(The side story officially begins. After reading many comments, I feel that the fishing enthusiast is quite likable, so I decided to bring out Luo Tian first…)
As the only male heir of the Luo Family, Luo Tian had a unique talent since childhood—he could drive his father, Luo Quan, up the wall.
The Luo Family, a century-old dynasty that had stood firm through the ages, had never seen a child with so little ambition, one who only wanted to coast through life. The most infuriating part was that as a child, his favorite pastime was going to the riverbank to watch old men fish.
“In your past life, were you a fisherman or a fishmonger? What kind of proper young master from a prestigious family is obsessed with this kind of thing?”
Luo Tian had always let his father’s words go in one ear and out the other.
Ironically, despite his laid-back attitude, Luo Tian excelled academically from a young age and later managed the Luo Corporation with remarkable efficiency.
It wasn’t until his uncle, Luo Sheng, had two daughters—his cousins Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi—that Luo Tian saw a glimmer of hope.
He truly had no grand ambitions to inherit the family business. All he wanted was to have a share of the company’s stocks, inherit his father’s wealth, settle down with a wife and children, and spend his days fishing.
If he worked hard, had a few kids, and left them to his capable cousins to raise, wouldn’t they eventually become the heirs of the Luo Family? With this in mind, Luo Tian had always been exceptionally kind to Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi, practically wearing the words “I want to step aside” on his face.
But then, the internal strife within the Luo Family erupted, changing him and his cousins forever…
Looking back, Luo Tian often felt that he must have been blind back then. How could he have fallen for Liu Yiyi?
When Luo Tian first saw Liu Yiyi in college, the girl from Sichuan and Chongqing captivated him completely. Not only was she beautiful and elegant, but her gentle demeanor also made it impossible for him to see the fiery temper typical of girls from that region.
Their first meeting was rather dramatic. As a wealthy and handsome young master of the Luo Family, Luo Tian’s appearance at school was… let’s just say, unconventional.
In the summer, he’d wear Versace shirts, sport a wristwatch worth hundreds of thousands (or even millions) from brands like Vacheron Constantin or Patek Philippe, paired with floral-patterned shorts and flip-flops.
In the winter, he’d take it up a notch, showing up to class in cotton pajamas, slippers, and an expensive down jacket.
His motto was simple: comfort over family reputation.
At that time, the Luo Family’s internal conflict hadn’t yet erupted, and Luo Tian didn’t even bother going home. Instead, he rented a spacious apartment near the school and lived a carefree life.
As for his grades, while not top of the class, they were still impressive. Despite his desire to coast, Luo Tian understood one thing: if he didn’t put in some effort, he wouldn’t even have the chance to slack off in the future.
Years later, Luo Tian would often wish he could slap his younger self. What was the point of trying so hard? If he’d just embraced being useless, he wouldn’t have been turned into a pawn by his two crazy cousins!
It was under these circumstances that he met Liu Yiyi. One day, while driving his luxury car to school, he got into a dispute over a parking spot with her.
At first glance, Luo Tian was stunned. Liu Yiyi wasn’t just beautiful—she perfectly matched his ideal type.
Liu Yiyi was equally surprised. She knew who Luo Tian was, but he hadn’t yet recognized her as the daughter of the Liu Family from Sichuan and Chongqing.
What caught her off guard, though, was Luo Tian’s overly casual attire.
“Forget it, you can have this spot,” Luo Tian said, pointing to the parking space. “I’ll find another one.”
“Thank you…”
Liu Yiyi’s soft, shy voice made Luo Tian feel like he was floating on air. Right then and there, he decided he had to win her over.
Years later, after Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi returned to the capital with their second children, Luo Tian invited Mo Xuan out for a meal. During their conversation, Mo Xuan asked him a question: “Cousin, didn’t you notice back then that your wife had a temper?”
Luo Tian chuckled bitterly. “And did you notice what my cousins were like back then?”
Liu Yiyi’s attraction to Luo Tian wasn’t just because he was the son of the Luo Family. The Liu Family was a dominant force in Sichuan and Chongqing, and a marriage alliance with the Luo Family was undoubtedly in their best interest.
