005 The Locked Room

Xie Ziyu squatted down in front of Xie Yaoyao and watched her silently pack her luggage.

Even though she didn't have much of an expression, he felt that she looked like a wet little dog on the side of the road, a bit disheveled and a bit sad.

"Mommy, are you unhappy?"

Xie Yaoyao forced a smile, "Why wouldn't I be happy? We finally have a sunroom to live in."

She dreamed of living in a big, sunny house with Xie Ziyu.

For the past five years, she and Xie Ziyu have been hiding in various places, without even a place to settle down.

Xie Ziyu: "But I don't like sunrooms. I like tenement buildings. They're nice there. There's Grandma Li and Wangzai."

Although the house leaks all day long during the rainy season, although the clothes always have a damp smell, and although we never see the sun.

But they still have to go back two months later.

Xie Yaoyao rubbed his head and didn't say anything more. She took the clothes to the bathroom to wash them again and hung them on the balcony to dry.

Large patches of sunlight pierced through the gaps in the leaves and fell on her. She opened her arms, and the sunlight on her body caused a slight burning sensation.

This is real, not a dream.

There was a knock on the bedroom door. Xie Yaoyao went to open it and saw the butler, dressed in a tuxedo, standing outside.

"Teacher Xie, have you packed your luggage? Let me show you around the place."

Xie Yaoyao quickly said, "Okay, thank you, Uncle Jian. Yubao, would you like to play in the room, or come out for a walk with us?"

Xie Ziyu immediately scrambled up from the carpet, ran to Xie Yaoyao's side, and held her hand tightly, saying, "I want to stay with Mommy."

Upon arriving in an unfamiliar environment, Xie Ziyu didn't want to leave Xie Yaoyao; he felt insecure.

Xie Yaoyao took his hand and followed the butler to tour the entire villa.

The villa has four floors. The second floor is Huo Yanxi's private area, with a bedroom, study, gym, and a locked room.

The butler instructed, "Teacher Xie, this room is Fifth Master's absolute private property. No matter when, even if the door is open, do not go in."

Xie Yaoyao: "..."

Doesn't the housekeeper know that people are naturally curious? It would have been better if he hadn't said anything, because no one would have cared why the room was locked.

But he specifically instructed that no one should go in, which made people want to go in and find out what was going on.

After touring the second floor, the butler led them up to the third floor.

The rooms on the third floor were prepared for Huo Zidu; they included a bedroom and a study.

For the next two months, Xie Yaoyao will be teaching Huo Zidu in the study on the third floor, along with other teachers.

Huo Zidu's coursework included not only academic subjects, but also equestrian, archery, and financial management courses.

The saying "poor children mature early" refers to their maturity and understanding, while rich children actually begin learning how to navigate the cutthroat world of survival of the fittest even earlier.

As they came down from the third floor, the sound of an engine came from outside the villa, and a black Maybach was parked in front of the Angel Fountain.

It was the car Huo Yanxi took when he left home that morning.

The back door opened, and two people got out at the same time, one on each side. The man was tall and slender.

Under the sunlight, the man was handsome, with sharp and striking features, both fierce and beautiful, but his demeanor was more relaxed than the night before.

He walked ahead, followed by a tall, thin boy who got out of the car.

The uncle and nephew shared some similarities in their features; the boy's handsome face retained a touch of childishness, and his demeanor was melancholic.

In that instant, Xie Yaoyao seemed to see Huo Yanxi from ten years ago.

The driver took the luggage out of the trunk and silently followed behind the two of them. No one spoke, and the scene was like a silent film, making people feel extremely oppressed and suffocated.

The butler seemed unfazed by the situation. He gestured for Xie Yaoyao to wait a moment while he went to the main gate to greet her.

"Fifth Master." The butler took the suit from the man's hands and then greeted Huo Zidu, "Young Master Zidu."

Huo Zidu glanced at him sideways and let out a soft snort.

His arrogant attitude was immediately met with a sharp rebuke from Huo Yanxi, who yelled, "Call someone!"

Huo Zidu rubbed his head, furious but unable to speak out. In the entire Huo family, the only person who could control him was his uncle.

Five years ago, Huo Yanxi, under the guise of training him, sent him to the United States when he was just 7 years old to learn American elite culture. In reality, however, he was taking revenge on his grandparents for abandoning him to a small fishing village to fend for himself.

Having been caught in the rain, he naturally wanted to tear someone else's umbrella.

Huo Yanxi was such a vindictive hypocrite.

Huo Zidu, unable to resist the powerful, reluctantly called out, "Butler."

The butler looked down on this young master, whom even cats and dogs disliked, but he still put on a good show.

He was Huo Yanxi's confidant, not someone who was assigned to serve (monitor) him. He was wholeheartedly devoted to Huo Yanxi's interests.

"Young Master Zidu must be tired from your journey. Hot water is prepared upstairs. Let Wang Ma take you upstairs to rest for a while, then come down for dinner."

Huo Zidu, with a black luxury brand backpack covered in logos slung over one shoulder, followed Wang Ma upstairs.

As he passed Xie Yaoyao and Xie Ziyu, he scoffed, "You fat bastard, you're blocking my way."

Xie Yaoyao's cheeks flushed red.

After she gained weight, she actually faced a lot of malice from others, especially when she first went to teach at St. Paul's Co-educational School, those children would call her a fat pig behind her back.

But never before had she felt so angry and embarrassed.

The reason for this is probably because Huo Yanxi was present and watched coldly.

She glanced coldly at the unmoved Huo Yanxi and said, "Mr. Huo, is this the kind of upbringing your Huo family has?"

Xie Ziyu was young, but he understood that "fat woman" was not a nice word, even though the other person was speaking Cantonese.

He rushed over like a cannonball, kicking Huo Zidu's shin viciously, his face full of fierce protectiveness.

"I won't allow you to insult my mommy!"

Huo Zidu winced in pain and forcefully pushed Xie Ziyu away. If Xie Yaoyao hadn't acted quickly enough to pull Xie Ziyu back, his face would have hit the stair railing.

Xie Yaoyao's face turned completely cold, her dark eyes fixed on Huo Zidu.

"Apologize!"

She served as a homeroom teacher for three years, managing to keep those unruly students in check and even sending them to universities with excellent grades. She was definitely not a weak and easily bullied innocent girl.

Who do you think you are, to make me apologize?

Huo Zidu was wearing a black skull T-shirt, ripped jeans, and had a few strands of dyed blonde hair, looking very arrogant.

Just as the butler was about to step forward, Huo Yanxi stopped him with a look. If Xie Yaoyao couldn't handle Huo Zidu, he would find someone else.

Xie Yaoyao said coldly, "I'll say it again, apologize!"

Huo Zidu smiled defiantly: "What if I don't apologize?"

Xie Yaoyao smiled.

Huo Zidu suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He ignored the discomfort and picked up his backpack to walk past her upstairs.

Suddenly, his wrist was gripped by a strong force.

Before he could react, the world spun around him, and his right shoulder slumped down as he was handcuffed behind his back.

He tried to move.

He was overcome with excruciating pain and couldn't move at all.

"you……"

Xie Yaoyao's eyes were deep as she looked down at him. "Now, can you apologize?"