Ch 112 (Extra 12): After My Mother Returned to the Rich Family

[Softening Up CP (8)]

Some people in their social circle didn’t approve of Ruan Cha and Fu Chen getting engaged in their freshman year. While both were undeniably outstanding, they were still too young, and the odds of things changing in the future seemed too high.

The doubts weren’t baseless. There had been other couples in their circle who got engaged during high school or college, but very few actually made it to marriage.
Some drifted apart and separated peacefully, some couldn’t restrain themselves and ruined their relationships, and some found that changing family status or benefits made the engagement useless.

At the time of their engagement, people had considered Ruan Cha and Fu Chen well-matched. While the Ruan family’s heritage couldn’t compare to the Liang family’s, its businesses and connections were strong, and the support of the Liang family only added to it.

However, after Fu Corporation launched their full-dive VR game, it became clear the Fu family had surged ahead of both the Ruan and Liang families. Their fully-developed holographic technology wasn’t just unique in China but was also leading globally.

The Fu family, a long-standing powerhouse in commerce, had leveraged the technology and government connections under Father Fu’s leadership, drawing plenty of envy.

Full-dive VR—
A field the world had speculated about for decades, and the Fu family had actually realized it, achieving an astonishing 85% realism rate!

Those who didn’t know the bond between Ruan Cha and Fu Chen began betting on when they would break up, assuming Fu Chen would eventually fall for another wealthy heiress.

After all, in this space, aside from government research, only Fu Chen’s company held the crown. With no competitors, there was no shortage of people eager to sabotage or steal.

Some tried honey traps, some resorted to corporate espionage, others attempted to poach talents—but they all failed.

Honey traps?
Fu Chen never gave them the chance.

Steal or spy?
The core team never even grasped the key breakthrough. At best, they could only reproduce 60% realism, unable to even understand the principles.

No one was interested in cheap imitations once the real gem existed.

Some schemers tried to stir up division between the Fu, Liang, and Ruan families, accusing Fu Chen of hoarding the tech and being selfish for not sharing it with the other two families.

Before these rumors could even gain traction, in Ruan Cha’s junior year, a second full-dive VR game hit the market—with a stunning 90% realism rate!

#Three Whales “Planet Management Handbook” full-dive VR game beta recruitment!#
#Three Whales press conference featuring Ruan Cha#
#Planet Management Handbook achieves 90% realism!#

Ruan Zhengfei, seeing the importance of advertising, openly spent money to buy three trending hashtags on Weibo—all for one reason: to promote his precious daughter Cha Cha!

In his eyes, Ruan Cha had been working on “Planet Management Handbook” since high school and had balanced both work and studies in college. If he couldn’t help with the workload, at least he could throw money at publicity. As he joked, maybe a little shamelessly:
“Spending money? That’s the easy part.”

During the live broadcast for the press event, Ruan Cha appeared publicly for the first time as lead game designer, joined by Fu Chen as chief technical officer. Together they explained how the full-dive VR version of “Planet Management Handbook” differed from the mobile version and showcased its rich gameplay.

The mobile game had already earned a loyal following for its innovative world-building and massive in-game library. Now, with the VR version at 90% realism, even people who had never played games clicked on the trending tags out of curiosity. The stream exploded past 100 million views!

If the Fu family’s first VR game had redefined the full-dive genre, then the 90% realism of “Planet Management Handbook” pushed the boundaries of the entire industry once again.

The Three Whales livestream was relaxed: soft lounge sofas, fruit platters, dried snacks, and even squid jerky and spicy duck gizzards were scattered around.

Ruan Cha focused on explaining the game’s design and occasionally snacked, barely interacting with Fu Chen. But even their occasional smiles and the unspoken understanding between them made the viewers swoon:
“This is what true love looks like!”

That rare mutual understanding, where no extra words were needed to anticipate each other’s thoughts, left people full of envy.

As the livestream neared its end, the host selected a few of the most frequently asked viewer questions.

