The Price of Freedom

At this moment, Luo Yao gazed pitifully at Mu Yaochen, who stood before him like a queen.

Despite Mu Yaochen’s exceptional beauty, Luo Yao still harbored a deep dislike for the woman.

“Did you truly intend to sell flowers and drinks to earn a full eight million?”

At this moment, Mu Yaochen inexplicably grew serious, her dark pupils locking onto Luo Yao’s glistening eyes. She watched him as if conducting an interrogation, for by staring directly into another’s eyes, she possessed the uncanny ability to discern whether they were lying.

“Truly…” Luo Yao’s voice was barely a whisper.

‘He needed to elevate Mu Yaochen’s status, after all.’

‘It was, in common parlance, a classic case of flattery.’

‘Only by doing so, by making Mu Yaochen feel thoroughly pleased, would she be inclined to part with her money.’

“Heh heh…”

“Luo Yao,” she mused, “I genuinely wonder if you’re truly innocent or simply foolish, or perhaps, is this all an elaborate act?” Her dark eyes, like those of a leopard, scrutinized Luo Yao’s.

Finally, Mu Yaochen let out a soft chuckle, her voice laced with an air of profound skepticism as she addressed Luo Yao.

“Mistress… I truly just want to repay this debt… that’s why…”

Luo Yao spoke hesitantly, his words faltering as if he were consumed by a profound fear.

Though Luo Yao typically appeared as steady as an old dog (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning calm and composed), a flicker of panic still seized his heart the moment Mu Yaochen’s suspicions surfaced.

He quickly regained his composure, however, maintaining the carefully crafted facade of a frail, easily flustered young man.

Yet this subtly reminded Luo Yao that he needed to exercise far greater caution in all his future actions.

He couldn’t tell if Mu Yaochen had already seen through his carefully constructed facade, or if her scrutiny was merely an unintentional gesture.

“Then you truly are foolish…” Mu Yaochen regarded Luo Yao with a peculiar gaze, as if she herself were speculating whether he had perhaps damaged his brain during transit to even conceive such a preposterous idea.

Or perhaps, after the transaction was complete, Luo Yao had suffered a fever that had scorched his mind. How could an otherwise perfectly normal boy entertain such an utterly absurd notion?

After all, no sane person would ever contemplate accumulating eight million by selling mere drinks or flowers, would they?

‘However… if this little kitten truly wishes to escape my grasp, then I shall indulge him.’

‘Selling only flowers would never yield eight million. And besides… a mere Luo Yao could only ever squirm within the confines of Mu Yaochen’s palm.’

‘Just like Sun Wukong trapped beneath the Five-Finger Mountain of the Buddha Rulai (TL Note: A reference to the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West, where the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, is imprisoned by the Buddha Rulai beneath a mountain of his five fingers).’

‘No matter how he struggled, he would never escape her grasp. That, precisely, was what made it truly interesting.’

“Mistress… I… I…”

Upon hearing Mu Yaochen’s cutting assessment of him, Luo Yao did not, surprisingly, grow angry.

Mu Yaochen’s words were, in fact, undeniably correct. A normal person would never conceive of accumulating sixty million by selling such trivial items.

“Never mind,” she said, a hint of weariness in her tone. “Since you’re so sincerely intent on repaying me, tell me how much you need. If it’s reasonable, I will agree.” Mu Yaochen gazed languidly at Luo Yao, then, barefoot, returned to the opulent sofa.

“Hmm… fifty thousand?” Luo Yao ventured, his voice laced with a tentative uncertainty.

‘In truth, his ideal initial capital was one hundred thousand. However, if he were to ask for one hundred thousand directly, the sum would be far too large, and the woman would undoubtedly grow suspicious, jeopardizing his entire plan.’

‘Rather than claiming a shortage of funds, Luo Yao preferred to tread the path of stability and caution.’

“An investment of fifty thousand just to sell a few small drinks… My little Yaoyao, isn’t that a bit excessive?” Mu Yaochen drawled, lying comfortably on the bed, her perfectly formed legs, clad in black stockings, swaying rhythmically. She was much like a cat, expressing her current mood through the languid movement of her thighs.

“Fifty thousand… is that too much?”

Luo Yao had not anticipated that Mu Yaochen would balk even at an investment of fifty thousand, a sum he considered modest.

“Indeed, it’s far too much,” she replied, her voice sharpening. “Aren’t you just selling drinks? Why do you need such a substantial amount? Or do you have some secret you’re deliberately keeping from me?” Mu Yaochen did not lift her head, but her previously swaying long legs had now stilled, an ominous sign.

“No… it’s just…” At that moment, Mu Yaochen’s probing words once again tightened Luo Yao’s chest with a knot of anxiety.

