At The Beginning Of The Novel, The Villain Forced The Protagonist’s Step-Mom To Bear His Children

Chapter 54:

A woman anxiously stepped into a van. 

“Your mission is complete. Here is your reward,” said a burly man in the driver’s seat, turning to toss a bag to her as soon as she got in.

When she opened it, she saw that it was filled with banknotes. 

Xiang Yu’s face flushed with excitement. She hadn’t expected to actually receive money from this group of underworld figures. 

For days, she had been following their instructions, staying close to the young master of the Liu family and provoking the protagonist at every opportunity. 

When Young Master Liu couldn’t defeat Chen Mo, it was she who suggested hiring a killer and provided the address from the dark web.

The plan was to create chaos. 

The killing of the sixth brother of the Brotherhood would serve as the perfect scapegoat, leading to a brutal conflict between the Brotherhood and the Liu family. 

Let the storm hit harder.

Xiang Yu’s eyes gleamed as she quickly stashed the bag away. She turned to the man and, with a trembling voice, said, “Thank…Thank you, brother.”

“You know what to say and what not to say. If you dare to leak any of this, you should know the consequences.”  Old Mo warned coldly.

Though Xiang Yu had played a significant role, her presence was small and easily overlooked. But Old Mo still issued the warning, out of caution. All of this was orchestrated by Xu Hao.

“I understand, I won’t say a word, even if it kills me.” Xiang Yu nodded earnestly.

After she exited the van, Old Mo hit the gas and disappeared into the dense night. 

The night sky was dense with dark clouds, and the air was heavy with a sense of impending doom.

Time passed quickly…

In the blink of an eye, it was the next night, and the battle in the ghetto erupted once again. 

The Brotherhood and the Alliance faced off, but unlike before, it was no longer an even match. It was a complete massacre.

On the Brotherhood’s side, the remaining four brothers had joined the fray, including Chen Mo, the most powerful among them. 

All of them were driven by a burning desire for revenge.

Their eyes were red with fury, each one vowing to avenge Old Liu and make their enemies pay. Although they knew that Old Liu had been killed by a hired assassin, they couldn’t let their adversaries off the hook. To them, Old Liu had died in battle, and those responsible had to die too.

Chen Mo, covered in blood, fought with unparalleled strength. He had never gone to such extremes before, but today was different. Overwhelmed with guilt and self-blame, he broke his own rules. Old Liu’s death weighed heavily on him, and he wanted revenge.

[Ding! Chen Mo feels guilty, his emotional value +786]

[Ding! Chen Mo is furious, his emotional value +867]

In the dark corners of the city, violence and evil unfolded. Meanwhile, the lively and prosperous city center remained unaffected. 

A car pulled out of the Xu family villa. 

Inside, the Xu family was on their way to the Magic City Concert Hall for a concert. 

The event had been heavily promoted for weeks: Edward, a top international piano master, was coming to Shanghai to perform. 

Edward was one of the most renowned figures in the music world, with many famous compositions to his name. 

His arrival in Shanghai had caused a sensation, with music lovers from all over flocking to the city.

The demand for tickets was so high that the concert hall couldn’t accommodate everyone, and ticket prices had skyrocketed, making them hard to come by. Of course, this wasn’t an issue for Xu Hao. A simple order from him, and tickets appeared in his hands.

Xu Hongjiao had returned home not only out of concern for her two younger sisters but also to attend this concert. 

Originally, she had planned to go alone. However, to her surprise, Xu Hao had bought tickets for the entire family. 

She didn’t want to ride in Xu Hao’s car and had asked her two younger sisters to join her in her own vehicle, but they refused without hesitation. 

Xu Shiqing and Xu Huayi were adamant about riding with their dad.

Xu Hongjiao felt a twinge of frustration but was eventually persuaded by her sisters to join them in Xu Hao’s car.

The largest concert hall in Shanghai, usually quiet and sparsely attended, was bustling today. Only those with refined tastes and the luxury of time could truly appreciate the piano. 

But tonight, the concert hall was packed. Many were fans of Edward, the piano master.

People who considered themselves gentlemen walked into the concert hall one by one, dressed impeccably. 

