Chapter 1040: 0637 Despicable

"Uh..."

Silently setting down William's Great Emperor's Manifesto, Hearing Li Ang turned to look at Anna standing behind him and said with a slightly awkward expression:

"Where is Little Ellie? Shouldn't I help her with her homework first?"

"Ellie is already asleep!"

Seeing right through Hearing Li Ang's plan to avoid the heavy and focus on the light, Anna gave him an annoyed glare, then, under Melanie's desperate gaze, sat down beside her again.

"Besides, Ellie finished her homework at school; she wouldn't drag it out until now like those two... Melanie! Look at what you wrote! What does 'check the clauses when signing a contract' mean? Is that what the story writer meant?"

"Well... the story writer might not have thought of that, but this is my personal understanding..."

"You can have your own understanding, but you cannot write it in the homework book issued by the school!"

Lifting Melanie's ear and skillfully twisting it half a turn, the same thin girl who had become much healthier than before flipped the crumpled homework book back open, pointed at a passage in the original text with her finger, and threatened somewhat ferociously:

"Either you pick up your pen and copy his understanding once, or I'll give your butt a beating myself. Choose!"

"Then... can I copy half? His understanding is so long..."

"You copy half of his, I'll beat half of you. Is that okay?"

"How about... a third?"

"You're actually negotiating with me? Write fast! Miss one character and I'll make you look good!"

"Waa..."

Relying on the eldest sister's authority plus physical oppression to suppress Melanie, who knew the correct answer but habitually wanted to slack off, Anna stood up, walked around the desk, and sat in the tutoring seat that Hearing Li Ang had respectfully yielded to William, and then...

"William! The question asks why the merchant is unhappy. What is all this you've written?"

"I'm changing it, I'm changing it."

Glancing at the big brother who not only didn't resist Anna's tyranny but was even ready to wave flags and cheer, William couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the pathetic weakness of the sister-obsessed class, then sensibly erased his carefully written bribery strategy and started copying the meaningless correct answer in a crooked hand.

'Although the merchant gained money, he lost much more in the process of chasing money. He mistakenly believed money could make him happy, but in fact, what could truly make him happy was the things he abandoned on the road to chasing money.

But then again, if he could use this money to cultivate connections and buy a newspaper company targeting the citizens of the Monai City-State, and...'

"Hmm?"

"..."

And, the words should not be spoken back.

Under the eldest sister's stern gaze, William could only sigh gloomily, helplessly erased the part where he had improvised, and then, under the pathetic constraints of exam-oriented education, honestly started writing the hypocritical answer compiled by adults.

Indeed, suppressing rascals like this still requires Anna.

Watching his younger sister forcefully suppress the two little demons of chaos and keep them under strict control, Hearing Li Ang couldn't help but let out a long breath, then cleared his throat and spoke to ease the atmosphere:

"Actually... it doesn't have to be too rigid, lest it suppress their imagination..."

(╬￣皿￣)?!

"Hmm... but then again, the two of them have a bit too much imagination; suppressing it occasionally is necessary... By the way."

Under Anna's angry look of "Why don't you do it?", Hearing Li Ang immediately surrendered at light speed, then actively changed the subject:

"Anna, the Bureau recently gave me a raise. My weekly salary is 12 Gold Wheels more than before, and the Director also gave me an extra subsidy, estimated to be over three hundred Gold Wheels."

"Oh!"

Hearing Hearing Li Ang's words, Anna couldn't help but turn her head back and said with a face full of surprise:

"That's great... What was the raise for this time?"

"..."

Because he put on a show during the promotion assessment, brought face to the Bureau, and also helped the Director carry out retaliation, ruthlessly bullying the cleaners who jumped ship from the Virgin Branch... Of course, he couldn't say that.

"Because of my proficient skills!"

After lying without hesitation, Hearing Li Ang said with a smile:

"Anyway, in the future, our family will be much more well-off than now, and I happen to have a holiday these few days... Is there anything you want?"

"Yes! I have one, I have one!"

Hearing Hearing Li Ang's question, Melanie, who had been pricking up her ears to eavesdrop all along, immediately dropped her pen and pounced over. After Hearing Li Ang caught her with his hand, her head drilled into his chest like a drill.

"Big Brother! I want an investment!"

"???"

What the heck?

Even though he had already imagined several answers in advance, Melanie's opening still caught Hearing Li Ang off guard.

Looking at Melanie in his arms, who was excitedly tilting her little face up, Hearing Li Ang couldn't help but repeat in a daze:

"You want an investment?"

"Yes!"

The head with two pigtails nodded vigorously, and Melanie said with a face full of excitement:

"Getting pocket money weekly is too slow. I've discovered a new way to make money. As long as Big Brother gives me an investment, startup capital to hire people, I can definitely... Hey! Ouch!"

"Before you finish your homework, you won't get a single Copper Wheel!"

After pulling Melanie out of Hearing Li Ang's arms, Anna scolded somewhat angrily:

"And! Shut down that homework bank of yours immediately! You rascal! You dare hire people to write homework for a commission now; I don't even dare to think about what you'll do in the future!"

"Ah! That is a legitimate business!"

Being held up so she had to stand on her tiptoes, Melanie still said defiantly:

"I can solve the pain points of target users, help classmates who like studying but have no money successfully connect with classmates who hate homework but have lots of pocket money, and let everyone find a perfect dynamic balance between pocket money and homework..."

"I'll use my slipper to find balance for your butt first!"

"Ah! Help! Big Brother, help!"

"..."

Can't save them, farewell!

Watching the house settle down for barely two minutes before descending once more into chaos, Li Ang couldn't help but rub his temples, then stopped William, who was secretly erasing Mélanie's homework, and asked with a headache:

"William, is there anything you want? Don't even mention bribing anyone with my money."

"No need. I just want my big brother to listen to me for a few words."

After slightly shaking his head, William spoke calmly:

"Big brother, Princess Veronika fell in love with you at first sight—she's the best woman you'll ever meet in your life. The two of you are absolutely a perfect… perfect what match."

"If you marry her, you'll surely have both sons and daughters, succeed in your career, and enjoy a happy family… wait, I forgot what comes after. Let me check."

"???"

Under Li Ang's puzzled gaze, William flipped the homework notebook to the back, pulled out a crammed cheat sheet, and began reciting a long stream of praise for Princess Veronika, occasionally stumbling over unfamiliar characters.

Wait… what's this now?

After patiently waiting for William to finish, Li Ang asked, puzzled:

"What you just said is…"

"These are Princess Veronika's instructions."

Crumpling the cheat sheet and tossing it into the trash, William picked up the eraser and continued wiping Mélanie's completed homework, answering calmly:

"She's been extremely busy lately. Though she came to see you twice, she never caught you, so I asked if I could relay her message.

She thought about it, then said the topics she wanted to discuss with you aren't suitable for children, so no relay needed—but if I could speak a few more kind words on her behalf, she'd let me read all the royal library's books, and even arrange for someone to take me to pilot a mech on weekends."

"…"