Chapter 70: Old Fourth: I’m just a worker
It had been two days since Steward Sui was last seen, and now he was back with a group of people to help move the Ninth Master.
However, most of the items being moved belonged to Yu Shi. According to Steward Sui’s instructions, Yu Shi was to move to Feng Xuexiang’s new residence and provide 24-hour care.
“Are you saying that I will be fully responsible for caring for the Ninth Master from now on?” Yu Shi asked. “What about Jiang Mang?”
“That Miss Jiang has some blood relation with the Xue family, who are old friends of ours. She was taken back by them yesterday and likely won’t be returning to care for Ninth Master Feng.”
Steward Sui didn’t explain much, but Yu Shi could almost guess what was going on.
Judging by the timing, she should have been taken back by the Xue family. If the original plotline was followed, she would undergo a period of secluded training after her injuries were healed, and it would be difficult to contact her in the short term.
“In that case, let’s redefine my job scope and hours. When I was hired, it was said that I wouldn’t need to provide 24-hour care…”
Steward Sui believed he understood the implied meaning, and although he maintained his kind smile, there was a hint of indifference in his tone.
“Mr. Zhou, rest assured, the Feng family will not let you suffer any losses. As long as you take good care of Ninth Master Feng, your salary can be doubled or even tripled.”
This wasn’t the first time Yu Shi had encountered something like this. When caring for wealthy people, if he suggested ways to improve the patient’s care or made reasonable requests, the family would assume he was just finding a way to ask for more money.
“Besides, Mr. Zhou, you only need to endure this for a few more days. We will quickly send someone new to assist in caring for Ninth Master Feng.”
Since the old steward had said as much, Yu Shi’s goal was essentially achieved, so he didn’t say anything further. He just waited for his new colleague to come and share the workload.
Feng Xuexiang’s new residence was a newly built courtyard, unique within the large estate for not being designed in a traditional style.
The villa had excellent lighting, with minimal partitions inside and floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere, making the interior space bright and open.
As long as the curtains weren’t drawn, anyone outside could clearly see the actions of those inside.
Yu Shi’s first impression was that the house resembled a glass jar used for observing butterflies.
However, Yu Shi quite liked the villa’s surrounding garden. It was summer, and the garden was in full bloom, with vibrant flowers in a riot of colors, instantly lifting one’s spirits.
What Yu Shi appreciated most was that the villa was fully equipped with all sorts of modern amenities, making it much more convenient than Feng Xuexiang’s previous, barren lakeside residence.
The new colleague that the old steward mentioned arrived on the third day after they moved into the villa.
He was dressed in the Feng family’s uniform and was the son of a minor steward in the Feng household, named Li Yan.
Due to the short notice, Steward Sui hadn’t found a suitable Five-Yang fate. Considering that Ninth Master Feng was relatively stable after Seventh Master Feng clarified the situation—so long as one didn’t approach carelessly, there was no risk of being pulled into an illusion—Steward Sui selected someone born in a Yang year, Yang month, Yang day, and Yang hour from within the Feng family.
In addition to probing the Ninth Master’s condition, Li Yan was tasked with understanding why the Ninth Master held Zhou Shi in such special regard.
But for Li Yan, his main goal was to get close to the legendary Ninth Master, hoping to gain his favor and thus improve his standing within the Feng family. If the Ninth Master was willing to offer him guidance, Li Yan might even have a chance to become an exorcist.
When Li Yan, suppressing his excitement, arrived at the villa, Yu Shi was washing Feng Xuexiang’s hair.
Feng Xuexiang was lying on a chair specifically designed for hair washing, while Yu Shi sat in front of him. Water flowed gently over his hair into the white porcelain basin, enhancing its jet-black sheen.
Between Feng Xuexiang’s pale fingers was a flower shaped like a butterfly, a moth orchid he had plucked from the nearby vase.
He twirled the orchid in his fingers, brushing it lightly against Yu Shi’s arm before making it “fly” past Yu Shi’s nose, laughing as he tilted his head back at Yu Shi’s helpless expression.
Li Yan froze as he watched this scene.
