Late May

She felt as if struck by lightning.

Song Wu stood there, completely dumbfounded.

She had never expected her own sister to say something like that.

If the family had resources, shouldn't they help her without hesitation?

If she became a superstar, wouldn't that bring pride to everyone?

"Jie, how can you say that?"

"And if I don't say it, then how do you expect me to respond?"

Song Yanxi retorted bluntly, "When your brother-in-law first arrived in Beijing and heard that you were in high school with a heavy study load, he specially brought three old hens from our hometown for you."

"Do you still remember what you did back then?"

That day was still fresh in Song Yanxi's memory. They had been carrying those smelly hens on the train, already receiving disgusted looks from people.

And when they got off, Song Wu's face showed nothing but disdain.

She might as well have tattooed 'country bumpkin' on her forehead.

And now, she wanted their help?

If she never acknowledged Chen Pingsheng as her brother-in-law, why should he recognize her as his sister-in-law?

"I say, Song Yanxi, how can you talk to your own sister like that?"

Liu Fen stepped forward, her tone displeased. "Sure, Chen Pingsheng has made some money now, but do you realize that once your sister becomes a superstar, a single movie could earn her tens of millions? That's way more than whatever he can make."

"A superstar? With her? Do you take the audience for fools?"

Song Yanxi shot back, refusing to back down. She saw this as a debate, not an argument.

"Take Zhao Liying next door—she had no education, no background, but do you know how hard she worked?"

"She woke up before dawn every day to practice her lines, spent five years playing extras, and cherished every opportunity. And then look at your daughter—turning down small roles, thinking everything is beneath her. She hasn't even graduated yet and already wants to be the lead actress."

"If someone like her could become a superstar, then my ancestors must have fought in wars and crossed battlefields for it to happen."

"Otherwise, she should just go to bed and keep dreaming."

"Hah."

Liu Fen wasn't one to back down either. Say whatever you want about her eldest daughter or her son-in-law, but badmouth her youngest daughter? Absolutely not.

She had invested too much in her.

Her future depended on Song Wu's success.

If her daughter didn't make it big, then what was she supposed to hope for in life?

"This is the first time I've seen a sister talk about her own sibling like this. Song Yanxi, you've really changed."

"I'm just speaking the truth."

Song Yanxi folded her arms. "I just want her to be a bit more grounded instead of chasing unrealistic dreams all day."

Family arguments were normal.

Song Wu wasn't particularly upset—she was just angry that her own sister refused to help her.

As her younger sister, wasn't she entitled to her support?

If Chen Pingsheng were here, he'd definitely laugh at her.

The only reason he had invested in Zhao Liying was that he admired her dedication.

In his eyes, small-time fame depended on luck.

Major stardom required backing.

But staying at the top? That required character.

And someone like Song Wu—who took help for granted—was easy to spot.

If even he could see through her, did she really think big directors and major investors couldn't?

No one wanted to support people like her.

So, in truth, Song Yanxi wasn't wrong.

The argument ended with everyone storming off.

But deep inside, Song Wu made a silent vow—one day, she would prove herself.

They were all short-sighted fools.

The tides of fortune would change.

Today, they looked down on her.

Tomorrow, she would rise beyond their reach.

She even hummed a tune to herself.

After dinner, Song Yanxi took her son An An back to Beixinan—that was her real home.

---

Beixinan, Dongjie Second Store

Six cashiers were still working non-stop, the top-up promotion in full swing.

This store was officially booming.

By the time this event ended, the profits would hit a new record.

As for Chen Pingsheng, he was already preparing for the next wave of promotions across three more stores.

Ding! Your accumulated earnings have reached 680,000. Would you like to activate the random multiplier?

Other than on the first day of the May holiday, he had saved up all his earnings.

After six days, the total had reached 680,000.

Now came the exciting part.

He had never hit a 10x multiplier before.

If he could get it this time, he'd be set for life.

"Activate."

Sitting in the small office of the second store, he stared at the two golden dice with anticipation.

A moment later—

Luck was on his side.

The first die landed on five.

The second die… also five!

Exactly what he wanted.

He was destined to get rich.

Congratulations, Host! You have received a 10x random boost.

Ding! Your Alipay balance has been updated: 6.8 million. Total balance: 7.05 million.

Absolutely exhilarating.

He could buy a house in full now.

But first, he had to settle the remaining 3 million investment with Yang Jiancheng.

That left 4 million—how to spend it?

No rush.

Hitting a 10x multiplier was an unexpected windfall.

There were still 20 days left in the Dongjie store's promotion.

Even with the most conservative estimate, another 2 million would come in.

That meant another chance at a 1-million accumulation multiplier.

Who knew how high it would go?

If he hit another 10x...

A 300-square-meter house wouldn't be enough for him anymore.

He'd need at least 500 square meters.

And in June, the other three stores would start promotions.

By July, his savings would definitely be in the tens of millions.

With so much money, why settle for a second-hand Porsche Panamera?

Back home, Chen Pingsheng happily browsed houses with Song Yanxi.

Women had zero resistance to real estate.

From the 8th of the month until the end, they kept looking.

At first, Song Yanxi was satisfied with 100-square-meter apartments.

But now?

Chen Pingsheng, with a cocky smirk, refused to consider anything below 400 square meters.

Real estate agents secretly cursed him for showing off.

Women could spend an entire year house-hunting.

Finally, they shortlisted three options.

"Honey, look at this one—260 square meters, fully furnished, north-south facing, great location, and excellent view."

"And this one—320 square meters, 7 million in full payment. A bit pricey, but the interior design is stunning."

"And this one—480 square meters, maybe a bit too big. Also quite expensive, but if we stretch the loan to 10 years, we might just afford it."

Chen Pingsheng checked them out too.

They were fine.

But not up to his standards.

When it came to buying a house, it was all or nothing.

"Wife, didn't we also look at that small villa?"

"Yeah, right."

A villa in the countryside might only cost a few hundred thousand.

But in Beijing, where land was worth gold?

That was out of reach for normal people.

The one they saw was a two-story villa with over 600 square meters, complete with a courtyard.

Something like that was beyond her imagination.

"Let's be practical," Song Yanxi sighed. "Pick one from these three. That villa is out of the question—15 million upfront. Even if we sold me, we wouldn't have enough."

"Nonsense. My wife is priceless."

Chen Pingsheng smirked. "Trust me, we're getting that villa. 15 million? That's nothing for me."

Sure, he said that.

But he didn't have that much yet.

By the end of May, the second store's promotion wrapped up.

And it was time to trigger the next random multiplier.

Would they end up in a normal apartment or a luxury villa?

It all depended on this roll.