Opening her eyes, Yuan Luoyi saw the familiar ceiling.
This was her own room, the alarm clock showed it was 7 a.m., which surprised Yuan Luoyi - she had been away for a week, but here, only a night had passed.
Today was Saturday, so she didn't have to go to school. Yuan Luoyi lay back down and grabbed her phone, finding her fourth brother Yuan Si's personal account.
His global fan following had long surpassed a hundred million, and with his help, she wouldn't have to worry about lacking influence.
On Yuan Si's personal homepage, he was promoting a palace intrigue drama, with huge cursive letters proclaiming "Starring Yuan Si!"
Below were rave reviews.
"So good! His acting is simply amazing! Portraying three roles, he brought each one to life!"
"Before, I was willing to buy tickets for him, now I'm willing to spend my life's savings for him!"
"I'm so lucky, I used to be depressed and suicidal, but now I only look forward to the next episode's plot each day. Please, I beg you, don't let the Soul-Devouring Prince die, director!"
Out of curiosity, Yuan Luoyi found the trailer and clicked on it.
Yuan Si really did play three roles by himself.
First he played the depraved and licentious old king, sitting on the golden throne, holding a wine cup, his clothes disheveled, with infatuated concubines kneeling at his feet.
A newly presented young beauty caught his eye, and Yuan Si's character leered at her, commanding softly, "Come here."
The comments were screaming.
"Ahhh! I don't care about the world crumbling, I just want to indulge with the old king now!"
Then the righteous prince appeared, the male lead also played by Yuan Si, who charged forward and killed the old king with a sword.
The comments swung: "Nevermind, the realm is more important, the prince looks so cool!"
The villain, the Soul-Devouring Prince, also appeared - the old king's grim, unsmiling brother with a sinister aura, again played by Yuan Si.
Fans were ecstatic - one Yuan Si brought happiness, but three Yuan Sis tripled the joy. This TV series was clearly a fan-service gift.
But no matter how charming her brother seemed to others, to his little sister who had seen it all, there was nothing special about it.
In terms of looks alone, her third brother Yuan Yong was even more handsome, but he was only interested in killing.
Yuan Luoyi exited Yuan Si's personal page and opened her contacts, finding his number and tapping on it.
The moment the call connected, Yuan Luoyi suddenly remembered her fourth brother was abroad, and it might be the middle of the night there, disturbing his sleep.
Just as she was about to hang up, a familiar voice came through: "How rare for you to call me."
Yuan Luoyi said, "Fourth brother, what time is it there? Did I disturb your sleep?"
Yuan Si said, "It's 1 p.m. here, I'm having tea and was about to take a nap, so I'm free. Did you call for anything in particular?"
Yuan Luoyi said, "Remember when you wanted to sign me to your company before? Can I still sign now?"
There was a brief silence on the other end before Yuan Si spoke: "Of course, my dear sister!"
His voice rose and fell with pleasure - his desire to control his sister had never been satisfied, but now she had come to him of her own accord. All he had to do was reach out and grab her.
Yuan Si asked, "Where are you?"
Yuan Luoyi replied, "At home here."
"I've already bought my return ticket. At 4 p.m., go to the cafe by the residence entrance, I'll meet you there."
"Okay, travel safely, see you later."
"See you later."
Yuan Luoyi hung up and decided to sleep a bit more since it was still early.
At 3 p.m., Yuan Luoyi changed her clothes, freshened up, and called for the family driver to take her out.
Though the cafe was just by the Yuan residence entrance, the residence was truly massive, with an artificial lake, vast lawns, and forests.
Walking would take half an hour, and it was too hot, so driving was easier.
Arriving at the entrance, Yuan Luoyi got out of the car and entered the cafe.
Popular for its fresh and comfortable decor, the weekend afternoon saw it packed, but at the moment, it was empty.
By the entrance stood a beautiful woman Yuan Luoyi recognized as Yuan Si's assistant.
She smiled and approached: "Mr. Yuan just landed and will be here soon. He's reserved the whole place, so please go inside and have a seat with the air conditioning."
Following her guidance, Yuan Luoyi took a seat as a gentle breeze blew, feeling quite nice.
