Seeking the Tao in the Mortal World - Chapter 13: Investigation

Traveling through a parallel world, Ye Cheng planned to be a copywriter and copy tomb robbing novels, but he became a gold medal writer in one fell swoop.

But who would have imagined that, with the unearthed ancient tombs, Ye Cheng’s novels have become reality.

Numerous archaeological teams rushed to ask for advice.

As a result, as Ye Cheng solved more and more ancient tombs, he couldn’t explain it more and more!

…

- Description from novelbuddy

Coming out of the Ideal Human Project, Mizuhara Ayato was referred to as the 'perfect human'. However, life was not so simple for this unfortunate boy. Stuck between other genius students and a meritocratic high school, Mizuhara would find himself unable to live a calm life.

Who really is Mizuhara Ayato?

Apathetic, listless and uncaring, will anyone ever make Mizuhara feel something? Even in the harsh conditions of the Tachibana System, he shows no signs of struggle.

Is he the ultimate proof that nurture is stronger than nature?

***

Sara Fujiharu, the cutest girl in the school, is also known as the 'Seatmate Bully'. Every few weeks, the class seating changes and every time, Fujiharu-san gets a new target. What's her goal? To make the boy sitting next to her fall in love, and once she does, she destroys their heart, crushing their love.

Why does she do this? I still don't know.

It's March 23rd, the day of the seating change. So far, ten boys have fallen for her traps, her playful attitude, and her innocent face. Not a single boy so far has managed to brush off her attacks-and every single time; their weak hearts have been crushed.

Now it's my turn.

However, my heart is not so easily played with.

Qiao Yue was a premature baby. Her mother died early, while her father’s identity was unknown. Later, she was adopted by a mysterious big shot who created a mysterious multinational group for her with all the finance and material resources he had. The businesses under her name spanned various industries, and her assets were countless. Her subordinates were also famous big shots in their respective industries. As the person who had all of this behind the scenes, Qiao Yue had just turned eighteen and was about to return to her grandfather’s house. In fact, Qiao Yue’s mother was only the old man’s goddaughter, yet he treated her like his real daughter and brought her up as one.

Because her grandfather couldn’t accept her mother’s relationship, she ran away from home with her lover and finally died outside. Before her mother died, she asked Qiao Yue to return to the Qiao family to repay their kindness, which was the reason for Qiao Yue to head back now. However, what awaited her was not a warm welcome ceremony, but four max-level big-shot elder brothers who extremely disliked her. The eldest brother was proficient in medicine. With a scalpel in hand, he could wrestle a person’s life back from death’s doors. The second brother had supernatural powers and was worth hundreds of billions.

He had a creed all his life — there was nothing one couldn’t solve with money. If there was, then it meant you simply didn’t have enough money! The third brother was a celebrity superstar. Any action he made could go viral online. He was an artist whom everyone wanted to work with, and was also beloved by the entire nation! The fourth brother was the god of learning. With a smart brain and charming face, he was acknowledged as Prince Charming of the campus! At first, when the four brothers saw their “younger brother”, they were unhappy. Until… Eldest: “What? It’s a sister, not a brother?!” Second: “What? The world e-sports champion is actually Yueyue?!”Third: “What? Yueyue was the one who started my favorite sports car company?!”Fourth: “What? Yueyue has no blood relation to us?!”When they found out there were people pursuing Qiao Yue, her second brother’s face darkened. “Get lost! Yueyue is mine!” All her other brothers: ???

Lin Momo hasn’t had a father or a mother since she was very young and lives with the grandmother who picked her up after being thrown away. One day, a person claiming to be an agent approached her and asked her to pretend to be the daughter of a certain star and participate in the recording of a reality show, and she would be given 20,000 yuan after the filming was completed.

Looking at her poor family, Lin Momo thought for 2 seconds and agreed.

This reality show is called ‘Living with Dad’. Dad takes the baby and randomly draws a family background to experience a different life every week.

The night before the recording of the program, Lin Momo had a dream that after the program was broadcast, only the team of the former singer—Lin Cheng—had bad reviews: the daughter is not cute; the father has no fatherly love; and the father and daughter have no communication at all during the whole process.

The audience pointed out: ‘He doesn’t know how to take care of a baby at all’; ‘It’s really embarrassing’; ‘There is no sense of presence’, ‘I hate this pair the most’; ‘It’s not good-looking at all, I suggest you go offline’ and so on…

Later, more black material popped up, Lin Cheng’s career and reputation collapsed completely, and Lin Momo’s 20,000 yuan was also lost. She was forcibly sent to an orphanage with the ‘help’ of Internet celebrities and caring people.

In order to keep her 20,000 yuan, Lin Momo was determined to perform well.

However, the father-daughter combination of Lin Momo and Lin Cheng still became the contrast team and the audience reaction is palpably different:

Other teams: ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so cute!
Contrast team: Hey, my daughter is so sensible.

Other teams: It’s great to be a star.
Contrast team: The life of outdated stars is so miserable.

Other teams: This is a parent-child interactive program.
Contrast team: This turned out to be a survival show?!

Other teams: Dad, come on, raise your children.
Contrast team who drew the [Unemployed Families] card: Daughter, come on and support Dad!

Lin Momo: “I have to work hard to make money, otherwise my father will starve to death.”

Lin Cheng: “I have to work hard to make money, otherwise I will have to take my daughter back to inherit tens of billions of property.”

——————

Lin Cheng, who hasn’t ‘appeared’ for half a year, received a call from his agent and was given a contract.

Lin Cheng: “Appearance fee?”

Agent: “None.” The appearance fee is 100,000 yuan, but the backer was invited to dinner for 300,000 yuan, so the remainder is negative.

Lin Cheng: “Script?”

Manager: “None.” The program team didn’t have time to write one.

Lin Cheng: “Draw lots?”

Agent: “Still no.” As the contrast team, there is no right to choose the family background.

Lin Cheng: “Is there a child?”

Manager: “Yes.”

Looking at the ‘fake’ child who looked too much like him, Lin Cheng had a weird feeling.

- Description from Novelupdates