Guangzhou had been hit by several days of torrential rain, and the weather forecast predicted that Typhoon No. 9 would make landfall in the southeast. Workers came to Xiaoxie Garden to install typhoon-resistant barriers.

Who would have thought that the typhoon would dissipate halfway? Maybe it was the local shrine, blessed with incense for a hundred years, that worked its magic, reducing the wind’s force before it reached Guangzhou.

The city’s disaster prevention measures were lifted, and the villa arranged for people to come and remove the barriers outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The weather was hot and stuffy. Su He watched the workers outside, drenched in sweat, and went around with a kettle to offer them water.

At this moment, Assistant Fang called home. Su He received the task, changed clothes, and obediently took the car to Nanao Commercial Building to pick someone up.

On the way, a light rain drizzled down.

Nanao Commercial Building is the second tallest landmark on the coastline of Guangzhou, adjacent to the Guangzhou Tower. Su He stared through the rain-streaked car window, watching the tower’s spire grow closer and clearer.

As they approached the entrance, he saw Sheng Jingyu being escorted out of the revolving door by several black umbrellas. His figure was fragmented by the water on the car window, yet it didn’t diminish his imposing presence; he was tall, with long legs, and looked stunning.

Su He quietly shifted his position, making room on the inner seat, leaving a warm spot for Sheng Jingyu.

The driver opened the rear door for Sheng Jingyu, and the misty air drifted in. The driver mentioned that there was an accident on the main road to their destination and that taking a detour might make them a bit late.

Sheng Jingyu said nothing, just nodded, showing no intention of acknowledging Su He.

The Cayenne merged into the long line of traffic, moving slowly through the congested sections. Sheng Jingyu, though always silent, seemed even more so in the car, making the air in the cabin feel thin.

By the time they got out, the weather had cleared. Seeing the four big characters of Pingcheng Clubhouse, Su He realized that Sheng Jingyu had actually brought him along for business!

Was this a test, or did he simply bring him along to silence him forever?

Su He didn’t ask anything, just followed Sheng Jingyu with his head down. The lively atmosphere in the hall was almost overwhelming, with a large screen looping images of a middle-aged woman with a wealthy and elegant face.

Today was the annual birthday party of the Chen family’s matriarch. It was always grand, and this year was no exception, with media swarming to report on it—not just for the enviable true love story, but also for the charity auction that was the highlight of the evening.

Guangzhou’s power dynamics are complex. The Sheng family mainly deals in real estate, finance, and ports, while the Chen family of Changnan dominates the jewelry industry, forming the “Golden Triangle” of Guangzhou with Yan Yichen’s maternal family’s business.

Zheng San quickly rose to prominence because of his connection with a distant nephew of the Chen family.

This auction gathered the “Golden Triangle”: the Yan family’s venue, the Chen family’s event, and the Sheng family attending.

Though these three families appear to be closely linked, their private conflicts are hidden under the surface, not easily discovered.

Su He suddenly remembered that Secretary Chen, who was by Sheng Zonglan’s side, also had the surname Chen. He wondered if there was any relation to this Chen family.

During the warm-up phase of the auction, Sheng Jingyu left the private room and stood at the side hall entrance, listening to Assistant Fang’s report over the phone.

“…The owner of that Mercedes G-Class parked on the track that day is Chen Zhaoyuan, the youngest son of the Chen family. The track manager said it was a staff error that led to the wrong arrangement, but Chen Zhaoyuan had met with Sheng Zhilin the day before.”

Assistant Fang was referring to the car that caused Sheng Jingyu’s accident before the race.

That day, Sheng Jingyu was preparing for the competition and went to the civilian track for practice. Unexpectedly, a car appeared out of nowhere on the supposedly cleared track, causing him to crash while trying to avoid it.

Sheng Zhilin is the grandson of Sheng Jingyu’s third granduncle.

They are considered collateral relatives, the closest branch to Sheng Jingyu’s direct line.

