I was still basking in the joy of my son, Austin, scoring a perfect 1600 on his SATs when he impatiently dragged his girlfriend in front of me. "Mom, the new 'Package Deal Admission Policy' is out! If you're in the top ten percent, you can pay a million dollars to bring another student with you to the same university!" The girl smirked triumphantly. "Auntie, Austin and I have already linked our application profiles. You can't stop us from being together anymore. Just pay up!" At the same time, a barrage of glowing subtitles flashed before my eyes: [Here it comes! The Male Lead is finally escaping his controlling mother to fly off to Harvard with Baby Girl!] [You old witch, don't you dare stop our couple! Or else when the ML inherits the family business, you'll be the first one he deals with!] I curled my lips. This fool thinks he's inheriting the family business? He doesn't know that the prerequisite for this so-called "Package Deal" is averaging their scores. And his girlfriend scored a grand total of 7 points. 1 In his senior year, Austin's grades slipped, and I was called to the school for the first time ever. The reason? A high school romance. For any parent of a senior, this is devastating news. I tried to reason with him, telling him this wasn't the time for love. Especially since that girl, Lily, wasn't just anyone. "Her mother is the mistress your father had! Your father left us with nothing because of her, and she's held a grudge ever since. Now her daughter is getting close to you. Do you really think that's a coincidence?" Austin argued back fiercely, "Mom, Lily is innocent! Why should she pay for her mother's mistakes?" Getting into Harvard had been his dream for years. We were so close to the finish line; I couldn't watch him ruin it. Seeing he wouldn't listen, I took drastic measures. I had him strictly supervised, forbidding him from seeing Lily until after graduation. I hired top tutors for one-on-one sessions and a nutritionist to ensure he was in peak condition for the exams. When he finally scored a perfect 1600, I was relieved. But before I could even celebrate, he pulled this stunt. ... From the floating subtitles, I learned I was living in a romance novel. My son, Austin, was the Male Lead, and Lily was the Female Lead. They were from different worlds but fell in love at first sight, defying all odds to be together. Eventually, they'd become the CEO and his trophy wife. As for me? I was the "obstacle." I tried everything to stop their love, only to end up locked in a mental hospital by my own son, dying miserably. ... I was busy reading the subtitles when Austin, seeing my silence, narrowed his eyes. "Mom, a million dollars is nothing to you. You wouldn't stop my happiness with Lily over such a small amount, would you?" That look, that stance—he really thought he was a CEO already. He was the child I raised with blood, sweat, and tears. I still held onto a sliver of hope. "Austin, have you thought this through? Setting aside Lily's background, are you really planning to go to college with someone who refuses to learn?" Austin pursed his lips, hesitation flickering in his eyes. Seeing this, Lily immediately started crying. "Auntie, I know you're prejudiced against me. But who says low scores mean I don't deserve Harvard? Everyone is created equal! This is discrimination!" Listen to that. Does that even make sense? Unexpectedly, the subtitles above them cheered: [Baby Girl is right! It's 2025, why judge students by scores?] [Choice is greater than effort! As long as she has the ML, Baby Girl can win with zero points!] [Ahhh! Baby Girl is so brave! Fighting the power!] I was almost laughing at these delusional comments. "Right, right. Why shouldn't people with bad grades go to Harvard? In my opinion, the SAT shouldn't test knowledge, it should test audacity. Whoever has the thickest skin gets in first." Lily's face turned red, then pale. She collapsed into Austin's arms. "Sob... I told you your mom hates me... Austin, I guess I can't go to Harvard with you." Seeing his love wronged, Austin was heartbroken. He glared at me. "Mom, you hate Lily because you're jealous that Auntie Sarah got Dad's love, aren't you? But I'm your son! Why can't you compromise for me?" The subtitles went wild with [Domineering protection!] and [Love to see it!]. Even though I was mentally prepared, my heart still trembled. "What did you call her? Auntie Sarah?!" 