Chapter 32: The Gloomy and Arrogant Young Master (2)

Chapter 32: The Dark and Arrogant Young Master (II)

At the main table, Old Master Fu took it upon himself to move Fu Xiuyu's seat to his own side.

Fu Xiuyu changed out of his opera costume and sat down beside Old Master Fu upon his return.

Fu Shoucheng immediately said in displeasure: "Fu Xiuyu, what kind of behavior is this!"

Fu Shoucheng had never taken a liking to this son of his. That woman had given birth to Fu Xiuyu out of wedlock and then committed suicide. Old Master Fu had forced him to go bring the boy back, nearly making him the laughingstock of the whole circle. It was only later that no one dared to mention it again.

"Yes, Father, why not let Xiuyu sit with the younger crowd over there? That way he can chat with his two older brothers," Shen Xiaoman chimed in softly.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled: "Xiuyu isn't getting any younger. It's time he learned to do some real work from his brothers."

Luo Chengxing stood behind Fu Xiuning, watching the Fu family's silent squabbles with cold eyes.

Fu Xiuyu kept his eyes lowered, lost in thought, and did not respond to his "parents'" words.

Old Master Fu glanced at Fu Shoucheng and said flatly: "Since when do I need your permission to do what I want?"

"I asked Xiuyu to sit here."

He said this straight to Fu Shoucheng, and the smile on Shen Xiaoman's face froze a little.

The table wasn't just Fu Shoucheng's branch, and you didn't need to guess what they thought of this couple.

But on the surface, everyone was as quiet as mice. For a moment, no one at the big table dared to make a sound.

Only Fu Xiuyu, seated beside Old Master Fu, smiled and said: "Grandfather, I've been running around all day for your birthday. I'm starving now—please, go ahead and start eating."

With those words, the stiff atmosphere relaxed, and the others joined in with smiles and a few pleasantries.

Old Master Fu finally smiled, picked up his chopsticks, and symbolically picked up a bite from the dish in front of him before saying: "Let's eat."

Old Master Fu liked lively family gatherings, so the Fu family used a round table, with the whole family seated together.

As soon as he finished speaking, the clatter of chopsticks and bowls filled the main hall.

Besides the seated Fu family, there were many others in the hall—all brought by the guests.

Only Fu Xiuyu had no one standing behind his chair.

Old Master Fu and Fu Xiuyu put on a long show of grandfather-grandson affection before Fu Xiuyu finally revealed his true purpose for the day.

"Grandfather, looking around now, I see that both eldest and second brother have capable people by their side. I'm the only one without a single capable person," Fu Xiuyu said, as if casually. "No wonder I can't get any real work done—I can only do little things to make you happy."

Old Master Fu let out an "Oh." "Grandfather offered to set you up with some people before, but you didn't want them. Changed your mind? Just say the word."

Then he swept his eyes across the room.

Luo Chengxing observed the situation in the main hall. They say a tiger doesn't father a dog, but none of Fu Jin's sons or nephews could stand on their own—they all depended on him. No wonder he was still running the Fu family at his age.

Or maybe Fu Jin just didn't want anyone else to share his power.

The Fu family looked glorious now, but in another ten or twenty years? What about further down the line?

In any case, today had completely become Fu Xiuyu's show. It wasn't for nothing that he'd spent over a year preparing for this act—today, he had completely outshone all his peers.

Fu Xiuyu looked up and glanced at Luo Chengxing from across the room.

Luo Chengxing met his eyes head-on. Fu Xiuyu was wearing a red suit. Everyone present had some red on for the birthday banquet—Fu Xiuning wore a red tie under his suit, but besides the two madams, only Fu Xiuyu had dared to wear head-to-toe red.

Logically, clothes this flashy were hard to pull off, but Fu Xiuyu not only wore it—it fit him perfectly, making his skin appear strikingly pale and giving him a very distinctive aura. Fu Xiuyu's hair was slightly long, and a pair of frameless glasses sat on the bridge of his nose, hiding those peach-blossom eyes and making him look harmless.

At that moment, he narrowed his eyes slightly, and Luo Chengxing instantly felt like a venomous snake had set its eyes on him.

Luo Chengxing smiled at him, meeting his stare without flinching.

He genuinely admired people with this kind of cunning and scheming—unlike some people who were so dumb their malice was written all over their faces.

