The Smile Is Gradually Becoming Somewhat Capitalized

The entire journey was filled with negative emotions.

Driving with the windows down!

At every traffic light, glances to the left and right revealed nothing but envy and resentment.

Zhonghai had way too many traffic lights, didn’t it?

So annoying.

People kept staring at him and Lingling beside him.

What, never seen a handsome guy and a beauty before?

Tch—

The attention followed them all the way to the hotel, where it continued unabated.

With Lingling standing there, her long legs were fair, fairer, and fairest…

And then there was her aura.

A piano prodigy, she exuded an innate elegance that had been ingrained in her since childhood.

When playing the piano, her posture was poised, her fingers nimble—exceptionally nimble.

Over time, this grace seeped into every gesture, every movement of her daily life.

In every smile, every step, every seated moment, elegance overflowed.

And there was also her intellect.

But the most striking thing was…

Amidst this elegance and intellect, there was also a youthful playfulness and charm.

She could be regal or sweet—utterly unstoppable!

Even Cao Cheng, this "old soul," felt a stirring in his heart.

The hotel was top-tier.

A presidential suite, complete with a piano inside.

What seemed like a casually chosen hotel and room had actually been meticulously researched and booked by Cao Cheng in advance.

Now that was what you called thoughtful.

Lingling wasn’t naive either; she could tell that Cheng-ge had arranged everything for her, and it made her heart swell with happiness.

Cao Cheng, being an "old soul," had a natural instinct for taking care of others—he paid attention to every little detail.

Later, he had Lingling call her grandmother to reassure her.

Cao Cheng even chatted with the old lady for a bit, telling her not to worry while she was in Sanjiang.

He also called Lao Si.

"Yue Ge-jie, I’ve arrived in Zhonghai… Yeah, staying at a hotel for now. No, it’s fine—you’re not home anyway, and I’d feel uneasy alone. Let’s wait till you’re back," Lingling replied softly.

The two sisters chatted for a while.

Then Lingling handed her bedazzled phone to Cao Cheng: "Ge, Yue Ge-jie wants to talk to you."

Phones back then were flashy.

A flip phone for women, covered in sparkly decorations.

Cao Cheng took the phone.

"Hey, Fourth Sis!"

"Call me ‘jiejie,’ you brat."

"Sweet little sis, hurry up and say what you need to say. I’m taking Lingling out to have fun soon."

The resentment on the other end was palpable.

Lao Si gritted her teeth: "Behave yourself, or don’t say I didn’t warn you."

"Behave how?" Cao Cheng feigned innocence, acting completely clueless.

"Don’t play dumb with me. Lingling’s naive and inexperienced—don’t you dare pull anything."

"What are you even talking about?" Cao Cheng pretended to be baffled.

"Do I really have to spell it out?"

Cao Cheng suddenly "realized": "Ohhh, you mean that? Come on, she’s like a little sister to me. Don’t be ridiculous, alright? I’ve never even thought about it. Lingling, come here!"

Lingling, standing nearby, blushed and responded.

Though she didn’t fully grasp their conversation, she could guess the gist from Cao Cheng’s tone.

"Lingling, from now on, don’t talk to your Yue Ge-jie. Her mind’s in the gutter—she’ll corrupt you. Got it?"

Lingling nodded repeatedly. "Got it."

"Delete her number after this call."

"Okay." Lingling giggled.

So obedient!

"You’re turning this around on me?" Lao Si was livid. If not for the distance, she’d have kicked him right then and there.

She was genuinely furious.

This was supposed to be a private conversation, but this jerk of a little brother had gone and told Lingling directly?

Wasn’t this just sowing discord?

"Just wait till I get back. You’re dead." Lao Si hung up in a huff.

As if she could actually do anything to Cao Cheng when she returned.

With her petite frame, she was no match for him.

What followed was just the usual sibling dynamic.

Mostly fun and games.

And, of course, collecting emotional energy along the way.

Here, we must mention Cao Cheng’s fashion sense—it was at least fifty years ahead of its time.

