With a heart full of delight, Xu Hao departs, leaving Xiao Mingyue standing alone, dazed.
After an afternoon of brewing, the news of Xu Hao's attack on Mingyue Pharmaceutical Group begins to spread.
Magic City is shaken.
"Xu Hao took action against Xiao Mingyue? Wasn't he pursuing her just yesterday? Could it be love turned to hatred?"
"A company worth billions, toppled in such a short time. The power of the Xu family is truly terrifying."
"The Xu family remains as domineering as ever. Must remind the younger generation never to offend Xu Hao."
"Normally, Xu Hao seems rather affable. Didn't expect him to be so capricious. We need to be extremely cautious when dealing with him in the future."
…
In no time, discussions about Xu Hao suppression against the Mingyue Pharmaceutical Group were everywhere.
Countless elders warn the younger members of their clans not to offend Xu Hao.
Of course, these rumors circulate only among the elite. The common people remain oblivious.
At most, they hear that yet another major company is about to go bankrupt.
Through this event, Xu Hao's reputation for ruthlessness is well-established.
He himself remains unaware of all this.
But even if he did know, he would simply shrug it off with a smile.
As the instigator of this storm, he has now arrived at a venerable establishment.
This age-old restaurant has a long heritage and is one of the few places still offering a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast, a centuries-old tradition.
The Manchu-Han Imperial Feast, a culinary jewel of China, showcases not only the delicacies of the imperial court but also the essence of local flavors. Barbecue, hotpot, and shabu-shabu are among its indispensable dishes.
It also displays the characteristics of Han cuisine, covering grilling, frying, sautéing, and other methods of cooking.
A typical Manchu-Han Imperial Feast consists of at least 108 different dishes (54 southern and 54 northern), offering a diverse array of flavors.
How could Xu Hao pass up such a classic banquet?
Granted, the price is outrageous—eating the whole feast would cost millions.
Fortunately, for his family's financial status, this is but a trivial expense.
Of course, he didn't have all the dishes served at once.
If he did, the chefs would be exhausted, and he couldn't possibly finish it all.
No need for that.
He opts for a more moderate selection of a dozen or so dishes, to be enjoyed in multiple sittings.
He's learning to relish the pleasures of life more and more.
When not preoccupied, he enjoys undermining the protagonist, while occasionally teasing the heroine. Isn't life colourful and interesting this way?
After enjoying a lavish imperial feast, the clock strikes eight in the evening.
Having toured around Magic City once more, he returns home, and it's already past ten.
Lying on his plush memory foam bed, Xu Hao scrolls through his phone.
When he opens his VX (a social media app), he notices a newly-added contact.
Xia Mengyao!
She was added during yesterday's gathering.
A thought crosses Xu Hao's mind.
He composes a message and sends it.
"Girlfriend, are you asleep yet?"
After a moment's thought, he sends another.
"Reply, or else I'll come find you at your house."
…
The Xia Residence!
Xia Mengyao is suffering from insomnia.
Ever since she returned from yesterday's gathering, her mind has been filled with images of Xu Hao.
Not the kind of yearning one feels when in love, missing someone desperately when apart.
Rather, it is a mix of anger, fear, and trepidation.
Whenever she thinks of Xu Hao's smile, which to others seems as warm as a spring breeze, she feels as if plunged into an ice cellar.
Just today, she received more news about Xu Hao.
The Mingyue Pharmaceutical Group, valued at over eight billions, had been brought down easily by him and was now on the brink of bankruptcy.
She'd also heard some of the hidden details.
They say it was because Xiao Mingyue, the CEO of Mingyue Pharmaceutical Group, had rejected Xu Hao's advances, thereby triggering his revenge.
It was terrifying and her situation felt eerily similar…
If such a large corporation could fall, what if Xu Hao were to take revenge on her?
The mere thought sends shivers down her spine.
"Ding…"
Just as Xia Mengyao is tossing and turning, a VX message notification rings out.
She picks up her phone and takes a look.
Her hand trembles, almost dropping the phone.
Her face slightly pales; the message is from Xu Hao.
She had been anxiously watching his account all day.
Contemplating whether to block him or not.
In the end, she doesn't dare to do so.
Clicking to see the message, Xia Mengyao is taken aback.
"Girlfriend, are you asleep yet?"
What is this devil planning?
She starts wrestling with herself again—should she reply or not?
But before she can make up her mind, another message comes through.
Thud—
This time, her hand shakes so much that she drops the phone.
Thankfully, it falls onto the bed.
[Ding! You have gained +999 fear emotion points from Xia Mengyao...]
On the other side—
Xu Hao looks at the prompt; it seems Xia Mengyao is still awake.
He can't help but feel incredulous—this heroine is too timid, isn't she?
He had only sent a message.
"Not sleep, I mean asleep \🤬"
"Sorry, I misclicked it."
Seeing Xia Mengyao's reply, Xu Hao strokes his chin, lost in thought.
"Am I really that terrifying?"
She even mistyped an emoji; how shaky must her hands be?
How afraid of him is she, exactly?
"Are you that scared of me?"
On the other end, Xia Mengyao is on the verge of tears.
She had intended to type a simple "good night" emoji but accidentally hit "angry" instead. In her panic, she clicked send.
She wonders if Xu Hao is angry now.
"No, not scared."
"Exactly, I'm not your dad, why are you so afraid of me?"
Xia Mengyao's face turns white. What does he mean?
He's... he's asking her to call him "Dad"?
"No. You are my dad."
"???" Xu Hao was bewildered.
What the heck is up with this heroine?
He doesn't even know what to say at this point.
If he keeps chatting, who knows what outrageous things might come up.
So he sends the message that initiated the conversation in the first place.
"I can't sleep, I want to see you. Send me some photos to lighten my mood, understand?"
"Okay, Dad..."
Xu Hao: "..."
Is this her fetish or something?
Fortunately, not long after, a series of photos come through.
These are private photos that Xia Mengyao had taken in the past.
After admiring each photo, Xu Hao decides it's time to sleep.
[Ding! You have gained +1000 fear emotion points from Xia Mengyao...]
Great!
He wonders, is this young heroine going to be scared out of her wits?