Chapter 427: Sister, Let's Serve Our Husband Together
'Interesting. Is the Child of Destiny's destiny value preventing Long Hao from making the wrong decision? Is this mo yu qilin jade pendant that important to him?'
Shen Anyu pondered.
Previously, when Long Hao had mentioned the Netherworld Palace, the War God Ye Yan, or even the genius specialist Wei Yunteng, the subtle threads of fate had remained undisturbed. There had been no warning, no fluctuation in the air.
But now, in this very instant, as Long Hao's trembling hand was about to surrender the black jade pendant, the world seemed to hold its breath. A evident resistance, a distortion in the flow of destiny itself, pulsed in Shen Anyu's perception.
This confirmed it. The pendant was no mere trinket; it was a cornerstone of Long Hao's protagonist-blessed journey. Shen Anyu's curiosity ignited into a cold, predatory fire.
"What's wrong?" Shen Anyu's voice was deceptively gentle, but his eyes narrowed into sharp, obsidian slits. The kind smile he wore didn't reach them, leaving his expression to be one of chilling amusement. "Are you reluctant? Or was your information about the lithography machine just a desperate fabrication to gain an audience with me?"
The smile on Shen Anyu's face was anything but kind. It was a mask of placid amusement stretched over a core of absolute, soul-crushing dominance. To Long Hao, that smile felt like a physical weight pressing down on his chest, squeezing the air from his lungs. A cold shiver, born not of temperature but of pure, instinctual terror, traced a frigid path down his spine. The sweat beading on his forehead felt like ice water. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to clutch the jade pendant, to protect it with his life. Yet, the predatory stillness in Shen Anyu's eyes promised a fate far worse than death if he refused.
"No, no, no! It's absolutely not a lie, Young Master Shen!" Long Hao stammered, his resolve crumbling into dust under that silent pressure. The fear of imminent annihilation completely overshadowed the vague, instinctual warning from his own destiny.
With a final, desperate surge of will, he forced his trembling hand forward. He didn't dare place it directly into Shen Anyu's hand, instead setting the mo yu qilin jade pendant on the polished mahogany table between them. The soft clink it made sounded like a death knell in his ears. He cast one last, mournful glance at the treasure, his heart clenching as if a part of his very soul was being ripped away. Then, he scrambled backward, his footsteps a chaotic, stumbling mess as he practically fled the private room, as if the devil himself were breathing down his neck.
He was so consumed by his terror that he completely missed the flash of triumphant excitement that lit up Shen Anyu's eyes the moment his back was turned.
A cool, informational flood cascaded through Shen Anyu's mind.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny Long Hao's fate line has undergone a huge change! Plundering +1,000,000 Destiny Points!]
[Ding! The Child of Destiny Long Hao's main emotional line has been completely severed! Plundering +800,000 Destiny Points!]
A staggering one million eight hundred thousand Destiny Points.
A genuine, pleasant surprise bloomed in Shen Anyu's chest. He knew the pendant was a treasure, a critical component of Long Hao's plot armor, but he had never anticipated a haul of this magnitude. This single transaction was more profitable than crushing a dozen minor antagonists.
'Main emotional line completely severed?' Shen Anyu's mind worked with lightning speed, his fingers drumming a silent rhythm on the table.
He hadn't forgotten the system's initial briefing on Long Hao. This particular Child of Destiny was tied to two destined heroines: one was his fiancée, Su Hongmian—now Shen Anyu's conquest—and the other was a woman named Huangfu Xian, listed as the primary heroine.
Shen Anyu had dispatched his intelligence network to find this Huangfu Xian. They had located several individuals with the same name, but none of them possessed the tell-tale signs of a heroine—the otherworldly beauty, the unique background, or the subtle aura of destiny that clung to them.
'It seems this mo yu qilin jade pendant is intrinsically linked to Huangfu Xian,' Shen Anyu deduced, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. 'Could she be a remnant soul residing within the artifact, much like Lin Xuanyan was a parasite within Ye Linyuan's body?'
