96: Chapter 96 begins with an apology.

Huang Mao exhaled a deep, murky breath; the pent-up frustration in his chest had finally dissipated completely after that flurry of punches and kicks.

He casually flexed his slightly stiff wrists, his knuckles popping with a crisp sound.

That chilling aura that had made people shudder just moments ago vanished without a trace, like a receding tide.

"Whew... much better. Proper exercise really is good for physical and mental health."

The lazy, playful smile that usually graced Huang Mao's face returned, as if the thug who had just beaten someone to a pulp was merely a hallucination.

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Su Muxue's overly gentle and pretty face, and spoke in a teasing tone.

"I have to say, Muxue, what you said just now sounded quite terrifying."

"'Never be seen again'... you weren't actually planning on dumping that poor sap into some river to feed the fish, were you?"

There was still a trace of lingering ruthlessness in Huang Mao's eyes, which, combined with his half-joking expression, gave off an indescribable air of wickedness.

Meeting this gaze, Su Muxue's heart skipped a beat, and a tingling sensation shot straight up her spine to the top of her head.

She even had an absurd illusion: If she had really nodded and said, "Yes, Master, I'll take care of it tonight," the man in front of her wouldn't just be unangered; he would smile, pat her head, and praise her.

This aggressive sense of oppression, completely different from his usual "male mom" style of gentleness, made some switch inside her tremble wildly.

However, as a "maid" with extremely high professional standards, she quickly suppressed the untimely excitement in her heart and shook her head with dignity.

"Of course not, Master. After all, this is a society ruled by law. Such crude behavior is neither elegant nor in line with my principles."

Su Muxue parted her lips slightly, her voice still as soft as a spring breeze, but the words she spoke would likely make Lin Peng shudder even if he had already run far away.

"Although my family's influence is indeed capable of many things, there's no need to dirty my hands for trash like that."

"And my family probably hasn't done anything like this, which seems a bit extreme."

She paused, the corners of her mouth curling into just the right arc, her tone as flat as if she were discussing what to have for dinner.

"However, making him disappear from this school completely, packing his bags and rolling out of this city..."

"Or, making that so-called company of his lose a sum of money before the sun rises tomorrow, is still something that can be done easily."

After hearing this, Huang Mao pursed his lips noncommittally and nodded slightly in approval.

"Fine, as long as you don't cause any deaths, do whatever you want. That guy is indeed quite an eyesore."

Subsequently, he turned his head again and locked eyes with Leng Qingxuan, who had been standing on the side like a background prop.

Leng Qingxuan was currently standing with her arms crossed. The cold, detached look she had while watching the show vanished the instant she met Huang Mao's gaze; she looked as if she had been burned by fire, and her eyes darted away quickly.

A faint blush quietly crept up her fair cheeks, and she coughed unnaturally twice to hide the heart-fluttering sensation she felt when she saw Huang Mao "slaying all sides" earlier.

"Why are you looking at me? I was just passing by, and happened to see how a certain Sports Student was being surrounded."

Seeing this, Huang Mao chuckled lightly. He didn't expose the Iceberg Campus Belle's facade and greeted her in a gentle tone.

"Alright, thank you both for showing up in time today, Qingxuan, Muxue."

"Since the trouble is resolved, we should head home."

As he spoke, he reached out and patted An Ran on the shoulder with an extremely natural movement, the force so gentle it was like soothing a frightened kitten.

"Let's go, home for dinner. My stomach is about to growl."

After speaking, Huang Mao shoved his hands into his pockets and strolled leisurely in the lead, his back still looking like that of an ordinary, slacking college student.

Touched by the warmth of Huang Mao's palm, An Ran felt as if she had been hit by a freezing spell, her body stiffening suddenly.

That solid, lightly soap-scented touch traveled from her shoulder straight into her heart, ironing out all the fear and grievance she had felt earlier.

After coming to her senses, as if afraid of being left behind, she nodded vigorously and trotted a few steps to catch up closely with Huang Mao's pace.

"Wait for me! Why are you walking so fast, Huang Mao!"

An Ran's voice regained its usual vitality. Although there was still a hint of nasal congestion, that lively spirit had finally returned.

Su Muxue stood in place, watching how An Ran looked as if she wished she could stick to Huang Mao, a flicker of extremely complex emotion flashing in the depths of her eyes.

She seemed to have something to say, but after moving her lips, she ultimately chose to remain silent for the time being.

Now was not the time; some things had to be resolved in private.

She lowered her eyelids, her long lashes concealing the surging thoughts in her heart.

Then, she also stepped forward and followed quietly.

Her off-white skirt hem swayed gently in the breeze, like a white lotus blooming in the dusk, docile yet exuding an undeniable sense of presence.

After walking a few steps, it was as if she suddenly remembered something; she smacked her forehead and hurriedly turned back.

"Oh my, Sister Qingxuan, sorry, I almost forgot about you."

Su Muxue helped the limping Leng Qingxuan with an apologetic look, her movements so gentle that one couldn't pick out a single flaw.

