Age Competition

Ye Family Fortress.

After watching the spectacle at Tianshui Academy, Ye Lingling only felt it was absurd.

She turned her head to look at the man beside her, who was leisurely sipping tea, and gritted her teeth.

"The twin flowers of the Genius Ranking, the mother from the Combat Power Ranking—Brother Cao, you really know how to play!"

Before the Sky Screen descended, she had thought her husband was an honest man who wouldn't even glance at other women.

Now she knew: it wasn't that he didn't want to look, it was that he didn't have the time; he was afraid he couldn't handle them all!

"Hmph!" Ye Lingling let out a cold snort, picked up her teacup, and took a fierce gulp.

Seeing this, Xiao Wu immediately leaned in, her lively little face full of "concern": "Sister, you aren't jealous, are you? What's the big deal? If my mother weren't gone, I would even... as long as Brother Cao likes it."

The corners of Ye Lingling's mouth twitched slightly. What kind of wild talk was this?

Zhu Zhuyun also spoke up leisurely: "Exactly. Besides, you can't possibly be jealous of everyone. There are plenty more to come."

Zhu Zhuqing chimed in for once: "That's right. If Sister can't stand it, she should just let go."

Ye Lingling took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging anger in her heart.

These little hussies were truly up to no good.

Every one of them was a schemer; on the surface, they called her "Sister," but in their hearts, they all wanted to be the head wife.

She set down her teacup, tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and smiled indifferently.

"I am merely bickering and flirting with my husband. The ten years of affection between us is something you could never understand."

Ten years of living together, sleeping side by side every night—what could you girls who only meet in dreams possibly compare to that?

Xiao Wu blinked, her smile innocent and pure, but the words she spoke nearly made Ye Lingling choke: "It's meaningless for Sister to keep bringing up those ten years. It's only ten years; in the Dream Space, I've been with Brother Cao for no less than eighty!"

Ye Lingling's hand faltered slightly.

Zhu Zhuyun: "I've had seventy."

Zhu Zhuqing: "I've had eighty."

Ye Lingling's face turned slightly dark.

Was she the one with the lowest duration?

Zhu Zhuqing suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Xiao Wu: "Xiao Wu, we've both had eighty years, so why is your strength so much higher than mine?"

Xiao Wu tilted her head, her smile remaining innocent: "You should ask yourself if you've been practicing hard! One moment you're shy, the next you're afraid of pain, and then you say you need to drink water to take a break. With that attitude, how could you compare to me?"

Zhu Zhuqing's face flushed red instantly, and she was left speechless.

Watching this scene, a sense of powerlessness welled up in Ye Lingling's heart, and she couldn't help but mock them.

"Doing that for decades on end—aren't you afraid of wearing the field out?"

Zhu Zhuyun chuckled: "Sister, you haven't entered the Dream Space yet, so you don't know, right? The recovery speed inside is incredibly fast. The more you fight, the braver you get; the braver you are, the more you fight."

Ye Lingling was completely speechless. Facing them all, she was clearly at a disadvantage.

She turned to the man still leisurely drinking his tea, her tone tinged with coquettish anger: "Husband, your head wife is being bullied, say something!"

Cao Xiyu set down his cup, looked at his wife's puffed-up face, then at the few little hussies who were either smug or snickering, and gave a light cough.

"You are all sisters, one family. Say less. Otherwise... I'll have to use the family law."

He deliberately emphasized the words "family law," and the women's expressions changed in unison.

Just then, the space in the courtyard rippled.

Three graceful figures stepped out.

The one in the lead had a fiery figure and a sharp temperament; it was Liu Erlong.

Behind her followed the gentle, water-like Ah Yin and the elegant, noble Tang Yuehua.

The three women stood together, each with her own merits, but without exception, they were all ripe, beautiful women.

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up instantly, and she dashed forward in a single bound: "Godmother! You're finally here!"

She dove into Liu Erlong's arms, the display of affection leaving the other women stunned.

Liu Erlong patted the back of Xiao Wu's head and laughed: "You're so old now, and still acting like a child."

Xiao Wu looked up, her smile brilliant: "In front of Godmother, I will always be a child."

Cao Xiyu watched this scene, not surprised in the slightest.

Xiao Wu had still taken Liu Erlong as her godmother just like in the original story. When the two of them interacted with him, they were incredibly tacit and uninhibited—it was very nice!

Liu Erlong released Xiao Wu, walked forward, and bowed slightly to Ye Lingling: "Liu Erlong greets Sister."

Ah Yin also stepped forward and offered a graceful bow: "Ah Yin greets Sister."

Tang Yuehua was the last to speak, her voice as cold and clear as the moon: "Tang Yuehua greets Sister."

All three women were mature, experienced, and possessed a wealth of life, unlike Xiao Wu and the Zhu sisters who were prone to making a scene.

Their demeanor was proper, and every movement exuded the composure and stability unique to mature women.

Ye Lingling nodded slightly, the lingering displeasure in her heart dissipating somewhat.

These few were certainly more sensible than those little hussies.

"We are all sisters, there is no need for such formalities. Sit."

Xiao Cui hurriedly brought over chairs and refilled the tea.

The three women took their seats, and the atmosphere in the courtyard became much more harmonious than before.

Liu Erlong picked up her teacup, took a light sip, and looked at Cao Xiyu, her gaze carrying a hint of resentment: "Brother Cao, it has been a long time."

Cao Xiyu smiled faintly: "It has been a while indeed."

Ah Yin also looked up, her azure eyes filled with tenderness: "Brother Cao, Ah Yin is here."

Tang Yuehua did not speak, merely watching him quietly, her expression filled with longing, anticipation, and a trace of shyness she could hardly conceal.

Cao Xiyu nodded and said warmly: "It is good that you are here. Stay here from now on; there is no need to run around anymore."

The three women nodded in unison, smiles of relief appearing on their faces.

Ye Lingling watched this scene, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She sighed, picked up her teacup, and took a gentle sip.

Oh well, it was already like this; what else could she do?

At worst, she would just have to let her husband administer the family discipline a few more times in the future to properly teach those little hussies a lesson!

Tianshui Academy.

Shui Qing'er sat quietly by the window, staring blankly at the Sky Screen.

Her fingers rested lightly on the window frame, the tips cool, much like her own chaotic state of mind.

Having left the academy, she did not know where she should go.

To the Ye Family Fortress, where countless sisters had gathered?

No, that place was not her destination.

She had lived here for the better part of her life; every blade of grass and every tree was steeped in her hard work.

Rather than going to a place where she was a stranger, watching those young girls bicker and fight for favor, it was better to stay and continue managing Tianshui Academy.

"Brother Cao," she whispered, her voice so low only she could hear it, "have you thought of me? I have missed you so much that I can't even close my eyes..."

She recalled the images from her dreams, her cheeks flushing slightly as the corners of her mouth curled upward involuntarily.

Behind her, Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er exchanged glances, both seeing the confusion in the other's eyes.

"Mother," Shui Bing'er stepped forward and asked softly, "are we not going to Brother Cao's? Everyone is gathering at the Ye Family Fortress."

Shui Yue'er also leaned in, her eyes full of anticipation: "Yes, Yue'er misses Brother Cao! All the sisters are over there; wouldn't it be bad if we were the only ones not to go?"