NH chapter 010

Chapter 10: The Long-Legged Servant

The butler said that the former aunt had retired and a new one would come to clean and cook.

Shen Tingyu had no reaction and said he understood.

The trunk of the car opened, and the driver perceptively personally carried his luggage down, even though Shen Tingyu was perfectly capable of doing it himself.

“Thank you.” Shen Tingyu hung his coat on his left arm, his expression somewhat cold and weary, making his brows and eyes appear sharp and unfriendly, as if there were a gloomy cloud hanging over his head.

As the driver turned the car to leave, the sky had already darkened; the sun set unusually quickly. Shen Tingyu stood in front of the door, released his luggage, and used his right hand to unlock the door with his fingerprint. With a “ding,” the door opened.

Shen Tingyu walked in, not in a hurry to put down his luggage; he lowered his head to change his shoes, casually calling out, “Grandma.”

But what responded to him was a low voice saying, “Hmm?”

Shen Tingyu: “?”

This was definitely not the voice of the old lady.

Was there a thief in the house?

Shen Tingyu abruptly raised his head and looked toward the kitchen, only to see a tall, handsome man with long legs and a broad shoulder-narrow waist figure turning around.

He wore a black and white apron, tied with a pretty bow at the back, accentuating a perfect waist-to-hip line that looked like it was drawn from a comic. The apron was a bit short, barely covering his upper thighs, with a pair of long legs peeking out from underneath.

Looking up, he had broad shoulders and chest but not overly heavy, with a distinct groove in the center of his chest showcasing well-defined muscles. His neck and Adam’s apple were also strong, glistening with a few drops of sweat that slid down his neck over his collarbone and into his collar.

His sleeves were rolled up, revealing two delicate porcelain-like arms, not excessively white but refined; the veins snaked upwards. He looked like he could knock out ten bad guys with a single punch, yet he was holding a spatula.

Continuing to look up revealed Huo Ye’s handsome face, fiercely attractive and somewhat assertive, possibly because it was hot in the kitchen; he had swept his hair back with his hand, leaving a few damp strands resting on his nose, giving him an unintentional styled look.

Shen Tingyu felt an absurd sense of still waking up gradually as his gaze began to focus, and the scene in front of him slowly became clear.

He realized that the floors in the house had been mopped, and everything was spotless. At the same time, wafts of rich food scent came from the dining table, making it hard to imagine that these were prepared by that annoying deskmate he disliked at school.

That annoying guy, Huo Ye, was just tilting his head looking at him, still holding the spatula, his expression seemingly surprised.

Huo Ye raised an eyebrow and smiled.

“Oh, so you are my young master.”

Shen Tingyu: “……”

After a three-second silence, Shen Tingyu turned and went outside to make a phone call.

“Hello?” The butler answered.

Shen Tingyu coldly questioned him, “Didn’t you say you found me a new aunt? Where is she? Did you eat her?”

The butler was confused: “Ah?”

“She didn’t come? She’s been here for almost half a month according to the home service company.” The butler began to sweat under pressure, desperately explaining, “Old Lady Shen also said this new one is doing well, so there shouldn’t be a problem.”

Shen Tingyu didn’t want to hear this, saying, “Tell me the basic information about this aunt. I want to verify.”

“Oh, oh, she used to be a maternity nurse, and the home service company provided excellent work experience and evaluations, her abilities should be…”

Shen Tingyu interrupted him: “I asked if it was male or female?”

“Male, no, female, female.” The butler was stunned, seemingly more confused than Shen Tingyu.

Shen Tingyu glanced at Huo Ye, who was standing there unabashedly, still holding the spatula.

“Female?” Shen Tingyu stared at Huo Ye, saying, “Have you seen someone almost 1.8 meters tall, close to my height, female?”

The butler gasped: “Ah?”

Shen Tingyu stood nearly 1.9 meters tall, and it wasn’t just females that were significantly shorter than him; any male who walked in would be at least half a head shorter. Although he always looked down at people haughtily, could it be possible that those people were just too short and could only see his nostrils when they looked up?

For so many years, Huo Ye had been rarely someone whose demeanor and other aspects could match him so evenly. There’s a saying that two tigers cannot coexist, so maybe they felt a natural aversion to each other.

