Chapter 34: Clueless Butler

Chapter 34: Clueless Butler

On the third day after mailing the civil service exam questions to Secretary Zou, Jing Yi received a reply. Secretary Zou had somehow gotten his contact information and couldn’t help but send a message early in the morning.

[Unknown Number]: Assistant Jing?

At that time, Jing Yi was sitting in Li Wenzhao’s car, on the way to Li Corporation for work. Seeing the unknown number, he cautiously replied with an emoji.

[Big Bro Jing]: 0.o?

[Unknown Number]: I am Zou Ting.

[Big Bro Jing]: o.0?

[Unknown Number]: ……

[Unknown Number]: I am the Chief Secretary at Shen Group.

Oh.

Jing Yi suddenly realized that Secretary Zou wasn’t called Secretary Zou. He quickly added him to his friend list and changed his nickname.

[Neighbor Secretary Zou]: You sent me the civil service exam questions, right?

So he received them so quickly, Jing Yi thought, biting his lip.

[Big Bro Jing]: Yes.

[Neighbor Secretary Zou]: Thank you for your effort, Assistant Jing. However, I’m not interested in serving the country. I prefer the dog-eat-dog world of business.

Jing Yi looked down, thought for a moment, and typed seriously—

[Big Bro Jing]: Did you look at them?

It took a few seconds for the reply to come: [……I did.]

Jing Yi smiled slightly. “Ha.”

“Saying no, but actions speak louder than words.”

Li Wenzhao, glancing up from his financial newspaper, looked over. “Are you looking at something unhealthy?”

Jing Yi leaned over to share today’s joy. “Secretary Zou is hooked.”

Li Wenzhao glanced over it quickly. “Looking doesn’t mean he’ll take the exam.”

Jing Yi sat back in his seat. “You don’t understand. Once you open Pandora's box, there's no going back.”

He buried his head and typed away: [Did you actually work on the questions?]

[Neighbor Secretary Zou]: No.

[Neighbor Secretary Zou]: But I took a quick look. It doesn’t seem difficult.

[Big Bro Jing]: →.→

[Neighbor Secretary Zou]: 0.o?

[Big Bro Jing]: Yeah, right.

[Secretary Zou from next door]: Wait, I’ll make time to do a set and show you.

Jing Yi waved his phone in front of Li Wenzhao, “See, he’s been kidnapped by the evil thoughts released by the box. The next step is the exam.”

“Ha, workplace spats and minor business skirmishes—easy peasy!”

Li Wenzhao: “……”

Seeing the young butler’s enthusiastic demeanor, he couldn’t help but smile slightly, caught up in the excitement.

“Big boss, big boss,” Jing Yi turned his head to look out the window, patting Li Wenzhao’s leg as he hinted, “Breakfast and milk tea go well together.”

Li Wenzhao glanced at the hand on his leg and reminded him, “We’re about to be late.”

Jing Yi started babbling in front of him.

“What’s the big deal? If the boss is late, it doesn’t really count.”

“……”

Ten minutes later, Jing Yi arrived at the office with several cups of milk tea and offered one to Li Wenzhao.

“Buying so much, can you finish it?” Li Wenzhao asked.

“Of course not just for me,” Jing Yi said, “I brought one for Secretary Fan too. He’s been very helpful to me since I joined the company.”

Li Wenzhao chuckled softly, his tone dripping with sarcasm, “Hmm, demoted ten levels—really, you owe him a huge thank-you.”

“……”

Jing Yi obediently shrank back to the secretary’s office.

Since Li Wenzhao hadn’t shown up yet, there wasn’t much work to do. Fan Ming was chatting idly with some colleagues in the secretary’s office. It was lively, and everyone seemed to be in particularly good spirits.

“Secretary Fan,” Jing Yi greeted.

“Jing……” Fan Ming was startled, smoothly correcting himself, “Assistant has arrived.”

Jing Yi gave a knowing look: See, still not quite getting it.

Fan Ming: “……”

“I stopped by the milk tea shop and picked up some drinks and snacks. Let’s dig in!” Jing Yi was glad he had indulged earlier and also bought some small cakes and bread next to the milk tea shop; otherwise, there wouldn’t have been enough to go around.