Fu Xiuyu turned his head again, once again the innocent Third Young Master of the Fu family. With a hint of laughter in his voice, he spoke bluntly: "Grandfather, you don't need to arrange anyone for me. I want Big Brother's bodyguard."

"You want your eldest brother's bodyguard?" Old Master Fu was somewhat surprised.

He stared at Fu Xiuyu for a long moment, making sure he was sincere.

If Fu Xiuyu wanted power, Old Master Fu's people would've been the best choice.

Fu Xiuning clenched his fists under the table. He was still young, not much older than his two younger brothers, and having coasted smoothly through life until now, he hadn't yet learned to hold his temper.

"Xiuning, are you willing to give your man to Xiuyu?" Old Master Fu looked at Fu Xiuning.

Luo Chengxing quietly reached out and pressed Fu Xiuning's shoulder, though inside he let out a quiet laugh.

See? Isn't this exactly someone whose malice is written all over his face?

The undercurrents in a wealthy family run deep—on the surface, a few simple words, but in reality, everyone present had already spun eight hundred schemes in their heads.

"Grandfather, Luo Chengxing has been with me the longest. He's involved in everything I do now," Fu Xiuning said.

Fu Xiuyu tilted his head slightly: "Eldest brother, I was just saying. After all, a man like Mr. Luo can only really be useful under you. Unlike me—I have no work to do and no one to command."

Old Master Fu frowned. In his view, a mere Fu family bodyguard—was it really worth bringing up at the table? And was Fu Xiuning really unwilling to give up even a bodyguard for his younger brother?

Even if Fu Xiuyu had ulterior motives, Old Master Fu was in a good mood today and willing to indulge him.

Just then, Luo Chengxing stepped forward slightly and said calmly: "Third Young Master, I'm a man of the Fu family. Serving anyone is the same to me. Your thinking of me is my honor."

Once Luo Chengxing spoke, Fu Xiuning seemed to find his footing. He collected himself and said: "Since Luo Chengxing has said so, then let him go to you."

"Today is Grandfather's birthday, and we're all gathered as a family. Let's not dwell on this any more." Fu Xiuning smoothly changed the subject and, putting on the air of the eldest brother, said a few more pleasantries.

Old Master Fu was very pleased with Fu Xiuning's eldest-brother attitude.

"Enough." Old Master Fu raised his hand. "Since you've taken a liking to Xiuning's man and he's agreed, then Grandfather won't set you up with anyone."

Fu Xiuyu read Old Master Fu's expression and wisely didn't push it. He smiled and thanked his eldest brother on the surface, but his nails dug into his palm.

This matter was small, but its intent was to strike at the heart.

Yet Fu Xiuning had so easily given away his right-hand man!

After the midday banquet, everyone offered birthday wishes to Old Master Fu. After handing out the longevity peaches and cake in the main hall, they exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then the guests prepared for the evening banquet at the Fu residence.

By all rights, given the Fu family's extravagance, Old Master Fu's seventieth should've been a full day of festivities with guests from all sides.

But Old Master Fu said he was too old for all that noise and preferred quiet, so the midday banquet marked the end of the formal proceedings, and the rest was left to them to arrange for the evening banquet. Social gatherings among aristocratic families were all about connections and favors. Old Master Fu had already stepped back behind the scenes, so the main ones doing the socializing were the other big names of the capital circle.

As a young master of the Fu family, Fu Xiuyu naturally had to follow his two brothers around to socialize and make nice.

Fu Xiuning had already taken over family affairs, so naturally he was the most sought after—everyone who saw him had to say "a young man of great promise" and then come over to talk at length, leaving Fu Xiuyan and Fu Xiuyu to play second fiddle.

At the end of the day, Fu Xiuyu sat in the car and only then shed his mask, his eyes dark and brooding as he watched the scenery speeding backward outside the window.

He couldn't even wait until they got back to the villa before shrugging off his red suit with a look of disgust and tossing it to the man beside him.

"Burn it. I don't want to see it again."

"Yes, Young Master."

The man trailing Fu Xiuyu was a thin, middle-aged man, also the butler of Fu Xiuyu's estate.

Fu Xiuyu didn't like being waited on by a crowd of servants, and only the loyal and trustworthy were allowed to stay close.

Luo Chengxing.

Fu Xiuyu turned the name over in his mind a few times, recalling what he'd said at that day's luncheon.

Well, well.

