Chapter 1: The Unwanted Shadow

The molten gold of the sunset bled into the crimson evening clouds, dyeing the sky with the splendor of a burning inferno.

Along the bustling streets of the capital, a magnificent carriage passed by. Adorned with jade carvings and turquoise inlays, it was pulled by two exceptional steeds. Their coats were pristine white, their limbs powerful and agile, appearing as if sculpted from ice.

At first glance, one might assume it belonged to a high-ranking dignitary.

If the exterior was impressive, the interior was even more so.

Spacious as a small room, it boasted a daybed, a small table, refreshments, and incense, all arranged for utmost comfort.

Inside, on the plush daybed, a young master reclined languidly. His dark hair cascaded, framing a flawless, jade-white face. He leisurely nibbled on a milk pastry, holding it delicately in his fingers, his posture utterly relaxed and unrestrained.

After a moment, the voice of a servant boy drifted from outside the carriage. He respectfully announced, “Young Master, we have arrived.”

The young master stretched, blinking away the sleepiness from the corners of his eyes, before finally responding.

Two servant boys stood before the carriage. One rolled up the silk curtain, while the other reached out to assist the young master in disembarking.

However, the young master ignored the offered arm. He simply leaped from the carriage with a light, agile movement, his robes fluttering up and then settling as he landed.

The servant boys, well-acquainted with their young master’s temperament, exchanged knowing smiles.

Su Zhuozhi stepped through the vermilion gates, rounded the spirit screen, and had just passed through the ornate hanging gate when a servant hurried forward, eagerly delivering news. “Young Master, Steward Zhou just purchased a batch of new servants. Master said he would assign you a personal bodyguard.”

Su Zhuozhi’s steps faltered. “Really?”

“Absolutely true! They’ve all been sent to Autumn Ripple Hall,” the servant boy affirmed, nodding vigorously and speaking with genuine sincerity.

Su Zhuozhi frowned, vexed, and flung his sleeve. His good mood instantly vanished. The servant boy instinctively shrank his neck, fearing his master’s anger.

However, Su Zhuozhi knew this matter had nothing to do with the servant. He pressed his lips together, merely saying, “Well done. Continue to be observant in the future and inform me immediately if anything happens.”

The servant boy quickly assented, “Yes.”

Su Zhuozhi strode forward, his expression calm, seemingly having reined in his emotions well. Yet, once he reached the winding corridors, where no other servants were nearby, he couldn’t help but puff out his cheeks and kick a nearby pillar, huffing, “How annoying!”

Then, he threw a few punches into the air, as if his father stood before him.

After venting, his heart finally felt a little lighter. He straightened his clothes and continued walking as if nothing had happened.

Approaching the main hall, his steps grew slower, no longer hurried, but rather filled with a leisurely air. It seemed he had already devised a plan for how to handle the situation.

A smile played on his lips, his eyes alight with the youthful exuberance of a young man.

Upon reaching the door, he didn’t enter. Instead, he paused before a birdcage hanging on the veranda, taking great interest in teasing the parrot within.

He curled his finger, lightly tapped the cage bars, and greeted the parrot with a cheerful smile.

The parrot’s feathers were vibrant, smooth, and dense, its small, black-bean eyes bright and clever. It cocked its head and chirped, “Hello, Young Master! Young Master is handsome and dashing! Charming and suave!”

Su Zhuozhi lightly poked its small head, praising, “You have good taste.”

The parrot obligingly tumbled over, letting out an exaggerated ‘oh dear,’ and then lay sprawled in the cage, feigning injury, as if it couldn’t get up without a snack.

The servant who fed the parrot was perceptive. They immediately stepped forward to offer grains to the young master.

Su Zhuozhi contentedly fed the bird, watched it eat for a while, and exchanged a few more playful words before turning to step over the threshold, naturally calling out, “Mother, I’m home.”

However, in the main hall, only Master Su sat in a grand armchair, slowly sipping tea. Madam Su was not present.

Su Zhuozhi, acting as if he hadn’t seen anyone, immediately turned to leave.

Master Su’s face darkened. He slammed his teacup down with a bang, splashing some tea.

