Chapter 38: I’m Very Useful

Chapter 38: I'm Very Useful

Jing Yi figured that Secretary Fan had been driven half-mad by Zou Ting next door, making it hard to follow what he was saying.

"Secretary Fan," Jing Yi patted his shoulder compassionately, "You really shouldn't be doing those practice questions with Secretary Zou anymore."

Fan Ming picked up on something more in Jing Yi's tone. "Why?"

Jing Yi looked deeply serious, "I'm worried he might lose all hope in life."

Fan Ming: "..."

Just then, Fan Ming's phone buzzed again. Zou Ting had sent another message: [I don't think you're cut out for the civil service exam.]

Jing Yi caught a glimpse of the message and felt that Zou Ting had finally realized the truth. He decided not to enlighten Secretary Fan any further.

Fan Ming was both confused and shocked, and typed back, burying his head in his phone, "So these are the infamous civil service exam questions?"

Jing Yi: "..."

The phone buzzed again.

Jing Yi curiously leaned over, "What did Secretary Zou say?"

Fan Ming: "He said, '...'"

Fan Ming still had plenty of work ahead. After tidying up the office, he was ready to dive into it when Jing Yi, with nothing else to do, took a step closer and made a sociable sound, "Secretary Fan, need any help?"

Fan Ming, now focused and serious in work mode, pushed his glasses up, "Butler Jing, did you forget the task Mr. Li gave you before he left?"

Jing Yi fell into deep thought, "...Did I?"

A glint of light flashed across Fan Ming's glasses, "You promised Mr. Li that you'd stay in the office and read, confined to your own little world."

Jing Yi: "..."

Well, well, Secretary Fan couldn’t crack the civil service exam questions, so he threw back Jing Yi’s own words at him.

·

The temporary board meeting lasted until almost the end of the workday, when Li Wenzhao returned to his office, looking exhausted.

His desk had been tidied up nicely. On the small table next to it, Jing Yi was sprawled out like a sea otter, resting his chin on his hands as he stared at a four-character idiom dictionary.

Surprisingly well-behaved.

Li Wenzhao took off his jacket and casually tossed it over the chair. "How’s it going?"

Jing Yi, barely breathing, "I’m drowning in this sea of knowledge."

Li Wenzhao glanced at the bottom page of the dictionary and couldn't help but remind him, "You've only reached page three."

Jing Yi muttered softly, "Three pages of this stuff are enough to drown me."

He was a little useless.

A carefree college student who didn’t want to study or work—just wanted to kick back and wait for money to fall from the sky.

Li Wenzhao, hearing this thought: “……”

Forget it, there’s no need to push the young butler to be so studious and ambitious. It’s charming enough that he’s lively and cute like this.

Li Wenzhao placed the dictionary back on the bookshelf.

Now free from the tedious dictionary, Jing Yi perked up immediately. He took out the personnel files, flipped through them with a swoosh, and soon found himself looking up at the clock on the wall.

But the moment he glanced, he was caught in the act: “Checking how many minutes and seconds are left until it’s time to leave?”

Jing Yi shook his head, “No, I’m just trying to really grasp how time flies by.”

“……”

Time passed unnoticed as Li Wenzhao worked diligently.

At five in the afternoon, Jing Yi started packing up punctually.

He glanced back and saw Li Wenzhao still sitting upright in his chair, holding the mouse and clicking away.

“Big boss, do you still have work to finish?”

Li Wenzhao, calmly: “Not exactly. I’m just finalizing tomorrow’s schedule with Secretary Fan.”

“What schedule?” Jing Yi asked curiously.

“A business trip,” Li Wenzhao looked up, “You’re coming along too.”

·

After confirming the schedule, the two left work together.

It was rush hour, and the employee elevator was packed with people. Thanks to the CEO’s influence, Jing Yi easily bypassed the crowd and reached the ground floor.

As he was leaving, Jing Yi spotted an unexpected person at the entrance of Li Corporation and was slightly shocked.

“What’s wrong?” Li Wenzhao stopped in his tracks.

“Secretary Zou from next door,” Jing Yi said, looking outside, “What brings him here?”

Zou Ting had also noticed Jing Yi, his eyes instantly filled with joy as he made his way against the flow of the crowd toward them.

Jing Yi watched, bewildered.

…Why do I get the feeling Secretary Zou is here for me?

Just as he thought that, a sarcastic laugh fell from above: “Heh, rare medium?”

