Chapter 23: You’re Lying

Seeing her standing safe and sound right in front of her, Hua Man quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Good thing nothing had happened, or else Yu Shan probably would have killed her.

“Ah, miss, you’re so pretty!” The man spotted Yang Zhao and immediately switched back to a smiling face. “I’m the group leader for AAA Travel. For just three hundred ninety-nine, you can enjoy the absolute highest quality tour, and!”

At this point, he winked ambiguously at the two of them. “The couple’s price is even cheaper. We’ll arrange a couple’s room for you, and our group has special perks for sweethearts that no other group offers.”

Yang Zhao didn’t take the flyer the man held out. “No need.”

With that, she reached out and grabbed Hua Man’s hand, pulling her away.

But the man wouldn’t let up and chased after them. “This opportunity won’t come again! Today it’s on special for three hundred ninety-nine—later it won’t be this price! Traveling solo isn’t cost-effective; joining a group is the real deal!”

Yang Zhao, whose mood had been pretty good up until then, narrowed her eyes. “No matter the price, I can afford it. Get lost.”

Intimidated by her, the man immediately retreated to the side.

Free of the annoying pest, Yang Zhao’s mood soared.

Once back in the car, she turned to Hua Man. “What a pity—you didn’t get to see my heroic figure conquering the peak.”

The pride and confidence in her eyes were almost impossible to hide. Though she called it a pity, Hua Man somehow felt that she truly didn’t care whether she’d seen it or not.

Yang Zhao hadn’t climbed for her sake.

She was merely a passing scenic view on the Eldest Miss’s journey—no one cared about a view’s feelings.

“But I sweated buckets. I reek.” As she spoke, the smile slowly faded from Yang Zhao’s face, and she urged the driver. “Drive faster.”

The driver hesitated. “Miss, any faster and we’ll be speeding.”

“That’s your problem.” Yang Zhao remained unmoved. “Anyway, I want to get back to the hotel right now.”

Hua Man’s eyelids twitched as she sat beside her. The lawless maniac is at it again. She spoke up in time. “Speeding is illegal and dangerous. Let’s stick to the previous speed.”

Cold sweat beaded on the driver’s forehead.

Yet his foot was honest enough—it pressed down on the accelerator, picking up speed considerably. Hua Man was just a bodyguard; naturally, he listened to the one who paid him.

She wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t the first time. She and Yang Zhao were worlds apart in status—Yang Zhao was the one signing the paychecks and calling the shots, so of course he listened to her.

The key lay with Yang Zhao.

She turned to her. “You don’t stink.”

“You’re lying.” Yang Zhao wasn’t convinced.

In the next instant, Hua Man leaned in close. She subconsciously held her breath and watched as Hua Man sniffed her all over, then declared with utter seriousness, “Not lying. You don’t stink.”

Yang Zhao burst out laughing.

How is she so cute?

The sticky discomfort from the sweat seemed to fade away.

But she still wouldn’t let her off the hook verbally. “I don’t trust your nose. Last time, you rolled around in the garbage heap and insisted you didn’t smell.”

Hua Man: “…”

She’d said she hadn’t gone anywhere near the garbage heap.

But though the Eldest Miss said it like that, she soon instructed the driver to return to the previous speed.

At last, no more speeding.

Hua Man breathed a sigh of relief.

The next second, someone seized her hand.

“What a scaredy-cat.” Feeling the clamminess in Hua Man’s palm, Yang Zhao tsked. “It was just a tiny bit faster, and you’re already this freaked out.”

“Speeding is dangerous,” Hua Man said with a frown. “It harms others and yourself. If there’s a crash and we hit someone…”

Yang Zhao cut her off. “That speed wasn’t even fast.”

Hua Man: “But it was still speeding.”

Yang Zhao: “…”

She really is like a nitpicky, nagging little old lady.

Her mood was good today, though, so she let it slide. She looked up at the driver. “You hear that? Obey the law—no speeding from now on.”

“Got it, got it,” the driver replied hastily.

Hua Man couldn’t help sneaking another glance at Yang Zhao. Ever since she’d learned that Yang Zhao had held the climbing record for years on end, everything about her seemed off.

At moments like this, Yang Zhao didn’t seem like a pampered young heiress at all. She was a deeply contradictory and complex person—impossible to read.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

Yang Zhao turned her head abruptly, catching her in the act.

“You said before that you were kidnapped as a kid,” Hua Man said. Though bringing up that night made her feel awkward, she pressed on. “You still haven’t told me who did it.”

Yang Zhao let out a light chuckle. “Isn’t it a bit late to ask now?”

She wiggled her finger. “Opportunity lost—no store after this village, Manman.”

Hua Man: “…”

Fine. She hadn’t been that curious anyway.

She turned away and gazed out the window.

Suddenly, something bumped her arm. She looked down.

Yang Zhao raised a brow. “Here. For you.”

“What’s this?”

Hua Man had noticed it in Yang Zhao’s hand from the moment she’d seen her.

Yang Zhao’s expression didn’t change. “Open it and find out.”

She stuffed the item into Hua Man’s hands without allowing refusal. “Open it.”

Her aggressive gift-giving left Hua Man stunned, but she did as told and opened it.

Inside was a beautiful trophy cup.

