Luo Tian had always thought too highly of things, or perhaps he was completely unaware of the madness of his cousin.
Luo Shiya, from the moment she entered university, had exhibited the cruelty and ruthlessness of a chaebol princess. Anyone who stood in her way was met with life-threatening consequences.
Her keen eye for lucrative investment opportunities, her meticulous efforts in maintaining valuable connections, and her relentless suppression of competitors—it was hard to believe these were the actions of a university student. Yet, Luo Shiya had achieved it all.
Luo Tian had tried several times to advise Luo Shiya to not be so extreme, but the strange determination in her eyes made him swallow his words.
He felt that if he pushed the issue, nothing good would come of it...
Besides, he no longer had time to dwell on it, as he had married Liu Yiyi.
The union of the Luo and Liu families had caused quite a stir in their social circle. Some speculated it was because the Luo Family, after internal turmoil, no longer trusted the elite families of the Capital. Others believed the Liu Family's influence in the Sichuan-Chongqing region, along with their wealth, made them a suitable match for the Luo Family.
There were countless rumors, but Luo Tian paid no attention to any of them. He and Liu Yiyi had been together since university. During the Luo Family's internal strife, Liu Yiyi had not only tearfully pleaded with her parents for help but had also been deeply concerned for Luo Tian's safety. Despite her family's objections, she had stood by his side during those turbulent times.
The wedding was grand and luxurious. As Luo Tian gazed at Liu Yiyi in her pristine white wedding dress, he felt that his life had reached its peak.
However, that very night, he began to regret it...
"Luo Tian, I'm telling you, if you dare betray me, I'll beat the hell out of you, you idiot!"
"Don't you believe me? Don't you believe me?"
Watching Liu Yiyi, who had had a few too many drinks in her excitement, pulling him around and spouting drunken nonsense in her Sichuan-Chongqing dialect, Luo Tian rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Wait, where was my gentle Liu Yiyi? Where did my sweet, gentle Liu Yiyi go? Did the Liu Family pull a fast one and switch her out on me?
He quickly called his father-in-law, who responded with a tone of sincerity and a hint of weariness: "Good son-in-law, welcome to the world of the henpecked husband."
Meanwhile, Liu Yiyi stood by the bed, swaying drunkenly, and urged: "Luo Tian, come here and sleep with me!"
"I'll count to three!"
He thought it was just Liu Yiyi being drunk and out of control, not realizing that there's a saying: "Drunken words are sober thoughts."
So, when he later stumbled upon a short video of a man surnamed He, catching a glimpse of his decisive figure, Luo Tian couldn't help but shed tears of emotion.
We're all just fishing enthusiasts, so why am I not as good as him?
Despite the bickering, the tantrums, and her fiery temper, Liu Yiyi never faltered when it came to important matters. Even though she often roared at Luo Tian like a dragon, she truly loved him.
This made him understand Mo Xuan's submissive indulgence toward his two cousins. He loved Liu Yiyi deeply, and that was something Luo Tian was very clear about.
Of course, he still wished Liu Yiyi could be a bit gentler. She had been so sweet before they got married!
When he brought this up, Liu Yiyi rolled her eyes at him: "I've already caught you. Do I still need to keep baiting the hook?"
Damn, she had a point!
However, Luo Tian's dream of a carefree life showed no signs of progress. What's more, Luo Shiya suddenly proposed establishing a high-budget pharmaceutical laboratory.
"Cousin," Luo Tian frowned as he looked at the documents Luo Shiya handed him. "Our family does have an interest in the pharmaceutical industry, but isn't this moving a bit too fast?"
"To make a mark in the pharmaceutical field, this is necessary," Luo Shiya replied calmly. "The Luo Family's finances can support a pharmaceutical lab. As for the personnel, I've already carefully screened them. All you need to do is sign."
Luo Tian never doubted Luo Shiya's capabilities, but ever since she started managing the company, she had treated him like a subordinate giving orders.
I'm the CEO, damn it!
Just as Luo Tian was about to speak, he saw Luo Shiya smiling at him, her eyes filled with a twisted, almost manic determination. A shiver ran down his spine, and without a second thought, he signed his name.
He felt that if he dared to say no, his cousin might stab him on the spot. Not just Luo Shiya, but Luo Muqi also gave him the same vibe.
He always felt that Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi were plotting something, but he could never figure out what it was.
That was until Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi suddenly showed up at the villa where he and Liu Yiyi lived, placing a lab report on the coffee table. By then, the sisters were already over a month pregnant.
"The father of the child is Mo Xuan."
Hearing Luo Shiya's matter-of-fact tone, Luo Tian turned to Luo Muqi: "Little sister, don't tell me you're also..."
