On a rainy night, the school beauty knocked on my door and asked for shelter

Feeling the trembling of the person in his arms, Chen Mo tenderly looked down at her.

"I'm here." Chen Mo hugged her tighter, his voice as steady as a rock. "She can't cause any trouble."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

If Su Yaxi wanted to play, he would play with her.

However, the ending of this game was never as she wished from the very beginning.

In the guest room of the same building, Su Yaxi lay on an unfamiliar bed, wide awake.

She stared at the ceiling with her eyes open. In the darkness, her gaze held no trace of weakness, only cold calculation.

Early in the morning, the winter rain had just stopped, but the sky was still a somber gray.

When Su Yuqing woke up, the bed beside her was empty. She touched the still-warm spot next to her, feeling slightly relieved, and got up to leave the bedroom.

The living room was filled with the aroma of food. Chen Mo, wearing an apron, was frying eggs in the kitchen, his movements practiced and his expression calm, as if the turmoil of last night had never happened.

"Awake? Go wash up first, breakfast will be ready soon." He turned around and smiled at her, his eyes warm.

Su Yuqing nodded, her gaze drifting to the closed guest room door. It was eerily quiet there.

When she finished washing up and came out, Chen Mo had already set breakfast on the table: golden-fried eggs, warm milk, and toasted bread. At that moment, the door to the guest room opened gently.

Su Yaxi came out, having changed back into her own clothes that had been dried by the heating. Her hair was neatly combed, and the paleness on her face had faded considerably, though there were still faint dark circles under her eyes, making her look like she hadn't slept well, yet she was forcing herself to be energetic.

"Good morning, sister and brother-in-law." She greeted them timidly, her voice still a little hoarse. Her gaze quickly swept over the cozy dining table and Chen Mo's apron, a fleeting hint of mockery flashing deep in her eyes, but her outward appearance remained one of gratitude and trepidation. "Thank you for taking me in and preparing breakfast... I... I wanted to get up early to help..."

"Sit down, let's eat together." Chen Mo took off his apron, his tone indifferent, and pulled out a chair for Su Yuqing to sit down first. He then sat next to her, separating Su Yaxi and Su Yuqing from the seats directly opposite each other.

Su Yaxi obediently sat down, sipping her milk with refined manners. The atmosphere at the table was subtly quiet.

"Ya Xi," Chen Mo picked up a slice of toast and asked casually, "Did you sleep well last night? Our guest room is rather simple, I'm afraid you won't be used to it."

"It's nice, very quiet, I sleep much more soundly than at home." Su Yaxi put down her cup and forced a slightly bitter smile. "At home... the atmosphere has been very tense lately." She hesitated, her gaze drifting towards Su Yuqing, as if she had a thousand words to say but found it difficult to speak.

Su Yuqing paused, holding the spoon, but didn't reply.

Chen Mo seemed oblivious to her predicament and asked directly, "What caused the argument with your parents? Is it convenient to tell us? Perhaps we can offer some advice." His tone was sincere, but his eyes were clear and sharp, as if he wanted to see through her outward appearance to the true reason behind it all.

Su Yaxi seemed stumped by the question. She twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said in a low voice, "Actually... it's nothing serious. It's just some trivial matter. I felt that my mother was too strict with me, and my father was always busy... We had a few arguments, and I lost my temper and ran away."

She looked up, and her eyes were red again.

It was a very standard rebellious teenage statement, and combined with her expression at that moment, it was almost flawless.

"I see." Chen Mo nodded, no longer asking questions, and instead said, "Then after breakfast, shall I take you home? Your parents must be worried sick that you didn't come home all night." Su Yaxi's fingers, which were holding the cup, tightened almost imperceptibly for a moment.

Chen Mo's words were impeccable, seemingly considerate, but in reality, they were pushing her step by step, ultimately leading her to the part she most wanted to avoid: "sending her to her home."

Send her back? Wouldn't all that filming and getting soaked in the rain that night have been for nothing?

"I..." She lowered her eyes, her thick eyelashes concealing the gloom that flashed in them. Her voice was softer and more timid, carrying just the right amount of fear. "I'm a little scared... Sister, you know Dad's temper. He's terrifying when he's angry... Mom is probably still angry too. I... I want to wait until noon... until they calm down a bit before I call, okay?"

She raised her wet eyes and looked at Su Yuqing pleadingly, completely ignoring Chen Mo's earlier suggestion to "send her back" and instead seeking Su Yuqing's protection.

"Sister, can I stay a little longer and catch my breath? I promise I'll call you at noon!"

Seeing her younger sister's frightened appearance, Su Yuqing's soft spot as an older sister was touched again.

She recalled a time when she was afraid to go home after a fierce conflict with her mother, a time of fear and helplessness... But she also remembered Chen Mo's instructions: Su Yaxi's acting was too good; she couldn't handle it.

She couldn't be soft-hearted any longer, so she turned her gaze to Chen Mo, with a hint of negotiation.

Only Chen Mo has the ability to deal with someone of this caliber.

She was completely powerless against such a person.

Chen Mo sneered inwardly.

This girl has amazing acting skills at such a young age. No wonder she was able to fool everyone around her and the police who questioned her back then, causing the case to remain unsolved!

With her superb acting skills and insightful observations, she has now accurately grasped Su Yuqing's weakness.

If he were to insist that she contact him or leave immediately, it would seem unreasonable of him.

"Of course you can." Chen Mo's expression remained unchanged, even revealing a hint of understanding and gentleness. "Family matters do require calm handling. If you want to stay until noon, that's fine too."

Su Yaxi immediately showed a relieved and grateful expression: "Thank you, brother-in-law!"

“However,” Chen Mo changed the subject, his tone still calm but with a playful smile, “since we’re going to stay until noon, it’s not good to just stay cooped up inside. The rain has stopped, and the air outside is fresh. Yuqing, didn’t you say you wanted to buy that new medical atlas? Luckily, the bookstore nearby has it in stock this morning. How about we take Yaxi to the bookstore to relax? We can also find a place to have lunch. Once Yaxi’s calmed down a bit, we can contact home in the afternoon, okay?”

Since Su Yaxi made a special trip to my house, she must have some tricks that she needs to use in this environment.

The more the enemy wants to do something, the more you should oppose her wishes.

Since she wanted to create this closed environment for the two of them to be alone, then I'll just turn the environment where the three of us are together into an open public place!

Su Yuqing didn't think much of it and thought it was a good idea. She liked to go out for a walk when she was feeling down. "Okay! Ya Xi, let's go for a walk together? It's better than staying at home and overthinking."

Upon hearing this suggestion, Su Yaxi's expression of gratitude froze for a fleeting moment. (End of Chapter)