Leng Qingxuan sighed and muttered irritably, "I don't think you forgot; I think your soul has been snatched away by someone, hasn't it?"

"Not at all, Sister Qingxuan is joking."

Su Muxue smiled as gently as water, helping Leng Qingxuan walk forward slowly, their figures in the sunset appearing harmonious.

Just as Huang Mao and the others turned the corner and their figures completely disappeared at the end of the tree-lined path.

In the distance, from the shadows between some buildings, a small head poked out sneakily.

It was Xiao Xiao.

No one knew when she had been there or how much she had seen.

Her eyes, which were usually full of a sense of justice, were now flickering with some indescribable light.

...

By the time they returned to Huang Mao's house, it was completely dark.

As soon as they entered, Su Muxue displayed the self-cultivation of a top-tier maid; she tossed her bag onto the coffee table and headed straight into the kitchen.

"Master, please rest for a while. Dinner will be ready soon."

Soon, the humming of the range hood and the thumping sounds of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, full of the atmosphere of daily life.

Leng Qingxuan slumped on the sofa without any decorum, propping her injured leg on the coffee table, and let out a sigh of comfort.

She glanced sideways at An Ran, who was sitting on the other side staring blankly at the floor, and the corners of her mouth curled into a smile.

"I say, An Ran, aren't you a Sports Student? Isn't your physique superb?"

Leng Qingxuan started her daily mocking mode while rubbing her ankle.

"How come you fizzled out today when dealing with three little thugs? Huang Mao had to run all that way to play the hero saving the beauty. The gold content of your Sports Student title is a bit diluted."

Hearing this familiar voice, An Ran's thoughts, which had been immersed in self-conflict, were instantly pulled back.

She instinctively felt annoyed and subconsciously wanted to jump up and retort, "What do you know, you sports idiot?"

But when the words reached her lips, she suddenly froze.

This feeling of being roasted by Leng Qingxuan and being stared at by her with that look of disdain actually made her feel an unprecedented sense of relaxation.

As if as long as this bickering continued, those things that bothered her—the campus belles, the maids, the Shura fields—hadn't yet been able to destroy her life.

This home was still a safe haven she could cling to and not leave.

Thinking of this, the corners of An Ran's previously tense mouth quietly curled into a slight arc, and the light in her eyes gathered once again.

She straightened her back and glared back without showing any weakness.

"What do you know! That was a tactical retreat; it was to give Huang Mao a chance to show off, alright?"

An Ran put her hands on her hips and gave a triumphant huff.

"Besides, I'm still better than you, right? Someone sprained an ankle in gym class and is still walking like a zombie; you have the nerve to talk about me?"

As she said this, she deliberately mimicked the limping way Leng Qingxuan had walked when she entered, swaying around the living room for a few steps.

"You! You're the zombie!"

Leng Qingxuan was poked in her sore spot and, in a fit of anger, grabbed a cushion and threw it at her.

An Ran nimbly dodged the cushion, jumping around the living room, her laughter as crisp as a string of silver bells.

Huang Mao stood at the foot of the stairs, watching these two young ladies who were at daggers drawn one second and playing a chase game the next, and shook his head helplessly.

"Alright, alright, settle down. If you get the cushion dirty, Muxue will have to wash it later."

Although he was complaining, the stone that had been hanging in his heart finally landed.

It seems this girl An Ran has a stronger psychological resilience than he imagined.

In that case, he probably doesn't need to specially coax her anymore, right?

Probably?

Huang Mao rubbed his temples and turned to go back to his room to change clothes.

Dinner ended in an eerie yet harmonious atmosphere.

The braised pork made by Su Muxue conquered everyone's stomachs as always, and An Ran, who hadn't eaten well at noon, devoured two extra large bowls of rice.

After the meal, Huang Mao and Leng Qingxuan consciously took on the task of clearing the table.

Just as An Ran intended to go back to her room to change clothes and take a shower, Su Muxue suddenly put down the rag in her hand and walked to her side.

"Sister An Ran, are you free right now?"

Su Muxue's voice was very soft, but it carried an unquestionable seriousness.

An Ran was stunned for a moment, looking at the girl in front of her who was smiling gently and harmlessly, and the image she had seen in the corner of the playground in the morning instantly flashed through her mind.

That weird feeling welled up in her heart again, making her instinctively want to refuse.

But thinking that in the alley just now, it was Su Muxue who used her family's influence to help her completely resolve the aftermath, An Ran swallowed back the words of refusal.

"Ah... alright, what is it?"

"I'd like to talk to you alone. Can we go to my room?"

Su Muxue made a gesture of invitation, her eyes so sincere that one couldn't refuse.

An Ran hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

The two went upstairs one after another and walked into the bedroom at the end of the corridor, which was decorated extremely exquisitely.

The door closed with a soft "click," shutting out the sound of Leng Qingxuan and Huang Mao arguing downstairs about which game character was stronger.

Su Muxue turned around, faced An Ran, took a deep breath, then bowed slightly and performed a standard apology.

"Sister An Ran, regarding everything that happened today..."

"I must first apologize to you."