As he was watching the hustle and bustle of the party he saw a guy boldly trying to stop Yueyue from leaving. It seemed she didn't want to interact with him but that guy wanted to detain her. No sooner had Li Rong taken a step forward to go and sort that man out, he saw Zixi coming forward and taking the princess away from that man all the while making some excuse. It all looked so smooth, as if he hadn't seen the man trying to obstruct his miss's path, as if he hadn't noticed his miss's discomfort for a moment and had just conincidently arrived to take her away due to some reason. Li Rong smiled to himself. That boy, no, not a boy, a mature man, afterall Zixi was older to himself by almost half a decade. He was twenty - five this year so Zixi must be around thirty give or take an year. That person, Zixi was too slick to be a mere second - in - command. He had seen his means and methods and they were all up there with the best of the business leaders. Others might see him as someone working under the Yu clan. But how could Li Rong not notice the discrepancies since he spent more time with Yueyue than with his own family outside of business. He had seen how the Yu patriarch seemed to favour Zixi above even his own close - aides. Also, he was allowed to make arbitrary decisions on Yueyue's behalf if she wasn't present. All of this pointed to something else going on behind the scenes. Had it been someone else, they would have gotten a big head thinking themselves to be ineffable due to the trust their master showed them but that guy was humble to a T and never stepped a single toe out of line. The only thing was he was always, always around the princess. Even if he was the second - in - command of the Heiress, he shouldn't be sticking so close at hand. He only left her when she ordered him to. Li Rong was really puzzled by this.

Was the Yu Patriarch so trusting of Zixi to allow him to follow Yueyue in all her business dealings, outings and parties or was it that he didn't view him as a man (just as a close - aide) and didn't think there was a need to worry about something happening between him and his daughter? Even Yu Yue never seemed to be opposed to the idea of having a shadow following her around 24*7. She would only ask him to leave if she thought it had been a long day for Zixi and that he should go back, have some rest and at that point even though Zixi would leave without a single comment, he would have this reluctant look in his eyes, as if he couldn't bear to part with her. Though Yueyue seemed to be oblivious to it all. It was really perplexing.

A few hours later as the party was winding down, he texted his brother to ask when they would be leaving and the response was later. He was too tired of all the pointless talk and felt a bit dizzy with all the alcohol he had been plied with by others so he went out to the rear gardens for a breath of fresh air and to clear his head. The gardens were as picturesque as when the late Mrs. Yu was still alive. One really had to applaud the management of the household staff. While walking he saw the Yu patriarch talking to someone near the fountain. The lightening wasn't too bright so he couldn't recognise the other person. Moreover, the said people had their backs turned towards him so they couldn't see him. Thinking to himself that he should go and talk to the old man and also express that earlier in the evening, he didn't mean any disrespect but was just in a hurry to talk to Yueyue about the collaboration, he started walking towards them.

When he was just a few metres away from them he could hear their voices but the words were indistinguishable. Not wanting to eavesdrop on someone's conversation, he was about to give his greetings in a loud voice but was stopped short by what he heard.

"How could you be so careless? Do you think so little of your life or of your parent's sacrifice?" That was the patriarch's voice no doubt.

"Uncle, I...I didn't mean to.... I am just getting restless..... Am more than three decades old.... Time seems to become a thin sheet of paper that will crumple as everyday goes by..... Am worried I'll never get to the bottom of it." The other person seemed to be fl.u.s.tered but his voice was too low and full of deep emotions that Li Rong couldn't recognise the voice.

"What? What are you saying? What do you mean? You still have more than half of your life to live. Why are you doing things in such a hurry? I have repeatedly reminded you to be cautious in your steps. If you can't even do that, I won't hear a single word of what you say and send you packing out of the country. You maybe a grown man but to me you are still a child I can scold if he is in the wrong and beat up if he thinks himself to be above reproach."

"Uncle...."