“The mountain scenery was gorgeous. Too bad you missed it.” Yang Zhao lifted her chin, her eyes sparkling like they held entire galaxies. “But I grabbed this souvenir cup for you. Now it’s back with its rightful owner.”

Is that how “rightful owner” works?

Hua Man offered it back. “This is the fruit of your hard work.”

“Hard work?” Yang Zhao didn’t buy it. “I didn’t work hard. I don’t need to. Only the weak need to bother with that.”

She paused, then added, “Besides, I have tons of these souvenir cups.”

Every word packed a punch.

Hua Man slowly pulled her hand back. “Oh.”

The rest of the drive passed in silence. Yang Zhao was probably truly exhausted—her breathing soon evened out, and she fell asleep right there in the car.

Hua Man carefully picked up the trophy.

It had real weight to it. The design and craftsmanship felt premium, without a hint of cheapness.

Shaped like Heaven Climbing Gorge, it was engraved with the words: I stand unrivaled at the mountain’s peak. Hua Man traced the inscription, unable to resist glancing at Yang Zhao again.

She slept soundly, looking so pure and harmless.

This was the first time Hua Man could gaze at her so freely. Inevitably, her eyes settled on Yang Zhao’s lips.

Her lips were always so pink and tender. Hua Man had once thought she wore lipstick, but no—this Eldest Miss was blessed with naturally plump, rosy lips.

And yet they were so domineering.

When she kissed with such forceful dominance, they were soft enough that no one dared apply even the slightest pressure—like delicate tofu that would shatter at a bite.

Sometimes they felt like jelly—sweet and bouncy, full of elasticity as they collided with…

Wait!

Hua Man’s thoughts screeched to a halt. What am I even thinking? Reliving the kiss with Yang Zhao?!

Realizing this, her face darkened instantly. She shoved the stray thoughts out of her mind.

The car pulled to a smooth stop.

Yang Zhao, who had been so desperate to return to the hotel earlier, was fast asleep. The driver looked troubled as he turned to Hua Man. “Miss Hua, should you wake the Eldest Miss?”

Everyone in the Yang Family knew how fearsome her morning temper could be. He certainly didn’t have the guts.

But if he didn’t wake her, she’d chew them out once she did.

“Mm.”

It wasn’t the first time waking her, so Hua Man took on the task. She gripped Yang Zhao’s shoulder and shook gently. “We’re at the hotel.”

Far from waking, Yang Zhao’s head lolled to the side. If Hua Man hadn’t reacted quickly and steadied it with her hand, the Eldest Miss would have face-planted into the aisle.

Her palm pressed against Yang Zhao’s cool cheek, and Hua Man’s breathing grew shallower.

She looked utterly spent.

The nearly three-hour climb had truly worn the Eldest Miss out.

An indescribable emotion welled up inside her.

Remembering the trophy engraved with I stand unrivaled at the mountain’s peak, Hua Man fell silent for a moment before making a bold decision.

She got out first and circled around to Yang Zhao’s side. She opened the door and scooped her up in a princess carry.

The soundly sleeping Eldest Miss was incredibly well-behaved.

“Miss Hua, she won’t blame us when she wakes up, right?” The driver followed worriedly, holding the elevator for her.

“It’s fine,” Hua Man said softly. “If there’s blame, it’ll be on me—not you.”

She lowered her gaze to the sleeping Yang Zhao.

Besides, the tiger had dozed off into a kitten—no roaring from her now. They’d deal with her reaction upon waking when it came.

The driver helped swipe the room card to open the door, then lingered at the threshold. “I’ll head out then?”

“Mm.”

Hua Man laid her on the bed.

Yang Zhao continued to sleep soundly.

Hua Man couldn’t imagine how exhausted she must be to sleep through all that fuss without so much as cracking an eye. It was about time for Yang Zhao’s dinner by now.

She adjusted the room’s temperature, then headed out.

She was getting hungry herself.

The Presidential Suite resembled a luxury apartment, with a fully stocked kitchen.

Hua Man decided to cook something simple for her own dinner.

These past few days traveling with Yang Zhao had meant eating extravagant, unfamiliar dishes every meal. She suddenly craved simple home cooking.

She knew the soundproofing was good, but she still moved quietly out of habit.

In the end, she made a pot of mixed noodle soup.

It had been so long since she’d cooked it that she misjudged the portions. After filling one bowl, quite a bit remained in the pot.

She turned with the bowl toward the living room—and froze at the sight of the figure in the doorway.

She stood rooted to the spot, with no idea how long Yang Zhao had been standing there.

“What are you standing around for?” Yang Zhao raised a brow as she walked over. “Hurry up. I’m starving.”

She’d clearly misunderstood something.

Hua Man pursed her lips and glanced down at the bowl in her hands.

Compared to those lavish delicacies, her humble bowl of mixed noodles looked downright pathetic.

She set it on the dining table and eyed Yang Zhao, who had already picked up the chopsticks. “It might not be to your taste.”

This Eldest Miss was notoriously picky—even five-figure dishes got trashed by her. In all the meals Hua Man had seen her eat out, she’d never once seemed satisfied with a restaurant.

Yang Zhao stirred the bowl idly with her chopsticks. “Mm.”

Hua Man watched anxiously as she lifted a chopstickful of noodles to her mouth.

In the next instant, Yang Zhao’s brows furrowed, and she looked up at her.

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