He'd seen this script a thousand times in his past life's fiction. The down-and-out young master, scorned and betrayed, stumbles upon an ancient artifact. Inside? A disembodied soul, an 'old grandpappy' or perhaps a 'fairy maiden,' ready to guide him to the peak of existence. It was the most classic, most overused trope in the book.
'So that's it,' his thoughts crystallized. 'Long Hao's mysterious loss of cultivation, his transformation from a promising talent into a useless piece of trash... it was all because this parasitic soul was siphoning his power to sustain herself. And now, I have her.'
His gaze fell upon the mo yu qilin jade pendant resting on the table. He picked it up. It felt cool and heavy in his palm, its surface impossibly smooth. The jade was a deep, inky black that seemed to absorb the light, giving it a profound sense of age and mystery. The Qilin carved into it was a masterpiece of artistry, its scales so fine they felt real, its eyes seeming to hold a glimmer of ancient wisdom. It was as if the creature were merely sleeping within the stone, ready to awaken.
Furthermore, Shen Anyu's keen senses noticed that the pendant was preternaturally clean. It resisted dust, sweat, and any form of grime, a small but significant detail that hinted at its supernatural origin.
He channeled a wisp of his inner energy into it, but there was no response. It felt like an ordinary, albeit exceptionally crafted, piece of jade.
Finding no immediate way to unlock its secrets, Shen Anyu simply slipped it into his pocket. He had plenty of time to explore his new toy later.
With the business concluded, his attention returned to the two stunning beauties who had been silent witnesses to the entire exchange. He turned to Xu Ruoshui and Xu Ruoxue, his predatory smile softening into one of genuine warmth.
"Come, let's sit and eat. It would be a shame to let these wonderful dishes get cold and waste the chef's hard work."
Xu Ruoxue (currently in Xu Ruoshui's body) looked at him, her beautiful brows furrowed with a hint of worry. "Husband, that Long Hao... he looked so sneaky and malicious. Will he pose a threat to you?"
"It's fine. He's nothing more than a buzzing fly. I have it handled." Shen Anyu's gaze lingered on her, a fond smile playing on his lips. It was amusing how naturally she called him 'husband' now, the blush and hesitation long gone, replaced by a comfortable familiarity.
Meanwhile, Xu Ruoshui (in Xu Ruoxue's body), felt a sharp pang of jealousy. Seeing her own face express such wifely concern for Shen Anyu while she was trapped in her sister's body was a bizarre and infuriating experience. Biting her lip, she made a bold move. She slid gracefully into the seat right beside Shen Anyu, her shoulder brushing against his arm. She picked up one of the massive, steaming Boston lobsters from the platter, her movements deliberately alluring.
"Brother-in-law," she cooed, her voice a sweet melody. "How about I peel this for you?"
"Alright," Shen Anyu replied, playing along. "Thank you, Ruoxue."
"Oh, don't thank me, brother-in-law," she said, leaning closer, allowing the faint, sweet scent of her perfume to drift towards him. "We're going to be one big family soon. Peeling a lobster is nothing. Your Ruoxue is willing to do anything for you."
"..."
Xu Ruoxue's eyes went wide. She stared in utter disbelief as her sister, inhabiting her own body, called herself Xu Ruoxue and flirted so shamelessly with Shen Anyu, referring to him as 'brother-in-law' while intimately shelling the succulent lobster meat for him. Her mind was a complete and utter mess.
'What on earth is Sister Ruoshui doing?!'
As if sensing her confusion, Xu Ruoshui shot her a meaningful, challenging look. "Sister," she said, her voice laced with playful provocation. "Don't you know the old saying? A brother-in-law is half a husband... and sometimes more. Don't you agree?"
An intense, crimson blush instantly bloomed across Xu Ruoxue's face, spreading all the way down to her neck. Her mind, against its will, was violently thrown back to the events of the previous night. The feeling of his hands on her skin, the heat of his body, the ragged sounds of their breathing in the darkness... It was far more than just half. He had claimed all of it.
