Chapter 178 Xu Pingan witnessed Xu Ruoshui and Shen Anyu...
Today, Xu Ruoshui wore a beige knit short-sleeved top paired with a white skirt that reached her knees, and crystal-studded high-heeled sandals, exuding a gentle, warm aura.
Combined with her natural beauty, delicate and charming face, and sincere smile, she instantly made a great impression, radiating approachability. She was indeed a beauty like water—soft, yielding, yet capable of carving through stone over time.
However, the CEO's ID badge hanging on her long, fair neck was pushed up high by her proud bosom, making her appear gentle and approachable yet with a hint of hidden fierceness. The sheer volume of her curves challenged the modest cut of her outfit.
She was another stunning beauty who couldn't see her feet when she looked down. A true hidden gem of the Xu family.
Shen Anyu's gaze swept over her, secretly praising her in his heart.
'Yamato Nadeshiko type. Gentle, motherly, but with a strong core. Perfect for breeding loyal offspring,' his inner villain mused darkly.
But on the surface, a graceful smile appeared on his face as he stood up, buttoning his suit jacket. He said softly, his voice like velvet:
"A beauty like CEO Xu is worth waiting a little longer for. Even a lifetime would feel short."
He didn't utter the fawning words of a sycophant, which she heard daily. Instead, he looked at Xu Ruoshui with a hint of fervor and blatant appreciation, being more proactive and dominant.
Listening to Shen Anyu's praise and feeling his appreciative gaze—which felt like a physical touch on her skin—Xu Ruoshui felt inexplicably happy. A pink flush rose from her neck to her cheeks.
Although many people had praised her, people were different. Praise from a toad was harassment; praise from a dragon was a blessing.
Her total good impression of Shen Anyu had already reached sixty points (Friend/Trust) after Shen Anyu helped her with her luggage in the villa district, and especially after she witnessed the inhuman battle between Shen Anyu and Yan Lingxiao.
The handsome, valiant, mysterious, and powerful Shen Anyu left a deep impression on her heart. He was the antithesis of the "weak rich second generation" stereotype.
Especially the latter incident. Yan Lingxiao was a terrifying murderer, a "War God" who had annihilated the entire Jinling richest family, the Jin Family. He was a globally wanted criminal, a monster in human skin. Yet, he was taken down by Shen Anyu with ease.
In that battle, Xu Ruoshui witnessed firsthand how powerful and incredible Shen Anyu was. He stood amidst the chaos, calm and unruffled, almost like a god descended from the heavens, with a god-like appearance and god-like strength.
However...
Xu Ruoshui's delicate brows furrowed slightly. A shadow of hesitation crossed her eyes.
She suddenly chuckled, trying to mask her insecurity. She looked at Shen Anyu, her soft Jiangnan voice sounding out like a melody:
"Mr. Shen... I have to ask. Was that your wife and daughter I saw last time? At the villa?"
Although she had a good impression of Shen Anyu, her moral compass was strong. She couldn't possibly accept a man who had a wife and daughter. She would not be a homewrecker.
Shen Anyu was not flustered at all. He had anticipated this question.
He looked her in the eye, his expression shifting to one of melancholic kindness.
"Those aren't my wife and biological daughter," he said sincerely.
"They are... very pitiful people I took in."
Saying that, Shen Anyu briefly explained the story of Luo Yuhe and Luo Xiaoxiao. He spun a tale of tragedy—a mother and daughter living in a bridge hole, fighting wild dogs for scraps, persecuted by the evil Jin Family, helpless and alone. And how he, passing by, extended a helping hand.
He omitted the parts about plundering Luo Yuhe, or the "transactions" they had.
"I just provided them a safe harbor," Shen Anyu finished, his voice humble.
As for them not being his wife and biological daughter, they truly weren't. So Shen Anyu didn't lie. He didn't have a wife yet (only fiancees and lovers), and Luo Xiaoxiao wasn't his biological daughter either (she called him "Dad" for other reasons).
Taking care of them... taking care of them on the sofa, on the balcony, in the kitchen, exploring the depths of biological science... that's all normal "care," right?
Listening to Shen Anyu's narration, the kind-hearted and gentle Xu Ruoshui was immediately moved. Her maternal instincts went into overdrive.
Her gaze towards Shen Anyu changed completely. The last barrier of doubt crumbled.
Helping the distressed. Apprehending criminals. Handsome and powerful. Rich but not arrogant. And possessing a heart of gold filled with justice...
What girl wouldn't like such an excellent, kind, just, powerful, and handsome man? He was practically a unicorn.
Shen Anyu's expression was calm. Yes, he was a good person. An honest villain.
[Ding! Detected destined heroine Xu Ruoshui's favorability +6, plundered +18,000 destiny value!]
Xu Ruoshui's beautiful eyes looking at Shen Anyu became even softer, glistening with admiration. She lightly parted her red lips, speaking softly in her melodious Wunong dialect:
"Mr. Shen... I misunderstood you. You are truly a noble person."
"You helped me out earlier by pulling out my luggage. I happen to be free at noon, and I'd like to treat you to a meal to express my gratitude. Please don't refuse my repayment. It would weigh on my conscience."
