The Price of Protection

“Whoa, can’t you watch where you’re going?”

Bai Xia stumbled, feeling as though she had collided with an unyielding wall. She nearly toppled over, but a hand shot out, steadying her before she could land ungracefully on the floor.

She adjusted her hat, which had been knocked askew, and lifted her gaze, ready to sharply rebuke the person who had bumped into her. Yet, her words caught in her throat as she recognized the face before her.

“Am I to interpret this as you throwing yourself into my embrace?”

Mo Bai stood before the white-haired girl, his eyebrow slightly raised, observing Bai Xia, who had just crashed into him, with an amused glint in his eyes.

“Mo… Mo Ge?” Bai Xia was momentarily bewildered. “Mo Ge, weren’t you heading to the Dean’s office?”

“Indeed. I couldn’t find anyone, so I returned. I thought it would be better to take you with me after school instead.” Mo Bai leaned down slightly, gently adjusting her crooked hat.

“I have to go too?” Bai Xia was somewhat confused. “Is something the matter?”

“It concerns your identity.” Mo Bai playfully pinched Bai Xia’s cheek, a smile gracing his lips. “Given how things are, you’re not still thinking of changing back into a boy to attend classes, are you?”

Having acquired his little maid, Mo Bai naturally had no intention of letting Bai Xia revert to a boy. Otherwise, wouldn’t all his efforts these past few days be in vain?

Upon hearing this, Bai Xia paused, her ruby-like eyes widening instantly.

“No, no, Mo Ge! I’ll die of embarrassment!”

The moment she heard Mo Bai intended for her to enroll under her true identity, Bai Xia began stomping her feet in agitation, nearly knocking her hat askew again.

This, this was absolutely unacceptable!

Her original plan was to simply muddle through as a boy until graduation, since she was almost done with school anyway. This would spare her the awkwardness of being recognized by her classmates.

More importantly, however…

Mo Bai was constantly finding new ways to tease her now!

If she were to enroll as a girl, wouldn’t she be even more completely at his mercy?

Damn it… At this rate, she’d be trained into a submissive girlfriend!

“Can’t… can’t we just wait until after graduation to deal with the identity issue?” Bai Xia tried to plead her case.

The strange physical changes she’d been experiencing these past few days were already troubling enough.

While she didn’t particularly dislike Mo Bai’s teasing, the immense and sudden shift still left her feeling utterly bewildered.

After all, before she was drugged at the bar, Bai Xia rarely appeared in public as a girl. For the longest time, she had essentially lived as a boy and had never been treated this way by a male.

Of course, on 0721, she would still transform back into a girl…

But setting aside 0721, it could be said that when it came to romantic matters, Bai Xia was a complete blank slate if she were to assume her female identity.

Now, to suddenly expect her to face Mo Bai as a girl from now on, she still felt a degree of resistance.

After all…

Bai Xia was, to some extent, well aware of why Mo Bai treated her this way.

Initially, she had only intended to repay Mo Bai’s kindness for helping her by appearing as a girl…

Everyone said that since a girl had transformed, she should naturally let her ‘brother’ enjoy it.

Who knew it would turn out like this in the end?

Alas, the free things truly were the most expensive…

Moreover, Mo Bai was now her master…

At this thought, Bai Xia inexplicably felt as though Mo Bai had her completely cornered. The mere fact that she had to drink his blood meant she couldn’t leave her rich classmate.

If there was anything Bai Xia could be grateful for, it was probably that Mo Bai still didn’t know about the Blood Princess’s master-bond.

“Let’s eat first; I’ll tell you later.” Mo Bai didn’t rush to answer, instead gently ruffling Bai Xia’s hair.

“Alright…” The girl sighed in resignation, offering no objection. Such an outcome was, after all, somewhat expected. “What do you want to eat, Mo Ge? You probably don’t frequent the cafeteria, do you?”

Realizing that standing and talking wasn’t ideal, Bai Xia gently tugged at Mo Bai’s sleeve, signaling for him to follow her, his deskmate. However, Mo Bai wasn’t content with merely being led by his sleeve. He turned his hand, enveloping her slender white hand in his palm, causing Bai Xia’s cheeks to visibly flush crimson as a hint of panic flickered in her eyes. She wanted to pull away but couldn’t.