The Sheng family’s network is intricate. Sheng Jingyu is not the first son in the family; he has an elder sister. Sheng Zhilin also has an elder brother, leading the age group, with many younger siblings following. The media usually refer to Sheng Jingyu as “Sheng Third Young Master,” while Sheng Zhilin is often called “Sheng Young Master.”

Though there are many descendants, there’s only one position of power.

When the heir’s position is almost certain, the rest either choose not to compete and align themselves accordingly or ambitiously try to replace them. Sheng’s third granduncle’s branch is the latter.

“Sheng Zhilin doesn’t have the smarts for this; he’s probably being used by his father. Investigate that side,” Sheng Jingyu instructed simply before hanging up the phone.

Yan Yichen arrived late.

He caught the tail end of this conversation and couldn’t help but tease, “Old Master Sheng just had a stroke and was hospitalized, and your granduncle’s branch is already eager to get rid of you. How afraid are they of you taking power?”

“Is Sheng Zhilin here?” Sheng Jingyu turned and walked towards the main hall.

Yan Yichen, hands in his pockets, lazily followed, “He’s been here for a while. I could hear his loud voice from the duty room upstairs. He’s an interesting guy, always saw you as a rival since childhood, always losing but never giving up. Doesn’t he realize you’re not even in the same league?”

“He’s not one to keep things to himself. He’ll definitely come looking for me today. If you’re busy, you can leave first.”

Sheng Jingyu’s considerate arrangement was thoughtful, but coming from him, it felt a bit strange.

But with a good show to watch, Yan Yichen wouldn’t leave early. He patted Sheng Jingyu’s shoulder, and the two entered the private room one after the other.

As soon as they entered, Yan Yichen noticed someone already sitting in the main guest seat. He was about to ask who it was when he took a closer look.

It was a familiar face.

“Why did you bring him out?” Yan Yichen quietly asked Sheng Jingyu, clearly surprised by Su He’s presence.

“Didn’t you say to test him? He said he wanted to cooperate with me,” Sheng Jingyu replied matter-of-factly.

Yan Yichen chuckled, wrapping an arm around his neck like a buddy, “Wow, Sheng Third Young Master, you’ve got charm. Already won him over?”

“…”

Sheng Jingyu couldn’t be bothered to respond.

Yan Yichen continued, “But this guy is interesting. Just wait and see. If he becomes a problem, just hand him over to me, and I’ll deal with it for you.”

Sheng Jingyu elbowed him away, cursing lightly, “Get lost.”

He wasn’t foolish enough to believe Su He’s words directly. To see if this little bug would bite back, he needed to give him room to act.

Su He was peeling nuts while listening to the music on stage. Hearing footsteps, he stood up to greet the newcomer. The unfamiliar face smiled and extended a hand, “Yan Yichen, nice to meet you.”

“Hello, Mr. Yan,” Su He greeted politely.

This was Yan Yichen’s first time meeting him. The person in front of him was polite and gentle, with a clear voice and a clean demeanor. It was hard to believe someone like him could be associated with a “thorny rose.” This incongruity was quite strange.

He scrutinized Su He for a while, then smiled and nodded, pulling up a chair to sit down.

Su He suddenly spoke, “Mr. Yan, please sit over here.”

Su He adjusted the chair for him, eagerly waiting for him to move over.

Yan Yichen paused, looked at Sheng Jingyu, then at Su He, puzzled, “What’s the difference?”

He looked down at the two seats and realized there was indeed a difference. Sheng Jingyu’s chair was on the right side of the square table, with a cup of tea without a lid and a small plate of peeled pine nuts on the left. Even the fruit in the fruit platter had been prepped in advance.

On the other side, there was only the tea set up by the service staff…

Wasn’t this preferential treatment a bit too obvious!?

Yan Yichen raised an eyebrow in surprise, then looked back at Sheng Jingyu, as if asking, why is he treating you so well?

Sheng Jingyu was just as surprised, not knowing what this person was up to.

Yan Yichen had no choice but to switch seats.

Sheng Jingyu stared at the items on the table for a while, his expression complicated, as if deep in thought, before finally sitting down.

