"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Chao." Though the Steward of Chen Garden inwardly wished Chao Musheng would vanish immediately, he had no choice but to maintain an ingratiating demeanor. "Where are you headed?"
"Last night, while Eldest Young Master Chen was escorting me back, I heard that Second Young Master Chen had fallen ill." Chao Musheng smiled. "Since he warmly received me when I first arrived at Chen Garden, I thought I’d pay him a visit."
Only then did the Steward notice the gift box carried by the bodyguard trailing behind Chao Musheng. He forced a stiff smile. "We appreciate your kindness, Mr. Chao, but Second Young Master is currently resting. Perhaps you could come another time."
"Hmm?" Chao Musheng frowned, eyeing the Steward from head to toe.
Unnerved by his gaze, the Steward took a step back. "Mr. Chao, if you have something to say, please speak plainly."
"It’s true you’ve worked at Chen Garden for many years, but as an employee, isn’t it inappropriate for you to make decisions on behalf of your employer?" Chao Musheng tapped his phone screen. "I just spoke with Miss Chen, and she said she’d be waiting for me at the Listening Wind Pavilion to accompany me to visit Second Young Master Chen."
The Steward’s expression froze. How could he have forgotten about the young miss?
"Steward." Chao Musheng sighed, his gaze tinged with reproach. "You’ve earned Old Master Chen’s trust. How could you treat his beloved grandchildren this way?"
The words left the Steward speechless, his face flushing with suppressed anger. What did this ignorant brat know?
Most servants, when caught mistreating their masters, would either defend themselves or show guilt. But Little He saw only resentment and displeasure on the Steward’s face—emotions held back solely because of Chao Musheng’s status. It was clear the Steward wasn’t afraid of Old Master Chen finding out.
This meant the Steward held greater favor—or trust—in Old Master Chen’s eyes.
Were familial bonds in wealthy families really this cold?
Coming from an ordinary background, Little He found it hard to comprehend.
"You’ve misunderstood, Mr. Chao. This was all on Old Master’s orders." The Steward adjusted his expression, forcing another smile. "The young miss is still inexperienced and doesn’t know how to care for the sick."
"Steward." Chao Musheng’s expression darkened abruptly. "Are you implying something?"
"Wh-what do you mean?" The Steward looked genuinely confused.
"Miss Chen is the same age as me." Chao Musheng drawled, his tone deliberately mocking. "But of course, I’m just a lowly executive assistant—how could I compare to the esteemed Steward of Chen Garden?"
With that, he turned on his heel and strode away without hesitation. The bodyguards shot the Steward a few unfriendly glances before following.
"What was that about?!" The Steward had never felt so wronged. He hadn’t even said anything offensive—how had he managed to offend Chao Musheng?
"Does he think he’s Su Chenzhu’s own son, acting so high and mighty?" Humiliated in front of the servants, the Steward muttered under his breath about "the Chen family," "young people," and "not knowing their place," though he dared not say it aloud.
Distracted, the Steward lost interest in lecturing You Jiu and Little He. After assigning them to night duty at the wooden pavilion, he hurried off.
Offending Chao Musheng was no small matter—he needed to report this to Old Master Chen.
Once the Steward left, Little He offered You Jiu a friendly smile.
For a sly fox like You Jiu, avoiding conflict with any NPC was second nature. Within moments, he had Little He chatting happily, even discussing how to split their night shifts.
Seeing Little He completely forget the Steward’s order to keep watch together, You Jiu smiled in satisfaction. Stupid people had their uses.
"That Little He seems off." After You Jiu and Little He left, Xiaojuan and Brother Hu emerged from behind a rockery. Pretending to help gather trimmed branches, Xiaojuan whispered, "When Brother Chao showed up, Little He kept sneaking glances at him—the way he looked..."
She turned to Brother Hu. "It was the same way you look at Brother Chao."
Chao Musheng had clearly been provoking the Steward on purpose, yet Little He, supposedly the Steward’s man, hadn’t shown any anger. Instead, his eyes had lit up.
This guy was definitely a traitor.
"Sharp as ever, Sis Juan." Brother Hu gave a thumbs-up. "He’s an undercover cop—probably a rookie."
A reckless rookie, at that. He’d dared to sneak into Chen Garden alone at night. If Brother Hu hadn’t tipped off Chao Musheng, his amateur skills would’ve gotten him caught immediately.
"I see." Xiaojuan nodded thoughtfully. Now she knew who to pass the intel she’d gathered to.
Chao Musheng wandered around Chen Garden with a face that screamed "unhappy." Guests, whether out of politeness or to curry favor with Kunlun Group, couldn’t help but ask what was wrong.
