A Glimpse of Vulnerability

The moment the group of flashy youngsters appeared across the street, Yi Siyu’s gaze was already fixed on the scene outside his window. He had merely been resting his eyes during a lull in his work on the way to the company, never expecting to witness such a sight.

A boy emerged from an affordable clothing store, his steps light and bouncy with joy. A stray lock of black hair on his head bobbed up and down with each movement.

Yet, he had barely taken a few steps before he was intercepted by an unconventional group of youths.

From a distance, Yi Siyu naturally couldn’t hear what they were saying. However, seeing the boy shrink back, his head lowered and the corners of his eyes reddening, he knew the words exchanged were far from pleasant.

For the first five minutes, the aggressive youths did all the talking, each taking turns to relentlessly belittle the boy before them. The boy remained silent, his body tense and his lips pressed into a thin line.

Only at the very end did he find a moment to speak a few words. As he lifted his neck, his eyes held a blend of stubbornness and sorrow, humility and pain.

Had Assistant Xu not interjected to mention that the leader of the group was Yu Wei, the only son of the Yu family, Yi Siyu would never have even glanced at him.

The man narrowed his eyes. He had no recollection of such a useless cousin in his memory.

Therefore, when Assistant Xu repeatedly tried to bring up the familial ties between the Yu and Yi families, Yi Siyu cut him off without hesitation.

In this day and age, everyone seemed intent on clinging to the Yi family. They never bothered to look in a mirror and see how sordid and ugly their own faces were.

“Third Young Master, this document…”

“Give it here.” Yi Siyu withdrew his gaze, no longer looking outside.

The dark steel pen landed firmly on the paper, ending with a flourish of individualistic strokes.

Assistant Xu breathed a sigh of relief, finally watching his CEO sign the document.

The black sedan started moving. When Yi Siyu glanced out the window again, the group of youngsters had dispersed, and the small, vulnerable boy had also vanished.

After Assistant Xu’s earlier remark, Yi Siyu surmised that the boy was likely a mere plaything, discarded by Yu Wei once he grew tired of him.

He felt a flicker of pity, but ultimately, it was not his concern.

Outsiders often spread rumors that the Yi family’s Third Young Master was ruthless, cold, and tyrannical. Some even claimed he was petty, sinister, and cunning, constantly plotting against his brothers for the family inheritance, with relations having long since reached a freezing point.

Yi Siyu had no idea who started these rumors.

Perhaps his unassuming exterior led others to misunderstand him.

When he didn’t smile, his presence genuinely exuded a low pressure, easily intimidating opponents in the business world.

Rain began to fall the moment they left the roadside.

After turning a few corners, the car became stuck in traffic.

This was a snack street, bustling with numerous eateries.

The enticing aromas inevitably drifted everywhere, causing Assistant Xu to involuntarily swallow. He silently chanted, ‘I’m not hungry.’

“Alright, if you want something to eat, go buy it yourself. You won’t have time to eat at the company later.”

Yi Siyu immediately saw through his subordinate’s thoughts and generously granted permission.

“Thank you, Third Young Master! Uh… I noticed you didn’t eat much this morning either. Is there anything you’d like me to bring you?”

“No need.” Yi Siyu didn’t even glance at Assistant Xu’s excited expression, lowering his head to review a document. “Not going? This road will clear up soon. Little Dong, drive on.”

–Yes, Third Young Master.

–Hey, hey! Don’t! Wait a few minutes for me, I’ll be right back!

With one less person in the car, it grew much quieter.

Yi Siyu subconsciously lifted his gaze, letting his mind wander, when his eyes suddenly snagged. That pathetic little thing had reappeared in his sight.

‘…’

Pulled by some mysterious force, the car stopped a second time, and he could still see the boy outside the window.

The boy was drenched from the rain, his white hoodie and jeans somewhat soaked.

His wet hair was disheveled and sticking up in all directions.

He crouched outside a rice noodle roll shop, hugging his knees, his head slightly bowed. He shivered from the sudden change in weather.

He looked like a pitiful stray dog, licking his wounds alone in a corner.

That sense of abandonment emanated from the boy.

Assistant Xu hadn’t returned yet, and Yi Siyu found himself watching for a little longer.

‘That little fellow…’

‘Why doesn’t he just take a taxi home?’

‘Or is he hiding here, crying, after being so harshly humiliated by that group?’

A trace of emotion, one he himself hadn’t detected, flickered across Yi Siyu’s usually cold and aloof expression.

He furrowed his brow in thought for a few seconds, his fingers instinctively searching on the in-car tablet:

[How to deal with a small stray dog on the roadside?]

Outside the rice noodle roll shop.

Jian Ye was burying his head in his knees, communicating with the system.

[Jian Ye: I asked you to navigate me to the nearest convenience store that sells umbrellas, and you led me here?]

[System 748: Detected the host’s primary objective was to avoid rain. The streets here all have awnings.]

[Jian Ye: Bah! If I wanted to hide from the rain, I could’ve just walked into any shop earlier. Did you really need to guide me around three extra streets?]

[System 748: Isn’t this street nice? It’s full of human delicacies.]

Jian Ye was speechless.

A system being tempted by Earth’s delicacies? He reasonably suspected the system had deliberately navigated him this way for the food.

Jian Ye had originally intended to get an umbrella and leisurely stroll through these streets, enjoying the tranquility of the rain…

“Achoo!”

‘…walk.’

A sneeze shattered Jian Ye’s temporary fantasy.

Tsk, the rain in Yunjing was a bit too cold!

Jian Ye pulled out a blue jacket from the clothes he had just bought and draped it over himself.

Good thing he bought so many clothes.

“Child, I’ve seen you squatting outside our shop for quite a while. Did you forget your umbrella?” A middle-aged woman emerged from the rice noodle roll shop, asking kindly.

