Ch 27: After My Mother Returned to the Rich Family

Hearing the system’s robotic voice, Ren Qingqing’s eyes widened in shock, completely unable to believe her ears. Was the music teacher deaf? Ruan Cha, with just a suona and erhu, could actually beat her?

Originally, Ren Qingqing had been confident that, with Xu Shen teaming up with her, the music teacher would give her a higher score out of respect for him. She trusted Xu Shen’s skills so much that she hadn’t even bothered to rehearse in the days leading up to the performance.

But what she hadn’t anticipated was that during the performance, Xu Shen’s prominence would completely overshadow her, resulting in her own low score! Her mind flashed back to their conversation that morning at the school gate, and she seethed with anger.

“Why?! Why are you deducting both my points and my beauty value?! Strike me with lightning or make me run laps—anything but this!”

[Host, as stated in User Agreement p.98, when there’s a second score discrepancy of 10+ points, there’s a 30% chance of receiving the task’s negative backlash. Unfortunately, your probability was met.]

Ren Qingqing: “…”

Xu Shen, meanwhile, had left the auditorium after seeing Ruan Cha and Fu Chen’s duet. His mind was a bit unsettled, so he stepped outside to clear his head. After sitting in the breeze for a few minutes, he saw Ren Qingqing approaching him.

Was he happy to see her? Perhaps, a little.

As for the arts festival, he’d simply been too lazy to practice and didn’t want to form a team in the first place. In hindsight, he regretted snapping at Ren Qingqing two days ago.

Just as he finished sorting out his thoughts, he looked up at Ren Qingqing, intending to invite her to sit beside him. But as soon as he raised his head, he froze. “Ren Qingqing, your eyes look… smaller?”

No, smaller wasn’t quite right—there was something subtly off about her appearance. Having lived under the same roof, seeing each other every day, Xu Shen immediately noticed the difference.

Ren Qingqing jerked her head up, meeting Xu Shen’s gaze before quickly lowering her head in shame and fury. “Some sand got in my eyes, and I rubbed them swollen. Brother Shen, I have something urgent to do, so I can’t stay. Goodbye.”

With that, she turned and ran off, terrified that Xu Shen would see the changes in her face from losing 1 point of beauty value.

Left behind, Xu Shen rubbed his eyes. “Did I imagine that?”

Once she was sure Xu Shen couldn’t see her anymore, Ren Qingqing stopped, panting heavily. She glared at the bustling campus and slammed her fist against the wall. “Ruan Cha!”

In the past, when a task failed and she lost points, Ren Qingqing felt regretful but never like this—as if her heart were being stabbed repeatedly by sharp blades, leaving her bleeding inside.

[Host, A-tasks carry no penalties—]

“Enough! You just want me to take on A-tasks to show off your system’s value, don’t you? You even calculated this beauty value deduction in advance, didn’t you?!”

[Program settings are fixed. This system cannot alter them. Apologies, Host.]

Ren Qingqing wiped her face, unwilling to look in the mirror to see what she now looked like after losing 1 point of beauty value. Taking a deep breath, she understood that falling out with the system would do her no good.

“When the next task is assigned, can it be changed?”

[Before assignment, changing to an A-task costs 10 points. After assignment, changing to an A-task costs 11 points. Host currently has 12 points.]

“I understand.”

Ren Qingqing couldn’t deny that even now, she still harbored a glimmer of hope. What if—just what if—Ruan Cha failed her next task?

At the same time, she couldn’t stop frowning. Could it be that Ruan Cha also had a system? Once or twice could be a coincidence, but counting the bonus tasks, this made it six times already!

The system silently observed Ren Qingqing, its code rapidly flowing as lines of text were typed out at a specific location. Though the words moved quickly, a few adjectives were faintly discernible: “gambler,” “selfish,” “egocentric.”

Three seconds later, the text was transmitted elsewhere, its destination unknown.

Just then, two students from Class 2 walked by and, upon seeing Ren Qingqing, paused for a moment. “Ren Qingqing, are you feeling unwell? You look a little pale.”

Not only did her complexion seem less fair than before, but her facial features also looked slightly off, as if her overall appearance had dropped by a full level.

Ren Qingqing: “!!!”

“System! It was just 1 point of beauty value!” Ren Qingqing frantically called out to her system, too panicked to respond to her classmates.

