This little rascal is quite a troublemaker

Moving out wouldn’t be a problem when it came to housing.

Not too far away, there was a smaller villa available.

After all…

The Ren Group had its own high-end real estate developments.

That night,

neither of the Ren sisters slept much.

When the four sisters were very young, Aunt Ren had taken over the company, stabilized the group, and still managed to balance family and their upbringing.

In their hearts, no matter how old they grew, their mother remained the most indispensable figure in the family—their emotional anchor.

They knew, of course.

Sooner or later, they might marry, start their own families, even have children of their own. They would inevitably part ways.

But the later that time came, the better.

Among the sisters, this had become an unspoken understanding.

It was also why, over the years, none of them had ever brought up the topic of "boyfriends."

Truthfully, they weren’t exactly young anymore.

Girls from ordinary families might have gone through several boyfriends by now, some even married with children.

In other wealthy families, arranged marriages would have long been settled.

But the Ren household…

Not a single man in sight.

So,

even though they had mentally prepared themselves, tonight still left them sleepless.

Even the eldest, Ren Chenxi—usually the epitome of composure—found herself restless.

She even called the second sister, Ren Fanxing.

"What?"

"Moving out?"

Hearing the news, Second Sister’s voice cracked.

She hadn’t been avoiding home to spite their mother. In fact, she stayed away precisely to spare her the awkwardness of being caught in the middle.

She knew her own temper too well. If she lived under the same roof, she’d never give that man a friendly look—arguments were practically guaranteed.

That would only put their mother in an impossible position.

Staying at the dormitory at least gave her an excuse: too many cases, more convenient to live on-site.

That was already showing face for that Cao guy.

If she truly disregarded their mother’s feelings, she would’ve confronted Cao Cheng the moment they returned from their trip—demanding to know why Old Cao had bragged so much about his son when the man turned out to be utterly worthless.

But out of consideration, she’d held back from questioning him in front of their mother.

And now…

Mom was choosing to move out instead?

Holding the phone, Eldest Sister Ren Chenxi said softly, "You weren’t home tonight, so Mom asked me to pass this decision on to you. After this, you should move back. The dorm conditions are terrible, and with how hard you push yourself—training in martial arts, no less—if your nutrition and medicinal diets aren’t up to par, it’ll damage your foundation."

"..."

Second Sister fell silent. "Got it. I’ll… move back tomorrow."

She didn’t lash out or say anything harsh, quietly accepting it.

Not like there was another choice—unless Mom and that Cao guy divorced.

But was that even possible?

Mom was gentle,

but once she made a decision, she never wavered.

Eldest Sister Ren Chenxi continued, "Mom said not to overthink it. This isn’t about you. It’s just…"

She paused before adding, "Just that she’s getting older, and the time she has left to enjoy love is limited. So, she wants more time for just the two of them. She hopes we can understand how rare love is for a woman nearing fifty."

"..."

Second Sister’s teeth ached at the sentiment.

This was what love did to a person. That tone didn’t sound like their mother at all.

The old Mom had been gentle too, her voice soft, but beneath it was an iron will. Every word was final.

Now? She was spouting romantic drivel, even feeding them cheesy lines like this?

Love really could change someone.

The saccharine stench of it made Second Sister’s skin crawl through the phone.

With a sigh, she asked, "Do you think I was wrong? That I shouldn’t have opposed them so much?"

Eldest Sister hesitated for a second. "Right or wrong, Mom understands. She knows you’re just afraid she’s being fooled, which is why you’re so against it. She won’t blame you."

"But on the other hand…"

"You should try to understand her too. At the very least, I believe she wouldn’t just pick some random man and rush into a flash marriage."

"Mom’s not the type to lose her head over things."

"Your concerns make sense—love can make women lose their usual calm—but I trust Mom hasn’t abandoned all her judgment."

"More importantly, you need to realize Mom would never let a late-life romance jeopardize the four of us losing such significant interests."

That last point was key.

Once married,

asset distribution became an issue.

It would indirectly harm the sisters’ interests—after all, they were the heirs.

That wasn’t something Mom would ever allow.

Unless…

she’d lost her mind.

---

The next day,

before their mother moved out, Second Sister Ren Fanxing took a day off to help pack.

A gesture of goodwill.

Seeing her return to assist, Aunt Ren smiled warmly.

Old Cao, ever the sycophant, grinned at Second Sister too.

If Young Master Cao saw this, he’d laugh himself to death…

Old Cao’s life here was miserable.

Pathetic, really.

The lowest status in the household.

What a joke.

Back home, he’d been untouchable.

Now? A shell of his former self.

Tsk.

How the mighty had fallen.

"Mom."

"Drink this tea in secret—only when no one’s around."

Before leaving, the youngest, Ren Yuege, handed Aunt Ren a small box.

Aunt Ren blinked. "What kind of tea is this?"

"I went through a lot to get this. Just drink it—you’ll see how good it is. But make sure you’re alone, and keep a bathroom nearby. Remember that!" Ren Yuege whispered conspiratorially into her ear.

Aunt Ren stiffened. "A bathroom? You’re not giving me laxatives, are you?"

Everyone knew Ren Yuege was mischievous—pranks had been her specialty since childhood.

She’d mellowed somewhat with age,

but who knew if she’d reverted to old habits?

Back then, she’d once hidden super-spicy peppers in her mother’s cosmetics, nearly killing her.

The girl had also slipped powdered laxatives into food before.

"It’s not laxatives! Well… the effect is similar, but it’s definitely good stuff. Mom, trust me—this thing was expensive." Ren Yuege insisted in a hushed tone.

"..."

Aunt Ren studied her. "Did your teacher give this to you?"

She knew Ren Yuege had visited her mentor a few days prior.

"Not exactly, but close."

Ren Yuege played coy before whining, "Ugh, just don’t ask! Believe me, I wouldn’t hurt you."

Aunt Ren eyed her skeptically before nodding. "Fine. But if this is a trick, I’m having your Second Sister spank you."

"No, no, it’s not!" Ren Yuege shook her head vigorously.

Finally,

they went their separate ways.

Third Sister pulled Ren Yuege aside. "What did you just give Mom? All that secrecy—was it from that brat you’ve been hanging around?"

Ren Yuege smirked. "Heh~"

"What is it?"

"Tea."

"That purple tea you mentioned?"

"Yep!"

"Wow, you had this and didn’t let me try any?"

"Oh, it's just a tiny bit, so of course I'll give it to Mom first. Later, we'll sneak off to Sanjiang and pester that little rascal to give us some more."

"By then, he’d have already finished it, wouldn’t he? Didn’t you say he only had twenty-something grams?" The third sister rolled her eyes.

Ren Yuege snorted softly. "I don’t trust him one bit. From what I’ve seen these past few days, that little troublemaker is sneaky—he’s definitely hiding a lot more."