His eyes are so beautiful and bright, as if they hold the sun within them.

All she had to do was act: "I don't want to go. It’s a waste of cultivation time."

Though she wasn’t sure if she could pull it off as convincingly as Su Qi.

After all, she’d been secretly observing Su Qi for a long time. If she hadn’t known the truth, even she might have been fooled by those ever-shifting expressions.

The only thing she couldn’t figure out was how Su Qi managed it.

"Just go when I tell you to. Are you disobeying me again? Do you think I’d ever harm you?"

"Watching movies is also part of cultivation."

Yun Huang put on an extremely reluctant expression: "Oh… fine, I’ll go then."

Su Qi had already noticed something odd about the dynamic between this mother and daughter.

Yun Ting exerted an overwhelming control over Yun Huang, who, in turn, moved like a puppet with no room for resistance.

Yet, they didn’t seem the least bit concerned about hiding it in front of him, an "outsider."

Su Qi had no choice but to pretend not to see it.

Yun Ting checked the time and stood up. "I have some business to attend to later and need to step out. Lunch has already been prepared by the staff—you can eat here at noon."

Su Qi was taken aback and was about to politely decline when she added, "Huang’er, get to know Su Qi better."

Yun Huang still didn’t look up, merely giving a slight nod in silent agreement.

Yun Ting seemed to have something urgent. After a few more instructions to Yun Huang, she hurried off.

Before leaving, she even shot Su Qi a meaningful glance.

Once Yun Ting was gone, Yun Huang finally stopped her cultivation and walked over to the tea table. With practiced ease, she brewed a cup of tea and handed it to Su Qi.

"Thanks." Su Qi lifted the cup, gently blowing on the steam, but his gaze lingered on Yun Huang.

Standing before him with her arms crossed, Yun Huang looked down at him with a hint of disdain. "You’re really something, tracking me down to my home. And using such underhanded methods to get that woman to agree to take me to a movie. But let’s be clear—this is just a one-time thing. After today, we go our separate ways."

Su Qi blinked. What kind of development was this?

A coerced ice queen?

First a movie, next time who knows what…

Not that he minded this kind of scenario…

Wait, no.

Slip of the tongue. He wasn’t that kind of person, and this wasn’t his thing.

Then it hit him—there must be surveillance in the living room too. Yun Huang was putting on a show for "that woman."

He responded with an exaggeratedly dismissive tone: "Sure, sure. Just a movie, nothing more."

Yun Huang gave him a sidelong glance. "Good. Know your place."

......

Not far away, Yun Ting watched the live feed on her phone, her last trace of worry dissolving.

That boy was still too naive if he thought a single movie could win her daughter over.

Look at him, getting shut down like that.

......

Before they knew it, they had finished a meal that could’ve been either breakfast or lunch.

Su Qi instinctively moved to wash the dishes.

Yun Huang didn’t even glance at him. "Don’t bother. Someone else will take care of it. Wait for me at the gate."

What could Su Qi say?

Damn rich people…

Outside the Yun Family Mansion, the early March air carried a crisp, refreshing chill.

A short while later, a sleek convertible—one whose brand Su Qi couldn’t name—rolled out smoothly and stopped in front of him.

Honestly, he had no idea how some people could glance at a car and immediately rattle off its make and model. Where did they even learn that?

Yun Huang lifted her eyes slightly and slid gracefully into the passenger seat.

"I don’t have a license. You drive."

After a pause, she added, "Getting one would be a waste of time."

Su Qi didn’t hesitate, taking the driver’s seat without ceremony.

Soon, the car merged into the flow of traffic.

As they drove, Su Qi, keeping his eyes on the road, suddenly remarked, "You look especially beautiful today."

"Don’t flatter yourself. Just because I’m watching a movie with you doesn’t mean anything. After this, you’re you, and I’m me."

With that, Yun Huang turned her head, using the seatbelt to block one camera and her hand to cover another. The third couldn’t capture her face from its angle. Only then did she allow herself a faint smirk.

Too bad there were still audio recorders. She couldn’t voice what was really in her heart.

Even under the blazing midday sun, the fire in her eyes burned brighter.

Like a caged bird yearning for the sky, she ached for freedom.

But the brief smile soon faded, replaced by an irrepressible flicker of sadness.

Truth be told, it was already unbelievable that Su Qi had managed to get his hands on that card.

After today, as she’d said, they’d return to being strangers.

Honestly…

She almost wished she’d never stepped out today, never met Su Qi.

If she’d never known freedom, she could’ve stayed content in her gilded cage.

But once she’d tasted it, she’d stop at nothing to break free.

And if she ever truly experienced freedom… would she end up battering herself bloody against the bars?

Su Qi happened to catch that fleeting shadow in her eyes.

He chuckled, keeping his gaze fixed ahead, and didn’t press further.

Half an hour later, the car pulled into the underground parking lot of Jiangxia Gate mall.

Su Qi and Yun Huang stepped out, one after the other, blending into the weekend shopping crowd.

Yun Huang moved with light steps, maintaining just the right distance—close enough not to seem aloof, but far enough to avoid intimacy.

As they entered the mall, a girl holding a milk tea brushed past Yun Huang.

Her gaze lingered on the drink, then shifted to the milk tea shop’s promotional sign.

The next second, a cold sweat broke out on the back of Yun Huang’s neck.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the red light of a surveillance camera aimed directly at her from above the shop.

"Want some milk tea?" Su Qi suddenly turned to her.

Yun Huang’s heart nearly leaped out of her throat. She forced herself to look away, her voice tight. "I… was just looking. That stuff is junk food anyway."

Su Qi knew she couldn’t speak freely. "My treat."

"I don’t want any."

But before she could protest further, Su Qi was already heading to the shop.

Soon, he returned with two cups.

"I said I didn’t—" Before she could finish, Su Qi pressed a warm cup into her hands.

The residual heat made her fingers curl instinctively.

"What’s this?"

Su Qi pointed at her chest.

Of course, he meant the surveillance device.

Yun Huang froze, the milk tea clutched awkwardly in her hands. She’d already explained this to Su Qi, and his behavior so far showed he was aware of the monitoring. Why was he asking now?

"Surveillance. To ensure my safety. Given my status, that woman’s paranoid about assassination attempts."

"Take it off."

Take it off?

As if it were that easy…

If she could’ve removed it, she would’ve long ago.

Doing so would send that woman into a frenzy.

At least not yet—she still lacked the power to defy her.

Su Qi feigned confusion. "Then what?"

"Do you even know what we’re here for?"

Yun Huang replied uncertainly, "Watch a movie?"

Su Qi looked incredulous. "You even know about movies?"

"It's a premiere, got it? No unauthorized recordings allowed. You’re bringing a surveillance device in? That’s a violation of the Great Xia Law, understand?"

"The Yun family surely wouldn’t want to break the Great Xia Law, right?"

"Just take it apart and put it back afterward. What’s the big deal?"

Only then did Yun Huang dare to meet Su Qi’s gaze for the first time.

Wait… that’s allowed?

How had she never thought of that?

And… his eyes were so beautiful, so bright, like they held the sun.

"So… disassemble it?"