SCOM - Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Zuo Luohuan still had plenty of credits left over from last semester. Skipping a day of class had no effect on her, so she didn't hesitate to vault over the wall right in front of Ji Yuezhi and leave.
After leaving the school, she went straight home.
Her parents weren't home, which was perfect since she wouldn't have to explain herself. Zuo Luohuan started up toward her second-floor bedroom. Halfway there, she caught sight of the butler coming in through the door and stopped, remembering something. "Zhao Bo, where are my coming-of-age gifts?"
Zuo Luohuan's coming-of-age ceremony had been a few months ago. She had only made a brief appearance before leaving and hadn't been back since.
"Miss, you want to open your gifts?" Zhao Bo thought for a moment. "The Madam had me put them all in the warehouse."
Zuo Luohuan turned and walked back down. "I'll go take a look."
"Why have you returned so suddenly?" Butler Zhao Bo followed behind her, chattering away. "People from the school came by a few times last semester. They said you were constantly absent from class, which had a terrible influence. The Master sent them away, but the Madam was a little angry. She wants you to stay at school properly."
"She's angry I didn't answer her communications," Zuo Luohuan said, reaching the warehouse door. She stopped and turned to let the butler unlock it. "I won't be leaving this semester."
The butler took out a card and swiped it on the lock, then verified it with a retinal scan. Only then did the warehouse door open. "It's good that you're not leaving. The Master and Madam will certainly be happy. But Miss, it's Friday. Don't you have class?"
Zuo Luohuan said, "...It's been too long since I've eaten at home, so I took a day off to come back."
"Then I'll go prepare now." The butler didn't enter the warehouse, instead turning and leaving quickly. He had to contact the Master and Madam to tell them their daughter was home for a meal.
Only after he was gone did Zuo Luohuan step into the warehouse. The first room was piled high with her coming-of-age gifts. Just from the wrapping, it was clear most of the items inside were quite valuable. Her gaze swept over all the gifts in the room. The butler had sorted them by the sender's surname, so finding things wasn't difficult.
Zuo Luohuan walked to one section and rummaged through the pile. Sure enough, she found a gift with a label that read 'Ji Yuezhi'. The name on the box had been written by the butler, likely done when he received it on her behalf to avoid mixing up the gifts.
She pulled the gift out, tore off the label, and opened the box. A layer of white silk covered the contents. On top lay a gold-trimmed card with only a single phrase written on it: Coming-of-age gift. Below it was the signature, Ji Yuezhi.
Zuo Luohuan's eyes scanned the elegant script on the gold-trimmed card. He didn't wish her a happy coming-of-age, nor did he write any aspirations for her future. The perfunctory nature was obvious. But... her fingertip traced the signature, and she suddenly curled her lips into a smile. A slightly husky, pleasant voice echoed in the warehouse, filled with teasing amusement as she deliberately read the words and the signature together: "A coming-of-age gift, Ji Yuezhi?"
Setting the card aside, Zuo Luohuan reached out and pulled away the silk wrapping. Her gaze fell upon the gift nestled in the raffia, and in the next second, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. She repeated Ji Yuezhi's name in her mind, only this time with a hint of faint anger.
She picked up the so-called gift. It was made of black, vertical metal strips pieced together into the shape of a face mask, with a squarish, mouthpiece-like protrusion at the bottom that would cover her mouth perfectly if worn.
This was a Face Lock.
Historically, before Inhibitors were developed, Alphas were required to wear Face Locks when they went out to maintain social stability. Once put on, they couldn't be broken by human strength and could only be opened by someone else with a key. Omegas, on the other hand, would wear Neck Locks. The function of both was similar; only the shape and where they were worn differed.
Face Locks had long since been phased out with history. Now, they were only used by Alphas who had absolutely no control over their pheromones—Alphas who were practically considered useless.
Gifting a Face Lock was tantamount to mocking her for poor self-control, or perhaps... hoping her self-control would fail in the future. What a fine coming-of-age gift. Just as expected of the Ji family, never passing up an opportunity to strike at the Zuo family.
However...
Zuo Luohuan lowered her gaze to the Face Lock in her hand, her fingers tracing the seams. This was different from the old ones; the craftsmanship was completely different. A real Face Lock would have been cast in a single piece, not like this one, which she could probably break with a firm squeeze.
She raised her hand and loosely placed the Face Lock over her face, her eyes darkening. "Ji Yuezhi..." You don't seem to know the difference between a Face Lock and an erotic one.
I think he knows
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