When Jiang Tao and his father-in-law were picked up by his sister-in-law to return home, it was already 7:30 p.m.
Xu Li had just come out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of steaming, freshly cooked dumplings.
"Husband, Dad, how were your spoils of war?"
Xu Li smiled sweetly at the two most important men in her life, her face radiating happiness.
"Haha, the spoils were quite plentiful, but they were all caught by Dad alone. I was just there for the vibes, having some fun."
"I'll help my dear wife carry the dumplings."
Jiang Tao laughed heartily, stepping forward to assist Xu Li, but she playfully swatted his hand and scolded:
"Go wash your hands already. You're a grown man, and I still have to remind you to wash up before eating."
"Alright, alright~ Your wish is my command!"
With that, Jiang Tao grinned and headed toward the bathroom to wash his hands.
Xu Wencheng watched his eldest daughter and son-in-law's affectionate and sweet interaction, feeling genuinely happy for them from the bottom of his heart.
"Wow, so many fish! Dad, you had some great luck today!"
Xu Li's gaze caught the fish in the bucket her father was carrying, and her face lit up with delight.
"Haha, you bet! This lucky stone Jiang Tao gave me really works wonders!"
Xu Wencheng chuckled, not missing the chance to show off the wonderful gift his excellent son-in-law had given him.
"Mm-hmm, you're right. The lucky stones my husband got were all blessed by a master. Every single one is super effective."
Xu Li was the first, besides Jiang Tao, to experience the effects of the lucky stone, and she felt its power even more deeply than her father.
"Exactly, exactly! The lucky stone Brother-in-law gave me is amazing! Sis, I was just about to tell you guys!"
While Xu Li and her father were talking, Xu Sha, who had taken a bit longer to park the car, finally returned home, excitedly saying:
"When I went to pick up Dad and Brother-in-law just now, I stopped by the gas station to refuel, right? I scanned the receipt and actually won an 88-yuan red envelope!"
Xu Li smiled and said, "Really? That's some great luck."
"Yep, yep! I thought I'd only get a yuan or two at most, but I didn't expect to win such a big one!"
These small joys in life made Xu Sha feel quite happy.
Back when they were in the capital, Jiang Tao had used information from "Brother System" to obtain thirty "River Harvest Stones" of various sizes.
He took them to a jewelry workshop and had the thirty stones crafted into different accessories based on their shapes and sizes.
Some were suitable for bracelets, some for pendants, and others for charms.
Jiang Tao gave one to himself, Xu Li, both sets of parents, and other family members, instructing everyone to wear them close to their bodies.
Over this period, everyone had truly felt the good fortune brought by the lucky stones.
Naturally, their trust in him deepened even further.
After some casual chit-chat, the family officially sat down for dinner.
Du Yongmei knew Jiang Tao loved dumplings, so every few days, she'd make a batch for him.
This mother-in-law was growing more and more pleased with her son-in-law, her attitude toward Jiang Tao now almost rivaling that of his own mother.
"Mom's cooking is way better than those pastry chefs in five-star restaurants. These dumplings are perfectly made and delicious!"
Jiang Tao said as he ate the thin-skinned, generously filled beef dumplings, not forgetting to praise his mother-in-law.
"Hehe, if you like them, eat more. I made plenty today."
"Take some back with you when you leave. You can pan-fry them for Xiaoxue tomorrow morning."
Du Yongmei's face blossomed into a smile at her son-in-law's praise.
Jiang Xue also gave her grandma a thumbs-up, praising:
"Grandma's dumplings are the best in the world~"
"Hahaha, our little Xiaoxue has such a sweet mouth~"
Hearing everyone's praises, Du Yongmei felt immensely satisfied, thinking that all her hard work today and the effort put into making these dumplings were well worth it!
Dinner went on from around 8:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
After eating their fill, the father-in-law went out fishing again, and this time, it was an all-nighter.
Old Xu had an inexplicable burst of energy, like a young guy pulling an all-night gaming session at an internet café.
After Xu Sha dropped Old Xu off at the reservoir, she joined her mom, older sister, and brother-in-law for a mahjong game.
Jiang Xue, meanwhile, was happily playing with an oversized LEGO-style toy that Xu Li had bought her.
*Clack, clack, clack~*
The group chatted and laughed, playing cards and catching up, and before they knew it, it was past 11:00 p.m.
Xu Li and Jiang Tao decided not to go home that night and stayed over at her mother's place.
The room Xu Li had lived in before getting married was still kept for her.
