When the two returned, it wasn’t very late. Butler Wen was still awake, waiting for them.
Chu Yi had eaten several different types of sweets that evening, along with two boxes of ice cream.
Despite the large quantity Chu Yi had consumed, he hadn’t actually eaten much. The food at the banquet was exquisitely presented but served in tiny portions. The desserts were gone in a bite or two, and the ice cream vanished in just a few mouthfuls. Eating only those things couldn’t possibly fill him up.
So on the way back, Chu Yi had started to feel a bit hungry.
In the past, Chu Yi would have endured the hunger and gone to sleep. But now, he refused to deny himself. He wanted to eat until he was completely satisfied. He had been planning to make something to eat later.
However, after exchanging only a few words with Butler Wen, Chu Yi’s stomach let out a long, rumbling growl that even Shen Jin couldn’t help but notice.
Chu Yi blushed slightly and patted his stomach. There was no help for it—he was simply still hungry.
Butler Wen, knowing that banquets like these usually served cold food that left guests unsatisfied, had been waiting specifically to address this issue.
Chu Yi smiled. “I made dumplings for dinner. I’ll steam some for you now. Go upstairs and change first. They’ll be ready when you come down.”
Chu Yi happily went upstairs to change.
When he came down, the dumplings were ready.
Each dumpling was perfectly shaped, round, and plump like a golden ingot. They looked incredibly appetizing and smelled delicious. Chu Yi was especially hungry now, and his mouth watered instantly.
Butler Wen, having finished his tasks, noticed Chu Yi still sitting there, not eating.
“What’s wrong?” Butler Wen asked, puzzled. Did Chu Yi not like dumplings, or was something wrong with them?
Chu Yi replied, “Isn’t Mr. Shen coming down to eat?” Shen Jin had seemed to be in the same state as him that evening; at least he had eaten something. But Shen Jin had barely touched his food, only drinking alcohol.
Butler Wen’s gaze softened further. “He’s not eating. You go ahead.”
Chu Yi finally picked up his chopsticks. The freshly steamed dumplings were piping hot, at their absolute best.
The dumplings had thin skins and generous fillings. Chu Yi ate with great satisfaction, discovering that the plate held more than one type of filling: there were dumplings with seafood, sauerkraut and pork, and shepherd’s purse and pork. Each one was delicious.
Butler Wen poured a small dish of vinegar and strongly recommended, “Try dipping these dumplings in this. The flavor will be completely different.”
Chu Yi thought the dumplings were delicious enough without dipping, but he followed Butler Wen’s advice and tried a bit of the vinegar. He found that it indeed enhanced the flavor, making it even more savory.
“Delicious!”
Butler Wen beamed with delight. “This is special vinegar made specifically for dumplings. Of course it’s delicious.”
Butler Wen then brought a bowl of dumpling soup to Chu Yi’s side, garnished with bright green scallions. Eating only steamed dumplings could be a bit dry.
Smiling, Butler Wen asked, “Did you have fun at the banquet today?”
Chu Yi replied, “I had a wonderful time. The banquet was lively, and there was so much delicious food.”
Chu Yi glanced at Butler Wen. “Mr. Shen even got me ice cream.” Twice.
Butler Wen smiled, clearly pleased that Chu Yi was genuinely happy. Their relationship was progressing well. It seemed that encouraging them to spend more time together was indeed effective.
Initially, Butler Wen had worried that Shen Jin might neglect Chu Yi at the banquet. But hearing Chu Yi’s account, he was greatly relieved. “Excellent, excellent. Shen Jin even helped you get food.”
Chu Yi nodded repeatedly, thinking Shen Jin hadn’t lied to him. It was Uncle Wen who had asked him to look after Shen Jin, which was why he had gotten him ice cream.
Chu Yi swallowed his dumpling and said, “Mr. Shen took good care of me at the banquet. He even helped me out of a jam.”
Butler Wen was surprised. “What happened?”
He immediately thought the Chu Family must have caused trouble for Chu Yi at the banquet.
Chu Yi whispered, “I got into an argument with a few people at the banquet. Mr. Shen stepped in to resolve it.”
This surprised Butler Wen even more. “Chu Yi got into an argument? Were they bullying you? Did you get hurt?”
Butler Wen knew Chu Yi’s personality well. If he was wronged, he would usually hide away and suffer in silence.
“They weren’t bullying me,” Chu Yi said. “They were talking badly about Mr. Shen.”
Chu Yi could tolerate people saying bad things about him, but he couldn’t bear to hear them speak ill of Shen Jin.
He glanced upstairs. Shen Jin had been up there since returning from the banquet. Chu Yi then told Butler Wen about the people at the banquet who had been gossiping behind Shen Jin’s back.
Butler Wen stared at Chu Yi, stunned. It was all because of Shen Jin.
After speaking with Butler Wen, Chu Yi seemed to have a sudden epiphany.
At the time, he had been bursting with things he wanted to say but couldn’t utter a single word. Now, however, he knew exactly what he wanted to say. His thoughts were clear, and he knew precisely how to refute the accusations and question his accusers. He felt as formidable as a master debater, capable of holding his own against any crowd.
Unfortunately, the banquet had already ended. It was too late to argue now. It was always like this—hindsight was always 20/20.
Butler Wen watched Chu Yi furrow his brow, wondering what he was regretting. The frown looked quite adorable, and his gaze softened with affection.
Once Chu Yi had finished his self-reproach, something occurred to him. “Uncle Wen, it seems all the negative rumors about Mr. Shen originated from… Old Mr. Shen.”
