They were all fierce beasts, like wolves and tigers.

With each biting remark from Jing Yi, Li Mingzhi found himself unable to even muster a smile. Any one of the points the butler had raised would have been enough to ruin Wen Su'an’s reputation completely.

What stung the most was that he had always considered Wen Su'an a close friend. He had shared his deepest secrets with him, actively fought to secure resources for his career, and used the Li family’s influence to shield him from the industry’s dark, unspoken rules. To think that this dear friend, whom he had trusted with his whole heart, was actually a disgraced artist lurking behind his back to backstab the Li family—it was unbelievable. Yet, after the events of the past few days, he was forced to accept the truth.

"Mingzhi?" Wen Su'an waved a hand in front of Li Mingzhi’s face. "What’s wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Li Mingzhi managed a strained smile. Before he could respond, Wen Su'an glanced at Jing Yi. "Who is he? A new friend of yours?"

"No, he’s the new butler..."

"A butler, huh?" Wen Su'an cast a disdainful look at Jing Yi, offering a cold, indifferent smile. "Why is a butler getting so close to you? If you ask me, you’re just too soft. Even a butler thinks he can climb on top of you."

Li Mingzhi’s expression shifted instantly. "He is not just a butler; he is my friend."

"You really are something, making friends with a butler." Wen Su'an, failing to notice the subtle change in Li Mingzhi’s face, continued trying to instill his class-based worldview. "The nicer you are to them, the less they view you as their master. They’ll think you’re a pushover, and eventually, they’ll start stealing from your house. Mingzhi, I’m only telling you this for your own good. If you weren’t my best friend, I wouldn't bother saying these things."

Li Wenzhao narrowed his eyes. In his memory, Wen Su'an had always been this way, seemingly unchanged. But ever since Jing Yi arrived, Li Wenzhao felt as if he had woken from a dream; the person he once thought was decent now seemed unbearable in every way. He even felt an urge to kick him out the door. Li Wenzhao didn't know where this inexplicable change in perception came from, but for now, it didn't seem like a bad thing.

Meanwhile, Li Mingzhi remained silent. Assuming his words had taken effect, Wen Su'an pressed on. "The new bodyguard at my place was the same. My dad was too kind to him, so he lost sight of his place. He actually dared to lecture me and meddle in my private affairs—completely overstepping his bounds. I got angry, gave him a beating, and kicked him out. Mingzhi, you really need to learn from me, otherwise, you’ll be bullied to death!"

Jing Yi understood perfectly. Wen Su'an was hinting that Li Mingzhi shouldn't be so kind and should instead assert his authority through abuse. What a piece of trash. Jing Yi vaguely remembered that this disgraced artist had more than one scandal attached to his name. What else was there?

Li Mingzhi’s expression was grim. Jing Yi was the son of their long-time former butler, who had retired earlier that year due to old age and poor health. Fearing the Li family wouldn't find anyone trustworthy on short notice, the old butler had recommended his son to fill in temporarily. After observing him for two days, however, no one seemed better suited for the position. His three older brothers were also incredibly satisfied with the new butler. Wen Su'an’s words clearly showed he held ordinary people in contempt, and for the first time, Li Mingzhi felt a flicker of revulsion toward his friend.

Worried that Jing Yi might take offense, Li Mingzhi was about to offer an explanation when a roar echoed in his ears—

*I—I remember now!*

The Li brothers: "..."

Their eardrums felt like they were going to burst. Why was the little butler’s voice so loud? Could this ability be adjusted for volume? Apparently not, as the voice in their ears grew even louder.

*Wen Su'an and his bodyguard have their own skeletons in the closet.*

—Oh?

The Li brothers immediately perked up, pricking their ears to listen to the gossip.

*I remember, the bodyguard was a very honest and kind man. Every time Wen Su'an did something dirty, he had to have someone clean up the mess. The bodyguard couldn't stand it and warned Wen Su'an not to break the law, saying that lies would eventually be exposed and he would ruin himself.*

*The bodyguard meant well, but Wen Su'an saw it as overstepping. He intentionally picked a fight, had the bodyguard beaten up, and kicked him out that very night.*

*But if only the truth were that simple!*

A twist? The Li brothers paused whatever they were doing, focusing entirely on Jing Yi’s inner monologue.

