The banquet hall glittered with golden chandeliers and expensive crystal, yet for one man sitting quietly in the corner, the lights only cast a harsher shadow.
Lin Hao.
That was his name, but in the Su family, everyone called him something else: the useless son-in-law.
"Look at him," a relative sneered loudly, making sure the guests could hear. "Living off our family's money, eating soft rice every day. Without us, he would be nothing more than a beggar."
The hall erupted in laughter.
Another cousin leaned back smugly, adding, "Brother-in-law? He is nothing but a servant here. He can't earn, he can't fight, he can't even protect his wife."
Lin Hao clenched his fists beneath the table, his nails digging into his palms. Every word was like a knife stabbing into his pride.
At the head table, his wife, Su Qingyu, sat with an expression as cold as ice. She was the jewel of the Su family, admired by all, and forced into this marriage by her late grandfather's last wish. To her, Lin Hao was only a burden, someone unworthy of standing by her side.
Her cousin, Su Ming, suddenly slammed his wine glass on the table. "Lin Hao! Come here and pour me some wine. At least be useful for once."
The command was followed by mocking laughter from every direction.
Lin Hao stood slowly. His face was pale, but his eyes remained steady. He picked up the wine bottle, intending to obey as he always had. But in that moment, a sharp ringing filled his mind.
Then came the voice.
[Ding. Heavenly System activated. Host: Lin Hao.]
[Current status: Trash. Reputation: -999.] [Would you like to rise above all? Y/N]
Lin Hao froze. His heart pounded. The voice was cold and mechanical, but its words ignited something deep within him-a long-buried hunger.
"Yes," he answered silently.
[System bound successfully.] [Congratulations. Reward unlocked: Supreme Memory + Beginner Martial Arts Manual.] [Task generated: Defend your dignity. Reward: 1000 reputation points, 10,000 yuan cash.]
In an instant, clarity surged through him. His mind expanded, overflowing with business strategies, medical formulas, and combat techniques. Centuries of wisdom coursed through him as if he had lived a thousand lives.
When he looked up again, his eyes gleamed like cold steel.
Su Ming smirked arrogantly and extended his glass. "What are you waiting for? Do you not even know how to pour wine? Useless trash."
Laughter filled the air once more.
Lin Hao raised the bottle. But instead of pouring into the glass, he tilted it over Su Ming's expensive suit.
The crimson wine splashed down, staining the fabric.
"You-!" Su Ming jumped to his feet, fury twisting his face.
Gasps echoed around the hall. No one had expected the "useless son-in-law" to retaliate.
Lin Hao's voice was calm, but it carried an authority that silenced the room.
"I am not your servant. Not today. Not ever again."
The guests stared in shock. Even Su Qingyu, who had never seen her husband resist humiliation, felt her heart tremble for a brief moment.
For the first time, the useless man she despised stood tall, not as a coward, but as someone who dared to defy the world.
And this was only the beginning.