50: Chapter 50 A Touch of Fate

The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

The word "fate" was far too heavy.

It was so heavy it felt like a line that would only appear in a hidden final chapter, accompanied by emotional BGM, right before the credits roll.

Oh right, there was another possibility.

And that was, a special CG was about to trigger in the next second.

Looking at Su Muxue crouching before him, her eyes as devout as if she were on a pilgrimage, Huang Mao felt a stir in his heart.

After all, as long as one was a normal man, it was hard for one's vanity not to explode when such a top-tier beauty relied on and trusted him so wholeheartedly.

But he quickly calmed down.

He scratched his head, trying to dispel this inexplicable sense of solemnity.

"Um..."

Huang Mao leaned back slightly, creating a bit of distance.

"I'm just an ordinary college student. My family owns two houses, I like playing games, and I cook occasionally."

"It's not as profound as you say. 'Fate' sounds a bit scary."

He spoke in as relaxed and even teasing a tone as possible.

He was trying to forcibly pull the mood back to the tracks of daily life, away from this impending "heavy love."

Su Muxue looked at him.

Those eyes, which seemed to hide a deep sea, didn't show any disappointment at Huang Mao's "lack of romance."

On the contrary, the smile at the corners of her eyes deepened.

She was an extremely intelligent girl.

She could tell that Huang Mao wasn't rejecting her feelings, but was using his own way to dissolve her insecurity while also setting up a line of defense for himself.

This sense of propriety was exactly what she was infatuated with.

"Yes, I know."

Su Muxue nodded obediently, not continuing to press the issue.

She knew when to advance and when to retreat.

Since the "emotion" card had been played and had achieved its effect, there was no need to press the advantage; otherwise, it would only feel oppressive.

So, she shifted the conversation.

"Whether it's fate or not, for me, it was salvation."

She withdrew her hands from Huang Mao's knees and folded them over her stomach, her posture as elegant as an exclusive maid waiting for instructions.

"Since you gave me a 'new life,'"

"shouldn't I do something to repay this kindness?"

"Otherwise, I won't be at peace."

Her gaze was sincere to the extreme, without a hint of impurity.

She was like a puppy that had been picked up and brought home, desperate to prove its worth by wagging its tail and bringing slippers.

Huang Mao's heart skipped a beat.

Here it comes.

This "I must do something for you" stance was usually the beginning of trouble.

His instinct was to refuse.

You've got to be kidding me.

Just letting her move in had already overturned two jars of vinegar at home.

If he let her do some "special service," those two women would probably tear the roof off the villa by tomorrow morning.

And...

Look at what she was wearing right now.

Black lace.

Extensive cutouts.

If this outfit was paired with some "repaying kindness" drama, Huang Mao felt that no matter how good his self-control was, he was still a physically and mentally healthy adult male.

This would be the death of him.

"No need."

Huang Mao waved his hand and leaned forward slightly, preparing to stand up and see her out.

"As long as you live here quietly and don't cause me trouble, that's the greatest repayment you can give me."

"As for anything else, really, there's no need. I..."

However, before he could finish, he was interrupted.

"Master."

Su Muxue seemed to have anticipated his anticipation.

She moved forward half a step on her knees. That humble posture instantly blocked the firm words about to leave Huang Mao's mouth.

"I know your concerns."

She looked up, her watery eyes instantly filled with heartbreaking expectation.

"I don't expect to do anything extraordinary."

"I haven't thought about doing anything inappropriate to you at a time like this."

"I just..."

She bit her lower lip, her voice as soft and sweet as a freshly made marshmallow.

"I just saw you unconsciously rubbing your shoulders. Your muscles must be a bit stiff from sitting in front of the computer for too long, right?"

"So, could you let me give you a massage?"

"Just a simple massage."

"Even if it's only for ten minutes... please."

"If I'm not allowed to do something for you, I'll really feel like a useless person, and I'll definitely have insomnia tonight."

This series of moves was simply flawless.

First, she addressed his concerns, showing she was sensible.

Then, through keen observation, she pointed out his physical discomfort.

Finally, with that almost pleading tone, she made a small request that sounded reasonable and not at all excessive.

She even used "insomnia" to play the pity card.

Huang Mao looked at her expressive eyes and sighed in his heart.

This woman's level was truly ridiculously high.

Was this the young lady of a great family?"

The ability to manipulate hearts was practically written in her DNA.

Since she had put it that way, it would be rude to refuse again.

Besides...

His shoulders really were quite sore.

"...Fine."

Huang Mao helplessly scratched his hair and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Then I'll trouble you."

"But let's be clear, just a massage."

Hearing this, a joyful light instantly burst from Su Muxue's eyes, a radiance more moving than the moonlight outside the window.

"Yes, Master!"

She responded crisply.

Then, she stood up, took off the slippers she had brought, and knelt on the bed.

The mattress sank slightly with her movements.

She went behind Huang Mao, knelt down, and adjusted her breathing.

That faint fragrance instantly grew stronger.

It didn't smell like perfume.

It was more like a mixture of body wash and natural scent, with a hint of milkiness.

