Soon, the government personnel arrived and explained the system.

“For the system to function properly, all family assets will be securely linked to the platform. It evaluates parental fairness objectively and makes necessary adjustments to ensure equality.”

As a business owner, my father was hesitant, and he wanted to review the contract carefully.

Meanwhile, Jacob hastily signed his name.

“The government wouldn’t launch something unreliable. Come on, Dad. How can you keep hesitating when Annie’s still suffering?”

Hearing this, both of my parents signed it without much thought.

I read through every clause meticulously and only signed after confirming all the details.

Jacob mocked me, “You’ve always played the victim, as though we’ve been mistreating you. Don’t play innocent after taking advantage of us. Today, you’ll see what real fairness looks like.”

My mother walked over to me and said, “We’re doing this for your own good. Showing you constant favoritism will only do you more harm in the long run.”

I smiled wryly.

“I understand.”

After my father signed the contract, he was in high spirits.

“Let’s eat, everyone. I asked Maria to cook extra tonight. They’re all Annie’s favorites. My sweet girl deserves to be pampered.”

Dish after dish was brought to the table. Each was exquisite in appearance and aroma.

Before us was a spread of whole steamed lobsters, truffle risotto, delicate cups of clear and aromatic consomme, and even Julianne’s favorite steak tartare.

The aroma made my stomach growl, so I took a seat at the dining table.

On ordinary days, I could only eat with the servants. I never had access to such fresh foods.

Since the system was active, did that mean I could finally join the table like Julianne? It was supposed to make everything equal after all.

However, my brother frowned and stopped me.

“Hey, hold on. We’re trying to have a nice family dinner for once. Do you have to barge in? Just go to your room.”

I did not budge.

“This isn’t fair. We’ve signed up for the fairness system. If Julianne gets to eat here, so do I.”

Julianne’s eyes instantly welled up with tears, and my mother looked at her with pity.

She then turned to me and said, “Please, Annie isn’t comfortable eating with you yet. It upsets her. Can’t you just eat in your room like always?”

“No. I’m eating here.”

My father slammed his spoon and fork onto the table.

“How dare you talk back? Who do you think you are?”

Before he could slap me, his whole body convulsed, and he collapsed to the floor.

The system’s cold voice rang out.

[Unfair favoritism and domestic violence detected. Electric shock protocol activated.]

Immediately after, my mother fell to the floor too. A crackling sound could be heard coming from her body.

“Dad! Mom!”

Julianne and Jacob were frantic. The moment they tried to touch our father and mother, they also experienced painful shocks.

After a few minutes, their convulsions finally stopped.

They got up from the floor with some help, and my father looked terrified.

“When did this piece-of-junk system get a shock feature? What gives you the right to electrocute us?!”

[Julianne Dawson is permitted to dine at the table, while Zinnia Dawson is required to eat leftovers in her room. This behavior is classified as severe parental favoritism.

[The electrical stimulus will not cause physical injury. Pain level only. Maximum punishment may reach Level 10, equivalent to childbirth.]

My father wrapped his arms around himself in fear as he cursed, “Annie already gave up her position as the Dawson family’s heiress. She has sacrificed enough! Does it matter if Zinnia eats alone? This system is garbage! I want to terminate it right now!”

[The system reserves the right of final interpretation.

[Contract term: lifetime. Termination permissions: none.]

“What level of pain did we experience earlier?” my mother cautiously asked.

[Level 5.]

I felt a sense of satisfaction unlike any I had ever known as I watched my parents’ anger and helplessness.

So, this was what the Children’s Fairness System felt like. I was elated!

My mother waved her hand and pulled me to the dining table.

“Fine. It’s just a meal. You can have it.”

Since I had gained the rights I deserved, I felt a strong urge to test just how far this system could go.

“Mom, the food’s a bit too greasy for me. Could I possibly have some salad instead?” I asked tentatively.

Although the table was full of luxurious dishes, they were all Julianne’s favorites. They did not suit my taste at all.

The steak tartare, in particular, brought back bad memories. Back when I was living in the countryside, I was forced to eat spoiled meat because I was starving. To this day, the sight of raw meat made me slightly nauseous.

My mother looked at me in annoyance.

“The cook’s gone for the day. You should be happy there’s food on the table at all. Stop being so picky.”

Julianne chimed in and deliberately placed some steak tartare on my plate.

“Zinnia, this isn’t greasy. You should eat more of it.”

I kept quiet and lowered my head as I silently counted down

Three, two, one.

The system’s alert tone rang out.

[Electric shock protocol activated.]

My mother instantly collapsed from her chair. Several of her porcelain crowns, which she had proudly maintained, chipped from the impact.

“Why am I being punished?!”

[Jenna Dawson prepared truffle risotto for Julianne Dawson but claimed to have no time to prepare a simple salad for her biological daughter. She remembers Julianne Dawson’s preferences clearly yet remains unaware of her biological daughter’s aversion to raw meat. The system has administered a Level 3 electric shock punishment, which corresponds to the degree of favoritism.]

My mother’s hands trembled from the pain as she moved away from the table.

“Ugh, fine! I’ll make your salad. Are you happy now?”

She stood up and dumped all of the steak tartare into the trash.

“My steak tartare!”

Julianne’s expression was particularly amusing to me. I struggled to hold back my laughter and felt an immense sense of satisfaction.

So, as long as everything was compared against Julianne, any request I made could be fulfilled.

For the first time, I was finally experiencing a taste of fairness.

Julianne finished her meal without a word before she ran toward her room.

With the system in place, why should I return to that damp and stuffy store room?

I needed a proper study environment if I was going to ace my exams and get out of this house for good.

“Mom, Dad, I’d like a room like my sister’s.”

