Chapter 21: Hurry and coax it back!

Chapter 21: Hurry and coax it back!

Jing Yi narrowed his eyes and stared over.

Li Wenzhao's heart jumped. He was discovered.

But no panic. Not much had been revealed. He could still smooth it over.

"…Hmm? Jing Butler, the black truffle beef over there looks good. You might want to give it a try." Li Wenzhao gestured towards the entrance.

From their angle, they had a clear view of the banquet table.

Jing Yi eyed him suspiciously. "Didn't you hear anything just now?"

Li Wenzhao wore his familiar cold smile. "I did. Your stomach's making an empty city strategy."

Jing Yi awkwardly rubbed his stomach. "..."

He hadn't eaten breakfast and was hungry.

Gurgle-gurgle—

Jing Yi quickly covered his stomach, giving Li Wenzhao a strange look.

Something felt off.

He really felt something was off.

But… he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Jing Yi scratched his head, puzzled. "Eldest young master, I called out to you just now. Didn't you hear me?"

Li Wenzhao explained, "I was talking with Mr. Shen."

Shen Shubai: "..."

If either of you had even glanced at me, I wouldn't feel so much like a tool!

Not sensing anything amiss and tempted by the food in the distance, Jing Yi decided to test things directly—

"Li Wenzhao is a big idiot!!!! Li the Skinflint!! Running a secret prison behind the scenes!"

Sometimes, the most high-level truths only need the simplest tests.

Jing Yi looked eagerly to the side—

"Jing Butler, you might want to hide your empty city strategy." Li Wenzhao's tone remained unchanged. "The whole banquet hall is about to hear it."

"..." Jing Yi quickly hugged his stomach.

Hiss.

Everything seems normal.

It must have been my imagination from being so hungry.

Jing Yi shook his head, throwing away all the strange thoughts. "I'll go grab something to eat first then."

Being hungry for too long isn't good—it can mess with your mind.

"I say..." Shen Shubai spoke up, "This is my banquet hall, my event, my theme! The two of you acting like this, isn't it a bit disrespectful to me?"

Jing Yi turned in surprise, "Mr. Shen, you're still here?"

Shen Shubai: "..."

Obviously! This is my territory!

Jing Yi humbly said, "I happen to have some questions to ask you."

Shen Shubai snorted twice, naive people, coming to seek his help only now, "Go ahead, what is it?"

Jing Yi turned expectantly, "Can we take the banquet food to go today?"

"..." Shen Shubai: "?"

Watching the main character leave in a huff, Jing Yi scooted closer to Li Wenzhao, "So... can we or can't we?"

"..." Li Wenzhao chuckled wryly, "Yes, go ahead."

"Great!"

Jing Yi enthusiastically dashed away.

In the original spot, Li Wenzhao exhaled a sigh of relief.

Though the young butler seems silly, he's actually quite perceptive. Li Wenzhao had been careless once, failing to control his expression while listening to heartfelt thoughts, and was caught red-handed.

He would need to be more careful in the future.

Li Wenzhao loosened his tie, just about to find a place to rest, when the young butler who had just dashed away returned in the same manner.

Li Wenzhao remained composed, "What is it?"

Jing Yi explained carefully, "Eldest young master, at this banquet, we need to be cautious. Don't eat food from strangers, and don't drink any beverages. It's best not to touch anything."

Knowing that Jing Yi was looking out for him, Li Wenzhao's expression softened for a moment. But he still maintained his persona of someone who knew nothing, "So, should I just stay hungry?"

True enough.

The banquet hall, filled with beautiful decorations and delicious food, was a bit cruel to not allow eating or drinking.

"Alright then." Jing Yi grabbed Li Wenzhao's arm and led him to the buffet table, "I'll test the food for you."

Saying that, he picked up a fork, speared a truffle cream-coated baby potato, and popped it into his mouth, chewing away. It was delicious, so he had another.

After finishing the baby potatoes, Jing Yi moved away, "Alright, eldest young master, the baby potatoes are safe. You can eat them now. I'm going to try the grilled lamb chops."