Jing Yi thought for a moment, “Maybe medium-well by now.”

They’d only met a few times and occasionally exchanged messages.

Li Wenzhao let out a light scoff: “Oh, so you two have been chatting privately, huh?”

Jing Yi: “……”

What’s with the tone? Is he accusing me of joining Shen Group and betraying the Li family?

Heaven knows! I haven’t!

A shadow loomed over him: "Assistant Jing."

"Secretary Zou."

Jing Yi turned around, gauging the dangerous distance between him and Zou Ting, then took a big step to stand next to Li Wenzhao, practically glued to his side.

"Does this prove my unwavering loyalty to the Li Corporation now?"

Li Wenzhao let out a soft chuckle.

Zou Ting: "......?"

He couldn't fully grasp Jing Yi's behavior, but he had grown accustomed to it. Employees at Li Corporation, like Secretary Fan, all shared a certain innocent charm. "Could you please help me pass this to your company's Secretary Fan?"

Jing Yi’s mind filled with question marks. "What is this?"

"A guide I personally put together," Zou Ting said gracefully. "He will definitely improve after reading it."

Remembering Fan Ming's smug look today after making those mistakes, Jing Yi found it hard to comment. "You haven't given up on him yet?"

Zou Ting said calmly, "As a teacher, I won't give up on any of my students, because..."

Jing Yi smoothly interjected, "Once a teacher, always a father?"

Zou Ting awkwardly sidestepped away.

Li Wenzhao looked up at him. "Does Secretary Fan know you're demoting him outside?"

Jing Yi lowered his head shyly. "So this is our little secret."

Li Wenzhao adjusted his posture. "No collusion."

Jing Yi stood still, his eyes slightly unfocused.

No sarcasm, no mockery, and no hidden barbs. What's wrong with the eldest young master?

Had he gone soft from too many meetings?

For some reason, he suddenly recalled Li Wenzhao's previous odd glances, and his heart skipped a beat.

Jing Yi quietly shuffled closer and whispered, "Eldest young master, are you feeling alright?"

"......"

Li Wenzhao's cold, stern features finally showed a glimmer of clarity, his brows furrowed tightly. "Assistant Jing, which legendary teacher taught you Chinese?"

Jing Yi blushed. "Eldest young master flatters me; I mainly rely on spiritual insight."

A familiar cold chuckle came from above.

"That's right, this feeling."

"The eldest young master has been too kind these past two days; it's making me uncomfortable."

The crazy young butler.

Upon returning to the Li residence, it was still early evening. Li Mingzhi and Li Ting were causing a commotion in the living room, trying on clothes. The living room corner was crowded with staff members delivering luxury items.

"Third Brother, this one looks great," Li Mingzhi happily recommended. "A black sequined jacket, pleated trousers, and a silk twill shirt. You'll look amazing."

Li Ting held it up against himself. "Isn't this a bit too flashy? It looks like a custom-made outfit."

"What's the problem? You two have been apart for so long; you're like dry wood and a raging fire. You need to look your best!"

"..."

Li Ting threw a silk scarf at his little brother. "Cut the crap, kid."

"How is that nonsense..." Li Mingzhi threw the scarf aside. "You've been waiting for that person to return because you're not getting married. Now's your chance. You must seize it."

Li Ting smiled faintly but then suddenly remembered something. "Keep your voice down. Your second brother is in a mood. We don't want any pink bubbles floating over there."

In the corner of the living room, Li Xu sat expressionless on the sofa, a book on his lap, his brows tinged with melancholy, his mouth straight, as if he belonged to a different dimension compared to the bubbly Li Ting.

Thinking of Xie Yun, who had blocked him on multiple platforms, his expression darkened further, radiating a sense of defeat.

When Jing Yi and Li Wenzhao arrived home, they witnessed this stark contrast.

"Third Brother," Li Wenzhao took a step forward, "Did you leave work three hours early just to torment yourself?"

"Big Brother, it's not third brother's fault. The person he likes has returned from abroad," Li Mingzhi explained before Li Ting could speak, "They've made plans to have dinner together tonight."

"The person he likes...?"

"Here it comes, here it comes. The third young master's deadly romance, though late, has arrived!"

The trio fell silent, quietly listening to the young butler's rambling.

Jing Yi looked over at Li Ting. In the original story, Li Ting was also a hopeless romantic, and his ending wasn't much different from Li Xu's. They made quite the matched pair, completing the family set.

