Finest Servant - Chapter 224

Chapter 224 Guidance

Before a dimly lit window stood a thin silhouette, swathed entirely in black, appearing as a reanimated mummy, unmoving as a statue.

Lin Wanrong felt his entire body freeze, his eyes wide with terror. He was on the brink of crying out. Though he prided himself on his courage, he found his breath hitching at the sight before him.

“Wh—who’s there?” he stuttered, his voice shaking slightly. Cold sweat drenched his body, his skin prickled with chills. He yelled out in an attempt to embolden himself.

At the sound, the mummy-like figure stirred slightly, and a raspy voice questioned, “You’re awake?”

‘So, you can talk,’ Lin Wanrong thought, his heart somewhat relieved upon hearing the mummy speak. As long as it was a human, he had nothing to fear. He could not discern the figure’s face in the darkness, but the voice was vaguely familiar. He hesitated before asking, “Who…who are you?”

The figure chuckled hoarsely, “What, you don’t recognize me after just a few days apart?”

He stepped forward. The bright moonlight seeping through the window cast upon his face, the first thing Lin Wanrong noticed was the hollowed-out eye sockets.

“Uncle… Uncle Wei?” Lin Wanrong exclaimed in surprise, hardly daring to believe his eyes.

Old Wei chuckled, “At least you haven’t forgotten me entirely.”

How did Uncle Wei learn to move so quietly and eerily? Lin Wanrong wiped the sweat from his brow. The last time he had been this startled was when he had encountered Qingxuan, which had been a mixture of fear and admiration. But this time, it was pure fear. People were truly incomparable.

“Uncle Wei, your theatrics are enough to scare the daylights out of someone. If it was someone else, they might have fainted already,” Lin Wanrong said with a relieved chuckle. Old Wei was his savior and his first relative here. Naturally, seeing him brought immense warmth.

Old Wei laughed a few times, “Wanrong, surely you aren’t that easily frightened? From what I’ve seen, you’re quite the daring one.”

“Not at all, not at all, I’m naturally timid. Uncle Wei, where have you been these past days? When did you return to Jinling?” Lin Wanrong got up from the bed and gestured for Old Wei to sit.

Moonlight cast a spectral glow on Old Wei’s face. His wrinkled, pale cheeks were frightful, and his hollow gaze stirred fear. But to Lin Wanrong, he appeared infinitely endearing.

“I only arrived in Jinling tonight. Remembering you were working at the Xiao’s, I thought I’d come and see you. Light a lamp, or my face might scare you in the dark,” Old Wei jested.

At least the old man has a sense of humor, Lin Wanrong chuckled, “Doesn’t matter whether we light a lamp or not, I am happy just to sit and chat with you, Uncle.”

Having lived in darkness for many years, Old Wei was accustomed to it. Hearing Lin Wanrong’s words, he felt touched. Despite being somewhat crafty, the young man was indeed straightforward in his dealings. He sighed, “I’m only passing through Jinling this time, just wanted to see you before leaving.”

Lin Wanrong was taken aback, “Uncle, you’ve only just arrived, why are you leaving so soon? Don’t worry, Uncle, I’m earning a decent amount of money now. I can fully support you in your old age without any problems. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Old Wei laughed heartily, his heart filled with satisfaction. He clasped Lin Wanrong’s hand, “Wanrong, I’ve lived a life without children. Coming to know you in my twilight years must be fate.”

Lin Wanrong was already familiar with Old Wei’s peculiar character from their time together. Hearing his words, Lin Wanrong sighed, “Uncle Wei, although I might be thick-skinned and occasionally ruthless, I hold a deep respect for kindness and righteousness. You saved my life, treating me like your own kin. If I were not to repay you, would I still be human? Don’t worry, Uncle, I have earned quite a bit of money. In the future, I will marry a few more wives, have more children, and pick one to be your grandson, carrying the Wei surname. What do you think?”

In Lin Wanrong’s mind, Old Wei saved his life, and repaying him was only natural. With multiple wives, he would have plenty of children, and giving one the Wei surname would be no issue.

Having a unique status and having experienced many hardships, Old Wei had long been accustomed to the myriad ways of the world. He had encountered countless sycophants over the years, but Lin Wanrong was different. Even without knowing his true identity, Lin Wanrong had shown him genuine kindness, which deeply moved him. His lips moved a few times, and finally he burst into laughter, “Good, good, Wanrong, I was not wrong about you. You have virtue, courage, and cunning. Indeed, you are a fine young sprout.”

Lin Wanrong laughed at his peculiar praise, “Uncle Wei, please stop flattering me. These are the traits I dislike most about myself.”

Old Wei raised his thumb in approval, “I forgot one thing, you have a thick face.” Both the elder and the younger man broke into hearty laughter. Lin Wanrong felt as if he had returned to the time when he first arrived in this world, spending his days freely chatting with Old Wei. Yet the world had changed much since then, and he himself had also changed, gradually adapting to this new world. It was a poignant realization.

Uncle Wei said, “Wanrong, I’ve heard about your work at the Xiao household. You’ve thwarted others’ schemes, helped revive the Xiao family, and even made friends with Xu Wei. You are far more clever than I ever imagined.”

