Chapter 113: Sleepless Night! Comrade-in-Arms Visits! Brother Calls Midway:
Li Xiao had another sleepless night.
This time, he didn’t waste hours waiting outside the hotel and instead stumbled home in a daze.
At home, he overheard his sister praising Xu Hao’s excellence at the company, with his parents nodding in agreement. The conversation only deepened his exhaustion.
Desperate for rest, Li Xiao tried to take a nap and forget about the events of the previous night. But the harder he tried to block out the image of his sister-in-law with Xu Hao, the more vivid it became.
Tossing and turning, sleep eluded him entirely.
By morning, Li Xiao emerged from his sleepless night with dark circles under his eyes. Dragging himself out of bed, he planned to find Chu Xiaotian, his usual charge.
As for taking his sister-in-law to the company? Forget it. He figured she was still “recovering” from her night with Xu Hao.
Frustrated, he muttered to himself, “Xu Hao, you’re not even human. I know you’re strong, but can’t you have some restraint? Maybe give my sister-in-law a moment to breathe?”
Just as he was leaving, his phone buzzed, its ringtone breaking the silence.
Glancing at the screen, he saw it was his eldest brother, Chu Xiong. Any hope of resting vanished instantly as he braced himself.
Li Xiao answered the call, his heart sinking as Chu Xiong’s deep voice rang out.
“Xiao Xiao, have you picked up Xin Rui? I’m at the company, but she’s not here.”
Panic gripped Li Xiao.
The eldest brother went to the company?
He had planned to lie about taking his sister-in-law to the company, but now he had to improvise quickly.
Thinking fast, Li Xiao composed himself. “Brother, I was just about to tell you. Sister-in-law isn’t feeling well today. Her sprained foot from two days ago seems to have worsened. She said she’d take a day off to rest at home.”
Li Xiao inwardly cringed.
Last night, when Xu Hao and his sister-in-law left the hotel, she certainly didn’t look like someone with a sprained foot. This time, it might be worse, he thought sarcastically.
“What? Xin Rui’s sprained foot has gotten worse?” Chu Xiong asked, his voice laced with concern. “Is it serious? I’ll head over right away.”
Li Xiao froze. Come over? What if he catches his wife chatting casually or—worse—if the truth comes out?
Although briefly flustered, Li Xiao quickly regained his composure.
He knew his eldest brother’s character well, thanks to reading the novel. Chu Xiong didn’t genuinely care about his wife but maintained appearances for outsiders. As long as he convinced Chu Xiong that Xin Rui wasn’t out in public or at a hospital, he could avoid disaster.
“Brother, there’s no need to worry. Sister-in-law is fine,” Li Xiao reassured him. “She asked me to buy some bruise medicine. I suggested going to the hospital, but she said it wasn’t necessary and that applying some medicinal wine would suffice.”
Chu Xiong hesitated for a moment. “If it’s nothing serious, I won’t come over. Stay home and take care of her. If her condition worsens, take her to the hospital and notify me immediately.”
With that, the call ended, leaving Li Xiao standing in stunned silence, the wind blowing around him.
He stared at his phone, his expression torn between frustration and disbelief.
“This eldest brother of mine... He trusts me too much. Why would he leave his wife in my care so casually? Aren’t you worried about ending up with a green hat on your head?”
If not for Xu Hao, Li Xiao might have been overjoyed to stay with his sister-in-law. But now, he couldn’t even see her. He knew exactly where she was—in that damn love hotel with Xu Hao. The thought enraged him.
“Damn it! My sister-in-law was mine. Xu Hao stole her!”
…
Meanwhile, on the other end, Chu Xiong hung up on Li Xiao and immediately called his wife, Yao Xinrui. The line rang several times without an answer.
“She must be busy applying medicine,” Chu Xiong thought, frowning slightly. He called again, repeatedly, until she finally picked up. Her voice sounded strained, almost unnatural.
“I heard from Xiao Xiao that your sprained foot has gotten worse. How are you now? Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?” Chu Xiong asked, his tone perfunctory.
After exchanging a few words with her husband, Yao Xinrui hung up and turned back to Xu Hao, her eyes filled with resentment.
Xu Hao, seated comfortably, merely responded with a playful smile.
[Ding! Yao Xinrui is so ashamed. Emotional points +963...]
…
Later that afternoon, Li Xiao arrived at the love hotel, waiting outside for over an hour. When his sister-in-law and Xu Hao finally emerged, his worst fears were confirmed.
Yao Xinrui’s face looked more conflicted than ever, her brows furrowed in frustration and shame.
