Villain Is Bodyguard of Heroine’s Poisonous Stepmother
Chapter 83: If You Break Up with Zhao Yingxuan, Ill Marry You

In the villa, Xiao Qingxue, clad in a maid’s outfit, glowered at Chen Luo, her teeth clenched in frustration.

“This tea is too strong for my taste. Make it again, and try to do a better job this time. Let’s not waste these leaves,” Chen Luo remarked, tasting the tea Xiao Qingxue had prepared, a hint of displeasure in his expression.

“You’re pushing it too far,” Xiao Qingxue protested, visibly irked by Chen Luo.

This was her tenth attempt at brewing his tea, and Chen Luo had found fault with each one. Xiao Qingxue was convinced he was intentionally making things difficult for her.

“Unsatisfactory as a maid, it seems. Perhaps it’s easier to just eliminate Xiao Yongqiang,” Chen Luo mused with a faint smile.

Xiao Qingxue inhaled deeply, suppressing her frustration. She couldn’t afford to retaliate, after all, Chen Luo was using her father’s life as leverage.

“What exactly will it take for you to be pleased?” Xiao Qingxue asked, her patience wearing thin.

“That’s a question you should be asking yourself, not me,” Chen Luo responded, seemingly entertained by the troubles he was causing Xiao Qingxue.

Xiao Qingxue took another deep breath and continued to brew tea, striving to meet Chen Luo’s expectations. She realized she couldn’t afford to spend all day here with him, with her responsibilities at the company awaiting her attention.

“Cough, cough. My cup’s empty, and you still haven’t refilled it,” Zhao Yingxuan, lounging with her feet on Chen Luo’s lap, feigned a cough.

“Such a lack of awareness for a maid,” she remarked.

Xiao Qingxue’s gaze burned with resentment as she looked at Zhao Yingxuan, the person she loathed and detested most.

“Any recent movements from Xiao Yongqiang?” Chen Luo asked of Xia Lan.

Xiao Qingxue had been with them for several days now, and the absence of any activity from Xiao Yongqiang was peculiar.

“He’s been staying indoors, showing no signs of activity,” Xia Lan reported, having used her hacking skills to keep tabs on Xiao Yongqiang, including monitoring his phone. Yet, she hadn’t detected any notable actions from him.

Chen Luo was skeptical of Xiao Yongqiang’s inactivity.

Unbeknownst to Chen Luo, Xiao Yongqiang was incapacitated and unable to act against him. After his last departure from Chen Luo’s place, he had fallen gravely ill and hadn’t shown signs of recovery. This information hadn’t been made public, and even Xiao Qingxue was in the dark about her father’s condition.

Xiao Qingxue had been with Chen Luo all this while, and her visits to the company were always accompanied by Xia Lan, leaving her no chance to contact her father. Moreover, she was hesitant to reach out to Xiao Yongqiang, fearing his interrogation.

“And what about Ye Chen?” Chen Luo wondered, noting the protagonist’s unusual silence.

“Ye Chen has been constantly hassled by Li Ting lately,” Xia Lan informed.

Chen Luo couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Ye Chen being preoccupied with Li Ting.

“Also, Ah Da sent a message. Luo Zixuan has instructed him to target Ye Chen. Ah Da is seeking your advice on whether to follow Luo Zixuan’s orders.”

Luo Zixuan’s personality had grown increasingly violent after his brush with death. His hatred for Ye Chen had reached new heights, obsessively plotting revenge. If not for his injuries confining him to the hospital, he likely would have already taken matters into his own hands.

Despite his situation, Luo Zixuan was persistent in his orders for Ah Da to eliminate Ye Chen.

“Let Ah Da follow Luo Zixuan’s command. If there’s an opportunity to kill Ye Chen, he should take it, no matter the cost,” Chen Luo stated.

For Chen Luo, the potential loss of Ah Da’s life was a worthy sacrifice to get rid of Ye Chen.

In Chen Luo’s view, Ah Da was just a tool, expendable, unlike Xia Lan and the others. Yet, Chen Luo had little hope of Ah Da actually succeeding in killing Ye Chen, given Ye Chen’s role as the protagonist. It was almost impossible for anyone, including Chen Luo, to defeat Ye Chen, let alone Ah Da.

