Eldest Sister had already known about Young Master Cao's plan beforehand.
But now...
The plan kept evolving continuously.
Growing increasingly ruthless.
A chill ran down Eldest Sister's spine.
It was as if she was witnessing Fifth Brother's methods for the first time...
Back in the entertainment industry, Eldest Sister knew Fifth Brother was skilled at promotion, strategizing, and even scheming against others.
But back then, she was far removed from it all, untouched by the storm he stirred—unable to truly grasp its impact.
Now, however, she could clearly feel the potency of his calculations.
If this scheme were directed at her, even if she saw it coming, she probably couldn’t avoid it. Once such a lucrative product entered the company, even if she resisted, the board would force her hand.
Because everyone wanted profits.
Especially businessmen—many only cared about short-term gains. As for the company’s future?
What did that matter to them?
They were just shareholders.
If your company made money, they’d invest.
The moment it stopped being profitable, they’d pull out and move elsewhere.
A sinister, cutthroat scheme had turned into an open, unavoidable trap.
So now,
Eldest Sister finally understood how deep Cao Laowu’s plan truly was—with countless variations.
If deception didn’t work, they’d resort to open manipulation.
And if open manipulation failed, they’d play the game of pitting rivals against each other. Once the essence serum "leaked," someone would inevitably covet it, willingly helping Young Master Cao dominate various markets.
All Cao Cheng had to do was "leak" the serum and later "reclaim" it.
Nothing else was needed.
Brutal.
...
Just as Eldest Sister was reeling from the revelation, The Fourth returned home.
Kicking off her high heels,
She flung them aside with a careless swing of her leg.
Then, barefoot in stockings, she slipped into slippers and stomped over to Cao Laowu with a huff.
Plopping onto the sofa,
She draped her legs over his lap.
The Fourth commanded imperiously, "Massage my feet, you rascal!"
Eldest Sister couldn’t take it anymore. "Must you act like such a brat?"
"Huh? Eldest Sister’s here too?" The Fourth blinked in surprise.
"??" Eldest Sister was furious.
Was she invisible? Sitting right there with a book, and The Fourth hadn’t even noticed?
Were her eyes glued only to Fifth Brother?
The Fourth gave an awkward chuckle, retracting her legs before scuttling over to Eldest Sister’s side, massaging her shoulders ingratiatingly.
Ever since Cao Laowu arrived, the family’s way of currying favor had shifted to shoulder rubs.
As she fawned, The Fourth complained, "Eldest Sister, you have no idea how exhausted I am. The second season of The Voice is already in production, and I’m overseeing everything."
"Ads, copyrights, auditions, coordinating with the mentors, lighting, directors, camera crews, logistics..."
She whined pitifully, "It’s all on me. Thousands of people depend on me for their livelihoods. I barely have time to sit, let alone eat—just a few quick bites before rushing back to work."
"Eldest Sister, is this even humanly possible?"
"My legs are about to give out. Is it so wrong to ask him to help me relax?"
"..."
Eldest Sister sighed. "That doesn’t mean you can sprawl around like that. You’re wearing a skirt."
"It’s fine, Eldest Sister. I have safety shorts on."
"Is this about safety shorts?" Eldest Sister’s face darkened.
This was about propriety.
About upbringing.
Their mother had taught them since childhood—girls shouldn’t lean against walls or doors, nor should they flop onto beds or sofas when outsiders were present...
It was unbecoming.
After a long scolding,
Eldest Sister finally let up. She was growing fiercer by the day.
In the past, even when reprimanding her sisters, she’d been gentle and patient, at most raising her voice slightly.
But today, she was harsher than Second Sister.
The Fourth cowered.
Luckily, Eldest Sister wasn’t in the mood to lecture her further. She’d been on the verge of unraveling some grand conspiracy before The Fourth barged in and ruined her epiphany.
So,
This reprimand carried a hint of personal grudge—a resentment for interrupting her enlightenment.
Once done, Eldest Sister coldly ordered, "Get me a coffee."
Her tone now eerily resembled Second Sister’s. The Fourth obediently scurried to the kitchen.
On her way, she shot Cao Laowu a glare.
Unfazed, Cao Cheng lit a cigarette.
Smoking indoors used to be forbidden—restricted to bedrooms or the yard.
But after becoming the richest man, the house rules bent for Young Master Cao. He could smoke wherever he pleased.
As for secondhand smoke? Irrelevant.
Hadn’t they been drinking his tea all these years?
Had anyone in the family fallen sick even once? Not even a common cold.
And besides,
Did they think this was just any ordinary cigarette?
It was celestial herb.
Young Master Cao had won a stash of divine plants in a lottery, then paid a small local tobacco company to roll them for him.
Each stick cost at least a thousand dollars.
One puff, and your mind cleared instantly.
It was on par with ambergris—meant to be burned for its fragrance.
The brand name? Just one character: "Cao."
...
As The Fourth went to make coffee,
Eldest Sister glanced at the cigarette in Cao Cheng’s hand but said nothing.
Second Sister had tried interfering before.
Cao Cheng bombarded her with arguments and even made them take a whiff—indeed, it was invigorating.
Just herbal tobacco, he claimed.
So they dropped the matter.
Eldest Sister remarked, "You’re about to make enemies of the entire industry."
