44: Chapter 44 The Young Lady Arrives

By dusk, the last sliver of the setting sun had been swallowed by the horizon, and the villa's living room was brightly lit.

The lingering aroma of braised pork still hung in the air—a dish Huang Mao had specially cooked earlier to appease the two girls.

However, this dinner, which should have been heartwarming, felt as grim as a "last meal before execution."

At this moment, the three of them were sitting on the sofa in a triangular formation, the atmosphere so tense it felt like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment.

Huang Mao sat in the single-seat sofa, holding a cup of warm water, his gaze vacant as he entered "sage mode."

Leng Qingxuan was hugging a throw pillow, her long legs curled up on the sofa, her eyes fixed intently on the television.

Although the television was broadcasting boring news, she was watching it with even more focus than when she was clearing a boss fight in a game.

As for An Ran, she was restless, shaking her leg so rapidly that it could almost charge a mobile phone.

"I say..." An Ran finally couldn't help it; she turned her head, breaking the deathly silence.

"It's almost eight o'clock, and there's still no sign of that Miss Su. Could she have stood us up?"

There was a hint of expectation in her tone that she hadn't even noticed herself, as if the world would be at peace as long as Su Muxue didn't show up.

"After all, she is the Eldest Miss of the Su Family. Maybe she was held back by her family before leaving, or perhaps she regretted it?"

Huang Mao set down his water bottle and slowly pulled his phone from his pocket, opening that green social media app.

"I also hope she was joking, but unfortunately, she just sent me her location five minutes ago."

He turned the screen around, showing a small icon representing a vehicle steadily moving toward the villa area.

"She said she'll be here soon, and... her family will be driving her over personally."

Hearing this, Leng Qingxuan, who had been feigning cold indifference, whipped her head around, her eyes filled with shock.

"Her family is driving her?" Leng Qingxuan's voice rose a few notches. "You mean, those two from the Su Family?"

As an Eldest Miss who also came from a wealthy family, Leng Qingxuan knew all too well the difference between "running away from home" and being "escorted by parents."

When she moved out, it had taken countless cold wars and negotiations before she finally managed to fight for her freedom.

But Su Muxue? This wasn't running away from home; this was practically staying over by imperial decree, and an official one at that.

"This is unscientific." An Ran was also dumbfounded. "How big-hearted must her parents be to send their daughter to a guy's house?"

Huang Mao shrugged, looking helpless. "Don't ask me; I want to know what kind of love potion she fed her family, too."

Just then, the silent night outside was instantly pierced by two bright, penetrating headlights.

The roar of the engine was low and heavy; one could tell just by the sound that it possessed the quality only top-tier industrial marvels have.

The three of them exchanged glances and stood up in unison, walking to the floor-to-ceiling window to look outside.

A pitch-black Maybach, shimmering with a silk-like luster under the lights, was slowly coming to a stop at the entrance.

The car body was absurdly long; parked in front of Huang Mao's small villa, it actually seemed to overshadow the house itself.

"Tsk, with an entrance like that, anyone who didn't know better would think some head of state had come to inspect the common people."

Huang Mao complained, but his heart was pounding; this display didn't look like someone coming to rent a room.

He straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and walked toward the door. What had to be faced would have to be faced eventually.

Pushing the door open, the evening breeze hit his face with a hint of chill. The rear door of the Maybach had already opened silently.

Su Muxue was the first to step out. She had changed into a simple, elegant white dress and looked incomparably pure.

Immediately after, a middle-aged couple with extraordinary auras also got out of the car, their every gesture exuding the authority of those in high positions.

The man wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, his eyes sharp yet polite; he was the head of the Su Family.

The noble lady beside him wore a silk shawl, her face seven parts similar to Su Muxue's, carrying an air of melancholic elegance.

Huang Mao, bearing immense psychological pressure, went up to meet them, a professional smile on his face. "Hello, Uncle and Auntie."

Su's father nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Huang Mao for three seconds, as if he wanted to see right through him.

"You must be Student Huang Mao? Thank you for taking care of Muxue during this time," Su's father said, his voice deep and resonant.

Huang Mao responded neither humbly nor arrogantly: "I wouldn't call it taking care of her. We are all classmates; helping each other is only right."

Seeing this, the Su parents' eyes flashed with a hint of imperceptible appreciation; this young man's composure was quite good.

They didn't rush into the house, but instead surveyed the villa's environment first, their gazes scrutinizing and detailed.

Although this house might not have been as big as their own garage in their eyes, it had the advantage of being clean, tidy, and having a tranquil atmosphere.

"The environment is quite nice. It's clear that you are someone who loves life," Su's mother commented softly.

Su's father withdrew his gaze and suddenly gestured for Huang Mao to follow. "Student Huang, could we speak aside for a moment?"

Huang Mao was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood and nodded. "Of course, Uncle and Auntie, please follow me. Let's talk in the study on the second floor."

