"4-1209 Slacking Off: The power’s on! The power’s finally on! I don’t have to mooch electricity and Wi-Fi from the supermarket anymore! By the way, thanks to Crystal Mart for letting me charge my stuff for free these past few days! @Crystal Mart."

"6-702 The Lover: Thank you, Crystal Mart! @Crystal Mart."

"5-1706 Ah Dian: Heh. Veggie prices are so high, shouldn’t they let people charge their devices? What’s there to thank them for? The supermarket’s generator was bought with the money you all spent on groceries."

"12-1803 AAA Lawson Building Materials & Renovation: You can’t say that. Fruits and vegetables have been really expensive these past few days, and regular supermarkets don’t have them. Only the high-end ones do."

"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: @12-1803 AAA Lawson Building Materials & Renovation Why? Hasn’t the tornado already passed?"

"12-1803 AAA Lawson Building Materials & Renovation: The tornado has passed, but the damage it caused can’t just disappear in an instant. The farms and orchards were hit hard. Only the companies with indoor growing operations still have fresh produce to sell, but the cost is high, so they only supply high-end supermarkets for the wealthy."

"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: How can that be! My baby needs to eat fruits and vegetables. Kids are still growing; they need their vitamins."

"4-1209 Slacking Off: @3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two, just go buy some vitamin pills. They’re more or less the same thing."

"12-1803 AAA Lawson Building Materials & Renovation: @3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two, you could also buy some dehydrated fruits and vegetables. They still have those dried goods in stock. You can just rehydrate them with water later. The texture won’t be great, but it’s better than nothing."

"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: Okay, thank you, everyone."

"2-1908 Coco: Fam! The power is finally on! I couldn’t stand the blackout anymore. No more climbing 19 floors every day! I hope the power never goes out again!"

"..."

Melody Summers, however, knew that the power was only back temporarily. When the heat wave arrived, electricity consumption would surge. To maintain industrial production, the state would begin rationing power to residential areas, supplying it only during the hottest part of the day so people could run their air conditioners to cool down.

Melody Summers held Albus and pulled out a small cart she had bought when she was stockpiling supplies.

The second wave of vegetables from The Arcadian Farm had just been harvested, and it was far too much for the six people in her household to eat. She took some vegetables from her warehouse stock, placed them on the cart, and planned to take them to Crystal Mart to sell.

"’Vegetable prices have basically gone up tenfold. Maybe if I keep selling, I’ll eventually have my hundred million,’ Melody Summers comforted herself."

Albus:

[...]

’It would be more logical to just empty out the Lancaster Family’s house,’ Albus thought.

*

The Sutton Villa. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Mom, Dad, I want to marry Sylvia as soon as possible," Ethan Sutton said.

Mrs. Sutton frowned. "The Lancaster Family’s current situation isn’t looking good. Their Trinhai Resort project might fall through. Robert Lancaster is borrowing money from everyone. Why are you so determined to wade into this mess?"

Mr. Sutton was also silent. A while ago, he had wanted to break off the engagement with the Lancaster Family, but now that they were facing a financial crisis, he couldn’t be so hasty.

Business was all about integrity. Everyone knew the Lancaster Family was in crisis. If he backed out now, everyone would see him as a treacherous person who went back on his word. In the future, anyone thinking of partnering with the Sutton Family would have to think twice.

Mr. Sutton frowned in deep thought, not saying a word.

Ethan Sutton also lowered his head, remaining silent.

Logically, he knew the Lancasters weren’t the best choice right now.

But Sylvia had asked him to a hotel the day before.

Sylvia had been wearing a pure white dress, and then... she had given herself to him, completely.

It was in that instant that Ethan Sutton resolved to marry Sylvia as soon as possible.

"Mom, the Lancaster Family is just in a temporary cash-flow crisis; they’re not going bankrupt. The tornado has passed, and the peak tourist season is about to begin. As long as the Lancasters seize this opportunity, they’ll recoup their funds quickly."

"But..."

"Mom, I truly love Sylvia. Besides, you’ve met all the other families’ daughters over the years. None of them are more suitable for marriage than Sylvia. I don’t want to be with anyone but her."

Hearing this, Mrs. Sutton frowned and said no more.

After a long pause, Mr. Sutton spoke up. "Then let’s just get engaged for now."

