TFRLTOP Chapter 4

Chapter 4 — The Overbearing CEO’s Little Prey 

“If you don’t ask for trouble, you won’t get it.”

In S City, the Huo family was at the peak of its power. The other so-called wealthy and influential clans could only curry favor with Fifth Master Huo. Huo Xiao had taken over the family business as a teenager, and to reach his current position, he naturally possessed abilities and determination far beyond the average man.

For example, right now, he planned to savor it slowly.

Controlling one’s desires was its kind of pleasure. Taking his prey bit by bit, drawing it out until she was completely his… that was the real satisfaction.

Finishing it all in one go? Boring.

It was just about evening, still early enough to get up for dinner. Looking down at the trembling girl beneath him, Huo Xiao gave her waist a firm squeeze. Ming Ming shivered even harder, and Huo Xiao thought she could stand to put on a little more weight.

He let out a low chuckle, leaned down to carry her to the bath—but just as his hand touched her smooth back, he met her eyes.

She was trembling, her eyes full of tears, but glaring at him with fierce, stubborn determination. That look hit him right in the heart.

He smiled inwardly. So, this little thing still wasn’t ready to yield.

“I was planning to stop here for today,” he said. “But it seems Miss Chu isn’t quite satisfied…”

Her eyes flew wide in shock, anger flashing in them. Huo Xiao deliberately added, “Then I suppose I’ll have to put my life on the line to keep you company.”

With that, he threw back the blanket. Ming Ming’s expression turned visibly to fear, but unfortunately for her, Fifth Master Huo had no plans to let her go.

From sunset to moonrise—
The clash of beauty and beast.
Passion’s chaos.
The dance of lovers.

In short, a long time passed.

Ming Ming’s voice was hoarse and trembling, her words barely coherent as she pleaded like a spoiled child for mercy. Huo Xiao found it irresistibly tempting. Starlight glittered, white jade shone like orchids, and early spring peach blossoms bloomed pale pink outside. Even her once-sharp little fangs had lost their bite.

Under the high moon, Huo Xiao carried her to wash. The warm water was almost intoxicating. Half-asleep and half-awake, Ming Ming didn’t even know what day it was anymore. By the time he carried her back to bed, she fell asleep the moment she touched the blankets, soft snores escaping her lips. Huo Xiao held her close, watching her sleeping face for a long time. Dawn was nearing when he finally closed his eyes for a short rest.

At six a.m., his internal clock woke him as usual. But today, he didn’t feel like getting up. Even ancient emperors took three days off court after their wedding—why shouldn’t he take a break? So he allowed himself the rare luxury of dozing in bed, arms wrapped around the warm, soft beauty in his arms.

By eight a.m., Ming Ming was still sleeping deeply. Huo Xiao was fully awake by then. After checking her forehead for fever—and finding none—he got up. He ate a light breakfast downstairs and told the kitchen to keep a pot of porridge simmering. Scarface and Smiling Tiger were waiting in the living room.

“Not going out today,” Huo Xiao ordered. “Bring anything important here. Push all the trivial stuff back.”

Ming Ming’s sleep was anything but restful. After Huo Xiao left the room, she drifted in and out a few times without fully waking. Her eyelids fluttered, but her body wouldn’t respond—like she was trapped in sleep paralysis. She couldn’t wake up, couldn’t move, her whole body beyond her control.

The first couple of times, her mind was still foggy, and she slipped back into sleep. But later, as her head cleared and her body still refused to move, panic set in.

The thoughts running through her head were no longer those steamy, romantic scenes, but grim snippets from dark, sensational news stories: women ruined or killed at the hands of the rich and powerful.

Hadn’t he said he was going to settle her debts? How? By transferring them to himself?

Even if she survived and stayed whole, once he got tired of her, she wouldn’t be free. She’d be passed off to some underling, or worse, sold off…

Fifth Master Huo was far more dangerous than President Zhao. She wasn’t the female lead, just a plaything—why would he ever show her mercy?

Was she… was she paralyzed now?

“System? System??”

No response.

Terror filled her chest. Had she been abandoned?

She should’ve known this thing was unreliable. All that talk of revival—when she got hit by a car, at least it was quick. Now she’d have to face a more miserable life and a worse death.

Why is my life so cursed…?

Overwhelmed, tears poured down her cheeks.

In reality, it had only been that the “indescribable” part of the night had gone on too long, and the system was still blocked.

But Ming Ming didn’t know that. She was too busy feeling hurt, scared, and crying in silence, so she didn’t even notice she could move again.

She was just an untrained college girl, inexperienced, and last night had been… too much.

She needed to work on her stamina.

Downstairs, Huo Xiao was talking business with Scarface and Smiling Tiger—real names Wang Duo and Chen Si. Chen Si also had a younger brother, Chen Jing, the man in black Ming Ming had seen at the banquet. All three were trusted aides to Fifth Master Huo.

“When’s the trip to Europe?”

“A week from now,” Chen Si replied.

Huo Xiao checked the time. It was about time to go upstairs and check on the little girl. She hadn’t eaten since last night, and it was almost noon. With how delicate she was, she might just faint from hunger in her sleep.

“Tell the kitchen to get everything ready,” he told the butler before heading upstairs.

The sound of the bedroom door opening startled Ming Ming. She pulled the blanket over half her face, then realized she could move again. Relief, joy, and fear all hit at once, followed by the sharp ache in every muscle. Seeing the culprit walk in, shame and anger surged, and tears spilled again as she hid under the covers, pretending he wasn’t there.

Huo Xiao sat on the bed and patted her through the blanket. “What’s with the crying?”

A muffled voice came from under the covers. “Go away!”

“In my house, you’re telling me to go away? You’ve got guts.”

If Ming Ming knew him better, she’d recognize that his tone was far gentler than usual. But buried under the blanket, she didn’t see the obvious indulgence in his eyes.

The emotions she felt, however, were anything but gentle.

She stuck her head out to glare at him, then kicked at him through the blanket. It didn’t hurt him, but the motion made her muscles scream in protest.

Seeing her like this, warmth stirred in his chest, along with amusement.

He helped her sit up, half-holding her.

“Get up.”

“Or are you planning to have lunch in bed?”

His hand moved slowly over the blanket—not inappropriate, but the meaning was clear.

Ming Ming had no strength anywhere. Kicking him only hurt herself. Cursing him was too risky. The fear from earlier still lingered, and the injustice she felt was too much to hold in.

Finally, she broke down and burst into loud, helpless sobs.