The Insider Effect

To establish yourself in a company, the first thing you need to do is to become an "insider" of the company. By making your superiors and colleagues perceive you as an "insider" during communication. When your goals and interests align, you naturally blend well with your superiors and subordinates, thereby establishing your own position in the workplace.

- "The Insider Effect"

I believe that this effect not only applies to the workplace, but also to the seemingly formidable but easily conquerable Ren Mansion. Within an afternoon of entering the Ren Mansion, I completely conquered everyone in the Ren family using the "insider effect."

Below are the intrusion records made by Ren Han (the Demon King):

14:27 PM: Officially entered the Ren Mansion and attempted to please Mrs. Ren with a gift, but failed.

14:34 PM: Initiated a discussion on "How to Raise Dogs to Keep Them Energetic and Lively" with Soka as the topic, with Mrs. Ren as the audience. Defensive strength decreased.

14:46 PM: Mrs. Ren completely surrendered and abandoned her armor.

15:00 PM: Mrs. Ren returned from shopping. Xiao Ningzi once again held a discussion on "How Women Can Maintain Moisturized Skin" combined with afternoon tea. Defensive strength of Mrs. Ren decreased.

15:33 PM: Under the joint attack of the mother-in-law and future daughter-in-law, Mrs. Ren was defeated.

15:47 PM: Qiqi returned.

16:27 PM: A drama featuring three women began, followed by a table of four women playing mahjong. With Xiao Ningzi's instigation, the "Harmony Movement" commenced...

17:00 PM: Qiqi suffered a miserable defeat against three opponents. Mr. Ren returned.

17:07 PM: Mr. Ren voluntarily offered to take his daughter's place.

17:25 PM: Xiao Ning cleverly helped Mr. Ren form his tiles, greatly boosting his confidence and weakening his defense.

18:00 PM: After Xiao Ningzi expertly won one round, Mr. Ren completely accepted her as his future daughter-in-law. They prepared for dinner...

18:06 PM: With the meal ready, Xiao Ning, demonstrating "excellent gameplay and the ability to handle losses," won the admiration of everyone present. I, as the future husband, took on the responsibility of paying off the debts accumulated during the game. The Ren Mansion suffered a complete defeat and was thoroughly conquered.

During dinner, I had fully integrated into the harmonious atmosphere of the Ren Mansion. We went from discussing trivial topics like "garlic puns" and "bean games" to discussing significant matters such as this year's housing market trends. Eventually, the conversation shifted to our wedding plans with Ren the Demon King: Western or Chinese style, the guest list, and when the Ren family would come to my house for the engagement ceremony.

One could say that this visit was quite successful if... it hadn't been for that cup of slippery white liquid causing trouble.

So, it's true that one should never let success go to their head. Even if you want to show off, it's better to wait until you're back in your own domain. Unfortunately, I completely forgot about this principle while enjoying the lively conversation at the dinner table. It was only when I took a sip of "beverage" and frowned that I realized the problem.

Among all liquids, milk is the one I can't stand the most.

Especially pure milk.

But, to my misfortune, the Ren family had a knack for mischief, and they had set out milk as the beverage on the dining table.

-_-|||

The outcome was as expected. As soon as I frowned, Ren Han, the Demon King, being the first to notice my reaction, swiftly reached out and took the cup from my hand, saying, "Eat more dishes."

With the cup removed, and with the nauseating taste of milk lingering in my mouth, I couldn't swallow it or spit it out. Overwhelmed by the sudden surge of fresh air, I covered my mouth, unable to utter a word, and hurried to the bathroom. Thankfully, I had been to the restroom during my three rounds of gaming earlier, so I knew its exact location. Otherwise, if I had vomited directly at the dining table, it would have been truly... unforgivably rude.

However, abruptly leaving the dining table was also a very, very impolite thing to do. In order to show that I, as a nouveau riche daughter, also possessed good manners, I vomited twice in the bathroom to clear the unpleasant taste from my mouth before quickly returning to the dining hall.

Upon reaching my destination, the scene had completely changed.

The people who were just sitting together at the table had formed a circle around Ren Han, leaving him in the center.

Ren Grandma (patting her grandson's shoulder): "Xiao Han, well done! Giving birth to the child early, I will soon fulfill my lifelong wish."

Mr. Ren (stroking his chin thoughtfully): "I have already thought of good names for my grandchildren for you both. One is 'Ren Lao' and the other 'Ren Yuan.' Aren't they beautiful? Hahaha! Well, it's not just names; they're like artworks, idioms even!"

Qiqi: "=_= Dad, not just an idiom, but you can even guess that brother having two of them?"

