Chapter 50

Ming Yu only learned that Asher had arrived on Pilan Star after receiving the news. It was rare for her son to take the initiative to come see her.

Outside the Pilan Star Armaments Bureau, Asher watched his mother hurry out. He pushed open the hovercar door and stepped out to wait. Ming Yu stopped in front of him and looked him over, this son she hadn't seen in a long time.

Though it had been a while, her tone held no excitement. "What's the matter?"

She was busy. Yesterday she'd delayed some work for his wife's sake; today, was she going to delay more for him? Before Asher could even say what he needed, Ming Yu had already furrowed her brows.

Asher paid no mind to her frown—he too would be upset if someone interrupted his official business. "Family matter. I wanted to discuss it with you."

"Family matter?" Ming Yu sounded puzzled. In the past, Asher would never have come to her specifically to discuss family affairs. A thought struck her, and her voice rose. "Wu Ying? Is this about her? Don't tell me she didn't like the lessons I arranged and sent you to complain?"

Asher, who had been trying hard not to mention Wu Ying, found himself at a loss for words. He had only said one thing, and Wu Ying's request was already beyond salvaging.

"It's not about her. I'm the one who wants to talk to you about this."

Ming Yu gave a cold snort, pointing to a café nearby. "Make it quick. I still have work. How do you want to do this?"

The two walked into the café together and found a private booth. The coffee was bitter, just how both Asher and Ming Yu liked it.

"Those lessons aren't suitable for her. There's no need for her to attend. Also, please don't make things difficult for her from now on. Wu Ying is fine. If you need to discuss anything with her, talk to me first, and I'll consider whether to pass it along."

"Ha, look at you, defending her. She's an unruly girl who doesn't know the rules. She ought to learn a few things. What, after all these years in the military, your eyesight's gotten bad?"

The two of them went at each other with a shared sharpness, sparring tit for tat.

Asher's expression remained indifferent. He took a quiet sip of the black coffee and replied, "Perfectly good."

Wu Ying was easygoing by nature and hated restraint and suppression above all. The lessons Ming Yu had chosen mostly taught how to be a noble, elegant lady. Even if Wu Ying hadn't mentioned it to him, he would have intervened.

Wu Ying didn't need to become one of those dull people.

"I recall you once said these lessons were useless and burdensome. Why are you suddenly so in favor of them now?"

"Useless and burdensome for me, but greatly beneficial for her." Those with ability had freedom; someone like Wu Ying, who had no talent and was lazy, should be properly educated.

Ming Yu's tone was heavy, as if Wu Ying were the person in all the world most in need of reformation.

Asher frowned. "Mother, if it weren't for me, you two would never have met, and she wouldn't be under your control. That being the case, she is my wife. Whether she needs anything is for me to decide."

"Are you sure you want this wife? I'm not optimistic about your marriage."

"She's good."

Ming Yu started to say something, but seeing Asher's decisive expression, completely unmoved, she sighed. "Fine then. Those lessons—she can attend or not."

She had plenty of work anyway, and this saved her the headache.

"Your goal's achieved, so why aren't you leaving? You're wasting my time." Wu Ying was one thing, Asher another—the couple just kept wasting her time.

When Wu Ying heard the good news from Asher, she jumped up in surprise. "He agreed?" But wait, when Ming Yu had visited the other day, she'd looked so smug, as if nothing Wu Ying said would make a difference.

"Is Ming Yu going to come after me later?" Wu Ying worried, her brows scrunching together. "No, she'll definitely come after me."

"She won't. I've already told her," Asher paused, "and besides, she's busy."

"What do you mean by that?" Wu Ying gave him a punch. "She's busy? Am I not busy? You make it sound like I'm doing nothing all day. She doesn't have time to bother me, but I have time to deal with her?"

Her words tumbled out as fast as beads on an abacus. Asher pressed a hand to his forehead. "Where did I say any of that?"

"You didn't say it out loud, but you hinted at it. Otherwise, why would you single out 'she's busy'? And you purposely paused before saying it—you were being meaningful."

"I just wanted to tell you she doesn't have time to see you." The moment Asher said it, Wu Ying's eyes widened. "See, see, you admitted it. I was right, wasn't I?"

Asher only then realized what Wu Ying had been implying, but he swore he'd only meant that his mother didn't have time—absolutely nothing more.

"Also, I didn't pause on purpose. I was just thinking about what to say to make it believable."

Wu Ying pinched her chin and circled around him suspiciously. "Pfft, I'm still skeptical. You think telling me she's busy makes it believable? Do you believe it?"

"I believe it."

"Get lost. You're not sleeping next to me tonight."

Who isn't busy? I'm busy too, you know? Wu Ying tossed that line over her shoulder as she left. She still had plenty of coursework to catch up on.

"Where are you going? It's time for lunch." Asher tried to grab her hand, but Wu Ying hurried off, shouting, "I've got things to do too. You go on without me, okay?"

