The next morning, tension hung thick in the Everrise household. Everrise stormed through the sitting room, cursing Wu Yuting at the top of his lungs. His mother, Liu Meiling, sat in a corner, equally furious. They had managed to calm down after their humiliating visit to the Xu residence, but the latest news had reignited their fury like a match to gasoline.
Wu Yuting had just closed another contract worth fifty million dollars.
"This is impossible! That low-class girl!" Everrise bellowed, slamming his hand on the glass table. "How dare she humiliate us like this again?!"
Liu Meiling, seething, stood up slowly. "We begged that useless son-in-law to help us win Grandfather's favor back. And now this? They spit on our apology, and Wu Yuting dares to soar while we crawl?" She clenched her fists. "No more. We must teach them a lesson."
She paused, pacing, then said, "I have a friend who knows people. Dangerous people. If we can't handle them the normal way, we'll use force."
Everrise raised an eyebrow. "Gangsters?"
"Exactly," she said with a devilish smile. "Garbage that handles other garbage. We give them a scare, just enough to remind them who they're messing with. Nobody from our family will ever know."
He considered it, then gave a slow nod. "Let's do it."
Ten minutes later, Liu Meiling was on the phone. Her voice was careful but assertive. "I need a contact. Top-tier gang in Cloudbridge."
She soon received a number, and immediately called. "There's a low-level family trying to destroy us. I need them taken care of," she said.
"Send the person's picture and location," the voice on the other end replied. "The price is $200,000."
"Agreed," Liu Meiling responded quickly. "I don't have the husband's photo, but I have his wife's—Wu Yuting. Use her to draw him out."
She sent the image.
Within minutes, the picture landed in the hands of the Red Fang Gang. Several gang members paused, confused.
"Wait," one of them muttered. "Isn't this Master Haoran's wife?"
They rushed to show the image to Hu Lan.
Hu Lan's eyes widened. "Who sent this?"
"No name yet. We'll call back."
Hu Lan nodded. "Good. This is serious. If Haoran finds out we touched his wife without knowing..."
When they called again, Liu Meiling arrogantly responded, "This is Liu Meiling of the Wu family. Top-tier. Make sure you do your job well."
The gang member stiffened. "Understood."
They turned to Hu Lan. "It's from Liu Meiling. Wu family."
Hu Lan immediately called Haoran.
Still in bed, Xu Haoran was staring at the ceiling, mind heavy with thoughts of escape and protection. His phone rang. Seeing Hu Lan's name, he sat up sharply.
"Hu Lan? Why are you calling so early?"
"Master Haoran," Hu Lan said urgently, "a woman named Liu Meiling contacted us to kidnap your wife."
Haoran's eyes darkened instantly. His voice dropped. "What did you just say?"
"She didn't know your identity. She offered $200,000. Sent your wife's photo. We confirmed with you first."
Haoran breathed heavily. "Set a trap. Tell her you've got my wife. I want them dealt with. Don't kill them—but make them regret this. And don't mention me."
"Understood."
A storm swirled in Haoran's mind. So even Everrise is capable of stooping this low. He would never allow Wu Yuting to get hurt again.
Later, after Wu Yuting got ready for work, Haoran silently walked her to the car, face composed but eyes burning.
Once she was at work, he called Hu Lan. "Tell Liu Meiling you have her. Set the meeting."
Liu Meiling, upon hearing the news, was thrilled. She called Everrise. "They've got her already! Come on! Let's go finish this."
They sped to the address given—a secluded, rusted warehouse on the city outskirts. Upon arrival, they were greeted by several gang members and escorted inside.
"Where is she?!" Liu Meiling snapped.
WHACK.
A thick stick slammed into her back. She collapsed with a scream.
"Wha—!" Everrise turned, but another blow knocked him to the floor.
Three hours later, they awoke—soaked in cold water, bound to chairs.
Hu Lan stepped forward. "In this life, never touch Wu Yuting again. If you do, the next time we won't spare your lives."
Liu Meiling's face contorted. "Why?! Who is she to you?!"
"That's not for you to know."
They were beaten again. Bruised, broken, and terrified, Everrise finally agreed to pay an extra $500,000.
