Chapter 65
Present world.
Municipal First Hospital, Intensive Care Ward.
"Okay, okay. I've taken note of everything you said. Thank you for your concern, doctor. Take care."
After the medical staff left, the man closed the door, shook his head as if thinking of something, and turned back to the bed.
The old man wearing a breathing mask on the bed has a head of silver hair, which is combed neatly even when lying down. Even the hospital gown is carefully selected with the best style and fabric.
He was thin with prominent cheekbones and the muscles around his eyes were loose and sunken, making him look very sick.
When he was young, he was also very handsome and was the well-known and charming eldest son of the Shen family.
However, now it has been eaten away by the virus and only a shell remains.
Xu Jiahang stood beside the bed, looking at him with his eyes lowered, his expression neither worried nor compassionate.
Yes, just boredom.
If looks could kill, he would have wanted to do it long ago; if the old man still had consciousness, he would probably want to be free too.
What a pity...
He sighed deeply and resigned himself to his nursing work.
Xu Jiahang has been serving Mr. Shen for many years since he started working as a helper in the Shen family at the age of eighteen.
He thought he was a competent babysitter. Not only did he work hard and complete his duties without any compromise, but he also endured it even when the old man had an attack and raised his crutches to hit people.
Enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens always pays off. Mr. Shen admired him very much when he was sober.
Of course, Xu Jiahang did all this not because he was a born good man, but to get an inheritance after the old man died that the nanny would never have gotten.
The Shen family is a wealthy and powerful family with deep roots. The old man is the one with the most "pure" bloodline, or can be called the main family. He is the center of attention among the branch families, but is also coveted by them.
However, the old man was not blessed with many descendants. He only had one son, who severed ties with his father a few years ago because of a scandal that would have caused a huge uproar if it had been exposed.
Young Chen Yan was arrogant and proud. He packed his luggage so that it couldn't even fill a small suitcase. He walked out of the Shen family's door and never came back.
The news that the only son had run away from home spread like wildfire, and the old man was so angry about it that he fell seriously ill. All the relatives, related and unrelated, heard the news and rushed to the master's house like hyenas smelling blood and rotten meat, with obvious intentions.
This was not the first time that Chen Yan had disappeared, but this time she was even more silent than last time. Coupled with the pressure from relatives, the old man was unable to recover from the blow and became increasingly ill until he fell into a coma.
His wife passed away early, and he was the only child. Instead of doting on Shen Yan, Mr. Shen was extremely strict with him, hoping that he would be able to take over and become a qualified heir to the Shen family in the future.
However, Chen Yan had no such ambition since childhood. He had his own goals to pursue. He would rather be a lonely bird flying freely in the world than be trapped in the magnificent cage built by the surname.
When Xu Jiahang arrived at the Shen family, Chen Yan was still a child, and he had watched him grow up. Old Master Shen also trusted and relied on him, so he became one of the few people who knew the inside story.
The real reason for the breakup between father and son was not the so-called conflict of ambitions, but that Chen Yan fell in love with a man.
——Yes, a man!
Perhaps there are groups in society that accept homosexuality, but such a scandal would never be allowed to happen in a prosperous and feudal family.
The early death of his wife was a great blow to the old man. The couple were deeply in love, and he refused to remarry, so he only had Chenyan as his child.
The old man also hopes that Chen Yan will get married soon, not repeat his mistakes, and have more children to expand the family. He also hopes that his son can enjoy the family happiness that he could not enjoy in the future.
Although he seems to be surrounded by countless people every day, the old man knows best how lonely it feels to have a loved one leave and no one to confide in.
The old man said it was feudal, but it wasn't that feudal. His requirement for his future daughter-in-law was that she was of equal social status. If not, as long as she was a girl of good character and truly loved his son, it didn't matter if her other conditions were a little inferior.
The prerequisite is that she has to be a girl!
He just couldn't understand how his son, who had been excellent and well-behaved since childhood and had not shown any signs of rebellion except for not wanting to inherit the family business, could fall in love with a man?
What happened during the time he was missing?
Chen Yan grew up under his wings and was protected so well that he had the innocence of a young master from a noble family who was ignorant of the world.
