Xue Hui is a very strange boy.
Many members of the Divine Family know him for two things, being a diligent attendant to the family's little princess, and being a creepy, emotionless child.
A few years ago, Chen Zhenlong, the head of the Divine Family, brought a young boy back from an orphanage and made him Chen Linlin's personal attendant.
At first, everyone believed that the burden of his only daughter's condition had weighed so heavily on Chen Zhenlong that his mental state had deteriorated to the point where he had finally lost his mind.
Though no one sane was willing to say it openly, it was a thought they all shared.
The reason was the boy he had brought home from the orphanage to serve as his daughter's attendant.
For lack of a better term, the boy could only be described as… dead inside.
Xue Hui is a seven-year-old boy with lilac colored hair.
He is of average height for his age, with soft, delicate features that often cause others to mistake him for a girl.
Everyone would agree that he is good looking.
Yet despite his appearance, people remain wary of him. Some even find him creepy.
It was because Xue Hui, despite being a very capable child who could perform many tasks with excellent result, he always carried himself in a manner that made people view him as soulless.
Not only is the boy devoid of emotion, there is also no trace of life in his eyes.
Many members of the Divine Family who happen to meet his gaze immediately feel uneasy.
Just the blankness in Xue Hui's eyes feels deeply unnatural for someone who should still be alive.
At this very moment, those same eyes are boring into two Gold rank demon spiritualists guarding the door to Chen Zhenlong's office.
The two guards shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the small boy standing before them as their unease grew with each passing second.
Xue Hui had been staring at them for quite some time now without saying a word.
Urged by his companion, one of the guards finally spoke.
"Little Hui, what business do you have here at the Lord Patriarch's office?" one of the guards asked.
"I wish to speak with the Lord Patriarch," Xue Hui replied in a monotone voice.
The two guards exchanged troubled glances.
The Patriarch was currently in the middle of an important meeting, and they could not simply barge in and disturb him.
"Little Hui, is this an emergency?" one of them asked.
"Is the young miss alright?"
After all, strange as he was, Xue Hui was a very capable attendant. If this involved Chen Linlin and it was urgent, they would act immediately.
"No," Xue Hui replied calmly. "Linlin is sleeping."
Both guards sighed in relief. At least it wasn't an emergency.
"Um… Little Hui," one of them said politely,
"Lord Patriarch is in the middle of an important meeting. You'll have to wait until it finishes before you can speak with him."
Although everyone in the Divine Family found Xue Hui strange, no one dared to be rude to him.
After all, Xue Hui was Chen Linlin's personal attendant, and the young miss was extremely fond of him despite his unsettling disposition.
Offending Xue Hui was no different from offending Chen Linlin and offending Chen Linlin was the same as offending Chen Zhenlong.
No one in the Divine Family wanted to be on the receiving end of Chen Zhenlong's wrath.
"Okay."
Xue Hui nodded and walked to a corner of the hallway, a few steps away from the guards.
Only after he left did both guards release shaky breaths, finally freed from his soulless stare.
They truly did not want to be the subjects of those empty eyes.
Thirty minutes later, the doors to Chen Zhenlong's office opened, and five people stepped out.
Three of them were familiar to Xue Hui, Chen Zhenlong, the Patriarch of the Divine Family, accompanied by two of the family's elders.
The remaining two were strangers.
One was an imposing man whose aura was not the slightest bit inferior to Chen Zhenlong's.
He was Shen Hong, the Patriarch of the Sacred Family. Walking beside him was his daughter a fiery red-haired teenage girl with sharp, piercing eyes.
Her name was Shen Xiu.
After exchanging farewells, the group headed in the direction where Xue Hui sat quietly in the corner, still holding a tray of food in his hands.
The moment they noticed the small boy, Xue Hui immediately stood and bowed.
The elders of the Divine Family looked awkward.
They truly did not want outsiders to know that such a child existed within their family as a servant.
Xue Hui was far too abnormal.