As soon as I said it, Julianne froze on the staircase. She turned and yelled, “Zinnia, are you serious?! My room was custom-designed by a famous French interior architect. Some of the pieces are one-of-a-kind. How are they supposed to find an identical one for you? Besides, what would a clueless country bumpkin like you even know about living in a room like that? Don’t push your luck!”

I smiled.

“You have one. Why shouldn’t I? It’s only fair.”

Jacob, who had been silent, stepped in and shielded Julianne.

“Zinnia, that’s enough.”

However, my father and mother did not speak up immediately this time.

Julianne began to look uneasy.

“Mom, Dad, say something! I can’t sleep in just any bed. My skin is sensitive to different fabrics. This isn’t fair to me at all!”

After a long silence, my mother finally spoke.

“Annie, let Sophia use your room just for tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll have the guest room fully redecorated just for her.”

My father sighed and agreed, “Your mother’s right. We don’t want to provoke the system. I’ll check tomorrow if there’s a way to disable it before it turns this whole house upside down.”

So, they did know how to be fair.

They were just never willing to treat me fairly.

Julianne descended the stairs, and her eyes were filled with tears of resentment.

As she walked past me, she whispered menacingly, “Don’t get too cocky, Sophia. That system won’t protect you forever. You’ll regret this.”

I knew Julianne’s delinquent attitude at school well enough to know she was not just making empty threats.

Sure enough, the next morning, the back seat of the Rolls-Royce was drenched in paint.

Julianne sat in the passenger seat and smiled apologetically at me.

“I was going to offer you a ride, but look at this mess. Someone accidentally spilled paint in the back. It’s totally ruined. Sorry about that.”

Jacob then handed me an umbrella.

“Mom, Dad, and I need the cars for work, so they’re all not available. You’ll have to walk to school.”

As if afraid of being punished by the system, he quickly added, “You can have the car after school. That should be fair, right?”

Fair?

I snorted coldly.

My phone showed a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It was the hottest time of the day.

Not only would it be cooler after school, but more cars would be available. Julianne still would not have to walk.

How was that fair?

Seeing Julianne’s smug expression, I understood. These two were trying to exploit a loophole in the system.

If they succeeded, my life would become significantly more difficult.

However, the government had promoted the Children’s Fairness System for a reason. It possessed strong adaptive and analytical capabilities.

[Scan complete. Julianne Dawson’s health index: 85. Zinnia Dawson’s health index: 71. System verdict: Zinnia Dawson takes the car.]

Julianne’s expression instantly darkened, and Jacob began to panic as well.

“How can you reduce someone’s health to just a number? Besides, shouldn’t the older sister always look out for the younger one? It’s only natural!”

The system responded promptly and firmly, [The system operates on a complete evaluation matrix. No further inquiry is required.

[According to the law, the older sibling has no obligation to provide for or yield to the younger one. Please refrain from moral coercion.]

I could barely hold back my laughter as I witnessed Julianne’s frustration.

“Well, since the system has spoken, you’d better hop out of the car.”

I pulled Julianne aside and swiftly took my seat in the Rolls-Royce. I instructed the driver to leave immediately, as I could not afford to waste any time. I needed to get to school and focus on practice exams.

That evening, an unprecedented argument broke out among the harmonious family of four.

“Jacob, this is all your fault! If it weren’t for your ‘brilliant’ idea, I wouldn’t have had to walk to school! Do you know how everyone laughed at me?”

Through a crack in the door, I saw Julianne.

Her meticulously applied makeup was smeared with sweat. Her eyeliner was running down her face in black streaks. Her once-elegant dress had become dirty, and it clung damply to her skin. She looked utterly disheveled.

“Why didn’t you just give me your car?!” she screamed hysterically in the living room.

However, Jacob pushed her away impatiently.

“How would I get to work if you took my car? Our destinations aren’t even on the same route! You’re the one who came to me for ideas. Don’t blame me now. You brought this on yourself!”

My father, who was sitting on the couch, massaged his temples in frustration.

“I went to ask today. They said there’s no way to deactivate the system.”

Hearing this, Julianne became even more unhinged. She threw a tantrum and left the living room in complete disarray.

I just gently closed the door and returned to my bedroom.

In the past, they would always be laughing and watching TV together in the living room at this time. I could only hide in my room and eat their leftover food.

My quality of life had drastically improved just from receiving fair treatment.

One could easily imagine how spoiled and comfortable Julianne’s life had been before.

Since I was no longer there to endure hardships on her behalf, I was going to see just how long her carefree and privileged lifestyle would last.

Julianne seemed to have noticed my recent satisfaction. She eventually reached her breaking point and burst into my room in the middle of the night.

“Zinnia, your little winning streak is over,” she boasted with a look of triumphant revenge.

She was not even concerned that I might discover her plans early.

“Tomorrow, Dad’s going to distribute his assets based on merit. That’s extremely fair. Jacob and I are at the top of the class. You’re a perpetual last-place loser, so you’d better start praying for yourself!

“You really think that system lets you get away with everything? With no money and no shares, you’ll never be above us no matter how tough you act!”

I tilted my head slightly.

“What makes you so sure my grades aren’t as good as yours?”

Julianne burst into laughter.

“Have you even passed one test since you got here? Stop pretending.”

She did not realize that I had previously been at the bottom of the class because her lackeys kept me in a constant state of fear. That left me with no peace to study.

I looked down at the report card in my hand. The word “Top Scorer” was printed boldly right at the top.

My original plan had been to use my SAT scores to get into a college far away and finally escape this family. But this unexpected turn of events changed everything.

So, I uploaded my results from the previous years into the Children’s Fairness System.

The real show was about to begin.