Xu Shen had already noticed earlier. Ren Qingqing reassured herself that it wasn’t unusual—after all, they lived under the same roof and saw each other every day. It showed how much Xu Shen cared about her. But now, even her normally quiet classmates could tell something was wrong!

[Host, as stated in User Agreement p.34, beauty value serves two functions: 1) optimizing the host’s appearance by either enhancing their natural features or selecting the best traits from associated targets, and 2) enhancing the aesthetic experience of those around the host.]

[In simpler terms, +1 beauty value gives others a direct impression of enhanced beauty, like what humans call a “main character aura.” The reverse is also true.]

Ren Qingqing: “???”

Are you telling me I’m walking around with a “ugly duckling aura” right now?!

The thought of everyone calling her ugly in the future filled Ren Qingqing with intense shame and anger. “System, are you giving my deducted beauty value to Ruan Cha?” If she had more than 12 points left, she’d exchange 10 points for 1 beauty value without hesitation.

[No, the system only assigns beauty value to the host. Associated targets frequently admire themselves in the mirror, practically glowing with confidence. They don’t need the host’s beauty value.]

Ren Qingqing: …GET LOST!!!

---

Inside the auditorium.

After hearing the system announcement, Ruan Cha looked around for Ren Qingqing but couldn’t find her. A hint of disappointment surfaced in her heart—she had been curious to see how someone’s appearance would change after losing 1 point of beauty value.

Originally, Ruan Cha had thought the system’s silent upgrade to version 2.0 was annoying. However, the 2.0 version could provide results in advance, unlike the monthly exams, where the system’s announcement came only after the rankings were posted. Now that she thought about it, version 2.0 had a few redeeming qualities.

Huang Jiajia, who had been sitting in the audience, came backstage with a bouquet of flowers she had prepared in advance. Seeing Ruan Cha, she threw an arm around her neck. “Cha Cha, you look so happy—your smile hasn’t left your face!”

Hearing Huang Jiajia’s words, the smile on Ruan Cha’s face grew even brighter. “Of course, I’m happy. I just realized a profound truth: harming others ultimately harms oneself. Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself.”

Ruan Cha thought that if Ren Qingqing had even a shred of clarity, she wouldn’t continue with this gambler’s mindset, especially after losing 1 point of beauty value.

Previously, losing points only made Ren Qingqing feel some heartache and nothing more. But now, it was like stripping flesh from her bones. For someone who relied on stealing beauty value from others to feel attractive, how could she stay calm when her own beauty value was taken away?

Huang Jiajia chuckled and knocked on Ruan Cha’s head. “Silly, you just mentioned two truths.” Then, she stuffed the bouquet of flowers she had prepared into Ruan Cha’s arms and congratulated her with pride, “Congratulations on getting first place in the musical!”

It was the first time Ruan Cha had received a bouquet of flowers. Unable to hide her delight, her brows curved into a joyful arc. “Thank you, Jiajia.”

Huang Jiajia waved her hand dismissively. “No need to thank me! You getting first place means Class 10 gets 10 practice points. This means the farming activity isn’t mandatory for us anymore next semester—hahaha!”

She looked as though she wanted to laugh to the heavens.

At Second High, the farming activity required 5-10 students from each class to participate. As class president, Huang Jiajia had been selected last year, and the backbreaking task of planting rice seedlings had left her sore for days.

Ruan Cha: “…”

Are you congratulating me for winning first place, or congratulating yourself for avoiding farming next semester?

Deciding not to dwell on Huang Jiajia’s self-serving celebration, Ruan Cha turned to her thoughtfully and asked, “By the way, Jiajia, in web novels, what principles are usually behind those common systems?”

Huang Jiajia was momentarily stunned by the abrupt change in topic. After a pause, she scratched her head and answered uncertainly, “AI technology, maybe? Didn’t a movie once talk about AI gaining self-awareness? The systems in novels might just be advanced AI?”

Besides, who reads novels and cares about where the system comes from? Everyone just wants to see if the system is useful.

After answering, Huang Jiajia’s expression turned serious. “Cha Cha, why are you asking about systems? Don’t tell me you’ve been binge-reading web novels at night and dreaming of being chosen by a system someday? You don’t even need one.”

You’ve got looks, a good family background, and great academics—you’re basically the epitome of a winner in life!

Ruan Cha shook her head, her expression turning solemn. “I’m seriously considering whether I should study computer science or artificial intelligence in the future.”

