My parents were busy in the kitchen. Seeing me return, Mom said, "Quickly call Da Xiong and Xiao Xia, tell them all to come over for lunch today. Those poor kids don't have a real home; we can't forget them during the New Year."

The family traditions for the Lunar New Year were brought by my father from his hometown. The midday meal on New Year's Eve is a grand reunion feast. In the evening, it's dumplings, followed by staying up to usher in the New Year. At the stroke of midnight, we eat more dumplings, drink, and offer New Year's greetings. On the morning of the first day, we eat dumplings stuffed with auspicious items like copper coins, dates, or chestnuts. Finding a coin means wealth in the coming year; dates signify early sons; and chestnuts mean establishing a family and career. Matters like hanging the ancestral registry, visiting graves for ancestor worship, and setting off firecrackers have been simplified since moving to the city.

After making the calls, I helped Mom wash vegetables nearby, quietly asking, "Mom, can my little sister Xiao Yu come too? You know she's an orphan too, all alone in the capital. We can't ignore her during this big holiday, can we?"

"Yes," Mom relented softly, her heart always melting for such cases. "If our apartment weren't so small, I wouldn't mind letting her move in."

I felt that the group upstairs would be exposed sooner or later, so it was better to disclose things early. "They just moved—coincidentally, they're living right above us."

"Ah!" Mom gasped, speechless for a long moment.

"Mom," I continued my negotiation, "Those Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang are orphans too. How about letting the two sisters come as well?"

Mom put down the vegetables she was holding and said seriously, "You just tell me honestly, how many more are there?"

"If, if Yi Xiaorou doesn't come home, then that's all of them."

"Son, oh son, what can I say about you? Hurry up and make a clean decision for me. I think these three orphans can be considered. Everyone else is out for now. Child, our family's affairs are small; we can’t marry into wealthy families," Mom said earnestly.

"Mom, I have a plan in my heart. Just wait until you can hold your grandson," I said, running out the door. Dad shouted from behind, "You little rascal, where are you running off to now!"

"Dad, I'm going upstairs to call your daughters-in-law down for the meal."

Dad was tidying the living room and chased after me with the feather duster. "I'll teach you to talk nonsense!"

Upstairs, I found the four girls also busy. I issued an urgent command: "We're going downstairs for the reunion lunch. Everyone stays up together tonight to welcome the New Year."

Xiao Yu Di was very familiar with our home. She grabbed the two sisters and darted downstairs. Yi Xiaorou deliberately lagged behind. I caught her in one swift move and closed the door.

"Xiao Rou, I actually planned to find a separate place for you."

Yi Xiaorou obviously knew the reason I wanted a separate place for her—to facilitate her treatment.

"Actually, I prefer living with the sisters. They treat me very well, truly. I lived alone for so many years; I also hope to have company."

"But your illness...?"

Yi Xiaorou smiled and stroked my face. "I hear stealing a bit of fun is more thrilling."

Faced with such a sexy beauty, I couldn't resist violating her, but everyone was waiting downstairs. If we were late, they would definitely get suspicious. Just as we were about to head down, my phone suddenly buzzed with a text message.

Yi Xiaorou murmured suggestively, "Which girl is texting you?"

I glanced down; it was indeed a girl—Zhang Xiaoya.

Seeing my face grow awkward, Yi Xiaorou pulled me onto the sofa and said solemnly, "Zhao Qian, after that misunderstanding last time, I've figured things out. I truly like you and love you; I can't live without you. But I know I can't possess you completely. That's a fact determined by numerous factors concerning both of us. Therefore, I won't be jealous of any girl around you, nor will I ask you to make our relationship public. Given my current circumstances, receiving your love is already extravagant, and it only creates an unnecessary, powerful enemy for you. I feel guilty about that. So, please don't ignore the other sisters because of my existence. What I'm saying is absolutely from the bottom of my heart—these are realizations I've come to after facing life and death."

Although theoretically I shouldn't approve of Yi Xiaorou's thinking, in reality, I wished every girl around me felt the same. Humans are truly selfish.

However, Yi Xiaorou's words ignited a fierce desire in me to protect her. I would definitely make such a wonderful girl happy. I held her tightly. "Xiao Rou, don't worry. I will prove to you with actions how correct your choice is."

