TFRLTOP Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – The Overbearing CEO’s Little Side Dish 

◎ Oh wow, the payment’s in! ◎

That deafening accusation was enough to snuff out desire in an instant.

Huo Xiao lifted his head, paused, and stared at her steadily, repeating those two words:
“Freeloading?”

Ming Ming had both hands pressed against his chest, feeling the heat of his body and the steady, powerful beat of his heart. When she met the oppressive look in his eyes, she was already starting to tremble.

Once you take the plunge, you have to see it through. First the rush, then the fade… and third—third time’s the charm!

He’d been in the wrong, completely unfair. I… I have to punish him!

But the moment she opened her mouth, she gave herself away.
“Y-you… um… I… I have a set price. No money, no sleeping with me!” Her voice shook uncontrollably, words all jumbled—especially when she saw Huo Xiao’s eyes turn instantly cold.

Ming Ming wanted to cry. What was with this guy?!

His voice was flat and detached when he asked, “So how much do you charge yourself?”

Was… was that interest?

Her eyes darted around. “Mm… one month…” Ten thousand?

But before she could say it, the chill in his gaze froze the words in her throat.

She stammered, “O-one thousand?”

He still didn’t respond, only looked at her lightly, making her impossible to read.

But silence in itself already said a lot… right?

Not even willing to give me a thousand?

Too much!

Even if I’m not the female lead, you don’t have to be this stingy, do you? You’re loaded—what’s so wrong with giving a side piece ten grand a month?

Her inner grumbling was fierce, but when she spoke out loud, her tone dropped eight notches.

She lowered her voice and tried to bargain. “I’m starting school soon. Just tuition alone is six or seven thousand. If I’m with you, I won’t have time to work. The odd jobs I do can make over three thousand a month! Oh—and I forgot, there’s housing costs too…”

“You’re living here. What housing costs?” Fifth Master Huo cut her off.

She blinked, her look clearly saying: When you don’t want me anymore, won’t I have to move back?

His brow creased slightly.

Afraid of angering him—since he wouldn’t even give her a bit of “missed work” pay—she looped her arms around his neck, pinched her nose, and pleaded, “Mm… you can give less later, but could you give a bit more for the first month?”

It’s only ten thousand! I make more than that in two months of summer work! What’s wrong with compensating me a little?

Still, he stayed silent. Ming Ming was fuming. She jabbed a finger at him in protest. “Who does this? If I weren’t stuck here, I would’ve already made enough for tuition and living expenses! You slept with a perfectly good, untouched young lady, didn’t give her a cent, and now you’ve locked her up in your house. I can’t even go out to work if I wanted to!”

When she finished, she flopped back on the bed in defeat. “No, what am I thinking? I should be grateful. Fifth Master saved me from a life-ruining debt. How could I even bring up money?” She spread her arms, a picture of surrender. “Go ahead—do whatever. Once you’re done, we each go our separate ways, and let me leave.”

Fifth Master Huo finally deigned to speak. “You want to leave?”

She glared at him. “Isn’t that what this is all about? Otherwise, would you have rescued me?”

“Too bad… it’s not up to you.”

There was something unreadable in his eyes. The next second, he pulled the girl beneath him into the depths of his desire.

Afterward, Ming Ming lay on her stomach, eyes rimmed red, chin resting on folded arms, letting out a soft hum from her nose every few minutes to express her small, pitiful discontent.

It didn’t seem to get anyone’s attention.

Huo Xiao sat beside her calmly, scrolling on his phone. After a while, Ming Ming’s phone buzzed twice.

She didn’t want to check, but in case it was a tuition reminder, she reluctantly opened it—and froze. Her eyes widened, her mouth falling slightly open in shock.

Your account ending in XXXX at X Bank received a transfer of RMB 500,000.00 on August 19.

One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand… Daddy!

Half a million!

In her entire life, Ming Ming had never seen such a large sum of money.

She shot upright, staring at Huo Xiao in disbelief, her heart pounding with excitement.

Fifth Master Huo set his phone down and gave her a casual glance.

She thought there was some kind of hidden meaning in that look—or maybe she was just imagining things. Either way… whatever!

If she were a pure-hearted heroine, she’d spit on such filthy money. But she was the supporting female, and her job was to flaunt her vulgarity to the male lead.

“Fifth Master, you’re such a good man!” She lunged forward, planting noisy kisses all over him. “Ow—ow, my waist…”

He pulled her into his arms, one broad hand massaging her waist gently. With their bodies pressed close, she suddenly felt a belated shyness.

“Happy now?” he asked, pinching her cheek.

Overjoyed, Ming Ming nodded furiously. “Happy! Very happy!”

She was about to flatter him some more when Huo Xiao handed her another card.

Her shyness was forgotten instantly. Her eyes went wide.

Even if she was inexperienced, she’d heard of this—it was a black card.

“This card has no limit. The password is your birthday. Buy whatever you want. The five hundred thousand will be your extra monthly allowance.”

Ming Ming gasped.

So the five hundred thousand was just a bonus.

No limit—what did that even mean?!

Fifth Master, your generosity is beyond measure!

Huo Xiao got out of bed. “Get ready. You’re coming out with me tomorrow.”

“Where to?” She threw on some clothes and trailed behind, trying to be sensible. “Do you want pure, sexy, mature, or fresh? Any special requests or preferences? Just say the word—I’ll comply without a peep!”

He stopped abruptly, and she nearly bumped into his back. When he turned, she stood at attention, flashing a toothy, eager smile.

But instead of giving instructions, Fifth Master Huo flicked her on the forehead.

She clutched her forehead with tearful eyes, respectfully watching him leave.

Once he was gone, she hugged the black card and smothered it with kisses, teetering on the edge of delirium.

“Hahaha, System, I’m rich! Hahahaha…”

The freshly unmuted System just watched her dancing around without a trace of her earlier aches, changing clothes as she tapped out a little jig.

“Where are you going?”

“Do you even have to ask? Obviously—to spend. money.” She was practically strutting as she went downstairs. When she spotted Butler Wu from a distance, she called out in a syrupy drawl,

“Wuuuu~ Butler~~~”

He immediately broke out in goosebumps.

She brandished the black card in front of him. “Oh my, what is this?”

“Why, it’s Fifth Master’s black card for me!”

“Butler Wu, how much do you make a month? Do you get benefits? Do you know the limit on a black card?”

A vein throbbed on Butler Wu’s forehead as he fought to keep his composure.

Spoiled by favoritism, and I’m the prime example.

“I’d advise you not to get too full of yourself,” the System warned.

Ming Ming scoffed. She was going to get tormented in the future anyway—might as well milk this moment of arrogance. Playing it safe only to end up miserable in the end? That was the real injustice.

Humming a tune, she headed for the door. Passing through the living room, she saw Huo Xiao sitting with several subordinates, deep in discussion. She bent over the back of the sofa and planted a kiss on his face. “Fifth Master, I’m heading out!”

Without changing expression, he gave a faint, “Mm.”

Straightening up, she shot Butler Wu a smug look as if to say, Go on, try to stop me now.

After she left, the subordinates—still in shock—had no idea how to continue the conversation.

Chen Si tried a few awkward chuckles to get things going again, but no words came.

…Where were we just now?

It was Fifth Master Huo who spoke first. “Get some clothes ready for her to choose from tonight. Tomorrow, she’s coming along.”

“Yes, sir.”

Chen Si couldn’t help but click his tongue. He’d guessed it right after all.