The woman gazed at Yuan Luoyi in a daze.
Yuan Luoyi tilted her head in puzzlement: "What is it?"
The woman smiled: "Apologies, you've just changed so much. The last time I saw you was only a month ago when you were still a student, but now you..."
She couldn't find the right words to describe the 11-year-old girl's round face, delicate porcelain skin, large dewy eyes - she was exquisitely beautiful yet adorable.
Unlike her slightly immature peers, Yuan Luoyi had an aura transcending the mundane world. She must have gone through many experiences unimaginable to ordinary people in this time.
The woman said, "In any case, you've become even better, befitting Mr. Yuan's sister."
A server brought coffee and pastries, and as Yuan Luoyi ate, she reflected on how much she had changed, from terrified trembling to her current calm resolve...
Close to 4 p.m., a tall, slender man appeared at the cafe entrance, wearing a mask and sunglasses and pulling a large suitcase.
"I finally get to see you!"
The man strode over and embraced Yuan Luoyi tightly.
That smothering sensation - it was indeed her fourth brother.
After Yuan Si had hugged her enough, he dragged the suitcase over, opened it to reveal countless gifts of all sizes exquisitely wrapped in floral paper and adorned with gorgeous bows.
He spread his arms wide in elation and grace: "Surprised?"
"Whenever I visit a new country, I buy you something, but never got to give them to you."
"Today is a special day, my dear sister, please accept them!"
Suddenly receiving so many gifts, Yuan Luoyi was stunned for a moment.
Yuan Si was a lazy person who didn't bother with anything, and Yuan Luoyi didn't realize that he had been longing for her so passionately all along.
"Thank you, Fourth Brother. I'll cherish them dearly."
Yuan Si ruffled Yuan Luoyi's little head: "No need to thank me, I should have given them to you sooner. It took me eleven years to accumulate all these gifts, and now you'll have to spend the whole night unwrapping them. Quite a labor-intensive task."
Sitting across from Yuan Luoyi, he took off his sunglasses and mask, then took out a document and a pen. He pushed them towards Yuan Luoyi.
Yuan Si said, "No need to dilly-dally over good things. Sign it now."
Looking at his beguiling smile, Yuan Luoyi knew her Fourth Brother was still the same, always trying to control her. If she signed this document, she would gain tremendous resources, but she would also have to bid farewell to her freedom.
She flipped through the thick document. The clauses were written in a convoluted manner. At first glance, there seemed to be no issue, but upon closer examination, something felt off.
Such a professional matter should be handled by professionals.
Yuan Luoyi said, "Fourth Brother, I've hired an agent to help me sign the document."
Yuan Si asked, "Who is it?"
Yuan Luoyi replied, "It's Second Brother."
Instantly, Yuan Si's smile froze.
At the same time, the cafe door swung open, and Second Brother Yuan Fa rushed in, looking disheveled.
He seemed a little agitated. His foolish client, unaware of his own stupidity, had landed himself in jail again. Yuan Fa had spent a great deal of effort getting him out early this morning, earning only a measly hundred thousand or so. It was such a waste of time.
But upon seeing his sister, Yuan Fa's furrowed brow relaxed.
Ah, his adorable sister was always so soothing to the heart. And moreover, she had found him another lucrative job.
Yuan Si was a wealthy target, ripe for exploitation.
Yuan Fa placed his briefcase on the coffee table and sat down beside Yuan Luoyi.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I heard you need to sign a contract and could use some professional legal consultation, so I've come to assist you."
Author's Note: I missed a chapter yesterday, and today I was also pressed for time, so I only wrote one chapter. Together, they form an important major plotline that I'll make up for tomorrow.
Generally, if I miss an update, it's because I've been too busy and returned home too late to finish writing. Don't worry about me, I'll try to find time to make it up.
Additionally, this story is nearing its conclusion. At its core, it's a dark fairy tale, but filled with ultimate love.
Most web novels portray characters as either completely good or evil, but when I designed this book, I wanted to attempt to write about the complexity of human nature and breathe life into the characters through words. More importantly, I wanted to write about cultured, unique, and devoted-to-their-sisters lunatics.
In any case, savor this story while you can, for you won't see another work in this style from me again.
