The eighth day since the top-ranked "Fourth Sister" arrived.
I’m sick of her!
Early in the morning, the two sisters were about to leave.
Just like last time, they only stayed for a week—probably because they still had things to attend to back home.
There was a hint of reluctance.
And another invitation was extended.
Similar to last time.
Ren Yuege complained, muttering, "Honestly, what’s the point of you staying here alone? Why not come to Zhonghai with us? My mom hasn’t met you yet. Last time we had dinner, she kept saying she wanted to see you."
Though Ren Yushang didn’t voice her complaints as openly, she nodded in agreement, confirming it was true.
But Young Master Cao shook his head with a smile. "Who says I have nothing to do? I’m busy."
"Busy with what? Playing chess and mahjong again after we leave?" Ren Yuege frowned, casting a slightly resentful glance at Cao Cheng.
Nonsense.
Cao Cheng had way more options now—why would he waste time on mahjong or chess?
Wouldn’t it be better to work at a medical spa as a masseur?
Call me: Top-tier Massage Therapist.
"Here."
"A little gift for you. It’s not worth much, but it’s a token of my heart—I made it myself."
Cao Cheng handed her a small gift box.
"What is it?"
"Open it when you get back. Have a safe trip."
Before they left, there was a warm, sibling-like hug.
Physical closeness had almost become a habit—after all, he gave her massages every day.
As Ren Yuege often said, Cao Cheng was her personal TCM specialist, so a daily massage was essential for good sleep.
Still reluctant.
But eventually, they left.
He waved as the taillights of their car faded into the distance.
...
Inside the car.
The driver was at the wheel.
The two sisters sat in the back of the business vehicle.
A somewhat heavy silence lingered.
Both were reluctant to part.
Until Ren Yuege casually opened the gift box.
The box itself was laughable—clearly not new, probably dug out from some forgotten corner, dusted off, and reused.
It felt half-hearted.
If this were given to anyone else, they’d probably toss it aside in disgust.
Ren Yuege grumbled, "That little brat really couldn’t be bothered, huh? Couldn’t even get a new box? Would it kill him? If it weren’t for the fact that he made it himself, and that he’s like a brother to me, I’d have thrown this box out without even looking inside."
Ren Yushang stifled a laugh.
She knew the fourth sister was just putting on a tough front.
Maybe talking like this helped ease the sadness of parting.
"Huh?"
"What’s this?"
"A wood carving?"
"Wow..."
Ren Yuege opened the small box, froze for a second, and then was utterly stunned.
She picked up the small figurine.
It wasn’t big—just the size of a palm.
But it was exquisitely detailed. The facial expression was lifelike, and the figure wore ancient-style robes, beautifully rendered.
The craftsmanship was incredible—even the folds of the skirt seemed to flutter in a breeze.
The tassels and accessories on the clothing looked almost alive.
And especially... the face.
One glance was enough to recognize who it was.
Those eyes—
Damn, this is perfection!
"Is this me?"
"It’s you."
"It’s so accurate! How did he manage to carve twins so distinctly that you can tell who’s who at a glance?"
"He made it himself."
Ren Yuege was floored. That little brat seemed to be good at everything!
And not just good—exceptionally skilled.
Ren Yuege: "He knows woodworking too?"
Third Sister Ren Yushang replied softly, "He dabbles."
"..."
Ren Yuege shot her a look. "You’ve gotten worse!"
"Hahaha." Ren Yushang burst out laughing, probably imagining Cao Cheng’s smug face when he said "I dabble."
Ren Yuege snorted. "Why didn’t you laugh like this at his place? You’re such a closet goofball."
"You’re the goofball." Ren Yushang giggled and poked her sister’s waist.
Ren Yuege squirmed away. "Ah! Stop! If you keep messing around, I’ll tell that little brat how fake you are."
"Hmph!" Ren Yushang stopped immediately.
Then,
They divided the gifts.
Just as Cao Cheng had said—not expensive, but full of heart.
They had spent almost every moment with Cao Cheng these past few days, yet they had no idea when he’d found the time to carve these.
Probably while hiding in his room.
It must have taken serious effort.
This wasn’t something whipped up in an hour—it required real dedication.
They’d owned plenty of handmade items before—Su embroidery, handwoven carpets, custom-tailored clothes... They knew true craftsmanship was the real luxury.
Top-tier handmade goods were priceless.
Sometimes, they were impossible to buy, no matter how much money you had.
Time-consuming. Labor-intensive.
Compared to the gifts they’d given him, Cao Cheng’s present was far more "valuable."
In a way, it was beyond price.
Because what they’d bought for him, anyone could buy.
But these carvings? One of a kind.
This gift had struck right at their hearts.
Plus, it was a handheld piece—something they could fiddle with endlessly, growing more polished and beautiful over time.
"Why only two?"
"He should’ve carved a family portrait. Imagine how stunning that’d look displayed at home."
Ren Yuege mused aloud.
Ren Yushang rolled her eyes. "He put real thought into this. He’s never met Eldest Sister, Second Sister, or Mom—how could he carve something this detailed without reference? Don’t be ungrateful."
"I’m not ungrateful! I just think it’s a shame."
"A shame? They’ll meet eventually. Then we’ll have the full family set."
The sisters cherished the idea of "family" deeply.
So they began imagining the day when a complete family portrait carving would exist—including one of that little brat, Cao Cheng.
Something to look at whenever they missed home.
...
Mid-September.
Cao Cheng found himself drowning in an ocean of online flame wars.
After the sisters left, his "income" took a nosedive—unavoidable, really.
It wasn’t like he could actually become a masseur, right?
Massaging rich, overweight women?
If they were at least attractive, fine—but how many of those existed?
And the ones who were? Usually greasy.
No way was he massaging men either.
So,
After the sisters left, Cao Cheng turned his attention to the stock market, the Dafa Forum, and various local online boards and subforums.
In no time,
The internet’s amateur investors became aware of an outrageously arrogant newcomer.
Self-proclaimed: Stock God Aotian.
He looked down on everyone, acting like he was the hottest thing since sliced bread—pissing off countless seasoned investors.
And the flame wars? Back and forth.
Victory or defeat depended entirely on that day’s market performance.
For example:
Today,
The index broke past the eternally stagnant 1600s, surging to 1700! A 1.86% rise!
Stock God Aotian went wild—replying to every critic, mocking them into silence.
Then came the weekend—two days of rest.
Monday: Another 0.69% rise. More gloating.
Tuesday: Up 0.13%—opponents began counterattacking.
Wednesday: Down 0.16%—all his enemies emerged to trash-talk Stock God Aotian.
Thursday: Up 0.49%—Aotian fired back.
Friday: Major drop.
Another weekend passed.
Monday: Still in the red.
Tuesday, still in the red.
Three consecutive days of losses, yet all the retail investors were thrilled, directing their attacks at Cao Cheng as negative sentiment skyrocketed.
Cao Cheng was amused but also baffled by their mentality. The market’s down—aren’t you losing money? Why so happy?
What a bunch of fools!
This is a sickness—it needs treatment!

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?

to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”

m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!

his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…