MTLNOVEL Chapter 57:
Chapter 57:
Xu Hao and his group happened to walk by.
“Hongjiao, is this your friend? Why don’t you invite her over to our house?” Xu Hao asked.
Xiao Wanling couldn’t quite believe that this mature and handsome man was actually Xu Hongjiao’s father.
She greeted politely, “Hello, Uncle. I’m Hongjiao’s classmate and best friend.”
The rest of the family gathered around, and Xu Hongjiao felt obliged to make introductions. When she introduced Su Wanqiu as Xu Hao’s wife, Xiao Wanling couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
How could such a mature and attractive man already have a wife?
It would have been so much better if he were single.
If Xu Hongjiao knew what her best friend was thinking, she might have been upset.
After all, she considered Xiao Wanling her best friend, but now it seemed like Wanling was eyeing her father!
Xu Hongjiao’s twin sisters, who were well-versed in poetry and painting, smiled warmly at Xiao Wanling, treating her like a new sister.
After a few pleasantries, Xu Hongjiao said goodbye to her best friend.
Xiao Wanling politely declined the invitation to visit Xu Hao’s home, though she was quite intrigued by him and the profound artistry he displayed with the piano.
She assured them that she would visit another time.
Once they were in the car, Xu Hongjiao couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.
“Why did you do that?” She asked Xu Hao, unable to understand his actions.
He had clearly composed and performed that divine piece, yet he had allowed her to take the credit.
Why?
Sensing the tension in her voice, the twins immediately defended their father.
“Third Sister, how can you speak to Dad like that?” One of them asked, her voice tinged with disapproval.
The other chimed in, “Yes, Third Sister. Don’t you want to become a big star? You’ll be famous after today! You should be thanking Dad, not questioning him.”
“Exactly,” Su Wanqiu added, fulfilling her promise to Xu Hao to speak positively about him in front of their daughter. “Your father did it for your own good; he wouldn’t harm you.”
But Xu Hongjiao wasn’t easily convinced.
Her lips pressed together in frustration. She knew fame was crucial for her dream of becoming a star.
While she was only mildly known, taking on the identity of the performer of “Symphony of Destiny” would undoubtedly propel her to stardom. But she didn’t want to succeed through charity, even if it came from her father.
Xu Hao understood his daughter’s stubbornness well. But he wasn’t going to tell her that he had planned this all along.
Instead, he sighed and said, “Hongjiao, you know my position. I’m the CEO of a multibillion-dollar group. What would it matter if I played the piano?”
He paused, choosing his words carefully. “To maintain my image with my employees, I can’t let this kind of artistic identity be known. It’s like being an entertainment star— it would create the wrong impression.”
His reasoning made sense.
A CEO managing a vast empire couldn’t afford to be known as a piano maestro. It would only attract unwelcome attention and disrupt his work.
Still confused, Xu Hongjiao pressed on, “But if you didn’t want to be exposed, then why play at all?”
Xu Hao replied with a faint smile, “That’s simple. When I was in the VIP box, I saw the performers and felt an itch to join in. I couldn’t resist.”
He paused again before continuing, “I’m sorry, Hongjiao, but I couldn’t reveal my identity, so I used you as a shield.”
“Dad, don’t call it a ‘shield.’ You’re making the Third Sister famous!” One of the twins exclaimed, her voice full of admiration.
“Third Sister, how could you question Dad like that? We’re his daughters; we should help him. Besides, it’s only benefiting you,” the other twin added, clearly siding with Xu Hao.
Xu Hao’s reasoning did make sense.
Despite his exceptional piano skills, he couldn’t risk revealing this side of himself due to his business responsibilities.
He had seen the performers and felt the urge to play, and couldn’t resist.
Suddenly, Xu Hongjiao felt ashamed.
She had assumed Xu Hao had ulterior motives, that he was manipulating her as he had her younger sisters.
She thought he might have seen her struggling to become famous and decided to give her a push.
“I’m sorry,” She whispered, bowing her head.
It was the first time she had ever apologized to Xu Hao.
“That’s the spirit,” Xu Huayi said, giving her a thumbs up. “If you know you’re wrong and correct it, you’re a good kid.”
Su Wanqiu and Xu Shiqing exchanged amused glances before smiling as well.
