The broom in Orange Peach’s hand hung in midair as she glared at the two hopeless failures, her chest heaving with anger.
“It’s because you spoil her too much! That’s why she keeps pushing her luck! Orange Green Willow, search your conscience! Have I ever, since she was little, demanded she be first in her grade? Have I ever used her grades to show off to all our aunts and uncles? No, right!”
Mother slammed the broom down on the floor with a dull thud.
“I just want her to go to school like a normal human being! Even if she sleeps through every class, even if she fails every subject and has to retake exams, I’d accept it! As long as she’s willing to step out of this house!”
“Honey… to be honest, you’re also pretty indulgent with her.”
But as my old father said, it wasn’t like we couldn’t afford to support her.
The Orange Family was a major conglomerate powerful enough to shake the nation’s economic foundations.
Starting from engines, they expanded into automobile manufacturing, then precision electronics, semiconductors… their reach extended into almost every industry.
Although our household was just a minor branch responsible for producing a specific type of auto part, a tiny offshoot on the family tree diagram.
My mother, Orange Peach, was the powerhouse holding up this household.
Not having money… that was only relative to other families within the conglomerate.
For me, with memories of my past life, I could say with certainty—
My family was rich.
Very rich.
To this degree of wealth, even if I were a breathing waste of space, the family could afford to support ten thousand versions of me.
I also had an elder sister who was studying abroad while managing overseas business.
I didn’t even need to worry about the family business.
She bore the family’s glory, she would inherit the family’s enterprises.
There was simply no need for me to exert any effort…
“Quiet Forest…”
Old father turned his head.
“How about… you go back to school? Dad knows you’re smart. Our family has already made arrangements with the school. As long as you take the exams at the end of the semester and get good grades, skipping classes usually… we’ll let it slide, okay?”
Old father could only plead with me…
After all… he married into the family.
Whether in terms of family status or physical strength, he was no match for our Lady Orange Peach.
But… call me petty, call me whatever.
I just didn’t want to do it.
I couldn’t let go of my past self… the one who worked hard but received no reward.
It felt like if I continued down the same path of studying as in my past life, I wouldn’t be happy at all.
Better to watch anime and play games!
“Fine… seems you won’t yield until you see the coffin.”
Mother saw the ‘dead pig not afraid of boiling water’ look in my eyes.
“Orange Quiet Forest, since you don’t want to live anymore, I’ll grant your wish today! I’m definitely going to kill you!”
The broom was raised again, and this time she meant it!
My brain went into overdrive.
Acting Cute (LV. Max)
I tilted my head slightly, letting my jet-black, silky hair cascade over my shoulder.
I clasped my hands together in front of my chest, lowering the corners of my eyes slightly, squeezing out a pitiful, teary glimmer.
Paired with this flawless, beautiful girl face, the lethality was absolutely nuclear-level.
“Mommy…”
I cooed in a voice so soft and sweet it could pull taffy.
Sure enough!
Lady Orange Peach looked at my face.
Her upraised arm stiffened for half a second, the fury in her eyes instantly replaced by waver.
As expected… Lady Orange Peach’s heart softened at the sight of my face.
I had a pretty good self-awareness about my appearance in this life… hehe.
“Don’t think just because you’re pretty, I won’t hit you!”
Even though her words were still tough, Mom’s momentum had clearly weakened.
Perfect opportunity!
Not even bothering to straighten my disheveled skirt, I ran barefoot across the floor straight towards my bedroom.
That was my sanctuary.
That’s where my computer was, my happy soda.
Time to play that certain four-character third-person shooter catgirl game…
I reached out and grabbed the cool metal doorknob, pressing down hard—
Click.
It didn’t move?
Disbelieving, I pressed down again.
Click.
Locked?!
A chill shot from the soles of my feet straight to the crown of my head.
I stiffly turned around, coming face-to-face with Lady Orange Peach’s smiling-yet-not-smiling face.
Lady Orange Peach looked at me with a smile, but all I could feel from her expression was ice.
“Run? Why aren’t you running?”
Mother twirled the broom in her hand, speaking unhurriedly.
“Seeing how engrossed you were earlier, I just smoothly locked your door. You didn’t even hear the locking sound… Now, where will you escape to?”
My room was in the corner at the end of the hallway.
Behind me was a wall, in front of me was Mom.
There was truly nowhere to run.
“Wait… Sister…”
A savior has arrived…
It’s Mom’s younger sister, my aunt…
Orange Berry, of course also part of our same branch family.
She wore fashionable clothes, had wavy hair, yet didn’t seem flashy at all, instead appearing shrewd and capable.
She didn’t work in any family-related business, and Mother didn’t really care, as long as she could support herself.
Take me away!
Auntie!
Anywhere, as long as it’s not here!
“Orange Berry! You came at the right time!”
Mother turned her firepower, pointing at Auntie and scolding.
“You too! Don’t always spoil her just because she’s cute! Look at what she’s become now! If I left her with you for a few days, you’d know how useless she is despite her looks, how annoying she can be!”
Auntie blinked, seemingly not taking her sister’s anger seriously at all.
She looked at me, trembling and huddled in the corner.
“Really now… It’s not like I haven’t raised her before… Then hand her over to me for this period.”
Hearing those words, the little person inside me instantly started setting off fireworks and dancing wildly.
Could this be the legendary salvation at the brink of doom?
My fate rested entirely on a single thought from Lady Orange Peach.
“Hand her to you? How is that any different from her being at home? Don’t think I don’t know! Last time I went to your place to check, Orange Quiet Forest was shamelessly lifting her pajama top, exposing her pale belly while lying on your bed playing mobile games! That image of a useless waste is still burned into my memory! And didn’t you complain last time about how lazy she was? What good person are you pretending to be this time?”
“Aiya… don’t be like that. Sis… this time it’s really different…”
Auntie leaned close to Mother’s ear, covering her mouth with her hand, and started whispering and jabbering something.
Auntie and Mother, their eyes occasionally drifting towards me, with a look… as if they were picking pork at a market?
Mother listened, her brows first furrowing tightly, then relaxing.
Finally, she even glanced at me with a complicated look.
Three parts surprise, three parts doubt, four parts relief.
“Forget it…”
Mother let out a long sigh, leaning the broom back against the corner.
“Better than rotting and growing mold at home forever. Take her, take her away.”
Huh?
Happiness came too suddenly.
I almost thought I misheard.
She’s letting me go just like that?
Auntie! You are my goddess!
Mother, clearly still annoyed, took out the key and unlocked my door for me.
“Alrighty!”
I immediately dove into my room to pack my things.
Laptop, tablet, phone, charger.
And all sorts of clothes and socks.
By the time I finished packing, the two sisters were sitting on the sofa chatting casually, as if the earlier tense standoff had just been an illusion.