Chapter 27
Even though Xie Xubai doesn't usually exercise, he's still a grown man. With a full-force attack, he completely disoriented the etiquette teacher.
It took the latter several seconds to feel the intense pain, and he immediately covered his punched face and screamed in terror.
The shouts spread, causing an uproar among the servants and bodyguards.
The usually stern-faced old butler stared wide-eyed, his first thought being that Xie Xubai might have suddenly gone mad!
His face darkened: "Thank you..."
To everyone's surprise, Xie Xubai, with a cold face, looked even more agitated and angry than them, and shouted in a loud voice: "What exactly do you mean? Didn't Patriarch Jiang promise that as long as I could make Young Master Jiang obedient, he would guarantee my position in the Jiang family?!"
"You've been working so hard to train the young master, and now you're finding someone to replace me, planning to discard him after he's done his work, huh? I—"
"Teacher Xie, what nonsense are you talking about!"
Seeing Jiang Kaile's bewildered and incredulous face, the old butler felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and the hairs on his body stood on end.
In that instant, he didn't care about confronting Jiang Kaile anymore. He just wanted to calm Xie Xubai, this ancestor who was willing to self-destruct, down before Jiang Kaile completely exploded! So he rushed forward without thinking.
Little did they know that Xie Xubai, in his anger, was quite strong. The old butler had just grabbed the young man's hand when he was forcefully thrown aside, staggering several steps in a disheveled manner.
The old butler quickly called over two or three bodyguards, who then managed to restrain the enraged young man.
The scene was chaotic, and no one even paid attention to the etiquette teacher who had been beaten.
The old butler tried to reason with him gently, saying, "Teacher Xie, please calm down. How can you talk nonsense in front of the young master? The talk of controlling the young master and impersonating you is utter rubbish! Let's go outside and talk. Come, this way..."
Just before he was about to be taken away, Xie Xubai looked at the boy who was standing motionless in the room.
Jiang Kaile seemed to sense something and turned her head to meet the person's eyes.
Xie Xubai, who was originally furious, was now surprisingly calm, his eyebrows slightly curved, and he gave him a reassuring smile.
Then Xie Xubai was led out of the room, presumably to meet the Jiang family head.
Jiang Kaile was left standing in the suddenly empty room, with only a few bodyguards at the door.
The air was so still you could hear a pin drop.
In the deathly silence, the boy slowly pressed his hand against his heaving chest.
His thoughts were in turmoil, but he didn't move, knowing he was prone to impulsive actions. If he acted now, he feared he might smash everything in the room.
Xie Xubai had previously taught him that ideas that arise in the heat of the moment should be carefully considered after calming down.
By constantly recalling Xie Xubai's gentle gaze before he left, the boy's rapid breathing gradually became even, and his eyes changed from indignation to deep contemplation.
He figured out the key point.
—In order to gain the father's trust, the teacher would definitely have to make some verbal promises to him.
Loyalty? Self-control and surveillance? Probably both.
—The teacher's self-disclosure just now undoubtedly put him in an extremely dangerous situation.
He believed that the teacher was not the kind of person who acted impulsively, and that the teacher must have thought of a countermeasure if he dared to take action, but that did not mean that everything would be foolproof.
He had to do something to ensure the teachers' safety.
Feeling that she had calmed down, Jiang Kaile looked around and finally looked at the bodyguard at the door.
"You can't rush things; the one who rushes first loses." Xie Xubai's gentle voice seemed to echo in the boy's ears.
Jiang Kaile walked towards the door at a moderate pace, recalling her teacher's teachings while consciously adjusting her steps and posture.
Stand tall with your chest out and head held high, legs straight, and take slightly longer strides. Don't avoid eye contact; maintain a firm gaze.
Minimize micro-expressions and small gestures; don't let unconscious actions reveal your true feelings, as that will make you seem easily manipulated.
You shouldn't be afraid of the Jiang family, especially their servants. The Jiang family's overall atmosphere has made them accustomed to treating people differently based on their status, and as the sole heir, you have absolute power over them in terms of position.
Xie Xubai seemed to appear behind him, his slender yet strong hand giving him a light pat on the back: "Go, I've always been behind you."