The Yu patriarch cut off the other person's words in the middle. "You said you wanted to stay with the only family you have left in the world. You said you wanted to work as a staff member under my clan. You said you wanted to be trained as Yueyue's immediate subordinate. Even though I was opposed to all your words, I relented. I relented and gave into your words thinking that I'll be able to at least look after you as you grow up. Even if nothing else, I could make sure that you had everything that should have been your birth right. My boy, I have already lost enough people in my life,don't make me watch as you do things that could bring harm to you. You know those people, you know their callous disregard for human lives. Don't go poking into a hornet's nest without all your preparations. Moreover, Yu Yan has returned, you were the first one to realise her wolf like ambitions. I need you here to keep an eye on her. I need you here to look after things when something misses my eye. I need you here to look after and take care of Yueyue. More importantly even though I don't voice it much, you are my son in everything but blood so don't do things without backup plans."

"Uncle, please we don't need to voice such words between us. I know where you are coming from. I'll keep it in mind."

The Yu patriarch didn't seem to be molified or coaxed by the other person's words so he stood stock still looking at him in the eyes. Maybe the other person saw something in Yu Jian's eyes because he lowered his voice even more and with a tone of relenting persuasion and childish pleading he said, "Anyways, it's late and people must be waiting to bid you goodbye before they leave. You should return to the party."

"Hmm... I'll do as you say." Li Rong could see the patriarch coming towards him and when the other person turned his face to walk behind the patriarch, he was truly, completely stunned. Before he could process everything he saw Yu Jian turning towards the other person once again, "Yueyue needs you now more than ever as she steps foot into the company. I'll leave her in your hands. As long as you are with her I feel at ease, Zixi."

Without conscious thought Li Ring ducked on the other side of the fountain until the two people left. He could feel his heart racing and his palms being full of sweat. It was as if he had heard something that he wasn't supposed to and with a slight s.h.i.+fting of his brain cells he could ascertain that yes, the words just spoken by those two people weren't meant for other people's ears. He needed to think about what he had heard tonight carefully.

Why was Zixi calling the Yu patriarch Uncle?

Why did Yu Jian say that Zixi was his son in all but blood?

It was easily discernible from their words that they weren't a pair of mere master and a subordinate.

What was he missing?

In the midst of his mind churning out all these questions, Li Rong went back to the ballroom. He saw his family beckoning him to say goodbye to the Yu's before leaving. He said the necessary words and turned towards Yueyue, "Bye, princess. I'll see you in a day or two." As he was about to turn his back and leave, he saw Zixi standing behind Yueyue. A thought streaked through his brain. It was so frightening that he missed a step and was about to fall down when his brother held him by the arm. Everyone was looking at him with raised eyebrows."What happened? Are you okay?" his father asked him.

"Am fine, it's nothing." he replied absentmindedly. Right now he wasn't in the condition to talk to anybody. He asked his family to leave in the two cars without him and that he would call the chauffer when he wanted to return home. He gave the excuse that he wanted to walk around a bit and they dropped him halfway near a park.

Li Rong could feel his hands being clammy. He rubbed them against his pants repeatedly and stumbled towards a nearby bench somehow. It was as if layers of onions were being peeled one by one in his mind. All his questions and thoughts that he had found perplexing untill the evening could be explained. Now he knew what had always seemed unfathomable to him.

Why was Zixi trusted so much by his master?

Why could he make arbitrary decisions on Yueyue's behalf?

Why didn't Zixi behave like a second - in - command but more like a leader?

Why was he so humble unfailingly and never tried to take advantage of his master's trust?

Why the Yu patriarch didn't mind his closeness to his precious first - born daughter?

The answer to all these questions was the faint inkling he had always instinctively felt in his heart and had always been suspicious about. This also answered those inexplicable questions of his.

There really was a person who was the ideal partner for his daughter in Yu Jian's eyes. It was also true that for that very same reason he hadn't ever asked her to go out on dates with boys her age.

It was Zixi.

Xun Zixi.

It was all due to him.

He was the person Yu Juan wanted as a son - in - law for his first - born daughter.