The Dog and Its Owner

Just then, the doorbell rang.

The sound made Jiang Yeqiu stop in his tracks subconsciously. He couldn't help but frown and turn his head toward the door.

Who else would come over this early?

Uncle Zhao walked to the door and peeked through the gap. Seeing it was Lin Mo, the wariness on his face instantly melted into respect, and he immediately opened the door.

"It's Young Master Lin."

"Morning, Uncle Zhao. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I have, I have."

Lin Mo lifted a bag and handed it over.

"These are mutton rolls I brought back from Tianjing, along with some Erba sauce from Liubiju."

In the age of online shopping, these things could be easily bought anywhere, but bringing them by hand was a different story.

The mutton rolls were still frozen solid.

This kind of thoughtfulness was not something money could measure.

Uncle Zhao was flattered and quickly took the bag with both hands. "You shouldn't have. Thank you so much, Young Master Lin. The young miss hasn't gone out today, and President Jiang and his wife are both at home."

His words were both an expression of gratitude and a report on the current situation.

Lin Mo waved his hand nonchalantly.

"It's good that they're home. I have something to discuss with them anyway. You should freeze these mutton rolls quickly; if they thaw and freeze again, the taste will be ruined."

After giving his instructions, he strode toward the villa.

When he passed by Jiang Yeqiu, who was still standing there, his gaze didn't linger for even a second. He walked straight toward the villa's entrance.

Jiang Yeqiu's feet felt nailed to the ground. The question he had prepared got stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He had originally planned to sound out this young man, but the guy completely ignored him, not even sparing him a glance.

He hadn't experienced this kind of feeling in a very long time.

Lin Mo walked up to the main door of the villa. He had just raised his hand, not yet touching the doorbell.

Click.

The heavy solid wood door was pulled open from the inside.

Situ Qiong stood respectfully at the door. Her complexion was completely different from before; her eyes were bright, her back was straight, and there was not a trace of illness left in her.

Lin Mo's Rejuvenation Technique had not only healed Situ Qiong's recent injuries but also completely repaired all her old wounds.

"Please come in, Young Master Lin. The miss is currently accompanying the little miss in her cultivation."

"Aunt Qiong, you're looking well," Lin Mo remarked casually.

After staying in Tianjing for a while, his accent had been slightly influenced.

Although Situ Qiong remained calm, she still bowed deeply, her voice carrying an uncontrollable excitement.

"I still have to thank you for your help, Young Master Lin. Otherwise, I might never have been able to return to my original state in this lifetime."

Lin Mo smiled, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing the weather.

"It's nothing. As long as a person isn't completely dead, they can be pulled back."

He paused, then added half-jokingly,

"Even if they really are dead, it's not entirely impossible; it just takes a bit more effort."

These words sounded like a joke, but to Situ Qiong, who had experienced it firsthand, they hit differently.

She couldn't help but look up at Lin Mo's face, which still carried a bit of boyish youthfulness.

She couldn't tell if he was telling the truth.

But in those eyes, there was no hint of a joke, only the calmness of someone stating a fact.

So the person the little miss had chosen was actually this formidable.

But it made sense. Anyone capable of killing the old family head, who had stepped into the Celestial Realm, would naturally possess extraordinary strength.

Situ Qiong's thoughts were interrupted by a greeting. She turned around and saw a somewhat familiar face.

"Aunt Qiong, long time no see. How have you been?"

Jiang Yeqiu wore an impeccable smile, his tone modest and his posture kept very low.

He knew very well the weight Situ Qiong carried in the Jiang family. This woman, who seemed to be just a maid, sometimes had more say with a single sentence than the driver, Uncle Zhao.

Situ Qiong's gaze swept past Lin Mo and landed on Jiang Yeqiu behind him. A polite, faint smile surfaced on her face.

"Long time no see, Xiao Jiang. Are you here to visit the master?"

Having been a maid for so many years, Situ Qiong could naturally tell that Jiang Yeqiu hadn't come with Lin Mo.

Therefore, her tone toward Jiang Yeqiu carried a hint of distance.

"Yes, I recently got promoted, so I came to thank Uncle Jiang for his guidance, and I also hope he isn't mad at me."

Jiang Yeqiu spoke flawlessly, as if he were truly an appreciative younger generation remembering past kindnesses.

"Alright, then please wait a moment."

Situ Qiong nodded, saying no more, and turned to lead Lin Mo inside.

"Young Master Lin, this way please, I..."

"No need."

Lin Mo waved his hand lazily. He took off his shoes on his own, familiarly dug out a pair of slippers from the corner of the shoe cabinet, and put them on. "Go about your business. It's not like I don't know the way."

Those were the exact same slippers Lin Mo had worn during his last visit. Situ Qiong had originally intended to throw them away, but Jiang Yunlu hadn't let her.

Lin Mo took a sanitizing wipe placed nearby, wiped his hands, and then walked in.

He then brazenly walked through the entryway, strolled into the living room, and casually plucked a grape from the fruit bowl to toss into his mouth. The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, as natural as if he had returned to his own home.

Watching this scene made the corner of Jiang Yeqiu's eye twitch slightly.

He stood there like a subordinate waiting to be received, while that kid acted like the master of the house.

The stark contrast made his chest feel tight with frustration.

Maintaining the smile on his face, he couldn't help but turn his head and ask Situ Qiong:

"Aunt Qiong, who is this?"

Situ Qiong's expression remained unchanged, but her voice grew a few degrees colder than before. It was as if she were stating a fact, but also giving a warning.

"He is a good friend of the little miss, and also an honored guest of our Jiang family."

His gaze followed Lin Mo's figure disappearing around the corner. His mind was buzzing, and he could only hear one sentence echoing in his head.

That person is a good friend of the little miss.

Who else could the little miss Aunt Qiong mentioned be, other than Jiang Yunlu?

From the very beginning, Jiang Yeqiu's ambitions had been firmly locked onto Jiang Yunlu.

Why had he been willing to give up the opportunity to showcase his talents under Jiang Chengshan and jump to work somewhere else?

Because he knew clearly that being a dog for Jiang Chengshan, even the most glorious one, still meant being a dog in the end.

Wanting to marry the master's daughter would be wishful thinking, an insurmountable chasm.

He had to reappear in the Jiang family's line of sight with an equal, or even higher, status.

He didn't exactly have much affection for Jiang Yunlu; it was more like a meticulously planned investment.

The identity of the Jiang family's only daughter, and the resources and connections it represented behind the scenes, were enough to save him thirty years of hard work.

Of course, in recent years, Jiang Yunlu had grown increasingly beautiful, adding a few tantalizing extra perks to the return on that investment.

He had always hidden these calculations very well.

But now, a good friend who popped out of nowhere, a guy whom even Situ Qiong called an honored guest, had crashed into his plans without any warning.

Jiang Yeqiu lowered his eyelids, concealing the turbulent thoughts surging in his eyes.