"..." Li Wenzhao held his fork, looking at the plate with just a bit of truffle left, unsure whether to be touched or not.

Before taking two steps, Jing Yi scurried back, "Eldest young master, there are bad people around here. It's quiet, so don't move. I'll bring the delicious food back to you."

"..." Li Wenzhao struggled to express his feelings, "I still want to walk around myself."

"You're not obeying."

Jing Yi lightly furrowed his brows and simply drew a circle on the floor, "Master, stay here and don't come out. I'll bring food for you."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

The dramatic young butler.

·

Jing Yi ate his way along the buffet table. True to form for Shen Shubai's place, the food was top-notch. After filling himself halfway, he carried several dishes back, only to find that Li Wenzhao was gone.

Can't this monk just listen for once?!

Jing Yi put down the plates and scanned the banquet hall, but he couldn't see the person.

For some reason, Jing Yi suddenly felt a little panicked.

This was Shen Shubai's territory, after all. No matter how careful they were, they couldn't guard against everything.

The banquet hall was filled with shadows of a hundred or so people, but none of them were Li Wenzhao. Jing Yi shuttled through the crowd, searching from start to finish, but still found nothing.

...This was bad.

Could it be that Li Wenzhao had fallen into Shen Shubai's trap?

Sweating profusely, Jing Yi searched for Shen Shubai's figure in the banquet hall. Before long, he actually spotted him.

Shen Shubai stood by the elevator with his confidants, whispering instructions. Jing Yi, who was too far away to hear clearly, simply followed them to the upper floors of the hotel.

"Boss, what about the Li Corporation?" A hushed voice whispered through the quiet corridor.

Jing Yi pressed himself against the wall, eavesdropping on Shen Shubai and his confidants' conversation.

Worried about being caught, he silenced his phone.

"Has the substance been administered?" Shen Shubai's voice asked.

"It's already been put into the water. Ah Qi saw him drink it with his own eyes."

"Good," Shen Shubai chuckled. "Stick to the plan and take him to the designated room. In half an hour, I'll lead people to catch him in the act."

"Understood, I'll take care of it right away."

"Wait," Shen Shubai interjected. "That Li family butler... find a way to get rid of him. His chattering mouth annoyed me so much that I couldn't catch my breath all evening."

"Yes!"

Jing Yi was horrified.

—Since when does the protagonist personally involve himself in such messy schemes? Isn't this what a villain would do?

Is Shen Shubai stealing the villain's role too?

Jing Yi patted his racing heart and decided rescuing the person was the priority. He identified the direction and headed the opposite way to find Li Wenzhao.

After only a couple of steps, a door suddenly swung open in the corridor. Jing Yi didn't even have time to scream before he was pulled into the dark room.

"Mother! Help!"

The door slammed shut, and before Jing Yi could scream, a warm, burning hand clamped over his mouth.

"Don't scream," a low, hoarse voice said. "It's me..."

In the dark and shock, Jing Yi somehow recognized Li Wenzhao's voice. He hesitated, "Eldest young master?"

Jing Yi tilted his head back and asked, "Why are you here?"

"I got caught by accident. Before Shen Shubai's men could come, I hid myself first."

Jing Yi said, "I told you not to leave the safe zone, didn't I? You know what happens when people step out of bounds! It never ends well!"

Li Wenzhao wasn't in the mood to listen to the young butler's babbling. His whole body felt like it was burning up, his skin flushed red, and certain unspeakable urges were gradually awakening, beyond his control.

Li Wenzhao furrowed his brow tightly.

The young butler's soft, sweet scent—like a freshly baked cake—was pulling him toward something uncontrollable. A vein pulsed visibly at Li Wenzhao’s temple.

"Eldest young master," in the darkness, Jing Yi spoke. "So what do we do now? Just keep hiding? Wait—what's poking me?"

He groped downwards.

Li Wenzhao clenched his teeth. "Don't!"

But it was too late. Jing Yi had already touched something indescribable. "B-B-Big Young Master!" he stammered, shaking in terror.

His mind went blank, like a ball of yarn played with by a cat, unable to find a thread, and he blurted out, "Try to calm it down! Get it under control!"

