Chapter 414: A Useless Flea Climbing the Walls
'No, I need to test Xu Ruoxue's feelings.'
A mischievous glint flashed in Xu Ruoshui's beautiful eyes.
Just then, the female driver in the driver's seat respectfully said, "Young Master, Zhenxiu Pavilion has arrived."
Shen Anyu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the two identical, yet distinctively different, beauties beside him. A faint, knowing smile played on his lips as he turned to them. "Ruoshui, Ruoxue, we're here. The head chef at Zhenxiu Pavilion is a national-level culinary master. His skill is unparalleled, especially with rare mushrooms. I trust you'll both enjoy it."
Xu Ruoshui, inhabiting her sister's body, delicately brushed a strand of silky black hair behind her ear. The movement was fluid and graceful, a signature gesture of hers that she forgot to suppress. She let out a light, musical chuckle. "I've heard that the head chef here rarely cooks for guests personally. It seems we're basking in your good fortune tonight, An'yu."
Her voice was warm, familiar, and laced with an intimacy that belonged solely to Xu Ruoshui.
Shen Anyu's eyes narrowed slightly, a glimmer of amusement dancing within their dark depths. He looked directly at the woman he knew to be Xu Ruoshui, currently wearing Xu Ruoxue's face and clothes, and deliberately leaned in a fraction closer. The subtle scent of her perfume—a fragrance distinct from her sister's—filled the space between them.
"Xu Ruoxue," he began, his tone a low, playful murmur, "why is it that your tone of voice sounds so much like your dear Sister Ruoshui?"
Xu Ruoshui's heart gave a violent lurch, hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. For a terrifying second, she thought she'd been completely exposed. In front of her man, she had let her guard down, her soul relaxing into its natural state without the pretense her sister's shell required. She hadn't anticipated Shen Anyu's perception to be so razor-sharp, cutting through her act with a simple, probing question.
'Damn it, he noticed!' she thought, a wave of panic washing over her before her quick wits took control. A brilliant, almost instantaneous excuse formed in her mind.
She met his gaze without flinching, a confident smile blooming on her—or rather, her sister's—lips. "Brother-in-law, that's only natural, isn't it?" she countered, her voice regaining its composure. "Sister Ruoshui and I are twins. We've spent our entire lives together. Is it really so strange that we've started to sound alike?"
She had masterfully turned his observation back on him, packaging it as a simple fact of sisterly closeness.
"Not strange," Shen Anyu replied, his smile widening as he leaned back into the plush leather seat. "Of course, not strange at all." He didn't press the matter, but the knowing look in his eyes told Xu Ruoshui that he was enjoying this little game as much as she was.
At that exact moment, a thunderous roar ripped through the tranquil atmosphere outside.
"Finally caught up!"
Long Hao, astride his monstrous Dodge Tomahawk motorcycle, skidded to a halt a short distance away. His eyes, burning with a feverish intensity, were locked onto the gleaming Rolls-Royce Phantom parked before the grand entrance of Zhenxiu Pavilion. The vehicle was a symbol of everything he despised—old money, effortless power, and a world that had always been just beyond his reach.
The chauffeur opened the doors with practiced grace. Soon, the Xu sisters stepped out from opposite sides of the car, emerging like twin goddesses into the warm evening light.
Long Hao's breath caught in his throat. The sight of them sent a jolt of pure, unadulterated desire through him.
Xu Ruoshui, in her own body, was the epitome of refined elegance. She wore a perfectly tailored beige pantsuit that spoke of quiet confidence and immense power. Gentle, graceful, and radiant, she possessed an aura that could command a boardroom or charm a diplomat with equal ease. She was the kind of woman who elevated any man she stood beside, a partner whose presence was more valuable than any crown. Even an empress, he thought, could be no more impressive.
Then there was Xu Ruoxue, clad in a striking, crimson long dress that contrasted beautifully with her cool, aloof charm. The fabric clung to her flawless figure, and the small amount of skin exposed at her collarbone was as smooth and translucent as the finest white jade. Her long, slender legs, encased in sleek leather boots, added a thrilling touch of martial heroism to her ethereal beauty.
To have them both… to possess such a pair of peerless sisters… Long Hao felt a primal greed surge within him. He wouldn't trade that for an emperor's throne.
But his fantasy was shattered by the harsh reality of who they were with.
'Shen Anyu… that useless, good-for-nothing degenerate! How can a piece of trash like him be worthy of standing beside Xu Ruoshui and Xu Ruoxue?' The thought was a venomous hiss in his mind.
He desperately tried to rationalize what he was seeing. 'No, no, it has to be a misunderstanding. They just shared a ride. It doesn't mean anything. It can't be that kind of relationship.'
Long Hao clung to that sliver of hope, a drowning man grasping at straws.
But the very next scene plunged him into an abyss of despair, making his vision darken at the edges.
As Shen Anyu stepped out of the Rolls-Royce, he moved with an easy, confident stride. Without a moment's hesitation, he reached out and wrapped his arm around the slender waist of the woman in the red dress—Xu Ruoxue. Or so Long Hao thought. The gesture was possessive, intimate, and utterly natural.
For Xu Ruoshui, the contact was a bolt of lightning. She felt the warmth of his hand seep through the thin fabric of the dress, his fingers pressing lightly against the curve of her waist. A delicious shiver traced its way up her spine. It was a thrill unlike any other—being claimed by her man while wearing her sister's face.
Shen Anyu leaned in, his lips close to her ear, and smiled. "Let's go. We'll head inside."
The system notifications erupted in Shen Anyu's mind, a display of sweet victory.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Long Hao, is consumed by envy and jealousy! Plundering +9999 Destiny Points!]
…
Long Hao's mind reeled. 'Brother-in-law? That useless piece of trash, Shen Anyu, is actually with Xu Ruoshui?! Damn it all! He already has Hongmian… is he two-timing them both?!'
A volcanic rage, fueled by searing jealousy, boiled in his veins. Su Hongmian and Xu Ruoshui were goddesses, top-tier beauties whose favor men would kill for. To obtain even one of them would be a dream from which he'd never want to wake. Yet Shen Anyu, that pampered parasite, had two?
The unfairness of it all was a physical weight, crushing the air from his lungs. After the initial wave of envious fury, however, a new thought surfaced, bringing with it a sneer of condescending superiority.
'Hongmian, oh, Hongmian,' he mused with bitter satisfaction. 'In your past life and this one, you publicly broke our engagement, treating me, your fiancé, like worthless trash. But look at the man you chose instead. He's nothing but a scumbag hiding behind a handsome face and a powerful family. A useless good-for-nothing. Your taste, it seems, is utterly pathetic.'
For a moment, Long Hao felt a profound sense of vindication. He wasn't just some spurned fiancé anymore. He was the chosen one. He possessed the Investment Return System and the memories of a Rebirth—two golden fingers, two aces that guaranteed his destiny. He was destined to soar, to build an empire, to become a titan who would dwarf the likes of Shen Anyu.
And Shen Anyu? He was just a temporary blight, a pampered fool coasting on his family's legacy. A legacy that was doomed to crumble.
Long Hao's lips twisted into a cruel smile as he remembered a key event from his past life. A few years from now, the supposedly untouchable Yanxia Shen Family would be utterly annihilated by the Lord of Youming Hall, Ye Yan.
He savored the thought, picturing the future with perfect clarity. He imagined the look of utter devastation on Su Hongmian's face when her world came crashing down. She would be filled with regret, a soul-crushing bitterness that would haunt her for the rest of her miserable life. He looked forward to that day with a dark, burning passion.
'Oh, right,' he suddenly realized, his mind racing. 'The Lord of Youming Hall, Ye Yan, and the Yanxia Shen Family share a blood feud. If I find Ye Yan and invest in him now, I'll inevitably clash with the Shen Family later. When that time comes, I'll get to personally witness Shen Anyu's face contort in desperation as I tear down everything he holds dear.'
Killing two birds with one stone. It was perfect.
Fueled by this new, brilliant plan, Long Hao felt a surge of excitement and anticipation. He watched Shen Anyu and the two sisters disappear into the lavish entrance of Zhenxiu Pavilion, and without a second thought, he dismounted his bike and strode forward to follow them.
He was brought to an abrupt halt by a crisply uniformed security guard who blocked his path with an impassive expression.
"Sorry, sir. Zhenxiu Pavilion is by reservation only."
Once again, Long Hao was stopped at the door like a common beggar. The humiliation was a fresh slap in the face.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Long Hao, has an unspoken 'fuck your mother' in his heart! Plundering +9999 Destiny Points!]
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Long Hao, has an unspoken 'fuck your mother' in his heart! Plundering +9999 Destiny Points!]
…
"You dog! Looking down on people!" Long Hao seethed, his face flushing with anger. "You just wait! I'll buy this entire restaurant one day, and the first thing I'll do is fire your arrogant ass!"
The security guard's expression shifted from professional indifference to open mockery. He looked Long Hao up and down, taking in his cheap clothes and sputtering rage.
"Don't you bother to ask around before you open your mouth?" the guard said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Zhenxiu Pavilion is an asset of the Shen Corporation, backed by the Yanxia Shen Family. A small fry like you wants to acquire it? Dream on."
The words struck Long Hao like a physical blow, another reminder of the chasm that separated him from Shen Anyu.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Long Hao, is extremely annoyed! Plundering +9999 Destiny Points!]
…
"You just wait! We'll see!" Long Hao spat, but his threat was hollow. He glanced at the dozen or so burly security guards positioned discreetly around the entrance, all of them watching him with cold, professional eyes. His bravado instantly evaporated. He shrank back, muttering curses under his breath as he retreated.
But Long Hao wasn't one to give up so easily. A short distance from the entrance, he stopped. His eyes darted around, casing the perimeter. A cunning sneer spread across his face as he spotted a low section of the ornate wall surrounding the pavilion's garden. With a nimbleness born of desperation, he clambered over it and dropped silently into the manicured grounds, disappearing into the shadows.
Inside, in a private corridor leading to the main dining hall, Shen Anyu's assistant whispered into his ear. "Young Master, that person snuck in over the wall."
"Don't worry about him," Shen Anyu replied casually, not even breaking his stride. He relayed the instruction to the head of security through his earpiece. Let the flea scurry around; it was of no consequence.
When he dined at Zhenxiu Pavilion, the entire establishment was on lockdown. Guards were everywhere, many of them powerful Martial Arts Grandmasters. Long Hao, with his pathetic Post-natal Third Layer strength, couldn't get within a hundred feet of him even if he tried. He was less than an insect.
But since the insect was a walking, talking source of Destiny Points, Shen Anyu was more than happy to turn a blind eye and let him play his little games. The only premise was that Long Hao not disturb his meal.
Shen Anyu's handsome face carried a graceful, almost predatory smile as he looked at the two stunning sisters walking beside him. Their beauty seemed to illuminate the richly decorated hallway. "Let's go," he said, his voice a low, charming purr that sent another shiver through Xu Ruoshui. "Zhenxiu Pavilion tonight is open only for us~"
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