Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The elegant gray Cayenne cut through the night rain, sending up sprays of water. Inside the cabin, a faint tobacco scent mingled with a cool, minty aftertaste and a subtle hint of alcohol.

The aroma was pleasant, but its richness made Su He a little carsick. He longed to crack a window, yet feared the rain might drift in and dampen the interior. So, he simply leaned closer to the glass.

The back seat was already spacious, leaving nearly enough room for another person between him and Sheng Jinyu.

Su He glanced up at the rearview mirror. Sheng Jinyu was resting, chin propped on his hand, eyes closed. He had changed into formal wine-red attire, and the gemstone lapel pin on his chest caught the light from outside, casting a faint glow on his jawline.

His face was indeed flawless—his bangs swept back and meticulously styled, revealing a smooth forehead. Yet, Sheng Jinyu’s brows were furrowed, his entire being radiating an undeniable aura of aggression and exhaustion.

Su He guessed he had just come from a family banquet and had likely consumed a considerable amount of alcohol.

He turned his head slightly, letting his gaze sweep over Sheng Jinyu a couple more times before asking bluntly, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Su He’s voice was soft and thin, almost lost beneath the thumping music.

At first, Sheng Jinyu didn’t stir—perhaps he hadn’t heard. After a long pause, he finally opened his eyes, the whites now streaked with red veins.

Without even looking at Su He, he replied indifferently, "Starting to 'perform your duties' so soon? I should commend your professionalism."

Su He pretended not to catch the sarcasm, curling his lips at Sheng Jinyu. "No need for that."

Sheng Jinyu let out a cold laugh and pinched the bridge of his nose.

His head was pounding.

The Sheng family was vast and flourishing, with Grandfather Sheng’s brothers still alive. Every gathering was a grand affair, and Sheng Jinyu had uncles, cousins, and brothers—a whole crowd, each with a sharp tongue.

He had just barely managed to escape the snake pit at the ancestral home, his ears ringing from the flattery, teasing, and barbed remarks. He truly couldn’t be bothered to beat around the bush with Su He any longer.

"What did Sheng Zonglan tell you? To monitor my every move and report back regularly? Or to find an opportunity to steal documents from me?"

Sheng Jinyu asked with his eyes still closed.

It took Su He a couple of seconds to realize he was referring to Chairman Sheng. The fact that he called his own father by his full name suggested their relationship wasn’t great.

Awkwardly rubbing his hands together—because Sheng Jinyu had guessed correctly—Su He admitted inwardly that these were indeed the tasks Chairman Sheng had assigned him. Truly, the son knows his father best.

Su He wasn’t good at making up lies, so he opted to stick to the pleasantries. "Chairman Sheng also asked me to take care of your health. He hopes you’ll recover soon."

"Oh? He told you to care about my health?" Sheng Jinyu lifted his eyelids and gave him a cold look, clearly unconvinced.

"If you’re going to lie to me, at least do your homework first. This is just embarrassingly fake."

Alcohol-fueled, Sheng Jinyu was even more aggressive than usual, his barbs piercing through the air, stabbing at Su He from across the seat.

Su He finally understood—Sheng Jinyu didn’t just dislike him. He knew outright that Su He was a spy sent by his father, and the hatred he felt for Chairman Sheng had now extended to him as well.

Su He felt like the sky was falling. How did Sheng Jinyu know?!

The novel had said he didn’t know!

If Sheng Jinyu already knew his purpose, was this even a covert assignment anymore?!

This was straight-up Werewolf—the difficulty level had just skyrocketed exponentially!

Pouting pitifully, Su He’s mind raced with frantic mental calculations. Sheng Jinyu’s gaze swept over his tightly scrunched face, his eyes cooling—clearly interpreting this as guilt.

The car was now filled only with the clamor of metal music, no one speaking, making the atmosphere in the back seat awkward.

Suddenly, a cool touch brushed against Su He’s cheek. He turned and realized Sheng Jinyu had rolled down his own window.