Xu Hongjiao’s apology was a good sign; it was a step closer to reconciling with her father.
As Xu Hao drove, a small, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
His plan to win over his third daughter was unfolding perfectly.
Making her famous was just the beginning.
Once she became famous, she would need the skills to back it up.
Without the ability to create new works, how embarrassing would it be?
Xu Hongjiao would never allow herself to be in such a position, and when she needed help, she would have no choice but to turn to him.
The thought of teaching her step by step, sitting together at the piano, made everything feel like it was falling into place.
Before the Xu family even reached home, news about the concert had already taken the internet by storm.
It became a trending topic on all major platforms:
– “A Divine Symphony Stuns the World at Magic City Concert Hall: The Symphony of Destiny!”
– “International Pianist Edward Bows to a Young Girl, Begging to Be Her Disciple.”
– “The Youngest Piano Maestro in History is Born…”
The concert hall’s surveillance and recording systems had captured Xu Hao’s performance of “Symphony of Destiny,” and the video had spread like wildfire online.
“This is incredible,” someone commented. “I feel like my whole being is immersed in the music. It’s going viral!”
“It’s hard to believe that a girl in her twenties could create something so profound,” another remarked.
Someone else asked, “Who is this Xu Hongjiao? I’ve never heard of her, but she’s clearly about to become a sensation. I need to follow her now!”
Xu Hongjiao’s social media account was flooded with new followers, and her fan base skyrocketed from a few hundred thousand to over 10 million in mere hours.
She had always dreamed of becoming a star, and now, thanks to Xu Hao’s intervention, her dream was within reach.
As soon as they got home, Xu Huayi let out a surprised exclamation. “Check the news, Third Sister! You’re famous now!”
Xu Shiqing quickly pulled out her phone and saw the trending topics.
Xu Hongjiao logged into her account, stunned by the skyrocketing follower count.
She had worked hard for years to build a modest following, and now, in less than an hour, her fanbase had exploded.
All because Xu Hao had asked her to take the credit.
The whole situation felt surreal.
A group chat buzzed on her phone. Her sisters were excitedly discussing the event.
– Technology is the Primary Productive Force: “@I’m really not a big star, Third Sister, what’s going on? Did you really create that ‘Symphony of Destiny’?”
– Chinese Medicine Doctor yyds: “I’m listening to it now. It’s mesmerizing. Third Sister, you’re amazing! You’re really going to be a big star now.”
– Please Call Me Queen: “Why settle for being a star? You should aim to be a queen, controlling your destiny.”
– Just Want to Make Money: “I’m really not a big star: I didn’t create it, nor did I perform it. It was Xu Hao…”
– Little Girl Selling Nuclear Bombs: “That’s right! You didn’t see it, but Dad was incredible!”
– Draw a Circle and Curse You: “I don’t even know what else Dad can’t do. Maybe there’s another reason he treated us like that in the past. Don’t you trust the Third Sister? Dad is good to her too.”
– Technology is the Primary Productive Force: “He composed and performed ‘Symphony of Destiny’? You’re not teaming up to deceive us, are you?”
– Please Call Me Queen: “You little traitors! We agreed to fight together! Not only did you betray the organization, but you’ve also become spies!”
– Little Girl Selling Nuclear Bombs: “Fifth Sister, stop fooling around outside. Come back and let Dad teach you a few tricks to dominate the world!”
– Just Want to Make Money: “Wait, let me catch my breath. I just checked the trending topics. Even if Dad composed that song, isn’t it far-fetched that he didn’t want to reveal his piano skills to avoid trouble? Third Sister, you didn’t just forgive him, did you?”
– I’m Really Not a Big Star: “How could I? I’ll never forget the cold look in his eyes. Even if I die, even if I jump from a thirty-story building… I’ll never forgive him.”
Reading Xu Hongjiao’s words, her sisters, scattered in different places, couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The two sisters had already rebelled, and if Xu Hongjiao were to rebel as well, their collective power would weaken even further.
This situation highlighted Xu Hao’s brilliance.
He didn’t just control his daughter through favors; it was a layered strategy, impossible to predict or defend against. Even Xu Hongjiao and the other smart daughters hadn’t foreseen it.
“Sister, don’t resist Dad so much; he’s really changed,” Someone mocked, drawing a circle to curse her.
