Chapter 3: The Heavens Tremble.

  After Zheng Chu demonstrated his resolve, An Mu’s mother regarded him with slight skepticism. After a few seconds of silence, An Xue sighed.

  "Look, Zheng Chu, I may not believe you 100%, but at the very least, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt."

  "Thank you, ma’am."

  "Are you sure you don’t want the card? The amount of money in it would be difficult for you to earn even if you worked your entire life."

  "Very sure, ma’am."

  "Fine, I won’t insist any further. I’ll have a maid escort you home."

  With that, Zheng Chu was led by a maid to the same limousine that had brought him and, in just five minutes, he left the Secondary Mansion.

  Meanwhile, An Xue returned to the office in the Secondary Mansion. Inside, she was greeted by a mountain of paperwork waiting to be processed. An Xue could only sit down and start as soon as possible—it was stressful, but there was no other choice. Being the head of the An Family and managing all its businesses was a complicated task. Still, compared to before, this was nothing. She had earned her position through sheer effort and sacrifice. If not for that, there would be no talk of her being the family head—let alone a peaceful life for mother and daughter.

  As she did her best to finish the paperwork, her head maid appeared, bringing her a cup of tea to help her rex.

  "Madam, here’s your usual tea."

  "Thank you."

  "Madam, may I ask a question?"

  "Speak freely, Zhao Yu. There’s no need to be so formal with me."

  "Madam, even if you say that, your position makes it difficult for me not to be."

  "Fine, I won’t make it hard for you, but when we’re in private, you can act more casually."

  "Understood, ma’am. Do you really trust Zheng Chu’s promise?"

  An Xue paused for a moment before answering.

  "No, I don’t trust that he’ll succeed."

  "Then… should I send agents to follow and spy on him?"

  "No need. I don’t trust him, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt to convince myself."

  "Instead, increase security around An Mu. I don’t want scenes like this happening again, especially now that An Mu is finally happy with her university life."

  "Understood, Miss."

  After this conversation, An Xue continued her work without further interruptions.

  Meanwhile, Zheng Chu was taken back to his home. When he arrived, he felt a hint of nostalgia. Despite having been in luxurious pces like a mansion, he felt more comfortable returning to his own house. His home, though modest—just three floors and in somewhat precarious condition—was his sanctuary, where he could truly rex.

  Upon entering, he checked to make sure everything was in order. Even in a country as safe as China, he had been gone for a whole night and day, and he worried that someone might have broken in to steal the few belongings he had.

  After inspecting every room, he sighed and headed to the modest kitchen. He put a kettle on the stove and made himself a sandwich for lunch.

  He spent about fifteen minutes in the kitchen preparing his simple meal. Once finished, he went to his room, which was slightly messy from his studies the night before. The moment he reached it, he colpsed onto his bed, letting all the stress and muscle aches melt away.

  As he y there, he closed his eyes to have a conversation with the system.

  "Host, did you manage to leave An Xue’s mansion safely?"

  "Yes. Right now, I’m just rexing from all the mental stress I accumuted."

  "Host, since we’re in a safe pce, could you expin why you said such risky things to An Xue? Wouldn’t it have been better to just say ‘no’ to her initial question and end the situation as quickly as possible?"

  "System, while that might have been the most logical answer, you have to understand that humans aren’t always logical beings. Sometimes, we’re driven more by emotions than anything else."

  "Then, in your opinion, what would have happened if you had answered with a ‘no’?"

  "Hmm, judging by the situation and how much An Xue values her daughter, the most likely outcome is that she would have killed me on the spot for toying with her daughter’s emotions."

  "Huh? Isn’t that exaggerating?"

  "Not at all. People like An Xue, who personally intervene despite their overwhelming responsibilities for the sake of their child, are the most terrifying."

  "Her concern as a mother is evident, but just as she cares deeply, she wouldn’t hesitate to destroy anyone who crosses her. How do you think she became the CEO of such a rge family?"

  "Hmm, that makes sense in a way. But then, why did you say ‘yes’?"

  "Simple—she’s not naive. She knows emotions can’t be faked. If ‘love’ disappeared that quickly, she’d assume I was pying with her daughter’s feelings."

  "Host, I honestly thought you were going to die. Luckily, you had everything well thought out and pnned."

  "Don’t worry, System. If I were naive, how could I have gotten into the best university in China?"

  "Well, Host, from now on, I won’t doubt you. You’ve earned my respect for getting out of this situation despite not being a Supreme Lord yet."

  "But what exactly will you do now?"

  "Just rest for a bit, then clean the house. Remember, my body is still weak from the confession. I’m still just an ordinary human."

  After talking with the system a while longer, Zheng Chu thought he could finally sleep peacefully for the few hours left until midnight. But just as he was about to drift off, the doorbell rang. For a second, he was annoyed—this time, he really wanted to sleep.

  Grumbling, he got up, straightened his clothes, and went to the door. When he opened it, he was surprised by who he saw: a tall, beautiful girl dressed in a simple white one-piece dress. Anyone who saw her would think she was a kind older sister, given her gentle features—and they wouldn’t be wrong.

  "Sister Li Hua, what brings you here?"Zheng Chu asked, a polite smile on his face.

  "Little Brother Zheng, I was in the area on business, but when I stopped by to visit you yesterday afternoon, you never came back. I was really worried," Li Hua said, her face filled with concern as she checked if Zheng Chu was sick.

  Seeing her worry, Zheng Chu invited her in to expin everything that had happened the day before.