The double bed in her room was perfect for two, though a bit cramped for three.
Jiang Xue was sent to sleep with her aunt in her aunt's room.
After taking turns washing up, everyone returned to their rooms to sleep.
While waiting on the couch, Jiang Tao casually activated [Sleep Mode] for everyone.
By the time it was his turn to wash up, it was already past midnight.
As he brushed his teeth, Jiang Tao mentally opened the panel of his Daily Intelligence System.
He checked the latest intelligence for the day.
**[Daily Intelligence 01]:**
You ate at the Bai Yulan Hotel yesterday, triggering related intelligence—
The bottle of Maotai you drank from yesterday is a special item.
After obtaining its ownership, you can activate it to gain random attributes.
…
"Maotai bottle? A special item?"
Seeing the first piece of intelligence for the day, Jiang Tao's heart leapt with joy.
Another special item had appeared!
What kind of attributes would this one have?
"I'll head to the Bai Yulan Hotel tomorrow to check it out. I've got to get my hands on that bottle!"
"In someone else's hands, it's just a bottle, but only Brother System can unlock its true potential."
"What kind of attributes will it have this time? I'm kinda looking forward to it!"
Though this Maotai bottle wasn't Jiang Tao's first special item, he was still excited.
The more of these things, the better—he wouldn't mind if one popped up every day!
After reading the first piece of intelligence, Jiang Tao already had a plan in mind and mentally moved on to the second piece.
**[Daily Intelligence 02]:**
You had contact with your older brother Jiang He yesterday, triggering related intelligence—
The Jiantao Supermarket, run by Jiang He, has long been coveted by Li Yifeng, the nephew of a certain leader in Li Town.
Jiang He and his wife Zhang Xiaoyan have been anxious and unsettled due to recent issues at the supermarket.
…
"The nephew of a town leader is eyeing my brother's supermarket?"
"No wonder Big Brother and Sister-in-law looked like they had something on their minds during lunch."
"They're dealing with something like this and didn't even tell me."
Seeing the second piece of intelligence, Jiang Tao frowned slightly.
The Jiantao Supermarket in Li Town, which he had taken over from Xu Li's cousin Xu Jiantao, was doing decent business.
It could easily bring in 300,000 to 400,000 yuan a year.
A profitable business like that was bound to attract envy.
Whether in a big city or a small county, without connections, even if you build a successful business, someone might swoop in to take it.
This situation with his brother and sister-in-law was a textbook example.
"I'll deal with Big Brother and Sister-in-law's trouble tomorrow as well."
What seemed like an insurmountable problem for them was no big deal for Jiang Tao.
He had powerful connections now.
Sister Bai from the Bai Yulan Hotel had significant influence in Ping County.
The issue with his brother's supermarket was probably something she could resolve with a single word.
Jiang Tao had saved her life, so asking her for help with this small matter shouldn't be difficult.
After reading the second piece of intelligence, Jiang Tao mentally moved on to the final piece for the day.
**[Daily Intelligence 03]:**
You had contact with your father-in-law Xu Wencheng yesterday, triggering related intelligence—
The Platinum Butterfly Carp caught by Xu Wencheng yesterday is a special item.
After obtaining its ownership, you can activate random attributes.
…
"Platinum Butterfly Carp? Another special item!"
Seeing the final piece of intelligence, Jiang Tao's eyes lit up again.
This wasn't his first time encountering a living special item like the Platinum Butterfly Carp.
The dog Wangcai, bought from the old lady downstairs in their neighborhood, was one such example.
Wangcai truly lived up to its "Prosperity" name!
Lately, when Xu Li took it out for walks, it had picked up quite a few valuable items.
Gold beans, gold rings, gold earrings, gold pendants—you name it, it was almost ridiculous.
With its "Prosperity Attribute," Wangcai could not only sustain itself but also contribute to the household.
Xu Li and Jiang Xue absolutely adored it.
"Today's luck is amazing—two special items in one go!"
After reviewing all three pieces of intelligence, the corners of Jiang Tao's mouth curved into a grin harder to suppress than an AK's recoil.
With a thought, he closed the system interface.
Jiang Tao continued brushing his teeth, washing his face, and taking a shower, humming happily to himself.
It took him eighteen minutes.
When Jiang Tao, now in pajamas, pushed open the bedroom door after washing up, he found Xu Li still awake.
Wearing a black, lacy, see-through nightgown, Xu Li was reclining on the bed in an incredibly seductive pose.
