The tender tone of her voice left Xu Lai momentarily dazed. He replied instantly, "Of course I'll go with you!"

Are you kidding me? My wife is gorgeous; I have to stick close to protect her at all times. I'd be devastated if she got bumped or scraped.

"Really?" Ruan Tang was overjoyed, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "You can't go back on your word!"

Xu Lai patted his chest, signaling it was a done deal.

I will be the one to protect that smile!

"I heard there are quite a few figurine shops in Europe. We can buy some for Yiyi to take back." Ruan Tang's lips curled up as she spoke softly, "Surely Yiyi's father wouldn't be stingy with his freshly paid salary, would he?"

Xu Lai was bewildered. I treat you as my wife, and you're trying to scheme for my meager salary? Heh. Women!

However, for 'crossing the sea' last night, Su Daiyi and Old Jiang Ba hadn't just agreed to the one hundred million yuan they promised him, but also a share of the profits from Sea Temple Island for the next ten years.

How much could a few figurines possibly cost?

With a grand wave of his hand, Xu Lai declared, "I'll go to Europe and buy our daughter an entire wall of figurines! I'll even buy her a life-sized one!"

"Oh, by the way, Xu Lai, there's something else I need to tell you," Ruan Tang said suddenly.

"Go ahead."

Xu Lai looked at his wife, gloating internally. Still trying to micromanage my salary? You have no idea about my side hustle, do you!

"When Ruan Lan came back yesterday, she gave me a card," Ruan Tang said with a wide smile. "She said that when Eighth Master and Su Daiyi drove her back to Haitang Court, they asked her to pass it on to you. I didn't even check how much was in it; I just tossed it into our daughter's piggy bank. You don't mind, do you?"

Xu Lai was speechless.

So, my sister-in-law wasn't having a heart-to-heart with Ruan Tang last night, she was intercepting my payment!?

Xu Lai's heart ached. That was a hundred million yuan! But at least there was still the profit share from Sea Temple Island, which should amount to a hefty sum each year.

"If you mind, you can just take it out of her piggy bank," Ruan Tang said with a shrug. "Though, I wonder how sad our daughter would be if she found out."

Life is full of surprises and accidents; you never know which will come first.

Xu Lai waved his hand dismissively. "Since it's already in the piggy bank, I certainly won't take it back."

"Oh, Ruan Lan also mentioned that all future profit shares will be deposited into that card on time," Ruan Tang added, smiling sweetly at a completely dumbfounded Xu Lai. "Mr. Xu, you really shouldn't make promises you can't keep in the future. It wouldn't be good if a child overheard, now would it?"

"..."

Xu Lai choked, knowing his wife was referring to his promise of 'an entire wall of figurines, and a life-sized one too.' The life-sized figurine alone started at 100,000 yuan, and an entire wall of them would be astronomically more expensive.

Slumping onto the sofa, Xu Lai felt a splitting headache coming on.

I've been played! Completely and utterly played! To think that I, the unparalleled strategist, The Supreme Emperor, would suffer such a massive loss at Ruan Tang's hands...

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and said, "What I, Xu Lai, say is my bond. I said I'd buy them... and I'll buy them!" The last few words were ground out through clenched teeth.

"Did you get a raise?" Ruan Tang asked, feigning surprise. "Congratulations, Mr. Xu! Your salary jumped from ten thousand to hundreds of thousands. That kind of increase will outpace inflation for the next few decades."

Just listen to her. Is that something a human being would even say?!

Utterly dejected, Xu Lai shot her an icy glare. "Ruan Tang."

He's not even calling me 'honey' anymore?

Though she felt a twinge of guilt, Ruan Tang's beautiful eyes widened in a glare of her own. "Why are you so fierce? Are you planning to hit me?!"

Xu Lai's resolve crumbled instantly. "...No. Just lend me some money. I'll pay you back!"

Ruan Tang breathed a sigh of relief. Xu Lai's sudden seriousness had actually scared her. She produced a pre-prepared contract and pouted. "I can lend you money, but you have to sign the contract first."

Xu Lai glanced at it and was left speechless. "Isn't this a despotic contract?"

The contract's terms were simple. Ruan Tang would cover all his expenses for the trip to Europe. In return, Xu Lai had to unconditionally agree to her every demand during their stay and use his monthly salary to make installment payments until the debt was cleared. A special clause noted: Ruan Tang reserves all rights to the interpretation of this contract.

"Sign it or not, it's up to you," Ruan Tang said, shrugging. "After all, I'm not the one who made big promises about buying our daughter this and that."

After a long hesitation, Xu Lai resigned himself to his fate. "Fine, I'll sign this 'naked loan' agreement of yours. Darling, I know you only set this trap for me because you want my body."

"Huh?"

Ruan Tang's pretty face darkened. She had been forced to resort to this drastic measure to keep Xu Lai from having the money to chase after other women. Was it ever easy being a good wife in this day and age?

"Blame me for being too outstanding. I've made you so infatuated that you had no choice but to go to these great lengths to have me." Xu Lai took her hand and murmured softly, "But really, if you had just asked, how could I have ever refused you? The curtains are drawn, the door is locked... how about... right here?"

"...Get to work!" Ruan Tang's breath came in ragged gasps of anger, the buttons on her blouse straining as if about to burst.

Xu Lai snuck several glances. Those waves were far too turbulent!

Seeing the murderous look in his wife's eyes, Xu Lai decided not to test the limits of his mortality any further. He opened the locked door, intending to leave. But just as it swung open, several women tumbled in and fell to the floor.

It was a collection of secretaries, the manager of the business department, and even the young lady from the front desk.

"Hey, boss lady," the eavesdroppers greeted with awkward expressions. "We were just coming to report to the boss about work. Um... yes, that's it!"

"All of you." Ruan Tang instantly transformed from a mother back into a CEO, her voice glacial. "Get in here. If you don't have a work report, you're all losing half a month's salary!"

"..."

The women closed the door behind them, their faces grim. From behind the door, Xu Lai faintly heard a chorus of, "President Ruan, we were wrong!"

「 」

Leaving the company, Xu Lai drove his car, humming a little tune on his way to Dongli University. He nodded to Liu Nanwei and Zhou Feng as a simple greeting. He sat down in his chair and pulled out his phone to call his sister-in-law, intending to have a little chat about life with her.

However... Ruan Lan rejected the call instantly.

He dialed again; she still didn't pick up. On his third attempt, the call went straight to a message saying the number was out of the service area.

"Director Xu, what did you do to your sister-in-law? She actually blocked your number," Liu Nanwei said curiously, snacking on sunflower seeds.

Zhou Feng, who had been focused on his work, couldn't help but perk up his ears.

"She's the one who swindled me out of a hundred million! No... hundreds of millions!" Xu Lai said, rubbing his brow.

HISS! Liu Nanwei sucked in a sharp breath as countless scenarios flashed through her mind. After all, certain *things* are indeed counted in the hundreds of millions. "Director Xu, I never expected you to have such a taste. Was the feeling of immorality... thrilling?"

"The feeling of immorality..." Zhou Feng looked at her strangely. "Director Liu, your vocabulary is a bit too specialized, isn't it?"

Xu Lai had finally figured it out. Ever since getting married, Liu Nanwei had completely let loose, steering the conversation into dangerous territory at a moment's notice.

He rubbed his temples. "Dr. Liu, you should read more medical books in your spare time. You never used to be like this."

"You said it yourself—that was the past," Liu Nanwei said, stretching lazily. She leaned forward and added, "Director Xu, since we're all just sitting around, why don't the three of us do something fun?"

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