"Wait, since when did you two siblings get so close?"

Chen Hui’s suspicious gaze shifted back and forth between her youngest son and her newly adopted daughter. Starting from lunch, the two had been inseparable—sitting next to each other while eating, watching TV together, and even going for a walk with her youngest son trailing closely behind.

If she hadn’t been the one to adopt Yao Yao just yesterday, she might’ve believed the two had grown up together.

"It’s Seventh Brother," Yao Yao said with a bright smile. "He said he’d help me make a lot of money."

She didn’t dare mention that he had also bribed her with snacks. Her master had always told her that snacks were unhealthy, and she remembered that adults didn’t usually let children eat too many.

So she had to keep it a secret—if her new mom didn’t know, she could eat as much as she wanted!

As for the "virtue" she had been sensing, she didn’t fully understand it herself, so she definitely wasn’t going to say anything about that either.

"Does Yao Yao need money?" Chen Hui was confused. She pulled out a bank card from her purse and said in a generous tone, "If you need money, just ask Mom. This card has 500,000 yuan on it, and there’s no password. Take it and use it, and if it’s not enough, come back for more."

Yao Yao didn’t have much concept of money, but she could tell from her mom’s tone that this was a lot.

She waved her hands and said, "I can’t take it."

Her new mom had already given her a big house to live in and let her eat delicious food every day. That was more than enough. Asking for more would be impolite, and impolite children weren’t liked by anyone.

"So, instead, you’re running around with your Seventh Brother, working hard for nothing?" Chen Hui shot an annoyed glare at her youngest son.

Gu Yu scratched his nose awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. He silently cursed his luck—his little sister had just thrown him under the bus!

"Yao Yao, you’re only three and a half years old. It's far too young to be working, even as child labor. Now that you’re part of this family, you’ll have everything you need," Chen Hui said firmly.

"Don’t be shy about taking what’s yours. The Gu family has no shortage of money. Be good and accept it."

"Alright," Yao Yao finally agreed, seeing that she couldn’t refuse.

Still, she decided that she’d repay her mom soon by making her a protective talisman as a gift.

"That’s better!" Chen Hui smiled, satisfied.

"Tomorrow, your other brothers will be back. Let them take you out and play. Stop sticking with your Seventh Brother—he’s the most unreliable of them all."

Gu Yu felt a surge of indignation and frustration, but he held it in: "...Seriously? What kind of mother says that about her own son?"

Yao Yao, on the other hand, was curious. She hadn’t known until now that the house could be so lively.

In the past, at the Daoist temple, it had just been her and her master. When her master was busy, she had to spend a lot of time alone.

She didn’t like being alone—she liked it when there were lots of people around.

Now her mom had told her she had seven brothers, plus grandparents. Yao Yao started counting on her fingers, but quickly ran out.

Her eyes widened in amazement.

"So many people!"

She imagined how lively it would be when everyone was together and grew more and more excited about meeting the rest of her brothers.

Meanwhile, the upcoming Gu Family Banquet was less of a family dinner and more of an introduction ceremony. Its purpose was to officially announce Yao Yao as the Gu family’s adopted daughter.

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The invitations had been sent out to all the major figures in Beijing’s elite social circles.

At first, everyone was incredulous.

After all, the Gu family was one of the most prestigious families in Beijing. Even the status of an adopted daughter within the family would be significant.

"I don’t know where Mrs. Gu found this girl, but her luck is incredible—she’s gone straight from rags to riches."

"Hurry! Prepare a good gift. We need to leave a great impression on the Gu family."

Decades of navigating Beijing’s upper social circles had taught these old foxes to be resourceful. They soon discovered that the little girl was not only officially adopted by Mrs. Gu but also deeply cherished and spoiled.

Being favored in the Gu family made all the difference—it was like night and day.

Where they had once struggled to find an opportunity to curry favor, now they had a clear chance. There was no way they were going to let it slip by.

However, the men had no idea what gifts to buy for a little girl. This responsibility naturally fell to their wives.

