Chapter 227: Birth (Part Four)
Seeing the middle-aged fat man's dejected and despairing expression, the Old Butler had an inkling of what was happening in his heart. The scene he dreaded most had, after all, come to pass.
However, he did not speak, lest he further provoke the middle-aged fat man.
After a long while, the middle-aged fat man's emotions gradually stabilized, but his face no longer bore his usual gentle smile. Instead, it was replaced by a cold, rigid expression.
"Aside from this matter, was there anything else unusual about her? " the middle-aged fat man asked coldly.
The middle-aged fat man no longer referred to the woman as "madam," but simply as "her. " From this, it was clear that the woman's status and role in the middle-aged fat man's heart had already changed.
The Old Butler pondered for a moment, then began, "Over the years, madam—"
The Old Butler had barely begun speaking when he was sharply interrupted by the middle-aged fat man's reprimand.
"From now on, she is not your madam! " the middle-aged fat man roared hysterically.
The Old Butler flinched in surprise. The middle-aged fat man's fury confirmed that his suspicions were correct. He had originally intended to conceal it, but from the current situation, the middle-aged fat man clearly knew something. Concealing it would not only be useless but might even worsen matters.
The Old Butler hesitated for a moment, then said, "Over the years, she often brought her cousin here. Sometimes he would stay for several days. I don't know if that counts as 'unusual' as Master described."
The Old Butler had not intended to speak of this matter, but it was no longer a secret. Even if he didn't say anything, the middle-aged fat man could easily learn of it by asking any servant. Thus, after a moment's hesitation, he revealed it.
He wanted to conceal what he could, but if he couldn't, he would have to confess honestly, because he did not want to leave the Zhong family.
"Cousin? " The middle-aged fat man frowned. Then he asked, "What does he look like?"
"Tall and thin, fair-skinned, and very young," the butler replied. "He liked to go shirtless, and his entire upper body was covered in tattoos. His words and actions reeked of the streets; he didn't look like a good person at all, more like an idle hoodlum."
"She does indeed have a cousin, but he is entirely different from the person you described."
At this point, the middle-aged fat man recalled the earlier phone call. The impatient urging and the murderous threat. His face instantly darkened, so grim it seemed water might drip from it.
"Could it be that guy? He's quite something, daring to bring him home years ago! " The middle-aged fat man's voice was gnashing. Then he stared coldly at the Old Butler, saying, "As the butler, outsiders come to the house, and you don't inform me? I really don't know how you manage to be a butler!"
The Old Butler looked aggrieved. He quickly explained, "Master, I reported this matter to you the first time it happened. You told me not to worry about it. You said to let him stay as long as he liked. So, since then, I haven't reported his presence to you again. I didn't want these minor matters to distract you."
If the Old Butler hadn't reminded him, the middle-aged fat man would have completely forgotten about it. He was constantly traveling for work. His business affairs kept him so overwhelmed, he had no mind to manage the household.
Therefore, whenever the Old Butler reported on household matters—unless it concerned his wife or child being ill—he usually didn't pay much attention. He had also instructed the butler not to report minor matters to him, to avoid wasting his limited daily energy.
Now, with the Old Butler's reminder, he vaguely remembered something of the sort. It was just that he had been too busy at the time, and coupled with his absolute trust in his wife, he hadn't taken the matter seriously and had quickly dismissed it.
But he never would have imagined that he had simplified this matter far too much!
As a businessman, he was able to grow his business successfully. Without a certain shrewdness, he would have lost even his underwear long ago. How else could he have thrived so greatly?
It was just that all his intelligence was used in business. He spent his days pondering how to scheme against competitors, but he had never used such tactics on his family. He had not the slightest guard against his own wife.
Perhaps it was because he loved his wife too much that he blindly, unconditionally trusted her. But what he got in return was not what he desired.
The middle-aged fat man took another deep breath, closed his eyes, and calmed the turmoil and rage within him. After a few minutes, he slowly opened his eyes.
During this time, the Old Butler remained bowed, motionless, in place. He didn't utter a single word, as if awaiting his punishment.
This matter appeared to have nothing to do with the Old Butler, but if one delved deeper, the Old Butler could not escape blame.
As a butler, how could he have been unaware of such events happening in the house? For several years, even if it was done secretively, some anomalies should have been apparent. Yet, he had only reported it to the middle-aged fat man once and never brought it up again. This was no small responsibility.
To say the Old Butler hadn't noticed anything suspicious was certainly impossible. But why didn't he remind the middle-aged fat man multiple times? Were there other reasons behind this? Perhaps only he himself knew.
But in any case, now that the truth was out, as the butler, he had an undeniable responsibility, no matter what. He knew this very well. So, at this moment, he kept his head bowed, silent, enduring the middle-aged fat man's wrath and awaiting the arrival of punishment.
