Over the next week, Hu Xiaoyu followed Yu Tan to and from work, returning to the Yu family estate every evening.

Each morning, upon waking, he would transfer a portion of the spiritual energy he had accumulated overnight into Yu Tan. Although Yu Tan’s complexion remained unnaturally pale, his lips had regained a hint of color, lending him a sharp, striking beauty.

Yu Tan could feel the change too.

The chill in his limbs and bones, once as biting as winter, was beginning to thaw, like the first stirrings of spring.

He had suffered too many hardships in his youth, and though he had clawed his way to power through sheer will, his body had long since deteriorated. By all accounts, he was destined for an early grave.

But that was fine.

When his time truly came, he would make sure to drag down every last one of those he couldn’t stand.

And yet, the man in the mirror now—rosy-lipped, clear-eyed—who was he?

All of this had only begun after Hu Xiaoyu appeared.

If he could live comfortably until death, maybe... that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

When Yu Tan came downstairs, the first thing he did was look for that little idiot.

Uncle Hong was in the living room, overseeing the maids as they prepared breakfast. He looked up and saw Yu Tan’s calm demeanor, letting out a quiet breath of relief.

Eight days now. The young master hadn’t woken up angry once.

“Where is he?” Yu Tan asked.

“Are you asking about A-Jiu, young master?” Uncle Hong walked over.

“The other one.”

“Oh, Xiaoyu went jogging with A-Jiu. It’s Saturday after all—you don’t have to work. You could’ve slept in a bit longer.”

“Jogging? Since when are they that close?” Yu Tan’s expression darkened.

Uncle Hong thought to himself that the two had even sparred in the basement gym before jogging. But his instincts told him it wasn’t wise to say too much.

Hu Xiaoyu went jogging because he had too much energy to burn. It gave him a chance to wander the villa grounds and absorb the natural essence of the plants and trees.

As for A-Jiu, he looked a little shell-shocked.

Seeing Hu Xiaoyu run twenty laps around the mountain paths without breaking a sweat had made him question his own worth entirely.

When A-Jiu returned to shower and change, Hu Xiaoyu did the same. His room was right next door anyway.

He wasn’t actually planning to shower—still trying to adjust to human habits—but he figured he should at least change clothes.

On his way through the living room, he immediately caught the scent of Yu Tan.

His feet automatically veered toward the small terrace off the living room. As expected, Yu Tan was out there, lounging in a recliner.

He was shirtless beneath a loosely draped bathrobe. His long legs and sculpted, pale chest were casually exposed.

Yu Tan was highly perceptive. The moment Hu Xiaoyu approached, he turned to look.

Morning light fell across one side of his face, highlighting the sharp bridge of his nose and deep-set eyes—an icy contrast to the relaxed fit of his robe.

“Where were you?” Yu Tan asked.

“Jogging. The morning air was really nice,” Hu Xiaoyu replied.

Sensing Yu Tan’s foul mood, he instinctively sent a thread of spiritual energy drifting through the air into the man’s bathrobe.

“With A-Jiu?” Yu Tan stood.

He was tall, and as he looked down at the boy in front of him, his dark brows drew together. “Was it fun?”

Hu Xiaoyu nodded and took his hand, excitedly describing his first run in human form.

He talked about the wind—cool but not too cold—about the sunlight filtering through the trees, and the curious birds watching him from the branches. It was all so delightful.

Yu Tan, still holding his hand, half-listened. Unknowingly, the tension in his brow began to ease.

Hu Xiaoyu dragged him toward the living room, waving his hands animatedly. “If only you’d come with me—even just for a walk!”

“You really want me to walk with you?”

“Of course.”

“Keep dreaming.”

“Sleeping in is bad for your health.”

“Just eat,” Yu Tan said, plopping down at the table after working overtime until midnight. “And stop bothering A-Jiu. He’s busy.”

“Okay,” Hu Xiaoyu pouted.

He felt a tiny twinge of jealousy at how much Yu Tan seemed to value A-Jiu. Just a little.

After all, it was A-Jiu who had been by Yu Tan’s side in this life—not him.

But once A-Jiu came in, freshly showered and dressed for breakfast, Hu Xiaoyu promptly forgot all about it.

After breakfast, he asked for a day off.

He didn’t want to be away from Yu Tan for too long, so he said he’d only be gone one day—to finally visit his birth parents, who had been calling nonstop.

Yu Tan initially refused, but after a moment’s thought, he relented.

“You’ve got a job now,” he said. “You should bring them a gift. Go pick something from the storeroom with Uncle Hong.”

Uncle Hong was especially cheerful that day.

Ever since the young master had made a friend like Xiaoyu, his temper had improved. Now he was even considerate enough to think of gifts—how wonderful.