“Wow, thank you, Assistant Jing.”

“This milk tea is super popular, and those little cakes are amazing too.”

The employees happily tasted the treats and shared some of their own snacks with Jing Yi, chatting casually. Afterward, Fan Ming saw Jing Yi out.

Seeing Fan Ming didn’t look too happy, Jing Yi asked with a frown, “What’s wrong, Secretary Fan? With your high salary, what could possibly be bothering you?”

“……”

“Not really,” Fan Ming said somewhat bitterly, “It’s just that this morning, Secretary Zou from Shen Group sent me a set of questions out of the blue and asked me to gauge the difficulty.”

Jing Yi became alert in an instant.

This is bad. How did the projectile he threw end up hitting Secretary Fan?

Is Zou Ting from the next office trying to poach Secretary Fan by copying his methods?

That won't do!

Jing Yi hurriedly asked, "Did you do it?"

"No, I couldn't understand many of the questions," Fan Ming replied.

Jing Yi let out a relieved breath, giving Fan Ming an encouraging look. "Oh, then it's fine. You carry on with your work."

Fan Ming: "?"

·

·

Back at the office, Li Wenzhao was in a meeting with several department managers. The door was open, but the atmosphere was tense, so Jing Yi lingered outside for a moment.

A few minutes later, the department managers came out as if they had just faced a great enemy, their foreheads glistening with sweat.

It was only at times like this that Jing Yi was reminded that Li Wenzhao was the CEO, highly competent, and the kind to put a lot of pressure on his subordinates.

Jing Yi lightly knocked on the door. "Mr. Li, can I come in?"

His voice held a cautious tone, like a kid who'd been playing and was now worried about getting caught. For a brief moment, Li Wenzhao's expression softened, and the internal frustration caused by his subordinates dissipated.

He spoke, "Come in."

Jing Yi quietly slid to his workstation.

Li Wenzhao, noticing he came back empty-handed, frowned slightly. "Did you finish all the milk tea and desserts?"

His gaze involuntarily shifted downward, noticing the young butler's flat stomach, which didn't seem like he had eaten everything.

"No," Jing Yi replied. "I shared them with the friends in the secretary office."

Li Wenzhao raised an eyebrow. "Friends already? That fast?"

Jing Yi hesitated, feeling a bit guilty. "We have similar hobbies, so we bonded quickly."

Li Wenzhao didn't even have to think. "By complaining about the boss?"

Jing Yi: "…!?"

Oh no, Li Wenzhao can read my mind now!

Jing Yi hurriedly expressed his loyalty. "I swear, I truly think you, the eldest young master, are refined and dashing. It's just that I occasionally chimed in when I heard them complain."

A cold laugh followed right after.

Jing Yi belatedly realized his thoughts had been overheard again and quickly covered his chest. "Eavesdropping is against the law."

Li Wenzhao remained calm. "Noise pollution."

Turning the tables!

At that moment, there was a knock on the office door, and Fan Ming entered to report on work: “Mr. Li, there’s a bit of trouble at Shengshi. Several artists who were supposed to end their contracts have mysteriously united and claim their contract period hasn’t ended yet. They’re demanding compensation, and if we don’t comply, they’ll take us to court.”

Li Wenzhao didn’t even think about it: “Let them sue.”

Secretary Fan nodded: “Also, Mr. Shen has invited you to play golf this Saturday.”

Jing Yi, sipping his milk tea, peeked over his file folder with wide, curious eyes.

He remembered a similar scene from the novel. The Li family had been hit with a series of scandals, and their reputation had taken a dive. To make sure the Li family had no way to recover, Shen Shubai set up a devious matchmaking plan for Li Wenzhao…

Li Wenzhao: “……?”

Jing Yi zoned out, continuing to recall.

The matchmaking target was Huo Cenxin, who had previously tried to drug Li Wenzhao.

In the original story, Li Wenzhao had quite a good impression of Huo Cenxin. Because Huo Cenxin was related to the Shen family, Li Wenzhao developed a favorable attitude toward the Shen Group, considering a truce where they would not interfere with each other or engage in secret sabotage.

