Chapter 1: Old Haunts

August in the Capital was greeted by a scorching sun and cloudless skies.

Under the sweltering temperature of forty degrees Celsius, the security guards stationed at the gates of the city’s premier villa district braved the heat.

They managed the entry and safety of the powerful elite living within, remaining upright in their stiff suits, performing their duties with total dedication.

At that moment, a green taxi drove up slowly and stopped fifty meters away from the main gate.

After a short while, the rear door opened, and a tall, slender figure stepped out.

It was a youth in the prime of his teenage years.

With the driver’s help, he dragged an old, soft leather suitcase out of the trunk and whispered his thanks.

It wasn’t a particularly noteworthy event, but perhaps because the sentry duty was so monotonous, the security guard’s eyes subconsciously drifted toward the boy’s thin back.

Even from a distance, one could tell his clothes were plain; he didn’t look like someone who lived in this villa district.

He was likely a visitor…

As the guard pondered, the youth approached, dragging the suitcase which made a noisy scraping sound against the ground.

The security guard gradually saw the youth’s face clearly.

The first impression was that he was unusually beautiful.

It was a beauty that even outdated, faded clothing could not hide.

The intense sunlight made his skin look like white porcelain and cast a glossy sheen over his black hair.

He kept his head slightly lowered, his long lashes curling in a tender arc as his red lips parted slightly to breathe.

Because of the heat, his sideburns and the back of his neck were damp with sweat, and a layer of red bloomed across his cheeks.

A small reddish-brown mole in the middle of his right cheek looked as if it had been condensed from that very flush.

The guard’s gaze was hidden behind sunglasses, staring until the youth arrived in front of him, dragging a suitcase that seemed to have a broken wheel.

The guard snapped back to his senses, remembered his duty, and bowed slightly.

“Hello, this is Huze Junting. Is there anything I can help you with?”

The youth hurriedly wiped away the hot sweat stinging his eyes and bowed in return.

His voice was so light it felt like a cloud that could be easily blown away.

“Hello… I’m here to find someone.”

Just as the guard was about to ask further, a ringtone echoed from the youth’s pocket.

The youth pulled out a phone with a cracked screen.

He struggled to slide the screen twice before successfully answering the call.

After a few soft words, the call ended, and he raised his head again to offer a small smile.

“Thank you, but there’s no need to trouble you; someone will be out to pick me up shortly.”

Within five minutes, a car drove out and stopped at the gate reception area.

A butler nearly forty years old stepped out and greeted the youth.

“You must be the Young Master Yu Xi that President Pei mentioned, right?”

“I am very sorry for failing to meet you, making you come here personally and wait for so long.”

The youth’s eyes widened slightly, and he waved his hands frantically.

“It’s no problem, I insisted on coming by myself; it has nothing to do with you.”

“Also, please just call me Yu Xi…”

Because the residence was still some distance from the gate and the weather was too hot, the two skipped the pleasantries and got into the car.

Inside the car, the butler carefully explained the situation of the homeowner to Yu Xi.

“A temporary problem arose at President Pei’s overseas branch; it was urgent, and she had to fly abroad personally to handle it.”

“That’s why she couldn’t pick you up. She told me to settle you in well at home; she will be back by the day after tomorrow at the latest.”

Yu Xi curled his toes inside his canvas shoes, which had been washed until they were faded.

Sitting inside a luxury car that was worlds apart from the taxi, he said softly, “I don’t mind; her work is more important.”

The butler smiled.

“President Pei said that you are also an important member of the Pei family; we cannot neglect you.”

Hearing this, Yu Xi thought of that lady who was exceptionally gentle toward him.

His tight lip line relaxed, and he gave a shy smile, softly responding, “Mhm.”

Under the butler’s gentle words, his nervous mood eased, and he turned his attention to the scenery outside the window.

The residents of Huze Junting were all either wealthy or noble.

Each ultra-luxury villa was worth nearly a hundred million, and the surrounding facilities and buildings were naturally the best.

Leaving the magnificent and grand gate, the car drove on a smooth asphalt road.

They first passed a golf course and then arrived under two rows of tall London plane trees.

In the mottled shadows of the trees, the scenery receded like a montage in an artistic film.

Yu Xi couldn’t help but feel a sense of trance, as if he were in a dream.

Yesterday, he was still living in a remote town a thousand miles away.

After a long train journey, he had arrived in another flourishing world.

Even though this flourishing world counted as a return to an old haunt, he felt more unease than sentimentality or nostalgia.

In these nearly twelve years, everything had changed.

Fortunately, the owner of the house he was going to was still as kind to him as ever.

Five days ago, Ms. Pei received a call from his mother and immediately crossed a thousand miles to meet them, regardless of the wind or rain.

The two best friends, who had been out of contact for over ten years, turned red-eyed before they even spoke a word.

The estrangement that had formed seemed as if it had never existed.

Upon hearing about their situation, Ms. Pei offered to help almost without hesitation.

“Isn’t that perfect? The school Xiao Xi got into is only ten kilometers away from my place.”

“Since you’ve decided to focus on the scientific research you once gave up, let me help you take care of him.”

Ms. Pei didn’t give any chance for rejection; she beckoned Yu Xi over and smiled as she stroked his head.

“Our Xiao Xi has grown up; he’s still so well-behaved and good-looking.”

