Chapter 32: Void of Stars

Chapter 32: Void of Stars

During quitting time, Li Wenzhao caught the young butler who was slacking off in the downstairs pantry.

You really can’t leave people unsupervised. After a whole afternoon of freedom, the young butler had to be caught by his superior.

"Assistant Jing, is CEO Li super hard to deal with?"

As he walked outside, he could hear the chattering from within.

Li Wenzhao raised an eyebrow. After just a few hours away from the office, the young butler was already chatting it up with the employees?

He lightly stopped in his tracks.

Let’s see what the young butler has to say about me.

"Hmm," the sound of the young butler chewing vaguely, "The big boss is super hard to deal with."

"Got any examples?"

"Isn’t he super fierce during work hours?"

"Every time I see him, I get scared. But recently, for some reason, he doesn’t seem as terrifying as before."

"Assistant Jing, tell us more about it."

Jing Yi: "Tell what?"

"Tell us what CEO Li is usually like?"

With plenty of snacks in the pantry, several empty chip bags had already piled up in front of Jing Yi. He pinched a strawberry daifuku and took a bite, "He yells at people like crazy."

"..."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

Jing Yi continued to babble, "And he’s a pro at cutting salaries."

"Ah?"

"I’m telling you, CEO Li looks like he has a tendency for domestic violence."

"Looks like Assistant Jing has been through the wringer. Here, have some pizza—eat up and recharge."

Jing Yi happily accepted with a smile.

To fit in with coworkers, you’ve got to trash talk the boss.

The harsher the criticism, the closer the relationship.

But as he kept criticizing, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his back was getting cold.

Was it just his imagination?

"Assistant Jing, why are you putting up with all this suffering by staying with CEO Li?" someone asked, "With your skills, you could land a better gig, no problem."

"You overestimate me, young one. With my useless college-student abilities, apart from the high tolerance of Li Corporation, there really isn’t any other place that would take me in..."

"Sigh..." Jing Yi took a bite of the pizza and sighed, "There’s no way around it. He pays too much."

"......"

Li Wenzhao: "......"

Unable to hold back anymore, he wanted to drag the young butler out and give him a beating. He lightly coughed, and the chatter in the break room immediately fell silent, turning into a group of wary sparrows.

Li Wenzhao entered the door with a stern face.

All the employees turned pale and immediately found excuses to leave, afraid that if they were late, the CEO would give them a hard time.

Only Jing Yi remained frozen in place. This was not good.

Li Wenzhao walked closer, looking at the snacks the employees had given him, and sneered: "The snacks obtained by tarnishing my reputation, do they taste good?"

Jing Yi coughed and asked in a hopeful tone: "Eldest young master, when did you arrive?"

Li Wenzhao: "When you were discussing whether I was hard to get along with."

Jing Yi's heart sank.

This was not good.

That meant he had heard everything.

Li Wenzhao: "Yes, I heard everything."

Jing Yi touched his chest. "How can you casually listen to my inner thoughts? I have no privacy left."

Li Wenzhao sneered and lightly tapped his fingers on the desk. "Oh, playing the victim."

Jing Yi: "......"

He apologized tight-lipped: "Eldest young master, I didn't really mean to speak ill of you, I was just trying to build rapport."

Li Wenzhao: "To build rapport, you speak ill of the boss?"

Jing Yi asked rhetorically: "Is there any way quicker to build rapport than cursing the boss?"

Li Wenzhao: "......"

"Don't worry." Jing Yi smiled gently: "My heart has always been on your side."

Li Wenzhao didn't want to believe his superficial loyalty and instead said: "Time to go home."

·

·

Returning to the Li family, Jing Yi found that Li Mingzhi had also returned.

Ever since becoming a regular cast member, this weekend Li Mingzhi had followed the crew to the western region for location shooting, having been away from home for many days. He hadn't mentioned his return in advance, surprising the Li family quite a bit.

"Young master, you're back."

"Jing Butler, long time no see." Li Mingzhi had tanned a little, but his eyes were bright. "I've been away for so long, and I really missed you."

Jing Yi was quite touched: "You're so thoughtful, young master."

"Quick, quick, quick, say more things to me." Li Mingzhi said: "I'm running out of jokes. After this shoot, even the director said I was too restrained."

Jing Yi felt touched for a moment, then fell silent: '...'

He remained silent for a few seconds before suddenly asking, "Young Master, the persona you portray in the variety show is based on..."

Li Mingzhi shouted back, "You."

Jing Yi: "..."

Thanks, but I'm not *that* crazy.

A scoff reached his ears, and he turned to see Li Wenzhao's eyes crinkled in amusement, as if he had just laughed.

"Let's change and get going; we're running out of time," said Li Mingzhi.

Jing Yi looked puzzled. "Where are we going?"