Asher didn't agree. Last time he'd come to see her, he'd had to stay alone in the dorm. Now that her experiment was finally over, was he still expected to live like a monk, even sleeping in the guest room?

"Mr. Asher, you need lunch?" Jiujiu came over to block him and guided him toward the dining table.

Asher's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze at Jiujiu dripping with murderous intent. This robot had been taught by Wu Ying to be more and more annoying.

"Lunch is almost ready. Mr. Asher, you may eat now."

Wu Ying, who had already ducked around a corner, popped her head out and wagged her index finger at him in the air.

Asher sighed helplessly and obediently followed Jiujiu to the dining room. "Did Wu Ying have lunch?"

"No. Master had a brunch. According to routine, she'll wait for afternoon tea."

Asher nodded. So it seemed she'd had a good long lie-in. He cut into his steak, looking at the empty seat across from him, and let out a barely audible sigh.

That evening, a weary Master Wu returned to her room. The moment she opened the door, there lay on the bed a delicious-looking handsome man. His skin was fair, his muscles taut and well-defined, his sleeping robe half-open, hinting at a tantalizing, intimate sight. Not to mention his extraordinarily handsome face—brows high, features deep and striking, bathed in the warm lamplight, his phoenix eyes turned into lovestruck ones.

Wu Ying gently closed the door and unconsciously rose onto her tiptoes, her footsteps becoming hushed. On the bed, Asher's hand that was turning a page paused slightly, his long fingers resting on the page, the bedside lamp casting a seductive glow over his knuckles.

"Honey, are you apologizing for today?" Wu Ying's voice softened, her words trailing off like a hook that wrapped around his ear.

Asher had been racking his brain for how to entice her, but it turned out he'd overestimated Wu Ying's resolve. He even had a speech ready.

The corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he looked at her. "Then would you accept my apology?" His eyes were shadowed under his brow, like a wild beast that had spotted food in the dark.

Wu Ying felt her throat go dry. She edged closer to the bed and crawled over, propping herself up with her hands. The distance didn't seem quite enough, so she knelt on the bed, messing up the perfectly smoothed blanket, which bunched into lumps against Asher's legs. He sensed something, and his fingers pressed hard against the spine of the book.

He watched Wu Ying approach slowly. Her eyes never hid her emotions, and now was no exception. Her usually sparkling, watery almond eyes, as if she'd found something she fancied, widened slightly, more and more like a cat's eyes shimmering with moisture, hazy and alluring.

"Accept?"

"Mmm, with such sincerity, I suppose I shouldn't refuse." As soon as Wu Ying said that, Asher tensed up, sitting up straighter, his eyes fixed on her glossy red lips. "But of course I'll accept."

With that, Wu Ying lunged forward, and Asher naturally opened his arms to catch her. For a moment, they both closed their eyes in satisfaction.

When you find something you like, you take it for yourself—and besides, he was already hers. Like a beloved little cat, if she didn't dote on him, would she just let him live lonely to the end? If she didn't pamper him, would she just leave him as a decoration?

Asher wholeheartedly agreed. A delicious dessert should be savored again and again—twice, thrice, and more—never too much.

"Phew, I'm so tired. I need to sleep. I have class tomorrow."

"One more time," Asher kissed her bright red lips, saw the spring-like desire spreading in Wu Ying's eyes, and felt a boundless craving surge within him. He provoked, "You were so angry today. Are you really going to forgive me that easily?"

As they spoke, their breaths came in light gasps. Wu Ying hadn't even thought it through before she was pulled back into the vast web of desire.

—

"I'm really busy, I don't have time."

Wu Ying hung up yet another call from a teacher. She hadn't expected Ming Yu to agree but then turn around and leave her a huge mess. She'd remembered to sign Wu Ying up for the courses but forgotten to withdraw her enrollment, so now Wu Ying kept getting calls from teachers telling her to come to class.

And she couldn't exactly go to Ming Yu to sort it out—that would be walking right into her trap.

After refusing yet another teacher's call, Wu Ying stormed out of the classroom, fuming. Huo Lin studied her expression, then spoke in a strange tone. "You're not getting harassed by scam calls, are you?"

"Huh? Scam calls still exist?" This thing had endured through the ages, surviving even into the interstellar era?

"I heard you take several calls all about classes. Don't get scammed. Those outside training programs are shady, and most of them are run by groups. The moment you show any sign of interest, a flood of calls will come, saying you might have some kind of risk, then saying they can pull strings, then claiming they have connections—it's all intimidation and bribery. If you go, you're done for."

Wu Ying nodded emphatically. Same old recipe, same old tricks, just with updated tools.

"Don't worry, I definitely won't take the bait." Wu Ying clenched her fist. Whether it was scam artists or Ming Yu, she would fight to the end.

"Miss Wu Ying?"

Someone suddenly called out to her, and Wu Ying reacted immediately. "I'm not taking the class. I'm busy."