The Iron Cage and the Fragile Bond

Luo Yao felt as though Mu Yaochen were an iron cage, constantly confining him. At the same time, she was a ‘defective explosive’ on par with Su Mengqi; interacting with them, even a slight misstep could trigger a series of unforeseen ripple effects.

Conversely, for Mu Yaochen, Luo Yao’s presence had unlocked the emotional gates of her life. From her perspective, Luo Yao had become her entire existence.

Yet, Luo Yao’s feelings for Mu Yaochen were far from a blessing; instead, he found them somewhat repulsive and resistant.

The life Luo Yao yearned for was one of ease and freedom. Being with Mu Yaochen, he only felt suffocated.

Their suppressed emotions were doomed to entangle and destroy each other, like two gladiators locked in a fight to the death.

At this particular time, milk tea was typically consumed in-store; rarely would one find it in large, takeaway cups. After all, this was five years ago.

“Want milk tea?” Mu Yaochen’s previously furious mood brightened slightly upon hearing Luo Yao’s request.

However, Luo Yao’s use of the word ‘Master’ felt like a barb lodged in Mu Yaochen’s side, causing her discomfort. How many times had she told him not to call her that?

But…

‘Never mind.’

Mu Yaochen knew that Luo Yao still feared her. In the past, her twisted sense of conquest would have been immensely satisfied. Now, however, it only served as a constant reminder of her past misdeeds.

Mu Yaochen had always been someone who didn’t understand emotions, just as she didn’t understand Luo Yao.

She had always suspected Luo Yao was feigning innocence in front of her. Convinced of her own cleverness, it wasn’t until that night that Mu Yaochen realized how profoundly mistaken she had been.

“Yes, c-can I, Master?” Luo Yao deliberately softened his voice. Since he was already committed to playing the role of a vulnerable young man, he might as well ‘see it through to the end.’ One could even call it ‘professional ethics.’

However, feigning weakness at this moment was also his way of prompting Mu Yaochen to reflect on their past, or at least to remind her of it.

‘Milk tea, milk tea, milk tea? And stop calling me Master!’

‘Master Mu Yaochen and little Yao Yao no longer existed. Both were merely figments of their mutual imagination, characters that had never truly been.’

“Of course, you can. Which brand of milk tea would you like?” Hearing Luo Yao’s somewhat timid words, Mu Yaochen’s thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the past.

At this time, places that sold milk tea were scarce. If the world was operating normally, the iPhone 7 Plus would be released in the latter half of the year. Popular milk tea chains were only just beginning to emerge. Thus, even in an economically vibrant region like Fanhai City, these milk tea shops were nowhere to be seen.

Moreover, the type of milk tea Luo Yao was referring to originally appeared in Taiwan. If it still hadn’t emerged by this point, it meant the recipe might truly die in its infancy. Perhaps it was for this very reason that Luo Yao hadn’t had milk tea since arriving in this world, though he had certainly consumed his fair share of ‘happy water’ before.

“Master…” Finally, Luo Yao pondered carefully, trying to recall a flavor that closely resembled that particular milk tea. ‘Red tea latte…’

‘Where would one find a red tea latte?’

Suddenly, Luo Yao thought of a place.

From Mu Yaochen’s perspective, she didn’t care where Luo Yao wanted to go, but she cared deeply about how he addressed her. Although the word ‘Master’ grated on her ears, Mu Yaochen knew that Luo Yao would find it difficult to change this habit now. To break him of this ‘bad habit,’ she first needed to alleviate his fear of her. For a boy to truly fall in love with her, their relationship and status could not be too disparate.

At the very least, they couldn’t be master and s*ave.

In Mu Yaochen’s memory, milk tea had never left a good impression; she much preferred plain tea. The main reason was her constant lack of time, as she had been endlessly busy lately. She faced numerous headaches, Luo Yao being one of them, and the remaining issue was the position of Mu Family head.

Having already taken over the Bluebird Group, her ‘siblings’ of similar age now viewed her with considerable resentment.

Upon hearing Luo Yao’s request, he immediately changed the car’s direction. Luo Yao remembered that a certain Starbucks’ red tea latte was quite good.

As Mu Yaochen watched the car drive down the road, Luo Yao’s earlier ‘Master’ had irrevocably pulled her thoughts back to the past. She still vividly remembered her attitude towards Luo Yao when they first met – clearly caring, yet feigning indifference.

Due to her previous threats and leverage, Luo Yao was extremely concerned about the debts he owed her. Everything Luo Yao did now was aimed at repaying that eight million.

Moreover, she had once taken him to such a sordid place, intending to trample his dignity, yet for some internal reason, she had never gone through with it. Was it her own weakness, or a reluctance deep within her? Given Mu Yaochen’s emotional experience, she couldn’t tell the difference.

Although the money was entirely ill-gotten, Mu Yaochen’s means of acquiring Luo Yao were equally illicit. But having obtained him, Mu Yaochen had no intention of letting go. And it was this illegal eight million that had forged the strongest, most unyielding link between them.

At the same time, this seemingly unbreakable bond was incredibly fragile. If the relevant authorities discovered that she had acquired Luo Yao through an auction, even with the Blue Year Group’s legal team behind her, the best outcome would be Luo Yao returning to his original home, and she would lose him forever.

Relationships built on money were seen as fragile by others, yet in Luo Yao’s eyes, theirs was remarkably solid, because even now, he傻乎乎 insisted on repaying her. This was one of his endearing qualities. She, however, clearly understood that most of what she had done to Luo Yao in the past was wrong. Now, she was doing her best to steer things in a better direction. Still, she lacked the confidence that Luo Yao would ever truly love her. Simultaneously, she feared losing him.

Mu Yaochen had diligently worked to eliminate every possible scenario that could lead to such an outcome. For instance, Luo Yao’s family, which was now entirely under Mu Yaochen’s control, as was that seemingly unlikable ‘sister.’ Even if someone were to forcefully intervene, the family, controlled by Mu Yaochen, would ultimately speak in her favor. After all, Mu Yaochen had gripped the Luo family’s fate by the throat.

However, there was one person. Like an unstable factor, a thorn in Mu Yaochen’s side.

‘Su Mengqi, you are truly an eyesore.’