Chapter 417: A Calculated Seduction and a Broken Protagonist
"Brother Shen, I'll get you some soup."
Xu Ruoshui, in Xu Ruoxue's body, stood up shakily, seemingly a bit tipsy. Her fair cheeks were flushed with a beautiful crimson, making her lovely eyes all the more intoxicating.
Xu Ruoshui swayed as she walked, the hem of her designer dress whispering against the plush carpet. Each step seemed a delicate battle against gravity, a performance of charming vulnerability. Then, as she drew near Shen Anyu's side, her delicate body suddenly tilted, her steps faltering in a single, dramatic stumble. With a soft, almost inaudible gasp, she fell forward, directly toward Shen Anyu.
Shen Anyu's eyes, sharp and clear, watched the entire display with a placid amusement. He raised an eyebrow, a minute gesture that betrayed his inner thoughts. With his reaction speed, a dozen options flashed through his mind in a nanosecond. He could sidestep her with effortless grace, leaving her to catch herself. He could extend a hand to steady her, playing the part of a concerned gentleman. But why should he move away? Why deny himself such a pleasant delivery?
This was a gift, beautifully wrapped and presenting itself directly to him.
Still, a flicker of curiosity ignited within him. 'What is this clever woman, Xu Ruoshui, truly after? This act is too deliberate, too perfect.' He knew she was far from drunk; her eyes, though glazed for show, held a sharp, calculating glint that a truly inebriated person could never muster.
The next moment, his thoughts were interrupted by the sensation of a soft, fragrant body collapsing into his embrace. The impact was gentle, yet the warmth of her was immediate and absolute. A wave of expensive floral perfume, mingled with the sweet, fruity notes of the premium red wine, washed over him. Shen Anyu felt a sense of profound refreshment and ease spread through him. He wrapped an arm around her waist, securing her against his chest, his expression shifting into one of perfect, gentle kindness. He leaned in, his voice a low, concerned murmur near her ear.
"Ruoxue, you didn't fall, did you?"
Her body was a delightful contrast against his own—her yielding softness pressing against the hard, tailored lines of his suit. He could feel the delicate trembling she was feigning, the slight hitch in her breath as she settled against him.
"Nope, I didn't fall," Xu Ruoshui purred, her voice a melody of sweet, gentle affection. Her jade-like arm, slender and smooth, draped itself over Shen Anyu's shoulder, her fingers lightly brushing the nape of his neck. "Brother Shen is so nice."
The touch sent a pleasant shiver through him, but his mind remained as cold and clear as ice. He was playing his part, but he was also the sole audience member who knew this was all a meticulously crafted play.
Across the table, the real Xu Ruoxue, trapped in her sister's body, felt her world tilt on its axis. Her beautiful eyes were stretched wide, pools of shimmering shock, bewilderment, and utter disbelief. The wine glass in her hand felt impossibly heavy, her knuckles white as she gripped the stem.
Watching her sister, wearing her own face, throw herself so brazenly into Shen Anyu's arms, shattered Xu Ruoxue's composure into a million pieces.
'What… what is happening?!' Her mind screamed, the question echoing in a silent, panicked void.
The sight of her own cool, familiar features twisted into an expression of such sweet, coquettish affection was profoundly disturbing. It was like watching a stranger hijack her life. Goosebumps erupted across her arms, a nauseating cocktail of secondhand embarrassment and a sharp, unfamiliar sting of annoyance.
'What is Sister Ruoshui doing?! Has she completely lost her mind?'
Could she really be drunk? Had the wine finally eroded her legendary self-control, causing her to abandon their entire scheme and act on her own impulses? But that made no sense. Why would she do it while in her body? It was a violation, a bizarre and intimate betrayal that left Xu Ruoxue's mind in a complete and utter mess. Her thoughts raced, tumbling over one another in a frantic, incoherent jumble, leaving her paralyzed in her seat.
Blinded by her own internal chaos, she failed to notice the fleeting, triumphant smile that flashed in her sister's eyes—a glint of victory visible only to the man holding her.
