Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The small desk lamp on Su He’s desk burned late into the night, and the room hummed with the sound of pen nibs scratching against paper, while the pile of handwritten pages on the desk grew taller and taller.

His room was in a secluded corner, rarely visited. It even came with a small balcony. Occasionally, Su He would carry the fish tank out to let the goldfish bask in the sun. On evenings that weren’t too stuffy, he would sit on the balcony with a notebook, working on his drafts.

He thought no one would notice, but in reality, the terrace outside Sheng Jinyu’s bedroom was just diagonally above him.

Once in a blue moon, when Sheng Jinyu stood on the terrace and looked down, he would see Su He trimming potted plants or cleaning the fish tank to change the water and feed the fish.

Just like now.

Sheng Jinyu flipped the lighter open and shut in his hand, a black, gilded cigarette clamped between his fingers. The lighter’s lid snapped open and shut repeatedly, but he never lit the cigarette.

From his angle, he could only see Su He sitting on the balcony, carefully trimming the aquatic plants in the fish tank for the goldfish, showing just the crown of his head and a small, fair chin.

Sheng Jinyu mused he’d never seen a man with such porcelain skin—it almost seemed to glow under the light.

Like a white water lily, raindrops falling on its petals would look no different from landing on his face.

A voice came through his Bluetooth earpiece: “It’s been over half a month, and you still haven’t gotten rid of him?”

“How was I supposed to know he’d be this stubborn?” Sheng Jinyu’s voice held an edge of irritation. “Sheng Zonglan has sent people to my side before, but never someone like this.”

Never someone who could be molded and manipulated, yet still maintain such a sunny disposition…

Since childhood, many people had been pushed on him. Sheng Zonglan had his own standards for selecting them—most came from established families, carrying an air of pride, and some even harbored ambitions to forge a close relationship with him.

But almost none could endure Sheng Jinyu’s cold treatment, and they’d resign before long, claiming personal grounds.

This gave him short breathers, but the cycle always repeated.

Someone would always find a way to be sent to Sheng Jinyu’s side.

With Su He, however, things were different.

No matter how he treated him, Su He seemed unaffected, continuing to live his own little life happily, bothering him daily with trivial, harmless matters.

When Sheng Jinyu deliberately nitpicked or restricted Su He’s movements within the house, Su He obediently stayed within the permitted boundaries.

When Sheng Jinyu spoke harshly or made cutting remarks, Su He never seemed to take it to heart, always greeting him with a smile.

“Is he plotting something? This can’t go on. If you can’t get rid of him, maybe… you should test him?” Yan Yichen suggested.

Sheng Jinyu had the same thought but didn’t voice it. “We’ll see. I’m hanging up.”

He ended the call and stared at the figure below, his fingers tapping impatiently against the marble railing. After a long pause, he muttered under his breath.

“Those two fish must be his most prized possessions.”

·

Major upheavals in Guang City were frequent. A new city party secretary had been appointed recently, triggering a massive shake-up that left many casualties in its wake—some rising, others falling.

The Sheng Group, riding the wave of policy changes, took off like a rocket.

Sheng Jinyu had too many matters to familiarize himself with and spent several consecutive days at the Sheng Group headquarters. There were too many connections to establish, too many people to schmooze with.

Invitations stacked up on his desk, one after another, leaving him no time to deal with the “hot potato” waiting at home.

At a board meeting, Sheng Zonglan decided to hand over Zhishen Capital, a financial subsidiary under Shengshi Group, to Sheng Jinyu.

The moment the news broke, dozens of eyes within the Sheng family trained on him like hungry wolves, eager to pounce on any misstep that could be used against him in future family meetings.

Sheng Jinyu didn’t return to Jingshan for two days, staying instead at the InterContinental Hotel near the company.

After two all-nighters, the lingering effects of his concussion found the perfect opportunity to torment him again.

It felt like a meat grinder had been installed in his skull, the pain so intense he wanted to bang his head against the wall.

Fang, his executive assistant, initially planned to send someone to run for his meds, only to find that someone had already delivered them.

It was rare for anyone at the Little Pavilion estate to be so attentive. Upon further inquiry, he learned that Su He had asked S037 to arrange for a driver to deliver the medicine—along with a serving of cordyceps chicken gizzard soup, likely made by Su He himself.

Executive Assistant Fang was certain of this because the chefs at the Little Pavilion estate never used thermoses for takeout.

They preferred to keep porcelain bowls warm with scalding water, replacing the water every ten minutes so the food would still steam when served.

The sight of the thermos told Executive Assistant Fang exactly who had prepared it.

But it was better than nothing. Without hesitation, he delivered it to his boss, not mentioning who had sent it.

Sheng Jinyu was probably too exhausted to even taste the soup. He fell asleep on the sofa, still dressed.

When he woke, the daylight had dimmed.

Executive Assistant Fang brought news: Su He had been summoned to the old mansion by Sheng Zonglan. Rubbing his throbbing temples, Sheng Jinyu gave a mirthless chuckle. “Perfect timing. Let’s go back and see.”

By the time he arrived home, Su He had just crossed the villa’s threshold.

No sooner had he dealt with the big boss than he had to welcome the young master.

Su He felt like he was treading on thin ice. Watching Sheng Jinyu sweep in with an imposing air, he grew inexplicably nervous.

He wasn’t sure if Sheng Jinyu knew about his visit to the old mansion. If not, would confessing earn him leniency?

Sheng Jinyu unbuttoned his suit jacket as he entered, carelessly shedding it. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Su He trailing behind him like a faithful shadow, seemingly wanting to say something.

