Chapter 38 - Butler Ning Xiaoruan
As the contestants were talking about Qi Hua, they saw Sheng Jiaoyang approaching. But, their focus was on the young man following her with a german shepherd.
Everyone stared in shock. They hadn’t seen anyone on the island before.
“Is he the island’s owner? He’s so young!”
Once Sheng Jiaoyang had rejoined the rest of the contestants, she heard some of them chatting enthusiastically about Ning Xiaoruan.
“Even that fierce dog is now obediently following him. He must be a very kindhearted person.”
“He looks so handsome wearing glasses!”
“I wonder if there’s a mistress in such a big and beautiful villa. He’s so young that he wouldn’t have one, right?”
“He’s coming over! Woah, looking closer, he’s even more handsome. So tall and cool!”
Sheng Jiaoyang couldn’t stand it, and said, “Don’t overthink it. He’s just a butler.”
All the contestants: “…”
They’d wasted so many praises on a butler!
“How do you know he’s a butler? Have you ever seen a butler wear brand name clothes all over his body before? Take a look at the glasses he’s wearing, they’re Rodenstock limited edition!”
Among the contestants, there were some who could recognise big name brands, like Yin Meiling. She didn’t believe in Sheng Jiaoyang at all.
As Yin Meiling was expressing her opinions so surely, the others looked at Sheng Jiaoyang skeptically.
The corner of Sheng Jiaoyang’s mouth curled upwards. She glanced at Ning Xiaoruan, who happened to be looking at them, and beckoned him over.
Ning Xiaoruan raised an eyebrow. Xu Jiaojiao would take the initiative to call him? Out of curiosity, he led Xiong Zi towards the group.
“When will your Boss Shen return?”
“I don’t know, he never tells me his whereabouts.”
Yin Meiling was surprised. Was this person really a butler? She inspected the young man from head to toe with her eyes, finding that he looked educated and was clad in famous brands. Boss Shen must definitely be super rich since he’d even assigned someone who dressed so well as a butler.
“Why are you asking me about that?” Ning Xiaoruan stared suspiciously at Sheng Jiaoyang.
Sheng Jiaoyang responded with an indifferent expression. “It’s pure curiosity.”
Ning Xiaoruan suddenly felt that he was being played with. He noticed that the girls in front of him were looking at him with pity. His instincts warned him that the stinky girl had just said something bad about him to these beauties.
He rolled his eyes, and suddenly said in an unusually gentle tone to Sheng Jiaoyang, “Jiaojiao, you don’t need to overexert yourself. It doesn’t matter if you lose in the competition. At worst, I’ll support you in the future.”
Sheng Jiaoyang: “…”
The contestants that looked at Sheng Jiaoyang: “…”
Goosebumps crept all over her body.
Crazy guy! Sheng Jiaoyang couldn’t help but roll her eyes.
“What’s going on?” Zhuo Yiyan asked as he walked closer, noticing the abnormal atmosphere.
From afar, he saw a young man standing in front of the contestants, walking the dog that had previously scared everyone. Out of consideration for their safety, he intended to negotiate with this strange man who’d suddenly appeared. When he was closer and could see the man clearly, he was surprised.
“Mr. Ning?”
Ning Xiaoruan pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and glanced at Zhuo Yiyan as he asked, “You are?”
“I’m Zhuo Yiyan. I met you at President Li’s birthday banquet,” Zhuo Yiyan answered politely.
“Li Yu’s birthday banquet?” Ning Xiaoruan racked his memory, but he couldn’t recall this person.
Zhuo Yiyan didn’t find it awkward at all. He perhaps had a certain reputation within the country, but it was only in the entertainment industry. For those in the business world, he wasn’t well known at all. So, it wasn’t that unbearable that someone didn’t remember him. He was used to it already.
“So, this place is actually Mr. Ning’s? They didn’t intend to disturb your rest before, please forgive me,” Zhuo Yiyan said.
“You’ve misunderstood,” said Ning Xiaoruan. “This is my boss’ place. I’m merely looking after his house.”
