章 23: 2.5 By chance
Shu XinYi was still to process and he moved his hands when he heard Leo plead, "Stay still for a while."
Shu XinYi immediately stilled. He heard Leo's voice crack when he said this. His heart was gripped tightly by something, while Shu XinYi tried to process his emotions. He could faintly hear and felt the sensation of a beating heart, Leo must also be in pain.
"I don't know how to do it .. I don't know how to be in pain." Leo opened, "I saw everything that happened to my mother but .. my heart was empty like whatever was happening was just a play. I feel like I was born wrong, I can't even call myself human. I don't know. Everything that happened only made me feel guilty."
Shu XinYi hugged him back, he had lost all his ability to think when he heard Leo's broken voice. He says he does not know how to be in pain, yet he cries like this in front of me. Obviously the simulation from his childhood was so much that he put up emotional barriers. Shu XinYi didn't say anything and just hugged him back letting him cry and complain.
"I don't know what to do. I don't know if Elder sister is selfish or not, but I don't care. Why would I blame others for being selfish when I am the most selfish of them all."
Shu XinYi wanted to listen to him complain but it turned into self blaming so Shu XinYi had to speak up "Leo! sometimes it's okay to be selfish. As long as you don't go out of your way to hurt others it is already enough."
Shu XinYi was patient with Leo. Although his heart was in pieces seeing Leo like this, he couldn't do much except for staying beside him. Leo kept hugging him for five more minutes and Shu XinYi didn't loosen his grip as well. Finally Leo moved away his hands so Shu XinYi let him go. He saw that Leo's face was no longer pained like the one crying just now was someone else. Shu XinYi didn't care if this Leo broke his trust or not by colluding with Elena, he didn't want to leave him again.
He looked outside the window to see that the sun had set and the sky had darkened. He asked Leo "Have you had dinner yet?" Leo shook is head. "Then let's go eat. What would you like to eat?"
"Chicken soup and medical tea" Leo answered without thinking even for a second.
Shu XinYi looked at Leo the touched his forehead with his palm. "Huh? You don't seem sick then why this sick food?"
"You made this for me last time but it went cold so I didn't get to eat. I really would like to eat the chicken soup and medical tea you made."
"Pfft what? I can just make you some other type of food but there is no kitchen here so we will just have to eat out."
Shu XinYi could see some disappointment on Leo's face but then his face lightened as he said "The restaurant has a kitchen. The renovations have still not started so uhh I mean if you want to-"
"Okay, okay let's buy things to make chicken rice and pudding." How could Shu XinYi, ever say no to Leo's endearing requests.
Shu XinYi knew that he couldn't make complicated stuff well. In the previous world he rarely got to cook because LiFeng was doing all the cooking. Maybe Leo too knew how to cook but he won't make Leo cook for him unless Leo wanted to himself. Even if he didn't know how to cook, Shu XinYi wouldn't care.
Leo was thinking that, if Xavi really did see him as just a servant then why would he make effort to comfort him and cook for him. It seemed that elder sister had lied to him for some reason. Maybe she wants to spread a bad image of brother Xavi. No he won't let her do that. Even though she has helped him in the past, he wouldn't tolerate Elder sister trying to sabotage Xavi.
They went to the restaurant which was closed and had no one around. On the way they had bought all the necessary items. Shu XinYi entered the kitchen in the restaurant and was happy to see some unburned firewood under the stove. He got to work since it was already late so they should eat soon. He marinated the chicken boiled the rice and prepared a broth. He simultaneously prepared the pudding and gave his all to prepare this small meal.
Leo was having the time of his life watching Xavi work in the kitchen with full focus and devotion. He really was doing his best. Leo saw that he made some mistakes while marinating the chicken and put wrong spices in the broth. The pudding was beat for longer than needed. He could tell how to make all of this in a better way but he didn't care. He just watched the process with a giddy heart. A little while ago he felt actual pain, after a long time in his life. He felt at peace when he cried to Xavi. He felt like all his cries have been heard. He loved the feeling of holding Xavi close to him. It felt really peaceful even when he cried.