Others might have missed it, but he'd caught the hand that had pressed down on Fu Xiuning's shoulder for a split second.

Luo Chengxing...

...

Luo Chengxing showed up at Fu Xiuyu's place at dusk the next day. Starting today, he was Fu Xiuyu's bodyguard.

That was just how it worked—those at the top could order people around at will, and a single word from them could change a person's whole life.

Luo Chengxing didn't show a hint of unease, because he already knew every move the other man would make.

"Mr. Luo, please follow me." A middle-aged man in a butler's uniform said politely.

Luo Chengxing looked at him. This guy...

The middle-aged man in front of him was thin but had a mild, gentle air about him, his hair combed back neatly.

But Luo Chengxing had memories from his past life, and in those memories, this man, Zhao Silan, had served Fu Xiuyu faithfully, and in the end had even committed crimes for Fu Xiuyu and ended up in prison. All because he was an old acquaintance of Fu Xiuyu's mother, Lan Xue!

"Mr. Luo?" Seeing that Luo Chengxing hadn't budged, Steward Zhao called out softly.

"Please, lead the way." Luo Chengxing lowered his eyes.

Fu Xiuyu's place was a sprawling complex, fully equipped with every amenity. A huge bed of roses grew in the garden. As Luo Chengxing followed Steward Zhao through it, several people were bent over, watering the plants and picking off bugs.

Luo Chengxing strolled along at a leisurely pace, committing every scene to memory.

A person's home could reveal a lot about their character. He looked up at the second floor, which was done in stark black, white, and gray, with the windows sealed tight.

The first floor was pretty normal—European-style, open and airy, sunlight streaming in through the open floor-to-ceiling curtains.

When he stepped inside, Fu Xiuyu was sitting on the sofa, sipping coffee.

He wore a cream-colored undershirt, open at the chest, his ribs faintly visible—enough to show just how thin Fu Xiuyu was.

Luo Chengxing's gaze swept almost imperceptibly over that pale chest.

Fu Xiuyu stirred his coffee unhurriedly, only lifting his eyelids slowly when he heard Steward Zhao speak.

"Luo Chengxing, I believe I told you we'd meet again." He said softly. "I just didn't expect it to happen so easily."

Luo Chengxing let out a low chuckle. "Indeed, Third Young Master."

"Since you're a smart man, I'll get straight to the point." Fu Xiuyu set down his coffee.

He sat in the sunlight, his voice slow and lazy, which reminded Luo Chengxing of a kitten he'd had as a kid—so tiny, yet so fierce, wouldn't let anyone near him, and his scratches stung like hell.

"You're very clever. You ruined my plans..."

"So, I won't let you off easy." Fu Xiuyu said.

Luo Chengxing let out a few low chuckles.

"What are you laughing at?" Fu Xiuyu frowned.

Luo Chengxing said, "Third Young Master, I just wanted to say that you overestimate my importance to Fu Xiuning."

Fu Xiuyu looked up at him. "Is that so?"

"Likewise, you also overestimate my loyalty to him." Luo Chengxing said.

Fu Xiuyu laughed too. He looked very handsome when he laughed, his eyes narrowing slightly—yet it wasn't the scrutinizing look from yesterday, as if it were simply pure amusement.

"This is only our second meeting." He laughed until he leaned back against the sofa. "What are you two up to now?"

Fu Xiuyu naturally didn't believe it, so Luo Chengxing only gave a faint smile, letting Fu Xiuyu take his words as a funny joke.

"You mean, you want to defect to me?" Fu Xiuyu pointed at himself.

Fu Xiuyu's smile faded, and he said flatly, "Fine. I'll wait and see."

Luo Chengxing had been carefully observing Fu Xiuyu the whole time, wanting to see what kind of person he truly was.

How could someone like this overturn the entire Fu family as he had in his memories? He was genuinely curious.

Luo Chengxing developed a strong interest in Fu Xiuyu, not yet knowing what this would come to mean.

"As your bodyguard, I will protect you well from now on." Luo Chengxing deliberately emphasized the word "protect."

After hearing his words, Fu Xiuyu suddenly burst into laughter again. He laughed harder and harder, his laughter echoing throughout the first floor, as if he might laugh himself to exhaustion and pass out.

Fu Xiuyu's clothes had been pulled even more open by his movements, revealing more skin.

Luo Chengxing watched him.