Anyone who saw him would inevitably wonder what had happened to reduce a child to such a state.
The last thing they wanted was a rumor spreading that the Divine Family is mistreating thier own people.
Chen Zhenlong, on the other hand, was already trying to figure out why Xue Hui was waiting for him.
Normally, the boy stayed by his daughter's side at all times.
Seeing him here was somewhat concerning though it didn't seem to be an emergency, since the boy appeared calm.
Well… calm in Xue Hui's own way.
Shen Hong merely raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the strange-looking servant, but he said nothing.
Shen Xiu, however, had no such restraint.
"Ew! What's wrong with him?" she blurted out. "Why does this boy look so creepy?!"
The members of the Divine Family winced at her words.
Shen Hong kept his gaze forward, pretending he hadn't heard his daughter at all.
"Hey!" Shen Xiu continued, stepping closer. "What's your name? What's wrong with your eyes? You look weird, stop staring at me, you hear me?! Hello?! Are you dumb or something?"
Shen Hong coughed lightly and turned toward Chen Zhenlong with an apologetic expression.
Although he secretly agreed with his daughter's assessment, this was the Divine Family's mansion.
Guests like them could not openly insult its people.
"Shen Xiu, that's enough," Shen Hong said.
"Leave the boy alone. I apologize for her behavior, Brother Chen."
Chen Zhenlong shook his head gently.
"There's no need to apologize, Brother Shen. Young Miss Xiu is merely acting her age. Little Hui may be a little strange… but he's a good child."
Shen Hong nodded and reached out to pull Shen Xiu back, only to freeze when the boy spoke.
"My name is Xue Hui. My eyes can see just fine. I am a little weird looking. I'm not staring at you, you are staring at me. I can hear you. I am not dumb."
He paused, tilting his head slightly, before continuing.
"And you smell weird."
Everyone present heard Xue Hui's response to Shen Xiu in the same monotone voice as before, but nearly all of them choked on their own breath when they caught the last part of his words.
Shen Xiu stared at him blankly for a moment.
Then her entire face turned red.
"SMELL WEIRD?!" she screamed, pointing furiously at the boy in front of her. "WHO smells weird?! ME?! Shut your mouth! I've never smelled weird! You weirdo, how dare you perv on me?! I'm going to beat your ass!"
Shen Xiu shrieked as her father held her firmly in place, stopping her before she could leap at the boy.
Meanwhile, Xue Hui kept his gaze fixed on Chen Zhenlong, showing not the slightest interest in Shen Xiu's outburst.
Chen Zhenlong sent an apologetic look toward Shen Hong.
The latter merely shook his head, signaling that it was fine, before dragging his daughter away.
From Chen Zhenlong's reaction, Shen Hong could tell that the boy held great importance to him.
For that reason, he chose not to pursue the matter further.
The two soon left the mansion, accompanied by the Divine Family's elders, Shen Xiu's angry shrill echoing down the halls.
Shaking his head, Chen Zhenlong turned his gaze to the boy standing in front of him, still holding the tray in his hands.
"What is it, Xiao Hui?" he asked gently. "Why are you waiting for me?"
A trace of worry crept into Chen Zhenlong's heart.
It was unusual for Xue Hui to leave his daughter's side.
"Lord Patriarch, the meal tasted bad."
Chen Zhenlong frowned.
From the tray Xue Hui was holding, he could tell at a glance that the food was meant for his daughter.
That meant she had not eaten yet.
"She hasn't had her meal, Xiao Hui?" he asked, his gaze falling on the untouched dishes.
Xue Hui shook his head. "I didn't serve it to Linlin. It tastes bad."
Chen Zhenlong stopped questioning him and instead picked up one of the dishes, taking a bite.
The moment the food touched his tongue, he spat it out.
His expression darkened as he proceeded to taste the rest of the dishes on the tray.
Every single one of them was excessively salty.
"Xue Hui," he asked gravely, "is this the first time this has happened?"