Shu XinYi looked at Leo who seemed to be looking fine as if his emotions had settled a bit. He wanted to ask Leo to set a table for them when Leo himself got up to set the cutlery on the table. Shu XinYi was a bit nervous with how the food would taste. It had been a long time since he last cooked.
Leo ate like he really liked the food slowly eating everything on his plate. Shu XinYi too found that it didn't taste too bad and was edible. They ate the food and drank some wine without talking and just giving company to each other.
Shu XinYi cleared the table after eating and went back to the hotel. Leo didn't want to leave Xavi's side but he reluctantly parted since the night had come. The next day after having breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Leo told Xavi to discuass the construction plans with him. The architects suggested some good ideas and they were able to decide the final look of the shop. It was not necessary to focus on aesthetic but if you are doing something why not do it well?
The construction work had began and a week had come to pass. Elena hadn't done anything but everyday she called Leo to talk to him, so she can slowly get information about brother Xavier. Leo had still kept his polite aura around her because he wanted to see what kind of person Elder sister really was. Sometimes elder sister would say that brother Xavier will not be able to keep the Xalvadore family's name and so she wanted to help him out so Father won't be disappointed with him. Other times she would touch Leo and remind him that if he didn't want to leave her like he left his mother then he should work to become better than brother Xavier or else someday she would have to leave.
The more time he spent with Elder sister the more he saw how badly she wanted to see brother Xavi fall and to take his position. If she was more capable than brother Xavi, then she should work to get a better position than him by her own hard work. Not by complaining about brother Xavi, and trying to bring him down. Elder sister was really starting to annoy him but there was one good thing. Whenever he saw Xavi after talking to elder sister, Xavi would call him an idiot and scold him. He loved the feeling of Xavi scolding him but he also didn't want Xavi to get angry so he wished that Elder sister would leave.
In the second week, Elena announced that she was going to leave for home. She thought that if Xavier was busy in city X, then in their city she should go with father to improve her image a little. Although his father was set on Xavier as the heir he still was willing for Elena to learn about business with him but Elena thought this to be a waste of time. She didn't want to learn business because she already understood enough. She wanted to handle matters herself but father rarely allowed her and always looked for Xavier. Now that he was busy here maybe she would get a chance.
She wanted to make sure Xavier failed this project so she had been talking to Leo everyday to give him hints about it. Today too she went to Leo.
"Brother Xavier, he needs a chance to learn. Leo, you do understand that he has to fail to learn? Once he faces a loss he will let go of his arrogance and work with a calm mind. He will also respect people lower than him once the farce is broken. But if he doesn't face loss now, it will be too painful for him in the future. Moreover, the more arrogant he becomes the more he will disappoint father."
"Elder sister I understand. You can leave for city X carefree. I will make sure that brother Xavi gets a chance to learn for Master's sake."
"My dear Leo you are always so good at understanding me. I want the best for brother Xavier but he doesn't want the best for himself. What will he get for being so arrogant and not realizing where he stands? I will be leaving tomorrow but you shouldn't worry. I will keep sending letters so you don't feel lonely without me."
"Thank you for your advice and consideration elder sister."
Obviously Leo was not going to do any such thing. He just agreed with whatever, since he wanted Elder sister to leave soon. It was clear to Leo who needed a lesson and who was being ungrateful and arrogant. Elder sister treated brother Xavi like an obstacle she had to destroy before she could see her own life ahead of it, like her life had no meaning if Xavi was living better then her. It was her mistake to avoid her own life and be greedy for what has already been given to others.
Elder sister left with their letter of well being and brought some servents with her for her safety. The reconstruction of the new shop was going well and Leo was also improving by a lot, not having Elena around to torture him. Elena meanwhile was traveling with her father, who had allowed her to make some decisions for their business, by herself. Although he had allowed her to take decisions he was not satisfied with the decisions she took, they were too greedy and unwise but he still let her do what she wanted, to see her potential. After realizing that he may have neglected his family, Aldo was keen to teach all his children whatever knowledge he could.