The moment Jiang Kaile stood still in front of the bodyguards, his sharp aura almost burst forth from his eyes, gait, and expression.
He looked very different from usual, causing the bodyguard, who had initially been somewhat dismissive, to instinctively straighten his back and lower his posture as he asked, "Young Master Jiang, are you about to go out?"
“No.” To the bodyguard’s surprise, Jiang Kaile said, “I need you to do something for me.”
"What is it? Please tell me."
“Tell my father that I only recognize Xie Xubai as my teacher, without exception.”
The bodyguards exchanged glances, then forced a smile and said, "That might not work, Young Master Jiang. How could we dare to barge in like this..."
“My father’s health is getting worse and worse. I think I saw him vomiting blood before, which is a bit worrying.” Jiang Kaile looked at them expressionlessly, her tone natural and gentle. “But I know the heavy responsibility I bear as an heir. If my father falls, I will definitely be the first to uphold the Jiang family’s reputation.”
The bodyguards' smiles froze.
Jiang Kaile continued, "You are all loyal to Father, which is excellent. I promise that if I succeed to the Jiang family, I will ensure that you stay by his side and fulfill your loyalty."
"...!!"
The young man made it very clear that he would take over the Jiang family only after the Jiang family head died.
So, under what circumstances could they stay with a dead Jiang family head? It must be after he's dead!
The bodyguards, their breathing unsteady, said in a terrified voice, "Young Master Jiang, you can't be joking!"
"A joke? Me? No, I'm very serious." Jiang Kaile chuckled softly. "Don't worry, everyone. I've always kept my word. Burning down the family ancestral hall was such a difficult thing, but I still did what I said when I was a kid, didn't I?"
"Or do you think you're more important than the Jiang Family Ancestral Hall?"
When the bodyguards met Jiang Kaile's menacingly smiling eyes, they broke out in a cold sweat and were completely speechless.
The smiling young man before them was so unfamiliar to them, as if his previous irritable and impulsive image was just a disguise, and hidden inside was a terrifying and bloodthirsty monster.
“I’m not going anywhere until my teacher comes back,” Jiang Kaile said in the same tone. “Go ahead, don’t keep me waiting too long.”
On the other side.
After hearing the old steward's account, the Jiang family head was immediately displeased. He looked at Xie Xubai with a cold gaze and asked, "Teacher Xie, what do you want to say?"
Xie Xubai's voice was equally cold as he pointed at the trembling etiquette teacher beside him and said, "What do you want to say? Shouldn't the Jiang family be giving me a reasonable explanation now?"
The Jiang family head's face was terribly dark, and he slammed his fist on the table with a loud bang: "Am I being too polite to you?"
"You're just a lowly tutor. Not only can the Jiang family fire you at any time, but even if they kill you here, who would know, and who would dare to say a word against it?"
As if responding to the Jiang family head's words, the surrounding bodyguards all reached into their robes, and a few crisp cracking sounds could be faintly heard in the large study.
That was the sound of a bullet being chambered.
He thought this would frighten the young man into turning pale and hastily admitting his mistake, but to his surprise, Xie Xubai sneered in public, completely fearless: "Do you think this is the first time I've been threatened, Master Jiang?"
As he spoke, he pulled a sharp, pocket-sized folding knife from his clothes and held it to his throat.
Such a scene caught not only Jiang's family head off guard, but even the bodyguards who were used to doing dirty work were taken aback.
"It was like this when the principal's niece stole my spot, it was like this when I was swindled out of my money by some rich kid, and it's still like this now that I'm in your Jiang family!" Xie Xubai roared, his face flushed, his angry voice filling the entire study. "This is the world, what's the point of me trying? I might as well be dead!"
"As for that damn Young Master Jiang, he's right to hate you all. Let the Jiang family members torture each other! I'm not playing along!"
Upon hearing the last sentence, the thunderbolt that had previously struck the butler seemed to explode once again in the mind of the Jiang family head.
Seeing Xie Xubai act without any restraint, the sharp blade pressing a clear bloodstain into the fair skin, the Jiang family head's eyes widened in fury, and he roared in a hoarse voice, "Stop him! Quickly—!"
The bodyguards swarmed forward, creating chaos 2.0, and barely managed to stop Xie Xubai.
