Enjoy the scenery?
What's there to enjoy?
Just a hill, and this bit of scenery—she'd already seen it all before. Nothing new.
Molly Yun wasn't one to sulk or act out of childish stubbornness. When she received the message, she just replied calmly, "I know."
Molly Yun quietly recalled last night's conversation, sighed, tidied her clothes, and walked out.
As soon as she stepped outside, she spotted Adrian lounging under a sun umbrella, looking completely at ease as he sipped his tea.
He really knows how to take it easy!
Molly Yun strode over. "What do you want with me now?"
"Sit." Adrian pointed to the chair opposite. "It's such a beautiful day—it'd be a shame not to come out and enjoy the view."
Molly Yun sat down quietly and followed Adrian's gaze toward the hillside below.
Yeah, the view really is nice.
If only she wasn't under house arrest.
It's a lot cooler on the mountain than down below.
Molly Yun pulled her shawl tighter, saying nothing.
Adrian glanced over, then asked for a blanket and draped it over Molly Yun's legs.
"No need, I'm not cold," Molly Yun said coolly. She was about to hand the blanket back when Adrian said, "Nora Yun, unless you take care of yourself, you'll never get a chance to escape from me. You have one month. After that, I'll have someone take your egg—your life source—from you. Whether you leave or stay, it's your choice."
Molly Yun froze, glaring at him in anger.
She knew Adrian was telling the truth.
With Adrian's abilities, it would be easy.
But right now, she didn't even have the strength to fight back!
"So, just enjoy the scenery and stop overthinking." Adrian looked away, gazing at the waves of trees below. "Last night's talk stripped away the last bit of dignity between us. I don't want to hurt you, but my mission says I have to. I've already minimized the damage—there's nowhere left for me to run!"
Molly Yun remembered what Adrian said last night: the person who bears the next generation of Astrologers in the Yun Family is naturally paired, by blood, with the previous Astrologer. The thought made her uncomfortable.
Adrian's words made it clear—he really did care about her.
But talking about it now was just awkward.
"Adrian," Molly Yun said softly, "what kind of person are you, really?"
Adrian tilted his head, thought for a moment, then laughed quietly. "Even I don't know who I am anymore. After all these years, I've almost forgotten."
Molly Yun looked at him. "Since we've talked everything out, can I ask—how old are you, really?"
Adrian immediately understood what she meant. He turned with a smile. "Nora Yun, you really are too clever! I'm almost reluctant to let you go."
Molly Yun said coolly, "If you were really twenty-eight, how could you have set all this up? Unless you had a big family backing you—like Charles Yin or Max Mo. They can control a city's eyes and ears because of generations of family power. But you? Your roots are in the jungle, yet you've prepared so much here. There's only one explanation: your age is a lie."
"Now I finally understand why we're drawn to each other by blood," Adrian sighed. "You know me too well. How could I ever let go of a girl this smart?"
Molly Yun picked up her teacup and held it in her hands. "If I'm not mistaken, besides being the heir to a Mexican billionaire, you have plenty of other identities, don't you? You've built a huge network using all these aliases, and that's how you get what you want."
Adrian nodded, smiling. "You're right. I have lots and lots of identities, most of which nobody knows about. And my age—I'm definitely not twenty-eight. I don't even remember exactly how old I am, because each identity has a different age. After a while, I just lost track. Maybe thirty-nine this year? I think so. What, do you think I'm old?"
Molly Yun didn't answer, just smiled.
Thirty-nine's still prime age for a man. Still, she felt a little guilty—after all, the Yun sisters were barely thirty.
Compared to them, he really is kind of old.
He was nine years older than them, after all.
"Thirty-nine is enough," Molly Yun nodded. "At that age, you've had time to do plenty. But you don't look thirty-nine at all."
He looks about twenty-five or twenty-six.
Apparently, the High Priest of the Shadow Tribe is different from the Yun Family's Astrologer.
Grandma aged quickly because of fortune-telling—she looked way older than the matriarch of the Yin Family.
But Adrian, even though he'd burned through his life force, still looked young—there wasn't a trace of age on him.
So unfair.
