Chapter 62

The Brave Soul

Lian Hai had only taken a few running steps before he registered that Xu Chenzhu was also present, and immediately downshifted — even the bounce went out of his green hair.

"Good morning, Mr. Xu." He walked up to the two of them with his best behavior, thought for a long moment, and produced: "What lovely weather today. Are you out for a walk as well, Mr. Xu?"

Xu Chenzhu gave a slight nod.

Chen You glanced at his cousin, then at Lian Yang approaching unhurriedly from the distance, apparently having been enjoying the scenery. How had he ended up mixed in with both Lian brothers?

"Mr. Xu." The moment Lian Yang spotted Xu Chenzhu, his leisurely affect disappeared entirely and his smile became something considerably warmer. He came forward at a quick pace. "It's been some time — you look as distinguished as ever. I came too late last night to have the chance to meet with you. Lucky that we've run into each other in the garden today."

Chao Musheng raised an eyebrow. Lian Yang, heir to Lian Ocean Shipping, one of the more well-regarded figures among his generation in business — and this encounter was not quite as coincidental as it looked.

"A meeting is always a lucky thing." Lian Yang said smoothly. "I hear from Young Master Chen Fang that there's a viewing pavilion just ahead. Why don't we all have tea and enjoy the scenery together?"

Chen You gave Lian Yang a sideways look. The Lian family's eldest son remained as shameless as ever — was this his garden to invite people to tea in?

He was even more displeased when he remembered that both Lian brothers were here because Chen Fang had brought them.

"All right." Xu Chenzhu glanced at Chao Musheng, eyes lowered, and accepted Lian Yang's suggestion.

Mr. Xu was a man of remarkably few words.

Lian Hai fell in beside Chao Musheng, stealing glances at this legendary heavyweight figure, and couldn't quite shake the feeling that Mr. Xu seemed, somehow, not entirely pleased.

*

Chen Garden's viewing pavilion was a three-story structure built out over the water. Willows trailed along the pond banks, lotus blossoms and decorative stones reflected in the surface below. Chao Musheng had barely settled into his seat before it began to "rain" outside.

"Rain while viewing the garden — that is the truest garden beauty." Chen You gave a light clap, and several musicians in period robes entered and began playing a classical piece on their instruments, soft and unhurried.

"Is this—?" Lian Hai tilted his head toward the sound of water on the roof, curious.

"The pavilion is fitted with a simulated rainfall system. Water is drawn up to height and released through spray nozzles to create the atmosphere." Chen You had an air of scholarship about him, and described the estate's features without hurry — but beneath the composed surface, Chao Musheng could read the proprietary pride, the certainty of eventual ownership.

A young man and woman knelt nearby to perform the tea ceremony for the guests.

The male tea artist made an unexpected error during the rinse — the tea bowl slipped from his hands and struck the table with a sharp, grating sound.

Chen You looked back at him mildly, said nothing, and then stood to take the teapot himself. He poured a cup and placed it in front of Xu Chenzhu. "I've heard Mr. Xu has a habit of appreciating fine tea. Grandfather came into some new leaves recently — I hope you'll offer your assessment."

Xu Chenzhu's index finger curved slightly. He pushed the cup to Chao Musheng's side of the table.

Lian Yang, sitting across from Chao Musheng, watched this happen and felt his eyebrows lift slightly. Mr. Xu was not pleased with Chen You's inattention to Chao Musheng.

Chen You grasped the situation immediately. He poured again, this time making his way around the table and placing a cup before everyone. "My apologies — Mr. Chao is around my younger sister's age, and I assumed you'd prefer something more fashionable."

Idiot.

Lian Yang bent the corner of his mouth. The explanation had the appearance of tact but was still, in substance, a cover in front of Mr. Xu — not genuine respect for Chao Musheng.

"The garden is beautiful — even if Young Master Chen were to pour me a cup of plain water, I'd find it delicious." Chao Musheng lifted the teacup, brought it no further than his lip, and set it back down, turning to look at the artificial rain outside the window.

"Excellent tea — the fragrance carries wonderfully." Lian Hai took a substantial mouthful. "Next time we have tea, there's no need for a tea artist — Young Master Chen's skill is more than sufficient."

"The brew is a bit strong. My assistant Mr. Chao prefers something lighter." Xu Chenzhu rose and moved to the tea table, addressing the two tea artists. "If you would."

The tea artists, baffled by what this honored guest intended, retreated in some alarm.

Even Chao Musheng found all his attention pulled toward Xu Chenzhu.

Xu Chenzhu looked up and smiled at Chao Musheng. He rolled up his shirt sleeves and began to brew tea with the unhurried precision of someone entirely at ease.