[Ding! Li Xiao is heartbroken. Emotional points +987...]
[Ding! Li Xiao’s mentality has collapsed. Emotional points +999...]
Li Xiao, standing there with his pale, defeated expression, watched the two walk away. His heart ached with fury and helplessness. Inside, he could only scream silently. “Damn it, Xu Hao!”
…
Xu Hao decided it was time to accelerate his plans with Yao Xinrui. Things were progressing smoothly, and the protagonist, Li Xiao, was already struggling to keep up.
After just two days, Yao Xinrui seemed to have fully recovered from her "injury," so Xu Hao planned another rendezvous. However, a piece of unexpected news changed his plans.
The message he received revealed that Yao Xinrui had gone to the Late Autumn Beauty Salon, owned by Su Wanqiu, his wife and the protagonist’s stunning stepmother.
Xu Hao couldn't suppress a smirk. “Tsk tsk... now this is interesting.”
He quickly instructed Bai Ling to prepare the car.
With a grin, he muttered, “Didn’t Su Wanqiu always say she wanted someone to share her burdens? Looks like her comrade is here now. Time to charge ahead together.”
Meanwhile, Li Xiao was driving Yao Xinrui to the beauty salon. As they approached, his attention was captured by a striking figure standing at the entrance. The woman exuded maturity and elegance, her professional attire enhancing her intellectual charm. Her tender skin seemed to glow, giving her an aura of sophistication that rivaled even Yao Xinrui’s beauty. In fact, Li Xiao thought she might be even more stunning.
He was so mesmerized that he nearly crashed into a tree, slamming on the brakes just in time. The sudden stop jolted Yao Xinrui in the back seat, almost causing her to fall.
Glaring at him coldly, Yao Xinrui’s disgust was evident. She couldn’t stand this man—her nominal husband’s confidant—who had stooped to working for Xu Hao. The fact that he had taken her to a hotel and even ensured she was dressed up for Xu Hao still burned in her mind.
“What’s the matter? Can’t even drive properly? I’ll do it myself,” she snapped, opening the car door before he could respond.
“Sister-in-law, I’m sorry...” Li Xiao started, but Yao Xinrui didn’t bother to listen.
She slammed the car door and strode towards the woman at the salon entrance, her bag in hand.
The woman, Su Wanqiu, stepped forward with a warm smile. “Xinrui, it’s been so hard to get you to meet me. I’m glad you’re finally here.” She opened her arms for a hug, her enthusiasm contagious.
Despite her foul mood, Yao Xinrui felt slightly better seeing her good friend. She returned the hug, their embrace a rare moment of genuine connection. Both women, mature and stunning, shared a camaraderie that spoke volumes.
Su Wanqiu’s warmth dispelled some of Yao Xinrui’s earlier gloom. Pulling her along, she teased, “What have you been busy with? You don’t even reply to my messages anymore.”
In the distance, Li Xiao watched in awe. “My sister-in-law knows this elegant, mature woman? And they seem so close?” He stared as they walked inside, still processing the scene.
Li Xiao had never seen this woman mentioned in the novel. Yao Xinrui had always been portrayed as aloof, avoiding men and leading a solitary life. Friends or besties were unheard of. His curiosity grew.
“Is she a heroine? Even if she’s not, she’s more beautiful than most heroines. I can’t miss this chance,” Li Xiao thought, quickening his pace to follow them.
However, as he reached the salon’s door, two burly security guards stopped him.
“What’s going on?” Li Xiao frowned.
“This is a women-only beauty salon. Men are not allowed inside,” one of the guards said firmly.
Li Xiao bristled. “Who made that rule? I’m a customer. Why can’t I go in?”
“Late Autumn Beauty Salon is strictly for female members. Men are not permitted, not even as customers,” the guard explained with a patient but unyielding tone.
Li Xiao’s frustration peaked as he watched the two stunning women disappear inside.
Feeling helpless, he tried to reason with the guards. “I’m her driver and bodyguard. I need to make sure she’s safe.”
The guards exchanged amused glances before chuckling. “Safe? Do you even know where you are? This place is owned by Xu Hao’s wife, Su Wanqiu. Security here is first-class. No one dares to cause trouble.”
The guards weren’t entirely wrong.
Xu Hao had arranged for a few of his elite bodyguards to discreetly oversee the salon, ensuring its impeccable reputation and safety. Even so, Li Xiao refused to give up.
“The rules are the rules,” one guard said with finality. “You can wait outside or use the lounge we’ve set up for visitors.”
