TFRLTOP Chapter 89 Part 1

Chapter 89 — The Young Master’s Fake Little Sister 

◎Isn’t Xiao Xinxi’s heart actually Cinderella’s “Xin”?◎

“Auntie,” Ming Ming said weakly, tugging on the nanny’s hand, “don’t you think my face looks pale and my arms are getting skinny?”

The nanny froze for a second, then pinched the girl’s soft, chubby cheek and tried to bring her back to reality. “No, Miss. You actually weigh about two taels more than yesterday.”

Ming Ming cried out in despair, “Then I must’ve grown taller!”

Xiao Yunmu had cut off all her sweets. Three square meals a day—only proper food. No snacks, no pastries. Even her two daily bags of milk were now sugar-free, high-calcium pure milk.

What kind of kid can stand sugar-free milk?!

It was disgusting.

Ming Ming had tried to reason with her “bargain brother,” but her limited verbal skills didn’t help much. Xiao Yunmu, who had to deal with hundreds of millions’ worth of business daily, had no patience to argue with her. After two sentences, he’d just hand her off to the nanny.

“Stop bothering me. If you don’t behave, I’ll send you to the orphanage,” he’d warn.

But Ming Ming wasn’t scared of him. She’d turn around and try to charm the nanny instead. Unfortunately, even though she was technically the young miss, the nanny still took orders from the big boss—so no mercy there.

And so, Ming Ming’s once heavenly life came to an abrupt end.

After just five days of this torture, she couldn’t take it anymore. The moment Xiao Yunmu came home from work, she threw herself at his leg, clinging tightly and howling, “Brother—love me again—Brother!”

“Let go!” Xiao Yunmu’s eye twitched. This kid was driving him insane. Maybe he should just send her to the orphanage.

His legs were long, and Ming Ming’s little body clung to him like a koala, swaying back and forth as he walked.

As she cried, she started to think it was kind of fun. When Xiao Yunmu stopped walking, she tilted her head up and asked, “Brother, why’d you stop?”

“You’re too heavy. I can’t move.”

“I’m not heavy,” she pouted.

“You are,” Xiao Yunmu said coldly. “Aunt Zhang, it’s been nearly a week. How’s her weight loss going?”

The nanny hesitated, then forced an awkward laugh and borrowed Ming Ming’s excuse: “Miss has… uh… grown taller these last two days. Ha… ha ha.”

“So she’s gained weight instead,” he concluded mercilessly.

“Just look at you—completely overfed. Perfect timing. I’ll stay home the next few days and personally supervise your diet.”

Ming Ming slid off his leg, fell to the floor, and immediately started rolling around, screaming, “Nooo! The only thing in my dictionary is malnutrition! Not over-nutrition! Definitely not dieting!”

“Well, look at that. You do know a few words,” Xiao Yunmu said coolly. “Too bad what you say doesn’t matter. In this house, my word is law. You can go ahead and revise your dictionary now.”

Ming Ming’s heart shattered.

Sure enough, without blood ties, there was no love. If she were the real daughter, surely that invisible bond of blood would have him hugging her and soothing her by now!

A fake will always be a fake. There could never be that mysterious connection between them. Ming Ming thought sorrowfully, This must just be set up for when the real heiress returns, and I get thrown out into the cold.

At Xiao Yunmu’s command, Ming Ming began her daily menu of salt-free, oil-free “balanced children’s meals.” Personally reviewed by Young Master Xiao, guided by a professional nutritionist, and prepared by the Xiao family’s top chef—these meals were health incarnate.

But taste-wise?

For the first time in her life, Ming Ming understood what “tastes like chewing wax” meant.

This couldn’t be right.

This wasn’t how a wealthy heiress—real or fake—was supposed to live.

She was furious.

Damn it! Even life at the orphanage was better than this! To hell with being a “real” or “fake” heiress—why couldn’t she just go back to being a quiet little orphan at a nice welfare home?

She officially launched a one-sided cold war with her “cheap brother.”

Xiao Yunmu, on the other hand, had zero experience raising children. Honestly, he was only eighteen, busy as hell, and quite happy to be left in peace as long as the kid didn’t bother him.

While reading documents one day, his thoughts began to drift. His parents were gone, and he had to carry the whole family business himself. Sure, he’d been groomed to handle everything alone, and he hadn’t been that close to them—but still, the house felt empty.

He wasn’t made of stone. He had feelings.

And now, with the kid in the house, there was suddenly a spark of life again. It made the loneliness a little easier to bear.