Suddenly, she was banned by the group owner for three minutes.
Another member, nicknamed “The Little Girl Selling Nuclear Bombs,” burst into laughter, finding the situation hilarious. She, too, was banned for three minutes.
In their bedroom, the twin sisters, seeing they were banned, clenched their fists in frustration, their teeth grinding with anger.
…
Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Xu Hao, who had yet to meet the beautiful stepmother for their role-play, prepared for the lottery alone.
He glanced at the emotional points in the system, which now totaled 120,000.
After a moment of hesitation, Xu Hao decided against a premium lottery draw and opted for twelve consecutive standard draws instead.
The premium lottery offered better chances for rare items and special abilities, but without an increase in his mental strength, another ability like teleportation would be useless.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have received 5 free attribute points]
Xu Hao thought it was an acceptable reward and moved on to the next draw.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have won a character: A dead soldier from the early Ming Jin period.. This character was a loyal soldier with 100% loyalty who would appear when needed.]
Xu Hao’s eyes lit up with interest.
He was wealthy, youthful, and healthy, but he lacked trustworthy subordinates.
Having more subordinates was crucial for his plans.
Without reliable people, getting things done was difficult.
He preferred to have loyal subordinates rather than wasting time with schemes and plots.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have won a skill: Music (Master Level)]
A flood of memories entered his mind, but Xu Hao quickly mastered pronunciation, singing, and other related skills. It wasn’t particularly useful, so he moved on.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have received 3 free attribute points]
Xu Hao noticed the rewards were becoming smaller.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have received a special ability: Kidney Strengthening]
Xu Hao was unsure about this reward, but soon a warm current enveloped his kidneys, enhancing them.
After a minute, he felt as though his endurance had significantly increased, wondering if it could function like a perpetual motion machine.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have won a character: Another dead soldier from the early Ming Jin period]
Xu Hao was pleased to have two of them now—the more, the better.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have received an item: A Steinway piano]
Xu Hao knew Steinway was a top piano brand, with new models costing millions. He wondered why he got this; perhaps it was for leisure at home.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have won a character: A dead soldier from the mid-Ming Jin period]
This was a surprise.
Xu Hao himself was only at the mid-Ming Jin stage, yet now he had a subordinate who was on par with him.
Still, Xu Hao believed he wouldn’t be weaker due to his master-level close combat skills, which compensated for any gaps in strength or constitution.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have received a Charm point]
Xu Hao had learned that free attributes couldn’t enhance charm; it had to be earned through the lottery.
Increasing charm could attract more female protagonists, who, in turn, would replenish his emotional value—a beneficial cycle.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have won a skill: Tea Art (God Level)]
As more memories flooded his mind, Xu Hao absorbed all the knowledge about tea-making—warming cups, adding tea, waking the leaves, brewing—everything. It was a decent skill, useful for relaxation.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have received 5 free attribute points]
5 points was satisfactory.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have won characters: Two dead soldiers from the early Ming Jin period]
With these two, Xu Hao now had four early-stage Ming Jin soldiers and one mid-stage Ming Jin soldier.
It was like having one person lead the four heavenly kings. Their arrival eased his previous dilemma of lacking reliable subordinates.
Putting these thoughts aside, Xu Hao began to distribute the points he had earned.
With 13 free attribute points in hand, he was no longer afraid of Chen Mo. For now, he could relax, knowing Zheng Feifan wouldn’t find him.
Xu Hao allocated 5 points to strength, 3 to constitution, and 5 to spirit.
As he did, waves of warmth flowed through his body. When it was over, Xu Hao felt rejuvenated. He then checked his status panel:
…
Name : Xu Hao
Identity: CEO of Xu Group
Charm: 93 (Maximum: 100)
Strength: 70 (Mid-stage Ming Jin)
Constitution: 36 (Ordinary: 10)
Spirit: 35 (Ordinary: 10)
Skills: Close Combat (Grandmaster Level), Painting (Grandmaster Level), Calligraphy (God Level), Piano (Grandmaster Level), Music (Master Level), Tea Art (God Level)
Item: Desert Eagle
Special: Portable Space (1 cubic meter), Teleportation, Kidney Strengthening
Emotional Points: 3,086
Free Attribute Points: 0