However, the original text didn't provide much description of Li Ting's lover's identity or background, so Jing Yi wasn't sure if this was the right time for that person to appear.

"But seeing how obsessed Li Ting is... He's probably not far from turning into a lovesick puppy."

Mr. Li’s four brothers: if they’re not obsessed, they’re not worth talking about; if they’re not love-struck fools, they’re not worth mentioning; if they’re not con artists, they’re not worth considering. Great choices, really.

"It's one drama after another. It's making me want to burst into song."

"Through time and space, I’ll give it my all to be by your side ~~"

Jing Yi, once he started reviewing the plot, got lost in his thoughts. For a moment, he sorted through all the scenes related to Li Ting, completely unaware of the brothers' frozen movements.

Li Mingzhi stared at Li Ting in disbelief and whispered, "Third Brother, you’re a lovesick puppy too."

From the corner, Li Xu slowly lifted his head, his eyes filled with surprise and delight.

Li Ting's face turned dark. "...That's nonsense."

It must be Jing Butler's nonsense; how could an entire family be lovestruck?

Besides, I know my lover very well. He's the very picture of innocence and kindness. He's been self-reliant abroad for years, enduring countless hardships. Jing Butler knows nothing about this and, relying on some unclear special abilities, is trying to smear my lover with just a few words.

Li Ting clenched his teeth in anger.

He would prove to Jing Butler that his lover was innocent.

"Jing Butler, come with me later to pick him up," said Li Ting.

Jing Yi came back to reality, "Me?"

Li Ting raised an eyebrow, "Of course. Don't you have a driver's license?"

"I do, but..." Jing Yi hesitated.

Li Ting interrupted, "Then what are you hesitating for? Are you like those novice drivers online who can't even start the car?"

"I can start," Jing Yi moved closer to Li Wen Zhao nervously, "but I do a rocket start."

"I drove off five instructors during my license test, got blacklisted by three driving schools, and only managed to pass after sending four years' worth of enrollment fees to the agency and the traffic bureau."

Li Ting immediately stepped back.

A road killer, Jing Butler—anyone who used him would die.

"Forget it, I'll go by myself," Li Ting reconsidered.

Jing Yi nodded obediently, "Okay."

"Jing Butler," Li Ting said with a provocative tone, trying to pick a fight, "Doesn't Eldest Young Master treat you too well?"

Jing Yi blinked, not understanding the sudden shift in topic, "What?"

Li Ting gave a sinister smile, "Judging by your mental state, it seems you've never been tortured by a superior."

Jing Yi, "!"

"Eldest Young Master, na-na-na, not listening."

Jing Yi panicked and took a small step back, half of his body hiding behind Li Wen Zhao, not forgetting to offer a freshly baked compliment, "Eldest Young Master is kind and doesn't engage in hierarchical discrimination."

Jing Yi was tense and on guard, gripping Li Wen Zhao's sleeve so tightly that it formed two bun-like folds. His long eyelashes cast a slight shadow on his face, and his fingers trembled slightly as he spoke. Li Wen Zhao just quietly turned his head to look at him.

"Oh, he's flattering the eldest young master."

Li Ting only now realized that Jing Butler seemed quite easy to bully. He tossed the car keys with a sly fox-like grin, "Are you afraid that the eldest young master will discover you're useless?"

Jing Yi pouted his mouth, "I'm very useful."

Li Ting laughed maliciously, "Aunt Fang has cooking skills, Secretary Fan has expertise. What do you have?"

Jing Yi thought for a moment and, for a while, couldn't really come up with anything. After a long pause, he said softly, "I have the blessing of Bodhisattva."

"Able to help the Li family through crises."

Li Ting clicked his tongue in frustration after feeling a bit choked. Still not willing to back down, but Li Wenzhao cut him off with a subtle warning in his tone: "Third Brother."

As soon as Li Wenzhao spoke, he put a stop to Li Ting's antics.

"Tsk, no fun." Li Ting tossed the car keys a couple of times, then huffed off.

Call me a lovesick fool, but I won't cry!

·

The next morning, Jing Yi woke up looking half-asleep, washed up, and ate breakfast, all while yawning nonstop. As soon as he stepped outside, icy rain splashed against his face.

It was raining in Capital City.

