PAMPERED BY MY THREE BROTHERS: THE RETURN OF THE NEGLECTED HEIRESS Chapter 4 - 13 years of her life

From the moment Jessa, Penny’s aunt, discovered her young niece’s talent for gambling, she began bringing her along to mahjong nights. Since Penny was only three years old, the other players didn't mind the toddler sitting in her aunt's lap. For several months, Jessa enjoyed an incredible winning streak. On certain days, they even intentionally lost small amounts of money to ensure no one grew suspicious of their luck.

Since that turning point, her aunt treated her like a lucky golden cat. Jessa listened to Penny so intently that it bordered on worship. However, Penny’s supernatural charm at the mahjong table only lasted until she reached the age of four.

To keep her aunt firmly under her thumb, Penny had to devise a new strategy. She formulated a plan to spend the following two years acting as a fortune teller, with her aunt serving as her manager and Jessa's children acting as her assistants.

Incredibly, the scheme worked!

A major advantage of being reborn was that Penny recalled the majority of events from her past life, including details about the local community. Because her aunt was known for having a big mouth, word spread quickly; people soon believed in Penny's "gift" because her predictions were so eerily accurate.

By the time she turned seven, Penny had established complete authority over the household.

Her cousins followed her like loyal disciples, her aunt carefully managed her "money tree," and her uncle gave his blessing to everything she did. Furthermore, Penny managed to build up her own savings using the allowance her aunt provided. Even though she technically earned all the money herself, she didn't mind the arrangement.

By age eight, she had amassed enough wealth to purchase her own residence.

“Auntie, I don’t want to read people’s fortune anymore!” the nine-year-old Penny declared one day. “I’ve exhausted my gift so much that I feel like I’m going blind!”

“Oh, no, little master! Should we get you some dumplings so you feel better?” her aunt asked with genuine distress, causing the nine-year-old to grimace.

In her previous life, Penny had been severely malnourished. Even as a teenager, she could almost fit into the clothes she wore at six. In this life, however, nine-year-old Penny was as healthy as a horse and as plump as a piglet.

“Aha!” she shouted, causing the entire family to stop eating their melons and look up at her in a state of shocked confusion. “I’ve got it now!”

The relatives she lived with blinked at her, filled with curiosity.

“Auntie, I have an idea for making money that doesn't involve fortune telling!” she said with a grin, her chubby cheeks bouncing and flushing red. “I’m going to win every challenge in life and build us a fortune!”

The family members tilted their heads in unison, wondering what kind of scheme their healthy money tree had dreamt up this time.

At nine years old, Penny began her journey into the world of academic competitions.

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The years passed in a blur, and before Penny realized it, her 13th birthday was approaching.

“Penny, what do you want for your birthday?” Yuri asked with excitement, sitting across from her at the dinner table. “Should we throw a massive party and invite everyone?”

“That’s a great idea!” Yugi added. “Or we could just celebrate as a family! Let’s go to the amusement park!”

Penny rubbed her chin, causing her double chin to wobble slightly. Seeing the eager expressions of the pair across from her, a smile spread across her round face.

“I don’t know!” she admitted. “I never really thought about it.” — If she combined her past life with her current one, this would actually be her 42nd birthday.

“Well, you children don’t need to worry about her birthday because I’ve already made a plan!” Her aunt walked into the dining room carrying a pot of hot soup. “We are going on a vacation!”

Penny glanced at her glamorous aunt, who looked nothing like the woman she remembered from her first life. Back then, her aunt always wore a tattered dress and kept curlers in her hair. She used to be constantly irritable, but since Penny had become the family breadwinner, their quality of life had improved alongside hers.

In the thirteen years since her rebirth, they had earned a significant amount. Their home was much larger now, featuring several extra rooms—including a private one for Penny. Although this family had mistreated her in her first life, Penny didn’t harbor the same level of resentment toward them as she did for her biological brothers.

Furthermore, these people had redeemed themselves by being useful fools. Penny held them completely under her control. Now, instead of watching them struggle to stay warm for the winter, she could enjoy a bowl of hot soup in their company. Even though she wasn't particularly interested in the resort her aunt had booked, the gesture still made her happy.

‘This life isn’t so bad!’ Penny smiled broadly, her eyes narrowing into tiny slits.

“By the way, Penny.” Her aunt cleared her throat and gave the chubby girl a meaningful look. “I received a call from your school. They told me you’ve been invited to attend a prestigious academy in the city.”

“Huh?” Penny and her cousins looked at the woman, confused.

“I can't remember the name, but they said it’s a school for geniuses like you!” her aunt exclaimed enthusiastically. “They’re offering a full scholarship. But the best part is that they enter their students into national competitions! Some are even sent abroad for international academic contests!”

The aunt didn’t need to say it out loud; Penny could practically see the currency symbols reflecting in her eyes.

‘In my previous life, my grades were only average until I attended that school,’ she mused, watching her aunt’s eyes sparkle while she talked about the pride of raising a genius. ‘I still remember the endless nights I spent studying.’

Unlike her current situation, Penny had studied incredibly hard in her first life. She had worked so diligently that she still retained every lesson in this lifetime. Because of that, winning academic contests was as natural as breathing.

‘I don’t really want to change schools, but I suppose it was inevitable that I’d attract the attention of a prestigious institution.’ A faint frown appeared on her face as she looked at her cousins, whose eyes showed a mix of pride and sadness. ‘They used to be so irritating, but I’ve grown fond of them.’

“Auntie, I don’t—” Penny stopped abruptly when the doorbell rang. Everyone at the table looked puzzled, as they weren't expecting any visitors.

“You kids finish your soup so we can eat dinner. I’ll see who it is.”

With those words, Jessa stood up and headed toward the gate. Yuri and Yugi shrugged and went back to their food, but Penny couldn't stop staring toward the living area.

‘For some reason, I have a bad feeling,’ she whispered to herself. ‘I’ve learned that when my gut tells me something is wrong, I should listen.’

This was the most important lesson she had carried over from her past life. If she had only trusted her instincts back then, she wouldn't have ended up behind bars. Driven by that instinct, Penny slid off her chair and hurried toward the front door.

Reaching the doorway, she poked her head out. She first saw her aunt’s back and then the man standing at the gates. Her pupils dilated the moment she recognized him.

Suddenly, the man’s words from her previous life echoed in her mind.

“What?” Penny whispered to herself, staring blankly at the figures by the gate. ‘Why are they here so early? It’s not even winter yet.’