Chapter 325– The Domineering CEO’s Little Sweetheart – A Not-So-Simple Young Man (02)
Liang Shaomei stood before a luxurious villa in the wealthy district.
The elegant surroundings made her modest clothing seem completely out of place.
Still, she didn’t feel inferior. For the sake of her mother’s medical expenses, she had to do this job—and she was determined to do it well.
Taking a deep breath, Liang Shaomei gathered her courage and pressed the doorbell.
“Ding-dong—”
The crisp chime rang several times, but no one came to the door.
Could they not be home?
She stepped back a few paces and looked up at the balcony. There, a boy as pure and beautiful as an angel stood quietly, gazing up at the sky.
That must be Mr. Bai’s son—the person she had been hired to look after.
But judging from his appearance, he was already around eighteen.
Why would someone his age still need a caretaker?
Even so, Liang Shaomei called out politely, “Hello, I’m the new housekeeper. Could you please open the door for me?”
The young man didn’t respond—as if he hadn’t heard her at all. He simply continued staring at the sky.
Being ignored like that made Liang Shaomei feel a little frustrated.
Then she suddenly remembered what Mr. Bai had told her during her interview last week—his son, Bai Tang, suffered from autism.
People with that condition often had trouble communicating with others.
Thinking of this, Liang Shaomei couldn’t help but feel a wave of sympathy for the angelic-looking boy upstairs.
Just then, a middle-aged woman’s voice sounded from behind her.
“You must be Miss Liang, right?”
Liang Shaomei turned around to see a woman carrying a basket of groceries standing there.
“Yes, hello. I’m the new housekeeper, Liang Shaomei.”
Mr. Bai had taken an early flight that morning.
Before leaving, he told Aunt Zhang that two new people would be moving into the Bai residence to take care of Bai Tang. He also gave her their photos for verification.
When Aunt Zhang opened the door, she took out the photos from the entryway table and compared them to the woman standing before her. The resemblance was exact.
Smiling, Aunt Zhang said, “Come in, dear. Change your shoes first. You can just call me Aunt Zhang. I’ll take you to your room.”
As she spoke, she even reached out to help Liang Shaomei carry her luggage.
Liang Shaomei quickly shook her head. “It’s alright, I can manage on my own. I wouldn’t want to trouble you, Aunt Zhang.”
After placing her luggage in the room, Liang Shaomei looked around at what would be her home for the next six months. It wasn’t luxurious, but it was neat, cozy, and far better than the place she came from.
For the next two hours, Aunt Zhang patiently explained Bai Tang’s daily routines and habits. Just as she finished, the doorbell rang again.
“Ding-dong—”
Liang Shaomei set down her notebook and pen and hurried to answer the door. “Hello, may I ask who you’re looking for?”
At the door stood a tall, strikingly handsome man—around six-foot-two by the look of him. His mixed features seemed sculpted with divine precision, so striking they almost stole her breath away.
Liang Shaomei couldn’t help staring for a moment; she had never seen a man that good-looking.
With a polite smile, Xi Yuanhan said, “Hello, I’m the new butler Mr. Bai hired. May I ask if Aunt Zhang is home?”
Currently, the Bai household was being managed by Aunt Zhang. But with her advancing age, the workload had become difficult for her to handle alone. Mr. Bai, worried she might not have enough energy to take care of Bai Tang full time, had decided to hire two new assistants.
“Yes—yes, she’s here,” Liang Shaomei stammered, smiling shyly. Then she turned toward the inner room and called out, “Aunt Zhang, someone’s here to see you!”
Aunt Zhang, who had been busy in the kitchen, wiped her hands on her apron and came out. She took the photos Mr. Bai had left her and compared them with the man at the door.
Yes, it was him.
“Hello, Mr. Xi Yuanhan, right? I’m Aunt Zhang. Please, come in.”
Xi Yuanhan took off his hat and gave her a polite nod in greeting.