"If you're doubting my abilities, I don't mind proving myself." Adrian gave her a half-smile. "My health isn't great, but getting you pregnant naturally wouldn't be a problem."
A thin layer of anger flashed across Molly Yun's face. "Adrian!"
Adrian burst out laughing. "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing. Honestly, I'd love to have a child with you, but I know better than to push my luck. If I really piss you off, I'll lose everything."
Hearing Adrian's answer, Molly Yun's expression finally softened a little.
Knowing he wouldn't force her, Molly Yun could calmly start making plans.
"I don't want to be bored," Molly Yun said. "Give me something to do."
"What do you think you can do?" Adrian gave her a half-smile. His porcelain skin glowed in the sunlight, and Molly Yun could clearly see the blue veins beneath.
Molly Yun stared at his veins, a thought flashing through her mind: If she could take Adrian hostage, maybe she could escape.
Then Molly Yun dismissed the idea.
If Adrian was bold enough to show up in front of her, he wouldn't give her the chance anyway.
"I saw lots of empty land around the house—what a waste. Why not use it for gardening? You said we'd be living here for three years, right? A thousand days and nights, just wasted. Flowers would lift our mood, and fresh veggies are good to eat. We can't just rely on the food in your storeroom. That's too boring." Molly Yun suggested.
Adrian had no idea what Molly Yun was really up to, but he agreed. "Alright, I'll have someone get what you need. But you'll be supervised while you work, and don't even think about using those tools to escape. That rope bridge isn't something you can cross with a shovel."
"I know." Molly Yun looked calmly at Adrian. "I'm not planning to run. Even if I got out, I'm stuck in the mountains with no way to communicate. I couldn't get far on foot. I'm not that stupid."
"Good." Adrian nodded in satisfaction. "It's so much easier talking to a smart person."
The wind picked up in the mountains.
Molly Yun stood up, ready to head back.
After a few steps, she turned to see Adrian lost in thought, gazing at the scenery below from his chair.
Adrian really was handsome.
Especially his profile—utterly captivating.
The kind that makes your heart skip a beat.
Molly Yun's heart gave a quick thump. She hurriedly looked away, not daring to stare any longer.
Even though she knew she was totally devoted to Eric Jiang, that soul-deep, bloodline power was terrifying!
She really couldn't control her heartbeat.
What kind of power was this?
To avoid doing anything she'd regret, she'd better keep her distance from him.
Adrian watched Molly Yun hurry away, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
He seemed to know exactly why Molly Yun was running off in such a fluster.
The power of bloodline!
By afternoon, everything Molly Yun asked for had arrived.
A small shovel, a hoe, and some seeds.
Some were flowers, some were vegetables.
Not a lot, but enough to pass the time.
Molly Yun really didn't dare let herself be idle. She kept busy under their watch, all while trying to figure out how to get a message out.
She thought and thought, but had no other options—she'd just have to take things one step at a time.
Out here in the mountains, sending a message was nearly impossible.
Having something to do was the only way to stay calm.
Day after day went by.
Green shoots began to sprout on the once-bare land.
The desolate mountaintop was suddenly alive with little signs of life.
Adrian looked at the neatly divided vegetable beds and flower patches, smiling with interest. "Nora Yun, you're really talented. After your work, this place actually feels a bit like home."
Molly Yun was hoeing the ground. Hearing Adrian's words, she almost knocked over a seedling.
It had rained just last night.
The rain nourished the earth—so not only the veggies would grow well, but the weeds too.
So Molly Yun got up early to do the hoeing.
She didn't expect Adrian to be out early too, watching her work.
Molly Yun put away the hoe and said coolly, "This might feel like home to you, but for me, it's just a nicer cage."
Adrian smiled, skipping the topic and changing the subject: "Want to hear news about your sister? I had someone look into her, and came all the way here to tell you."
Molly Yun knew she wouldn't get any more work done today.
She put away her tools and said seriously, "Come inside and talk."
Adrian immediately followed Molly Yun inside.
Molly Yun changed her clothes and shoes, put on some loungewear, sat down across from Adrian, and said, "I'm all ears."