At this moment, Su Jianguo smiled.
Lin Ran’s earlier address of "grandma" had nearly brought her to tears.
When she first learned that Lin Ran’s wife was Luo Yao, she had been somewhat worried.
She feared that her unfortunate grandson might have married Luo Yao for materialistic reasons, but now it seemed her concerns were unfounded.
Seeing Luo Yao’s demeanor, she knew Luo Yao must truly love Lin Ran.
"Granddaughter-in-law, don’t be upset. We won’t take Xiao Ran away from you. On the contrary, since you’re his wife, you’re now part of our family. As your grandmother, I’d like to give you a gift."
With that, Su Jianguo took off a remarkably smooth jade bracelet from her wrist and handed it to Luo Yao on the spot.
"This bracelet was originally meant for Xiao Ran’s mother, but now that’s no longer possible. Today, I’ll pass it to you on her behalf. From now on, you are the Chen family’s granddaughter-in-law. If Xiao Ran ever mistreats you, just tell me."
Luo Yao stared blankly at Su Jianguo’s actions, remaining silent the entire time.
A strange feeling stirred in her heart—something unfamiliar.
Luo Yao was certain she had never experienced this emotion before.
Chen Qingtian eagerly grabbed Luo Yao’s arm, and Luo Yao instinctively radiated a chilling aura of hostility.
But Chen Qingtian paid no mind, instead widening her eyes and asking excitedly,
"Sister-in-law, what skincare brand do you use? Your complexion is flawless! Please tell me, pretty please?"
Chen Qingtian’s enthusiasm left Luo Yao momentarily stunned.
"I… use products from my pharmaceutical company."
Luo Yao’s light makeup was nothing short of perfection, so much so that even Chen Qingtian couldn’t help but envy her.
Chen Zhima also leaned in closer—it seemed the Chen family had a natural talent for breaking social barriers.
Lin Ran recalled how Chen Qingtian had boldly asked him to dance at their first meeting, even giving Wu Zhishang an impromptu lesson on the spot.
Now, it was clear that like attracts like.
Still, Lin Ran didn’t dislike this dynamic.
As the group entered the hotel together, Luo Yao’s usual icy demeanor began to crack under their warmth.
Had they not been Lin Ran’s family, she would have lost her temper long ago.
Inside the private dining room, the family toasted one after another, offering Lin Ran blessings as they clinked glasses.
Lin Ran, however, stuck to water—he was afraid of getting drunk and ending up tied down by Luo Yao again. The trauma was real.
The Chen family didn’t mind; they had no rigid drinking customs.
Throughout the meal, no one brought up Lin Ran’s mother. With younger relatives present, some topics were best left unspoken.
Besides, Lin Ran had already learned about the feud between Chen Xiao and his daughter through Chen Qingtian, while Chen Xiao had heard of his daughter’s hardships from Lin Ran.
They all silently agreed to set aside the painful subject for now, leaving it for another time.
"Xiao Ran, your grandfather mentioned you’ve started a real estate company? If you ever run into trouble, let me know. Your uncle here knows a few people in construction," Chen Nianlun offered.
Lin Ran politely declined, "No need to trouble yourself, Uncle. If anything happens, my wife will handle it."
The response left Chen Nianlun speechless.
Right—his wife was Luo Yao, after all.
No matter how accomplished Chen Nianlun was, he couldn’t compare to the world’s top financial powerhouse.
"Xiao Ran, didn’t you also start a media company? If you ever need help with approvals, come to me. Your aunt has connections in the broadcasting bureau," Chen Zhima chimed in.
"My wife can handle it."
Chen Zhima paused, realizing her own awkward position.
Seriously, with Luo Yao as his wife, what problems could he possibly have?
If anything, others should be worried about him causing trouble for them.
"Xiao Ran, your cousin here… never mind, I’m even less useful than them," Chen Qingtian sighed.
Lin Ran’s eyes sparkled with an idea.
"Cousin, you actually can help me. I’m planning to shoot a short drama and need a lead actress. How about a guest role?"
"A lead role as a guest?"
Just then, Chen Nianshi interjected, "Qingtian, didn’t you say you were a free agent in the entertainment industry? Why not sign with your cousin’s company?"
Lin Ran’s eyes lit up, and he quickly flattered,
"That’d be perfect! Cousin, you’re the most beautiful star in the industry. Having you join would be an honor."
Chen Qingtian waved her hands bashfully.
"Oh, stop it… Haha, is that really how people see me? Hahaha!"
Lin Ran nudged Wu Zhishang.
Wu Zhishang: Why’d you poke me?
Lin Ran: Are you stupid? Recruit her!
Wu Zhishang immediately caught on.
"Ah, yes, yes! That’s exactly what we were thinking! I’m actually your fan! If you joined, I’d be so happy I’d slap myself awake at night to make sure it wasn’t a dream!"
Chen Qingtian was floating on cloud nine from the praise but still hadn’t confirmed whether she’d join.
Lin Ran sighed and shrugged helplessly.
She was an A-list celebrity, after all, while his media company was just starting out. It made sense if she declined.
Unexpectedly, Chen Qingtian casually said, "Sure, why not? I’ve been drifting around lately anyway. But I don’t come cheap."
Lin Ran immediately assured her, "No problem. Money’s my wife’s department. She’s got more than she knows what to do with—heck, I’m living off her."
Chen Qingtian’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Luo Yao. She desperately wanted to be a woman like her.
And so, the deal was happily settled.
Luo Yao gave Lin Ran a surprised glance. She hadn’t expected him to openly admit, "I’m living off my wife," without hesitation.
As for Lin Ran’s thoughts? He wanted the world to know—he was a kept man, and proud of it.
He adored everything about Luo Yao, and if Luo Yao loved providing for him, he’d let her. He wanted her to feel indispensable to him.
The Chen family, however, showed no disdain. If anything, they were envious.
The line of people wishing to live off Luo Yao’s wealth probably stretched all the way to France.
The fact that their Xiao Ran had managed it was something others could only dream of.
The meal was a joyous occasion for everyone—even Luo Yao found herself warming up to the Chen family.
But her goodwill came with a condition: they’d better not steal Lin Ran’s affection from her.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t hesitate to turn on them.
If she said she’d make the whole family disappear, she meant it.
After dinner, Lin Ran asked Wu Zhishang to take Chen Qingtian to the company to sign the contract.
Chen Qingtian pouted. "In such a hurry?"
Lin Ran replied matter-of-factly, "Of course. What if you change your mind?"
Wu Zhishang nodded eagerly. "Exactly! Having the industry’s top beauty join us? Just thinking about it makes me giddy!"
"Top beauty?"
"Absolutely!"
"And what did you call me last time?"
Wu Zhishang immediately raised his hands in surrender. "I’m a dog of a man who can’t speak—only bark!"
Chen Qingtian finally smiled again but then dropped a bombshell that left Wu Zhishang frozen in place.
"Wu Zhishang… you’re not in love with me, are you?"
"Me? N-no!"
"Good. Don’t. It’s pointless—because I’d kill you."
Wu Zhishang fell into a long, stunned silence.
Meanwhile, Lin Ran bid farewell to the Chen family, ready to leave with Luo Yao.
"Yaoyao, Grandma really adores you. Please come visit more often. And thank you for looking after Xiaoran all these years."
"To the world, Aran might be a handful. But to me, he is my entire world."
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