"There's a fashion gala tonight hosted by our director, and many big names are invited. Big Brother is the main investor in our show and is also invited. As for you, Butler Jing, you can just go to eat and drink. The food at the gala is supposedly amazing... Huh, didn’t you guys receive the invitation?"

Jing Yi's eyes lit up.

It's nice of the young master to think of him.

As for the invitation, Jing Yi recalled the events from a few days ago. The impact had been so big that no one had probably paid attention to any invitations they might have received.

"Big Brother?" Li Mingzhi turned to the man on the couch. "Are you going?"

Li Wenzhao: "No—"

"If not, I'll go with Butler Jing."

Li Wenzhao stood up. "Wait while I change clothes."

Jing Yi was about to say something but was pushed into his room by Li Mingzhi. He did have a few suitable outfits, bought with the eldest young master's card when he first arrived.

Since he wasn't the star of the show, Jing Yi didn’t need to stand out, so his outfit didn’t have to be too flashy. After some thought, he chose a deep black suit with golden filigree on the shoulder and left chest—simple yet elegant.

As he walked out, Li Mingzhi looked him over and exclaimed, "Wow, Butler Jing, you look like a member of the Li family."

Jing Yi’s mind instantly recalled all the "real vs fake young master" tropes he had seen. "Is it because of my clothes?"

Li Mingzhi shook his head mysteriously. "Your looks are on par with the Li family’s."

Jing Yi: "..."

He could tell that Li Mingzhi mainly wanted to praise himself.

Still, Jing Yi was quite pleased. Since arriving here, his looks and figure had stayed the same, so he accepted the compliment without hesitation.

Jing Yi rarely wore such formal attire and felt a little uncomfortable. "Is the waist too tight? It feels a bit snug."

"No, it looks good like this." Li Mingzhi turned his head and, seeing that his elder brother had also come downstairs, quickly pushed Jing Yi forward. "Big Brother, look, doesn’t Butler Jing look great in this outfit?"

Jing Yi turned to look behind him and met Li Wenzhao’s gaze, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

No wonder he’s a main character in the novel. Li Wenzhao’s looks were truly striking. Dressed in fine clothes, he looked every bit the prince.

"Big Brother?" Li Mingzhi waved his hand. "Why aren’t you speaking?"

Li Wenzhao pulled his gaze away, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. "Hmm, not bad."

Li Mingzhi: "I told you so."

·

The venue of the banquet was the main hall of a five-star hotel in the city center. The three of them set out from the Li family and then split up at the entrance.

Li Mingzhi would be making an appearance with the crew members, so Jing Yi followed Li Wenzhao through the VIP entrance reserved for investors into the hall.

This banquet was large-scale with many invited guests. A long line had formed outside the main entrance, and the organizers were checking invitations one by one.

As for Li Wenzhao, identifying himself was enough to gain direct access through the VIP entrance to the heart of the event.

Jing Yi looked at the long line next to them and muttered, "Eldest young master, isn't this a bit like bullying others with our status?"

"It's quite thrilling to walk right through in front of so many people."

Li Wenzhao led him down the red-carpeted entrance, his expression a bit complicated. "You're a university graduate?"

Jing Yi: "Yes."

"Your degree must be watered down."

Jing Yi gave him a law-educated glance. "That's illegal."

He wouldn't do anything that broke the rules.

Li Wenzhao let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Do all college students use idioms incorrectly like you?"

Jing Yi dropped his gaze, embarrassed. "I can't speak for others, but I do."

"..."

The two entered the banquet hall while chatting. As soon as Li Wenzhao appeared, he became the center of attention for the businesspeople. Jing Yi, not interested in their polite small talk, just wanted to eat and drink.

"Go have fun," said Li Wenzhao, seeing his boredom. "But don't overeat."

"It's fine," Jing Yi said eagerly. "I'll pre-lose 10 pounds so I can eat freely tonight!"

Li Wenzhao: "..."

Oh well, let him eat.

"Don't drink alcohol, and be careful not to cause trouble," Li Wenzhao warned.

Jing Yi seemed to find this amusing. "I'm not a troublemaker; I won't cause any problems."

Li Wenzhao gave a dry laugh. "You've caused plenty of trouble, haven't you?"

Jing Yi recalled everything that had happened since he arrived at the Li family and realized he did have a bit of a troublemaker attribute. He had almost forgotten about it until Li Wenzhao mentioned it.

Jing Yi, unusually, stumbled over his words. "Hey, I've been giving you face, and yet you keep bringing up my mistakes."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

If he didn't keep an eye on the young butler, he would probably end up somewhere unexpected.

Li Wenzhao had meant it as a kind reminder, but it turned out to be prophetic. Jing Yi really did cause a big trouble for him.

