Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Inside the tutoring room.

The tutor sat on the piano bench, covering his mouth and sobbing. Hearing that Jiang Yao would arrive soon, his sense of grievance intensified, and he cried even louder.

Fu Xiaoen, holding Master Ian, peeked through the doorway. The two, one large and one small, resembled a pair of curious puppies eavesdropping, pressing against the windowsill, ears twitching. No wonder Shen Mo thought they were father and son—their shared habit of nosiness was clearly cut from the same cloth.

Jiang Yao coughed twice, then pressed a hand on the half-crouching Fu Xiaoen, roughly ruffling his hair. The three-year-old toddler looked up, spotted Jiang Yao, and immediately burrowed into Fu Xiaoen’s arms, both scared and defiantly puffing out his cheeks.

Jiang Yao was charmed and casually ruffled the child’s head as well.

Fu Xiaoen urged, “Hurry up! This Jerry is just too awful—I can’t stand it anymore!”

Jiang Yao smirked and hummed in agreement. After knocking, he pushed open the door to the piano room and stepped inside. “Master Jerry, teacher? What happened?”

The tutor, a snotty, tearful mess, threw himself into Jiang Yao’s arms. “Ah! Wuwuwu! Butler Jiang!”

Jiang Yao smiled gently, half-embraced the tutor, and gave his shoulder a resigned pat. “There, there.”

The sharply dressed Eastern butler, with downcast eyes, patiently comforted a thirty-year-old male tutor with a slight paunch.

Jerry kicked the piano, and the lid slammed shut with a bang. The keys jolted violently, emitting a jarring clang. “Stop being so disgusting!”

The tutor let out an even louder wail.

Outside the door, Fu Xiaoen was also startled. Fortunately, he had covered Ian’s ears in time. Now, he could no longer stick around to gawk—he picked up the little master and quickly left.

“Did he scare you?” Jiang Yao asked the tutor softly.

The tutor stared blankly at Jiang Yao. How could he describe Jiang Yao? Black hair, tall, refined features—yet there was no sense of distance. The way he looked at him radiated a motherly gentleness.

“My apologies,” Jiang Yao murmured. “Are you hurt?”

Jerry sneered, “*Mama-san*!”

Jerry was truly rebellious.

The tutor was paid 8,000 euros per session. If he could commit to three months or more, Shen Mo would even gift him a studio apartment in Country G.

Yet, with such benefits, the teacher only lasted two hours.

Jiang Yao escorted him to the plane, picking out a bottle of wine from the cellar as a thank-you gift before seeing him off.

The helicopter’s roar faded into the distance, and the propeller’s gust died down. Jiang Yao straightened his shirt and walked under the hangar’s awning.

Jerry folded his arms, leaning against a pillar with a smirk. “Want to know how I got rid of him?”

Jiang Yao smiled faintly, checking his watch. “How’d you pull that off, young master?”

“Beg me!” Jerry straightened up, stepping closer to Jiang Yao. “Go on, beg me, and I’ll tell you.”

Jiang Yao narrowed his eyes. “No worries. I’ll continue arranging new tutors for Master Jerry until you’re happy with one.”

Dinner time was approaching, and today was the weekly menu change day. Jiang Yao still had to taste-test the dishes. Jerry chased after him, throwing an arm around Jiang Yao’s neck. “I told him that if he dared say one more word, I’d accuse him of trying to assault me—then report it to Uncle! That’s how he got scared and cried!”

Jiang Yao played along with a chuckle. “Are you unaware that Mr. Shen has a firearm permit?”

“So what?” Jerry retorted.

Jiang Yao: “This tutor was invited from Country M, crossing oceans to be here. If he died because of you, in a foreign country, he might have no one to turn to. So your offhand threat? He took it seriously.”

Jerry: “Then I’ll use the same trick on the next tutor!”

“Unfortunately…” Jiang Yao continued, “this tutor was arranged through a global temp agency under Mr. Shen’s name. If something like this really happened, the company would announce that one of their employees went missing while on the job. The consequences? Either you stand trial in an international court, or Mr. Shen’s reputation suffers, and the Shen family’s stocks plummet.”

Jerry: “...”

Jerry released Jiang Yao, shooting him a distrustful glare. “You’re lying!”

“This is a Ph.D. from a world-renowned university, a prodigy in piano whose skills rival historical masters. What do you think?” Jiang Yao sighed. “Master Jerry, please stop being willful.”

