Yao Shi's aura felt somehow changed, as if a faint, elusive black mist was winding around her.
A bone-piercing chill felt like countless silver needles stabbing deep into his marrow.
"Young Master."
Yao Shi suddenly spoke, stopping Wu Liang just as he was about to leave.
Like an icy wind blown from the depths of hell, it sent Wu Liang shivering, goosebumps rising all over his arms.
"May Yao Shi presumptuously ask you a question? How do you view Miss He Xue, Young Master? And why do you want to help her?"
Yao Shi lowered her head, her beautiful hair draping over her face and making her expression difficult to see.
Standing alone where she was, Yao Shi called softly, her ethereal, chilly voice carrying a hint of loneliness.
"Um... she's my classmate... so that's why I..."
"I know that, but that isn't what I mean. What I want to know is whether you have any other feelings for her—for example, romantic feelings."
Yao Shi interrupted Wu Liang's explanation and stepped lightly over to his side.
Her jet-black eyes were dim and lifeless like stagnant water, even seeming somewhat murky.
"I have Miss He Xue's contact information. Do you need it, Young Master?"
Her jade-white arm extended before Wu Liang, while the grayish-white phone screen reflected against Yao Shi's face, making her look exceedingly pale.
"I... I'll pass... You two should just have a good talk..."
Wu Liang stammered. Yao Shi's breathtakingly lovely face was clearly right before him.
Yet he could not muster even the slightest impulse or desire. Instead, he only wanted to flee from her side as quickly as possible, as far away as he could.
The cold breath she exhaled felt like an icy blade brushing across his cheek.
Wu Liang had a feeling that if he had agreed to Yao Shi just now, a steel blade would have pierced his heart the very next second.
"Is that so? What a pity. We should go back, Young Master."
Yao Shi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the strange feeling in her heart. She quickly left Wu Liang's side and walked ahead.
She had clearly only intended to ask Young Master a few ordinary questions about what he thought of Miss He Xue.
But why had she become so unfamiliar just now, so unfamiliar that even she herself felt lost?
"Ah... okay... Let's go back..."
Wu Liang answered pale-faced as he watched Yao Shi's back, while the clothes on his back had long since been soaked with cold sweat.
The evening wind blew over Wu Liang, leaving his back icy... and his heart icy as well...
Chapter 44: Maids Play With Knives Too
When the first scattered rays of morning light streamed through the window and fell over Wu Liang's eyes.
Wu Liang raised a hand to block the light and groggily sat up in bed, his slightly muddled head aching a little.
It was probably because he had gone to bed too late last night. Wu Liang only felt overwhelmingly sleepy now.
After returning last night, Yao Shi had seemed like a different person. She had not said a word and had been cold as ice.
Afterward, Yao Shi had not interacted with him much either, instead returning to her room alone to rest.
Even when he tried to take the initiative and talk to Yao Shi, she kept her door tightly shut and pretended to be asleep.
This was a reaction Yao Shi had never shown before, and she had never refused Wu Liang before either.
Yet Yao Shi's reaction this time forced Wu Liang to pay attention to the changes in her.
As a result, he had barely felt sleepy all night and had only managed to fall asleep around three or four in the morning.
"I shouldn't have said anything wrong."
Wu Liang pressed a hand to his temple as he silently recalled what had happened last night.
Could he have offended her somehow? No way. He had only chatted briefly with Yao Shi outside.
Sheesh... women really were impossible to understand...
Bzzzt~
Just as Wu Liang was still somewhat dazed from waking up, the sound of a sharp blade leaving its sheath suddenly rang out beside his ear. A gust of frigid air accompanied by a whistle through the air blew against his face.
Wu Liang looked forward at the sound, and his pupils abruptly shrank to pinpoints, contracting to their limit in an instant.
A gleaming dagger flashed before his eyes, lunging straight for his throat.
"Fuck!!!"
Wu Liang, who had still been half-asleep moments ago, felt adrenaline surge wildly through him as an intense sense of danger rose from the depths of his mind.
The instant he felt the chill against his neck, Wu Liang rolled backward in a frantic retreat, only stopping when his back hit the headboard.
Cold sweat instantly soaked through Wu Liang's pajamas. Damn, if he had moved two more steps forward just then, he would have been dead on the spot.
"Young Master, if you don't get up now, you'll be late."
Yao Shi, already changed into a European-style maid dress, held a dagger pointed directly at Wu Liang's face. Her high ponytail swayed gently.
Her other hand held a tray containing some sliced fruit.
Yao Shi looked perfectly natural, as though what she had just done had merely been a friendly greeting.
"..."
Wu Liang stared at Yao Shi before him in lingering shock, unable to shake off that previous sense of danger for a while.
He carefully scrutinized Yao Shi's pretty face, wanting to find some trace of strangeness in her expression.
But no matter how he observed her, Yao Shi's cold face revealed not the slightest unnecessary emotion, like an icy machine.
"Young Master, is there dirt on my face? Why are you examining me so closely?"
Yao Shi walked to Wu Liang's side and set the fruit platter on the bedside table.
She took a handkerchief from her clothes and wiped the dagger's blade. The nimble dagger spun around her fingertips like a top, tracing several flourishes through the air.
