Opening the door.

Cao Cheng looked at the Eldest Sister standing before him.

"So, what brings you here to confront me?"

Cao Cheng was momentarily speechless. "Look, whether it was Second Sister stealing your medicine or her forcing me to tail you, at least things turned out fine in the end. You don’t have to thank me, but there’s no need to keep harping on it, right?"

The Eldest Sister’s face darkened. "You think I came here to blame you?"

"Then why else?"

She gave a bitter laugh. "Do you really think I’m that ungrateful? That I can’t tell right from wrong?"

"I used to think you weren’t, but now… hard to say." Cao Cheng nodded sagely.

"..."

Wait.

Why did that sound so familiar?

After a brief pause, the Eldest Sister suddenly remembered—this was the exact conversation they’d had last night. Only now, their roles were reversed.

Had he stolen her lines?

"That’s my line!"

"First come, first served."

The Eldest Sister couldn’t help but laugh, pointing at him. "You’re such a brat."

Cao Cheng chuckled too.

Truth be told, they’d known each other for years, living under the same roof. Even if they weren’t close, they understood each other well enough.

Her tone softened, suddenly sincere. "No matter what, thank you for this."

The gratitude in her voice was palpable. Her eyes shone with sincerity.

"Just a verbal thanks?"

The Eldest Sister smiled gently. "What do you want, then?"

"How about a few massages? I wouldn’t say no to dozens, either—but the proper kind, none of that half-hearted stuff where you quit after two minutes." Cao Cheng knew all too well how she loved to exploit loopholes.

Like that bet they’d made—ten sessions that barely added up to one proper rubdown from Second Sister.

"Fine." She laughed softly, agreeing without hesitation.

Cao Cheng blinked. "That easy? Did I lowball it? How about a hundred, then?"

"Don’t push your luck." She huffed and swatted his arm lightly.

He grinned but didn’t press further.

The Eldest Sister turned to leave. "I’ll go change first. I’ll come find you later."

"Uh… honestly, that outfit works." Cao Cheng eyed her still-unchanged office attire—it was practically a uniform fantasy.

"Too restrictive. Just wait." She rolled her eyes, well aware of what he was hinting at, then sashayed away with an exaggerated sway.

...

That night.

Cao Cheng was treated.

Maybe it was because the Eldest Sister had recovered—her evenings were no longer spent obsessively reviewing documents.

So this time, her massage technique, while unprofessional, was full of effort.

Forty-five minutes—a full hour’s worth.

By the end, she was glistening with sweat.

Every drop was a silent testament to her gratitude toward him.

Some things were too awkward to say aloud, so she poured it all into the work of her hands.

And from that day on,

her routine shifted entirely, as if she’d been reborn.

...

Two days passed.

Word got around.

Ren's mother, somehow, caught wind of it.

The moment she heard, she and Old Cao cut their vacation short and rushed home.

She scolded the Eldest Sister relentlessly.

Just as Second Sister and Cao Cheng had said—everyone was entitled to their secrets, their privacy. That was only natural for adults.

But hiding something this big from the whole family? That was downright irresponsible.

What if something had happened?

How would she, or her sisters, have lived with themselves?

The Eldest Sister didn’t dare argue, bowing her head and apologizing profusely.

Finally,

after triple-checking, Ren's mother accepted that her eldest was truly healed—and that it was all thanks to Cao Cheng.

Traditional medicine relied on observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking.

One glance from him had been enough to spot the problem.

Thank goodness he had that skill. If they’d waited until it got worse… it could’ve been tragic.

Ren's mother showered Cao Cheng with affection,

her love and gratitude on full display.

Old Cao watched, green-eyed.

Then,

Ren's mother pulled Cao Cheng into the backyard.

"Son," she said, "tell me the truth—is your Eldest Sister really okay now?"

Cao Cheng smiled reassuringly. "Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll keep an eye on her. Traditional medicine can help her recover gradually."

"Good, good."

Ren's mother exhaled in relief. After years together, she trusted his judgment completely.

Then,

hesitating slightly, she lowered her voice. "Son… could you check me too?"

Cao Cheng raised a brow. "About having a baby?"

"Mhm."

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "It’s just… I’m not young anymore. I’ve been exercising, but at my last checkup, the doctor still advised against it. But… I want one."

He understood.

She wanted a child of her own.

Or rather, a child with her first love.

After twenty years of waiting, this was the last piece missing.

Ren's mother continued, "If we wait a few more years, there might really be no chance left."

Cao Cheng wanted to tell her that there would still be plenty of opportunities in the future.

Even at forty years old…

Thirty years from now, at seventy, you’d still have a shot.

The advancements in medical technology would be beyond imagination.

Even menopause could be reversed in minutes.

Ever heard of protein folding?

The West handles the PowerPoints!

We’re the ones who make it happen.

People in the future will live long enough.

But…

He couldn’t say any of this.

