MTLNOVEL Chapter 67:
Chapter 67: My Daughter’s Best Friend Takes Initiative! Chest Against Back! A Plot Against the Protagonist:
Xu Hao’s tea-making technique was nothing short of elegant.
Watching him brew tea felt like witnessing a masterpiece in the making. As the tea steeped, a delicate fragrance filled the air, immediately clearing the mind and easing fatigue. It was as though a single breath of this aroma could refresh the soul.
Xiao Wanling, having a deep knowledge of tea herself, was able to appreciate just how refined Xu Hao’s skill was. The precision with which he controlled the water temperature, the timing of each pour, and the delicate balance of flavor—it was something only someone with decades of practice could achieve.
She was in awe.
How had he managed to master such an art? Most people could dedicate their entire lives to perfecting one aspect of tea-making and still fall short, yet Xu Hao seemed to have mastered it effortlessly. What else was he hiding?
Beside her, Xu Hongjiao, who didn’t understand tea as well, could still tell that her dad’s skill was extraordinary. A question formed in her mind—how did her father acquire so many different talents?
“Uncle, how many years did it take to perfect your tea art?” Xiao Wanling asked, her curiosity piqued as she leaned in closer.
Xu Hao raised an eyebrow, glancing at her. “You know about tea?”
Xiao Wanling nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve loved tea since I was a child. I’ve been making it myself for over 10 years, though my skills are mediocre in comparison to yours,” she said, lowering her head slightly in embarrassment.
She had once been proud of her tea skills, thinking she had mastered the art. But after seeing Xu Hao’s flawless technique, she felt inadequate.
“Would you like to learn? I can teach you.” Xu Hao offered with a friendly smile.
Her eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded eagerly. “Uncle, is it really possible? Can I reach your level of tea mastery?”
“Of course. It’s just a matter of practice.”
Xu Hao smiled, pleased that his tea skills were proving useful in more ways than just for drinking tea. He hadn’t expected Xiao Wanling to take such an interest in the art, but it presented an opportunity. Teaching her tea-making step by step would allow for more… interaction.
Excited by the offer, Xiao Wanling excused herself and ran to the bathroom, with Xu Hongjiao following behind, confused by her friend’s excitement.
“Wanling, is my father’s tea art really that impressive?” Xu Hongjiao asked, catching up to her.
“Impressive? It’s beyond impressive! You know those tea masters you see on TV? They’re nothing compared to your father. His skills are on another level.” Xiao Wanling exclaimed, her excitement uncontainable.
Hearing this, Xu Hongjiao was taken aback. She had always known her dad was good at tea-making, but now she realized he was exceptional.
Back at the tea room, Xu Hao began teaching Xiao Wanling, carefully explaining the finer points of tea-making. His words were intentionally deep and complex, making it difficult for her to fully grasp.
After his explanation, Xu Hao asked her to try it on her own. Hesitant but determined, Xiao Wanling sat at the tea table, attempting to mimic what she had learned. Though her skills were good, she couldn’t fully follow the nuances Xu Hao had explained.
Watching her struggle, Xu Hao chuckled softly. “It’s okay. I’ll teach you again.”
Blushing, Xiao Wanling looked up at him. “Uncle, I’m afraid I’m just too slow to understand it all. Can you teach me step by step… like you did with Hongjiao?”
Her voice grew softer as she spoke, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.
Xu Hao raised his eyebrows, surprised by her initiative. He had intended to lead the lesson this way all along, but now she was asking for it.
“Of course.” he said, stepping forward and gently taking her hands in his.
“You need to move like this.” He said softly, guiding her through the motions, his breath close to her ear.
Feeling Xu Hao’s presence so near, Xiao Wanling froze. She had never been this close to a man before, and his proximity left her feeling weak and light-headed. His warm breath against her ear made it nearly impossible to focus on anything else. She could hardly process his instructions. The simple act of making tea had suddenly become overwhelmingly intimate.
Her heart raced, her body tingled, and she felt herself growing increasingly flustered.
[Ding! Xiao Wanling’s heartbeat quickens, +654 emotional points ]
[Ding! Xiao Wanling feels uneasy, +75 emotional points ]
Unbeknownst to her, Xu Hao was deliberately testing her boundaries, step by step.
…
Meanwhile, outside Sunny Electronics Co., Ltd., Zheng Feifan stood in front of the building wearing his security uniform. He yawned and rubbed his nose with a smirk. “Some beautiful woman must be thinking about me.” He muttered to himself.
After leaving Xu Hao’s villa earlier, he had returned to work. But his mind was preoccupied with resolving Xu Hongjiao’s ban from Zhao Media. Though he had agreed to help Xu Hao, his motivations went beyond the promised money and rewards. Winning favor with Xu Hongjiao, especially after her ban, would bring him closer to his goal of winning her over.
Plus, Xu Hao had hinted at secrets related to his father’s death—secrets that might involve Zhao Media’s boss. Whether or not it was true, he needed to investigate.
As the workday came to a close, he headed to the Brilliant Bar, where he knew Zhao Lei, the young heir of Zhao Media, often frequented. Zhao Lei wasn’t one to hide his movements, and Zheng Feifan had every intention of confronting him.
This was just the beginning.
At this moment—
In the bar!
The lights were flashing in vibrant colors, and the rock music blasted through the air. The atmosphere was electric, with men and women reveling in the excitement, chasing thrills.
Zhao Lei was mingling with his new friends from Shanghai—a group of wealthy second-generation heirs from his social circle. Suddenly, Zhao Lei stood up and shouted, “Let’s get wild tonight! Drink whatever you want, it’s all on me! Mr. Zhao’s buying everything today!”