*Wen Su'an is actually a fake young master who stole someone else's life. He got injured filming last month, discovered his true background at the hospital, and followed the clues to the real young master...*

*Sigh, life is so dramatic... The fake young master struts around the Wen family acting arrogant, while the real young master struggles to survive as a bodyguard. Wen Su'an only kicked the bodyguard out because he discovered the truth. What a vicious fraud.*

What? The entire Li family was shocked. The only son the Wen family held in the palm of their hands was actually a vicious imposter? It was too theatrical. If Jing Yi hadn't said anything, who would have known?

*Following the plot, to keep his secret, Wen Su'an will continue to target the bodyguard’s family. But since he can't do it himself, he chose to come to the Li house to play the victim. Li Mingzhi, that silly kid, almost drove the bodyguard’s family to ruin just to help his "best friend"... Sigh.*

Li Wenzhao’s eyes widened, his anger surging. Half was due to Wen Su'an’s manipulation, and the other half was frustration at Li Mingzhi’s naivety.

Jing Yi was still lost in the plot. *The Wen parents are so pitiful. No, I have to find a way to tip them off...* He shook his head and sighed.

The Li family members, currently feasting on the gossip, wondered: *? What other dirty laundry is there?*

The next second, Jing Yi’s gaze, filled with pity and regret, drifted toward them. The Li family members tensed instantly. *W-what? What other disaster is about to happen?*

Jing Yi sighed deeply. *No wonder the Li family ends up ruined and destroyed later on. With these wolves and tigers around them helping to stir up trouble, it’s no surprise they attract so much hatred... I have to find a way to drop some hints.*

*Ah, being a butler is so tiring... And it’s so tiring without a raise...*

Li Wenzhao: "..." *That last part is your true heart’s desire, isn't it?*

No wonder the little butler’s eyes had gone round and revealed such undisguised greed when he gave Secretary Fan a raise yesterday. Still, the little butler had helped the Li family avoid danger in certain ways; he truly deserved a reward. Maybe he should give him a raise, round up his salary?

Jing Yi, unaware that his obsession with money had been discovered, let his eyes rest on Wen Su'an.

*Occupying a nest for twenty years, heartlessly driving away the real young master, and using his "best friend" to achieve his goals—how can a piece of trash like this grow to be 1.8 meters tall! Heaven is so unfair!*

Jing Yi looked at his own 1.75-meter height with lingering resentment. *Jealousy.*

*Wow, I don't even measure up to a pile of human-shaped garbage.*

The Li family living room fell into a bizarre silence. Wen Su'an looked at Li Mingzhi, then at Li Wenzhao, then at Li Xu and Li Ting. Everyone was frozen in place, their expressions shifting unpredictably—from shock, to fury, and then to suppressed laughter...

Wen Su'an was stunned. He hadn't been here for only a few days; had the Li family been possessed by ghosts? He felt a sudden, inexplicable chill and moved closer to Li Mingzhi. "Mingzhi, what’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your family?"

"Nothing..." Li Mingzhi took a deep breath and sat down next to Li Wenzhao, subtly avoiding Wen Su'an’s touch. "Do you have something urgent to tell me?"

"What else would I be here for..." Wen Su'an said. "I missed you."

*Missed your ass. You’re after the Li family’s name and power, wanting the Li family to be your scapegoat without paying a dime!*

Li Mingzhi: "..."

*Speaking of money... the little young master probably doesn't know that Wen Su'an secretly swiped one of his cards. Although the Wen family is considered upper-class, they aren't that wealthy. He’s been living off the little young master’s cards all these years, which is why he’s so flashy.*

What?! He even stole his card? Li Mingzhi’s face turned ghastly. He had grown up in luxury; his older brothers gave him pocket money every month, and as he grew up, they gave him numerous cards, most with eight-figure limits. Because there were so many, Li Mingzhi rarely checked them and couldn't even remember the count. Wen Su'an had actually been stealing from them? How long? How much?

