At the restaurant entrance, the cold wind carried the bustle of the street, blowing away the last trace of discomfort. Yet the doubts in Gu Siqing’s heart remained. Standing beside the black sedan, she turned to look back.
Qin Xiao stood where he was, the dim yellow streetlamp casting a long shadow that outlined his tall and straight figure. His expression was composed, as if the embarrassing scene that would top the imperial capital’s social circle’s annual awkward moments list had nothing to do with him.
“Today…” Gu Siqing paused, choosing her words carefully. “Thank you.”
Qin Xiao turned his head, his gaze calm. The corners of his lips curved into just the right arc—neither distant nor overly warm. “It was nothing.”
Gu Siqing fell silent. She studied Qin Xiao’s eyes, which usually carried a cool sense of distance, now filled with inquiry. This man was shrouded in a fog, making him impossible to read. Was Ye Chen’s sudden loss of control just a coincidence? Countless questions swirled in her mind, but in the end, she asked nothing. Some things were better left unknown.
She gave a slight nod and opened the car door. “I’ll be going now.”
“Drive safely.”
Qin Xiao watched as the black sedan merged into traffic, its taillights disappearing into the night. The gentle smile on his face faded quickly, his gaze returning to its usual depth and composure.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has successfully interfered with an important plot point, significantly altering key figure Gu Siqing’s initial impression of the Child of Destiny, Ye Chen. Judged as an effective action. Plundered 1,500 points of destiny luck value!]
In his mind, Yun Yiyi’s voice exploded like firecrackers, brimming with incredulous excitement.
[Host! Host! One thousand five hundred points! We really hit the jackpot this time! We’re rich!]
[Detected that the current destiny luck value balance is sufficient to meet special permission activation conditions! Congratulations, Host. You can now choose to refresh and obtain a top-tier—Prism-level system! Do you want to try it now? Prism-level, wow!]
Prism-level? Qin Xiao’s brow moved imperceptibly. An unexpected gain. That earlier “biochemical attack” had been wildly effective.
The ringtone of his phone broke the night’s quiet. The screen displayed two characters: “Ruoyan.” A trace of warmth melted the coldness in his eyes. He swiped to answer. “Hello?”
On the other end came Qin Ruoyan’s lively voice. “Brother! Where are you right now?!”
“Just finished dinner, heading back. What’s going on?” Qin Xiao’s voice unconsciously softened, a stark contrast to the tone he had used with Gu Siqing.
“Ah, Dad and Mom want you home right away! It’s urgent—like the world’s on fire urgent!” Qin Ruoyan’s tone was exaggerated, laced with deliberate mystery.
Home? Urgent? Qin Xiao’s brows twitched slightly. He instantly realized what this was about. A certain cliché plot from the original novel surfaced in his mind. If he remembered correctly, it concerned the fiancée he had never met, whose engagement existed only in words yet had been forced upon him by his family.
Tch. Trouble. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“I understand. I’ll be right back.” He suppressed his impatience and replied calmly.
Hanging up, Qin Xiao slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. The black sedan disappeared into the night, heading toward the Qin family estate.
The Qin family estate was brightly lit. The crystal chandelier shone brilliantly, but the oppressive air lingered. Qin Xiao stepped into the entryway and immediately sensed something was off.
On the main sofa sat his father, Qin Xiangjun, upright with a dark expression that could drip water. In his hands, he was slowly stroking a brown leather belt. Under the light, the buckle gleamed coldly.
Qin Xiao’s eyes twitched slightly. Well now, the prop was ready. Exactly like the original plot—tonight was going to be a full-on domestic showdown.
“You still know how to come home?!” Qin Xiangjun slammed the belt onto the redwood coffee table with a sharp “Pa!” that echoed in the quiet living room. He looked up, his gaze sharp as lightning, locking on Qin Xiao.
“Father.” Qin Xiao walked forward with an unruffled expression, as if the dangerous belt in plain sight didn’t exist.
“I’m asking you!” Qin Xiangjun shot to his feet, striding up to him and nearly jabbing a finger at his nose. His voice rose with anger. “The Su family’s arrangement! Why didn’t you go?! I told you to pick up the Su family’s young lady from the airport—where did you go instead?!”
“The matter with the Su family isn’t resolved yet, and you go and provoke the Gu family! You even clashed with that Ye Chen! Do you think the Qin family’s current situation isn’t bad enough? Or do you think my old bones can still hold it all together?!”
His voice grew more agitated, his chest heaving. Lifting his hand, he grabbed the belt from the table, clearly ready to use it.
“Father, let’s talk about this calmly.” Qin Xiao’s tone was still steady, his gaze resting on the belt swinging in midair. It seemed words alone wouldn’t solve this. He spoke to Yun Yiyi in his mind, “Refresh the system—Prism-level.”
[Got it, Host! Connecting you to the top-permission system library… zzz… connection successful! Refreshing Prism-level system…]
[Ding! Prism-level system—three choices!]
