Educating a Child

After discussing the relevant matters, Tang Yue saw that it was getting late and rose to leave.

"I'll see you out."

Mo Xie stood as well and walked with her to the entryway.

While Tang Yue leaned against the wall to put on her heels, he took out his phone and glanced at it. Then he looked up at her back and slipped the phone away as though nothing had happened.

Neither spoke as they walked to the Red Car.

"You can stop here. I—"

A cold gleam flashed!

Tang Yue had just turned to say something when a sudden shove slammed her against the car door, drawing a muffled grunt from her.

By the time she reacted, a blade lay across her throat, and she found herself facing a pair of ice-cold eyes.

She struggled, only to discover that one large hand had pinned both her wrists together while his leg blocked hers. She could not move at all.

Take away the knife, and this would have been an outrageously intimate pose straight out of a domineering-CEO romance novel.

Worse, their chests were pressed together. Tang Yue felt deeply uncomfortable, and two patches of red bloomed on her cheeks.

Humiliated and furious, she immediately began linking a Star Orbit, intending to teach this shameless fellow a lesson.

But when she had linked five Stars, a cold voice made her abandon the idea at once.

"If you use magic, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

To prove he meant it, the blade edged closer.

The sharp edge sent a jolt of fear through Tang Yue. She immediately stopped linking the Star Orbit.

She had a feeling that if she tried to use magic again, her head might hit the ground first.

"You... Hmph! You finally couldn't hold back, could you? You're afraid I'll expose you as a member of the Black Vatican, so you want to kill me to keep me quiet!"

Tang Yue glared at Mo Xie and delivered her accusation with conviction.

"If I'd wanted to kill you, you would've died the moment I struck..."

He lowered his head and quietly studied her delicate, flushed face.

A wicked idea came to him, and a teasing smile tugged at his lips.

"Tell me, if I don't kill you right away, what should I do first?"

Mo Xie licked his dry lips and looked the beautiful woman up and down with undisguised heat in his eyes.

They were so close that his warm breath brushed her face, his presence surrounding her.

A fresh jasmine scent, one that belonged to Mo Xie alone, reached her nose.

At his words, Tang Yue felt his possessive gaze roaming over her body. She grew acutely aware of him, torn between shame, anger, and a rising heat.

Ignoring the Tang Dao that could sever her head at any moment, she began struggling wildly beneath him.

"I thought you were an upright boy, but you're secretly an evil member of the Black Vatican! You bastard... You bastard!"

By the end, her voice had begun to break, and two trails of frustrated tears ran from the corners of her eyes.

Damn it. I went too far!

Seeing Tang Yue cry, Mo Xie sighed helplessly and released her wrists.

Tang Yue had already closed her eyes and resigned herself to what would happen, so the sudden freedom of her hands left her stunned.

But the next instant, Mo Xie flicked his wrist and brought the knife's hilt down hard on her head.

"Ow!"

She cried out and clutched her head with both hands. Her watery, foxlike eyes glared at Mo Xie, but she was more confused than ever.

Mo Xie put the Tang Dao back into his Spatial Ring, folded his arms, and leaned against the car door, looking up at the stars.

Tang Yue slowly composed herself and turned to look at him in puzzlement.

"Why... why did you..."

"When I went upstairs, I asked Mo Fan why you were here. He said you'd come for a home visit, exactly what you told me."

Mo Xie smiled and took out his phone, waving it in front of her.

"So I messaged Mu Bai and the others one by one. They all said there hadn't been any home visits."

"You can see why I got rough with you now, can't you? Anyone would question your motives. I just prefer a more direct approach."

Only then did Tang Yue recognize the hole in her story. She cursed herself inwardly for making such a basic mistake.

Then again, it was not that basic. Most people might not have suspected a thing, but this was Mo Xie. He was just a tiny bit more cautious than most.

After all, not everyone could do what he did... If someone else could send messages from memory without looking at the screen, right in front of the person involved, then he would take that back.

"And there's something else you haven't noticed. No one's appeared nearby."

Tang Yue paused while rubbing her reddened wrists. He was right. She had shouted so loudly that someone should have heard.

"You saw when you drove here that my house is at the very center of the neighborhood. The nearest house is pretty far away, so of course no one heard you."

"Besides, I care about my privacy. The surveillance cameras around my house are basically useless. Only my private cameras are running."

"If I wanted to make you disappear right now, no one would know."

Mo Xie turned his head and spoke in a deliberately sinister voice.

Tang Yue really did take a step back, watching him warily.

"What... what are you going to do?"

Mo Xie spread his hands and shrugged helplessly.

"I told you. If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it already. Why wait until now?"

"You came charging into the home of someone you suspected belonged to the Black Vatican without taking a single precaution. Should I call that brave or stupid?"

"If I really were one of them, you might be dead. I hope you remember this lesson!"

His tone turned serious at the end.

Tang Yue nodded absently and folded her arms, her spirits sinking. She had not expected him to think so little of her.

A hand settled on her head and gently rubbed it as he spoke in a soft voice.

"So if you want to keep going down this path, you'll have to keep working hard."

Caught up in his tone, Tang Yue lowered her head without realizing it.

Wait. Something's wrong... She came to her senses and shook her head.

She had come to expose him as a member of the Black Vatican. How had she ended up getting lectured by him instead?

She slapped his hand away and gave Mo Xie an indignant look.

Mo Xie withdrew his hand without a care, opened the car door, and ushered her inside.

"Hey, take it easy!"

Bang!

The door shut, and Tang Yue rubbed her aching arm.

A knock sounded against the window. With a helpless sigh, she lowered it.

Mo Xie rested his folded arms on the window frame and smiled.

"I almost forgot to tell you. I won't be going to school much from now on, so you don't need to spend every day trying to keep an eye on me."

"Who wants to keep an eye on you, you big jerk?"

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, stepping back a few paces.

"You're tired. Go home and get some rest."

The Red Car slowly drove away, and Mo Xie turned toward home.

In the living room, Ye Xinxia sat on the sofa, watching Mo Xie return with displeasure on her face.

"Brother, has Teacher Tang Yue left?"

Mo Fan stood at the foot of the stairs as he asked.

When Mo Xie nodded, Mo Fan let out a breath.

Teacher Tang Yue's presence had been so intimidating that he had felt a fight might break out at any moment. Getting out of the way had seemed best.

"Useless."

Ye Xinxia pursed her lips, criticizing his behavior without mercy.

Mo Fan immediately protested.

"Xin Xia, I'm your brother too. You don't have to say that about me."

Under her unfriendly gaze, he went upstairs with an awkward smile.

Mo Xie walked over and stroked Ye Xinxia's soft, long hair.

"Come on. You shouldn't have acted like that just now. She's a teacher. You should at least be polite."

"But I don't think you two are as friendly as you looked."

Sharp as ever... Mo Xie smiled and nodded to her.

"Why?"

After some thought, he decided to tell Ye Xinxia first.

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