The villa had a gym and wine cellar in the first basement level, with the storeroom on the second. There was an elevator, but Uncle Hong took the stairs so he could talk with Hu Xiaoyu a bit longer.

He couldn’t help but remind him, “Xiaoyu, make sure you come back, okay?”

Hu Xiaoyu nodded, distracted by all the fascinating equipment on the first basement level.

He spotted the boxing ring. “That’s... Yu Tan’s space, isn’t it?”

He’d asked A-Jiu the same question earlier, but A-Jiu hadn’t answered.

Uncle Hong, ever friendly, smiled. “Yes, young master had it built. He likes that... what’s it called again... Muay Thai, that’s it!”

“Is he good at it?” Hu Xiaoyu had once examined Yu Tan’s body with spiritual energy—battered and broken, in need of constant healing.

“Young master’s good at everything. Picked it up after returning from abroad—and brought back A-Jiu too. A-Jiu can’t beat him, not even close.”

Back in the living room—

Yu Tan didn’t like noise. The servants only came at designated times to cook and clean, and lived in the annex next door.

Once Hu Xiaoyu and Uncle Hong left, the room fell silent again.

Yu Tan gave A-Jiu a few instructions, then resumed eating breakfast.

Lately, his appetite had been unusually good—eating nearly a third more than usual.

A-Jiu hesitated. “Boss, what if... what if Xiaoyu doesn’t come back?”

Hu Xiaoyu may have signed a bodyguard contract, but the Hu family was wealthy. That kind of penalty fee wouldn’t deter them.

Yu Tan glanced at him. “He’ll come back.”

A-Jiu saw the cold glint in his boss’s eyes and understood exactly what he meant.

There were many ways to return—whether willingly or not.

Hu Xiaoyu didn’t pick out too many gifts—just two.

He wasn’t a stingy little fox, but the thought of giving away Yu Tan’s things made him oddly reluctant.

At that moment, Yu Tan was sitting on the sofa, reading.

Hu Xiaoyu leaned over the back of the sofa, poking his head out from behind him. “Yu Tan, can A-Jiu take me home?”

He really didn’t want to stay long at the Hu residence. After all, Hu Father and Mother had once locked the original Hu Xiaoyu up. Who knew what they might do this time?

A-Jiu belonged to Yu Tan, and many people in Shen City were afraid to cross Yu Tan.

Seeing A-Jiu might make Hu Father and Mother think twice before forcing him to stay.

And if they did try to keep him, well, A-Jiu could just report back, and Yu Tan would come to get him.

Yu Tan hadn’t answered yet when A-Jiu emerged from the room with a bag in hand. “Xiaoyu, I’ll take you home—how’s that?”

A-Jiu got along well with Hu Xiaoyu. But not so well that he could make decisions on his own.

He was Yu Tan’s man—always had been.

And taking Hu Xiaoyu back was something the boss had instructed.

Hu Xiaoyu beamed. “Great!” Then he looked at Yu Tan and asked again, “Did you tell A-Jiu to take me?”

Yu Tan pushed the boy’s head away from the back of the sofa, sounding annoyed. “No. He volunteered.”

A-Jiu: “......”

He walked over, bracing himself, and handed the bag to Hu Xiaoyu. “Xiaoyu, the boss prepared new clothes for you. Go change—after all, it’s been a while since you’ve been home.”

Hu Xiaoyu was used to Yu Tan saying one thing and meaning another. He happily took the bag and went off to change.

A-Jiu leaned toward Yu Tan and whispered, “The item was hidden well. He won’t notice.”

Hu Xiaoyu changed into the new outfit and admired himself in the mirror, turning side to side.

It fit perfectly—Yu Tan must’ve prepared it in advance. How thoughtful.

When he came out, Yu Tan was nowhere to be seen—probably upstairs.

A-Jiu glanced at Hu Xiaoyu’s energetic figure and couldn’t help looking at the hem of his clothes.

There was a tiny listening device there.

Considering how suddenly Hu Xiaoyu had appeared, it was only natural for the boss to be suspicious.

And the bug—just a little test.

It was standard protocol. A-Jiu had done this countless times before.

But this time… something felt off.

It almost seemed like they were bullying Hu Xiaoyu.

He could only hope the kid wouldn’t say anything inappropriate at the Hu residence—at the very least, nothing that would work against the boss.

Upstairs in the study, Yu Tan had turned on the device that allowed him to monitor Hu Xiaoyu’s movements and sound.

After activating it, he paid it no further attention.

There was still a mountain of work waiting for him, and time slipped by unnoticed—

Until a startled voice crackled through the device:
“Brother Liu? What are you doing here?”