The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

Upon hearing the sound, Ye Shu and Tang Xiaotao simultaneously looked towards the bedroom door.

There stood "Sister Xiaoxue" at the door, wearing an elegant dress, her hair tied up, and a smile more mysterious than the Mona Lisa on her face, her eyes narrowed.

"Good morning, Sister Zhi Qiu."

Ye Shu greeted her and noticed that Zhi Qiu's eyes were still slightly swollen, probably from Xiao Xue crying too much last night.

"Sister Zhi Qiu..."

Hearing her brother address her as such, Tang Xiaotao glanced at her sister-in-law's attire and demeanor.

The "well-educated and reasonable" and "refined and polite" qualities my mother mentioned on the phone... Hmm, that matches up! It seems this is the one!

Zhi Qiu smiled at Ye Shu, walked to Ye Shu's side, reached out and gently took Ye Shu's arm, then gently rested her head on his shoulder.

Good morning, little Shu.

Then, she tiptoed slightly, leaned close to Ye Shu's ear, and whispered in a voice only they could hear, with a hint of a smile:

"Your older sister knows everything... Xiao Nuan and Xiao Xue, they both agreed, right?"

She paused deliberately, feeling Ye Shu's arm stiffen slightly, then smiled with satisfaction and continued speaking, her warm breath brushing against Ye Shu's ear as she spoke:

"Now... you're my little boyfriend, okay? Be a good boy."

Like a thermos-sensitive water glass, Ye Shu's face turned visibly red wherever Zhi Qiu's breath touched. He swallowed hard, speechless for a long time, as the redness around his ears began to spread outwards.

Zhi Qiu seemed very pleased to see Ye Shu looking both shy and awkward. Her smile widened, and she released her grip on his arm, patting his back as if in jest.

Then, she turned around and looked at Tang Xiaotao, who was intently eating melon seeds at the table. With a smile on her face, she walked towards the table.

"This must be Little Peach, right? She's so cute. I'm your brother's girlfriend, but calling me sister-in-law might be a bit premature. Just call me Sister Zhi Qiu for now."

"Hello, Sister Zhi Qiu..."

Tang Xiaotao was still thinking about the scene from earlier, where they were whispering to each other while her older brother looked like he'd been boiled alive.

This woman has such a gentle smile and such an elegant demeanor, and her voice is so pleasant... But! Her innate sixth sense as a woman is screaming alarm bells! This woman is definitely something else!

You can tell from his brother's reaction that he won him over with just one sentence... That's some serious skill.

"Yes, Little Peach is such a good girl, I like you very much."

After Zhi Qiu finished speaking, she stretched out her arm and gave Tang Xiaotao, who was still sitting in the chair, a hug.

How the tables have turned! Yesterday she was the one who wanted to hug that crybaby Xiaoxue, and today it's her turn to be embraced by this gentle yet terrifying Zhiqiu.

Even though it's the same body, why does the feeling of embracing... feel so different?

Xiaoxue's hug was the kind that carried a sense of unease and dependence, like a baby bird that had fallen from its nest.

Knowing that Sister Qiu's hug was so warm and made her feel so safe... Tang Xiaotao felt as if she were being hugged by her own mother.

Zhi Qiu held her, one hand stroking her hair behind her head, the other gently patting her back, and whispering in her ear:

"What a good child."

Tang Xiaotao's face flushed slightly, and the thought that "this older sister is so scary" inexplicably disappeared. Instead, she felt a sense of happiness, as if she were being loved by a gentle older sister.

Ye Shu watched the shy and relieved blush appear on his younger sister's face and sighed inwardly. It seemed that his sister had also been hit hard by Zhi Qiu's "gentle approach." He could only give his sister a look that said, "I understand, I understand."

Zhi Qiu released the somewhat bewildered Tang Xiaotao and looked at Ye Shu, asking:

"I overheard you guys talking about how Xiaotao wants to try live-streaming her singing?"

"Um."

Ye Shu nodded, and the three of them sat down at the dining table. He picked up his soy milk and took a sip; it was a little cold.

"That's what she said, but I always feel... it's not very reliable. This industry is too murky and unstable, and she's just a student; I'm afraid she'll get taken advantage of."

"How is it unreliable?"

Tang Xiaotao retorted, and Zhi Qiu picked up the conversation:

"I think that since the child is interested, we should let her give it a try. Xiao Tao is still in school and doesn't have too many financial burdens, which is the time when the cost of trial and error is the lowest. Whether it works or not, we have to try to find out. Besides, the more you oppose it now, the more curious she will become. It's better to let her experience it herself within a controllable range."

At this point, Zhi Qiu looked at Tang Xiao Tao and added:

"However, there's a method to trying things out. I think we shouldn't go all out right away; we can start on a small scale. We can see the response with a low investment and also see if we're suited for this industry. That way, even if we decide to quit, we won't suffer any major losses; we can just consider it as gaining experience."

She paused, and the smile on her face seemed to turn a little more serious:

"However, two things are very important. First, your studies must not be neglected; you can't put the cart before the horse. Second, and this is what I most want to remind you, never be impatient and deceived by seemingly good promises into signing contracts with any company. There may be many traps hidden inside that you are unaware of. If such a thing really happens in the future, be sure to ask a trusted elder, such as your parents, your brother, or you can directly contact me, to help you check it out, understand?"

"Yes! I understand! Thank you, Sister Zhi Qiu!"

Tang Xiaotao nodded vigorously. At this moment, Zhi Qiu's image in her heart was practically radiant. Not only was she gentle and beautiful, but she was also so open-minded and knowledgeable—almost surpassing her older brother in her heart!

Ye Shu nodded in agreement with Zhi Qiu's suggestion. Indeed, simply preventing her from seeing him was not the best approach, and Zhi Qiu's idea considered both her sister's feelings and the potential practical risks. He said to his sister:

"Sister Zhi Qiu is right. Then go and take a look this afternoon. Remember, just to get a feel for it, because my buddy is only half-baked himself."

"Okay, I promise I'll be good!"

Tang Xiaotao immediately swayed and threw herself into her older brother's arms. Ye Shu let her hold him like that and said:

"Alright, alright. By the way, Sister Zhi Qiu, do you want to come along and see what's going on?"

Zhi Qiu, with a smile in her eyes, watched Tang Xiaotao holding Ye Shu, and nodded in agreement upon hearing this:

"Okay, that sounds interesting, and... I've also been wanting to learn more about what kind of people our little Shu's friends are."