Manipulative Harem God

contemporary romance

11th april, 3:00 am

Rain pelted down as Zhang Wei finally made his way back to the Chen family residence. His clothes clung to his skin, thoroughly soaked from the downpour.

Whoosh!

With a swift decision, he opted for a stealthier entrance, leaping directly onto the balcony of the second floor. Then, utilizing his corporeal body technique, he effortlessly penetrated the walls to enter the house.

Once inside, he exhaled a long sigh of relief. Today had been a day of firsts – he had used the Golden Buddha Palm, a technique gleaned from the Xuan Wu legacy. This technique had the remarkable ability to absorb an enemy's attack, amplify it, and then redirect it back at the attacker, a tactic he had skillfully employed against Long Tian.

"Where are you going?"

Zhang Wei's footsteps came to an abrupt halt in the hallway, just outside Chen Yulan's room.

"Hehe... Are you going to meet your new concubine, hubby?" Xie Meirong's voice, laced with a soft laugh, echoed from the shadows, her figure leaning casually stood near the wall, in the hallway.

"Oh my... What happened to you, hubby? Did you jump down a mountain or something?" She couldn't help but comment on his drenched and disheveled state.

Zhang Wei's lips twitched in mild annoyance. "Why are you awake?"

Xie Meirong shrugged nonchalantly. "I can't feel safe near your psycho wife. She becomes a completely different person when you're not around. But now that you're back, I can finally get some peaceful sleep."

Zhang Wei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Wait," he called out just as she began to turn away.

"Hm? You need something from me?" Xie Meirong paused, turning back towards him. Her eyes glinted mischievously, reflecting a hint of malice.

Zhang Wei, his tone even and direct, inquired, "Were you working on your sculpture?"

Xie Meirong gave a coy wink. "That's a secret," she teased, her tone light yet mysterious.

Zhang Wei simply shook his head, unfazed. "Take care of the Liu family for me. As for their women, do what you will."

Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous gleam. "Oh? So... Can I completely obliterate them?"

"Leave enough strength for a bounce-back, and execute your plan on the last day we're here," Zhang Wei instructed, his voice laced with strategy.

"Hehe... Do you want to play the hero and save the beauty?" Xie Meirong teased, her eyes narrowing slightly. Was he planning to deliberately leave the Liu family just strong enough to attempt an attack on the Chen family, only for him to intervene?

Zhang Wei's response was firm. "Do as I've asked and don't question it." His tone took on a sharper edge, "Or else..." A brief, unnerving smile flickered across his face, causing Xie Meirong's own smile to become strained.

She only relaxed once he entered Chen Yulan's room, then let out a heavy sigh.

"Hubby has become quite fierce recently," she murmured to herself, a note of bemusement in her voice.

But then, with a sudden shake of her head, realization dawned on her. "Huh? What's gotten into me? Am I getting too absorbed in this role?"

She had only intended to ensure her safety from legal repercussions, yet she found herself increasingly invested in her role.

With a sudden, whimsical smile, she acknowledged that perhaps she was taking her roleplay a bit more seriously than intended.

_______

Click!

Zhang Wei moved directly into the bathroom, foregoing the need for lights. Thanks to his habit of always keeping an extra set of clothes for himself and his women in his inventory, he was well-prepared for such situations.

Twenty minutes later, refreshed and changed, he emerged from the shower.

As he slowly opened the door to enter the room, he paused in mild surprise. The lights flicked on, illuminating the room and revealing Chen Yulan.

She was seated on the bed, still dressed in the same red outfit she had worn earlier.

A blanket was draped over her lower body, and she leaned back against the headboard, her posture relaxed yet attentive.

Her eyes met Zhang Wei's as he entered. There was no immediate conversation; instead, she simply observed him, a wordless exchange that spoke volumes.

Zhang Wei's eyes swept over her, a hint of concern in his voice. "You haven't slept yet?" he inquired, noting her appearance.

Chen Yulan paused for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, before offering a slight shake of her head. "Just woke up..." she clarified, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Zhang Wei, sensing the underlying tension in her brief response, suggested in a matter-of-fact tone, "Oh, then sleep again."

"..."

Chen Yulan was momentarily at a loss for words.

'Why is he teasing me like this in the dead of the night?' she wondered. 'Doesn't he have anything better to do?'

To her surprise, Zhang Wei reached into his inventory and pulled out the dress she had worn earlier, now miraculously intact. "Here," he said, handing it to her.

"Huh?" Chen Yulan was caught off guard. She stared at the dress, confusion written all over her face.

Wasn't this the same dress he tore earlier?

How is it suddenly in perfect condition?

"How... did you?" she managed to utter, her surprise evident. Meanwhile, Zhang Wei settled himself on the edge of the bed, a smug smile playing on his lips.

He seemed to enjoy unsettling her composed exterior, keenly aware that she wasn't as indifferent as she tried to appear.

Chen Yulan caught sight of his self-satisfied grin and promptly closed her mouth, her expression hardening.

Yet, her reaction only seemed to amuse Zhang Wei further. "Go and get me some water," he commanded casually.

Chen Yulan, still holding the dress, paused, her hands freezing mid-air. She shot him a wordless, somewhat exasperated glance, her internal struggle evident.

After a brief moment, she let out a small nod of acquiescence. "Mhm."

Setting the dress aside, she stood up to find the water bottle empty. She sighed inwardly, her gaze flitting between the door and Zhang Wei, who now appeared thoroughly engrossed in his phone, feigning ignorance of her presence.

Biting her lip in mild frustration, Chen Yulan steeled herself and began to walk towards the door, resigning herself to go downstairs to fetch a glass of water.

_______

done.co