Life's a Pleasure and You're Going to Die

Xena Xu didn't know why she was so angry.

Just angry.

This person... has no logic at all!

Who just gives away over ten billion dollars like that?

Fyren Zhang was equally confused.

[I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what you want from me. You weren't the one who asked for the shares, were you?]

[It's good to give you all the shares. It's good for me to stay away from you, and I might live a few more years.]

[You can follow the original storyline and become someone's harem. I'll just stay in Northlandia as a rich man. I won't attract any attention.]

[Perfect.]

Xena Xu grew even angrier.

Over one hundred and seventy billion dollars - fifty-one percent of the pharmaceutical company's equity - just to... get rid of me?

Just because you hate me and want me out of your life?

Am I really so terrible that you'd hate me to this extent?

Xena Xu felt like she had never been so deeply insulted in her life.

What does it mean when a man would rather give up nearly two hundred billion dollars than maintain any connection with you?

It means you're like a ghost haunting his heart!

This was contempt beyond measure!

Xena Xu was so angry that tears spilled from her eyes.

As soon as Xena Xu lost her temper, several people approached from nearby.

Xena Xu's team asked nervously, "Xena, what's wrong? Why... are you crying?"

Fyren Zhang said, "She just earned over ten billion dollars. She's excited."

Xena Xu said, "All of you, leave."

"Oh... okay, we'll be over there. Call if you need..."

"Get out!" Xena Xu shouted.

The secretary hurried away.

Xena Xu looked at Fyren Zhang. "Do I disgust you that much?"

"Huh?" Fyren Zhang was completely baffled by her.

[Are you crazy? Are you actually crazy!!!]

[I just made you over ten billion dollars, big sister! Take the money and leave happily!]

[I'm giving you shares and would even kowtow to you! I've already transferred everything - why are you still so angry...?]

[Don't you think this tantrum of yours is completely absurd?]

"I... I'm a little confused," Fyren Zhang said. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

Xena Xu grabbed the contract and tore it to pieces.

Now it was Fyren Zhang's turn to be shocked.

"Xena..."

"Fyren Zhang, I'm not like you. Every penny I earn is through ethical and proper means. I've never threatened anyone's business using patients' lives. Keep your shares."

"Oh." Fyren Zhang still didn't understand. "Are you... okay?"

"Am I really that annoying?"

"Not annoying at all." Fyren Zhang scratched her cheeks. "Still kind of cute."

"Then why do you always try to make me disappear?"

[Do I really make it that obvious?]

Fyren Zhang faltered.

"It's nothing, just... Well, since we were kids, haven't you always thought I was terrible? Shouldn't you be happy if I disappeared?"

Xena Xu took a deep breath. "I've changed my mind. Now, I want to get to know you better."

Like a masterful performer switching masks, Xena Xu wiped away her tears and instantly flashed a bright smile:

"Starting today, I'll be with you every single day. The more you hate it, the more I'll stay right in front of you. Just to piss you off!"

Fyren Zhang could handle anything—except this.

At that moment, she stared at the heroine in horror.

"Why?!"

Fyren Zhang said, "This makes no sense! What's wrong with all of you? Eliza Leng is acting weird, and now you're doing this too—what's going on? She looks down on me, thinks I'm a pathetic loser with no future. You grew up believing I was no good, barely even acknowledged me all these years—and now, suddenly, you're like this? What's happening to you people?"

"Are you going to get engaged to Eliza Leng?"

"Engaged to her?!" Fyren Zhang nearly jumped. "I'd like to live a few more years, thanks!"

Xena Xu looked at her. "Fine. Then you and I will get engaged."

Fyren Zhang had just taken a sip of coffee—and promptly spat it out.

She choked, coughing for half a minute before she could speak again.

Xena Xu frowned at her.

Fyren Zhang hastily wiped her clothes and patted her chest. "Big sister, don't scare me like that. I don't have that kind of luck—you can't joke about this."

Xena Xu rested her arm on the table, propping her chin on one hand as she smiled at Fyren Zhang.

"Fyren, I think… you've changed a lot over the years."