"Get it to go back!"

Li Wenzhao, bothered by the noise, let go of him and leaned against the wall, holding back with difficulty. "Jing Yi! Go fill the tub with water!"

"Oh... okay..." Jing Yi, still dazed, hurried to the bathroom and filled the tub with cold water.

"The water's ready, Young Master."

Li Wenzhao, still fully clothed, lay in the tub, his brows still deeply furrowed. "Get out."

Jing Yi staggered out of the bathroom.

He paced back and forth outside, slapping his left fist into his right palm several times, wondering how they still fell into the trap.

In this situation, should he call an ambulance?

"Big young master, do you need an ambulance?"

"No need. Don't talk."

"...Okay."

Jing Yi stood stupidly by the door, while footsteps echoed outside the front door, coming and going repeatedly.

Jing Yi quietly approached the entrance and peeked through the peephole. It was Shen Shubai's men looking for Li Wenzhao.

Man A: "Have you found him yet?"

Man B: "We've searched the banquet hall. He's not there."

Man A: "Expand the search area, garden, kitchen, balcony, garage, search everywhere! If you can't find him, Mr. Shen will make sure you regret it!"

Man B: "Yes yes yes, I'll search again."

Man C: "What if we still can't find him?"

"Then we'll have to knock on every guest room and check them one by one!"

"Hiss... This... This doesn't seem right?"

The sound of footsteps echoed away. Only when everyone had left did Jing Yi reach for the door handle and twist it to lock it.

Sure enough, the protagonist isn't a nice guy—he even resorted to drugging someone.

Jing Yi paced around the room aimlessly.

How much longer will Li Wenzhao take... He was getting sleepy from waiting.

It was quiet in the bathroom; all he could hear was the faint sound of water.

Jing Yi yawned and leaned back on the sofa for a while.

When he finally opened his eyes, it was already 2 PM!

Jing Yi rubbed his eyes, ran to the bathroom door, and heard suppressed panting from the other side, under the sound of the water... The effects of the drug hadn't worn off yet.

Jing Yi remained silent.

After what felt like forever, Li Wenzhao finally called out, "...Jing Yi."

Jing Yi was startled. "Eldest young master."

"Go buy some clothes," Li Wenzhao's voice had returned to normal; it seemed the effects of the drug had worn off.

Jing Yi breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, eldest young master, I'll head out immediately."

"Get the whole outfit," Li Wenzhao emphasized. "Nothing should be missing."

"..." Jing Yi nodded. "Understood."

Jing Yi opened the door, looked left and right, then quietly made his way downstairs. The banquet had ended, the guests had left, and Shen Shubai was nowhere in sight.

Jing Yi left the hotel and found a small supermarket nearby, where he bought a set of casual clothes as a temporary fix.

When it came to choosing underwear, he faced a problem.

...The supermarket didn't carry Li Wenzhao's size.

"Hello sir, need some help?" The friendly store clerk approached to assist.

Jing Yi pointed at the fabric on the shelf. "That, in a large size. Do you have it?"

The clerk asked, "What size exactly are you looking for?"

"..."

Crap, last time he was too shocked to notice the size.

Jing Yi paused for a few seconds. "This big."

Feeling awkward, he gestured vaguely with his hands to indicate the size.

"..." The clerk paused. "Sorry, sir, we don't stock sizes that big."

Jing Yi blinked his eyes, with no other option.

He tiptoed and pulled down the fabric from the shelf, then headed to the counter to check out.

Half an hour later, Jing Yi returned to the room. Li Wenzhao had already come out of the bathroom. His hair was damp, and he was wearing a white bathrobe, revealing a hint of defined chest muscles.

Jing Yi gasped slightly in his heart and shifted his gaze away. "Eldest young master, I got the clothes."

Li Wenzhao hummed, took the bag, and looked inside, frowning. "Did you buy something too small?"

"No," Jing Yi explained softly, "The sizes at the supermarket are pretty standard."

Li Wenzhao seemed to sneer. "So?"

"So..." Jing Yi lightly coughed, touched his nose, and suggested, "Why don't you try wearing three layers?"