Hours later, in silence and shame, they drove home. Liu Meiling wept uncontrollably.
"I've never… never been treated like this in my life…"
Everrise said nothing, his face blank, his ego crushed.
Back at the Wu residence, Haoran received confirmation. The plan had gone smoothly. That evening, he drove to pick up Wu Yuting from work.
She stepped into the car, puzzled. "You're smiling. What happened?"
He scratched his head. "Nothing much. Just felt like treating you today. We've been married a while, and I've never taken you out properly."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Really."
He drove them to The Velvet Crown. Wu Yuting's jaw dropped at the grand, velvet-lined entrance.
Inside, Haoran flashed a black card. The waiter's eyes lit up, and they were led to a luxurious private lounge. The meal was exquisite—top-tier dishes paired with rare champagne.
When the bill came—$1.1 million—Wu Yuting gasped.
Haoran calmly handed over his card.
Payment approved.
Outside, Wu Yuting glanced at him, filled with questions.
He met her eyes. "I know you have questions. And I promise… when the time is right, I'll give you answers."
She looked away, disappointed—but not angry. Her heart stirred with a strange curiosity.
Who are you, Haoran? Who are you really?
That night, Xu Haoran returned home. He lay down, staring into the darkness. Sleep came slowly. His mind raced.
How much longer before I leave this city? How much longer before they all know… who I truly am?
Here is your revised scene, fully edited for clarity, grammar, punctuation, tone, and flow. The style and structure now match the tone of The Unwanted Son-in-Law story, with natural dialogue and suspense intact:
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Chapter 10: The Lesson They Never Expected
The next day at the Everrise household, chaos erupted.
Everrise was livid—his fury practically shaking the walls. He cursed Wu Yuting's name like it was venom on his tongue. Liu Meiling, equally infuriated, paced back and forth like a storm about to break. They had just found out that Wu Yuting had secured another $50 million contract for her company. It was salt in their fresh wounds.
Both of them had been trying to keep a low profile after the humiliation they suffered when they'd gone crawling to apologize, hoping to win back their grandfather's favor—only to be shamed publicly by Haoran. The memory of that moment still stung like an open wound.
As Everrise slammed a glass on the floor, Liu Meiling stopped pacing. Her eyes narrowed, a cruel thought creeping into her mind.
"How about we teach that low-level family a lesson?" she said, voice laced with venom. "I have a friend who can get us in touch with some... garbage that deals with problems like these."
Everrise raised an eyebrow. "You mean a gang?"
She gave a slow, vicious nod. "Yes. And no one in the family has to know. It'll be clean, effective—and fast."
Everrise hesitated, then nodded. "Let's give it a try."
Without wasting a moment, Liu Meiling picked up her phone and called her old friend. "I need a favor," she said coldly. "I want the contact of a top-tier gang in the city."
Ten minutes later, she received a number. Without delay, she dialed it.
"I need your help," she told the man who answered. "There's a low-tier family causing problems for ours. I want them dealt with—both the woman and her useless husband."
The voice on the line was calm. "Send us a picture and the location. It'll cost you $200,000."
"I don't have a picture of the man, but I have the woman's. You can get to him through her," Liu Meiling replied and immediately sent a photo of Wu Yuting.
But the moment the photo arrived, something shifted. The gang member who received it stared at it in disbelief. He called out to his superior immediately.
"Boss Hu Lan! You need to see this."
Hu Lan glanced at the phone. The instant he saw Wu Yuting's picture, his expression darkened.
"This woman…" he muttered. "She's Master Haoran's wife."
He looked at his men. "Who sent this?"
"We don't know. A woman. She said her name is Liu Meiling, from the top-tier Wu family in Cloudbridge City."
Hu Lan's eyes sharpened. "Call her back. Find out exactly who she is."
They did as instructed.
"For security purposes," the man said calmly on the call, "who are we speaking with?"
"This is Liu Meiling. From the Wu family in Cloudbridge City. Make sure you do the job well—I want them to remember it."
When Hu Lan heard the name, he didn't hesitate. He pulled out his phone and called Haoran directly.
Xu Haoran was still in bed, deep in thought when he saw the caller ID. His brows furrowed. Hu Lan? Why would he be calling?
He answered. "Hello?"