2 Austin was busy comforting the weeping beauty in his arms, his eyes full of tenderness. When he looked at me, his mother, there was only regret for slipping up and undisguised hatred. "Yes! I went to see Dad right after the exams! Auntie Sarah isn't unreasonable like you say. She's gentle and caring. She's taken great care of Dad and Lily all these years. Unlike you—always in meetings and dinners. Besides making some money, what have you ever done for this family?" I shook all over, unable to believe my ears. ... When he was seven, his father cheated. The mistress constantly provoked us, spreading rumors, making our lives hell. The husband who vowed to love me forever fought me tooth and nail for assets. I was exhausted trying to stop him from hiding marital property. Thankfully, the outcome was good—he left with nothing, and the mistress got zilch. Looking back, those days were harder than building my business while raising a child alone. I never sugarcoated his deadbeat father to him. He was old enough to remember how the mistress humiliated us, pointing at his nose and calling him a bastard. He shouldn't have forgotten. ... From the subtitles, I got an idea. "I see—you mean, even though I gave you lots of money, what you wanted was lots of love?" Austin's voice was firm. "Exactly! I got into Harvard like you wanted. Now I advise you to stop while you're ahead. Don't block my happiness!" I almost laughed out loud. Going to Harvard was his dream since childhood. How did it become my requirement? Austin was average at best. I poured millions into resources to mold him into a top student capable of chasing that dream. I gave him a prestigious background and endless wealth. But if his dream is to run off with a delinquent, then as his mother, I should support him. "Fine. I agree to let you go to college with her." Ungrateful wolves deserve a ruined future. Austin, ready for a fight, was ecstatic at my sudden agreement. "Mom, I knew you'd understand! When Lily and I graduate from Harvard, we'll take over the Gu Group and let you retire in peace!" I sneered internally. A fool wants to inherit the family business? Keep dreaming. 3 Austin was lost in joy, but Lily nudged him urgently, whispering, "The money! The money!" He remembered the main point and held out his hand. "Hurry up and give me the million dollar processing fee!" I raised an eyebrow. "A million? I recall the processing fee for this policy is a hundred bucks. Can't you even afford that?" Austin was stunned, face flushing. "Really? M-maybe I remembered wrong." Lily looked unwilling and wanted to argue, but Austin dragged her away in embarrassment. The subtitles faded with them: [Ahhh, the old witch is so cheap! The ML planned to use that money to travel the world with Baby Girl!] [Seriously! Baby Girl even got her passport. How will they go to Greece or see the Northern Lights now?] [Whatever, at least the witch didn't interfere. Our Baby Girl suffered for years, her good days are coming!] [The ML spoils her so much, the whole Gu Group will be hers soon. Who cares about a million?] [Wait... the Package Deal policy just came out. How did the witch know they were trying to scam money so fast?] Heh. How did I know? Because you idiots spoiled the plot. ... After they left, the annoying subtitles vanished. I was pruning flowers in the garden when Austin's homeroom teacher rushed over. "Austin's mom, Austin linked his profile with the lowest-ranking student for the Package Deal. Did you know?" I nodded calmly. "I know. He's an adult. Let him be." The teacher was frantic. "No! You must not know! The condition is that their scores are averaged! That girl only got 7 points!" Of course I knew. The subtitles screamed it. I knew, Lily knew. Only Austin, the idiot, was in the dark. I also knew the only way to fix this was to use my money and influence to force Lily into Harvard. Everyone assumed that out of love for my son, I would do it to save his future. But why would I? Why would anyone tolerate the child they birthed becoming the knife that stabs them? I calculated on my fingers and smiled. "Averaged out, that's an 800 roughly. Not bad. Enough for community college." The teacher looked at me like I was insane. After trying to persuade me in vain, she finally accepted the loss of a Harvard acceptance and left in despair. ... My assistant was confused. "Chairman Gu, are you really letting him ruin himself?" "Him?" I sneered. "He's already sided with his deadbeat father. He's