"Cough! Cough cough cough!..."
The Jiang family patriarch, feeling irritated, coughed incessantly, his palms covered in vomited blood. His face was ashen as he glared at Xie Xubai: "You think death is the most terrifying thing? Believe me, I'll make you wish you were dead!"
Xie Xubai chuckled: "Look at the blood on your palm. Do you still have time for this? You can use all sorts of methods to torture me and see whether I give in first or you leave first."
The Jiang family head was so angry that he almost spat out blood again. He clutched his chest, breathing rapidly, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
Just then, Jiang Kaile's bodyguard came over to report.
The bodyguard was still in shock from Jiang Kaile's threat. Seeing the furious Jiang family head, he became even more uneasy and took two steps forward, wanting to secretly tell him what was going on.
Already furious, the Jiang family head roared, "What exactly does that brat want to say? Just say it!"
The bodyguard could only repeat the account in detail: "Young Master said that he only recognizes Xie Xubai as his teacher, without exception."
Xie Xubai was taken aback, and then his lips curled up almost imperceptibly.
Patriarch Jiang: "..."
The Jiang family head rubbed his temples, his anger turning to Xie Xubai once more: "Look at the good student you've taught, Teacher Xie. I don't even know who's more important to him, me as his father or you as his teacher."
Xie Xubai paused for a few seconds, looking at the cold expression on the Jiang family head's face.
Then he looked up, softened his tone, and said in a low voice, "No, you are the person that Young Master Jiang values most, there is no doubt about that."
"Otherwise, why would he ask someone to come and plead with you, hoping you would let me, his teacher, off the hook?"
Patriarch Jiang: "Acting coquettishly? That's clearly a threat."
“You know Young Master Jiang’s temper. If he really wanted to threaten someone, he would have rushed over by now, but he hasn’t.”
Xie Xubai feigned composure and said methodically, "All this time, I've been telling the young master that you are his father, one of the people who gave him life. The Jiang family is where he was born and raised, the foundation upon which he stands."
"It seems that my teachings were not in vain; the young master did heed some of it."
This statement might sound like self-aggrandizement, but it's certainly true.
The old steward had overheard those "instructions" while listening in, and he reported them truthfully to the Jiang family head at the time.
Moreover, since then, Jiang Kaile has finally stopped being at odds with the Jiang family. He has started to learn to give gifts, exchange greetings, and visit them to show his friendliness.
This is Xie Xubai's flawless performance, and it's also what the Jiang family head is very satisfied with.
If it were anyone else, no matter what, Jiang Kaile wouldn't even give them a second glance.
The Jiang family head took a breath, no longer as angry as before, and rubbed his temples, saying, "Even if Jiang Kaile has another teacher, aren't you still his teacher?"
Xie Xubai insisted, "If there's another one, can it still be considered 'the only one'? I must ensure that my position as a teacher will not be shaken, and that's my only requirement."
“If you are worried that I might overstep my bounds,” Xie Xubai closed his eyes, as if he were going all out, “I’ve heard that the Jiang family has a technique that can control people. You can use it on me.”
The Jiang family does indeed possess techniques for controlling people, such as the threads wrapped around Jiang Kaile.
However, this technique exists in the bloodline and is only useful to the Jiang family.
In order to intimidate outsiders, the Jiang family claimed to those in the circle that this technique was effective for everyone, including the Jiang family's servants.
The Jiang family head, unaware that Xie Xubai had already learned the essence of this technique from Lü Xiangcai, stared intently at the young man.
After a while, his expression remained cold, but he gradually relaxed.
The Jiang family head believed it—that Xie Xubai's sudden outburst was not a challenge to his authority, but rather a result of being bitten once and twice shy, and wanting to hold onto his precarious power as much as possible.
“No need, I trust Teacher Xie’s professional competence.” The Jiang family head sat down, sighed, and said in a gentle tone, “Actually, we didn’t bring in such an etiquette teacher to sideline you. Rather, our major families have decided to hold a ball soon so that the younger generation can get to know each other better.”
"Before that, Jiang Kaile had to learn a basic ballroom dance."
Xie Xubai realized almost immediately that this was essentially a social gathering between aristocratic families, aimed at facilitating future marriage alliances.
