Chapter 179 Shen Anyu's cool move!
"Ah…"
Xu Ruoshui missed a step, her foot catching on nothing but air. Her center of gravity shifted violently forward. The world tilted.
Her face instantly drained of color, turning pale as a sheet of paper. Before her were over a dozen marble steps leading down to the driveway; if she fell, face-first onto the hard stone, she would undoubtedly disfigure herself.
"Danger…"
Xu Ping'an, who had been secretly following behind a decorative pillar, his expression drastically changed. His heart burned with anxiety, completely frantic.
"Sister!"
He wanted to scream, to rush forward.
At this moment, he regretted following so far behind. If he had been closer, he could have saved his older sister. He could have been the hero.
However, his awakened [Damage Reflection Aura] was a passive ability; it only worked when he was hit. His true physical strength was that of a weakling who had never exercised seriously. He simply couldn't cover a distance of seven or eight meters in a split second to save someone.
He could only watch, his eyes wide with horror, as the woman he loved plummeted towards the ground.
Xu Ruoshui looked at the approaching steps, the sharp edges blurring in her vision. She was so scared she squeezed her eyes shut, her eyelashes trembling.
Two words flashed in her mind, cold and final.
It's over!
Just as Xu Ruoshui closed her beautiful eyes, bracing her muscles for the inevitable impact and the shattering pain... she found that the pain never came.
Instead, a strong arm wrapped around her waist with the force of a steel band, halting her momentum instantly.
She fell not onto cold stone, but into a warm, solid embrace.
Her face pressed against a firm chest, and she could hear the steady, calm rhythm of a heartbeat beneath the fine fabric of a suit.
Feeling the unique, masculine scent—a mix of agarwood, mint, and pure power—wafting over her, an unprecedented sense of security spontaneously arose in Xu Ruoshui's heart. It washed over her like a warm tide, dispelling the cold fear.
When she opened her beautiful eyes and looked up, still trembling slightly, it was no surprise to her.
What met her gaze was a supremely handsome face, carved like jade, with features that seemed to belong to a god descended from the heavens. The sunlight haloed his hair, making him look divine.
Those eyes, bright as morning stars and deep as the night sky, looked at her gently. They were full of concern and affection, devoid of any mockery for her clumsiness.
For a moment, Xu Ruoshui was utterly mesmerized.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her heart pounded rapidly against her ribs, loud enough that she feared he might hear it.
She had never felt this way before. Not in twenty-four years.
Shen Anyu was amused internally, though his face remained a mask of perfect concern.
'Suspension Bridge Effect,' he analyzed coldly.
When a person is in a dangerous or tense environment, their heart rate involuntarily quickens due to adrenaline. If they happen to encounter someone of the opposite sex at that precise moment, the brain often misinterprets this physiological arousal as sexual attraction or romantic excitement.
It is a classic psychological hack.
Therefore, shrewd men will take inexperienced girls to haunted houses, watch horror movies, ride roller coasters, or walk glass skywalks. They create fear to harvest love.
And Shen Anyu? He didn't need a haunted house. He had [God-level Telekinesis]. He could create the danger and be the savior in the same breath.
The effect is significant. It bypasses logic and strikes directly at the instincts.
Of course, one must not be too eager, otherwise it will backfire and look predatory. This is based on experience.
Shen Anyu did not take advantage by touching her inappropriately. His hand remained respectful on her waist, merely supporting her.
He looked at Xu Ruoshui gently, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead, and asked softly, his voice low and vibrating through her chest:
"Ruoshui, are you alright? You weren't scared, were you?"
His magnetic, pleasant male voice drifted into Xu Ruoshui's ears, bringing her back to her senses.
Swish!
As Xu Ruoshui looked at Shen Anyu holding her, feeling Shen Anyu's warm large hand supporting her slender and delicate waist through the thin fabric of her blouse, her pretty face couldn't help but flush crimson.
She realized their posture—it was like a scene from a romantic drama. She was practically lying in his arms in public.
"No... I... I'm fine. Thank you, An'yu, for saving me. Otherwise, I would have been finished…"
Xu Ruoshui said, her voice breathy and shy. Her face was red all the way to her ears. Her beautiful eyes looked at Shen Anyu with gratitude, admiration, and something deeper.
Then she gently broke free, standing up straight. But as she did, she felt a bit lost and reluctant, as if she had left a safe haven and stepped back into the cold world.
Shen Anyu smiled slightly, withdrawing his hand slowly, letting his fingers linger for a fraction of a second. He looked at Xu Ruoshui with concern and said:
"It's good that you're alright. You almost scared me to death just now. If you had fallen and gotten hurt, I would never forgive myself for not holding you tighter."
Listening to Shen Anyu's words, filled with deep concern and affection—words that placed her safety above his own peace of mind—Xu Ruoshui's heart sweetened, like honey melting in tea.
[Ding! Detected that destined heroine Xu Ruoshui's favorability +10, plundered +30,000 destiny value!]
'Xu Ruoshui's total favorability is seventy-six... almost eighty. The barrier of "Friendship" has been shattered. Now we enter the "Ambiguity" phase.'
Shen Anyu's lips curved upwards imperceptibly, his heart filled with the joy of a successful hunt.
Especially when Shen Anyu's peripheral vision caught Xu Ping'an secretly following behind in the shadows of the lobby pillars.
Seeing Xu Ping'an's grim expression, twisting as if his father had died, Shen Anyu felt even more satisfied. The seasoning on this meal was perfect.
