"Hehe—Master, don't jump to conclusions so soon. Let me tell you my story, and maybe you'll understand why I want to do this—" Yara Zen said with a smile.
Shawn Young was taken aback, his curiosity about her past piqued. He quickly said, "Oh—well, alright—"
As Yara Zen recalled her painful past, her eyes began to burn with anger, and her delicate body started to tremble. Shawn quickly hugged her tightly and comforted her, "Yara, are you okay? If you ever feel wronged, don't keep it bottled up inside. You must tell me, okay?"
Yara Zen stared up at the ceiling, lost in memories, and said, "I was born in Suzhou, mainland China, but moved to Hong Kong with my parents when I was little. My father worked in a foreign-owned company, my mother was a Chinese teacher at a primary school, and I was a girl who loved art and music. Our family of three lived happily, and I even dreamed of recording my own music album one day. But—life is unpredictable. I don't know when it started, but my father got hooked on gambling. First it was horse racing and the lottery, but he never won anything—instead, he lost a lot of money. He didn't stop, and things got worse. He started frequenting underground casinos, hoping to win it all back. My mother tried to talk sense into him, but he wouldn't listen. The more he gambled, the more he lost. Our family's situation went downhill fast. My father lost interest in work and was eventually fired! My mother lost faith in him, and one stormy night, she left without saying goodbye, leaving just the two of us. Looking back, I don't blame my mother. In fact, what happened next proved that leaving my father, who had become completely obsessed, was the right choice. By then, I was old enough to earn my own money."
Yara Zen paused and rubbed her smooth forehead, as if trying to chase away the nightmare-like memories. But she quickly took a deep breath and continued, "When I turned eighteen, the nightmare truly began! My father not only gambled, but after my mother left, he also started drinking heavily. The gentle man he used to be was ruined. He spent every day in underground casinos, burning through our savings. Things got so bad, I had to drop out of school and survive by working odd jobs. But every time I earned a little money, my gambling-addicted father would take it all and lose it again! Eventually, to keep gambling, he borrowed money from loan sharks! Those loan sharks are terrifying—the interest is sky-high, impossible to ever pay off!"
Soon, my father couldn't pay back the snowballing loan shark debt, so those people came to our house, splashed red paint everywhere, and threatened us. They shouted and made death threats. I was terrified. When my father was desperate and the loan sharks realized he couldn't pay, they demanded that I pay instead. By then, we owed over a million! There was no way I could repay such a huge amount. They targeted me, kidnapped my father, and forced me to work as a hostess at a nightclub—to pay off the debt with my body! If I refused, they'd kill my father.
With nowhere to turn, I tried to escape, but they'd already planned for that. They dragged me to the nightclub and forced me to serve clients! I would rather die than give in, so I looked for a chance to run. When they caught me, they brought me back, tied me up, and beat me. I was a helpless girl with no one to rely on. They shoved me into a room and forced me to entertain a client. I still remember—the first client they gave me was a Japanese man! And he was a Yakuza boss! He paid a huge sum for my first night!
Late that night, after drinking too much, the Japanese man tried to force himself on me, even tearing my clothes. So I stabbed him with a fruit knife I'd hidden! Then I rushed out the door and ran for my life. The nightclub thugs chased after me, but I ran as fast as I could. When I passed through an underground tunnel in Tsim Sha Tsui, I met the former leader Luna Xiao and Grace Gu. Luckily—they rescued me. With no family or support, I joined the Thirteen Enforcers and started learning from Grace Gu. Luna Xiao saw my talent and close friendship with the current leader, so she taught me magic and self-defense. That's how I survived until today. Later, Luna Xiao suspected Mantis Guo might betray us, so she sent me to watch him, officially as his housekeeper but really to keep an eye on him. Mantis Guo always lusted after me, but knowing I belonged to Luna Xiao, he never dared act. That is, until I met you, Master—" Yara Zen recounted her tragic and extraordinary story to Shawn Young in a calm voice.
"Wow—I had no idea, Yara, that your past was so tragic. Compared to you—I guess I've been pretty lucky—" Shawn Young said with deep emotion.
"Hehe—Master, maybe it's just my personality, but I've discovered I really love being a housekeeper. That's why I especially want to be your housekeeper. And you know what? I've already decided that for the rest of my life, I'll always be your housekeeper!" Yara Zen said to Shawn Young with a sweet smile, her eyes shining with determination.
"Huh? Yara—why me? You know, I was just a fake Mantis Guo before—all I really am is an ordinary college student from the mainland." Shawn Young replied quickly.
To his surprise, Yara Zen shook her head, straightened up, and said seriously, "I know—and I only made this decision after I found out you were a fake Mantis Guo. Master, you should know something—'Kings and generals, are they born to it?' Being ordinary doesn't matter. What matters is working hard, sticking to your dreams, and never giving up until you succeed. I believe one day you'll stand at the very top of the world! And maybe, this world is just your stage!"
"Oh—Yara, do you really have that much faith in me?" Shawn Young gazed into Yara Zen's clear eyes, deeply moved.
"Of course! I've always believed in you, Master. That's why I chose, without hesitation, to be your housekeeper and help you with whatever you need! Tomorrow, if I see Luna Xiao, I'll personally ask her to let me leave the Thirteen Enforcers and work for you exclusively!" Yara Zen declared, making a major decision.
"What! Yara, why do you want to do that? Is Luna Xiao—has she treated you badly? Or is there another reason?" Shawn Young was shocked.
Yara Zen shook her head and said, "No, no, Luna Xiao and Grace Gu have been wonderful to me—like sisters, honestly. But, I've always wanted a real sense of security—a place for my heart to rest. These years, I've felt so tired. Not physically, but emotionally."
"Oh, so that's it. But Yara, why choose me? With your beauty and talent, even if you left the Thirteen Enforcers, you could easily start a new life on your own!" Shawn Young was still confused.
"Hehe—Master, I know what you mean. Honestly, I've thought about that a million times. But—after thinking it over, I realized that if I have the chance, I'd rather rely on a man. After all, I'm a woman, and no matter how strong a woman is, she still needs a shoulder to lean on! And I told you, I believe in you! That's why I chose you—no other reason! If you ask me why, I really can't say—" Yara Zen said this with absolute certainty, her beautiful face showing a kind of heroic resolve.
"Uh—" Shawn Young was at a loss for words, just standing there, not knowing what to say.
"Master! If you don't take me in—then I have nowhere else to go—I'm stubborn, sure, but even though I'm not some pampered princess, I've always kept myself clean and held onto my ideals. For those, I'm willing to give up everything! So, Master, you must take me in—" Yara Zen stared at Shawn Young with burning, unwavering eyes.
"Uh—Yara, with you saying all that, how could I not take you in!" Shawn Young shrugged helplessly.
"Hehe—thank you, Master! I knew you'd take me in. From tonight on, I'm completely yours!" Yara Zen said excitedly, throwing herself into Shawn Young's arms.
"Hmm—completely mine?" Shawn Young was enjoying her soft, full embrace, but was also a little confused.
"Hehe—Master—sometimes I just love how clueless you are—listen, what I mean by 'completely yours tonight' is—tonight, I'm going to give myself to you!" Yara Zen whispered shyly in Shawn Young's ear, almost nibbling it.