As for whether there was any intention to sideline him, we can only wait and see.
If they really didn't intend to use this opportunity to put someone in the way to test the limits, why didn't they notify Jiang Kaile in advance? They even waited until he finished his day of classes and left the Jiang family before calling the etiquette teacher over.
The Jiang family head continued, his words tinged with disdain: "Teacher Xie, I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but you've never studied dance, and you know absolutely nothing about ballroom dancing. Do you expect me to find a teacher to instruct you first, and then have you teach Jiang Kaile?"
“This ball cannot be canceled or postponed, and it is of paramount importance to Jiang Kaile.” He added without any room for doubt: “Just as you said, I don’t have much time left. And Jiang Kaile must make a formal appearance before the other families before then, as a steady and reliable heir of the Jiang family.”
Xie Xubai paused for a moment, seemingly struggling, but actually deep in thought.
He looked up and asked, "How much time is left until the ball?"
Hearing his tone, the Jiang family head seemed genuinely interested in teaching him, and couldn't help but laugh in exasperation: "It's on the 20th of next month. What, Teacher Xie, you still want to give it a try? How much time do you want me to give you? Is a year enough?"
“Young Master Jiang is currently in his rebellious phase and is resistant to everyone. If you were to replace him with someone else, even ten years might not be enough.”
Xie Xubai calmly refuted the Jiang family head's sarcasm: "I only need five days. After five days, you can check the results and then see if I can continue teaching."
This uproar has finally come to an end.
Jiang Kaile and the others were in the room, looking as calm as a mountain, but in reality, his fingers, which were in the table pocket, almost dug a hole in the wooden board.
When Xie Xubai's familiar figure appeared in the doorway, his eyes lit up, and he jumped up from his chair: "Old—"
Then, Jiang Kaile saw the band-aid on Xie Xubai's neck, her pupils contracted sharply, and she froze on the spot as if she had been frozen.
Xie Xubai touched his neck. He was very careful; a band-aid was enough: "It's nothing, just a small wound."
The folding knife was naturally taken away by someone ordered by the Jiang family head.
The old steward was scolded by the Jiang family head for failing to notice that he was carrying a knife and for neglecting his supervision. He could still hear the scolding even after walking more than ten meters away.
Jiang Kaile opened his mouth, his voice hoarse: "...This isn't a matter of whether the wound is small or not."
That was the neck, a vital part of the human body. He couldn't even imagine what his teacher had just gone through. His resentment towards the Jiang family head was reignited, along with self-reproach for his own powerlessness.
Jiang Kaile's voice trembled: "If I disobey them, at most I'll be punished, but I won't die. Why are you doing this just to vent my anger..."
Xie Xubai suddenly paused, frowned, and pressed down on the boy's shoulder, making him look at him. His expression was extremely serious, and he rebuked in a loud voice: "Jiang Kaile, listen to me, I'm not that selfless. I did this to protect myself so that I could be your only teacher and maintain my position. You don't need to blame yourself!"
Jiang Kaile stared blankly at Xie Xubai.
He was unaware that a crimson hue had appeared in his eyes when he confronted the etiquette teacher earlier.
They were completely unaware that their emotions had just surged so violently that a thick black aura emanated from their bodies.
Those are all signs of impending alienation.
But Xie Xubai saw it.
He couldn't let the boy continue to harbor resentment and accelerate his alienation, so he unusually took action and beat him up.
This is a good opportunity to confront the Jiang family head and force him to promise not to force people in again, thus provoking Jiang Kaile.
For Xie Xubai, he needed to take this risk, and he had to take this risk; the final result was exactly what he expected.
If possible, he wanted to wait until his wounds healed before meeting Jiang Kaile. But the boy was prone to overthinking, and without actually seeing him in person and confirming his safety, he might do something rash.
He couldn't wear a scarf or change into a turtleneck sweater; that would be like trying to hide something obvious.
Jiang Kaile stared at him for a long time. Xie Xubai's gaze acted like a tranquilizer, making it impossible for him to continue blaming himself. He unconsciously deflated: "Liar..."
You are not the kind of person who values profit at all.
"Good girl." Xie Xubai ruffled Jiang Kaile's hair and said softly with a smile, "Those heroes you see on TV, don't they get injured and bleed too?"