‘Was this woman truly so incessantly suspicious?’

‘It seemed he could only continue to play the innocent fool, for now.’

‘However… Luo Yao knew, with a sinking certainty, that this was his closest, perhaps only, chance to secure an investment.’

‘If he missed this precious opportunity, he would be utterly without hope, his future sealed.’

‘Luo Yao had not, for a moment, ruled out the chilling possibility that Mu Yaochen might hide him away, or even imprison him indefinitely.’

“Very well,” she conceded, a smirk playing on her lips. “If you insist on pursuing this path, I will give it to you, however…” Luo Yao, quite simply, dared not meet her gaze, and Mu Yaochen’s insidious sense of conquest was once again sated.

“I can give you the investment,” she continued, her voice firm, “but I expect you to earn back what I give you within one month.” Having delivered her ultimatum, Mu Yaochen simply lay back on the sofa, seemingly dismissing him.

“All right…”

****

‘Holy hell, was that all it took? It couldn’t be this simple.’

Luo Yao had braced himself, fully prepared to be fondled or subjected to some form of humiliation by Mu Yaochen. Yet, to his utter surprise, she had been remarkably straightforward this time, almost dismissive.

“Very well,” she said, rising gracefully. “If there’s nothing else, let Frost show you around. I have plans for this evening, so I shall retire now.”

Having spoken, Mu Yaochen, as if having lost all immediate interest in Luo Yao, lowered her head, slipped on her custom-made black leather shoes from France, and gracefully walked towards the secluded depths of the room.

“This…” Watching Mu Yaochen’s abrupt departure, Luo Yao found himself utterly at a loss, unsure of how to proceed.

Simultaneously, Frost materialized behind Luo Yao as silently and unexpectedly as a ghost. Just moments before… there had only been Luo Yao and Mu Yaochen in the expansive room.

“Madam instructed me to show you around. Please follow me,” Frost stated, her voice devoid of warmth. Her gaze remained icy, and, most strikingly, Frost was a full head taller than Luo Yao, an intimidating presence.

Thus, Luo Yao was compelled to crane his neck and look up at Frost, a position he found uncomfortable.

Although men in this world tended to be a bit shorter on average, this was the first time Luo Yao had ever encountered such a truly vast height disparity.

It was worth noting that Mu Yaochen and Su Mengqi were roughly the same height, only slightly taller than Luo Yao, and certainly not to the extent that he needed to crane his neck to meet their gaze.

“What are you waiting for? Hurry and follow me,” Frost commanded, her patience clearly wearing thin. She turned her head, seeing Luo Yao still standing foolishly in place, and a faint hint of annoyance flickered across her usually impassive, icy face.

‘Men… they truly are a bother.’

“All… all right.” Luo Yao snapped out of his daze, discovering that Frost was already standing by the doorway, waiting for him.

Luo Yao, like a small cat, obediently followed behind Frost.

“These are the servants’ quarters…” Frost, seeing Luo Yao follow, asked no further questions. She simply pointed to various rooms, introducing each one to Luo Yao.

Soon, Frost had finished showing Luo Yao around the entire first floor. Through her brief explanations, Luo Yao learned that the entire first floor comprised servants’ rooms, with very few habitable rooms, and those were located in rather secluded areas.

As for the second floor…

Frost merely informed Luo Yao that the second floor consisted mostly of Mu Yaochen’s private spaces, reserved for her alone, except for cleaning. However, under normal circumstances, Mu Yaochen preferred to tidy the second floor herself.

Consequently, these servants, and even Frost herself, rarely ventured to the second floor, so Frost directly skipped over that part of the tour.

“Then… Sister Frost, where will I be staying tonight?” At this moment, Frost stood motionless in the hall, seemingly pondering whether she had forgotten anything.

“That… I’m not sure. Perhaps Madam will make arrangements shortly,” Frost replied, a hint of confusion appearing on her otherwise cold face upon hearing Luo Yao’s question.

Through the previous introductions and interactions, Frost’s attitude towards Luo Yao had gradually softened, no longer possessing the same glacial coldness he had first encountered.

However, this might merely have been Luo Yao’s own psychological projection.

Seeing that even Frost was uncertain, a sudden sense of foreboding settled over Luo Yao.

Mu Yaochen, after all, was an extremely capricious person.

If the servants resided on the first floor, then he, as a s*ave…

Considering Mu Yaochen’s penchant for toying with people, his fate was unlikely to be pleasant.

For a fleeting moment, Luo Yao felt his future shrouded in gloom, utterly devoid of any light.

He could only pray that the woman wouldn’t make him sleep in a dog kennel.