Shen Shubai pretended to agree but, at the last moment, teamed up with Huo Cenxin to deal Li Wenzhao a heavy blow.

Jing Yi glanced at the man beside him—

But for now, Li Wenzhao hadn’t crossed paths with Huo Cenxin yet, and who knows if anything would change. Besides…

“With Li Wenzhao’s hidden ticking time bomb of a lovesick mind, who knows if he’ll end up completely smitten with Huo Cenxin at the last moment…”

Li Wenzhao: “……”

What kind of fool does the young butler think he is?

“Understood,” Li Wenzhao said: “Tell Mr. Shen I’ll be there on time this weekend.”

The moment Secretary Fan left, Jing Yi started babbling: “Are you really going?”

Li Wenzhao: “Hmm.”

Recently, the Li Corporation had been developing smoothly, while the Shen Group had suffered several project failures. Shen Shubai’s silence meant he was probably brewing something big. It was better to take the initiative rather than be on the defensive.

Besides, Li Wenzhao looked at the young butler beside him: “I guess I have a cheat code now.”

Jing Yi somehow understood what Li Wenzhao meant and modestly pursed his lips: “The eldest young master flatters me.”

Li Wenzhao smiled: “The cheat code is good, but it has quite a few bugs.”

“……” Jing Yi stalled: “The cheat code himself doesn’t like that either.”

Li Wenzhao said: “Little Trumpet hasn’t appeared lately, so it looks like he only acts up when triggered by alcohol. You should stay off the booze, and if you feel sick, see Doctor Yin right away, okay?”

“Yes, yes.”

Jing Yi nodded, then, not knowing what came to mind, giggled: “Eldest young master, in my case, which department should I visit at the hospital?”

Li Wenzhao: “……”

Jing Yi continued to let his mind wander, counting on his fingers: “Cardiovascular? ENT? Or maybe…?”

Li Wenzhao firmly declared, "Psychiatry."

"..."

·

Just a few days later, it was the weekend.

Jing Yi forgot he was supposed to play ball with his elder young master. He stayed up late into the night watching dramas and scrolling through short videos, finally falling asleep in the early hours of the morning, and woke up with a groggy head at noon.

Aunt Fang noticed his dazed look and brought him a bowl of fresh soy milk. "Jing Butler, you look a bit off. Are you sick?"

Jing Yi immediately felt warm. "No, I’m not sick—just stayed up too late."

Aunt Fang said, "Kids shouldn’t stay up late; it’s bad for your health. You need to get to bed earlier."

Jing Yi nodded insincerely. "Mhm."

By the time Li Wenzhao was ready and came downstairs, he saw that Jing Yi had two dark circles under his eyes.

Another night of staying up late.

Li Wenzhao said, "This afternoon, I'll have someone move your bed out of your room."

Jing Yi blinked, confused. "Why would you do that? That’s my bed!"

Li Wenzhao said, "You clearly don’t need it. Leaving it unused is a waste."

Jing Yi: "..."

He protested unwillingly, "Weekends are for catching up on sleep. I’ve been working hard all week. Can’t I unwind by staying up late?"

Li Wenzhao asked, "Did you relax?"

Jing Yi paused, his shoulders dropping. "Nope."

Staying up late made him even more exhausted, with sore and aching eyes.

"Aunt Fang," Li Wenzhao turned to say, "Starting tonight, the butler’s room will lose power and internet access at 11 PM."

Jing Yi: "!!!"

Aunt Fang chuckled lightly. "Yes, eldest young master."

Realizing he couldn’t argue, Jing Yi grumbled inwardly as he bowed his head to eat.

Li Wenzhao silently listened to his mental grumbling and raised an eyebrow. "Not happy about it?"

Jing Yi said insincerely, "No."

Li Wenzhao knew he was lying. Seeing the young butler's dejected appearance, he surprisingly didn’t soften his stance. "Can’t you play during the day instead? Why waste sleep time?"