His manners immediately impressed Aunt Zhang. This one seems patient and composed, she thought. A good temperament for working around the young master.
Her gaze then shifted to the lively Liang Shaomei. The girl was enthusiastic but still a little clumsy—perhaps not the best fit to stay by the young master’s side. Better to have her assist with housework instead.
Having made her decision, Aunt Zhang removed her apron and handed it to Liang Shaomei. “Go keep an eye on the stove for me, will you?” she said, before leading Xi Yuanhan to drop off his luggage.
They made a round through the villa as she explained which areas were open and which were off-limits. Finally, she brought him to meet Bai Tang.
When Aunt Zhang pushed open the door to Bai Tang’s room, the boy—who had been sitting quietly in his chair—flinched violently, as if startled by something.
The bedroom door faced the balcony, where sunlight streamed through and fell across the boy’s figure, casting a series of soft, glowing halos around him.
Xi Yuanhan’s heart began to pound rapidly, faster and faster, as though it might burst from his chest.
He had never believed in something as cliché as love at first sight—until today, when he experienced it himself.
“Young master, this is Xi Yuanhan,” Aunt Zhang said kindly. “He’ll be taking care of you from now on.”
Bai Tang’s autism wasn’t particularly severe. When Mr. Bai had first noticed something unusual about his son years ago, he had promptly sought help from a psychologist. Over time, Bai Tang had improved—though he still preferred solitude and was sensitive to sudden sounds or changes in his environment. He could speak and interact simply with others, though he seldom said much.
Bai Tang’s gaze slowly moved to Xi Yuanhan.
To him, this was a familiar soul—the lover he had known from past worlds. The body was new, but the soul remained unchanged.
He reached out a hand toward Xi Yuanhan and softly spoke his first word in this world: “Hug~”
Xi Yuanhan instinctively followed his request, wrapping his arms gently around the boy. A faint ache stirred in his chest.
Aunt Zhang was stunned that Bai Tang could accept a stranger so quickly. Her surprise soon turned into joy—it was a good sign, proof that the young master’s condition might be improving.
“Mr. Xi,” Aunt Zhang said, “the young master likes quiet. I’ll go prepare lunch. Try not to make loud movements—don’t startle him.”
Xi Yuanhan nodded. “Understood.”
After Aunt Zhang went downstairs, Bai Tang rested his head against Xi Yuanhan’s chest. His eyes were blank, unfocused—perhaps lost in thought, or perhaps thinking of nothing at all.
Xi Yuanhan didn’t move either. He simply held the boy silently, keeping him company in the stillness.
After a while, he felt Bai Tang’s grip on his hand begin to loosen.
When he looked down, he saw that Bai Tang had fallen asleep against him. The boy’s long lashes cast faint shadows on his pale skin. His complexion was flawless, almost translucent, with a soft downy sheen that made him look fragile and unreal. The sight made Xi Yuanhan’s heart skip a beat.
Bai Tang’s lips were a soft shade of pink, delicate like a blooming petal after rain—so much so that Xi Yuanhan found himself leaning down, almost without realizing it, and brushed a light kiss against them.
The moment their lips touched, Bai Tang’s eyes fluttered open.
His gaze was hazy, filled with confusion and innocent curiosity.
Caught red-handed, Xi Yuanhan’s heart leapt in panic.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, his voice low, already bracing himself for the boy’s anger.
But instead of being upset, Bai Tang parted his slightly moist lips and whispered, “More~”
He entered this body as usual, but due to the world’s rules, he now had moderate autism. Still, he hadn’t lost his memories.
Autistic individuals, once they place their trust in someone, tend to rely on that person completely.
That was exactly how Bai Tang felt toward Xi Yuanhan now.
Xi Yuanhan gently kissed the boy’s lips. “My name is Xi Yuanhan. Remember it.”
“Ah… Han…”
The boy slowly uttered the two syllables, and when they reached Xi Yuanhan’s ears, they sounded like music from heaven.