............

Li Wenzhao had never been this speechless before.

This cheeky young butler, he really wanted to hang him up and give him a good beating.

In the end, Li Wenzhao didn't take Jing Yi's suggestion. He called Uncle Lin to bring another set of clothes, but it would take some time.

An hour later, there was a hurried knock on the door. Jing Yi opened it to find Li Mingzhi standing there.

"Big brother, Jing Butler, I heard you guys were ambushed, so I came over with Uncle Lin. Are you two okay?"

Li Mingzhi handed the clothes to his brother, and Li Wenzhao took them with a cold expression.

Li Mingzhi felt the atmosphere in the room was strange, so he quietly asked Jing Yi, "Why does it seem like my brother is a bit angry? What were you two talking about?"

Jing Yi glanced at Li Wenzhao, "Nothing much, just some touchy subjects."

As he was about to enter the bedroom, Li Wenzhao shot him a sideways glance. "Jing Yi!"

The tone carried a warning, and Jing Yi lowered his eyes and touched his nose. "...Oh, I won't say anymore."

"Look at the eldest young master~ He's so sensitive~ Getting drugged? I've seen this in novels all the time. It's just men and women, what's there to be embarrassed about..."

............

Li Mingzhi's ears burned at these words and he widened his eyes at his brother. "...Big brother?"

Was he being serious?

Li Wenzhao turned and went into the room, slamming the door.

............

After changing clothes, they all returned home.

Having just been ambushed, Li Wenzhao didn't go to the company and rested at home for two days.

Jing Yi was happy to have some leisure time, enjoyed eating and drinking, and when he had time, he discussed with Li Mingzhi in the living room which entertainment shows were the most durable.

"Jing Butler, am I just unlucky? Every show I pick either has a bad ending or is full of toxic drama," Li Mingzhi tossed the documents on the table and threw in the towel.

Jing Yi couldn't believe how unlucky the Li family was. Even if someone poisoned just one cup out of a thousand, the Li family would somehow manage to pick the poisoned one, as if they were cursed.

Jing Yi sighed and focused on helping Li Mingzhi choose something.

The Li family's bad luck was due to some curse placed by the original author, but Jing Yi had good luck and could assist.

"Jing Butler," Li Mingzhi slouched on the sofa, "maybe I should change my name. This one stinks."

"Have you decided what to change it to?" Jing Yi casually asked.

"I want to defy fate and turn things around so everything goes smoothly from now on," Li Mingzhi stared at the ceiling in a daze, "how about..."

Jing Yi guessed, "Li Defyfate? Li Smoothsailing?"

"Li Badao!" Li Mingzhi emphasized loudly.

Jing Yi fell silent.

"How does that relate to defying fate and having smooth sailing...?" he asked softly.

Li Mingzhi stroked his chin, "I thought if the name was domineering, maybe the heavens would be afraid."

"But it doesn't sound great," Jing Yi suggested.

"True," Li Mingzhi pondered for a moment, "Jing Butler, why don't you suggest one? Let's brainstorm."

Jing Yi thought for a moment, "For turning things around and changing your fate, how about... 'The past is dark and irretrievable, but the future shines bright!'"

"Li Shiny?" Li Mingzhi asked.

Jing Yi's eyes sparkled as he looked up, "How about Niohulu·Li Sparkle?"

Li Mingzhi stopped fussing about changing his name. Later, the bodyguards entered the room to report that Shen Shubai had come to visit.

"What’s he here for?" Li Mingzhi pouted, "We don’t really know him."

Li Mingzhi didn't know about what happened yesterday and thought Mr. Li had been targeted by someone with ill intentions towards his brother.

Jing Yi, munching on an Oreo, casually remarked,

"It looks like the weasel has come to pay his respects to the chickens."

For a moment, it was unclear who Jing Yi was insulting.

Li Wenzhao said, "Let him in."

"Yes," the bodyguard turned to escort him in.

This was Shen Shubai's first visit to the Li family, and he was only led by a bodyguard. Li Wenzhao and Li Mingzhi sat on the sofa, not even lifting their eyelids.

