Chapter Seventeen: Young Master Xu the Second

Chapter Seventeen: Young Master Xu

Hei San led Chen Xiao away from that warehouse-like place. According to Hei San’s explanation, while Chen Xiao was unconscious, the Service Society had brought in some equipment and instruments to conduct numerous tests and observations on his body. The devices were soon taken away.

Hei San escorted Chen Xiao back home, and Ya Ya was brought back as well.

Before leaving, Hei San hugged Chen Xiao tightly, reluctant to part, and whispered, “Actually, I held you when you were little. But you surely don’t remember me… Remember, my name is Yanni. You can call me Aunt Yanni from now on.”

She left Chen Xiao with a final message: “Take good care of yourself, and don’t forget the hopes your parents have for you.”

The broken windows at home had been repaired by the time Chen Xiao returned, as well as the damaged floor, walls, and furniture in the living room, all replaced with new ones.

The Service Society moved quickly; there was no trace of the fierce struggle from that night. Chen Xiao glanced at the freshly painted walls, the new window frames, and even the refrigerator had been replaced. He smiled faintly.

However, Ya Ya’s “biological pod” had been taken away by the Service Society, leaving no trace.

The events of the past days felt like a dream. It was as if only Ya Ya had joined his life, and apart from that, nothing else lingered in his home.

Ya Ya stood quietly by Chen Xiao’s side. Though she was a Blueblood, she was still human, and humans are born with an instinctive affection for familiar things. At this moment, Chen Xiao was the only person she recognized, so instinctively she stayed close, her expression somewhat lost, her innocent gaze resembling a fragile little girl.

Chen Xiao stood in the middle of the living room, surveying his home carefully, then smiled—a smile that seemed to carry something new, as if his once-cold heart had grown more open.

At least, he understood something now—he had always harbored resentment towards his parents, believing they abandoned him for their careers.

But now he realized it was their way of protecting him.

At least… knowing this, his heart felt warmer.

Dad and Mom love me; I just never felt it before.

He turned, took Ya Ya’s hand, and together they sat on the sofa.

“Ahem.” Chen Xiao cleared his throat. “You’ve been here for a few days now… but it seems we haven’t properly introduced ourselves. Well, to be precise, I haven’t introduced myself to you yet.”

He pointed to himself. “My name is Chen Xiao.” He pulled out paper and pen from under the coffee table and wrote his name. “That’s how it’s written. I’m eighteen, still a student, and I support myself by working part-time. From today, I’ll take care of you.”

Ya Ya’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Chen Xiao, unsure what to say, but her gaze was clearly affectionate.

“I know your name is Ya Ya, and that you’re three years younger than me, born on October sixth.” Chen Xiao felt a bit awkward alone with her. “We’re not very familiar yet, but I think trust can be built gradually. From now on, we’ll depend on each other.”

Seeing Ya Ya still silent, Chen Xiao thought for a moment, not sure what else to say, before finally blurting, “Um… What would you like for dinner?”

Ya Ya giggled. Her smile was pure and genuine.

“I can make egg fried rice and egg drop soup.” Ya Ya spoke with a sense of accomplishment, since she had already cooked them once before, though unfortunately, before they could eat, Hei Qi had barged in and smashed everything along with the table.

Hei San had left a phone number and an address—Chen Xiao’s future workplace where he must “report.” Hei San assured him it was just a regular job; he needed to attend an interview like any normal person.

That evening, Chen Xiao hesitated before dialing the number—the phone and address were both local.

Ring… ring… “Hello, who is it?”

The voice on the other end was a lazy old man.

“Hello, my name is Chen Xiao,” he said slowly. “Hei San told me to call this number…”

At the same time—well, maybe it was just his imagination, but he thought he heard the sound of mahjong tiles clattering in the background.

Before he finished, the other party sounded impatient: “Alright, alright, alright! You’re the kid, no need for all that. Just show up sometime this week! What’s the point of calling? Such a bother!”

With a bang, the call was ended before Chen Xiao could react.

He stared at the phone for a few seconds, stunned… The other party sounded even more impatient than he was. I’m willingly subjecting myself to their supervision, yet they’re acting all high and mighty?

He felt a bit annoyed, but thinking it over—it was probably for the best; this way, they wouldn’t keep him under such close scrutiny.

The next morning was Tuesday.

