NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 80:
Chapter 80: A Romantic Journey to Breathe! The Heroine Teaches Swimming! Dealing with the Traitor:
Xiao Wanling was truly a beginner at swimming. Despite Xu Huayi teaching her the techniques, like the correct movements, posture, and breathing, she couldn’t seem to get any of it right. Watching her sisters and father swimming joyfully made her feel left out.
After Xu Hao swam a couple of laps and seemed like he was done, Xu Huayi called out, “Dad, this is too hard for me! Come teach Sister Wanling!”
Xiao Wanling shot Xu Huayi a look of anger. She had promised it would only take a few minutes to learn, but now, she was getting frustrated. Her heart raced as she recalled Xu Huayi’s suggestion that Xu Hao should teach her. This felt very different from when he had taught her tea-making. At least then, she had been fully dressed. Now, in a thin swimsuit, the idea of Xu Hao teaching her felt… complicated.
Yet, to her surprise, she wasn’t as opposed to the idea as she thought she’d be. In fact, there was a tiny bit of excitement. After all, they had shared some intimate moments before. Teaching her to swim didn’t seem like a big deal in comparison.
Her gaze followed Xu Huayi’s, and soon she was looking expectantly at Xu Hao.
Xu Hao swam over with ease, touched Xu Huayi’s head, and smiled. “Alright, I’ll take over.”
Xu Huayi cheered and quickly swam away, leaving Xu Hao with Xiao Wanling. He smiled at her, but she shyly looked away, her face turning red.
“Wanling, let me show you the basics first, starting with the breaststroke.” Xu Hao demonstrated the technique right in front of her. “Okay, now give it a try.”
Xiao Wanling looked nervously at the water. “Uncle Xu, I’m a little scared,” she confessed, worried she might sink.
“Don’t worry, I’m here to help you.” Xu Hao reassured her as he gently lifted her in the water.
Xiao Wanling began practicing her strokes, but no matter how much Xu Hao instructed her, her movements were shaky and lacked strength. As he adjusted her positioning, their contact was frequent, and it made the situation feel a bit awkward.
[Ding! Xiao Wanling is embarrassed, her emotional points is +555]
Once her strokes were more or less correct, Xu Hao shifted to teaching her how to breathe while swimming. He instructed her to take a deep breath, dive in, and exhale underwater.
Xiao Wanling tried her best, tightly pursing her lips before diving in. When she resurfaced moments later, her face looked fresh and radiant like a lotus blooming from the water.
As Xu Hao watched her, a playful thought crossed his mind. He was teaching her, after all… charging a little “interest” wouldn’t be too much, right?
Glancing at his daughters who were happily swimming in the deeper end, he leaned in just as Xiao Wanling came up for air. Without warning, he gently pressed his lips to hers. Together, they dipped below the surface.
Xiao Wanling’s eyes widened in shock. She could clearly see Xu Hao underwater. Was this even possible?
[Ding! Xiao Wanling is utterly shocked, her emotional points is +666]
When they resurfaced, Xiao Wanling gasped for air, her face flushed. She pouted slightly, her charming eyes rolling. Strangely, she didn’t feel upset—quite the opposite. Glancing at Xu Hongjiao in the distance, she felt a surge of pride. Xu Hao was so attentive to her. And now, she was starting to feel as if she could almost become her best friend’s stepmother…
Xiao Wanling continued practicing her breathing, though each session was occasionally interrupted by more “romantic” moments with Xu Hao. But despite the distractions, she quickly picked up the technique. Soon, Xu Hao guided her through coordinating her breathing with her strokes. She was a fast learner, and though Xu Hao kept teasing her, she mastered it quickly.
Xu Hao eventually let her swim on her own, though he stayed nearby to support her. Xiao Wanling was thrilled. She had actually learned to swim!
Just as they rested by the pool, Xu Huayi swam over and grinned. “See, Sister Wanling! I told you swimming was easy. You learned so fast!”
Xiao Wanling chuckled softly. “It’s easy for you to say. You disappeared after a few minutes.”
“Dad, Sister Wanling,” Xu Huayi said, her eyes shining with excitement, “now that you’ve learned, let’s have a race! Let’s see who can swim the fastest!”
Xiao Wanling laughed and shook her head. “I just learned how to swim, how can I compete with you?”
“You can be our cheerleader then.” Xu Huayi suggested playfully.