Jing Yi also didn't lift his head, munching on his Oreo.

"Mr. Li," Shen Shubai greeted, first smiling apologetically, "I heard that Mr. Li was ambushed at the banquet. I only found out afterward and came to visit in person. Are you okay?"

Mr. Li said in a flat tone, "Nothing happened, I'm afraid you're disappointed, Mr. Shen."

Shen Shubai gave a dry laugh and sat down on the sofa. "Mr. Li, you're speaking as if I would be glad to see you in trouble. These were consequences of my oversight, my subordinates' negligence. I was worried about you, how could I be glad?"

Jing Butler finally looked up at Shen Shubai.

"Your smile is so wide it's practically reaching your ears—don't tell me you're not gloating!"

Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Shen Shubai's expression turned slightly sour. He cut to the chase, "I'm here today because I want to discuss something with Mr. Li. Your young butler really suits my taste. As business partners, I'd like to ask Mr. Li for a favor—how about letting Jing Butler come work for me?"

"?"

Jing Butler blinked in confusion, realizing that he was the chicken being paid a New Year's visit by the weasel.

Slap.

Li Mingzhi slammed the program list onto the table.

There was no way they were letting anyone take Jing Butler!

Mr. Li spoke indifferently, "Mr. Shen has access to any talent he wants. Why did you set your eyes on Jing Butler?"

Shen Shubai replied, "It's mainly because he's easy on the eyes."

Mr. Li looked toward the corner, "Jing Butler, Mr. Shen values you so much. Do you want to go work for him?"

Jing Butler looked up from his cookies and replied firmly, "No."

Shen Shubai wasn't a good person. He had no intention of becoming his lackey, committing crimes under him. It was better to stay with the Li family. No way, no way.

Mr. Li seemed to chuckle softly.

Shen Shubai stared at Jing Butler and dangled a carrot, "Jing Butler, I really like you. If you come work for me, I'll pay you whatever salary you want."

Jing Butler didn't take the bait. "How about one billion then?"

Shen Shubai: "..."

"Can't afford it, huh? (chewing) You had the nerve to come here and try to poach me? Get lost!"

Shen Shubai's smile faltered, and he said with ambiguous meaning, "...Jing Butler, you're really joking. I see you have no respect for our Shen family."

Jing Butler replied, "If that's what you think, there's nothing I can do."

Shen Shubai took a deep breath. "Jing Butler, if you come work for me, I'll give you ten times your salary. What do you say?"

This was his greatest show of sincerity. If the young butler still didn't agree, it would be a bit ungrateful.

Mr. Li glanced over, worried. He was genuinely concerned that the young butler might agree and jump ship, after all, he was a bit of a money lover.

"Not really."

Jing Butler kept his head down, munching on his cookies. "Forget it, Mr. Shen. We're just not a good match. You're a decent boss, but you're not worthy of me. I'll just pretend I never met you. Let's just call it quits, okay?"

Shen Shubai: "...???"

Those were the exact lines he used on regular girls! Jing Butler had just thrown his own words right back at him!

The sarcastic jabs left him feeling a bit bitter.

Shen Shubai was completely thrown off and stormed out, forgetting to say goodbye.

In line with his duties as a butler, Jing Yi saw him off at the door.

Giving a flirtatious look, Shen Shubai, frustrated at not getting his way, decided to throw in one last jab at the Li family before leaving: "This is how the Shen family treats their guests? Well, I’ve certainly seen enough!"

Jing Yi humbly replied, "It’s not so bad. We always bring a big gift when we visit, unlike some people who show up empty-handed."

Shen Shubai: “……”

“A Big Gift”

Thinking of the 'big' grandfather clock in his own warehouse, Shen Shubai was so furious he slammed the car door hard.

As the car sped away, Jing Yi clicked his tongue: "Looks like our protagonist doesn’t have much staying power—he bolted pretty fast."

Sigh, how boring.

"Should I call him back for you to mess with some more?"

Jing Yi was startled and turned around: "Eldest young master, when did you come?"

Li Wenzhao glanced down and smiled: "I came when you mentioned the big gift."

