“What? Xiao Fu, are you interested?” someone asked Xiao Fu meaningfully.
Xiao Fu didn’t hide his coveting of Tang Tian: “I do have a bit of interest.”
Shen Yanli, who had been silent, spoke up: “Xiao Fu, we all know what kind of person you are. I don’t care how many women you juggle in your daily life, but don’t reach into my territory.”
Xiao Fu knew he wasn’t a good man. In front of Pei Jue and Shen Yanli, he felt like he was stripped naked—they knew him all too well.
“I promise, if I manage to pursue her, I’ll definitely change that bad habit.” Xiao Fu genuinely liked the maid he had just seen. She hadn’t shown any flattery or seductive intentions toward him because of his wealth and status.
When she looked at him, it was no different from looking at an ordinary person.
Xiao Fu had never encountered a beauty who didn’t use her looks as a weapon, especially one in such a low position. He wanted an opportunity to get closer to her and understand her better.
Shen Yanli remained silent, lowering his eyes and sipping a mouthful of wine. The rich aroma of the wine spread across his tongue.
Pei Jue seemed uninterested in Xiao Fu’s promise. Instead, he glanced at Shen Yanli, observing him with a meaningful look in his eyes.
This was the first time Xiao Fu had begged others to pursue a woman. But since the maid he was interested in was at Shen Yanli and Pei Jue’s villa, it would be best to get their permission so that future progress could be smoother.
Many of the wealthy young men present had secretly targeted Tang Tian. Xiao Fu wanted to get ahead of them, and they certainly wouldn’t allow it.
“Young Master Xiao, you’ve made plenty of similar promises before, haven’t you? You should stop harming that beautiful woman we just saw.”
Pang Cong couldn’t help but laugh at Xiao Fu’s promise to Shen Yanli: “Don’t ask whether Shen Yanli believes it, Xiao Fu—do you believe it yourself?”
For a playboy like Xiao Fu, lasting three months would already count as deep affection.
The wealthy young men present burst into laughter with teasing tones. Clearly, Xiao Fu’s fickle nature was deeply ingrained in their minds.
Xiao Fu irritably told them to shut up: “Why wouldn’t I believe it? Can’t a prodigal son turn back and become invaluable?”
Pang Cong laughed at him: “Even the phrase ‘a prodigal son’s return is priceless’ would stumble when applied to you.”
Pang Cong’s words led to more wealthy young men teasing Xiao Fu.
Xiao Fu ignored them. He only cared about Shen Yanli and Pei Jue’s stance.
No matter how long he waited, Shen Yanli and Pei Jue remained silent.
“Shen Yanli, don’t trust Xiao Fu. You know what kind of person I am. Introduce her to me, and I’ll definitely not disappoint her.”
“What’s your situation? Why should she be introduced to you? I arrived earliest today, so I spotted her first.”
“Damn! Why are you guys fighting over her? Shen Yanli, prioritize me, prioritize me. I’m not fickle.”
Pei Jue’s expression was colder than usual. He sternly stopped them: “Enough.”
The men who had been arguing instantly quieted down. Pei Jue’s status in both business and society far surpassed theirs.
So they were somewhat afraid of Pei Jue, because his methods not only caught people off guard, but he never failed when he acted.
Shen Yanli placed his glass on the tray handed by a maid: “What do you treat her as? An object you can control arbitrarily?”His words made the other wealthy young men too guilty to offer any excuses. No matter how much they liked her, she was just a maid. No matter how beautiful she was, it couldn’t change the fact that she was from the bottom rung of society.
And the wealth they casually tossed around was likely more money than she could earn in a lifetime.
Shen Yanli understood the character of these people all too well. They were outstanding in their careers, but they were all promiscuous.
He wouldn’t give them the slightest chance to get close to Tang Tian. Although he didn’t like Tang Tian, he didn’t want to see her get hurt either.
Just when it seemed Pei Jue and Shen Yanli’s refusal had been clear enough, the most unexpected person, Wen Jinchu of the Wen family, stepped forward.
“President Shen, President Pei, with marriage as my goal, I’d like to get to know the young lady from earlier.”
Wen Jinchu was polite and gentle in his demeanor, with an excellent reputation in the business world. He was the same type as Pei Jue and Shen Yanli—focused solely on his career and never indulging in beauty.
This was the first time he had taken an interest in a woman, and it was even rarer to hear such words from his mouth.
For a moment, the young masters present wore strange expressions. Was Wen Jinchu… serious?
Before Shen Yanli could speak, Pei Jue slowly lifted his eyelids, his dark eyes seeming to see right through people. “President Wen, she’s not suitable for you.”
Wen Jinchu adjusted his glasses and smiled gently. “How would I know without trying? She only works at your villa. You have the right to offer suggestions, but not the authority to make decisions for her.”
