Manipulative Harem God

Zhang Wei leaned against the doorframe, his gaze lingering on Chen Yulan, who was meticulously brushing her teeth for the second time that day.

The soft hum of the bathroom fan mixed with the distant sounds of the bustling household.

He had already changed into his morning attire, a sleek, traditional robe that accentuated his status.

"Are you done?" he asked, his voice tinged with amusement and a hint of impatience.

The sight of her, so diligent over something as mundane as dental hygiene, amused him, yet his mind was elsewhere, scheming.

As he watched her slender hand move back and forth, a plan began to form in his mind. 'If I can gain twenty-five thousand points from her, simply because she possesses a heavenly spiritual root, what fortunes could Yue bring into my grasp? She's a top-level cultivator, after all,' he thought, the wheels turning.

[Quite a lot.]

A wicked smile crept across Zhang Wei's lips at the thought, the corners twisting in a way that could chill the room. "Do you have something that I can use to... finally tear her clothes apart?" he muttered under his breath, almost too low for the system to catch.

[Cough, no, host. But please refrain from scaring girls with that expression.]

His smile faded into confusion, replaced by a frown as he realized Chen Yulan was staring at him. Her eyes wide with shock, not at the conversation he was having with himself, but at the sudden, unsettling change in his demeanor.

"Wei... Are you?" she stammered, her voice laced with concern and confusion.

He straightened up, the momentary lapse into his scheming self-hidden away as quickly as it had appeared. "Don't ask anything. If you're done, let's head downstairs," he said, his tone now cool and dismissive.

"Mhm," Chen Yulan murmured, a slight nod betraying her unease. She had wanted to protest, to say that being dragged around wasn't proper, but past experiences taught her that voicing such thoughts around Zhang Wei often led nowhere.

Resigned, she let out a sigh, the sound soft yet heavy with unspoken words.

She didn't resist as he reached out, his grasp firm around her hand, pulling her along with a certainty that spoke volumes of his intentions.

As they descended the stairs, her mind raced with thoughts and fears, yet the dominant feeling was one of resignation.

If Zhang Wei wished to parade her around like a trophy or a tool in his schemes, so be it.

She had learned the hard way that sometimes silence was her strongest form of resistance.

__________

Zhang Wei, with an air of unmistakable authority, stepped into the living area, his supposedly new concubine, Chen Yulan, in tow.

The room buzzed with the quiet chatter of lunchtime, the table surrounded by the key figures in this intricate world: Lin Ruoxi, Xie Meirong, Yu Lei, Feng Xinyue, Guo Xiaomei, and Chen Dong.

Each occupied their designated spot around the table, which now seemed to await two more.

Yu Lei, ever the vigilant one, snapped Feng Xinyue's attention back to her meal with a firm grip, her voice laced with a mix of admonishment and adoration. "You, sit peacefully!" she commanded, her eyes softening as they settled back on Zhang Wei. "Don't disturb husband right now! He's working!" Her gaze lingered on him, a silent monologue of admiration running through her mind.

'Husband looks so fascinating when he is serious.' She conveniently overlooked Chen Yulan's presence, who trailed behind Zhang Wei, her posture meek and submissive.

Xie Meirong's eyes sparkled with a different emotion—

amusement mixed with intrigue.'He really dared to come down with her...' Her gaze flickered to Chen Dong, who watched the pair with a mix of suspicion and confusion.

'Why is Yulan coming out with him?' he wondered, puzzled yet choosing to dismiss his concern, rationalizing the closeness between Zhang Wei and Chen Yulan as familial bonds.

However, the moment Zhang Wei pulled out the seat directly opposite him and sat down, a tangible shift occurred.

Booom!

The room fell into a startled silence, their collective shock deepening as he not only seated himself but also positioned Chen Yulan on his lap, blatantly ignoring the protocol and the prying eyes.

Without a word, he began feeding her, his actions dismissive of the others' presence.

*Gasp!*

Chen Yulan's eyes widened in panic, darting around the room to meet six pairs of eyes, each set burning with varying degrees of shock, curiosity, and in some cases, disapproval.

The tension was growing, a silent battlefield where glares were the weapons of choice.

Clink

Chen Dong's fork clattered against his plate, the sound echoing sharply in the now-silent room. "What is the meaning of this, Zhang Wei?" he demanded, his voice a mix of anger and disbelief, cutting through the silence like a knife.

His eyes, hard and unyielding, locked onto Zhang Wei, demanding an explanation.

The room held its breath, as Chen Yulan's eyes met her brother's, filled with a mix of fear and a plea for understanding, her situation far more complicated than could be deciphered at a glance.

"I... I don't wish to cause trouble," she murmured, her eyes lowered, the very picture of submission yet carrying an undertone of resolve against the situation she was thrust into, ensuring not to blame Zhang Wei.

"Zhang Wei!" Chen Dong finally snapped, unable to contain his frustration any longer. "This... This is preposterous! What are you trying to prove by flaunting such disrespect in front of everyone?"

Zhang Wei met Chen Dong's anger with a calm, almost calculating gaze, the corners of his mouth twitching into a sly smile. "It's not preposterous, Brother Dong, but prosperous for the bloodline," he corrected smoothly, his voice laced with a confidence that seemed to irk Chen Dong even more.

"What!?" Chen Dong's voice cracked in disbelief, his face a portrait of bafflement and burgeoning outrage.

Pftttt

Xie Meirong, previously silent, couldn't contain herself any longer. A burst of soft melodic laughter escaped her, her hand covering her mouth in a vain attempt to stifle the giggles.

The absurdity of the situation—the audacity of Zhang Wei, sitting there, nonchalantly stuffing food into Chen Yulan's mouth as if performing a normal, everyday act—was too much for her composure.

'He actually came to the table, put Chen Yulan on his lap, and started forcefully stuffing food into her mouth, without any explanation or whatsover,' she gasped between fits of laughter. 'One must admit, Brother has his own... Dominance.'

Yu Lei, meanwhile, was captivated by the scene, her hands clasped in front of her on the table, eyes sparkling with intrigue. "Wow..." she whispered, as if witnessing a drama unfold before her very eyes.

Zhang Wei, undeterred by the mixed reactions, whispered to Chen Dong as he stood, gently lowering Chen Yulan onto her seat, "Sigh, it seems old age is getting to you," his voice barely a whisper, yet sharp enough to slice through the mounting tension.

Chen Dong, his patience fraying at the edges, shot back, "Zhang Wei! Don't you think you're going too far?"