Forced into the Mansion

In the end, she was still threatened by Qin Haiyue and taken away.

Qin Haiyue, dressed in luxurious clothes, led Ye Xingmian to a relatively secluded road. A black sedan was already parked by the roadside. The girl didn’t know much about cars, but just looking at it gave her the feeling that it was expensive.

Qin Haiyue smiled and walked ahead of the girl to pull open the door.

“Get in.”

Staring at the interior of the car, Ye Xingmian felt a strong surge of unease. She hugged her arms, trembling.

“Where are you taking me?”

“I told you, to my house.”

“Really?”

Her intuition told her that once she got into the car, there would be no turning back.

“Why so many questions? Just get in!” Qin Haiyue’s expression turned cold.

“But… but…” The girl was still scared. Would Qin Haiyue really take her home just as she said? Or did she intend to harm her? She had heard too many stories of human trafficking. She didn’t dare gamble on whether this was one of those times.

Before she could finish speaking, she felt a sudden pain in her lower back. Her body uncontrollably tumbled into the car, sinking into the soft seat. She quickly realized Qin Haiyue had kicked her in. She hurriedly turned around, her messy hair obscuring her vision.

Her pink eyes filled with tears from fright. She bit her lip and obediently pulled her legs inside.

“So slow.” Qin Haiyue still held her kicking pose, looking irritated. Seeing the girl seated properly, she got in and sat beside her.

“Alright, stop crying. Who cares if there’s a footprint on your shabby clothes? They weren’t clean anyway.”

“I… I’m not crying…” the girl stammered in defense.

She wasn’t upset about her clothes—well, actually she was, since she’d spent so much effort washing them just yesterday. But more importantly, she felt an inexplicable sense of grievance.

Tears silently slid down her face again. She covered her eyes, not wanting the other to see. Seeing this, Qin Haiyue frowned.

“Drive, driver.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Only then did Ye Xingmian belatedly notice that there was someone in the driver’s seat. Composing herself, she quietly opened her eyes and saw a middle-aged man in sunglasses through the rearview mirror. He wore earpieces and seemed completely oblivious to her.

So he was Qin Haiyue’s chauffeur?

He had called her… Miss? That word felt so far removed from her life. In her memory, the stereotype of a ‘young miss’ was always gentle, elegant, and sweet. But Qin Haiyue… no matter how you looked at her, she didn’t fit that image.

The girl stole a glance at Qin Haiyue, who was resting her elbow on the window frame, her fist supporting her chin. Her expression was ice-cold. It seemed that Qin Haiyue wasn’t suited for smiling; her smile didn’t bring warmth—only sharpness and coldness. Just like her eyes, colored with frigid indifference.

“What are you looking at?”

Qin Haiyue suddenly turned and snapped at her. The girl quickly lowered her head, stammering.

“S-sorry…”

“Hmph.” Qin Haiyue snorted and didn’t press further.

In the silent car, the scenery outside sped backward. Soon they left the bustling city and entered a luxurious affluent district. Unlike the crowded downtown, it was quiet here, filled with villas and eye-catching green belts.

The girl had only heard of this place but had never been. A quick glance out the window made her genuinely nervous.

Soon, the car stopped in front of a secluded villa. Qin Haiyue got out without waiting, and the girl hurried after her.

The driver rolled down the window and called out, “Miss, shall I pick you up at the same time tomorrow?”

“Okay.” Qin Haiyue waved him off. Now, only she and Ye Xingmian stood before the vast villa.

She turned to look at the girl, a discomforting smile on her face. She beckoned.

“Come on.”

Stunned, the girl looked around. The quiet main road was completely empty—not a single person in sight, even though it was rush hour after school and work. She could only imagine how silent it would be at night.

Now, there was truly no room for regret. She had no choice but to steel herself and follow Qin Haiyue.

Qin Haiyue walked ahead, and she followed behind. Qin Haiyue unlocked the door with facial recognition, and she entered through the opened door behind her.

In the enormous living room, the lights overhead turned on with the sound of the opening door.

The girl had never seen such a huge living room. Just its area was several times larger than her foster parents’ house, not to mention the lavish decorations and smart home appliances. Was this what a villa was like?

So Qin Haiyue had always lived in a place like this…

She couldn’t tell if she felt envy or embarrassment. She was extremely nervous. She had felt this way at the class monitor’s house, but here, she felt even more out of place.

“Come in.”

Qin Haiyue glanced back casually at the girl hesitating at the door and walked straight inside.

At this point, the girl realized that her earlier fears were basically unfounded. Given Qin Haiyue’s wealth, she probably had no interest in squeezing a few pennies out of her—it wasn’t worth the risk. But she was still terrified. Precisely because of that, she couldn’t fathom what Qin Haiyue really wanted.

Next, Qin Haiyue led the girl on a tour of the villa—from the opulent living room to the private pool in the backyard, from the clean, high-end kitchen to the high platform equipped with an astronomical telescope. Finally, she brought her to her own bedroom.

Though called a bedroom, it was several times larger than the girl’s tiny attic, with a private bathroom and a big bed that looked both sturdy and soft. The girl was dizzy from the tour. She couldn’t understand: Qin Haiyue had brought her here not to bully her, but to show her around the villa? To flaunt her wealth?

“So? Do you like it here?”

Sitting at her computer desk, Qin Haiyue swiveled around in her chair and smiled. Her smile was unprecedentedly kind, but to the girl, it seemed incredibly incongruous…

After walking so long, most of the girl’s tension had dissipated. Yet faced with these words, she still felt at a loss.

Should she say she liked it? If this were her own home, she would definitely love it—after all, who would give up a spacious, luxurious villa for a cramped, dark attic filled with clutter? But this was Qin Haiyue’s home.