Soon, everyone learned that Mr. Chao, upon hearing of Second Young Master Chen’s illness, had brought gifts to visit—only for the Steward of Chen Garden to imply he was meddling and inconsiderate of the patient’s needs.
The guests were shocked. Even Kunlun’s executive assistant was being slighted? The Steward had guts.
"Mr. Chao." Chen Yue spotted Chao Musheng approaching with his bodyguards and hurried over.
"My apologies. I ran into your family’s Steward on the way and got delayed." Chao Musheng had never been to the main family’s quarters before. Compared to the rest of Chen Garden, the residences here were more densely clustered and meticulously arranged according to feng shui.
"It’s fine. Second Brother just woke up." Chen Yue led Chao Musheng into Chen Fang’s courtyard, where an odd assortment of modern items clashed with the traditional setting.
Entering the room, Chao Musheng saw a frail woman seated in a wheelchair.
"Mom, what are you doing here?" Chen Yue knelt beside her, speaking softly.
"I heard Xiao Fang was sick and couldn’t rest easy, so I came to check on him." The woman—Miss Chen—smiled gently, her demeanor scholarly. She looked up at Chao Musheng. "Please have a seat, Mr. Chao."
"Auntie, I heard Second Young Master Chen was unwell and wanted to visit." Chao Musheng glanced at Chen Fang, who lay weakly in bed as two medical staff removed an IV from his hand.
"Mr. Chao." Despite his condition, Chen Fang still greeted him properly.
"Second Young Master, you’re this seriously ill?" Chao Musheng noted Chen Fang’s sallow complexion, bloodshot eyes, and unfocused gaze. "Why hasn’t he gone to the hospital?"
"Grandfather’s sixty-ninth birthday is tomorrow. It would be inauspicious for Second Brother to go to the hospital now—Grandfather wouldn’t like it." Chen Yue explained, "The doctor said it’s just a common cold. He’ll recover with rest."
What did being sick have to do with a birthday celebration?
Chao Musheng couldn’t understand—nor could he bring himself to respect such reasoning.
"No wonder the Steward tried to stop me from visiting earlier. He must’ve been worried I’d disturb your rest." Chao Musheng placed the gift box on the table and apologized to Chen Fang. "My mistake. I thought the Steward had a grudge against me, but it seems your condition is worse than I realized."
The Steward had tried to stop Chao Musheng from visiting?
Chen Fang's previously groggy mind instantly cleared. He was never one with a good temper to begin with, and now, being ill, his irritation was even harder to control. "Mr. Chao, don’t doubt it—he deliberately didn’t let you come over."
Normally in the estate, the Steward of Chen Garden, relying on his years of service to Old Master Chen, carried himself with even more arrogance than Chen Fang. And to make matters worse, Chen You loved kissing up to him. Well, Chen Fang wasn’t about to indulge that old fool.
The Steward didn’t let Chao Musheng come over simply because he feared that if Chen Fang grew close to Chao Musheng, it might affect Chen You’s standing in Old Master Chen’s eyes.
Seeing Chen Fang so worked up, Chao Musheng had initially wanted to provoke him further, but given his current physical state, he worried the man might keel over from sheer rage. So, he relented and spared him. "Second Young Master Chen, your health comes first."
"I knew it—from last night until now, not a single person has come to visit me." Chen Fang grew angrier the more he thought about it, sitting up from the bed, ready to go give the Steward a piece of his mind.
But he hadn’t taken more than two steps before he clutched a trash can and began retching. His already slightly sallow face turned a sickly shade of yellow.
The two medical staff who had been about to leave helped Chen Fang back into bed. After administering some unknown injection, he soon quieted down and fell asleep.
"Mr. Chao, the Chen family’s affairs are somewhat complicated. Please excuse the unsightly display." Miss Chen spoke softly, instructing Chen Yue to stay and look after Chen Fang while she escorted Chao Musheng out.
At the slope near the steps, just as Miss Chen was about to adjust the speed of her wheelchair, she felt Chao Musheng’s hands steadying it from behind.
"Thank you," Miss Chen turned her head to express her gratitude.
"No need for formalities, Auntie." Chao Musheng pushed the wheelchair onto level ground before letting go.
A cool breeze swept past, lifting the strands of his hair and the hem of his clothes, making him appear so youthful and fresh that one couldn’t help but look twice.
Miss Chen gazed at the young man bathed in sunlight. "Yueyue mentioned that you’re Professor Song’s child?"
Chao Musheng nodded. "My father said the Third Miss Chen was very diligent in her studies."