  In Zheng Chu’s room, Li Hua listened to his expnation. When she heard about his reckless actions—risking his health—she hugged him and said:

  "You fool, you didn’t have to go that far to prove your sincerity. If you really wanted to confess, you could’ve found a better way without endangering yourself."

  "Heh, Sister Li, I know. I was stupid. I promise I won’t do it again, so you don’t have to worry,"Zheng Chu said, a little guilty and embarrassed. He didn’t want to tell her the whole story, so he only shared the important parts, leaving out his meeting with the An family.

  "Little Brother Zheng, please respect yourself more. You’re a decent and responsible young man. I’m sure there are girls at the university who are interested in you," Li Hua said.

  Hearing that, Zheng Chu pulled away slightly from her hug and, with some embarrassment, replied:

  "Sister Li, don’t say that, please. In such a prestigious university, I’m just another student. There are much smarter people there. I bet when Sister was a student, you got confessions every day."

  "Ah, you silly boy, don’t underestimate yourself. There’s someone for everyone. It’s just a matter of time," Li Hua said, patting his head to comfort him.

  "Believe it or not, I wasn’t interested in those boys who confessed to me. If it meant pushing you aside, I’d rather stay single and keep taking care of you."

  Zheng Chu was moved by her words. Every time Sister Li showed him such affection, it reminded him of all the good times they’d shared after his mother abandoned him. With a genuinely happy smile, he said:

  "Thank you, Sister. Thank you for always being there for me."

  "Well then, Zheng Chu, if you’re so grateful, promise me you’ll take better care of yourself from now on."

  "I promise, Sister Li."

  "Ah, Zheng Chu, I almost got too distracted. I brought you a gift."

  With that, Li Hua took out a small box from her purse. Though the box looked simple, Zheng Chu knew anything his sister gave him would be treasured.

  When he opened it, he found a beautiful green jade pendant inside.

  "I bought this pendant at a temple. They say it brings good fortune to its wearer. Zheng Chu, I know your life hasn’t been easy. I couldn’t be there for your hardest moments, but I’m here now. Please, value yourself more."

  Zheng Chu felt a little embarrassed. Since childhood, his sister had always been overly protective of him. In fact, there had been times in the past when he thought about confessing his feelings to her. But whenever he saw her surrounded by other men, he compared himself to them and realized: affection is one thing, but reciprocity is another. Afraid of ruining their sibling retionship, he kept his distance at key moments.

  "Thank you, Sister. If you don’t mind, I’d like to repay you by taking you somewhere."

  "Zheng Chu, that’s not necessary. I’m fine as long as you’re fine."

  "Sister, I insist, please."

  "Hmm, alright. If that’s what you want, let’s go."

  Zheng Chu then asked Li Hua to wait outside his room. A few minutes ter, he changed into casual clothes—a bck T-shirt, blue jeans, and generic sneakers. When he came out, he told her he was ready. Soon after, the two left Zheng Chu’s house and took public transport.

  An hour-long bus ride ter, they arrived at a commercial district in the city. Zheng Chu led Li Hua to a newly opened barbecue restaurant.

  "Sister Li Hua, this pce serves South American-style grilled meat. I heard it’s really good."

  "South America? Wow, I didn’t expect this pce to be so popur that even you’d want to come."

  Once inside, Zheng Chu quickly picked their meal and seats. It was a peaceful lunch—they chatted and shared their experiences since the st time they met. Eventually, Li Hua accompanied Zheng Chu back home.

  "Thank you, Sister Li Hua, for spending time with me."

  "Don’t be like that with me. We’re practically family. Remember, you can always count on me—just reach out."

  After saying goodbye, Zheng Chu spent the rest of his day doing chores, studying, and occasionally browsing the internet. Time passed until 11:55 PM, when a system message appeared:

  "Host, the process is almost complete. Are you feeling anxious?"

  "A little. This is the most important moment of my life. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t both anxious and impatient."

  "Host, this system recommends finding a comfortable pce to focus. According to my data, this process will be… ‘slightly’ painful."

  Zheng Chu went to his room and sat in a meditative posture, crossing his legs to prepare mentally and physically. When the clock showed one minute left, a system screen popped up:

  "Host, the download process is complete."

  "Host, are you ready to become a ‘Supreme Lord’? Yes/No?"

  Without hesitation, Zheng Chu pressed "Yes."

  At that moment, he had no idea what awaited him. At first, a strange warmth spread through his body—but then came unbearable pain. It felt like his bones were breaking, his head was burning, and his consciousness was being erased.

  Just before he nearly bcked out, the system spoke:

  "Host, you must endure. Otherwise, the process will be considered a failure, and you may lose this opportunity forever."

  Hearing this, fear gripped him for a second—but then it turned into anger. He had struggled his entire life for a chance to prove his worth. Now that the opportunity was here, he wouldn’t let it slip away. Gritting his teeth and focusing with all his might, he endured the pain.

  Neither Zheng Chu nor anyone on Earth could see it, but his body was being enveloped in a nearly invisible golden energy. It pulsed with supernatural force, like a radiant aura. Though no one witnessed it, the heavens felt it.

  The once-clear night sky was now covered in dark, stormy clouds across the entire country. Lightning flickered amidst a light rain.

  To ordinary people, it was just a passing shower.

  But to those who understood the ws of heaven and earth, this was something more.

  The heavens, usually serene, were now expressing…

  Fear.

  And trembling.