If the tea artists' technique could be called refined, then Xu Chenzhu's was something else — elegant was the only word. There was nothing artificially ceremonious in any of his movements, and yet no one could look away.

Lian Yang felt slightly unmoored. On what merit had he been permitted to witness Mr. Xu demonstrate a tea art?

Chao Musheng stared at the scene, and then, almost without deciding to, picked up his phone and took a photograph.

It felt like not recording this moment would be a loss he'd regret.

"A plain cup of tea — wishing Zhaozhao a happy afternoon." Xu Chenzhu finished the brew, cradled the cup from beneath, and placed it in front of Chao Musheng.

His fingers were already long; against the white porcelain, the hand looked clean and fine.

Chao Musheng accepted the cup. Steam rose from the surface. He felt, for some reason, that his ears were also going warm.

Xu Chenzhu hadn't lowered his sleeves. The wrist, bare of everything except the watch, had a clean articulation to it — even the motion of passing the cup carried a certain quality. "How is it?"

Chao Musheng lowered his head to drink, and stole several more looks at Xu Chenzhu's forearm and hand than he'd intended to.

"It's wonderful."

Mr. Xu's wrist and hand are really very—

No. The tea this hand brewed. Very fragrant.

Xu Chenzhu turned his wrist slightly. The forearm's lines shifted with the motion. "I'm glad."

The smile on Chen You's face was now working to hold its shape through effort alone. The steward had told him this morning that Master Xuan had divined that Chao Musheng's prospects were limited and not worth worrying about — but which employee whose prospects were limited had their employer brew tea for them personally?

Not even his grandfather could manage to brew tea for a guest in front of other people.

Was his own standing in his grandfather's eyes actually lower than Chao Musheng's standing in Mr. Xu's?

Unfortunately for Chen You, everyone at the table except himself found this entertaining, Chen Fang especially — his expression had barely stopped short of spelling out serves you right.

No one was going to give Chen You an opportunity to recover. Comment by comment, they worked their way around the table, each finding some oblique angle from which to praise Chao Musheng and Xu Chenzhu.

"Mr. Xu commanding every situation, Xiao Chao brilliant at every turn." Lian Hai was carried along by the atmosphere and added his own contribution. "The two of you are a match made by heaven."

Lian Yang's expression went rigid. He'd been too busy enjoying Chen You's discomfort and had forgotten his brother was also a liability.

天造地設 was a phrase you used for a destined romantic pair. Was this really the place?

He stepped in awkwardly: "I'm sorry, Mr. Xu — my brother was educated abroad from a young age, so his Chinese—"

"There's nothing to apologize for." Xu Chenzhu's expression settled into something easy, the edge of a smile. "With Mr. Chao as assistant, Kunlun does indeed feel the advantage."

Chao Musheng looked at Lian Yang. Lian Hai had still been in Chinese high school until not that long ago. From a young age abroad was stretching it.

Lian Hai shot Chao Musheng a sheepish grin. My brother told a small fib. Xiao Chao, please don't mind.

*

"You have got to be kidding me."

Tiger had called the ambulance, slipped back to the rear courtyard during the commotion, and was pulling weeds among the flower beds when rain suddenly fell from above.

The more irritating part: the rain was falling exclusively on the area around the viewing pavilion. Nothing else was getting wet. He wrung out his soaked shirt and stared upward for a considerable time before working out that this wasn't rain at all, but a ring of spray nozzles mounted at heights around the pavilion.

Rich people had very creative hobbies.

He kicked at the grass, preparing to find a quieter corner to pretend to work, when a servant appeared under an oiled paper umbrella and held one out to him.

Even the umbrella was the traditional kind. The Chen estate was consistent, he'd grant them that.

"Thank you, brother." Tiger opened it with cheerful gratitude. "One question — does the clean set of clothes come out of my wages?"

The servant gave him a complicated look. "No."

What luck had this amiable, dim-looking giant stumbled into, to have a honored guest personally invite him in from the rain.

Tiger followed the servant at ease, scanning the surroundings out of habit. Finding nothing of note, he tipped up the umbrella and glanced toward the upper floors of the viewing pavilion.

Yesterday afternoon when guests visited the pavilion, there hadn't been any artificial rainfall. Whoever was up there now had a more significant status.

There was a small utility room at the base of the pavilion. Tiger changed into dry clothes and followed the servant up the stairs. Before he'd reached the landing, he could hear pipa music floating down.

When he arrived and looked out through a window alongside the railing, he understood why the Chen family had activated the rainfall system.

The soft sound of water on the eaves. Every rooftop and railing wrapped in the haze of it, beautiful as something in a painting.

How much did it cost to run this for an hour.

The masters spent money like water, and the steward was still skimming off the work uniforms. Truly despicable.

"Come in." The servant glanced toward the screen partition and offered a quiet warning. "Once you're inside, don't say anything unnecessary."

