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“Oh? Got something on your mind, Brother Xiao?” someone asked Xiao Fu with a meaningful smile.
Xiao Fu made no effort to hide his interest in Tang Tian. “Yeah, I do have a bit of a thought.”
The long-silent Shen Yanli finally spoke. “Xiao Fu, we all know what kind of man you are. I can’t control how many women you mess around with on the side, but don’t reach your hands into my territory.”
Xiao Fu was fully aware he wasn’t a good man. In front of Pei Jue and Shen Yanli, it felt like he was stripped bare—there was nothing about him they didn’t already know.
“I swear, if I manage to win her over, I’ll definitely change that nasty habit.” Xiao Fu truly liked that servant girl from earlier. She hadn’t looked at him with flattery or seduction just because he was rich and powerful.
The way she looked at him was no different than how she’d look at any ordinary person.
It was the first time Xiao Fu had encountered a beauty who didn’t wield her looks as a weapon—especially one of such stunning charm, yet in such a humble position. He genuinely wanted a chance to get closer to her, to truly understand her.
Shen Yanli said nothing. He lowered his gaze and took a sip of his wine, letting the mellow sweetness unfold across his tongue.
Pei Jue didn’t seem the least bit interested in Xiao Fu’s so-called vow. Instead, he glanced sidelong at Shen Yanli, his eyes glinting with unreadable meaning as he quietly observed him.
It was the first time Xiao Fu had ever humbled himself to ask permission to pursue a woman. But since she was a servant in the villa shared by Shen Yanli, Pei Jue, and the others, it was best to have their approval—at least that would make things easier going forward.
Quite a few of the wealthy young heirs present had already set their sights on Tang Tian. If Xiao Fu wanted to make the first move, they certainly weren’t going to make it easy for him.
“You’ve made promises like that plenty of times, haven’t you, Young Master Xiao? Maybe don’t go ruining that pretty girl.”
Pang Cong couldn’t help but chuckle at the so-called promise Xiao Fu had made to Shen Yanli just now. “Forget whether President Shen believes you—Brother Xiao, do you even believe yourself?”
With Xiao Fu’s notorious fickleness, even making it past three months would count as unprecedented devotion.
Laughter erupted among the heirs, their tones all laced with mockery. Clearly, Xiao Fu’s playboy reputation had long been etched into their minds.
Irritated, Xiao Fu snapped at them to shut up. “Why wouldn’t I believe it? A prodigal son turning over a new leaf—isn’t that worth something?”
Pang Cong laughed even harder. “Prodigal son turning over a new leaf? That phrase practically trips over itself when it tries to apply to you.”
Pang Cong’s comment sparked even more teasing from the other wealthy young men aimed at Xiao Fu.
But Xiao Fu ignored them—he only cared about Shen Yanli and Pei Jue’s response.
No matter how long he waited, neither Shen Yanli nor Pei Jue said a word.
“Brother Shen, don’t believe Xiao Fu. You know what kind of person I am. Introduce her to me—I promise I won’t let her down.”
“What’s your deal? Why should she be introduced to you? I was the first one here today, and I saw her first!”
“Damn it! Are you all seriously fighting over her? President Shen, consider me first, please—at least I’m not a heartless player.”
Pei Jue’s expression grew colder than usual. He snapped in a low, commanding voice, “Enough.”
The men who had been bickering just a moment ago all fell silent. In both business and social standing, Pei Jue was leagues above them.
They feared him, to some extent. Pei Jue’s methods were subtle, often leaving people to realize too late what had happened. But when he made a move, he never failed.
Shen Yanli placed his wine glass on the tray offered by a servant. “What do you take her for? Some object you can all fight over and control at will?”
His words struck a chord with the other wealthy heirs, silencing them with guilt. No matter how much they liked her, she was still just a maid—no amount of beauty could change the fact that she came from the lowest rungs of society.
What they casually tossed around as pocket change might be money she could never earn in her entire life.
Shen Yanli knew all too well the true nature of these men. They were exceptional in business, yet indiscriminately indulgent when it came to emotions.
He would never give them even the slightest chance to approach Tang Tian. While he had no particular affection for her, he didn’t want to see her get hurt.
He thought the refusals from himself and Pei Jue had already made things clear enough—yet to everyone’s surprise, Wen Jinchu of the Wen family stepped forward at that moment.
“President Shen, President Pei,” Wen Jinchu said respectfully, “I wish to get to know that young lady with the intention of marriage.”
Wen Jinchu was always courteous and gentle by nature. In the business world, his reputation was spotless. Like Pei Jue and Shen Yanli, he focused solely on his career and was never one to be distracted by beauty.
This was the first time he had taken an interest in a woman—and even more rare to hear such words come from his mouth.
For a moment, every young heir present looked visibly stunned. Wen Jinchu… was serious?
Before Shen Yanli could respond, Pei Jue slowly lifted his eyes, his black pupils seemingly able to pierce through to one’s soul.
“President Wen,” he said, his voice calm yet firm, “she’s not suitable for you.”
Wen Jinchu adjusted his glasses and offered a gentle smile. “How would we know unless we try? She merely works at your villa. You’re entitled to make suggestions, not decisions on her behalf.”
