Chapter 49

"Do you think I'm asking for your opinion?"

What does that even mean? It's not like she could force him if he refused. Wu Ying grumbled inwardly, but she couldn't talk back to the woman's face. She could only manage a helpless smile and say dryly, "If we're not discussing it, then I can't arrange my schedule around it."

With that, she shut her mouth, using silence as her protest. Unless she was satisfied with the arrangement, she simply wouldn't comply.

Wu Ying kept her head down, and all Ming Yu could see was the occasional puffing of her cheeks. Her fair, round cheeks puffed out like a steamed bun, with fine, barely visible peach fuzz.

What a pretentious act!

Ming Yu suddenly let out a cold snort. Wu Ying's eyes flew wide open, and she looked up. Madam Ming Yu's presence filled the room—who knew what she was concocting in her head now.

"Then let's drop the economics and skincare courses." She had picked those after consulting people around her and browsing Star Net. Wu Ying came from a protection zone; she lacked experience and didn't even know basic social etiquette. How could she possibly match Asher?

Ming Yu clasped her teacup, her expression practically screaming "I'm being magnanimous here." Wu Ying gave a stiff, unamused smile and shook her head. Even dropping two courses left seven, which was almost as many as her actual classes.

"You—how can you be so lazy? Just seven courses, and you can't handle them? When I was studying, every spare moment I had went to classes. If I'd used the time you just wasted sleeping to study, I could've fit in ten courses without breaking a sweat."

Ming Yu had actually planned to work overtime today; she'd clocked out early just to come see Wu Ying. Her words came out in quick-fire bursts, carrying a tone that was almost disappointed.

But today was a rest day, after all. Did she expect Wu Ying to spin around like a top all day? Not a chance. Ditch her real classes for social etiquette lessons? Absolutely not.

"I stayed up late last night writing my lab report, and this morning I was busy moving my luggage. I was exhausted, so I only took a short nap. I've missed quite a few classes this semester, and the lab…" Wu Ying wanted to list everything she'd done, but as she spoke, she couldn't help pursing her lips. It felt like being scolded by a school principal.

"Enough. Do you think that's impressive? Needing to stay up late just to catch up on classes—aren't you ashamed?"

She got shut down again.

"Say something!"

"Everything I say you don't want to hear, so I don't know what to say."

Ming Yu took a deep breath. Her dissatisfaction boiled over like scalding water. She still couldn't understand how someone so fundamentally different from their family had caught Asher's eye.

"No negotiation. I've already enrolled you."

Her teacup slammed down, scraping against the table with a harsh noise. Wu Ying turned her head slightly and murmured in quiet defiance, "Well, it has to fit my schedule."

"You—"

Ming Yu was infuriated by her nonchalant attitude. She closed her eyes, and as soon as she could no longer see Wu Ying's face, her breathing gradually steadied. When she looked again, Wu Ying was sitting there demurely, picking at her clothes, looking perfectly well-behaved.

"Then I'll just wait and see how you arrange your time. In a week's time, I expect you to come see me on your own."

She tossed out those words and stood up, grabbing her bag and turning to leave. A gust of wind caught her hair, every strand whipping around in a fury of frustration.

The front door slammed shut, and Wu Ying's shoulders immediately sagged. "Whew—" She let out a long breath and muttered, "And I'm the one who should be mad. She barges in out of nowhere, dumps a pile of classes on my head, and who do I complain to about that?"

Wu Ying flopped onto the sofa, hugging a soft throw pillow, and transferred the course schedule to the Jiujiu smart device. She'd just see what these ludicrous classes were all about.

Madam Ming Yu really was pulling out all the stops—all the classes were in-person with real instructors, and a few were even one-on-one. So there was no way Wu Ying would have time to go.

"Master, these courses are considered basic training—many young ladies from prominent families have taken them. On certain... shall we say, unofficial websites, they've been trending for a long time as 'essential courses for marrying into wealth.' I even saw people setting up a study group—"

"Stop, Jiujiu. That info isn't important. Just find me the core curriculum and any notes or precautions for these courses."

Know your enemy, and you'll never be defeated.

"Oh, I see! Master wants the serious stuff. Jiujiu understands~"

Jiujiu dragged out its words in an adorably playful tone, leaving Wu Ying speechless. Wasn't she only asking for serious stuff?

There were seven courses in total, and after Ming Yu had axed economics and architectural aesthetics, the rest were all useless. Things like cooking and etiquette boiled down to the same as flower arranging and wine tasting from before.

Wu Ying couldn't be bothered to listen anymore. She cut Jiujiu off, reached up to rub her ear, and figured she'd just wash up and head to bed.

She'd said she had no time, and she meant it. A week? She'd deal with it when the week came. What etiquette classes did she need? She, Wu Ying, was the most polite person alive.

"Remove Asher's access permissions. Don't open the door for him if he comes later."

The mother's debt falls on the son—if not him, then who was there to blame?

At nine o'clock that evening, Asher arrived punctually at Pilan Star's port. To welcome him, the port had reserved a fast lane, brightly lit, with the port manager standing at the entrance, smiling warmly and insisting on throwing him a welcome dinner.

Asher shot him an impatient glance and didn't pause his stride. Wei Li'an intercepted the approaching manager, offered a brief explanation, and promptly continued on.

The entire party was in military uniform, a dark mass of cloud rolling out of the port with overwhelming presence. A car was already waiting at the port, and security personnel moved first to thoroughly check the hovercar inside and out.