The host glanced at Ruan Cha, then at the nearly empty snacks on the table, momentarily speechless.

It had to be said, Ruan Cha had truly treated the stream like a tea party, snacking comfortably throughout, to the point that even the host was starting to feel hungry.
“Cha Cha, a lot of people are curious about your plans after graduation. Someone asked if you intend to continue working in the full-dive VR game industry after college? Will you and Fu Chen team up to try and create a 100% realistic VR game?”

“Ah? Full-dive VR?” Ruan Cha, sipping juice, casually patted Fu Chen’s arm.
“Whether 100% realism can be achieved depends mainly on Fu Chen or others. I can’t do it.”

Fu Chen had spoken very little during the stream, mainly explaining technical details about the game. Now that Ruan Cha had called him out, he simply nodded lightly to show agreement.

“But Cha Cha, you designed the hugely popular Planet Management Handbook mobile game back in high school. Don’t you plan to keep working in game development?”

Ruan Cha thought for a moment.
“I might chat occasionally with the planning team about game ideas, but most of my time will go to my future career.”

The host was clearly stunned.
“Career?”

In the host’s mind, Ruan Cha was a textbook life winner—wealthy, well-connected, talented, and having developed a mobile game that exploded nationwide and eventually led to a full-dive VR version.
And now she was walking away from the most lucrative path to pursue another job?

Seeing the host’s confusion, Ruan Cha chuckled.
“My major is psychology. Naturally, after graduation I’ll find a job in my field.”

The host: “…”

The livestream audience: “…”

They had nearly forgotten that Ruan Cha had earned her spot at Jing University with a score of over 740—an undeniable academic prodigy!

And then the real kicker hit.

They had the same 24 hours in a day…
Ruan Cha maintained straight-A grades at Jing University, helped design a blockbuster VR game, and still found time for hobbies.
Meanwhile, they were sleeping in, ordering takeout, scrolling their phones, and suddenly realizing it was midnight again.

The host also hadn’t expected that Ruan Cha studied psychology not just to pass time, but because she genuinely intended to become a psychologist.

After discussing work, it was time for relationship questions.

“Cha Cha, you and Fu Chen have been engaged for two years now. Do you have any plans to get married soon?”

“Of course,” Ruan Cha answered cheerfully, without hesitation.
“Fu Chen and I plan to get married right after graduation.”

Before the audience could even react, she added,
“And when we do, Planet Management Handbook will have an in-game celebration event. It won’t be any less generous than the last Library event.”

At the mention of the Library, everyone immediately thought of the famous in-game event where players had received the equivalent of 10,000 yuan each.
Not less than that?

Holy—don’t stop them!
They were already mentally preparing to log in on Ruan Cha’s wedding day and volunteer to be virtual flower girls at her and Fu Chen’s ceremony!

Fu Chen turned his head slightly to glance at Ruan Cha’s sparkling eyes.
In that moment, his heart melted all over again.

Friends often teased him for doting on Ruan Cha too much, being overly attached, and being way too cold to any potential “admirers.”
But they didn’t understand Cha Cha’s goodness.

In their relationship, it was never one-sided. The care had always been mutual.
All along, Cha Cha had used her own way to show him, crystal clear, that she held him in her heart and loved him deeply.

The insecurity that often comes from lack of trust in a relationship had never existed between them; Cha Cha had always given him her full trust.

Fu Chen lowered his eyes, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. Such a thoughtful, adorable Cha Cha—he wanted to cling to her for life.

That same day, the livestream had already shocked the internet with the announcement of a 90% realism full-dive VR game, but what really sent people over the edge was the announcement of Ruan Cha and Fu Chen’s engagement.

There was only one sentiment shared by the netizens:
You two must stay together forever. We brought the marriage registry office here, and we swallowed the key!

Thanks to the internet’s enthusiastic fans, Ruan Cha and Fu Chen got their first wave of shippers: the “Softie CP” (Fu-Ruan CP).

