Li Cheng stepped out of Teacher Yaling's car with the kind of dead, drained expression usually reserved for old men who lived through three wars and a failed marriage.
He stared at his home.
He stared at the gate.
He stared at the sky.
And finally ...
He stared at his reflection in the window.
"That," he muttered, "was the longest school day in my life."
Inside his mind, a familiar, metallic chime echoed.
Ding!
[Daily Sign-In available.]
[Host has not signed in today. Please sign in.]
Li Cheng massaged his temples.
"…Not now."
Ding.
[Reminder: Daily Sign-In gives beneficial rewards. Host is advised to sign-]
"Later," Li Cheng groaned.
The system paused.
Then ...
Ding.
[Host. Sign in.]
Li Cheng shut his eyes.
"I said later."
The system fell silent.
Temporarily.
He took a deep breath, opened the gate, and walked toward the main door.
And then-
He froze.
Because three silhouettes were visible inside the house.
Three women.
Three completely different energies.
Three completely different reasons to give him a headache.
"…Grandma," Li Cheng whispered, "what did you do?"
He stepped inside cautiously.
1. The Schoolgirl
The first woman to notice him was kneeling by the coffee table, carefully arranging what looked like a neatly wrapped bento box.
She looked up-
Short hair. Red-rimmed glasses. Soft eyes that sparkled nervously.
She was from school.
He recognized her from the library - the quiet girl who always sat by the window reading romance novels.
"S-Sun Jing?" Li Cheng blinked. "What are you doing here?"
Sun Jing jumped up so fast she nearly flipped the bento box.
"L-Li Cheng! I- I didn't think you'd be home so early!"
"…It's almost evening," he said.
Her cheeks reddened.
"I-I came to give you a thank-you gift! For helping me last time with those seniors! And for the chocolate chaos today! A-And I heard from a friend that boys prefer home-cooked meals over chocolates, so I thought-"
She kept talking.
Fast.
Like a malfunctioning typewriter.
Li Cheng gently raised a hand.
"Sun Jing… breathe."
She inhaled deeply.
And immediately looked like she might faint.
Li Cheng felt a headache forming.
He didn't even know how she found his address.
Then he remembered.
Grandma.
Of course.
The Businesswoman
Near the dining table sat a second woman — legs crossed, posture perfect, expression calm.
Tall. Elegant. High heels. A suit tailored so precisely that it probably cost more than his entire wardrobe.
She glanced at him, unfazed.
"Mr. Li," she said with a polite nod. "You're back."
Li Cheng held back the urge to scream.
"…Miss Chen?"
Chen Yuxi.
One of the investors had been observing his new company.
Cold. Professional. Razor-sharp.
She stood up.
"The documents you emailed last week — I came to discuss them in person. Your grandmother let me in."
Of course she did.
Of course, Grandma thought, "Let me just put a CEO-level beauty in my grandson's house, surely nothing strange will happen."
Li Cheng pressed a palm to his forehead.
"I thought we were discussing those documents tomorrow at the office."
"We could."
She stepped closer.
"Or we could finalize them today and save your company two weeks of processing time."
That was… tempting.
Very tempting.
But the problem was-
There was a third presence in the room.
And that third presence felt like…
Authority.
Soft authority.
Old-fashioned elegance.
And danger.
The Elegant Woman Grandma Sent
She sat on the sofa as if she owned it.
Calm.
Graceful.
Perfect posture.
Long black hair tied into a low bun.
A traditional dress that gave her the aura of someone who should be sipping tea on a balcony overlooking a mountain villa.
She smiled warmly as Li Cheng entered.
"Cheng'er," she said softly, "you're home."
His soul left his body.
"…Auntie Mei?"
Auntie Mei - his grandmother's long-time personal attendant.
Basically, a second grandmother.
She raised him whenever Grandma was too busy.
She also had the terrifying ability to scold him without raising her voice.
"What are you… doing… here," he asked slowly.
Auntie Mei smiled.
"I came to check on you."
Li Cheng blinked.
"Check on me for what?"
She pointed at Sun Jing.
"She came to deliver food."
Then she pointed at Chen Yuxi.
"She came for business."
Then she pointed at the house in general.
"And I came because your grandmother believes you require supervision."
Li Cheng wanted to lie down.
On the floor.
Face-down.
Forever.
Auntie Mei continued calmly.
"She was worried you might… forget to eat. Or forget to sleep. Or work too hard. Or play too hard. Or ignore girls. Or accept too many girls. Or accept girls but not enough-"
"STOP," Li Cheng begged.
Sun Jing's face was bright red.
Chen Yuxi pretended she didn't hear anything.
Auntie Mei drank her tea.
"I'm only stating what your grandmother said."
Li Cheng wondered if running away to the mountains was a viable life option.
Ding.
[Host still has not signed in. Daily Sign-In is strongly recommended.]
He clenched his jaw.
"System… please… not now..."
Chaos Begins
Auntie Mei lifted the bento Sun Jing brought.
"This is nicely prepared," she praised. "Cheng'er, go wash your hands and eat."