"I want to sleep early too, but my phone won’t let me." Jing Yi sighed, looking quite troubled. "I must’ve been a streetlight in a past life—I’m just destined to love staying up late."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

In the afternoon, the two of them left the Li family compound.

After finishing their meal, the young butler started feeling drowsy. As soon as he got in the car, he curled up in the back seat. "Eldest young master, can I sleep here for a while?"

Li Wenzhao looked at him. "Acting first and reporting later?"

Jing Yi huddled up. "No, it's 'courtesy before force.'"

"..."

Li Wenzhao was almost amused by his mess of idioms but didn't chase him away. He got into the car and instructed Uncle Lin to head to the designated location.

Jing Yi boldly curled up in the back seat and slept soundly until they reached their destination.

When Li Wenzhao woke him up to get out of the car, Jing Yi was still groggy. His legs buckled, and he nearly kissed the ground.

Li Wenzhao made a familiar rescue move, so fast that even he was surprised by his own speed.

Jing Yi was startled by the rapid descent and fully woke up. "Thank you, eldest young master."

"You're welcome," Li Wenzhao replied, "I'm used to catching you."

"..."

The golf course had been reserved by Shen Shubai. As soon as he got out of the car, someone came to greet him—a stranger he had never seen before. "I'm Mr. Shen's assistant, here specifically to welcome Mr. Li."

Li Wenzhao nodded. "Let's go."

Jing Yi looked at the empty golf course. In the distance, on the grass, stood Shen Shubai's figure. He was curious. "Is Secretary Zou not here?"

He had planned to tease him about his civil service exam prep when they met.

The assistant said, "He has something to do today and asked for leave."

Jing Yi hissed inwardly. Was Secretary Zou still holed up at home, brushing through practice exams?

On the golf course, Shen Shubai struck the ball with a graceful swing, assisted by a caddy. Jing Yi watched as the ball missed the target.

"Young Butler Jing is here too," Shen Shubai turned around, using the golf club as a cane. "Mr. Li brings you along everywhere. It seems like you've become quite close."

Li Wenzhao remained calm. "Mr. Shen seems to be quite concerned about the people around me?"

"Our two companies have been cooperating for so long, it's normal to pay extra attention," Shen Shubai said. "Besides, I personally appreciate talents like Young Butler Jing."

Li Wenzhao smiled gently. "Indeed, especially his unconventional business strategies."

Shen Shubai, "..."

As expected, that hit a nerve.

"Shall we play a few rounds first before talking?" Shen Shubai gritted his teeth.

Li Wenzhao took the golf club from the caddy. "Sure."

Jing Yi didn't know how to play golf and couldn't see the difference between such an elite sport and something like ping pong. After watching for a while, he stood under a tree for shade.

The entire hill was booked, and there was no one in sight. Jing Yi was bored when his phone suddenly rang a few times.

[Next Door Secretary Zou]: Assistant Jing, I've said it before, these questions really aren't that difficult.

[Next Door Secretary Zou]: [Picture][Picture]……

The document Secretary Zou sent over was a scanned civil service exam paper, with scores of 80 on Paper 1 and 85 on Paper 2.

Jing Yi was shocked: “……”

[Next Door Secretary Zou]: The perfect score is 200, and I got 165 in total. Does this prove what I said?

Jing Yi was stunned.

What's keeping you stuck at home on weekends, practicing actual exam questions, my dear Next Door Secretary Zou!

[You, Uncle Jing]: Secretary Zou, impressive!

[Next Door Secretary Zou]: Actually, I didn't perform too well on this attempt. I got distracted halfway through and made an urgent report for Mr. Shen. If I take another test more seriously, my score will definitely be higher. [Wise push glasses.jpg]

[You, Uncle Jing]: ……

·

After Li Wenzhao and Shen Shubai each took their shots, they exchanged some idle chatter and mutual compliments before finally getting down to business.

"I heard that Li Corporation is preparing to enter the high-tech industry. I wonder if the funding is sufficient?" Shen Shubai asked with a smile.

Li Wenzhao remained calm: "We're managing. We're not quite at the point of calling in Ultraman yet."

"……” Shen Shubai's grip tightened.

