Chapter 425: Can You Forgive Me?

【Ding! Congratulations, Host’s luck has exploded—upon first meeting the female lead Tantai Yaoyue, the Super Peach Blossom Halo triggered Tier One: “Offer Herself” effect.】

【Ding! Female Lead Tantai Yaoyue’s favorability toward Host increased to 80 (Unswerving Devotion).】

【Ding! Host has altered the storyline and earned 6000 Villain Points. Qin Fan’s Protagonist Halo -300. Host’s Villain Halo +300!】

Three system notifications chimed one after another, nearly making Wang Haoran jump up with excitement on the spot.

His highest expectation had only been to trigger the second-tier “Love at First Sight” effect.

But who would’ve thought he’d directly hit Tier One?

A ten percent chance actually triggered on the very first try?

Technically, the odds of triggering Tier One were far lower than ten percent. The Super Peach Blossom Halo had a strict priority order.

First, the system calculated the 30% chance for the third-tier “Approached” effect. If that succeeded, the other effects wouldn’t activate.

If not, then it rolled for the second-tier.

If that failed too, only then would it roll for Tier One.

If none of them triggered, then there would be no effect at all.

So while the overall chance of something triggering was decent, the odds of hitting Tier One were ridiculously low.

And yet, he got it.

For Wang Haoran, this was absolutely critical.

Because winning over this mysterious eldest sister would be far harder than any female lead he had dealt with before.

After all, Tantai Yaoyue’s combat strength was in another league.

His usual trick—saving the damsel in distress—was worthless against someone like her.

But with that effect in play, he could skip all that and get straight to the result.

Wang Haoran felt like this ancestor-worship trip had really paid off. He made a mental note to burn extra incense for the Wang family ancestors—begging them to keep blessing him with this kind of luck.

While all these thoughts raced through his mind, he finally reached the others.

Qiu Qianwei rushed over immediately, her voice trembling as she said, “My big sister didn’t mean it. Please don’t get mad at me and break up because of this.”

“What kind of nonsense are you saying?” Wang Haoran patted her head gently.

Qiu Qianwei’s anxious expression instantly turned to joy. She threw herself into his arms like a dove returning to its nest. “I knew you wouldn’t!”

She had always trusted him, but hearing him say it out loud filled her with warmth all over again.

Luo Qingqian, Bian Suwen, Bu Feiyan, and Ji Shuyao all looked on with envy in their eyes.

They wished they could be as brave and open about their love as Qianwei was.

Only Liu Yue remained calm. Her heart belonged to Wang Haoran’s master, not to him. Naturally, this scene didn’t affect her.

After enjoying the warmth of his embrace for a while longer, Qiu Qianwei reluctantly stood up straight again.

Wang Haoran, confident in the situation now, didn’t even glance at Tantai Yaoyue. Once Qianwei stepped back, he walked over to Wang Xiang and Zhen Li.

“Dad, Mom, what happened?”

Zhen Li immediately started explaining—but she twisted the story. She claimed the water she spat out earlier had been an accident and blamed Tantai Yaoyue for being aggressive, even going as far as causing their hearts to suddenly ache and race without warning.

The others—Luo Qingqian, Bian Suwen, Bu Feiyan, Ji Shuyao, and Qiu Qianwei—knew exactly what had happened. But hearing Zhen Li twist the truth like that, they chose to stay silent.

After all, pointing out the truth would mean slapping their future mother-in-law in the face.

And who wanted to risk that kind of grudge?

Liu Yue also stayed quiet, though her reasons were slightly different.

Since Wang Haoran was her beloved master’s favorite disciple, she had to maintain a good relationship with him and his family. Besides, she suspected that Wang Haoran’s master might actually know his parents.

A disciple taking a master like that—there’s no way the family wouldn’t be informed. So staying on good terms with them was simply the smart choice.

All things considered, Liu Yue kept her mouth shut.

Wang Haoran was stunned when Zhen Li described their sudden heart pain.

From the way she told it, Tantai Yaoyue merely looked at them, yet they ended up nearly having a heart attack.

He can easily imagine that if Qianwei hadn’t stepped in in time, his parents would probably be dead by now.

And no one would be able to find a shred of evidence.

That kind of silent, invisible killing method was terrifying.

As the thought sank in, he reorganized what his mother had just told him.

She made it sound like she’d been the victim and Tantai Yaoyue was some cruel villain.

Of course, Wang Haoran didn’t believe that for a second.

They were all villains in this family, but he wasn’t about to take Zhen Li’s word as gospel.

Still, despite knowing she lied, he chose not to expose her. Instead, he decided to take her side.

They were villains, after all. They had to stick together.

Besides, strictly by role, he and the female lead were supposed to be on opposite sides—at least until they officially got together.

With that in mind, Wang Haoran finally turned toward Tantai Yaoyue.

Even though she was strong, with her favorability already at 80, he was confident she wouldn’t hurt him.

So even if he couldn’t beat her, he wasn’t afraid.

“You’re the one who bullied my parents, aren’t you?!” Wang Haoran took a few steps forward, raised his hand, and pointed straight at Tantai Yaoyue.

“Be careful! My big sister is really scary!” Qiu Qianwei jumped in panic and quickly pushed his hand down, afraid he’d offend her by pointing like that.

She already heard from her second sister, Luo Qingqia, that their big sister wasn’t someone to be messed with.

Seeing Wang Haoran talk to her like this, Qianwei was terrified that her big sister might just snap and send him to the grave.

“Big Sister, he’s just some ordinary rich kid from the mortal world. It’s not worth getting mad over,” Luo Qingqian stepped between them, blocking Tantai Yaoyue’s path.

“Big Sister, no matter what, he’s still Qianwei’s boyfriend. For her sake, please let it go,” Bian Suwen added nervously as she grabbed Tantai Yaoyue’s left hand.

Bu Feiyan didn’t say anything, but she stepped up and took Tantai Yaoyue’s right hand.

Ji Shuyao, anxious to do something too, circled behind and wrapped her arms around Tantai Yaoyue’s waist.

“Big Sister, getting angry is bad for your skin, so please, don’t be mad,” Liu Yue said with a big smile, trying to lighten the mood.

“Let go,” Tantai Yaoyue glanced at the fair, delicate hands gripping her wrists and waist, her voice cool.

Bian Suwen, Bu Feiyan, and Ji Shuyao were scared, but they still held on.

“Let go!” Tantai Yaoyue’s voice rose.

The three of them were startled and instinctively released her.

At that moment, Tantai Yaoyue stepped forward and walked right up to Wang Haoran.

The three girls panicked and tried to hold her back again—

But then her voice sounded soft and gentle.

“I was wrong. I want to apologize. Will you forgive me?”

Bian Suwen, Bu Feiyan, and Ji Shuyao all froze in place, arms half-extended.