The Wang father and son arrived.
Boss Wang showed obvious signs of aging—slightly plump, dressed in a traditional Chinese suit, spinning a string of beads in his hand. He clasped his hands together and said, "Boss Ren, wishing you an early Happy New Year. May prosperity follow you!"
Wang Haodong trailed behind his father, flashing his two large, gleaming white teeth while carrying a pile of expensive gifts.
"Boss Wang, Happy New Year to you too! Please, come in. And Haodong, you’re looking more handsome by the day," Aunt Ren greeted warmly, exchanging pleasantries.
Boss Wang laughed heartily. "This son of mine has been—"
"Holy shit, what are you doing here?" Before Boss Wang could finish, Wang Haodong blurted out in shock, his words laced with profanity.
"..."
"..."
The moment the words left his mouth, Wang Haodong knew he was in deep trouble. Sure enough, his father’s expression darkened.
So rude.
Swearing right after entering someone’s home?
Looking for a beating?
It’s the New Year—don’t make me slap you!
"Dad, I’m sorry! I was just—just joking around with my bro here," Wang Haodong stammered, quickly retreating to Cao Cheng’s side, his tongue practically tied in knots.
Cao Cheng gave him a sidelong glance. Who the hell is your bro? I’m your damn daddy.
Boss Wang studied the unfamiliar young man beside his son, his anger slightly subsiding. "And this is...?"
Aunt Ren smiled and introduced, "I was just about to introduce him. This is my son."
Of course, Boss Wang already knew.
The circle was small—even if they hadn’t met before, he’d heard about Boss Ren bringing her son around to various gatherings lately.
Still, he feigned surprise.
Then he laughed again. "Wonderful, wonderful! This young man looks exceptional—clearly a cut above my own son. Congratulations, Boss Ren. With such fine children, you’re truly blessed."
Aunt Ren beckoned. "Xiao Cheng, come here. Let me introduce you. This is Boss Wang—you can call him Uncle Wang..."
"Hello, Uncle Wang."
"Good, good... Hello, Xiao Cheng."
Boss Wang smiled, then shot another glare at Wang Haodong before turning back to Cao Cheng with a grin.
"Xiao Cheng, you know my son?"
"We’ve met before. As for our relationship—"
"We’re tight," Wang Haodong cut in eagerly. "Best bros."
Cao Cheng nodded with a faint smile.
Boss Wang chuckled. "That’s good, that’s good..."
Soon, Old Cao made an appearance.
As the nominal "head of the household"—though his authority was more symbolic—he was still one of the two men in the family. Being of the same generation as Boss Wang, he and Aunt Ren sat down with him for tea, exchanging auspicious New Year’s greetings.
Meanwhile, the younger generation chatted among themselves.
...
Wang Haodong’s eyes darted around furtively, his disappointment evident when he didn’t spot the Ren twins.
Leaning closer to Cao Cheng, he whispered slyly,
"Heh heh heh~~~ Is Yushang not home?"
"When did you get your teeth fixed?"
"..."
[Ding~ Negative emotions +502]
Stop bringing up the damn teeth.
Suppressing his irritation, Wang Haodong recalled his butler’s advice and decided to take a different approach.
Lowering his voice, he said, "Kid, first time in Zhonghai, right? After the New Year, I’ll take you to some fun spots—guaranteed excitement. All kinds of girls, whatever you’re into..."
Cao Cheng gasped in mock shock. "What? You’re inviting me to a brothel?"
Damn it.
Could you phrase it any worse?
No class at all, huh?
Such an elegant pastime, and you make it sound so vulgar.
Wang Haodong cursed inwardly but nodded anyway, wiggling his eyebrows. "So? Don’t worry, it’s all clean and safe—full health checks. We’ll take a yacht out to sea. My treat. But in exchange, you gotta help me—"
"Wang Haodong."
A sharp voice cut through the air.
Wang Haodong nearly jumped out of his skin.
Ren Yuege had appeared out of nowhere, silent as a ghost.
Like a mother hen shielding her chick, she stepped between Cao Cheng and Wang Haodong, glaring daggers.
Wang Haodong froze.
"Uh, I—I was just kidding. Heh, heh heh..."
"Get lost."
Ren Yuege shielded Cao Cheng. "If you dare corrupt my little brother, you’ll regret it."
"No, no, I swear it was a joke... My bad."
"Save your apologies. You know exactly what kind of person you are. Don’t talk to my brother again." Without another word, she grabbed Cao Cheng’s hand and dragged him away.
Hand in hand.
So unfair!
Wang Haodong’s envy spiked as he watched them, his negative emotions skyrocketing.
Seriously?
Holding hands?
Where’s the dignity? The restraint?
This is just cruel!
His eyes burned with jealousy.
Come on!
Didn’t you see how excited your precious brother looked just now?
If you hadn’t interrupted, we’d probably be on a yacht by tonight.
And you think he’s some innocent angel?
Pfft!
...
Cao Cheng was sulking too.
He’d been getting hyped up before Ren Yuege ruined everything.
So annoying.
We were just talking about yachts—not some scandalous party. What’s the big deal?
Ren Yuege led him to the backyard.
The fourth sister scowled and warned, "Stay away from Wang Haodong from now on."
Cao Cheng blinked innocently. "But he’s not a bad guy. He just wanted to show me around Zhonghai, help me fit in—like how you’re taking me to the City God Temple. Just experiencing the local culture, you know?"
"..."
Ren Yuege snorted. "Cut the act. You know exactly what he meant."
"I really don’t. I grew up in a factory town—I’m clueless about these things."
"Tch!"
She rolled her eyes. Though she’d never personally been involved in such circles, she’d heard enough from others.
The scene there was wild.
Her second sister had warned the family’s girls to steer clear of those places—nothing good ever came from them.
"Whether you’re pretending or not, I don’t care. Stay away from him. Second sis said those places are disasters waiting to happen."
"Disasters waiting to happen? Then I’ll just go at noon."
"??"
Ren Yuege smacked him lightly, half-amused, half-exasperated. "Stop being a smartass. Come on, help me with the barbecue."
"Fine."
The backyard was set up for a BBQ.
The eldest sister was at work.
The second sister was on duty.
Only the third and fourth sisters were home.
With Aunt Ren and Old Cao entertaining guests upfront, the girls weren’t needed.
If not for Aunt Ren wanting to introduce Cao Cheng to more people, he wouldn’t have had to socialize either.
...
The fourth sister fumed as she grilled, recounting the earlier incident to the third sister.
The third sister, usually gentle, turned grim.
She set down her tongs. "Keep an eye on this for me."
Then she marched off toward the main hall—clearly intending to give Wang Haodong a piece of her mind.
The third sister was the most protective of the family, even fiercer than the fourth.
But it took a lot to provoke her.
When Wang Haodong spotted Ren Yushang, he hesitated, trying to figure out which twin she was before confirming it was the third sister.
His face lit up.
He moved to cozy up to her.
But before he could lay on the charm, a chill ran down his spine.
Ren Yushang's face darkened, radiating an intense aura of negativity.
"Wang Haodong, where exactly are you planning to take my brother?"
"What? No, no way—don’t listen to rumors, I wasn’t…"
The elders nearby had already taken notice of the situation.
Wang Haodong broke out in a cold sweat instantly.
"My mistake, I’ll leave—I’ll leave right now!! I’m going, I’m going…"

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!" "......"

rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!

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?

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!