Chapter 27: Bound by Loyalty

Chapter 27: Bound by loyalty

I made my way down towards the basement, but before I reached it, I paused and turned to Ah Ming, who was by my side.

"How is Yin Ren doing?" I asked, a hint of concern slipping into my voice.

Ah Ming looked at me thoughtfully. "Master, she has recovered from most of her injuries and can walk slowly. She usually shows no emotions, but… I noticed she cried all night and has been eating very little. She's become somewhat weak."

Her words took me by surprise. I hadn't expected this from Yin Ren. I nodded, thinking. "Her grandmother's birthday is coming up, right? Give her some time off, but don't tell her directly. Go to her room the day before her grandmother's birthday and take her out. If she asks why, just say you feel sorry for her and want to help her attend her grandmother's birthday celebration."

Ah Ming raised an eyebrow. "Master, why don't you go with her?"

I shook my head, patting her gently on the head. "Ah Ming, I took her as a slave in front of her own father. If I show up with her, what do you think her family would do?"

Ah Ming sighed. "They'd criticize her for becoming your slave. They might even refuse to talk to her, saying she's ruined the family reputation."

"Exactly. But if you go with her, they'll still complain and say hurtful things, making her feel even worse. They'll blame her existence and question why she was born into their family. You going with her gives her support, but I'll be nearby at the party. I'll step in if things get out of hand."

Ah Ming nodded slowly. "Understood, Master."

With that settled, I continued down to the basement to meet our new guest—Su Shin. When I opened the door, I found her sitting tensely on the edge of a chair. She glanced up as I entered, a mixture of anger and fear in her gaze.

"Hello, dear," I said calmly. "How are you feeling?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Who are you? Why did you kidnap me?"

I smiled faintly. "Oh, I took you… for fun."

Su Shin stared, speechless, clearly not expecting such an answer. I let her silence linger, then continued, "I do have my reasons. I want to strike a deal with your boss, Mu Qing. Since she would never willingly allow me near her, you're my… leverage."

Su Shin's eyes blazed with defiance. "I'll leave this place and make sure your deal with her fails."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "You think you can escape this place? My guards fill every shadow of this room. And the one who brought you here is their leader. Do you think you can defeat him, let alone an army of them?"

Her expression faltered as she realized the extent of her situation. I left her there, shutting the door behind me, and made my way to the main hall.

Waiting for me were the four girls I'd summoned earlier, along with Yin Ren, now dressed in a maid's uniform.

I looked at the four and said, "Head to the car. I'll be there in a minute."

As they left, I turned to Yin Ren. "Yin, take care of the mansion while we're gone. I'll give you some time off soon, along with some shopping money. You can use my card for anything you need—and if you impress me, there could be more for you."

Yin Ren bowed slightly, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes.

With everything in place, I left the mansion and joined the others, ready for the next part of our journey.