Chapter 44: Young Master, It's time to wake up

Immediately after the girl heard HuMing's voice, she quickly regained her composure and abruptly stood up, a flicker of surprise evident in her gaze."Eh, are you okay?"

"What's there to worry about? It's not a big deal."

HuMing waved his hand casually, showing no signs of concern. However, his indifference only made Xia XiaoXi feel more guilty.

She bowed slightly towards HuMing and said,

"I'm truly sorry for the trouble today, and thank you for not holding my carelessness against me!"

Xia XiaoXi wasn't being polite; she genuinely felt this way.

Most people would have grown bored with something they weren't interested in long ago. However, the boy in front of her showed no disdain. On the contrary, he had been very kind to her.

Xia XiaoXi wanted to add him to her contacts on her phone, but she was hesitant because of the regular checks her phone goes through.

[Should I add him to my private account?]

Xia XiaoXi felt conflicted.  After all, that account contained many of her private details.

If he had any plans to take advantage of something, it would undoubtedly create a significant amount of trouble for her.

Although Xia XiaoXi was often careless, this did not imply she was foolish. On the contrary, she was extremely cautious about her privacy.

Under the dim light, the shadows of the two stretched long.

The two shadows were intimately close, on the verge of touching.

HuMing stretched lazily and looked at the girl's conflicted expression. He could already guess what she was thinking.

He turned and walked towards the stairs.

"Alright, it's getting late. You should head back and rest."

"Um..."

Xia XiaoXi extended her hand, wanting to ask HuMing's name.

But HuMing continued walking into the darkness without looking back.

"There's no need for a name. Fate brought us together. If we are to meet again, it will bring us together. I'll tell you then."

Xia XiaoXi watched as HuMing's figure faded into the distance. It was only a few hours, but in that time, his image had been vividly etched in her memory.

These few hours were the most unusual experience she'd had since birth.

"Fate will bring us together again, huh?"

Xia XiaoXi gently tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled slightly.

......

When HuMing returned to his room, it was already past three a.m. He removed his disguise and lay down on the bed.

Regarding Xia Xiaoxi's contact information, HuMing believed it would be best not to have it.

-Because he knows that they will definitely meet again.

That's why he mentioned "fate".

Xia XiaoXi was obsessed with the anime culture, and people like her placed more importance on the element of fate in relationships.

If they met again in the future, her view of him would change dramatically.

This was the foreshadowing HuMing had set up and also a means to deal with Han ShuYi.

HuMing put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. Exhaustion washed over him, and he fell into deep dreaming.

***

In his dream, HuMing saw a young boy.

The boy was curled up alone in a dark, damp corner, his eyes blankly staring ahead.

Iron chains shackled to his hands and feet, and the food beneath him resembled pig slop.

From a nearby hole, a mouse cautiously emerged and began eating the food.

The entire room was of cement, with no cracks in sight. Day and night alternated; time passed, and the person inside had no idea whether it was daylight or night outside.

It was as if destiny called for him to stay there until death.

The boy's head leaned against the wall, accepting his fate.

But suddenly, a sound caught his attention.

He slowly raised his head, only to be met with a hard slap!

As the boy covered his cheek, his face was devoid of anger despite the blow. It was because beneath his tattered clothes laid a body covered in various scars.

There, a woman stood, cold eyes fixed on the boy, her red lips slightly parted. Seaʀᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"What's with such a look in your eyes? Are you already dead?"

She wore all black, and her long black coat added to her elegant appearance. She put her hand on her waist, pinched the boy's cheek, and continued,

"Do you know how many people are struggling just to stay alive, and here you are, trying to commit suicide? Are you out of your mind?"

"It has nothing to do with you."

The boy's voice lacked strength, yet it was devoid of fear. His gaze was fixed on the woman standing in front of him. 

The woman was stunningly beautiful, or rather enchanting.

Instead of becoming angry by the boy's remarks, she arched an eyebrow, and a playful grin crossed her face.

"It has now. From today, you're mine. I will teach you skills, and you will work for me."

"Scram!"

"Hm? You can't talk to your teacher like this. You need to be punished!"

The woman smacked the little boy's bottom twice as if she were a parent disciplining a child.

The little boy made desperate attempts to fight back. He opened his mouth and aimed for the woman's arm. He even anticipated the woman punching him to death because there were a lot of people like that in this place.

But what happened surprised him.

Despite sinking his teeth into the woman's arm, her demeanor remained unaffected. She only stared at him, her captivating smile serene and composed.

"This is my greeting gift to you. Those who tried to harm me in the past are all dead."

Bright red blood flowed out from the boy's teeth. He stared blankly at the woman and slowly loosened his mouth.

The woman took out a handkerchief and pressed it on the injured arm, then said,

"If you want something, strive for it with your own abilities. The most reliable things in this world are those you acquire with your own hands!"

After wiping the blood off her arm, she casually threw the handkerchief on the ground.

It was an ordinary handkerchief, but now it was stained with blood.

The woman pinched her chin and closely examined the boy.

"You look quite good. What's your name?"

The little boy was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

Seeing this, the woman seemed to recall something and then sighed,

"I almost forgot; you use numbers here instead of names. Since that's the case, from now on, you'll take my surname."

"My name is HuMin. From now on, you'll be called HuMing!"

[What a strange woman.]

A strange feeling tugged at the little boy's heart, yet he still extended his hand to greet the woman because he understood his only opportunity to change his fate.

In his most lonely and helpless moment, HuMin opened a door for him.

And from that moment on, he was named HuMing!

......

As the day began, the sun emerged from behind the mountain, casting a warm, rosy hue across the sky and sending rays of light through the breaks in the clouds.

A sliver of light seeped through the curtain.

In the next moment, a pair of slender hands pulled it open, and the room instantly illuminated.

HuMing instinctively opened his eyes to see a familiar maid outfit before him.

"Young Master, It's time to wake up."