TFRLTOP Chapter 23 Part 2

Wang Duo’s mouth twitched as he whispered to Chen Si, “That ring is the symbol of the Huo family… and Fifth Master just casually… gave it to her? And she didn’t even want it?”

Chen Si patted his shoulder, urging him to face reality. “Brother, can’t you see? If she wanted, Fifth Master would hand over the entire Huo family to her. What’s one little ring compared to that?”

Ming Ming was about to lose it. “System, how do I get rid of him? Aren’t you even worried? At this rate, the female lead’s going to be married off, and the two of them won’t get together until she gets divorced!”

The system roared back: “You think I don’t care? I told you from the start—if you’d just poured that drink like you were supposed to, none of this mess would’ve happened!”

Ming Ming grumbled in defiance. “If you’re so capable, then send me back in time!”

She thought once she got her punishment, the whole “selling cash gifts” thing would blow over. Two or three days passed, and everything seemed back to normal. She even sighed regretfully to the system, “What a shame, I failed again this time.”

But she hadn’t counted on Huo Xiao being so damn vindictive. He waited until Ming Ming finally let her guard down—then struck.

He canceled her black card and even confiscated her personal bank card.

The latter, he claimed, was “for safekeeping.”

Inhuman!

Absolutely monstrous!!!

“If you want to buy something, just tell me. If I’m not around, tell Chen Si or Butler Wu. Don’t pout—when have I ever treated you badly?”

The devil wearing human skin had gone full dictator.

“When you behave, I’ll give the cards and money back. Until then, you’d better reflect.”

“…Butler Wu, have the kitchen bring me an oil bottle. Hang it around Miss Chu’s neck.”

Ming Ming let out a heavy “hmph,” stomped upstairs, and slammed her bedroom door so hard the entire neighborhood could feel her rage.

“Let the female lead live this kind of life for me—I can’t take it anymore!”

She paced her bedroom furiously, fuming.

Right now, she felt like a squirrel that had spent all year gathering acorns for winter, only to wake up and find the nest completely looted—nothing left at all.

In the following days, the Huo household stayed lively as ever.

Meanwhile, Ming Ming, with zero dignity, trailed after Huo Xiao every day, running her mouth nonstop for the sake of money.

“Master, please spare some cash—the pot at home is empty. If this keeps up, Yun’er will have to sell her—self to pay off the debt!”

“Kind benefactor, this humble priest has calculated great misfortune ahead. But since you look kind, I’ll give you a 9.99 discount. Only fifty… no, five hundred million, and the disaster will be avoided!”

“Hey, price is negotiable. Don’t leave—I’ll take a loss, fifty percent off. Two hundred fifty… fine, ninety percent off! Just five million… five million! Won’t even give me five million?! Don’t push it, Huo!”

But Huo Xiao was as unyielding as an addict in rehab. He refused to budge.

One night, Ming Ming even took the initiative in the dark, hoping Master Huo would show mercy. Master Huo happily accepted every bit she offered—then still didn’t give her money.

Ming Ming nearly exploded with rage.

She jabbed her finger at his nose and started a fight.

According to Butler Wu’s extremely biased retelling, it was a “one-sided quarrel”—Miss Chu puffing and stomping and waving her arms around, while Fifth Master couldn’t be bothered. At most, he lifted his eyelids occasionally as if to say, I’m listening. When he was in a good mood, he’d even hand her a glass of water so she wouldn’t pass out from anger.

During that time, the Huo household actually lived a strangely peaceful and orderly life.

Miss Chu cycled through the stages of “tag-along → furious scolding → cold war → tag-along” over and over.

Chen Si even asked Fifth Master privately, “Are you seriously going to starve Miss Chu out?”

Fifth Master replied casually, “I’ll give her cards back next month. Let her learn her lesson in a few more days.”

Unfortunately, Ming Ming didn’t reflect at all—instead, she started fighting with real emotion.

Sobbing and sniffling, she wailed to the system: “That giant black card, that fat savings card—both gone! All gone! How can he be so cruel?”

“I’m going to cheat! I’ll hook up with another rich guy! Where’s my bald sugar daddy? Let me at him! Don’t stop me! I said Don’t stop me!”

System: “Don’t spread rumors. I didn’t stop you.”

“…”

Then the system offered her a new path: “You could seduce Ye Weiran’s boyfriend. If they break up, won’t that help move the plot between the male and female leads along?”

“…Good point.”

Ye Weiran was truly the female lead. In just a few months, she had mastered the lifestyle of a wealthy heiress. Within the Ye family, she leapt into the position of one of the official heirs—the only grandchild to be included on the inheritance list. This forced her uncles and aunts to treat her with wary respect.

He Chengtian, meanwhile, had indeed become Ye Weiran’s little shadow. But she knew his character too well and didn’t bother with him. Her bond with He Lu grew stronger, while Ming Ming’s ties with the heiresses weakened ever since her reselling business collapsed.

Ye Weiran’s boyfriend was Jiang Ming, a self-made young man, ambitious and hardworking. The two hit it off well. To He Chengtian, though, Jiang Ming was no real threat. As long as he kept showing Ye Weiran his charm, she would eventually see that man was far beneath him.

Besides, the He and Ye families were a perfect match.

So He Chengtian carefully planned a private party at his house, inviting Ye Weiran—and even magnanimously said she could bring her boyfriend along.

His real goal? To humiliate Jiang Ming at the party and drive him away.

Coincidentally, Chu Yun also received an invitation from He Lu.

In fact, the heiresses had distanced themselves from Chu Yun not just because she’d lost her supply chain, but because of one incident—when Fifth Master Huo brought her to the Ye family banquet and introduced her openly, practically declaring her identity.

That move sent shockwaves through the social circle.

In S City, more than a few families had hoped to use their daughters to climb into the Huo family. When Fifth Master had no women around, at least nobody else stood a chance either. But suddenly, this unknown wild chick appeared at his side—and worse, many young ladies and their mothers had unknowingly bought resold luxury goods from her.

Which family looked more foolish? Hard to say.

Some less wealthy families, who relied on their daughters for connections, ended up scolding those poor girls to tears over the humiliation. Those daughters now hated Chu Yun to the bone.

With so many factors at play, He Chengtian’s little party turned into a very lively event.