The atmosphere between the two of them seemed inexplicably intimate. From his perspective, it almost looked as if Yu Shi was cradling Ninth Master’s head in his arms.
And… Ninth Master’s appearance was far more beautiful than Li Yan had imagined.
In the Feng family, some feared Ninth Master Feng, while others admired him, but few had ever seen him in person. Li Yan never expected that the supposedly mad Ninth Master would have such striking features.
When Feng Xuexiang turned to look at him, still smiling, Li Yan’s face flushed red, and he couldn’t help but lick his lips.
Yu Shi rinsed his hands, wrapped Feng Xuexiang’s hair in a towel, and helped him sit up before going to greet the new colleague.
“You’re the new caregiver, right? Hello, I’m Zhou Shi.”
It took Li Yan a moment to tear his gaze away from Feng Xuexiang and shift it to Yu Shi. He gave Yu Shi a quick, dismissive glance and responded with a polite but distant smile, “I’m from the Feng family, here specifically to care for the Ninth Master.”
He felt that the word “caregiver” was somewhat insulting to him. He had been carefully selected from within the Feng family to take care of the Ninth Master, unlike this outsider.
This guy, who doesn’t seem to understand anything, wouldn’t have even been able to step foot in the Feng family’s estate if not for his luck in being born with a Five-Yin fate.
“Who is he?” Feng Xuexiang, with his damp hair still loose, walked over.
Li Yan immediately bowed and introduced himself, “Ninth Master, I’m Li Yan, son of Steward Li from the North Courtyard. Steward Sui has ordered me to take care of you. I will do my utmost to serve you, and whatever you require, I will fulfill it!”
He spoke with earnestness and took initiative, noticing that Feng Xuexiang’s hair was dripping. He said, “Ninth Master, let me dry your hair for you. I have some experience in this area.”
“I don’t know you, and I don’t want you,” Feng Xuexiang replied, disliking his eager demeanor and instinctively looking for Yu Shi.
Yu Shi lowered his rolled-up sleeves, did not look at Li Yan, and said, “Let him help you with that. I’ll go change clothes, okay?”
His clothes had accidentally gotten a bit wet earlier.
As Yu Shi walked upstairs, Feng Xuexiang’s smile faded, and he continued to hold the orchid in his hand.
Li Yan, however, smiled and was quite pleased with Yu Shi’s “awareness of the situation.”
“Ninth Master, please sit here.” Li Yan bowed and guided Feng Xuexiang to a soft chair by the window, then fetched towels, a comb, and a hairdryer.
“Ninth Master, how does this pressure feel?”
“Ninth Master, is this temperature okay?”
Li Yan asked periodically.
The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated Feng Xuexiang’s profile.
Li Yan, running his fingers through the smooth long hair, felt his heart race.
The long hair seemed to exude a fragrance reminiscent of lotus flowers. Li Yan unconsciously moved closer, mesmerized by the scent.
A gentle breeze blew, snapping him back to reality. He remembered Steward Sui’s instructions and quickly pushed aside his distracting thoughts.
Struggling to look away, he noticed Feng Xuexiang’s feet resting on the carpet, white as jade and flawless, making one want to reach out and touch them.
Feng Xuexiang casually twirled the orchid, and it accidentally fell at his feet.
“I’ll pick it up for you!” Li Yan said, setting the hairdryer aside and bending down to retrieve it.
Just as he was about to smile and strike up a conversation with Feng Xuexiang, he saw that Feng Xuexiang had already gotten up from the soft chair and was heading towards the stairs.
Looking ahead, he saw that Yu Shi had changed clothes and was coming down from the second floor.
“You were gone quite a while,” Feng Xuexiang said, standing next to him, his expression suddenly lively.
Yu Shi understood his mistaken perception of time and explained, “I was only gone for ten minutes.”
He noticed Li Yan standing by the soft chair and tested Feng Xuexiang’s hair: “It’s still not dry. You should go ahead and finish drying it.”
“It’s almost dry,” Feng Xuexiang said, showing him his hair. A gust of wind had indeed softened and dried the ends of his hair.
Yu Shi watched him in silence.
“You have a method to dry it like this, and yet you wanted me to dry it little by little? Last time it took an entire hour.”
