An opening this explosive?

[Must-read content notes: 1V1, the events in the blurb come later, sweeties~ This story has two male leads! Fictional setting; logic serves the plot~

A mash-up of all kinds of melodramatic domineering-CEO fiction!! Mostly here for the gossip and memes!! A meme fic! Not a serious drama! Logic serves the plot! Best read for laughs, perfect for you wicked chaos lovers~!]

"Butler Tao! The eldest young master and that woman are back!" Aunt Zhao called out. Then, as if she had remembered something, she hurried into the servants' quarters to change.

The eldest young master was very particular. She had to put on clean clothes!

The entire Feng Family household instantly descended into chaos.

"Are my clothes dirty?"

"They're fine. Not dirty."

"Butler Tao, stop daydreaming and get over here!"

"Careful, or they'll dock your performance bonus!"

"..."

"..."

Standing in the living room, Tao Zhiyan came to his senses as a flood of fragmented memories poured into his mind.

He blinked in confusion, then looked around the unfamiliar surroundings for a few seconds before finally confirming one thing.

He had transmigrated into a novel.

The world he was in now was a fusion of four melodramatic novels about wealthy families and domineering CEOs. Worse still, he had written all four himself!

Back then, to save himself some trouble, he had crammed all four novels into one shared universe. The four villains were all members of the same family, surnamed Feng.

And now Tao Zhiyan was that villainous family's butler.

Tao Zhiyan said, "...This is going to kill me."

Worse still, he had written those four novels back in college. By now, he had forgotten every bit of the plot...

What kind of transmigration was this? I didn't even get a cheat.

"Butler Tao! Aren't you coming? The eldest young master's car is already at the gate!"

Aunt Zhao's voice rang out behind him again. Only then did Tao Zhiyan pull himself out of his thoughts and raise his head to answer, "Coming!"

With that, Tao Zhiyan immediately ran to the entrance and waited quietly.

By then, Aunt Zhao, Aunt Li, and the other housekeepers were already waiting there.

A black luxury car approached from the distance and came to a smooth stop at the entrance.

Then the driver, dressed in a black suit, got out first and jogged around to open the rear door.

The driver, a man in his forties or fifties, bent at the waist and raised a hand, utterly deferential. Even his breathing was cautious.

Did he have to be this over the top?

It was the first time Tao Zhiyan had ever seen anything so absurd.

The eldest young master, Feng Ze, got out first. His back was to Tao Zhiyan, so Tao Zhiyan couldn't see his face.

All he could see was a black shirt and trousers, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and proportions that rivaled a male model's.

"Madam Yuan," the driver greeted respectfully, lowering his head even further.

Then a delicate, fair hand rested on the driver's wrist.

The woman in the car first extended one foot in a black high heel, then set the other on the ground.

A woman in a long black dress emerged gracefully, carrying a few things.

Although Tao Zhiyan still wasn't used to his identity, his body instinctively stepped forward, his hands reaching out to take her things.

Madam Yuan brushed back her long hair.

Then countless points of starlight flickered and gathered in midair. Before Tao Zhiyan could react, a line of text popped up above Madam Yuan's head: [The cheating woman].

Tao Zhiyan's hands froze. "?"

What cheating woman?

What was this?

"Big brother! Sis... Auntie, you're back!" Before Tao Zhiyan could process it, a clear young male voice rang out behind him.

Learning that the eldest young master and Madam Yuan had returned, the young man had rushed straight down from the attic without even changing out of his slippers.

His face flushed and his eyes sparkling with excitement, he bounded over like a puppy waiting for its owner to come home and shoved Tao Zhiyan aside.

He shoved so hard that Tao Zhiyan staggered half a step and nearly fell.

The man behind Tao Zhiyan reached out to steady him.

"Let me take those for you." The young man immediately took the things from Madam Yuan's hands. His gaze lingered on her face, his cheeks slightly pink. "Why were you gone so long? I was worried about you."

He sounded almost petulant. "I sent you so many messages, Auntie. How could you not reply to a single one?"

That... sounded a little too close, didn't it?

Before Tao Zhiyan could figure it out, something flickered above the young man's head too, and a line of text appeared: [The bastard son having an affair].

*???*

What bastard son having an affair???

Tao Zhiyan took a deep breath, his eyes going wide.

This young man in his twenties was the fourth young master, Feng Cheng, and he was indeed the master's illegitimate son.

As for Madam Yuan, she was the master's bed partner.

She had no official status, but everyone outside the household understood the nature of their relationship. She had been living with the Feng Family all along.

Tao Zhiyan looked at Madam Yuan, then at Feng Cheng, and caught on.

So... those lines above their heads were character introductions?

No, wait... you two even got a ship introduction???

Tao Zhiyan blinked rapidly several times. Apparently, he had once written a plot this ahead of its time!

"Are you all right?" A cool, deep male voice suddenly sounded above his head, its tone level and unreadable.

Tao Zhiyan looked up and stared blankly into the man's deep, dark eyes.

Handsome. Just ridiculously handsome!

Black hair, sharply defined features, long, narrow eyes, and thick lashes. He was exactly Tao Zhiyan's type.

"I... I'm fine," Tao Zhiyan replied a little dazedly.

"Then shall I let go?" Feng Ze asked.