Defeated, Li Xiao could do nothing but stay behind, his frustration bubbling over as he glared at the salon entrance. Inside, the two beautiful women disappeared into the heart of the establishment, leaving him to stew in his growing resentment.
The security guards refused to let Li Xiao in, leaving him both helpless and irritated. He couldn’t shake the image of the stunning, mature woman and felt disappointed that he had to wait for another chance to see her. Still, he decided to gather some information in advance.
Thinking quickly, Li Xiao pulled out a box of high-end "He Tian Xia" cigarettes and offered them to the security guards. “I’m sorry, brothers. I didn’t understand the rules earlier. Have a smoke and relax...”
The security guards, however, refused. “No smoking during work,” one of them said curtly.
Li Xiao froze mid-motion, embarrassed, and pulled the cigarettes back. These weren’t ordinary security guards. Hired by Xu Hao to protect the Late Autumn Beauty Salon, they were former special forces with discipline and professionalism.
Seeing that Li Xiao was at least trying to be polite, their stern expressions softened a bit, but they still eyed him warily.
Determined to build some rapport, Li Xiao decided to try his luck. “That woman who was waiting at the door earlier—she’s gorgeous. Honestly, she’s even more stunning than my sister-in-law. Do you know who she is?” He spoke in a conspiratorial tone, hoping to bond over shared admiration.
The moment he finished, he noticed the security guards’ expressions change. Their gazes turned icy, and one of them spoke coldly. “That’s our boss’s wife.”
Li Xiao’s jaw dropped. “What? The boss’s wife?” He had assumed she was just another customer, like Yao Xinrui. No wonder the guards had been so harsh toward him earlier.
Another guard stepped forward, his voice full of disdain. “Boy, our boss’s wife is not someone you can talk about casually. How dare you?”
The group of security guards exuded an intimidating presence, their hostility making it clear that if Li Xiao didn’t leave immediately, things could escalate.
“Uh... I’m really sorry. I didn’t know she was your boss’s wife,” Li Xiao stammered, his face flushing with embarrassment.
The guards didn’t respond, their cold stares unrelenting.
While Li Xiao wasn’t afraid—after all, he was in the mid-stage of Bright Strength and could easily overpower them—he decided it wasn’t worth the trouble. Muttering under his breath, he retreated to a nearby tree and waited.
As he stood there fuming, a familiar voice cut through the air.
“Xiao Xiao.”
Li Xiao turned sharply, his heart sinking as he saw Xu Hao approaching. His expression darkened immediately. “What the hell is he doing here?”
It was no coincidence. Every time Li Xiao brought his sister-in-law somewhere, Xu Hao always showed up. He didn’t believe for a second that this was unplanned.
“Are you a devil, Xu Hao?” Li Xiao thought angrily. “My sister-in-law has barely rested for two days, and here you are again. Can’t you give her a break? Aren’t you worried about wearing yourself out with all these late nights?”
Xu Hao greeted him with an infuriatingly calm smile. “What a coincidence. Why are you out here alone? Is my sister-in-law inside? I’ll just head in and check on her.”
Ignoring Li Xiao’s sour expression, Xu Hao strolled confidently toward the salon entrance.
[Ding! Li Xiao is filled with resentment. Emotional value +678...]
Li Xiao crossed his arms, leaning back against the tree as he prepared to enjoy the show. “Let’s see how you handle this, Xu Hao. Men aren’t allowed inside. You’re about to hit a wall.”
But what happened next left him speechless.
The security guards who had been so hostile to him moments ago saluted Xu Hao with respect before stepping aside and opening the door. Xu Hao walked into the women-only salon with ease, as if it were his personal domain.
What the f**k?
Li Xiao felt his blood boil. Why was Xu Hao allowed in while he was turned away? Was this blatant favoritism?
There was no doubt in Li Xiao’s mind that Xu Hao was here to see his sister-in-law.
Worse, he realized that his sister-in-law and the salon owner, Su Wanqiu, were together. If Xu Hao saw the two women, he’d undoubtedly make a move. Li Xiao needed to intervene.
He ran to the entrance, only to be stopped once again by the security guards. Their murderous gazes pinned him in place.
“Why can he go in and I can’t?” Li Xiao demanded angrily. “This is discrimination! Do you think I won’t expose you for this?”
One of the guards glanced at him, unimpressed. “That’s our boss. Of course he can go in. And you? Who do you think you are?”
Li Xiao was left standing outside, seething with frustration as the guards resumed their posts, effectively shutting him out.