Just then, Xu Shiqing and Xu Hongjiao swam over. Realizing she couldn’t keep Xu Hao to herself anymore, Xiao Wanling smiled and said, “Go ahead, I’ll be the referee.”
The swimming race began, with everyone laughing and competing. After spending some time enjoying the water with his daughters, Xu Hao’s phone rang. He quickly got out to answer it. It was Bai Ling, his personal bodyguard.
“Boss, we’ve found Li Kun’s hideout. He’s under our control.”
Xu Hao’s eyes narrowed as he processed the news. He knew exactly what this meant—Li Kun, the rebel, had never left any evidence of his actions online. Instead, he wrote it all down and hid it in a secret location. Since Xu Hao had acquired his own team of assassins, he had ordered them to track Li Kun’s movements. After several days, there was finally a breakthrough.
After getting the address from Bai Ling, Xu Hao informed his daughters and left the swimming pool. He took a quick shower, changed into his clothes, and headed out.
The secret hideout was a dark, damp basement. Once a well-dressed white-collar worker, Li Kun was now in a pitiful state. A dark hood covered his head, and he kept shouting incoherently.
“Let me go! What are you planning to do? This is kidnapping, and it’s illegal! How much do you want? I’ll give you anything, just let me go!”
“Do you even know who I am? I’m the secretary of Xu Hao, CEO of the Xu Group. If anything happens to me, you’ll regret it!”
In a dark room—
Several women stood around, along with a burly man named Old Mo. This basement used to be a hideout for the Blood Slaughter Society, though it was no longer in use.
With a “click,” the basement door swung open, and two figures stepped inside—Xu Hao and his personal bodyguard, Bai Ling.
Li Kun, who had a hood covering his face, sensed their arrival. He assumed the leader of the kidnappers had come and immediately began pleading.
“What are you going to do? Don’t kill me! I’ll give you anything!”
Xu Hao, expressionless, gave a subtle nod to one of the soldiers. The soldier stepped forward.
“Relax, this isn’t a kidnapping. We just need to ask you a few questions.”
Despite these words, Li Kun’s anxiety grew.
‘Who asks questions like this? ‘
He had been involved in Xu Hao’s darker dealings and knew these people weren’t to be taken lightly. He spoke nervously, “I don’t know what you want, but I’ll tell you everything I can.”
“Haha… that’s exactly what we need. If you’re honest, you won’t be punished.”
Terrified, Li Kun almost lost control of himself and stammered, “I will cooperate. I swear.”
“Good, it’s nothing too serious. Since you’re Xu Hao’s secretary, you must know him well.”
Li Kun’s heart sank. ‘This is about Xu Hao…’
He wasn’t afraid of giving them money—he feared these people were out for revenge. If that were the case, he might not survive.
“Xu Hao destroyed my entire family, but he never expected me to survive. I’ve come back from hell just for revenge on him…”
The soldier’s voice was filled with hatred, like a vengeful spirit from the underworld. If the Oscars awarded performances like this, she would’ve won an award.
Li Kun trembled, his teeth chattering. “I… I know something.”
“That’s good enough.”
The soldier’s tone suddenly shifted, unpredictable and menacing.
“Tell me, what terrible things has Xu Hao done? I want every detail. He’s hailed as a respectable entrepreneur, but I’ll rip that mask off and show everyone the monster he really is.”
Hearing the venom in her voice, Li Kun was paralyzed with fear. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. He had been by Xu Hao’s side for a long time and knew all his secrets. If Xu Hao ever found out he had betrayed him, the consequences would be worse than death.
“Why aren’t you speaking?” the soldier demanded, her voice sharp. “Could it be that the man who destroyed my family is actually as innocent as his reputation?”
She pulled out a dagger, tracing it along Li Kun’s face through the hood.
“I don’t have time for games. You have 10 seconds. If you don’t talk, I’ll cut out your tongue, break your limbs, gouge out your eyes, burst your eardrums, and throw you onto the streets to live a life worse than a dog…”
Her words dripped with threat, and the air around her seemed to thicken with menace. Li Kun’s imagination ran wild—his body maimed, blind, deaf, and unable to speak, begging in the streets like a wretched creature.
He shuddered, unable to stop his trembling. If he betrayed Xu Hao, the consequences would come later. Right now, these kidnappers would make his life a living nightmare.
In desperation, he made up his mind. ‘If the worst comes, I’ll flee the country. Xu Hao might be powerful, but even he won’t be able to find me overseas.’