Tao Zhiyan's mind went somewhat blank. The man's voice was far too pleasing to the ear, leaving him slow to react. He answered instinctively, "...Oh, yeah, you-!"

Feng Ze suddenly withdrew the hand supporting Tao Zhiyan's back.

With that support abruptly gone, Tao Zhiyan took half a step backward, lost his balance, and dropped straight down.

Tao Zhiyan: "!"

At the last possible second, a warm, large hand caught his wrist again and, with a slight tug, pulled him back up.

Tao Zhiyan stumbled half a step. Even after regaining his footing, his heart was still racing. Once he steadied his breathing, he hastily thanked him. "Thank you."

Feng Ze said nothing.

Tao Zhiyan glanced above Feng Ze's head. There was no text at all.

Why didn't he have a character introduction?

Was it random?

"Those old foxes at headquarters are all so ambitious. After your father died, they kept circling and refused to back down." Madam Yuan looked at Feng Cheng, her voice soft and almost coy. "I'm exhausted from running around everywhere. And hungry."

Feng Cheng's heart raced. He lifted his hands slightly, as if he couldn't resist pulling Madam Yuan into his arms.

But Feng Ze was still there, so he could only restrain himself. "Butler Tao, didn't you hear Madam Yuan say she's hungry? Hurry up and get the food ready!"

"What are you standing around here for?"

Suddenly singled out, Tao Zhiyan straightened and quickly replied, "Sorry. I'll get it ready right away."

Aunt Zhao and Aunt Li followed Tao Zhiyan inside from the entrance.

Dinner had long since been prepared and was being kept warm in the pots.

Madam Yuan was extremely picky. Her food could be neither too cold nor too hot, with neither too much oil nor too little.

The dishes couldn't repeat from day to day, and their colors couldn't be monotonous either. Everything had to look colorful and appetizing.

The three of them used spatulas to serve the dishes onto plates.

Aunt Zhao delivered her scathing verdict. "A modern-day Empress Dowager Cixi!"

Aunt Li covered her mouth to stifle a laugh and nudged Aunt Zhao with her elbow. "Careful. Don't let anyone hear."

Tao Zhiyan laughed too, took the plate from Aunt Zhao, and gave her a thumbs-up. "Spot-on."

Aunt Zhao looked immensely proud. "Of course."

The Feng Family had a lot of rules.

When their employers ate, the servants weren't allowed to sit at the table or even remain in the dining room. They had to wait until their employers finished before they could eat.

They also had to eat in the kitchen. They couldn't make a sound or let their employers see them, or their wages would be docked.

So after setting out the dishes, Aunt Zhao and Aunt Li returned to their rooms.

Tao Zhiyan's position was slightly higher, so he could stand behind the dining table and serve his employers during their meal.

Madam Yuan walked up to the table and surveyed the dishes. She pursed her lips and sat down reluctantly.

Feng Cheng noticed immediately and frowned at Tao Zhiyan. "Butler Tao, what's gotten into you lately?"

"Have you been supervising the housekeepers' cooking at all?" Feng Cheng pointed at the dishes. "Who's supposed to eat this stuff?"

Tao Zhiyan had absolutely no idea what was wrong with the food.

Mapo tofu, fish in chili broth, sweet-and-sour pork, shrimp, greens, pork rib soup, and steamed egg custard.

The colors, aromas, and flavors were all excellent.

"May I ask what Madam Yuan finds unsatisfactory?" Tao Zhiyan inclined his head slightly. "I'll keep it in mind next time."

Feng Cheng didn't know either, so he glanced at Madam Yuan.

"I had this fish yesterday." Madam Yuan puffed out her cheeks and cast a glance at Feng Cheng.

Feng Cheng immediately slapped the table. "Don't you remember anything Madam Yuan says? Didn't she tell you not to repeat dishes from day to day?"

Tao Zhiyan paused, then ventured, "But... Madam Yuan wasn't home yesterday. The housekeepers didn't know she'd already eaten it."

"You're still making excuses!" Madam Yuan grew angry and slammed down her chopsticks. "I'm not eating!"

Tao Zhiyan scratched his head. "Was I making excuses?"

Seriously, does CEO Romance Fiction have its own Qing-dynasty people?

Did a working stiff like me not even have the right to explain?

"Tao Zhiyan! You've really forgotten your place!" Feng Cheng pointed at Tao Zhiyan. "Half your wages are docked this month!"

How much?

Half?

"Why?" Tao Zhiyan's pretty face scrunched up, and his eyes instinctively widened. Their slightly upturned shape made his displeasure even more obvious.

Seeing Tao Zhiyan's reaction only made Feng Cheng angrier. "What, you still have-"

"Enough." Feng Ze set down his chopsticks with a soft clack against the table. "Sit down and eat."

Feng Ze wasn't old, but the presence he exuded was not to be underestimated. He raised his head slightly, his brows lowered, projecting an imposing authority without any visible anger.

Feng Cheng paused, then instinctively tried to explain. "Brother, it was Tao-"

"You don't need to eat." Feng Ze cut him off and tipped his chin up slightly. "Get out of my sight."

Feng Cheng stared at Feng Ze in disbelief.

What did that mean?

His brother was going to ground him over this servant?!