Luo Muqi didn't respond, but simply nodded with a smile.
"This is madness!" Luo Tian stood up, agitated. "I know you two have never gotten over Mo Xuan, but do you realize the consequences of this? Forget whether Uncle and Aunt will agree, Grandma will never approve!"
"You don't need to worry about that. We've considered all of this before taking action," Luo Shiya remained calm. "We just need someone to help us keep it from the family so Muqi and I can focus on our pregnancies. So, we're asking for your and sister-in-law's help."
"No way! No matter how much I indulge you, I won't agree to this!" Luo Tian refused outright. "Are you out of your minds? Even if Mo Xuan finds out, he won't agree either!"
"I told you, cousin, Mo Xuan's involvement is none of your concern," Luo Shiya's expression gradually turned cold. "All you need to do is help us handle this. No matter what, Muqi and I will have these children."
Seeing the almost deranged determination in his cousins' eyes, Luo Tian felt a wave of bitterness. Liu Yiyi, who had been silent, tugged at his hand and then addressed Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi: "Alright, I'll help you."
Luo Tian looked at his wife in shock, but Liu Yiyi shook her head at him before turning back to the sisters: "I'll have my sister arrange for someone to take care of you. Just focus on your pregnancies, and don't worry about anything else."
Luo Tian didn't understand why Liu Yiyi had agreed, but she smiled and said, "Can't you see? That Mo Xuan is like a poison to them, eating away at their very bones. There's no cure."
"Trust me, it's better to let them have their way. Otherwise, Shiya and Muqi might do something even more extreme."
"Who knows, they might have already done something, and we just don't know about it yet."
As it turned out, Liu Yiyi's words were prophetic. The Luo Family eventually found out. Luo Sheng and Shen Qingyun looked on with complex expressions, silent as they watched Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi holding their children.
Of course, the one who suffered the most was Luo Tian, who was dragged by the ear and scolded by Luo Quan.
"Dad, you know me..." Luo Tian pleaded while trying to explain. "I objected to this! It was Yiyi who agreed!"
"Bullshit! Yiyi is such a good girl. Even if she agreed, it was only because you went along with it!"
Old Madam Luo sighed and told Luo Quan to stop. Then she turned to Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi: "Shiya, Muqi, how about this? Let Muqi marry Mo Xuan, and we'll consider Wei'er as Muqi's daughter."
To everyone's surprise, even though this was the outcome Luo Muqi had always wanted, she showed no reaction. Instead, she looked up at her grandmother and said, "Grandma, you know my answer. After everything my sister and I have done, do you really think I'd marry him alone?"
Luo Shiya remained silent but glanced at Sister Hui, who nodded and placed a brown paper envelope in front of Old Madam Luo.
"Inside are the Luo Family's financial reports since I joined the company, as well as confidential information on the Capital's elite families, businesses, and even some military and political figures," Luo Shiya said, locking eyes with Old Madam Luo. "I'm offering all of this in exchange for one thing: your approval of Muqi's and my request. We only want Mo Xuan."
"And if I refuse?"
Old Madam Luo's voice remained steady, but Luo Tian could clearly sense that she was on the verge of exploding.
Luo Shiya simply smiled at her and said, "Grandma, if you don't want me to destroy the Luo Corporation, you'd better agree to my terms."
In the end, the Luo Family conceded. It was at that moment Luo Tian finally understood the grand scheme his cousins had been plotting all along.
As he marveled at how deeply devoted someone could be, a serious question suddenly crossed his mind.
Wait a minute, this doesn't add up. They said they only wanted Mo Xuan, and even presented the Luo Corporation's financial reports...
"Cousin, the Luo Family is in your hands now," Luo Shiya said, glancing at Luo Tian. "Muqi and I will eventually leave with Mo Xuan and the children. You'll have to manage the future of the Luo Corporation on your own."
The image of himself leisurely fishing in his mind shattered like broken glass.
As for being used as a tool by these two sisters, Luo Tian had already grown accustomed to it.
What could he do? He was utterly helpless!
For Luo Tian, the most important thing now was to raise his own children. After having a son with Liu Yiyi, they welcomed a pair of twins, a boy and a girl.
Since he couldn't rely on his cousins, he might as well pin his hopes on his three children to succeed early.
Looking back at the first half of his life, Luo Tian couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness. His grand plan to coast through life had fallen apart, and now he was even busier than before.
Who was to blame? Mo Xuan? Or his two cousins?
After much thought, he could only sigh. Finally, he raised his glass to Mo Xuan and said sincerely, "Brother-in-law, as long as you and my two cousins live happily, all my efforts won't have been in vain."
As for who was to blame? Luo Tian reached a conclusion:
It's my own bad luck!