The old man was certain that it must be the idle people in society who led his son astray.
After Shen Yan came out to him, he used all his connections and means to find the culprit; he was used to being in a superior position and was sure that he could always solve the problem with money or power.
However, no one found any trace of the man.
The old man felt something was wrong again. Could it be that his son had a mental problem or was suffering from delusions?
He asked a private doctor to secretly examine Chen Yan, and the result was half relief and half disappointment.
Chen Yan's mental state is normal, without any schizophrenia or delusions.
So who was it that he fell in love with?
Chen Yan refused to reveal anything no matter what, and the father and son quarreled more and more fiercely, ending up severing their relationship, with both sides suffering.
The old man watched his son's back as he left, knocking his cane heavily on the ground, and made a harsh statement: As long as Chen Yan steps out of the house, he will never get a penny of the family property, and all will be given to others.
But Chen Yan remained unmoved and didn't even turn his head.
Old Master Shen was furious and personally released the news that not only the Shen family bloodline, but anyone with ability in society could compete to share the part of the property that originally belonged to Chen Yan.
If you are capable enough, you can transfer it to just one person.
This is not just a few hundred thousand or a million dollars from an ordinary family, this is the Shen family that has been around for hundreds of years.
What kind of astronomical figure would the inheritance that an only son could get be?
The news was like a drop of water falling into a frying pan, and everyone was ready to move, including Xu Jiahang.
But the reason why Xu Jiahang was excited was different from the others, because the old man had promised himself that if he didn't choose a suitable candidate in the end, then all of Chen Yan's share would be given to him - the nanny who served him more wholeheartedly than his own son.
No one could understand Xu Jiahang's mood at that moment.
The competitors in society were originally going to be interviewed by the old man himself. Unfortunately, or fortunately for Xu Jiahang, the comatose old man's condition was getting worse and worse. If it weren't for the expensive drugs, his body functions would have stopped working long ago, let alone waking up.
The astronomical figure that was once out of reach will soon become his alone.
Whenever he thought of this, Xu Jiahang's hands trembled with excitement.
However, he never expected that when he had carefully calculated every step and was about to reach the end of success, Chen Lijue suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
No, strictly speaking, this kid has not yet been recognized by the old man and cannot be given the glorious surname "Chen", so he can only be called Li Jue.
Or, "that little bastard from the Chen Yan family."
In Mr. Shen's will, the priority before distributing it to people with aspirations and transferring it to Xu Jiahang was to leave it all to Chen Yan's biological children - if there were any.
Xu Jiahang knew this, but Chen Yan was a homosexual who was not interested in women, so how could he have offspring?
He never took that as a threat.
Li Jue's appearance disrupted all his plans.
Xu Jiahang still remembers the contempt in Shen Jiangxing's eyes when he looked at him on the day he brought the child back.
It seemed as if mocking his careful planning, which turned out to be nothing but a mirage in the end.
Xu Jiahang was the first to stand up and question Li Jue's identity. He was filled with righteous indignation, as if he was standing up for the old man.
However, Shen Jiangxing and Li Ren threw the paternity test report they had prepared long ago in front of him, with it written in black and white, confirming the facts.
Although Li Jue had no feelings for the Shen family, they could not accept the family property being divided up by an outsider who had no blood relationship with them, rather than being inherited by their only grandson.
Besides, Li Jue is so young that he always needs adult care. Whoever becomes his guardian is no different from getting the inheritance rights, right?
Xu Jiahang thought that people from wealthy families all had some mental problems to some extent, otherwise why would the Shen family choose to exclude and ignore the young master instead of trying to please him - those actions could be considered child abuse.
Xu Jiahang stayed in the hospital most of the time to accompany the old man. He wanted to make sure that in the unlikely event that the old man woke up, the first thing he saw was him.
The next time I returned to the Shen family, I unexpectedly learned that the young master was missing.
Along with him was Li Jue's uncle Shen Jiangxing.
Later, Li Jue's cousin Li Ren also disappeared.
After three people disappeared in succession, the Shen family became a mess.