Jing Yi smiled shyly. Oh, that was just the right time.

"See how much face I’m giving the Li family."

"Shouldn’t you tell the kitchen to reward your young butler?"

Li Wenzhao’s expression softened, seeming to be in a good mood: "There’s not a lot on this card, just use it for some pocket money."

A card fell into Jing Yi’s hand.

Jing Yi’s eyes lit up immediately: "Thank you, eldest young master!"

"Wow, wow, wow! It’s awesome being part of the Li family—I even got a bonus!"

Carefully tucking the card away, Jing Yi asked Li Wenzhao with a pursed mouth: "How much money is on the card?"

If it was too much, he’d feel guilty taking it, hehehe.

Li Wenzhao replied concisely: "50."

Jing Yi tilted his head: "In dollars?"

"……” Li Wenzhao was momentarily speechless at his description: "Yes."

"Wow, the boss is generous!"

Shen Shubai’s car disappeared at the end of the road, and judging by the way he left, he probably wouldn’t come to cause trouble for the Li family anytime soon.

Jing Yi pocketed the 50 bucks and on the way home, he couldn’t help but remind Li Wenzhao: "He’s a bad guy after all; I don’t think he’ll just let this go."

Li Wenzhao hummed: "So, do you have a solution?"

There's no way.

I'm not a worm in his gut; how would I know what move he's going to make next?

Jing Yi looked serious: "We can only take things as they come, dealing with them one by one. Eldest young master, remember this: It's easy to dodge an obvious attack, but hard to guard against a hidden stab."

"……”

Shortly after receiving the bonus, Jing Yi's first month's salary was paid out. After taxes, it was a neat 100,000 yuan. Jing Yi was so happy he counted the zeros on his phone one by one.

With the bonus given by Li Wenzhao, he now had 600,000 yuan in savings.

Heh heh heh.

Hugging his phone, Jing Yi rolled around on the bed in satisfaction.

He was so rich.

·

·

Two days later, Li Mingzhi finally found a legitimate option among the many pitfalls.

After Jing Yi personally verified its legitimacy, Li Mingzhi enthusiastically took the materials to sign up. Worried his younger brother might get scammed again, Li Wenzhao instructed Jing Yi to keep an eye on him.

Li Mingzhi was thrilled to go with Jing Yi and didn't mind his brother keeping tabs on him. Happily, he dragged Jing Yi out.

On their way, Jing Yi got some entertainment push notifications.

They were about... Wen Suoan?

#Famous Actor Wen Suoan's Scandal Exposed!#

#Wen Suoan Steals Things#

#Wen Suoan Fake Young Master#

[A real-life 'Prince and the Pauper' story! Wen Suoan Occupies the Nest for Twenty Years, Plots Against the Real Young Master After Discovering His True Identity, His Heart Is Evil!!!]

[The Real Young Master Innocently Suffers Humiliation, Remains Innocent and Kind After Years of Torment, The Imposter Can Never Replace the Prince!]

[……

Wen Suoan is trending, occupying three spots in the top ten hashtags. Netizens are having a field day, digging into this juicy idol scandal and high-society secrets.

Jing Yi had privately sent some blackmail material about Wen Suoan to a major exposé account before and then forgot about it. He didn’t expect it to blow up like this today.

Li Mingzhi also received the push notifications and fell silent after reading for a while.

Jing Yi closed his phone and asked with concern, "Young master, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Li Mingzhi snapped out of his daze, "What?"

Jing Yi looked at him, "What are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about what to eat for dinner," Li Mingzhi said, "I just saw online that white truffle mushroom rice is very tasty, and scallop and vegetable sauté is also good. Butler Jing, how about we go try them after the audition?"

Jing Yi glanced over: “……”

Turns out he was watching food videos.

Not upset over Wen Suoan’s scandal, huh?

That’s good, spared him from having to think of comforting words.

·

The auditions were held at a small entertainment company downtown, with no famous investors or actors involved. But Jing Yi knew that this show would later become a hit. Shen Shubai had invested more money midway and made a fortune.

