Chapter 11: The Male Lead with X-Ray Vision VS Five Female Leads (11)
Even more embarrassing, Fang Manyun remained frozen in place, while the middle-aged man beside her reached out and grabbed her, not lowering his voice, directly saying, “You little vixen, you’re so captivated by a handsome man you can’t move?”
Fang Manyun managed a grimace, an expression even uglier than crying.
If she hadn’t showered Huo Xian with affection and sweet words just hours before being blocked, things wouldn’t have been so awkward.
However, she quickly found an excuse. If Huo Xian, her real boyfriend, hadn’t ignored her calls and messages, hadn’t contacted her, and had even gone so far as to block all her contact information, she wouldn’t have felt lonely. If she hadn’t been lonely, she wouldn’t have sought out an older man.
With this reason, Fang Manyun was no longer embarrassed. She even looked at Huo Xian with the eyes of someone scorned, sarcastically saying, “Mr. Chen, what are you saying? How can those young men compare to you? They’re not as mature and considerate as you.”
[Host, you seem to have been insulted.] The system was also enjoying the show.
[Let her be.] Huo Xian replied, not hurrying to check in but stepping aside to give Mr. Chen and Fang Manyun space.
Mr. Chen comfortably took the best position at the front desk to check in, only to find he couldn’t find his wallet. This was a high-end hotel with strict management; check-in required a matching ID, and only Fang Manyun had hers.
“Did you leave it in the car?” Fang Manyun was also a little speechless.
So Mr. Chen called his driver, but unfortunately, the driver didn’t find his wallet in the car. Unable to check in, they had to go home. As for Fang Manyun, Mr. Chen, whose wife was a formidable woman, wouldn’t dare take her home unless he wanted to face her wrath.
Therefore, Fang Manyun was left behind.
Fang Manyun: …
What bad luck had she encountered today?
“Sir, we only have one room left tonight.” The receptionist looked at Huo Xian, then at Fang Manyun. Somehow, she sensed a connection between them and reminded them.
As soon as she spoke, before Huo Xian could say anything, Fang Manyun said, “I’ll take the room!” She immediately placed her ID on the counter.
Meeting Huo Xian’s gaze, Fang Manyun raised her chin, her fox-like eyes challenging him.
Huo Xian wasn’t captivated by her gaze, but the hotel’s manager was completely charmed, almost losing his bearings. Huo Xian was speechless.
He communicated with the system: [Fang Manyun’s characteristic is that she’s a cunning and seductive woman, right?]
The system hesitated before replying: [Host, you claim to be righteous. Why would you insult someone?]
Huo Xian raised an eyebrow. He thought to himself, I guessed correctly.
Having gained some information, he didn’t linger. After a tiring night, he was still physically and mentally fatigued and needed to find a place to sleep.
“Huo Xian, where are you going?” Unexpectedly, someone wasn’t happy about him leaving.
It was Fang Manyun, but he didn’t stop, as if he hadn’t heard.
However, the more he ignored her, the more persistent she became. The clicking of her high heels quickly caught up to him. It was amazing that Fang Manyun could run so fast in ten-centimeter heels. She stopped Huo Xian before he could leave the hotel.
“Huo Xian, what do you mean?” Fang Manyun demanded, unexpectedly meeting Huo Xian’s emotionless eyes, then realizing a question: Did Huo Xian grow taller? He didn’t seem this tall before.
Huo Xian looked at her with an amused expression. As they stared at each other, Fang Manyun suddenly blushed and lightly punched him, softly saying, “You bad guy, still sulking?”
Huo Xian: …
[Did I look like I was sulking?] Huo Xian asked the system.
System: [Perhaps there’s a kind of sulking where your girlfriend thinks you’re sulking.]
Huo Xian: [….]
As Fang Manyun reached out to pull his scarf up, he suddenly pulled away and took a few steps back. His expression was full of mockery, “Fang Manyun, you’re overestimating yourself.”
Fang Manyun was stunned, then dissatisfied, “What do you mean?”
“Don’t you know what I mean?” Huo Xian’s voice was sharp, a curse word almost slipping out. Aware of the hotel staff nearby, he lowered his voice, “Don’t think you’re some kind of heiress, pretending to be innocent in front of me. Don’t insult the word ‘innocent’.”
Fang Manyun’s face turned pale. The little fondness she had for Huo Xian because of his demeanor instantly vanished. She retorted sarcastically, “I’m not innocent, and what are you, Huo Xian? I only pursued you to tease you. Don’t overestimate yourself either.”
“Since we’re being frank, Fang Manyun, please stay away from me in the future.” Huo Xian raised his chin, looking down at her with disdain.
“Why should I stay away from you? Why don’t you stay away from me?” Fang Manyun retorted.
“Because I know about your ambiguous relationship with Lu Rending. Is that enough?” Huo Xian said clearly.
