“Sister-in-Law” Literature and the Greedy Father’s Ambition

“Of course.”

Seeing Xuezhen soften, Cheng Shi’s mood brightened considerably. “Is there anything I can’t give you?” He didn’t miss the chance to take a dig at Qi Suichuan. “Following me is the only way to have real fun. If you go to Qi Suichuan, you’ll bored to death.”

“So,” Cheng Shi reached out his hand toward Xuezhen, his grey-blue eyes burning with intensity as they locked onto the youth. “You can’t reject me again.” As long as you’re obedient, I’ll treat you very well.

Finally, under his gaze, Tang Xuezhen extended his hand. His slender, lily-white fingertips landed lightly in Cheng Shi’s palm. “Then you can’t lie to me.”

As Xuezhen and Cheng Shi walked out together, they happened to run into Tang Jia, who had been looking for him. Tang Jia was a seasoned “old ginger”—slick and always wearing a smile that left no room for criticism. Meeting Cheng Shi, he put on a kind, fatherly expression. “Young Master Cheng is here too?”

Cheng Shi didn’t particularly care for him, offering only a lukewarm hum in response. He kept his grip on Xuezhen’s hand, his large, tanned hand enveloping the youth’s much thinner wrist as if staking a claim of ownership.

“This is…?” Tang Jia was momentarily unsure of Cheng Shi’s intentions. He remembered this boy as hot-tempered and blunt; why was he acting so protective now? And toward his stepson…

Tang Jia cast an inquisitive glance at Xuezhen. Xuezhen, in turn, looked at Cheng Shi.

Predictably, Cheng Shi took over the explanation. “It’s nothing,” he said, showing little patience for the old man. “We ran into each other while getting some fresh air. We realized we have a lot in common, so we plan to spend more time together. Does Uncle Tang have an objection?”

By throwing the question back at him, Cheng Shi left Tang Jia no room to refuse. Tang Jia chuckled. “My boy isn’t very accomplished. It’s his good fortune that he caught your eye.”

Cheng Shi didn’t agree. “Accomplished? What’s the point of that?” He looked every bit the idle playboy. “Uncle Tang, you shouldn’t demand too much of him, or you might end up with nothing at all.”

Their eyes met. Tang Jia’s cloudy eyes froze for a second.

Cheng Shi’s reputation was well-known—he was seen as rebellious, stubborn, and obsessed with play. Compared to Qi Suichuan, they were worlds apart. As the rivalry between the Qi and Cheng families intensified, the pressure on smaller families to pick a side grew. Tang Jia had cautiously sided with Qi, but his strategy was always to remain neutral where possible, merely instructing his children to get close to both heirs.

He had worried Xuezhen would mess things up, but looking at them now, it seemed his stepson had succeeded brilliantly. It wasn’t in vain that he had raised this “little burden” with the best of everything.

Tang Jia’s mind whirled with calculations, but his face remained smiling. “True. But this child has been spoiled by his mother and isn’t very bright. You’ll have to be patient with him.”

Cheng Shi snorted. “Is that so?” He looked at Tang Xuezhen, who was standing there with wide, innocent eyes as if none of this concerned him, and finally let go of his hand.

“Alright, it’s late.” Cheng Shi turned to Xuezhen. “Go back with Uncle Tang. I’ll find you tomorrow when I’m free.” He pulled Xuezhen’s phone from his pocket, pressed the boy’s finger to the sensor to unlock it, and pinned his own chat window to the top.

“Keep in touch.” Cheng Shi resumed his usual nonchalant air, tucked the phone back, and even took a moment to straighten Xuezhen’s slightly messy collar. Seeing Xuezhen nod, he smiled with satisfaction and turned to leave.

Xuezhen brushed off non-existent dust from his clothes. His cheap stepfather was still standing there, brow furrowed, seemingly stunned by the scene. “Dad?” Xuezhen blinked. “Aren’t we going back?”

Tang Jia snapped out of it. “Yes, yes, we’re going.” He beamed, looking at Xuezhen with newfound “affection.” “You must be tired today. Rest at home tonight. How is that apartment near the school? Do you want to move to a bigger one?”

Giving gifts for no reason, Xuezhen muttered to 886, his expression unchanged. “It’s fine. It’s plenty big for just me.”

Tang Jia tutted. He tapped on his screen and sent a transfer to Xuezhen. “Then Dad will send you some more pocket money. When you’re out with the Cheng boy, make sure to present yourself well.”

Behind Tang Jia’s back, Xuezhen twitched his lips. This NPC is even more of a gold-digger than I am.

In the car, Li Nana was absent, reportedly having met friends at the banquet for a card game that would last until dawn. Tang Jia took Xuezhen home alone. Being older, Tang Jia was showing his fatigue, leaning back to rest, yet he remained strangely excited.

He had always been a businessman first. While he treated his stepson well enough, he never intended for Xuezhen to touch the family business. He watched Xuezhen now, who was boredly playing with his phone. The youth’s curls were a bit messy, a stubborn cowlick sticking up, and his pale cheeks were flushed from the lingering heat.

Tang Jia knew his stepson was beautiful—and lazy, with a penchant for luxury shopping. Since he couldn’t let him run the business, a marriage alliance was the perfect use for him. He knew his own son, Tang Zhan, was incompetent; if he didn’t find a powerful “in-law” to protect the family, Tang Zhan would be swindled out of his inheritance within weeks of Tang Jia’s death.

Until today, he hadn’t found the right match. But Cheng Shi’s behavior was a revelation. The boy had basically warned Tang Jia not to send Xuezhen to the Qi family, implying a certain level of possessiveness.

Tang Jia wasn’t going to let this chance slip by. He rubbed his temples, a new thought budding: If Cheng Shi is interested, what about others?

886 hovered in the cool air of the car. “Host,” the fat bird chirped, “this NPC is looking at you and laughing in a very ‘crude’ way!”

Xuezhen: “?” He lifted an eyelid. “Where did you learn that word?”

The little bird puffed out its chest proudly. “886 has been catching up on world knowledge! For efficiency, I’ve accessed this world’s internet interface!” The system began displaying its “results” to Xuezhen. “To better assist the host in dating the Dragon Aotian protagonist, I have read the most popular novels and dramas!”

Xuezhen had a bad feeling. “Wait…?”

A string of titles appeared before his eyes:

• The Evil King’s Pursuit: 99 Desertions, Where is My Little Bride Running?

• After Rebirth, I Married My Ex’s Father

• The Brother Steals the Elder Brother’s Wife: Sister-in-Law, You Smell So Sweet

• One Birth, 888 Babies: I Cured the Protagonist’s Infertility

Xuezhen: “…” He rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. What kind of data had 886 downloaded? He thought the system had just been quiet; he didn’t realize it was slacking off with this!

886 struck while the iron was hot, flying around the car. “Host! I’ve designed a plan for the protagonist! We can take the ‘dog-blood drama’ route. You can date the NPC Cheng Shi first, making it a case of ‘don’t touch a friend’s lover,’ and then when it’s the protagonist’s turn, we can do ‘The Brother Steals the Wife!’ ‘Sister-in-law’ literature is very popular!”

Xuezhen couldn’t listen anymore. He snatched the fat bird out of the air. 886’s bead-like eyes were full of confusion.

Xuezhen said tonelessly, “Just delete the data.” He realized he preferred the old 886 who asked him everything. He leaned back, sighing. “886, when you collect data, remember that I am from the Villain Department. Don’t turn me into some tragic ‘Little White Flower’ character.”

He was a villain. Even if he had to date the protagonist, he was going to be the one playing with the protagonist’s heart, not the other way around.