So he stopped and turned around.

Su He, lost in thought, nearly barreled into Sheng Jinyu but managed to stop just in time.

“Why are you so nervous?” Sheng Jinyu’s gaze was sharp, like an eagle fixing on its quarry, scrutinizing him without restraint.

Su He hesitated for two seconds before laying it all out: “I just met with Chairman Sheng. He asked me a lot of questions about you.”

Silhouetted against the dying light, Sheng Jinyu looked down at him. The light was so blinding that Su He had to look away, focusing instead on his own toes.

He wore a pair of leaf-green slippers with a puffy frog on the front that bounced with each step.

He’d bought them on a trip to get fish food for the goldfish. At this moment, they looked more like they belonged in this house than the mirror-shined oxfords opposite him.

“I didn’t think you’d tell me,” Sheng Jinyu said, his tone flat but carrying a hint of gathering clouds. “What did you say?”

Su He replied, “I said I didn’t know. But I really don’t—you don’t let me into your room or take me out with you. Yet you forget your own medicine. Dr. Gu said the recovery regimen is crucial at this stage…”

He wandered from the point, but everything he said was true.

As an informant, he was completely in the dark. Chairman Sheng had fallen silent after questioning him, leaving Su He certain he was done for.

Secretary Chen looked at him and said, "Chairman Sheng saw this coming. The young master doesn’t trust easily. It’s a miracle you’ve lasted by his side for so long. Your next task is to first gain his trust."

"This won't be easy, Mr. Su. It’s all up to you now." Secretary Chen patted him on the shoulder.

Su He blinked in confusion at the backhanded compliment, only to feel the weight of expectation crushing down on his shoulders.

He tripped over his words through his explanation and looked up to find Sheng Jinyu staring down at him with an icy stare, as if sizing up his honesty.

After a long pause, Sheng Jinyu reached out expressionlessly and suddenly demanded, "Give it here."

"What?"

"Your phone."

Su He instinctively pulled out his own phone and placed it in Sheng Jinyu’s hand, but the latter didn’t move. Instead, he fixed him with a stare. "You know that’s not what I mean."

Then what—wait!

Then it hit him—this must be the first critical moment in the novel. After the original character had been by Sheng Jinyu’s side for a while, the big villain had given him a rigged new phone during his first debriefing.

The phone was bugged for tracking and eavesdropping, and precisely because it was on the original character, Sheng Jinyu was none the wiser.

But how did Sheng Jinyu know about the phone?!

Su He dug around in his pocket, dragging his feet. He hadn’t even planned to use it, but before he could stash it away, he’d been caught.

Hands shaking, he passed it to Sheng Jinyu.

The next second, a deafening smash exploded beside his ear.

The phone smashed against the wall, shattering into pieces. Glass fragments scattered across the floor, and the impact left a dent in the ornate wall paneling.

Su He jumped a foot, his whole body trembling. He was a nervous wreck—even the little frog on his slippers wobbled, and his eyelids fluttered rapidly.

Sheng Jinyu bent down, picked up two small objects from the wreckage, and held them out to Su He. "Recognize these?"

Su He examined the two black devices. His instinct screamed they were the tracking and eavesdropping components, but he still shook his head.

Sheng Jinyu sneered. "Didn’t Sheng Zonglan explain how these things work?"

"Micro GPS tracker and an N8 chip eavesdropper. It could even hear your heartbeat loud and clear."

He casually tossed the now-useless gadgets into the trash, dusted off his hands, and turned back to Su He. "Are you playing dumb, or are you just acting, Assistant Su?"

Su He: QAQ!!

How the hell should he respond?

He wasn’t completely ignorant, but he hadn’t known much earlier than Sheng Jinyu either!

So did that count as knowing or not knowing?

Sheng Jinyu’s interrogating expression was icy and fierce, his gaze pinning him in place with overwhelming pressure.

Su He had a premonition that he was about to be chopped into confetti in the next second. In a flash of desperation, he squeaked out, "We can cooperate!"

"What?" Sheng Jinyu clearly hadn’t expected that response.

"I don’t necessarily have to stick my neck out working for your father. I just won’t report to him, simple as that." But as soon as the words left his mouth, Su He’s voice cracked.

"But if I help you, there’s nothing stopping him from whacking me first. So… you have to protect me. Deal?" Su He frowned anxiously, his light brown eyes in full force.

Sheng Jinyu looked away, throat tight.

What kind of tactic was this? Buying time? Lure him into lowering his guard, then exploit his trust to stab him in the back?

After a moment of contemplation, Sheng Jinyu cocked an eyebrow. "Why should I believe you?"

Su He withered under his gaze. He really had no leverage to prove his sincerity. "Well… you’ve been watching me like a hawk anyway. It’s not like I ever had a chance to snitch on you."

Sheng Jinyu barked a laugh at the accusation. "Glad we’re clear."

With that, he turned and headed upstairs without another word, leaving no yes or no.

S037, who had been eavesdropping on the whole showdown from the corner, hurried over. "Are you okay, Su He? That looked intense."

Su He rubbed his neck. "A little."

The robot summoned a cleaning bot to clean up the mess while comforting Su He. "Don’t sweat it. Before you, Chairman Sheng sent many others. None of them stayed long, but afterward, the young master found and dismantled 26 surveillance and eavesdropping devices scattered around the house. So..."

Su He was genuinely shocked by the number. "Were they all removed?"

"Every single one! Including the one in your room. The young master tore them out himself," S037 replied.

Even his room had one…

!!!

You rich people are next-level paranoid!