Chapter 20

In her previous life, Jiang Muti had no siblings. Of course, being an only child and spoiled by her parents was one of the reasons for her domineering personality.

In this life, she observed that her relationship with her parents was average, but the family still offered warmth and understanding between peers, something she had never experienced in her previous life.

Whether it was her older brother or the Yun family siblings, Jiang Muti had to admit that in the short six months since she came into this world, she rarely felt lost in a strange world, unfamiliar home, and foreign high-society life. All of this was the result of their kindness and patience.

So, whether it was her older brother or Yun Cheng and Yun Duo, for someone as heartless as Jiang Muti, they were rare exceptions—people who truly mattered in her heart, something entirely different from the shallow relationships she had experienced before.

Now, the question was, if she couldn’t tolerate others bullying her dog back then, how could she stand it now?

She chuckled lightly, breaking the awkward silence in the indoor basketball court. She walked towards Yun Cheng, standing face to face with the young man.

“Not a servant, not a laborer, but a personal butler!” Jiang Muti stared directly into his eyes.

“What?” Zhang Li clearly didn’t expect the silence to be broken in this way.

A strange girl came forward, emphasizing the most insignificant point, but good-looking girls naturally have privileges.

Although his entire aura and gaze made her uncomfortable, looking quite aggressively beautiful, he still waved his hand, trying to sound less aggressive: “Isn’t it the same thing? Miss, don’t distort the point. The fact remains that this guy is pretending to be something he’s not.”

“Is it the same?” Jiang Muti made a face of realization. “I see now. It’s my fault. I overestimated your comprehension. I thought that even if you didn’t have intelligence, you should at least have some common sense.”

“Looks like you have neither. I’m sorry for pointing out your flaws so blatantly.”

“You—” Zhang Li could now clearly tell that she was defending Yun Cheng.

But before he could finish his sentence, Jiang Muti interrupted him, continuing, “Since you can’t even understand the concept of a personal butler, I’m sure your knowledge is limited.”

“And as for the girl beside you, if your information comes from her—” Jiang Muti looked at the girl, her gaze a mixture of a smile and sarcasm, with disdain openly showing. “Then you’re mistaken from the start. After all, she’s from a nearly bankrupt slum family. Her family is probably not even capable of getting the attention of top-tier personal butlers. After all, people of ability wouldn’t choose to serve someone like—”

The last two words were left unsaid by Jiang Muti, but the tone, which implied them, was especially unbearable for the other person.

The girl’s face turned ugly, but after complaining about it to her family after the last banquet, she was scolded. They blamed her and her sister for provoking things, which led to fanning the flames of jealousy and encouraging the fool to stand up in the basketball department’s dispute.

She hadn’t expected the other side to be so blunt, showing no intention of smoothing things over and immediately tearing into her without mercy.

However, the girl hadn’t even figured out how to respond, and Jiang Muti had already lost interest in her.

She turned her attention back to the young man. “A so-called top personal butler is not only from prestigious schools but also possesses well-rounded abilities, strong work competence, and an ironclad mental strength that allows them to remain elegant and composed even under the pressure of intense work.”

“Whether it’s knowledge, cultivation, manners, or perseverance, it’s without a doubt top-tier elite standard. A lifetime of diligence and self-restraint, never slacking off—nothing like someone like you, who only spews nonsense.”

“You need to be self-aware about that.”

As her words fell, the surrounding crowd inhaled sharply.

Up until then, her words had been calm, logical, and composed in her rebuttal, but once the curse word was thrown out, it was as if she had suddenly drawn a knife in the midst of laughter.

Even the most clueless person could tell that this beauty wasn’t here to reason, she was really winding up to slap someone.

Sure enough, the young man’s face darkened immediately. Young and hot-blooded, he could hardly stand the provocation.

“What did you say?” He took a step forward, gritting his teeth. “I don’t have a habit of not hitting women.”

Before Jiang Muti could speak, Yun Cheng immediately stepped in front of her.

Although he had been surprised when Zhang Li spoke to him earlier, his expression had still been calm. But now, it was completely darkened.

“Try touching even one of her fingers.”

Zhang Li immediately figured out their relationship and sneered. “Alright, Yun Cheng, the young lady has come out to back you up, huh? Such deep master-servant affection! Why bother playing basketball? Just inherit your father’s business and have beautiful women around every day.”

“You—” Yun Cheng, who was worse at arguing than his sister, couldn’t stand it.

Jiang Muti had already figured out how to handle their roles. She grabbed Yun Cheng’s arm and pulled him back.

She then smiled at the other person: “You’re proving me right by so eagerly showing off your ignorance. You’re being so cooperative that it’s honestly embarrassing for me.”

