Renée stepped out of the Tipsy Lounge, tilting her head up with closed eyes, embracing the warmth of the sunlight as she took a deep breath.

It had been a while since she had last seen such radiant natural light. When she opened her eyes, the sky was a vast expanse of slate blue. The early summer weather was like a teenager, shy yet brimming with uncontainable passion and anticipation.

Hnin had changed into a sleek black silk shirt paired with black trousers. His curly hair had been straightened and tied into a ponytail at the back of his head. His strikingly masculine physique, combined with exquisitely delicate feminine features, made for a strange yet uniquely captivating presence.

Standing beside him, Renée was also dressed entirely in black. Hnin's androgynous aura only served to further blur Renée's own gender boundaries. 

Renée had often thought to herself—thankfully, the world had embraced the trend of flower boys. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for her to maintain her cover as a "male" escort for so long without arousing suspicion. She might have been tall enough, but her petite frame was far too slender—even for a woman.

Renée pulled up the collar of her trench coat to shield her face, then turned to Hnin. "Madam Hnin, I can take a taxi myself. You don't need to go through the trouble."

Hnin smiled and pulled Renée's hand, looping it around his own arm. 

"It's rare for a 'mother' to take her 'son' out. Don't ruin my fun."

Renée responded with a bright smile, linking her arm with Hnin's as they walked toward the parking lot. 

"Madam Hnin, thank you. I know you're just worried about me."

Hnin patted her hand. "You just recovered. I don't want that man snatching you away again. If I'm with you, at least he'll show me some respect."

Would that man really show Hnin any respect? He probably didn't even believe his own words. That lunatic had never respected anyone.

Their conversation lulled into silence, leaving only the sound of their leather shoes clicking against the gravel path—empty, just like the void in Renée's heart.

Hnin turned to look at Renée, who was biting her still-pale lips. A fleeting look of fear flashed across her delicate face. Hnin's heart ached for her.

Poor child. What kind of sins had she committed in her past life to deserve such suffering in this one?

Hnin reached out and gently stroked Renée's hair. 

"Renée, have you considered 'marrying' me? Don't worry, I don't have that function anymore—you don't have to be afraid I'll take advantage of you." 

He deliberately put on a flirtatious, teasing tone to lighten the mood.

Renée couldn't help but laugh at Hnin's exaggerated gesture and playful expression. But as soon as the laughter faded, a wave of melancholy washed over her again.

Everyone who had ties to the Sein family seemed doomed to end in tragedy.

Was it fate? Or was it a curse?

Not wanting Hnin's efforts to cheer her up to go to waste, Renée forced a cheerful expression and adjusted their pose—removing her arm from Hnin's grasp and instead bending it at her side, offering it to Hnin like a proper gentleman. 

"If Madam Hnin is going to 'marry' me, then this is how it should be. I'm a firm believer in male dominance, you know."

They laughed and joked, deliberately raising their voices, making their playful banter as loud and exaggerated as possible.

Both of them knew they were putting on a show. But neither wanted to break the illusion.

Even feigned happiness was rare for them. Why not pretend a little longer? Maybe, just maybe, if they laughed enough, some of that joy would seep into their hearts and bring warmth to their eyes.

But acting was exhausting. It took effort, energy, and willpower. By the time they got into Hnin's car, the laughter had faded, and silence crept back in.

Hnin stole occasional glances at Renée, who was staring blankly out the window. He lost count of how many times he sighed to himself.

Renée, on the other hand, was lost in thought about her missing phone, and the photo of Mya that had been lost with it.

Her mind drifted to Thandar, the intern nurse who had been by Mya's side.

Renée had agreed to let Hnin accompany her to visit Mya, in part to use Hnin as a means to make Thandar give up on her.

She didn't want anyone getting too close. She was an omen of misfortune. She couldn't drag innocent people into her cursed existence.

Renée still remembered the male escort who had been overly friendly with her when she first arrived at Tipsy Lounge.

