Volatile Affection

What constitutes affection is a matter of individual perspective.

For some, affection is nothing more than a desire for sole possession.

This particular emotion transcends spatial boundaries, gradually evolving into a unique sentiment cherished by all.

“Little Yao Yao, it’s not right to lie.”

From Mu Yaochen’s perspective, Luo Yao seemed to harbor a deep affection for Su Mengqi.

‘If that’s what you believe, then so be it,’ Luo Yao thought.

Luo Yao studied Mu Yaochen’s expression, his own heart wrestling with inner turmoil.

‘Ah, yes, absolutely, you’re entirely right!’

“I truly don’t like her. Believe it or not.”

Though Luo Yao was tempted to simply give up and let things be, he found himself compelled to state the truth, if only to ensure his life could continue without further complications.

However, Mu Yaochen was entirely unconvinced.

“Your eyes betray you.”

Mu Yaochen’s gaze was stern, yet Luo Yao’s eyes held steady, meeting hers without a flicker of evasion.

“Think whatever you wish, just stay away from me.”

Feeling a prickle of unease under Mu Yaochen’s intense scrutiny, Luo Yao instinctively recoiled, leaning his body backward.

“What are you trying to escape?”

Seeing Luo Yao attempt to retreat, Mu Yaochen’s slender, pale fingers shot out, gripping his clothes and forcibly keeping him within arm’s reach.

“Let go of me.”

Luo Yao struggled, only to realize he was utterly incapable of breaking free from Mu Yaochen’s grasp.

At that moment, the usually present maids, sensing the tension, discreetly vanished, leaving only the cacophony of the television to intensify the already fraught atmosphere in the living room.

‘What was Mu Yaochen’s intention?’ he wondered.

‘Could she possibly want Luo Yao to admit his affection for Su Mengqi?’

‘Was such a peculiar demand even possible?’

Luo Yao pondered the repercussions should he actually confess.

‘Would Mu Yaochen truly lose her mind?’ he wondered.

“Don’t you forget, you are merely a s*ave I purchased. Stop being so presumptuous!”

Mu Yaochen’s eyes widened, her gaze upon Luo Yao turning exceptionally fierce.

It was a stare akin to that of a demon from hell, fixing itself upon a mortal soul.

“I… I understand.”

As Mu Yaochen spoke, the hand that had been gripping Luo Yao suddenly tightened around his neck, simultaneously covering his mouth.

Mu Yaochen seemed to relish the sight of him suffocating; Luo Yao instantly felt deprived of air.

“Uwah! Uwah!”

Luo Yao thrashed, yet the more he struggled, the more pronounced the flush on Mu Yaochen’s face became.

“Ah…”

The sensation of suffocation intensified, and Luo Yao felt the chilling threat of death.

He struggled, shaking his head relentlessly, until a small gap finally appeared at his mouth.

Without hesitation, Luo Yao aimed for the nearest finger and bit down with all his might.

“That hurts!”

Luo Yao bit into Mu Yaochen’s thumb with every ounce of strength he possessed, causing her to instinctively release her grip.

“You… you dared to bite me!”

Mu Yaochen’s eyes blazed red as she glared fiercely at Luo Yao, who was half-sitting before her.

A distinct bite mark now marred her otherwise pristine, pale finger, a testament to Luo Yao’s desperate act.

Luo Yao’s face was flushed crimson from the recent oxygen deprivation, and tears welled slowly at the corners of his eyes, perhaps from the pain, or perhaps from the lingering terror of suffocation.

Mu Yaochen raised a hand, poised to strike Luo Yao’s face, but upon seeing the tears streaming from his eyes, her hand froze mid-air.

‘Was she about to deliver a resounding slap?’ Luo Yao thought.

Luo Yao watched Mu Yaochen’s halted movement.

‘A woman who strikes a man is hardly a good woman,’ he mused.

‘At least, not in this world.’

‘How pathetic.’

“What are you doing?”

Though Luo Yao knew Mu Yaochen had intended to slap him, he felt compelled to continue his act.

Since he was already shedding tears, a little more feigned injustice wouldn’t hurt.

Under Luo Yao’s gaze, Mu Yaochen felt a strange sense of unreality.

