TFRLTOP Chapter 13 Part 2

When he pushed open the door, he assumed she’d be asleep, but instead, he met her hazy eyes.

Chu Yun tilted her head to look at him. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind, and her whole face lit up in a bright smile.

“Fifth Master, you’re back?” She ran from the bedside and jumped into Huo Xiao’s arms, kicking the door shut behind her.

The moment he touched her, Huo Xiao sensed something was wrong. He hooked an arm under her and carried her back to the bed, but Chu Yun locked her legs tightly around his waist and refused to let go.

He frowned. “You’ve got a fever and didn’t even realize it?” He pried her off with some effort, laid her on the bed, and turned to call for a doctor.

Chu Yun clung to his hand, pressing her pale little foot against his chest. “I was waiting for you, Fifth Master.”

“I heard that when you have a fever… things inside get even hotter. Don’t you want to test it out, Fifth Master?” Her eyes glittered with a hook-like charm, as though she were playing the role of an enchanting mistress with all her heart.

Huo Xiao’s expression chilled. “Where did you learn this from?” He remembered the bodyguard’s report and snapped, “Don’t hang around with those indecent people.”

Lying back, Chu Yun gave a soft, airy laugh. Her foot slid slowly down his torso and landed somewhere dangerous as she whispered, “You’re joking, Fifth Master. I’m indecent too…”

Mistress, kept woman—just family in another name. If Huo Xiao had a wife, she’d be called the “other woman.”

Her body burned, but inside she was ice-cold.

Some people were born to be the main character. Others were just extras in someone else’s story.

Well? Fifth Master? Do you like the way this supporting role is performing?

Huo Xiao’s gaze darkened. She thought she had aroused his desire and braced herself for what would follow—but nothing happened. Instead, he stared at her for a long moment, his face grim, then turned and left. Moments later, he returned with a doctor.

“Whatever injections or medicine she needs, give them to her. And don’t let me hear any more of her feverish nonsense!”

With that, he left again.

Ming Ming, feverish at 38.9°C: …?

Wait, since when did you turn into a gentleman?

For the next few days, Huo Xiao slept alone in the master bedroom. During the day, he went out with his businessmen; at night, he came back but avoided her. Even once she recovered, he didn’t let her leave the cabin. Every day, Ming Ming could only peer out through a one-square-meter window at the empty hallway outside, suffocating with boredom.

Depressed, she thought: Great, I’m under house arrest again.

“What’s strange is, Huo Xiao hasn’t been around Ye Weiran much these days either.” The system checked the latest intel. Ye Weiran had been deliberately brought in by He Wenhao. He had covered her adoptive mother’s medical bills; with nowhere else to go, Ye Weiran had no choice but to accept. Surprisingly, Huo Xiao hadn’t touched her—he had only provided shelter, and she’d been living comfortably aboard the ship ever since.

“You don’t get it. This is called leaving some white space.” Ming Ming, once a theory giant, explained with authority: “In novels, after the banquet ‘hero saves the beauty’ scene, they’ll cut to the cruise ship ‘hero saves the beauty.’ Next, it should jump to the back-to-school arc.”

“Of course, you need multiple rescues to steadily raise the heroine’s favorability toward the male lead.”

She sighed. “But seriously, when does school start? I’m going stir-crazy. If he wants to lock me up, fine, but at least leave me my phone…”

“Modern torture—having Wi-Fi but no phone!” Ming Ming ground her teeth.

System: “…”

…Huo Xiao clearly knew how to punish a college girl.

In those days, Fifth Master acted as though Chu Yun didn’t exist. Even Chen Si began to suspect he’d truly tired enough of her.

Of course, if Fifth Master hadn’t instructed him to pay her tuition—and confiscate her phone—he might have believed it too.

So when Wang Duo dragged his younger brother Chen Jing into a bet about whether Chu Yun would be kicked out once they docked, Chen Si put on a front, arguing stubbornly to make Wang Duo think he had the upper hand, all while signaling to Chen Jing. The brothers tag-teamed him into constantly raising the stakes.

The outcome came sooner than anyone expected.

