“Holy crap, who has this much money to throw a million at me in one go?”
Li Yedao stared at the username sitting at the top of the tipping leaderboard again and again.
It was a newly registered account.
The profile picture was still the system-default gray silhouette.
And the username consisted of just one word:
Gold.
There was only a single book sitting on the account’s bookshelf—
His new novel, Yuan Zun.
A suspicion immediately surfaced in his mind.
Rich.
A username with “Gold” in it.
And only a few minutes ago, he had just told everyone at the dining table the title of his book.
That narrowed the suspects down considerably.
“It’s probably Eden.”
That was his guess, anyway.
He had absolutely no intention of going to confirm it with her.
After all, he was supposed to be giving her the cold shoulder.
He couldn’t be the one to initiate contact.
He switched over to the comments section and replied in an entirely businesslike manner:
“Thanks for the support, boss.”
He didn’t even dare call her his patron.
Eden was the kind of person who could take a single title you gave her and climb all the way up the pole with it.
If he called her his patron, she might actually start treating herself like one.
And he’d be the one stuck dealing with the consequences.
“Well?
I wasn’t lying, was I?”
Silver Wolf’s voice came bouncing out of the phone again, filled with the excitement of someone thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
“No idea where you hooked yourself such a rich woman, but she drops seven figures like it’s nothing.”
“Shouldn’t you celebrate with some bonus chapters?”
Li Yedao’s mouth twitched.
“Stop talking nonsense.
She’s family.”
“Oooh~ family.
Got it, got it.”
Silver Wolf’s tone twisted through about eight different turns, every single one packed full of teasing.
She knew about Li Yedao’s family situation.
She also knew he had brought Firefly home to meet them.
But if that meant she was going to stop teasing him—
Then what would even be the point of making this call?!
Li Yedao expressionlessly shifted his phone to his other hand.
“Anything else?”
“If not, I’m hanging up.”
“Wait, wait, wait!
Don’t hang up.”
“You seriously can’t take a joke.”
The other end went quiet for an instant.
When Silver Wolf spoke again, her voice suddenly sounded a little unnatural, as if she were reluctantly passing along someone else’s message.
“Kafka asked when you’re coming back.”
“And she also asked…
how things are going between you and Firefly.”
Li Yedao didn’t notice the subtle oddness in her tone.
He casually answered,
“We’re doing pretty well.”
“As for coming back, probably not until tonight.”
The moment he finished speaking, Firefly came over and pressed herself against him.
She had just finished chatting with Elysia.
The instant she arrived, she practically stuffed her entire body into Li Yedao’s arms and buried her face against his chest like a cat that had finally found its nest.
Feeling that warm, soft weight settle into his embrace, Li Yedao helplessly reached down and stroked her hair.
“Yedao, who is it?”
Firefly’s muffled voice came from against his chest.
“Silver Wolf.”
“Oh.”
Firefly responded once.
She showed absolutely no intention of greeting the person on the other end.
Instead, she burrowed even deeper into Li Yedao’s arms.
Please.
What best-friend bond?
She threw that away centuries ago!
“I’m bored.”
“Stop talking to Silver Wolf and play with me.”
Li Yedao looked down at the fluffy top of her head and smiled.
“Sure.”
Then he raised the phone back to his ear.
His tone took on an especially punchable quality, clearly meant for the person on the other end.
“Silver Wolf, you hear that?”
“There’s no place for you in this family anymore.”
Dead silence came from the other end.
Li Yedao could even hear Silver Wolf’s breathing gradually getting heavier.
Oh?
She’s mad.
“Your little clique…
wins.”
Beep.
The call ended.
The last thing frozen on Li Yedao’s screen was the obnoxiously smug curve of his own lips.
Laughing, he tossed his phone aside and looked down at Firefly.
“Alright.”
“What do you want to play?”
“Got any games in mind?”
“Of course.”
Firefly lifted her face from his chest.
There was still a trace of amusement in her eyes from moments earlier.
“Let’s practice kissing.”
“First one who can’t take it anymore loses.”
“And the loser has to grant the winner one request~”
“Huh?”
…
…
While the two of them were busy being affectionate, a figure quietly slipped in through the entrance.
