"Enough. Stop arguing."
Luo Zheng had just carried his suitcase downstairs when his uncle's voice thundered through the house.
For a moment, he paused.
In all the memories he had inherited, he had never once seen his uncle lose control like this.
Chen Guoli had always been calm, patient, and soft-spoken.
For him to roar like this—
there was only one reason.
Another fight with Liu Xiaoli.
And this time, it was because of him.
A trace of guilt flashed through Luo Zheng's heart.
The original owner of this body had truly been a mess.
Fighting.
Drinking.
Gambling.
Chasing women.
He was skilled at all of it.
If drugs had been added to the list, he would have had the complete set of self-destruction.
No wonder he had been expelled from the University of Southern California.
No wonder Liu Xiaoli had wanted him out of the house.
No parent would want someone like that spending every day around their daughter.
And yet—
in all those memories, one thing stood out.
The original Luo Zheng had genuinely cared for Liu Xixi.
He had treated her like a real younger sister.
That was probably why, despite Liu Xiaoli's constant warnings, Xixi still trusted him completely.
At least the old Luo Zheng hadn't been rotten in every way.
Taking a breath, he walked into the living room.
The atmosphere was ice-cold.
Chen Guoli sat on the sofa, his usually neat hair now a complete mess, both hands pressed against his forehead.
Across from him, Liu Xiaoli sat with her arms crossed, her expression frosty and unyielding.
In the corner, Liu Xixi hugged a pillow tightly, her shoulders trembling.
The moment he entered, all eyes turned toward him.
"Uncle," Luo Zheng said calmly, "I'll contact you after I settle in. No need to see me out."
He turned and headed toward the door.
At that moment, his phone vibrated.
A text message.
The motorcade had already entered the neighborhood.
Perfect timing.
Everything in this family had become strained because of him.
Once he left, things would calm down.
There was no point in saying anything more.
"Xiao Zheng, wait."
Chen Guoli stood up quickly.
Before he could say another word, Liu Xiaoli's cold voice cut through the room.
"If he doesn't leave, then we're getting a divorce."
Silence.
Luo Zheng stopped.
Even he frowned slightly.
Then Liu Xixi suddenly stood up.
"Mom! How can you say that?"
"Why do you have to force Cousin out?"
Her voice trembled, but she still spoke.
Liu Xiaoli's face darkened.
"Go back to your room."
"This is not your place to interfere."
Xixi bit her lip.
But she stubbornly remained seated.
Seeing the tense scene, Luo Zheng gave a small smile.
"Uncle, Xixi… I'm only moving out."
"It's not like we'll never see each other again."
For the first time, even Liu Xiaoli seemed to realize she had gone too far.
Her tone softened slightly.
"He's right."
"He can still come back as a guest."
As she spoke, she took out a stack of US dollars and walked toward him.
"Take this."
"Rent a decent apartment."
"Spend carefully."
Luo Zheng looked at the money.
Then calmly shook his head.
"I'm not short on money."
"Thank you for your concern, Aunt."
His voice remained polite.
But inside, he had already made a note of everything.
He was no longer the impulsive man he had once been.
Some accounts were best settled slowly.
Especially when the future was long.
At that moment—
ding-dong
The doorbell rang.
Everyone froze.
Liu Xiaoli, being closest, walked over and opened the door.
Outside stood three people in black suits.
Two men.
One woman.
The woman in the center stepped forward with a professional smile.
She had blonde hair, sharp blue eyes, and a perfectly fitted business suit.
"Good afternoon, ma'am."
"My name is Lilith."
"We're here to pick up Chairman William."
Liu Xiaoli frowned.
"There's no William here."
Lilith immediately corrected herself.
"My apologies."
"Our chairman's Chinese name is Luo Zheng."
The room instantly fell silent.
Liu Xiaoli's pupils widened.
"What?"
"You're here for Luo Zheng?"
Lilith nodded.
"Yes."
"The chairman of Marvel Entertainment."
The words hit like thunder.
Even Chen Guoli's expression changed.
Marvel.
Even though it was still a relatively small company in 2002, it was already a household name.
And then—
Liu Xiaoli looked past them.
Three black Rolls-Royce Phantom cars were parked quietly outside.
Luxury.
Prestige.
Power.
Her breathing became uneven.
How could this be possible?
The same Luo Zheng she had been driving out of the house—
was now being picked up like a corporate chairman?
Before she could process it, Luo Zheng stepped forward.
"Aunt, excuse me."
"They're here for me."
He gently moved past her and walked outside.
Behind him, Chen Guoli and Xixi quickly followed.
Only Liu Xiaoli remained frozen at the doorway.
Lilith stepped forward respectfully.
"Good afternoon, Chairman."
"I am your private secretary, Lilith."
Luo Zheng shook her hand.
His eyes briefly swept over her appearance.
Professional.
Elegant.
Capable.
Not bad.
He gave a faint nod.
"Have the directors arrived?"
Lilith immediately took the suitcase from his hand.
"Yes, Chairman."
"They are already waiting in the meeting room."
Then she hesitated.
A sneer appeared on Luo Zheng's lips.
"They're trying to seize power?"
Lilith's eyes widened.
"As expected of the Chairman."
Her expression turned serious.
"Yes."
"They are planning to strip you of operational authority."
Luo Zheng laughed coldly.
"A bunch of clowns."
"The company is still losing money, yet they're already fighting for power."
Behind him, Chen Guoli stepped forward.
"Marvel has only recently stabilized."
"If internal conflict erupts again, it may collapse."
Luo Zheng turned to look at him.
Then smiled confidently.
"Uncle, don't worry."
"As long as I can make them money…"
"They'll treat me like their own father."
His voice was calm.
Confident.
Absolute.
After all, he already had the future in his mind.
The rise of Iron Man.
The birth of the MCU.
The box office explosion.
The merchandising empire.
He wasn't worried in the slightest.
He already had the winning hand.
Chen Guoli stared at him.
For a moment, this nephew felt completely unfamiliar.
More mature.
More composed.
More dangerous.
Like a completely different person.
Before he could speak, Luo Zheng smiled.
"If you're worried, come with me to the company."
Chen Guoli nodded after a brief pause.
"Alright."
Immediately, Liu Xixi ran over.
"Cousin! I want to go too!"
Luo Zheng laughed.
"Of course."
He reached down and took her hand.
The three of them walked toward the Rolls-Royce.
Behind them, Liu Xiaoli stood at the doorway.
For the first time—
she felt like the outsider in her own home.