A Glimpse into the Mire

After purchasing the phone, Luo Yao had Frost drive him around the surrounding neighborhoods.

As they circled, it became clear, just as Luo Yao had suspected, that bubble tea shops were no longer ubiquitous, unlike before when they could be found on every street and alley.

Moreover, Luo Yao had just spotted a few suitable storefronts available for rent.

‘If,’ Luo Yao mused, ‘only if.’

Barring any unforeseen complications, his shop could be renovated and ready for grand opening by next week.

It struck Luo Yao as rather unexpected that he, a mere student, was now on the cusp of transforming into a young entrepreneur.

As he gazed at the passing scenery outside the window, a faint shadow seemed to fall upon Luo Yao’s typically youthful face.

He understood that if Mu Yaochen truly wished to interfere with his plans, any resistance he offered would ultimately prove futile.

After a few more turns, having gained a general understanding of the area, Luo Yao instructed Frost to drive him away.

Upon their return to the villa, Mu Yaochen was still absent.

As Luo Yao practically bounced out of the car, Frost simply stated that she had further duties to attend to, advising him to send one of the nearby maids if he required anything, before departing.

Yet, she had taken the newly purchased phone with her upon leaving, which suggested she likely intended to tamper with it.

‘It seems I’ll need to be more cautious from now on,’ he thought.

After Luo Yao watched Frost depart, only he and a few maids, diligently cleaning, remained in the living room.

Luo Yao turned his head, catching the eye of a maid who had been covertly observing him.

Ever since his arrival, he found himself at a loss for what to do, having previously been able to merely drift through school days or engage in various recreational pursuits.

But now?

He had, quite ironically, become someone else’s plaything.

A wave of boredom washing over him, Luo Yao glanced at the maids occupied with cleaning nearby.

Upon sensing his gaze, they instinctively lowered their heads, unwilling to meet his eyes directly.

‘Mu Yaochen must have issued them strict orders,’ he surmised.

‘Never mind then…’

‘If no one is going to bother with me, I’ll just have to find my own amusement.’

“Hmph hmph~” At that very moment, Mu Yaochen emerged from Luo Yao’s home, her mood exceedingly pleasant, deeply satisfied with their recent conversation.

Her discussion with Luo’s Father and Luo’s Mother had proceeded smoothly, culminating in a win-win situation for both parties.

However, upon retrieving her phone just moments ago, she found it flooded with messages from ‘friends’ who usually made a point of staying close to her.

The content of these messages, without exception, comprised headlines from that morning and news pertaining to Luo Yao.

At this sight, Mu Yaochen’s previously buoyant mood immediately plummeted.

‘That wretched Luo Yao, still oblivious to what’s good for him.

Is it truly so difficult to simply obey me?’

A surge of anger unexpectedly welled up within Mu Yaochen at this thought.

Regarding Luo Yao, Mu Yaochen felt she had already extended every possible kindness and generosity.

‘If that captivating little imp, Luo Yao, were in any other woman’s hands, who knows what he might have been molded into by now.’

‘Despite my efforts to provide him with the finest food and care, he remains so unwilling.’

‘Must I truly show him what proper conditioning entails, what truly unforgettable torment is, before he finally submits?’

After all, many of Mu Yaochen’s acquaintances had kept slaves, and she was well-acquainted with their methods.

Mu Yaochen was particularly vexed by Luo Yao’s attitude towards her during lunch today.

Being astute at reading people, Mu Yaochen had noticed that Luo Yao seemed to be in a rather poor mood during their midday meal.

‘Could he have encountered his friends earlier that morning?’

This thought reminded Mu Yaochen that she had already instructed Frost to investigate Luo Yao’s circle of friends.

Such information was easily obtainable, as school circles were relatively small; a few inquiries would suffice.

Yet, Frost had not yet reported her findings.

Still…

Mu Yaochen was confident that no one in Fanhai City could truly restrain her.

As this realization settled, a fierce confidence blazed in Mu Yaochen’s ink-dark eyes.

She would ensure Luo Yao sank deeper and deeper into her mire, but for now, she had work to attend to.

****

Back inside the villa, Luo Yao’s idea of finding amusement was quite simple.

He was currently engrossed in a television program from the comfort of the living room sofa, the maids who had been cleaning earlier having vanished without a trace.

Before their disappearance, however, they had thoughtfully prepared a plate of teddy bear cookies and purified water for him.

All of this had been pre-arranged by Mu Yaochen, though Luo Yao remained blissfully unaware.

Just as Luo Yao was still munching on teddy bear cookies and watching television, Frost materialized beside him, seemingly out of nowhere.

A faint disquiet marred her features, though Luo Yao paid it little mind.

“This is your phone,” Frost stated, handing Luo Yao the phone box.

The plastic film, however, was no longer on the device itself.

“Oh, thank you,” Luo Yao replied, turning to glance at Frost behind him.

He hadn’t even sensed her presence; had she not spoken, he would have believed himself utterly alone in the room.

Luo Yao, at this moment, was suddenly imbued with the distinct sensation of being a young master from a wealthy family.

Surrounded by bodyguards for protection and maids for care, he had no need to do anything himself.

Luo Yao mused that this place wouldn’t be so bad if Mu Yaochen weren’t involved.

While Frost appeared rather aloof, he suspected that spending more time with her would reveal a somewhat guileless nature.

“Yes, the SIM card should arrive tomorrow,” Frost responded blandly.

During her recent outing, besides preparing Luo Yao’s phone, she had also carried out several tasks assigned to her by Mu Yaochen.

One such task was investigating Su Mengqi.

Yet, what she discovered was unsettling; upon delving into the matter, Frost felt a prickling sensation on her scalp.

Su Mengqi’s background carried far more weight than Frost had initially imagined.

Initially, it was the bodyguard at Su Mengqi’s side who caught her attention, as Frost sensed that their strength was likely on par with her own.

However, a series of subsequent investigations only deepened her unease.

Su Mengqi, it turned out, was the daughter of Su Wanqiu.

She was, moreover, Su Wanqiu’s only child.

While many remained unaware of Su Wanqiu’s identity, given her exceedingly low profile…

…the enterprises under her control were, conversely, widely known.

Longda Plaza, or Longda Shopping City, constituted merely one segment of Su Wanqiu’s vast industrial empire.

Longda Plaza, a ubiquitous presence, could be found in cities large and small across the entire nation; indeed, a third branch had already opened in Fanhai City.

It was rumored that Su Wanqiu was currently investing in food delivery businesses, an endeavor that was rapidly flourishing.

Not to mention the myriad KTVs and nightclubs Su Wanqiu had recently established; even the ‘Paper Drunken Gold’ (TL Note: ‘Zhizui Jinmi’ is a Chinese idiom meaning ‘living in luxury and dissipation,’ often used to describe lavish, extravagant places like nightclubs) establishment where Mu Yaochen had taken Luo Yao that day was among Su Wanqiu’s holdings.

In essence, Su Wanqiu was a figure of immense wealth, one who practically oozed riches.

While the opponent proved unexpectedly formidable, this was, after all, Fanhai City.

Frost was also somewhat surprised that Su Wanqiu and her daughter, Su Mengqi, would appear here.

This brought to Frost’s mind Su Mengqi’s rather intimate actions upon seeing Luo Yao, as well as her various other behaviors.

Pondering this, Frost cast a meaningful glance at Luo Yao, who remained absorbed in the television.