However, the day after the livestream, the couple vanished from the public eye. They never posted about their personal life on social media. Fans could only occasionally catch small updates from fellow students at Jing University.

Naturally, there were skeptics too. Keyboard warriors under the trending full-dive VR game tag coldly predicted they would eventually break up.
But few paid them any attention.

Time would tell everything.
Even if they did break up in the future, wasn’t the love they had now something enviable in itself?

Besides, even if more people these days were opting for single life and some no longer believed in love, that didn’t mean they couldn’t believe in someone else’s love!
Life was already hard enough; people needed something sweet to hold onto.

As for the couple themselves, they had also heard about the “Softie CP” craze online.

“Softie CP?”
In a private basketball gym, Ruan Cha was holding a basketball in one hand and scrolling her phone with the other.
Seeing the newly coined couple nickname and reading the fans’ imaginative fiction, she burst out laughing.
“These people really have wild imaginations.”

Fu Chen, who was helping Ruan Cha strap on wrist guards, glanced at the phone and smiled warmly.
“Fu Chen, Ruan Cha… Fu-Ruan… Softie. Cha Cha, it seems we really are meant to be.”

If it was with Cha Cha, he was willing to be soft forever.

The two of them had taken extra credits in their first three years of university, so their senior year was nearly free of classes. Bored one evening, Ruan Cha impulsively asked Fu Chen to teach her how to play basketball.

Ruan Cha was momentarily stunned by Fu Chen’s “meant to be” line. Holding back a laugh, she nudged him with her elbow.
“Alright, Coach Fu, please get on with the lesson. No goofing around.”

Fu Chen raised his hand in a playful salute.
“Roger that.”

“Roger?” Ruan Cha caught on immediately.
“Does that mean there’s a KPI requirement? Like having the student make a certain number of three-pointers?”

Having already seen her skill (or lack thereof) back in town, Fu Chen’s handsome features showed a trace of helplessness.
“I apply to just hold you up so you can reach the hoop directly. Otherwise… we can try it.”

Fu Chen worried that if she didn’t land a single shot, she’d lose sleep over it the whole night.

“…”

Ruan Cha stared at the basketball in her hands, cheeks flushed with embarrassment and frustration.

She had practiced and been taught by Fu Chen countless times, yet she still couldn’t make a single shot!
In every other sport she picked things up quickly, but with basketball… it was like she was cursed.

Taking a deep breath, she whispered,
“Again.”

Seeing her puff out her cheeks in determination, Fu Chen smiled knowingly, thinking her frustration had probably reached its peak.

He spread his arms and got into a defensive stance.
But before he could fully prepare, Ruan Cha suddenly launched the ball without warning.

The ball flew behind him out of sight.
Just as he was about to turn around to check, he was yanked forward by the collar of his shirt.
In the next second, something soft and warm pressed against his lips.

Ruan Cha had grabbed Fu Chen by the collar with one hand and looped her other arm around his neck, giving him a quick peck.
Then she grinned mischievously.
“I scored.”

Fu Chen instantly understood, and dotingly nodded.
“Mhm, I heard it go in.”

Looking into Fu Chen’s dark eyes full of warmth, Ruan Cha leaned up and kissed him again.
“Fu Chen, it’s been three years. There’s something I’ve never had the courage to say.”

“I love you. I love you very, very much.”

In that instant, Fu Chen felt like fireworks were exploding in his mind, just like on New Year’s Eve.
The warmth and joy lingered in his heart, leaving behind fragments of happiness that would probably stay with him for the rest of his life.

He couldn’t hold back the surge of emotion and pulled Ruan Cha into a tight embrace.
With a soft sigh, he whispered sincerely,
“Cha Cha, I’m going to your house tonight to ask your father if we can just get married tomorrow. Do you think he’ll throw me out?”

Ruan Cha: “…”

Most likely… he would.

…

Thingyan: Last extra is password locked. Pw is chachacha