After the fake young master left home, he discovered that it wasn't raining at all outside.

The bustling streets were teeming with traffic and people.

At this moment, the sun was setting, and sunlight slanted across the earth.

Zhu Yan and Lu Ze walked side by side down the street. Zhu Yan was wearing a summer school uniform, a white shirt, with his jacket draped over his shoulders. The top two buttons of his shirt were loosely undone, and his sleeves were casually rolled up to his elbows. He walked down the street with an air of nonchalance, his tall and upright figure conveying a sense of nonchalance.

A gentle breeze stirred, ruffling the wisps of hair on his forehead and revealing his sharp, piercing eyes.

Lu Ze, with a backpack slung over one shoulder and another in his other hand, strolled along the street with Zhu Yan.

The two walked quickly, and when they arrived at Zizhuyuan, the car to pick up Zhu Yan had not yet arrived, so they waited at the hotel entrance.

"You go back first," Zhu Yan said to Lu Ze when he saw the Lu family's car waiting nearby.

"I'll wait with you, in case you encounter any danger."

"You don't think you can beat me. If we're in danger, who's going to protect whom?"

Lu Zeqian chuckled a few times, "There aren't many people who can beat you with your skills, okay? I can handle ordinary thugs; you don't need to lift a finger."

"You seem to really want me to be in some danger," Zhu Yan thought, sensing from Lu Ze's words that he was quite looking forward to Zhu Yan being in danger.

"No way. If you were injured now, regardless of whether I was the one who did it, I would be finished just because I didn't protect you." Looking at Lu Ze's serious expression, he was definitely not joking.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Zhu Yan frowned slightly, scrutinizing Lu Ze with her gaze.

Something's not right. Lu Ze is unusually enthusiastic today.

I went to the cafeteria to get him food, gave him a massage in the break room, and even carried his bag for him on the way here.

In the past, when Zhu Yan was too lazy to move, the two of them would joke around and he would help if he was given money. Why is he being so proactive today? He even insists on following him and saying he's protecting him.

"I didn't hide anything. I think I did it all aboveboard." Lu Ze held his backpack in his hands and looked at Zhu Yan with an innocent smile.

Zhu Yan shook his head and smiled helplessly. "My father instructed me to do this?"

"No, it's your brother, the chairman of Qianyi Group."

Banquet:…

Sure enough, he should have noticed something was wrong much earlier.

"You betrayed us because of how much we gave you."

"How can you call it betrayal? Brother Yan, I've always been on your side. It's just that our benefactor asked me to take good care of you." Lu Ze smiled sheepishly. "It's just that the offer was too much, and I couldn't refuse."

"You're pretty clever, making money from both sides."

Zhu Yan wasn't exactly angry, after all, Zhu Qian was doing it for his own good, and he knew Lu Ze wouldn't betray him; he was just being a little more attentive than usual.

Okay, now that Zhu Qian has paid, he won't feel guilty about ordering Lu Ze around anymore.

"Not at all, you're my boss, and the chairman is my financial backer. Just let me know if you need anything in the future."

"Heh." Zhu Yan laughed at his pathetic appearance.

The two were chatting and didn't notice a four or five-year-old girl walking towards them in the distance.

"Brother, you're so handsome!" The little girl walked up to Zhu Yan, stared straight at his face, blinked her cute big eyes, and smiled brightly.

The little girl's smile melted Zhu Yan's heart. He knelt down to her eye level, and a bright smile curved his lips.

Thank you, you're beautiful too.

"Little sister, what about me?" Lu Ze couldn't suppress the smile on his face when he saw such a cute little girl in front of him.

"Hmm... Brother, you're so cute."

Lu Ze: ಥ_ಥ

Okay, if he's handsome and cute, that's not bad.

Lu Ze isn't as aloof and handsome as Zhu Yan; he's more like a boy next door, with a bright smile and a sunny personality, exuding youthful energy. In short, he's an ENFP.

The little girl's answer pleased Zhu Yan, who raised his hand and gently stroked her hair. "Why are you alone? Did you get lost from your family?"

At this point, the little girl's smile gradually faded. She pursed her lips, lowered her head, and unconsciously rubbed her clothes with her small hands.

"Waaaaah, my brother is such a bad guy, he bullies me, I... I got kicked out." The little girl sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "Brother, can you take me with you?"

what?

Zhu Yan was a little confused. What was going on? Had he picked up a pretty girl?

The little girl in front of me had skin as smooth as jade, big eyes full of grievances, a small bun in her hair, and wore a princess dress. She looked like a rich girl from some wealthy family.

At that moment, the little girl's stomach made a sound.

"Are you hungry?" Zhu Yan asked.

"Mmm." Tears still clung to the little girl's eyes.

"Brother Yan, do you still have money?" Lu Ze asked hesitantly.

"Don't you have any idea why you're not here?" Zhu Yan looked at Lu Ze speechlessly.

Lu Ze: ╮(. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)╭

"Hehe, if you're treating me and I bring money, wouldn't that be too disrespectful?"

Zhu Yan didn't want to pay attention to him.

He had so little money left that it wasn't even enough to order a single dish at Zizhu Garden, but the little girl in front of him looked like a princess born with a silver spoon in her mouth. He couldn't possibly take her to eat at a roadside stall.

"Little sister, why don't you tell us your family's phone number? The older brothers really can't afford to stay in the hotels here right now," Lu Ze said, not feeling embarrassed at all.

