NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 86:
Chapter 86: The Disappearing Lipstick! Five-Day Bargain! Neither Will You, Sister-in-Law:
Xu Hao’s eyes lingered on Yao Xinrui’s elegant, mature figure as he waved her over with a sly grin. “Sister-in-law, why are you standing so far away? Come here, let’s talk slowly.” He said.
Yao Xinrui’s heart raced with unease. She had no idea what Xu Hao was planning, but she obediently stepped closer, lips pressed tightly together. As she stood before him, Xu Hao suddenly pulled her down onto the seat next to him.
“Don’t be shy. Sit down and let’s chat…” He said smoothly.
Yao Xinrui froze at the unexpected touch. Since she was young, she had always avoided physical contact with men—her own husband hadn’t even laid a finger on her. Now, feeling Xu Hao’s hand grasping hers, a wave of discomfort surged through her.
[Ding! Yao Xinrui feels disgusted, emotional points +468]
She tried to pull her hand away, but Xu Hao’s grip was firm.
Realizing she couldn’t free herself, she spoke through clenched teeth, suppressing her anger. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m not doing anything,” Xu Hao replied casually, still holding her hand, playing with it. “I just want us to get a little closer. You always keep people at a distance.”
Yao Xinrui’s expression darkened, and she retorted sharply, “I’m Chu Xiong’s wife. Aren’t you afraid of what will happen if he finds out about this?”
Xu Hao chuckled dismissively. “I’m not afraid of him. If you want to tell him, go ahead.” His tone was daring, as if to say, Do whatever you like.
Yao Xinrui felt her fury building.
She knew Xu Hao was right—telling Chu Xiong would lead nowhere. Both Xu Hao and Chu Xiong’s companies were worth billions, and neither man feared the other. Worse, if she told her husband about this, Xu Hao could retaliate by exposing her secret. That would be far worse than anything else.
[Ding! Yao Xinrui’s anger surges, emotional points +684]
Her heart pounded as she took deep breaths, trying to suppress her rising anger. “I never imagined that Mr. Xu, the man known for being so affectionate and devoted, could be so shameless.” she spat.
Xu Hao only smiled, unfazed, as he continued to play with her hand. “Affection? That’s just a persona I created for the public.”
Yao Xinrui was speechless for a moment. She finally gathered herself and asked, “What exactly do you want from me? Name your terms, and I’ll see what I can do.”
After a pause, as if the words pained her, she added, “How much do you want? I could give you 200 million yuan.”
Xu Hao raised an eyebrow, and scoffed, “Money? Do you really think I went through all this trouble just for money? Do you think I’m short a few hundred million?”
For a moment, Yao Xinrui felt panic rise in her chest. She had expected him to ask for money, something she could easily handle. After all, she had embezzled enough to give him even half of what she had. But since he wasn’t after money, what could he possibly want?
“What… what do you want, then?” she asked nervously.
Xu Hao raised his hand, holding up five fingers. “Five times,” he said.
“What do you mean?” Yao Xinrui asked, confused.
“It’s simple,” Xu Hao replied with a smirk. “Spend five nights with me. That’s all I’m asking. In exchange, I promise not to reveal your embezzlement of public funds.”
Yao Xinrui’s eyes widened in shock.
For a moment, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. But as the meaning of his words sank in, she jumped to her feet, only to be pulled back down by Xu Hao.
“Impossible! Don’t even think about it!” she snapped, her voice trembling with fury and disgust.
[Ding! Yao Xinrui is furious, emotional points +782]
Xu Hao, still calm, released her hand and stood up. “Fine. If that’s your decision, there’s no need for further discussion,” he said, turning toward the villa.
Panic gripped Yao Xinrui as she realized the consequences of her refusal. In a moment of desperation, she reached out her hand and grabbed Xu Hao’s arm to stop him from leaving. He smiled knowingly and sat back down, satisfied that everything was falling into place.
“Can’t we change the conditions?” she pleaded.
“No. This is non-negotiable.” Xu Hao said firmly.
Yao Xinrui’s voice shook as she tried to reason with him. “How can you do this? You’re already with Su Wanqiu—doesn’t that matter?”
Xu Hao chuckled. “Su Wanqiu?” he said mockingly. “If I told you that Su Wanqiu wanted to find me a companion and recommended you, would you believe it?”
Yao Xinrui’s mind raced. Could this really be true? Had Su Wanqiu set her up like this?
She recalled their conversation the previous night when Su Wanqiu had asked some odd questions… Could she have been preparing her for this?
How could my own friend do this? Yao Xinrui thought bitterly.
“Have you made up your mind?” Xu Hao asked, interrupting her thoughts. “If you don’t agree, that’s fine. I won’t force you.”
Yao Xinrui’s face twisted with hesitation. She knew there was no way out of this, but she also couldn’t imagine spending five nights with him. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke. “Five times is too many. Could we… reduce it to once?”