Sun Jing nearly fainted from happiness.
Chen Yuxi stepped forward calmly.
"No. Li Cheng needs to review these documents first. If we finalize today, his company gains a strategic advantage-"
Auntie Mei raised a brow.
"Are you Li Cheng's elder?"
Chen Yuxi hesitated.
"No, but-"
"Then don't interrupt me."
Chen Yuxi froze.
Sun Jing froze.
Li Cheng froze.
Auntie Mei took another calm sip of tea.
"I raised this child. I changed his diaper. I fed him when he couldn't hold a spoon. I scolded him when he made trouble. Now he is surrounded by women, and the first thing he must do-"
She pointed at the bathroom.
"-is washing his hands."
Li Cheng obeyed immediately.
Because disobeying Auntie Mei usually meant emotional death.
The Dinner Disaster
When he sat down, Sun Jing pushed the bento toward him.
"I… I made this myself…"
Chen Yuxi placed a folder in front of him.
"I still need your signature on page thirty-two."
Auntie Mei placed a bowl of soup beside the bento.
"This will help you grow stronger. You're too thin."
Sun Jing panicked.
"N-No! He should eat the bento first!"
Chen Yuxi calmly replied, "Food can wait."
Auntie Mei set her cup down.
"Business can wait."
The room dropped ten degrees.
Chen Yuxi gulped.
Sun Jing trembled.
Li Cheng stared at the ceiling.
"I want to go back to school," he whispered.
After Dinner Troubles
Once he finished the meal - half because Sun Jing watched him like a puppy waiting for praise and half because Auntie Mei would murder him otherwise - he turned to Chen Yuxi.
"Let's finish the documents quickly."
Sun Jing sat quietly, hands folded on her lap, too nervous to move.
But Auntie Mei…
Auntie Mei watched.
Arms crossed.
Eyes squinting.
As if evaluating Chen Yuxi for marriage potential.
Chen Yuxi, aware of that gaze, kept a perfect posture.
Sun Jing, aware too, nearly melted into the sofa.
Li Cheng wanted to evaporate.
System Reminder (Again)
As he picked up a pen…
Ding.
[Host. It is now 7:45 PM.]
[Daily Sign-In is still incomplete.]
[Would you like to sign in now?]
Li Cheng inhaled.
"Fine! I'll sign in! Just shut up already!"
Ding!
[Daily Sign-In complete.]
[Congratulations to the Host! You have received-]
He stiffened.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Waiting.
"System…?"
A pause.
Then:
[Reward: A one-time 24-hour charm suppression buff.]
[Host's attractiveness will be temporarily reduced to normal levels.]
Li Cheng stared blankly.
"…System… are you insulting me?"
[No. Host needs this. Badly.]
He sighed.
Sun Jing tilted her head.
"Li Cheng… are you okay?"
Chen Yuxi measured him.
"You look exhausted."
Auntie Mei touched his forehead.
"Are you sick? Do you need medicine? Should I call your grandmother? Should I call the doctor? Should I call-"
"No!" Li Cheng cried. "Please don't call anyone!"
The Unexpected Twist
Just when he thought the night couldn't get worse-
The doorbell rang.
All three women froze.
Li Cheng froze.
Auntie Mei frowned slightly.
"Who else is coming?"
Sun Jing whispered, "D-Did someone follow me?"
Chen Yuxi narrowed her eyes. "It better not be a competitor."
Li Cheng strolled toward the door.
Praying.
Hoping.
Begging was nobody's problem.
He opened the door.
And standing outside, holding a bag of medicine, wearing a very familiar teacher's suit—
Was Teacher Yaling.
She lifted a brow.
"You didn't answer your phone."
Li Cheng blinked.
"What are you doing here??"
She stepped inside casually - too casually - as if she lived there.
"Your grandmother told me to check on you. She said you might starve or forget to sleep or attract too many girls-"
Auntie Mei stood up immediately.
Both women stared at each other.
Silent lightning crackled between them.
Sun Jing felt faint.
Chen Yuxi retreated behind the sofa.
Li Cheng whispered:
"…I'm dead."
Teacher Yaling and Auntie Mei continued staring at each other.
Neither stepped back.
Neither blinked.
Neither smiled.
And then-
Teacher Yaling spoke first.
Soft.
Firm.
"You must be the one Grandma Li raised."
Auntie Mei nodded.
"And you must be the one Grandma Li trusts."
Li Cheng felt his spine turn to ice.
The two women moved closer.
Closer.
Closer-
Sun Jing covered her eyes.
Chen Yuxi held her breath.
Li Cheng prayed for his survival.
Then-
Teacher Yaling smiled.
A slow, unreadable smile.
"If we're both trusted by Grandma Li," she said softly, "then we have a lot to talk about."
Auntie Mei returned the smile.
"Indeed."
Li Cheng's blood pressure spiked.
This looked like the start of something terrifying.
And the system chose that exact moment to chime again.
Ding.
[Host, charm suppression buff is now active.]
[But based on the current danger level… it will not help.]
Li Cheng whispered:
"…I'm doomed."