Less than half an hour after Su Xingque left, a knock sounded at the rental apartment’s door again.
At that moment, Shen Zhu had just pulled out his IV needle. Wrapped tightly in a thick blanket, he was pacing around the room, planning to cook some porridge to line his stomach before heading out to buy a new phone.
“Who is it now?” Shen Zhu muttered reluctantly. He turned down the stove under the porridge pot and padded over to the door in his slippers.
Standing outside was an elderly man in his late fifties wearing a black suit. The moment he saw Shen Zhu, he bowed slightly.
Though his hair was touched with gray at the temples, he still looked remarkably energetic. His warm, genial smile gave Shen Zhu the fleeting illusion that he was looking at an elder who had watched him grow up.
“Young Master, I am the Su family butler. The Master calls me Uncle Chen, and you may do the same.”
Uncle Chen had been the butler of the Su family since his youth. He had served the old patriarch in the ancestral mansion, witnessed a series of incredible power struggles, and naturally went on to take care of the mansion’s new owner—Su Xingque.
He knew Su Xingque was entirely devoted to the family business, unlike other wealthy heirs who surrounded themselves with playthings. For Su Xingque to directly order him to bring someone home this time meant he must be serious.
With this preconceived notion, Uncle Chen naturally treated Shen Zhu with even greater warmth and respect.
Shen Zhu’s head was still a bit foggy. It took him a few seconds to realize that the “Master” Uncle Chen referred to was Su Xingque.
“Uncle Chen?” Shen Zhu confirmed the name, then asked, “What brings you here?”
A brief flash of confusion crossed Uncle Chen’s face, but it was quickly masked by the poise he had developed over his years with the Su family. Standing respectfully outside the door, he said, “The Master instructed me to pick you up and bring you back to the ancestral mansion.”
“Did you forget, Young Master?”
Su Xingque was bringing him to the ancestral mansion? Shen Zhu’s grip on his thick blanket tightened involuntarily.
Did this mean Su Xingque was starting to accept him?
Getting sick really had its perks. Forgetting there was still someone standing in front of him, Shen Zhu let out a giddy, rasping chuckle. Because his throat was still hoarse, the sound came out a bit strange.
He had only mimicked a tiny fraction of Bai Que’s mannerisms, yet Su Xingque had already made such a concession. If he kept trying and perfected the act to the point of being indistinguishable from the real thing—
Would he be able to command that cold-faced tyrant to willingly pluck the stars and the moon from the sky for him?
Watching the expressions on Shen Zhu’s face shift from dazed to surprised, and finally to a somewhat manic grin, Uncle Chen was utterly baffled. He softly called out again, “Young Master?”
Shen Zhu snapped out of it and stepped aside to welcome Uncle Chen inside.
“Please wait a moment, Uncle Chen. I think I need to pack some things.”
Just as the words left his mouth, Shen Zhu’s stomach let out a timely, loud rumble.
“And I might need to finish my porridge before we leave.”
Uncle Chen stepped inside and looked around. He found the conditions of the rental apartment to be even worse than he had imagined. You could see the entire place in a single glance; there weren’t even proper walls between the rooms, only simple cloth curtains acting as dividers.
“You only need to bring your ID and documents, Young Master,” Uncle Chen said. As an older man, he looked at a twenty-something kid like Shen Zhu as he would his own son, and he didn’t want him staying in this place for a single second longer.
“As for breakfast—” Uncle Chen paused, correcting himself, “For lunch, I have already instructed the mansion’s chef to prepare a meal. It will be much more lavish if you eat when we get back.”
“But I can’t just leave without even taking a change of clothes,” Shen Zhu said, instinctively taking a few steps toward his small, flimsy, DIY wardrobe.
Uncle Chen replied with a warm smile, “Everything will be prepared at the mansion according to your preferences, Young Master.”
“Your clothing, food, housing, and transportation will all be taken care of by dedicated staff.”
Heavens, is this how the rich live?
Without a single moment of hesitation, Shen Zhu packed his documents and followed Uncle Chen to the Su family car.
To save money, Shen Zhu had rented his place on the very edge of the city. Coincidentally, the Su family mansion lay on the exact opposite side, nestled near the suburbs on the other end of town.
Outside the car window, the scenery shifted from desolate to bustling, finally coming to a stop right on the serene boundary between the lively city and quiet nature.
The location of the Su ancestral mansion was meticulously chosen. It was far from the chaotic noise of the city center, yet it didn’t feel lonely or isolated. The massive, estate-like property sprawled over a vast area, leaning against a moderately tall hill like a self-contained paradise.
The car slowed down as it entered the estate, finally pulling up next to a multi-story villa halfway up the hill. Servants were already waiting in the courtyard. Seeing the car arrive, they stepped forward to open the doors and welcome them inside.
A striking sculptural fountain stood in the courtyard. Water droplets fell onto the freshly manicured lawn, and alongside a garden swing, the view instantly lifted one’s spirits.
A cobblestone path wound through the front garden to the porch. The butler registered Shen Zhu’s fingerprint into the security system, then stood formally before the door and said, “Welcome home, Young Master.”
The word “home” struck a chord in Shen Zhu’s heart. He walked through the door, and the interior decor completely redefined his understanding of the Su family’s wealth.
The inside of the villa was far larger than it appeared from the outside. Standing on the first floor, he could look through the floor-to-ceiling windows to see the backyard garage and swimming pool. A small terrace extended from the second-floor staircase, furnished as an intimate afternoon tea space that offered a panoramic view of the entire first floor.
Exquisitely crafted crystal chandeliers bathed the rooms in a warm, golden light. The interior furnishings highlighted the owner’s refined taste—luxurious without being gaudy. Shen Zhu was utterly captivated, his eyes darting around.
His gaze locked onto a corner of the first floor. He blinked to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.
That is definitely an elevator.
Su Xingque’s marriage had always been kept a secret. It wasn’t until his assistant, Wilson, called this morning that the butler and the servants found out their Master had gotten married.
To a cute boy seven years his junior.
Servants passed by carrying various items, stopping to bow and greet them whenever they crossed paths.
“Good day, Young Master,” they would say to Shen Zhu, before turning slightly to add, “Uncle Chen.”
Shen Zhu hadn’t expected the Su family to have so many servants. Having grown used to being looked down on during his days working at the bar, this sudden elevation in status left him feeling incredibly flattered and flustered.
His ears turned a rare shade of red as he desperately looked for an excuse to hide away.
“You should have your meal first, Young Master,” the butler suggested thoughtfully. “Afterward, various luxury brands will be sending over clothing and daily necessities. You can select what you like, and I will have the staff arrange them in the master bedroom as soon as possible.”
I get to wear designer clothes every single day now!!! Shen Zhu—the absolute gold-digger—screamed like a gopher in his mind.
Wait.
Hold on.
Shen Zhu processed the last part of Uncle Chen’s sentence.
The master bedroom?
In any normal house, wasn’t that Su Xingque’s room?