“When you go to Auntie’s place, it will be just like when you were little; just treat it as your own home.”

Unfortunately, plans could not keep up with changes.

On this day, Ms. Pei was unable to pick him up from the high-speed rail station personally.

Yu Xi was left alone, so he hailed a taxi to find the place himself.

The butler received the news a bit late, and the driver he sent was stuck in traffic, failing to meet him.

“I am truly sorry. I heard from President Pei that you get carsick easily; it must have been a hard journey, right?”

The butler apologized again.

Carsickness was something he’d had since childhood.

Yu Xi didn’t expect Auntie Pei to still remember this.

He said with a smile, “It’s fine, I took motion sickness medicine in advance.”

He barely endured the misery of carsickness, but the fatigue of the journey and the dozen hours on a hard sleeper train had already left him exhausted.

The thoughtful butler had prepared everything long ago.

As soon as he got out of the car, there was warm soup and calming tea waiting for him.

His luggage was also taken by a servant to be sent to his room ahead of time.

Yu Xi couldn’t adapt to the speed of it all.

He felt embarrassed letting an elder carry his luggage for him.

Unexpectedly, during the tug-of-war, the old suitcase that had followed him for years couldn’t hold on.

The already precarious wheel fell off completely, reaching the end of its life.

The scene was a bit awkward.

In the quiet atmosphere, Yu Xi’s ears turned red.

“It’s a bit heavy, I’ll do it myself…” he whispered.

The servant didn’t insist further and led him upstairs.

“President Pei specifically reserved this room for you, saying you stayed here when you were little.”

“The furniture has been replaced with new pieces, but the general layout hasn’t changed; you should feel more comfortable living here…”

The door was opened, and the first thing that met his eyes was a window full of green.

The banyan tree outside the window had grown taller and grander than before.

Its lush branches even reached the third-floor balcony.

This patch of green intertwined with the sunlight, filling the room with vitality.

“Are you satisfied?” the servant asked.

Yu Xi nodded, his eyes curving slightly as they reflected the green.

A faint dimple appeared where the small mole was on his right cheek.

“It’s all very good.”

The servant was momentarily dazed by his smile and smiled back.

“I started working for the Pei family nine years ago; you can call me Auntie Wan.”

“Just call me if you need anything. President Pei said you are a part of the family, so don’t be formal.”

A person needs time to adapt to a new environment.

Auntie Wan didn’t disturb him for long; she brought the soup and calming tea, setting them down to leave Yu Xi some private space.

The surroundings grew quiet.

Only the rustling of the banyan tree being blown by the wind remained in his ears.

Yu Xi remembered that he had climbed it as a child.

He had accidentally fallen off, giving his friends a huge scare and earning himself a scolding from the adults afterward.

Although he had been injured, it became a precious memory of his childhood.

He still remembered how his friends were all teary-eyed with worry for him.

So many years had passed; he wondered if they were doing well?

Yu Xi’s gaze drifted through the window toward the other villas further away.

The days he once lived here had become a rare, happy, and carefree time in his life.

To this day, he still remembered the names of every single friend.

But… they had probably forgotten him long ago.

Even if a pathetic shred of an impression remained, the distance created by status and time would never allow them to be as close as they were in childhood.

It was just like this house.

The general structure remained the same, but once other things grew old, they would be thrown away.

They would be replaced with brand-new things, gradually becoming unrecognizable.

Therefore, pretending to forget and not disturbing them was the best choice.

Yu Xi tucked away the melancholy rising in his heart and turned to organize the broken suitcase.

“Come, these dishes were all made specifically for you, so don’t be shy; eat as much as you want!”

A bowl of white rice piled high like a small mountain was placed in front of Yu Xi.

Immediately after, a pair of white jade chopsticks was shoved into his hand.

Auntie Wan added food to his bowl while saying, “I heard from President Pei that you can’t handle spicy food very well.”

“So the dishes are all light. Taste them first to see if you like them; I’ll adjust things later if they aren’t right.”

Yu Xi was a bit overwhelmed by Auntie Wan’s enthusiastic behavior.

Holding his chopsticks, he watched as the small bowl was piled higher and higher.

“That’s… that’s enough, Auntie Wan, thank you. I’ll do it myself.”

“Look at me, I lost my composure a bit seeing such a likable child come to the house,” Auntie Wan stopped adding food.

“I just can’t stand seeing kids your age being this thin. You’re still growing, so you should eat more.”

“You’re about the same age as Xiao Wang, right? But you look much thinner…”

As they were talking, there was a sudden commotion at the front door.

A soccer ball entered the house before the person did.

After two thumping sounds, a boy in a fiery red soccer jersey entered Yu Xi’s line of sight with a rush of energy.

The boy was covered in sweat from playing outside.

His soaked hair was spiked up like hard thorns.

He kicked off his shoes and shouted, “Auntie Wan! I want a Coke, the coldest one—”

The remaining words came to a screeching halt when he saw Yu Xi sitting at the dining table.

His body tensed up in an instant.

His brown eyes locked on him, and his thick brows furrowed.

It was as if he were a beast discovering an intruder in his territory.

He immediately became alert, radiating undisguised displeasure and hostility.

His tone changed accordingly, sounding almost like an interrogation.

“Who the f*ck are you?”