“Willful?!” Jerry’s emotions suddenly erupted. “You think I’m willful too? I… I just… I just…”

Master Dero suddenly appeared on the tarmac. Noticing his father, Jerry swallowed his words, shot Jiang Yao a fierce glare, and dashed off.

Jiang Yao seamlessly switched to a professional smile. “Master Dero, I’ve selected a small yacht and two medium-sized ones for you. Would you like to see which you prefer?”

Dero: “What about Shen Mo’s yacht?”

Jiang Yao closed his notebook, puzzled. “Hm?”

Only then did Jiang Yao realize that the yacht was actually something Aunt Zhou wanted—a luxury yacht to host a matchmaking party for Shen Mo.

Jiang Yao: “...”

Well, that would require Shen Mo’s approval.

During dinner, Jiang Yao served Shen Mo at the dining table. “This is a Chinese dish called Dongpo pork. Please try it.”

Shen Mo’s chopsticks pierced the tender meat, and upon tasting it, he seemed unexpectedly awakened to his Eastern heritage. It was clear he enjoyed Chinese cuisine.

Dero and Aunt Zhou, noticing this, also had servings added to their plates with a communal spoon. Westerners were accustomed to separate servings, and Shen Mo had always adhered to such dining etiquette—he wasn’t even used to chopsticks.

Fu Xiaoen, eating with Ian nearby, kept mixing up the communal spoon and his own utensils. Jiang Yao noticed and ended up assisting him as well.

Shen Mo glanced over and coughed twice. “Blackbeard made this?”

Jiang Yao smiled. “I did.”

Fu Xiaoen: “Wow! You can cook too?”

Jiang Yao: “Yes. If Teacher Fu likes it, I can make it often.”

A strange wave of displeasure washed over him—this unfamiliar emotion wasn’t his own. Jiang Yao paused, then glanced at Shen Mo.

Shen Mo: “Tch.”

Jiang Yao pressed his lips together and added, “Of course, only after I finish my duties.”

Fu Xiaoen grumbled, “You’re always so busy—it’s hard enough just to see you! Forget about cooking.”

Shen Mo’s expression relaxed slightly. Aunt Zhou, who had been observing Shen Mo’s reactions, suddenly brought up matchmaking again.

Jiang Yao stopped interjecting. Unless addressed, he only needed to stand quietly by.

A knee bumped against his. Jiang Yao raised a brow, looking at Jerry beside him.

Jerry idly stirred the fish soup in his bowl with a spoon, occasionally knocking his knee against Jiang Yao’s.

Jiang Yao sidestepped, but Jerry, displeased, pushed harder and shoved Jiang Yao. When Jerry hit Jiang Yao's knee, his knee buckled. He stumbled sideways.

Shen Mo's breath caught as he instinctively caught the person who fell into his arms.

"The tenth candidate is a female artist, Italian, very beautiful..." Aunt Zhou's voice abruptly cut off as she stared at Jiang Yao in shock, her spoon dropping into the soup bowl.

Jiang Yao: "..."

"Throwing yourself into my arms." Shen Mo remained silent, leaning back slightly with a knowing smirk playing on his lips.

"Apologies." Jiang Yao immediately stood up to leave, but a hand wrapped around his leg, holding him firmly to prevent him from moving.

Jiang Yao: "..."

Jerry taunted, "Butler Jiang, do you have low blood sugar? Why are you clinging to my uncle like this?"

System: "Morals these days... this is unbearable to watch!"

Jiang Yao's eyes flashed red. "Mr. Shen..." His voice was hushed. The Shen family's dining table was long, with Dero and Aunt Zhou seated at the opposite end. At this volume, only Jerry and Fu Xiaoen could hear him.

"Please let me go," he said, sounding wronged.

Fu Xiaoen's mouth hung open in shock, while Jerry looked stunned.

Shen Mo released Jiang Yao, his expression stern. "Be more careful next time."

His words didn’t match his thoughts. Jiang Yao clearly heard his inner voice think, "Nice touch."

Jiang Yao nodded. "Yes, I have a call to attend to. Excuse me."

Shen Mo waved him off, and Jiang Yao hurried out of the dining room, his back nearly burning under Aunt Zhou's daggers in her stare.