The more chaotic it is, the more it meets Xu Jiahang's expectations.
No matter how they mess around, in the end, you will be the one who reaps the benefits.
He threw the disposable towel into the trash can, went to the bathroom and washed his hands over and over again with disinfectant, then came back and lay exhausted on the nursing bed.
In order to have enough performance to take credit after the old man wakes up, and to show his loyalty to the Shen family, he even rushed to do the job of taking care of him. How could he not be tired?
The old man's condition now is no different from that of a vegetative state. Even the "filial sons and grandsons" of the Shen family can't insist on visiting him regularly. Xu Jiahang admires himself for being able to take care of him meticulously every day here.
But it's really tiring. If the old man were to...
Alas, when will this day end?
Xu Jiahang turned over and thought about the novel he had read a few days ago.
There is a kind of devil that specifically makes deals with humans, allowing them to fulfill any of their wishes, whether it is to become the richest man in the world, to rule a region, or to instantly eliminate illness and gain eternal youth...
There is nothing that the devil cannot do, except what humans cannot think of; of course, after a certain number of years, the devil will collect souls as a reward.
Xu Jiahang didn't believe in the soul at all. If his wish could come true immediately, he would gladly hand over his soul to the devil. What good was that illusory thing? The wealth in his hands was more practical.
...Hey, what are you thinking about? It’s better to have a sweet dream.
He closed his eyes.
*
"Master, lunch is ready."
"Master, the Chamber of Commerce is visiting this morning."
"Master, would you like to review the dinner list?"
"master……"
"master……"
Xu Jiahang opened his eyes and saw a group of people surrounding him, with respect and expectation in their eyes.
He was in a trance and found that he was not lying on a bed in the intensive care unit of the hospital, but sitting on a gorgeously decorated sofa.
He opened his mouth and uttered one word: "I..."
Huh?
Is this my own vocal cords?
Xu Jiahang looked at the bronze mirror not far away, which reflected a face that looked more aged than his actual age. He looked to be in his forties or fifties, and had an unattractive beard.
His clothes were also very strange: a white silk shirt, a dark purple velvet vest, a double-breasted jacket, and leather boots.
It was worth noting that there was a brooch on the coat, engraved with something like a coat of arms - he couldn't see it clearly from this angle, but it seemed to be a black bird; perhaps a raven or something.
He lowered his head. On his right thumb was a ring inlaid with obsidian weighing twenty to thirty carats. The ring was densely engraved with ancient, unrecognizable inscriptions.
Not only him, but the group of people in front of him, who might be servants, were also dressed in retro style, which did not resemble the healthy and positive spirit of the young people of the 21st century at all.
"Master, are you dissatisfied?" A servant looked at him worriedly. "If you need, you can change to something else..."
Xu Jiahang's brain is still crashing.
He remembered that he made a wish before falling asleep, that he could see in his dream that Mr. Shen died of illness, Chen Yan and his son disappeared and never returned, and that he took all the family property into his pocket. However, it seemed that this was not such a fictitious plot, right?
Seeing that he didn't answer, another servant humbly asked, "Master, are you feeling unwell? Do you want to contact Dr. Carlos to come and see you?"
Xu Jiahang wasn't sure if this was a dream (if it was, the details were a bit too clear) or a realistic prank (no matter how outrageous it was, it couldn't be staged in a city hospital, right?). He spoke slowly and tentatively: "...I'm fine."
The servants looked at each other. They seemed to be very convinced by Xu Jiahang's words and they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright, don't all gather together. Who will the Earl listen to first?" a voice interrupted. "Arrange yourselves and report one by one."
A man came over and saluted him: "My Lord, please forgive their impropriety."
Xu Jiahang was still slowly accepting the changes and looked him up and down.
The man was wearing a well-tailored high-necked shirt and black trousers, as well as thin dark gray gloves. His attire and demeanor reminded Xu Jiahang of the Shen family's old butler, only more proper, as if he had received rigorous training from a large family since childhood.
There was also a coat of arms on the left side of his chest. This time Xu Jiahang saw it clearly. It was a crow holding a stone in its beak.
Considering my ring, it is most likely obsidian.
