After some time sorting things out, I finally started to accept this shocking reality.
In other words, Cao Cao, a die-hard sister complex, teamed up with Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu from the prestigious Yuan family, who hold the title of “Three Dukes in Four Generations,” to kidnap the Wei family’s bride.
And, unbelievably, Cao Cao, who was supposed to be the unparalleled hegemon of this world, is actually a freaking beautiful girl!?
To be honest, when this guy introduced herself just now, I don’t know if it was an illusion, but for a split second, I was genuinely awed and overwhelmed by the commanding aura she exuded.
But after that fleeting moment, seeing her delicate, fair face and petite, youthful frame—her pose with one hand pointing to the sky and the other clutching her chest might have looked domineering at first glance, but that was probably just an illusion created by a convenient gust of wind, right?
In reality, she’s just a frail, adorable, and charming girl, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t associate her with the word “hegemon.”
Being inexplicably transported to this world is one thing, but at least it’s the late Han era, a time of heroes that I’ve always admired.
What I can’t believe, though, is that Cao Cao, the domineering figure I’ve always idolized, is a girl.
Even if this world has changed because of my butterfly effect, you can’t derail things this much, right?
Staring with a strange expression at this girl who’s still striking a pose, acting like she rules the world while secretly glancing at my reaction, I racked my brain to figure out how I should respond to this situation.
Finally, a solemn expression appeared on my face.
I took steady steps toward her, reached out as if in reverence, and then, with a burst of force, I flicked her smooth forehead with a loud snap.
“Ow, that hurts!”
“Phew… that felt good.”
Seeing Cao Cao crouch down, clutching her head with tears in her eyes, I felt a wave of satisfaction.
I rubbed my stinging finger, comforting my fragile, delicate heart.
“Wah… what did you do? What did you do to the body of the great Demon King!?”
“I’ll flick you again.”
“Eek!” Cao Cao whimpered, then shouted at me, “If you also have the ambition to change the world, you are my kin! So why do you raise your hand against me! Ow!”
“Flick, flick, flick!” To cover up my embarrassment, I vented all my frustration on Cao Cao’s head.
She still remembers that phrase I shouted on the street, and of all people, it had to be this chuunibyou Cao Cao who heard it.
How am I supposed to live this down?
If this gets into someone else’s hands, it’ll be trouble.
Should I consider silencing her for good?
As I was thinking this, Cao Cao seemed to sense the ominous vibe.
She immediately took two steps back, hiding behind her sister, and peeked at me with wary eyes.
Tch, she escaped.
“If you’re worried about the Wei family’s retaliation, why don’t you come back with me? Stay at Uncle’s place for a day, and we’ll send you out of the city tomorrow morning,” Cao Zhen said, smiling as she patted the girl’s head.
That works.
It saves me some hassle, and most importantly, it saves on lodging fees…
“Alright, thank you, Sister,” I said with a smile to Cao Zhen.
“Also, my master and two maids got separated from me. They’re probably looking for me now. Could you send someone to find them?”
“That’s easy. Once we get to the residence, I’ll send a few servants to look for them.”
“Thank you, Sister.”
I clasped my hands in a gesture of gratitude.
After saying this, Cao Zhen looked at me with interest for a while and smiled.
“You’re about the same age as my little sister, but your manners and speech are so refined. Are you also from a prominent family?”
“I wouldn’t dare claim to be from a prominent family. I’m from the Xiao family of Xuzhou, just a merchant family.”
“The Xiao family of Xuzhou? Could it be the family of Lord Xiao Xu?”
Hearing Cao Zhen say this, I asked curiously, “Exactly. Does Sister know my father?”
“Uncle Xiao and Uncle Cao are old acquaintances. I met Uncle Xiao once when I was young. How has Uncle Xiao been lately?”
“He’s doing great—too great. He’s so idle that he’s always looking for things for me to do. That’s why he sent me out to train in martial arts,” I said, rolling my eyes helplessly.
“Training in martial arts is a good thing. With the current political instability, having martial skills gives you a way to make your mark.”
Afterward, we said goodbye to the Yuan brothers and followed Cao Zhen.
When we arrived at the Cao residence, Cao Zhen instructed the servants to search for my master and the others, then led me and Cao Cao into the main hall.
There, a man was seated in the main position.
He looked to be in his early thirties, dressed in black official robes.
His fairly handsome face bore a stern expression, and he sipped tea with a slightly irritated demeanor.
This must be the so-called Uncle Cao, Cao Cao’s father.
From the looks of it, he’s probably heard about Cao Zhen’s runaway bride incident.
Heh heh…
I’ll just sit back and watch Cao Zhen and Cao Cao get scolded.
Sure enough, the moment the man saw them return, he stood up with a whoosh, slammed his teacup onto the ground, and roared with a furious expression, “The head of the Wei family came here himself just now, saying one of you kidnapped a bride and the other ran away from her wedding. Tell me, is this true?!”
His presence was quite imposing, and that commanding demeanor didn’t seem fake at all.
As expected of an official—his ability to intimidate is top-notch, don’t you think?
Though the man’s outburst was genuinely frightening, Cao Zhen was clearly unfazed, making me marvel at her queenly composure.
In response to the man’s questioning, Cao Zhen said only one sentence.
“Uncle Cao, that Wei family young master almost hit A-Man (Cao Cao).”
At those words, the man immediately grabbed another teacup and smashed it on the ground.
“He dared to hit my daughter!? Good job running away! Zhen’er, lead the way! I’m going to fight them!”
What a starkly different reaction…
Wait, you don’t actually think smashing teacups makes you look cool, do you?
You’re just smashing them for the sake of it, you jerk!
Faced with such a comical scene, I really didn’t know what expression to make.
“Darling, those兩個 teacups will be deducted from your allowance,” came a melodious voice. A blue-haired woman stepped out from the side hall, smiling at the man with an extremely gentle expression while saying something not so gentle.
Looking at the woman who suddenly appeared, I was momentarily stunned.
This woman, with her hair elegantly pinned up, wore a gentle smile.
Her slender, arched eyebrows framed captivating eyes that sparkled with charm.
Her refined nose, slightly flushed cheeks, luscious lips, and flawless, jade-like complexion were breathtaking.
Her snow-white skin glowed like polished jade, and her mature figure and graceful demeanor exuded an almost perfect air of elegance, leaving anyone in awe.
How many women would pale in comparison… and how many men would go crazy for her?
Even I couldn’t help but feel my heart race, my breathing quicken, and my face flush.
This sensation shocked me.
Could it be… could this be my first love since arriving in this world!?
With a trembling voice, I asked Cao Cao, “Y-You have such a beautiful sister too?”
“Sister?” Cao Cao’s little face was full of confusion.
She glanced at the woman, then turned back to me and said, “What sister? That’s my mother!”
“Oh, A-Man, really, using that weird tone again,” the woman said, though her face still carried a doting smile.
My mother…
My mother…
Mother…
…
The harsh words echoed relentlessly in my ears, plummeting me from the paradise of first love straight into the hell of heartbreak.
My first love… is a married woman!