This Villain Ch.55

Chapter 55: A must-have man for the home

“Zhou Shi, are you feeling better?” Jiang Mang knocked on the door and asked.

A response came from inside the room: “Yes, much better. I’ll be right out.”

Jiang Mang waited outside for a moment, and then heard the door click open as Zhou Shi walked out.

“You mentioned you weren’t feeling well yesterday. Are you feeling better now?” Jiang Mang asked.

“Much better, thanks for your concern.” Zhou Shi walked over to her. “It’s about time; let’s go.”

On the way, Jiang Mang couldn’t help but keep glancing at the young man beside her.

They had only known each other for three days. Prior to that, Jiang Mang had found Zhou Shi to be a reserved and pessimistic person.

He never responded when spoken to, his gaze was gloomy, and his mood was extremely unstable.

But today, he seemed like a different person. Despite having the same face, something felt different.

What exactly had changed? Was it that he no longer hunched and avoided eye contact? Or was it his lighter, more purposeful step that made him seem much more at ease?

Noticing Jiang Mang’s prolonged gaze, Zhou Shi turned his head and asked, “Jiang Mang, are you nervous?”

Jiang Mang snapped out of her daze, and because of his gentle and friendly demeanor, she couldn’t help but smile. For the first time, she felt relaxed working with him.

“Hey, what’s there to be nervous about? We’ve been training for three days. Just treat it like taking care of an ordinary patient, only this ‘patient’ is a bit special.”

After saying this, Jiang Mang curiously asked, “What about you? Are you no longer nervous?”

She still remembered the three days of training when Zhou Shi had constantly mentioned how the person they were supposed to take care of was a monster, very dangerous. He said that those who had previously cared for the monster had gone mad and that they wouldn’t have a good outcome either.

Zhou Shi had also mentioned that he had been sent here by his cruel parents, waiting for him to go mad and die so that the Zhou family would receive a large compensation from the Feng family.

“I’m not nervous anymore. The past few days, I’ve been in a bad mood due to some family issues and said some nonsense that probably affected you. I’m really sorry,” Yu Shi said sincerely.

Jiang Mang quickly replied, “It’s nothing, really. I wasn’t affected. I’m just glad you’re feeling better!”

Yu Shi smiled and thought to himself:

[Mr. System, the female lead in this world line has a nice personality.]

System 06 responded:

[Yes, Mr. Yu Shi, in our world lines, except for some special worlds, the protagonists generally have good character.]

Yu Shi smiled. He had arrived in this world only the previous night, becoming the person known as “Zhou Shi,” an insignificant passerby character who died early in the original world line.

He had absorbed most of the original owner’s memories sent by the system and had a basic understanding of this world.

The technology level here was comparable to his original world, but there were significant differences. This world had non-human beings such as demons, monsters, ghosts, strange creatures, and spirits.

These non-human beings coexisted with humans and were widely known.

The Feng family, where Yu Shi was currently working, was a famous exorcist family in the human world.

There were many families specializing in exorcism, both large and small, but the Feng family had stood strong for many years primarily because every generation had someone with a bloodline awakening, possessing special and powerful abilities.

Such individuals were known to the outside world as Spirit Demons.

The original Zhou Shi had been sought out by the Feng family due to his special physique, and a large sum of money had been spent on him. Consequently, he was sent by his parents to the Feng family to care for their “Spirit Demon.”

Coincidentally, Yu Shi’s target upon transmigrating was also this Feng family’s Spirit Demon, Feng Xuexiang.

[Next, we will see the villain in this world line. My task is to monitor him, correct?]

[Yes, you need to ensure that the villain’s threat level remains within a safe range. If the villain’s threat level exceeds one hundred, the protagonist will no longer be able to control him, and you will also be in danger.]

Yu Shi did not understand why System 06’s simulated voice suddenly sounded a bit nervous and emphasized:

[Mr. Yu Shi, please make sure to assist the protagonist, monitor the villain, and avoid forming too deep a relationship with the villain.]

[Understood.]

System 06 observed Mr. Yu Shi, finding his attitude gentle and noting that he was a docile youth, which made it feel much more at ease.

Jiang Mang and Yu Shi walked through the Feng family’s courtyard, where every corner was adorned with garden scenery, leaving one breathless.

