Young Master, You've Attained Enlightenment

The groceries weren't actually that heavy.

Just ten or twenty pounds, but there were also bottles and jars of seasonings and ingredients, plus a few beers for making beer-braised duck.

Suddenly taking over the load made it feel awkward at first.

Huffing and puffing up the stairs, sweat already beading on his forehead.

Just as Wang Haodong was about to enter, Cao Cheng took the bags from his hands: "Thanks."

Bang!

With that, he shut the door right in Wang Haodong’s face.

Wait.

What the hell?

No manners at all?

Not even offering me a glass of water?

Damn.

Little punk.

You really are a country bumpkin—zero class.

Ugh.

I’ll beat you to a pulp one of these days.

Fuming, he stormed downstairs. The butler took one look at the young master’s darkened expression and knew he’d been snubbed.

The butler tried reverse psychology: "Young Master, maybe we should just go back to Zhonghai. No need to put up with this nonsense."

"No." Wang Haodong huffed petulantly.

The butler pressed, "Why force it? They clearly aren’t interested. Going back to Zhonghai might make them realize you’re not desperate."

"I said no! Stop pissing on my parade."

Wang Haodong kicked the butler, sending him flying—a good ten meters.

The butler, ever the drama queen, clutched his backside and scurried back with an awkward grin.

The young master didn’t actually have that kind of leg strength.

But sending someone flying ten meters? Now that made him look manly.

Wang Haodong snorted, then asked, "What do men like?"

The butler hesitated. "Young Master, are you planning to…?"

Wang Haodong mused, "Gonna give that little punk a gift. Didn’t you say we should smooth things over? If he takes my gift, he’ll owe me. And if he still dares to mess with me after that… I’ll beat him to a pulp sooner or later."

"Young Master, you’ve had an epiphany."

"Obviously. Now stop yapping and tell me—what do men like?"

The butler hesitated. "Women?"

"Get lost! I don’t even have women to spare. I mean gifts—stuff you can buy with money."

"Uh… watches?" the butler suggested.

Wang Haodong frowned. "Would a watch work?"

"Should be fine. Don’t all men like the same things? Like you, Young Master—women, luxury cars, fancy watches, yachts… not much else." The butler counted off the young master’s hobbies on his fingers.

Wang Haodong immediately bristled. "That’s what I like. How could my tastes be the same as some nobody’s? I’m one of a kind."

Young Master, still bragging at a time like this.

Classic.

The butler chuckled awkwardly. "But I think most men like these things."

"Your opinion’s worthless. Mine’s the only one that matters."

"Yes, yes, you’re right, Young Master."

Wang Haodong grunted. "Then tell me—what should I give him? You’ve seen his file. What’s he into?"

"Uh… maybe something related to his field? He studies computer science. How about a computer?"

Wang Haodong paused, then clapped in delight. "Brilliant! For once, you’ve given decent advice."

"…" The butler grinned. "Then it’s settled. Computers aren’t too expensive anyway. A decent watch could buy a top-tier PC."

"Fine. Handle it. Get it done by noon."

"What? That soon?"

"Duh. I’m hungry. There’s a ton of food up there."

"Young Master… are you just craving a meal?"

"Craving my ass! I’m trying to share a table with Yushang. One time leads to two, two leads to three—soon it’ll be routine. If I show up with a gift, they can’t just kick me out, right? Ugh, why am I explaining this to you? Just go! If you’re not back by noon, don’t bother coming back at all."

Young Master.

So manly.

With a sigh, the butler hurried off to the nearest electronics market.

——

"He’s still downstairs."

"Why is he so clingy now? So annoying!"

Ren Yuege stood on the balcony, watching the two cars below. The butler had rushed off somewhere in a hurry, while Wang Haodong crouched nearby, smoking.

Every now and then, he’d glance upward.

Whenever he did, Ren Yuege ducked back, refusing to meet his gaze—lest he take it as encouragement.

From the kitchen, Cao Cheng called out, "Fourth Sis, stop staring. Come here. I’ll teach you how to marinate the fish and prep the duck."

Ren Yuege pouted. "I don’t want to handle fish. It’s too smelly."

"Wear gloves."

Grumbling, she got to work, then suddenly realized: "You should call me Fourth Sis, you brat."

"Sure thing, sweetie." Cao Cheng nodded.

Ren Yuege shot him a playful glare. "Brat."

The two worked in the kitchen while Third Sis, Ren Yushang, brewed tea and chopped fruit into bite-sized pieces, skewering them with toothpicks like their family’s housekeeper used to do.

Then she brought the snacks to feed the other two.

The trio looked downright cozy.

With the ingredients prepped quickly—Cao Cheng guiding Ren Yuege step by step—he soon had nothing left to do.

——

As the food hit the stove and aromas filled the air, noon arrived in no time.

The entire building was drooling by now.

Knock knock knock—

The door.

Cao Cheng opened it to find Wang Haodong grinning, two large boxes in hand.

His smile was all teeth, like a mutt trying to charm its way inside.

Ren Yuege joined Cao Cheng at the door.

"Wang Haodong, what do you want now?" Her irritation was palpable. Back in Zhonghai, he must’ve been just as clingy.

Like a stubborn stain.

A toad on your foot—not poisonous, just disgusting.

"Let bygones be bygones, right? I came to apologize. I spoke out of turn earlier, and on reflection, that wasn’t right. So I bought a computer—cost me tens of thousands. Not much, but consider it a welcome gift. Hope you’ll overlook my earlier slip of the tongue."

Wang Haodong beamed as he offered the PC.

Ren Yuege scoffed. "No need. If my brother wants a computer, I’ll buy it for him. Take it back. Goodbye!"

As the door began to close, Wang Haodong panicked, sticking his foot in the gap.

Crunch.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

His shriek shook the building.

Despite her dislike, Ren Yuege hadn’t meant to hurt him—their families were old friends.

She yanked the door back open.

Wang Haodong clutched his shin, hopping in agony.

Ren Yuege: "I didn’t mean to! Why’d you stick your foot in?"

Wang Haodong had hit his shinbone. Sweat poured down his face from the pain.

Grimacing, he gasped, "I—I just reacted. It really hurts. Let me sit down inside."

"…" Ren Yuege smirked. "You’re faking, aren’t you?"

"No, no, it’s real!"

"Yeah, right. I hate schemers. Get lost."

"But it really—"

BANG!

The door slammed shut.

This time, Wang Haodong didn’t dare try again.

It had hurt—just not as much as he’d screamed.

Limping downstairs with his rejected gifts, he looked pitiful.

The butler gaped. "Young Master, he refused the gift… and hit you?"

"It was Ren Yuege," Wang Haodong whined. "She shut the door on my leg. I need a hospital."

The butler quickly checked, pressing around the bones before letting out a relieved sigh: "Young Master, it's nothing serious. No need to go to the hospital."

"You don’t know a damn thing! I want to go to the hospital. I want a cast. And order a good meal to be delivered to my room—I’m starving. Damn it, how can their cooking smell so good?"

"Young Master, it’s not that bad."

"Can’t you tell I’m playing the victim? Do I have to spell it out for you? You’re really not the sharpest tool in the shed."

"..."

The butler suppressed the urge to explain himself and finally said, "Young Master, you’ve truly mastered the art."

"Damn right!"