The Clothing Conundrum and a Morning Encounter

The next morning.

The sun’s first rays had only just begun to kiss the earth, yet Luo Yao remained deep in slumber within the guest room.

The previous night, ever since Mu Yaochen had brought him home, she hadn’t engaged in much further conversation with him; she had merely instructed Frost to settle him in before retreating to the villa’s second floor.

As for Luo Yao’s accommodations, Frost had naturally placed him in a first-floor guest room for the night.

A resounding bang… bang…!

However, the day had barely dawned when a tremendous force hammered against the door of Luo Yao’s guest room. Luo Yao, still deeply asleep, sprang from the soft bed like a startled cat whose fur stood on end.

‘Who… who is it?’

Having been startled awake, Luo Yao glanced at the door, noting that the person outside didn’t seem intent on forcing their way in.

“–It’s me. Open the door.”

At that moment, Frost’s icy voice resonated from beyond the door. Hearing it was Frost, Luo Yao’s tension immediately eased.

‘After all, as a boy, he absolutely had to ensure his personal safety.’

‘Had Luo Yao possessed such an awareness earlier, he wouldn’t have been abducted by those female ruffians that day.’

“–Alright, wait a moment, I need to get dressed.”

Knowing Frost was outside, Luo Yao padded over to the window, pulling back the curtains to gaze at the newly risen sun.

‘It’s only early morning; this is far too early…’

Luo Yao shook his head in resignation, then cast a glance at the dark blue suit he had worn the previous night.

Truth be told, Luo Yao was reluctant to don that attire again. He felt such overly formal clothing simply didn’t suit him, but the primary reason was the suit’s oppressive tightness. Whether Mu Yaochen had intended it or not, Luo Yao only felt his buttocks were uncomfortably cinched, giving him an undesirably ‘perky’ sensation.

Furthermore, the ordinary clothes he had worn that day had been discarded somewhere by the auction house staff. All he had left were a hospital gown and the exceedingly revealing shorts and top he’d been made to wear during the auction.

‘Frankly, Luo Yao didn’t want to wear any of these three outfits.’

“–Um, excuse me, are there any clothes here that I can wear?”

Just as Luo Yao was still agonizing over his predicament, he suddenly remembered Frost, who should still be standing outside the door.

‘Surely there might be some clothes here that would fit him, right?’

With that thought, Luo Yao scurried back to the wooden door, unlocked it, and peered through a small crack at the unmoving Frost, speaking softly.

“–You don’t have clothes to wear?”

Catching sight of Luo Yao’s bright, limpid eyes through the door crack, Frost couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

‘It seems I was negligent.’

“–This… you have no clothes you can wear? Can’t you just put on the outfit you wore yesterday?”

Seeing the pleading expression on Luo Yao’s face, Frost found herself in a difficult spot. It was still quite early, meaning most clothing stores wouldn’t be open. Moreover, this area, situated at the border between the suburbs and the city, lacked many physical clothing shops, making it impractical to simply buy him a suitable outfit.

“–Alright then.”

Luo Yao, meeting Frost’s unwavering gaze, felt a pang of helplessness. He closed the door, his eyes once again falling upon the small suit and the hospital gown.

“–You… why are you wearing this?”

At that moment, Luo Yao, having once again donned the hospital gown, slowly opened the door to find Frost standing before him.

“–My apologies, that other outfit didn’t fit quite right.”

Luo Yao lowered his head, unable to meet Frost’s eyes directly.

‘In truth, Luo Yao thoroughly disliked the sensation of his backside being forcibly accentuated, which was why he had opted for the hospital gown.’

“–Very well, let’s go. Head to the kitchen for breakfast first. Once you’re in the dining area, simply tell the maids that I sent you. Afterwards, just await Miss’s arrangements.”

Frost didn’t particularly care what Luo Yao wore, though she was rather surprised to see him emerge in a hospital gown.

“–Alright.”

Frost had already given him a tour of the house’s layout yesterday, so Luo Yao knew where the dining area was.

Thus, Luo Yao arrived at the dining area alone. As for Frost, she seemed to have her own tasks to attend to, which was why she hadn’t accompanied him.

Upon entering the dining area, Luo Yao saw several maids busying themselves in the kitchen. The kitchen’s layout was simple: a single door separated it into two sections—one for cooking, and the other housing the dining table.

“–Um… good morning, everyone…”

He watched the maids bustling about in the kitchen; by their appearance, breakfast was nearly ready, with some dishes already being plated.

Hearing Luo Yao’s soft, hesitant voice, the maids working in the kitchen uniformly turned their gazes towards him, standing just outside the door.

“–Is that Luo Yao?”

The maids closest to the door, recognizing Luo Yao’s face, couldn’t help but recall Mu Yaochen’s gloomy expression the previous afternoon when she had seen them laughing and chatting with him.

“–Mhm, Sister Frost told me to come here for breakfast.”

Luo Yao looked blankly at the maids near the door, then remembered Frost’s instruction to say she had sent him.

“–Steward Frost, you say? Ah, alright. Please wait a moment.”

Luo Yao’s identity was no secret to these maids. Although Luo Yao had claimed to be the Young Miss’s pet yesterday, anyone with discerning eyes harbored suspicions about his true relationship with the Young Miss.

Regarding Luo Yao’s hospital gown, the other maids didn’t press the matter. After all, he was the Young Miss’s male favorite (TL Note: A man kept by a woman for romantic or sexual purposes, often implying a dependent or subordinate status). Here, he was free to wear whatever he pleased.

Even if he were currently clad in erotic lingerie, they wouldn’t dare question it.

And indeed, Luo Yao was strikingly handsome. Yet, the thought of Mu Yaochen’s dark expression sent shivers of apprehension down the maids’ spines; they didn’t even dare to glance at him for too long.

Witnessing the maids’ palpable panic, Luo Yao couldn’t help but be taken aback.

‘Could his status in this house truly be that high?’

‘Perhaps.’

“–Luo Yao, is that you?”

Just as the maids in the kitchen hastily resumed their breakfast preparations, a gentle voice emerged from behind Luo Yao.

Luo Yao turned, his gaze falling upon Chen Xi, who held a freshly filled transparent glass vase. Within the vase, twin lotuses bloomed gracefully.

“–Mhm… good morning, Sister Chen Xi.”

At that moment, Chen Xi and Luo Yao’s eyes met. As Luo Yao looked into Chen Xi’s light brown eyes, he couldn’t help but feel a small surge of gratitude, recalling how she had shielded him the day before.

‘However, for both her safety and his own, Luo Yao now had to maintain a strict distance from all members of the opposite s*x, save for Mu Yaochen.’

“–Um… are you here for breakfast?”

Noticing Luo Yao’s somewhat dazed gaze upon her, Chen Xi didn’t pause her work. She gently placed the glass vase in her hand at the center of the dining table, where the twin lotuses quietly unfurled in the water.

“–Yes, I’m here for breakfast.”

Watching Chen Xi’s methodical work, Luo Yao nodded, giving his reply.

“–Alright then, I won’t disturb you.”

Chen Xi, in the midst of wiping the vase, stole a glance at Luo Yao, who stood not far from her. Luo Yao’s figure began to overlap with a memory of someone in her mind, soon becoming almost identical.

‘He really does resemble my younger brother.’