Chapter 445: Seduction
From the moment the goatee-bearded man stood up, he finally truly acknowledged Yang Haoran and the other two.
Inside the pavilion, the four sat facing each other. Ye Zhiqiu continued to drink his wine oblivious to his surroundings, while the goatee-bearded man ignored Ye Zhiqiu, his gaze seemingly fixed on Yang Haoran, yet intentionally or unintentionally drifting towards Bai Xue.
“Might I ask what I should call you, elder brother? ” Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
Upon hearing this, a look of surprise appeared on the goatee-bearded man's face. He first glanced at the drinking Ye Zhiqiu, then redirected his gaze to Yang Haoran.
“Did he not mention me to you? ”
The “he” the goatee-bearded man referred to was, of course, Ye Zhiqiu.
“Elder Brother Ye did mention you, but he didn’t mention your name,” Yang Haoran said with a smile.
Hearing this, the goatee-bearded man’s expression became somewhat displeased.
“Hmph, I reckon he either doesn't remember my name at all, or he's mixed me up with my other four brothers. ”
He had assumed Ye Zhiqiu had already divulged all his information to the two, but the outcome was quite different from what he'd imagined. This made him feel a bit embarrassed, and consequently, his mood soured.
However, at this moment, he hadn't considered another issue: he himself didn't know much about Ye Zhiqiu either. Had Ye Zhiqiu not introduced himself before entering the manor, he wouldn't have remembered Ye Zhiqiu's name either.
“Heh heh, you know what kind of person Elder Brother Ye is. He’s immersed in drink all day, his mind is never truly clear, so. . . ”
Yang Haoran didn't continue the rest of his sentence, but he believed the goatee-bearded man understood.
“Never mind, I can’t be bothered to argue about such matters with a drunkard. My friends all call me Second Boss, and you two siblings can call me that too. ”
Fearing that they wouldn't understand why his friends called him Second Boss, the goatee-bearded man continued to explain: “I have five like-minded brothers. Although we’re not blood relatives, our bond is stronger than if we were. I’m the second oldest, and I’m also the owner of this Cloud Mist Mountain Manor, so my friends all call me Second Boss. ”
Yang Haoran put on a "so that's it" expression, while Bai Xue, at this moment, smiled and said to Yang Haoran, “Bro, could you not be so stingy? Can you put your cigarettes on the table? ”
Hearing this, Yang Haoran offered an awkward smile to the Second Boss and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. However, before he could offer one to the Second Boss, Bai Xue snatched them from his hand.
“Second Brother, here, have a smoke. ”
Bai Xue, smiling, took a cigarette from the pack and offered it to the Second Boss. He had just put out his last cigarette and originally didn't intend to smoke again, but hearing Bai Xue's captivating voice, he still accepted the cigarette with a smile.
Bai Xue's service was remarkably thorough; after the Second Boss took the cigarette, she immediately picked up a lighter and lit it for him.
Faced with this situation, the Second Boss found it even harder to refuse. He accepted Bai Xue's service with a beaming smile and lit his cigarette.
Bai Xue only offered one to the Second Boss. As for Yang Haoran and Ye Zhiqiu, she had no intention of offering them any.
“What about mine? ” Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
“You’re not allowed to smoke. I’d still like you to live a few more years, you know. What would I do if you died? ”
Bai Xue’s tone shifted, losing the seductive charm she’d shown the Second Boss and taking on a hint of impatience instead. She looked exactly like a younger sister who hated her brother smoking and was forbidding him from doing so.
“Oh, Shani, a few extra cigarettes won’t kill you. Although you two siblings have sealed your power fluctuations, I know you’re not ordinary people. For those of us with special powers, smoking does have an effect, but it's not significant. If ordinary people dare to smoke, what's stopping us? ” the Second Boss said with a laugh.
“Second Boss is right, a few cigarettes won’t be the death of us. Don’t worry needlessly. ”
Yang Haoran, grinning, snatched the cigarettes from Bai Xue’s hand. Bai Xue was very unwilling, but still let Yang Haoran take them from her.
“Go on, smoke yourself to death, serves you right! ”
Yang Haoran paid no mind to Bai Xue’s angry words. He first pulled out a cigarette, offered one to Ye Zhiqiu, and then lit one for himself.
Seeing Yang Haoran and Ye Zhiqiu both smoking the same brand as him, the Second Boss seemed quite pleased, and his wariness gradually began to recede.
