What are you doing, Mr. President? I'm just an extra!

The motion-sensor light in the entryway turned on, and the air in the living room, which was originally filled with the wonderful aroma of medicinal cuisine, seemed to pause for a moment because of the arrival of the uninvited guest.

The man who walked in was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, dressed in a light gray Italian haute couture suit, so meticulously tailored that it seemed as if the word "rich" was embroidered on his collar. His hair was thickly coated with hair oil, reflecting light so brightly under the crystal chandelier that it was almost dazzling. He carried two sandalwood brocade boxes in his hands, and on his face was that semi-permanent fake smile that he had practiced countless times in front of the mirror, a smile that was supposedly "gentle and refined like jade."

Gu Ciyuan, the eldest son of the Gu Group.

His timing was very subtle.

Lu Li had just taken off his apron, rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, and was holding the remaining "Eight Treasures Qi-Boosting Soup" in his hand.

The two met unexpectedly in the middle of the living room.

On one side are wealthy elites exuding the aura of money, and on the other side are apron-wearing young people full of domestic charm.

The visual contrast is extremely strong.

Gu Ciyuan's gaze swept over Lu Li as if he were looking at a cheap vase that had been misplaced, without lingering for even half a second before ignoring him.

He walked straight to Shen Suyun, who was seated at the head of the table, and bowed slightly, his posture perfectly humble.

"Aunt Shen, I heard you returned to China today, so I specially canceled two board meetings to come over. It's been a long time, and you look even better than before."

Shen Suyun was in a good mood, having just been soothed by the aroma of the soup.

She put down the spoon in her hand, the frost on her face melting slightly, revealing the kindness unique to an elder: "Ciyuan, you are very thoughtful. Please sit down, Uncle Wang, bring some tea."

"You're too kind, Auntie."

Gu Ciyuan smiled and placed the sandalwood box on the coffee table, then opened the first one with a reserved gesture.

"I know that my aunt works hard to run the family business and pays attention to health. This is a wild ginseng from Changbai Mountain that I asked a friend to get for me at Sotheby's autumn auction."

The brocade box was opened, and on the red velvet lay an old ginseng root with its roots intact.

Gu Ciyuan pointed to the fine lines and wrinkles, his tone carrying a hint of unintentional boasting: "According to the appraisal, this ginseng is at least 120 years old, with an extremely long rhizome and perfect appearance. It would be perfect to use it to replenish your aunt's energy."

Uncle Wang chimed in with an exclamation of surprise: "This quality is truly rare on the market. It must cost at least seven figures, right?"

Gu Ciyuan smiled demurely, not denying it, but simply said, "The price is not important. As long as it's good for your mother's health, it's worth any effort."

Lu Li stood to the side, his eyelids twitching almost imperceptibly.

[The Treasure Appraisal Technique will be automatically triggered.]

[Item: Artificially aged forest ginseng.]

[Year: Approximately 12 years ago.]

【Characteristics: The rhizome is glued together; the ginseng body has been treated with sulfur fumigation for color enhancement; trace amounts of chemical residue remain on the surface.】

[Suggested way to consume: Dispose of in the trash.]

Lu Li almost burst out laughing.

Good heavens, 120 years old? This ginseng isn't even a grandchild.

But this was someone else's moment of glory, and Lu Li, being a man of principle, decided to let things play out for a while.

Seeing Shen Suyun nod slightly in satisfaction, Gu Ciyuan immediately pressed his advantage and ordered his entourage to unfold the second gift—a beautifully framed ink landscape painting.

"And this one, 'Autumn Mountains and the Inquiry into the Dao' by contemporary master of traditional Chinese painting, Qi Nanshan. I heard that my aunt has recently been studying the new Chinese aesthetics, so I made three visits to her home before finally persuading the master to part with it."

Even Shen Weilan poked her head out and exclaimed in surprise. This display of skill was indeed quite impressive.

