The Master's Mask Unveiled Again-Chapter 342 - 341: She! Awake! Voluntarily! Hugged him!

Chapter 342: Chapter 341: She! Awake! Voluntarily! Hugged him!

Lu Mian looked at the owner of the black umbrella, a mischievous and unruly smile playing at her lips.

“Leaving so late?”

Xiao Qimo nodded in acknowledgment of her previous remark, tilting his chin up slightly, “Not going, huh?”

“It’s pointless.”

The “pointless” that came out of her mouth could have many meanings, and Xiao Qimo analyzed them layer by layer, finally letting out a sigh.

“Do you hate them?”

...

If Lu Mian said she hated them, he would certainly help her settle everything.

Yet, Lu Mian shook her head, her expression indifferently betraying no emotion.

“My master said I could choose revenge. But the moment I pick up the butcher’s knife, I will lose much more.” Lu Mian spoke softly, then smiled, “What I have isn’t much to begin with; I don’t want to lose anything else.”

Her Yuanyuan, Zero, Handsome Yu, and Sikong, as well as everyone else who was kind to her—she didn’t want to lose them. She absolutely couldn’t become the killing machine those people were expecting her to be.

She wouldn’t, she simply wouldn’t.

The man, listening to her, had a certain clarity in his profound eyes; as cold and distant as she was, she still possessed the most sincere, passionate, and tender heart.

The man held the umbrella, looking outside alongside her, “Those who live in the abyss don’t think about leaving it, but rather pull more people down into it. Lu Mian, you are right.”

“It’s my master who’s right; he foresaw all this long ago.”

Xiao Qimo adjusted his glasses, searching his mind for information on “Lu Mian’s master,” but came up empty.

“Your master?”

“Yeah, just a stinky old man,” Lu Mian casually remarked, “He saved me.”

That was all she said, but it was one of the rare occasions when she voluntarily spoke about people close to her.

Xiao Qimo was very content, etching the fondly described “stinky old man” in his memory. In the future, he would probably need to meet the old man.

The man adjusted his glasses with one hand, “And what about now? If you wanted, they might start treating you well again.”

“Ah…” Lu Mian pressed her lips together, “I’d rather cherish the people before me.”

A certain “person before her” brightened up a little, trying hard to make his presence felt.

However, he didn’t receive even a glance from the girl.

Xiao Qimo switched hands holding the umbrella, squeezing a little closer due to the limited space.

This move was observed by Ye Jinwen, who was driving by. He rolled down the window, gazing gossipingly at the two people under the umbrella.

“Qimo, aren’t you guys leaving?” Ye Jinwen asked with a sly tone, “Shall I drive you back?”

Lu Mian shook her head.

Xiao Qimo also shook his head.

The cold ice rain poured into the car, and Ye Jinwen suddenly felt like he had eaten a mouthful of dog food.

With them sharing an umbrella in the rain, talking about everything, how bored must he have been to pull over and actively seek out dog food?

“Go handle the situation at the gate,” Xiao Qimo said, realizing that waiting like this was not a solution.

Ye Jinwen looked toward the entrance, understanding, “Got it, leave it to me.”

Ye Jinwen drove out of the school gates and stopped beside Fu Man, his tone carrying a hint of resignation.

“Mrs. Lu, you should go back; Lu Mian won’t see you,” he said.

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“She won’t see me, she really doesn’t want to see me…” Fu Man was already drenched, looking quite miserable, her lips turned a bit purple from the cold, she shivered, “So, Mianmian has really decided not to forgive me, hasn’t she?”

“Even though I realize my mistakes now and I want to apologize to her, is that not possible?”

Ye Jinwen didn’t know what to say, not particularly wanting to comfort her, he just said, “Go back, not seeing you is the best choice.”

“…” The woman’s body shook violently in the winter rain.

She could no longer distinguish whether it was the winter rain that was cold, or her own heart.

“Okay, I understand.” Fu Man got it, cast a deep look at the school, and, with regret and pain, slowly moved away. When she got to Ye Jinwen’s window, she took something out of her pocket.

Her hand was ice-cold, but that thing was still warm with body heat.

“This is Mianmian’s snuff bottle…” she said cautiously as she handed it over, “It’s an antique, quite expensive. Please return it to Mianmian for me.”

Ye Jinwen glanced at it, not quite understanding the miniature chessboard on it, but he seemed to remember seeing this snuff bottle somewhere. He asked casually, “Such an expensive item, why didn’t you sell it to save your daughter back then?”

Hearing this, Fu Man’s tears mingled with the rain, streaming down her face as she choked, unable to say anything.

“Tell her I’m sorry!” she said, trembling with emotion before sprinting into the curtain of rain.

Ye Jinwen sighed and quietly waited for Lu Mian and Xiao Qimo to come out.

Ye Jinwen handed the snuff bottle over to Lu Mian.

Lu Mian glanced at it and casually pocketed it, seemingly indifferent.

“Little Mianmian, that’s an antique…” Ye Jinwen reminded her.

Lu Mian uttered “oh,” “I didn’t know.”

Then, she drifted away.

Ye Jinwen hurriedly urged Xiao Qimo, “Qimo, that’s an antique! You should go and persuade Little Mianmian not to do anything foolish! If she doesn’t want it, she can give it to me!”

Xiao Qimo ignored him, holding an umbrella to accompany Lu Mian as they walked through the rain, silent all the way.

Until they reached the doorstep of their home.

Xiao Qimo, with graceful movements, sorted out the umbrella, while Lu Mian slowly exited the elevator.

Since his back was to her, he did not notice Lu Mian’s expression for an instant.

But as he placed the umbrella in the cabinet at the entrance of the home, a figure suddenly appeared behind him.

In the next second, a gentle force pressed against his back, and his body tensed.

Lu Mian rested her forehead gently on his back, bowing her head slightly, her suppressed emotions heavy and seemingly trembling.

The umbrella slipped from Xiao Qimo’s hands onto the ground, and for a moment, he did not know how to react.

This was probably the first time Lu Mian had taken the initiative to get close to him.

And could this be considered an embrace?

She was lucid, she initiated it, she hugged him!

The excitement didn’t last for a few seconds before the man straightened his back and soon heard a muffled, husky voice from behind.

“Xiao Qimo, this time, I truly have no parents anymore…”

The feather-light, fragile voice, carrying a tremor, reached him. It passed through his eardrums and struck the softest part of his heart.

Emotions churned inside Xiao Qimo, ultimately clogging his chest, unable to dissolve.

This was the first time she had shown such vulnerability.

It wasn’t like her at all.

It was also the first time she had expressed a longing for her parents, and this one time, it was to say goodbye to the two people closest to her.

In that kidnapping case, all five victims who insisted on returning home—weren’t they all longing for the warmth of family?

Lu Mian had held on for so long, only to truly part ways with the Lu Family this time.

No matter how strong, she was still just a nineteen-year-old girl.

No matter how tough she talked, she would ultimately crave her family’s care.

He felt both frustrated and helpless. How wonderful would it be if Lu Mian’s parents were not Fu Man and Lu Zhizhai? How wonderful would it be if she had parents who truly loved and cared for her?