Jing Yi's muddled brain cleared a little. By the time he reached the dining room, Li Wenzhao was sitting in the main seat with his back to him. He had already changed into a formal and sharp iron-gray suit, his eyes lowered as he looked at today's stock market, as if the dining table was an office desk.

"Eldest young master." With no one around, Jing Yi boldly yawned, "What time are we leaving?"

Li Wenzhao looked up and countered, "Am I the assistant or are you?"

A gust of wind blew in from outside, and Jing Yi shivered. "I'm the butler."

"......"

Seeing Jing Yi couldn't stop shivering, as if he was on vibration mode, Li Wenzhao said, "It's colder today, wear more layers."

Jing Yi sat down and bit into a bun. "I added a thin sweater, but it's still chilly from the wind."

Li Wenzhao eyed his relatively slim formal attire and said, "You don't have to dress so formally."

"We're meeting with a client today, and adding a sweater might not look professional."

At eight in the morning, Fan Ming pulled up outside the Li family mansion, the documents and paperwork already prepared.

Jing Yi watched as Fan Ming smoothly started the car, turned, activated the windshield wipers, and turned on the lights for rainy foggy weather. His smooth driving and precise movements were a sight to behold.

Jing Yi couldn't help but lean forward. "Secretary Fan, how many attempts did it take you to get your driver's license?"

Fan Ming replied, "Once."

Jing Yi, not convinced, leaned closer. "Every subject on the first try?"

Fan Ming: "Of course."

Jing Yi shrank back. "You must be a genius then."

They come from different worlds.

Fan Ming: "?"

Seeing the young butler shrink back with his mouth pursed, Li Wenzhao became interested and glanced at him. "So curious, how many times did it take you?"

Jing Yi turned, his gaze sharp. "Just ten times."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

Just a mere "trifle."

This business trip involved Mr. Li meeting the owner of a high-end hotel. The meeting took place at a five-star hotel under the owner's name.

The owner personally welcomed them and led the three into the VIP reception hall.

The hotel was decorated in a traditional Chinese style with a touch of modern minimalism. A few purple bamboo plants were planted along the corridor, and an embroidered screen stood in the hall, with a branch of plum blossoms artfully placed in an ancient vase.

Both sides were eager to collaborate and quickly entered into detailed discussions after taking their seats. Jing Yi had noted the name of the owner during the introduction. It hadn't appeared in the original document, so it should be safe, and they could proceed with the contact.

Li Wenzhao and Fan Ming were fully focused on their work. This time, Li Wenzhao intended to collaborate with the hotel owner to develop a resort, and they had detailed discussions from site selection to construction.

Jing Yi couldn't contribute to the conversation, so he quietly observed. The window in the VIP room was half-open, and with each breeze, Jing Yi silently shivered.

During the discussion, Li Wenzhao glanced over at Jing Yi twice.

With great attention, Fan Ming took the opportunity to close the window while pouring tea.

Jing Yi sipped the warm tea and cast a grateful glance at Secretary Fan: "Thank you, Secretary Fan."

Fan Ming pushed his glasses up and nodded: "It's my duty to relieve the boss's concerns."

Jing Yi smiled: "I'm glad you get what I mean."

Fan Ming nodded as well: "I understand you too."

With mutual satisfaction, they returned to their seats, both wearing cheerful smiles.

By the time they finished the actual discussion, it was already 4 PM. The hotel owner wanted to host a dinner, but Li Wenzhao declined, proposing to celebrate after viewing the site selection the next day.

The owner didn't insist and personally saw them off to the rooms that had been prepared in advance upstairs.

"Mr. Li, this is your room." The hotel owner distributed the key cards: "These are the rooms for the two assistants."

Jing Yi took the key card, found the room, and swiped it, but it didn't open.

The owner let out a soft "Oh," and with a reminder from an assistant nearby, quickly realized: "Sorry, Assistant Jing, this room has been temporarily marked for repair. I'll arrange another room for you. Unfortunately, that room type isn't available, so you'll need to stay on a lower floor."

A room in a five-star hotel can hardly be considered a downgrade.

Jing Yi nodded, about to agree, when he heard Li Wenzhao say: "No need to go through the trouble, Boss Zhao. He can stay with me."

Boss Zhao was taken aback, watching as Li Wenzhao swiped the door open and led Jing Yi inside.

"Your boss, Mr. Li, is really approachable."

Fan Ming's glasses flashed as he smiled lightly: "Mr. Li has always been like this."