An engagement would show the world that the Sutton Family wasn’t treacherous, but an engagement wasn’t a marriage. They wouldn’t be completely tied to the Lancaster Family, and the Suttons could pull out at any time.

Ultimately, Mr. Sutton didn’t trust marriages not bound by blood. He thought of the two paternity tests in his drawer and smiled proudly. ’Thankfully, both my children are my own flesh and blood!’

*

「A few days later.」

The Sutton Family went to the Lancaster Family’s home to formally propose marriage.

After getting out of the car, Mrs. Sutton frowned slightly. The weather had been getting hotter and hotter these past few days. Though it was still April, the temperature felt like it was already July or August.

"Sutton, come on in! It’s so hot these days. Quick, come in and have a glass of cold tea," Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes said, warmly welcoming the three Suttons through the door.

"Indeed. The temperature has risen quickly this year. It’s a good thing—it means the peak tourist season will start early. Your family’s business will surely do well this year, Lancaster," Mr. Sutton said with a smile.

"Then may your good words prove true."

After the pleasantries, the two families set a date for the engagement, deciding to hold the engagement banquet in mid-June, two months from now, at The Nimbus Hotel in the city center.

Sylvia Lancaster was wearing a light, white dress today, and Ethan Sutton couldn’t help but imagine how she would look in a white wedding gown in two months’ time.

After Mr. and Mrs. Sutton left, the Lancasters were all delighted.

Elaine Hughes said with relief, "Sylvia, Ethan is a good kid. Mom is sure you’ll have a happy life with him."

Robert Lancaster was also very pleased. Once the news of the engagement between the Sutton and Lancaster families got out, it would be much easier for him to raise funds. With the weather warming and the tourist season arriving, the Lancasters’ predicament would naturally be resolved.

Silas Lancaster said, "Sister Sylvia really is charming."

Hearing this, Sylvia Lancaster felt a bit proud. In truth, she had been anxious for the past few days, unsure if she had made the right move. She was afraid that once Ethan Sutton had her, he would no longer cherish her and would just cast her aside. But she had no other choice. Robert Lancaster had repeatedly pressured and hinted that she wasn’t, after all, a biological daughter of the Lancaster Family. The real Lancaster daughter, Melody Summers, was waiting in the wings. She couldn’t let Robert be disappointed in her, so she had to go all in.

Fortunately, her gamble had paid off.

Sylvia Lancaster pretended to be shy and turned to go back to her room. The Lancaster and Sutton families had each given her a sum of money to prepare for the engagement banquet, and she planned to go pick out some clothes and jewelry.

Simon Lancaster, however, remained silent. He truly didn’t want Sylvia to get engaged to Ethan Sutton, but he also knew the family needed the Suttons’ support. Simon was a rational businessman. In the face of profit, feelings had to take a backseat.

’There’s still plenty of time for me and Sylvia,’ he thought. ’So what if she gets married? She can always get a divorce. Besides, among wealthy families like ours, it’s common for couples to have their own fun on the side after getting married.’

Robert Lancaster thought for a moment before saying to Elaine Hughes, "Give Melody a call. Have her attend Sylvia’s engagement ceremony too. Now that Sylvia is engaged and will be moving into the Sutton home, Melody has no reason to be jealous or throw tantrums anymore."

He planned to hold a party after the engagement ceremony to officially acknowledge his family ties and announce that Melody Summers was his illegitimate daughter.

On one hand, it would clear up the rumors that he’d been cuckolded.

On the other, by announcing Melody Summers’s return, the Lancaster Family would have another daughter available for a marriage alliance.

Elaine Hughes was taken aback. She hesitated, remembering how resolute Melody’s attitude had been at the car dealership. But then she thought about how Sylvia would be moving out of the Lancaster home after the engagement. ’With Sylvia gone, Melody should be willing to come back,’ she reasoned.

As for the matter of her being an illegitimate daughter, Elaine Hughes was helpless. Ever since her marriage, she had been active in social circles and in front of the media as Mrs. Lancaster. The timelines of each of her pregnancies and births had been witnessed by many people; she couldn’t lie and say she had given birth to four children in total. She could only wait for Melody to come home and then slowly make it up to her.

Silas Lancaster snorted coldly but didn’t dare say anything. His allowance had been cut to a tenth of what it was, and only after being broke did he realize how much he depended on the Lancaster Family. He didn’t dare do anything to make Robert Lancaster unhappy now.