Seeing the red marks around his neck, inflicted by her own hands, an unexpected pang of heartache pierced her.

‘This feels unreal, as if I’m living in a dream.’

‘What exactly was I doing just now?’

Unbidden, two crystalline tears welled in Mu Yaochen’s own eyes.

“I… I’m so sorry.”

Mu Yaochen wanted to apologize, but it was too late… perhaps an apology would be utterly useless now.

Her arm slowly lowered, but Luo Yao, seizing the moment, attempted to rise.

Before Mu Yaochen could utter another word, he spun around, intent on escape.

Mu Yaochen’s recent actions served as a stark warning to Luo Yao.

‘This woman might very well kill me,’ he thought.

Seeing Luo Yao’s attempt to flee, Mu Yaochen, heedless of the tears still streaming down her face, moved swiftly, grabbing his ankle to halt his escape from the living room.

However, thwarted by Mu Yaochen’s obstruction, Luo Yao lost his balance and tumbled onto the thick carpet.

“Let go of me!”

Luo Yao’s voice was tinged with urgency, yet Mu Yaochen clung to his foot with an unyielding grip.

“Listen to me, I didn’t…”

Mu Yaochen started to speak, but before the words could fully form, she realized there was nothing she could possibly explain.

Any words she might offer would, in her eyes, sound utterly hollow.

“Let go of me…”

Luo Yao, a hint of helplessness in his voice, resigned himself to playing along with Mu Yaochen’s charade.

‘Judging by her appearance, this seemed genuine, not merely a test,’ he thought.

‘This woman’s temperament was truly fickle. She was utterly inexplicable, unfathomable.’

Luo Yao turned his head, observing Mu Yaochen’s face etched with sorrow.

“No, I won’t. You are mine, and you will listen to me.”

From start to finish, Mu Yaochen hadn’t truly understood her own actions.

She yearned for Luo Yao’s love, his affection, his undivided attention.

Yet, she had only made mistakes, one after another, from the very beginning.

Ultimately, Mu Yaochen could only resort to asserting her status as his owner.

“Alright… if you let go of me, I won’t run.”

Hearing Mu Yaochen’s words, Luo Yao seemed to accept his fate, gazing at her with a profound calmness.

‘Don’t look at me like that. Why are you looking at me like that?’ Mu Yaochen thought.

Watching Luo Yao’s resigned expression, Mu Yaochen’s hand trembled slightly as she released his.

“What do you want to do?”

Seeing Mu Yaochen release his foot, Luo Yao merely asked in a hushed tone.

“You…”

Conflict.

Mu Yaochen found herself utterly engulfed in contradiction.

‘What exactly did she want Luo Yao to do by staying?’ she wondered.

‘To remain by her side?’

A touch of hysteria colored Mu Yaochen’s demeanor.

“Sit on the sofa.”

Having regained her composure, Mu Yaochen settled herself on the sofa, watching the commercials on the television.

“Alright.”

Luo Yao nodded, rose, and took a seat on the plush sofa.

“Be good, listen to me.”

Mu Yaochen’s expression was profoundly complex, as if burdened by some unspoken worry.

“Luo Yao, I’m asking you one more time. Is there truly nothing between you and Su Mengqi?”

After a long silence, Mu Yaochen reiterated her previous question.

Observing Mu Yaochen’s earnest expression, Luo Yao felt a chilling premonition that the recent ordeal was about to repeat itself.

“No, there isn’t. She merely likes me.”

Luo Yao answered truthfully, though he remained uncertain of Mu Yaochen’s intentions.

“And do you like her?”

“No, I don’t.”

Gazing at Luo Yao’s fearful eyes, Mu Yaochen found herself torn, unsure whether to believe him.

‘He definitely likes Su Mengqi; he’s just afraid to speak the truth,’ she thought.

‘It must be so!’

Mu Yaochen’s reason for repeating the same question stemmed from her desire to salvage the fragile, ambiguous relationship she shared with Luo Yao.

‘It was like acting,’ she mused.

‘If one made a mistake, one simply started over.’

Yet, the more Mu Yaochen strove to mend their bond, the more their relationship seemed to deteriorate.