Mother Ren thought to herself, "Keep the benefits within the family."

The way these few people interacted was one of those things better done than spoken about.

Some matters were best left understood between them without words.

Don’t ask.

Don’t speak.

And definitely don’t spell it out.

Otherwise… trouble would follow.

For starters, Ren's mother wouldn’t let it slide.

Up until now, Ren's mother had started to grow anxious. She couldn’t help but think that her girls weren’t getting any younger. Before, it was fine—they were all in their early twenties, at most mid-twenties!

But now?

Little Six was already in elementary school.

Eldest Sister was past thirty.

Even The Fourth had hit thirty.

How could none of them show any signs of settling down?

Strange.

At first, it wasn’t so bad. With Fifth Brother around, Ren's mother had consoled herself with the thought that "the good things shouldn’t go to outsiders."

But then Fifth Brother got married.

Little Cao was already how old?

Yet the remaining four at home still hadn’t made a move.

Ren's mother was genuinely worried. She’d approached the sisters multiple times, probing for answers.

Even if one of them said, "I like women," at least bring one home!

Anything was better than this complete lack of progress.

To be fair, Ren's mother was quite open-minded—and truly desperate. Her words were blunt, leaving no topic off-limits.

Eldest Sister had even discussed this with Young Master Cao.

But Young Master Cao hadn’t found a good solution yet. Or rather, he was waiting for the right moment—a chance to come clean to Ren's mother.

He couldn’t just stride up and shamelessly declare, "Mom, those four—they’re mine!"

If those words left his mouth, even though Ren's mother doted on Fifth Brother, she wouldn’t spare him a kind look. Things might even escalate beyond repair.

So for now, all they could do was wait.

Wait for the right moment.

As for what that moment would be, Young Master Cao had no idea. If he knew, would he still be waiting?

Precisely because he didn’t know, he had to bide his time.

Wait for a change.

And stall a little longer.

Look at how things were now—it wasn’t so bad.

Little Six was in elementary school. Old Cao was busy with work. Ren's mother, who was supposed to be retired, had started helping Old Cao out.

The gaming division was entirely managed by the two of them.

Truthfully, Ren's mother pitied Old Cao. That’s why she’d come out of retirement to assist him.

In her eyes, what did Old Cao know? Putting him in charge of a company was practically setting him up for failure.

As a devoted wife, Ren's mother naturally prioritized Old Cao once Little Six’s schooling and daily life were settled.

Their relationship was harmonious, like "qīn sè hé míng" (perfect harmony).

Now that things had dragged on this long, Ren's mother had little energy left to meddle in the four sisters’ romantic lives. She could only shake her head helplessly and sigh—let fate take its course.

But…

This time, when Ren's mother resignedly muttered "let fate take its course," Cao Cheng sensed something.

It was as if Ren's mother had figured something out.

Or at least had an inkling.

But…

She couldn’t bring herself to say it outright, so she chose to turn a blind eye.

Out of sight, out of mind.

This was also part of the reason she’d abandoned her peaceful retirement to help Old Cao.

Maybe.

That was Cao Cheng’s gut feeling.

Since everyone was pretending not to notice, Young Master Cao certainly wouldn’t be the one to break the act.

All they could do was wait.

For the right time.

For the right opportunity!

When Eldest Sister returned, The Fourth stopped clinging to Young Master Cao and sat quietly nearby, still sipping her drink.

This wine enthusiast hadn’t shaken her old habits.

Eldest Sister had business to attend to as well, so she quickly confirmed the group’s official statement with Cao Cheng.

The outside world is buzzing with noise, especially after the major incident involving John. If concrete evidence were to surface proving that Young Master Cao was behind it, Miracle Group could very well face waves of sanctions.

Even if, for argument’s sake, no evidence directly links Young Master Cao to the scheme, once John recovers, he will undoubtedly retaliate against Miracle Group in collaboration with others.

This is precisely what Eldest Sister fears most—and her concerns are entirely justified.

Young Master Cao understands this better than anyone, as he knows the true nature of those foreign devils far better than Eldest Sister does.

He’s also acutely aware of the political system in John’s country.

What’s particularly interesting is that the "old woman of the second generation" is still alive.

As the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a donkey.

Even now, when the sun has supposedly set on their empire, they still command obedience in many corners of the world—especially under the influence of that "old woman of the second generation."

Her death, in fact, will mark a turning point.

...

As someone who has lived through the next century, Young Master Cao knows all too well the significance of this old woman’s existence.

At present, most people may not feel its weight.

Even when she kicks the bucket in a couple of years, many won’t notice much of a difference.

But looking back a decade or two from the future, it will become clear that the true sunset of their empire began the moment this old woman died.

Or rather,

her entire life bore witness to the slow, inevitable decline of the sun, until it finally sank below the horizon with her last breath. Her departure marked the moment this once-great empire lost its final glimmer of light and fortune.

Many historians of later generations believe she embodied the last vestiges of her nation’s vitality. While she lived, the empire might have clung to life; once she was gone, its fate was sealed.

...

However...

Cao Cheng smirked. "If we’re worried they’ll recover and retaliate, then we just have to make sure they never recover."

Eldest Sister stared at him in surprise.

Cao Cheng continued, "Don’t worry—they won’t recover. Their healthcare system relies heavily on our cooperation. They practically beg for our medicine. If I cut off their supply, that old woman won’t last two years."

"..."

Eldest Sister opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.

Should she call him arrogant?

Or something else?

But upon reflection, his logic was sound.

Miracle Medical is currently at the peak of its influence, collaborating with numerous hospitals and even social insurance programs. Their targeted therapies are priced affordably, truly serving the people and the nation.

Exports remain limited, as priority is given to domestic needs.

As for curing cancer outright, there’s a way—nanotherapy—but it requires specialized drugs and involves a waiting list.

It’s not cheap, but considering the possibility of full recovery, the cost isn’t exorbitant.

...

Despite minimal direct exports, wealthy and powerful figures abroad have still managed to establish connections with Miracle Medical through back channels.

As long-term partners,

they’ve paid hefty sums.

Take that old woman, for example.

Last year, she even used Miracle Medical’s "health supplements." Though not the legendary elixirs capable of restoring youth, they at least kept her in decent health.

Over the past year, Ren's mother has made several public appearances.

Her photographed condition appears even better than the previous year, which naturally sparked quite a bit of speculation.

Later, rumors circulated that her improved health was due to collaboration with Miracle Medical.

Truth be told,

if Young Master Cao were to cut off her medication, she might not drop dead immediately, but she probably wouldn’t last much longer.

Especially the psychological toll—it would accelerate her physical decline faster than before.

A person’s mindset matters greatly.