These prestigious families with deep heritage especially favored antique styles, and many of their buildings were of an ancient design.

Even the “caretaker” houses, where they were employed, had a vintage charm.

If it weren’t for the modern clothes worn by the people inside and the convenient modern amenities, one might have felt they had traveled back several centuries.

In the distance, they could see a lake, which was their work location. However, before reaching their work site, they had to go through a security check.

They were not allowed to bring strange items or lethal weapons into Feng Xuexiang’s residence.

Apart from the strict security, the steward’s attitude was very kind, and he asked them to take good care of the esteemed Ninth Master.

Feng Xuexiang was the ninth in his generation, and those who had worked at the Feng family for many years were accustomed to calling him Ninth Master.

After leaving the checkpoint, Yu Shi and Jiang Mang walked along a winding wooden corridor leading to a delicate building constructed on the lake.

“Does Ninth Master live there? He lives there alone? Isn’t it a bit scary in such a remote place?” Jiang Mang said softly.

Although the surrounding environment seemed quite pleasant, she felt inexplicably uneasy, sensing a chilly dampness.

Yu Shi did not seem to notice this, and while looking at the beautiful residence ahead, he expressed some concern: “Living here year-round might not be ideal; it’s easy to develop rheumatism.”

“Haha!” Jiang Mang chuckled, feeling much of her inexplicable anxiety dissipate.

She glanced around and suddenly said, “Zhou Shi, look below. There are water lilies everywhere, so many buds! It would be beautiful if they were in bloom. Why aren’t any of them blooming?”

Although the vast water lilies had not bloomed, the closer they got to the house on the lake, the more they could clearly smell the rich fragrance of the lilies.

As they walked through the open door, they entered a square courtyard connected to the lake below, which was also filled with crowded water lilies. The unopened buds were surrounded by green leaves.

Moving into the corridors on either side, they reached Feng Xuexiang’s bedchamber at the back.

With doors and windows wide open, a gentle breeze rustled the gauzy curtains, and a figure lay quietly behind them.

Apart from the wind, there was no sound inside, creating a dead silence and a chill.

Jiang Mang’s steps involuntarily faltered, and she felt a sense of apprehension.

But Yu Shi stepped forward naturally, starting to secure the disheveled curtain and then searching for cleaning tools.

Jiang Mang quickly followed, feeling somewhat embarrassed and saying, “I said I wasn’t scared, but I felt a bit uneasy just now.”

She had applied for this job because of financial difficulties and had noticed that the salary was unusually high, so she had applied on a whim and was selected without fully understanding the criteria for choosing someone to care for a Spirit Demon in these prestigious families.

During training, the Feng family staff had emphasized precautions, especially the repeated point of “not harboring any bad thoughts about Ninth Master,” which Jiang Mang had only partially understood.

But Yu Shi was well aware. From the information he had learned from the original owner and the system, this Ninth Master was a powerful Spirit Demon, and even in sleep, he could influence those who approached him.

Ordinary people who approached a Spirit Demon with unstable mental states might suffer serious consequences, ranging from self-harm to suicide. Therefore, it required individuals with special fates to provide care.

For example, someone born in the year, month, day, and hour of Yin—thus having a Four Yin fate—was needed. However, the Feng family sought individuals with a Five Yin fate, meaning they must have been born at those times and raised in a place with a predominance of Yin energy.

Zhou Shi had a Five Yin fate, while Jiang Mang had a Five Yang fate. They had to work together to avoid being affected by each other.

Finding people with Five Yin and Five Yang fates was rare, and experience in caregiving was also necessary. The previous pair had encountered an unforeseen accident and could no longer care for the Ninth Master. Thus, the two of them had been urgently trained for just three days to take over.

“Zhou Shi, should we start by cleaning the surroundings, or should we attend to the Ninth Master with a wash and massage first?” Jiang Mang asked.

Yu Shi replied, “Let’s clean the surroundings first.”

He had a bit of obsessive-compulsive tendency and couldn’t stand a messy environment.

Seeing him seriously starting to wipe down the dusty table, Jiang Mang had no choice but to join in: “Alright, then we’ll divide the work. I’ll clean this side.”

The two of them began working diligently, one on each side, gradually forgetting the sleeping Ninth Master in the center of the room.

