A Shared Secret and Lingering Unease

The remnants of sugar still clung to her fingers, but Frost, with a furtive glance, popped them into her mouth.

Though Frost’s palate was typically dulled, the lingering sweetness in her mouth was something she found herself unable to forget.

Upon their return to the hospital, both Luo Yao and Frost adopted an air of nonchalance, as if their brief excursion had never occurred. Yet, beneath Frost’s calm exterior, a tempest of panic raged within.

This clandestine defiance of Mu Yaochen’s direct orders left Frost acutely tense. The fleeting sweetness she had experienced during her time with Luo Yao had now vanished, supplanted by an unsettling, inexplicable anxiety.

She shuddered to imagine the repercussions if Mu Yaochen were to discover her taking Luo Yao outside the hospital’s confines; punishment was an undeniable certainty.

Carefully, she settled Luo Yao onto the bed. Though his injuries were not severe, Frost guarded him as if he were a fragile treasure.

“Rest now,” Frost, whose face was usually impassive, managed to contort her features into a rather awkward smile as she looked at Luo Yao.

“Alright,” Luo Yao replied, though in truth, he wasn’t particularly tired. After all, he hadn’t done any walking himself.

Observing Frost’s evident anxiety, Luo Yao understood her apprehension.

“Don’t worry, she won’t find out. This is our little secret, alright!” Luo Yao offered a faint, reassuring smile to the anxious Frost, attempting to soothe her restless heart.

His gesture, at that moment, carried a distinct hint of impropriety.

Upon hearing Luo Yao’s words, Frost’s face flushed crimson at a speed visible to the naked eye. Exaggerating slightly, Luo Yao could almost envision white steam rising from her head.

‘Such an intense reaction?’

“Of course… just don’t say anything more. Be careful not to give us away!” Frost’s head involuntarily dipped several degrees, as if she wished to avoid meeting Luo Yao’s gaze.

‘It’s not that big a deal, yet she’s so afraid.’

‘This is quite different from her usual demeanor.’

Initially, Luo Yao had assumed Frost would be an exceedingly rigid person.

“Understood, we’ll keep it a secret.” Despite her seemingly rigid exterior, she was surprisingly easy to get along with.

‘Her personality is like a little puppy; no wonder she’s Mu Yaochen’s subordinate.’

Luo Yao sensed that Mu Yaochen possessed a unique drive for conquest, a peculiar desire stemming from the master-subordinate dynamic. Moreover, this relationship was rigidly hierarchical.

****

Meanwhile, at the Bluebird Group tower, Mu Yaochen had returned to her office, but her mind was far from work. At first, she attributed her lack of focus to a sleepless night and general fatigue. After a short nap, however, her state only worsened.

Upon waking, Mu Yaochen’s mind was consumed by images of Luo Yao, by the unique, clean scent that always seemed to emanate from him.

‘Luo Yao…’

‘Luo Yao, what exactly happened to you?’

Though Luo Yao had exchanged a few words with her that morning, Mu Yaochen was overcome by an inexplicable sense of unease.

She felt that Luo Yao was no longer the same person she had first encountered—that easily manipulated, easily bullied, especially obedient ‘Little Yao Yao.’

The current Luo Yao felt more like a fragile object to Mu Yaochen.

‘Something that could shatter with a touch, very delicate, yet immensely precious.’

At this moment, Mu Yaochen stood before a mirror, scrutinizing herself.

Her graphite-colored hair now showed split ends. Despite having rested for a while, a profound weariness still clung to her. Her face lacked vitality, and she felt utterly disoriented.

‘Perhaps a shower. I’ll be going to the hospital to see Luo Yao soon.’

‘At least, in front of Luo Yao, I can’t be so disheveled; I should be refined.’

With this thought, Mu Yaochen forgot the mountain of piled documents and headed directly for the secret door in her office. The CEO’s office always had a corresponding resting area, and Mu Yaochen’s was no exception.

‘A lovely shower, then off to see Luo Yao.’

Back at the hospital, as time wore on, Frost’s complexion grew increasingly tense, and her face became visibly paler.

‘Is she really that nervous? Would Mu Yaochen devour her alive if she were discovered?’

Though Luo Yao was perplexed, he was unaware that in Mu Yaochen’s eyes, defying her direct orders was akin to a fatal betrayal. Mu Yaochen abhorred betrayal.

However, Luo Yao was a special exception. Mu Yaochen could tolerate any of Luo Yao’s mistakes, but her patience had its limits.

“The Young Miss is returning,” Frost murmured, her spirits visibly low, her face even paler than before.

In Frost’s perception, Mu Yaochen was an omnipotent being. If she truly set her mind to it, she would undoubtedly uncover their activities from earlier that day, including their every movement and even Frost’s physical contact with Luo Yao.

At this thought, Frost’s body trembled involuntarily.

“Uh… just try to relax,” Luo Yao said, seeing Frost on the verge of collapse. He could only sense her profound fear.

“Yes, I will,” Frost replied, her usual aloof demeanor gone, her eyes darting nervously.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s alright. If anything truly happens, just put the blame on me.” Luo Yao watched the frightened Frost, surprised to see such an expression on her face.

“It’s nothing, I’m just a little nervous. Even if we’re found out, it won’t be blamed on you.” Frost was already imagining her fate if their secret was revealed. More than Mu Yaochen’s punishment, Frost feared ‘that.’

As for what ‘that’ was, perhaps only Frost knew. As for Luo Yao, Mu Yaochen wouldn’t do anything to him now. At this moment, Mu Yaochen was too busy cherishing Luo Yao.

“You may leave now.” Just as Frost was still consumed by anxiety, Mu Yaochen suddenly pushed the door open. Her peripheral vision briefly flickered to Frost, who stood in the corner, as she spoke calmly.

There was no hint of suspicion in her eyes, suggesting that Mu Yaochen had not been monitoring Luo Yao’s movements that afternoon.

Upon hearing this, Frost felt a tremendous weight lift from her shoulders.

“Understood,” Frost responded softly, lowering her head.

“Also, I have some documents on my desk that need to be processed. As usual, thank you for your hard work.” Mu Yaochen then remembered the files on her desk. With no time to handle them herself, she could only entrust them to Frost.

“Yes, alright,” Frost nodded, then vanished from the hospital room.

Frost’s emotions were a complex mix of relief and an inexplicable joy. She found herself replaying the memories of her time with Luo Yao on the pedestrian street. Though simple, for Frost, who was emotionally reserved, the events of that afternoon had etched themselves deeply into her mind.

‘Luo Yao enjoys sweet things.’

In the hospital room, after the ‘inconvenient’ person had left, Mu Yaochen’s lips curled into a playful smile. It was the same feeling she had experienced the first time she saw Luo Yao at the hospital—an inexplicable excitement, an inexplicable thrill.

“Is there something you need?” Luo Yao’s face was devoid of expression.

The setting was the same, but the person was utterly different. The Luo Yao of before had eyes filled with innocence, but the current Luo Yao exuded an inexplicable coldness. Perhaps, in Luo Yao’s world, the moment Mu Yaochen had attempted to force herself upon him, his persona had begun to crumble.