If Pei Jue was a lone wolf in the business world—fierce and ruthless—then Wen Jinchu was a smiling tiger, devouring his prey without leaving bones behind.
Pei Jue showed no change in expression. “You don’t get to decide who’s qualified or not.”
Wen Jinchu hadn’t expected Pei Jue, who had always shown zero interest in women, to go this far in protecting a maid.
Just then, Fu Xi walked over from another area. He casually draped an arm over Shen Yanli’s broad shoulders, immediately sensing the tension in the air.
He hadn’t been there for what happened, but judging by everyone’s expressions, it was clear things weren’t going well.
“What’s with all the silence? Come on, drink up!” Fu Xi called out, trying to lighten the mood.
In the villa’s rear garden, a few young women—dressed head to toe in luxury brands—nibbled on exquisite pastries and chatted about various topics from high society.
Tang Tian, meanwhile, gazed off into the distance at the setting sun. The golden afterglow bathed her in a beauty that seemed almost otherworldly.
Finally, she could take a break. Though she had been busy all day, Tang Tian clearly felt the constant gazes of several wealthy young men. She did her best to avoid them—she had no intention of ever appearing in front of those rich heirs again.
Just as Liu Xiaozhi and Liu Huahua came over, hoping to switch work zones with her, it was like someone handed her a pillow the moment she felt sleepy. She agreed without hesitation and finally earned this rare moment of respite.
Nightfall soon replaced the evening glow on the horizon. After a full day of work, Tang Tian was so exhausted she only wanted a hot shower followed by deep, uninterrupted sleep.
As she pushed her cart around a corner, the wheels veered slightly to the right from momentum. A cake tin wobbled and tumbled off, making a sharp clatter in the spacious hallway.
She was just about to bend down to pick it up when a slender hand reached over from behind and picked it up before she could.
Startled, Tang Tian straightened and looked over. The man in front of her wore a tailored suit, his features gentle and handsome—his overall appearance and aura resembled someone from Wen Shaohan’s kind of world.
The man smiled warmly, without a trace of threat. “Here you go.”
“Thank you,” Tang Tian replied as she took the tin from him, placing it on the side shelf of her cart—it had fallen on the floor, so she’d set it aside for now.
The handsome stranger extended his hand to her in a friendly gesture. “Let me introduce myself—Wen Jinchu.”
Tang Tian couldn’t recall this name playing any significant role in the story. It probably wasn’t an important character, but she still had to act with caution.
In this world, neither the protagonists nor the supporting characters could be considered purely good. Everyone had their shadows—and people like him, even more so.
Just looking at the man before her—his attire, his demeanor, and his eloquence—plus the fact that he appeared at the main characters’ gathering, his identity was clear. He was undoubtedly someone powerful and wealthy. If not a protagonist, then definitely a supporting character with at least some plot relevance.
Tang Tian gave an apologetic smile. “Mr. Wen, my hands… I’ve done a lot of manual work over the years—they’re a bit rough. Let’s skip the handshake.”
Wen Jinchu clearly hadn’t expected her to refuse, especially with such a self-effacing explanation. He paused for a moment, then quickly returned to his usual gentle and refined self.
“There’s nothing shameful about working with your hands,” he said as he withdrew his hand with grace.
Tang Tian nodded shyly. “I’ll get back to work now. I hope you enjoy the gathering, Mr. Wen.”
Seeing that she was about to push her cart and leave, Wen Jinchu stepped forward slightly to close the distance between them again. “May I ask for your contact information?”
Tang Tian paused mid-step, a little surprised by the request.
“I’m really sorry,” she replied politely, “but the butler has instructed us not to exchange contact information with guests at this event.”
Her second rejection once again caught Wen Jinchu off guard. He studied her with a meaningful gaze—such a face… truly a peerless beauty.
Tang Tian remained highly guarded toward the man in front of her, but she was careful not to offend him outright.
As soon as she finished speaking, she quickened her pace and swiftly left Wen Jinchu’s side with the cart.
This time, Wen Jinchu didn’t try to stop her. Instead, he watched her retreating figure, his eyes following her until she disappeared from sight.
He had assumed the maid would be his for the taking—he hadn’t expected to be rebuffed at every turn.
Still unsatisfied, Wen Jinchu went to ask Fu Xi whether what Tang Tian said was true—that the maids weren’t allowed to exchange contact information with the guests.
Though Fu Xi had an unruly personality, his intelligence and emotional awareness were both remarkably high. He responded with sharp clarity.
“That’s right,” he confirmed.
Then, with a teasing smile, Fu Xi added, “Why? Did you fall for one of the maids in my villa?”
Wen Jinchu seemed a bit helpless. “Even if I did, what could I do? These are your house rules.”
Fu Xi patted his shoulder in consolation. “Come on, you’re the god-tier Mr. Wen in the eyes of so many women. You’ll find another in no time.”
After that, his peripheral vision seemed to catch sight of someone. With one hand casually tucked into his pocket, he began to walk off in another direction.
“President Xiao, where are you going?”
Wen Jinchu’s expression remained composed as he watched Fu Xi’s departing figure. It was as if the frustration from earlier had never happened at all—just a fleeting illusion in someone else’s imagination.