DPMYP 04

Chapter – 04

The Mysterious Young Man

The other bedroom in Li Yang’s house had been used as a study, with a foldable bed inside that could only fit one person.

Li Yang asked Chen Hongfeng, “Aunt Chen, how about you share a room with me?”

Chen Hongfeng quickly waved her hands. “No, no. The living room sofa looks comfortable enough. I’ll sleep in the living room—I’m leaving tomorrow anyway.”

Li Yang said in surprise, “Tomorrow? So soon?”

“Yes. The daughter-in-law of the family I’m working for is about to give birth. They’ve been urging me to get there as soon as possible.”

Li Yang could only nod. “Then be careful on the way. Call me if anything comes up.”

“Don’t worry, this isn’t my first time working away from home.”

As Chen Hongfeng spoke, she saw Jiang Yan enter his room and quickly called out, “Son, let me help you tidy up.”

With that, she followed him inside.

Li Yang figured the mother and son had things to discuss, so she didn’t linger in the living room. She poured herself a glass of water and went back to her own room.

The moment Chen Hongfeng stepped into Jiang Yan’s room, her demeanor became noticeably more submissive.

She put on a fawning smile and said, “Mr. Jiang, how was my performance today?”

Jiang Yan glanced back at her. “What did you call me?”

Chen Hongfeng paused for a second before catching herself. “Son… son.”

Jiang Yan sat down on the foldable bed, his posture imperious. “Even in private, don’t forget your role.”

Chen Hongfeng nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes.”

Jiang Yan’s expression was weary and distant. “This month’s payment of one million has already been transferred to your account. Once you arrive in Haicheng, follow my plans exactly. Don’t act on your own, and especially don’t contact Li Yang casually.”

Chen Hongfeng nodded frantically again.

Jiang Yan’s gaze drifted to the window. The sun was setting, and the sky was ablaze with crimson clouds.

The red glow fell across his delicate, pale face, and even his pupils seemed to take on a reddish tint.

Li Yang, Li Yang.

Finally…

I’m by your side.

A moment later, he suddenly turned his head, his expression shifting back to its usual calm and obedient facade. “Mom, get me a glass of water.”

Chen Hongfeng quickly said, “Yes, yes.”

She hurriedly pushed the door open and went out.

Truth be told, she wasn’t comfortable being alone in a room with Jiang Yan either. Though he was still a child, he was as unfathomable as the deep sea—impossible to read.

Chen Hongfeng remembered the first time she saw Jiang Yan. Back then, she was still working as a hostess at a nightclub.

At thirty-five, she could no longer compete with the young hostesses in their twenties, and she didn’t get many customers.

One night, the floor manager suddenly called all the hostesses over thirty-five into a private VIP room.

At first, they thought some wealthy client had a particular fetish. But when the group of heavily made-up, flamboyantly dressed mature women filed in, they found only a plainly dressed, thin, short teenager—barely in his teens—sitting alone on the sofa.

Everyone’s faces showed shock and surprise. Some even tried to leave on the spot.

“What kind of joke is this? I have standards too! Taking an underage client is illegal—what if his parents come after us?”

The teenager lifted a pair of phoenix eyes and gave the woman who’d spoken a cold look.

That look—Chen Hongfeng couldn’t quite describe it—had no trace of humanity in it. It was more like a wild beast staring at prey it had already killed.

Perhaps because the teenager’s gaze was so chilling, the restless crowd fell instantly silent.

The floor manager stepped in and barked, “Illegal? What’s illegal? Listen up—this Mr. Jiang wants to pick one of you to take with him. One million!”

The women couldn’t help gasping.

One million?

They’d never earn that much in a lifetime!

Before they could react, the floor manager added with a cold sneer, “One million a month.”

“What, still afraid of breaking the law?”

“Not afraid! Not afraid!”

“Mr. Jiang, pick me! Pick me! I can do anything!”

Everyone scrambled to curry favor with Jiang Yan.

The woman standing next to Chen Hongfeng was her only friend at the nightclub, a woman named Jin Ying. She muttered under her breath, “One million a month—I’d kill someone for that!”

Chen Hongfeng could barely contain her excitement either. She eagerly looked toward Jiang Yan.

At that very moment, Jiang Yan happened to look back at her. His phoenix eyes were sharp, evil, and savage—so much so that Chen Hongfeng couldn’t help but shudder.

How could a teenager have such a terrifying presence!

She suddenly felt like backing out and quietly started to shift backward.

But Jiang Yan raised his hand and pointed at her. “Her.”

The others let out dissatisfied groans. “Kid… no, Mr. Jiang, why don’t you reconsider?”

The floor manager shooed them away. “Go on, go on, don’t be a nuisance. You didn’t come for nothing—each of you gets a red envelope with a hundred thousand, courtesy of Mr. Jiang.”

The crowd immediately broke into smiles. “Thank you, Mr. Jiang!”

They had only stood there for ten minutes, and they’d already gotten a hundred thousand.

Though they hadn’t won the one-million prize, it was still a windfall.

After all, most of them couldn’t even make ten thousand a month.

Before she left, Jin Ying nudged Chen Hongfeng with her elbow. “Congrats, Hongfeng. You’ve struck it rich—don’t forget about me.”

She lowered her voice and added, “You’ve got eyes just like his. I think this kid’s got an Oedipus complex.”

Chen Hongfeng did indeed have a pair of phoenix eyes, with slightly upswept outer corners—charming and seductive.

After everyone had left, she mustered up her courage and walked over to Jiang Yan, flashing her signature smile. “Mr. Jiang.”

She was about to sit down beside him when Jiang Yan stood up and said coldly, “Just call me Jiang Yan.”

Chen Hongfeng giggled coquettishly, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly—”

Jiang Yan acted as if he hadn’t heard her:

“From today on, you’re my mother. One million a month.”

“The duration—I’ll decide.”

Chen Hongfeng was stunned. “What?”

Jin Ying had been right—he did want to pick someone who looked like him.

But not for anything else—to play his mother!

What shocked Chen Hongfeng even more was that she had initially thought it would only be for one month. But Jiang Yan’s words implied it would be longer.

Getting a million every month—if it went on for a year or two, wouldn’t she be set for life?

But where did a teenager get so much money?

Jiang Yan lowered his gaze. “What, not interested?”

Chen Hongfeng snapped out of her shock. “No, it’s not that… I’m just wondering, how are you going to pay such a large sum?”

Jiang Yan glanced at her. “Give me your bank account number.”

In less than three minutes, three million arrived in her account.

“Three months’ payment in advance. If my business isn’t finished after three months, I’ll transfer the money on the first of each month.”

Jiang Yan added, “Even if it’s less than a full month, I’ll count it as a full month.”

He picked up his worn, wrinkled jacket—a blue-and-white school uniform that looked too big and ill-fitting for him.

Chen Hongfeng couldn’t reconcile the owner of that jacket with the young master who had just transferred three million to her without blinking.

As Jiang Yan walked toward the door, he said, “Come here. I’ll tell you what you need to do.”

Seeing Chen Hongfeng standing still, he frowned. “Any more questions?”

Chen Hongfeng fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. “Um… spending this much money—does your family approve?”

Though she had no idea who this teenager really was, Chen Hongfeng had seen news stories where parents sued gaming companies to get back money their underage kids had spent on in-app purchases.

What if his parents came after her for the money later?

Wouldn’t all her efforts have been for nothing?

Jiang Yan said coldly, “Don’t worry. I’m an orphan. I have no family.”