Then, I told Yi Xiaorou everything about Zhang Xiaoya downstairs, not hiding the matter with Tan Tian at the airport today either.

"Husband," Yi Xiaorou pouted slightly, "it's New Year's Eve today; can we not talk about these bothersome things? Quick, look at what Sister Xiaoya sent first. Here, let me."

Yi Xiaorou took my phone and nestled against my chest to read it: "Thank you, classmate Zhao Qian. I was very happy today."

"What should we reply?" Yi Xiaorou looked up, then lowered her head to type on the touchscreen: "Making you happy also makes me very happy. This is what I should do; you're welcome."

Zhang Xiaoya quickly replied again: "I'll give you my QQ number. Let's chat online ××××××."

Yi Xiaorou grabbed my hand, which was sneaking under her clothes, and pulled me up. "Let's go. You have a computer in your room; we'll chat down there."

As soon as we entered the room, Dad grabbed me to clean the balcony. I put on a miserable face. "Dad, it's New Year's Eve; even the little brats get the day off. Spare me."

Dad didn't allow it. "After the New Year, I want to enclose the balcony and connect it to the living room. That will significantly increase the space."

Dad was doing this for me too. After all, I had too many friends now. Every time they came for a meal, the place was packed. The space in the house was truly too small.

Yi Xiaorou slipped into my room with my phone, looking back to give me an OK sign. My current wife is setting up my future wife—what kind of situation is this?

Dad and I messed around on the balcony for a while. Then Zhu Da, Xia Huren, the Village Chief, and Zhang Er Sha burst in, all four of them carrying loads of things on their shoulders.

Zhu Da set down the wine he was carrying on his shoulder. "Uncle, I bought you Wuliangye, Maotai, XO, Courvoisier, and Brandy. Whichever you like, we'll drink it at lunch."

I remembered when Zhu Da spent New Year at our house years ago; conditions were poor, and we only had a couple of shots of Laobaigan. Zhu Da drank until his face was red and his neck thick, saying that once he had money, he would definitely let my dad taste what Maotai tasted like. He had just distributed bonuses to them before the New Year, and this kid wanted to finish it all in one go.

Xia Huren brought a cylinder of tea worth over eight thousand yuan. Dad loved tea after drinking wine; he was so happy smelling it repeatedly that he insisted on brewing a pot for everyone to try first.

The Village Chief and Er Sha jointly bought a ginseng root. I looked at the price tag on the outer box—damn, nineteen thousand eight hundred! I calculated the profits of the Tieniu Tofu Company before the New Year; after deducting expenses, everyone received a ten-thousand-yuan bonus, including Zhang Er Sha, because that guy worked harder than anyone else when turning the mill back then, and he never complained. This guy instantly spent both his bonuses—the gift was far from small.

"Old brother," the Village Chief, who was a few years younger than my dad, could only call him this, "this wild ginseng is absolutely genuine. I've hunted in the mountains for decades; I won't be mistaken. While it might not be top-grade, if you slice it and use it to brew medicinal wine or soup, it will definitely be good for your health."

Dad also saw the price tag. For wild ginseng, this price was considered the absolute cheapest, but he still placed the ginseng in the cabinet as if it were a sacred object, then invited everyone to sit down for tea first.

The girls who arrived earlier were helping in the kitchen. Yi Xiaorou was busy setting up Zhang Xiaoya for me, while Dad chased me back to the balcony to work.

Zhu Da followed behind me and whispered, "Commander Zhao, the Brotherhood Alliance is almost settled. I told the Village Chief that after the New Year, I'll step away from the Tofu Company and manage the underworld from now on. Finally, I'm somewhat connected to the Commander."

I cautioned him, "You shouldn't mess around, kid. You should quickly find someone who understands underworld business to teach you. Don't always cause trouble and have us running around putting out fires."

"That's true," Zhu Da said with rare modesty. "The deeper I get, the more I feel my capabilities lacking, so I've decided to go to university if I get the chance."

I was moving a broken flower pot. Hearing this, I slammed it down, shattering it completely. "You can't be serious, Commander Zhu, go to university?"

