Chapter 109 — Baiting
After returning, He Shuwei changed into a fresh set of clothes, making sure there was no lingering smell from the smoking room before heading to the front hall.
One of the servants said to him, “Young master, sir returned early today and has been looking for you all afternoon.”
He Shuwei’s heart skipped a beat, but he masked it with a calm expression. “Looking for me? Did something happen?”
The servant shook his head. “I don’t know. We reminded him several times earlier. Just now, Lawyer Bei came by, and sir went with him to the study. I think he’ll call for you soon.”
He Shuwei considered going upstairs, but a servant stationed at the staircase blocked him. “Young master, please wait. Sir instructed that there are visitors today, and no one is allowed in the study.”
He Shuwei paused, glanced at the spiral staircase for a moment, then turned and sat on the living room sofa. Unease churned in his chest, as if a rabbit were trapped inside, frantic and restless.
Sitting there, he frowned, trying to think of any oversight or gap he might have missed—anything he could fix.
Over an hour passed, and He Dongting still hadn’t come down. The household staff brought dishes to the dining room and asked if he wanted to eat. Since He Shuwei had undergone bloodletting today, he felt a bit dizzy and worried he’d be mentally weak when speaking with He Dongting. He got up to eat a bit and casually asked, “Has father eaten?”
The servant replied, “Sir had a bowl of porridge tonight.”
“So little?”
“Yes. Sir said he went to eat a mutton hotpot at noon and perhaps overate a bit.”
He Shuwei frowned. “Impossible. You must have misheard. Father never eats mutton…”
The servant chuckled. “I was startled too. In all these years, ever since I joined the household, it’s the first time I’ve seen sir eat mutton hotpot. Even during winter hotpot meals, he never touched it. When he returned, there were even a few drops of red oil on his coat. I sent it to the laundry, so there’s no mistake.”
He Shuwei paused mid-bite, then asked, “Who did father eat with at noon?”
The servant shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure. But he seemed in a good mood when he came back—perhaps he went to a nice place with friends.”
He Shuwei naturally didn’t believe it. For years, He Dongting preferred bland food and avoided the strong smell of beef and lamb; such habits aren’t changed overnight.
Thinking of these sudden changes, He Shuwei felt irritation rise. He remembered the person he had seen at the auction, named Xie Jing, who was said to have been kept by Xie Siquan for tasks and given silver to spend freely… He Shuwei closed his eyes, suppressing the jealousy and resentment bubbling inside, hastily ate a few bites, then put down his chopsticks.
The living room phone rang—it was one of He Shuwei’s classmates.
The caller sounded annoyed. As soon as He Shuwei answered, they began complaining: “Shuwei, I called you several times this afternoon, but couldn’t reach you.”
“Sorry, I was busy with something.”
“Yes, yes, you’re very busy. Shen Qi and the others and I went to check out the porridge distribution site for you. Funny enough, we ran into Xie Jing at the hotpot restaurant…”
He Shuwei’s heart jumped. He feigned indifference. “Xie Jing? Oh, the one from the north? I heard he’s a bodyguard?”
“Exactly! That’s him,” the voice said. “We originally wanted to confront him to help you vent, but he didn’t say a word. Who knew he had gone to eat mutton hotpot with your father?”
He Shuwei’s expression darkened. “He ate with my father? Are you sure?”
The caller sighed repeatedly. “Yes, we saw it clearly. When we tried to block him, Mr. He got angry, saying we were bullying an honest man. Shen Qi and the others almost got expelled… Shuwei, your father loves you the most—please, beg for mercy!”
He Shuwei asked, “Did you guys fight?”
The voice on the other end sounded aggrieved. “No, that Xie Jing is a bodyguard, very skilled. Shen Qi even had an arm dislocated; we had to send him to the clinic. Didn’t you say he was after your uncle? I think so too. He’s just too beautiful, prettier than any of the girls at our school. Watch out, maybe he likes older wealthy men!”
The caller continued begging, and He Shuwei agreed to everything before hanging up.
He clenched the receiver until his knuckles whitened. When he opened his eyes, red veins streaked them. Jealousy gnawed at him uncontrollably.
From the stairs came the sound of voices. He Dongting and Lawyer Bei were walking down while talking. He Shuwei quickly put down the phone and hurried over to greet them.
He Dongting glanced at him but continued speaking to Lawyer Bei. “Then it’s settled. If there are further details, we’ll discuss.”
Lawyer Bei nodded. “Yes, though it’s complicated. Just the real estate alone needs a lot of work. It may take one or two months to finish.”
“Thank you.”
“Mr. He, it’s my duty.”
He Shuwei didn’t know what had been discussed upstairs, but he knew Lawyer Bei was a famous lawyer and He Dongting’s most trusted person. Just hearing the word “real estate” gave him a vague suspicion. He didn’t dare ask directly, instead forcing a smile. “Father, is there anything I can help with?”
Lawyer Bei smiled. “Young master studied literature. You probably can’t handle legal matters, so no need to trouble yourself.”
He Shuwei hit a figurative brick wall, standing awkwardly.
After sending off Lawyer Bei, He Dongting returned home and spoke with He Shuwei.
