The Meng Family's ancestral residence stood in the very heart of City B. From the novel, Jiang Ze knew that it covered an enormous area and that Old Master Meng's ancestor seemed to have been a high-ranking official. The residence had been restored in a classical style, much like an estate from ancient times.
Jiang Ze surveyed his surroundings and could tell at a glance that this probably wasn't the Meng Family's ancestral residence. Presumably, it was Meng Zhiyuan's own place.
"Pick whichever room you like on the second floor. The third floor is off-limits."
Meng Zhiyuan's tone remained flat. His handsome, stern face turned toward the young man, who was still wearing his coat, before he headed straight up to the third floor.
"If you need anything, just ask Feng."
[The big boss really is a good person. Sob, sob. Not only did he give me his coat, he's treating me so well! My body's warm, and so is my heart!]
Hearing his still-noisy thoughts, Meng Zhiyuan paused briefly but otherwise showed no reaction.
"What should I call you, young master? Just give me the coat. It's cold out, and the kitchen has ginger soup ready to warm your stomach."
Feng had been Meng Zhiyuan's butler for many years and had looked after him since childhood. He had originally served Meng Zhiyuan's mother, and the two shared a deep bond.
Later, when disaster struck Meng Zhiyuan, Feng had sincerely tried to help him. But he couldn't overcome fate and ultimately met a tragic end himself.
"Just call me Jiang Ze, Uncle Feng. I'm not used to being called young master."
Jiang Ze handed Feng the coat and thanked him as he looked at his kindly, aging face. He wore a sweet, well-behaved expression, the kind elderly people always liked.
"Of course, Young Master Jiang. Your ginger soup is on the table. Remember to drink it."
Feng ignored his request about how to address him. Seeing how well-behaved he was, along with Young Master Meng's unusual treatment of him, left Feng surprised and rather fond of him. He offered the reminder with a warm smile.
Jiang Ze nodded, not dwelling on the form of address. He picked up the ginger soup and took a couple of sips, while thinking about Feng's storyline in the novel.
"System, why do I remember Feng being framed in the book?"
After Meng Zhiyuan's downfall in the novel, Shen Yun and Meng Zimu had joined forces to arrange a car crash for him.
To deal Meng Zhiyuan a devastating blow and ensure he died with unresolved anguish, they had pinned the crash on Feng, the person closest to him, and staged a revelation of the supposed truth right before his death.
"Host, the author never explicitly said so, but that's exactly what the text implied~"
[Those two bastards really have no decency. They made sure Meng Zhiyuan couldn't even die in peace, then drove such a kind old man to suicide out of guilt.]
Holding the ginger soup Feng had given him in one hand, Jiang Ze kept grumbling inwardly. His delicate brows drew together slightly, full of contempt for the two protagonists' actions.
Protagonists were supposed to be on the side of justice. At the very least, their actions shouldn't have been so evil. Even if they were punishing a villain, their methods were downright sordid.
Meng Zhiyuan had just come downstairs to fetch something when he heard that familiar voice in the hall.
As he registered its contents, his expression abruptly darkened. He discreetly glanced at Jiang Ze, who was still entertaining himself, and silently committed his words to memory.
The only people Jiang Ze had interacted with since arriving were him and Feng. The person prompting those thoughts could only have been Feng.
Although he didn't know whether Jiang Ze's thoughts were reliable, the very fact that he could hear them had already defied all reason. This young man also knew about people and events he ordinarily couldn't possibly have known about. Meng Zhiyuan had no choice but to take him seriously.
He watched the young man quietly for a while. Only when Jiang Ze noticed his gaze and raised his head did he speak slowly in a low voice.
"Jiang Ze, since my nephew insulted you today, consider this an apology from his uncle. You can stay here for as long as you like."
Jiang Ze's large eyes lit up at his words. Could he really be this lucky?!
He had only meant to stay the night, get a little closer to the big boss, and perhaps earn some points if he was lucky. Who knew such a windfall would land in his lap?
"What? You're free to leave whenever you want, too."
Seeing the man frown, Jiang Ze hurriedly shook his head, then felt that wasn't right and nodded vigorously instead.
"I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving." Perhaps realizing he had reacted a little too strongly, Jiang Ze pressed his rosy lips together and stared at the man without blinking.
His eyes grew slightly watery, making him look terribly wronged.
"That family just beat me and threw me out. They said I couldn't set foot in the Jiang Family home again unless I knelt before Meng Zimu and begged for forgiveness!"
As he spoke, he rolled up one sleeve, exposing a slender, fair arm. Old and new bruises mottled it in shocking shades of blue and purple.
"I... I don't ever want to go back there again! Please let me stay for a while, Uncle Zhiyuan. I can clean, cook, and do all sorts of housework!"
Jiang Ze struck while the iron was hot, eager to secure a long-term place to stay. He had originally planned to rent somewhere, but with such a wonderful place already available, he had to seize the opportunity!
[Say yes, big boss, say yes! Renting a place is such a hassle!]
It wasn't as though Jiang Ze was making anything up. Those beasts had beaten the original owner of this body every day, leaving scarcely an uninjured patch of skin.
Meng Zhiyuan's expression chilled at the sight of his injuries. He hadn't expected the Jiang couple to truly be so cruel, or Jiang Zhengming to beat his own son so badly.
"I said you could stay as long as you like. And I can certainly afford to support you. There are people to handle the housework, so just make yourself at home."