"What's so strange about that? There are people going to university in their seventies and eighties. Oh, that weakling from the Hualong Society came to see me. He said his father wants to discuss the future development between our two factions. I think this is a big deal; you should handle it yourself."

"Fine, notify me when the time comes. By the way, why aren't Xu Jing and the others here?"

"I took them to tour the production workshop. His dad saw that our factory needed a proper doorkeeper, so the whole family moved in to live at the factory. What a pity, I was hoping to develop some feelings with Xu Jing."

Yi Xiaorou waved at me from my doorway. Seeing Dad chatting cheerfully with the Village Chief, I secretly ran back to the room.

Closing the door, Yi Xiaorou hugged me. "Husband, I've successfully set up Sister Xiaoya for you. She invited you to go shopping this afternoon."

Yi Xiaorou's dependence on me filled my heart with waves of happiness. What bliss to have such a woman!

I looked at their chat history. It was nothing more than Zhang Xiaoya asking about the price of the apartment and saying she needed to repay me the money, which Yi Xiaorou had answered vaguely. Finally, Zhang Xiaoya said she was going to help her dad cook and asked if I was free in the afternoon to go to the supermarket with her.

"Go," Yi Xiaorou told me. "Don't let Tan Tian or Ibe Nigenki get ahead of you. I'll celebrate when you secure Sister Xiaoya."

Yi Xiaorou, how can I ever thank you for being so permissive with me?

I embraced her, and we both fell onto the bed, though Yi Xiaorou limited it to kissing me or touching my body through our clothes.

Everyone had to admit that Zhao Fen was an absolute master cook. She was today's head chef, and the flavor of the dishes was a significant step up from Mom's cooking. Four dishes were already on the table. Zhao Fen wouldn't let us wait; she cooked while we ate. Xiao Yu Di went to assist her, and no one else was allowed in the kitchen.

Xiao Yu Di actually didn't need to eat to gain energy; her body was a giant battery, capable of operating normally for two years on a full charge.

Mom felt quite apologetic. After all, those two girls were guests, and letting them cook was a bit improper, but it was also clear that Mom was very happy and satisfied. Perhaps this was exactly the model daughter-in-law she was looking for.

After a few cups of wine, Dad finally opened up. He felt the most affinity for the honest Village Chief. "Little Li (the Village Chief was a few years younger than Dad), what's the deal with that Tieniu Tofu you guys started? Does it really make money? It's the first time I've seen a tofu product advertise."

The Village Chief put down his wine cup. "Old brother, it's not just you who finds it hard to believe; even I, an insider, feel like I'm dreaming, but Little Zhao actually pulled it off. In the nearly six months of production and sales, after deducting all expenses, including wages for everyone here, we still profited over 200,000. And remember, this is only from the incomplete sales within Jingdu City. We have already planned to expand nationwide next year; the profits will surely be considerable."

Don't drag me into this matter, I thought, since it's been a long time since I visited the Tofu Company. "Village Chief, this is all due to everyone's hard work. I’ve been lazy recently."

The Village Chief said urgently, "You can't say that, Little Zhao. Without you, none of us would be here today. Who gathered everyone? Who worked tirelessly promoting door-to-door, and who went to supermarkets and malls to find sales channels for the product? As the saying goes, the master leads you to the door. Besides, without your funding and advertising support, it wouldn't have been so easy for us to succeed."

Dad's expression became somewhat excited and tense. "So, Tieniu Tofu Company was started by Zhao Qian?"

Zhu Da and Li Tieniu spoke in unison: "Of course!"

"It's a joint venture, a joint venture, run by everyone together," I quickly added as an explanation. Six months ago, I was broke, and Dad insisted on knowing where the money for the factory came from. Explaining all of this wouldn't be easy.

Zhu Da said, "What's wrong, Commander Zhao? How long do you plan to hide it from Uncle and Auntie? Just tell them everything today."

Dad's stern gaze began to fix on me. Yi Xiaorou sat beside me, secretly nudged my thigh, and whispered, "Tell them, Zhao Qian. Don't let Uncle and Auntie worry about you."

