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

Chapter 65: Playing with the Protagonist in the Palm of Your Hand! A Clever Strategy! Using Someone Else to Kill:

“Let’s go see how Dad teaches…”

Xiao Wanling grabbed her best friend’s hand and headed out. 

Hearing this, Xu Hongjiao immediately felt something was off. She rolled her eyes at her friend.

“What do you mean, our dad? That’s my dad.”

As soon as she said it, she noticed Xiao Wanling looking at her with a playful grin. Xu Hongjiao realized she had been tricked. Calling Xu Hao “dad” or even just saying the word “dad” had never crossed her mind before. But now, she said it so easily.

It felt natural—like nothing was wrong with it. Deep down, she had already acknowledged Xu Hao as a father figure.

“You’re sneaky, Xiao Wanling. If you dare to trick me, you’re going to get it!” 

Xu Hongjiao gritted her teeth and leaped at her friend, determined to teach her a lesson. 

But Xiao Wanling wasn’t going to let her win that easily. She stretched out her long legs and dashed outside. They followed Xu Hao and the others, heading toward the courtyard.

Suddenly, Xiao Wanling stopped in her tracks, causing Xu Hongjiao, who was chasing her, to crash right into her. 

Luckily, Xu Hongjiao didn’t get hurt, thanks to her reflexes. She rubbed the spot where she’d bumped into her friend, frowning.

“Why’d you stop all of a sudden?” she complained.

Xiao Wanling didn’t respond. Her eyes were fixed ahead, staring at a calligraphy piece written by Xu Huayi.

God rewards those who work hard.

Each stroke of the brush was powerful and natural, carrying a sense of artistic beauty that seemed to flow effortlessly. Just looking at it made one feel inspired to work harder and strive for excellence.

What surprised Xu Hongjiao the most was that this masterpiece was actually written by Xu Huayi. A college student could write such flawless calligraphy that even professionals couldn’t match. 

But that wasn’t all. Xu Huayi had asked Xu Hao to teach her. Just how good was Xu Hao’s calligraphy? And what about the painting Xu Shiqing was holding next to her? That was also something Uncle Xu had taught her…

Was she losing her mind, or was the world just insane? What couldn’t this man do? Had he mastered every possible skill?

“Dad, Dad… Today is the day my sister and I made our bet. Can you judge who improved the most?”

Though Xu Huayi was addressing Xu Hao, her eyes were locked on her sister, Xu Shiqing. There was no need for Xu Hao to give his verdict. The results were clear just by looking at the two pieces.

Even though Xu Shiqing’s painting had improved significantly, it still couldn’t compete with her sister’s work, which now held a hint of artistic depth.

Xu Shiqing knew she had lost, but she wasn’t willing to accept it. How was her sister so much better than her?

Throughout the bet, she had kept a close eye on her sister, making sure she didn’t get any secret help. Yet, while her sister still ate and rested, Xu Shiqing had spent nights secretly practicing. In the end, she still lost.

Was her talent truly that much worse? It wasn’t about talent. The difference between a master and a genius was like a massive gap.

Xu Hao, as usual, gave his feedback and began teaching them step by step.

Meanwhile, Xiao Wanling’s suspicions grew stronger as she watched Xu Hao’s calligraphy and paintings. It confirmed what she had been thinking…

In her view, Xu Hao’s figure became increasingly mysterious, shrouded in secrets. She wanted to dive deeper, to uncover those secrets.

What she didn’t realize was that the moment she had that thought, she had already fallen into Xu Hao’s trap.

That night, Xiao Wanling stayed for dinner with the Xu family. 

Throughout the meal, she kept sneaking glances at Xu Hao, curiosity brewing within her. 

Xu Hao, while appearing calm, was secretly pleased. He felt that this heroine was the easiest to win over. Even before he made his move, she was already leaning toward him willingly.

After dinner, Xiao Wanling chatted with Xu Hongjiao for a while before preparing to leave. It was already dark by then. Xu Hao offered to drive her home, but Xiao Wanling suddenly became nervous, like a child who had done something wrong and didn’t want the teacher to find out. She quickly waved her hands and refused his offer.

As she drove back to her house, Xiao Wanling noticed a shadowy figure near the entrance. Startled, she took a closer look through her headlights.

