Chapter 2: Dark Shadow

The person who had returned was Pei Lexin’s son, Pei Wang.

He was the product of Ms. Pei’s youthful flings—a child she kept while letting the father go. He had been raised by his maternal grandfather in another province until he was ten, brought to the Capital only after his mother’s career had completely stabilized. Consequently, Yu Xi and he had never met; Yu Xi had only seen photos of Pei Wang shown to him by Ms. Pei years ago.

The mother and son shared extremely similar features, so Yu Xi recognized him instantly.

After a brief moment of daze, Yu Xi put down his chopsticks and stood up. Behind the cover of the table, his hands quietly gripped the seams of his pants. Enduring the other’s sharp gaze, he spoke, “I am Yu Xi, I am…”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by the sound of a backpack being slammed onto the floor.

Pei Wang crossed his arms over his chest, scrutinizing Yu Xi from head to toe. “I know. My mom mentioned you.”

Before Yu Xi’s tension could ease, he heard Pei Wang add in a mocking tone: “The little beggar who came to my house to eat and live for free.”

“…”

The surrounding air suddenly became parched. Yu Xi lowered his eyes under the other’s piercing stare and remained silent.

Clearly, Pei Wang did not welcome him into this home.

But what he said wasn’t wrong; it was only natural for Pei Wang to dislike him.

If it really didn’t work out, he would just move out. He was already an adult; he could find a place that provided room and board to last until school started. He couldn’t make things difficult for others…

At that moment, a crisp “smack” interrupted Yu Xi’s thoughts and shattered the tense atmosphere.

“You brat! What kind of nonsense are you talking?! How can you be so rude?!” Auntie Wan, who had been speaking so softly to Yu Xi just moments ago, delivered a slap to the back of Pei Wang’s head, deflating half of his aggressive aura. “Xiao Xi is a year older than you. You should call him Brother.”

“Huh?!” Pei Wang, who had shrunk his neck from the blow, widened his eyes in indignation. “I won’t! Auntie Wan, why are you taking the side of an outsider? You don’t love me anymore!”

Auntie Wan took a deep breath and softened her voice, “Your mother said—”

“I don’t care what that old woman said! Anyway, I’m not calling some poor ghost who popped out of nowhere ‘Brother.’ I’ve never even met him!” With that, Pei Wang jerked his head away and stomped upstairs in a rage, not forgetting to glare fiercely at Yu Xi before leaving.

The door upstairs was slammed so hard the house shook. Yu Xi’s fingertips trembled involuntarily.

“Sigh.” Auntie Wan shook her head and sighed toward the stairs. She turned to see Yu Xi standing by the table, looking lost, and offered gentle comfort. “It’s alright, Xiao Xi. Don’t mind him. I’ve raised him since he was small, and I know his temper. He was already angry at President Pei before you arrived, so he took it out on you. It’ll be fine after a while.”

Yu Xi gave a low response and whispered a thank you.

Auntie Wan told him not to take it to heart, then carried the food and the iced Coke upstairs to coax the boy.

The dining room grew quiet. Yu Xi was left alone, but he didn’t feel relaxed. Looking at the fragrant, exquisite dishes on the table, the food felt tasteless in his mouth.

However, he didn’t have the habit of wasting food, especially since Auntie Wan had specifically made these to suit his taste. So, he diligently finished his meal.

Not long after dinner, he received a phone call from Ms. Pei.

She had heard about the scene Pei Wang caused and called immediately to comfort him.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll give that boy a proper talking-to when I get back. He’s truly becoming lawless.”

Ms. Pei paused, responding to someone nearby in French. Clearly, she was still busy at this hour. After handling the matter, she turned back and used an even gentler tone to speak to Yu Xi.

“He isn’t targeting you. The day I went to see you and your mother happened to be his birthday. I was in a rush and neglected him, so he’s just throwing a childish tantrum… Don’t worry, I’ll call him in a bit and have a word with him.”

Yu Xi hurriedly stopped her, “There’s no need, Auntie Pei. He didn’t bully me; please don’t scold him. It’s normal for him to feel defensive when I suddenly entered this home. I’ll get along with him; I actually quite like him.”