"Master Haoran," Hu Lan said carefully, "we just received a request to kidnap your wife. The person behind it is Liu Meiling from the Wu family. They wanted us to hurt her—and you."
Haoran's face went cold. His jaw clenched tightly.
"Good," he finally said. "Arrange a meeting. Pretend to go along with the plan. Lure them in—and when they show up, give them scars they'll never forget. But don't reveal my name."
Hu Lan nodded on the other end. "Understood."
Haoran ended the call, his eyes dark with rage. So Everrise was willing to go this far? Kidnapping Wu Yuting? He would make them regret it.
Later that morning, after Wu Yuting finished preparing for work, Haoran washed his face, dressed up, and drove her there without a word. After dropping her off, he contacted Hu Lan again.
"Call Liu Meiling," he ordered, "and tell her we've already got the woman. Ask her to come in person to identify her."
Hu Lan made the call.
Liu Meiling lit up when she heard the news. She hadn't expected such efficiency, but she remembered her friend had mentioned this gang was top-tier. She immediately called Everrise.
"They got her!" she whispered, thrilled. "Let's go. We'll see it ourselves."
Excited, the two of them drove to the location Hu Lan had sent—an old, abandoned factory at the edge of the city.
Meanwhile, Haoran told Hu Lan, "Make sure you teach them a lesson. One they'll never forget. Leave them with permanent scars if you have to—but don't let them die. And make sure no one links this to me."
With that, he headed home.
Back at the factory, Liu Meiling and Everrise arrived, looking around cautiously before calling the contact. A few moments later, several gang members emerged from the shadows.
Without warning, one of them slammed a metal rod against the back of Liu Meiling's head. She crumpled to the ground, gasping in pain. Before she could cry out, another blow knocked Everrise off his feet.
They were both dragged inside the building, tied to chairs, and left unconscious for hours.
When they finally awoke, it was to the sensation of cold water being poured over their heads.
Hu Lan stepped forward from the shadows. "Let me make one thing very clear," he said, voice low and menacing. "If you ever touch Wu Yuting again… I'll personally see to it that your bodies are never found."
"What are you talking about?" Liu Meiling gasped. "She's just—"
"You think you know who she is?" Hu Lan laughed coldly. "Keep thinking that. But touch her again, and you won't live to regret it."
The gang beat them again, ruthlessly this time, before telling Everrise he'd have to pay an additional $500,000 if he wanted to be released.
Desperate and bruised, Everrise transferred the money. Only then were they allowed to leave—bloodied, humiliated, and shaken.
Inside the car, Liu Meiling was in tears. "I've never been treated like this in my life," she sobbed.
Everrise sat silently, his face twisted in rage. He didn't say a word the entire ride home.
When they finally reached the Wu residence, both walked in dazed and disoriented. No one dared to ask what had happened.
That evening, Xu Haoran picked Wu Yuting up from work.
She noticed his cheerful expression and blinked. "You look happy. Something good happen?"
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Nothing much. I just thought… we've been married a while and I've never taken you to dinner. Let me treat you tonight."
Wu Yuting blinked in surprise but nodded. "Alright. I'd like that."
Haoran drove her to The Velvet Crown.
As they pulled up to the grand entrance, Wu Yuting stared wide-eyed. "This place? Isn't it crazy expensive?"
Haoran smiled faintly. "Don't worry. Tonight's my treat."
They walked in, and Haoran flashed his exclusive black membership card. The waiter's eyes widened and immediately led them to a private lounge.
Moments later, they were served the finest dishes on the menu, accompanied by a rare champagne—one of only five bottles in the world.
Wu Yuting was stunned. "Can you afford all this?"
Haoran just smiled. "Just enjoy it."
When the bill came—$1.1 million—Wu Yuting nearly fainted. Haoran, unfazed, handed over his card. The transaction went through without a hitch.
As they walked out of the restaurant, Wu Yuting had countless questions swirling in her mind. She turned to face him, but before she could speak, he said softly:
"I know you have questions. And I promise, when the time is right… I'll tell you everything. Just trust me."
She stared at him, conflicted—disappointed by the deflection but not angry. Her curiosity was burning.
Who exactly was Xu Haoran?