Having demonstrated his wealth and connections, Gu Ciyuan felt the atmosphere had warmed up enough. He adjusted his cufflinks, then turned around, as if just noticing Lu Li's presence. He raised an eyebrow and spoke in a slightly surprised, teasing tone unique to those in positions of power:

"This one looks unfamiliar. Feiyan, is this the family's new Michelin-starred chef?"

He looked Lu Li up and down, his gaze lingering on Lu Li's sleeves still speckled with flour, and chuckled, "Looks quite young. These days, not many young people are willing to dedicate themselves to honing their culinary skills. Not bad. But..."

Gu Ciyuan changed the subject, looking at Shen Suyun: "Auntie, you still need to teach servants the proper etiquette. When the master and guests are talking, those serving tea and water should be observant; how can they just stand there like idiots?"

The air froze instantly.

Shen Weilan was so startled that she dropped the melon seeds in her hand.

[What a brave soul! Calling my sister's man a servant in front of her? Does Gu Ciyuan have a death wish?]

Su Feiyan was about to drink her soup when she heard this. She slammed the porcelain spoon in her hand against the rim of the bowl with a loud "clink".

She slowly raised her head, her peach blossom eyes devoid of any warmth, about to erupt.

"Departure."

Shen Suyun's voice rang out first.

She picked up the bowl of soup, gently blew away the foam, and said in a calm tone, "Let me introduce you. This is Lu Li, Fei Yan's special assistant."

After a pause, Shen Suyun took a sip of soup, feeling the warmth slide down her throat, before casually adding, "He's also her current... boyfriend."

Gu Ciyuan's smile froze instantly, as if he had flipped through dozens of pages to choose a movie, only to find it stuck in the loading process.

What is it? Boyfriend?

He looked at Lu Li in disbelief.

This seemingly harmless, greasy-looking young man is actually Su Feiyan's boyfriend? And Su Feiyan, the one known as the Iceberg of Jiang Hai?

"This... Auntie, you're really joking." Gu Ciyuan chuckled awkwardly, trying to ease the embarrassment. "Special assistant and boyfriend? That's quite a leap."

Looking at Gu Ciyuan's constipated face, Lu Li was secretly delighted, but on the surface he remained calm and composed.

He ignored Gu Ciyuan's provocation, instead calmly pulling out a wet wipe to clean his hands, his tone as gentle as a male head of the household:

"Young Master Gu has misunderstood. What I do for a living is not important. What's important is that I'm one of our own in this family."

Lu Li smiled and looked directly into Gu Ciyuan's eyes: "Outsiders may think cooking is a menial task, but in our family's eyes, making soup for our elders is a matter of affection. It's normal that Young Master Gu, as a 'guest,' doesn't understand this kind of domestic charm."

Lu Li emphasized the word "guest" very heavily.

What does it mean to kill someone by destroying their spirit?

This is.

So what if you're a rich young master? This family is surnamed Su. I cook because I'm family, and you give me gifts because you're an outsider.

Gu Ciyuan's face instantly darkened.

What is his identity?

A Wall Street elite, the eldest son of the Gu family! When did it become the turn of a gigolo to teach him how to do things?

"Friendship?" Gu Ciyuan sneered, his true intentions revealed. "Mr. Lu has good eloquence. But in this circle, friendship alone isn't enough to maintain a good image. Some things can't be bridged by words alone."

He glanced meaningfully at the priceless wild ginseng and famous painting on the table, then glanced at Lu Li's bare wrist.

"Take this ginseng, for example; it can save lives. Mr. Lu's bowl of soup, besides being delicious, is it really worth much?"

Shen Weilan, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but burst out laughing and quickly grabbed her teacup to cover it up.

Gu Ciyuan thought Shen Weilan was mocking Lu Li, which made him even more confident. He was about to turn to Su Feiyan for approval.

"Feiyan, you too, how could you..."

However, his words were abruptly stuck in his throat.