If she behaved, he might as well let her stay. The poor kid didn’t have anyone else.

So what if she was fake? If she’d been real, he probably wouldn’t have been thrilled to raise her anyway.

Maybe he’d been too harsh, though. It had been days since she’d shown up in front of him. Maybe he could let her have a cupcake once in a while? Kids can’t eat that much sugar anyway. He’d ask the nutritionist—just to be sure.

After confirming it was fine for a child to have one small cake a week (as long as she avoided other sweets), he had the chef make one and decided to deliver it personally.

When he opened her bedroom door, the room was empty.

He frowned but didn’t think much of it—probably playing outside with the nanny. Kids need at least two hours of outdoor activity every day. Normal.

Then he ran into the nanny in the hallway.

“Where’s the kid?” he asked.

The nanny blinked in confusion. “In… in her room, sir. She said she wanted to nap and told me not to disturb her.”

Xiao Yunmu set the cake on the table and checked the room again—under the bed, in the closet—nothing.

No sign of her anywhere.

He glanced at the clock, voice turning icy. “It’s ten in the morning. What kind of nap is that?”

Cold sweat rolled down the nanny’s back.

How could a child just disappear in broad daylight?

“I—I’ll look around,” she stammered. “Maybe she woke up and went to play outside.”

Xiao Yunmu stepped out onto the terrace. A long rope hung from the railing.

A rope made of tied-together bed sheets.

He gripped the railing and looked down.

Nothing.

He wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or furious.

This was the third floor.

“Is everyone in this house dead?” he snapped, barely keeping his temper in check. “A little kid ties sheets together and climbs down from the third floor—and no one notices?!”

The entire household—maids, guards, and all—immediately launched a full-scale search for Ming Ming.

So where was she?

She’d already escaped.

And she was actually planning to find a welfare home to stay in.

Even without cake, at least the food there would have some oil in it…

Sigh. The only regret, she thought, was that she clearly wasn’t meant to live a rich life.

…Then she spat. Who needs a rich life without flavor or oil anyway?!

Whatever.

“Small body, big brain—that’s me, the amazing Ming Ming!” she said proudly.

Using her adult reasoning skills, she really did manage to find a decent welfare home. It was miles better than the one she’d lived in as a child in the remote mountains. Word was, mayors and entrepreneurs visited often to “spread love.” The place had money, food, and comfort—life was pretty good there.

With her big, pitiful eyes, Ming Ming easily convinced the caretakers she was a poor, abandoned child—unwanted, nearly trafficked, and utterly helpless.

Just like that, she settled right in.

When Xiao Yunmu later pulled up the security footage and saw the tiny figure climbing down from the third floor, his chest clenched painfully.

Then he watched her distract the front gate guards, asking them to “help her pick something up.” The moment they turned away, she squeezed through the gap under the gate.

She’d escaped.

Grinding his teeth, Xiao Yunmu thought, Since when was that gate gap so wide?

How could this brat be so clever? Who taught her that?

Was it that woman—the one who’d swapped her in? Maybe she’d been secretly in contact, coaching the girl to run away.

Fine. Let her go. Good riddance. One less headache. Who in their right mind would want to care for a kid who wasn’t even theirs?

He spent the entire afternoon alone in his study, only to realize how unbearably silent the house had become.

Even with all the staff around, it felt completely lifeless.

By evening, he issued an order: search the entire city for Xiao Xinxi—turn it upside down if necessary.

No way she’d have a better life with those so-called “real” parents.

She was better off here, where it was warm and noisy.

Xiao Yunmu even posted on his social media, openly asking for help finding her.

And sure enough, within a few days, an old friend messaged him:

“Hey, Xiao—my dad and I went to that welfare home on the outskirts a few days ago for a charity visit. My assistant took a picture, and I swear, there’s a little girl in it who looks exactly like the one you posted about.”

A photo arrived—and sure enough, it was Ming Ming.

Xiao Yunmu thanked his friend and stared at the picture for a long time.

In the corner of the photo, she was sitting on a swing. Behind her, a little boy was pushing her, while Ming Ming wore an unusually serious expression, holding a small twig in her hand, like a tiny revolutionary leader straight out of an oil painting. The look would’ve been impressive if it weren’t on the face of a five-year-old girl, which made it downright comical.

He clenched his jaw. I’ve been running on no sleep for days, and this little brat looks perfectly happy? She’s got someone waiting on her hand and foot—just missing the crown at this point, huh?