It would be one thing if a single dish had gone wrong.
Accidents could happen.
But for every dish to taste like this was another matter entirely.
"No," Xue Hui replied. "I noticed that every time Linlin ate her meals, her face looked uncomfortable.
So I tasted all her food yesterday and today. Everything tasted bad."
Though his voice remained completely monotone, Chen Zhenlong could clearly hear the concern beneath it.
Others might call the boy emotionless, but Chen Zhenlong knew better.
Xue Hui cared deeply about his daughter's well-being.
Behind those soulless eyes was a reliable companion, someone Linlin trusted.
If Xue Hui sensed something wrong, then something was definitely wrong.
"Xiao Hui," Chen Zhenlong said after a brief pause, his tone turning sharp, "follow me."
The two guards who had overheard the conversation immediately straightened.
Hearing the urgency in their Patriarch's voice, they silently followed behind, not daring to make a single sound as they trailed their lord.
Inside the vast kitchen of the Divine Family, every staff member was busy preparing the next meal.
Chen Zhenlong was extremely strict when it came to diet, ensuring that every member of the Divine Family ate well and safely.
Li Lukong, the head cook of the Divine Family for nearly thirty years, was in the middle of assigning tasks when he suddenly froze.
A crushing pressure settled over him.
It wasn't that Chen Zhenlong was deliberately releasing spiritual pressure to pressed on to everyone, Li Lukong was just an ordinary man.
Even the slightest trace of Chen Zhenlong's spiritual energy would be enough to seriously injure him.
Rather, it was Li Lukong's long years of service that allowed him to instinctively recognize the presence of those around him.
And right now, he could feel it clearly.
Chen Zhenlong was furious.
BANG!
The kitchen doors burst open, making everyone jump in shock.
"Xiao Hui, hand me the meal."
Xue Hui, who had been following closely behind, immediately passed the tray to his lord.
Seeing the boy, many of the staff looked confused, unsure of what was happening or why the Patriarch's voice sounded so cold.
"Li Lukong," Chen Zhenlong said flatly, "this is my daughter's meal. Taste it."
Called out directly, Li Lukong did not dare hesitate.
He stepped forward and took a bite.
The moment the food touched his tongue, his face turned deathly pale.
Terrified, he forced himself to swallow the foul-tasting food.
"Taste the rest."
Li Lukong did not dare raise his head, afraid to meet Chen Zhenlong's gaze.
Each bite felt like a death sentence.
Every single dish on the tray had been tampered with. This was no ordinary meal.
These were Chen Linlin's meals, the Divine Family's little princess, Chen Zhenlong's only daughter.
After everything that had happened to her over the past year, the last thing Chen Zhenlong wanted to discover was that someone had dared to interfere with her food.
As Li Lukong continued tasting the inedible dishes, Chen Zhenlong's gaze swept over the entire kitchen staff.
With his keen eyes, he caught several subtle reactions,
But he remained silent for now.
"Li Lukong."
Hearing his name again, Li Lukong lifted his head, his face pale with shame and fear.
He met Chen Zhenlong's gaze, wishing he could slam his head into the ground until it bled, if only to beg for forgiveness.
To allow something like this to happen in his own kitchen was a shame Li Lukong would carry for the rest of his life, however long or short that might be, depending entirely on Chen Zhenlong's verdict.
"If this had happened in another family," Chen Zhenlong said coldly, "you know you would not be leaving this place in one piece. You are fully aware of that, Li Lukong."
Li Lukong nodded.
If this had occurred in any other noble household, not only would he have been executed, but his entire family would have been wiped out, guilty or not.
He was the head cook.
The meals of the entire household were under his care, and something as heinous as tampering with the young princess's food happening under his supervision was an unforgivable crime.
Li Lukong could only pray that his family would be spared.
"On behalf of our friendship since childhood," Chen Zhenlong continued, "and in recognition of the contributions you and your mother have made to the Divine Family, I will allow you to keep your head on your shoulders."