Xu Hao gave her a strange look. “Do you think we’re bargaining at the vegetable market?” he asked, his tone amused.
Yao Xinrui’s face flushed with shame and frustration. She gritted her teeth, realizing that she had no choice. “Fine. I’ll agree to your terms,” she said at last. “But after five times, you must promise never to speak of this again.”
Xu Hao smiled, a glint of triumph in his eyes. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice laced with mock sincerity. “I swear on my reputation as CEO of the Xu Group.”
As the full weight of what she had agreed to settled in, Yao Xinrui felt a deep sense of dread and confusion. How had her life come to this?
If Xu Hao had made such a promise before revealing his true nature, Yao Xinrui wouldn’t have believed him for a second. But now, what choice did she have? The secret was already in Xu Hao’s hands. All she could do was hope that he would keep his word.
However, her worry was unnecessary.
To Xu Hao, five nights were more than enough. If he couldn’t win over a woman in five tries, he considered his approach far too weak.
“What? You don’t believe me?” Xu Hao raised an eyebrow, holding out his hand playfully. “Then let’s make a pinky promise.”
Yao Xinrui blinked in confusion. “Aren’t you a bit too old for such childish games?” she said, though before she could stop herself, her hand was already in his.
With a swift motion, Xu Hao pulled her closer into a warm embrace. Yao Xinrui’s eyes widened as his face neared hers, leaving her completely frozen.
[Ding! Yao Xinrui is burning with anger, emotional value +894]
When the two of them returned to the villa, Yao Xinrui didn’t want to raise any suspicions. She insisted that Xu Hao walk ahead of her while she stayed back, straightening her clothes and regaining her composure.
Chu Xiong was sitting at the coffee table, making tea. Seeing Xu Hao return, he smiled and greeted him. “Brother Xu, how did it go? Did Xinrui offer some good insights into the new industry?”
Xu Hao took a cup of tea, sipped it slowly, and pursed his lips. “She certainly has a unique perspective. It was quite enlightening, and it’ll help me avoid many mistakes in the future.”
As Xu Hao spoke, he noticed something amusing—the faint, glowing green light over Chu Xiong’s head. It quickly flickered and disappeared.
Moments later, Yao Xinrui returned, having composed herself. With her appearance seemingly back to normal, neither Chu Xiong nor his son noticed anything out of place. But one person did—Li Xiao, the protagonist.
Li Xiao had been observing Yao Xinrui closely, using his keen senses from his intermediate-stage Bright Strength Realm. He had noticed that Yao Xinrui had lipstick on when she went outside, but now, upon her return, it had disappeared.
And there was more—her clothes had subtle creases that weren’t there before. She had clearly tried to smooth them out, but Li Xiao’s sharp eyes caught the difference.
In his mind, a scene began to unfold: Yao Xinrui and Xu Hao, together, in a compromising position…
Li Xiao felt a chill run down his spine as he realized what might have happened. His eyes widened in disbelief.
Could it be that this beautiful sister-in-law has been secretly involved with Xu Hao for a long time?
But no—according to the novel’s plot, Yao Xinrui had always been pure, keeping her distance from men and even suffering from a fear of men.
But now?
The changes in her appearance and her demeanor toward Xu Hao told a different story. Something had clearly happened between them.
For the first time, Li Xiao felt a sudden sense of panic. Ever since he’d transmigrated into this world, he had approached everything with a sense of superiority, knowing the plot and outcomes. But now, the story had taken a turn he hadn’t expected.
Who was this Xu Hao?
Li Xiao wondered. He wasn’t in the original plot. When the Chu family was destroyed, why hadn’t they sought his help?
He forced himself to stay calm. There was something strange about Xu Hao, and Li Xiao knew he had to figure it out.
As he glanced at Yao Xinrui, her lipstick gone, Chu Xiaotian felt his heart sink. The woman he’d secretly admired seemed to have been taken by someone else, and that someone was Xu Hao, who now sat casually across from them.
“Xu Hao, you’re really something. Calling each other brothers and yet getting involved with your so-called brother’s wife behind his back?” He thought bitterly.
Then, a realization dawned on Li Xiao. Yao Xinrui, with her fear of men, wouldn’t have willingly gotten close to Xu Hao. There was no way. Which meant there was only one possibility—Xu Hao had blackmailed her, forcing her hand.
He could see it in Yao Xinrui’s eyes—the mixture of anger, fear, and humiliation.
Li Xiao clenched his fists tightly. His instinct was to confront Xu Hao, to protect Yao Xinrui from further harm. But when he glanced at Chu Xiong, who was still blissfully unaware and sipping tea, he hesitated. Telling Chu Xiong wouldn’t help. If anything, it would only make things worse for Yao Xinrui.
She’s being threatened, Li Xiao realized. That’s why she hasn’t spoken up.
Taking a deep breath, Li Xiao knew he had to bide his time. Xu Hao might be a billionaire CEO, but that didn’t make him invincible. Someday, he would pay for his actions.