In the office, the director conducted the audition in person.

Li Mingzhi prepared his materials and confidently introduced himself.

The production team nodded in satisfaction, put away the materials, and then looked at Jing Yi: “Next, it’s your turn, young man.”

Jing Yi glanced around and pointed at himself. “Me?”

Director: “Of course.”

“I’m not, I’m not,” Jing Yi pointed at Li Mingzhi. “I’m just his assistant, here to carry his stuff, not auditioning.”

Director: “……”

To be honest, Jing Yi had a nice appearance, soft and gentle, with bright round eyes and full lips that gave off an innocent allure.

He would have been perfect for the show’s vibe.

Shame he wasn’t interested in making his debut.

The director sighed regretfully, “Alright then, next.”

·

“Jing... Jing Yi, how was my performance?” After the interview, Li Mingzhi asked. “Did I mess up my speech?”

Jing Yi gave him a thumbs up. “Great performance.”

Li Mingzhi smiled with his mouth pursed. “The director said that if the audition goes through, I can start filming tomorrow. But it’s a reality show, I’m afraid I won’t be funny, not entertaining at all.”

Jing Yi comforted, “Young master, just be yourself.”

Li Mingzhi nodded. “Well, I’ll go home and get myself all dolled up. Tomorrow, I’ll make a grand appearance and blow everyone away!”

Jing Yi: “……”

You’re being modest, young master, you’re quite funny already.

·

That evening, Li Mingzhi received a notification from the production team to film at a designated location the next day.

Li Mingzhi immediately shared the good news with Jing Yi, and the two giggled together for a while.

In the evening, Li Wenzhao got home from work.

Jing Yi gently knocked on his study door. “Eldest young master?”

Li Wenzhao put down the documents, sensing that the young butler was about to stir up some trouble again. "Come in."

A head poked through the door. "Not disturbing you, am I?"

Li Wenzhao chuckled. "Not disturbing, just startling."

Jing Yi pushed the door open and entered. "The young master passed the audition. Filming starts tomorrow."

Li Wenzhao nodded. "Got it."

Jing Yi remained standing, not leaving.

Li Wenzhao raised an eyebrow. "Anything else?"

"Uh... The young master is about to join the crew. As his big brother and protector, shouldn't you show some support?"

"Invest! Invest! Invest! Invest!"

"Jackpot!!! This is going to be a huge hit! The kind that becomes wildly popular. It's still a small seedling now; we should pour in some water and fertilizer so we can harvest big later ahhhhh!!! If I had the money, I'd invest myself!!"

Li Wenzhao asked with interest, "For example?"

The young butler was quite sharp; sometimes it was better to play dumb.

"For example..." Jing Yi carefully chose his words. "Investing ten billion so the young master can dominate the set?"

"Does he need to walk like a crab?" Li Wenzhao paused. "And do you think my money grows on trees?"

Asking for one hundred billion right off the bat, not even game coins dared to be spent like that.

That's a bit of an exaggeration.

Jing Yi racked his brains. "How about investing as much as possible? That way, the young master will have backing and won’t get pushed around on set."

With the young butler trying so hard to increase the Li family's income, Li Wenzhao felt the act had gone on long enough and nodded. "Alright, I'll have Secretary Fan arrange the investment."

Jing Yi clapped his hands. "This is definitely the smartest move you've made all year!"

"Everything before this was just stubbornness!"

Li Wenzhao: "..."

He pulled a book from the towering bookshelf behind him that reached the ceiling.

Jing Yi happily took it. "A reward?"

He looked down and saw "Xinhua Dictionary (Elementary and Middle School Edition)." "......"

Jing Yi: #shriek#

·

The next day, Li Mingzhi received the notice to start filming as promised.

This was a food reality show aimed at discovering little-known delicacies hidden in the streets and alleys. The crew had been preparing for three months, but progress had stalled due to a lack of funds and personnel.

Yesterday was the last day of auditions, and they filled the gap with Li Mingzhi. Today, they hurried to start filming.

On the way to the filming location, Li Mingzhi rummaged through his luggage in the nanny van. "For my first appearance, what should I wear?"