It was Zheng Feifan, standing still in the night, his clothes worn and tattered. He looked like a ghost, blending into the darkness.

Xiao Wanling frowned. 

Why was this guy at her house?

Her parents had passed away early, leaving her with tens of millions in assets and ten houses in the neighborhood. The house she rented to Zheng Feifan was the furthest from hers. Ever since she found out that Zheng Feifan was a scoundrel, she had tried to avoid him as much as possible. 

Just seeing him annoyed her.

Even though she had seen him play the piano beautifully at a concert hall before, it didn’t change her opinion of him. In fact, it only made her more cautious and disgusted. Sure, he played the piano well, but he didn’t act like a piano master at all. 

Couldn’t he at least dress decently? 

Instead, he wore clothes full of holes and acted like he was cool.

If you’re going to pretend to be poor, at least do it properly… What was with the whole playing the piano thing? Was he a joke?

“Sister Wanling, you’re back. Where were you tonight?”

As soon as Xiao Wanling stepped out of her car, Zheng Feifan approached her.

Xiao Wanling responded coldly, “None of your business. Do I need to report my whereabouts to you?”

“That’s not what I meant…” Zheng Feifan smiled, ignoring her cold attitude. “I was just worried about you, Sister Wanling. If something happened to you, who would I pay my rent to?”

Xiao Wanling frowned, irritated. “If something happens to me, your whole family will be in trouble.”

“Alright, alright… I said the wrong thing. I’m sorry, Sister Wanling. I’m just really concerned about you,” Zheng Feifan quickly apologized, though his tone grew more intimate.

Xiao Wanling sneered. “How about worrying about yourself instead of me? If you don’t pay your rent within the next month, I’ll sue you.”

She already had little respect for him. She wasn’t even asking for rent anymore. But if he didn’t pay, she would have no problem taking him to court.

Zheng Feifan stood there, dumbfounded. It hit him all at once. No wonder she hadn’t asked for rent lately—she was planning to sue him!

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. 

Wasn’t the beautiful landlord supposed to come chasing after him for rent, and he’d never pay? 

They would go back and forth, and eventually, they’d fall for each other, right?

“Sister Wanling, come on, let’s be adults about this,” Zheng Feifan said, trying to catch up as Xiao Wanling walked toward her door. But before he could say anything more, she slammed the door shut in his face.

If he hadn’t stopped just in time, his nose would have been broken.

Rubbing his nose, Zheng Feifan smirked. This fiery woman had a lot of spirit. He liked that.

…

The next day.

Xiao Wanling got ready, dressed up, and drove out, unaware that she had a tail following her. Zheng Feifan had been waiting outside her house since morning, skipping work just to follow her.

Last night, she had gone out during the day and returned late at night. He needed to find out what she was up to.

Seeing her dressed in new clothes with fresh makeup, Zheng Feifan’s alarm bells went off. 

Was she meeting a man? 

He felt a surge of jealousy.

From the moment he laid eyes on Xiao Wanling, he had known she was the one. She was beautiful, kind, intelligent, and generous, and no one else could have her.

“I hope I’m overthinking this…”

His eyes glinted with a dangerous edge as he followed her car to the Xu family villa.

He sighed in relief. He knew Xiao Wanling was friends with Xu Hao’s daughter, Xu Hongjiao. He’d even seen news online about Xu Hongjiao being blacklisted.

People speculated about what happened to Xu Hongjiao, but Zheng Feifan had his own theory. He was certain it was some spoiled rich kid from Zhao Media, angry that he couldn’t win her over and using his influence to get back at her.

Zheng Feifan wasn’t fooled by the schemes of the wealthy. As much as he looked down on the rich, he found himself admiring Xu Hongjiao’s courage.

Not afraid to stand up against power… Just like the heroines in “Symphony of Destiny.”

Xu Hongjiao’s talent promised a bright future, but it was unfortunate that she was being held back like this. 

Anyway, he wasn’t the type to go out of his way to solve other people’s problems. There were countless people suffering in the world—why should he bother saving them all? Clearly, that was impossible.

Since Xiao Wanling wasn’t meeting a man here, Zheng Feifan felt relieved and was about to return to work. 

“Zheng Feifan?” A surprised voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned around to see a car parked in front of him. 

The rear window rolled down, revealing Xu Hao’s face. 