I hardened my resolve. Yes, I must tell them, otherwise, I didn't know how long I'd be confined next year. So, I started from the night I was exiled to the small town and met the sisters Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang, the treatments, killing the giant cicada, including some abnormal changes in my body. Then there was Fang Yanmeng being kidnapped and escaping her marriage, whom I rescued. Next, Xiao Chuchu wanted to go to Peach Blossom Village to investigate a supernatural photo. Then I met the Village Chief. Regarding Peach Blossom Village, I only told them about the fruitless investigation that ended in a massive flood. I was swept far away while saving Fang Yanmeng and Xiao Chuchu from the flood, where I met Xiao Yu Di. I omitted everything else.

Then I returned to the capital, preparing to go back to the small town to look for Zhao Fen, Zhao Fang, and Fang Yanmeng. Through Zhu Da's arrangement, I ended up on the same plane as Yi Xiaorou and Hua Qingqing. Yi Xiaorou then took over, telling them how bravely I saved them and helped Hua Qingqing 'diligently research' and 'cure' her rust spot disease, after which Hua Qingqing specially appointed me as a Senior Research Assistant.

Then I continued the story. While searching for the four girls, I unexpectedly encountered the massacre at Peach Blossom Village, and that's how I ended up joining forces with the surviving Village Chief and Er Sha. Returning to the capital, considering everyone's livelihood, we founded the Tieniu Tofu Company. Since I had received a substantial bonus for helping Hua Qingqing, I invested a portion in the Tofu Company. Through everyone's efforts, we finally achieved success.

Mom was most concerned about the backgrounds of the girls. They were all dressed extraordinarily well and arrived in luxury cars—this didn't seem to match me, the tofu manager.

For the sake of future harmony, I began introducing them one by one in detail. Yi Xiaorou, Academician at the Grand Dragon Nation High-End Weaponry Research Institute, Colonel rank. Zhao Fen, Senior Researcher at the Science and Technology Education Department of the National Defense University, Colonel rank. Zhao Fang, Senior Researcher at the Navy Research Institute, Colonel rank. Xiao Yu Di, my beloved sister, Head of Logistics, responsible for supplies. Fang Yanmeng, a junior student in the Finance Department at Longteng University, the young mistress of Chaoyang Energy. Xiao Chuchu, works for the National Television Station, holds great power because her father is the Director-General of the National Television Station. Hua Qingqing, General Manager of the Huashi Pharmaceutical Group.

It was obvious that Mom and Dad were intimidated by these titles. This was something that could never be imagined by two proletariat comrades who had dedicated their lives to revolutionary work. In their eyes, knowing the daughter of a factory director would be incredible luck, yet my acquaintances included girls who were stunningly beautiful, fabulously wealthy, and talented enough to make Heaven envious in the Grand Dragon Nation.

Zhu Da didn't care about any of that and led everyone to drink a few more rounds. Dad, having had a bit too much wine, also started to feel somewhat relieved. What did all this prove? It proved that their son was capable! And what did their son being capable prove? It proved that a tiger father begets no dog son!

Mom's worry was whether my health had any problems, whether I would turn into a snake from eating the giant python, and whether my unusual abilities would cause me trouble.

Yi Xiaorou, as the eldest among these girls, comforted my mother. "Auntie, please don't worry. Everyone here is Zhao Qian's best friend. Moreover, Zhao Qian keeps a low profile these days; if anything comes up, he doesn't have to deal with it personally, so it won't attract outside attention. Besides, if Zhao Qian could turn into a snake, he would have done it long ago; why wait until today?"

Mom said, "Little Yi is right. Keeping him at home, as his father decided, seems completely correct. Otherwise, if he were allowed to run wild outside, who knows what disaster he might cause. No wonder his bottom didn't even swell when his dad spanked him this time—it turns out this boy has become the type that can't be beaten. Is this still my son?"

Mom saying that made me object. "Mom, are you thinking that I've grown up and need to get married, and you want to kick me out of the house so you can be lazy?"

Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang held onto Mom's arms on either side. "Auntie, Big Brother Zhao is absolutely the same Big Brother Zhao as before, genuine without a doubt. He's just become even more amazing than before; please don't worry."

Mom sighed. "His dad and I actually sensed the changes in our son this time he returned, but we never expected there were so many things involved. Actually, whether Little Rascal Huizi is the original one or not, I, as his mother, know better than anyone. He is a piece of flesh cut from my body..."