He took a couple of quick breaths to suppress his anger and continued, "If you need any help, we at Shen Group can offer some friendly support."

Li Wenzhao: "No need, but to thank you for your generosity, Mr. Shen, I'll send over a bag of fresh bamboo shoots tomorrow."

Shen Shubai: “……”

Li Wenzhao chuckled lightly: "I heard that the statue of Guan Yu, the God of War, at Shen Group has been moved away?"

"No," Shen Shubai said with a forced smile, "It's been sent for maintenance."

"Oh, that's too bad," Li Wenzhao said. "I have a statue of Liu Bei that I'm not quite sure how to worship. I was hoping to seek your advice, Mr. Shen."

"……” Shen Shubai couldn't hold back anymore: "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Li Wenzhao: "It's alright."

Still not as amusing as teasing the young butler.

Shen Shubai angrily threw down his golf club: "Li Wenzhao, I hope you'll still be able to laugh next month."

He hurled some harsh words, tossed down his hat and gloves, and stormed off.

Jing Yi hurried over: "Eldest young master, are we done?"

"Yeah."

Jing Yi looked at Shen Shubai's angry back. He seemed thoroughly enraged, his back radiating a murderous vibe. He destroyed quite a few flowers and trees along the way, occasionally turning back to glare fiercely at Li Wenzhao, his mouth moving.

Jing Yi couldn't hear what he was saying, but from the lip movement, it looked like he was cursing quite nastily.

Jing Yi lightly tsked, "It looks like he's losing it."

Li Wenzhao said casually, "I helped him recall the recent results of the business war."

Jing Yi looked at him. *No wonder then.*

They were supposed to play golf, but the guy who invited them left halfway through. Jing Yi looked at the quiet grass field. "Are we seriously going back just like that?"

"Hmm."

Jing Yi incredulously asked, "He made us come all this way, and he just left like that?"

Where's Huo Cenxin?

What about the forced pairing?

Dude, you're really not being reliable here.

"..." Li Wenzhao glanced at him. "It's not like there's no gain at all. Shen Shubai has made some moves against Li Corporation, and it should take effect next month. I'll investigate carefully when I go back."

Jing Yi nodded. "Mhm, investigate well."

"After all, there are too many criminals around you."

"..."

Li Wenzhao put down his golf club, not wanting to get into it further. "If you want to play for a bit, that's fine too."

It's Shen Shubai's booked venue, so it’s free.

Jing Yi looked at the field and shook his head. "I'm more interested in food."

Li Wenzhao sneered. "You’re only ever interested in food."

Jing Yi pursed his lips modestly. "It's alright."

Li Wenzhao smirked. "You’re being humble."

He started walking in a certain direction, and Jing Yi looked at the car in the distance. "Shouldn’t we be heading back?"

Li Wenzhao didn't stop walking. "The fish here is great. Now that we’re here, let’s give it a try before we leave."

Jing Yi swallowed at the thought. "We have to try then."

The two changed course to the restaurant, and halfway there, Jing Yi saw a restroom and asked Li Wenzhao to go ahead and order food.

Li Wenzhao wasn't entirely reassured. "Are you sure you can find your way?"

"Of course." Jing Yi pointed to the roadside sign. "I’m not directionally challenged; I’ll just follow the signs."

Li Wenzhao chuckled and went to the restaurant to wait for him.

After using the restroom, Jing Yi followed the signs but reached a fork in the road without seeing the next sign.

Jing Yi: ?

No signposts, so I guess I'll go with my gut.

Twenty minutes later, Jing Yi stood in front of a bamboo forest, staring blankly at the bamboo shoots among the dead leaves.

He'd been wandering around this area for twenty minutes after leaving the bathroom.

“……”

Waiting for a long time in the restaurant but seeing no sign of Jing Yi, Li Wenzhao took out his phone to send a message: [Where are you?]

[Young Butler]: [Location]

Li Wenzhao opened it and saw that it was more than a kilometer away from the restaurant. If he kept going forward, he would end up on the national highway. He fell silent.

[Li]: What are you doing in the bamboo forest?