The agent sitting in the front passenger seat, surnamed He, said upon hearing this, "Young master, this is your first show. Just wear something youthful and approachable."

He Ping, a professional agent sent by Li Wenzhao, had organized a team to manage all aspects of Li Mingzhi’s career in the entertainment industry.

"That would be too plain. I’m worried no one will remember me," Li Mingzhi said, sprawled across the backseat, rifling through his belongings.

Jing Yi also turned to look at the back seat. "What kind of outfit do you want to wear?"

Li Mingzhi said, "Something that grabs attention and is unforgettable."

He Ping advised, "Young master, this is a reality show. You can't wear something too expensive."

Li Mingzhi replied, "I don't want expensive, I want to be memorable. I want people to remember my face in the future."

This request was too broad and abstract, and even He Ping was stumped.

"This is simple," Jing Yi said with a smirk, "Too expensive won’t work, so let’s go for something quirky."

He Ping: ?

Li Mingzhi: ?

·

The filming took place in the old town, where narrow alleys and streets were everywhere, giving off a strong sense of history.

The director’s team was setting up the filming site. Since the actors weren’t very famous, there was no big commotion. After a brief opening ceremony, the first episode of the show officially started filming.

"Jing Butler, there’s nothing for you to do right now, so just relax in the car and come find me when I’m done filming," Li Mingzhi said, then carried the prepared outfit to the dressing room.

Jing Yi hesitated. "Young master, are you sure you want to wear that outfit?"

Li Mingzhi nodded. "Yes, I think it’s eye-catching, so the audience won’t forget me."

Jing Yi kindly reminded him, "But they might remember you forever."

"..." Li Mingzhi fell silent for a moment. "Then let the storm rage even harder!"

Jing Yi: "..."

As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.

Li Mingzhi carried the clothes to the temporary dressing room. With nothing else to do, Jing Yi sat in the shade, sipping a multilayered grape drink.

The weather had turned a bit chilly, so he had ordered the drink without ice and also brought an extra cup for Li Mingzhi to drink after filming.

When Li Wenzhao stopped by the set to meet with the director, this was the scene he encountered.

In the shade, his young butler, dressed in a clean white casual outfit, his skin fair and smooth like freshly cooked mochi, was completely absorbed in sipping his milk tea.

Li Wenzhao walked over. "Where's Mingzhi?"

Jing Yi, who was staring at the fruit pieces in his cup through the sunlight, choked a little. "Cough... He's changing clothes. What brings you here, eldest young master?"

Enjoying the cool shade, Li Wenzhao unbuttoned his jacket and sat down next to Jing Yi. "I came to discuss the investment with the director."

Jing Yi looked at the chair beneath him. "Then why are you still here?"

"For something like that, having a secretary is sufficient."

Jing Yi lightly bit the straw in his mouth, puzzled. "So, what brings you here?"

Li Wenzhao seemed to understand Jing Yi's confusion and glanced at him. "As the boss, I'm here to inspect and see if anyone's slacking off on set."

Jing Yi took a second to react. "..."

"Why don't you just read out my ID number!"

"Everyone, get ready. The first episode of our show is officially starting, Action!"

The cameras started rolling, and all the guests introduced themselves and got their tasks for the episode.

Li Wenzhao glanced into the crowd. "Where's Mingzhi?"

Jing Yi, still sucking on his straw, looked up. "He arranged with the director for a grand entrance."

The word "grand" made Li Wenzhao pause. "How grand are we talking?"

Before Jing Yi could answer, a loud introduction came from the other side. "...Let's give a warm welcome to our newest guest, Li Mingzhi!"

Jing Yi and Li Wenzhao both turned their heads to the side of the set.

A large green frog stood at the edge of the set, smiling and waving, forming a heart shape with its bright green hands.

Li Wenzhao: (speechless)

Jing Yi: (speechless)

They knew it would be impactful, but not this much!

But that wasn't the end.

Just as Jing Yi was about to say something, the frog-suited person bent down... and did a series of backflips right there.

Jing Yi: (speechless)

Li Wenzhao: (speechless)