Inside the spacious living room of the villa, Tang Hao, Jiang Wan, and Bai Xiaoxi each occupied their own space. Jiang Wan's words caused Tang Hao to reassess his identity and clarify his responsibilities.
"Tang Hao, what are you still standing there daydreaming for? Hurry up and clear the dining table." A trace of dissatisfaction colored Jiang Wan's tone.
Without a word of complaint, Tang Hao immediately got up and headed toward the dining room. Faced with a table full of leftovers, a wave of regret washed over him, and he couldn't resist sitting back down to taste the delicious dishes once more.
Meanwhile, Jiang Wan and Bai Xiaoxi turned on the television to watch a workplace reality show, enjoying the fruits and desserts prepared in the refrigerator. As the two of them were engrossed in the show, they suddenly remembered that Tang Hao was still in the dining room, and curiosity drove them to go and take a look.
When they walked into the dining room, the scene before them left them utterly astonished: the table full of food had vanished without a trace, replaced entirely by rows of empty plates.
"Did you... eat all of this?" Jiang Wan and Bai Xiaoxi asked in unison, their tones filled with disbelief.
Tang Hao let out a hearty burp, leaned back in his chair, and said with satisfaction, "These dishes were really good, I'm so full!"
Jiang Wan helplessly pressed a hand to her forehead and said, "You really are a bottomless pit. Alright, hurry up and clear the dishes!"
Following orders, Tang Hao quickly gathered the tableware and washed them clean in the sink. Meanwhile, marveling at Tang Hao's massive appetite, Jiang Wan and Bai Xiaoxi went back to the living room to continue watching television.
Having finished cleaning up, Tang Hao returned to the living room once more. Jiang Wan told him that there was nothing else for him to do at the moment and instructed him to go tidy up his own room. His room was a guest room located right next to the stairs on the first floor.
Tang Hao walked into the room carrying his luggage, and once everything was settled, the living room returned to its quiet atmosphere.
Elsewhere, Li Ming, the young master of the Li Family, returned to his family estate.
The estate covered a vast expanse of lush greenery, dotted with diverse vegetation and meticulously designed rockeries that resembled a naturally carved landscape. Every time he stepped onto this land, Li Ming felt an indescribable sense of comfort and tranquility.
Right now, however, Li Ming's face was etched with fury. Earlier today, he had taken two bodyguards to Jiangshan Group, originally intending to use heavy-handed tactics to force her into submission, only for someone to crash the party midway and ruin his plan. It was a bitter pill he simply could not swallow.
Passing through the verdant corridor, Li Ming and his bodyguards arrived at the estate's grand hall. The place was bustling with activity, and several servants immediately rushed forward at the sight of them.
"The young master is back!" the servants greeted him one after another.
Just then, a poised and imposing man descended the stairs. Dressed in a crisp suit and wearing exquisite glasses, every gesture he made exuded an air of refined elegance. This man was none other than Li Ming, Li Shuo's older brother.
Although Li Ming and Li Shuo were brothers, their personalities were worlds apart. Li Ming was steady and reserved, held a master's degree, and already managed a portion of the family's businesses, making him an elite in the business world. Li Shuo, on the other hand, was idle and wayward, frequently leveraging the family background to stir up trouble everywhere.
"Li Shuo, did you go provoke Jiang Wan again?" Li Ming asked with a frown. "How many times have I told you, she isn't someone you can afford to mess with. Instead of wasting time on these pointless things, you should focus on bettering yourself and managing the company's affairs properly. In the future, you'll naturally meet someone better than her."
Clutching his aching face, Li Shuo put on a miserable act of excruciating pain and complained to his older brother, "Brother, are you even my real brother? You're actually taking the outsider's side! Do you have any idea? She hired a bodyguard, and that bodyguard actually hit me—even my two bodyguards were beaten by him."
Seeing the wretched state of his younger brother and the bodyguards, Li Ming couldn't help but frown. "What's going on? Both of your bodyguards are experts at the Ming Energy level; how could they possibly lose to him? Could it be that the person she hired is truly a master?"
"Yeah, Brother, you have to help me get payback for this," Li Shuo said urgently.