This single sentence made Fang Manyun’s face change drastically. It wasn’t the previous embarrassment when she saw Huo Xian, nor the ugly expression when she was indirectly scolded by him, but genuine fear. Even as she quickly adjusted her mood and wanted to rebuke him for his lies, he preempted her by stating a time and place. Hearing these words, Fang Manyun’s retort disappeared.
Lu Rending was the man Huo Xian had seen flirting with Fang Manyun the first time he met her. Huo Xian hadn’t retrieved the man’s information from his memory. Later, upon reflection, he realized who he was.
Lu Rending had a special identity; he was a kept man, supported by a wealthy woman. The wealthy woman was a wealthy widow in A City’s high society, possessing billions in assets. Supporting one or two, even five or six, kept men was entirely within her financial capabilities. She was generous to her lovers, but with one condition: they must remain faithful to her throughout the relationship, otherwise, the consequences would be dire.
The wealthy woman had connections to the underworld and had made lovers who cheated on her pay a terrible price. Not only the lovers themselves but also their partners were implicated, losing their hands, feet, and eyes, becoming “human pigs.” Lu Rending was the one who had been with her the longest and was most “favored” by her.
Therefore, Fang Manyun’s change in expression when Huo Xian mentioned “Lu Rending.”
“You have no proof; no one will believe you…” She still refused to admit it.
Huo Xian put his hands in his pockets, his tone nonchalant, “I have some unfortunate news for you. My car has a dashcam, and the footage is clear.”
Fang Manyun immediately pursed her lips, her body trembling unconsciously.
“Are you leaving?” Huo Xian raised his chin again.
Fang Manyun’s fingers trembled slightly, her previously haughty demeanor weakening. She didn’t care if showing weakness made Huo Xian look down on her. In a second, she became pitiful, “I’ll stay far away from Mr. Huo in the future, so can Mr. Huo let me off the hook?”
Huo Xian was amazed by the woman’s speed of changing her expression. Fortunately, he maintained his composure, coldly humming, “It depends on your discretion.”
Actually, his “discretion” was just a casual remark, but it turned out that Fang Manyun was indeed a woman with high emotional intelligence. This was evident in her immediately retrieving her ID from the front desk and giving the only room to Huo Xian.
Huo Xian: …
Huo Xian wondered: [Is this kind of woman really a female lead?]
The system remained silent, pretending to be offline.
…
Whether due to the protagonist’s aura or something else, as soon as Huo Xian entered the elevator, he encountered another “female lead”—Miss Qiao, Qiao Yirong.
Unfortunately, Qiao Yirong was with a male companion. Qiao Yirong’s face was flushed and her expression satisfied. Her companion’s low-necked sweater couldn’t hide the hickey on his neck. It seemed they had just finished something.
[System, I think your choice of female leads is poor.] Huo Xian didn’t wait for the next elevator; entering without changing his expression, he communicated with the system in his mind.
The system remained silent, seemingly frozen.
Qiao Yirong looked at him sideways, her tone lazy, “‘The deal fell through, but the friendship remains’. I remember Mr. Huo said that, didn’t you?”
As soon as she spoke, her male companion immediately looked alert, as if Huo Xian were a rival for his affections.
Huo Xian ignored her.
This “female lead,” like Fang Manyun, became even more persistent when ignored, sarcastically saying, “Mr. Huo, you’re putting on quite an air.”
Huo Xian raised an eyelid, indifferently asking, “Do you have something to say?”
As the precious second Miss Qiao, Qiao Yirong had never been treated so coldly since birth. It was the same at “Moonlight,” and today Huo Xian made her even angrier. But unlike at “Moonlight,” she didn’t directly lose her temper but narrowed her eyes, meaningfully saying, “I heard Mr. Huo and Miss Huo are busy establishing a new company. I wonder if you can successfully make a comeback after filing for bankruptcy and having a history of debt.”
The Qiao family was the leader of A City’s real estate industry, owning most of the city’s properties. The Qiao family was an unshakeable pillar of the real estate industry. Some smaller real estate developers knew they couldn’t compete with the Qiao family and moved to other cities. For a new real estate company to be built in A City, its survival depended solely on the Qiao family’s word.
In other words, Qiao Yirong was using her family’s power to pressure Huo Xian. If Huo Xian was sensible, he should flatter her.
Huo Xian: …
He would remember to check the almanac before going out next time. Why are they all so annoying?
“Ding”—The elevator doors opened, and Huo Xian strode out without looking back.
Qiao Yirong was stunned, then frowned, shouting, “Huo Xian, didn’t you hear what I said?”
Huo Xian heard, but he refused to interact with her, let alone flatter her.
[Host…] The system hesitated.
“Why are you so insistent on starting a company? Isn’t it better to live a wealthy and leisurely life?” Huo Xian seemed to be talking to himself or the system.
System: [Ting En Real Estate is the life’s work of the original owner’s father. Huo Ting and Huo En just don’t want their father’s life’s work to go to waste.]
“So, your father will wake up again, is that it?” Huo Xian asked.
The system paused, silently disappearing.
A faint smile appeared on Huo Xian’s lips.