When Mo Hanzhou arrived, Lu Qiao was waiting at the intersection outside the bar. The night was still chilly, and he had draped a coat over himself. The bridge of his nose was tinged with red, making him look pitifully delicate.
When Mo Hanzhou received the call, a flicker of murderous intent crossed his mind. He had never been optimistic about business marriages, but Lu Qiao’s appearance had indeed given him a pleasant surprise. No one could dislike a beautiful, obedient vase. Compared to raising a vicious dog that might bite him at any moment, wouldn’t a canary be better?
At least the canary would occasionally amuse him.
After the car stopped, Lu Qiao spotted Mo Hanzhou inside. His eyes lit up, and he immediately strode forward.
From Mo Hanzhou’s perspective, it was like a bullied puppy running toward its owner. Mo Hanzhou was pleased by this thought, and his gaze toward Lu Qiao grew even gentler.
“Are you cold?”
Lu Qiao shook his head vigorously.
“Alright, get in the car. We’re going home.”
With a youthful burst of energy, Lu Qiao hopped into the car. He was actually 21 years old, but he still looked like a teenager of seventeen or eighteen, exceptionally innocent. This innocence was something Mo Hanzhou lacked, and he enjoyed seeing it in Lu Qiao.
Mo Hanzhou’s car was spacious, but only the driver and the two of them were inside. Lu Qiao glanced toward the back and asked:
“Where’s Assistant Fang?”
“He went back. Did you want him to accompany you to my place?”
Lu Qiao shook his head repeatedly and whispered, “No, Assistant Fang needs to sleep too.”
“Exactly,” Mo Hanzhou said, suppressing a smile. “He has to get up early for work tomorrow.”
Lu Qiao thought to himself: Ah, work the dreaded daily grind. In this lifetime, he’d rather rely on his parents, cling to someone powerful, live off others, or even become a man’s wife than ever work again!
Never again!!
Mo Hanzhou studied Lu Qiao’s face and asked, “Are you scared?”
“Yes,” Lu Qiao replied, his damp eyes fixed on Mo Hanzhou, his gaze both shy and sincere. He added fervently:
“Mr. Mo, I’m still scared. Could you hold my hand to give me courage?”
The corners of Mo Hanzhou’s lips curled slightly, but he didn’t respond. Lu Qiao’s hand inched forward like a crawling ant, eventually landing on Mo Hanzhou’s thigh. His fingers fidgeted restlessly until a hand reached over from the side, its palm covering and grasping his fingers.
Lu Qiao bit his lip, turned to look out the window, and fell silent.
The two remained quiet for the rest of the journey. As they neared home, Lu Qiao finally remembered to ask:
“Sir, is anyone else at home?”
“Only the housekeeping staff and the butler, who’s been with us for a long time. You can call him Uncle Zhuang.”
“Alright.”
Mo Hanzhou’s decision to bring Lu Qiao home was spontaneous, and he hadn’t notified the household in advance. When the butler suddenly saw his young master accompanied by an unfamiliar boy, he was momentarily taken aback but quickly stepped forward with a warm smile.
Lu Qiao was still quite shy around strangers, his demeanor betraying his nervousness. This, in turn, made the butler treat him even more kindly.
When the butler arranged for a room, Lu Qiao cautiously asked:
“Will I be sharing a room with Sir?”
Before the butler could respond, Mo Hanzhou chuckled.
“Of course not,” he said, reaching out to pinch Lu Qiao’s plump cheek with a smile. “You’ll sleep in the guest room, and I’ll sleep in the master bedroom.”
“Oh, I see.”
Perhaps out of regret, Lu Qiao, sleeping next door, was particularly excited. Before bed, he sent several messages to Mo Hanzhou to pester him. It wasn’t until Mo Hanzhou “scolded” him, telling him to stop and go to sleep, that he finally settled down.
Early the next morning, Lu Qiao got up and went downstairs. Mo Hanzhou was sitting downstairs having breakfast. Every time Lu Qiao had seen him before, he was dressed in formal attire, exuding an imposing and unapproachable aura. It was rare to see him in casual home clothes a spotless white shirt, the soft color softening his presence and making it easier to appreciate the handsomeness of his features.
It was only 6:15 in the morning. Mo Hanzhou looked surprised to see him come down:
“So early?”
Generally speaking, people his age would sleep until seven or eight, right? If they didn’t have to work, they’d sleep until noon.