Fresh from her shower, her face and skin had a faint pink glow.
Combined with her alluring expression and captivating eyes, she was like a modern-day Daji.
Old Jiang didn't hold back, instantly transforming into King Zhou, ready to seize the moment.
And, well, doing it at his mother-in-law's house felt a bit different from doing it at home.
An hour later…
Under Xu Li's pleas for mercy, the rapid breathing in the room gradually steadied.
The two cuddled and whispered sweet nothings for a while before falling asleep in each other's arms.
…
The next morning at 7:00 a.m.
"Daddy, get up! The sun's shining on your butt!"
Jiang Tao was shaken awake and opened his eyes to see his little darling hugging his arm and shaking it.
"Xiaoxue, Daddy's out of battery. You need to charge Daddy up so I can get up."
Old Jiang resorted to his old trick, trying to tease his little darling.
"Tch, you think I'm a three-year-old?"
Jiang Xue pouted; she was too clever to fall for it.
Old Jiang upped the ante: "Give Daddy a kiss to fully charge me, and I'll buy you a new toy set."
"For real? One kiss for a whole toy set?"
Jiang Xue's big eyes sparkled with cunning, giving Old Jiang a bad feeling.
"A gentleman's word is his bond."
With over 20 million in his personal savings, Old Jiang was feeling confident.
"Deal! *Mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah~~~*"
Jiang Xue pounced, holding Old Jiang's face and planting a flurry of kisses.
"Hey, hey, hey, Jiang Xue, you're not playing fair! I'm fully charged now—any more and I'll explode!"
"Hahaha! Ten kisses total, so you owe me ten toy sets! No backing out~"
After successfully tricking her dad, Jiang Xue let out a triumphant, bell-like laugh.
"Hubby, Xiaoxue, stop fooling around and get dressed for breakfast. It'll get cold soon."
Xu Li watched her husband and daughter's playful interaction, her face glowing with happiness.
After some more playful banter, Jiang Tao got dressed and out of bed.
Brushing his teeth and washing his face took only five or six minutes.
After finishing his morning routine, he sat down at the table with his father-in-law's family of three for breakfast.
"By the way, Dad, is that Platinum Butterfly Carp you caught yesterday still around?"
Jiang Tao asked casually while eating dumplings, glancing at his father-in-law, Xu Wencheng.
"It's still here. I put it in a big basin on the balcony. Why do you ask?"
Xu Wencheng finished chewing his dumpling and looked at Jiang Tao curiously.
Jiang Tao smiled and said, "Xiaoxue loves fish, doesn't she? I'm planning to set up a big aquarium at home in the capital for her to raise fish. I think that Platinum Butterfly Carp is pretty, so I'd like to put it in the aquarium too."
"Haha, take it if you want it. No need to be so polite with me."
Xu Wencheng waved his hand generously, happy to give it to him.
"Great! I don't know much about raising fish, so after breakfast, Dad, could you help me find something to separate it from the other fish?"
Since it was deemed a special item by Brother System, Jiang Tao took the Platinum Butterfly Carp seriously.
"No problem. Dear, don't we still have that small aquarium somewhere? Where'd you put it?"
Xu Wencheng asked his wife, treating his son-in-law's request as a top priority.
"You mean the old one? It's in the basement."
"Alright, after breakfast, I'll go to the basement and bring it up to transfer the Platinum Butterfly Carp."
"Thanks, Dad."
"Come on, no need to be so polite with me!"
"Haha, it's not politeness—it's manners~"
They chatted and laughed, quickly finishing breakfast.
After eating, Xu Wencheng took the elevator to the basement on the first floor below and rummaged through boxes to find a rectangular glass aquarium.
The aquarium was about 60 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 30 cm tall.
The Platinum Butterfly Carp caught yesterday was only about the size of a palm.
Though the aquarium wasn't large, it was more than enough for the fish to swim around happily.
**[Ownership of the Platinum Butterfly Carp has been acquired and successfully bound. Would you like to activate its attributes now?]**
The moment Jiang Tao transferred the Platinum Butterfly Carp to the new aquarium, a notification flashed across his vision.
"Yes! Activate!"
Without hesitation, Jiang Tao chose to activate the attributes of the Platinum Butterfly Carp.
**[Name]: Platinum Butterfly Carp**
**[Attribute]: Wealth-Attracting Koi!**
**[Effect]: Generates a fixed daily income of 10,000 yuan!**
**[Note]: This income cannot be multiplied using the [Monopoly Dice]!**