SWNOVELXO Chapter 3 - No Ambiguous Candlelit Dinners! The Fear of Being Controlled
Chapter 3: No Ambiguous Candlelit Dinners! The Fear of Being Controlled
Xu Hao’s family home stood in the heart of the bustling city center.
In this land where every inch of space was worth a fortune, building a villa spanning thousands of square meters showed just how prominent the Xu family was.
After dropping Xu Hao off, Li Kun left.
Looking at the massive villa in front of him, Xu Hao couldn’t help but sigh.
The lives of the rich really were plain and unadorned…
As soon as he entered the villa, a maid came over and, somewhat apprehensively, helped him change his shoes.
That’s right… apprehensively.
While Xu Hao presented himself as gentle and refined in public, at home he was moody, volatile, and irritable.
Unable to take out his frustrations on the world, his mind gradually twisted.
Whether it was the maid at home or his stunning wife, he showed no kindness.
He would yell at them at the slightest provocation, and sometimes, he even resorted to physical violence.
Both of them were under his control and knew better than to expose his actions. As a result, they had no choice but to tolerate him.
This behavior extended to his seven beautiful daughters as well. He never gave them any warmth.
As a result, five of his daughters, after graduation, went off to pursue their careers.
They rarely came home…
Even the youngest pair of twins, when they went off to university, lived on campus and sometimes didn’t return home on weekends.
There was no familial warmth in this house—Xu Hao had only raised them.
He had no desire to change the maid’s opinion of him.
With his status, he didn’t need to explain anything to anyone.
“Prepare a candlelit dinner…”
Since he planned to target his wife, and this would be their first time, there needed to be some ceremony involved.
The maid responded quickly, rushing to the kitchen to prepare…
By the time Su Wanqiu arrived home, it was already seven or eight in the evening.
Her face was expressionless, and her demeanor cold.
She didn’t show the slightest joy from returning home after a long day’s work.
If it weren’t for Xu Hao insisting she return home every day to maintain a loving appearance in front of others, she never would have come back to this sorrowful place.
Outside, everyone envied her for marrying such a good husband.
A billionaire, older but still handsome, and with good character…
The truth, however, was something only Su Wanqiu knew.
Xu Hao was a complete hypocrite.
The suave and friendly image everyone saw was all an act.
At home, Su Wanqiu had been verbally and physically abused by him on numerous occasions.
She had been deceived by Xu Hao’s outward appearance when they first met…
By the time she realized the truth and wanted to leave him, it was already too late.
Su Wanqiu would never forget that day.
After enduring his beating and verbal abuse, she couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked for a divorce.
Xu Hao, with a smirk on his face, held up a picture of her family and mockingly said to her:
“I’ll give you one more chance to rephrase that…”
“If you ever reveal a single word about me, I’ll ruin your family.”
“If you doubt I have the ability to do so, feel free to try.”
“If you don’t want your family to suffer, just be a good wife and mother…”
It was at that moment that Su Wanqiu saw Xu Hao’s true face.
From then on, she never mentioned divorce again.
Xu Hao sat on the sofa.
While sipping tea, he read the newspaper…
When he heard movement at the door, he turned his head and was immediately struck by what he saw.
Her features were as delicate and beautiful as a sculpted masterpiece, her lips full and red, her long hair elegantly pinned up in a stunning updo.
Her figure was slender and graceful, with curves where they should be, a slim waist, and long legs—perfect proportions all around.
Dressed in professional attire, her stoic expression gave off a distinct aura of a cold and aloof CEO.
Though in her thirties, her face bore no traces of age, exuding an air of mature charm.
When he read novels, he often doubted the authors’ descriptions of heroines as stunningly beautiful.
How beautiful could they really be?
Now, he finally understood.
Even the so-called celebrities of his past life couldn’t hold a candle to her.
No wonder, even as a stepmother, the protagonist was drawn to her.
It’s no surprise he ended up psychologically twisted.
Damn it, a stunning beauty was right next to him, completely at his mercy.
But thanks to a natural defect, he could only watch helplessly. Who wouldn’t be driven crazy?
But… that was in the past.
Now that his body was restored, he could do as he pleased.
[Ding… Su Wanqiu harbors resentment toward you. Emotional value +123…]
Well, damn!
They just met, hadn’t even exchanged a word, and he already gained emotional points.
What kind of grudge was this?
Xu Hao’s thoughts shifted slightly, and a panel visible only to him appeared in his vision.
[Character]: Su Wanqiu
[Identity]: Owner of Wanqiu Beauty Salon, heroine of “Return of the Warlord”
[Charm]: 95 (Max 100)
[Strength]: 10 (Average 10)
[Physique]: 9 (Average 10)
[Mental]: 8 (Average 10)
[Favorability]: -66
No wonder.
A favorability of -66? That’s nearing mortal enemies.
But her physique is pretty weak.
Could she even withstand his primal strength?
Her low mental stats likely stemmed from long-term emotional distress.
Suppressing his thoughts, Xu Hao sat down at the dining table and said to Su Wanqiu,
“Come and eat. I waited just for you.”
When Su Wanqiu entered the house, the maid immediately served a candlelit dinner.
Hearing this, Su Wanqiu froze for a moment.
Their relationship was straightforward:
They pretended to be a couple in public but ignored each other at home, rarely speaking.
Xu Hao inviting her to dinner was a first in their decade-long marriage.
Following the voice, Su Wanqiu noticed the table brimming with exquisite dishes.
Balloons and candles surrounded them—it was a candlelit dinner.
Xu Hao’s sudden kindness made her feel not joy but wariness.
Like a wolf offering a hen a New Year’s greeting, he must be up to no good.
Unsure of his intentions, Su Wanqiu instinctively refused.
“I’m not hungry. You eat.”
“I said… come and eat with me.”
Xu Hao spoke again, his tone firmer this time.
Su Wanqiu froze, recalling the fear of being dominated by Xu Hao.
She obediently washed her hands and sat across from him.
In the corner, the maid trembled and, sensing trouble, quickly fled.
Now, only Xu Hao and Su Wanqiu remained in the living room.
A candlelit dinner, a handsome man, a beautiful woman—yet she felt no trace of romance.