no son of mine." The assistant wasn't sure if I was just angry or serious. "Should we cancel the graduation banquet? If people find out Austin is going to community college, it'll be a joke." I thought for a moment. "Don't cancel." "Didn't one of the students we sponsored become the state Valedictorian? Throw the banquet for her." 4 I visited Sophia personally. She lived in a dilapidated apartment building, alone since her parents died. As I reached the door, the subtitles swarmed again. I stopped my assistant from knocking. The door was ajar. Voices argued inside. Lily and her gang of delinquents pushed a thin girl to the ground. "Keep acting! Why stop now? You love seducing men, don't you?" "I warned you to stay away from Austin. Why didn't you listen? Did you think getting top scores and going to Harvard would make him notice you?" Sophia's voice trembled. "I didn't..." Lily pinched her chin hard. "Let me tell you—Austin already linked his scores with mine. His mom will do anything to get us both into Harvard." "You better be smart and change your application to community college. Otherwise, when we get to Harvard, I'll make your life hell!" What kind of upbringing makes a teenager talk like that? Yet the subtitles cheered: [Wow, Baby Girl declaring sovereignty is so cool!] [White rabbit turns into a wolf! Love it!] Some questioned it: [Isn't the FL's character ruined? This is bullying!] [The supporting character doesn't even like the ML. Why is she always the imaginary enemy?] But rational voices were drowned out: [Don't like it, don't read! Why must the FL be a sweet idiot? Why can't she be a villainess?] [Who told the supporting character to steal the spotlight?] [Careful Baby! Don't break her hand! If she can't do experiments later, how will you steal her patents?] I couldn't take it anymore. I kicked the door open. Lily turned furiously, but froze when she saw me, dropping the stick she raised. I rushed to Sophia, helping her up. "Are you okay?" Sophia stood up shakily, whispering, "Thank you, Auntie Gu. I'm fine." Lily rolled her eyes. "Stop pretending..." I cut her off with a glare. "Assistant Zhang, call the police!" ... The gang spent hours at the station and paid Sophia for emotional damages. It wasn't much, but enough to hurt them. Coming out, Lily glared at me caring for Sophia. "Just you wait! I'm telling Austin!" I thought the Female Lead had some power. Turns out her move is tattling to my useless son. I glanced at her. "Go ahead. If you don't, I'll look down on you." "You—" Lily choked. She didn't dare. That's why only her mom, Sarah, came to bail her out. The reputation of a bully isn't good for her "fragile flower" act. I hadn't seen Sarah in years. Rivals should be furious, but I couldn't care less about them. My focus was on Sophia. "Were you scared? If they bully you again, tell me immediately!" Sophia teared up. "Thank you, Auntie Gu. You've helped me so much. I'll repay you when I can." The Gu Group sponsored many students, but Sophia stood out. Not just for her grades, but because ever since she found out I was her sponsor, she sent anonymous gifts every holiday. Handwritten letters, knitted gloves, local specialties... inexpensive, but full of heart. I asked why she sent them anonymously. She said shyly, "You sponsored us anonymously too. Who I am doesn't matter. I just want your kindness to receive a tiny echo." Plus, the subtitles told me that in the future, when I was in the mental hospital, she fought the leads to save me until she was beaten to death. It's ironic. A child who received a little help from me was grateful enough to die for me. Yet the son I poured everything into stabbed me in the back without hesitation. ... Realizing I was ignoring her, Lily spoke sarcastically. "By the way, Auntie Gu, Austin didn't tell you? He's staying at our house for a while. He says he loves my mom's garlic ribs." Sarah's eyes mocked me. "What's the use of money? Can't keep a husband when young, can't keep a son when old. How pathetic." Sophia didn't know our history but sensed the hostility. She stepped in front of me. "You aren't fit to bully Auntie Gu." Lily scoffed. "Oh, can't seduce Austin so you're sucking up to his mom? Look in a mirror!" "You—" Sophia was furious. I pulled her back and looked at Sarah coldly. "I almost forgot. seeing you reminded me—" I narrowed my eyes. "It's time to settle your debt."
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