"It's okay, brothers. You don't have money, but I do. I can treat you." The little girl wiped away her tears and said to the two men with great conviction.

???

This little girl is actually going to treat two grown men to a meal; if word gets out, we'll be laughed at to death.

Zhu Yan wiped away the little girl's tears with a tissue, her tone gentle, "No need, little princess. Tell your brother your family's contact information; they'll be worried if they can't find you."

As soon as the words were spoken, several people rushed out of the hotel entrance. Seeing the little girl in the distance, they anxiously called out:

"Niannian!" A middle-aged couple and a teenager ran towards the banquet.

"Sigh, another failure..." The little girl sighed, her head drooping, looking listless.

"Niannian, why are you running around again? Do you know how worried your parents are about you!" The middle-aged woman ran over, squatted down in front of the girl, and hugged her.

"Thank you both, young men. My daughter Niannian is so naughty, I hope she hasn't caused you any trouble," the middle-aged man said, looking at Zhu Yan and Lu Ze.

"No," Zhu Yan answered his question, but his gaze fell on the boy behind him.

"A banquet? It's you?" Shen Yan stood behind the middle-aged man, looking at the two people in front of him, seemingly incredulous.

"A banquet? Is that the one..." Shen Nan paused for a moment, then looked at Shen Yan with a questioning gaze.

The next second, Shen Yan nodded to his father.

!!!

Shen Nan's pupils dilated as he stared in shock at the boy in the school uniform before him, scrutinizing him closely.

Is this the person the patriarch ordered me to serve with utmost care? His identity could be…

Zhu Yan noticed Shen Nan's strange gaze and, somewhat curious, looked at the people in front of her with a puzzled expression.

"Dad, do you know this handsome guy? Could you take him to Zizhu Garden for dinner? He seems to be unable to afford food, he's so pitiful, please!" Shen Nian ran to Shen Nan's side and hugged his leg.

Shen Nan's heart was in turmoil at this moment.

"My little princess, are you saying that this lord of the Zhu family in front of me can't afford to eat??? Watch your words."

"Mr. Zhu, have you eaten yet? May I invite you to dinner?"

Who cares about his identity? Let's build a good relationship first.

But Shen Yan was dumbfounded. Having been in the business world for so long, when had he ever seen his father show such respect to others? Even the richest family in the world, the Wen family, had never been treated well by Shen Nan.

At the banquet, he felt quite uncomfortable seeing a middle-aged man, several generations older than him, using honorifics towards him.

"No need, Chairman Shen, I didn't help much." Zhu Yan looked at the relationship between the people in front of him and guessed their identities.

Zhu Yan's attention was focused on the people in front of him, and he didn't notice at all that a luxury convoy was approaching, and a line of bodyguards got out of the cars and walked towards him.

"Greetings, Young Master! I have been ordered by the Patriarch to come and take you home." The sudden voice startled Zhu Yan, who turned around and stared at the scene before him in disbelief.

Bodyguards in black suits stood in two neat rows, leaving a long passageway in the middle leading directly to the silver Rolls-Royce Phantom in the center of the convoy.

A young man who looked several years older than him stood beside him and held up a black umbrella for him.

Banquet:? ? ?

What's going on? Is this really that awkward?

Zhu Yan looked extremely disgusted, while Lu Ze, standing to the side, was drooling with envy.

"Wow, Brother Yan, this is amazing! So cool!!!"

Zhu Yan couldn't bear to watch Lu Ze's infatuation and instead turned his gaze to the boy holding an umbrella nearby.

"It didn't rain."

"Young master, this is for your sun protection. We need to take good care of you when you're out and about."

……

Zhu Yan looked at the square, where only a few rays of sunlight remained, blocked by tall buildings, and fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, Shen Nan thought: I knew I wasn't wrong, this is the next heir of the Zhu family!

"Young Master, please take care." Shen Nan stood behind Zhu Yan, bowing slightly to show his respect.

His wife immediately realized what was happening and followed suit, bowing down.

Shen Yan: ?

Shen Nian: ?

Seeing that Shen Yan didn't move, Shen Nan slapped him down, pressing his body down.

Only Shen Nian blinked, staring at the scene before her, unable to comprehend it.

Isn't my brother supposed to be poor? What's going on? Why does Dad treat him with so much respect?

Zhu Yan noticed the commotion behind him and his lips twitched.

No, we shouldn't stay here any longer; we should leave quickly.

Seeing that Zhu Yan was about to leave, Shen Nian suddenly shouted, "Handsome brother, can I still come to play with you in the future?"

"Find your brother, he will bring you to me." Zhu Yan left these words quickly.

Watching Zhu Yan walk away, surrounded by bodyguards, he suddenly remembered something. "Wait, Brother Yan, your backpack! Your laptop is still in there!!!"

Lu Ze hurriedly chased after him.

Only then did Shen Nan slowly stand up, and under Shen Yan's gaze, which was three parts speechless and five parts puzzled, he explained:

"Actually, the Shen family has always been loyal to a reclusive family—the Zhu family. You could say that everything we have is given to us by them. Whether we live or die depends on the word of the family head." Shen Nan sighed as he watched the departing convoy. "And that person just now was the young master of the Zhu family, and the master you will need to follow from now on."

Shen Yan didn't show any more surprise, but silently processed everything.

Will he become my future master?

Shen Yan's gaze gradually returned to calm.