"And I have good news for you: your father has finally promised not to find you any other teachers!"
To distract the boy, Xie Xubai cheerfully mentioned the rights he had just won, then abruptly changed his tone, his expression turning bitter: "The bad news is, there's a condition: you have to learn at least one ballroom dance before the aristocratic family's ball next month. But—! It is—!"
Snap!
Xie Xubai patted Jiang Kaile's shoulder forcefully, his voice suddenly rising as he solemnly said, "Teacher believes that a simple ballroom dance will be no challenge for our young hero Jiang, right?"
Jiang Kaile grimaced as he slapped her.
Seeing Xie Xubai's vivid and lively expressions, the boy was finally amused, and the gloom on his face vanished: "Teacher, you're even more childish than me."
"Absolutely." He took a deep breath and promised, "I will definitely not let my teacher down."
Before leaving the Jiang family that day, Xie Xubai borrowed a scarf from Jiang Kaile, took a shower in the bathroom, and then went to the kitchen, where he was covered in the smell of meat.
The dog waited patiently at the Jiang family's door. When it saw him, it excitedly rushed over, then stopped and sniffed at his scarf in confusion.
Xie Xubai's expression remained unchanged. After the dog sniffed for two or three seconds, he frantically rubbed its head and chuckled, "This is the first gift a student has given me. Don't bite it open."
Ping An was dizzy from being rubbed so much. Hearing his words, he turned his head speechlessly and said, "Woof."
It's very well-behaved, not the kind of naughty dog that chews things or destroys the house.
And the first gift was just a piece of cloth; this student isn't very good. If humans like them, one day it can go work at a dog cafe and buy a hundred!
During a video call that evening, Xie Xubai mentioned wanting to find a dance teacher. Without hesitation, Lü Xiangcai replied, "No problem, I'll send one over for you tomorrow. I guarantee she'll be professional."
If you have no dance background and want to learn in a short time, it's best to hire a coach for one-on-one in-person instruction.
Xie Xubai: "The deadline is only five days. I want to make the most of the time and start practicing tonight." That way, I can go directly to teach Jiang Kaile tomorrow morning.
"Hmm, this is a bit rushed." Lu Xiangcai checked the time. "I'll try to contact them. Wait a moment."
Before he finished speaking, the little tentacles popped out excitedly.
I can teach you!
Xie Xubai was a little surprised and said to Lü Xiangcai, who was still online, "Xiao Yi said it can teach me."
Xiao Yi is the name of the little tentacle; it told Xie Xubai itself. It's said it has seven brothers, most of whom are sleeping.
"It really is an octopus monster." This was Xie Xubai's first reaction upon hearing that it had seven brothers.
"it?"
Looking at the small, pointed tentacles that seemed to be "standing tall and proud," Lü Xiangcai felt it was a bit unreliable, but considering that it was the body of that person, he didn't immediately deny it: "You can let it try it first, and I'll continue to make contact."
Xie Xubai nodded.
After Lü Xiangcai hung up the video call, he looked at the little tentacle and asked softly, "Good boy, then I'll trouble you. What should I do first?"
The little tentacle shared memories with Yan Shuo. There was indeed a distant and vague fragment in its mind that told it that Yan Shuo had practiced dancing diligently for a period of time and danced very well, but he never showed it to outsiders.
But Xie Xubai is not an outsider; he is the human it likes!
Dancing requires two hands; one tentacle isn't enough.
The little tentacle hurriedly said "Wait" to Xie Xubai, then turned and disappeared into the shadows.
On the top floor of the Shengtian Group building, Yan Shuo was checking the list of deceased employees after the liquidation. He needed to ensure that not a single "person" had escaped.
The tiny tentacles appeared before him like the wind, moving so fast that he couldn't stop in time.
With a flick of its slender tentacle tip, *snap*!
It pierced right through the list in Yan Shuo's hands.
At the same time, the little tentacles shouted impatiently.
[Wake up Xiao Er, we need to go teach Bai Bai to dance!]
Yan Shuo: "..."
He slowly lowered his head, looking at the list moistened with mucus and the huge hole in it, and squinted his eyes.
Author's Note:
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