The Curious Case of the Green Tea Value

The netizens’ replies were bizarre and diverse, quickly veering off-topic with increasingly wild tangents.

Assistant Xu was utterly perplexed. How had the CEO suddenly developed an interest in stray dogs in the short span of him stepping out of the car?

And besides…

Where were these stray dogs he spoke of?

Assistant Xu scanned his surroundings, seeing nothing. He then cautiously inquired of the powerful man beside him, “Third Young Master, are you… perhaps thinking of getting a pet?”

Yi Siyu did not answer. He simply closed his tablet and turned his gaze back to the young man sitting on the small stool, utterly engrossed in his rice noodle rolls.

Only moments ago, he had looked so pitiful, drenched by the rain. Now, with a little food offered, he had brightened up considerably.

He was truly easy to please.

The young man’s eating expressions were quite something. Initially, he had been hesitant, almost embarrassed to eat, but after a tentative bite, the delicious flavor overwhelmed him. Suddenly, he began to devour it ravenously.

It was as if he hadn’t eaten in three days.

The sight made someone in the car instinctively run their tongue over their back molars.

As a young master of the Yi family, he naturally wouldn’t partake in such street food. Yet, the young man’s obvious enjoyment, sitting right by the shop entrance, sparked an undeniable curiosity in Yi Siyu about those rice noodle rolls.

Could they really be that delicious?

Or perhaps, his own family treated him poorly, withholding food and leaving him starved?

In that moment, the peculiar emotion that had surfaced earlier returned.

[Ding—Green tea element detected! Green Tea Value +10.]

Jian Ye, who had been heartily devouring the food on his plate, suddenly froze, his eating movements halting.

This inexplicable notification left him utterly bewildered.

[Jian Ye: No way… I’m just eating, not talking to anyone. How did I suddenly gain Green Tea Value?]

[System 748: Bu-ji-dao, ya~ The system automatically senses green tea elements.]

Jian Ye put down his chopsticks and looked around.

Green Tea Value wouldn’t appear out of thin air. This meant someone was definitely observing him right now.

Otherwise, how could he have ‘tea-ed’ them?

Jian Ye scanned the area but couldn’t pinpoint his target.

The snack street was bustling with traffic and surging crowds; anyone could have glanced his way.

[Jian Ye: Is it my eating posture that’s too ‘tea-like’?]

[System 748: It might not be about your posture. Look beside you.]

Jian Ye looked to his side and saw a shabbily dressed person, holding a begging bowl, soliciting food.

A kind soul tossed in a freshly bought piece of bread, which the person immediately snatched and stuffed into their mouth, cheeks bulging.

The scene was remarkably similar to Jian Ye’s own, with his cheeks still puffed out, not having fully swallowed his food.

“…”

[Jian Ye: Damn it! That person thinks I’m a beggar?]

[System 748: I didn’t say anything.]

[Jian Ye: Ha! Ha! I’d rather not have this Green Tea Value! Give it back!]

[System 748: The system does not have a refund function for Green Tea Value. Besides, that person might still be staring at you.]

Hearing the system’s words, Jian Ye quickly stood up, turned his back, and vigorously swallowed the last bite of food.

‘Who on earth is it? Do I really look that destitute?’

‘No, I need to return this plate to the proprietress quickly and get out of this troublesome place!’

The traffic jam finally cleared.

The black sedan began to move forward with the flow of cars.

Yi Siyu watched the young man finish his food, a look of reluctance on his face. With those innocent, wide eyes, he stared blankly at the plate for a long time, eventually even turning his back, making Yi Siyu wonder if he was licking it clean.

There were countless unfortunate stray dogs everywhere, and Yi Siyu was not so overflowing with sympathy as to save every single one.

But this particular one…

He found himself slightly concerned.

After Jian Ye returned home, Aunt Liu spotted the damp marks on his young master’s clothes and quickly fetched a dry towel to wipe him down.

Although Jian Ye had eventually bought an umbrella, the parts of him that had been drenched earlier weren’t quick to dry, and a cold gust of wind made him sneeze.

“Young Master, why didn’t you call me to pick you up?” Butler Zhang asked with concern, taking Jian Ye’s wet jacket.

“It’s fine, Butler Zhang. Just a little rain, no need to trouble you.”

Butler Zhang watched the young man lift the umbrella in his hand, which was still dripping steadily.

His words held no persuasion whatsoever… Today’s sudden downpour was anything but small.

Aunt Liu’s heart ached at the sight, and she had already rushed to the kitchen to brew brown sugar ginger tea.

Jian Ye’s thoughtfulness towards his servants made Butler Zhang and Aunt Liu genuinely believe their young master had the heart of a Bodhisattva.

Aunt Liu, worried Jian Ye might catch a cold, urged him to take a hot bath.

Upon emerging, a steaming cup of brown sugar ginger tea was immediately placed into his hands.

Jian Ye took a sip, letting out a comfortable sigh.

[Jian Ye: System, being a young master is awesome! The original host really didn’t appreciate his good fortune.]

[System 748: But he’s just a cannon fodder character.]

[Jian Ye: Even cannon fodder has a way to survive. Can’t I just lay low? I absolutely won’t block the protagonists’ path.]

Moreover, the original novel was still being serialized and hadn’t even described the ultimate fate of ‘cannon fodder Jian Ye’. Jian Ye felt that anything was possible. He didn’t seek to defy fate, only to live a peaceful and smooth life.

“Young Master, the main residence requests your presence tomorrow,” Butler Zhang reminded him.

Jian Ye nodded slightly. “I know. I’ve already received their message.”

“Then, are you going or not…?”

“Of course, I’m going!” Jian Ye looked puzzled. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Searching through the original host’s memories, Jian Ye knew that the Jian family had a rule: the younger generation had to visit the main residence once a week, and special circumstances required reporting.