The first half of the auction had begun. Although it was a charity auction for welfare institutions, the quality of the items was top-notch.

From antique porcelain to famous paintings, to handcrafted violins by master luthiers, the funds flowing to the organizers that night were unimaginably large.

Su He sat beside Sheng Jingyu, and such a setting was indeed a first for an ordinary person like him. Everywhere he looked, he was curious.

After a while, his phone vibrated in his pocket, the sudden ringtone drawing the attention of the other two. He quickly pulled out his phone and turned off the alarm.

He looked at Sheng Jingyu and reminded him, “Mr. Sheng, it’s time for your medication.”

With that, Su He took out a small medicine box from his bag, counting out the pills Sheng Jingyu needed to take today. Sheng Jingyu watched him seriously sorting the medication, a puzzled look on his face.

He impatiently turned his head, taking a sip of tea to cover his annoyance. As soon as he swallowed, his brows furrowed, and his expression changed.

“What is this?” Sheng Jingyu asked, frowning at Su He.

It wasn’t tea, though it looked like it.

Su He explained, “It’s Huanglian Wendan Decoction I brewed in the kitchen. 037 said you have trouble sleeping, are sensitive to light and sound, so I asked a servant to get a prescription from a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in the west of the city. It doesn’t conflict with these western medicines. Once you’re better and off the medication, you can switch to other calming prescriptions.”

His tone was so matter-of-fact, as if getting a prescription and painstakingly brewing medicine was just an everyday thing.

Sheng Jingyu’s expression suddenly turned strange.

This was the first time Su He saw him with an expression other than anger or indifference. His gaze wasn’t angry but rather confused.

Yan Yichen, on the other hand, was clear as a bystander. He shared the same doubt as Sheng Jingyu.

Director Sheng was never a doting father who would order such care for his son, yet Su He was genuinely concerned about Sheng Jingyu.

What was his motive?

Yan Yichen clicked his tongue, smiling at Su He with an ambiguous tone, “Not only do you have peeled fruit, but you also have a special health tea. Should I hire an assistant like Young Master Su? The perks are really good.”

Su He assumed he was complaining about not getting any, so he generously took out a thermos and poured a cup for this young master, handing it over thoughtfully.

Yan Yichen was pleased with his perceptiveness, taking a symbolic sip, only to spit it back out.

Bitter, bitterer than life itself.

“Now I understand what it means to suffer in silence.”

He quickly rinsed his mouth with tea, almost gagging from the bitterness, completely forgetting his earlier suspicions about Su He.

Sheng Jingyu had taken a large sip, the bitterness numbing his tongue. He reached for the teapot, but Su He snatched it away first, “You can’t drink this, you’re still on medication, no tea allowed.”

Sheng Jingyu’s face was turning green with frustration, unable to resist saying, “Are you retaliating for me ignoring you? Using such childish means!”

Su He flinched at his raised voice, then thought that his description of the symptoms to the doctor was too understated. He softly said, “The doctor said irritability and sleep disturbances are due to insufficient gallbladder and stomach. Drink this for a few more days, and you won’t be like this.”

“I’m irritable?” Sheng Jingyu found him utterly baffling.

The answer was obvious, but Su He thought if he nodded, this young master would only get angrier. So he simply got up to find a water bottle, “I’ll get you some warm water. I won’t brew it so strong next time.”

“There’s a next time?” Sheng Jingyu was clearly still upset, saying irritably, “Stop doing such unnecessary things.”

“I understand.”

Su He agreed, but he didn’t take it to heart. Although he agreed, he’d dare to do it again next time. Dr. Gu was right; Sheng Jingyu’s brain really was damaged by the crash. Avoiding treatment would only worsen his temper, and he couldn’t let the patient have his way.

What if Sheng Jingyu lost control in anger and dismembered him?

The two bickered back and forth, while Yan Yichen watched, unable to get a word in, finding it all quite intriguing.

Since that incident, Sheng Jingyu had been lifeless, rarely showing such liveliness.