“My shoulders feel sore. Give me a massage,” Chen Luo motioned to Xiao Qingxue, rotating his shoulders.

“I’m in the middle of making tea,” Xiao Qingxue replied.

“Now I’m asking you to come and massage my shoulders. Didn’t you understand?” Chen Luo’s stern voice caused Xiao Qingxue to feel aggrieved. Despite this, her prideful nature prevented her from showing her internal struggle. She silently bore the burden.

Xiao Qingxue didn’t buy his complaint about sore shoulders. It seemed more plausible that she would be the one in pain, having been continuously pestered by him day and night.

“Chen Luo, I can tolerate your deliberate pestering, but if you dare hurt my father, I swear I’ll kill you,” Xiao Qingxue declared while massaging his shoulders with all her might, yet unable to inflict any pain on him.

“Don’t worry. As long as you make a good impression, I won’t harm your father. I’m a man of my word,” Chen Luo reassured her. He then pulled Xiao Qingxue close and kissed her, causing her to freeze in response.

By now, such moments weren’t new to Xiao Qingxue, so she was less flustered than before. Surprisingly, she even found herself being more assertive than she used to be. As creatures of habit, she had grown accustomed to Chen Luo.

Eventually, her resistance waned, and she even began to comply willingly.

“Don’t be swayed by this little seductress, dear,” Zhao Yingxuan teased, playfully shifting her foot on Chen Luo’s leg, her eyes flirtatious.

“You’re the real seductress here,” Xiao Qingxue retorted, giving Zhao Yingxuan a frosty stare after Chen Luo let her go.

“She’s no good, don’t be charmed by her,” Xiao Qingxue advised Chen Luo.

“Heh, thinking you can disrupt the bond between my dear and me? You’re still too green,” Zhao Yingxuan scoffed at Xiao Qingxue.

“Xiao Qingxue, oh Xiao Qingxue, resorting to such ploys now? I guess I need to keep a closer eye on you,” Zhao Yingxuan remarked wryly.

“Chen Luo, if you’re willing to sever ties with her, how about I marry you?” Xiao Qingxue, mustering her resolve, threw a challenging glance at Zhao Yingxuan and then turned to Chen Luo.

With her traditional values, Xiao Qingxue had never envisioned marrying anyone else after being with Chen Luo. If marrying him meant gaining his allegiance, she was prepared for it. She had already surrendered herself to Chen Luo, marrying him seemed a natural progression.

“You’re quite delusional,” Zhao Yingxuan responded scornfully. “Thinking you’re fit to marry Chen Luo? What qualifies you?”

“And you think you qualify?” Xiao Qingxue shot back, her disdain for Zhao Yingxuan evident. She wondered why she would be deemed unworthy of marrying Chen Luo.

“I am not worthy,” Zhao Yingxuan agreed calmly, nodding. “But you aren’t either. You’re only suitable to be a mistress.”

Xiao Qingxue was seething with anger, feeling demeaned by Zhao Yingxuan’s remarks.

“Xiao Qingxue, you still don’t really know me,” Chen Luo said, shaking his head slightly at her. “I’m not the type to give up a whole forest for just one tree.”

Especially since Xiao Qingxue was a tree he had already claimed.

“Also, you’re not all that significant to me. Don’t overestimate your importance. Your mother is far better than you.”

“Scumbag, lowlife,” Xiao Qingxue lashed out in fury.

“Heh, keep cursing me if it makes you happy. But aren’t you worried that I might decide to end your father’s life tomorrow?” Chen Luo’s threat clearly hit its mark. Xiao Qingxue’s face stiffened, her eyes reflecting disappointment and shock.

This was a heavy blow to her. Xiao Qingxue had always been immensely proud. Now, to hear Chen Luo compare her unfavorably to Zhao Yingxuan was a deep insult. How was she inferior to Zhao Yingxuan in beauty or figure?

Indeed, while she might not lag behind Zhao Yingxuan in terms of looks, even surpassing her slightly, she lacked Zhao Yingxuan’s allure. Besides, Zhao Yingxuan’s affection for Chen Luo was genuine. In contrast, Xiao Qingxue’s offer to marry Chen Luo stemmed more from a place of reluctant acceptance and strategic calculation. At this point, it was already an achievement for her not to despise Chen Luo, let alone love him.