As He Shuwei sat on the sofa, his unease deepened; he didn’t dare meet his father’s gaze.
He Dongting said, “This year for your birthday, I’ll keep it simple—no outside guests, just a small family meal.”
He Shuwei hurriedly replied, “Of course, of course. Father, you work hard; earning money isn’t easy, I feel uneasy spending it.”
“Also, regarding the porridge distribution…”
He Shuwei interjected: “Let’s cancel that too. Did you meet some of my classmates today? I just got to know them this semester. If they offended you, please don’t worry about me. Do as you see fit.” He added with some disgust, “They always act on their own, without considering my feelings.”
He Dongting paused before speaking. He studied the boy in front of him, realizing that despite years of praise, there was something off. Comparing his conduct with Xie Jing, it was obvious who was better.
Xie Jing encouraged good deeds, while Shuwei schemed and flattered.
The unease in He Dongting’s heart grew. He realized Shuwei was unlike him—or Yuanyuan.
If it were Yuanyuan—she would never be bullied outside. As she said, the Sichuan people had no overnight grudges—they’d beat someone immediately until they couldn’t rise, like Xie Jing today. Xie Jing was not as fierce as Yuanyuan; he didn’t shout before a fight, yet he still dislocated someone’s arm without a word.
A small veil of confusion lifted, and He Dongting’s gaze became more probing.
After a long silence, he asked, “You were three when you arrived here, right?”
He Shuwei nodded. “Yes. Why bring this up now?”
“Nothing. I was just thinking… your wet nurse who raised you returned to her hometown long ago. I wonder how she is.” He tapped his face lightly. “I remember you had a tutor named Wu, who taught you to read and write…”
He Shuwei suddenly burst into tears, choking on sobs.
He Dongting was stunned. “What’s wrong?”
“Tutor Wu passed away a few years ago,” He Shuwei said, voice trembling.
He Dongting frowned; he had never been told.
He Shuwei’s hands shook as he held them, eyes red, choking: “Father, I went to pay respects and returned home having nightmares for several nights. I was so scared.”
He Dongting said, “Why didn’t you tell me? Next time the housekeeper can go for you.”
He Shuwei shook his head, only trembling, pale, unable to speak.
He Dongting said, “Perhaps age makes one nostalgic. I plan to invite back the wet nurse who saved you. And although your tutor has passed, her family might still be around. I’ll see what help can be offered, so you can have some peace of mind.”
He Shuwei seemed to exhale a huge sigh of relief, nodding repeatedly.
A servant brought a plate piled high with pan-fried glutinous rice cakes, steaming hot, sprinkled with osmanthus and honey, lightly fried to golden brown on both sides, soft and sticky inside.
He Shuwei’s face lit up. He pushed the plate toward his father. “Would you like some? I heard you barely ate tonight.”
He Dongting shook his head.
He Shuwei picked one up with his hand, smiling. “Then I’ll eat it myself. I haven’t had much appetite for dinner lately, but I’ve been craving glutinous rice cake.” He finished one quickly, then took another.
He Dongting quietly sipped his tea, watching him.
He Shuwei ate more than half the plate and wanted more. Calmly, He Dongting said, “That’s enough, be careful not to overeat.”
He Shuwei waved him off: “Father, I may have been weak since childhood, but I can handle glutinous rice cakes. I can usually finish an entire plate.”
He Dongting set down his tea cup and stood. “Eat slowly. I need to handle some business upstairs.”
He Shuwei stayed seated, listening until the footsteps faded. His last piece of rice cake had just been swallowed.
Then he went to the bathroom and vomited everything he had just eaten.
It was as if he had survived a disaster. His back was soaked, his face pale, hair stuck to his forehead, body too weak to digest glutinous rice. He stared into the mirror, eyes dark, void of light.
May 4th
Hu Da and the others arrived at the East Courtyard early, waiting for Xie Jing to go out.
They had arranged to go horseback riding in the countryside to relax.
Remembering Xie Siquan’s instructions, Hu Da carefully sought a wide-open area suitable for running horses. The Bai family provided the horses; their job was simply to ensure their young master enjoyed riding freely.
Xie Jing, having been in Shanghai for some time without riding, was eager to go.
Lord Bai Jiu knew he couldn’t be kept confined and wanted him to get fresh air. He instructed: “Find some bodyguards to go with you. Don’t play too long. Return by evening. Tonight, the kitchen has prepared your favorite dishes, and the local chef even learned to steam rice cakes for you. Try them when you get back and see if you like them.”
Xie Jing’s eyes brightened, nodding repeatedly.
Lord Bai Jiu smiled, adjusted his clothes, and gently patted him: “Alright, go have fun.”
Xie Jing quickly went downstairs. Hu Da and the others were waiting, all rising to greet him. They wore dark blue Sichuan robes; some had small braids adorned with coral beads. When they wanted to call his name, Xie Jing stopped them: “As I said last time, just call my name.”
Hu Da laughed. “We can’t break tradition.”
Author’s Note:
Rumor has it little Xie likes older wealthy men—
Lord Bai Jiu: That’s right, it’s me.