·

Jing Yi left the central business district where Li Wenzhao was and made a beeline for the buffet table. The banquet's theme was just an excuse for the food; he decided to eat his fill first.

The banquet was glamorous, and the invited guests were all dressed to the nines, gathering in small groups to taste wine. As an outsider, Jing Yi didn’t recognize any celebrities, so he could focus on enjoying his meal without distractions.

"Hey, Jing Butler!"

Li Mingzhi appeared out of nowhere, wearing a sparkling outfit with makeup that made him look considerably more refined, as if he had applied two layers of beauty filters. "I figured you'd be here."

Jing Yi was in the midst of battling a plate of amber grapefruit and looked up. "Huh? What do you need?"

"Didn't you say you liked Teacher Yuan? He's right over there! Let me introduce you!"

Jing Yi followed Li Mingzhi's gaze but had no idea whether the person in question was short or round. It was probably some celebrity the original body had liked.

He shook his head decisively. "Not interested, young master."

"Why not?"

Jing Yi fed himself a piece of red wine pear. "I don't like him anymore."

"That fast?" It had been less than a month since they last talked about his favorite celebrity.

Jing Yi had a ready answer. "Men are fickle creatures."

Li Mingzhi: "..."

He scanned the room and spotted his elder brother standing out from the crowd. Not far away, Shen Shubai had also arrived and was suspiciously adding something to his cup.

"Butler Jing, Butler Jing!" Li Mingzhi widened his eyes and hurriedly pulled at the person next to him.

Jing Yi was startled, and a cherry almost got stuck in his throat. He casually picked up a drink and drank half a cup. "What's up?"

"Shen Shubai is putting something in his cup. Is he trying to harm my brother?"

Jing Yi squinted and looked over, indeed seeing Shen Shubai approaching Li Wenzhao with a cup.

Li Mingzhi worriedly said, "Shouldn't we warn my brother?"

"Don't worry," Jing Yi reassured him. "I've got this."

The drink he grabbed was surprisingly good, with a fresh fruity taste. Jing Yi took another sip and closed his eyes slightly.

Li Mingzhi: "???"

"Eldest young master!"

Jing Yi shouted in his heart with all his might.

In the crowd, Li Wenzhao turned around, completely stunned: ??

Li Mingzhi was left with a ringing in his ears: ...

"Shen Shubai messed with the drink—don't touch anything!"

Jing Yi tilted his head and asked Li Mingzhi, "What kind of cup did he tamper with?"

Li Mingzhi opened his mouth wide and shook his head. "A tall glass... filled with red wine."

"Champagne flute! It's red wine!"

Li Wenzhao: “……”

Li Mingzhi: “……”

Right after, he turned his head: “……？？？？”

Did the young butler realize his thoughts were leaking?

"Okay, let's keep going."

"……”

Jing Yi turned his head again to look for the fruity drink he had earlier. Li Mingzhi hurriedly warned, "That's a fruit wine. It doesn't taste much like alcohol, but it has a pretty high alcohol content, so you should drink less."

Li Mingzhi rubbed his ear as he spoke, feeling like his eardrum was a bit numb.

Jing Yi, having worked part-time outside in his previous life, had built up some tolerance for alcohol. He smacked his lips and replied, "Then I'll just have two cups."

"Mm."

Li Mingzhi's phone rang. It was the director calling, asking him to take the newbies out for an appearance.

Jing Yi gently patted him and said, "You got this, young master! You're the greatest!"

Li Mingzhi: “……”

With everyone busy, Jing Yi, feeling bored, wandered back to the buffet table. He was full, but he could still have a bit more of that delicious fruit wine.

Cup after cup, he soon forgot Li Mingzhi's warning.

When he came to his senses, Jing Yi had already finished all the fruit wine in front of him.

He felt a bit itchy in his throat and reached up to loosen his tie.

From the faintly visible gap in his collar, a small black trumpet slowly appeared from his skin.

Jing Yi, completely unaware, stumbled to a rest area in the corner and sat down, his vision spinning.

Uh-oh, I think I'm drunk.

And a bit warm.

Jing Yi casually grabbed a nearby flyer, using it to fan himself, and his eyes were drawn to a name on it.

From his collar, the small black trumpet flickered.

"Wow, Cen Mingming! What’s she still doing here? Didn’t she evade taxes worth hundreds of millions? How hasn’t she been blacklisted yet…"

“……”

In the next moment, the entire hall fell silent.

"What was that noise?"

"Who said that?"

"Cen Mingming evaded taxes? Is it true or not?"

"It's probably just a prank, no one could steal that much..."

Shen Shubai, who was about to stuff laxatives into the fruit, suddenly froze: "...What?!"

In the crowd, Li Wenzhao was startled for a couple of seconds and immediately turned his head to look for the young butler.

