"What do you want?"

A crisp voice questions.

Qiu Jing jogs in lightly, ignoring the cold inquiring gaze. He flops down on the sofa opposite the boy leant against the wall. Humming a soft tune, it was as if Qiu Jing is here to discuss something exciting and wholesome despite the awkward situation. A minute went by, another minutes continues...

A sigh sounded.

"Name your condition."

Finally hearing what he was lookong forward to, Qiu Jing jumps up and happily tuts to the punished servant. Leaning down to the eye-level, soft, polished hands reach to hold the other's chin making Liu Xu Yuan look up.

His free hand signals the number three, mouth signals words as quiet as a whisper.

'Stealth. Status. Favorability.'

He stares unblinkingly, waiting for a response. Liu Xu Yuan's brows jumps. Then he starts laughing. Qiu Jing's mouth twitches but the unease emotions calm once he saw the 'OK' mouth signal from the boy underneath.

---The light flickers shadowing the single life within.

The punishments were lifted. Uncle Rong repeatedly apologises for his carelessness, adding how he should always obey the masters.

"The masters are never wrong."

Before sending him back to his room. It seems Uncle Rong is scared off that he had even forgotten to play the emotional cards. Although his actions are offput, Liu Xu Yuan obediently listens.

He rubs the black marks on his wrist and begins comtemplating. It seems the original owner must've had some connections with Qiu Jing before he'd come to work here. Or that Qiu Jing got him this job so that the original can help him acomplish his goals?

Whatever it is, time will explains.

Liu Xu Yuan washes up quickly and went right to sleep. Although he was locked up, it was nothing for the villain who had gone through several worlds. Tongtong is offline but he has some access to the space in his mind conciousness. It wasn't impossible for some imperial cuisines to be summoned for him. The outside might find him pitiful but he is living the parallel world of what others had imagined of his.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

Liu Xu Yuan spend his ongoing days gathering information, making plans and layouts. Everything was smooth. He was lovely and friendly so it didn't take long for the other servants to like him. Although the master shows some dislike for what had happened on the first day, Qiu Jing smoothens it out.

However, the only problem he had was how to get a communication started with the other young master.

While this person is another young master of the Qiu, he is rather pitiful.

From what he had heard from the gossips between aunties and uncles, Qiu Zihan is a gloomy and distant child. Zihan doesn't open up to anybody and there's naturally a reason for that. Zihan, the meaning "Child", was born from a mistress of the Qiu's current head. Though Grandpa Qiu is still at the top, father Qiu currently leads the company in his place. Father Qiu is engaged to a loving, powerful lady from another astonishing generation family line. The two family lived and grew up together becoming childhood sweethearts so it is naturally not shocking if the two would end up falling in love.

Things were in spring and the two had conceived a cute baby, that is the current Qiu Jing. The family is bliss but of course things wouldn't had been that easy.

In return, the loving mother has her bestfriend betrayed, breaking the bonds between their couple. Father Qiu was seen engaged in an illfitting conditions with mother Qiu's bestfriend. Unable to bear the heartbreak, mother Qiu left the house and abandon the Qiu name. Unfortunately she wasn't able to take her child with her. This situation seems to occur out of nowhere, Father Qiu had been cornered to marry the bestfriend, thus resulting with Qiu Zihan presently.

Aiya, what a story.

Liu Xu Yuan had to sigh once he heard of the story but it wasn't long for hom to question the authenticity of the story. Father and mother Qiu is very affectionate towards each other and the two were childhood sweetheart. For things to be easily broken like this, doesn't it seem questionable? Also this bestfriend appears quickly and leaves quickly as well. When asked, the bestfriend was too ashamed to face the broken couple, thus after marrying into the Qiu for not half a year, the woman was seen commiting suicide. Which leads to mother Qiu earning the title of being wicked and bad for pushing the young lady to death.

Liu Xu Yuan wholeheartedly admires mother Qiu. To be able to stand up against these and being fasely accused because of someone's irresponsibility, mother Qiu is really a wonderful woman.

From the story, it appears Qiu Jing hates his brother for breaking his parent's love and had people bully Zihan so Zihan is now like this...?

Liu Xu Yuan reads off his notes again and again. He still finds it off. Jumping from the bed, he slips on a pair of white rabbit slippers and runs off to young master's private quarter.

Rubbing the sweat off his brown pants, Liu Xu Yuan knocks on the room nervously.

It is now summer, with the servants being either off to grocery or some work outdoors. The masters out playing. In the hall, it was only him and the young master.

"Come in."

A hoarse, raspy voice with abit of youthfulness and childish tune to the end of the words comes from the inside. From across the door, Liu Xu Yuan can't comprehend much from the cold voice. Shaking his head, his wrist twists the doorknob opens and enters. He notifies the boy.

"Young master, I'm coming in."