Chapter 75: Wan Caixuan’s Identity

Wan Caixuan stretched languidly, the strap of her nightgown sliding off her shoulder and revealing a glimpse of her fair chest. After Lin Xiao had taken advantage of her on several occasions, she had grown somewhat resigned. She adjusted the nightgown without a word, covering herself again.

Fatigue was etched across her face. A glance at the wall clock told her it was already past three in the morning. After everything that had happened tonight, only four hours remained before she had to be at work.

Suppressing a yawn, Wan Caixuan turned and headed toward the upstairs bedroom. Halfway there, she suddenly stopped.

“Ning Xi, why are you still here? Don’t you need to sleep?”

Ning Xi glanced at Lin Xiao, her tone betraying more than her words. “Miss, you should go ahead. I’m not tired yet.”

“Hmph, don’t think I don’t know what’s on your mind,” Wan Caixuan shot back, casting her a pointed glare. “Come on. You’re sleeping with me tonight.”

She grabbed Ning Xi by the arm and pulled her along.

Ning Xi gave Lin Xiao a helpless look as she was reluctantly dragged away.

Once they were upstairs, Lin Xiao was left alone in the spacious living room. But rather than feeling lonely, he felt at ease.

He stripped off his black bodysuit and tossed it carelessly into the trash. Clad only in a pair of shorts, he lay down on the couch and drifted off to sleep.

At five in the morning, Lin Xiao stirred from a deep slumber. After washing his face and brushing his teeth with cold water, he got dressed and stepped out of the villa.

This was his first real look at Jiangnan Floral Estates. The serene community was a stark contrast to the bustling streets of Yuan Yu. Inside the compound, willow trees swayed gently in the breeze, and spotless paths wound through the grounds, meticulously maintained by staff. At the heart of it all lay a tranquil lake, where koi darted through the clear water.

Living here felt like stepping out of the noise and into stillness. It was a place where body and mind could be quietly cleansed, offering a rare sense of calm and contentment.

Lin Xiao stepped onto the grass in front of the villa and sat down cross-legged. Emptying his mind, he closed his eyes and began to meditate. His breaths came deep and slow, chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. Soon, a low, thunder-like rumble began to resonate from within him.

To an onlooker, the sight of him sitting there alone in the grass might have seemed bizarre—like some wandering mystic putting on airs.

Thankfully, the residents of Jiangnan Floral Estates prized their privacy, and the villa was well-shielded by fences and walls. Had anyone seen him, they might’ve thought he’d completely lost it.

An hour and a half later, Lin Xiao ended his breathing exercises, feeling refreshed—rejuvenated from the inside out.

Next, he stood and began practicing a set of fist techniques from the Thunderbolt Decree. The form had no official name, so Lin Xiao casually dubbed it Thunderbolt Fist.

With each movement, he exuded an aura of power and command.

After about half an hour—around seven o’clock—he finished his training and turned to head back to the villa.

That’s when he felt it: a gaze on his back. He turned—and saw Wan Caixuan standing at the edge of the grass, her eyes fixed on him.

“Good morning,” Lin Xiao greeted, nodding politely to Wan Caixuan.

“What martial arts were you practicing just now?” she asked, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

Dressed in a flowing purple dress with a white belt at her waist, she looked almost ethereal—like a fairy descended to the mortal world. Her snow-white skin and graceful figure made her presence feel almost unreal.

Though Wan Caixuan had never formally studied martial arts, that didn’t mean she lacked insight. As a member of the Wan family, she had a sharp eye—and she could sense there was something extraordinary in Lin Xiao’s movements.

“Thunderbolt Decree,” Lin Xiao said simply, offering no further explanation.

She didn’t mind the terse reply. In truth, she didn’t care much about the martial art—she had only wanted a reason to speak with him.

“Lin Xiao, I forgot to ask you yesterday, with everything going on… Why did the assassin call you the Night Emperor?”

A faint shiver ran through Lin Xiao. For the first time, his calm gaze showed a flicker of emotion. He looked at her deeply.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Because I need to,” she said, meeting his eyes without flinching. “You’re my personal bodyguard. I’ve entrusted you with my life. The least you can do is learn to trust me.”

“Knowing too much won’t do you any good.”

“That’s for me to decide,” she countered.

Wan Caixuan stepped closer until they stood just a meter apart. In her clear, luminous eyes, Lin Xiao could see his own reflection.

“If you share your story, I’ll share mine,” she said. “Isn’t that the first step toward trust?”

Her gaze was steady, unyielding. After a moment of silence, Lin Xiao finally nodded. “You’re right. Trust goes both ways. I’ll answer your question.”

He paused, then continued, “Night Emperor was my alias when I navigated in the underworld.”

Since he’d already started explaining, Lin Xiao offered a bit more, hoping to satisfy her curiosity without opening the door too far.

“I can’t talk about my previous unit; most of it is classified. But the missions were… dangerous. Using an alias helped protect me and the people around me.”

“Night Emperor… underworld…” Wan Caixuan echoed softly.

Her mind drifted to the web of intersecting scars she’d seen on his body the day before, and something in her chest tightened.

“That’s all I can say. The rest is confidential.” Lin Xiao’s expression remained unreadable. “Wan Caixuan, your turn. What’s your story?”

This was the first time Lin Xiao had addressed Wan Caixuan by her full name. His tone was stiff, almost formal—but she didn’t seem offended. Instead, her expression turned strangely thoughtful.

It was the first time she’d ever heard her own name spoken by someone else.

In her memory, she had always been called Miss, Princess, or Little Sister. Never Wan Caixuan. Not by anyone.

“I’m from the Wan family, one of its direct heirs,” she said, revealing her background without hesitation. “The Wan family has a long history. Among all the heirs, I am fifth in line, one of the family’s five primary successors.”

Lin Xiao had suspected as much, but hearing her confirm it carried a strange weight. It felt surreal, as if a soft, radiant halo now surrounded her—marking her as something distant, untouchable.

Indeed, a radiant halo did surround Wan Caixuan. She wasn’t born with a proverbial golden spoon in her mouth, but her status was far more distinguished. The Wan family was one of those wielding significant power over Xia Country’s fate, with pervasive influence.

It made sense now how she, at such a young age, could become the CEO of Brilliant Aya Limited. Even though the company boasted a market value in the tens of billions, it was minuscule compared to the wealth of the Wan family.

“So, should I start calling you ‘Miss’, then?” Lin Xiao quipped.

Although Wan Caixuan hailed from an extraordinary lineage, Lin Xiao remained unphased.

Ordinary people might feel unworthy in front of Wan Caixuan, but Lin Xiao wasn’t bothered. He wasn’t ordinary. He had his own unique merit.

Wan Caixuan shot Lin Xiao a glance, her allure palpable, “You can address me however you like, but I prefer if you call me Wan Caixuan.”