"Huh? How?"

"I don't know what kind of madness has gotten into you lately, but… I think you're actually pretty nice."

Fyren Zhang sighed. "I have things to do. I'm leaving."

...

Sitting in the back of the car, Fyren Zhang looked out the window silently.

The way things were going was a bit strange!

In the future, Otto Long could never be sealed away again - either that or he'd have to be sealed forever. Day after day like this would drive anyone crazy.

He needed to hurry up and release Otto, let him go cause trouble with those heroine harem groups. Otherwise, why were all these girls suddenly surrounding him?

First, Eliza Leng changed her mind - suddenly agreeing to get engaged yesterday, then taking the initiative to kiss him today.

Now Xena Xu seemed to be looking at him differently, and even Zoey's gaze wasn't quite normal. Xena had even joked about getting engaged to him.

Though it was just a joke, it wasn't the kind of joke he could afford. If things kept going like this, he'd be in serious trouble soon.

No, he needed to... make them hate him, avoid him, and stay at least three feet away from him at all times.

Today he'd run into too many heroines. He needed to slow down.

Eason Chen called to say his grandfather wanted to see Fyren Zhang.

Fyren Zhang originally didn't want to go, but then he thought - it was still a long time until noon tomorrow, and who knew which heroine he might run into if he stayed outside?

"I'll go to the Chen house!" he decided. "I'll drink with Eason Chen until early morning, then sleep past noon. That should work, right?"

"Otto, you really need to work faster," he thought. "Hurry up and collect these troublemakers. I'm living like a fugitive now."

When he arrived at the Chen house, he exchanged a few words with Qiu Shou Chen before pulling Eason Chen up to his floor.

The two men sat on balcony chairs, watching the evening sun while drinking red wine and smoking cigars.

Eason Chen asked, "How's Eliza Leng? Did you take her?"

Fyren Zhang laughed: "Take her? I let her wake up from her nap and sent her away."

Eason Chen looked surprised, then gave a thumbs up. "Nice! You've got willpower! In my life, Eason Chen bows to no one but you."

"You're not young anymore. Find something to do - it's not good to idle around every day."

"I heard you saw my sister?"

"Yeah, I saw her."

At that moment, Cora Chen walked into the hall.

She had been arguing about Eason Chen's expenses, but when she entered, she saw - besides her brother - a familiar figure sitting on the balcony smoking a cigar.

Eason Chen said, "I suggest you break up with Eliza Leng and go after my sister instead. She hasn't had a boyfriend since you broke up. If you didn't take her virginity, then it's still there."

"So sure? I see her ass is quite plump - might not be the original, right?"

Cora Chen was furious.

These two men were practically cut from the same cloth, woefully united in their vulgarity.

Whenever they got together, nothing good ever came of it!

And now they were talking about her like this behind her back - one was her first love, the other her own brother, supposedly the closest people in her life. Yet they spoke about her without an ounce of respect, using... that kind of tone.

Eason Chen said: "My sister is 100% original! After breaking up with you, she threw herself into work like crazy - practically working over ten hours a day."

"Half a year later she took over branch management, completely focused on work, caring about nothing else."

Fyren Zhang asked: "I know. Is she still that obsessive now?"

"Not anymore," Eason Chen said. "Now that she's established herself in the group and honed her skills, she doesn't need to work so hard. That's why this is your chance! Just show half the passion you have for Eliza Leng, and I promise my sister will be like a docile pony at your disposal."

Cora Chen was seething.

What kind of brother talks about his sister like that? It was utterly disgusting!

But then Fyren Zhang suddenly turned serious:

"Hey, don't talk about your sister like that in the future. She's your sister - show some respect."

"I'm not saying this to outsiders! You're practically family! Let me tell you, while my grandfather's still alive, if you want my sister, no one in the family would dare object - least of all me!"

Fyren Zhang watched the setting sun and shook his head with a bitter smile. "I can't. There's no future for me and her."

"Why? Is this about what happened back then? That's nothing! Which rich second-generation hasn't done stupid things? As long as you treat my sister well, our family will support you completely."