Noticing her sister's genuine embarrassment, Xu Ruoshui's gentle nature resurfaced, her bout of jealousy slightly appeased. She softened her tone, adopting the role of a concerned sibling. "Sister, why are you just sitting there? Aren't you going to peel a shrimp or serve brother-in-law some dishes?"
She continued, her words a mix of sweet encouragement and subtle pressure. "Remember what Mom always told you? You must learn to be a good wife and a loving mother to make your husband happy. You mustn't forget that, okay?"
Hearing this, Xu Ruoxue's beautiful eyes widened again, this time in sheer shock. They both knew the truth of their soul swap. How could her own sister, Xu Ruoshui, be actively encouraging her to be intimate with her fiancé? To serve him like a wife?
Could it be a trap? A test? Had Ruoshui somehow discovered what happened last night and was now trying to confirm her suspicions?
Xu Ruoxue frantically waved her hands. "You're doing enough for both of us! I don't need to."
"How can that be?" Xu Ruoshui's expression turned stern. She stood up, walked around the table, and physically pulled Xu Ruoxue by the arm, forcing her to sit on Shen Anyu's left side while she reclaimed her spot on his right. The two sisters now flanked him like a pair of peerless jade guardians.
"Sister, let's serve our brother-in-law together."
Xu Ruoxue's face was a mask of indecision and panic. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat of guilt and a terrifying, hidden excitement.
Before she could protest further, Shen Anyu made his move. His arm snaked around her waist with possessive confidence, pulling her effortlessly into his lap. The solid warmth of his thighs beneath her was a shocking reality check. Her back was pressed flush against his chest, and she could feel the steady, powerful rhythm of his heart against her own frantic one.
"I can feed Ruoshui myself," he murmured, his breath, warm and scented with tea, ghosting across the sensitive shell of her ear.
"No, no, no! Let's not! I'll serve you dishes!" Xu Ruoxue's face turned pale with a mixture of shame and mortification. She struggled out of his grasp, her entire body trembling. How could she be so intimate with him right in front of her sister? It felt like the ultimate betrayal.
'If we were in private, though... it wouldn't be impossible.'
The moment this strange, traitorous thought surfaced, a fresh wave of heat consumed her, turning her face a shade of deep scarlet.
For the rest of the meal, Shen Anyu was treated to a feast for both the palate and the eyes. He sat enthroned between the two sisters, enjoying the sweet lobster meat fed to him by Xu Ruoshui and the various delicacies placed on his plate by a flustered and blushing Xu Ruoxue. He was living a life of unparalleled comfort and pleasure.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city.
Long Hao stumbled out of Zhenxiu Pavilion in a complete daze. From the moment he had given up the mo yu qilin jade pendant, a gaping void had opened up in his heart. It was a hollow, aching feeling, accompanied by a terrible premonition of doom that clung to him like a shroud.
"It's fine, it's fine," he muttered to himself, trying to regain his composure. "When I rise to power in the future, taking it back from Shen Anyu won't be impossible. The most important thing now is to find those future tycoons and powerhouses, invest in them early, and reap the returns."
His hands clenched into tight fists, his knuckles white. "At that time, for all the humiliation Shen Anyu has brought upon me, I will repay him tenfold, with interest!" he hissed through gritted teeth.
Ever since his rebirth, Long Hao had been brimming with unshakeable confidence. He truly felt like he was the protagonist of a novel—destined to command the winds and summon the rains, to dominate the world and become a legendary figure.
He didn't just have the memories of the future; he also had the Investment Return System. With two aces up his sleeve, two jokers in his hand, how could he possibly fail to soar to the heavens?
And yet, one unexpected disaster after another had befallen him, making him doubt the very fabric of his reality.
Long Hao was utterly perplexed:
"Damn it, what exactly went wrong?"
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