Liza’s heart raced, a flicker of anxiety crossing her face. “W-What are you trying to say, Teacher?” Teacher Ewan sighed deeply, suppressing the urge to knock some sense into her. This child, Little Liza, had no idea what she had done. Using her blood to suppress Gavin’s poison wasn’t a simple act of kindness—it came with serious consequences. Her blood created a bond, one that allowed the other person to hear her thoughts. Over time, their lives would become intertwined in ways she couldn’t yet imagine. “Foolish girl,” Teacher Ewan muttered under his breath. His expression darkened as he prepared to explain, but before he could, Liza spoke up. “Teacher, I get it now,” she said suddenly, as if piecing the puzzle together. “You’re worried that Gavin might imprison me. If the poison flares up, he’ll depend on my blood to detoxify it, won’t he?”Teacher Ewan rolled his eyes in frustration. “If you understand that, why did you still go ahead with it? Do you even know Gavin well enough to take such a risk? What if he’s ruthless? You’ll be nothing more than an endless supply of antidote to him!” Liza had already thought about this possibility. She knew there was a chance that Gavin could exploit her blood and turn her life into a nightmare. But she didn’t believe he would do such a thing. Seeing her calm expression only made Teacher Ewan angrier. His face flushed red as he exclaimed, “Do you really think you know him? A rushed marriage is one thing, but this—” “Teacher,” Liza interrupted, her tone firm. “I’ve known him for ten years.” Teacher Ewan froze, staring at her in shock. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Teacher, do you remember my senior?” He nodded without hesitation. The mountain was mostly a place for men. The old master had taken in four disciples, all boys, until one day he brought back a little girl—Liza. Albert and XL, two of the senior disciples, found her adorable and insisted she call them “Senior.” But the feisty little girl had refused. It wasn’t until she felt comfortable with them that she revealed why: she already had one senior, the hacker known as Mo . After that revelation, the others stopped pushing her. They settled for being called “Brother,” and through her, they all became familiar with the enigmatic Miles . Teacher Ewan knew very well how deeply Liza cared about Miles . What he hadn’t anticipated, however, was discovering that Gavin was actually Mo himself. As these thoughts churned in his mind, Gavin approached them with his usual composed demeanor. His gaze settled on Liza as he spoke gently, “The sisters have left. You’ve worked hard, Mrs. Liza.” Liza, lowering her eyes to maintain her delicate facade, pretended to look hurt and shaken. But her thoughts betrayed her true feelings:If it weren’t for keeping up this fragile act, I’d have dealt with them ages ago! How dare they challenge me? They’re not even on my level! When she lifted her head again, her eyes shimmered with redness, as if tears threatened to spill. Her voice was soft and trembling. “They were so mean! They wouldn’t even listen to my explanation. I’m just so helpless—I couldn’t fight back even if I wanted to.” Teacher Ewan froze, staring at her in disbelief. Her performance was flawless. He thought back to her time on the mountain, where her true nature had been well-known. She was bold, confident, and resourceful—pretending to be weak would have been laughable to those who really knew her. But here, in this new environment, her act had fooled everyone. Everyone except Gavin. Teacher Ewan’s gaze flickered to Gavin, who seemed unaffected by Liza’s display. He knew too much. He could hear Little Liza’s thoughts, after all. Her charade of fragility was probably crumbling in his mind at this very moment. Would Gavin think less of her? Could he now see her as deceitful? Teacher Ewan’s heart raced as he contemplated stepping in to salvage the situation. Before he could act, Gavin spoke calmly. “You really are too delicate,” he remarked, his tone casual yet firm. “They pushed you around so blatantly, and you didn’t resist at all. Don’t worry. From now on, the management here won’t allow the Clint family in this mall anymore. They won’t have the chance to trouble you again.” Liza’s lips curled into a soft smile, her voice tinged with admiration. “Gavin, you’re always so kind to me!” Teacher Ewan stared in shock. Had he misjudged the situation? He knew Gavin could hear her thoughts, yet he still played along with her act, showing no signs of annoyance or disdain. Teacher Ewan’s brows furrowed in confusion. Could the side effects of the blood treatment be more nuanced than he realized? Was it possible that Gavin’s ability to hear her thoughts didn’t bother him? His thoughts turned back to the ten years these two had spent knowing each other. It seemed evident now that Gavin wasn’t exposing her because he wanted her to continue this pretense. Does he actually like this delicate version of her? The tension in the room thickened. Teacher Ewan’s mind raced. Should he reveal the truth to Little Liza? Would it make things better—or worse? Meanwhile, Liza’s internal monologue continued. Why does Teacher look so hesitant? Is he planning to expose me? No, no, no! Please, Teacher, don’t ruin this for me! She inwardly begged, You know me better than anyone. You must think this whole act is strange, but Gavin loves my gentle side. Please don’t blow my cover!Teacher Ewan sighed heavily, torn between his loyalty to Liza and the strange dynamic he now found himself observing.