Elder Master Jian placed great importance on this sense of ritual—respect for elders, order among generations, and courtesy to all—which was the hallmark of an aristocratic family.

However, Jian Ye believed that rather than emphasizing ritual, it was more accurately described as…

‘This old man simply doesn’t want to be an empty-nester.’

After all, who wouldn’t want to enjoy the filial piety of their children and the joys of family in their later years?

It was just that Elder Master Jian probably hadn’t considered that the filial children he imagined were actually greedy jackals and tigers.

Butler Zhang’s face showed a hint of awkwardness as he continued, “After you threw that tantrum and left the main residence last time, you declared that… you would never step foot in the main residence again. If you did, you would be…”

Jian Ye, surprisingly adept, completed the last word: “…a dog?”

Butler Zhang cleared his throat, neither confirming nor denying.

Jian Ye clutched his forehead in anguish.

[Jian Ye: System! Tell me, is this kind of childish threat something a Green Tea should say?]

[System 748: When God created the original host, His left hand added green tea powder to his body, His right hand added ‘drama queen’ powder, and then His right hand trembled, accidentally adding too much.]

[Jian Ye: Alright, you don’t need to describe it anymore. Just say that ‘cannon fodder Jian Ye’ is more dramatic than tea-like, and you’d be done with it.]

[System 748: Uh, it wasn’t supposed to be like this. The author’s original setting was that the ‘tea’ outweighed the ‘drama.’ That’s why when the original host later fled this world, causing a bug in the plane, the main system sent me with a host to fix it.]

[Jian Ye: None of you asked for my opinion! I refuse to be a chosen Green Tea.]

But now, he had no right to refuse.

Jian Ye rubbed his face, asking awkwardly, “In front of whom did I say all that?”

Butler Zhang: “Everyone at the Jian family’s main residence.”

Jian Ye: “…”

Butler Zhang: “Including the Mo family, who were guests at the Jian family that day.”

Jian Ye: “!!!”

The Mo family of Yunjing was also one of the Jian family’s generational acquaintances. The two families had long-standing business and social ties.

The day Elder Master Jian mentioned the arranged marriage, the Mo family’s patriarch happened to bring some of his younger family members over for a visit.

That visit had nothing to do with business; it was purely to foster friendships between the younger generations, ensuring that when the Jian and Mo family businesses were passed down, the relationship between the two great families would remain stable.

This was a consideration for long-term interests.

In fact, Elder Master Jian hadn’t originally intended to bring up the Jian and Yi families’ marriage alliance in front of the Mo family that day.

It was entirely due to the persistent instigation of those with ulterior motives from the Jian family’s first and second branches.

After all, discussing such matters in front of the Mo family, for those with discerning minds, might easily be perceived as the Jian family showing off—flaunting their ability to cling to the powerful Yi family, finding shade under a big tree.

That was the Yi family, Yunjing’s most prominent wealthy clan, a door many longed to enter but couldn’t.

If the Jian family truly allied with the Yi family, it would significantly boost all aspects of the Jian family’s development. The Jian family’s prosperity, surpassing other families in the same circle, would merely be a matter of time.

Fortunately, the Mo family’s patriarch was magnanimous, and the older generation had deep ties with the Jian family. They wouldn’t harbor resentment due to the Jian-Yi alliance.

Instead, upon hearing the news, they offered sincere congratulations.

However, what did ‘cannon fodder Jian Ye’ do?

The young man’s mind raced through his memories, several shocking scenes flashing before him.

The original host had already been emotionally distraught that day due to a breakup. When he heard his grandfather say he was to marry Third Young Master Yi, he completely broke down.

This news was the final straw that crushed the camel, transforming the already ‘drama queen’ possessed ‘cannon fodder Jian Ye’ into a small lunatic.

In front of everyone, he smashed an antique vase displayed in the living room and even feigned an attempt to slit his wrists with the shards.

He was ultimately restrained by the surrounding Jian family servants, narrowly averting a bloody disaster for the Jian family that day.

When his self-harm attempt failed, ‘cannon fodder Jian Ye,’ heartbroken and furious, uttered those childish words before crying and fleeing the main residence.

[Jian Ye: My. God. In. Heaven!]

Jian Ye, having recalled the entire process, was so shocked he could only utter those three words.

[System 748: So, are you still going back to the Jian family tomorrow?]

The system, like a bystander enjoying gossip, calmly observed.

[Jian Ye: Is this plot serious? The author didn’t write any of this in the novel, did they?]

[System 748: These are hidden personal storylines for supporting characters. The author naturally focuses on the main plot; why would they spend effort writing the trivial details of a minor supporting character like you?]

[Jian Ye: The author might as well just kill me off. I fully agree with those readers in the comments section who keep asking, ‘Why isn’t Jian Ye dead yet?’]

[System 748: But you just said it was great being a young master, and that even cannon fodder has a way to survive.]

[Jian Ye: …]

He wanted to retract his earlier rash statement.

‘I’m not worthy, alright! Not worthy of being a young master who constantly plunges himself into social death!’

‘The original host had talked himself silly with love.’

‘Let alone whether he’d actually die from slitting his wrists in private, he tried it in public?’

‘Unless those around him genuinely wished him dead, his actions would only make him a clown.’

‘No wonder the Jian family disliked the original host.’

‘That day, he did all this in front of the Mo family, their generational acquaintances. Elder Master Jian must have been fuming with anger.’

‘A useless grandson making such a fool of himself in front of outsiders was an absolute disgrace to the Elder Master, and to the entire Jian family.’

‘It seems I’ll need to stock up on quick-acting heart medicine for future visits. Jian Ye feared that before he even opened his mouth, the Elder Master would reflexively cough up blood.’