If you can't defeat them, join them.

After Xu’s parents took Ji Yun out, Xu Lin came to sit in the living room as well, and the two sisters each settled on either side.

“How did you and Father make your agreement back then?”

“To stay on the front line on my own and earn fifty million within three years.”

“Did you manage it?”

“Chu Fengyi, I’m your elder sister. Who gave you the right to use that tone with me?!”

“All right, all right, Sis, did you manage it or not?”

“You joined the entertainment company because Dad helped you behind the scenes, but even with enough resources, did you make it?”

“How have I not reached the top tier? Every new drama I’m in becomes a hit, doesn’t it?”

“They only watch for your looks. How many actually finish your shows? And what about the thirty million?”

“According to what I heard from Father, if the agency didn’t take a cut, you barely made enough, right?”

“Chu Fengyi, the deadline isn’t up yet, is it?”

“Sure, you still have half a year—no, seven months left. What else can you do, now that you’ve announced a break from the entertainment scene? You’re still ten million short. Where are you going to get it?”

“That’s not your concern. I’ll find a way.”

“Why not just go back to the company and be a CEO? Isn’t that better than constantly being in the public eye?”

“But I’ve chosen the path I want to walk, and I will see it through to the end.”

Chu Qingchan looked resolutely into her sister’s blue eyes and stood up. “Chu Fengyi, you’ve never even heard me sing. How do you know I’m not good enough?”

“All right, but Mom and the others want to see you. Aren’t you going to visit?”

“I’ll go back after I’m done here.”

“By the way, you really ended up with the Demon King. That’s pretty impressive. But unless you become the new Demon King yourself, Father still won’t acknowledge your achievements.”

“I know, which is why I’ll work even harder. Besides, I have Xu Lin.”

Xu Lin, who had been quietly sipping soda and snacking, looked up at Chu Qingchan. “What does this have to do with me?”

“I’m planning to have Xu Lin join the entertainment industry too. If I create a star as powerful as him, won’t Father have to recognize me?”

“Hey, hey, wait a second—”

“That’s fine too, but Auntie—your mother—really misses you.”

But the two sisters ignored his protests and continued their conversation.

“Mm, I know. I told you, I’ll go back after I’m done.”

Chu Qingchan let out a deep breath at this point. She wanted to go back, but she was afraid it was another trap set by her father.

Last time, she was tricked into coming home and ended up forced to learn about company affairs for two whole months. She really didn’t enjoy it.

“So, when are you coming home?”

“Why do I have to go home at all?” Chu Qingchan hadn’t expected that after all this, it still came down to her returning home.

“Father said you must come back before the end of the year. He wants to talk to you.”

“Xu Lin—”

Chu Qingchan glanced at him, and Xu Lin gave a helpless smile. What could he do? This was a family matter.

“Brother-in-law, were you being fierce just now? My sister doesn’t want to go home, but if I can’t take her back, it’s not my fault.”

Chu Fengyi looked at him, twisted her wrist with a slight grin, making his hair stand on end.

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s do this. Let’s have a match. If you win, I’ll leave. If you lose, Sis comes home with me.”

“You think I can beat you?”

“I won’t bully you. I’ll throw ten moves, and as long as you don’t fall, you win. How’s that?”

Hearing this, Xu Lin narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath, stood up, and walked over to her. “All right!”

Chu Fengyi was a bit surprised by his straightforward agreement. Clearly, her suplex last time hadn’t left a strong enough impression.

“Is here in the living room okay?”

“Wherever you like. We could go to the small square downstairs—it’s not like you’d be able to dodge me in such a small space.”

“All right.” Xu Lin wasn’t foolish. He’d just gained this skill, but although his mind understood it, his body might not have caught up yet. He wasn’t about to overestimate himself.

“Are you sure you’re up for it?” Chu Qingchan looked at him worriedly, imagining three hundred different ways Xu Lin could meet his end.

Downstairs, it happened to be lunchtime. The small plaza was nearly empty except for a few elderly men playing chess.

The old men glanced over as they approached—not at the masked Chu Qingchan, but at the petite, golden-haired Chu Fengyi.

“Ready?” Chu Fengyi beckoned with a disdainful curl of her finger.

“Ready!”

“Then… one!”

With that, Xu Lin suddenly felt his vision darken. The figure several meters away flashed before him, and a fist shot toward his face!

Xu Lin instinctively pivoted his foot, pulling his body to the right, and the punch whistled past his ear!

He exhaled in fright, but a sweeping kick followed immediately. He jumped backward two or three meters, evading the attack.

Chu Fengyi saw him widen the distance, not at all discouraged. Instead, her eyes grew brighter. “Interesting… So last time, you let me throw you on purpose! Three!”

She charged again, lightning-fast, a blur to the eye. But as he took a deep breath, everything seemed to slow down.

His body moved instinctively once more—sidestepping, her kick slammed into the bar behind him, leaving a dent.

What the—if I hadn’t dodged, I’d be dead meat!

Panic-stricken, Xu Lin ran further away. She chased after him, counting loudly, “Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! Nine!”

It was a bizarre scene—a young man being chased in circles by a petite, golden-haired girl, dodging her relentless attacks.

When she called “Ten,” he seemed to have finally attuned his body to this new footwork. The controlled breathing kept his mind and body at their peak.

With a sudden somersault, he evaded a beautifully-angled knee strike and landed lightly on a nearby platform.

“Huff… I win.”

The old men watching nearby snapped out of their daze and burst into applause. Chu Qingchan stared at Xu Lin in disbelief.

“He… actually dodged all of Little Sis’s attacks…”

“If you’ve got guts, stop dodging and take a punch head-on!”

Chu Fengyi’s twin tails had come undone, her hair falling loose, her eyes blazing as she glared at him.

“Hey, hey, don’t go back on your word.”

“You tricked me. You know martial arts.”

“I don’t. I just know a little parkour… In a real fight, I’d lose to you.”

“Hmph!” Hearing this, she finally relaxed a little.

“I’m not slower than you—it’s just that I’m still in training.”

She rolled up her pant leg to reveal several metal weights strapped around her slender ankle.

Holy… That’s insane. If she took those off, wouldn’t I have already been punched straight into the hospital—or worse, straight to the crematorium?

She doesn’t even look muscular. Is she just born freakishly strong? I’m terrified.

“All right, you win this time. But next time, when we spar, let’s go head-to-head!” she said fiercely.

But before she could tie her hair back in style, Xu Lin jumped down from the steps and ran over to her, grinning from ear to ear.

“Brother-in-law, what do you want?”

“Fengyi, I want to learn a few moves from you.”

“Learn a few moves?”

“Master, please accept your disciple’s bow!” Xu Lin’s eyes shone with determination—if you can’t beat them, join them!

“…”