"Good boy."
Qian Ran slapped the back of Huo Yuhao's neck with exaggerated force, his heart soaring with satisfaction.
Huo Yuhao clenched his teeth in silent rage but forced himself to endure. He understood the principle: small sacrifices prevent bigger losses.
At a rented venue, Qian Ran and Huo Yun'er went off to change clothes, leaving Huo Yuhao pacing outside, burning with anxiety.
At that moment, his heart was in turmoil, so much so that he even entertained the thought of compromising with Qian Ran. If he gave in, would Qian Ran stop this madness? There were countless women in the world—couldn't Qian Ran just pick someone else?
Before long, Qian Ran and Huo Yun'er stepped out.
Qian Ran held Huo Yun'er by the waist. Her long, shapely legs were clad in ultra-thin nude stockings, through which her flawless, porcelain-like skin was faintly visible. On her feet were elegant silver high heels.
Huo Yun'er wore a pristine white wedding gown, her beauty almost divine.
Qian Ran, on the other hand, donned a sleek black suit. Together, their appearance truly gave off the vibe of a match made in heaven.
"Yuhao, now it's up to your skills. You'd better take this seriously. If we have to keep redoing shots, that'd be a shame," Qian Ran said with a grin. After all, it wasn't him who'd suffer if they kept reshooting.
Huo Yuhao had initially intended to sabotage the shoot, but Qian Ran's remark crushed that impulse.
He could only grit his teeth and focus on taking the photos, trying not to let his mind wander. Yet as the shoot progressed, Huo Yuhao's inner resolve began to crumble.
The more harmonious Qian Ran and Huo Yun'er looked together, the more agonizing it became for Huo Yuhao.
But what truly drove him to the edge was Qian Ran's increasingly brazen actions!
At one point, Qian Ran, with an arm around each of Huo Yun'er's legs wrapped in ultra-thin stockings, lifted her into the air. Huo Yun'er cooperated by wrapping her arms around Qian Ran's neck, her feet—encased in silver heels—crossing behind Qian Ran's back.
Due to her position, her gown bunched around her waist and hips, concealing all the vital areas. Yet her two breathtaking legs, sheathed in the nearly transparent stockings, were entirely exposed. Her thighs, soft yet firm, were radiant, slender, and exquisitely smooth, almost glowing.
With Huo Yun'er's full weight pressing down, the tactile sensation in Qian Ran's palms was nothing short of euphoric.
Huo Yun'er's current radiance and elegance seemed like the epitome of beauty itself.
Had it been anyone else, Huo Yuhao might have admired such a stunning woman.
"Yun'er."
"Master."
Huo Yun'er's eyes were hazy with affection. She leaned in, her arms tightening around Qian Ran's neck as her fragrant lips sought his.
So fragrant. So sweet.
Qian Ran couldn't tell what she'd done, but today Huo Yun'er was even more enchanting than usual. The sweetness of her breath eclipsed any delicacy.
Or perhaps it was just his imagination.
In this charged moment, Qian Ran felt as though Huo Yun'er exuded a flavor he had never encountered before.
To Huo Yuhao, watching this unfold was like being struck by lightning.
He heard it clearly—Huo Yun'er had called Qian Ran "Master"!
An explosive thought entered his mind: hypnosis and brainwashing!
She must have been hypnotized and brainwashed by Qian Ran!
How else could she fall for Qian Ran so quickly? And why would she call him "Master"?
Huo Yuhao's trust in his mother was instinctive. She wasn't like that—she was gentle, virtuous, and demure. She would never say something so shameless.
In Huo Yuhao's mind, Huo Yun'er was the epitome of elegance and composure, with not a single flaw. To him, she was perfection incarnate.
Huo Yuhao's gaze turned cold.
"Qian Ran, what have you done to her?"
"What did you do to her? You used your despicable psychic powers to manipulate her, didn't you?"
Huo Yuhao charged at Qian Ran like a madman, his eyes bloodshot.
In the past, no matter how much Qian Ran humiliated him, Huo Yuhao could endure. But this was too much—Qian Ran had defiled the person Huo Yuhao respected and loved most.
"Ahhh!"
Like a berserk beast, Huo Yuhao summoned every soul device he had, unleashing his soul power in a full-force attack against Qian Ran.
"What's with you, kid?" Qian Ran dodged nimbly, still holding Huo Yun'er. With a few light steps, he evaded all of Huo Yuhao's attacks and quickly tucked his camera away for safekeeping.
"Qian Ran, stop pretending! You despicable scoundrel, what underhanded trick did you use? Hypnosis—it must be hypnosis!" Huo Yuhao shouted, tears of despair streaming down his face as he watched Qian Ran still clinging shamelessly to Huo Yun'er.
He had just realized, with crushing guilt, that he had been an accomplice to this crime.
He had helped take wedding photos of Qian Ran and his mother.
The gravity of his mistake hit him like a tidal wave, leaving him in utter despair.
"Not bad, Huo Yuhao, you're not as stupid as I thought," Qian Ran remarked with a smug smile. Since Huo Yuhao had figured it out, there was no need to keep up the charade. The game had run its course.
"Qian Ran, so you're admitting it?" Huo Yuhao's rage flared even hotter.
Qian Ran didn't even bother hiding anymore. But why wasn't his mother reacting at all?
Huo Yuhao's heart grew heavier with dread. What had Qian Ran done to her? If she was brainwashed, did that mean…
Huo Yuhao's legs trembled beneath him as grief and anger consumed him. He wanted nothing more than to tear Qian Ran apart.
"Huo Yuhao, you've misunderstood me. I've never resorted to such tactics," Qian Ran said with a chuckle, denying the accusation. If blame was to be assigned, it lay with the system. Huo Yun'er wasn't hypnotized—she had merely been conditioned.
Her natural affection for Qian Ran had been set to one hundred percent, an unshakable bond provided by the system's revival mechanism.
No matter what Qian Ran did, Huo Yun'er's affection would remain absolute and unwavering.
"Liar! You vile, shameless wretch! Let her go!" Huo Yuhao roared.
"Huo Yuhao, don't kid yourself. Even if I let her go, she wouldn't leave me," Qian Ran replied with a mischievous grin before turning to Huo Yun'er.
"Yun'er, would you leave this useless boy and go with him?"
"I won't! I want to stay by Master's side forever. I'll do whatever Master asks of me," Huo Yun'er pouted, her expression filled with disdain at the suggestion of leaving Qian Ran.
This trash, Huo Yuhao, wasn't even one ten-thousandth as good as her Master. Why would she stay with him?
"Really? Then tell him loudly—what are you to me?" Qian Ran asked, his hands kneading Huo Yun'er's silky, stocking-clad legs with undisguised delight.
"Yun'er is Master's dog. Yun'er will stay with Master for life."
(End of Chapter)