Zhang Li had just pushed Yun Cheng away, but before he could enjoy the moment of triumph, he was slapped right back.

He sneered in frustration: “Of course, you’ve really hyped up a servant.”

Jiang Muti shrugged: “I do admire your audacity in repeatedly showcasing your ignorance in public like this.”

“Let me put it in terms you might understand.”

“My family’s personal butler, Mr. Yun, not only handles all the affairs of the estate daily, managing over a hundred employees, including housekeepers, chefs, doctors, and special workers, but he also helps manage the company’s affairs.”

“Of course, I doubt your brain capacity can comprehend this, but what I mean to say is, for someone doing a job that most people couldn’t possibly handle, his salary is pretty generous.”

“Besides the base salary and position benefits, Mr. Yun also gets a share of the company’s annual bonus, and he’s even a small shareholder in the company. Although his share is small, it’s still a fortune to someone like you.”

“As you can see, the Yun family’s assets are in the millions, so you’re saying Yun Cheng is pretending to be a rich and handsome guy?”

“Ha! Ridiculous. He already is rich and handsome.”

“I—” Zhang Li didn’t expect the situation to turn out like this. How would he understand all this?

The gaze of the surrounding people made his face burn with embarrassment. He was about to say something, even if it meant stubbornly sticking to the claim that Yun Cheng was just the son of a servant.

But Jiang Muti didn’t give him the chance.

“Let me tell you another fact.”

“You said Yun Cheng could take over his father’s business, right? Well, that’s not wrong.”

“He can pursue his dreams, and as you can see, it seems to be going smoothly. Resources and opportunities naturally gravitate toward talented people who work hard—something you’ll never understand.”

“And even if he were to fail in pursuing his dreams, thanks to the family’s high regard for him, the trust that comes with it, his life would still be unattainable for losers like you.”

“One last point—yes, he also lives with a beauty like me. Ask yourself, how could a winner in life like him be compared to a lowly, and ugly creature like you? Anyone with even a shred of decency would be too ashamed to show their face.”

“You—”

The other person finally snapped, his breathing rapid and labored as if he was about to make a move.

But Yun Cheng was quicker. He pulled Jiang Muti behind him, ready to strike first with a punch.

However, someone reacted faster!

Zhang Li, who had taken a step forward, suddenly staggered backward. His upper body lost balance, and he nearly fell, his head jerking back unnaturally.

Upon closer inspection, they realized that Yun Duo, who had somehow appeared behind him, grabbed his hair, holding his head in place, rendering him immobile.

But that wasn’t enough. The girl then kicked him in the back of the knee, sending him toppling forward. He fell to his knees, his kneecaps slamming painfully into the hard floor, and his face twisted in agony.

Yun Duo’s figure finally became visible behind the tall basketball player.

She gave Jiang Muti a thumbs-up: “You’re right. You handle the insults, and I’ll handle the hair-pulling. Let’s keep doing this.”

Jiang Muti felt a sense of pride. Finally, the girl understood their unspoken bond. How gratifying.

Yun Duo’s intervention was perfect. After all, Yun Cheng was an athlete, and with the recommendation spot almost within reach, it wasn’t the best time for a violent altercation.

Yun Cheng: “…”

Being protected by the girls in his family—although somewhat embarrassing, he felt surprisingly happy. What was going on?

It was only then that everyone realized, arguing was one thing, but fighting on the basketball court was unacceptable, especially since Zhang Li had intended to lay his hands on the girl. That would be a disgrace to the entire basketball team.

The team members quickly pulled the two apart. Zhang Li, still unwilling to back down, tried to argue, but he was restrained by other teammates.

At this moment, Ji Feishi spoke up: “Take him to the locker room to pack his things. From now on, Zhang Li, you are no longer a member of the basketball team.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Li froze, unable to believe what he was hearing. He couldn’t care less about the situation now as he incredulously said, “You want to kick me out? Just because of this?”

He was an athlete on a sports scholarship, and if he was kicked out of the basketball team, he’d have nothing left—his future prospects, including getting into a good school, would be ruined.

He shouted, “Why are you doing this? The decision about team members is made by a vote, and I’m going to talk to the coach.”

Ji Feishi walked up to him, looking down at his messy form, restrained by the others. His gaze was calm and unwavering.

“Because I said we should vote, that’s why it’s a voting system. But now, we don’t need that process anymore. Do you understand?”

Zhang Li stood stunned for a moment, before lowering his head in defeat.

He dared to show discontent and provoke Yun Cheng, but Ji Feishi was different.

This guy wasn’t like them. No matter when they faced him, there was always a sense of trepidation, as if they were facing someone in a superior position.

