Chapter 164: One Step to the Stomach? Little Lolita's Development is Foul! Calculating Her Mother:
Yu Yun, her daughter, and Xu Hao sat together like a family of three. Little Lolita picked food for Xu Hao, selecting dishes her mother was best at preparing. Watching Xu Hao eat, Xiaotian eagerly asked, "Uncle, how does it taste?"
She wanted to pair her mother with Xu Hao and had to make sure he liked her. Despite her mother's bad temper, her cooking skills were top-notch.
Xu Hao didn't disappoint her. "Delicious," he praised.
"If you like it, eat more," Xiaotian said happily.
On the other hand, Luo Yan, sitting opposite them, felt ignored.
Just as he picked up his chopsticks, Xiaotian grabbed the dish he liked and placed it in Xu Hao's bowl, completely disregarding him.
Her treatment of Xu Hao like a father left Luo Yan feeling bitter.
Yu Yun couldn't take it anymore and glared at her daughter. "Can you let me eat properly?" she scolded, then turned to Xu Hao apologetically. "I'm sorry, Mr. Xu. The little girl is too ignorant."
Xu Hao smiled. "I think it's fine. Xiaotian, don't worry about me, eat your food."
"Okay," the little girl replied obediently and playfully stuck her tongue out at her mother.
Yu Yun gritted her teeth and thought about how to deal with her later. Then, she brought out a bottle of Moutai from the wine rack. She rarely drank, but since Xu Hao was visiting, wine was necessary. Pouring a glass for both Xu Hao and herself, she was about to pour for Luo Yan when Xiaotian interjected.
"Mom, I want some too..."
"What kind of wine should a child drink?" Yu Yun said firmly.
"Why can adults drink but I can't?" the little girl pouted.
"Drinking affects children's development..." Yu Yun trailed off as she glanced at her daughter's surprisingly mature figure. She sighed and added, "Children won't grow taller if they drink, and you'll get drunk after one sip. If you end up confused, I won't take care of you."
Hearing this, the little girl gave up the idea of drinking, but a mischievous thought entered her mind. If she could get both her mom and uncle drunk, wouldn't that bring them closer?
She glared at Luo Yan, blaming him for ruining her plans.
Luo Yan, noticing her angry gaze, felt confused.
Just as Yu Yun was about to pour wine for him, Xiaotian quickly snatched his glass and handed it to him. "Mom, why pour for him? He has hands."
Luo Yan was dumbfounded.
When her mom poured for Xu Hao, she didn't object. But for him, she insisted he pour for himself?
Yu Yun sighed and said, "Xiao Yan, pour it yourself. I'll get Xiaotian some juice."
She brought a bottle of milk for her daughter, leaving Luo Yan feeling dejected. He silently poured himself a drink and downed it in frustration.
"Mr. Xu, I toast to you. Thank you for saving Xiaotian..." Yu Yun raised her glass.
Xiaotian joined in with her milk, while Luo Yan pretended not to notice.
He refused to toast Xu Hao.
Xu Hao clinked glasses with mother and daughter, and they enjoyed a lively meal together. Meanwhile, Luo Yan sat in discomfort, watching the warm scene.
After dinner, Xu Hao played with the little Lolita while Luo Yan watched angrily from the side. It seemed like Xu Hao was the real family member, while he was just an outsider.
[Ding! Luo Yan is furious, emotional points +892.]
Yu Yun came out after cleaning up, serving tea to Xu Hao. They chatted, their relationship warming slightly. However, despite the friendly atmosphere, Xu Hao knew it wasn't easy to win over the Queen of Law. He had to start with her daughter.
Compared to her mother, the little Lolita was easier to deal with... but was it too soon?
Would it backfire?
(In the afternoon)
Xu Hao left for other matters. The little girl was reluctant to see him go but felt better after he promised to visit often.
Xu Hao left, but Luo Yan stayed, determined to warn his aunt about Xu Hao. He knew Xu Hao's real intentions.
Taking a deep breath, Luo Yan said seriously, "Aunt..."
Yu Yun, sipping tea, looked up in surprise. "What is it?"
"Do you really know Xu Hao?" he asked cautiously.
Xiaotian, who was eavesdropping, perked up her ears. She already felt Luo Yan had no good intentions.
Yu Yun, puzzled, thought for a moment and replied, "He's a business legend, has great insight, and is kind and helpful... That's what I think after interacting with him."
Hearing her mother praise Xu Hao, Xiaotian smiled proudly. Luo Yan, however, was troubled by her words. His aunt had been deceived.
"Aunt, these are just appearances. Don't be fooled," he said in a low voice.
Yu Yun frowned slightly, while Xiaotian clenched her fists, glaring at Luo Yan.
Luo Yan continued, "You know the female police officer with him that night? They have an affair. When I was taken to the police station, Xu Hao took her to an office and... well, they messed around, then had me locked in a dark room."