If Pei Jue was the swift and decisive alpha wolf in the business world, then Wen Jinchu was a smiling tiger that devoured people without leaving a trace.
Pei Jue’s expression remained unreadable. “Whether I have the authority or not isn’t for you to decide.”
Wen Jinchu hadn’t expected Pei Jue, who had never shown interest in women, to protect that maid so firmly.
Just then, Fu Xi walked over from elsewhere and casually draped an arm over Shen Yanli’s broad shoulder, sensing the tense atmosphere.
He had just arrived and didn’t know what had happened, but it seemed things weren’t going well.
“Why is everyone so quiet? Let’s drink, drink,” Fu Xi said, urging them to have a drink.
In the villa’s backyard, several young women dressed in luxury brands were enjoying delicate pastries and discussing various topics related to high society.
Tang Tian gazed at the distant setting sun, its afterglow casting a breathtaking beauty upon her.
Finally, she could rest for a while. Although she had been busy all along, she could clearly feel the gazes of many wealthy young men. She avoided them as much as possible, not wanting to appear before those young masters again.
Coincidentally, Liu Xiaozhi and Liu Huihua wanted to switch areas with her. It was like a pillow arriving just as she was feeling sleepy. Without hesitation, she agreed, finally gaining this rare moment of leisure.
Night soon replaced the evening glow in the sky. Tang Tian had worked all day and was so tired she just wanted to take a shower and collapse into bed.
As she pushed the cart around a corner, its momentum caused it to veer to the right, jostling a cake spoon loose. A crisp sound echoed through the spacious hallway.
Just as she was about to bend down to pick it up, a slender hand reached out from behind her and picked up the cake spoon before she could.
Surprised, Tang Tian straightened up and looked over. The man wore a custom-tailored suit, with a gentle and handsome appearance. His overall look and demeanor were similar to Wen Shaohan’s.
He smiled warmly and harmlessly. “Here you go.”
Tang Tian took the cake spoon. “Thank you.” She casually placed it back on the cart’s storage rack. Since it had fallen on the ground, she set it aside for now.A handsome stranger extended his hand toward her in a friendly gesture. “Allow me to introduce myself—Wen Jinchu.”
Tang Tian couldn’t recall any plotlines involving this name in the novel. He probably didn’t have much of a role, but she still needed to proceed with caution.
Neither the protagonists nor the supporting characters in the story were entirely good people—they all had their dark sides, and this man was likely no exception.
Judging by his attire, demeanor, speech, and his presence at the protagonist’s gathering, his status was self-evident: he was either wealthy or influential. Even if he wasn’t the main character, he was certainly a supporting character with some significance.
Tang Tian offered an apologetic smile. “Mr. Wen, my hands… they’ve become rough from long hours of work. Let’s skip the handshake.”
Wen Jinchu clearly hadn’t expected her to refuse, let alone say something so self-deprecating. After a brief pause, he regained his usual gentle and gentlemanly composure.
“Don’t say that. There’s no shame in working with your hands,” Wen Jinchu said, withdrawing his hand.
Tang Tian nodded shyly. “I should get back to work now. I hope you enjoy the gathering, Mr. Wen.”
As she began to push her cart away, Wen Jinchu approached her again. “Could I have your contact information?”
Tang Tian paused, halting her cart, and feigned surprise that he would ask for her contact details.
“I’m truly sorry, but the housekeeper has a rule that staff aren’t allowed to exchange contact information with guests at this gathering.”
Her refusal once again caught him off guard. Wen Jinchu studied her with a meaningful gaze—her appearance was truly breathtaking.
Tang Tian remained highly guarded toward the man before her, but she tried her best not to offend him.
After speaking, she quickened her pace and moved away from Wen Jinchu.
This time, Wen Jinchu didn’t stop her. Instead, he watched her push the cart until she disappeared from sight.
He had initially thought securing the attention of the maid would be effortless, but he hadn’t expected to face obstacles at every turn.
Wen Jinchu went to ask Fu Xi whether it was true, as Tang Tian had said, that staff weren’t allowed to exchange contact information with guests.
Though Fu Xi was rebellious by nature, he was highly intelligent and perceptive, with sharp instincts. When asked, he replied, “That’s correct.”
Fu Xi then teased him, “What? Did you take a liking to one of the maids at my villa?”
Wen Jinchu seemed somewhat resigned. “Even if I did, what can I do? Your rules are in place.”
Fu Xi patted his shoulder reassuringly. “You’re the idolized Mr. Wen in the eyes of women. Just find someone else.”
After offering his consolation, Fu Xi seemed to notice someone out of the corner of his eye. With one hand in his pocket, he headed elsewhere.
“Mr. Xiao, where are you off to?”
Wen Jinchu watched Fu Xi’s retreating figure with a calm expression, as if the earlier frustration had merely been an illusion.