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"Young Mr. Qin."

The man's rather cool tone held a formulaic politeness. "Hello, I'm Cui Ling. We spoke on the phone before."

His younger cousin coughed. "Assistant Cui, it looks like there's no need for introductions. You know Brother You..."

Cui Ling ignored him and gestured to the side. "Help Young Mr. Qin home."

Four men in black suits immediately stepped forward and moved to either side of Qin You.

Qin You glanced at Cui Ling.

"The banquet starts in an hour. Please understand, we need to leave immediately."

Cui Ling explained, "The chairman put a great deal of effort into preparing today's banquet for you. It's also your first public appearance since returning to the country. It's very important that you arrive on time."

Qin You chuckled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

He could naturally tell that Cui Ling looked down on him—or rather, on the original owner of this identity. His tone carried an unconscious warning and an air of command.

But with the original owner's life history, he didn't need an introduction. He knew who Cui Ling was and why he had that attitude.

Cui Ling had been one of the former chairman's assistants and was now the soon-to-be general manager's assistant.

In practice, he would also have to serve as chief secretary.

After all, working for the original owner, he had to sort out his private affairs before he could find him and get any proper work done. Like now.

To put Cui Ling's situation in perspective, it was as if a chief eunuch with direct access to the emperor and a boundless future had suddenly been assigned to clean up the worthless imperial grandson's domestic messes. It wasn't that he lacked power or influence; it was just that this Ah Dou was too hard to prop up.

So it was no wonder he had such a low opinion of him.

Still, though Cui Ling looked down on the original owner, he was one of the few people in the book who genuinely looked out for him. He could be considered half an ally.

"That's right, Brother You. Now that Assistant Cui is here, we really need to hurry back to the old residence, or Grandpa will be angry!"

His younger cousin stood to the side, putting on a show as he spoke against Qin You, as though he had tried to persuade him earlier and they had only been delayed this long because Qin You hadn't listened.

Sure enough, Cui Ling frowned.

But before he could speak again, he heard Qin You say something.

"Let's go."

Cui Ling stopped.

Unlike the bellowing orders he'd heard during their several phone calls, Qin You's tone had become much steadier and more subdued. His voice was also slightly hoarse, probably from the alcohol, giving it a low register.

But when Cui Ling looked at Qin You and saw that his steps were still unsteady from drinking too much, even with four people helping him up, frustration welled in his chest.

He still found it hard to accept that he might have to deal with absurd situations like this frequently for a long time to come.

But it was settled. What else could he do?

At that thought, Cui Ling forced his clenched fists open and resigned himself to turning around, heading out, and getting in the car.

On the way back, Qin You lay in the back seat, trying to ease his drunken dizziness.

Although the body data was his, the system had said it lacked energy, so he had also inherited all of the original owner's negative body data when he woke. Fortunately, there wasn't much.

His vision was slightly blurry because he was nearsighted.

His burning stomach was still churning after nearly an hour. It seemed the original owner really had drunk quite a lot.

Fortunately, when they returned to the Qin Residence, there were still ten minutes before the banquet began.

Cui Ling frowned at his watch and hurriedly led Qin You around into the villa, upstairs, and into the bedroom's dressing room. He found a new suit. "Young Mr. Qin, we're pressed for time. Please change as quickly as you can."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Qin You take off his rumpled jacket, followed by his tie.

His long, well-defined fingers tugged his collar loose from side to side with unhurried ease, then casually undid the buttons, without the slightest concern that someone else was standing beside him.

Cui Ling instinctively looked at Qin You's profile.

This was their first real meeting, yet only now did he take his first proper look at Qin You.

Standing under the bright lights and taking everything in, he had to admit that this second-generation heir was very different from what he'd imagined before they met. He really did have the looks to indulge himself.

His brows and eyes were deep-set, his nose shapely, and the contours of his face were perfectly proportioned and flawless. From a little closer, the sharp, defined angles of his profile were even more apparent.

And standing across from him, Cui Ling noticed for the first time that Qin You was remarkably tall, with broad shoulders and long legs. Standing there, he looked straight and commanding.

At that moment, Qin You worked with his eyes lowered. Rather than the drunken clumsiness Cui Ling had expected, his every movement was unhurried, his presence natural. Somehow, he was even pleasing to watch—

Until the clink of a belt buckle abruptly brought Cui Ling to his senses.

He immediately averted his gaze, his expression turning somewhat awkward and unpleasant. "Young Mr. Qin, you..."

Qin You looked toward him at the sound and said lazily, "You're still here? I thought we were pressed for time."

"..." Cui Ling was at a loss for words. He turned and left immediately.

At the doorway, he glanced at Qin You's back, complicated feelings surfacing in his eyes.

A gilded exterior, rotten within.

No matter how good his appearance, it couldn't conceal the truth. This ignorant and incompetent second-generation heir was, in the end, a good-for-nothing incapable of any great undertaking.