Jian Ye immediately looked up at the sound.

His head had been buried in his knees for too long, and as he lifted it, his slightly red eyes were exposed.

The middle-aged woman let out an “Oh dear,” her face showing a pained expression. To her, Jian Ye didn’t look like a typical person simply seeking shelter under her shop’s eaves.

Instead, he seemed like a child who had been bullied outside and had nowhere to go.

Jian Ye had a youthful appearance, so it was no wonder others mistook him for a minor.

“Did you have a fight with your family? Or argue with friends from school? Come, child, stand up first, come inside and sit for a while.”

Realizing the proprietress had misunderstood, Jian Ye quickly said, “No, Auntie. My parents are gone, so there’s no conflict to have.”

Jian Ye smiled at her and continued, “It’s not an argument with friends, I…”

[System 748: The original host currently has no friends at school.]

The system added a timely jab. Jian Ye had just searched his memories and found that the original host, who could love that scumbag to death, actually didn’t have a single good friend???

Jian Ye paused for a second, accidentally blurting out, “I have no friends.”

[Ding—Detected green tea element! Green tea value +10.]

‘Uh, this…’

[Jian Ye: System, I swear, I didn’t mean to deliberately play for sympathy. My mouth was faster than my brain.]

[System 748: This behavior can be explained as a conditioned reflex. You truly are the most naturally gifted green tea host I’ve ever had.]

Jian Ye was speechless.

‘That doesn’t sound like a compliment, does it?’

The proprietress wanted Jian Ye to come inside. Jian Ye glanced in, and the rice noodle roll shop was quite busy.

Even as he spoke with the proprietress, customers continued to pour in.

There clearly wasn’t enough space inside.

So Jian Ye stood up, smoothed out his wrinkled clothes, and said with a smile, “Auntie, I won’t go in. I’ll leave once the rain lightens a bit.”

The proprietress hesitated for a few seconds, then suddenly said, “Child, wait.”

With that, she ran into the shop and called out to her husband. Before long, the proprietress reappeared, carrying a steaming plate of rice noodle rolls.

The reddish-brown sauce drizzled over the rice sheets, glistening enticingly, making one’s mouth water just from looking at it.

Moreover, its savory aroma wafted outwards.

Jian Ye’s appetite was unexpectedly piqued by a single plate of rice noodle rolls.

“The weather suddenly got cold, it’s quite chilly, and you’re wearing so little. Eat something to warm up, it’s on me!” The proprietress enthusiastically offered the plate of rice noodle rolls to Jian Ye.

“How can I not pay? I have money, Auntie, how much is it? I’ll pay!”

Jian Ye had brought enough money when he left today, and having just conned a card from Yu Wei, his pockets were far from empty.

The proprietress, seeing Jian Ye’s attire, didn’t think he looked wealthy. With his parents gone and no friends, and having just been bullied, he might even be struggling to live alone. Her maternal instincts had long since overflowed, and she wasn’t about to take his money.

“Just consider it a treat from Auntie! Hurry and eat, child. Be careful it doesn’t get cold, the taste won’t be as good then.”

Jian Ye truly couldn’t argue with the proprietress. He awkwardly rubbed his nose, then said, “Thank you, Auntie! I’ll recommend your rice noodle roll shop to others. When… when I have friends in the future, I’ll definitely bring them here to eat your rice noodle rolls!”

Jian Ye’s highly emotionally intelligent response instantly made the proprietress beam with joy.

A sweet-mouthed boy who was also handsome—who wouldn’t like him?

‘Why couldn’t she have given birth to such a well-behaved and handsome son?’

Jian Ye had already received a free lunch and certainly wouldn’t force himself to occupy a seat inside the shop. The proprietress didn’t insist either, simply bringing out a small stool from the shop.

“Auntie, please go back to your work. I’ll bring the plate back for you when I’m done eating.”

“Alright, alright, eat slowly. You can even add more sauce if it’s not enough!”

[System 748: Hurry up, taste it!]

[Jian Ye: I’m eating, why are you so excited?]

[System 748: After binding with a host, we systems can, to a certain extent, perceive some neural reflexes within the host’s brain.]

[Jian Ye: So?]

[System 748: The pleasure derived from the host’s taste bud neural reflexes and increased dopamine in the brain after eating delicious food can also be experienced by the system.]

Jian Ye was about to take a big bite, but after hearing that, he pretended to put the plate down.

[Jian Ye: Then I’m going to eat sh*t right now!! Don’t stop me!! You want to share taste sensations with me, huh? I’ll let you know what ‘real Earth delicacies’ are!]

[System 748: Giao…]

[Jian Ye: No using Earth internet slang to curse!]

Inside the black sedan.

The in-car tablet displayed various answers from the recent search.

When Assistant Xu got back into the car after buying food, he saw his CEO staring at the tablet, his brow slightly furrowed.

He initially thought the CEO was handling some difficult work problem, but when he accidentally glimpsed the content on the screen, a mouthful of soy milk nearly sprayed out.

[1L: When you encounter a pitiful stray dog, of course, you take it home and raise it!]

[2L: Buy that piece of land, build a golden dog kennel, and turn your stray dog into a noble dog strolling in a vast royal garden!]

[3L: A fresh stray dog needs fresh ingredients to lure it.]

[4L: First, place a grilled sausage at its den entrance. When it emerges, do not capture it immediately. Then, tempt it with a large bone! (Continue below)]

[5L: Because it’s difficult to chew, buy some time for the capture. Then, suddenly block the entrance! And… hee hee hee! My little darling, hurry into my bowl! Uncle will dote on you and love you~]

[6L: The person above is a pervert, reported! (What bad intentions could a little puppy have?)]

“…”