Now that there was another mouth to feed at home, and since Hei San had whisked him away over the weekend and he only returned late Monday night, he’d missed two days at the fast food restaurant without even calling in to request leave. That cunning manager was probably furious. Chen Xiao decided not to call—after all, that guy treated him as a living mascot and free lucky charm, hardly a decent person. He’d already planned to quit; he’d just resign when he went in tonight.

Missing school on Monday wasn’t a big deal—Chen Xiao attended an academy that combined high school and university, an elite institution. He had just started his first year of college, and skipping a class was nothing unusual.

But since it was Tuesday, and things had settled down, he couldn’t keep skipping.

That morning, Chen Xiao tidied himself up, then led Ya Ya to the study, pointed to the computer, “Don’t touch this. The books on the shelves are yours to read. There’s food in the fridge; if you get hungry… well, you know how to cook, just help yourself.”

Chen Xiao had thought it through: for someone like Ya Ya, a special human who had never interacted with the outside world, adapting to this world had to be a gradual process. He considered letting her learn online, as it might be faster, but then realized—anything and everything can be found on the internet. There’s good, but far more nonsense and bad influences. Ya Ya was still a blank slate; her intelligence might be high, but her emotional intelligence was low, and she couldn’t discern right from wrong yet. He didn’t want to corrupt such an innocent girl.

After instructing Ya Ya, Chen Xiao left her at home to read, grabbed his backpack, and went off to school.

Since his bicycle was still parked outside the bank, he had to take a taxi, adding to his expenses. He wasn’t wealthy, just able to support himself, and now with Ya Ya at home, he’d need to be even more frugal.

Kidd Academy.

A true aristocratic school in K City. Backed by several major conglomerates, its connections were strong and deep. In the southeast district of this southern metropolis, it occupied a sizable plot of land, rivaling the famous universities in area, and its hardware was almost luxurious.

This was a genuine aristocratic school: a road built to national highway standards leading up to the entrance, a plaza as large as two football fields in front of the gates, a three-story underground parking lot, a library larger than the city’s public library, a stadium built to regulation standards, football and tennis courts, a swimming pool, and even a miniature golf course—golf was even part of the curriculum, to prepare students for future elite social circles.

All these facilities were extravagantly lavish.

The school was notorious for its exorbitant fees—annual tuition alone was in six figures. Every student who walked through its doors had a wealthy or noble background. The underground parking lot was a showcase for luxury cars owned by students themselves.

And in such a school… Chen Xiao was probably the only one who cycled to class.

In fact, two years ago when he was still in high school here, he drove an Audi A6. After his family collapsed, he began cycling to school, becoming a unique sight. Chen Xiao was well known—most people had heard of the once-wealthy student who had fallen from grace.

Chen Xiao was running late. As he hurried into the school, he spotted a convertible BMW parked by the plaza. Beside it stood a boy in casual attire, designer sunglasses perched on his head. He was about Chen Xiao’s size, with a handsome face and bright eyes—slightly upturned at the corners, classic “peach blossom eyes.” His expression was earnest, yet those eyes carried the kind of melancholy that girls found irresistible.

In front of him stood a girl in a white dress, an LV bag slung over one shoulder, her face full of grievance, lightly tugging at the boy’s sleeve, softly confiding something.

Chen Xiao approached, amused by the scene.

He recognized the BMW-driving boy—his only friend at Kidd Academy: Xu Yifan.

They had met in their first year of high school; Xu Yifan’s father was a real estate tycoon, worth billions—a rare pedigree even in Kidd Academy, where wealthy heirs were everywhere. Xu Yifan had an older brother, earning him the nickname “Young Master Xu the Second.”

Though Chen Xiao had been aloof and rarely socialized, Xu Yifan was an exception. When they first joined, they had a scuffle on the basketball court, then Xu Yifan challenged him to a duel in the school’s karate club—afterwards, Xu Yifan showed up for over a week with panda eyes.

Yet he was tough and straightforward, and always honored his bets, so they became friends.

Despite his privileged background, Xu Yifan had no vices or airs: he could enjoy a five-star hotel meal or cheap street barbecue alike. Chen Xiao thought, for a pampered heir, that was admirable.

His only flaw… was those peach blossom eyes, irresistibly charming to girls. Since they met at fifteen, in over three years, he’d had at least thirty girlfriends.

Seeing the scene at the school gate, Chen Xiao immediately understood—Young Master Xu was probably reenacting another classic breakup with some heiress.

“You’re really a good person,” Young Master Xu said wistfully. “I’ve always thought of you as a sister.”

[Throwing votes is a healthy exercise~]