Yu Xi’s voice was soft and clean, and his tone was calm and steady. It brought to mind a clear spring in a mountain stream—pleasant to the ear and soothing to the heart.

Pei Lexin, who had been slightly irritable due to work trifles, felt her mood stabilize. She agreed to his request, comforted him a few more times, and then hung up.

Yu Xi let out a sigh of relief and then replied to his pinned contact.

His mother had sent him several messages an hour ago, all expressing concern for his current situation.

His fair fingers tapped on the cracked, slow-responding screen of his phone, laboriously replying one by one.

[I’m fine, Mom. Everything is good here.]

[The food here is delicious. I ate three bowls; my stomach is full.]

[Don’t worry about me. Focus on your own work. I can take care of myself.]

[Goodnight, Mom.]

After sending the messages, Yu Xi took a shower, hand-washed his clothes, and hung them on the balcony to dry before preparing for bed.

He wasn’t used to sleeping with the cold draft of the air conditioner. He stood up to open the glass balcony doors. As he was about to pull the screen door shut, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of a dark shadow standing outside the main gate through the gaps in the banyan branches.

Under the streetlights, amidst the distinct play of light and shadow, only a silhouette could be roughly discerned.

It was a tall, upright man standing quietly there. He looked like an immovable statue or a ghost with nowhere to go. With the added atmosphere of the silent night, it was quite eerie.

Moreover, he couldn’t tell if it was an illusion, but Yu Xi felt like the person was looking at him.

Yu Xi wasn’t afraid of ghosts; he was just worried the person had ill intentions toward the Pei family. Just as he planned to step onto the balcony for a closer look, the still shadow suddenly moved.

The man turned and left toward the left side of the gate, his figure quickly disappearing into the dense leaves of the banyan tree in front of Yu Xi’s room.

Yu Xi tilted his head, thinking the person was probably just passing by or was an acquaintance of the Pei family.

The security at Huze Junting was top-notch; they wouldn’t let suspicious individuals in. Besides, even from a distance, the man’s temperament didn’t seem ordinary; he was more likely a resident here.

Thinking this, Yu Xi put it out of his mind and pulled the screen door shut.

It was already ten o’clock—a late night for him. If he delayed any longer, he wouldn’t grow taller.

Yu Xi let out a yawn, rubbed his teary eyes, and lay down on the incredibly soft bed. However, just as his long, raven-wing lashes were about to droop, he suddenly snapped his eyes open.

He forced himself to “reboot,” got out of bed again, and rummaged through his backpack for a tin box.

The box was printed with colorful biscuit patterns, its edges rusted where the paint had peeled. In the center of the lid was a label with ballpoint pen writing: Yu Xiaohe’s House.

Upon opening it, he found a thick layer of soft hay. Lying amidst the hay was a palm-sized pebble.

The stone was dark green, oval and slightly flat. It was very smooth from being frequently caressed by its owner. Though it was an ordinary stone, it emitted a gentle luster under the night light when held in the owner’s palm.

Yu Xi stroked it and whispered, “Yu Xiaohe, goodnight.”

The stone was placed back in the tin box on the nightstand, and Yu Xi returned to the large bed.

Both slept very quietly, spending their first night in the Pei residence together.

Yu Xi was used to sleeping early and waking early; he got out of bed just as dawn broke.

The butler, who was instructing Auntie Wan on something on the first floor, heard the sound and looked up. Seeing Yu Xi, he put his hands behind his back and bowed slightly. “Good morning, Young Master Yu Xi.”

Hearing the title again, Yu Xi’s ears still turned hot. He scratched them awkwardly and said, “Butler Uncle can just call me Xiao Xi.” Then, he also bowed to greet the butler and Auntie Wan, “Good morning, Butler Uncle. Good morning, Auntie Wan.”

His greetings were stiff and formal, accompanied by a shy smile. With his naturally adorable looks, his bright eyes curved when he smiled, looking so clean and pure that it unconsciously made one’s heart soften.

Because Pei Lexin did not desire marriage and disliked excessive contact with distant relatives, this house rarely had guests and was somewhat lonely. Now that a child with a completely different personality from Pei Wang had moved in, it was a novelty for the servants of the Pei family.