It drifted right into his nose.

"I'm going to start now, Master."

Her voice sounded behind his ear, accompanied by a warm airflow that made the hairs on Huang Mao's neck stand up.

The next second.

A pair of cool little hands rested on his shoulders.

Huang Mao instinctively tensed his muscles.

But he soon relaxed.

Because...

The technique was unexpectedly professional.

Su Muxue's fingers were long and soft. They looked like they had no strength, like works of art that had never done a day's work.

But as they pressed on his acupoints, the force was surprisingly penetrating.

It wasn't a hard, brute-force press.

It was a kneading motion with a sense of depth.

Her thumbs accurately found the stiffest muscle on his shoulder, giving it a gentle push and then a slow press.

"Hiss..."

Huang Mao couldn't help but let out a soft groan from his throat.

It felt so good.

It felt incredibly good.

The soreness accumulated from years of sitting was slowly dissolving under her fingertips.

"It's very hard here,"

Su Muxue said softly, her tone carrying a hint of heartache and a touch of professional calm.

"Master works too hard normally."

"This muscle is already strained. If it's not massaged out, it will cause headaches later."

As she spoke, she increased the pressure slightly.

The soreness instantly intensified, but it also brought an indescribable sense of release.

Huang Mao closed his eyes, secretly amazed.

This young lady actually knew how to give a massage?

And this level was definitely not some superficial skill learned at a beauty salon; she had probably been taught by a master.

Was this the education of the wealthy?

Did she have the full skill set for serving people maxed out?

Accompanied by the faint body heat from behind and the comfort brought by those skilled hands,

Huang Mao's originally tense nerves began to relax bit by bit.

The bit of wariness in his heart was also diluted by this top-tier service.

Regardless of whether she was the Eldest Miss of the Su Family or some potential 'heavy' girl,

at least in this moment,

these hands felt truly comfortable.

After about five or six minutes, the soreness in his neck and shoulders had mostly subsided.

Su Muxue's hands stopped.

"Master."

She straightened up slightly, her voice returning to that gentle, obedient tone.

"The neck and shoulders have loosened up a bit."

"But to better relax the muscles in your lower back and legs, sitting won't work."

"Please... lie face down."

Her tone was very natural.

She was like a dutiful therapist giving the most reasonable advice to a patient.

Not a single stray thought could be heard.

Huang Mao was already a bit dazed from the massage.

The string in his brain labeled "vigilance" had long since loosened.

Plus, the experience of the last few minutes had indeed made him trust Su Muxue's technique.

"Okay."

He didn't think much of it and obediently turned around, lying face down on the bed.

He buried his face in the soft pillow and let out a comfortable sigh.

However, with the change in posture, the atmosphere in the room began to become subtle.

When they were sitting, although they were close, it was still a "proper" back-to-back posture.

But now that he was lying down,

the feeling of handing over complete control to the other person instantly surged.

And...

This was an extremely private posture that easily triggered associations.

Su Muxue looked at the man lying before her.

The feverishness in her eyes was almost impossible to suppress.

She took a deep breath to calm her excitement.

Then, she leaned down again.

This time, her hands landed on Huang Mao's lower back.

Through the thin layer of pajama fabric,

the heat from her palms was clearly transmitted.

"The muscles here are also very tight,"

she murmured softly, her palms slowly sliding down along the muscle lines on both sides of his spine.

The pressure was still perfect.

But Huang Mao felt something was a bit off.

It wasn't a problem with the technique.

It was... a problem with his senses.

When lying down, one's sense of touch is infinitely magnified.

He could feel Su Muxue leaning forward slightly to apply force.

The hem of that loose black lace nightgown lightly brushed against his calves as she moved.

The sensation was like feathers, yet also like an electric current.

It carried the unique smoothness and coolness of silk, along with the slight roughness of the lace trim.

Once.

Twice.

Teasingly close.

Huang Mao buried his face in the pillow, his breathing becoming slightly hurried.

This...

This was quite a test of a man's self-control.

Then, Su Muxue's hands moved from his waist to his legs.

"The legs need to relax too, Master."

Her voice was very soft, carrying a subtle tremor.

Her hands grasped his calves.

She kneaded them with just the right amount of pressure.

That tingling sensation, mixed with the intermittent itching on his skin,

was practically like dancing on his heartstrings.

On the surface, Huang Mao seemed motionless, as steady as an old dog.

He even controlled his breathing rate well.

But in reality,

the body's instinctive reaction was not something that reason could completely suppress.

He could clearly feel it.

A primitive heat, different from muscle relaxation and originating from the depths of his heart, was slowly rising through his veins.

This wasn't a massage.

This was clearly playing with fire.

But he couldn't easily call it off.

She was massaging well, her technique wasn't inappropriate, and she wasn't touching anything she shouldn't.

If he suddenly jumped up now and said, "I can't do this, leave quickly," wouldn't that make it seem like his own thoughts were filthy?

Forget it.

He would just... enjoy it for a bit longer.

If something really was about to happen, then he'd consider a stern refusal.