Li Lukong's body trembled.
"However," Chen Zhenlong said, his voice unwavering, "your duties as head cook of the Divine Family end here.
Once I have handled this matter, you and your family are to leave my territory immediately."
Li Lukong bowed deeply in acceptance.
The only emotion left in him was a bone-deep shame for allowing such a thing to happen.
Chen Zhenlong exhaled sharply and turned his gaze to the kitchen's second-in-command.
"Peng Yuhan," he said, "from this moment onward, you are in charge of this kitchen.
If something like this ever happens again, you will not be as fortunate as Li Lukong.
Do you accept this duty?"
Though the position came with a very real threat, Peng Yuhan did not hesitate.
Becoming the head cook of a major family was a prestige only a select few could ever attain.
As long as he remained vigilant and never allowed such a mistake to happen again, he would be safe from the guillotine.
"Yes, Lord Patriarch," Peng Yuhan said loudly. "I swear that something like this will never happen again.
I will personally ensure that Young Miss Linlin is properly served."
Chen Zhenlong nodded slowly, then turned his gaze toward the remaining staff.
Every member of the kitchen staff felt as if their souls had nearly jumped out of their bodies when Chen Zhenlong's gaze swept over them.
Who was Chen Zhenlong?
In terms of strength alone, he was second only to the Legendary-ranked Ye Mo.
His gaze was enough to petrify bodies and leave nightmares that would haunt them for months.
"Now that that's settled," Chen Zhenlong said calmly, "why don't you show yourself and make things easy on your family?"
His voice turned cold.
"Because if you continue pretending you had nothing to do with tampering with my daughter's meal, I will behead not only you but your entire clan."
"T-the b-boy… the b-boy did it!"
A frantic voice suddenly rang out from behind.
It was the very same woman Chen Zhenlong had been watching from the moment he entered the kitchen.
When he arrived with the tray in hand, she had already been sweating profusely. Her eyes kept darting toward the exit, as if planning her escape.
Chen Zhenlong hadn't even needed to ask whether she was guilty, her behavior was evidence enough.
Yet for transparency's sake, he had still asked.
And now, she had the audacity to push the blame onto Xue Hui.
"Xiao Hui," Chen Zhenlong asked calmly, his eyes never leaving the trembling woman, "did you tamper with your master's meal?"
"No," Xue Hui replied in his usual monotone.
"There you have it," Chen Zhenlong said flatly. "You heard him. He didn't do it."
"He defi-uak!"
Before she could finish her sentence, two Gold-rank experts instantly restrained the woman and dragged her out of the kitchen.
The Divine Family was famous for its soul techniques, which allowed them to communicate across vast distances.
Chen Zhenlong sent a silent command to the Gold-rank experts escorting her away.
He had no time to listen to her excuses.
The family's guarded soul-search technique would reveal exactly why she thought tampering with his daughter's meals was a good idea.
"Peng Yuhan," Chen Zhenlong said, turning back, "prepare food for Lin'er. She hasn't eaten since lunch. Don't mess this up."
"Yes, Lord Patriarch!" Peng Yuhan replied immediately.
So much had happened, yet dinner still needed to be prepared for the entire household.
Even so, Peng Yuhan would handle everything diligently.
"Come, Xiao Hui," Chen Zhenlong said, turning to leave. "Let's check on Lin'er. She should be awake by now."
Just as he was about to step out of the kitchen, he noticed that Xue Hui was still holding the tray in his hands.
"…?"
"Xiao Hui, go and discard that tray. You don't have to carry it anymore."
Just as Chen Zhenlong finished speaking, he, Peng Yuhan, and the kitchen staff all winced at the sound of expensive porcelain shattering.
Chen Zhenlong stared at the emotionless boy, then rubbed the bridge of his nose.
He did told him to discard it.
"Come on," he said. "Let's head to Lin'er's room."
The Patriarch and his strange little attendant finally left the kitchen.
End of Chapter 5