Chapter 176: Fled In Disarray

"Ah? Mom, you’re already abroad?"

Andrew held his phone, his mouth wide enough to swallow an egg.

The startled cry woke Catherine, who was lying in the back seat. She impatiently turned over.

"I have an international conference, so I left by plane yesterday. What’s wrong?" Alexa asked faintly from the other end of the line.

After recovering from his surprise, Andrew told his mother about his plan to apply for off-campus housing.

"Originally, I wanted you to come to Blackthorn in a couple of days to sign something for me so I could continue living with Scarlett."

After speaking, Andrew prepared to hang up so as not to disturb his mother. "Anyway, Dad is here. Mom, you can get back to work."

"Well... I need to tell you first that your dad is going to the Northwest for an inspection. He probably won’t be back for one or two months, and he’s likely heading back to the city today to prepare for his departure."

"Ah???"

Andrew let out another exclamation, his eyes wide open.

Catherine, who had been sleeping in the back seat, was now completely awake and quite annoyed. Just as she was about to tell Andrew to speak more quietly, she received a call from her father, John.

"Hello? What is it!" Catherine answered irritably, still feeling the effects of being woken up.

"Where’s your younger brother? Why does his phone always show as busy when I call him?"

"He’s on the phone with Mom. What do you need him for? I’ll pass the message along to him later."

Hearing Catherine say this, John didn’t waste any more words. Instead, he asked suspiciously, "Have you guys seen the bottle of Moutai I left in the study? It’s quite expensive. I plan to give it to an old friend when I go on this business trip."

"Uh..."

Catherine was momentarily extremely awkward, then repeatedly denied it. "Don’t know, don’t know. My younger brother and I don’t drink."

"Oh, then it’s nothing. You two be safe on your way."

"Okay, okay, okay. Then, Dad, I’m hanging up. You be safe on your way too."

Catherine quickly hung up the phone and let out a long sigh. "Phew, if Dad finds out we secretly drank that bottle of Moutai, we’re done for."

Just then, Andrew also hung up the phone and asked Scarlett, who was driving beside him, "Teacher, did you happen to hear my call just now?"

"I heard it. We’ll talk about it later. There will always be a way."

Scarlett was driving, but her mind was already calculating how to ensure Andrew could continue living with her in the rental apartment.

The journey was relatively quiet. Andrew and Scarlett were thinking about the off-campus housing application.

Catherine was thinking about how to buy a new commemorative-edition bottle of Moutai to compensate her father.

As for Cecilia, he was slumped on the seat, feeling dizzy and on the verge of vomiting.

After a long and tiring journey, the group finally returned to Blackthorn, exhausted.

Catherine returned to her own rental apartment alone.

Andrew, carrying his luggage and the swaying Cecilia, followed Scarlett back to the rental apartment that had once made him somewhat afraid.

After being away for over a month, opening the door again gave Andrew a sense of unreality, as if he had only moved in here yesterday.

"Why are you spacing out?"

Scarlett, who had already changed into her slippers, looked at Andrew standing stunned at the door and couldn’t help asking.

"It’s nothing. Being back here just reminds me of what happened last year," Andrew replied with a smile.

Scarlett laughed upon hearing this. "Someone back then was so scared when he saw me that he stuttered and couldn’t even speak properly."

"Hehe, I wasn’t familiar with Teacher back then, and Teacher was usually a bit fierce."

Scarlett narrowed her eyes and said irritably, "Hmph, now you’re not scared at all, and you keep acting naughty. I think I should be a bit stricter with you like before so you can regain some of that fear you had of me."

"Don’t, Teacher. I promise I’ll be obedient."

"Then go move all your luggage inside and unpack. I need to go to the study to get busy with the preparations for the start of the semester."

"Yes! Queen!"

"Call me Queen."

"Yes, Queen!"

After returning to the rental apartment, Andrew noticed that Scarlett had become even more open than before, completely losing her aloof demeanor.

Thinking about this, Andrew suddenly asked Scarlett, "Queen, should we put our clothes in the same closet? It would be easier to find things."

Scarlett stopped walking toward the study, turned around, and came over to Andrew.

Andrew thought she was going to agree, but instead, she reached out and pinched his cheek. "Little Thing, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. No way! Now that we’re back at the rental apartment, we’ll each sleep in our own rooms."

"Ah? Why?"

Andrew wore an expression of incomprehension.

Scarlett crossed her arms over her chest, looking imposing. "And you still have the nerve to ask why? Then I’ll tell you."

"How many times did you sneak up and grab me throughout the entire winter break? You know perfectly well, don’t you?"

"Uh..."

Andrew couldn’t remember at all. At first, he had been a bit restrained, but later, when he discovered that touching Scarlett’s sensitive spots resulted in her saying nothing, he became increasingly unrestrained.

"Hey, didn’t you implicitly agree to that?"

"Who agreed? That was only because there were other people at home, so it wasn’t convenient for me to deal with you!"

"..."

Andrew was certain that Scarlett had absolutely agreed to it at the time, but she was just using this incident now to reprimand him.

However, he couldn’t argue with her; after all, the logic was on her side.

"Also..."

Without waiting for Scarlett to continue, Andrew picked up his luggage and obediently went to unpack.

"Queen, I was wrong. I’ll go unpack my clothes right now."

"That’s more like it."

Scarlett watched Andrew drag his suitcase into the bedroom, feeling delighted inside. Just teasing this Little Thing was so much fun.

To say she didn’t want to sleep with Andrew would be a lie, but she deliberately teased him to re-establish her authority.

Throughout the entire winter break, Scarlett felt she had spoiled Andrew too much, making him no longer fear her at all. This wouldn’t do.

Besides, since they were in the same house, if she wanted to sleep with Andrew, she could just go to his bed.

Or she could simply tie him up and drag him into her bed while he was asleep.

Thinking about it, Scarlett felt that the last idea wasn’t bad.

"When the Little Fellow falls asleep, I’ll tie him to my bed, and then I’ll..."

"No, no! What am I thinking?"

Scarlett shook her head repeatedly, trying to shake all the chaotic thoughts out of her mind.

"I should focus on work first. I’ve been having too many random thoughts lately."

Scarlett picked up her laptop and sighed. When she opened her eyes, she saw Cecilia lying on the floor, still feeling a bit dizzy as he looked at her.

"What are you looking at? I didn’t keep you just to lie around. Go inside the rooms and check if there are any cockroaches or rats!"

"Meow, meow, meow!"

(Fled in disarray.)