“You brat! I’m a grown man sitting right here, can’t you see me? All you do is call for your mother all day. Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Su Zhuozhi feigned thought, as if something had just occurred to him. “Oh, actually, I do.”

Master Su’s expression softened slightly, and he stroked his beard.

Su Zhuozhi asked, “Father, where is Mother?”

“…”

Master Su choked, then grumbled, “All you know is to go out and play all day, only returning after dark. Can’t you stay home and study diligently? If this continues, do you truly intend to become an unlearned wastrel?”

“Father, I was wrong,” Su Zhuozhi admitted, bowing his head with a very good attitude.

Master Su was speechless. Looking at that innocent, obedient face, he immediately found himself unable to scold further. He said stiffly, “…Have you spent all your money?”

Su Zhuozhi shook his head. “I still have two thousand taels.”

Master Su: “I’ll have someone give you another eight thousand taels. Is that enough?”

Su Zhuozhi flashed a brilliant smile. “Enough, thank you, Father. But I don’t need the money. Can you please withdraw that personal bodyguard?”

“No.”

Master Su flatly refused. “This matter is settled, no room for discussion. Your mother also agreed. You’re out running wild all day; it’s unsafe without a capable person to protect you.”

Su Zhuozhi argued, “I always bring a few bodyguards when I leave the manor, which is more than enough. Besides, my friends also bring people. Together, we’re over twenty strong. Who would dare provoke us?”

Master Su: “This is a personal bodyguard. It’s different. No matter where you go, he will follow you.”

He understood his youngest son’s temperament all too well: uninhibited and free-spirited, disliking restraint, and hating to be constantly followed. Previous bodyguards had either been shaken off by Su Zhuozhi or subverted, helping him cover his tracks.

This time, Master Su had learned his lesson. He specifically chose someone with exceptional skills, a steady and taciturn nature, and an unyielding will. Such a person would certainly not be easily swayed or corrupted by his youngest son.

Master Su took a sip of tea, making his final decision. “I’ll give you another thirty thousand taels. Get used to it.”

Su Zhuozhi’s shoulders slumped. He knew this matter couldn’t be changed. He let out a listless ‘oh’ and dragged his feet as he left. No amount of silver could soothe his wounded little heart.

“Where are you going?” Master Su asked.

Su Zhuozhi waved his hand without looking back, drawing out his words slowly. “I’m~ going~ to~ study~ diligently~”

Diligence, of course, was out of the question.

Never in his life.

Su Zhuozhi returned with the intention of observing this so-called personal bodyguard and finding a way to get rid of them.

His father had only said not to dismiss the person, but if the person wanted to leave on their own, surely that had nothing to do with him? He would intentionally make things difficult, letting the personal bodyguard know how troublesome he was to serve, hoping they would voluntarily request to be reassigned to other duties within the manor. That would be ideal.

With a solution in mind, his steps grew noticeably lighter. His high ponytail, tied with a red ribbon, swayed from side to side, and the setting sun, like shattered gold, cast a shimmering glow upon it.

The young master was like a beautiful, precious kitten, walking with its head held high and chest puffed out, its paws moving haughtily, its tail held high in delight.

Returning to Autumn Ripple Hall, Su Zhuozhi commanded, “Bring the person over.”

Soon after, the servant boy Qingping led the personal bodyguard in.

Su Zhuozhi sat on a stone stool in the courtyard, casually eating hazelnuts. The exquisite porcelain dish contained only shelled nuts, prepared by the maids, which he popped into his mouth one by one—salty and delicious.

He looked up, seeing two figures, one tall and one short, the difference overly stark.

When did Qingping become so short?

Su Zhuozhi felt a flicker of doubt, but soon realized that it was the person next to Qingping who was exceptionally tall, making Qingping appear so slender and small by comparison.

However, Su Zhuozhi didn’t pay much attention.

He didn’t want a personal bodyguard, so whether this new servant was tall, short, fat, or thin, it was irrelevant to him.

He merely glanced over, not even clearly seeing the other’s face, before lowering his head to pick up a nut. He spoke casually, “I hear you’re skilled. Spar with the bodyguards in my courtyard, three against one. If you win, you stay; if you lose, you get out. I don’t want a mere ornamental guard who can’t protect me.”