In reality, Xu Ruoshui was perfectly sober. Years of navigating the treacherous currents of the business world, of toasting clients and competitors alike, had forged an ironclad alcohol tolerance. That, combined with the formidable constitution of Xu Ruoxue's Martial Arts Grandmaster body, meant that a few glasses of wine were little more than flavored water to her.
She was feigning drunkenness, and it was all part of a larger, more personal gambit.
With her sharp intelligence and keen observational skills, Xu Ruoshui had spent the evening probing and testing. And the results were conclusive: her stoic, martial-arts-obsessed younger sister harbored a deep, unspoken admiration for Shen Anyu. It was more than just respect; it was a burgeoning affection that Xu Ruoxue herself was either too proud or too oblivious to admit.
'Alright, Ruoxue, my dear little sister,' Xu Ruoshui thought, nestling herself more comfortably against Shen Anyu's chest, savoring the warmth and the solid feel of his muscles beneath the fabric of his shirt. 'I was genuinely worried about your future happiness, about you being alone forever. But I never expected you to start eyeing your own sister's man. If you're brave enough to make the first move, even subconsciously, then don't blame me for retaliating. A disobedient sister needs to be taught a lesson.'
This wasn't just a punishment; it was a masterclass.
The surrounding waiters, all impeccably trained, immediately lowered their heads, their gazes fixed on the floor. They had seen nothing, heard nothing. To look upon the private affairs of a guest like Shen Anyu was to invite ruin.
But there was one person who saw everything.
From his secluded corner, Long Hao's eyes were locked on the scene, his chopsticks frozen midway to his mouth. He saw the way "Xu Ruoxue" stumbled. He saw the subtle, predatory smile that graced her lips just before she fell. He saw it all with horrifying clarity.
'Something's wrong,' his mind reeled, a cold dread seeping into his bones. 'This is very, very wrong. That woman is smiling; she's not drunk. She's… she's actively trying to steal her own sister's man?'
The realization struck him like a physical blow, knocking the air from his lungs. It was a revelation so bizarre, so contrary to the laws of his universe, that it felt like his brain was short-circuiting.
This single event shocked him enough to last a hundred years.
In the memories of his previous life, Xu Ruoxue was an icon of icy aloofness. As the head of the Blood Skull Mercenary Group's intelligence hall, she was a figure of mystique and untouchable pride. She was cold, distant, and notoriously difficult to approach.
And the man who had tried was none other than Chu Yun, the infamous leader of the Blood Skull Mercenary Group. Known as the Asura Demon King, a future powerhouse who would achieve the world of Heavenly Human Unity, Chu Yun was a peerless simp when it came to Xu Ruoxue.
The tales of his pursuit were legendary. He had orchestrated grand, ostentatious confession ceremonies—endless seas of roses that filled entire city squares, swarms of balloons that blotted out the sky. He had spared no expense, no effort, no spectacle to win her heart.
But until Long Hao's rebirth, a full two and a half years into Chu Yun's relentless campaign, he had not succeeded. Xu Ruoxue had remained unmoved. The situation had become such a running joke in the underworld that people had started online betting pools, guessing how many hundreds of confessions it would take for the Asura Demon King to finally win over his ice queen. The person who started the bet reportedly vanished after Chu Yun paid him a personal, offline visit, scaring him half to death.
And now? That Xu Ruoxue—the slow-to-warm-up, reserved, and fiercely independent woman from his memories—was behaving like this? Enthusiastic? Actively affectionate? Throwing herself into another man's arms and openly confessing with her actions?
'Crazy,' Long Hao's mind whispered, the word echoing with growing hysteria. 'She's gone crazy. This entire world has gone stark-raving mad!'
His carefully constructed understanding of the future, the very foundation of his confidence, began to crack. The people, the events, the relationships—they were all diverging from the path he knew. This wasn't a minor deviation; this was a fundamental corruption of the timeline. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as a terrifying thought took root. What else had changed? What other certainties had Shen Anyu warped and destroyed?
The future was no longer a script he could read. It was a chaotic, unpredictable storm, and he was lost in the middle of it. His greatest advantage, his knowledge of what was to come, was turning to ash before his very eyes.
[Ding! Child of Destiny Long Hao doubts life, losing some confidence in controlling the future. Plundered +66666 Destiny Points!]
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