Zhai Mo seemed to have been burned by that smile.
He stared straight at him, smiling.
So, when he smiled, he really did look beautiful—like fireworks blooming endlessly in the quiet night sky, dazzling and radiant, brilliant yet serene.
Of course, the prerequisite was that this smile was meant for him.
So, the loser actually trusted him this much.
The milk tea he bought was drunk without the slightest hesitation, without even a second glance—just a quick stab of the straw and a sip.
So, his jealousy stemmed from the fact that the loser smiled so brightly and happily for others.
He wasn’t jealous of the loser’s smile—he was jealous that it was directed at others, jealous that someone else could make him smile so joyfully.
Zhai Mo made a decision.
He wouldn’t kill the loser.
He’d kill his parents.
If his parents were gone, everything the loser had would belong to him.
If it weren’t for Zhai Tianlin, his mother wouldn’t have treated him so coldly. She would have gently patted his head, smiled softly, cooked his favorite meals, and adjusted the straps of his schoolbag for him.
If it weren’t for Zuo Fang, Zhai Tianlin wouldn’t have ignored him so thoroughly, wouldn’t have grown to despise him, wouldn’t have dredged up all those unhappy memories because of Zuo Fang’s constant whispers in his ear.
Everything was because of Zhai Tianlin and Zuo Fang.
Zhai Mo ignored them, hated them, and didn’t even consider them his parents.
They were more distant than strangers, more unfamiliar than passersby.
If only they were dead.
This thought sprouted in Zhai Mo’s mind like weeds drenched in rain, growing wildly until it swallowed all his rationality in an instant.
If they were dead, everything would be better.
He would never feel this agony again, every cell in his body screaming in torment.
If they were dead, the loser would never smile for them again.
He had once been driven mad with jealousy, envious that the loser had their love.
So, he would just take that love away. There was no need to kill the loser…
Having figured this out, Zhai Mo felt a sudden clarity in his heart.
Watching the little loser happily sipping his milk tea, his rosy lips wrapped around the straw, cheeks puffing in and out as he savored the rich, creamy flavor, Zhai Mo quietly sighed in relief, feeling a strange sense of gratitude.
Thankfully… he hadn’t poisoned this cup of milk tea.
Later, Zhai Mo would be endlessly grateful for this momentary hesitation.
Yao Zuizui pretended to enjoy the milk tea on the surface, but inside, she was terrified.
Cold sweat drenched the shirt beneath her clothes, making her unbearably uncomfortable.
Right now, she was a desperate gambler, betting with her own life.
She was gambling that he wouldn’t poison her.
If she won, it would mean a clear path forward—Zhai Mo’s trust, his defenses lowered.
If she lost, it would mean death—a humiliating return to the immortal realm to face the disappointed gaze of the Immortal Venerable.
Yao Zuizui had always been bold, so she took the gamble.
No risk, no reward. She didn’t want to disappoint the Immortal Venerable; she only wanted to see his faint, radiant smile, pure as a white lotus.
As she sipped the milk tea and chewed the chewy pearls, she secretly observed Zhai Mo’s expression.
Finally, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
She had gambled right.
But she never expected that this world’s Zhai Mo would be so deranged as to kill his own parents.
Then again, considering he was a fragment of the Great Demon King’s soul, it wasn’t all that surprising.
——————
Zhai Tianlin began letting Yao Zuizui take over important business dealings for the Zhai family conglomerate.
No longer just managing a small subsidiary—now she was handling significant, though not life-or-death, contracts.
This freed up Zhai Tianlin’s time, and he often traveled with Zuo Fang.
They explored the vast skies and seas, the five continents and four oceans, losing themselves in endless breathtaking scenery.
Though Yao Zuizui was a bit of a playboy—carefree and occasionally irresponsible—she handled her work meticulously.
She was diligent and thorough, flawlessly completing even the most troublesome deals.
Of course, this was partly due to Zhai Mo’s subtle hints and assistance.
Though Yao Zuizui had explicitly forbidden Zhai Mo from touching her documents, she didn’t go out of her way to guard against him.
Occasionally, when he moved her things, she turned a blind eye, letting him do as he pleased.
Seeing their son so capable, shouldering the family’s burdens and relieving them of so much stress, Zhai Tianlin and Zuo Fang were overjoyed—so much so that they let their guard down.