The butler and Auntie Wan exchanged a look, both seeing a similar smile in each other’s eyes.

Auntie Wan pulled Yu Xi down to sit and gave him some water. “I didn’t expect you to wake up so early. Breakfast is just being made; do you want some snacks to fill your stomach first?”

Yu Xi couldn’t sit still and stood up immediately. “No need. What are you planning to do? Can I watch? I can help.”

Auntie Wan was startled. “Oh my, this is my job. Why would I need your help?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t get in the way.”

Yu Xi had no intention of being a free-loader. Even if the Pei family had plenty of servants and didn’t really need him, he couldn’t comfortably enjoy everything the Pei family provided with a clear conscience.

Fortunately, he had learned to cook very early on. When he was very young and the family’s situation was still decent, he would curiously peek through the door crack, eyes wide, observing the cook’s every move in the kitchen. Later, as he grew a bit older, he would stand on a small stool, using his clumsy little hands to help his mother with whatever small tasks he could manage… By the time he reached middle school, he was fully capable of cooking on his own. Even if there weren’t many ingredients at home, he could turn simple items into various delicacies, all to help his mother eat a bit more and see her happy smile.

The difficulty was that the Pei family’s kitchen utensils and appliances were advanced and high-end. He hadn’t seen many of them before and had to ask and learn one by one.

“Wow, Xiao Xi, your knife skills are excellent! These shreds are so thin and uniform!” Auntie Wan couldn’t help but marvel at his familiar and superb technique. “You don’t look very old, but you sure know a lot. You must do a lot of work at home, right?”

Such results couldn’t be achieved in a day or two. Moreover, when she first observed him, Auntie Wan noticed that Yu Xi’s hands were not those of a pampered person. They were long and fair, yet the skin was dry and the finger joints were slightly deformed.

She had originally thought the child’s family situation was just a bit bad, leading to a frugal lifestyle. He was still at a student’s age; she hadn’t expected him to have done so much housework.

“It’s nothing, just a small effort.” Yu Xi felt a bit embarrassed by Auntie Wan’s praise and smiled shyly.

Auntie Wan sighed. “You, you’re at the age where you should be enjoying your youth. You don’t need to help this much. Before university starts, you should just have fun. By the way, I have some hand cream gifted by President Pei. I’ll give you a tube later; use it every day when you’re free. Don’t waste such beautiful hands.”

Yu Xi was about to speak when a voice suddenly came from behind him.

“Auntie Wan, today I—”

Pei Wang, whom he had seen last night, appeared at the kitchen door. Seeing Yu Xi wearing an apron and holding a kitchen knife, he immediately flashed the same mocking sneer as last night. “Acting obedient so soon? Let me make it clear—our family has plenty of servants. You won’t get an extra cent for snatching their work.”

The color drained from Yu Xi’s cheeks as he stood there stiffly.

Auntie Wan immediately pushed Pei Wang out. “You brat, why are you saying such things again? Xiao Xi is helping out of the goodness of his heart.”

“He’s being fake, just trying to perform to win your favor. You’re just too old to see through it. I’ve seen plenty of people like him.”

Pei Wang’s voice wasn’t low; he purposefully let the person in the kitchen hear clearly.

“Stop it, my little ancestor.” Auntie Wan covered his mouth. “Why are you up so early today?”

“I’m hungry.”

Auntie Wan chided, “Don’t I know you? Did you stay up all night playing games again?”

Pei Wang laughed, his tone carrying a bit of the playfulness of a child. “Still can’t hide anything from you. Just don’t tell my mom, okay?”

“Fine, fine, fine. Just to save myself from having to help you when President Pei tries to beat you and you’re screaming all over the house.” Auntie Wan pushed away Pei Wang’s head as he tried to rub against her shoulder.

“I knew Auntie Wan loved me the most.” Pei Wang’s tone changed. “By the way, I have a friend coming over later. We’ll have breakfast together.”

“What friend?”

“My mom wants me to get on good terms with him.” Pei Wang glanced toward the kitchen, an ill-intentioned glint flashing in his eyes as he raised his voice. “So, I’m going to introduce him to some ‘friends’ and have a g-o-o-d t-i-m-e outside—”