*
Though the collateral-branch heirs had no idea what had happened at the Chu family’s young lady’s birthday banquet, gathering information was easy. It didn’t take long for them to guess at the scheming behind it.
Huo Shu, whom they had always underestimated and looked down on, had not only tarnished the reputation of Huo Ye, the direct-line Second Young Master, but had even been reprimanded and punished by the family head.
Most importantly, Chu Muci, the Chu family’s young lady, seemed to favor the illegitimate son, Huo Shu.
Huo Liuzhou, who lived in the North Courtyard, was consumed by jealousy.
And not jealousy alone—he was envious, too.
As a child, he had thought that if he worked harder than all the other heirs, he would earn praise from the family head, Huo Yuan.
But things had not gone as he’d hoped. The family head had eyes only for the direct line, even though its members weren’t particularly capable.
On countless nights, he had imagined how wonderful it would be if he, too, were Huo Yuan’s son. Then he wouldn’t be merely a collateral-branch heir whose name meant less than anyone else’s.
That was, until Huo Shu moved into the Huo family manor.
An illegitimate son who couldn’t be acknowledged, lowborn and despised by the family head.
So what if he had direct-line blood? He would never become the family head.
That lowlife should have died long ago. Instead, he had to show up right in front of him.
…
Stewards’ dining hall.
A week after injuring her leg, Jiang You still felt pain whenever she walked. She limped to the dining table and ate quickly.
She had barely taken a couple of bites when a figure appeared in the corner of her eye. Just as she thought another steward had come to cause trouble, a voice as gentle as the spring sunshine suddenly sounded beside her.
“Butler Jiang, how is your leg?”
Jiang You looked up. When she recognized him, she relaxed, swallowed her food, and replied,
“Almost better.”
Butler Li, who served Third Miss Huo[1]“Third Miss” is a household form of address for a young woman ranked third among the family’s daughters or young ladies. It marks position within the family rather than being part of her name. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3733398_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3733398_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, held a tray in one hand and took a tube of ointment from his pocket with the other, offering it to her.
“This should help it heal faster. It’s for you.”
Jiang You recognized the brand on the tube. It belonged to the He family, a famous medical family in Jiangcheng, and it was the best ointment for treating external injuries. The price was outrageous; ordinary families couldn’t get their hands on it.
Even the medicine cabinet in Huo Shu’s room didn’t contain anything this precious.
Still chewing, she shook her head, her cheeks puffed out with food. “Don’t need it,” she mumbled.
It didn’t matter whether she accepted a piece of chocolate, but this ointment was far too expensive. She couldn’t possibly take it.
Butler Li chuckled. His handsome, refined face seemed all the warmer for it, making him hard to refuse. “Stewards should help one another. Besides, I admire how you were willing to ignore the steward’s handbook to protect Young Master Huo Shu’s safety. I hope you’ll accept it.”
His expression and tone were both utterly sincere. He wasn’t lying.
If Jiang You refused again, she’d really be ungrateful for the chocolate he’d given her last time.
She reached out and accepted it, nodding her thanks. “Thank you, Butler Li.”
Butler Li waved a hand, sat down at another table, and quickly got back to eating.
The scene at the dining table in the main hall, however, was quite different from the harmony between them.
Huo Liuzhou’s gaze swept across the room, then settled on Huo Jing, who was eating unhurriedly at the table in front of him.
Of all the female heirs, Huo Jing was the most striking. Her temperament, by contrast, was cold and aloof, making her difficult to approach, like a block of ice that would never melt.
He walked over and lowered his voice. “Third Miss Huo, Huo Shu is sinister and deceitful. He set up Second Young Master Huo. I know how to make him wish he were dead.”
Huo Jing shot him a cold glance, lost her appetite, and set down her utensils.
Taking this as a sign that things were going well, Huo Liuzhou pressed on. “If Third Miss Huo would just give things a little push, then I—”
Before he could finish, Huo Jing cut him off icily. “Get lost.”
Huo Liuzhou thought he’d misheard. “W-what?”
Huo Jing stood, the chill in her eyes unmistakable. “I said, get lost.”
Then, unwilling to stay another second, she strode past him and left the dining hall.
Outside, Jiang You and Butler Li were already waiting and chatting.
Butler Li propped his chin in his hand. “Young Master Huo Shu may not seem easy to get along with, but I can tell he has a good heart.”
Jiang You wasn’t worried about breaking character in front of him. She thought for a moment before replying, “He’s all right. What about you? Is Miss Huo Jing easy to get along with?”
Butler Li smiled. “Miss Huo Jing is kind and gentle, and treats people warmly. She’s very easy to get along with.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Jing came into view, radiating a bone-chilling coldness. She gave a cold snort. “Follow me.”
Butler Li awkwardly scratched his head and said goodbye to Jiang You. “Let’s talk again next time.”
Then he hurried after her.
Left behind, Jiang You paused in surprise, then burst out laughing.
Hahahahaha!
“What are you laughing at?”
A question suddenly came from beside her.
She turned and unexpectedly met the boy’s deep, unfathomable black eyes. He was looking at her expressionlessly.
She had no idea how long he’d been standing there. He waited calmly for her answer.
The smile vanished from Jiang You’s lips. In an instant, she was back to her usual wooden, serious self.
“Nothing, Young Master.”
What the hell was she laughing at?
Fortunately, Huo Shu didn’t ask any further. He only gave her a long, inscrutable look before casually turning his gaze away.
Walking behind him, Jiang You was on edge. She pressed her lips together and silently prayed:
Please, don’t deduct any more points.
Perhaps Heaven had heard her prayer. The System didn’t speak again before they returned to their residence.
Just as she was congratulating herself, the boy asked in a low voice from the entrance hall,
“Are you close with Butler Huo Jing?”
Jiang You’s nerves tightened all over again. Her eyes shifted beneath her lowered lids. Ignoring the fact that he’d called his half-sister by her name, she considered her answer, then spoke slowly.
“We’re not close. We’ve only talked once or twice.”
The air seemed to freeze, an invisible pressure rising between them.
It lasted only a few seconds, then vanished.
Huo Shu went upstairs without slowing, disappearing around the corner on the second floor.
Jiang You glanced up at the second floor, puzzled, then reached into her pocket and took out the tube of ointment to apply it.
The boy’s emotions barely stirred. It was as if he’d lost the human capacity for joy and sorrow. It was impossible to see what he truly thought.
But none of that mattered. What mattered was that she hadn’t lost any points today.
As she happily applied the ointment, she failed to notice the faint, blinking red dot in an inconspicuous corner.
In front of the surveillance monitor, Huo Shu watched her take out the tube of ointment and narrowed his eyes. A moment later, his eyes closed beneath the shifting light, as though he had found a sufficient and definite reason. His features grew ever colder and more merciless.
That was right.
How could there be anyone different in a manor as hellish as this one?
*
The Huo family’s secret training ground.
Every family had a training ground like this, especially the Huo family, which had long operated in the gray areas. If the family head wasn’t in excellent physical condition, no matter how clever he was, he would die amid bullets and deadly struggles.
A month later, Second Young Master Huo Ye was still as haughty and arrogant as ever. Only when he faced Huo Shu did the dark, twisted malice in his eyes become impossible to conceal.
References[+]