Xu Hao had just returned from the company and was shocked to find Zheng Feifan loitering near his mansion. 

He hadn’t expected the protagonist to discover his father’s murderer so soon, but Xu Hao didn’t panic. 

He decided to assess the situation first. 

If he were found out, he would have to pull some strings. But using connections wouldn’t be ideal—it would tarnish his reputation and might not even solve the problem entirely. He would only resort to that as a last option.

“Uncle Xu, I brought Wanling here…” Zheng Feifan greeted him and explained, “Xiao Wanling is my landlord.”

Xu Hao got out of the car and dismissed his secretary to return to the company. He sized up Zheng Feifan, already having a good idea of what had happened. 

“You? Delivering something to Xiao Wanling? Did she ask you to?” Xu Hao spoke seriously, though if he hadn’t done his research, he might have believed the explanation.

Xu Hao suspected the protagonist had quietly followed them here. 

A flash of insight hit him, but outwardly, he remained composed. 

“Wanling is my daughter Hongjiao’s best friend. You’re her tenant, and your father and I were good friends. You’re not a stranger—come in and chat for a while.” Xu Hao invited warmly.

Zheng Feifan hesitated briefly but decided to accept. He was curious about the Xu family’s three sisters. With Xiao Wanling, that made four dazzling beauties. Surely, it would be a feast for the eyes.

As they walked, Xu Hao asked, “Xiao Feifan, have the arrangements for your father’s funeral been completed?”

The mention of his father struck a chord with Zheng Feifan, filling him with sadness. 

After a thorough investigation, he was almost certain that his father had been murdered—though he hadn’t yet uncovered the culprit. If he had been in the city at the time, he could have protected his father. This thought gnawed at him, making him feel guilty and helpless. 

Xu Hao sighed, “Life is full of surprises. I still vividly remember sitting with Brother Zheng, sipping tea and discussing business. How could things change so drastically?”

“Uncle Xu, I suspect my father’s death wasn’t just an accident…” Zheng Feifan, moved by Xu Hao’s sincerity, blurted out. He already felt regretful about not protecting his father. And with Xu Hao’s unwavering support for his daughter in her current troubles, Zheng Feifan felt he could trust him. His investigation had hit a dead end, and perhaps Xu Hao, with his vast influence, could help.

Xu Hao feigned surprise, “Oh? What have you discovered, Xiao Feifan?”

Zheng Feifan explained the findings of his investigation. Xu Hao listened intently, but internally he felt relieved, “So that’s all the protagonist has uncovered? I thought his investigation had made significant progress.”

“Really? That’s troubling news,” Xu Hao responded, his face darkening with apparent anger. “If I find out who’s responsible for Brother Zheng’s death, I’ll make sure they pay for it!”

“Have you identified the person?” Xu Hao asked urgently, still acting as though he was furious.

Seeing Xu Hao’s anger, Zheng Feifan felt a bit comforted. 

Though his father was gone, at least someone else still cared. But as for the investigation, there were no clear leads. The scene of the accident lacked any surveillance, and only a few vehicles had passed through the area at the time. Two cargo trucks seemed suspicious, but Zheng Feifan had hit a wall in his investigation. 

Without someone inside the police force to help, he had no way to track them down.

“No, I haven’t been able to find anything conclusive.” Zheng Feifan admitted, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

Xu Hao reassured him. “Don’t worry, Xiao Feifan. I’ll handle it. I’ll make sure we find those two trucks.”

Zheng Feifan’s eyes lit up. This was exactly what he had been hoping to hear. “Thank you, Uncle Xu,” he said, his gratitude genuine.

“You’re welcome,” Xu Hao replied, smiling kindly. “For Brother Zheng’s sake, I won’t let whoever harmed him get away with it. They will pay.”

Zheng Feifan was deeply touched by Xu Hao’s words. 

Knowing that Xu Hao was on his side made him feel more at ease.

Just then, Xu Hao seemed to remember something. “Xiao Feifan, do you know if your father had any enemies?” Xu Hao asked, subtly steering the protagonist in the wrong direction. He intended to set Zheng Feifan against Zhao Media, causing friction between the two.

Zhao’s Media had been prospering lately, and Xu Hao saw an opportunity to use Zheng Feifan as a pawn in a larger scheme. He planned to provoke a conflict that would leave both sides wounded.