Meng Zhiyuan's tone softened slightly, a rare occurrence. Seeing the boy breathe a sigh of relief, he turned and called Feng over.
"Feng, bring him that ointment we had before, the one that treats external injuries and removes scars."
Feng had also seen the injuries on Jiang Ze's arm, and his face filled with sympathy. Meng Zhiyuan had a stubborn temperament, so having such a sweet, well-behaved boy around was a rare treat. Naturally, Feng was very fond of him.
He hurried to fetch the ointment from the medicine kit and handed it to Jiang Ze.
"Young Master Jiang, apply this ointment three times a day, to both the new injuries and the old ones. It may itch afterward, but you must resist the urge to scratch. Most of the scars should fade in a little over two weeks."
Knowing they genuinely cared about him, Jiang Ze accepted the ointment, deeply moved.
[Sigh. His own family cared less than strangers. How ironic. Sob, sob. The big boss really is wonderful. I'd gladly be his devoted lapdog!]
That thought suddenly reminded Jiang Ze of his real goal: earning points.
"System, how exactly do you define this lapdog behavior you mentioned?"
"Host, you finally remembered your actual mission! My performance depends entirely on you!"
The system's excited mechanical voice rang out again before it began explaining in all seriousness.
"Anything that benefits Meng Zhiyuan, the villain, can earn you points. And the greater the positive impact on him, the more points you'll earn!
"Simply put, do things that help Meng Zhiyuan and make him happy!"
"Oh... Wait, that doesn't sound right. Why does it feel like you're a system designed specifically to serve him? This mission has been strange from the start."
Jiang Ze rubbed his chin, feeling suspicious.
The system hemmed and hawed without explaining further. After telling him to hurry and earn points because there were plenty of good things to redeem, it fled.
Jiang Ze didn't pursue the matter. His top priority right now was earning points.
Suddenly remembering that he hadn't finished redeeming his beginner's gift package, he said a quick word to Meng Zhiyuan, who was reading a newspaper nearby, then dashed upstairs to choose a room.
He needed to see what good things the system had to offer.
Meng Zhiyuan's gaze deepened as he watched him leave. He knew the young man had an ulterior motive for trying so hard to get close to him, but wasn't the same true of him?
With Jiang Ze such an unpredictable factor, keeping him nearby was the only way he could feel at ease.
Upstairs, Jiang Ze wandered along the second-floor hallway. There were five rooms in total, with one farther back on either side. The room in the center looked the largest.
"System, which room does Meng Zhiyuan stay in on the third floor?" The layout seemed roughly the same on every floor.
"Host, Meng Zhiyuan stays in the middle room on the third floor~ I recommend you choose the middle room too. That way, we can keep track of our target's movements at any time!"
Jiang Ze curled his lip. This idiot of a system would do anything for its performance figures. He hadn't been thinking that far ahead, but after a moment's consideration, he still chose the middle room.
Once inside, he found the decor simpler than he had imagined. There was also a large bay window with an excellent view.
The room had been cleaned in advance, and a fresh scent of cleaning products lingered in the air.
Jiang Ze flung himself onto the large bed and closed his eyes, chatting with the system in his mind.
"Wasn't there a beginner's gift package? I still have two redemptions left, right?"
"That's right, host. Would you like to redeem some other items now~?"
Jiang Ze asked it to open the redemption page. Without even opening his eyes, he could see a large redemption screen appear before him.
It held a dazzling array of goods, with everything imaginable.
"Weapons, everyday supplies, clothing... Huh? There are pills too."
Since pills like these were something he had only encountered in novels, Jiang Ze couldn't help being curious and clicked into the category.
"Fasting Pill, Beauty Pill, Disguise Pill, Heart-Clearing Pill..."
The sheer variety of pills made his head spin. Then he looked at the numbers beneath each one and nearly swooned.
"Holy crap. The Disguise Pill costs 999 points, the Heart-Clearing Pill costs 6,666, and this Marrow-Cleansing Pill actually costs 100,000!"
"Don't be surprised, host. In this little world, these pills are treasures you might not encounter once in a century. Even a fortune couldn't necessarily buy a single one. These are already special discount prices~"
Jiang Ze checked the other categories. Anything involving feats beyond modern science generally cost an absurd number of points, though the items really were all excellent.
Closing the interface, he opened his eyes and looked around. Spotting a full-length mirror nearby, he got up and went over to examine this body closely.
The original owner had been good-looking to begin with, his features exquisitely balanced. His lashes were thick and curled, and his wide almond-shaped eyes tapered slightly at the corners, adding a hint of allure to their innocent clarity.
It was a stunning face, with about a seventy-percent resemblance to Jiang Ze's face in his previous life.
Jiang Ze rubbed the corner of his eye with a finger. He had had a small mole there in his previous life, but this body didn't.
"System, is there a pill or something that can restore my old appearance?"
Although he had accepted the fact that he had transmigrated into a novel, wearing someone else's face every day still felt uncomfortable.
"There is, host~ But you don't need to worry. When we chose you, we had already begun subtly changing the required body to match yours. You've only just arrived, so your soul and body aren't fully aligned yet. After a while, your appearance will gradually return to how it used to be!"
"Not aligned?"
No wonder something had felt strange ever since he arrived. It turned out he hadn't fully gained control of this body yet.
Before you continue