"CEO Xu is too kind. Then I shall respectfully accept your repayment. It is my honor to dine with a beauty."
"Oh, Mr. Shen, saying that makes it seem too distant. Calling me CEO Xu is too formal; we are friends now, aren't we?"
She hesitated for a moment, a blush coloring her cheeks again.
"Why don't you just call me Ruoshui? My family and friends all call me that."
"Ruoshui..."
Shen Anyu chewed on the name, savoring the syllables. His eyes, which could look lovingly at a stone if it benefited him, gazed gently at Xu Ruoshui.
He said softly: "Since you've said so, then I won't be polite either. You can call me An'yu. Or just Anyu."
"An'yu... Shen Anyu... a good name. A gentleman like jade!"
Xu Ruoshui's face bloomed with a sweet and gentle smile, deeply engraving the name Shen Anyu in her heart.
...
[Ding! Child of Destiny Xu Ping'an's mentality exploded, plundered +9999 destiny value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Xu Ping'an's eyes were about to split from jealousy, plundered +9999 destiny value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Xu Ping'an's rage soared, plundered +44,444 destiny value!]
...
At this moment, partially hidden behind a decorative plant near the restroom entrance...
Xu Ping'an, who had just washed his face with cold water to calm down and bravely come out to face the world, saw a scene that shattered his newly reconstructed confidence.
He saw his beloved sister Xu Ruoshui and the most hated Shen Anyu talking happily. They were standing close. Too close.
Especially the sweet and gentle smile on his sister Xu Ruoshui's face.
It was a smile that was both familiar and unfamiliar to Xu Ping'an.
It was familiar because he had often seen a smile on Xu Ruoshui's face before; her charming and beautiful face always carried a gentle smile for everyone. She was the embodiment of kindness.
But it was unfamiliar because this time, the smile on Xu Ruoshui's face seemed... different.
It wasn't the polite smile of a CEO. It wasn't the doting smile of an older sister.
It was the shy, blooming smile of a woman looking at a man she admired. It contained a hint of submission and adoration that Xu Ping'an had never seen before.
What did that mean?
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
"What kind of mesmerizing potion did that scoundrel Shen Anyu give my sister? Did he hypnotize her?"
Xu Ping'an's teeth were almost ground to dust. His fists clenched so hard his nails dug into his palms, making cracking sounds. Veins popped on his forehead.
He almost wanted to rush out and smash a punch onto Shen Anyu's handsome face, turning Shen Anyu into a pig's head. He wanted to drag his sister away and lock her up where no other man could see her.
He had just clarified his intentions and goals under the guidance of the [Gao Duan Martial Arts Hall] staff. He had just accepted his forbidden desire.
So what if he wasn't the true young master of the Shanghai Xu Family?
With his [Damage Reflection Aura], his future was bright and glorious. He would be the King of the Underworld. He would be even richer and more successful than the Shanghai Xu Family in the future.
By then, he would certainly make the Shanghai Xu Family regret kicking him out. He would make the Xu Family parents and sister look at him with new eyes—eyes of respect and awe.
And, no blood relation... wasn't that even better?
He could marry his sister Xu Ruoshui, whom he had always had a good impression of. He could make her his woman legally.
But why did things turn out this way?
Why did his sister Xu Ruoshui actually favor that scoundrel Shen Anyu? Why did she look at him like that?
No, it couldn't be...
As soon as he thought that Xu Ruoshui might have fallen for Shen Anyu—that she might be sleeping with him—Xu Ping'an panicked. He felt a burning anxiety that consumed his reason.
"No, I must stop this scumbag Shen Anyu from harming my sister! She is naive! She doesn't know he's a wolf!"
...
"An'yu, there's a Cantonese restaurant nearby that has a lot of flavor; would you like to try it? It's quiet and the dim sum is exquisite."
Xu Ruoshui's slender, fair hand brushed away a wisp of dark hair blown by the air conditioning vent, her beautiful eyes gently looking at the handsome man before her.
"Anything Ruoshui recommends is sure to be delicious; I'm looking forward to it."
Shen Anyu said with a light chuckle, his eyes fixed on the gentle beauty before him.
The gentle beauty before him seemed to come from a Jiangnan water town, soothing and pure like a painting. But Shen Anyu wanted to splash ink on that painting.
Xu Ruoshui felt Shen Anyu's gaze—it felt heavy, masculine, and possessive—and her pretty face flushed deeper.
It was early summer, and the sun outside was scorching, but by the man's side, she felt the temperature rise exceptionally for a different reason.
Her heart was accelerating. Thump. Thump.
Was it love at first sight?
Xu Ruoshui murmured in her heart, feeling like a young girl again. She turned to lead the way, walking down the marble steps towards the exit.
Shen Anyu smiled. He glanced at the reflection in the glass door, seeing the lurking figure of Xu Ping'an.
'Time to give the brother a show,' he thought.
Suddenly, with a thought, he activated his [God-level Telekinesis].
In an instant, an invisible psychic force seemed to turn into a gentle breeze, wrapping around Xu Ruoshui's ankle.
As she took a step, the force tugged slightly—just enough to throw off her balance.
Xu Ruoshui's beautiful foot missed the step by a hair's breadth.
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