If not for...

There was no way a good-for-nothing like him would have been next in line to take over the Qin Household's business.

Thinking again that this good-for-nothing would be his boss from now on, Cui Ling took a deep breath and waited outside for three minutes.

When he knocked again, only Qin You's voice came from inside.

"Sorry for the trouble. Bring me my glasses. They're on the bedside table."

Glasses?

Cui Ling frowned but did as asked.

He knocked again and entered the dressing room. Qin You was standing sideways to the door, tying his tie in front of the mirror.

He brought the glasses to Qin You, who took them without even turning his head.

Cui Ling checked his watch. "Young Mr. Qin, there are five minutes left—"

He didn't finish.

Qin You fastened his jacket button and turned around.

Cui Ling's voice stopped abruptly.

He stared in momentary surprise at Qin You, who looked completely transformed in his suit.

Apart from his slightly pale lips, every trace of his reckless drinking had been concealed by the outfit, which even made Qin You look so dashing and elegant.

He instinctively looked at the long, narrow peach-blossom eyes beneath the silver-rimmed glasses, which seemed to be smiling, then at the casual way Qin You adjusted his cuffs, unhurried and seemingly full of confidence.

Suddenly, four words appeared in his mind.

A well-dressed scoundrel.

"Assistant Cui?"

Cui Ling blinked and abruptly cleared his throat. "We should go."

"Lead the way," Qin You said.

He could feel that his body was still affected by the alcohol. His head was heavy and his stomach burned, but it was all manageable. In his current state, handling a banquet would be more than easy enough.

Cui Ling couldn't help giving him another look.

I have to admit, when this second-generation heir puts on an act, he really looks the part.

Once he stands onstage looking like that, who'll be able to tell whether he's a good-for-nothing?

At least that's one bit of luck in all this misfortune.

That face alone could make the stock price rise again.

Cui Ling found some small comfort in the thought.

As they reached a corner, he was about to turn back and check on Qin You again when someone came running up to him.

"Assistant Cui, you're finally here! Oh, Young Mr. Qin."

The newcomer also greeted Qin You, then suddenly said, as if casually, "Assistant Cui, the banquet starts in two minutes. An honored guest has arrived. Would you like to go over and see for yourself?"

"I'm not responsible for the front hall," Cui Ling said.

"It's getting a little late. I took a look at the front hall on my way here, and it didn't seem like anyone was watching it." The newcomer insisted mysteriously, then leaned over and said something else in Cui Ling's ear.

Hearing this, Cui Ling frowned and said to Qin You, "Young Mr. Qin, I'll be right back."

Qin You paid it no mind.

He continued forward, and just as he entered the banquet hall, another voice approached him.

"Brother You, there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."

Qin You turned and saw the younger cousin he'd met in the private room. He paused, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

So this was a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain.

What trick was he planning, deliberately sending Cui Ling away?

His younger cousin had already come closer. Getting a proper look at Qin You, he froze for a moment and looked him up and down. After two seconds of uncertainty, he remembered to put on a concerned expression and smiled. "Brother You, the kitchen made some sobering soup. The butler asked me to bring it to you. Drink it quickly; you'll feel better in a little while."

Qin You glanced at the bowl in his hand.

The system immediately issued an alert: [Detection complete. The soup contains a drug with abnormal ingredients. When consumed, it will react with alcohol and cause symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and mental excitation. Would you like to extract it?]

It can do that too?

Qin You was surprised. [Yes.]

His younger cousin held the bowl out farther, a glint of mockery in his eyes as he coaxed, "Brother You, drink up. The banquet's about to start."

Qin You turned toward him.

This had happened in the book, but not here. It had been in the bedroom, where the original owner was so drunk he was barely conscious, and the person who brought the soup wasn't his younger cousin but a servant from the Qin Residence.

So this was the real reason the original owner made a fool of himself at the banquet.

"Brother You?"

The system's voice sounded at the same time.

[Extraction complete.]

[The extract is colorless and odorless. The host may use it with a thought, or view and use it in the inventory.]

Qin You took the now-clean sobering soup and drank it in one go.

Watching the empty bowl, his younger cousin smiled more genuinely.

He took two glasses of champagne from a nearby waiter's tray and offered one to Qin You.

The system had watched the whole thing.

Looking at it from the host's perspective, it finally couldn't resist urging him: [Host, I know you have a kind heart, but your situation isn't good right now. Giving in all the time will only make these people more—]

It had only gotten halfway through expressing its concerns and advice.

Qin You raised a hand and patted his younger cousin on the shoulder.

[...] Watching the colorless, odorless extract dissolve instantly into the drink as the host moved, the system couldn't help falling into deep doubt and silence.

Wasn't its host supposed to be a great man of the most compassionate heart?

It hadn't... found the wrong person, had it?

The gesture caught his younger cousin off guard, and he too stiffened for a second.