Ren Yushang didn’t go to pick them up at the station.
Mainly because her mom didn’t let her.
Her mom had asked her to tidy up a room—after all, they couldn’t leave it to the second sister, could they?
As for the eldest sister, she was still at work and would return by noon.
Meanwhile, their mom and Old Cao were busy preparing a home-cooked meal.
It was practically a high-profile reception.
……
Ren Yushang also had her own agenda—she chose a guest room close to her own space, within her personal zone, and a bit farther from the other three sisters.
Once the room was ready,
Ren Yushang went downstairs to help in the living room.
Her second sister, Ren Fanxing, sat cross-legged on the sofa, her long legs folded, a jug of liquor beside her.
When she wasn’t working, drinking was her favorite pastime.
She never got drunk.
In fact, it sharpened her mind, enhancing her speed, agility in combat, and even her endurance.
“Sis, would you like any fruit?” Ren Yushang asked softly as she approached.
Ren Fanxing glanced at her. “You seem happy. Is it because that kid’s coming?”
“No!” Ren Yushang replied, a hint of guilt in her voice, surprised that her sister’s detective-like instincts had picked up on her excitement despite her efforts to hide it.
“Hmph.”
Ren Fanxing scoffed, not pressing further, but muttered, “I don’t get why you’re so thrilled. And Mom’s going overboard—do we really need this much fuss? Everyone’s mobilized except for the eldest sister, who’s at work. This kind of treatment… does he even deserve it?”
“Second sis,”
Ren Yushang soothed, “Uncle Cao and Mom have been together for half a year now. This is our first time meeting her son—it’s only right we make it special.”
“Her son? I don’t acknowledge him.” Ren Fanxing’s mood soured at the memory of past incidents.
“Whether you acknowledge him or not, we still have to respect Mom’s wishes.”
Knowing she had a point,
Ren Fanxing opened her mouth but only let out a frustrated sigh. “Go do your thing. Cut me some avocado, light on soy sauce, extra wasabi.”
“Got it, sis.” Ren Yushang headed to the kitchen.
……
Not long after,
the eldest sister, Ren Chenxi, returned home in her professional attire—a pantsuit and blazer, switching into slippers that revealed a hint of stockings.
In this household, she was the one who outwardly resembled their mother the most—a true businesswoman.
Placing her bag aside, Ren Chenxi frowned. “You’re drinking again?”
“I’m in a bad mood. What’s wrong with a drink?” Ren Fanxing, emboldened by the alcohol, retorted—something she wouldn’t dare do sober.
Ren Chenxi warned, “Mom’s in a good mood today. Don’t ruin it for her. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter if you’re a squad leader or a police chief—I’ll deal with you.”
“……”
Ren Fanxing exhaled sharply. “First, third sis lectures me, now you. Do I even have a place in this family? Should I just leave?”
Ren Chenxi chuckled, her tone affectionate yet scolding. “Stop playing the victim. In this house, everyone might argue with you—except for third sis. If anything, you’re the one bullying her.”
Hearing this,
Ren Fanxing grinned and let out a tipsy hiccup.
Ren Chenxi waved away the liquor fumes and snatched the jug. “Enough. You’re already drunk.”
“I’ve never been drunk!” Ren Fanxing protested, reaching for it. “Give it back. I need it for my avocado.”
“You alcoholic. How did you even pick up this habit? Get a health check soon—don’t wreck yourself.” Concern laced Ren Chenxi’s voice.
“I don’t get drunk,” Ren Fanxing insisted.
“Doesn’t mean it’s not damaging. The less drunk you feel, the more you drink. Be good and listen.”
“Fine… but hey, don’t take it all! Just a little more…”
……
Twenty minutes later,
a BMW pulled into the mansion’s driveway.
For Cao Cheng, this was his first glimpse of true luxury.
Despite living a century in his dreams, those years were spent as an ordinary man in modest surroundings.
Even the futuristic homes of later generations paled in comparison to this.
“We’re here, stinky little brother. Get out.”
“Yes, fragrant little sister.”
Cao Cheng stepped out.
Earlier, Ren Yuege had suggested stopping to buy gifts—proper etiquette for a first visit.
But Cao Cheng assured her his backpack already held presents, saving them half an hour.
“Where’s the gift? Take it out already—don’t leave it in the bag.”
“Sure.”
Cao Cheng opened his backpack, transferring his spare clothes into his storage space.
From there, he retrieved a pound of [Fragrant Tea].
This would suffice as a gift.
And he had plenty to spare.
Honestly, he’d never finish it all!
“Purple tea?”
“This much?”
Ren Yuege’s eyes lit up.
“Yep. Took me forever to get this—a whole pound. Didn’t even dare drink it myself.” Cao Cheng fibbed.
“This is too extravagant.”
Ren Yuege knew its worth.
Though she often joked about wanting half a pound,
even a few grams would’ve satisfied her.
Moreover,
she remembered how highly their mom had praised the small batch she’d received—calling it priceless.
A full pound wasn’t just about money—it could trade for countless favors.
“First visit, gotta impress Aunt Ren. The rest is for you all to share.” Cao Cheng completely forgot about Old Cao.
Did Old Cao even drink tea?
Probably not.
“Thanks, stinky little brother.”
“No problem, fragrant little sister.”
“Ugh—”
Ren Yuege’s gratitude vanished as she pinched his ear. “Last warning—behave in front of my family, or I’ll twist this ear right off. Understood?”
“Alright, alright! Let go, let’s talk this out…”
Truthfully, she never pinched hard.
But Cao Cheng always played along, pretending it hurt—just like teasing his three-year-old granddaughter in his dreams, making her giggle endlessly…
After a few minutes of bickering,
they reached an agreement.
Then, carrying the tea, they took the elevator up from the garage.
They swapped shoes in the foyer before opening the heavy security door.
The mansion had four grand entrances, not counting the courtyard gate.
A display of opulence.
Living here, one could easily get lost.
“Second sis!”
As they stepped inside,
Ren Yuege spotted the woman on the sofa and greeted her sweetly.
Ren Fanxing turned, her gaze sliding past Ren Yuege to land on Cao Cheng.
Her eyes were sharp as blades, piercing straight through him.
A bit fierce, huh?
Expression-wise, that is.
Not anatomically.
But credit where it’s due—the Ren family’s genes were impeccable. Stunning, really.
Almost as good as our dear Cao Cheng’s.
Tsk, tsk, tsk!
Ren Yuege tugged Cao Cheng’s sleeve subtly, whispering without moving her lips, “Say hello. This is second sis.”
Cao Cheng grinned. “Hey there, beautiful.”
“……”
“……”
He did it on purpose—just to test the waters…
What is a critical hit?
What the hell is a goddamn critical hit!
What the hell do you even call a goddamn critical hit!
Besides, with such a hostile expression, it’s obvious they’re not welcoming. Why should Cao Cheng insist on kissing ass where he’s clearly not wanted?
If the relationship isn’t harmonious, might as well burn it to the ground.
Love or hate—pick a side.
The most terrifying relationship? Indifference.
[Ding~ Negative Emotion 3002]
This explosive?
This trip was totally worth it!
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