Although Ji Feishi appeared approachable and got along with everyone, his authoritarianism and the fearsome consequences of going against him were unspoken knowledge among them all.

Only Yun Cheng could treat him like a normal person.

Zhang Li realized that Ji Feishi had probably already seen through his little tricks. He had been foolish to think he could fool them with his skills.

The others pulled him away, and with the situation calming down, the crowd slowly dispersed.

People couldn’t help but comment on the recent fighting spirit of the girls. It seemed the more beautiful they were, the stronger they became.

Around this time, Jiang Muti and the others came out of the locker room, having witnessed the whole scene from start to finish.

Zhou Lu sneered and said to Ji Feishi with a hint of schadenfreude, “Even your territory can catch fire sometimes.”

Ji Feishi smiled lightly, “You’re still here? I thought you’d be busy crying. You still have the energy to watch the show? I guess this score difference isn’t bad enough for you yet.”

Meaning, no one should hit below the belt right now—everyone was in the same boat.

Indeed, Zhou Lu fell silent. Then he spotted Jiang Muti and, for once, agreed with her: “You’re right. No matter what, the capable assistants from families like ours aren’t the sort of people that losers like him should be boasting about.”

He then turned to Yun Cheng and said, “Don’t worry, when it comes to basketball, I only focus on the skills on the court, not on anything else.”

Yun Cheng, who had been happily wagging his tail, froze for a moment upon hearing this: “Wait, the way you’re saying it makes it sound like I need your approval to feel reassured.”

“Like Muti said, I have a house, money, a sister, and a future—what is there for me to worry about?”

Ah, so it was him overthinking things. Zhou Lu glared at him sulkily before leading the team away.

Yun Cheng, still excited, described the scene to his sister: “Wow, I didn’t know you were so good at ^[1]“Hitting people from behind with bricks” (敲人板砖) is a Chinese slang phrase that refers to attacking someone unexpectedly, usually in a sneaky or underhanded way. It can be both … Continue readinghitting people from behind with bricks. No one even noticed when you got close.”

“Next time I want to kidnap someone, I’ll definitely bring you along. Oh, wait, I should bring Muti too, let her start with a mental attack first.”

Yun Duo thought her brother often got beaten by their dad for a reason. If their dad heard him say that, he’d probably have no way out.

Jiang Muti had originally been sitting back, watching the scene unfold, when she realized Ji Feishi seemed to be looking at her.

She thought he might be dissatisfied with her for making things so awkward, especially in front of their rival school.

Since Yun Cheng still had to work under this guy, she straightened her posture and said, “Sorry about earlier. You said you’d handle it, and I overstepped.”

Ji Feishi smiled at her: “Do you really think you overstepped?”

Jiang Muti shook her head: “Not at all. Plans can’t keep up with changes. Can my family let others bully us?”

“Then there’s no need to say anything insincere.” Ji Feishi said, “I’m not blaming you.”

“I told you, I don’t sugarcoat things or hide behind anything. It’s more shameful to let internal conflicts be exposed to the opponent, pretending everything is fine just to maintain appearances.”

“And you did well. No one can criticize you for protecting your family.” Ji Feishi nodded sincerely and said, “Yun Cheng is lucky. That’s something to be envious of.”

Jiang Muti thought for a while but still couldn’t figure out his behavior.

She suddenly asked bluntly, “Do you really have no feelings for me?”

Ji Feishi was stunned, looking at her in surprise: “No, didn’t I already say it? You’re not my type.”

“That’s not it, but when you flirted, you were crystal clear about it,” Jiang Muti found him even stranger. “Don’t you know you shouldn’t casually compliment girls?”

This guy didn’t seem like someone with dull senses or low emotional intelligence.

Ji Feishi answered as if it were obvious: “Of course, I don’t randomly compliment girls, it’s just that you—”

He paused halfway through. Yes! Why was he so reckless only in front of her?

Was she the most outstanding girl of his age that he’d ever met? Not really, he knew plenty of talented and elegant daughters from prestigious families.

But this person gave the impression of being sharp-tongued and difficult every time they met. Her actions weren’t particularly notable achievements either.

Yet, he still felt she was good, her approach refreshing, and even when she occasionally became aggressive, it never made him feel repelled or uncomfortable, as if his boundaries were being violated.

He even took it for granted to praise her. Reflecting on it now, Ji Feishi truly felt—

It was a bit unbelievable.

Of course, he momentarily attributed this to Yun Cheng, thinking it was because of the people around him, which made him subconsciously feel more relaxed when interacting with her.

Therefore, he emphasized again: “When I compliment you, it’s just a straightforward compliment. Don’t overthink it, got it?”

Jiang Muti nodded and gave him a deep look: “Got it.”

So this guy was just an idiot after all.