Asher said coldly, "Step on it."

"Yes, sir."

Federal University was located in Pilan Star's cultural center, quite far from the port. Still, at full speed, it was only a matter of ten-odd minutes.

"Ding-dong—"

Wu Ying was chewing on a piece of dried meat, her cheeks bulging with effort. She slowly rubbed her jaw with her hand before having Jiujiu connect to the camera at the door. Ugh, snow ox jerky—it really was tough to chew.

Asher's nearly two-meter frame looked even more imposing on the surveillance screen, taking up most of the picture. He was once again in his black military uniform, cap brim pulled low, and from the camera's angle, all she could see was his sharp, chiseled jaw.

Perhaps sensing she was looking at him, Asher raised his head and stared straight at the camera. His sculpted features came into view—slanted brows like swords, deep narrow eyes seemingly tempered with frost, thin lips pressed tight as if every line of his face radiated displeasure.

Well, well, the great Commander had actually been locked outside.

"Look at that—he's got the same look as his mother. The more I see it, the madder I get." Wu Ying tapped a few commands on her Light Brain, and the front door finally opened.

Asher walked into the villa, which looked quite different from when he'd first chosen it.

He looked up. Wu Ying was descending the spiral staircase from the second floor. Asher removed his coat and cap one by one, and the robot at the entrance stepped forward to take them.

"Why was I locked outside?"

His tone was cold and stern, his long black lashes lowered with a hint of chill at their tips. That frosty look made him even more like his mother.

"Oh, so your mom comes by to throw her weight around, and then you show up right after to do the same?"

Asher: ?

Wu Ying rolled her eyes at him in exasperation. If it weren't for him, his mother wouldn't be coming after her. And he was acting all innocent? Hmph. Everyone knew that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts were born from a man's inaction.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

Asher watched her approach, her puffed-up cheeks slowly coming into focus. As she passed him, she delivered a sharp kick to his leg.

"You're that angry."

Asher reached out and took her hand. It was cool to the touch, delicate and boneless in his grip. He felt her try to pull away, but he tightened his hold without a trace of visible effort, locking her hand firmly in his.

Wu Ying showed him the course schedule and had Jiujiu read out all the information she'd gathered from various websites. The serious stuff and the gossipy stuff—she had it all read out to him.

"A mess."

"Hmph. Well, your mom wants me to go take these ridiculous classes."

"You don't have to go. I'll talk to her."

Snitching succeeded! But thinking about it, Wu Ying leaned in closer. "When you talk to her, watch your words. Don't mention me."

"Hm?" Asher was puzzled. If the matter was about her, how could he not mention Wu Ying?

Wu Ying meant she didn't want Ming Yu to think she'd run to tattle, deliberately refusing to attend the classes. "Got it?"

With that explanation, Asher nodded in understanding. The core idea was to redirect attention, to keep Ming Yu from getting angry at Wu Ying over this. But while he understood the reasoning, he doubted it would be very effective.

Madam Ming Yu's dissatisfaction with Wu Ying didn't need him to point it out. Asher didn't voice his thoughts; he simply resolved silently to handle it for Wu Ying. From now on, she'd be staying on Pilan Star often, and if he didn't settle things with Madam Ming Yu, incidents like this would only multiply.

"Got it. Leave it to me."

Wu Ying nodded in satisfaction, leaned over, and gave his cheek a light kiss.

"Good. That's your reward."

Asher's eyes flickered. His gaze locked onto her, and his hand, still holding hers, suddenly felt damp.

Wu Ying shook her hand uncomfortably. "Your hand's sweating. It's all sticky—unpleasant. Let go."

Wu Ying wiped her hand with a wet wipe, then looked at Asher sitting blankly on the sofa, and naturally picked up his hand to wipe it too. The cool moisture traveled from his palm to his fingers, seeping into his limbs. Asher watched her, his deep black eyes fixed and still, as if he were thinking of something—or nothing at all.

Asher leaned in and wrapped his arms around her. She was small and delicate, seated on his lap; one arm was enough to gather her entirely against his chest.

He liked this.

Asher had a particular scent—faint, like the smell of sun-dried linens. It was a little warm, yet somehow a little cool. In any case, beneath the sun, it carried a refreshing coolness that was pleasant enough to make one fond of it.

"Military regs don't allow perfume. Maybe you're smelling things wrong." His tone was light, lips brushing her neck. He didn't think he had any particular smell—if anything, it was Wu Ying who always smelled nice. She loved flowers, and her scent always carried various floral notes.

"Have you eaten?"

Asher shook his head. Wu Ying patted his hand. "Well, lucky you. I had Jiujiu make dinner."

"I've noticed you always show up at night. Every time, you're dressed like a ghost, with a bunch of black-clad subordinates like a storm cloud. Are you afraid of the light or something?"

The group of black-clad subordinates surrounded Asher protectively, their eyes wary, as if afraid someone might snatch him away.

"Just a coincidence. Do you not like it?"

If she didn't, he could schedule his visits for a different time.

"It's not that I don't like it. It just feels weird if you go out of your way to change your schedule. Whatever, just eat. Stop talking."

It was you who wouldn't stop talking, Asher thought with a faint smile as he picked up his spoon and stirred the meat porridge in his bowl. It was made to Wu Ying's taste—soft, sticky, and fragrant.