“Yes, A Han. Can you say it again?” Xi Yuanhan coaxed softly.
Bai Tang repeated it twice more, then fell silent.
Xi Yuanhan knew better than to push. It was only their first day meeting—things had to move slowly.
Before long, a knock came at the door. It was Liang Shaomei, calling them down for dinner.
Xi Yuanhan straightened Bai Tang’s clothes and took his hand as they went downstairs.
As usual, Bai Tang sat in his customary seat—the first one to the left of the head of the table.
Zhang Ma had already set the dishes according to his usual habits, but unexpectedly, the always well-behaved Bai Tang threw a tantrum today.
He sat down, then tossed his chopsticks and spoon onto the floor.
“What’s wrong, young master? What do you want?” Zhang Ma asked.
Normally, Bai Tang almost never got angry—he was much easier to look after than most autistic children—so his sudden outburst came as a surprise.
He didn’t speak, only stared fixedly at Xi Yuanhan.
Zhang Ma immediately assumed Xi Yuanhan had done something to upset him, and her expression turned cold.
“Mr. Xi, what did you do in the room just now?” she demanded.
Xi Yuanhan, who had at least read a few books on the subject, knew the boy wasn’t angry about the kiss earlier. If he were, he would have shown it long ago.
He left his seat, bent down beside Bai Tang, and picked up the fallen chopsticks and spoon.
“What’s wrong? Are you not hungry, or do you not like this food?”
His voice was gentle and patient. Bai Tang shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks and landing on the back of Xi Yuanhan’s hand.
“Don’t cry,” Xi Yuanhan murmured, pulling out a tissue to wipe the boy’s tears. “If you don’t like this, we won’t eat it. I’ll ask Zhang Ma to make something else.”
Bai Tang only shook his head again, silent but gripping Xi Yuanhan’s hand even tighter.
Xi Yuanhan understood immediately and looked up. “Zhang Ma, could you bring a new pair of chopsticks and a spoon?”
Seeing that Bai Tang didn’t seem truly angry at Xi Yuanhan, Zhang Ma hesitated but decided not to leave them unattended. She needed to keep an eye on things.
“Xiao Mei,” she said, “go to the kitchen and fetch a new set of utensils.”
Liang Shaomei quickly returned from the kitchen with a new set of utensils and placed them in front of Bai Tang.
When she looked up at him, she realized he was even more beautiful up close than from afar.
She went back to her seat and sighed inwardly.
So even the wealthy don’t necessarily live happy lives.
Given the choice between being rich but mentally unwell, or poor but healthy, she’d rather be the latter.
Money could be earned—but health wasn’t something that could always be bought.
Hearing the heroine’s inner thoughts, Qiu’er and Xiao A both sighed in agreement. This heroine was a sensible one. So far, she hadn’t done anything out of line—perhaps she was worth keeping an eye on.
Xi Yuanhan pulled his chair closer and sat beside Bai Tang, picking up his chopsticks to serve him some food.
“Let’s eat first. After dinner, I’ll keep you company while you draw, all right?”
His voice—his lover’s voice—was what calmed Bai Tang most.
Bai Tang stopped fussing and began eating obediently.
Whatever Xi Yuanhan picked up for him, he ate. Besides meat, Xi Yuanhan soon noticed that Bai Tang had a particular fondness for nuts—especially the stir-fried cashews with corn on the table.
“Nuts can cause inflammation if you eat too many. Have some vegetables instead.” Xi Yuanhan subconsciously limited how much Bai Tang ate.
Just when Zhang Ma thought Bai Tang would throw another tantrum for not getting what he wanted, he surprised her by quietly eating his vegetables without complaint.
She looked at Xi Yuanhan in astonishment. This young man is something else.
Author’s Note :
I don’t know a lot about autism—just the basic characteristics. Please take it as a lighthearted depiction. Tang Tang will gradually get better later on.