A Silent Confession

“Do you like me, Master?” Just as Mu Yaochen pondered how to break Luo Yao’s wings, Luo Yao stared blankly out the window, his words laced with an underlying meaning.

“I don’t like you,” Mu Yaochen replied without hesitation, her fists clenched tightly.

“If you don’t like me, then why did you almost force yourself on me last night?” Luo Yao asked, barely containing a smile as he looked at the woman who spoke from both sides of her mouth.

“That’s enough. You’re just a man,” Mu Yaochen retorted, her black high heels tapping an agitated rhythm on the floor, momentarily forgetting her guilt towards Luo Yao.

“Hmm…” Luo Yao watched the agitated Mu Yaochen, making no extra movements, only looking at her intently.

The room fell into an unsettling silence.

“Ding dong…” A sound echoed from the door.

“Wait a moment, breakfast has arrived,” Mu Yaochen said, rising to fetch the early meal, her mind drifting back to the earnest expression Luo Yao had worn when asking if she liked him.

How could I possibly like a boy like you, Luo Yao?

The breakfast, simple and unappealing, consisted of nothing more than plain porridge and eggs. Yet, it was this very simplicity that left Mu Yaochen discontented, as if she herself were the one eating.

“Eat a little, come on, open your mouth,” Mu Yaochen commanded, placing the breakfast tray on the bedside table and setting up a small table over Luo Yao’s bed.

“Be a good boy, I’ll feed you,” she added, her impatience gradually subsiding now that they could communicate normally. However, Luo Yao’s question lingered in her mind.

Watching Mu Yaochen’s domineering demeanor, Luo Yao realized that she was determined to feed him.

After a bland breakfast, Mu Yaochen sat quietly beside Luo Yao, her eyes never leaving him.

Luo Yao wondered if she was tired, guessing she must have stayed up all night.

“What are you looking for?” Mu Yaochen inquired, noticing Luo Yao’s search.

“My phone, where is it?” Luo Yao realized it was not in his pocket, remembering he always kept it there.

“I have it. Do you need it for something?” Mu Yaochen recalled the medical staff handing over Luo Yao’s personal items, which included only a phone. In the chaos, she had tucked it into her pocket.

“I… I need to use it,” Luo Yao explained, remembering his order and the negotiations with customer service.

“What do you need it for? If you need it, I’ll get it for you,” Mu Yaochen replied, her tone still haughty, but she generally agreed to Luo Yao’s requests as long as they weren’t unreasonable. She didn’t want him to get hurt again, and the sight of Luo Yao’s pain was unbearable to her.

Mu Yaochen felt relieved that Luo Yao didn’t hold a grudge against her for his injuries. As long as he was willing to communicate, their relationship hadn’t completely broken down.

“No, just asking. Can you give it to me now?” Luo Yao felt that something was missing since his phone had been taken away.

“Sure,” Mu Yaochen agreed readily, having thoroughly checked Luo Yao’s phone while he slept the night before. She found nothing about Su Mengqi on it.

She placed the phone in front of Luo Yao.

“You mentioned opening a store to make money. Are you serious about repaying me?” Mu Yaochen looked at Luo Yao, her gaze distant.

She doubted Luo Yao could repay the debt, especially for a high school boy. She had only offered it as an incentive, never expecting him to take it seriously. However, if Su Mengqi was involved, things could get complicated.

Mu Yaochen wished Luo Yao would forget about the 8 million yuan, remembering only that he belonged to her as a s*ave.

She regretted giving Luo Yao false hope, but what could she do now? She had to let Luo Yao decide.

“Are you serious about repaying me?” Mu Yaochen asked again, her disbelief evident.

Luo Yao simply nodded, perhaps this was his last defiance. Even if he could repay the debt, Mu Yaochen wouldn’t grant him freedom.

“Rest easy,” Mu Yaochen said, watching Luo Yao’s nod and reflecting on her decision to keep him confined. She felt guilt for causing his injury and giving him false hope, knowing she would ultimately crush it.

Repaying the debt was Luo Yao’s only hope of leaving her. If she forced him to stay, who knows what he might do? She had deceived him from the start, always manipulating this fragile soul.

Soon, lunch was delivered by a nurse. Unlike breakfast, this meal wasn’t from the hospital cafeteria, suggesting it was brought from home by Frost.

After the nurse left, Frost appeared silently at the door, standing motionless.

Despite Luo Yao’s injured arm, he could still eat. However, Mu Yaochen insisted on feeding him, finding a twisted pleasure in the process, though she made no inappropriate moves. It was a simple act of feeding.

After lunch, Mu Yaochen spent a brief hour with Luo Yao before leaving without a word, heading out the door.

“Frost, take care of him,” Mu Yaochen said to Frost, her face weary. She had poured all her energy into Luo Yao, and it showed in her once-glossy hair now split at the ends and her once-vibrant face now worn with fatigue.

“Yes, Miss,” Frost replied calmly, though a closer look revealed her own fatigue.

“Be good this afternoon. I have to go to the company for some business. If anything comes up, talk to Frost, or call me directly,” Mu Yaochen instructed Frost before returning to Luo Yao. She playfully pinched his nose, but Luo Yao’s expression was now blank, devoid of the previous shyness and fear.

Watching Luo Yao, Mu Yaochen felt a void inside her, as if something was missing.

Luo Yao’s cold response to her was met with silence. She knew that while Luo Yao might have forgiven her with words, his heart still held resentment. Men, after all, often say one thing but mean another. Luo Yao was no different.

He probably hated her deeply.

It’s okay, little Luo Yao. I’ll protect you silently for the rest of my life. You belong only to me.

*****

Exhausted

Currently owe 9 chapters