The master and his grandsons had no tolerance for servants embarrassing them in front of honored guests.

Tiger took the advice to heart, ducked around the screen with his head down, and announced dutifully: "Good morning, Young Master. Good morning, honored guests."

The room held the faint drifting smell of tea. The atmosphere was slightly taut — Tiger guessed the conversation between the Chen heir and his guests hadn't been going entirely smoothly.

"Xiao Hu."

The familiar voice settled something in Tiger's chest all at once. He raised his head by a fraction. "Xiao Chao?"

"Mr. Chao is acquainted with him?" Chen You felt a small, private lift of hope — perhaps this was finally an opening to make himself useful.

"He's a friend of mine." Chao Musheng looked at Tiger, whose clothes had been changed but whose hair was still dripping. "We've enjoyed the rain scenery already. Young Master Chen must be busy — we should be going."

Chen You was no longer in a position to overlook Chao Musheng's manner. He stood immediately. "The floors are damp — let me see you out."

"No need." Chao Musheng smiled pleasantly. "Xiao Hu can walk with us."

Xiao Hu, on hearing this, moved to Chao Musheng's side before Chen You could say another word — with a fluency that made one wonder whether he was actually a Chen estate servant at all, or had simply been Chao Musheng's associate all along.

The Chen and Lian brothers escorted Xu Chenzhu and Chao Musheng to the pavilion's outer gate, then came to a reluctant stop.

Had Mr. Xu not seemed to object, they would have followed all the way to the building entrance.

"Ge." Lian Hai said quietly in Lian Yang's ear. "Did you see that? Xiao Chao can speak for Mr. Xu."

Lian Yang: "What makes you think so?"

"When Xiao Chao said we should go, Mr. Xu hadn't said anything yet." Lian Hai shook his head. "Think about it — my people don't dare open their mouths until I do."

"That brain of yours is fit for running an entertainment company and nothing more." Lian Yang watched Xu Chenzhu's retreating figure. "If not for Father's connection, Mr. Xu wouldn't have so much as drunk the tea. You think it was Chao Musheng acting unilaterally — what he was actually doing was playing the refuser on Xu Chenzhu's behalf."

"Oh." Lian Hai was genuinely surprised — he hadn't read it that way at all. "So Mr. Xu didn't actually want the tea."

"Sitting through tea with us was already a courtesy to Father. And then Chen You, that idiot, went and offended Chao Musheng on top of it." Lian Yang patted his brother's green head. "No business instincts whatsoever — but you can call Chao Musheng 'Xiao Chao,' and that alone puts you ahead of Chen You."

Old Master Chen spent every day consulting fortune-tellers and spirit masters, and it had amounted to less than his little brother accidentally crossing paths with Mr. Chao on the Wangyue.

That was fate for you.

*

"Mr. Xu — look." Out of the pavilion garden, Chao Musheng held his phone out toward Xu Chenzhu. The photo from earlier: Xu Chenzhu in profile, brewing tea.

He was quite satisfied with his own work. "Doesn't it look beautiful?"

His employer's good looks. His employee's glory.

"Yes." Xu Chenzhu glanced first at Chao Musheng's face, closer than expected, and then shifted his gaze to the phone.

"I'll send it to you." Chao Musheng opened his messaging app, found the contact list, and sent the photo across. "Did you get it?"

A pause. "No."

"Wait — I think I sent it to the wrong person!" Chao Musheng saw what he'd done and pulled the message back in a hurry. "This contact's name has the same character as your surname. I wasn't looking carefully."

He sent the photo again to the correct contact. Xu Chenzhu hadn't spoken. "Mr. Xu?"

"I'm looking at the photo." Xu Chenzhu enlarged it, saved it — and then replaced his system-default profile picture with this one. "That's my fault for having such an unremarkable avatar. Now you'll know which one to tap."

Tiger walked behind them, deeply moved.

Sent a photo to the wrong person — not one word of reproach. He blamed his own avatar for not being recognizable enough. This kind of employer only existed in instance worlds.

Unlike his own terrible boss, who'd find a way to blame an employee for tripping on a kerb. The only appropriate response to that man was to tie him to a lamp post.

Xu Chenzhu had not been changed his profile picture for three minutes before the entire presidential office knew about it.

Secretaries and assistants opened the profile picture one by one and subjected it to full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree examination.

The boss in the photo had his head slightly bowed, cradling a tea bowl, silver spectacle chain hanging low. The expression behind the lenses was soft in a way they had never seen at the office — the look of someone gazing through the cup at the person they loved.

The photographer had been very close. Standing, almost certainly, at the angle of someone looking at a person they wanted to look at.

*Dear heaven. Which absolute hero had managed to photograph the boss looking this tender?*R