The night before docking, Ming Ming finally cracked. After careful thought—should she cut ties completely and step aside for the heroine, or shamelessly cling as long as possible—she decided fifty grand wasn’t nearly enough to offset the future tragedy she might face.

If her ending turned out miserable, wouldn’t she be at a huge loss?

System: “Seriously? You’re still thinking about money at a time like this!”

Ming Ming snapped: “Duh, money’s the only thing that matters!”

So that final night, she thickened her skin and slipped into the master bedroom. Quietly pushing the door open, she poked her head in. The room was dim, lit only by a bedside lamp. Huo Xiao was leaning against the headboard, reading.

Ming Ming tiptoed inside and gently closed the door.

Of course, no matter how careful she was, the sound was enough for him to notice. But Huo Xiao didn’t even glance up, acting as though she wasn’t there. She felt reassured.

If he wasn’t calling her out, didn’t that mean he was letting her stay?

Even when she reached the bedside, Fifth Master still treated her like thin air.

Ming Ming muttered inwardly: Me personally coming to apologize is a huge honor for you. Don’t you dare throw it back in my face!

Outwardly, she looked pitiful, eyes red at the corners, every bit the picture of grievance.

Huo Xiao continued to ignore her.

Don’t push me. Push me again and I’ll…

Fine, I’ll risk it!

Ha, men—don’t they all just like cute little darlings who keep their heads down?

She crawled under the covers from the foot of the bed, rustling forward. From the moment she slipped beneath the blanket, Huo Xiao’s eyes left his book and fixed on the bulging shape making its way toward him.

Soon, her messy head poked out from under the quilt. Eyes shining, Ming Ming lay across his chest and asked pitifully, “Fifth Master, don’t you want me anymore?”

Huo Xiao lowered his gaze but said nothing.

She called him softly: “Fifth Master…”

Her voice dragged slightly, tender and pleading, the kind of sound that struck straight to the heart. Her eyes shimmered like they held rippling water, gazing at him with her whole soul. Huo Xiao reached up to brush the messy strands of hair from her face. Ming Ming turned her head into his hand, her cheek resting against his palm. Then, glancing up at him with unthinking dependence, she whispered, “I was wrong… don’t push me away…” She tilted her head and kissed his palm.

Above her, his deep, slightly hoarse voice asked, “Did they teach you this too?”

Ming Ming wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in the crook of it. Her voice was muffled, but Huo Xiao heard every word clearly:

“Fifth Master, I don’t know anything.”

“I don’t even know what you like.”

“I’m yours… so teach me…”

Huo Xiao’s hand smoothed over her head, gently stroking her soft hair.

The ship rocked on the waves, moonlight shimmering across the sea, its ripples reflected against the cabin wall like rising water lines.

No one would mistake those reflections for the real thing.

The words of the girl in his arms were the same.

But Huo Xiao knew, even if her affection was false, he still relished the way she lay quietly against him.

He’d read Chu Yun’s file—she’d had a few boyfriends before, all rich second-gens, who probably couldn’t satisfy her. So she started dressing herself up, aiming to hook an even wealthier man.

That was why she showed up at that banquet.

She had even admitted in front of Butler Wu that she was a woman money could buy—no shame, no disguise.

And yet, strangely, Huo Xiao found himself unable to look away from this vain, greedy girl.

The first time they met, a lazy glance had drawn her mocking, seductive toast.

The second time, her awkwardness had seemed like an act, and faced with those defiant eyes that night, he hadn’t held back.

Only afterward did he realize it hadn’t been an act at all. He really had pushed her past her limit.

Whenever she was near, Huo Xiao felt something he had never had before—hard to put into words, but like a young bee discovering the first drop of nectar.

He wanted to keep her by his side.

If money could make her stay…

Not too much, or she’d take it and leave.

Not too little, or someone else might steal her away.

Holding that position, Fifth Master stayed silent for a long time—so long that Ming Ming, lulled by comfort, forgot why she had come in the first place and drifted into sleep.

Still just a child…

Huo Xiao thought, It’s fine. There’s plenty of time.