Li Mingzhi couldn't hold it together; his face turned dark with rage. *What a waste. With all that money, how many raises could I have given Butler Jing?*

Li Mingzhi and Wen Su'an had been classmates since they were children. Because the Wen family was weaker in the social hierarchy, Wen Su'an was often looked down upon and bullied by other wealthy kids. Li Mingzhi couldn't stand it, drove the bullies away, and slowly built a deep friendship with him. He treated Wen Su'an as a real friend, sharing everything and never leaving him behind in danger. After more than a decade of pouring his heart out, he had ended up with this heartless piece of trash? Li Mingzhi felt a sharp pain in his chest.

"Mingzhi... Mingzhi?" Wen Su'an pushed his shoulder. "Mingzhi!"

Li Mingzhi turned his head with impatience. "What?!"

"..." Wen Su'an was startled by the shout. When he looked up, he met a gaze from Li Mingzhi that was completely unfamiliar. Anger, regret, and resentment intertwined, forming an entirely different person.

*What happened to him?* Wen Su'an’s heart skipped a beat; he almost thought his little schemes had been exposed. But he quickly regained his composure. *Impossible. How could it be? Li Mingzhi is so stupid; he believes everything I say and agrees with everything I tell him. How could he possibly discover my secret?*

"Mingzhi," he probed again, "are you feeling unwell?"

Li Mingzhi replied stiffly, "Yes."

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" Wen Su'an said. "Although I have a very important appointment this afternoon that I can't miss, I can cancel it for my best friend."

Jing Yi rolled his eyes. *Tsk, tsk, tsk. If you don't want to go, don't go. Who’s forcing you? "Important appointment"—isn't that just to shut the mouth of the girl you sexually harassed, you little scum? If I wasn't worried about ruining the girl's reputation, I would’ve leaked it to the media myself! You’d never set foot in the entertainment industry again.*

The little butler was full of life, and Li Wenzhao couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

? Jing Yi turned his head suspiciously upon hearing the laughter. *What is the eldest young master laughing about by himself? He looks so suspicious.*

Li Wenzhao: "..."

Li Mingzhi, caught between misery and being amused by Jing Yi, felt like he was falling apart. He held back his patience and said, "No need. We have a family doctor, and I don't want to go out today."

Wen Su'an: "Then let's play video games. Do you remember? We used to huddle in your room and play games whenever we had free time."

Li Mingzhi shook his head. "I'm tired. I don't want to play."

Wen Su'an: "Then let’s go..."

"Mr. Wen," Jing Yi couldn't take it anymore and stepped forward. "The young master is tired and needs to rest. Why don't you come back another day?"

"Who do you think you are..." Wen Su'an looked at the Li brothers and quickly shut his mouth. *That was close, almost went OOC.* "Butler, Mingzhi is sick; how can I leave? I should stay and keep him company. You’re just a butler, how can you boss a guest around? No manners. In the Wen house, I’d have had you kneeling for three hours!"

Li Wenzhao frowned, unable to endure any longer.

Jing Yi sighed helplessly. *You forced my hand. I wanted to expose your true face to the young master privately, but since you insist on being a nuisance... Fine. Let’s go OOC then.*

"Young master," Jing Yi said, "the bank called two days ago, saying there was an unusual transaction on one of your cards that requires your personal attention..."

Before he could finish, Wen Su'an became visibly nervous, his face turning pale.

Li Mingzhi took the lead. "Oh? Which bank?"

"XX Bank," Jing Yi said, looking at Li Mingzhi and winking suggestively. *You get what I mean, right?*

Before Li Mingzhi could react, Wen Su'an’s face turned even paler. His lips trembled, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Mingzhi, it’s getting late. I’m going to be late for my appointment... I’ll go now..."

Without waiting for Li Mingzhi’s reply, he turned and ran.

"Eldest young master, your car is ready—oops." A young maid turned the corner and accidentally bumped into Wen Su'an, hitting the door frame. "Hiss..."

"Are you okay?" Jing Yi hurried to help the maid up. There was no visible bump on her head, but he wasn't sure if she had a concussion.

"Auntie Fang," Li Wenzhao ordered, "take Xiao Ke to get treated."

"Yes, eldest young master." Auntie Fang quickly emerged from the kitchen and took the young maid away.

*Eh? Where did Wen Su'an go?* Jing Yi peered toward the door. The garden was empty, and there was no sign of him. *Is Wen Su'an that fast?*

In the blink of an eye, he noticed someone had appeared in the large flower bed next to them.

"..."