Yuan Si called his younger sister to the cafe to avoid his brother Yuan Fa.
However, now Yuan Fa sat across from him, grinning wickedly and greedily.
What should have been a day of celebration suddenly turned into a day of misfortune. The last time Yuan Fa smiled like this, Yuan Si lost half a year's income.
This unscrupulous lawyer disliked the notion of earning a living from hard work; instead, he favored legally robbing the wealthy and becoming rich overnight. Moreover, he particularly relished robbing his own brothers, periodically fleecing even their elder brother, Yuan Ao.
"Rustle rustle!"
Yuan Fa picked up the contract and began flipping through it, his grin growing broader.
"What a shoddy contract, let me guess—my old classmate Chris wrote it for you, didn't he? Back in law school, he never won against me. He can't properly calculate the subject matter or understand grounds for preclusion. I suggest you fire him as soon as possible."
Opening his briefcase, Yuan Fa took out a pen and began highlighting key points on the document.
"This clause violates the right to personal dignity. You cannot restrict her freedom; if you dare touch her, I'll personally send you to prison, and fleeing abroad won't help you."
"This one is wrong too—what kind of nonsense is written here? That's not how you define a fundamental breach at all. Chris's professor would probably have a heart attack after seeing the garbage he created."
"This clause is self-contradictory..."
The pen kept slashing across the pages, the power of knowledge slicing the contract to shreds like a knife.
After taking a few minutes to organize his thoughts, Yuan Fa pushed the marked-up contract back to Yuan Si.
Sitting upright with his hands clasped together, fingers interlocked, Yuan Fa looked at Yuan Si: "Now let's discuss the issue of compensation!"
Half an hour later, Yuan Fa received the bank transfer details with satisfaction.
He was delighted at the prospect of having money to spend without working for it.
Yuan Si, who had suffered a substantial financial loss, wore a gloomy expression. He could have avoided this expense, but he was so eager to sign Yuan Luoyi, to be closer to his sister, that it was worth it.
Yuan Luoyi asked, "Second Brother, shouldn't that money have gone to me?"
Yuan Fa said, "You're only eleven years old. Having too much money would lead you astray. How could I bear to see you suffer?"
"As the saying goes, 'a thousand pieces of gold can't buy back a poor youth.' While it may seem like you didn't receive the money, in truth, I've given you an invaluable spiritual wealth that will be indispensable for your future success. One day, you'll thank me for it."
"Moreover, I still need to deduct taxes, necessary expenses for facilitating the contract, and my commission. It's a long process, but the remaining money will be yours once you've grown up."
Second Brother was truly a skilled orator. He could say righteous things with a wicked smile, forming a perfect logical loop. Yuan Luoyi gave up arguing with him.
Yuan Luoyi recalled her second brother's habit of charging double for family members: "Did you charge me the normal market rate?"
Yuan Fa cheerfully replied, "Of course. I haven't sunk to that level of moral depravity yet."
Yuan Luoyi deeply doubted this.
After finishing their snacks and coffee, they all left the cafe together.
The happy Yuan Fa left first, as he could finally purchase the hot spring villa he had long desired.
His blood brother was so adept at making money and stuffing it into his pockets. Truly, it was fortunate that he had restrained himself from killing him when they were children, for sustainable harvesting was the hard truth of development.
Meanwhile, Yuan Si returned to the Yuan residence with Yuan Luoyi. Since he had come back for a visit, he decided to spend a few days with his sister.
He strolled leisurely, for the time spent alone with his sister was always so pleasant.
Yuan Luoyi asked, "Can you help promote me today, Fourth Brother?"
Yuan Si said, "I've already started promoting you!"
He bent down, swiftly drawing closer to Yuan Luoyi: "You know, the sooner I introduce you to everyone, the more people I can save."
"In this world, very few people are happy. Most are suffering terribly, forcing themselves to conform from birth, unloved and incapable of loving anyone."
"But you possess a unique charm, gentle and pure. You're willing to embrace others' darkness, healing this wounded world better than any divine being."
"One day, you'll become the spiritual pillar that many cling to, the sole beauty in their wretched lives."
Fourth Brother's praises were always so blunt and sweet. Yuan Luoyi suddenly understood something.
The Yuan family had a notorious reputation—domineering, callous, bloodthirsty, and unscrupulous in their pursuit of victory.
Yet even the morally ambiguous Fourth Brother was fundamentally doing things to benefit others. He manipulated his followers, but those followers were originally mired in despair, and without encountering Fourth Brother, they might have met an early demise.
As Elder Brother Yuan Ao had told her, good and evil were not so clearly delineated.
In the following days, Yuan Luoyi got along well with Yuan Si. His desire for control was strong, but Yuan Luoyi knew how to deal with it.
When he gripped her shoulders tightly, she would lean into his embrace, and suddenly Fourth Brother would soften, his grip loosening.
By Sunday afternoon, Yuan Luoyi had already gained many new fans, her influence rapidly growing.
The new fans were zealous, fortunate to have encountered the soft-hearted deity.
After dinner that night, Yuan Luoyi was prepared. She had to go to that side.
The more comfortable her life became here, the more she felt a sense of impending crisis, for the Yuan family's fated deaths had not ended. She had to find the real culprit and protect this world.
"Initiate tracing back!"
Her body continuously plunged downward, pulled by an immense force, until Yuan Luoyi returned to the old world line.
Once the dizziness had fully subsided, Yuan Luoyi saw walls covered in Van Gogh's paintings—Fourth Brother's villa on the mountainside.
"I didn't expect you to return so soon."
A familiar voice came from behind her, and Yuan Luoyi turned to see Second Brother Yuan Fa.
The stark contrast made Yuan Luoyi feel uneasy. The other Yuan Fa was carefree and happy, while this Yuan Fa was pained and emaciated.
His brow was furrowed, rubbing his temples as the ever-increasing headaches made it increasingly difficult for him to think clearly. He was finally experiencing what Elder Brother had gone through before his death.
To know that you're deteriorating, yet unable to stop it.
Like a broken machine, still functioning on the surface but with internal gears falling apart, until the critical point when it all comes crashing down, immobile.
However, despite such pain, Yuan Fa still maintained his elegance with the last trace of rationality in front of his sister. He courteously bowed slightly, extending his large hand in invitation.
"My dear sister, welcome back."
"These days, our efforts have finally paid off."
"We know where your ashes are."