“That’s the chairman of Hongyuan Group. Normally, he’s a recluse, but here he is,” someone whispered.

“And over there, that’s the owner of a seafood chain hotel and his wife. I didn’t expect to see them in Shanghai.”

Many prominent figures, usually seen only on television, were present, a testament to Edward’s influence. 

“I didn’t realize there were so many piano enthusiasts,” a bystander remarked, watching the big names enter the concert hall.

The arrival of Xu Hao’s family caused a stir.

“Oh my god, so many beautiful women. Did you see them?”

“Innocent twin sisters, a mature and sexy lady, and a captivating young woman—there’s something for everyone.”

“That man must be so lucky. Not only did he marry such a beautiful woman, but he’s also got four stunning daughters with him…”

“Haha… Are you from out of town? Don’t you know Xu Hao from the Xu Group? That young, elegant woman is his wife, and the other three are his daughters.”

“What? That man looks like he’s in his 30s, and he already has three daughters?”

“What’s the big deal? All seven daughters of this family are famous beauties.”

The effect of beautiful women is always explosive. The four women in the Xu family were exceptionally rare, each with a unique temperament.

Under the amazed eyes of the crowd, Xu Hao led his family into the concert hall. 

Many people stared after them in shock.

Among the crowd, two individuals stood out. 

One was a beautiful woman who could rival the four women from the Xu family. She wore a purple evening dress, her face delicate and lovely, with light makeup enhancing her features. Her silky hair was pulled into an elegant bun, exuding a noble aura.

Xiao Wanling withdrew her surprised gaze. Her classmate and best friend, Xu Hongjiao, had indeed come, as expected. She wanted to approach and say hello but decided against it upon seeing the whole family together. She would wait until after the concert to catch up.

Not far from her, a young man stood, far less composed. His expression was one of amazement, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Isn’t that Xu Hao, the CEO of the Xu Group? I remember him from when he came to visit after hearing the bad news about my father.” The young man thought to himself.

This man, dressed in street clothes that had faded from too many washes, was Zheng Feifan. 

For the past few days, he had been dealing with his dad’s funeral. Only today had he finally finished. Just as he was about to start investigating the cause of his dad’s death, he had accidentally spotted the beautiful landlady, dressed elegantly and heading out. 

Zheng Feifan had been smitten with her at first sight. Concerned for her safety, especially since it was late at night, he had followed her, determined to act as her protector.

Xu Hao had left a good impression on him. He remembered a woman accusing him of being greedy for his father’s property, and Xu Hao had stepped in to defend him. He hadn’t expected Xu Hao to have such a beautiful wife and three stunning daughters. In fact, from what he overheard, there were seven daughters in total.

“Seven fairies,” Zheng Feifan thought, awestruck.

After investigating the cause of their dad’s death, should they contact Uncle Xu? He had given them a business card, telling them to reach out if they needed anything. But don’t misunderstand—he wasn’t interested in Xu Hao’s daughters. 

He just wanted to get closer.

Zheng Feifan’s ears twitched as he heard footsteps nearby. It was Xiao Wanling, the beautiful landlady, heading toward the concert hall. He snapped out of his thoughts and quickly followed her.

“Sister Wanling, wait for me…” he called out.

Xiao Wanling stopped, frowned, and coldly replied, “Can you stop following me?”

She was frustrated with this annoying guy. If she had known earlier, she wouldn’t have rented him a room. It was a rainy night when Zheng Feifan, dressed in rags and carrying his luggage, was looking for a place to stay. 

After asking around, she found out that he had come to the city for work. 

Xiao Wanling thought to herself, “Who hasn’t faced hardships?” So, she rented her house to him.

But to her surprise, Zheng Feifan said he had no money and promised to pay her later when he earned some. 

Xiao Wanling wasn’t short of money—her parents had left her an inheritance of tens of millions. Renting out a house was just something to keep herself occupied. 

Seeing how pitiful he seemed, she agreed.

But now, she regretted it deeply. 

This guy was careless, always squinting his eyes and talking nonsense. There wasn’t a sign of him being serious about work. 

She even suspected he might be a ruffian. But since he had already moved into the rental house, she couldn’t just kick him out. She thought of pressing him for rent to force him out sooner, but she underestimated his shamelessness.