Miss Chen smiled. Complimenting someone’s child was a social nicety as common as a universal salve, but coming from Mr. Chao, it sounded unusually sincere. "She’s always been the one who gave me the least worry."
"Since you’ve come all this way, Mr. Chao, why not stay for tea?" Miss Chen invited him. "My legs aren’t well, so I don’t often have company."
"It would be my honor to accept your invitation, Auntie."
Such a soft-hearted boy.
Miss Chen led Chao Musheng to a pavilion where tea simmered in a small stove on the table, surrounded by roasting fruits and nuts.
"Yueyue doesn’t care for the usual teas adults drink—she prefers milk tea and roasted fruit slices." Miss Chen handed Chao Musheng a cup filled with sweet, creamy milk tea. "Try it?"
"It’s delicious." Chao Musheng took a sip. The tea flavor was light, and the sweetness was just right.
Miss Chen smiled at his response, passing him a few roasted peanuts. "After the accident, I stopped going out much. These days, I just tinker around with things like this at home."
The peanuts were slightly charred on one side, carrying a faint burnt aroma.
Chao Musheng glanced at Miss Chen’s legs, covered by a thin blanket, and thought of Shen Ran, who still needed time to recover before returning to the stage.
"Come to think of it, your mother and I were in the same year at university." Miss Chen studied Chao Musheng’s features, her eyes warm with reminiscence. "Your eyes and nose resemble hers."
Chao Musheng was surprised. "You knew my mother?"
"Only in a one-sided way." Miss Chen’s lips curved. "Chao Yin was quite the campus celebrity in our time. Back then, she had no shortage of admirers, men and women alike."
She shared a few amusing stories from their student days, pressing a piece of roasted rice cake into Chao Musheng’s hand. "Whether in school or the workplace, she always shone the brightest."
Watching Chao Musheng listen with rapt attention, his face alight with pride for his mother, Miss Chen felt a complicated mix of emotions.
Their mother-son bond must be very strong.
"It’s almost lunchtime." After finishing his tea, Chao Musheng spoke up. "I should head back for my meal."
"Of course." Miss Chen paused mid-pour, then escorted him to the gate. "Chen Garden has quite a few snakes and rodents in the summer, Mr. Chao. If you go out at night, be sure to bring bodyguards—don’t wander alone."
She hesitated before adding, "Especially near the North Courtyard. The abandoned areas there tend to attract more pests."
Chao Musheng met her smiling gaze and nodded slowly. "Thank you for the warning, Auntie. I’ll keep it in mind."
Night fell once more. Perhaps because he had stayed up too late the previous evening, Chao Musheng found himself unable to sleep.
A shadowy figure slipped stealthily into the room, pouncing on him with lightning speed.
"Mo Tuan." Chao Musheng caught the culprit in one swift motion. "Trying to sneak onto the bed again, are you?"
"Meow!"
Mo Tuan stared back at him, utterly unrepentant.
Human, this king is patrolling his territory. No time for your nonsense.
"Honestly." Chao Musheng fetched a towel, wiped Mo Tuan’s paws clean, and carried the cat out to the balcony for some air.
"Mrow." Mo Tuan placed a paw on Chao Musheng’s shoulder, alternating between left and right in a rhythmic kneading motion.
Holding the soft, warm bundle, Chao Musheng patted his pockets before remembering he was in pajamas—no lollipops.
"Still awake?" Su Chenzhu approached, carrying the familiar scent of grass and wood.
"I’ve been thinking about the Chen family." Chao Musheng stroked Mo Tuan’s fur. "When I left Chen Fang’s courtyard today, Miss Chen hinted that I should stay away from the North Courtyard."
"Every wealthy family has its secrets. I really shouldn’t meddle." Chao Musheng leaned against the railing, looking thoroughly languid. "But there’s something about this estate that I just can’t shake off."
That was why he had rushed to the wooden pavilion in the dead of night to intervene, why he kept involving himself in the Chen family’s affairs.
"If it bothers you, then there must be something wrong with the Chens." Su Chenzhu handed him an unwrapped lollipop.
Chao Musheng eyed the treat but didn’t lift a hand—just opened his mouth and let Su Chenzhu place it between his lips.
Still orange-flavored.
Su Chenzhu absently scratched Mo Tuan’s head. "Mo Tuan sneaked into your room again?"
"He’s a clingy cat." The words came out muffled around the candy. "Years ago, I picked up another clingy little creature. But I was too young then—didn’t know how to care for a life properly. So, in the end, it disappeared."
The night breeze carried a chill. Su Chenzhu curled his fingers slightly. "Then it had no sense of gratitude."
