“Did you know all along that Tao Wei would mess up?”
In the riverside woods of the garden, inside an octagonal pavilion featuring a rose window, Lian Yi sat cross-legged on the floor, eating chilled muskmelon.
A gentle breeze wafted in from the river.
The sun was already dipping low, casting a warm golden glow. Above the areca palm grove on the opposite bank, birds were circling as they returned to their nests.
The unpleasant incident was over, and Tao Wei had been escorted out of the Pei estate. The pool party continued; the sounds of music and laughter were muffled by the dense trees, reaching this spot only as faint, lingering echoes.
Pei Jiangchen sat opposite him. From his vantage point, he had a perfect view of the most beautiful stretch of lawn along the garden’s riverbank.
As one of the island nation’s most prominent aristocratic families, the Pei estate spanned over ten hectares.
Beyond the complex of Second French Empire-style buildings and gardens lay a small golf course, an equestrian arena, a tactical training ground, a small zoo, two interconnected lakes, and a wooded area suitable for hunting.
It was a self-contained world—a miniature kingdom that had everything one could desire.
Yet Pei Jiangchen, the ‘little prince’ of this kingdom, seemed entirely unaffected by the victory he had just secured.
“When Tao Wei assembles his gun, he likes to put the recoil spring in first, then insert the guide rod.” Pei Jiangchen toyed with a spent cartridge casing. “I noticed it years ago, and to think he still hasn’t changed his ways—it seems to be a deeply ingrained bad habit.”
It was, at most, a minor quirk; after all, assembling a gun wasn’t exactly a critical task. But in the context of a competition, even the slightest bad habit could have a massive impact on the outcome.
“So that’s why you were so composed earlier,” Lian Yi said with a smile. “But how did you calculate it so precisely? What if he hadn’t missed?”
Pei Jiangchen turned his head to gaze into the distance, offering no reply.
On the forest path leading to the main building, a young man dressed in white emerged from the dappled shade.
He suddenly paused and glanced back. A young woman in a floral sundress hurried up to catch him.
“I… I just wanted to say thank you.” Amanda was slightly out of breath from running, her face flushed. “You aren’t hurt, are you?”
“I’m fine,” Wen Shuyu said gently. “But it was Young Master Chen who helped you, not me.”
The young woman, who had previously pulled out all the stops to seduce Pei Jiangchen, now betrayed a hint of apprehension.
“I… I’ll thank him. It’s just that William—Tao Wei—is the type to hold a grudge. You made him lose a lot of face today; I’m sure he’ll try to get even.”
Wen Shuyu simply nodded calmly.
“Thank you; I’ll warn Young Master Chen to be on his guard. You should try to stay away from Young Master Tao as well.”
“Don’t worry about me.” Amanda flashed a sweet smile. “My mom used to work for the old master of the Tao family, but she’s passed away now. I’m on my own, so I can get by anywhere. If things go south, I’ll just run for it.”
Moved by the young girl’s cheerful optimism, Wen Shuyu couldn’t help but smile back.
Amanda kicked up a small pebble, wanting to chat a bit longer with this unassuming yet gentle-mannered young man, but her expression shifted abruptly when she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye; she quickly took a few steps back.
Pei Jiangchen was walking toward them, his slippers scuffing against the ground.
“Young Master Chen…” Amanda kept her head down as she retreated further away.
Wen Shuyu bowed respectfully to Pei Jiangchen. “The housekeeper asked me to check with you: would you like dinner served inside the house or out in the courtyard?”
Pei Jiangchen didn’t answer; instead, he raised his hand and brushed his fingertips against Wen Shuyu’s temple.
There was a fresh scratch there—likely a mark left by a brick fragment after one of Tao Wei’s bullets struck the wall.
The wound was shallow; Wen Shuyu had dabbed it with a little iodine after his shower, and it had already scabbed over.
Yet, the gesture made Wen Shuyu feel flustered, and he instinctively glanced behind him.
The wooded path was empty; Amanda had long since vanished.
“Were you scared earlier?” Pei Jiangchen asked.
Wen Shuyu shook his head. “I trusted that the Young Master would keep the situation under control.”
A cryptic smile played at the corner of his lips as Pei Jiangchen tucked his hands back into his pockets and strolled lazily toward the main building.
“Let’s go. I’m hungry.”