Zheng Feifan paid no attention to her attempts to push him out. He even seemed to enjoy her cold demeanor. “Sister Wanling, don’t be so fierce. I’m just looking out for you,” he said with a grin. “It’s dangerous for a girl like you to go out at night. I’m only doing this to protect you…”

“Ha… Thanks, but you should worry about yourself.” Xiao Wanling retorted.

“You’re welcome! As a young man, it’s my duty to protect beautiful women.” Zheng Feifan responded cheerfully, ignoring the sarcasm in her voice. 

His easygoing manner infuriated Xiao Wanling. She often wanted to shout at him, “Don’t you understand plain words?” 

But she held back, reminding herself that she was a well-educated woman and shouldn’t stoop to his level.

Finally, unable to contain her frustration, she asked coldly, “Since you’re so responsible, when are you going to pay the rent?”

“Sister Wanling, don’t you trust my character? I’ll pay you as soon as I get my salary this month.” Zheng Feifan said, patting his chest confidently.

He smirked inwardly. 

After years in the underworld, completing countless missions, and leading a mercenary group, he had plenty of money. 

Renting the house was just a trick to keep the beautiful landlady close. 

As long as he didn’t pay rent, she would keep coming after him, and over time, their relationship would surely improve. He could already picture himself embracing her one day.

But for now, he continued to stall her with excuses. 

Xiao Wanling was seething with anger. “You? With character? Even dogs are better than you,” she thought, gritting her teeth as she turned and headed toward the concert hall.

“Hmph… Keep following me if you can. Let’s see how you get in without a ticket,” She muttered.

Zheng Feifan just shrugged, unconcerned, and followed with a smile. 

As expected, Xiao Wanling smoothly entered the concert hall, but he was stopped by the security guard.

“Please show your ticket…” The guard said.

Zheng Feifan finally understood Xiao Wanling’s earlier words. She thought he couldn’t get in without a ticket. “Ha, let’s see about that,” he thought.

“Brother, can you let me in? I’m with that beautiful woman,” he said, pulling out a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes and casually offering them to the two security guards, as if they were close friends. The guards looked at him with disdain, mocking him with their eyes. 

They were used to seeing elegant, upper-class people at the concert hall, and they looked down on the shabby man in front of them.

“Where did this beggar come from? Get out of here, you’re blocking the way for other distinguished guests,” one of the guards sneered. “Go home and pick up trash. This isn’t the place for you.”

Annoyed, Zheng Feifan put the cigarettes away. “Just a couple of security guards, what’s so special about them? Dogs that look down on people…” he muttered, cursing under his breath as he moved to the other side of the concert hall. 

The corners of his mouth lifted in a sly smile. 

Did they really think he couldn’t get in without a ticket? 

A small concert hall like this was no match for him.

With a light jump, he skillfully climbed up to the second floor…

…

On the third floor, the Xu family had arrived at a VIP box. 

From there, they had a perfect view of the stage below. 

The concert was scheduled to start at 8 o’clock, but it wasn’t time yet. Xu Shiqing and Xu Huayi looked around the luxurious box with curiosity. 

The coffee table was laden with desserts and fruit, and to their surprise, there was even a piano in the room.

This concert hall was prepared for distinguished guests. If someone attending the concert felt inspired, they could play a song on the spot, and the sound would be broadcast throughout the hall, allowing everyone to appreciate their music. But few people ever used it.

Xu Hongjiao, who had clearly been here before, explained the purpose of the piano to her sisters. They were amazed.

“Third Sister, you play the piano so well. Why don’t you try playing a piece after the master finishes? If you play better, you’ll be famous…” they suggested, their eyes shining.

Xu Hongjiao smiled bitterly. Her sisters were daring with their ideas. The piano master performing tonight was internationally renowned, with a reputation that stretched across the globe. How could she possibly compete with him?

In truth, Xu Hongjiao had come to the concert because she felt her piano skills had reached a plateau. She hoped that by listening to this performance, she might find inspiration and break through her own limits. 

Competing with a piano master, though? That was never on her mind.

Time passed slowly…

Finally, at 8 o’clock, the concert began!