"Alright!" Cao Cheng nodded with a smile.

They sat facing each other in the courtyard.

Cao Cheng took Ren's mother’s pulse, and for a moment, neither spoke.

Old Cao had somehow wandered into the courtyard too. Though he’d always thought his son’s claims about knowing traditional Chinese medicine were pure bravado,

his repeated demonstrations had begun to shake Old Cao’s skepticism.

He didn’t interrupt the diagnosis.

After a while,

Cao Cheng said, "Mom, your health is fine. If you want to conceive, the risks aren’t too high. Besides, cesarean sections are an option now—no matter the fetal position, there won’t be complications like difficult labor…"

"But!"

"If you want a healthier baby, you’ll need some toning up. I’ll prescribe a nourishing formula."

"The formula is just the first step. Later, I’ll find a restorative elixir too."

"Next year, I guarantee this family will have a strong, healthy newborn!"

Ren's mother was overjoyed.

Old Cao, ever the skeptic, chimed in, "You sure you know what you’re doing, kid? Don’t go prescribing random stuff. If it messes her up, I’ll have your head."

Cao Cheng shot him a sidelong glance. "I should check your pulse too. The baby’s gender depends mostly on the man. Sit!"

He pointed to the side.

Old Cao resisted. "I don’t need it."

Ren's mother glared. "Yes, you do. Sit down!"

"……" Grudgingly, Old Cao complied.

Cao Cheng placed his fingers on the pulse, muttering, "You should be grateful. Plenty of people would kill for my treatment. I only bother with family—outsiders can’t even pay me unless I’m in the mood."

Old Cao’s lips twitched.

Oh, now you’re full of yourself.

Give you an inch, and you take a mile.

With Ren's mother watching, Old Cao didn’t dare argue and sat obediently as Cao Cheng examined him.

A long silence passed.

Cao Cheng frowned. "Tsk~~~"

"??"

Old Cao’s face darkened. "What’s with the ‘tsk’?"

"Tsk tsk tsk~~~" Cao Cheng took a deep breath.

"……" Old Cao’s expression shifted.

Ren's mother tensed. "Son, what’s wrong?"

"Well…"

Cao Cheng’s brow furrowed as he spoke gravely. "Age might be catching up. His sperm motility probably isn’t strong enough. Pregnancy is a two-person job—Mom can’t carry all the weight. Old Cao needs to step up too."

Ren's mother asked, "Does he need medication?"

"No need for drugs. All medicine has its side effects."

"For the baby’s sake, it’s better to strengthen him physically."

"Besides, Old Cao just needs more activity. More exercise will do. Here’s what I’ll prescribe…"

After a moment of thought, Cao Cheng devised the perfect regimen.

"Starting today, Old Cao will do a thousand push-ups, a thousand sit-ups, and a thousand squats daily."

"Then a loaded march—21 kilometers with gear, a half-marathon."

"Followed by a combat swim. That’s swimming with weights."

"Can’t skip the triathlon either."

"At night, an hour of jump rope and half an hour of jumping jacks."

"Cut down on oil and salt. Stick to chicken breast, beef, and broccoli."

"……"

Even Ren's mother could tell this was payback.

Old Cao’s face turned ashen. "Just kill me now and get it over with."

"Kill you? That’s a bit much, isn’t it? At least pretend to be subtle." Cao Cheng feigned humility.

"Get lost…"

"Alright, alright." Ren's mother, ever the mediator, cut in. "This is too much. Halve it."

Old Cao looked horrified. "Halving it would still kill me. Whose side are you on?"

"……"

After much haggling,

they settled on a more reasonable fitness plan.

Fairly scientific.

Leg day once a week, back day once, chest twice, one cardio day, and two rest days.

Balanced diet.

Maybe hire a personal nutritionist.

Though it was a 99% reduction from Cao Cheng’s original plan, he was satisfied.

This household didn’t tolerate idlers.

Everyone had to stay busy.

No time for Old Cao to go gallivanting on vacations.

Why should he get to travel?

Even Cao Cheng hadn’t taken a trip.

Dream on.

Hit the gym.

And so, the matter was happily resolved—everyone was pleased except Old Cao!

……

……

Before long, early November arrived.

November 3rd.

Day 1,000 of Cao Cheng’s life as a rich second-generation heir.

Bliss.

He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling in self-reflection.

A thousand days had passed since he came to Zhonghai.

Ever since gaining his eidetic memory, Cao Cheng’s recall had sharpened.

Numbers like these stuck with him.

Having lived what felt like a lifetime in a dream and having "died" once, Cao Cheng now cherishes his current life more than ever.

He counts each passing day, determined not to waste a single moment.

After waking up,

the house was empty.

While eating breakfast, Cao Cheng turned on his computer and opened Goose's messaging app—QiuQiu!

He entered his profile space

and updated his farm.

QiuQiu·Miracle Farm!

Officially launched today.