He had been affectionate, always joking and touching her casually, until Rex found an excuse to have his hands chopped off.

She, too, had been punished for it. Rex had kept her confined in that room of Sein Manor for an entire week. That time, she had barely made it through.

This time, Thandar had merely grabbed her arm while speaking to her, yet she had already suffered so much at Rex's hands. She feared Rex wouldn't let Thandar off so easily.

"Should we buy some snacks for Mya?"

Hnin's voice pulled Renée from her thoughts. They had stopped in front of a supermarket.

Renée blinked, disoriented, then absentmindedly murmured, "Mm," as she reached for the door handle to step out.

A sudden tension in the air made Hnin's instincts flare. He reacted immediately, grabbing Renée and pulling her back.

Renée turned to Hnin in confusion.

Hnin's gaze was locked onto a deep blue cargo truck passing by, then shifted to scan the pedestrians on the sidewalk. Only after a long moment did he finally release his grip.

"What is it?" Renée asked.

"...Nothing," Hnin muttered.

Hnin suddenly had the unsettling feeling that someone was following them, but he chose not to tell Renée. There was no need to worry her unnecessarily.

Who could it be?

Rex's people?

If it was him, Hnin wouldn't be surprised. This wasn't the first time he had left the club with Renée, and Rex had never trusted him. Even though Hnin was nothing but a "useless eunuch" now.

Renée frowned as Hnin pulled her into the supermarket. She didn't believe that "nothing" was wrong. Not when Hnin had casually slid a mini handgun from under the car seat into his pocket before stepping out.

They quickly bought two large bags of snacks, toys, and other small items. Without wasting any time, Hnin skillfully ushered Renée back into the car.

As soon as he got in, he pressed the central lock.

"Madam Hnin, is something going on?" Renée asked.

Hnin raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I'm just feeling a little paranoid today." 

He glanced at the rearview mirror and smirked. "Dressed this seductively, I'm afraid someone might try to kidnap me for my looks."

Renée played along, curling her lips into a smile, but inwardly, she steeled herself. She discreetly observed the traffic behind them through the side mirror.

The drive remained uneventful. Nothing strange happened, and Hnin's tension seemed to ease as well.

Renée had been so focused on staying alert that she only realized they had arrived at the nursing center when she suddenly remembered—she had forgotten to return to her small apartment to change.

"What do I do? Madam Hnin, Mya has never seen me dressed like a man before!"

Hnin looked her up and down, then opened the glove compartment. 

"I have some makeup here, a pair of earrings, and even high heels, though they're probably too big for you. Just put on some makeup. Don't worry—Mya will still recognize you."

Renée stared into the compact mirror for a long time. "Madam Hnin, do you think this will work? Mya is used to seeing me in women's clothing..."

Hnin, with his black-painted nails, gently stroked Renée's worried face. "Renée, no matter how you dress, you're a beauty. If Mya asks, just tell her androgynous fashion is trending this year."

"Then... Madam Hnin, will you go in with me?"

"Of course." Hnin agreed without hesitation, and Renée felt a wave of relief.

Every time Hnin had brought Renée here, he had never gone inside, saying it wouldn't be good for the child to see someone as ambiguous as him—neither fully male nor female. Renée had expected to have to persuade him this time, but to her surprise, he agreed so easily.

From a distance, Renée spotted Mya sitting in a wheelchair, anxiously scanning her surroundings. What relieved Renée was that the intern nurse was standing right beside her, like a personal bodyguard.

Instinctively, Renée leaned closer to Hnin, gripping his arm tightly, trying to appear as intimate as possible.

Hnin glanced down at her before following her gaze to the young man watching Renée intently, tension evident in his posture. Understanding the situation, Hnin smirked and wrapped an arm possessively around Renée's waist.

Mya hadn't recognized Renée at first. She hadn't expected her sister would be in a black trench coat and suit trousers. But as Renée walked closer, Mya's little mouth dropped open, as if she were about to swallow the Winnie-the-Pooh plushie she was clutching tightly.

