Frost’s Secrets and Mu Yaochen’s Strategy

“Is that truly all there is?” In the hospital room, Luo Yao’s eyes, shining with a thirst for knowledge, fixed on Frost, who sat before him.

“Truly. I don’t really have an astonishing past,” Frost replied. A smile seemed to tug at her lips, yet it never quite reached her eyes, leaving an impression of profound sadness.

It imbued Luo Yao with an inexplicable pang of sorrow.

‘What a woman, so prone to fibs,’ he thought.

Though Luo Yao gazed at her with starry, adoring eyes, he knew deep down that the ‘experiences’ Frost had recounted were almost entirely fabricated. For instance, she claimed to be a retired special forces soldier. While not impossible, Frost’s demeanor suggested far more than a simple veteran.

Frost herself seemed anything but ordinary, yet the stories she shared with Luo Yao about her past were remarkably mundane. Still, these were her own little secrets. Everyone, after all, deserved their own private mysteries.

Yet, Luo Yao clearly perceived that Frost was constantly suppressing her emotions, her true feelings. Her very existence felt like a mere instrument, serving Mu Yaochen’s purposes. Whether she would ultimately be cast aside without a second thought, Luo Yao couldn’t say. No one could truly predict what Mu Yaochen might do. Her attitude towards him had certainly improved, yet she remained a ticking time bomb, liable to explode at any moment.

Seeing Luo Yao’s admiring gaze, Frost felt a surge of gratification. What pleased her even more was his seemingly naive belief in her tales, and his continued admiration.

“I think Sister Frost is amazing. There’s nothing ordinary about you at all.” Though aware of Frost’s deception, Luo Yao feigned ignorance, maintaining an air befitting his role as he responded to her.

‘And wasn’t he, in turn, deceiving Frost?’ he mused.

“Hmm, have you eaten breakfast yet? And what would you like to do today?” Unbeknownst to him, Frost had already grown accustomed to Luo Yao calling her ‘Sister,’ and now found herself genuinely enjoying their conversations.

Everything, it seemed, was progressing favorably. Yet, this fragile peace existed only so long as Mu Yaochen remained unaware of their growing closeness. Luo Yao knew that if Mu Yaochen were to discover them, his own punishment might not be severe, given their current dynamic. However, Frost’s fate would be far less certain. Luo Yao couldn’t ascertain if Frost and Mu Yaochen shared a simple employer-employee relationship, or if something more complex bound them. His understanding of Frost was woefully limited, leaving her an enigma.

“I’ve already had breakfast. Today, I’d like to go for a walk,” Luo Yao said, feigning a thoughtful expression.

In truth, he was utterly bored, spending his days in listless idleness. He couldn’t pursue the activities he desired or play the games he yearned for. While his daily stupor felt like a form of ‘lying flat,’ it wasn’t the kind of laid-back life Luo Yao truly sought.

“You still want to go out?” Upon hearing Luo Yao’s words, a flicker of anticipation stirred within Frost. However, the warning Mu Yaochen had issued before leaving that morning still weighed heavily on her mind, filling her with apprehension.

“Yes, just like yesterday!” Luo Yao exclaimed with a hint of excitement, seemingly eager to go out with Frost again. In reality, he felt so cooped up lately he was on the verge of losing his mind.

“This… no…” Frost began to refuse, but as her gaze met Luo Yao’s intensely hopeful eyes, she fell silent, her resolve wavering. She didn’t want to defy Mu Yaochen by doing something forbidden, yet she found herself wanting to grant Luo Yao’s every wish.

“Alright then. Miss Mu will have to agree first.” Frost’s eyes darted away, a conflict raging within her. She longed to stay with Luo Yao, yet hesitated.

‘When did these feelings begin to surface within me?’ she wondered.

The emotions she had suppressed for so long were now like a flash flood on the verge of bursting, relentlessly assailing the last bastion of her inner defenses.

“Now?” Frost held her phone, the chat interface already open to her conversation with Mu Yaochen.

“Yes, now.”

Mu Yaochen was likely very busy today, which meant Frost and Luo Yao would have the entire day to themselves. Just thinking about how they would spend it filled Frost with an inexplicable thrill. Moreover, she felt no guilt whatsoever; on the contrary, she savored every moment.

“Very well,” Frost murmured, then slid her finger across the phone screen, sending a message to Mu Yaochen at the company.

****

Meanwhile, at her company, Mu Yaochen leaned back in her leather chair, gazing up at the ceiling. Her mind was utterly consumed by every subtle expression of Luo Yao’s. It seemed the old adage, “a beauty can launch a thousand ships,” wasn’t uttered in vain. Indeed, when a man’s allure reached such a peak, it could truly disrupt one’s ordinary life. Mu Yaochen now yearned only to see Luo Yao, to gently pinch his small nose. And his tiny feet.

That morning, Mu Yaochen had inadvertently glimpsed Luo Yao’s bare feet. Since then, the image had lingered stubbornly in her memory, refusing to fade.

Just as her mind was entirely preoccupied with Luo Yao, her phone unseasonably chimed.

“Frost?” Mu Yaochen’s brows furrowed slightly. She wasn’t sure why, but an inexplicable irritation stirred within her.

‘What could it be?’ Mu Yaochen wondered, listlessly picking up her phone and glancing at the screen. Between her company work and the incessant, ‘well-meaning’ relatives, Mu Yaochen felt a headache brewing.

“Luo Yao wants to go for a walk. Miss, do you agree?” Mu Yaochen softly read aloud Frost’s message, yet a sudden, inexplicable anger flared in her mind.

‘Why does he want to go out the moment I leave? Why does he have so many desires the moment I’m gone?’ Mu Yaochen felt a sudden pang of jealousy towards Frost, who could watch over Luo Yao all day. Yet, she herself was currently unable to break free.

“No. He needs to recuperate. Let him rest.” After careful consideration, Mu Yaochen refused. She didn’t want other women hovering around Luo Yao. Mu Yaochen was even contemplating taking Luo Yao out of the hospital and keeping him by her side at all times. Only when he was by her side would Mu Yaochen feel at ease.

‘I’m merely preventing Luo Yao from encountering that little girl from the Su family again.’

‘Yes, that’s it exactly.’

Mu Yaochen gradually established a ‘nurturing’ strategy for Luo Yao. She understood that her approach to him had been flawed from the very beginning. Her goal was to slowly make Luo Yao fall for her, become dependent on her, then irrevocably and completely love her. Ultimately, she envisioned a Luo Yao who, without her, would be utterly incapable of surviving in this harsh world—that was the outcome Mu Yaochen most desired.