Mrs. Ren: "Oh, YES! My Xiao Han can definitely hit the bullseye, achieve two things with one action, and make a stunning debut! What are two when my son can accomplish a thousand miles in one go and catch all in one net!"

Qiqi (facepalm): "Mom, please. If you don't know how to use idioms, then don't use them. If you keep talking like this, I'll be at my wit's end."

Mrs. Ren: "Oh dear, but what's wrong with this daughter-in-law of mine? She even throws up when drinking milk. It's only been a few months. Without milk to drink, how can the baby in her stomach keep up with nutrition?"

...

I stood at the entrance of the dining hall, struck by lightning in a spectacular manner. Being slightly burned on the inside and tender on the outside was nothing compared to the complete devastation I felt now.

To fulfill one's duties and go a thousand miles...

Mr. and Mrs. Ren are truly a perfect match, ultimate fans of the "Idiom Encyclopedia." But!! Even if they like the "Idiom Encyclopedia," there's no need to embarrass me like this, right? I simply have a sensitivity to the taste of milk, and I had a small incident of vomiting. Is it necessary... to make such a big fuss?

I clenched my fists, feeling lost. Then I saw Ren Han, who was being praised in the center, turn around and wave over with a faint smile, "Ning Ning."

I hesitantly approached, only to realize that Ren Han's way of summoning me was the same as summoning Soka. Damn, after all that, I'm just a summoned pet.

Facing the intense gazes of everyone, the family sat down again. I nervously bit my lip, contemplating for a while, and finally decided to clarify, "Grandma, Uncle, Aunt, Qiqi, you've misunderstood >O<"

Upon hearing this, Grandma Ren was the first to chuckle, "This child praised your generosity just now while running circles, and now she's shy? Oh dear, it's okay, Grandma is very open-minded."

I blinked, not quite understanding whether Grandma Ren was referring to Demon King Ren's first time breaking his virginity or his first time getting pregnant. I didn't feel comfortable asking in front of everyone... No, wait, it's not Demon King Ren who's pregnant, it's me. No... I'm not even pregnant...

Holding the chopsticks, tears streaming down my face, my thoughts were completely disrupted by the Ren family. I simply vomited a little milk, that's all!

Mrs. Ren took a sip of soup and widened her eyes in astonishment, exclaiming, "What? Why be shy? Pregnancy is the most honorable thing. My Xiao Han is talented, handsome, and outstanding. You're lucky to have found him. Being pregnant now allows him to be captured and tied down. I'm truly happy for you!"

Having said that, Mrs. Ren continued to focus on drinking her soup in celebration. My mouth twitched, and I facepalmed, once again bowing down to her unmatched proficiency in Chinese idioms. Having a foreign mother-in-law might be good, but having a foreign mother-in-law who likes to use idioms... well, that's another story.

I forced a smile on my face while seething in anger towards Demon King Ren, who was calmly eating as if nothing had happened. I kicked him multiple times with my foot, but no one else chimed in. I clenched my fists in frustration and finally coughed and said, "It's not shyness, it's really a misunderstanding."

Upon hearing this, the previously cheerful family froze, motionless, and their gazes shot at me like arrows. Even Ren Han nodded slightly, looking at me strangely. I maintained a poker face and continued to explain, trembling in my voice, "Um... I've never liked drinking milk since I was little. I feel nauseous just by the smell of it. I was too engrossed in our conversation earlier and didn't pay attention... Anyway... I'm not pregnant."

Although the atmosphere was incredibly awkward and embarrassing now, it was still better than being misunderstood and having a protruding belly after ten months. I laughed so hard that my facial expression twitched. Finally, Demon King Ren put down his chopsticks, took a deep breath, and glanced at me sideways, saying, "Bai Ning, you usually appear carefree, but at a time like this, your face becomes so thin."

"Huh?"

Ren Han propped his head on his elbow, his eyes filled with a mischievous charm as he smiled, "A few days ago, I confronted Bo Xi, and he told me."

"Told you what?"

"He said..." Demon King Ren paused for a moment, his eyes suddenly emitting a peculiar tenderness. His tone softened as he finally said, "He said, you're already carrying my flesh and blood."

------------------------------

My brain continued to loop in a state of malfunction.

This was such a mind-blowing and tear-inducing line, an essential dialogue for dramatic moments! The genuine male lead confronts the male supporting character while keeping the female lead in the dark. With righteous words, he urges the supporting character to stay away from the female lead, who sheds tears of sorrow, finally biting his lip and saying, "For her happiness, I can agree. You must treat her well, as she already has your flesh and blood." That's the saintly version.

With tears welling up, the supporting character finally bites his lip and laments, "She already has your flesh and blood, but you never understood me. I only love you!" That's the BL (Boys' Love) version.