Short brown hair.
One blue eye and one green eye.
Several bags hung from her hands as she muttered happily to herself, “Hehe…
made quite a bit again today.”
“Not bad, not bad…”
Then she looked up.
And saw the two people pressed together on the sofa.
Clatter!
The bags fell to the floor.
Li Yedao turned his head.
He froze too.
“Pardo?”
Pardofelis’s first instinct was to turn around and run.
But before she could even take a step, Li Yedao’s voice nailed her firmly in place.
She had no choice but to turn around stiffly.
Rubbing her hands together awkwardly, she slowly shuffled toward the sofa with a nervous smile.
“Hehe…
Boss.”
“Long time no see…”
“I really missed you…”
Li Yedao didn’t even bother pushing Firefly away despite the fact that she was still leaving marks all over his neck.
With his neck covered in evidence, he frowned and scrutinized Pardo.
Pardo kept her head lowered.
Her eyes darted everywhere.
Both hands twisted the hem of her clothes so violently that she was practically about to rub a hole through the fabric.
This girl was hiding something.
Li Yedao became suspicious.
Did she steal something?
But he hadn’t left anything particularly valuable in the Golden Courtyard.
After thinking for quite a while and getting nowhere, he decided to ask directly.
“Confess.”
“What did you steal from me and sell this time?”
Firefly poked her head out from Li Yedao’s shoulder.
She looked at Pardo.
Then at Li Yedao.
Besides yanderes, there are thieves too?
What kind of people live in this Golden Courtyard?!
Under the matching husband-and-wife interrogation stares of the two people before her, Pardo’s psychological defenses collapsed within seconds.
She lowered her head and began confessing her crimes one by one.
Her voice grew quieter with every sentence.
“I…
I shouldn’t have sold your old clothes to Eden and the others…”
Li Yedao nodded.
“What else?”
“I also secretly took pictures of you…”
“And sold those too…”
“And some things you used…”
Li Yedao’s brow twitched.
Firefly’s mouth formed a perfect O.
Pardo still wasn’t finished.
Her head was practically buried against her chest now, and her voice trembled badly.
“I also…
had Griseo draw you into…
um…”
“Those kinds of doujinshi.”
“And it wasn’t just people in the Golden Courtyard buying them.”
“People outside bought them too…”
“I’m sorry, Boss!”
“I was just traumatized by being poor!”
Li Yedao took a deep breath.
Then slowly exhaled.
He wanted to curse.
But after searching through his entire vocabulary, he genuinely couldn’t find anything appropriate enough.
Apparently, there really was such a thing as being too civilized.
After a long pause, he sighed.
“Pardo.”
“You really are a business genius.”
Pardo slowly raised her head.
There were still tears glistening in her eyes.
“Boss…”
“You forgive me?”
“If I don’t forgive you, does that magically make it never happen?”
Li Yedao pulled at the corner of his mouth.
Then he crooked a finger at her.
“Come here.”
“I need you to help me with something.”
Knowing she was completely in the wrong, Pardo immediately leaned over without bargaining.
Li Yedao lowered his voice and whispered several sentences into her ear.
Pardo’s expression shifted from guilt—
To confusion—
Then from confusion to a subtle look of difficulty.
But when faced with the victim she had literally just admitted to selling out, she had no bargaining power whatsoever.
All she could do was nod and agree.
A few minutes later, Li Yedao left the living room to deal with something.
Firefly watched until his back disappeared around the hallway corner.
Then she moved beside Pardo at maximum speed.
She glanced left and right to make sure no one was around before lowering her voice.
“Ahem.”
“Can I ask you something…?”
Pardo shuddered.
The moment she realized it was Firefly, she immediately put on a professional business smile.
“Does Big Sis-in-Law need something from me?”
B-Big Sis-in-Law?
Firefly’s face instantly turned red.
But she forcefully suppressed the embarrassment.
After clearing her throat, she explained her request as steadily as she could.
“Well…
those doujinshi.”
“Can they be custom-made?”
“And the things that belonged to Yedao…”
“I want some too.”
Pardofelis stared at her in disbelief.
