Chapter 16: Your Worth as a Pawn Has Dropped Again

Chapter 16: Your Worth as a Pawn Has Dropped Again

Ye Man, battered and bruised, had been struggling for most of the day, his mind racing several times. Once in the car, he was so exhausted he kept nodding off.

But this was a rare opportunity to be alone with Qin Fangrui, without the eldest and second sons around to compete for attention. He pinched his thighs twice to keep himself awake, hoping to impress her a bit more.

Qin Fangrui asked if he was hurting, and Ye Man insisted he wasn’t, seeming obedient and sensible, making Qin Fangrui glance at him several times, as if she wanted to say something.

Noticing her gaze, Ye Man smugly asked the system if his biological mother was satisfied with his performance.

The system didn’t have the heart to burst his bubble.

"Auntie Zhou and the others already told your parents about the trouble you caused Chi Jue. It’s too late to act nice now."

Ye Man’s raised smile fell.

"If I could see, I wouldn’t have been caught so easily," he grumbled resentfully.

Ever since his eyesight became a problem, nothing seemed to go right.

Seeing him hang his head, nearly in tears, the system couldn’t help but comfort him: "Don’t worry, according to the original plot, your true colors will show eventually."

Ye Man wasn’t comforted.

He hung his head in defeat, but Qin Fangrui sighed in relief.

She wanted to speak but didn’t know what to say.

Mother and son returned home in an awkward silence. After sending Ye Man to his room and seeing him still upset, Qin Fangrui didn’t know how to handle it. Auntie Zhou suggested when she came downstairs: "I’ll steam two eggs. Madam, you can bring them to the young master later. Last time he was unhappy, he cheered up after eating this."

Qin Fangrui was confused: "Steamed eggs?"

Auntie Zhou smiled: "Crack two eggs into a bowl, add soy sauce, sesame oil, and chopped green onions, then steam for a few minutes. It’s quick."

As she spoke, Auntie Zhou went to the kitchen, took out a bowl, and cracked the eggs, chattering as she did: "The young master is a bit more sensitive than the eldest and second young masters, but he’s actually quite obedient and easy to cheer up."

Auntie Zhou, who had worked in the house since Chi Yan and Chi Jue were babies, treated the young masters like her own children.

Chi Yan and Chi Jue had been smart and independent since they were young, mature beyond their years. Even when the family of four argued, it felt like a debate at a negotiation table, with no raised voices. Accustomed to the Chi Family’s cool and intellectual atmosphere, Auntie Zhou was initially taken aback by the arrival of someone who loved to lie on the floor and make a scene.

Qin Fangrui glanced upstairs, poured herself a glass of red wine from the fridge, and leaned against the island counter: "I heard reports before that Xiao Man was targeting Ah Jue."

She had even witnessed it twice herself.

In Qin Fangrui’s eyes, children’s methods were clumsy, and their intentions were easily seen through.

Auntie Zhou finished preparing the eggs and placed them in the steamer, hesitating to say: "We thought the same at first."

"Madam, don’t take it the wrong way. After seeing similar situations so many times, we all thought the young master was like those children brought back from outside in other families…"

In wealthy families, when it comes to personal interests and power struggles, it’s not much different from palace dramas. Those who work in such households know more about the hidden scandals and, having seen so much, naturally think more when situations arise.

At first, they thought Ye Man was also scheming.

Not just the servants, but even the Chi Family members themselves, didn’t they think the same?

The Chi Family’s situation was more complicated. It was hard to say whose side to take when it came to the real and fake young masters. When conflicts arose between the two, they could only report privately to those in the family who could make decisions.

But Qin Fangrui didn’t know how to handle the issues between her two sons. Favoring one would mean being unfair to the other. Sometimes, parents don’t want to be the bad guys in parent-child relationships. Fortunately, Chi Jue, as always, didn’t cause any trouble and could handle problems on his own.

Auntie Zhou smiled brightly: "Actually, the young master adores his brothers, especially the second young master. He's especially attached to him." Auntie Zhou confidently assured Qin Fangrui: "The young master's mischief is just his way of craving attention!"

Qin Fangrui wasn’t so sure.

Though she pitied Ye Man’s hardships and his blindness at such a young age, and the family had been quite indulgent with him, judging by his current actions... it didn’t quite line up with Auntie Zhou’s claims, did it?

Upstairs.

Ye Man was nodding off to the system’s droning voice.