Jiang Mang, who had grown up taking care of siblings in an orphanage, was quick and efficient with her tasks. Yu Shi, with his extensive experience in various roles—such as a tidier, caregiver, land cleaner, and non-residential chef—was equally adept.

Cleaning up the not-so-messy room was quickly accomplished.

Finally, the two of them met by the side of the bed. Jiang Mang, who was carefree and blunt, and Yu Shi, who was steady and pragmatic, pulled back the curtain together to reveal the face of the sleeping person.

Jiang Mang held her breath for a moment before letting out an unrefined exclamation, “Wow, he’s so beautiful!”

The bed was covered with a white woolen blanket, and everything on the bed, including the quilt and the vases by the bedside, was also white porcelain.

The space was as clean as a pure snowfield. The only color was the dark black hair of Feng Xuexiang.

He was an exceptionally handsome man, with a captivating and enchanting appearance. With his eyes closed, he resembled a sleeping jade Bodhisattva.

Because his beauty was so otherworldly, Jiang Mang hesitated to approach, awkwardly asking, “He won’t suddenly wake up, will he?”

“No,” Yu Shi answered. “During the training, they mentioned that Ninth Master Feng falls into a deep sleep starting from the winter solstice and won’t wake up until the summer solstice of the following year. There’s still a month left before the summer solstice.”

Yu Shi wasn’t as visibly struck by the employer’s appearance as Jiang Mang was and maintained a calm demeanor.

Aside from being good-looking, he seemed similar to the severely stroke patients he had cared for before.

“He sleeps for six months and doesn’t need to eat anything in between; it’s really impressive,” Jiang Mang marveled.

Yu Shi’s eyes crinkled as he stepped into the pristine, white world.

Jiang Mang rolled up her sleeves and followed with enthusiasm, saying, “I’ll wash his hair. But with hair this long, it might be quite a challenge.”

“I’ll help,” Yu Shi said.

Jiang Mang said, “But later you’ll need to wash his body. I can’t help with that.”

Yu Shi replied, “It’s alright.”

Jiang Mang thought she was quite experienced in caregiving, but she soon realized that Zhou Shi was truly skilled. Compared to him, she could only describe herself as clumsy.

Yu Shi’s movements were gentle and precise, natural and unhurried. He was neither awkward nor rushed.

Unconsciously, Jiang Mang found herself assisting him, fetching and pouring water, and handing him things.

Yu Shi gently cradled the sleeping beautiful man, carefully supporting him on a soft cloth draped over his lap. He used a comb to meticulously untangle his jet-black hair, gradually wetting, cleaning, and massaging it with water, and then drying it strand by strand.

He enjoyed this cleansing process, finding it relaxing and comfortable, whether for people or objects.

When his third brother worked as a doctor in the hospital, Yu Shi had also worked there for a period, serving as a caregiver. Before his brother got promoted, Yu Shi had already received a raise due to his excellent reputation among patients, with some specifically hiring him at a high salary for caregiving.

Later, he served as a caregiver for a middle-aged patient in a special ward. That patient was a wealthy tycoon who soon expressed interest in pursuing him, claiming he found a sense of home with Yu Shi.

Yu Shi had to decline and took up a position caring for a retired elderly gentleman who had suffered a stroke.

A few months later, the elderly man revised his will to leave his estate to Yu Shi, causing a commotion among the man’s children at the hospital.

Reluctantly, Yu Shi had to resign from that position.

Subsequently, he worked as an organizer, helping busy white-collar workers manage their household chores.

One of his employers was a successful career woman who initially hired him to organize her home. She later increased his pay to cook two meals a day and, eventually, unexpectedly proposed to him, wanting to start a family together.

Another of Yu Shi’s employers was a young mother raising her child alone. When Yu Shi went to help her organize her home, he saw her struggling to manage both the chores and her child. He ended up assisting with childcare as well.

A few months later, the employer decided to divorce her husband.

Yu Shi had no intention of getting married himself, nor did he want to disrupt someone else’s family, so that job ended up falling through as well.

Similar situations had occurred many times, making it difficult for him to hold onto any job for long.

As Yu Shi cradled the sleeping beauty on his lap, he thought that this job seemed like it might last a bit longer. This employer was unlikely to propose to him or express romantic interest.

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