"I was tortured with electric shocks and whipping for two days and nights!"
"Xu Hao already has a family, yet he's messing around with women half his age."
"I have no personal grudge against him, yet he targeted me. Aunt, do you really think he has good intentions? His target is you and Xiaotian!"
Luo Yan sighed after speaking his piece, feeling a bit relieved. It was no wonder people liked to gossip—it felt cathartic.
The little Lolita, however, had a different reaction. She snickered. "Two days and two nights? Why not longer?"
Luo Yan almost choked. "I'm warning you about Xu Hao, and you're gloating over my suffering?"
Xiaotian ignored him, lost in thought
. Could uncle really have bad intentions toward her and her mom?
But Uncle was so handsome and treated her well. She had no objections. As for her mother... she needed to be convinced.
If only she could get her mom drunk... then maybe...
As a lawyer, Yu Yun always required evidence. She wouldn’t simply believe others' words. Xu Hao seemed gentle, elegant, and easy-going—nothing like those hypocritical types. But was it true? Luo Yan might have the answer.
Yu Yun glanced at Luo Yan and asked lightly, "You said you were tortured for two days and two nights. Do you have any evidence?"
Luo Yan hesitated. The electric shocks had only paralyzed him temporarily, and his strong physique meant that the whippings left no visible marks. Embarrassed, he said, "I have a good physique, so there were no injuries..."
For the first time, Luo Yan felt that having a good physique was not always beneficial. He had suffered, yet there was no proof. The electric shocks were bearable, but being whipped by minor officers was humiliating. He was sure Xu Hao had orchestrated it.
The little Lolita suddenly laughed. "You said you were whipped, but there's no mark on your body? Do you expect anyone to believe that?"
"I know you're jealous of Uncle, but can you come up with a better excuse? You're just being a clown," she said mockingly.
Luo Yan was speechless.
In front of Xu Hao, the little girl was sweet and obedient, but in front of him, she was sharp-tongued and merciless.
He looked at Yu Yun, hoping she would believe him, but she only seemed more skeptical.
"What I said is true! If you don't believe me, call that female police officer and ask if she has an ambiguous relationship with Xu Hao!" Luo Yan insisted.
Just then, Yu Yun’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen and raised her eyebrows. Speak of the devil—her good friend Liu Yiran was calling. She answered.
"Sister Yu, are you busy?" Liu Yiran’s crisp voice came through.
"I just wrapped up work yesterday. What's up?" Yu Yun asked.
"I wanted to ask when you're free for afternoon tea."
Yu Yun took the opportunity to probe. "Yiran, I heard something... Can I ask you about it?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Are you and Mr. Xu... in an ambiguous relationship?" Yu Yun asked tentatively.
Liu Yiran burst into laughter. "Sister Yu, where did you hear that nonsense? Mr. Xu is fifty years old! I'm the same age as his daughter. How is that possible?"
"Who told you that? Give me their name, and I'll have them arrested!" Liu Yiran said angrily.
Yu Yun was momentarily speechless.
She should have realized it earlier—there was too much of an age gap. Plus, she knew Liu Yiran’s upright character. It was impossible.
"There's another thing," Yu Yun continued. "Did you really lock Luo Yan up for two days and torture him?"
Liu Yiran’s tone turned serious. "Yes, we detained him for two days, but we never tortured him. Sister Yu, you know how strong he is. He took down an entire gang single-handedly."
"There were dozens of thugs with weapons, but he defeated them all, striking with precision and ruthlessness. If he hadn't held back, they would have died. His methods made us suspect he was from the dark world abroad."
"We interrogated him but treated him well. We couldn't torture him even if we wanted to—it’s against the rules. Also, you should be careful. I suspect he has a dark background."
Hearing this, Yu Yun instinctively moved closer to her daughter and glanced warily at Luo Yan. She had handled several cases involving dangerous people from the dark world before.
Luo Yan, overhearing their conversation, felt as if a thousand horses were running through his mind. He had hoped Liu Yiran would confirm his claims, but instead, she painted him as the suspicious one.
Seeing Yu Yun's wary expression, Luo Yan panicked. "Aunt, she's lying! She and Xu Hao are in on this together. They won't admit it..."
Yu Yun cut him off. "Then tell me, what exactly did you do abroad all these years?"
Luo Yan was at a loss for words.
Yu Yun sighed and said coldly, "I have work to do. If there's nothing else, please leave."
Realizing he couldn't change her mind, Luo Yan left in defeat.
…
Meanwhile, Xu Hao arrived at the school to visit Wang Xueying, his daughter's beautiful teacher. In the office, Chen Hao was asking for help with a foreign language lesson when suddenly, a familiar face barged in—Xia Qingge, a former student.
The long-awaited meeting between the teacher and student had finally arrived.