At The Beginning Of The Novel, The Villain Forced The Protagonist’s Step-Mom To Bear His Children

Luo Yan charged forward for love, speeding all the way to the Xu family's doorstep.

Just as he was about to rush inside, his footsteps suddenly halted.

There were guards at the entrance, at the peak of the Mingjin stage.

Before, a mere Mingjin peak would have been nothing to him, easily crushed with a flip of his hand.

But now, his strength was sealed.

With his combat experience, he could handle early or mid-stage Mingjin fighters without issue.

But a Mingjin peak? No chance.

Better to assess the situation first.

Luo Yan moved to the side wall.

His guess that Yan Wumei had come to find Xu Hao was just that—a guess.

He wasn't sure she was really here.

With a few light steps, he scaled the wall and peered toward the training area where he had once seen Xu Hao teaching Yan Wumei.

The next second, his eyes bulged.

His balance wavered, nearly sending him tumbling down.

He had guessed right.

Yan Wumei was indeed at the Xu residence.

And right now, Xu Hao was teaching her—hand in hand.

Luo Yan's face darkened to the extreme.

Compared to ten days ago, Xu Hao and Yan Wumei were even more intimate.

Luo Yan could already imagine it. Yan Wumei, desperate to escape the siege of two major factions, sought Xu Hao to improve her strength…

Only to be harassed by him.

Luo Yan felt suffocated.

If only he had been there when the Red Rose was in trouble.

He would never have allowed this to happen.

This was all Xu Hao's fault.

He wanted to punch him so hard he'd be bedridden for life.

The hatred in his heart surged like an endless river.

Xu Hao's senses were extremely sharp.

The moment Luo Yan scaled the wall, he noticed.

Not just him, but also the hidden members of Wuxiang lying in wait.

They didn't reveal themselves only because Xu Hao had ordered otherwise.

The Xu family villa was his stronghold.

With several daughters living inside, security was airtight.

Anyone who trespassed would meet a dead end.

Xu Hao's lips curled slightly.

Such a perfect opportunity to farm emotional points—he wouldn't miss it.

Yan Wumei soon sensed something was off.

She couldn't tell if Xu Hao was doing it on purpose or not.

But given their closeness, this level of intimacy was nothing.

She continued training seriously.

To her, it was no big deal.

But Luo Yan, watching from the shadows, was furious.

What the hell are you touching while teaching her?!

Harassment—this is outright harassment!

Luo Yan knew Xu Hao was using the guise of teaching to take advantage of Yan Wumei.

But he never expected him to be this bold—

Daring to grope her in broad daylight.

And for some reason, Yan Wumei didn't react at all.

Luo Yan came up with an explanation for her:

She was too desperate to improve her strength.

Thinking that enduring this would help her resolve the Red Rose's crisis.

Luo Yan seethed in silence.

If only he could use his full strength, he'd wipe out the Green Dragon Hall and the Tyrant Gang himself.

But now…

All he could do was watch as Yan Wumei was bullied, powerless to stop it.

Confront Xu Hao?

He'd be lucky to survive another punch.

It would be pointless.

The only option was to wait until Yan Wumei finished today's training.

Once she left the Xu residence, he'd persuade her to stop coming to Xu Hao.

Before, he had at least been somewhat restrained.

Now, he was openly harassing her—

Testing her boundaries step by step.

If this continued, what next?

[Ding… Luo Yan is furious. Emotional Points +741…][Ding… Luo Yan is enraged. Emotional Points +654…]

Yan Wumei was lost in thought when Xu Hao suddenly spoke.

"Wumei… I need a favor."

As usual, she nodded and followed him into the villa.

"Do this… and that…"

Under Yan Wumei's bewildered gaze, Xu Hao leaned in and whispered into her ear.

The fading blush on her face instantly returned, spreading across her fox-like features.

Outside—

Luo Yan clung to the wall, watching as Xu Hao and Yan Wumei entered the villa and didn't come out.

What the hell are they doing in there?!

The thought of Xu Hao leading Yan Wumei inside made Luo Yan's face alternate between green and white.

His fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned pale.

A deep sense of dread rose in his chest.