Whoosh—
The entire bar went silent for a brief moment. Then, a burst of cheers and noise filled the air.
“Mr. Zhao, you’re amazing! You’re my idol! I love you!”
“Mr. Zhao, can I be your pendant? Let me hold onto your leg!”
“Master Zhao, you’re a legend!”
Hearing the compliments around him, Zhao Lei smiled, feeling a surge of pride. He loved being admired and worshiped by others.
“Man, after one day, you’ve spent tens of millions, right? Brother Zhao, you’re incredible!”
“10 million yuan just like that? Now that is true wealth!”
“Mr. Zhao, let me toast to you!”
Even the rich second-generation heirs next to him couldn’t help but admire and flatter him. Zhao Lei was overjoyed, but he maintained a casual, nonchalant demeanor as he waved them off.
Suddenly, the beautiful woman dancing on stage was blocked by a figure stepping into Zhao Lei’s line of sight.
“Move aside, you’re blocking me.” Zhao Lei scowled, his voice cold.
However, the figure didn’t budge. Instead, he approached Zhao Lei with a look of disdain on his face.
“You’re Master Zhao, right?” the man asked.
It was none other than Zheng Feifan. Seeing someone daring enough to approach Zhao Lei with hostility, the rich second-generation group around him perked up.
When they noticed Zheng Feifan was dressed in a security uniform, they immediately sneered.
“Who do you think you are? How dare you speak Mr. Zhao’s name? Call your boss over!”
“Where’s your manners? Apologize to Brother Zhao before we teach you a lesson!”
“What a joke, a security guard acting all high and mighty…”
Zheng Feifan hadn’t changed out of his uniform after work, and these wealthy heirs mistook him for a bar security guard. Zhao Lei, sipping from his goblet, remained seated, not bothering to react.
To him, Zheng Feifan was just a clown. He didn’t need to lift a finger; his minions could handle it.
But Zheng Feifan ignored the jeers. He wasn’t here for them—he was here to warn Zhao Lei. He wanted him to lift the ban on Xu Hongjiao.
Annoyed by Zhao Lei’s arrogant posture, Zheng Feifan glanced at the group taunting him.
“Your master hasn’t said anything, yet here you dogs are barking away.” He said calmly.
“You called us dogs? You’re asking for it!”
Though they weren’t as powerful as Zhao Lei, these rich heirs had grown up spoiled and pampered. They couldn’t stand being insulted by a lowly security guard.
Enraged, they grabbed bottles from nearby and rushed toward Zheng Feifan, ready to bash his head in.
However, these rich bastards, weakened by years of indulgence, were no match for Zheng Feifan. With quick reflexes, he snatched the bottle from one of them and cracked it over their heads.
One by one, the group crumpled to the ground, clutching their heads in pain and screaming. Zheng Feifan didn’t even spare them a glance as he calmly walked toward Zhao Lei.
Watching him take down his lackeys with ease, Zhao Lei was surprised but still composed.
At this moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward—Zhao Lei’s personal bodyguard and a trained martial artist. His body exuded the aura of someone in the middle stage of the Ming Jin (Bright Force). This was the reason Xu Hao, Zhao Lei’s business rival, hadn’t sent anyone to directly confront him.
With a bodyguard of this caliber, attacking Zhao Lei would bring severe retaliation from the Zhao family. It wasn’t worth the risk.
Zhao Lei gave a cold order to his bodyguard, “Teach him a lesson. Just don’t kill him.”
The bodyguard nodded, his Ming Jin energy flaring as he clenched his fists. He charged at Zheng Feifan with full force.
But before he could land a blow, Zheng Feifan moved faster. With a swift punch to the chest, the bodyguard was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground.
He lay there, unable to move, his sternum collapsed and his body wracked with pain. Worse, he felt a dark energy swirling inside him. His eyes widened in terror as he realized the truth.
“He’s… a master of dark force…”
Zheng Feifan had held back. If he hadn’t, the bodyguard would have been dead with that single punch.
Everything happened so fast, Zhao Lei didn’t have time to react. The smirk on his face froze as he realized the situation had turned serious.
For as long as Zhao Lei could remember, he had never encountered anyone stupid enough to challenge him directly. Whenever trouble arose, his men would handle it with ease.
But this time, his bodyguard had been knocked out instantly.
Still, Zhao Lei had seen his fair share of challenges. Recovering from his initial shock, he narrowed his eyes and asked coldly, “Who are you? What do you want?”
“I’m not here for much,” Zheng Feifan said calmly as he sat across from Zhao Lei. “I just want to have a little chat with you, Zhao Lei.”
Zhao Lei sneered. “Oh? Is Xu Hao so desperate that he sent you to deal with me because I banned his daughter? Some conscientious entrepreneur he is.”
Zheng Feifan waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t get the wrong idea. Xu Hao’s a decent man. I’m not here on his behalf. I’m here because I can’t stand your actions.”
“Oh? You’re just a dog licking after Xu Hongjiao, huh?” Zhao Lei mocked. “Don’t you know that licking won’t get you anywhere?”
“So, you’re refusing to lift the ban on her?” Zheng Feifan said, his eyes narrowing.
Zhao Lei laughed. “What’s done is done. There’s no taking it back now.”
Zhao Lei had lived a life of privilege, and he wasn’t about to back down just because of a few threats.
Zheng Feifan sighed and stood up. “You’re really making me do this, huh? Why force my hand?”
He cracked his neck, stretching his muscles with a loud pop.
Zhao Lei’s face paled. “What… what are you going to do?”