But more importantly, Liu Yiyi genuinely cared for Luo Tian. From the moment they met at a social event, she had developed feelings for him.
So, Liu Yiyi played her part well, and Luo Tian remained completely oblivious to her true nature until after they were married.
It wasn’t until they started dating that Luo Tian learned she was the second daughter of the Liu Family, which also had an older daughter and a son. Liu Yiyi was the youngest.
From that day on, the perpetually disheveled Luo Tian suddenly began paying attention to his appearance. He dragged his mother around, seeking advice from stylists and fashion experts to revamp his wardrobe.
Even his father, Luo Quan, couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Luo Tian trying on clothes. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he quipped, “Did you lose a fish and get traumatized or something?”
Luo Tian glared at his father and retorted, “Your son is in love!”
“Well, well, that’s a surprise. I thought you’d end up marrying a fishing rod!” Luo Quan teased. “Alright, I know all about it. The Liu Family from Sichuan and Chongqing, right?”
“It’s a sin for a father to investigate his own son!”
When Luo Tian returned to school that day, Liu Yiyi almost didn’t recognize him. His transformation was so drastic it was almost comical.
Despite the teasing, Luo Quan didn’t hold back when it came to his son’s relationship. He personally reached out to the Liu Family to discuss the matter, and the Liu Family was more than willing to cooperate.
However, Luo Quan soon discovered something that gave him pause. After some hesitation, he called Luo Tian back home.
“Maybe you and Liu Yiyi should take things slow for now. I’ve already discussed this with the Liu Family,” Luo Quan sighed. “There’s been some drama in their family. You know Liu Yiyi has an older sister, Liu Piaopiao, right?”
“She… well, let’s just say she’s had her fair share of romantic scandals. She’s not Liu Yiyi, of course, but I still think you should think carefully about this.”
Luo Tian seemed unfazed and even a bit curious. “Dad, do you know what happened?”
“Apparently, her sister was already married but got tangled up with a childhood friend. Her husband divorced her after just one year of marriage,” Luo Quan explained. “Her ex-husband was so heartbroken that he moved to the capital and started a company here. It’s doing quite well, actually. You might want to meet him sometime.”
Luo Tian didn’t think much of it at the time, but shortly after returning to school, Liu Yiyi introduced him to her… former brother-in-law, Shen Nan.
Shen Nan, who would later become a top executive at Rongxing, was a highly capable individual whom Luo Tian would come to rely on heavily.
Shen Nan’s visit was to check in on Liu Yiyi, his former sister-in-law, and to bring gifts for her and Luo Tian.
“Brother-in-law, what about you and my sister…”
Liu Yiyi hesitated, but Shen Nan shook his head and sighed. “It’s over. I truly loved her back then, but now I don’t feel anything for her anymore.”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Shen Nan stood up to leave. But before he could get far, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Liu Yiyi—equally beautiful and refined—stopped him and clung to him, refusing to let go.
Shen Nan pushed her away, but she kept coming back, and the two of them ended up in a tense back-and-forth as they walked off.
“That’s my sister. I didn’t expect her to follow him all the way to the capital,” Liu Yiyi sighed. “What’s the point of all this? She had a good life, but she just couldn’t let go of that childhood friend of hers. Now she’s driven away such a good man like my brother-in-law.”
Luo Tian didn’t fully understand the situation, so he didn’t say much. Liu Yiyi added helplessly, “My sister has always been… difficult to deal with. She’s got that spoiled rich girl attitude, always putting herself first and never considering others…”
“She even complained about her name once, saying it didn’t sound good. She insisted on changing it and even had a huge fight with our parents over it. After the whole mess with my brother-in-law, our family’s opinion of her has soured even more…”
Years later, when Luo Tian reflected on this incident, he couldn’t help but feel that Liu Piaopiao’s pursuit of her ex-husband was well-deserved.
After all, of all the names she could have chosen, why did she have to go with Liu Ruyan…
Just as Luo Tian and Liu Yiyi’s relationship began to stabilize, the Luo Family was hit with a crisis.
His two cousins were sent away from home, and Luo Tian himself was placed under protection.
Little did he know, this event would completely change the lives of his two cousins—and his own.