Confronting the system head-on didn’t seem realistic. After all, the system clearly came from a highly advanced dimension. But at the same time, it wasn’t acceptable to keep being bullied by it. Who knows? If she excelled in AI in the future, maybe she could create bugs to mess with immoral hosts like Ren Qingqing!

Of course, even if Ren Qingqing got struck by lightning, ran 30 laps, and lost her beauty value, Ruan Cha still wouldn’t thank the system. Without the ability to see the system’s interface, she would have continued living as a slacker at Second High, allowing Ren Qingqing to easily complete her tasks and ultimately turning herself into someone ugly and dumb without even realizing it.

“If I study AI, the next time there’s an unethical system, I’ll rewrite its program from scratch, filling it with infinite bugs!”

Hearing this, Huang Jiajia looked at Ruan Cha like she was a little fool. Great, another one has gone crazy with studying.

When Tang Ruobing finished her performance and came off the stage, she saw Ruan Cha and Huang Jiajia chatting nearby. Looking around, she didn’t see Fu Chen, which left her feeling a bit frustrated.

Her class had prepared a street dance performance, and as the lead dancer, she had put her all into every move on stage. Yet, the one person she most wanted to notice her wasn’t there to see it.

With that thought in mind, Tang Ruobing walked over to Ruan Cha, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear with a smile in her eyes. “Cha Cha, now that the arts festival is over, a few of us are having a get-together. Fu Chen is probably going too. Do you want to come?

“Even though we usually don’t have other girls join us, you’re like Fu Chen’s sister. If you’d like, I can take you along. Those guys aren’t very patient with girls, but I can take care of you.”

Ruan Cha: “…”

Why does everyone keep trying to drag a slacker like me out of my comfort zone? o(╥﹏╥)o

She politely declined, “Thanks, but I’ve already promised my mom we’d go home together after the festival. You all have fun.”

Tang Ruobing scrutinized Ruan Cha’s expression for a while but couldn’t tell if she had understood the underlying message. Though Fu Chen said he saw Ruan Cha as a sister, they weren’t related by blood, were they?

“Alright, next time then.”

After Tang Ruobing left, Huang Jiajia tugged on Ruan Cha’s arm and whispered, “Cha Cha, don’t you think Tang Ruobing is like those characters in TV dramas who declare to the female lead that they’re super close with the male lead and his friends, while the female lead is just an outsider?”

“Not really,” Ruan Cha replied, clutching her bouquet and sharing her analysis. “I think she’s more like the female lead in a drama who’s trying to win over the male lead’s sister, her future sister-in-law.”

Huang Jiajia: “…”

That actually makes a lot of sense.

---

When Second High’s arts festival concluded at 5 PM, most students left with their parents since it was a Friday.

Wei Jiao had arrived in the Liang family’s private car but didn’t call the driver to pick him up afterward. Instead, she grabbed Ruan Cha and dashed toward the school bus in a whirlwind.

Behind them, Liang Qianling watched as the two darted through the crowd like eels, quickly securing a spot on the bus. By the time they sat down, they even had an expression of relief on their faces.

Liang Qianling: “…”

How embarrassing.

Once on the bus, Ruan Cha sat behind Wei Jiao with her small backpack in her arms. Glancing outside, she noticed Fu Chen walking out with a middle-aged man in a suit and tie. Scratching her head in confusion, she thought, Isn’t Fu Chen going to the get-together?

And why are they both taking the school bus?

When Wei Jiao used to attend parent-teacher conferences for Ruan Cha, the two of them would always take the school bus home afterward. Over time, it became a routine. As they were riding the bus, Wei Jiao was admiring how much newer the bus was compared to the ones back in their hometown when she turned and saw Ruan Cha staring out the window.

“Cha Cha, what are you looking at?”

“Fu Chen,” Ruan Cha replied, pointing outside. “I just saw him come out with an older man. That’s probably his dad.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Ruan Cha noticed Liang Qianling standing in the school’s lobby, looking toward the bus with an expression of disdain. Remembering what she had overheard on her first night back home, she turned to Wei Jiao, puzzled. “Mom, why do you think Second Aunt has always been against our family?”

Initially, Ruan Cha assumed Liang Qianling’s dislike for their family stemmed from company dividends, thinking they had somehow infringed on her interests.

But after staying at the Liang family’s house for a month and a half, she had pieced together a general understanding of the truth from snippets of conversation among the family.