The car had slowed as it crossed the river and entered the city. The blazing red brake lights were dizzying, and the chaotic sounds of the outside world rushed in. Fortunately, the rain had lightened to a fine mist, drifting in with the wind.

Sheng Jinyu didn’t seem to care if the interior got ruined or if his expensive suit got damp, letting the night wind and rain lash against him.

With Sheng Jinyu’s scent dissipating in the breeze, Su He’s carsickness finally eased a little.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Sheng Jinyu’s right hand, resting on his knee, trembling slightly. His left hand pressed down hard on it, veins bulging from the effort, as if trying to suppress the involuntary movement—but to no avail.

Overusing his injured hand during the day had led to convulsive twinges, his body now sending warning signals. But judging by Sheng Jinyu’s demeanor today, he clearly resisted letting anyone see how his injury affected him.

Su He watched him for a long moment before sighing softly.

He had just opened his mouth to speak when Sheng Jinyu, somehow sensing his intention, preemptively shut him down. "Shut up."

"Oh, okay," Su He replied.

Soon, the Cayenne arrived at its destination—Jingshan, Xiaoxie Garden.

This villa district came with a privately developed artificial lake, and the temperature here was slightly lower than downtown. The massive villa stood lifeless and gloomy, only a few scattered lights glowing inside.

After getting out of the car, Sheng Jinyu’s long legs ate up the distance in wide strides. Su He felt that if he walked any slower, he’d be locked out and left to sleep in the garden. He hurried after Sheng Jinyu through the door.

The smart home system gradually illuminated the living room lights, and a mechanical voice suddenly spoke out of nowhere, startling Su He.

"You’re back, young master! It’s currently 10:38 PM, and the recommended sleep time is in 22 minutes. Would you like a midnight snack, young master? The bathwater is ready—how about a nice bath before bed, dear…"

A pale oval robot glided across the carpet, prattling on incessantly behind Sheng Jinyu.

Predictably, Sheng Jinyu walked straight past it, his irritation evident in his voice. "Piss off."

Without looking back, he headed upstairs to his second-floor bedroom.

The AI executed a perfect figurative kowtow, stopping obediently at the foot of the stairs. "Of course, right away~"

Su He, completely ignored, remained standing at the entrance. He scanned the sprawling house and realized there didn’t seem to be any servants or a housekeeper—unlike the lively Su residence, bustling with more staff than family.

A little lost, Su He turned his curious gaze to the "pale oval robot."

The AI detected Su He’s presence and immediately rolled over, its display switching to a cute, gelatinous grin. "Hello! Are you the young master’s guest?"

The rotund little AI was undeniably endearing. Su He’s foul mood momentarily evaporated as he greeted it warmly. "Hi, I’m Su He. Um… I guess I’m his… Personal Assistant?"

The "egg" returned the courtesy. "Hello, Su He! I’m the home AI. My base programming is ‘Hermes,’ but since the young master never gave me a name, you can call me by my serial number—S037."

The little robot only came up to Su He’s waist, its round, white body utterly adorable.

Su He crouched down to its level and patted its metal head with a smile. "Do you know what I’m supposed to do next?"

"Rest, of course!" S037 declared with absolute certainty.

It leaned in, its expression shifting to a gossipy smirk. "Jin-Zai’s just like this—total grump. Don’t mind him. Once he’s in his room, just leave him alone, or you’ll get scolded like me!"

"Jin…Zai?" Su He was surprised. Given Sheng Jinyu’s perpetually murderous aura, he couldn’t imagine him tolerating such a nickname.

S037 blinked. "Secret between us—the young master’s sister programmed this nickname into my settings. Don’t let him know, or I’ll get sent back to the factory!"

Every word from S037 was followed by a heart-pounding conjecture, as if Su He himself was constantly worried about having his limbs snapped by Sheng Jinyu. Now, that fear seemed even more justified—apparently, Sheng Jinyu truly was the "despot" described in the books!

Su He thought listlessly, nodding to show he’d keep the secret.

S037 was incredibly warm-hearted, waddling its stout little body around to familiarize Su He with the villa’s layout. Afterward, Su He asked S037 for a notebook and pen, diligently jotting things down as he went.