Suddenly—

"Why is the plot veering off course again!"

"Ahhh, host, your character’s falling apart again!! The cannon fodder value has dropped, dropped!"

Ye Man’s bloodshot eyes shot open.

Who’s been badmouthing him behind his back?

He’d finally sweet-talked the system and secured a million. Who’s messing with his cash?

Before getting in the car, Ye Man had asked the system. Though he’d botched the plot, his impressive act in front of Xu Huaiting had preserved his role as a malicious cannon fodder. The situation was barely salvageable—he hadn’t failed—he was just scheming to win over a big shot and fool the readers.

As long as he kept up his act as the villainous pawn and could pull the messed-up plot back on track, he would pass.

Ye Man received the system's payment, and his anxious heart finally settled. He swiftly sent the money to the same account.

When the other side replied: "Received, everything is fine at the orphanage, no need to worry."

Only then did he finally unwind and drift off.

But now his character was on the verge of crumbling again?

Both he and the system were baffled.

Ye Man murmured: "Did the old man dock points while I was gone?"

Qin Fangrui knocked and entered, carrying a tray of steamed eggs.

...

As the Chi brothers pulled an all-nighter in the study, Xu Huaiting had just left a dinner party.

A few older men, who looked vaguely familiar, along with a group of secretaries and assistants, surrounded the youngest one in the group, oozing a touch of sycophancy.

Especially when they saw the Hongqi car parked at the entrance, their smiles grew more sincere.

"It seems Elder Xu misses his grandson, so we won’t disturb you. Mr. Xu, please send our regards to the elder."

Secretary Chen looked somewhat displeased, quickly confirming with a waiter in a low voice where the Maybach they came in had gone.

A middle-aged man stood by the car, and upon seeing Xu Huaiting, his face immediately lit up with a smile: "Huaiting, you’ve been back in Beijing for several days but haven’t returned to the old house. The elder has been concerned, so he specifically sent me to pick you up."

Xu Huaiting’s expression didn’t change much as he descended the steps. The middle-aged man’s smile deepened, about to step forward to greet him, but Xu Huaiting turned and walked towards the Maybach that had just pulled up.

The man’s expression froze.

In front of everyone, it was downright humiliating.

Secretary Chen held the car door open as Xu Huaiting slid into the seat. Seeing that Xu Huaiting was truly determined to ignore him, Xu Weibing's eyes flickered with panic. Setting aside his pride, he quickly closed the distance: "Huaiting, about the old man..."

Xu Huaiting shot Xu Weibing a knowing smirk: "Yanfeng’s in trouble again, isn’t it?"

Caught off guard, Xu Weibing awkwardly said, "It’s your cousin, he..."

A server walked over with a box, and Xu Weibing’s sentence trailed off.

"Sir, the cake you ordered."

Secretary Chen moved to accept it, but Xu Huaiting intercepted it himself.

Without so much as a glance at Xu Weibing, he raised the car window.

Opening the box, it was the same cake that had been sitting untouched by his side earlier.

He’d vaguely caught someone mentioning during the introduction that it was specially made by a local French pastry chef, a genuine French pastry.

Xu Huaiting didn’t like sweets, so he hadn’t touched it.

As he left, he stole one last glance, and on a whim, he had someone bring him a piece to take away.

Sure enough, it carried the same aroma as that little blind guy.

He only took one bite before setting it aside.

Secretary Chen climbed in, noticing Xu Huaiting’s closed eyes, and murmured to the driver: "Back to the Western Hills Villa."

...

Ye Man was thrilled to dig into the poached eggs brought by Qin Fangrui, and in his heart, he exchanged a few quiet words with the system about the mystery figure sabotaging his role as the villainous cannon fodder.

After a good night's sleep, he woke up the next morning, the urgency creeping back in.

"Brother Tong, if I keep picking on the protagonist and get more people to hate me, I can raise my character score, right?"

"In theory, yes."

Ye Man sat down at the dining table.

He thought to himself, *This should be easy.*

Just as Chi Jue was sitting next to him, he served him a shrimp: "Xiao Man, have some shrimp."

Ye Man piped up in a gentle tone: "My hand hurts, I can’t peel the shrimp, can you help me, Second Brother..."

All eyes at the table turned to him.

Ye Man lowered his eyelashes, looking innocent, seemingly unintentional, but inwardly sneering.

When he refuses, I’ll...

"Okay."

Ye Man looked up in confusion.

...What okay?