The man wore single-sided tasseled gold-rimmed glasses, his hair was combed back meticulously, and his hair at the back was a little longer, so he tied it into a small bun, which inexplicably added a bit of romance to his originally gentle temperament.
Xu Jiahang rubbed his temples pretending to have a headache: "Um, you..."
The housekeeper smiled slightly: "Tan Ning is here."
Tan Ning. Okay, he finally unlocked the first piece of the puzzle.
Xu Jiahang was adapting to and exploring his new identity: "Tell me, what are people saying about me?"
The butler showed no surprise at this strange request and readily agreed: "Everyone praises you as the 'great Earl Jiahang Xu Custer'.
"Under your leadership, the Caster family, as one of the noble families that pioneered the southern border of the Fialan continent, did not decline like other noble families. Instead, they further expanded their wealth by mining the obsidian ore in their fiefdom.
"You are always kind and generous, especially during the Autumn Festival, when you share your family's precious herbs with the people. Everyone respects and loves you very much..."
Xu Jiahang shook his head, listened to the flattery with relish, and was also quickly understanding the composition of this world.
As I listened, my blood started boiling: Have I actually traveled through time?
The job of accompanying the old man was very boring. In his spare time, he read a lot of cool novels and knew what the plot would be like later:
He led this declining noble family to a comeback, defeated the enemies who had bullied him, and reached the pinnacle of his life - after all, online novels are all the same assembly line with the same routine.
Oops, that's not right.
What did the housekeeper say just now? The family hasn't declined? He hasn't been suppressed either?
That's not right. Isn't he taking the route that the Dragon King will return in three years?
Xu Jiahang quickly searched his mind to see if he had ever seen a story like this where someone becomes a god right from the start, and he couldn't help but look forward to how the plot would develop.
According to the general process of time travel, he will soon obtain the memories of the original owner. If this is a world view with magic (it is not clear at the moment), he will also inherit the abilities of the original owner. Then he can do this and that, and then that and that.
Isn't it better to be a powerful and famous earl than to deal with the troubles of the Shen family?
Time travel, how wonderful!
He accepted the new setting happily.
The more Xu Jiahang thought about it, the more excited he became, and he didn't notice the deeper meaning behind the butler's polite smile.
A complex emotion flashed through the lens, like a fish swimming into the water, and disappeared.
*
After a few days of experience, Xu Jiahang became increasingly aware of the beauty of the new world.
The feeling of being surrounded by people and admired by everyone is simply wonderful, especially since he was just a small nanny who was ordered around not long ago and had to consider other people's opinions before doing anything.
After being a slave for many years, he suddenly became a master. The four words "proud and proud" are far from enough to describe his current arrogance.
To his happier end, he discovered that although he had no wife, he was having an affair with a young and beautiful maid.
The name Miao Ling sounds a bit strange, but everyone who sees her will feel that this name is tailor-made for her - a black and white lace maid outfit, a golden bell tied around her neck, snow-white thighs, and upturned eyes. She is an absolute natural beauty.
Xu Jiahang was convinced that the original owner had long devoted his heart to this sexy little wildcat, and perhaps divorced his wife because of her.
He had worked in the Shen family for so many years, and was still a bachelor in his thirties who had never met the opposite sex. He could not resist and was completely fascinated by her.
Miaoling not only has a pretty face, but is also very smart. The original owner probably let her participate in many family affairs, and the projects she handled were even more completed than others.
More importantly, she admired me so much that she almost regarded it as a belief.
As long as he appears, her eyes will not leave him, filled with love.
What a wonderful life this is, Xu Jiahang is extremely satisfied.
The Caster family is located at the southernmost tip of the Fialan continent and is also the most advantageous of the noble territories.
The scenery here is pleasant and the climate is comfortable. There have never been any terrible winds and waves under the sea cliff where the castle is located. On a clear day, looking out at the sea, you can see a tranquil blue.
While the northern territories have long been covered with snow, the cool autumn weather is slowly arriving here.
The rain became more frequent after the beginning of autumn, especially in the second half of the night when a rainstorm would often come without warning, forcing the servants to scramble to collect the things that were drying outside.