The original owner’s body was frail and chronically ill, with some congenital eye condition that made him unusually sensitive to electromagnetic emissions from devices. Staring at screens for too long would strain his eyes unbearably.

Su He had no choice but to resort to the most rudimentary method of documentation. He recorded the locations of every switch in the villa and the operating methods of all the smart furniture.

After touring the entire place, Su He finally confirmed—there really wasn’t a single servant here. It felt like being stranded on a desolate island, completely lifeless.

Su He walked into the main hall, passing a display wall covered in trophies and insignias, all seemingly achievements Sheng Jinyu had earned in the racing world.

Opposite the wall stood what was likely one of the villa’s few luxury items—an eye-catching, floor-to-ceiling built-in aquarium. The fish inside were of a single species but looked fierce.

Su He recognized them—piranhas.

What kind of person kept piranhas at home as ornamental fish?

The aquarium's shimmering blue glow reflected on Su He’s face, suddenly reminding him of a rumor he’d once heard: some people raised piranhas because they enjoyed watching their brutal, violent feeding frenzies.

The man Su He was about to serve was probably exactly that kind of cold, ruthless character.

If he wanted to survive, betrayal was absolutely not an option. Staying on his good side might be his only lifeline!

The next morning, the sky was crystal clear after the rain, the sunlight blazing intensely.

As Su He sat on the edge of his bed, shaking off sleep, he witnessed a sparrow crash into the window with a loud *thud*.

He rushed over to check, only to find the dazed little bird had already flown away.

When he entered the living room, Su He froze.

The once silent and empty space was now bustling with people. Auntie Ling, the housekeeper, stood in the front hall giving orders. Cleaning staff were tending to the massive aquarium, changing its water, while servants and chefs carried out their duties. Outside, a gardener was tending to the garden and the landscape pond.

It was as if everyone had sprouted from the earth overnight, quietly going about their work.

S037 popped up behind him, whispering, "Su He, you’re here! Jinyu hasn’t woken up yet. Breakfast will be ready soon—you can sit and wait for a bit."

Su He firmly reminded himself he wasn’t here as a guest and couldn’t just sit around waiting to be served. He quickly grabbed his notebook and proceeded to question every chef and servant, even the gardener outside.

S037 grew curious, about to ask what Su He had been jotting down since last night, but before it could speak, unexpected guests arrived.

Several people in white coats, carrying medical kits, walked in. Leading them was a sharp-looking man in a black suit, who stopped in front of Su He and said succinctly, "Mr. Su, we meet again. I’m Executive Assistant Fang, Young Master Sheng’s assistant."

He stepped aside, gesturing to the man behind him. "This is Dr. Gu Ming, here for the young master’s routine checkup and rehabilitation."

After greeting each of them, Su He gave a brief self-introduction.

Dr. Gu studied Su He curiously, finding him somewhat familiar—though that face alone was memorable enough.

S037 sidled up, saying, almost like tattling, "The young master drank last night and probably isn’t awake yet, Dr. Gu! You should go yank him up and give him an earful!"

"Not a chance," Dr. Gu refused flatly. "Who can handle Sheng Jinyu’s morning temper? Besides, didn’t I warn him—if he wants his hand to heal, he shouldn’t touch alcohol. Does he even care anymore?"

He passed the buck to Executive Assistant Fang. "You go, Fang. You’re the expert at this."

Executive Assistant Fang stiffened, adjusting his silver-framed glasses. His usually indifferent face showed rare reluctance.

He looked down at S037. "Go play some soothing music for the young master. Let him wake up slowly."

"Huh? Can’t I skip this one? Waaah..."

S037’s screen displayed a crying face emoji, its little fingers fidgeting pitifully. "Last time I disturbed his nap, he dismantled my cooling fan! Now I overheat if I work too long!"

The group fell into unanimous silence, exchanging glances before inexplicably turning to Su He—as if he were the savior who could break the deadlock and solve the problem.

Su He suddenly found himself the center of hopeful expectations—or, more accurately, the designated scapegoat.