…
[Ding! Child of Destiny Xu Ping'an is consumed by jealousy, plundering +19,999 destiny value!]
"Damn it! Damn it!"
"Shen... that pretty boy... that bastard actually took advantage of my older sister…"
Xu Ping'an's face was ashen, extremely ugly. His eyes were practically spitting fire, bloodshot with rage.
He watched helplessly as Shen Anyu hugged his older sister Xu Ruoshui. He saw their intimate actions, the way Shen Anyu held her waist, the way they gazed into each other's eyes.
Especially the captivating blush on his older sister Xu Ruoshui's naturally beautiful and delicate face. That blush... he had never seen it before. It stung Xu Ping'an's eyes even more than the physical contact.
That blush belonged to him! She should only blush for him!
"No, I must expose Shen Anyu's true colors right now! I can't let this continue. Otherwise, my older sister will definitely be deceived by this scumbag… she will fall into his trap and... and..."
Xu Ping'an could no longer hold back. The thought of such a terrifying possibility—of Shen Anyu taking her to bed—made his heart burn with anxiety.
He prepared to step forward, to rush out and separate them, consequences be damned.
However, at this moment, Shen Anyu suddenly spoke to Xu Ruoshui, his voice carrying clearly in the quiet entrance.
"Ruoshui, I heard that something happened in your family recently. It's a bit sensitive, but... is your younger brother Xu Ping'an not of the Xu Family Bloodline?"
Upon hearing his name, Xu Ping'an's expression changed. He froze mid-step.
He immediately stopped, shrinking back into a corner behind a potted plant. He anxiously looked at his older sister Xu Ruoshui, holding his breath.
He wanted to know Xu Ruoshui's true thoughts on the matter. Did she despise him? Did she miss him?
Shen Anyu's lips curved upwards, almost laughing out loud. 'Curiosity killed the cat, little brother.'
And Xu Ruoshui, upon hearing Shen Anyu's words, her delicate and pretty face showed a change in expression. The sweetness faded, replaced by a complex sorrow.
She sighed softly, a sound that tugged at the heartstrings.
"It's a long story, hard to explain in a few words here. An'yu, let's talk while we eat. It's... a family scandal."
"Hmm. As you wish."
Afterward, Xu Ruoshui took Shen Anyu to a famous high-end Cantonese restaurant in a nearby commercial district. She requested a quiet window seat, secluded from the main hall.
Xu Ping'an also followed closely, trailing behind secretly like a stalker, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation.
…
[Location: Jade Palace Cantonese Restaurant - Private Booth]
The restaurant was elegant, decorated with traditional wood carvings and soft lanterns. The air smelled of jasmine tea and steamed dumplings.
After Xu Ruoshui was seated, her eyebrows were still furrowed, looking preoccupied. She toyed with the ceramic teacup, her slender fingers tracing the rim. She parted her red lips, wanting to speak but hesitating, unsure how to begin such a shameful topic with an outsider.
Shen Anyu smiled, observing the beautiful woman before him.
Up close, under the warm indoor lighting, he noticed that Xu Ruoshui's skin was exceptionally good. It was fair and smooth like congealed fat, even softer than a baby's, with a healthy rosy glow. She emitted a faint, natural fragrance of milk and orchids.
Her ample bosom, usually hidden under professional attire, was surprisingly no less impressive than that of mature women like Su Wanqing and Wang Qin. The knit top clung to her curves, revealing a deep valley that drew the eye.
Although he couldn't see through the essence of her beige knit short-sleeved top, he could imagine the wonderful sight from its astonishing outline.
As for observing through his [Divine Eye Technique]? Shen Anyu had no such intention. He was a villain with standards. He would have plenty of opportunities to look openly—and touch—in the future, so there was no need for such voyeuristic methods now. He preferred the slow unwrap.
Shen Anyu, acting like a refined gentleman, poured tea for her and said considerately:
"Ruoshui, if it's inconvenient to talk about, then let's just pretend I didn't ask. I was presumptuous. I just... care about your well-being."
"No, there's nothing that can't be said to you."
Xu Ruoshui forced a smile. She looked at Shen Anyu—the man who saved her, the man who was kind to orphans. To the man she had a very good impression of, she felt she could open up.
"This matter has been weighing on my mind for weeks. I have no one to talk to. I'm happy that you're willing to listen, as long as you don't mind hearing about my family's mess."
"Of course not. I am a good listener."
Seeing that Shen Anyu showed no unusual reaction and was understanding, Xu Ruoshui relaxed her tense shoulders and began to speak.
And Xu Ping'an, who was hiding behind a decorative screen nearby, pretending to read a menu, also pricked up his ears. His heart was in his throat.
"I wonder what older sister truly thinks of me?"
Xu Ping'an's heart was filled with anxiety. Even his original plan to expose Shen Anyu's true colors was temporarily put aside.
He was very curious about what his older sister Xu Ruoshui truly thought of him, the fake young master of the Xu Family.
Why, when he was swept out of the Xu Family, did she not say a single word of intercession? Why did she abandon him?
Could twenty years of sibling affection all be false? Was she that cold-blooded?
Shen Anyu's peripheral vision swept over the trembling plant where Xu Ping'an was hiding. A playful, sadistic look flashed in his eyes.
"My cheap son, my cheap brother-in-law... listen carefully. The truth might break you."
"Don't break down too fast... the show is just starting."
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