There was endless thunder that night. After being awakened, Xu Jiahang couldn't fall asleep again. He felt inexplicably panicked, as if something big was about to happen.
Normally he would seek comfort from Miao Ling, but the girl happened to be away from home today, having gone to town with Tan Ning to do some work.
Xu Jiahang had to admit that compared to himself, who was plain-looking and older, the young and beautiful Miao Ling was more suitable to stand next to the handsome Tan Ning. Even he felt from the bottom of his heart that they were a good match.
He had worried that these two people might betray him—in any sense of the word—but after spending these days together, he realized that each of them was loyal to him, so he no longer had any suspicions.
Being able to live a second time, especially in such a perfect world, Xu Jiahang has nothing else to ask for.
People should know how to be content and not be greedy. This is the biggest lesson he has learned from observing the ups and downs of wealthy families for ten years.
He turned over irritably, missing Miao Ling while admiring Mr. Shen for remaining faithful to his late wife for so many years.
The emptiness that people feel when they reach the pinnacle of wealth can only be comforted by the hands of their loved ones.
Xu Jiahang tossed and turned for most of the day but still couldn't fall asleep, so he simply got up, put on his coat, walked out of the bedroom, stood on the stairs and looked down at the servants busying around.
During the day when the sun was shining, I took out a dozen boxes of ancient books to dry in the sun to remove the musty smell; when the rain came, they were the first things to be rescued.
At this time, Xu Jiahang began to miss the modern technology of his old world. Weather forecast was still very necessary.
The rain tonight is so heavy that it’s useless to wear a raincoat. My clothes are soaked through. The carpet is soaked from going in and out. Cleaning it tomorrow will be a big project.
Xu Jiahang has been a nanny for so many years that she can't change her habits. Just watching her make her heart ache, and she has to restrain herself from cleaning up the mess herself.
Just when he stared at it boredly for a while and decided to go back to sleep, someone pushed open the door that had just been closed.
The visitor seemed to sense that someone was staring at him. He lifted his hood and raised his head, meeting the gaze of Xu Jiahang on the second floor.
It’s Tan Ning.
Perhaps because the rain was so heavy, he was not wearing glasses. Without the lens blocking his eyes, his dark eyes reflected a terrifying eagle-like light, which made Xu Jiahang shudder.
The unprecedented coldness was probably just an illusion on Xu Jiahang's part. After a brief moment, the butler smiled, as humble and respectful as ever: "Master, you haven't slept yet."
Xu Jiahang walked down the stairs nervously and almost slipped.
Fortunately, the housekeeper was quick to support him and scolded the maid who was cleaning: "Why are there water stains on the steps?"
The maid trembled as she took the rag to wipe it: "I'm sorry, Mr. Tan, I'm sorry, Master..."
Xu Jiahang felt unhappy. How could he, the victim and head of the family, be ranked behind the housekeeper?
It was not a coincidence. He had noticed before that the servants in the house were a little afraid of Tan Ning, but they also listened to him very much. It was true that the servants respected him, but they were even more in awe of Tan Ning.
"Awe", on the basis of "respect", has an additional layer of unshakable "fear", just like... just like how he used to feel towards Mr. Shen.
That was the dignity and glory that Xu Jiahang desired more.
Unfortunately, it now seems that he is not as good as a butler.
He felt embarrassed and brushed away Tan Ning's hand, his attitude becoming cold and hard: "Why are you alone? Where's Miaoling?"
The housekeeper always smiled at him submissively: "She will soon -"
As soon as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open again.
There was a bulge under the girl's raincoat, as if something was hidden.
As soon as she came in and saw Xu Jiahang here, her eyes became smart: "Master, come quickly, come and see what I picked up?"
Everyone in the family knew about her affair with Xu Jiahang, so no one found it strange even if she didn't use honorifics.
Everyone left silently, leaving only the earl, the butler and the maid.
Xu Jiahang felt much better when he saw Miao Ling coming back. He leaned over to take a look, thinking it was a stray cat or dog.
Miaoling untied her raincoat, and in her arms was a wet, soft little human cub.
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