Steward Zhou seemed unusually arrogant today, saying with a fake smile, "Young... Master, the Old Madam says I'm still in charge of the affairs of this manor."

Steward Zhou deliberately drew out the title "Young Master," making the lack of respect evident.

Fan Xian smiled as he looked at the trace of disdain in the other's eyes. Although he had never pitied himself for being a bastard son, he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at encountering this kind of look.

Seeing that things were not going well, a clever maid secretly slipped away to find the Old Madam. The other maids and servants nervously watched the scene. Although it was nominally two households, everyone knew that Young Master Fan Xian's status wasn't very honorable, and all the expenses for the manor in Danzhou Port were drawn from the capital, from that Second Madam's hand.

It was precisely because of this that Steward Zhou, the Second Madam's confidant, dared to be so disrespectful to this young master. After all, in everyone's minds, the only one who could inherit the vast estate of Count Sinan in the future was that young master in the capital, not the smiling twelve-year-old boy in front of them.

Although the servants had always respected and loved Fan Xian, no one dared to risk offending the Second Madam to stand on Fan Xian's side at this moment of choosing sides.

Only his personal maid, Sisi, held Fan Xian's hand tightly. Fan Xian was well aware of these servants' considerations; it wasn't easy for anyone to live a good life, so he didn't feel sad or disheartened. He just tilted his head, looking curiously at Steward Zhou, whose face was not looking well, wondering why he, who had always been so well-behaved, finally couldn't help himself.

Steward Zhou was the second steward of Count Sinan's manor in the capital. Because he had made some minor mistakes in the capital, he had been sent to the distant and remote Danzhou Port. But Steward Zhou didn't feel that his life had been cut off from the prosperity of the capital, nor did he feel sad about it.

Count Sinan's first wife had died many years ago, and the Second Madam had given birth to a son seven years ago. With her rising status and the backing of her family, the Second Madam was about to ascend to the position of the official wife. At such a crucial time, Steward Zhou, as the Second Madam's confidant, had naturally come to Danzhou with no good intentions.

To complete his mission, he carefully managed the Count's other residence, showing special respect to the Old Madam and being kind to the servants. He rarely interfered in other people's duties, but he couldn't help but reveal his true thoughts whenever he saw that little bastard who had caused him to be exiled in disguise.

But for some reason, he was a little afraid of that boy who was only a little over ten years old.

Because no matter where he went, he seemed to be able to see that boy's slightly smiling face and those clear, transparent eyes. That face was very clean and beautiful, but if you woke up every day and found that face accompanying you, the feeling was very strange.

When Steward Zhou greeted the servants with a kind face, Little Fan Xian's pretty face was hidden among the flowers, staring at him blankly. When Steward Zhou frowned and carefully examined the accounts, Little Fan Xian's clean face rested on the window sill of the accounting room, innocently watching him. When Steward Zhou respectfully reported to the Old Madam, Little Fan Xian's lovely face leaned gently against the Old Madam's side, watching him with endless curiosity.

After a few months, Steward Zhou felt like he was going crazy. Whether he opened his eyes or closed them, he could see that clean, lovely, harmless little face, like a ghost face floating in a faint white mist. If it wasn't a ghost's face, how could it be so beautiful and so focused on watching him?

He was almost unable to withstand this mental pressure, and even began to be suspicious and fearful, wondering if that little boy knew that he was there to deal with him. But Steward Zhou immediately thought that this bastard was only so young, how could he know the sinister things of the adult world? But... why was he always looking at me? Why? Just like now, his words should make this little bastard feel humiliated, so why could he still smile?

Steward Zhou sneered, thinking that the matter in Danzhou was about to end, so why should he endure the anger of this little bastard?

……

……

Fan Xian didn't know that his unbridled observation of the steward would bring so much mental pressure to the other party. Of course, even if he knew, he wouldn't feel more apologetic. He was just curious about what kind of methods that concubine in the capital would use to deal with him.

But seeing Steward Zhou using the excuse of teaching his head maid a lesson to slight him, Fan Xian's mood had already begun to turn gloomy. After hearing the ambiguous words "Young Master," the smile on his face slowly began to fade.

"I heard that the Young Master drove a head maid out of the manor a few years ago, which was too outrageous." Steward Zhou seemed not to notice the teenager's face turning ugly, and continued to speak with a hint of disdain on his face, "In the future, these manor affairs, Young Master is still young, so don't worry too much about them."

Fan Xian smiled, "Are you warning me to be more well-behaved?"

Steward Zhou said he wouldn't dare, but his words were arrogant, "How dare I? It's just that before I came, the Second Madam instructed me to take care of the Young Master since he is young."

"Aren't you afraid that I'll put on the airs of a young master and slap you in the face?" Fan Xian asked curiously.

Steward Zhou laughed, touched the sparse beard under his chin, and said, "Although the Young Master... lost his mother at a young age and lacked discipline, everyone knows that he is still well-read in poetry and books since childhood, how could he be so harsh on servants?"

He looked at the pretty teenager in front of him and sneered inwardly, thinking that such a child still wanted to put on the airs of a master in front of him.

"Oh." At this time, Fan Xian seemed to remember his status as a bastard son, woke up, and turned to leave.

Although the maids secretly felt injustice for the young master, they felt relieved for Fan Xian when they saw that there was no conflict. Sisi held Fan Xian's hand, her eyes starting to get wet. She thought the young master was so pitiful, and afraid that he would be angry, she secretly glanced at him, and was relieved to find that Fan Xian's eyes were full of tranquility.

Fan Xian led Sisi into the house, carried two stools to the door, let Sisi sit on one stool, and carried the other stool to the garden.

The servants hadn't dispersed yet, and Steward Zhou was still savoring his bravery just now.

Fan Xian placed the stool in front of Steward Zhou. The people next to him felt very strange, and Steward Zhou didn't understand what he meant either. Just as he was about to ask, Little Fan Xian had already stepped onto the stool.

At this time, Fan Xian was only twelve years old and not very tall. Adding a stool, he was only about as tall as Steward Zhou.

Everyone was puzzled, wondering what he was going to do standing on the stool. Just at this moment, they saw Fan Xian raise his right hand to his mouth, breathe two breaths of hot air on it, and then raise it high.

"What are you going to do?" These words were still in Steward Zhou's mouth, not yet spat out with the saliva.

Fan Xian's little hand had already swung back and slapped down hard!

With a crisp "smack," Steward Zhou was slapped to the ground, a red palm print appearing on his face, and a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He was completely stunned. He absolutely didn't expect that this child's strength would be so great, and... this child actually... dared to hit him!

Little Fan Xian jumped down from the stool, rubbed his wrist, took a handkerchief from a little maid next to him and wiped his hand, looked at Steward Zhou, who was covering his face and groaning on the ground, and said softly, "Being well-read in poetry and books also means you can hit people. Although I don't mistreat servants, I'm happy to let you know what a playboy's behavior is like."