The guests in the hall were whispering and gossiping, while a glamorous woman in the venue turned deathly pale.

Jing Yi, slouched in the corner, squinted at the second name on the publicity flyer...

"Fang, Fang Heng..."

The hall fell into an abrupt silence.

"Fang Heng is performing later—a sexy dance, no less! He must love it since he often does stripteases at underground bars, charging tens of thousands per show. If I get to see him tonight, it’ll be like hitting the jackpot!"

The chatter in the hall resumed, and somewhere in the venue, a loud noise spread, clearing a space. The male star standing in the center of the cleared area looked terrified.

The voice, like an executioner’s, continued to ring out.

"Pei Pei, Pei Pei..."

The actress whose name was called bit her lip nervously as people around her stared in shock.

"Now that you mention it, this girl knowingly became the other woman. While her older sister was still bedridden, she was busy having an affair with her brother-in-law and even got pregnant. It’s said that she and her brother-in-law are planning to murder her sister for a huge insurance payout... Tsk tsk."

The named actress collapsed with a plop.

Pandemonium broke out in the hall. Many entertainment reporters in the venue, sensing a massive scoop, raised their microphones to chase down interviews, forcing the three disgraced stars to flee in disarray.

Li Mingzhi shouldered his way through the crowd to reach Li Wenzhao: "Big Brother."

Li Wenzhao's eyes were still scanning the chaotic crowd, but he couldn't see the familiar figure: "First, find Jing Yi and get him out of here."

If Jing Yi was discovered, there could be serious backlash, putting the young butler in danger.

"Okay, I'll go now."

Li Wenzhao and Li Mingzhi split up to search the hall, while Jing Yi, hiding in a secluded corner, continued to wield his judge's brush—

"This guy—Yang Zailun—is something else. Ugh, he’s involved with his stepmom and loves kinky toys. He often ties her up in a car in public..."

"Shut up!"

"Shut your mouth!"

A man roared in rage, trying to find the speaker, but the voice seemed to come from everywhere, making it impossible to pinpoint.

The man, infuriated, kicked over a dozen tables.

"Come out!"

"You bastard, how dare you slander me!"

The reporters exchanged glances and bolted for the parking lot.

The man turned deathly pale: "Don't go! All of you, come back!"

Panic swept the room. The guilty looked terrified, worried they’d be next on the hit list. The innocent were eagerly devouring the gossip, typing furiously in their chat groups.

There were quite a few smart people present who gradually figured out the pattern. "Quick, look at the banquet brochure! The whistleblower is revealing secrets based on the performance list in the brochure!"

Everyone scrambled for the brochure.

"There's one more person in the brochure!"

"It's..."

"It's... Qiu Guzheng, the Movie King!"

A wave of shock rippled through the crowd, even more intense than the previous revelations.

The entertainment reporters who had just run off not long ago returned, their cameras and recorders aimed at the target, the Movie King, ready to snatch the headlines at any moment.

Feeling the effects of alcohol, Jing Yi's vision grew increasingly blurry. He shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Qiu... guh."

A hand covered his mouth.

The cool scent of men's cologne wafted over from the front, a broad chest enveloping him, providing a strong sense of security.

A familiar voice spoke in his ear, "Jing Yi, be good, don't overthink, and don't speak. Let's leave first."

Jing Yi was utterly confused.

He still had something to say.

But before he could struggle, Li Wenzhao had already wrapped an arm around his waist and forcibly led him away.

After waiting eagerly for a long time without further revelations, the crowd began to discuss among themselves.

"Is he not going to reveal it?"

"It's been so long, seems like there won't be any more."

"Seems like the Movie King should be fine..."

Qiu Guzheng also snapped back from his shock, quickly regaining his composure, and with a smile, raised his glass, "I'm not sure which friend is joking here, but you really gave me a fright..."

Buried in Li Wenzhao's chest, Jing Yi heard the voice and peeked out, his vision hazy as he caught sight of a figure.

"I, Qiu Guzheng, have been in the industry for over a decade, dedicated to public welfare, with nothing scandalous to reveal. I hope I haven't embarrassed anyone."

Hearing this, Jing Yi sneered.

"Bullshit, you're the worst of them all. Even before you debuted, you were assaulting underage boys. Once you gained fame and status, you became even more unrestrained. If this were ancient times, you'd be considered a traitor. I really want to slap you twice... what a despicable bastard. You think you deserve to be a Movie King?"

Qiu Guzheng: "..."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

He could cover the young butler's mouth, but he couldn't stop the words from spilling out.

After finishing, Jing Yi tossed the brochure aside. The grim reaper had finished calling names, and the book of life and death was no longer needed for now.

"Tonight's star lineup at the banquet..."

"All the stars are gone!"

Li Wenzhao: "..."