“I’ll talk, I’ll tell you everything, just don’t hurt me!”
Li Kun was rattled, and for the next 10 minutes, he confessed all of Xu Hao’s crimes.
Xu Hao sat silently in the corner, watching it all unfold without a flicker of surprise. He seemed completely unfazed by the betrayal, as though he had anticipated this moment.
The soldier glanced at Xu Hao, and with a signal from him, she continued.
“Well, I knew Xu Hao wasn’t a good person, but I didn’t expect him to be this wicked.”
The room was thick with a murderous aura.
Li Kun, who had relaxed briefly after his confession, tensed up once again. “I… I’ve told you everything. Can you let me go now?”
“Don’t worry. While what you said is true, without evidence, no one will believe it. Xu Hao’s supporters will defend him no matter what.”
The soldier smiled darkly, her true intentions now clear.
“You’ve been with Xu Hao for a long time. Surely, you must’ve kept some insurance for yourself. Hand over all the evidence you have against him.”
Li Kun hesitated. The evidence he had on Xu Hao was his last line of defense, something he had planned to use if things ever went south.
The soldier pressed on.
“What’s wrong? Don’t want to give it to us? Or are you worried we’ll kill you after?”
“Don’t worry about that. I swear, as long as you hand over the evidence, we won’t harm you. In fact, I’ll even help you escape abroad. Surely, you don’t think you can stay by Xu Hao’s side after this, do you?”
Li Kun shook his head. If he was freed, he’d immediately flee the country with his family.
“In that case, why are you holding onto the evidence? You’re planning to run anyway. Give it to us, and we’ll handle Xu Hao. You can live peacefully.”
The soldier’s voice was filled with temptation. “Give us the evidence, and you’ll be free. Refuse, and you’ll face a terrible fate, both from us and Xu Hao.”
Li Kun faced two paths—betrayal or death. The choice was obvious.
Li Kun had revealed the truth about Xu Hao’s crimes, and it was clear that he wasn’t someone who would stay loyal to the end. Clenching his teeth, he disclosed the location of the criminal evidence in a hidden room.
“Are you sure you only stored it in the safe in the secret room? Could there be more evidence, like on a computer hard drive or something else?”
“To bring down someone as powerful as Xu Hao, with a net worth of billions, one piece of evidence won’t be enough. You need solid proof.” The dead soldier questioned him.
Li Kun sighed in defeat. He had hoped that revealing one piece of evidence would be enough to secure his release. But now, he realized he couldn’t hold anything back. So, he admitted there was another piece of evidence, stored on a USB drive.
Xu Hao, sitting in the chair nearby, couldn’t help but smirk. As he had suspected, Li Kun had more hidden away. Over the past few days, Xu Hao had already discovered Li Kun’s secret base and located the evidence in the safe. He had only pressed him again out of caution, and now, the USB drive was out in the open as well.
Although the USB might seem small and insignificant, in the hands of the “destiny protagonists” — people looking for his downfall — they would undoubtedly find the evidence if it remained hidden. Now that Li Kun had confessed everything, Xu Hao could destroy it all, ensuring no one could ever touch him. He handled matters with dead soldiers, guaranteeing absolute confidentiality.
“Is there anything else besides the safe and the USB drive?” The dead soldier’s tone grew colder, his eyes narrowing.
“No, I swear! It’s just those two, and both copies contain the same information!” Li Kun quickly replied, fear filling his voice.
“Are you sure?” The dead soldier twisted his wrist, plunging a dagger into Li Kun’s shoulder. Li Kun screamed in pain, shocked by the sudden violence.
Trembling, he gritted his teeth and repeated firmly, “No more! I swear on my life, if I’m hiding anything else, may I die a horrible death!”
The dead soldier paused for a moment. “Wait here. I’m going to confirm.” He took out his phone and dialed a number, speaking to someone positioned near Li Kun’s hidden room.
After a brief conversation, the voice on the other end confirmed, “We’ve found everything in the safe and the USB drive.”
Li Kun froze. Something was off. He had only just told these kidnappers about the location of the evidence. How could they already be in his secret room?
“You really do deserve a bad end.” A cold voice remarked.
Suddenly, the hood covering Li Kun’s head was ripped off, and he found himself face-to-face with Xu Hao, who sat calmly in front of him, revealing a playful expression.