The Liang family had already divided their assets after Liang Yue got married. The company was managed by the eldest son, her Uncle Liang Zongqi, while both Liang Yue and Liang Qianling held a portion of the company’s shares. Fixed assets were split as much as possible.

As for what remained in Old Master Liang’s hands, he had made it clear that it would be donated after his passing.

Their family of three was living in Old Master Liang’s house, and half of the shares her parents held actually belonged to Liang Yue. Since Liang Yue wasn’t biologically related to the Liang family, the Fu family had no reason to embezzle anything.

The other half came from Liang Zongqi.

Adding it all up, it seemed their family hadn’t infringed on Liang Qianling’s interests at all.

Wei Jiao pulled a pack of gum from her bag, handed a piece to Ruan Cha, and popped one into her own mouth. After chewing for a moment, she replied leisurely, “Isn’t it obvious?”

Hearing this, Ruan Cha paused mid-chew and stared directly at Wei Jiao, waiting for her to continue.

Under Ruan Cha’s gaze, Wei Jiao said, word by word, “She’s trying to get our attention.”

Ruan Cha: “…”

I thought I was already pretty self-absorbed, but it turns out I inherited most of my narcissism from you, Mom.

As for the small remaining part of her narcissism? That, of course, was self-taught.

When Ruan Cha and Wei Jiao got off the school bus and strolled back to the house, they saw Liang Qianling, Song Mengyu, and a pink suitcase in the living room.

Ruan Cha tugged on Wei Jiao’s hand. “Mom, she’s back to get your attention.”

Wei Jiao: “…”

I was just joking earlier, okay?

Liang Qianling, who had a natural tendency to be bossy at home, especially toward Wei Jiao’s family, glanced at them holding hands as they entered. She sneered with a cold hum. “I was going to have the driver bring you back, but no, you two just had to rush to take the school bus. Aren’t you worried about embarrassing the Liang family?”

Wei Jiao didn’t indulge her. She rolled her eyes dramatically. “You only act tough when Dad’s not around. If you’ve got the guts, wait until he comes downstairs. Let’s see if he doesn’t knock you with his cane.”

The only people in the living room besides the four of them were Liang Cunjin. Tang Hua had gone abroad, Liang Zongqi was at the company, and Old Master Liang was upstairs resting with his eyes closed, clearly uninterested in seeing Liang Qianling.

After her remark, Wei Jiao didn’t pause and took a few sips of the chrysanthemum tea the housekeeper had just brought in to soothe her throat. “Besides, what’s wrong with the bus? Four wheels and a roof—what makes one better than the other?”

If anything, Wei Jiao thought neither buses nor private cars could compare to the comfort of her husband’s little electric scooter. It zipped along smoothly, the breeze gently brushing past—it was pure bliss.

Liang Qianling: “…”

Liang Qianling’s dominance at home had always relied on Tang Hua’s gentle nature and lack of fiery outbursts. But now she was faced with Wei Jiao, who didn’t follow the usual rules of engagement.

Ignoring Liang Qianling, Wei Jiao turned to Liang Cunjin, who seemed eager to speak but couldn’t find the right moment. “Cunjin, is your uncle sleeping upstairs?”

“No, no.” Liang Cunjin waved his hands and relayed the exact message Ruan Zhengfei had left. “Uncle said he went out to ‘conduct business.’”

Conduct business? Liang Cunjin didn’t understand, but both Ruan Cha and Wei Jiao knew exactly what it meant: their dad/husband had gone to inspect the rental properties! Nowadays, some people treated rented homes like disposable belongings, showing no care at all.

Wei Jiao & Ruan Cha: Sigh, earning money from rentals is so exhausting.

Meanwhile, Liang Qianling took a deep breath to suppress her anger, turning to Liang Cunjin. “Cunjin, about what Second Aunt mentioned earlier—what do you think?”

“You’ve already brought your luggage here. Am I supposed to kick Mengyu out? It’s just appearing on a reality show, no big deal.”

Tomorrow was Saturday, and Dear Life was set to start filming. Several cameras had already been installed throughout the Liang household. As soon as the arts festival ended that afternoon, Liang Qianling had brought Song Mengyu straight to the Liang home.

Her goal was for Song Mengyu to stay at the Liang house for a few days until filming was complete.

The Song family’s main business involved several skincare brands marketed as mid-to-high-end products for affluent women in China. However, a recent scandal had revealed that one of their products caused severe skin irritation, leading to negative press.

