Chapter 15: Aunt

With the annoying little brat acting as a guide, Olivianne had no trouble finding her way home. After walking just a short distance, the blue-haired loli had already, almost unconsciously, memorized the entire route home.

Good. At least now she wouldn’t get lost on the way to school tomorrow. Pleased with herself, Olivianne nodded in satisfaction—and in her smugness, she couldn’t help but tug again on those tufts of her little cousin’s hair.

Hearing George let out a cry like he was about to grind his back molars to dust, Olivianne raised her eyebrows. Huh?

Looks like her annoying little cousin wasn’t too happy. Hm… He was probably already planning how to tattle on her the moment they got home.

That’s fine, little bro. Even if you really do break your molars, no big deal. You’re gonna lose those baby teeth anyway, right?

Soon, Olivianne—acting like nothing had happened—was brought all the way to the Western Garden District of the Imperial Capital by her cousin’s hurried, tattletale-paced walk.

This area was very close to the capital’s commercial zone but sat on high ground. Because the terrain wasn’t great for construction, property prices were relatively low, so many merchant families chose to live here.

As the name suggested, the land here was poor and not suitable for much, so people mainly grew potted plants. Lots of

florists planted flowers of all kinds here, and the sea of blooms changed with each season. It looked like one massive

garden—scenic and breathtaking.

The two of them pushed through a field of flowers. As they picked up speed, Olivianne could clearly feel George—whom she still had by the collar—eagerly trying to run toward a small, elegant two-story villa just ahead.

The girl quickly yanked him back by the scruff of his neck and covered his mouth, then walked up to the courtyard gate and paused. Hmm… According to her memory, this should be her house.

Olivianne was just about to go inside when suddenly, a woman’s loud voice burst from the house.

The blue-haired loli stopped in her tracks and, standing outside the yard, followed the sound and looked toward the living room.

The people inside didn’t seem to notice the small figure standing out in the courtyard. Through the window, the living room was clearly visible.

There, a plump middle-aged woman sat smugly on the sofa, legs crossed in a showy pose. In front of her stood a slim and

graceful figure—long, curly blue hair cascading over her shoulders. Her features were beautiful and seductive, her eyes

full of allure, her upturned nose elegant, lips like a rose—she had the kind of charm that could make anyone’s heart

flutter.

Her tight, purple bodycon dress showed off her curvy, mature figure, and her long, slender legs were accentuated by sheer matte-black stockings. Compared to the woman on the sofa, it was like… Beauty and the Beast in real life.

Even though the difference was staggering, the “beast” in this case clearly held the upper hand. The fat woman pointed arrogantly at the blue-haired beauty and scolded her bluntly:

“Sis-in-law, I keep telling you—you’ve gotta control that brat Olivianne more. Sigh~ You just spoil her too much, don’t

you? Look at this—school ended ages ago, and she’s still not back. If she doesn’t sort out today’s shell stock, how are we

supposed to sell tomorrow, huh? Sigh~”

“I’m really sorry, sister-in-law. I’ve been helping Little An with that stuff. She might’ve just gotten held up at school. Usually, she comes home right on time. Please don’t worry too much…”

The beautiful woman lowered her head with a helpless look in her eyes. Her tone was apologetic and clearly full of quiet grievance, yet she didn’t dare argue back.

The fat woman snorted coldly and continued in a sarcastic, fake-sweet voice:

“Come on, sis, don’t act so pitiful. If you could just do the housework properly, would I need to make Little An do chores

so early? Honestly, what are you even doing all day? I keep hearing rumors that you’ve been inviting single men into the

house…”

“That’s all nonsense! I’ve never brought strangers home! And as for the housework… The place is just too big. Even with

multiple maids before, it was hard to manage. Now it’s just me doing everything—including traveling to pick up goods

from outside—it’s honestly really tough…”

Listening to the constant passive-aggressive insults, the blue-haired beauty finally raised her voice slightly—but that one attempt was immediately shut down by the fat woman’s oppressive glare.

Shrinking back, she lowered her head again and mumbled a soft defense. But that only made the fat woman slam the table and ramp up her aggressive tone.

“Sis-in-law, have a little conscience when you talk! You’ve got the nerve to mention hiring maids? Sure, ever since my

husband died, no one pampers you anymore, and I had to fire all the servants. You feel wronged, huh? But do you know

how much it costs to keep those maids around? Can you afford to pay their salaries? Huh?!”

“No, that’s not what I meant—please don’t say that about me and my brother-in-law. I’m sorry… sister-in-law, I spoke out of turn. I’m sorry…”

The beautiful woman seemed truly pained. She shook her head again and again, apologizing repeatedly.

But really, what did she do wrong?

Outside the courtyard, Olivianne was so angry she felt like she might burst a blood vessel. Damn it—this fat cow! Isn’t she

the one in charge of all the family finances?! All the money goes straight into her pocket, and she acts like she’s doing

some holy work!

All this labor, and they barely give us enough for basic living expenses. Sure, you’d have to pay salaries to actual maids—but for us two “useless burdens,” just feeding us is good enough, huh?

I swear to—

Olivianne turned furiously toward George—who still had his mouth covered and now looked just like a kidnapped child.

Goddamn it!

Yes, that’s right—the one she was cursing was George’s mom. The middle-aged fat woman in the living room right now: Venus.

And that beautiful blue-haired woman being scolded by her? From the looks of it, anyone could tell—that was Olivianne’s mother, Fufu.

As for why things had turned out like this… Well, that’s a bit of a long story.

Let’s rewind—about twenty years ago. Back then, this family lived in a small farming village on the outskirts of the Empire.

They were simple people, generation after generation just working their little patch of land. But one day, twin brothers were born into the family—and they would change everything.

The older twin—Olivianne’s father—unexpectedly awakened the talent of a Star Mage. He became an adventurer, and

after years of training and struggle, he achieved the feat of slaying an ancient beast. For that, the Emperor himself granted

him a huge reward.

The younger twin had a natural talent for business. He dived into the black market, worked his way up, and quickly figured out how to make a fortune.

Olivianne’s father, always chasing adventure, gave his entire reward to his younger brother as startup capital. The brother took it and made a killing, eventually settling in the Imperial Capital.

Later, the two brothers each got married. The elder brother fell in love during one of his adventures and married Fufu,

Olivianne’s mother—they were deeply in love. The younger brother’s marriage, on the other hand, was more about

business. He married the daughter of a wealthy merchant family—Venus. Their relationship was more like a business deal

than real affection.

Still, you could say their generation hit the jackpot—like their ancestors’ graves were blessed or something. But…

Maybe fate just couldn’t let things go too smoothly for too long.

Because not long after…

Disaster struck.