Qingping was Su Zhuozhi’s longest-serving servant, loyal and devoted to his master. He clearly understood what the young master intended. As his master’s servant, he naturally had to add fuel to the fire to make things proceed more smoothly.

“Young Master wants to see your true ability. Don’t put on any flashy shows. Take off your shirt and fight bare-chested, punching with real force, so the Young Master can see your truest form.”

No sooner had the words left his lips than a cold gaze pierced Qingping, sending a shiver down his spine.

He looked around in surprise, yet couldn’t find the source of the gaze, so he scratched his head in confusion, temporarily dismissing it.

When Su Zhuozhi looked up from his snacking, he was somewhat surprised and puzzled to see several tall men in the distance, stripped to their waists.

It was just a spar, why did they need to take off their clothes?

However, Su Zhuozhi was too lazy to ask and continued eating his nuts.

Soon, the brilliance of Qingping’s accidental suggestion became apparent.

Without the obstruction of their shirts, the bodyguards’ robust muscle lines were clearly visible—solid, powerful, an instant burst of raw strength.

When the new bodyguard turned to block an attack, the muscles of his back rippled and stretched, forming a taut bow poised to strike, filled with a beast’s aggressive power. It made one think of fierce, wild beasts on the savanna, charging with overwhelming might in a deadly struggle.

The spar was far more exciting than expected.

Su Zhuozhi was unconsciously engrossed, growing tense along with the fight. He even forgot to eat his nuts, unconsciously clenching his fingers, holding his breath, unwilling to miss a single moment. His entire body felt as if his blood was boiling.

The new bodyguard easily dodged a punch, simultaneously delivering a swift back elbow strike that forced his opponent to cry out in pain, hunching their back and retreating clumsily, unable to recover for a moment. Yet, his expression remained calm and unhurried. Only a few drops of sweat rolled down his sharp jawline, past his firm, bulging chest muscles, narrow waist, and deep-set V-line.

Before long, the victor was clear. The man’s offensive power was astonishingly sharp, an almost overwhelming dominance. The other three simply could not compare.

Su Zhuozhi frowned in dissatisfaction. He hadn’t watched enough; he felt as though his breath had just been drawn, just as he was about to witness the most thrilling climax of the fight, it abruptly ended, leaving him feeling uncomfortably stifled.

He looked up, finally truly seeing the man for the first time. With sword-like brows and piercing eyes, his face was stern, his dark eyes deep and profound, exuding an undeniable pressure. His demeanor bore no resemblance to that of a mere bodyguard.

Their eyes met inadvertently, and instantly, Su Zhuozhi’s scalp tingled, his heart skipped a beat, sensing an inexplicable danger.

But in the next second, the man lowered his gaze, concealing the dark glint in his eyes, faintly revealing a hint of deference. It was as if his previous sensation had merely been a misconception.

The courtyard bodyguards knelt before the young master, utterly ashamed, bowing their heads in defeat.

Su Zhuozhi asked, “Did you hold back?”

The bodyguard replied honestly, “No, our skills are simply inferior.”

Su Zhuozhi then called for three more bodyguards to spar. But this time, they lost even faster. Everyone’s gaze shifted towards the new bodyguard.

A silence fell over the courtyard.

Qingping looked to the young master, asking what to do next.

In truth, Su Zhuozhi didn’t know either. He had initially thought that after a spar, he could use dissatisfaction with their skills as an excuse to make the person voluntarily leave. However, the vast disparity in strength rendered that excuse completely untenable.

He could only temporarily keep the person.

Su Zhuozhi looked at the man and asked, “What is your name?”

“Xie Jue.”

The new bodyguard knelt on one knee, his back straight, looking directly at Su Zhuozhi without wavering. For a servant, this was already considered disrespectful.

Su Zhuozhi, seated, looked down at him from above, stating as a matter of course, “Xie Jue, from today forward, you are my personal bodyguard. Whatever I tell you to do, you shall do. You are to obey without question, and not defy me.”

Xie Jue: “…Yes, Young Master.”