"Give me a cigarette."
After a long wait, he did not receive the middle-aged fat man's furious scolding. Instead, he received this sentence.
Not only did the middle-aged fat man not explode in a rage, but he seemed exceptionally calm. It was precisely this calm that made the Old Butler feel even more uneasy. In his eyes, this was entirely the calm before the storm.
Although his heart was uneasy, the Old Butler still took out cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket, then respectfully handed them over.
The middle-aged fat man took the cigarette, then took one from the pack and lit it for himself. He took several fierce drags. More than half of the cigarette was already gone. Because he smoked too furiously, the burning part of the cigarette hadn't fully turned to ash; a long, glowing red ember remained on the cigarette.
"Old Zhang, perhaps you really are old."
The middle-aged fat man looked at the Old Butler, and after speaking those meaningful words, he stood up.
The Old Butler parted his lips, wanting to say something, but ultimately did not.
"Siyu is very fond of you, Butler Grandpa, so I won't hold this against you. My only request of you now is this: As long as you can keep Siyu happy every day, I will be content. As for other matters, don't worry yourself needlessly."
As the middle-aged fat man spoke, he walked towards the study door. At that moment, his entire being exuded the aura and authority of a powerful boss, making it hard for the Old Butler to breathe.
"I have some matters to attend to outside. Look after Siyu well; I will be back soon."
With those words, the middle-aged fat man opened the door and left, leaving the Old Butler alone in the study.
Watching the middle-aged fat man disappear from sight, the Old Butler couldn't help but shake his head and let out a soft sigh. His wrinkled face was filled with sorrow.
He had been the butler for the Zhong family for many years now. Back then, the middle-aged fat man was still very young, full of vigor and drive.
However, as the years passed, the once young and handsome fellow had become a middle-aged fat uncle. His body had grown plump, his beer belly larger, and his hair had receded.
Because back then, the middle-aged fat man thought only of making money and business all day long, his marital status had remained unresolved.
Forget about business; he hadn't even had a single girlfriend.
Perhaps it was because he had no inclination for it, or perhaps he had no time, or perhaps he hadn't found anyone who captivated him. Thus, the middle-aged fat man had remained single.
Furthermore, both of the middle-aged fat man's parents had passed away. Without the urging of family elders or pressure from parents in this regard, he himself hadn't taken the matter to heart. This delay lasted until the middle-aged fat man entered middle age.
The Old Butler saw all of this and secretly worried in his heart. Although he wasn't the middle-aged fat man's elder, the middle-aged fat man had always treated him well. He didn't want to see the middle-aged fat man earn a fortune, only to end up living out his days alone.
Therefore, he had tried to persuade the middle-aged fat man in various ways, hoping he would dedicate some of his energy to this matter.
However, the effect was ultimately minimal. This only made the Old Butler even more anxious.
It wasn't until Zhong Siyu's mother appeared that everything changed. When the middle-aged fat man brought Zhong Siyu back to the villa, he felt greatly relieved.
Over the years, the Old Butler had observed Zhong Siyu's mother's actions. Initially, he hadn't thought there was much of a problem, but over time, he noticed some irregularities.
He had reminded the middle-aged fat man, but the middle-aged fat man hadn't taken it to heart. After that, he simply turned a blind eye and never mentioned it to the middle-aged fat man again.
The reason he did this was because he knew that once the truth was exposed, this family would surely be shattered. And at that time, the one most hurt would be Zhong Siyu, the child.
The Old Butler was very fond of Zhong Siyu. Because Zhong Siyu had been raised by his own hands, he had a deep affection for her. In some ways, his feelings for Zhong Siyu ran even deeper than for the middle-aged fat man.
Not wanting to see Zhong Siyu become the ultimate victim, this elderly butler chose to remain silent.
Moreover, he wasn't entirely sure his suspicions were correct. If he told the middle-aged fat man his suspicions and wrongly accused Zhong Siyu's mother, then his sin would be immense, and he would be condemned by all.
However, given the Old Butler's experience, he felt the chance of him being mistaken was small. Ultimately, it was still his unwillingness to see Zhong Siyu become the final victim.
But by doing this, the one who would ultimately be hurt was the middle-aged fat man.
Between Zhong Siyu and the middle-aged fat man, he still chose Zhong Siyu.
Paper cannot wrap fire; Zhong Siyu's mother had no idea how to be discreet. So, it was only a matter of time before the truth came out. The Old Butler knew this very well.
And his silence was merely an attempt to postpone the matter as much as possible, hoping that when Zhong Siyu was older, the harm would be less.
Of course, this was merely the Old Butler's personal opinion.
Besides, many things didn't happen just because he wished them to, nor could he postpone them simply by wanting to.
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