With over ten thousand a month in mortgage payments, plus the sisters' monthly expenses and household costs, they needed nearly twenty thousand just to get by.
But tonight, with the bank card they'd just received, those worries seemed to evaporate.
The sisters shared the same silent thought: having money really is wonderful.
After dropping Si Nian and Si Qing at campus, Jiang Cheng told Wang Sheng to drive on to Qiao Yinyin's place.
Since he'd last used the Boundary-less Feeding skill on her and burned the Duo Chicken-Eating Card, Qiao Yinyin still messaged him every day.
Yet Jiang Cheng sensed a faint reservation in her tone.
As the car left the school gate, he opened the system panel.
[Ding! Mission "Cure the Arrogant" completed. Rewards distributed: 1. Master Luxury Appraisal (auto-bound); 2. Random Trade Secret (click to view).]
When he saw the secret, Jiang Cheng's brows lifted.
It targeted Tesla.
After he'd shorted Tesla stock using Luo Jia's brake-failure scandal, the system now delivered another file on the company.
Per the intel, Tesla was drowning in trouble.
The self-proclaimed future leader claimed Model 3 weekly output had hit 5,000 units.
Real production was far lower—under 3,000.
They were even hiring temps, skipping inspections.
R&D had bled cash; only $2.2 billion remained.
That money had to fund both the Gigafactory and global store roll-outs.
The chain was stretched razor-thin.
News hadn't broken yet, but the shortfall was inevitable.
Worse, fresh reports of battery fires were surfacing.
Forewarned by the system, Jiang Cheng could build a short position now.
If Musk staged a rescue, the stock would snap back fast.
To maximize profit, he had to amplify the story far and wide.
Done reading, he opened the group chat.
Jiang Cheng: @everyone "Get out here—Daddy's taking you for a big score."
Qi Yuan: "Daddy, you finally showed up."
Wang Zheng: "Dad, which 'wave' are we riding?"
Qin Fen: "Dad, boot Old Wang the perv out first."
Chen Hao: "Seriously, he makes this group filthy."
Wang Congcong: "You guys talk? The 'waves' you post aren't small."
Qi Yuan: "@Wang Congcong, why no 'Daddy'? Don't be the odd one out."
Wang Congcong: "…"
Wang Congcong: "I save that for private chats."
Qin Fen: "@Wang Congcong, bro, that sounds wrong~"
Qi Yuan: "Shocked—by 'private' you mean…?"
Zheng Zhigang: "*watching popcorn*"
He Youjun: "I heard Wang likes them petite, not 'big waves'."
Jiang Cheng: "@all, Wang's daddy claims are his alone—never heard it, doubt it."
Jiang Cheng: "@all, I'm male, into females."
Wang Congcong: "I'm done—first time the internet doubts me."
Wang Congcong: "@Jiang Cheng, when's the big score? I need to prove myself."
Jiang Cheng: "@all, skip the girls—bring cash."
Qi Yuan: "Roger! My big money is itching…"
Qin Fen: "Ready anytime."
Wang Zheng: "Ready anytime."
Chen Hao: "Ready anytime."
He Youjun: "Ready anytime."
Zheng Zhigang: "Ready anytime."
Wang Congcong: "So I lose my chance to prove manhood?"
Wang Congcong: "Fine—Daddy Cheng's big money tomorrow, my big waves tomorrow night—be there."
Qi Yuan: "No Internet Celebrities—too skinny. Got any curvy ones? @Wang Congcong"
Wang Congcong: "No aunties…"
Watching the chat devolve, Jiang Cheng exited.
The car was nearing Qiao Yinyin's building.
He took the lift up and keyed in the code, planning a surprise.
Unlike Zhou Ying, Qiao Yinyin never video-called family around him, so he wasn't worried about a repeat of the Zhou-Fang fiasco.
Inside, he swapped shoes—no joyful greeting came.
He glanced around; the living room was empty, but two cups of milk tea sat on the table.
He didn't dwell on the second cup—between favorability scans and danger sense, a green-hat scenario was impossible.
He headed for the bedroom.
Sure enough, the master bath's shower was hissing.
She must be showering and hadn't heard him enter.
Warm light and steam leaked through the crack.
Grinning, he tossed his coat on the bed, stripped to black boxers, and slipped into the bathroom.
He eased the door open; the water stopped just then.
He rounded the curtain and wrapped his arms around the figure drying her hair.
"Finished so soon?"
Instantly he felt wrong—the proportions weren't Qiao Yinyin's.
The girl yelped in shock.
Before he could let go, she spun around, towel dropping.
Huang Yao's terrified face stared up at him—Qiao Yinyin's curvy best friend from school.
They'd met only once, but her memorable figure had stuck in his mind.