I Have 10 Trillion Dollars only Usable For Simping Chapter 2218 - 1415: Bullying at Home!

Jiang Chen found himself entangled in two quintessential tropes straight out of a soap opera. The first involved a wealthy set of parents brandishing a check to bribe a lover to split from their child—a scene that played out back in his university days, thanks to the meddling of that vixen, Shi Qianxi. The second scenario featured an absurdly opulent family dangling massive incentives to lure someone into dumping their current partner and marrying into their lineage. While these are exhausted, clichéd plot points, usually one doesn’t encounter both in a single story, yet Jiang Chen had somehow shattered that unwritten rule.

Realistically, given Cao Xiugo’s measured and calm disposition, it would be unthinkable for him to utter anything so impulsive or ridiculous, regardless of his background. However, the underlying logic remained: humans are not robots. Regardless of their level of rationality, emotions will inevitably take the wheel at some point. It remained unclear whether Cao Xiugo felt a pang of regret as he stepped inside, clutching the copy of Diary of a Madman he had just retrieved.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The rhythmic crack of gunshots echoed through the sunset, startling a flock of birds and ringing sharply in Cao Xiugo’s ears. Ever the diligent teacher, he maintained a stone-faced expression, walking toward the courtyard with his signature limp, maintaining a pace that was neither rushed nor sluggish. Youmao was busy with target practice; she held her firearm with a single arm, displaying a level of stability that was frankly staggering as she stood before a humanoid target set exactly twenty-five meters away.

The peculiar part? The face of the target had a photograph plastered onto it, giving it an eerie sense of realism. On closer inspection, it became clear: the printed portrait was none other than that uninitiated fellow, Comrade Jiang. Cao Jinse stood by with her arms crossed, watching the proceedings with a look of visible disappointment regarding Youmao's marksmanship.

“Little Rabbit, your accuracy has really slipped.”

The humanoid target's face—the one sporting the photograph—had all of its teeth blown away. The sight was undeniably humorous, though one might wonder why the forehead wasn't the primary focus. Cao Xiugo couldn't help but chuckle as he interjected, “Did you actually get the owner’s consent to use his photo like that?”

“It doesn’t matter, he’s none the wiser,” Youmao replied dismissively, firing off two more shots that successfully purged the last bits of the target’s teeth. Was her aim good or bad? Much like Hu Die, who merely practiced for personal leisure, this felt like valid, legitimate recreation.

“Bro, why would you bother taking that book all the way to Kyoto University? Aren't you sick of it yet? You practically know it by heart, right?”

“Jiang Chen was the one who returned it to me,” Cao Xiugo clarified. Cao Jinse finally dropped her arms. “He went out of his way to see you?”

“Yes. He brought the book back himself.”

“Honestly, is there really a need to make such a fuss over a single book? The young master’s library is overflowing with them. I suspect he’s just trying to curry favor with the young master under some flimsy pretense,” Youmao grumbled with a snort.

“Did he come to you asking for help with a problem he couldn’t solve on his own?” Cao Jinse asked with a smirk.

“Quite the opposite. If anything, I’m the one who should be taking lessons from him.” Cao Xiugo looked over at the toothless photograph twenty-five meters out and let out a soft sigh.

“Young master, you really shouldn’t be looking to him for inspiration. The man is incredibly deceitful.” Youmao spoke with genuine urgency, and even Cao Jinse chimed in, “Bro, you truly need to exercise caution. He’s been orbiting you so frequently lately; he almost certainly has ulterior motives.”

Look at that. True vigilance in action. Cao Xiugo tightened his grip on Diary of a Madman, a contemplative look crossing his eyes. Apparently convinced by their words, he suddenly threw a question at his sister without any preamble: “Do you have any idea how much money he actually possesses?”

Cao Jinse was understandably blindsided, clearly having no inkling of his true net worth. Youmao let out an untimely, childlike cackle. “Young master, you’re hilarious. Miss isn’t his wife; how could she possibly know the state of his finances? Actually, even if she were his spouse, it’s unlikely she would know the full extent of his wealth.”

That was a fair point. Consider the titans of industry today—how many of them grant their wives total oversight of their portfolios? Even among the elite, many wealthy families keep their specific assets opaque to their partners; as long as the household is well-funded, that is usually deemed satisfactory.

“Bro, why are you asking me this?” Cao Jinse threw a glance at the carefree Youmao. She didn't join in the laughter, feeling genuinely curious about why her brother would pivot to such a topic.

“When he returned the book earlier today, he mentioned his intention to implement a free education program for young children. That is certainly no small undertaking.”

“Free education for young children?” Youmao’s eyes went wide. She looked toward Cao Jinse, “Miss, didn’t he just pledge to support your push for increased child-rearing subsidies? Why is he going solo on this now? Is he really that desperate to make a mark?”

“I suspect he’s just looking for a project to fill his time and is determined to put that kind of pressure on himself,” Cao Jinse noted, finally clocking the reason behind her brother’s line of questioning. Implementing free early childhood education would certainly raise national happiness and boost birth rates—it was a noble endeavor that served the country well. But why hadn't the state rolled it out already? Two reasons: the cost and the financial burden.

“Can he keep his capital chain from snapping?” Cao Xiugo asked with uncharacteristic directness. A dam spanning a thousand miles can be ruined by a single ant colony's burrow. The larger the initiative, the more likely it is to trigger a catastrophic snowball effect. This wasn't merely philanthropy; it was a complex endeavor laden with personal stakes and commercial risk, and the overheads were astronomical. It’s worth remembering that, even at a national level, the state is hesitant to shoulder that weight.

“How could I possibly know?” Cao Jinse shook her head, offering a cynical smile. She tapped her temple, muttering to herself, “That guy must have a screw loose.”

Youmao was right. She and that man were just friends; how could she possibly know exactly how many coins he was hoarding? Cao Xiugo studied his sister, his gaze sharp and heavy with meaning, his voice taking on an intriguing edge. “You really aren't paying enough attention to him.”

“Bro…” Cao Jinse looked stunned. She hesitated for a moment before adding a wry smile, “I can’t exactly go sniffing around that guy’s accounts, can I?” Though Boss Jiang was a serial investor, if Cao Jinse had truly committed herself to digging, she might not have found the exact figures, but she could have certainly pieced together a reliable estimate. However…