With tears welling up, the supporting character finally bites his lip and says bitterly, "You scoundrel! She already has your flesh and blood, but I will fight you to the death!" That's the martial arts version.

But when it comes to me, all that's left is the absurd version of reality.

Back then, in the coffee shop, I casually told a little lie to push away the ardent pursuit of Bo Xi. But that loudmouth Bo Xi actually went and immediately told Ren Han, and Ren Han, in turn, told everyone in the Ren family in the blink of an eye. Now, I can't guarantee whether my parents have also received this "happy news."

At this moment, my brain rewinded like a playback machine, and I finally understand why I had to resign, why Ren Han helped me announce the author's note online, why I can only buy flat shoes, why I had to quickly meet both sets of parents to fulfill the marriage agreement, why...

A series of seemingly unrelated events connect together, and as I looked at Ren Mo Wang, his face filled with happiness and the words "I'm going to be a dad" written all over it, a sentence emerges in my mind:

Because I'm pregnant—

This time, it's not a startling thunderbolt or a lightning strike. It's a super thunderbolt that resonates through the heavens, directly hitting my forehead and heart, making even my brain ache. I wish that this one thunderbolt would just pass through.

　　OTZ...

Dear ancestors, who has ever seen someone getting pregnant while dealing with a flood? This is such a huge misunderstanding. I didn't say anything, thinking it was just my fragile pride. But now, what should I do?

I glanced around, swallowing hard, even feeling a sense of despair. "That statement... I lied to Bo Xi."

Ren Han slightly furrowed his brow, clearly not fully believing me. My voice trembled as I persisted, tears streaming down my face, "Calculate the dates yourself. How could I be two months pregnant?"

Just a month ago, the party involved, Demon King Ren, was complaining about not being able to fulfill his cohabitation duty due to my "condition." Then, during the safe period, he made up for the missed time with great enthusiasm. Poor Uncle Ren, after living almost thirty years, he lost his mind when he heard he was going to be a father. Clever for a lifetime, confused for a moment.

And yet, he still fell into the hands of rival Bo Xi. >O<

Upon hearing my words, Ran Han's face turned dark, his fingers clenched tightly, making a cracking sound. "Are you telling the truth?"

I tearfully nodded, overwhelmed with sorrow.

Suddenly, the "miscarriage" of the baby left everyone in stunned silence. The joyful banquet turned into a funeral gathering, and a collective hush fell over the room.

I said, "I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry. I just wanted Bo Xi to give up, I didn't expect... I'm sorry, Uncle, Aunt, Grandma..."

Before I could finish my sentence, Grandma Ren suddenly slapped her forehead. "Oh my, look at me, I forgot to prep Soka's dog food. Sokka, come, Grandma will make something delicious for you."

With that, Soka, our well-behaved little baby who had been quietly watching us eat, elegantly wagged his tail and followed Grandma into the side hall.

On this side, Mr. Ren supported his belly while complaining about the dishes, "I've had too many social engagements these days, my stomach feels uncomfortable!"

Mrs. Ren said, "Darling, I'll make some porridge for you."

Mr. Ren nodded, "Good, my dear wife is truly virtuous. I'll go rest in the room for a while."

Mrs. Ren replied, "Of course, I've always been like this, managing the household and cooking, writing code to fend off scoundrels..."

The elderly couple disappeared gracefully amidst their lively banter, leaving only Qiqi still sitting there, amused with her eyes bent. Qiqi smiled and said, "It's useless. Let me tell you, our Ren family has a unique characteristic."

My heart trembled, and I asked cautiously, "What is it?"

"The Ren family can think of anything and can achieve anything. When it comes to things they don't want to hear or know, they absolutely turn a deaf ear. So..."

"So?"

Qiqi smirked mischievously, mirroring her older brother's wickedness. "So you'd better swallow back that statement about the pregnancy being fake and cheer on brother! Good luck!" She shrugged and happily skipped upstairs.

Suddenly, the dining room that was just bustling with activity a moment ago was left with only me and Demon King Ren.

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. The so-called "kinship effect" turned out to be nothing but empty words. After all the talk about the Ren family treating me as "one of their own," it was all because I already had a "little one of my own" in my belly. Now that the "little one of my own" was gone, my visit had completely ended in failure.

I wailed, "What should I do?"

Demon King Ren, who had remained silent since learning the truth, ground his teeth audibly. After a long pause, he finally put on a smiling face and said, "Ning Ning, let's go to our room and talk."

{{{(>_<)}}}

Mom, save me!!

MiraiSaesang's notes: LOL That was unexpected, explains a lot...He was probably waiting for her to mention it, thinking she was arranging some kind of surprise event for him 😂