“Yeah,” the boy said, blushing.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
Mo Hanzhou gave him a meaningful look but, ever the gentleman, refrained from teasing him. He simply instructed someone to set out breakfast.
No matter how wealthy the household, breakfast could only consist of so much. Though the variety was plentiful and nutritionally rich, the portions were never excessive.
As Mo Hanzhou spread butter on a crispy piece of toast, his gaze caught on something, and he looked closer:
“Your hand?”
“My hand?”
Lu Qiao stretched out his hand to look. His hand had also endured quite a bit of impact the day before—one-sided, of course. Yesterday, it had merely been red, but today bruises were beginning to show.
“This? It’s nothing, doesn’t hurt at all.”
He looked up at Mo Hanzhou with a flattering smile. “I can apply the medicine myself.”
Like a kitten rubbing against its owner’s leg, acting cute. Mo Hanzhou’s eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled what he had learned the night before. With a hint of scrutiny, he asked:
“How does your family treat you?”
Lu Qiao perked up instantly. It was time to show his true skills!
He looked at Mo Hanzhou with a bewildered expression, eyes filled with confusion:
“My family? They treat me very well. Dad gives me pocket money every month. Later, he handed over the household accounts to Aunt Mu, but she still gives me money. Sometimes she forgets, but at least once every two or three months, she gives me some. I’ve heard that ordinary families only get a few thousand a month, but I get twenty or thirty thousand at a time! Even my brother isn’t as well-off as me. Sometimes he even borrows money from me!”
“Borrows? He asks you for money?”
See, adults could clearly distinguish between “borrowing” and “asking.”
Lu Qiao nodded matter-of-factly, his eyes wide open as if explaining something to Mo Hanzhou:
“Because my brother is already working and has a lot of social engagements. Occasionally, when he’s short on cash, it’s normal for him to ask me for some. After all, I’m a student I don’t have many places to spend money.”
Mo Hanzhou looked at him deeply and didn’t ask any more questions.
Lu Qiao didn’t notice anything odd about the conversation either. Like a happy little hamster, he cheerfully nibbled on his crispy, fragrant toast.
After breakfast, Mo Hanzhou had to go to work. Before leaving, he instructed the butler to take good care of Lu Qiao. Once Mo Hanzhou was gone, Lu Qiao returned to his room. He had nothing to do and, frankly, didn’t like doing things anyway.
Seriously, if heaven had placed me in this wealthy family, it was to let me enjoy life. Why would I work?
Though he had nothing to do, he could still bother the butler.
Lu Qiao remembered Mo Hanzhou saying that this butler had been with the family for a long time and likely held a certain status. Lu Qiao decided to try and win him over.
He stole several glances at the butler in the living room, and finally, mustering his courage, he walked up to him.
His face flushed red as he spoke.
“Zhuang, Uncle Zhuang, do you think Mr. Mo likes me?”
The butler had thought he was going to say something else, but he hadn’t expected this question. He couldn’t help but chuckle softly, avoiding a direct answer and simply saying:
“You are the first person the young master has ever brought home.”
“Really?”
Lu Qiao brightened up again. His joy and anxiety were so transparent, like gifts openly displayed in a shop window, inviting everyone’s gaze. Perhaps when one grows older, such naivety might seem out of place, but at Lu Qiao’s age, it only made him seem endearing. And after the turbulent times the Mo family had weathered, they truly no longer needed a scheming young master.
Satisfied with the answer, Lu Qiao happily went upstairs. With one matter settled, it was time to deal with another. After all, if left unchecked, even a pet could bite someone.
On the other end, Yu Jiadong had also learned about the news that the person he had sent last night had been beaten up by Lu Qiao. He hadn’t slept well all night, closing his eyes only to see Lu Qiao choking him, laughing while pulling out his tongue… The terrifying scene jolted him awake, trembling under the covers.
The next day, he stumbled downstairs in a daze. Not seeing that person at home, he breathed a sigh of relief but also felt a simmering resentment. Lu Qiao had always been his obedient little mouse, and now, suddenly turning the tables and acting like the master, Yu Jiadong was both furious and unwilling to accept it.
However, reality paid no heed to his feelings. After finally making it to the office, he turned on his computer. Suddenly, a familiar avatar popped up in the bottom right corner of the screen. Startled, he reflexively clicked the mouse, and several shocking photos appeared.
Along with them came a brief message:
【Xiao Qiao: You’ve been very disobedient.】