Finally—

Just as Luo Yan was about to lose his mind and charge into the villa—

Xu Hao and Yan Wumei emerged.

Yan Wumei acted completely natural…

No different from before.

But Luo Yan's sharp eyes caught the subtle change—

Her clothes were slightly disheveled compared to when she had entered.

Buzz—

Luo Yan's mind went blank.

He had thought Xu Hao was the one harassing her, that she was being forced.

But now, it seemed she had been cooperating all along.

Their relationship had already progressed this far.

The clues pointed to one conclusion.

He could even picture the scene—

Xu Hao and Yan Wumei together…

How could this happen?

Luo Yan stood frozen.

Ten days ago, Yan Wumei had been visibly uncomfortable when Xu Hao held her during training.

Now, they were this close?

What the hell changed in just ten days?!

It felt like the world had turned upside down while he was recovering.

The only consolation was—

Yan Wumei's gait showed no signs of… that.

They hadn't crossed the final line yet.

There was still a chance to salvage this.

A glimmer of hope rose in Luo Yan's heart.

He couldn't wait for the day to end—he needed to talk to Yan Wumei and get answers.

[Ding… Luo Yan's mentality collapses. Emotional Points +852…]

Meanwhile, as Xu Hao and Yan Wumei walked out—

They ran straight into Xu Feiyan, who had just finished her own training, her forehead glistening with sweat.

Seeing the two emerge from the villa, she tilted her head.

"Dad, Sis Yan, where were you? I couldn't find you earlier."

Yan Wumei's expression flickered.

After all, she had just been with her best friend's father.

Now facing her, she felt… strange.

"Sis Yan, are you okay? You look a little off…"

Xu Feiyan stared at her curiously.

Yan Wumei floundered, but Xu Hao smoothly stepped in.

"Wumei was a bit hungry, so I took her inside for a snack."

Xu Feiyan rolled her eyes at Yan Wumei.

So what if you sneaked a bite to eat? Why so embarrassed?

But now that snacks were mentioned, she felt a craving too.

Grabbing Xu Hao's arm, she pouted.

"Dad, you're so biased! You treated Sis Yan but not me!"

Innocent as her words were, Yan Wumei's mind went somewhere else entirely.

She shuddered at the mental image.

Too scandalous—can't unsee.

Xu Hao patted his fifth daughter's head and chuckled.

"Sorry, it's all gone. Sis Yan finished everything."

Yan Wumei's face twitched.

Discussing this in front of her best friend—

Even someone as bold as her felt awkward.

"Ugh, Dad! You let Sis Yan have it all? I want some too!"

Xu Feiyan tugged at his sleeve, whining.

"Alright, alright. Next time, okay?"

Xu Hao couldn't resist his daughter's pout.

If she wanted it, how could he refuse?

"Fine…"

Xu Feiyan stuck out her tongue.

"Next time you have something tasty, call me first! I want to hog it all!"

She shot a triumphant look at Yan Wumei, as if proving her bond with Xu Hao was stronger.

Noticing Yan Wumei's odd expression, she frowned.

What's with that face?

Thinking of food reminded Xu Hao of the items he had just obtained from the system draw—

Something that could slightly boost strength.

Useless for him at the Huajin stage, but perfect for his daughter and Yan Wumei.

His daughter was family—destined to be his ally.

As for Yan Wumei, if he wanted to win her over, he needed to strengthen her first.

So he turned to Xu Feiyan.

"No more snacks, but I have something else."

"Yes! Gimme!"

Xu Feiyan perked up instantly, her earlier jealousy forgotten.

Yan Wumei's eyes widened.

No way. Is he really going to?

You're her dad!

But then, under her stunned gaze, Xu Hao magically produced two small treats.

He handed one to Xu Feiyan.

"Huh?"

Yan Wumei froze.

Oh. So it's just actual food.

She facepalmed.

What the hell was I even imagining?

Just as Yan Wumei was silently scolding herself for having such inappropriate thoughts…

Xu Hao handed the snack to her.

Yan Wumei blankly accepted it.

"Wow—"

A gasp of surprise came from beside her.

Xu Feiyan's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"This is amazing!"

She cheered, clutching her own snack.