A complicated storm flashed through her mismatched blue and green eyes. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Wait?!
Even the boss’s girlfriend is like this?!
“That…
might not be a good idea…”
Pardo shrank back slightly.
She wasn’t sure whether Firefly had been sent by Li Yedao to test her.
Firefly first glanced cautiously toward the hallway where Li Yedao had disappeared.
Then she pulled a check from the inner pocket of her coat.
She placed a fingertip over the amount and gently slid it toward Pardo.
“I’ll pay this much.”
join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 230)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 355 “Is this chat group even serious?” (Completed)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Completed)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa (Completed)
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 265
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 377
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (Completed.)
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume5/8
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 135
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 170
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 135
Supernatural Multiverse 210
My Harem Is Indescribable 120
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 120
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 130 Still playing traditional Honk 105 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 120 What Should I Do After Switchi 85 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80 Transmigrated as Sukuna 165 Checking In in Demon Slayer 105 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 120 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 115 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
90
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (Completed)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
105
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 115
Why did they assign me to Uma 100
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 110
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 160
Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
150
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 75 The Uma Musume Who Became 80 I’m Definitely Not the King of 160 After Maxing Out Every Class 170 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 150 I, the Elden Sword Saint 80 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 115 No One Knows Pokémon Better 75 From Trilobites to Titans 70 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 130 DanMachi: My Party Members Are 150 An Anime Heroine Darkened 70 Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 100 Honkai: The Fire Devil 145 Honkai Transformation Cards Volume3/15 Age of Heroes, I’m Just a Back 120 Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 100 At age 8, she co-starred with 80 Honkai: Schicksal Media 105 An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 85 Chainsaw Man, but I’m Aatrox 75 Honkai Apocrypha: Are the Valk 60 Morgan Shirou’s Journey in Dan 43 DanMachi: Get to Work, Dimensi 95 Honkai: Star Rail—Kiana Cried!
63
Sakiko Togawa: A Blood-Soaked Cards Volume2/32 Detective Conan: My Whole 65 Honkai: Star Rail:Reincarnated 92 In the Nasuverse, but I Practice Scientific Cultivation 53 Honkai: Starting Out as a God of Luoxing 65 Honkai: I Really Never Intended to Start a Harem!
33 join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178) Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 230)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 ) Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 355 “Is this chat group even serious?” (Completed) I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Completed) Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa (Completed) Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 265 From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20 Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 377 Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (Completed.) I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume5/8 The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 135 Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67 Uma Musume: From Beginner 170 Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85 Uma Musume: I Want All 120 I Can Copy Unique Skills 135 Supernatural Multiverse 210 My Harem Is Indescribable 120 Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 120 Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 130 Still playing traditional Honk 105 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 120 What Should I Do After Switchi 85 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80 Transmigrated as Sukuna 165 Checking In in Demon Slayer 105 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 120 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 115 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
90 A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (Completed) What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
105 Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 115 Why did they assign me to Uma 100 DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 110 The Gacha Merchant Who Started 160 Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
150 Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 75 The Uma Musume Who Became 80 I’m Definitely Not the King of 160 After Maxing Out Every Class 170 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 150 I, the Elden Sword Saint 80 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 115 No One Knows Pokémon Better 75 From Trilobites to Titans 70 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 130 DanMachi: My Party Members Are 150 An Anime Heroine Darkened 70 Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 100 Honkai: The Fire Devil 145 Honkai Transformation Cards Volume3/15 Age of Heroes, I’m Just a Back 120 Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 100 At age 8, she co-starred with 80 Honkai: Schicksal Media 105 An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 85 Chainsaw Man, but I’m Aatrox 75 Honkai Apocrypha: Are the Valk 60 Morgan Shirou’s Journey in Dan 43 DanMachi: Get to Work, Dimensi 95 Honkai: Star Rail—Kiana Cried!
63 Sakiko Togawa: A Blood-Soaked Cards Volume2/32 Detective Conan: My Whole 65 Honkai: Star Rail:Reincarnated 92 In the Nasuverse, but I Practice Scientific Cultivation 53 Honkai: Starting Out as a God of Luoxing 65 Honkai: I Really Never Intended to Start a Harem!
33