Birds of prey are highly alert animals; they can sense danger and threats in an instant because they know the other possesses sharp claws and are evidently unmanageable.

This was a big reason why Shen Tingyu found Huo Ye displeasing.

If that morning, the person he bumped into was just a foolish and greedy fool, he might have brushed it off with money and wouldn’t have even remembered their face, at most deeming it unfortunate. But since it was Huo Ye, he felt an unusual and distinct sensation.

It was like a tiger that had been caged for a long time meeting another tiger, its kind, for the first time.

The butler was flustered and promised to contact the home service company to check, but just then, the old lady’s delighted voice suddenly chimed in, joyfully calling, “Yao Yao, you’re back!”

Shen Tingyu’s icy demeanor dissipated as he turned to look in the direction of the old lady, his voice instantly softening: “Grandma.”

The tone was gentle and low, even sounding a bit affectionate, as if switching from a tiger to “Grandma, I’m Mimi.”

He regretted saying it just after calling out, as there was still an outsider in the house, but it was purely an instinctive reaction from Shen Tingyu.

Huo Ye finished plating the food and couldn’t help but chuckle at this, finding Shen Tingyu resembled a kitten that hadn’t been weaned yet.

The old lady was eager to hug her little grandson, dragging her frail frame to move a few steps faster. Shen Tingyu quickly went forward to support her, worried she might trip over something and fall.

“You’re back, you’re back.” The old lady could only grab onto one of his arms, breaking into a smile that almost caused her false teeth to fall out.

Shen Tingyu supported her, first glaring at Huo Ye, who was setting the table, and unhappily said, “What are you laughing at?” Then turned to the old lady and pointed at Huo Ye, asking, “Grandma, who is he?”

His expression bore envy, as if he had just returned to find his owner had another kitten.

Shen Tingyu had a strong possessiveness; he would never yield.

“Oh, you’re talking about Xiao Qi. He’s been here helping to take care of me during this time. Xiao Chen isn’t working anymore, and the new one from the home service was sick and couldn’t come, so they sent her son’s friend in his place.” The old lady, completely oblivious, happily explained for Huo Ye.

“Xiao Qi is particularly diligent and capable, managing our home very well. I really like him. You shouldn’t be picky about his faults; I know you too well!”

Shen Tingyu didn’t utter a single word, all of it caught in his throat; now it was undeniable, and he couldn’t say anything more.

To say it would mean being willful.

He couldn’t sit firmly in front of the old lady with that label.

Clenching his jaw tighter, Shen Tingyu redialed the butler, saying there was no need to check anymore; this bunch of slackers drawing five-digit salaries still managed to make such a blunder.

The butler hadn’t caught his breath when the call dropped again.

“Grandma, wash your hands and let’s eat.” Huo Ye arranged three sets of chopsticks and bowls, filled the table with food, and spoke to the old lady.

The old lady pulled Shen Tingyu, not allowing him to break free: “Our Xiao Qi’s cooking is so delicious, Yao Yao, come on, quickly come taste it.”

Shen Tingyu didn’t dare resist and could only take a seat at the dining table; Grandma, having seniority, sat at the main seat, while they sat on either side of her. This arrangement forced the two to face each other.

Compared to Shen Tingyu’s inability to lower his pride, Huo Ye remained calm and natural, serving the old lady and even serving him.

“Yao Yao, eat the little fish balls, Xiao Qi got them from that Wang Duo Fish today, remember? You loved these when you were little.” The old lady pushed the fish balls closer to him.

Shen Tingyu actually wanted to say he had grown up and no longer liked such childish things, but he pressed his lips together and said nothing. He ate whatever the old lady offered him.

Because from childhood to now, apart from his grandmother, no one ever treated Shen Tingyu as a child, not even his parents. Only with Grandma could he forever be the child who loved eating fish balls.

However, Shen Tingyu was clear about his feelings; he finished all the little fish balls Grandma had given him, while he hardly touched the scrambled eggs Huo Ye served.

He even poked the scrambled eggs into a mushy mess.

Huo Ye: “……”

It was hilarious.

He didn’t know who this was being done for.