Feng Xuexiang: “…………”
He bent down and rested his head on Yu Shi’s shoulder: “I’m sorry. I apologize. I like the way you dry my hair.”
Yu Shi thought to himself that, like his fifth brother, Feng Xuexiang was quick to admit fault but didn’t seem likely to change.
Cooking was one of Yu Shi’s hobbies. He didn’t mind making a meal for the new colleague, but the new colleague flatly refused and showed a critical expression toward the uncooked vegetables in the kitchen.
“Is this the kind of food you give the Ninth Master?”
Yu Shi was surprised by his sudden hostility and asked, “What do you think he should eat?”
“Definitely not food made from ordinary ingredients with average cooking methods.”
Li Yan glanced at Feng Xuexiang, who was outside, busy with flower arranging, and gritted his teeth as he whispered, “Don’t be too pleased with yourself. You’re just here a few days earlier.”
Yu Shi, seeing Li Yan’s resentful and envious expression, realized that while he was just a worker here, this new colleague was trying to sell himself.
And so, Yu Shi found himself missing his old colleague Jiang Mang, who was straightforward, friendly, and occasionally engaged in pleasant conversation.
Reflecting on this, Yu Shi corrected Li Yan’s mistake: “I’ve actually been here for over a month.”
Li Yan replied with irritation, “Are you provoking me? We’ll see about that!”
He stormed off, leaving Yu Shi to shake his head in silence as he continued chopping vegetables.
While Yu Shi was busy in the kitchen, Feng Xuexiang returned with a bouquet of flowers he had arranged according to Yu Shi’s request. Yu Shi praised and thanked him, and Feng Xuexiang cheerfully agreed to arrange the flowers in vases.
At that moment, Li Yan took the opportunity to approach Feng Xuexiang, carrying a large food container and opening it layer by layer.
“Ninth Master, this is the food I prepared for you. It’s been made by several of the best chefs in the Feng family. These chefs are renowned, and only someone of your status could have them serve you.”
Feng Xuexiang, holding a flower and deciding where to place it, was distracted by the noise and didn’t look up. “Don’t speak.”
Li Yan’s enthusiastic introduction suddenly halted, leaving him frozen at the table.
Once Feng Xuexiang finished arranging the flower, he finally looked up at the food Li Yan had presented.
“You say it’s good, then you should eat it,” Feng Xuexiang said with a smile. “Finish it all.”
The food must be finished. Yu Shi said this, and he remembered it.
Li Yan’s expression was vacant and dazed as he hunched over the table, stuffing the food into his mouth in rapid bites.
Feng Xuexiang ignored him and carried the vase to show Yu Shi.
“Does this arrangement look good?”
After examining it closely, Yu Shi pointed out, “The colors seem a bit off; it’s mostly red and yellow, and this one purple-blue flower looks too abrupt. Also, the stems of these flowers seem too long, creating a disconnect from the ones below.”
After discussing the arrangement with Feng Xuexiang, Yu Shi noticed the new colleague eating meat voraciously and remarked, “Is he eating alone over there?”
Yu Shi felt that his new colleague was close to wearing a tuxedo to put socks on Feng Xuexiang, and did not seem like the kind of character that would abandon his employer to gorge himself.
“Yes, he said he was hungry, so I let him start eating,” Feng Xuexiang replied.
When Yu Shi brought out the meal, he found that Li Yan and the food were both gone.
Feng Xuexiang, holding his chopsticks, casually mentioned, “He finished and left.”
Outside the villa, a dazed Li Yan carried the large empty food container, his stomach bulging, and slowly moved forward.
Once he was outside the villa grounds, he suddenly came to his senses, screamed in agony, clutched his almost-bursting stomach, and collapsed on the ground, retching.
Two people ran over from a distance, dragging and carrying him away.
“Useless fool, despite being warned countless times to behave and avoid mistakes, he still managed to end up like this in less than a day!”
Steward Sui was furious.
“Do we need to find someone else?” someone asked cautiously.
Steward Sui hesitated for a moment, then remembered Feng Kuo’s words and decided against it: “Forget it. Let’s not act rashly. We’ll wait a few more days until the head of the family finishes his seclusion.”