Yan Wumei was stunned.

Was her reaction really necessary?

But as she took a bite herself—

Her eyes lit up in an instant.

It was incredible—

Far better than any snack she'd ever tasted before.

"Sis Yan… what are you doing?"

A sudden voice beside her made Yan Wumei jump.

She turned to see Xu Feiyan standing right next to her, staring with a weird expression.

Yan Wumei froze—

Then flushed with embarrassment.

She hadn't realized she'd been so… enthusiastic in front of her best friend.

Quickly composing herself, she forced a calm tone.

"What's so strange about it? I'm just eating it the right way."

"You're the one doing it wrong…"

"Really?"

Xu Feiyan looked skeptical but tried mimicking her.

A second later, her eyes widened in delight.

It actually worked!

But now, Yan Wumei had dug herself into a hole.

Every lie required a dozen more to cover it up.

To keep Xu Feiyan convinced, she had to double down on her act…

Meanwhile, on the wall—

Luo Yan, still clinging to the sidelines, caught Yan Wumei's entire performance.

His body stiffened.

A realization struck him like lightning.

Something had felt off about Xu Hao and Yan Wumei's relationship—

And now, he finally understood why.

The mental image that followed made his heart shatter.

Life suddenly lost all meaning.

Yan Wumei… how could you stoop to this?

You were the Queen of the underground world!

The untouchable goddess who coldly rejected countless suitors!

The revered leader of the Red Rose!

And yet here you are, with Xu Hao of all people—

[Ding… Luo Yan is consumed by hatred. Emotional Points +987…][Ding… Luo Yan's mind is in turmoil. Emotional Points +963…]

Back to the snacks—

After finishing theirs, Yan Wumei and Xu Feiyan felt a warm, comforting energy spread through their bodies.

Soon, they noticed something unusual.

Xu Feiyan's bottleneck at mid-stage Anjin was loosening.

Yan Wumei, too, sensed her power rising.

Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Dad! Dad! I feel stronger—was it because of the snack?"

"This is incredible!"

"Uncle Xu, my foundation feels more stable too. How?"

Four sparkling eyes locked onto Xu Hao, brimming with hope and curiosity.

Xu Hao grinned and spun a blatant lie.

"Exactly as you guessed. I added some rare medicinal herbs to enhance cultivation."

Neither woman doubted him.

What other explanation could there be?

(Though putting drugs in snacks was a bit odd…)

"Dad… do you have more? I want another!"

"I think a few more could push me to mid-stage Anjin!"

Xu Feiyan clung to his arm, refusing to let go.

Yan Wumei also stared at him eagerly—

Her gaze even more intense than Xu Feiyan's.

This was real power progression.

A few more snacks, and she might break through to peak Anjin—

Enough to crush the two factions threatening her.

She had to get more from Xu Hao.

Even if it meant… spending more time with him.

Gritting her teeth, she made up her mind.

But Xu Hao deliberately teased them, adopting a faux-concerned tone.

"Too much isn't healthy, especially for girls like you."

"Ugh, Dad! I'm an Anjin expert!"

"Since when do snacks hurt cultivators? I've never felt better!"

"Please? Just one more? Love you~!"

Seeing Xu Feiyan resort to sweet-talking, Xu Hao pretended to waver.

Yan Wumei hesitated—then stepped forward, copying Xu Feiyan by grabbing his other arm.

She swayed it gently.

Unlike the younger girl, she knew exactly what she was doing.

(And Xu Hao definitely knew too.)

Summoning her most seductive voice, she cooed—

"Uncle Xu… I want some too~"

She was all in now, shamelessly playing the coquette.

Xu Feiyan's jaw dropped.

Who was this woman?!

Yan Wumei—the fearless Queen of the underworld.

Leader of the Red Rose.

The elegant, untouchable big sister worshipped by countless women.

Sure, in private, she was lazy and carefree, but this? Such sugary sweetness?!

Xu Feiyan rubbed her eyes.

Was she hallucinating?

It took her a full three seconds to accept reality.

Holy hell! Queen Sister is adorable like this!

She stared, mesmerized.

This side of Yan Wumei was rare.

If only she could record it without scaring her off…