Thandar, standing behind Mya, was also visibly stunned. But his admiration quickly turned into wariness as his gaze fell upon the "man" beside Renée... 

Well, he was a man, right? A stunningly seductive man, draped around Renée with an unmistakable air of possession.

Like a cat sensing danger, Thandar's entire body tensed, metaphorical fur standing on end.

Mya, completely forgetting her previous complaints about Renée's absence, was thoroughly awestruck by her sister's transformation.

"Sis... You look so cool!"

Renée knelt down, gently caressing Mya's small face. "Do you like the way I look now?"

Mya studied her seriously, rubbing her chin like a little scholar. "It's not bad. But honestly, sis, you're so pretty—you'd look good in anything."

"Haha, Mya, you really know how to flatter people." 

Renée patted the Winnie-the-Pooh plushie. "Do you like it?"

Mya tilted her head and sighed dramatically. "It's okay, I guess."

Guilt flooded Renée's heart as she hugged her sister. "I'm sorry, I've been so busy lately..."

"I know, but at least you could've called." Mya pouted. "Thandar and I thought someone had kidnapped you, and you were off counting money for them!"

Renée stiffened. A flash of pain flickered across her face before she quickly concealed it.

Mya immediately realized her joke had hit a nerve. She wasn't sure what she had said to trigger her sister, but being the sensitive and intelligent child she was, she quickly changed the subject.

"Sis... who is he?"

Renée suddenly remembered Madam Hnin's presence. She quickly stood up and affectionately clung to his arm.

"He's..."

Just as she was about to introduce Hnin, her voice trailed off, startled by the tension crackling between the two men.

Hnin and Thandar, momentarily forgotten by Renée and Mya, were sizing each other up.

One was like an untamed hunting dog, eager to charge forward at any moment. The other was like a lazy lion, seemingly indifferent but exuding an undeniable aura of dominance.

As soon as Renée tugged on Hnin's arm, a dazzling smile blossomed on his exquisite, strikingly beautiful face. It was warm and gentle, yet carried a hint of mischief, sending an involuntary shiver down Thandar's spine.

Hnin bent slightly at the waist, his eyes crinkling with amusement as he extended a hand toward Mya.

"Hello, I'm Hnin Aung."

Mya, putting on a serious expression, reached out and shook his hand.

"Hello, I'm Mya Hlaing."

Renée was momentarily stunned. She shot a sharp look at Mya, but the little girl was not one to back down. She glared right back.

Hnin was sharp enough to immediately grasp the situation. That Hlaing surname likely came from their mother.

However, Thandar, standing behind them, wasn't quite as quick on the uptake.

"But, Mya, I remember your registration form says your surname is Sein. When did you change it to Hlaing?"

Seeing that the little girl was about to lose her temper, Hnin quickly stepped in, diverting her attention. He lifted the two large bags he had been carrying and pulled out a variety of snacks and gifts.

"I've heard your sister talk about you often. Since this is our first time meeting each other, here's a little gift for the beautiful Miss Mya."

Though Mya was already twelve and quite mature for her age, she was still a child. The moment she saw the treats and presents, her irritation melted away, replaced by pure excitement.

Placing the bags on her lap, she started rummaging through them with a bright, sugary-sweet voice.

"You didn't have to be so formal! Bringing all this stuff... I feel bad that I don't have anything to give in return. Thank you, handsome uncle!"

"Heh."

Hnin actually seemed quite pleased with this new title. A hearty, carefree laugh escaped from his rather feminine lips, making for an oddly eerie contrast.

Thandar, still seemingly caught up on the surname issue, was trying to say something.

Before he could open his mouth, Renée stepped forward and grabbed his arm, smoothly cutting in.

"Mya, stay here and play with Uncle Hnin for a bit. Thandar and I need to talk."

Mya turned back and shot her sister a knowing wink, a mischievous smirk curving her lips.

"No rush! You two take your time and talk as looooong as you want."