Invincible Dad

With Ruan Tang's words, the room temperature suddenly plummeted.

Xu Lai said with a headache, "I only have one daughter, Yiyi…"

"Then where did this other child in our house come from?"

"It's Yun Jin, Taotie's…"

As Xu Lai was pondering how to explain, Ruan Tang relaxed. "Oh, his sister. That's fine then."

Ruan Tang walked to the vanity to tie up her hair and said casually, "Was it Yiyi who dragged her over to play? That little girl is getting to be quite a handful."

"How did you know?" Xu Lai exclaimed in surprise.

"A lucky guess."

"Impressive, honey."

"No matter how impressive I am, didn't I still fall for you?" Ruan Tang shot him a playful look, looking utterly charming and alluring.

Xu Lai smiled. "When we both like each other, how can you call it getting caught? That's called fate."

It was Saturday.

After breakfast, Ruan Tang had no work scheduled, so she started tidying up the house. She'd heard from Yiyi that she was inviting Mao Dou, Qian Xiao, and a few other kids over to play.

Although Haitang Court was very clean—after the staff from Above the White Clouds left yesterday, Xu Lai had simply waved his hand and the entire villa became spotless—Ruan Tang still tied on an apron and began to clean. A hairpin held up her lustrous hair, and with fine beads of sweat on her forehead, she was the very image of a gentle and devoted wife.

Xu Lai didn't just stand by and watch; he joined her in the chores. It was an ordinary morning, but for them, it felt exceptionally warm and cozy. Especially when their eyes met, the tenderness in Ruan Tang's gaze always left Xu Lai mesmerized.

"How can you be so beautiful?" Xu Lai marveled.

"Flatterer."

With a light laugh, Ruan Tang lifted her chin. "Xu Lai, wipe the top of the bookshelf for me, I can't reach it."

"Okay."

Xu Lai nodded, but instead of getting a cloth, he wrapped his hands around Ruan Tang's waist and lifted her to sit on his shoulders.

Normally, when Xu Lai lifted their daughter like that, Ruan Tang thought it was a sweet display of fatherly affection. Now, however, she found the gesture strangely flirtatious! Besides, their two little girls, Yiyi and Yun Jin, were watching from behind them.

Blushing, Ruan Tang stammered, "You... put me down!"

"Is it clean?"

"There's no dust, it's very clean!"

"Alright then."

Only then did Xu Lai put her down. "Tell me if there's anywhere else you can't reach."

"...I can just stand on a chair myself!"

As the couple chatted, the house intercom buzzed.

Ruan Tang answered it. "Xu Lai, Mount Haitang security is on the line. They say a woman named Yuan Man is at the foot of the mountain and has been waiting for you."

Although she didn't ask, her eyes were filled with curiosity, silently asking, *Who is that?*

"I'll go see her."

Xu Lai stood up and ambled down the mountain. The weather was beautiful today, sunny with a gentle breeze, so Mount Haitang was crowded with tourists enjoying the scenery.

Yuan Man, standing at the foot of the mountain, had attracted a lot of men trying to hit on her. This drew the attention of the security guards, who approached to ask what was going on, only to learn she was waiting for Xu Lai. Thinking she was a guest of a Haitang Court resident, the head of security had hurriedly called up, afraid to show any disrespect.

* * *

"Beautiful lady, care to join me for a drink by the sea?"

"There's a new seafood restaurant on the beach, the eel there is amazing. Would you grace me with your presence?"

"..."

Many men had surrounded Yuan Man, making no effort to hide the desire in their eyes.

Yuan Man, who had remained expressionless, suddenly smiled.

In that instant, the biting sea wind seemed to turn as warm as a spring breeze, a warmth that intoxicated the hearts of the men around her.

A peerless beauty! I must have her!

Just as several of the wooing gentlemen were preparing to press their advances, they saw the woman walk up to a stranger and say with joy and respect, "Senior Xu, you've finally agreed to see me."

"You've been waiting all night. State your business," Xu Lai said dismissively.

What? The beauty waited all night for you, and you're just showing up now?!

A few self-important suitors sneered and began to lecture him. "Have you no manners? Making a woman wait like that, you scumbag!"

Xu Lai frowned at Yuan Man, who quickly waved her hands. "I don't know these cockroaches, please don't misunderstand."

Then, her pretty face turned icy as she snapped, "Scram!"

BOOM!

One moment she was as warm as a spring breeze, but the next, she was as cold as the biting winter. An inexplicable terror seized them; they felt that if they didn't leave immediately, their lives would be in danger. The group, scared out of their wits, scrambled to get away.

"State your business. I'll only give you three minutes," Xu Lai said, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the waves rolling in the distance.

"Mr. Xu, I and a few other Demon Kings have discovered a tomb and would like to invite you to explore it with us," Yuan Man said respectfully. "That tomb is protected by an incredibly strong formation. With your strength, I'm certain you could bypass it with ease. We can split the treasure inside five ways."

Although the matter of the Dragon Vein of Mount Fu had been suppressed by the Hua Country Martial Dao Association, with the credit given to Li Sanbai, Yuan Man knew the truth. It was Xu Lai's doing! Her intuition was inexplicable, but she believed it without a doubt. That was why Xu Lai was the first person she thought of when she ran into trouble.

"Not interested."

"...Huh?"

Yuan Man was momentarily stunned. She hurriedly added, "The tomb belonged to a powerful human expert of unfathomable strength, suspected to be an ancient Cultivator who had stepped onto the Immortal Path. The treasures inside must be countless!"

Xu Lai was genuinely not interested. A Phantom Beast had once tried to trade a Quasi-Emperor's Tomb for its life, only to be eaten. The Faceless Demon had likewise tried to trade a Quasi-Emperor's Tomb for its freedom and was now imprisoned in the Soul Candle, enduring endless torture. He had little interest in robbing graves.

"Anything else?" Xu Lai asked flatly.

"N-no, nothing else," Yuan Man stammered.

"Then please be on your way."

Xu Lai turned and started walking back up the mountain.

Yuan Man had been hoping to build a better connection with Xu Lai, but his cold attitude left her feeling unwilling to give up.

She cupped her fist and bowed respectfully. "Senior Xu, are you angry because I let that man in the black robe go yesterday?"

"No."

"Then why did you make me wait all night, only to refuse my request today?" Yuan Man asked, biting her lip in confusion.

Xu Lai stopped walking, a faint, unreadable smile on his face. "Are you questioning me?"

THUD!

An invisible pressure crashed down on her, and Yuan Man's heart began to race. She quickly bowed low, cold sweat beading on her forehead. "No, that's not what I meant, Senior Xu. Please don't take offense."

"Go back to Sea City and stay there. Some opportunities are beyond what someone at your Boundary can touch." Xu Lai gave Yuan Man a profound look.

Yuan Man was drenched in cold sweat. She was suddenly struck by a terrifying realization—under his gaze, she felt completely transparent, as if she had no secrets from him.

Yuan Man didn't begin to recover her composure until Xu Lai was far in the distance. She stared at Mount Haitang in silence for a long time before finally choosing to return to the sea. As for the tomb... she decided to painfully give up on it, planning to leave it for the other three Demon Kings to explore on their own.

But Yuan Man didn't know that her sudden decision had just saved her life.