Chapter 33: A Narrow Escape for Enemies

"It's nothing, just roll a warm egg over it later," Wu Ma said with a smile. "But Miss Lu, you really should get some proper sleep from now on; don't wear yourself out."

Wu Ma and the other maids in the villa all knew that Xiang Zhihua and Lu Yao had shared a room the previous night, so no one dared to go upstairs to disturb them this morning. However, what they didn't know was that nothing had happened between the two of them. Lu Yao had lain in bed all night, lost in thought, and didn't fall asleep until three or four in the morning. As for Xiang Zhihua, he had gone to the study as soon as the young woman had drifted off to sleep.

Seeing the knowing smile on Wu Ma's face, Lu Yao realized she had misunderstood. A flush of crimson spread across her cheeks, and just as she was about to explain, Xiang Zhihua’s figure emerged from the direction of the elevator.

"Young Master Xiang!" Wu Ma and the other maid nodded respectfully as they saw him.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Xiang Zhihua ignored the maids and fixed his gaze on Lu Yao.

His words made it seem as though something had actually happened between the two of them, even though nothing had. Now, the way Wu Ma looked at them both became even more suggestive.

"Here, Miss Lu, this is for nourishing your blood and energy," the maid who usually cooked for Xiang Zhihua said, suddenly bringing out a bowl of pork liver porridge. "You should eat more of this; it's good for your health!"

The maid's obsequious behavior made Lu Yao feel somewhat repulsed. She could tell that the woman was not being sincere; her attitude had only shifted because she learned that Lu Yao had slept in the same room as Xiang Zhihua.

Xiang Zhihua noticed Lu Yao’s discomfort. "Don't bring this to the table again," he said with a look of disdain. "It's too fishy!"

The maid’s sycophantic smile instantly froze. "Yes, Young Master Xiang, I understand." She had been careless. She had assumed that after spending the night together, Xiang Zhihua’s attitude toward Miss Lu would be different. It seemed, however, that even after sharing a bed, his attitude remained indifferent. There was no need for her to fuss over her or try to curry favor.

"If there’s something you don't like in the future, just tell the maids directly," Xiang Zhihua said. "There’s no need to force yourself."

Lu Yao glanced at Xiang Zhihua, surprised that he cared about her feelings. A warmth spread through her heart. "Okay."

Still, this was ultimately a strange place for her. She and Xiang Zhihua both knew exactly what their relationship was, so how could she possibly act like the mistress of the house on someone else’s property?

Before long, Cheng Gang walked in.

"Have you finished eating?" Xiang Zhihua took a napkin from a maid, wiped the corners of his mouth, and asked Lu Yao.

Lu Yao glanced at Cheng Gang, then at the half-eaten bowl of millet porridge, and nodded. "Yes."

"Then go with Cheng Gang."

When the car pulled up to the main entrance of Lido Shopping Mall, it was around ten o'clock, and the area was bustling with people. Cheng Gang opened the door for Lu Yao. "Young Mistress, please go inside and wait; I’m going to park the car."

It wasn't until then that Lu Yao realized Cheng Gang was addressing her as "Young Mistress." Her cheeks reddened, and she wanted to explain, but Cheng Gang didn't give her the chance; he walked around the front of the car, got into the driver’s seat, and drove off.

Hong Kong was prosperous and bustling, filled with skyscrapers and heavy traffic. Compared to the mainland, it was undeniably developing rapidly. People here wore fashions that those in the mainland could never pull off, but here, it was the norm. Lu Yao, bundled up like a mummy, looked like an alien in their eyes. With no sense of style, wearing baggy, plain clothes and sporting two small, rural-style braids, she became the subject of gossip for everyone in the mall the moment she entered.

There were whispers, pointed fingers, and judging glances. Although Lu Yao was not from Hong Kong and couldn't understand the local dialect, that didn't mean she couldn't interpret the disdain and contempt in people’s eyes.

Ignoring their mockery, Lu Yao pointed to a dress on a mannequin and asked the sales clerk nearby, "Excuse me, could you please take this down for me to try on?"

Lu Yao had no interest in things from the Xu family. Usually, she only had the two sets of clothes she had brought from Baiyan Village, plus two more that Wu Ma had refashioned for her from old garments. She had left in such a hurry yesterday after her conflict with Xu Xingyue that those clothes had likely already been thrown away.

The sales clerk looked Lu Yao up and down. "Miss, this garment was designed by the famous designer Zhen Jifo. It costs two thousand eight hundred. Are you sure you want to try it on?" Her tone and gaze made it clear she was certain Lu Yao couldn't afford it and didn't want to serve a "country bumpkin."

"What about this one, then?" Lu Yao continued to ask. She saw the clerk’s snobbery clearly but remained unfazed. She continued to look and ask, completely unaffected by the other woman’s attitude.

The clerk’s eyes flashed with impatience. "This one is one thousand two hundred eighty-eight. Are you going to buy it or not? If not, don't stand here; you’re affecting our business."

Dressed so dowdily, she was clearly a bumpkin from the mainland. Did she think this was the mainland, where clothes only cost a few yuan? Hong Kong was a golden land; everything here was superior to the mainland. Did this bumpkin even understand that? And she dared to come here to shop!

"Big sister, this is the shop I was telling you about."

Lu Yao turned her head and saw the familiar faces of Xu Yanran and Xu Xingyue.

"Sister Lu Yao!" Xu Xingyue and Xu Yanran were both taken aback. Neither had expected to run into Lu Yao here. Xu Yanran, in particular, felt annoyed, thinking of what her father had told her that morning—to avoid provoking Lu Yao for the time being for fear of bringing trouble to the Xu family. Was she some kind of monster? When had she ever provoked her? It had always been Lu Yao who looked down on them!

"Miss Yanran, Miss Xingyue, you're here! Please, come in, come in!" Upon seeing the two, the sales clerk acted as if she had just seen the God of Wealth, her attitude doing a complete three-sixty. She welcomed them with great enthusiasm, a stark contrast to the coldness and impatience she had shown Lu Yao just moments before.

"Sister Lu Yao, are you here to buy clothes too?" Xu Xingyue seemed to have forgotten being pinned to the ground and beaten by Lu Yao just yesterday, taking the initiative to greet her.

The sales clerk was startled. "Miss Xingyue, you know each other?" How could that be? This woman didn't look rich at all—her clothes were so shabby and rustic. How could she be acquainted with two wealthy heiresses from the Xu family? Had she misheard?

Xu Xingyue nodded. "Yes, she’s my sister."

The smile on the sales clerk’s face froze instantly. "Miss Lu, I am so sorry. I was blind; please don't take it to heart," the clerk quickly apologized, trying to make amends. "Please, feel free to pick anything you like. Was it the outfit on this mannequin and this one here that you liked earlier? I’ll take them down for you to try on right away!"