Zhuo Yiyan had difficulty covering up his shock. That time, at President Li’s birthday banquet, he’d clearly witnessed President Li’s attitude towards Mr. Ning. It was the treatment of an upper guest. Moreover, he could freely call President Li’s name. That could only be explained if Mr. Ning and President Li were on equal footing. The person with an identity no lower than President Li’s, is actually just a butler?
Sheng Jiaoyang laughed inwardly. Ning Xiaoruan had just claimed in front of others that he did menial labor for Demon King Shen.
Ning Xiaoruan had personally said that he was a butler. Some of the contestants who were still unconvinced before had no choice but to give up. Really, these days, even a butler was better off than them. This fact was really too shocking.
“Have you finished your photoshoot?” Ning Xiaoruan looked at Sheng Jiaoyang, who was enjoying watching from the side.
“Our group hasn’t gone yet,” Huang Linying said.
There were only two people left in their group, but Zhuo Yiyan hadn’t said anything about regrouping. Since he hadn’t, then they were still a group.
“Why didn’t you get a picture with the others as a group?” Ning Xiaoruan swept his gaze over Sheng Jiaoyang. What he most wanted to see was this stinky girl getting her photo taken. She couldn’t possibly display the same kind of arrogant expression that he was used to seeing during her photoshoot, right?
Noticing Sheng Jiaoyang’s cold and indifferent attitude, Huang Linying replied, “Our team got photos on the yacht when we drew lots.”
Yacht… Ning Xiaoruan’s eyes lit up.
Sheng Jiaoyang glanced at Ning Xiaoruan and immediately knew what he was thinking.
She really didn’t understand how the cold and ruthless Demon King could have such a foolish cousin.
Knowing that Sheng Jiaoyang hadn’t had her picture taken yet, Ning Xiaoruan didn’t leave. Instead, he took the dog for a walk around the area until it was tired as he was still interested in seeing the photoshoot.
Xiao Yang’s group had just finished taking their photos. The program crew were maintaining a constant speed, so after they’d completed packing up the props, they returned to the beach.
“Jiaojiao, what’s the relationship between the two of you?” Wang Wei asked in a small voice as she moved closer to Sheng Jiaoyang, wanting to get gossip.
Nearby, some of the other contestants sharpened their ears to listen.
“We don’t have any relationship.”
Wang Wei looked unconvinced. She revealed an understanding expression and said teasingly, “I know you’re shy. Alright, I won't ask you anymore. In the future, should there be a happy occasion that involves a church, you must tell me!”
Black lines covered Sheng Jiaoyang’s head.
Luo Yi also moved closer to Sheng Jiaoyang’s side, and asked curiously, “Jiaojiao, do you know that Boss Shen?”
“I don’t know,” Sheng Jiaoyang replied with certainty.
Liar! You said you don’t know, but you know that his surname is Shen?
Seeing that everyone was displaying a frustrated expression, Sheng Jiaoyang scratched her head and decided to ignore them.
As the yacht sailed away from the island, the sun has gradually set to the west.
Sheng Jiaoyang and Huang Linying retreated to the yacht’s restroom to change their clothes. Upon coming out, they received everyone’s attention. The two of them were the last ones to get their pictures taken, after all.
Sheng Jiaoyang’s outfit was a sporty swimsuit. The upper part consisted of a short black vest with white edges, and in the middle part, there was hollowed-out black lace in which her slender waist was faintly discernible. Below, there was a pair of flat-angled shorts of the same colour as the vest. Compared to the other contestants, her outfit was more conservative.
However, today’s theme was sunbathing, not a bikini show. The program crew didn’t require the contestants to wear a bikini. Therefore, she wasn’t breaking any rules by wearing this outfit.
Ning Xiaoruan examined her from head to toe, then touched his chin in contemplation. This stinky girl’s figure is okay, it’s just that her chest isn’t really much to look at.
Sheng Jiaoyang’s icy glare shot daggers at him. Ning Xiaoruan, don’t you ever do that in front of me again!
xYuna's ThoughtsTL: Kakaoo | Editor: Purpledragon | TLC: Grace