Moreover, the more the Second Boss looked at Yang Haoran now, the more he liked what he saw. Although Yang Haoran’s appearance was ordinary, the impression he gave off was excellent.
The reason for this shift in his attitude towards Yang Haoran was partly due to Bai Xue being such a sister. Even though he hadn't seen Bai Xue's face yet, just hearing her captivating voice was enough to set his heart racing.
Furthermore, it was because Yang Haoran adopted a very humble demeanor in front of him, almost like a servant, which satisfied his inner vanity.
Just as the Second Boss felt a surge of goodwill towards Yang Haoran, something unexpected happened to Yang Haoran.
Yang Haoran’s demon art, the Enchantment Art, had been dormant for a long time. Yet, at this very moment, it was passively triggered by the Second Boss standing before him!
Not only did he not suffer a backlash, but his cultivated Enchantment Art actually progressed a little further, meaning the Second Boss in front of him had fallen under its influence.
Although everything was proceeding smoothly according to Yang Haoran's plan, the target actually triggering the Enchantment Art he cultivated was completely unexpected.
Yang Haoran’s expression remained unchanged, still maintaining his kind and friendly smile, but inwardly, he was quite surprised.
This step was entirely absent from his plan, because the Enchantment Art wasn't something he, as a cultivator, could control; its activation rate was extremely low, so he couldn’t possibly have factored it into his plans.
However, the target triggering the Enchantment Art was a good thing for Yang Haoran, because once affected by the Enchantment Art, the target’s vigilance towards him would decrease, making the subsequent plan much easier to implement.
“Alright, tell me, what exactly brings you here to see me? I don't believe you're just here to pay me a New Year's visit; that lie is far too childish,” the Second Boss said with a smile.
Hearing this, an awkward smile appeared on Yang Haoran's face.
“Well, heh heh, I didn't expect to be seen through by Second Boss so quickly. ”
A look of triumph appeared on the Second Boss's face as he chuckled, “If I didn't even have that much discernment, then I truly would have lived all these years for nothing. Shani, on the other hand, has excellent judgment; she saw right away that I possess eyes as keen as a torch. ”
As his words fell, the Second Boss turned his gaze back to Bai Xue, his smile imbued with a certain meaning that all men understood.
“Heh heh, Shani, your brother is quite shy. Why don’t you tell me, what exactly brings you here to see me? Is there something you need your elder brother’s help with? ”
The Second Boss was all smiles. As he spoke, he deliberately leaned his body towards Bai Xue.
Seeing the Second Boss lean closer, Bai Xue’s lips curved slightly upwards beneath her mask, revealing a seductive smile. However, her body subtly shifted closer to Yang Haoran.
Bai Xue’s reaction caused a flicker of displeasure in the Second Boss’s heart. Had he not been affected by Yang Haoran’s Enchantment Art, he likely would have already shown his displeasure to Yang Haoran.
“My brother and I genuinely came to pay Second Brother a New Year’s visit today, but besides that, there is indeed a small matter,” Bai Xue said with a smile.
“Heh heh, just as I expected. Tell me, what is it? ”
The Second Boss took a drag from his cigarette before speaking. Although a smile still lingered on his face, it was noticeably fainter than before.
Bai Xue observed the change in the Second Boss's expression. A flicker of revulsion passed unnoticed in her eyes, but the smile on her lips deepened considerably, becoming even more alluring.
“Before my brother and I came here, we had already heard from Elder Brother Ye that Second Brother’s strength is quite formidable. Looking across the entire New Sun City, Second Brother’s power ranks among the very top. I truly admire Second Brother greatly. ”
Bai Xue didn't state her purpose, but instead lavished flattery upon the Second Boss. Her lips curved in a smile, and her eyes, visible beneath her mask, were filled with adoration.
The Second Boss, whose mood had been somewhat displeased, felt his spirits lift once more upon hearing Bai Xue's words.
“The adoration in your eyes is truly too obvious. You might try to rein it in a little. ”
Hearing this, Bai Xue smiled alluringly, “Why should I rein it in? Your strength is truly worthy of your younger sister’s heartfelt admiration. ”
The Second Boss laughed heartily, and Yang Haoran chuckled along. Ye Zhiqiu, who had been drinking alone, was starting to get fed up, but he wisely maintained his silence, merely increasing the speed at which he poured wine for himself.
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