Swiping the key card revealed the VIP suite before their eyes.

Jing Yi looked around at the exquisite decorations and ornaments, then excitedly said: "Eldest young master, looks like we're sharing a room again tonight."

Li Wenzhao couldn't ignore his awkward wording and felt a slight jolt. "Don't say something so inappropriate."

Jing Yi turned his head. "Ah?"

Li Wenzhao's expression was serious, his tone flat. "You call this cohabitation?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't cohabitation mean staying in the same room?"

Jing Yi muttered defensively, "That's when two people share one bed. We're much purer; we each have our own bed."

"..."

After a bit of rest in the room, it was dinner time. Li Wenzhao politely declined Boss Zhao's dinner invitation and took Jing Yi to the restaurant downstairs.

"Isn't Secretary Fan coming?" Jing Yi looked around curiously.

Li Wenzhao said, "He ordered room service and is working on a report tonight."

Jing Yi sympathized, "Isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to be indulging like this?"

Li Wenzhao glanced at him. "Where's the 'us'?"

Jing Yi smiled modestly. "Oh, only I am feasting."

The dinner was light but made with fresh ingredients, and the soup was especially delicious. No wonder it's a five-star hotel, Jing Yi thought, as he happily polished off two large bowls.

After finishing the meal, Li Wenzhao went to pay the bill while Jing Yi sat and finished the soup in his bowl.

The hotel restaurant was just as elegantly appointed as any upscale eatery. It was dinner time, and the restaurant was quite full. Worried about hogging a table and inconveniencing other diners, Jing Yi sped up his pace.

After savoring the last spoonful of soup, Jing Yi was content and ready to leave when a fragrant cake was set before him.

Jing Yi quickly said, "I didn't order this."

The waiter gave a gentle smile. "This is from the guest at table 9. He'd like to invite you to a movie tonight."

Jing Yi looked over suspiciously. At the window table, a man in casual clothes nodded at him. The man had striking features, an air of sophistication, and an intriguing charm in his almond-shaped eyes.

Jing Yi turned back. "I'm full; could you please take it away?"

The waiter glanced toward the distant table, looking troubled. "Sorry, but we can't return a gifted item."

Jing Yi was troubled.

Although he liked cakes and desserts, he was wary of things from unknown sources.

Just as he was struggling to find a way to refuse, he heard a familiar footstep behind him. "Not full yet?"

"I'm full."

Li Wenzhao looked at the dessert on the table. "Then what's this?"

Jing Yi glanced at the window. "A kind person sent it. I'm full, but the waiter said it can't be returned."

Li Wenzhao raised an eyebrow, and his cold gaze fell on the waiter. "Since when does your hotel force people to accept gifts?"

The waiter's heart skipped a beat as he hurriedly explained, "It's not a sale, it's a gift."

Li Wenzhao was indifferent. "Does forced gifting make it okay?"

The waiter couldn't handle the situation and apologized before taking the dessert away. The man who delivered the dessert also stopped looking this way and finished his coffee before leaving.

Jing Yi followed Li Wenzhao out of the restaurant and into the elevator, cautiously asked in the awkward atmosphere, "Eldest young master, are you angry?"

"Not saying anything can be pretty intimidating."

Li Wenzhao said, "Why would I be angry?"

Jing Yi ventured a guess, "Was it the hotel's aggressive sales tactics?"

"..." Li Wenzhao looked down at him. "That's not something I'd get mad about."

"Then what are you angry about?"

Li Wenzhao took a deep breath. "Why didn't you just say no when a stranger offered you something?"

"I was straightforward, but the waiter wouldn't take it back."

The elevator smoothly carried them up, and when it reached their floor, Jing Yi followed Li Wenzhao out onto the soft carpet.

He couldn't figure out why Li Wenzhao had gone quiet again, and he looked like he was in a bad mood. Light and shadow played across the carpet as Jing Yi kept his head down, trailing behind.

At the corner, Li Wenzhao suddenly stopped, and Jing Yi nearly stumbled into him again. He quickly stepped back to stand properly.

"Don’t take food from strangers—it’s taught in elementary school."

Jing Yi looked innocent. "I really didn't want to eat it."

"You need to be careful around strangers. You never know what they're planning; they could sell you without you knowing."

Jing Yi cautiously observed Li Wenzhao's expression and guessed, "Is he some kind of kidnapper or something?"

"..."

Li Wenzhao was momentarily speechless.