Leo and Xavi were busy with matters in City X. They went to different noble house holds to present their products but they didn't start to present and sell the jewelry set until the last weeks of construction. Shu XinYi spent some alone time with Leo from time to time. They didn't do anything and just talked about things. Sometimes they would cook together. Shu XinYi realized that Leo too had a fine talent for cooking. The food he cooks could be fought for.
One day in the evening, Shu XinYi told Leo that he wanted to take a detour on their way back. Leo naturally accompanied him. They went through some alleys and streets taking in the view of the city for the first time. Shu XinYi was walking in a particular street when from somewhere came a crying man, who started begging in front of him.
"You two extinguished lords, please have mercy. My father is gravely ill if you gentlemen can save his life then I will repay you for life." The young man said with shaking hands. It was known that in city X people would lie in wait for rich nobles to pass and beg them for pity and money. Leo was obviously aware of these schemes so he moved in front of Xavi to block the young man.
"Please, please this is no scheme my father really is ill have some mercy. I will take you to him if you find this unbelievable."
Shu XinYi put forward his hands to indicate Leo to stop blocking him. Shu XinYi knew who this man was since he knew the world's timeline. So he said to him "Okay then take me to him I will evaluate if what you say is really the truth before helping you."
"Xavi he could be-"
"Leo let me handle this. You young man -"
"Arthur, Arthur Leon. Here follow me my lords."
Leo wanted to stop Xavi but Xavi had decided to follow the man so he could only follow Xavi. His house was nearby and he invited both of them to his house. It was a small two room house. His father was lying on a bed in the other room before they even went close Shu XinYi could tell that the man was gravely sick. He went inside the room to check on his situation and then said "Arthur, have you arranged a doctor for him or not? He will need immediate care and medicine."
"I will arrange for him right now. You two masters please take a seat." He went out of the house and returned after almost 30 minutes with a doctor. Meanwhile Shu XinYi was being scolded by Leo for being too carefree. "Haven't you seen that his father really is sick. Stop scolding me. It is not a big deal for us but for that man it will be worth a life."
When the doctor finally came he was bickering about how he would not check him for free but when he saw Leo and Xavi, he shut up and went to work. "He will need some medicine, here I have written the ingredients I need to make it. You have to buy them yourself."
Shu XinYi told Leo to go with Arthur for pay and to make sure the right ingredients were bought. Leo wanted to refute but Xavi didn't take no for an answer. When they came back the doctor made the medicine and fed it to his father and allowed him to rest. Shu XinYi could see that the medicine worked well since his breathing had stabilized.
When the doctor left, Arthur invited them into the other room and closed the door in between. "Young Masters, I don't know how to thankyou enough for helping this servent. I am indebted to you for your kindness."
"It's okay, Arthur you don't have to pay us back. We shall leave now." Shu XinYi.
"No no young masters, please let me be your servent. Please I beg you. Otherwise I won't be able to sleep knowing I was uselss."
Shu XinYi looked at the young man with contemplation and then looked at Leo for some help. Leo took over saying "Okay then, but we don't know what you are capable of doing. Is there anything you can do for us?"
"I know all the ways in and out of the city and remember all the people I have met. I have a really good memory so I am able to keep track of any transactions." Arthur said with determination.
"Then do you know how to manage a shop?" Shu XinYi wanted to ask this question but Leo beat him to it. This man was trustworthy. In the original, Elena had found this man later in the timeline at that point his father had already died, but Elena saw that he had talent for managing so she helped him with burial process and some other stuff for which Arthur became willing to help her.
"Um, I have never done that but Young masters I am a quick learner. I am sure that if you teach me the ins and outs for a few days then I will learn."
Leo looked at Shu XinYi for affirmation then said "Okay then, I am not appointing you as the manager now but I will take you with me to learn. If you are good and trustworthy only then will you be allowed to work for us."
"Yes young masters, I hope to not disappoint. I will work hard to pay you back."
"No you will work hard for yourself. If you are eligible only then will we give you the job, so you will be working for yourself at a fixed salary and not to pay us back. Us helping your father and you working for us because you have potential are two different things. Do you understand?" Shu XinYi said.
"Yes young masters I understand. Thankyou for helping me I hope to work well with you."
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