It was 2007, the peak of the "non-mainstream" trend. The internet was flooded with "Martian" text, and fashion was all about eccentricity—fishnet stockings, backless tops, denim, but… all of it tacky.

It wasn’t until three years later, around 2010, that the non-mainstream wave died out.

Girls began adopting more refined styles.

Color-blocking, vintage aesthetics, especially elegant dresses and little frocks—back then, that was considered "classy."

In Zhonghai dialect, they’d say: "Your outfit is so yangqi!"

Then came the era of stockings dominating fashion, until five years later, when New Victorian, minimalist, all-black, and lace styles took over.

Every five years marked a new trend—girls became increasingly skilled at expressing themselves.

Later on, it was white ankle socks, yoga pants, jeggings, skinny jeans, sporty figure-hugging athletic pants, and even stockings with comment-style prints...

Of course,

it all depended on age and body type.

With Lingling’s natural grace and figure, plus her youth, she didn’t need much embellishment. Cao Cheng simply dressed her in youthful, invincible white sneakers.

Still,

Cao Cheng, being an old soul at heart, was quite conservative—many areas were left covered. Lingling’s face alone could outshine any trendy outfit.

Collecting emotional energy was just a side benefit.

At this point, Cao Cheng no longer needed such methods to farm emotions.

They spent about two weeks enjoying themselves.

Piano practice wasn’t neglected either—Cao Cheng was meticulous in teaching Lingling everything he knew, and she absorbed it all quickly.

The 20th.

The male singing competition’s grand finale—the final two competing for the championship.

Tonight, the winner would be crowned.

Advertising revenue was confidential, but Lao Si estimated it at around thirty million.

Ever since Cao Cheng expressed interest in producing shows, Lao Si had started paying attention to things she’d previously ignored.

The company was officially registered, and Lao Si was using connections and capital to poach talent.

"Ge!"

Watching the livestream,

Lingling sat cross-legged on the sofa, leaning against Cao Cheng. Over these weeks, the two had grown even closer.

"Ge, who do you think will win tonight?"

"Xiao Chen, obviously," Cao Cheng said.

Lingling clapped, beaming. "That’s what I think too!"

Cao Cheng side-eyed her. "Why so happy? You like Xiao Chen? Are you a fan?"

"Not at all! I just think he’s better than the others," Lingling explained, a little flustered, as if afraid Cheng-ge might misunderstand.

Then, softly, she added, "I’m happy because… you and I think alike."

"..."

Cao Cheng chuckled and ruffled her hair.

He didn’t press further, turning his attention back to the show…

Chen Chusheng’s dominance in this competition was undeniable. Anyone could see he was half a step away from the title.

But…

From what he remembered, this guy’s career was doomed to turbulence.

As Xiangdong TV Station’s "golden boy," he’d be blacklisted within a year of debut.

And partly because of this, Zhang Jie, the "golden son-in-law," would end up with a flood of resources.

Still, he was worth supporting.

With his looks and aura, if not for those future scandals, he’d have easily become a top idol.

As for his character… or what was to come, well, wasn’t the future always changeable?

On one hand, there was money to be made.

On the other, emotional energy to harvest.

Once he blew up…

The company feeds off him, drinks him dry, leeches onto him, schedules him to the brim, and occasionally spreads news about him falling ill, collapsing from exhaustion, coughing up blood, losing drastic weight, or even needing emergency care for a cut finger.

Cao Cheng wouldn’t go that far, but the rumors could certainly be spun that way.

Wouldn’t the fans be furious?

As long as they don’t hit him…

Cao Cheng’s smile gradually took on a more capitalist edge.

Lingling lifted her chin. "Brother, what are you thinking about?"

"Tell me," Cao Cheng didn’t hide it, grinning. "What if I sign Chen Chusheng later?"

"That’s tough," Lingling shook her head. "Right now, every company has their eyes on him."

True.

He’s blazing hot right now.

But later… he’ll hit rock bottom!