He recalled that the gossip he had heard during his stay at the Chu Family had also come from Shen Chunhan.
Everyone said Shen Jin and Shen Chunhan had a strained relationship, and Chu Yi had witnessed it firsthand. Though Shen Chunhan appeared friendly and amiable on the surface, the smile in his eyes held a hint of insincerity.
It was now clear that Shen Chunhan had been the one pulling the strings all along.
Butler Wen sighed silently. “Are you full? If not, I can steam some more dumplings for you.”
“No, no need,” Chu Yi said, sensing that Butler Wen didn’t want to dwell on the matter. He wisely dropped the subject.
Chu Yi finished the entire plate of steamed dumplings and drank all the dumpling soup. He was no longer hungry at all.
After his bath, Chu Yi dove forward, collapsing onto the large, soft bed. The sheets smelled fresh and clean, like sunshine, and he inhaled deeply, savoring the comforting scent.
He marveled once again at how wonderful it was to be in the Shen Family. He had no worries about food, drink, or anything else. He could happily live as a carefree slacker, and he could attend university without a single concern.
Chu Yi couldn’t help but wonder if he could maintain a peaceful relationship with Shen Jin. At least for the next four years, he thought, it should be possible.
He remembered the time Shen Jin had brought him ice cream. Shen Jin’s gaze then had been different from when they first met—less hostile.
To be honest, the ice cream at the banquet had been truly delicious.
The next day was the weekend. Chu Yi woke up later than usual and emerged from his room to find the maids cleaning the villa.
As he passed by, he accidentally bumped into a maid who was working nearby. Her tools clattered to the floor. Chu Yi quickly apologized, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
The maid rolled her eyes at Chu Yi, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something, but after a moment’s thought, she held back and continued working.
As Chu Yi descended the stairs, the maid sneered at him. The younger maid beside her, who had witnessed the incident, reminded her, “Aren’t you afraid he’ll complain to Butler Wen?”
The older maid waved her off dismissively. “I didn’t do anything just now.”
The younger maid persisted, “But your attitude was so obvious. What if Mr. Shen finds out…”
For some reason, she felt that the relationship between Mr. Shen and Chu Yi wasn’t the same as it had been initially. They’d be better off treating Chu Yi with more respect.
The older maid clearly dismissed her concerns. “Mr. Shen wouldn’t care about something like that. Don’t overthink it.”
Not seeing Butler Wen or Shen Jin, Chu Yi left after breakfast.
Only when he saw the taxi he had called pull up at the gate did Chu Yi realize his phone battery was critically low. It was too late to go back for a portable charger; the car was already here.
He figured he’d only be out for a short while and wouldn’t use his phone much. It should last until he gets back. Besides, portable chargers were everywhere these days, making it incredibly convenient.
He arrived at Lan City’s largest library. Spanning six floors, the library housed nearly two million books and boasted two thousand seats. Its unique architectural design had made it a local sensation, earning it the title of Lan City’s most beautiful library and a popular spot for photo-taking.
Chu Yi browsed the library, bought a few books, and emerged to find it was already afternoon. Time truly flew by.
As Chu Yi stood by the roadside, preparing to hail a taxi home, a car pulled up beside him.
When the window slid down, Chu Yi saw a familiar face: Gu Jin, a friend of Shen Jin’s.
Gu Jin glanced at the books in his hand. “Buying books, huh?”
Chu Yi nodded. “Brother Gu Jin.”
Gu Jin smiled. “It’s perfect that we ran into each other here. Want to come out and have some fun?”
Chu Yi was about to decline when Gu Jin added, “I’ll take you to experience the thrill of racing. Want to go?”
Chu Yi’s eyes lit up instantly, and he hopped into the car.
Over an hour later, they arrived at a racing club. Gu Jin turned out to be the club’s owner.
Everyone at the club knew Gu Jin and greeted him warmly. When they saw Chu Yi, their eyes widened in surprise. Someone even asked, “President Gu, who is this?”
Chu Yi was wearing a loose-fitting windbreaker, giving him a distinctively youthful and innocent look. Combined with his exceptionally beautiful face, it was hard not to notice him.
Gu Jin replied, “This is Chu Yi. I brought him here to have some fun.”
The person chuckled, and Gu Jin understood what he was thinking. He added, “He’s Shen Jin’s.”
The person immediately straightened up.
Gu Jin asked Chu Yi, “Do you want to watch us race or experience it yourself?”
Without hesitation, Chu Yi chose the latter. “I want to sit in the car.”
Because Chu Yi was in the car, Gu Jin and the others avoided the most dangerous sections of the track. But for Chu Yi, it was already an exhilarating experience—something he’d never felt before.
The roar of the engine echoed through the valley as the scenery blurred past at breakneck speed.
After a lap, Chu Yi was buzzing with excitement.
Gu Jin asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Chu Yi replied. “That was thrilling!”
Though Chu Yi was still reluctant to stop and wanted to go for another lap, Gu Jin didn’t dare take him out again. After all, racing could be dangerous.
So they went to the spectator stands to watch the other racers.
The autumn dusk deepened quickly, and Chu Yi realized it was getting late.
He pulled out his phone, only to find it had shut down due to low battery.
Night had fallen completely. Chu Yi asked Gu Jin and learned it was already half past six.
Gu Jin asked, “Since it’s this late, how about I treat you to dinner before taking you home?”
Chu Yi shook his head. “It’s too late. I need to go.”
Chu Yi wasn’t particularly worried. He figured no one would be looking for him.
Gu Jin agreed it was getting late and offered to drive Chu Yi home himself.
