Chapter Sixty-Nine: Settling In

Her eyes grew deep with resolve; she would do whatever it took to make Mo Ziyan believe her. She only hoped the person she had paid would handle things properly. The servant escorted her guest and then left, allowing her to rest alone in the room.

At the same time, the girl's system chimed with a notification.

"Jiujiu, Lin Yuexin has finally met Mo Ziyan, and she succeeded in showing him the necklace."

Oh? Lin Yuexin was more capable than she thought. She had expected it would take much longer for her to arrange such a meeting.

The girl, still reading, paused in surprise, then smiled and asked,

"What was Mo Ziyan's reaction?"

Dear Brother Ziyan, will you disappoint me?

"He’s half convinced, Jiujiu. Should we do anything?"

"Make sure Mo Ziyan can't find any information about Lin Yuexin. System, can you do that?"

"I can."

"Thank you, System. It’s wonderful to have you."

Praised, the system blushed a little. Jiujiu was getting sweeter by the day, making it almost embarrassing...

After speaking, the girl returned to her book, though whether her thoughts were truly on the pages was uncertain.

Elsewhere—

Afraid the room might be monitored, Lin Yuexin dared not sleep comfortably on the large bed. Instead, she feigned panic and fear, hugging her knees in a corner, head buried, only closing her eyes when exhaustion overtook her.

Her caution was justified. Mo Ziyan was indeed watching her every move from the study via surveillance.

He gazed at the huddled Lin Yuexin with complicated emotions. Was she really the girl from his childhood? Why did he feel no resonance in his heart? Her name didn’t match—could “Jiujiu” just be a nickname? Damn it, he couldn’t find any crucial information, and now only a necklace remained as evidence. He raked his hair in frustration.

Still, his eyes lingered on her image in the monitor. He decided to keep her for now; it was no trouble, and she didn’t seem to be feigning.

Morning came. Lin Yuexin stretched her numb legs and got ready. Upon entering the astonishingly lavish dressing room, she swallowed hard, eyes wide in disbelief. The room was filled with designer clothes in every color and season, shoes and bags perfectly coordinated, each matched to its ensemble.

She had grown up poor, used to seeing her parents fight over fifty yuan. Everything before her now was beyond anything she could have imagined, things she would never attain in her lifetime. She had always thought the extravagance in novels was exaggerated, but seeing it now, she realized her imagination had been too small. And these... these belonged to her. No longer would she feel inferior to Jiujiu; what Jiujiu had, she now had too. Others would not look down on her anymore. She laughed inwardly.

Her gaze shifted, adopting a proud air befitting a heiress. She picked out clothes with particular care, finally nodding with satisfaction at a beautiful outfit and changed, then went downstairs.

As she descended, she noticed a sharp, arrogant gaze from below, powerful and commanding. She quickly searched for its source and was surprised to see Mo Ziyan had already withdrawn his eyes, now reading the newspaper.

It was him—Mo Ziyan!

He was incredibly handsome. She had never met anyone so wealthy and good-looking.

Now, he belonged to her!

Afraid Mo Ziyan might notice her excitement, she quickly subdued her expression, trotted downstairs, and walked up to him, immediately speaking,

"I want to go home."

Her tone was resolute. If not for a flicker of nervousness and probing in her eyes, one might believe she had no interest in this place and was eager to return home.

Mo Ziyan, however, was unaware of this. He frowned at her request. How could she leave before everything was clear? If she really was the girl, how could he risk losing her again?

A princess was safest kept close.

"You’ll live here from now on. I’ll take good care of you," he said, his voice low and full of unmistakable concern.

"Ah? But why?"

Looking at the bewildered, wide-eyed girl before him—a girl who might just be the one he had longed for—Mo Ziyan’s heart softened considerably.

"Because the necklace was a gift from me. You helped me a lot when we were young, so I won’t harm you. Just stay here; I’ll give you everything."

"But... I don’t remember anything..." Her innocent tone was tinged with sweetness and allure, the drawn-out syllables stirring desire.

Mo Ziyan frowned, uncomfortable, but didn’t dwell on the feeling. He instructed those around him, "From now on, all of you will obey Miss’s orders. No disrespect, understand?"

His words were cool but sharp and merciless, leaving no room for defiance.

The servants lowered their eyes, each silently vigilant, replying nervously, "Yes." Their hearts were shocked—when had the aloof master ever cared so much for a woman? It seemed she was indeed destined to be the lady of the house.

Hearing Mo Ziyan’s declaration, a spark of joy flashed in Lin Yuexin’s eyes. Did this mean he believed her? She speculated internally, but kept her expression minimal, trembling slightly at his side.

Last night, Mo Ziyan had been cold and ruthless, his piercing black eyes freezing the soul. But today, though wild and untamed, he radiated a captivating charm, and when he spoke to her, a glimmer of tenderness shone in his gaze. The contrast was stark, and her cheeks flushed red.

And so, Lin Yuexin settled into Mo Ziyan’s villa, boldly enjoying everything she had stolen, without the slightest guilt. She only occasionally worried that Jiujiu might confront Mo Ziyan when she discovered her necklace was missing.

After much consideration, Lin Yuexin decided to frequently approach Jiujiu, showing her goodwill. Such a naive, easily deceived person probably wouldn’t suspect someone close to her. Besides, she had been interacting with Mo Ziyan for quite some time; surely he wouldn’t believe a stranger over her?

****

The final elective class was underway. The professor of Marx’s Theorem was at the podium, passionately explaining concepts, gesturing energetically, as if inspiring hearts. It seemed to stir excitement among the students, though not everyone felt that way.

Yu Qian sat beside the girl, hiding her face behind a book, napping on her desk.

Just as she had told the girl, "We’re studying acting, yet we have to take Marxism classes. The old man thinks he’s inspiring, but his voice is more like a lullaby—most of the students are nodding off."

The girl, though awake, had no interest in the lesson. She rested her chin in her hand, spinning her pen absentmindedly, pondering. Lin Yuexin had been seeking her out frequently, her intentions increasingly obvious—she just wanted to see when she would notice the missing necklace. Today, she would give Lin Yuexin exactly what she wanted.