Xie Zhuzhou had no idea that a wicked old man had high hopes for him. On his first night living with the Ji Family, he felt no discomfort at all. He even began wondering what the mattress beneath him was made of.
How long could he keep sleeping on a mattress like this? How much longer could he enjoy such an extravagant life?
He sank into thought and began worrying needlessly. With his movements under surveillance in the name of "protection," life felt rather dull.
He always felt as though a pair of eyes was watching him from somewhere. He was like a frog living in warm water, wanting to escape but also afraid of dying.
It was already Sunday, and he had to attend the Ji Family's family dinner that evening. Xie Zhuzhou, who had done nothing for his studies, was full of resentment!
Who on earth had invented classes? He had never liked school in his previous life, either. He had never shown his face at the prefectural school or the clan school, receiving one-on-one instruction from tutors instead.
Though he was a concubine-born son, the tutors the principal wife selected were all provincial examination graduates.
Aside from his body failing to meet his martial arts tutor's expectations, he had done reasonably well in his other studies.
Remembering the days in his previous life when he had coughed up blood while studying late into the night by lamplight, he gave a bitter smile. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected to live that life all over again.
Breakfast time arrived.
Xie Zhuzhou was waited on as he got up, surrounded by beautiful maids.
The butler had thought Xie Zhuzhou would find it uncomfortable. After all, the other young masters did not need anyone attending to them so closely.
Yet Xie Zhuzhou accepted it so naturally, as though he had been born an incomparably precious young master.
Xie Zhuzhou kept his gaze lowered, his long, slightly curled eyelashes fluttering. Only after the maids brought clothes and dressed him, brushing up the loose black hair over his forehead, were his exquisite, cool features revealed.
The butler glanced over cautiously. When he met Xie Zhuzhou's gaze, which seemed to hold no one in regard, his heart jolted. He dared not look again and could only lower his head.
Lately, he had grown accustomed to being a background prop on the dating show. Today, however, he wore a pale, casual couture suit, and his imposing air instantly rose, turning cool and noble. His habitual silence instead made him seem utterly unapproachable and extremely difficult to provoke.
Xie Zhuzhou walked down the corridor, the maids all blushing with their heads lowered.
When they learned that Xie Zhuzhou was merely an illegitimate son, they had indeed felt disgust and contempt, though they had not shown it on their faces. Yet when they saw Xie Zhuzhou's face, a single glance from him made fear rise inexplicably in their hearts, as though the young master's eyes had already seen straight through them. They no longer dared harbor any other thoughts.
"Little brother! Morning!"
Ji Wangyun had just come out of his room as well. He saw that Xie Zhuzhou's forehead was clear of hair, his features were cold and stern, and there was very little emotion in his eyes. His lashes moved slightly as he looked over.
"Morning, second brother."
"Mm, shall we go down together? I'm so happy you're living on the same floor as me. When you fainted, I went to tremendous lengths to snatch you out of our eldest brother's arms. We look so much alike, we ought to live together, right?"
Xie Zhuzhou: ...
Excellent. Since we look so much alike, could second brother attend classes for me?
His gaze swept over Ji Wangyun's face. He took two steps forward, slowly closing in, and reached out to pinch Ji Wangyun's chin.
Ji Wangyun involuntarily retreated two steps, his back hitting the cold wall of the elevator.
The usually icy Xie Zhuzhou studied Ji Wangyun's eyes, holding his chin so he could not move. Why was his little brother so domineering when he was clearly several centimeters shorter than him?
Ji Wangyun thought that he was still the older brother, after all!
His little brother was going too far!
Just as he was about to protest, Xie Zhuzhou leaned close to his ear and asked in a gentle, languid tone, "Second brother, you're always so enthusiastic toward me. Why?"
At the question, Ji Wangyun felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck his head. He shoved Xie Zhuzhou away, feeling a chill rise all over him. His gaze was incomparably complicated as he warned him in a low voice, "I'm your brother! Don't try anything!"
Watching Ji Wangyun flee in panic when the elevator doors opened, Xie Zhuzhou curled his lips in satisfaction.
Social anxiety-wasn't that supposed to mean making society anxious?
At breakfast, Ji Wangchen was somewhat puzzled. Why was the usually talkative Ji Wangyun acting like a quail now, not daring to spare Xie Zhuzhou a single glance?
Xie Zhuzhou felt that his ears finally had some peace. Though what he had done in the elevator was shameless and outrageous, he had Ji Wangyun to thank. His incessant chattering all day long had cured Xie Zhuzhou's social anxiety.
"Father, may I skip the family dinner? I'm worried I might say something wrong."
Ji Wuqiu set down his spoon and raised his eyes to Xie Zhuzhou. Xie Zhuzhou had still mustered his courage to put up a small struggle.
"No. If you miss this one, your grandfather will throw you a lavish birthday banquet next time and publicly announce your return."
"It's not as though I'm being entered into the clan genealogy. Why make such a fuss?" Xie Zhuzhou was displeased. That devious old man had better watch out, or he would go over and slip him some laxatives!
"You want to be entered into the clan genealogy?"
"No. I don't intend to change my name."
"Go. It's not just Grandfather. Plenty of other people have prepared first-meeting gifts for you, too. I guarantee you'll come back fully laden."
Xie Zhuzhou turned to look at Ji Wangchen's calm, unruffled face. Wouldn't he have to be very thick-skinned, then?
"Father gave their children plenty of gifts in the past. You can collect a batch in return this time. There's no need to feel awkward."
Ji Wuqiu's three sons had all stayed with their maternal grandfather's family when they were young, and they had rarely shown their faces at the Ji Family home during holidays.
Hearing this, Xie Zhuzhou suddenly felt the weight of responsibility, as though he were the hope of the entire family!
After being supported by Ji Wuqiu for so many years, he could finally be of use. In the end, Xie Zhuzhou braced himself and accepted the job.
From an unsupervised rich second generation, he had joined a top-tier aristocratic family overnight.
Five in the afternoon.
Ji Wuqiu and Xie Zhuzhou's three older brothers had yet to realize the gravity of the situation. They brought Xie Zhuzhou, their hidden bundle of explosives, into the Ji Family's ancestral residence, set amid elegant surroundings beside mountains and water.
Xie Zhuzhou was not particularly impressed. Though the buildings imitated the ancient Great Yan dynasty's architecture, they could not compare to the marquis's estate and covered only one-fifth of its area. Perhaps the incorporation of new Chinese-style design had made it somewhat neither one thing nor the other.
Xie Zhuzhou found it strange. After thinking for a long while, he decided it might be due to differences in culture, thinking, and aesthetics.
Xie Zhuzhou merely swept a glance over his surroundings, his emotions remaining steady.
Seeing that he was neither uneasy nor impatient, Ji Wuqiu felt reassured.
After passing through a long corridor with scenic views everywhere, they finally reached the reception hall where Old Master Ji was.
The interior was spacious, with carved beams and painted rafters. The main beam overhead could be seen to be made of golden-thread nanmu wood. Xie Zhuzhou had no particular thoughts about it. When he saw the old man, imposing even without anger, he merely followed his brothers in bowing and greeting him as Grandfather.
"You're Zhuzhou, correct?"
"Yes."
Xie Zhuzhou took another two steps forward, still without a smile on his face. This made Old Master Ji frown slightly.
Could my eldest and the others have already brainwashed this boy? If so, this won't be easy.
And a junior actually dares to look at me with such cold eyes. He truly has no respect for his elders! No regard for anyone!
"Good. You really do look just like your father. Come here. Grandfather has a first-meeting gift for you. From now on, you're part of this family, too."