He led the two into the house, leaving Su Muxue and the two girls in the living room, who were acting as if they were facing a great enemy, to stare at each other.

Inside the study, the mahogany bookshelves emitted a faint woody fragrance. Huang Mao pulled out chairs for the two elders and sat opposite them.

After sitting down, Su's father did not put on airs as a big shot; instead, he sighed heavily.

"Student Huang, to be honest, we came here today with guilt and a request."

This opening line completely threw Huang Mao off; the "I'll give you five million to leave my daughter" scenario he had anticipated didn't happen.

Su's father gave a bitter smile. "As parents, we have actually been quite failures. We have been too 'protective' of Muxue all these years."

"We thought that giving her the best material things and the safest environment was the greatest love we could give her."

"But only today did we realize that this protection was actually a form of invisible harm to her."

Su's mother took over the conversation from the side, her eyes slightly red. "Muxue has been too sensible since she was a child, and also too unhappy."

"We tried taking her on trips and giving her expensive gifts, but there was never any light in her eyes."

"We actually realized something was wrong a long time ago, but we were afraid of change, and afraid that she would suffer because of our changes and be unable to bear it."

"So we kept deceiving ourselves, thinking that as long as we maintained the status quo, she would at least be safe."

Huang Mao listened in silence, feeling a bit moved.

It seemed that Su Muxue's parents were somewhat aware of her situation, and more importantly, they actually had self-awareness.

This was already very rare for parents, not to mention parents from such a wealthy family.

As for the difficulty in making changes... although he had never been a father, it wasn't hard to understand the shackles of "it's for your own good" if he put himself in their shoes.

"But today, when she begged us to let her move out, that look in her eyes... I don't think I've ever seen it in my entire life."

Su's father looked at Huang Mao, his tone becoming solemn. "That was almost the first time she had looked forward to the future from the bottom of her heart."

"So, even if this request sounds absurd, we decided to let go and let her try it once."

Huang Mao nodded thoughtfully. He could feel the love in these parents' hearts, a love as fragile as walking on thin ice.

"Don't worry, Uncle and Auntie. Although my place is simple, at least I won't make her uncomfortable."

Upon hearing this, Su's father nodded, then pulled a pitch-black card with gold-rimmed edges from his pocket and pushed it in front of Huang Mao.

"This is the living allowance for Muxue, as well as a small gesture from us. Please, you must accept it."

Huang Mao glanced at the black card, which was enough to make an ordinary person struggle for several lifetimes, but smiled and pushed it back.

"Uncle, Classmate Su and I have already discussed the rent, and that amount is already quite large."

"Besides, I am not taking her in for money. It's just that I happen to have a tenant here in a similar situation who provided a guarantee for her."

"If I accept this card, the nature of this arrangement changes, and my place would just become another high-end cage."

Huang Mao's refusal was crisp and decisive, his eyes clear without a hint of greed, which left Su's father completely stunned.

He had read countless people and seen too many young people who were either servile or insatiably greedy in front of him.

Someone like Huang Mao, who could hold onto his bottom line and had his own set of principles, was truly a rare gem.

"Good, a 'high-end cage' indeed." Su's father laughed twice, his eyes full of appreciation.

He took back the black card, stood up, and solemnly patted Huang Mao's shoulder. "Then I entrust Muxue to you."

"I ask for nothing else, only that she can smile more here and live like a real girl."

When the conversation ended and the Su parents went downstairs, the gloom on their faces had dissipated by more than half.

They thanked Huang Mao again, pulled Su Muxue aside to give her instructions for a long while, and only then reluctantly got into the car and left.

As the Maybach disappeared into the end of the night, the villa entrance finally returned to its usual tranquility.

Su Muxue stood next to several huge suitcases. The evening breeze ruffled her hair but could not disperse the smile on her face.

She turned around and looked at the two roommates in the living room, who had complex expressions and looked as if they wanted to devour her alive.

Leng Qingxuan wore a look of regret after "letting the wolf into the house," while An Ran was in a high-spirited, "protecting her food" stance.

Su Muxue did not flinch; instead, she elegantly lifted her skirt and bowed deeply to the two of them.

"From today on, I will be living with you both. Please take care of me, my roommates."

Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, yet in the next second, she dropped a nuclear bomb of immense power.

Su Muxue raised her head, her gaze locking onto Huang Mao, who had just walked out of the door, her eyes flashing with fanatical obedience.

"Also, please take care of me from now on... Master."

"Pfft—!"

Huang Mao, who had just taken a sip of water to calm his nerves, spat it out, splashing it all over the floor.

Leng Qingxuan covered her face and let out a pained groan. "I knew it, I knew it would turn out like this!"

An Ran jumped up directly, pointing at Su Muxue and shouting, "What did you call him?! Say that again?!"

Su Muxue tilted her head, looking innocent and pure. "He is the master of this house. What is wrong with calling him Master?"

Under the villa's lights, the four people's cohabitation life thus began with an incredibly outrageous title.