Feeling bashful, Lin Wanrong responded, “Uncle, those are just people exaggerating. I’m not that great, at most only ten times more intelligent than you imagined.”

Hearing Lin Wanrong joke with him, Old Wei felt a wave of fondness. He laughed, “Regardless of who’s exaggerating, and no matter how many times more intelligent you are, it’s widely known that you’ve done a great job at the Xiao household. Even the master has had his eye on you for a while.”

“The master? Which master?” Lin Wanrong inquired, puzzled.

Old Wei gave him a meaningful glance, “The master I’ve mentioned to you.”

Suddenly, Lin Wanrong realized he was referring to the offer to become the son of a wealthy household. But he was already in the Xiao family, which was also very wealthy. He had no need for this mysterious master.

Old Wei seemed to see through his thoughts, heaving a small sigh, “Wanrong, no one can choose their own destiny. You’re in the midst of things now, and it’s impossible to extricate yourself. Do you know why I brought you to the Xiao family?”

“I don’t know,” Lin Wanrong responded honestly, shaking his head.

Old Wei smiled at him, “The Xiao household is not an ordinary place, and it holds a significant meaning for that master. Have you met Madam Xiao?”

‘Of course, I am now a member of the Xiao Family board. How could I have not met Madam Xiao? But it seems your words are reversed. Considering my current position, it should be Madam Xiao coming to see me, heh.’

Seeing Lin Wanrong nod, Old Wei continued, “After seeing Madam Xiao’s present appearance, you should have an idea of how beautiful and captivating she was when she was young, right?”

‘Why bring up Madam Xiao? Is there some gossip between her and this master? Madam Xiao seems dignified and elegant. Could she have been a flirtatious character back in the day? Damn, Old Wei, you’re a gossip, aren’t you? This ruins the lovely image of the lady in my heart.’

Old Wei naturally didn’t know his thoughts. He sighed, “Back in the capital, Miss Guo was only sixteen but already blooming like a jade flower. She was proficient in all arts and considered a beauty of the capital. She captivated countless talented young men. When that master first saw Miss Guo, he was amazed. Despite being much older, he couldn’t help but be infatuated.”

As he recalled the past, a nostalgic look flashed across Old Wei’s face. Hearing the gossip about Madam Xiao, Lin Wanrong suddenly thought of the Eldest Miss Xiao. This lass, Xiao Yuruo, had inherited around seventy or eighty percent of her mother’s charm. Would someone gossip about her in the same way in a few years?

“That master is a man of great deeds. Upon the advice of his counselors, he had to put aside his feelings and concentrate on important matters. The situation in the capital was chaotic at the time, and before he knew it, Old Master Guo had betrothed Miss Guo to the son of Elder Xiao. They were married and left the capital the next day. By the time the master heard the news, Miss Guo had already followed her husband to the far south.”

Old Wei’s voice was hoarse, “That master truly loved Miss Guo. Seeing her marry someone else naturally caused him great pain, and Miss Guo became his lingering regret. So, as I said, your assistance to the Xiao family could bring you enormous benefits.”

Sweating, Lin Wanrong laughed, “So, did Miss Guo shift her affections? This master seems rather lovestruck.”

Old Wei shook his head, “It wouldn’t be accurate to say she shifted her affections, because at that time, the master and Miss Guo were merely friends through poetry. Their age gap was significant, and Miss Guo had never considered anything beyond that. In fact, it was the master who had unrequited love for Miss Guo. He wanted to wait until his affairs were settled, then propose marriage. Little did he know that he would miss the opportunity.”

After all this chatter, it turned out to be unrequited love. Lin Wanrong thought disdainfully, ‘I once had a crush on Lee Jiaxin too, heh.’ [TL: a Hong Kong actor who married a wealthy businessman in 2006, coincidentally, this novel was published around 2007.]

“Uncle Wei, what exactly do you do? How come you know so much about these internal affairs?” Lin Wanrong asked directly.

“You’ll naturally find out if the opportunity arises,” Old Wei chuckled. “For now, you just need to keep one thing in mind—the more you help the Xiao family, the more advantageous it will be for you in the future.”

‘I don’t need you to tell me that. Yushuang is my wife now. I have to help regardless.’

“Wanrong, how well do you get along with Xu Wei?” Old Wei suddenly asked.

“Oh, pretty well, I suppose.” ‘More than okay, in fact. I even played a major role in his marriage.’

Uncle Wei nodded, “Being on good terms with Xu Wei can be a tremendous asset to you. Once you reach the capital, all these connections will come in handy.” Seeing Lin Wanrong nod, he continued, “Have you remembered all that I’ve told you?”

Lin Wanrong smiled, “Of course, I have, Uncle Wei. I’ve always been doing as you suggested.”

Old Wei replied meaningfully, “Good, very good. Wanrong, you must look at the bigger picture. Remember, your real rivals are not here, but in the capital.”

‘Rivals? The capital? What does he mean?’ Lin Wanrong was puzzled, but Old Wei had already risen to his feet, laughing, “I came to see you today, and I’ve said all I needed to. The rest is up to you. I should leave now.”

He clapped Lin Wanrong on the shoulder and swiftly walked out, vaulting over the high wall and disappearing into the moonlight in the blink of an eye.