That scoundrel! This is the school cafeteria!

Seeing that Mo Bai had no intention of releasing her hand, Bai Xia simply gave up.

If I’m shameless, then the embarrassment falls on others.

Embracing a ‘broken pot, broken throw’ mentality, Bai Xia allowed Mo Bai to hold her hand. After all, in a way, Mo Bai was truly less familiar with the school cafeteria than she was. A young master like him likely dined on delicacies outside every day.

‘Sigh, it’s good to be rich…’

After using Mo Bai’s card to order a ten-yuan self-serve meal, Bai Xia found a less crowded spot and sat down, eating her food in small bites. It wasn’t long before Mo Bai also arrived, carrying his own tray, and settled beside her.

“…”

Honestly, he’s crowding me again.

Bai Xia silently shifted over, only for Mo Bai to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her back.

“What are you doing?” Bai Xia was starting to pout. “The space is already small. Can’t you sit across from me, Mo Ge?”

A displeased little Blood Princess has dire consequences!

Her mood was already somewhat soured by those guys from the student council, and now Mo Bai was adding to the chaos. She almost wished the entire cafeteria would know she was his.

“What’s wrong?” Facing Bai Xia, who was on the verge of pouting, Mo Bai suddenly produced an exquisite lunchbox from beside him and placed it before her, pushing aside the simple meal she had chosen. “Alright, I know my little maid was wronged just now. This is compensation.”

!!!

That single sentence was packed with information!

Sure enough, Mo Bai was secretly watching in the cafeteria when I was being bullied by the student council!

Otherwise, why would she have coincidentally bumped into Mo Bai in the cafeteria the moment she escaped?

“Mo Ge, you… you were watching then, weren’t you?” Bai Xia accused, a hint of grievance in her earlier petulance.

Bai Xia couldn’t quite understand it. Mo Bai was so close, yet he had simply watched her being bullied. Didn’t he care about her very much?

The girl felt strangely conflicted. She wanted to distance herself from Mo Bai, but in that moment, she had wished he would come to her aid. This contradictory feeling left her deeply unsettled.

Mo Bai naturally sensed the white-haired girl beside him was complaining, but he merely sighed softly and pulled Bai Xia closer.

“Yes, I was watching the whole time.”

“Then… then why…”

“Bai Xia, have you ever considered…”

As Mo Bai spoke, he opened the exquisite lunchbox before Bai Xia. Inside were various delicacies usually found only in upscale restaurants, even a bowl of hot soup, as if it were a specially prepared gift for the girl’s victory.

This was indeed a concern for Mo Bai. No matter how much he protected Bai Xia, some things she would ultimately have to face on her own. After all, to go through the superpower assessment and study at various superpower academies, combat was inevitable.

However, it seemed his little maid had performed quite well.

But Bai Xia didn’t seem satisfied with Mo Bai’s answer. She continued to pout, still clearly in a huff.

Watching the girl’s expression, a helpless smile flickered in Mo Bai’s eyes. He reached out and gently pinched Bai Xia’s soft cheek. “What, are you angry?”

“No…” Bai Xia said, though her words betrayed her true feelings.

What did she have to be angry about? He was just a bad guy who only knew how to tease her, after all.

Although Mo Bai’s constant flirting was annoying, as her master, seeing her bullied and not intervening left Bai Xia feeling deeply wronged. Coupled with her physical dependence on Mo Bai, her conflicting emotions made her even more distressed.

“Wasn’t that kick just now quite dashing?” Mo Bai suddenly chuckled, ruffling Bai Xia’s small head. “Quick, eat. I bought it especially for you.”

“Mm…” Bai Xia lowered her gaze to the dishes in the exquisite lunchbox, eventually nodding slightly.

Though she couldn’t quite comprehend the contradiction within her heart, Bai Xia obediently picked up her chopsticks and began to eat in small bites. A while later, the boy she had kicked earlier appeared at the cafeteria entrance, accompanied by several student council members, all looking furious.

“Find her! Find that girl for me right now!”