Fyren Zhang thought: You don't understand the full situation. This isn't just about us - there's still the male lead to consider.

I'm no saint, but some meat I dare not even glance at, let alone touch!

Fyren Zhang laughed: "You should worry about yourself. Maybe you should settle down - it would give your life more purpose. Family responsibilities help people mature."

Eason Chen sighed: "That doesn't feel... very realistic."

"Then what does?"

Fyren Zhang turned around and looked at Eason Chen: "Let me tell you, what a person lives for in this life is family - a wife and children. Imagine having someone who truly loves you. Your heart feels warm just seeing her, and she smiles with squinting eyes whenever she sees you. How wonderful is that?"

"For love's sake, two people caring for each other by day and sharing intimate moments without shame by night - that's true happiness."

"When you have a child, watching that little life come into the world, both of you working tirelessly to raise him, until he opens his mouth to call you 'dad'... That feeling is a million times happier than spending every day at some amusement park with a bunch of troublemakers!"

Cora Chen froze.

This guy... was a dog's mouth actually spitting out ivory? [Chinese idiom meaning "a bad person saying something wise"]

Cora Chen couldn't help but smile in relief.

Eason Chen looked at Fyren Zhang like he was seeing a completely different person.

"Holy shit! How... how did you suddenly become so profound? Big brother, you're a ruthless businessman - since when do you talk like some wise sage?"

Fyren Zhang sighed: "The righteousness of the world lies in its vicissitudes. This dazzling, flowery world... A real man should hold fast to his principles no matter how flashy or chaotic the world becomes. Not being vain, not falling into depravity, not following the crowd, not losing self-control - to grasp what truly matters in life, that's what makes a man."

Not only did Eason Chen freeze at this, Cora Chen behind them laughed.

This rascal... actually understood things quite well?

These two troublemakers - their brains were actually sharper than anyone else's. They just never applied themselves properly.

It had been like this since school - the two of them competed at being bad as if it were a subject to master.

Eason Chen looked at Fyren Zhang and shook his head: "Have you encountered something recently? Your brain isn't broken, is it? Listening to you talk, are you really going to turn over a new leaf from now on?"

Fyren Zhang laughed: "I'm not giving up meat. Men don't eat vegetarian."

Eason Chen suddenly realized: "Oh, you have a new target, right? How about my sister?"

"Your sister ah..." Fyren Zhang deliberately paused for a moment: "Her body's explosive - I mean, are her breasts still growing? Those two babies look like they could burst through her clothes and jump out any second."

Cora Chen immediately flew into a rage.

These two idiots! They'd just said a few proper words and immediately started their nonsense again!

"Hahaha!" Eason Chen laughed. "Tell me the truth - did you take my sister back then or not? Swear!"

"No!"

"I don't believe you!"

Fyren Zhang grinned mischievously and said, "I'll tell you - everything was indeed ready that day. Your sister was all cleaned up by me, lying there waiting to be taken."

"Shit! You're finally telling the truth!"

"But do you know what happened afterward?"

"You... wouldn't... have stopped, would you?"

"No!" Fyren Zhang gritted his teeth and pinched Eason Chen's cheeks. "As it turned out, you little bastard got into trouble and called me, so I fucking pulled up my pants and rushed out!"

"Is... that the time you fought those gangsters?"

"That's the one!"

"Hahahahaha..."

The two troublemakers burst into laughter.

Though absurd, after all these years, recalling their youthful antics filled them with indescribable nostalgia and joy.

Cora Chen walked up with a stern face. "Do you want more wine?"

"Uh, open another bottle," Eason Chen said casually.

Fyren Zhang leaned closer to Eason Chen with a wicked grin. "You have no idea what kind of golden opportunity you ruined for me! Your sister was in such a state that day - cheeks red like a monkey's butt, lying there completely naked under me, squirming while biting the corner of the blanket, putting up no resistance at all. I was just about to..."

Eason Chen froze: "Say it! Go on, say it!"

Fyren Zhang slowly turned his head and saw Cora Chen staring at him coldly.

[I'm dead.]