: So Happy

While eating breakfast, Zhou Yu sensed an awkward atmosphere at home.

Zhou Wanwan was as innocent and adorable as ever, except that she hummed a strange nursery rhyme while eating.

"La la la~ The sun shines brightly~ The flowers smile at me~ My sister said, 'Good morning, good morning, today our family received an extra dowry~'"

Zhou Zaozao stared intently at herself, seemingly lost in thought. Every now and then, she would pick up her phone and search in her browser for "What is it like for a brother to become a sister?"

As for Zhou's mother...

She was on the phone with her relatives. Although Zhou Yu couldn't quite make out what they were saying, it seemed like they were talking about something... a high school boy had developed a strange fetish.

"Strange..." Zhou Yu slurped the clear soup noodles into his mouth, feeling that something was off about the house today.

It's very, very different from usual.

Zhou Yu suddenly realized what was happening.

"wrong!

"Why isn't anyone scolding me today?"

Normally, Zhou Yu would be at the bottom of the food chain at home, and it would be normal for him to be bullied.

Zhou Yu found it rather strange that none of the three family members had shown any such behavior since he woke up today.

Could it be that they... have finally become normal?

Today is a wonderful day!

Thinking this, after finishing his meal, Zhou Yu pushed open the door, his face beaming with a smile, "Mom, little sister, I'm off to school, bye-bye."

Zhou Zaozao and her mother responded with difficulty, while Zhou Wanwan sat on the chair with her two short legs dangling in the air and waved at Zhou Yu.

"Goodbye, pigeon~"

……

Upon arriving at school, Gao Ying, who had reached the classroom a step ahead, noticed Zhou Yu's happy smile and asked, "Brother Yu, what happened to you? Did you find money on your way to school?"

"No, it's much happier than that."

Zhou Yu sat down in his seat and let out a long sigh.

"My mom didn't hit me this morning, and my sister didn't scold me. I'm so happy."

Liang Yanbo: "..."

Gao Ying remained silent. "I'm sorry, Brother Yu. I didn't know you were living such a miserable life at home. I feel like you're suffering much more than I am at home..."

"What happened at your house again?"

Gao Ying looked miserable. "My sister bullies me every day at home, and my parents don't stop her. It's so painful!"

Zhou Yu knew that Gao Ying had an older sister, but he didn't know what their relationship was like. It sounded like it wasn't very good. "How did she bully you?"

"She insulted me by giving me money!" Gao Ying said tragically. "I made her breakfast this morning, and she turned around and transferred five thousand yuan to me, just to humiliate the fruits of my labor like this!"

Zhou Yu: "..."

The joys and sorrows of people are not the same.

After a while of commotion, Gao Ying remembered something and said, "By the way, Liu Bei asked me to ask you how our investment project is going lately?"

"Investment project? What project?" Zhou Yu looked completely bewildered.

Gao Ying was almost rendered speechless. "That ten thousand yuan he gave you..."

"Oh, you mean this project? I thought it was some other project," Zhou Yu finally snapped out of his daze. "Tell him not to worry, just wait for the entrance exam. By the way, why didn't he come and ask me himself?"

"He's probably busy preparing for the competition," Liang Yanbo picked up the conversation. "I've heard of Liu Bei too. He's a top student in his second year of high school and has a real talent for spiritual energy cultivation. His homeroom teacher probably recommended him to participate in the spiritual energy competition. He's busy with that."

Gao Ying nodded, giving an affirmative answer, "Yes, he's busy preparing for the competition, but he should have some time today. Shall I take you to see him?"

"No need!" Zhou Yu quickly looked up. "It's morning self-study time, a proper study time. How can we disturb their studies and cultivation at this time? You agree, right?"

Liang Yanbo was somewhat surprised. "Damn, when did you start spouting ivory from your dog's mouth? It's like the sun has risen in the west."

So...

Zhou Yu then changed the subject.

"Why don't you bring him over for lunch?"

Liang Yanbo: "..."

In the end, isn't it all just about getting a free meal?

……

Noon, canteen.

Zhou Yu waited at the cafeteria entrance for half an hour before Liu Bei finally arrived.

As for Gao Ying and Liang Yanbo, it seems they were kept after school.

"So early?" Liu Bei said to Zhou Yu. "Have you been waiting long?"

Zhou Yu shook his head repeatedly, "Not long, not long. You've come at just the right time."

Liu Bei looked puzzled and went into the cafeteria, only to find that the food windows for ordinary students were already closed.

"Oh dear..." Zhou Yu scratched his head. "This is such a pity. I've been waiting for you for so long, and all the windows on my side are closed. It looks like I'll just have to watch you eat on an empty stomach today."

"But it's okay, don't worry, I'm fine. I'll just miss a meal, it won't kill me. You can eat your food and don't worry about me."

"You must not feel guilty at all. It was my decision to wait for you. You don't need to take any responsibility!"

"Really, don't be so polite with me. We're practically family, right, Uncle Liu?"

Liu Bei: "..."

Since he was late, Liu Bei didn't say anything, so he "voluntarily" got Zhou Yu a meal and they found a place to sit down.

"I heard from Gao Ying," Liu Bei said, putting a piece of lettuce in his mouth and chewing, "that you want me to feel at ease, right? You sound very confident that you'll awaken your spiritual energy during the opening exam?"

Zhou Yu patted his chest and said, "You can rest assured, I will definitely not let you down. Otherwise, how would I have the courage to talk to you about the next steps?"

Liu Bei paused, his chewing motion halting. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Zhou Yu said mysteriously, "Have you considered... adding to your position?"

"...What the hell?" Liu Bei was dumbfounded. If you actually showed me that you had awakened your spiritual energy after the opening test, then I could accept you asking me to increase my investment.

You haven't shown me any returns yet, and you're already telling me to buy more? Do you think I'm stupid?

Why bother trying to trick me when you could just take it from me directly?

"The 10,000 yuan I transferred to you is gone so quickly?" Liu Bei was full of questions. The key point was that he hadn't seen Zhou Yu do anything important.

The whole school has been buzzing about it these past few days. They're saying someone from an investment firm is posing as a high school sophomore, going around asking everyone, "Hey buddy, interested in an investment project? Lots of money to be made!"

Liu Bei knew at the time that this guy must be Zhou Yu; he really went to great lengths to make money.

"Just how desperate for money are you?" Now that things had come to this point, Liu Bei finally couldn't help but ask the question.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu also put on a troubled expression.

"To be honest, this is how it is in the early stages of cultivation. The hole is too big, and this little bit of money simply can't cover it."

"But believe me, once it's started, things will be much easier. Do you think I'm pushing you now for my own sake? It's all for you!"

Zhou Yu adopted the demeanor of a teacher and earnestly advised, "If you invest now, you'll reap the rewards in the future, won't that be easy? You're not investing for me now, but for your future!"

"Don't you understand?!"

Liu Bei covered his face, Zhou Yu's words reminding him of his homeroom teacher. "I said stop, stop..."

Signaling Zhou Yu to quiet down, Liu Bei let out a long sigh before saying, "Alright then, aren't you short of money? I think it's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish..."

Zhou Yu: "I think either is fine."

"I don't care what you think, I care what I think," Liu Bei said with a serious expression. "I'll introduce you to a path, but how much you can earn is up to you."

Seeing Liu Bei's resolute expression, Zhou Yu subconsciously swallowed. "What route? By water or by land?"

Liu Bei rested his chin on his hands and said firmly.

"Go donate sperm."

Zhou Yu: "?"