In less than a second, the dagger slid back into its sheath. The motion was smooth and seamless, completed in one fluid movement without the slightest hesitation.
"N-No... Um... Your knife tricks are pretty good..."
Wu Liang's mouth twitched slightly as he watched Yao Shi's impossibly practiced sheathing motion.
Yao Shi was not deliberately showing off for him, right? Yeah, surely not. It was just a coincidence.
Who would have thought Yao Shi had such skills? Hahaha... She really was a talented maid...
"You're too kind, Young Master. I like to use a few tricks when cutting fruit. Please forgive the display."
With a flick of Yao Shi's wrist, the dagger in her hand vanished from her palm, as though everything before had been an illusion.
She carried the fruit over to Wu Liang, then turned around and began tidying the messy bed.
"Mm... So Yao Shi has this sort of hobby too..."
After swallowing hard, Wu Liang forced out a stiff smile.
A few tricks? What normal person could swing a knife through the air so fast it left afterimages? Were you playing Fruit Ninja over there?
If he had not dodged quickly just now, the pajamas he was wearing would probably have become strips of rags.
"Young Master, are you still planning to go to school by yourself today? It's getting late."
Having finished making the bed, Yao Shi stepped aside and asked softly.
It was as if yesterday's events had not affected her at all. That strange aura from before had completely disappeared.
Yao Shi merely stood quietly to one side, awaiting Wu Liang's orders, occasionally glancing at him as he changed clothes.
Her beautiful black eyes seemed to ripple with icy water, carrying a touch of lonely coldness without losing their soft elegance.
"No, if I go now, I'll probably be late again. Arrange for a driver to take me."
"Remember, don't make it as exaggerated as before. Just an ordinary sedan will do."
Wu Liang quickly finished the fruit and got dressed.
Looking at the handsome face in the mirror, he could not help but sigh with emotion.
Even if someone beat him to death, he never would have guessed that this villainous young master could look so handsome with his hair down.
Even the legendary art of changing faces was nothing compared to this. It seemed he had underestimated that saying about hairstyles determining attractiveness.
"But isn't this hair a little too long?"
Pinching the strands hanging before his brow, nearly covering his eyes, Wu Liang frowned slightly.
Was this how much hair a pompadour required? It seemed the old Wu Liang had put in quite a bit of effort to maintain that hairstyle every day.
"An ordinary car? Understood. Breakfast is ready, Young Master. Please eat first."
Yao Shi quickly ran through the family's available vehicles in her mind. A somewhat ordinary car? As far as she remembered, there did not seem to be any ordinary vehicles used for pickups.
But since Young Master had said so, she ought to arrange one for him. Still, what exactly qualified as ordinary?
Without precise data to support it, there was no accurate range for what ordinary truly meant.
"Mm, thanks for your hard work."
Wu Liang nodded, discreetly observing Yao Shi's reaction.
It seemed she truly was no longer bothered by what had happened last night. Yao Shi had returned to her usual self.
Relieved, Wu Liang quickly left the bedroom and headed toward the second floor along the wooden staircase carved with patterns.
If Yao Shi was handling something, he was completely at ease. After all, Yao Shi's work efficiency had always been flawless and swift.
Whether at work or in the countless trivial matters of daily life.
There was no need for him to say much at all. Yao Shi could always follow his unspoken wishes and present everything to him perfectly.
It was only a matter of finding a sedan to drive him to school. Yao Shi would definitely satisfy him.
At least, that was what Wu Liang had thought...
Chapter 45: Everyone Has a Dream
Horns blared nonstop along the crowded street. During the morning rush hour, driving was obviously not a wise choice.
Especially when waiting at red lights at intersections, traffic could often pile up and fill half the street.
Massive traffic jams were incredibly common, especially on the road leading to Huihuangxing Academy, where luxury cars often packed the entire street.
Most of Huihuangxing Academy's students came from influential and powerful families, so this street, where luxury cars were everywhere, was usually even more congested than other intersections.
Piercing horns sounded one after another, grating on the ears, yet people had no way to deal with them.
After all, these were all dignitaries and wealthy figures. Even the government had to fear them somewhat, much less the ordinary citizens nearby.
"Dad, why are we moving so slowly? What are the cars up front doing?"
The young student sitting inside a luxury car rolled down the window and looked unhappily at the motionless stream of vehicles around them.
This could practically be called a convoy of luxury cars. Without exception, every vehicle waiting at the traffic light was a luxury car worth millions or tens of millions.
Although such a lineup looked immensely impressive to outsiders, did that not mean his own presence was effectively erased?
He had originally hoped to be the only one drawing everyone's attention. But now, great—he had been swallowed up by the enormous tide of cars.
"Well, who told you to insist on going to Huihuangxing Academy? Which person there doesn't come from a powerful background?"
"Weren't you the little brat who cried and begged to go there? Regretting it now? Too late for that."
The middle-aged man driving shot his son a glance. His fingers kept tapping the steering wheel as he impatiently glanced into the rearview mirror.
When he saw the traffic completely jammed behind them, he could not help smacking his lips.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. As expected of the nation's top elite academy. Look at this traffic—it might not even be this terrifying during a major citywide event.
This could be called a spectacular sight unique to Yanghai City. You would never see a scene like this in other cities.
Before you continue