"If you want to be the leader, you can’t avoid stepping on toes," Cao Cheng chuckled. "Eldest Sister, like I’ve said before, stop overthinking. If you’re that worried, just sell the company. The real estate market’s still hot—you’d get a good price. Even the plots I bought earlier are worth a fortune now."
"..."
Eldest Sister rolled her eyes. This Cao Laowu always had a retort ready.
She was just looking out for him.
Ungrateful brat.
Hmph!
Annoyed, she snapped her book shut, uncrossed her slender legs, and stood. "I’m done talking to you."
"Think about it! Selling to me keeps it in the family," Cao Cheng called after her.
"Hmph." Eldest Sister tossed the syllable over her shoulder as she ascended the stairs.
The Fourth peeked out from the kitchen, watching her leave.
"Eldest Sister’s gone?"
"What about the coffee?" Cao Cheng asked.
"If she’s not here, why bother?"
The Fourth’s boldness returned.
She leaped onto the sofa,
Legs back on his lap.
"Massage my feet, you rascal!"
Cao Cheng puffed his cigarette but indulged her, kneading her soles.
The Fourth exhaled dramatically.
Bliss.
She grumbled, "Are you even going to manage the company? Dumping everything on me—trying to kill me with work?"
Cao Cheng dug his thumb into her arch.
"Ah—!!"
The Fourth writhed.
He smirked. "You can fool Eldest Sister, but not me. Busy? What busy? Sister Ali handles the artists and projects. The managers run the company. You’re just a mascot, keeping an eye on things. What exactly are you so busy with?"
"..."
The Fourth smirked, then immediately put on a stern face. "Don’t you know how to show me some sympathy? I... at least have to check the account books, right?"
"You check nothing. Do you even understand them?"
"I’m learning!"
"Stop learning. Just sit tight in your position and keep being the goddess you are."
"So you do think I’m a goddess?"
"Of course. Though you’re a bit wild and your feet smell a little sour—"
"What do you mean, sour?!" The Fourth kicked straight at his face.
Luckily, he dodged it.
A playful scuffle ensued.
Soon, The Third returned.
"Third Sister, she’s bullying me!" Cao Cheng whined, clinging to her while shooting a triumphant glance at The Fourth.
Third Sister doted on Cao Laowu the most.
She turned to her younger sister. "Are you picking on him again?"
"He’s the one bullying me!" The Fourth protested loudly.
Cao Cheng snorted, linking arms with Third Sister. "Come on, let’s ignore her. Third Sister, you must be tired—let me give you a massage. You’ve worked so hard managing the company."
[Ding~ Negative emotions +10002!]
The Third was furious.
They both managed companies, yet she was the one exhausted and unappreciated. Why?
What was so tiring about The Third’s job?
She just ran an investment firm—spotting promising businesses and throwing money at them. People treated her like a financial deity.
Tired?
Tired her foot!
That night, the house was in chaos.
But Second Sister didn’t come home.
Busy again.
However, Cao Cheng still had arrangements to make regarding The Fourth. The entertainment industry was a key focus for Young Master Cao.
It was a reflection of soft power.
The industry didn’t produce soft power itself but served as its conveyor—or perhaps the shadow of hard power.
It would become crucial in the future.
By around 2030, reforms would propel the entertainment industry to global heights.
So, Miracle Media wasn’t just about talent shows like The Voice. They’d also invested in Empresses in the Palace, having already secured the script rights for adaptation.
And movies—national-style animations, patriotic films, sci-fi, comedies!
Miracle Media lacked many things, but money wasn’t one of them. Nor was it short on visionary leadership.
Drawing from his knowledge, Cao Cheng guided the investments.
Worst-case scenario, even if Young Master Cao didn’t know which specific movies or shows would blow up, he only needed to foresee the trends and pour resources into the rising genres.
Stand at the forefront, ready to be the pig that flies when the wind comes.
Just remember to pack a parachute—lest you crash and burn.
Two days passed in a blink.
Suddenly, Cao Cheng was trending again.
This time, it wasn’t about a product or a variety show.
He’d caught the spotlight thanks to The Fourth.
With the rise of the internet era came all sorts of "brilliant" minds.
Anonymous insiders were everywhere.
Netizens dug up that Ren Yuege was the real powerhouse behind Miracle Media.
The moment her photos hit the web—chaos erupted.
Goddess.
An absolute goddess.
A throwaway Weibo account posted a shady remark under her pictures: "This is the woman running Cao Cheng’s media empire. Industry insiders say Ali, the so-called agent, is just a puppet. The real queen behind Miracle Media is Ren Yuege! What do you all think her relationship with Cao Cheng is?"
One comment read: "Side chick?"
Likes flooded in.
"Cao, you’ve stolen my wife! From this day forward, I’m no longer a fan—I’m your enemy!" More likes.
"Husband... sobs... have you abandoned me?" Countless hearts.
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
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.
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)
saw a female celebrity tied up and stuffed in the trunk! Little did he know, countless cameras were aimed at him at this moment - this was a new type of reality show. The first randomly selected passerby was caught in less than an hour. But when Xu Moru was selected, things started to take an unexpected turn. "Damn, this isn't how the script goes. This Xu Moru is too bold, he's not following the rules at all." "Crap, is this guy taking it seriously?" "The female celebrity has been scared to tears!"