But extreme joy begets sorrow.
On the very day Zhai Tianlin and Zuo Fang boarded their private jet to Europe, tragedy struck.
The Zhai family’s private plane crashed into the sea, vanishing without a trace. The cause of the accident remained unknown, and the two were initially classified as missing.
Three days later, a recovery team found the wreckage—and inside, their bodies.
After two weeks of investigation by both the police and the Zhai family’s experts, the final conclusion was engine failure—an accident, not sabotage.
When Yao Zuizui heard the news, she froze.
Maybe Zhai Tianlin and Zuo Fang weren’t good people. Maybe they had treated Zhai Mo horribly.
But they had genuinely cared for her.
Regardless of their motives, the affection and effort they had poured into her were real.
Maybe Zuo Fang had forced her to disguise herself as a boy, pushed her to study endlessly, and controlled her strictly—all for her own wealth and status. But that wasn’t entirely unforgivable.
More importantly, the blood ties between this body and Zuo Fang made her soul resonate with grief.
She collapsed to the floor, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face, her eyes bloodshot.
Zhai Zuozuo had always prided himself on being a man.
“Men don’t cry easily,” he’d say—so Zhai Mo had never seen him shed tears before.
Now, witnessing his tears, Zhai Mo felt something stir inside him, like a string being gently plucked.
A silent, sorrowful melody played, cracking his expressionless facade.
He sighed softly and placed a firm hand on Yao Zuizui’s trembling shoulder. “Zuozuo, you still have me.”
“I’m your brother. I’ll take care of you in their place.” His voice was low, thick with grief.
He pulled her into a light embrace.
Seizing the opportunity, Yao Zuizui buried her face in his chest, smearing snot and tears all over his clothes before looking up with wet, bleary eyes. “Was their death really an accident?”
Zhai Mo’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he studied her. “Zuozuo… are you doubting me?”
“You’re my brother. I’d never doubt you. I just wonder if someone else hurt them…” She quickly denied it, then found a clean spot on his clothes to wipe her face again.
Zhai Mo, a cleanliness freak, wanted nothing more than to shove this disgusting loser off him.
But guilt made him gently return the hug, patting her back in slow, soothing motions.
Once, he had delighted in seeing Zhai Zuozuo miserable—every frown, every sorrowful expression had filled him with dark satisfaction.
Now, all he wanted was to see him smile.
Because when he smiled, Zhai Mo felt no jealousy—only warmth, as if the whole world had brightened, no longer bleak and suffocating…
Yao Zuizui cried until she was exhausted.
Her beautiful eyes swelled like walnuts, her delicate nose red as a reindeer’s.
Eventually, she fell asleep.
Zhai Mo carried her to bed, tucked her in, and turned off the light.
Then, alone, he went to Zhai Tianlin’s study.
He was looking for something.
He couldn’t turn on the lights—too risky.
Groping in the dark, he found nothing.
Zhai Tianlin’s study was massive.
Five large cabinets, three grand desks—all arranged in a row, imposing and majestic.
The search took forever.
*Click.* The lights suddenly flicked on.
Zhai Mo shielded his eyes, ready to scold whichever servant had been so careless—
Only to see a pair of flawless feet standing on the polished hardwood floor.
Zhai Zuozuo.
When had she woken up?
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Yao Zuizui asked, “Brother, what are you doing?”
“Nothing.” Zhai Mo’s face was cold as he strode toward the door.
“Brother.” She blocked his path.
Then she closed the door and retrieved an ornately decorated document from a hidden compartment behind it.
“Brother, were you looking for this?” She tilted her head, her expression innocent.
So there was a hidden compartment here…
Zhai Mo’s pupils contracted as he took the document.
He flipped through it expressionlessly, unsurprised by its contents.
*I, Zhai Tianlin, hereby bequeath all my assets and rights solely to Zhai Zuozuo upon my death. The inheritance shall comprise 100% of my estate at the time of my passing.*
The document meticulously detailed every asset, every entitlement, every posthumous arrangement.
Zhai Mo read slowly, carefully.
The more he read, the more his lips curled into a mocking smile.
Thirty pages.
Thirty pages, and not a single word mentioned him.
—
**Author’s Note:**
There will be another update tonight to make up for yesterday’s missed chapter~
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage