Chapter 418: The Protagonist's Ultimate Miscalculation
"Damn it, why, why does Shen Anyu have such a blessing with women?"
After coming to his senses, Long Hao looked at Shen Anyu, who was flanked by the stunning Xu Ruoxue and Xu Ruoshui, and was overwhelmed with envy and jealousy.
The rage simmered in his gut like a pool of acid. It was a corrosive, all-consuming jealousy that gnawed at his very soul. He watched from the shadows of the restaurant's opulent corridor, a ghost observing a feast he could never attend. Shen Anyu sat there, a king on his throne, with not one but two celestial beauties attending to him. The Xu sisters, identical twins whose beauty could topple nations, were laughing, their eyes sparkling with an adoration reserved only for the man between them. The light from the crystal chandelier above them seemed to form a halo around the trio, separating them from the mortal world.
'First his fiancée, Su Hongmian, a peerless beauty in her own right,' Long Hao seethed, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turned white. 'And now this pair of jade-like sisters, Xu Ruoshui and Xu Ruoxue. Shen Anyu is truly drowning in blessings!'
A bitter, incredulous thought surfaced. 'Is this really the same Yanxia Shen Family that was on the verge of collapse in my past life? The one that was shattered by the Lord of Youming Hall, Ye Yan?'
In his memories, the Shen Family was a tragic tale, a fallen giant. But this… this was pure, unadulterated enjoyment. Shen Anyu wasn't just surviving; he was thriving, living a life of decadent pleasure that should have been impossible. It was a life Long Hao dreamed of, a life he felt he deserved as a reborn protagonist.
Despite the inferno of hatred blazing in his chest, Long Hao forced himself to remain calm. A cold dose of reality washed over his heated emotions. He knew the truth. In his previous life, the Shen Family had seemed vulnerable, and its young master was destined for a miserable end.
But he was not Ye Yan, the terrifying Lord of Youming Hall who had reached the legendary world of a Land Immortal. Right now, Long Hao was just… Long Hao. He lacked the power, the influence, and the resources to even challenge a behemoth like the Yanxia Shen Family. The Sichuan Long Family, his own backing, was a pathetic joke in comparison—a second or third-rate clan that Shen Anyu could obliterate with a lazy flick of his finger.
No matter how profound his displeasure, no matter how unwilling he was to accept this reality, he could only stand by and watch. The injustice of it all tasted like ash in his mouth.
'Patience,' he told himself, his jaw tightening. 'I will wait. I'll bide my time, cultivate my strength, and when I have achieved success, I will make him pay for every moment of this humiliation.'
He was about to turn and leave, to stew in his own impotent fury, when a sudden, wicked idea sparked in the darkness of his mind. A slow, venomous smile began to stretch across his face.
"No," he whispered to himself, his eyes gleaming with malicious excitement. "I don't necessarily have to just watch."
The plan bloomed in his mind, perfect and devastating.
"I'll tell Su Hongmian!" The thought was so brilliant it made him giddy. "With Su Hongmian's proud, arrogant personality, she would never tolerate being cheated on! She'll definitely storm in here and cause a massive scene. Maybe she'll even slap Shen Anyu across the face and furiously declare their engagement over!"
The image was intoxicating. He could already picture it: the beautiful, fiery Su Hongmian, her face contorted in rage, humiliating Shen Anyu in front of everyone. It would be a glorious spectacle. As soon as the thought took root, Long Hao's mouth twisted into a triumphant grin.
"Let me think… Su Hongmian's phone number shouldn't have changed. I remember it from my previous life… 136…"
With trembling fingers, he pulled out his phone and quickly typed out a text message, his heart pounding with vindictive glee.
"Su Hongmian, Shen Anyu is two-timing you! He's with other women right now!"
Hit send.
After the message was sent, Long Hao was filled with a feverish anticipation. He imagined Su Hongmian on the other end, her beautiful face flushing with anger, her eyes blazing with betrayal. He was certain she would be utterly enraged, ready to tear the world apart.
Miles away, in a sun-drenched, luxurious bedroom, Su Hongmian lay sprawled across a mountain of soft pillows and a duvet made of the finest Egyptian cotton. She felt boneless, every muscle in her body humming with a pleasant, languid exhaustion. She had no desire to move at all. The gentle beep of a new text message barely registered, but she eventually peeled open her hazy, beautiful eyes.
Her slender, jade-like hand instinctively reached for the other side of the king-sized bed, searching for the familiar warmth of the body that had held her all night. The space was empty, the sheets cool to the touch. A flicker of disappointment was quickly replaced by an overwhelming sigh of relief.
Just thinking of Shen Anyu made the corners of her lips curve into an uncontrollable, blissful smile. The memories of the night replayed in her mind, sending a fresh wave of heat through her body.
"What are Liu Mi and Jiang Linlin compared to me?" she murmured to herself, her voice a husky whisper against the pillow. "This young lady is Brother Shen's most beloved and favorite woman!"
As soon as she recalled some of the more… embarrassing scenes, a deep blush crept up her neck and stained her cheeks crimson. Su Hongmian buried her face in the pillow, letting out a series of muffled squeals like a cute marmot. Her long, slender, snow-white legs—well over 1.2 meters of perfection—kicked playfully in the air, tangling in the silk sheets.
However, the movement aggravated a certain tender soreness deep within her, and she quickly went still. A soft gasp escaped her lips, and her delicate brows furrowed slightly.
"I can't do this," she pouted, her voice laced with a sweet weariness. "I need to rest at home for a few days. I'll die… I'll really die if he keeps this up."
Su Hongmian gently bit her lower lip with her pearly white teeth, her enchanting eyes shifting as a troubled expression crossed her face. But it wasn't real trouble; it was the sweetest, most wonderful kind of trouble a woman could have.
"Oh, a text message. Is it from Brother Shen?" Her heart skipped a beat. "What if he asks me out again? No, no, I absolutely can't. I'll let him go find Linlin and the others instead."
With a lazy, graceful movement, she raised a slender arm and picked up the phone from the bedside table. Her eyes fell on the screen, and she saw it was a text from an unfamiliar number.
Curiosity piqued, she opened it. As she read the words, Su Hongmian's delicate eyebrows arched in amusement.
"Who is this, trying to sow discord between me and Brother Shen?"
She had known for a long time that Shen Anyu was a scoundrel, a charming beast who collected beautiful women. There was a time when the mere thought of it sent her into a jealous fury, a time when she caused scenes and made demands. But that time was long past. She had already given him everything—her body, her heart, her pride. There was no leaving him now, nor did she want to.
"Hmph, hmph. As long as this young lady is Brother Shen's most beloved, that's all that matters." A smug, satisfied smile graced her lips. "This young lady is the Empress of his palace!"
She snorted delicately, her fingers dancing over the screen as she typed a reply.
"Who are you?"
Within seconds, a response came back, practically vibrating with urgency.
"Don't mind who I am. Shen Anyu is with two great beauties right now! Aren't you angry? They're at Zhenxiu Pavilion!"
From his hiding spot, Long Hao was practically shouting in his mind, 'Su Hongmian, hurry up! Get to Zhenxiu Pavilion and unleash hell!'
Back in the bedroom, Su Hongmian let out a lazy yawn, sinking deeper into the soft mattress. She replied with an air of complete indifference.
"Angry about what? It just so happens that this Empress is feeling a bit tired these past two days. It's perfectly fine for the maids and servants to attend to Brother Shen in my stead."
She idly wondered who the two beauties were. 'Liu Mi and Jiang Linlin? Or maybe someone new?' A possessive spark lit her eyes. 'It doesn't matter. Whoever it is, this young lady is the true wife. All the others are just concubines, maids, and servants!'
Su Hongmian arched her back, lifting her elegant, jade-like neck, feeling incredibly proud. The movement, however, sent another sharp twinge through her lower body.
"Hiss…"
She gasped softly, a faint blush returning to her cheeks as she secretly cursed Shen Anyu for not knowing how to cherish a woman's delicate body.
Long Hao's phone vibrated again. He stared at the reply, his mind going blank.
"What?! Su Hongmian, are you crazy?! Shen Anyu is two-timing you! He betrayed you!!"
He couldn't believe what he was reading. The desperation in his text was evident. How could Su Hongmian, after learning her fiancé was dining with two other gorgeous women, not be angry at all? It was impossible! Utterly impossible!
Was this the same arrogant, proud Miss Su he remembered? The one who, in his past life, had publicly broken off their engagement while dressed in a fiery red gown, her chin held high, her demeanor so imperious it was burned into his memory? That woman would never tolerate such a slight.
Such a Su Hongmian, learning that her man was with other women, wasn't the least bit angry?
Her final reply came through a moment later. It was a declaration, a final verdict that would shatter his world.
"Angry about what? Brother Shen's most beloved woman is me. I am the true wife, and all other women are mere concubines! No matter who you are, don't try to sow discord between Brother Shen and me. Don't even dream about it. I, Su Hongmian, will always be with Brother Shen. I want to bear many, many children for him, and we will grow old together!"
After typing this message with a supremely satisfied smile, Su Hongmian immediately blacklisted the number. She tossed her phone aside, snuggled back into the covers that still held his scent, and, drained from her recent strenuous activities, quickly drifted back to sleep.
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