Jing Yi stared at the bamboo shoots in front of him and replied: [Watching how bamboo shoots turn into verdant bamboo.]

Li Wenzhao was at a loss for words. “……”

How can the young butler be so stubborn?

[Li]: Are you lost?

“……” The eldest young master really understands him well.

Jing Yi crouched in the pile of bamboo leaves and replied: [You might not believe this, but I’ve encountered a ghost blocking my way.]

[Li]: ……

[Li]: You’re not directionally challenged, just follow the signs.

Jing Yi: “……”

This golf course has many small paths, all tangled up. The signs aren’t enough to rely on. Shen Shubai booked the place, and you wouldn’t see a single person even after walking for half a day. It’s no wonder I took a wrong turn.

Feeling unconvinced, he typed away: [You can't blame me entirely. There were no clear paths, and with everyone wandering around randomly, I got confused.]

Li Wenzhao: “……”

[Li]: Stand still and don’t move.

A question mark slowly formed over Jing Yi’s head. Was the eldest young master actually coming to get him?

A few minutes later, Li Wenzhao walked into the bamboo forest following the location. After a quick scan, he spotted his lost young butler crouching in the bushes by the roadside, looking like a freshly sprouted mushroom.

Why is he just standing there?

Li Wenzhao walked over and heard a mess of sound effects, mixed with faint chimes. The young butler was squatting on the ground, scrolling through short videos.

It was one of those common videos on the internet meant to attract traffic—common get-rich-quick schemes, leave a comment for good luck, and you'll be wealthy by tomorrow.

The young butler believed it and was typing out: [Buddha, bless me with wealth and prosperity, so I never have to worry about food or drink. Amen.]

Li Wenzhao walked over and plucked the “mushroom” from the ground. “Why are you watching those brainwashing videos? Do you really believe that stuff?”

Jing Yi replied, “Better safe than sorry.”

Li Wenzhao mercilessly called him out: "Sleeping on the job, staying up after work, being lazy whenever you have free time, and still wanting to get rich? Are you now trying to make things difficult for Buddha because you can't make things difficult for yourself?"

Jing Yi tightened his lips. "It's just a simple aspiration of the working class."

Li Wenzhao helped him stand upright and, looking at the spot where he had been squatting, furrowed his brow. "What are you doing squatting here?"

Without missing a beat, Jing Yi replied, "I'm waiting for you."

Li Wenzhao's gaze softly fell on his gentle features. "Why didn't you find a place to sit?"

Jing Yi said, "I was afraid you wouldn't be able to find me."

Li Wenzhao's fingers paused, his thin lips pressing into a straight line, his eyes deep and profound. "It wouldn't come to that."

Jing Yi thought about it and realized he was right. The location wasn't that precise; as long as he didn't wander out of range, there was no need to just squat there. "You're right, I was being narrow-minded."

The deepness in Li Wenzhao's eyes dispersed before it could fully form. He sighed imperceptibly, "Let's go."

He sighed again—had Jing Yi said something wrong?

Jing Yi looked up at Li Wenzhao. The breeze swept through the bamboo forest, and the sunlight filtered densely through, momentarily illuminating Li Wenzhao's features. In his dark eyes, there was a glimmer of flowing light.

Jing Yi was momentarily stunned, taking a long time to remember what he wanted to say. "Eldest young master, you didn't need to come all the way to pick me up. You could have just sent me the coordinates, and I would have found my way."

Li Wenzhao turned to look at him. "Are you sure?"

Jing Yi nodded. "Yes."

Li Wenzhao uttered softly, "You said the same thing before."

Jing Yi: "..."

Oh, he came because he was afraid Jing Yi would get lost again.

It startled him; Li Wenzhao’s look was no different from how he gazed at small cakes. His dark eyes seemed to conceal an emotion Jing Yi couldn't decipher, as if a butcher were sizing up his meat. Jing Yi almost thought Li Wenzhao was about to sell him off for cash.

But now he was relieved. "The eldest young master is truly a caring boss to his employees!"

Li Wenzhao, overhearing everything, simply said: "..."

He sighed softly, thinking the butler was a bit foolish.