[Ding! Li Xiao is filled with hatred, emotional points +988]
After some more tea and conversation with Chu Xiong, Xu Hao decided it was time to leave. “Thank you for the hospitality, Brother Chu,” he said, standing up. “We’ll have to do this again sometime.”
Chu Xiong, slightly tipsy from the wine, smiled warmly. “Of course, Brother Xu! Let’s have tea together again soon.”
“No problem,” Xu Hao replied, waving as he got into the car. Bai Ling opened the door for him, and they drove off into the night.
As the car sped away, Chu Xiaotian watched with admiration. “Uncle Xu is really something,” he muttered. “He built the Xu Group from scratch and still looks so young at 50…”
As Chu Xiaotian admired Xu Hao, Chu Xiong realized he hadn’t even brought up the potential marriage alliance with Xu Hao. The thought irritated him.
Wasn’t it because his son wasn’t living up to expectations?
He kicked Chu Xiaotian’s leg in frustration.
“I told you to make a good impression on Uncle Xu! If you don’t understand something in the future, you need to be able to ask for help.”
“But Dad, didn’t I behave well? I was toasting Uncle Xu at the dinner table.” Chu Xiaotian muttered, quickly running away to avoid another kick.
Li Xiao, observing the scene, could only shake his head in disbelief.
“Are these people stupid or just clueless? Xu Hao has practically taken over your wife, and here you are, still saying nice things about him?” He thought.
Disgusted, Li Xiao decided to leave and head home.
The Li family lived in an old residential building, their conditions quite average. As soon as Li Xiao reached the door, he overheard his parents talking inside, their voices full of excitement.
“Yunshu, is it true? You got a job at a Fortune 500 company? As the marketing director of Xu Group with an annual salary in the hundreds of thousands?” Father Li exclaimed.
“Wow! This is the good news you wanted to tell us? That’s amazing!” Mother Li added, beaming with pride.
Li Xiao’s parents were thrilled. Even though their son was unreliable and always messing around, at least their daughter was amazing. She excelled in school, and now she had secured a high-ranking position in a top company.
Sipping water calmly, Li Yunshu smiled, clearly pleased with her accomplishment. But while her demeanor was composed, the slight curve of her lips revealed how happy she was.
Li Xiao, stepping inside, caught the end of their conversation. “The Xu Group?” he muttered to himself, frowning.
He walked toward his sister and asked, “Sister, which Xu Group are you talking about?”
“Which one do you think? The one and only—Xu Group, founded by the philanthropic entrepreneur Xu Hao. It’s a company built from scratch, and working for them means a bright future.” Father Li said with admiration.
Mother Li nodded in agreement. “Your sister is doing great! Unlike you, wasting time with those useless friends. You should learn from her.”
Li Xiao’s heart pounded as he processed what they were saying. The name Xu Hao rang in his head, but for all the wrong reasons. Xu Hao—the same man who threatened his own sister-in-law, Yao Xinrui, and had an affair behind his brother’s back. And yet here his family was, praising him like some saint.
He gritted his teeth and turned to his sister. “Sister, you can’t go work at Xu Group.”
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Li Xiao.
The smile vanished from Li Yunshu’s face, replaced by a puzzled frown. “Why not?” she asked, her voice growing cold.
“Xu Hao is a hypocrite. Everyone’s been deceived by his fake persona. Behind closed doors, he’s nothing more than a heartless villain.” Li Xiao said sternly.
Li Xiao went on to explain what he knew about Xu Hao—how he manipulated and preyed on his friends’ wives. With his sister’s beauty and figure, Li Xiao was terrified that she’d become Xu Hao’s next target if she stepped foot in that company.
But before he could say more, Father Li interrupted angrily. “Li Xiao! How dare you say such things? Xu Hao is a philanthropist, always donating to charity and building schools for children. What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Exactly!” Mother Li chimed in. “Xu Hao is an upstanding man. He’s now your sister’s boss, and you’re here badmouthing him? Stop making trouble!”
Li Xiao felt a deep sense of helplessness. His family, like everyone else, was blind to Xu Hao’s true nature. Even now, they were defending him, completely unaware of the monster he really was.
“I don’t want to hear another word of slander against Mr. Xu.” Li Yunshu said firmly, her voice icy.
Her parents, knowing their daughter’s gentle nature, were surprised by her sudden sternness. They quickly tried to calm her down, reassuring her and scolding Li Xiao for his outburst. They urged him to apologize and promise never to speak ill of Xu Hao again.
Li Xiao stood there, feeling the weight of the situation crush him. Li Yunshu was beyond furious. How could her brother accuse Xu Hao, of all people, of such vile things? Xu Hao, who had personally stepped in during her interview to solve the injustice she faced, and had encouraged her with kindness and warmth?
In her mind, Xu Hao was a wonderful boss—approachable, caring, and generous. She would never allow anyone, not even her own brother, to tarnish his name.