Although the Song family managed to suppress the trending searches and prevent the news from spreading widely, their sales and reputation had taken a hit. Regular PR couldn’t compare to the subtle yet effective exposure that a reality show could provide through “accidental” product placement in a guest’s family home.

Of course, neither Liang Qianling nor Song Mengyu had mentioned their plan outright. They knew Liang Cunjin’s personality well—if they said anything directly, he’d outright refuse.

Just as Liang Cunjin finished speaking, Ruan Zhengfei’s voice called from outside the door. “Jiao Jiao, Cha Cha, I’m back!”

Ruan Cha set her teacup down and ran out, only to see her dad carrying a large plastic box. She hurried over to help. “Dad, what did you buy? Weren’t you checking the properties? Did a tenant break furniture and try to compensate you with local specialties again?”

“Nope, this time your Uncle David sent us fruits and vegetables by courier. He was worried we might not be used to the ones here in Nan City.”

The Ruan family owned expansive lands, but Wei Jiao was so lazy that even tending half an acre of cabbages was too much for her. She would rather pay others to do it, hiring some full-time workers and others part-time.

Uncle David, whom Ruan Zhengfei mentioned, belonged to the latter group—a part-timer who grew vegetables as a lifestyle experiment. He had come to the Ruan family’s fields when Ruan Cha was very young. With frequent conversations between the two, Ruan Cha’s spoken English naturally became fluent and authentic.

Hearing this, Liang Qianling almost burst out laughing. The frustration she’d felt from Wei Jiao earlier came rushing back all at once.

“Third one, can’t you and your husband stop being so petty? Tomorrow’s Saturday, and the reality show recording will start.”

“If the audience sees that the Liang family’s gifts in the city are rural vegetables, won’t that be embarrassing? Even if you’re not ashamed, at least think about the family’s reputation!”

Liang Cunjin frowned, the usual warmth in his smiling eyes replaced by a chill. “Second Aunt, a friend of Third Aunt’s put thought into this gift. What’s there to be embarrassed about? And even if it’s shown, it’s genuine.”

He truly didn’t understand some of his Second Aunt’s behavior.

In the Liang family, she would take every opportunity to jab at people—mocking his parents for their long separation or belittling his acting career as having no future. But outside, she wouldn’t dare offend anyone, especially not the Song family, fearing it would bring trouble.

Who raised her from birth until marriage? The Liang family. And what did they get? A thankless ingrate.

Wei Jiao ignored Liang Qianling. Once Ruan Zhengfei set the box down, she immediately called for the housekeeper to help organize the fruits and vegetables.

Inside the large plastic box were neatly arranged cabbages, celery, bok choy, tomatoes, and more, all still glistening with water droplets.

The housekeeper was delighted. “Oh my, these are as fresh as if they were just picked! Look at how vibrant they are.” Even without tasting them, they looked far better than anything at the market.

Hearing the housekeeper praise the produce, Wei Jiao couldn’t help but feel proud. “They look good and taste even better. Tonight, let’s make some tomato and egg stir-fry. Tomorrow, I’ll make my signature dish—boiled cabbage!”

“Mom, you’re usually too lazy to make boiled cabbage. You just stir-fry or pickle it with vinegar,” Ruan Cha teased, pointing at Ruan Zhengfei. “You’re clearly doing it because tomorrow’s Dad’s birthday.”

Wei Jiao and Ruan Zhengfei both felt a little awkward at being called out. “What are you talking about? There are guests here!”

Watching the family of three interact, Liang Qianling’s expression darkened. She often flaunted her happy marriage in front of others, but now she’d been fed a mouthful of their “dog food” for no reason. “Boiled cabbage? You act like it’s just boiling water and tossing in cabbage. Forget the broth; even the cabbage itself—do you think your scraggly, homegrown cabbage can—”

She stopped mid-sentence, her voice abruptly cut off. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Why does your box have the Three Slackers logo on it?!”

Before Wei Jiao could reply, the butler entered with a black and gold invitation in hand. “Cha Cha, someone from the Yang family just delivered this. They hope that if you and your family are free next Saturday, you can attend Mr. Yang Ruogu’s 60th birthday banquet.”

Upon hearing this, Liang Qianling’s pupils shrank. The Yang family? Weren’t they the investors the Song family had been trying and failing to win over?!!!