[Option 1: Prism-level · Words Shape Reality (Beginner Experience Version): Temporarily grants the user the power to make their words impose compulsory rules, highly effective on targets with mental or willpower lower than the Host’s, but each use consumes a large amount of mental energy and may cause temporary mental fatigue.]
[Option 2: Prism-level · Causality Adjustment (Micro-Tune): Allows the user to choose a recently occurred independent event and make a very slight, unpredictable change to its causal chain.]
[Option 3: Prism-level · Absolute Persuasion (Negotiation Expert): Grants the Host extraordinary negotiation skills and a powerful persuasion aura, enabling acute perception of the target’s psychological weaknesses, core needs, and emotional shifts, guiding the conversation toward the desired outcome, and greatly increasing persuasion success rate for ten minutes.]
Qin Xiao’s gaze lingered on the third option for less than half a second before deciding. This one.
[Prism-level · Absolute Persuasion (Negotiation Expert) activated!]
A strange, indescribable power enveloped him, as if from a higher dimension. His eyes seemed deeper, able to pierce into the deepest recesses of a person’s mind. The corners of his lips curved into a confident, controlling smile.
Facing his father’s raised belt, Qin Xiao didn’t flinch. Instead, he stepped forward and spoke slowly. The belt stopped mid-swing, just short of his nose. Qin Xiangjun’s arm was taut, veins bulging. Find the original chapter at novelping dot com.
“Father, please calm down first. The Su family engagement was set in Grandpa’s generation. What era is this? Arranged marriage? Do you think it’s suitable now? Even if we keep the old promise, would the Su family agree willingly? A forced union is never sweet—you know that better than I do.”
“As for the Gu family…” His tone shifted naturally, drawing the conversation toward another angle. “Think about it—Beijing’s waters are growing murkier. Should the Qin family remain aloof and wait to be devoured, or should we take the initiative to find more reliable, stronger allies?”
“The Gu family’s influence in politics—can that hot-headed, short-sighted Ye Chen compare? After the humiliation he suffered in front of Gu Siqing today, do you think the Gu family would bet their future on such an impulsive man?”
“I went to see Gu Siqing not to stir trouble, but to test the Gu family’s attitude. I was laying the groundwork for the Qin family’s next move. And from the looks of it, the results… may be even better than expected.”
His voice was steady, magnetic, each word landing precisely on his father’s key points. He didn’t refute directly but instead framed his actions as strategic planning for the family’s benefit.
The belt in Qin Xiangjun’s hand froze in midair. The fury on his face slowly faded, replaced by shock and contemplation. He stared at his son as though seeing him for the first time. When had this boy become so eloquent? And… damn it, he made some sense.
The tense silence was broken by a gentle yet authoritative voice from the stairs. “Xiangjun, the child just got home. Can’t you speak calmly? All this shouting and threats—what does it look like?”
Qin Xiao’s mother, Lin Wan, descended in an elegant cheongsam. Near fifty, well-maintained, she carried a graceful, dignified air. She shot Qin Xiangjun a reproachful glance before turning to Qin Xiao, her voice soft but resolute.
“Xiao’er, I know you have your own ideas, and I believe you’re not the kind to fool around. But no matter the reason, breaking an agreement is wrong. The Su family has been disrespected, their face lost. This can’t be brushed aside.”
“Here’s what you’ll do,” she said more gently, walking to his side and patting his arm in a soothing manner. “Tomorrow, you’ll personally go to the Su family to apologize. Be sincere, be humble. Do you understand?”
Apologize in person? Qin Xiao’s mind stirred. He let a trace of reluctance show on his face, as though he wanted to refuse but didn’t dare defy his mother.
Just then, Yun Yiyi’s voice sounded again, excited. [Host! Important intel! Based on my urgent data analysis—there’s a 93.7% chance that Ye Chen is at the Su family right now, working as a security guard! And this is the highest-paying of his twelve security jobs!]
Twelve security jobs? Did the Dragon King Hall’s young master, king of mercenaries, have a fetish for collecting uniforms?
If Ye Chen was at the Su family, then this so-called “apology trip” just got more interesting. It was the perfect chance to meet the second female lead of the original novel—the sultry, bold, and passionate Su Wanying.
“You’re right, Mother.” Qin Xiao instantly composed himself. The reluctance vanished, replaced by a well-behaved, earnest demeanor. “I acted without thinking. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go to the Su family myself, apologize properly to Miss Su and her parents, and make sure the Qin family isn’t seen as disrespectful.”
His words were flawless, his sincerity impeccable, making it seem as if the eloquent, sharp-minded man from moments ago was someone else entirely.
Qin Xiangjun and Lin Wan exchanged surprised looks. Even Qin Xiangjun, ready for a physical confrontation, didn’t know how to react now.
“As long as you understand.” Lin Wan finally smiled with satisfaction. “Go rest now. Tomorrow, prepare well—don’t let anything go wrong.”
“Yes, Mother.” Qin Xiao nodded obediently, turning toward the stairs, the corners of his lips curling into a meaningful smile.