High-end children’s stores in the city were soon inundated with calls. Managers were sweating bullets, desperately trying to fulfill the countless requests.

They couldn’t afford to offend any of these powerful clients, so they bent over backward to accommodate them, offering endless apologies and compliments.

At the same time, they couldn’t help but wonder—what on earth had happened in Beijing for so many big shots to mobilize all at once?

As for the person at the center of all this, Yao Yao remained blissfully unaware.

She was currently happily trying on a gorgeous dress.

"It’s so pretty!"

The dress had layers of delicate tulle, intricate embroidery, and beautiful pearls decorating it.

"Yao Yao, do you like it?" Chen Hui asked, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

The dress was one of many pieces rushed out by designers overnight in preparation for today’s banquet.

When Chen Hui said she would give Yao Yao the best, she wasn’t making empty promises. The overflowing wardrobe, the mountain of toys and accessories—everything spoke to how much she cared.

"I love it. Thank you, Mommy," Yao Yao said happily, nodding.

"Then let’s head downstairs. Your brothers and dad are waiting for us!" Chen Hui said, taking Yao Yao’s chubby little hand in hers.

Her foot injury had healed, not thanks to medical treatment, but rather a healing talisman Yao Yao had given her.

The icy, soothing talisman had worked instantly, erasing her pain and allowing her to walk freely again—it was nothing short of miraculous.

The rest of the family was overjoyed at her recovery. At the same time, they realized that Yao Yao’s abilities went far beyond just catching ghosts.

Yao Yao obediently let her mom lead her downstairs.

In the grand Gu family hall, a large group of people had already gathered.

Aside from the seven Gu brothers, even the children from the eldest and fourth brothers’ families were present.

Some stood, some lounged on the sofas, all in various relaxed positions. However, their eyes frequently darted toward the staircase, clearly curious about the new member of their family.

"Seventh Brother, I heard you’re close with Yao Yao. Tell me, what does she like?"

Gu Li, the fifth brother, nudged Gu Yu, hoping to get some intel. After all, it was easier to win over children if you knew what they liked.

"Ha! You think I’d tell you?" Gu Yu sneered.

He hadn’t forgotten how Gu Li had teased him two days ago. Now he wanted to build a relationship? No chance!

"Wow, Seventh Brother, you’re so petty. I’m your biological brother!" Gu Li said, pretending to be heartbroken.

Gu Yu nearly lost his temper right then and there. Only the thought of the banquet stopped him from starting a fight. Still, he couldn’t resist muttering, "Get lost!"

Gu Li realized he wasn’t going to get anything out of him and slouched back in defeat.

The other brothers, who had been eavesdropping, also showed expressions of disappointment.

It seemed they had truly upset Gu Yu in the family chat group last time. Now there was no shortcut to bonding with their little sister.

The eldest and third brothers were slightly more relaxed. Having children of their own, they knew that kids were naturally drawn to other kids, so the process of getting along would likely be smooth.

Seven brothers, each with their own schemes, were quietly pondering their next moves.

Suddenly, there was movement at the staircase. All eyes turned in unison, and their gazes lit up.

A little girl wearing a fluffy princess dress was being led downstairs. Her hair was styled in two ponytails, tied with crystal-like ribbons that sparkled under the lights.

Her round face was like a luminous moon, with long, curled lashes, bright, watery eyes, and delicate cherry-like lips. She looked so perfect that she could rival any doll in a shop window.

Holy crap!

The Gu brothers were stunned.

Their little sister was this cute and gorgeous?

This was an unprecedented shock for the Gu family, which had always been like a monk’s temple.

They all shot accusing glares at Gu Yu.

"You sly dog! You’ve been hiding her! Afraid we’d steal her from you, huh?"

Gu Li mouthed the word "despicable" at him, though no sound came out.

Gu Yu ignored them completely. He hadn’t expected this either.

After all, the Yao Yao he knew had always worn a simple bun and an old Daoist robe. She had been cute, sure, but nothing like this dazzling transformation.

Clothes really did make the person.

[--------------------------------------------]

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