Why was all the hostility directed at him? Shouldn't this have been Fu Xiaoen's problem?

"Uncle! This butler is trying to seduce you!" Jerry's voice followed Jiang Yao as he left. "He deliberately fell into your arms! I saw it clearly! Someone like him—"

"Little brat." Jiang Yao muttered with a laugh, adjusting his brooch before striding toward the villa's side entrance.

An argument broke out in the dining room.

Aunt Zhou was obsessed with Shen Mo's orientation. "Shen Mo... you're not... If you like men, how can your sister entrust the Shen family to you? Ian still needs a mother!"

Shen Mo frowned. "I know."

Dero restrained Aunt Zhou, urging her to calm down.

Aunt Zhou: "Oh my God! Regardless, this butler is way out of line. You must fire him immediately!"

Shen Mo did not refuse.

Fu Xiaoen finally spoke up. "If Butler Jiang leaves, I'm leaving too."

Ian clutched his milk bottle in protest. "I want Teacher Yangyang! I want Teacher Yangyang!"

The toddler was currently obsessed with an animated series called *Shaun the Sheep*. Since Fu Xiaoen shared the name, Ian had started calling him that.

Shen Mo eyed Fu Xiaoen. "Are you serious?"

Fu Xiaoen: "Yes. Get rid of Butler Jiang. That way, I can take Ian and him with me when I leave."

Shen Mo narrowed his eyes, his eyes turning dangerous. "Jiang Yao may not be willing to go with you."

"Still better than..." Fu Xiaoen leaned in, whispering so only Shen Mo could hear, "staying with a pervert like you! I saw you feeling up his thigh!"

"Enough." Shen Mo put down his fork, wiping his mouth with a napkin before rising. "I have an international meeting to attend."

Aunt Zhou: "What about the party—"

"Fine." Shen Mo said shortly, perhaps hoping it would temporarily ease Aunt Zhou's hostility toward Jiang Yao.

Sure enough, Aunt Zhou's expression softened slightly, though she still eyed Fu Xiaoen suspiciously.

A new batch of wine had arrived.

Jiang Yao went to the side entrance to sign for the delivery. As he stepped out, he noticed Kai Li Er, who looked different tonight, descending the steps slowly, his features shadowed but confident.

System: "You... are you some kind of lady-killer?"

Jiang Yao said with a sigh, "Honestly, all this attention is exhausting."

In the villa, Jing Yan adjusted the telescope's focus, catching the slight smile on Jiang Yao's lips under the eaves. He ground his teeth.

From his room, Jing Yan could see clearly the first-floor dining area. Earlier, he had witnessed Jerry tripping Jiang Yao with his knee, making him fall into Shen Mo's arms—trapped in the arms of the man he idolized.

In that instant, rage overshadowed his loyalty.

And now, his muse seemed to have gained yet another admirer.

Was the low-profile young master from Emerald Manor the one who had called last night? Jing Yan wondered bitterly. What chance did a bodyguard have to compete for Butler Jiang's attention?

The man standing by the car turned toward Jiang Yao, producing a bouquet from behind his back.

"Hey..." Jiang Yao stepped into the light, the warm glow softening his delicate Eastern features, making him appear utterly harmless. He raised a hand slowly, pretending not to recognize him at first. "Is that you?"

Kai Li Er: "Well? How do I look?"

Jiang Yao took the opportunity to look him over.

"LV cufflinks, FG's latest winter sunglasses, a pilot's watch worth around $2 million, custom-made attire from head to toe... and the car..."

System: "The car looks old, though."

Jiang Yao corrected, "It's a classic. This was auctioned last year at Coy's, the oldest auction house in England—a vintage presidential car from the last century. Priceless. And here it is."

System: "How much is he wearing in total?"

Jiang Yao: "Over five million dollars."

The system wanted to slap itself. "I must be blind!"

"Very handsome," Jiang Yao replied softly, looking at Kai Li Er with fake admiration. "Today, you're... more dazzling than usual."

Having spent some time with Jiang Yao, the system had grown more perceptive. "You're sweet-talking him. What's your scheme this time?"

Jiang Yao looked at Kai Li Er as if he were a second cash cow besides Shen Mo. "I promised Victor I'd secure funding for him. This could be it."

The system short-circuited. "...You want this admirer of yours to fund another one of your admirers?! Aren't you afraid this will backfire?! Host! Don't break this world!"