After a moment of contemplation, Li Ming said, "Fine, you guys go rest. I'll notify Second Uncle to go test the waters and see just how formidable that bodyguard really is. If even Second Uncle can't handle him, then none of you are to provoke him ever again. Otherwise, next time, you probably won't be coming back this easily."
Hearing Li Ming's words loud and clear, they nodded one after another, indicating that they understood.
The Second Uncle Li Ming spoke of was a martial arts expert possessing exceptional skills, far surpassing the two bodyguards Li Shuo had brought along. Therefore, Li Ming placed high hopes on him, believing he would be able to probe Tang Hao's true strength.
Li Ming dialed Second Uncle's number, and a weathered male voice came from the other end of the line: "Young Master Li, is something the matter?"
"Second Uncle, I'd like to ask for your help to investigate the situation at the villa where Jiang Wan, the female CEO of Jiangshui Group, lives. You don't need to take any action; just observe the strength of the new bodyguard in secret and report back to me," Li Ming said with unwavering firmness.
Without asking any further questions, Second Uncle immediately agreed and then hung up the phone. It seemed he was already preparing to set off.
Meanwhile, back at Jiang Wan's villa, the two girls were engrossed in a television program, completely unaware of the impending danger. After watching for over two hours, sleepiness overtook them; they turned off the TV and headed up the stairs.
After washing up and changing into comfortable pajamas, the two of them entered the exquisitely decorated bedroom, collapsed onto the soft, oversized bed, and drifted off toward dreamland.
However, just as she lay down, Jiang Wan suddenly remembered something. There wasn't just the two of them in the villa anymore—there was a third person present. Might he pull something in the middle of the night?
"Xiaoxi, don't go to sleep yet. That Tang Hao is still a hidden hazard. Hurry downstairs and see what he's up to," Jiang Wan said, pushing Bai Xiaoxi awake with a hint of anxiety in her tone.
Bai Xiaoxi shook her head lightly in an attempt to pacify Jiang Wan's worries. "Relax, from what I've observed, he doesn't seem like a bad guy. I believe he won't do anything to hurt us." Even as she said this, her heart fluttered with a certain degree of unease.
Jiang Wan wasn't so easily reassured. "How can you be certain? Bad guys don't walk around with 'I am a bad guy' written on their foreheads. Go take a look anyway; what are we going to do if something actually happens?" Her tone was laced with anxiety.
Bai Xiaoxi was somewhat swayed by the argument, but she still tried to remain calm. "Alright, alright, I'll go check right now." Wearing her pajamas and slippers, she carefully crept downstairs.
She tried her best to control the sound of her footsteps so as not to alert Tang Hao, slowly making her way toward his room. The light in Tang Hao's room was still on; through the crack in the door, she could see him seemingly busy inside.
Gently grasping the doorknob, Bai Xiaoxi pushed it open just a crack. She crept inside quietly, only to find Tang Hao with his back turned to her, intently focused on his suitcase.
"What... what are you doing in here instead of sleeping?" Bai Xiaoxi asked curiously as she approached, tapping Tang Hao lightly on the shoulder.
Yet the sight before her left her utterly dumbfounded. At the bottom of Tang Hao's suitcase, beneath his clothes, lay an array of sharp metal objects that looked chillingly like instruments of torture.
"Ah!" Bai Xiaoxi shrieked in terror, her voice echoing through the villa.
Hearing the sound, Tang Hao stood up instantly and quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. "Hush! Keep it down, you'll wake the others." His voice was low and powerful.
Bai Xiaoxi could only emit muffled whimpers, utterly unable to break free from Tang Hao's grip. After a moment, seeing that she had gradually calmed down, Tang Hao finally released his hand.
At that moment, a spike of alertness pierced through Tang Hao. He quickly swept his senses across the surroundings of the villa. Sure enough, he detected a peculiar trace of energy—someone was watching them from the shadows.
"Careful, someone's outside!" he warned instantly in a stern voice. However, that energy signature quickly dissipated, as if the intruder had already departed.
The entire villa returned to stillness once more, but both Bai Xiaoxi and Tang Hao knew that hidden beneath this quiet night lay secrets yet unknown.