Zhu Haomiao slightly nodded, associating the voice with memories from hazy fragments.

"Uncle Qin, come in."

Squeak~

The elegant wooden door was slowly pushed open, revealing a familiar yet unfamiliar old face to Zhu Haomiao.

Upon opening the door, Qin Changzhong saw the empty wine bottles scattered everywhere and frowned. He looked at the young man sitting cross-legged on the bed, a flash of astonishment crossing his eyes.

"Uncle Qin? What's wrong?"

Noticing the fleeting emotion, Zhu Haomiao asked curiously.

"It's nothing, just felt like you have become a different person, and for a moment, I didn't dare to recognize you."

Qin Changzhong lowered his eyebrows, mumbling softly.

Hearing this, Zhu Haomiao touched his cheek with some seriousness.

Could a mere change in temperament make such a noticeable difference?

It shouldn't be. I disguised myself well…

Or is it that those around are too familiar with Li Lin, causing any slight change to trigger their sharp reactions?

Just as the young man was considering whether to distance himself from these servants, Qin Changzhong suppressed the unease in his heart and asked with concern.

"Master, it's already noon, time to eat."

"No rush, have someone clean up first, I want to bathe and change my clothes."

Pointing at the empty wine bottles all over the floor, Zhu Haomiao sniffed the smell of wine and sourness on himself, frowning in disgust.

Qin Changzhong was momentarily stunned, not knowing why the usually sloppy young master suddenly cared so much about cleanliness. He usually bathed only once a month!

But soon, he came to his senses, nodding respectfully.

"Yes, young master."

Before long, the few remaining servants in the mansion filed in, quickly tidying up the room, and filled the tub next door with hot water.

After a comfortable hot bath, Zhu Haomiao scrubbed off a pound of grime, changing the water four times before finally getting clean.

Ridding himself of all the stickiness, the young man donned a clean dark outfit, refreshed as he arrived at the dining hall.

"Young master!"

From afar, a maid of about eighteen or nineteen bowed in greeting. The moment she saw Zhu Haomiao, her eyes widened in shock.

The original Li Lin, though handsome in features, carried an unmaskable sleaziness in demeanor, walking hunched over, with a skulking gaze that shifted furtively—much like a gutter rat.

In modern terms, he seemed very shady.

But at this moment, the young man walked with a straight back, looking steadily forward, strides steady and deliberate, with even the once shifty gaze turning deep and focused, and the troublesome aura between his brows vanished!

As the young man approached with the gait of a dragon and tiger, she could actually feel a sense of majesty and oppression coming from him.

In a trance, the maid seemed to see the figure of the previous Pingyang Earl in Zhu Haomiao!

What exactly happened?

How did that incorrigible wastrel seem to suddenly become a different person?!

As the maid stood in stunned silence, Zhu Haomiao calmly walked past her, causing her to shrink her neck in fear, quickly bowing her head, not daring to look directly.

On the other side, Zhu Haomiao sat with a grand gesture at the dining table, looking at the simple dishes, pursing his lips with a complex expression.

Holding back his distaste, the young man picked up his chopsticks to eat, but found it increasingly unbearable.

The fish wasn't rid of its fishiness, overcooked, a failure!

The beef wasn't pounded, too sinewy, a failure!

The pork was undercooked, partially raw, a failure!

The seasoning was a failure among failures, there was only dead salty and bland, no third taste!

Subjecting his picky palate to gulp down the meal, Zhu Haomiao painfully held his forehead.

When did Little Zhuzhu ever suffer such a hardship?

Clearly, the first priority is to find a qualified cook!

The original chef in the mansion, having not been paid in months, had long since left. Now, it was up to the maid to cook, no wonder the taste was so touching.

Glancing at the maid standing awkwardly by his side, Zhu Haomiao helplessly sighed.

For someone who hasn't learned, just cooking the food through already counts as a success.

Can't ask for more…

"Young master, the mansion is almost out of provisions, should we… sell the Pingyang Marquis Mansion?"

At this moment, Qin Changzhong leaned over to Zhu Haomiao's ear, earnestly advising.

"The expenses of maintaining the manor are too high, and now we have no income… with people eating and horses chewing…"

Listening to his unsaid words, Zhu Haomiao pondered for a few seconds, then decisively shook his head.

"The pay is about to be distributed soon, don't worry, things will get better."

Every time you get paid, you squander it immediately, and besides, your salary isn't even enough to support an entire mansion!

Qin Changzhong silently mocked, but didn't force his advice, sighing and retreating to the side.

After the meal, Zhu Haomiao left the mansion straight away, intending to explore new areas, but hadn't walked far from the front gate before being surrounded by a group of people.

"Pingyang Earl, when will you repay the 5,000 taels of silver you borrowed from my master?!"

"And the 3,000 taels from my master…"

"My master's 1,500 taels…"

...

Looking at these clamoring creditors, Zhu Haomiao, with a headache, frowned and patiently reassured.

"Don't worry, I will repay it."

After speaking, the young man started to move, intending to leave, but was tightly blocked by the crowd.

"You say this every time, and just keep dragging it on indefinitely. Today you must give us a definite answer!"

"That's right! You must give a definite answer!"

Faced with the agitated creditors, Zhu Haomiao paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Before the end of the year, I will repay all debts."

Upon hearing this solemn pledge, most looked at him skeptically but with interest, except for one fellow with a face full of flesh who sneered.

"Trying to delay until the end of the year? No way! Don't you still have the Pingyang Marquis Mansion? Sell it and you'll have money to repay."

As he spoke, the fleshy-faced man stared at Zhu Haomiao, sinisterly eyeing up and down, coldly threatening.

"Sell it earlier and you might keep some money, otherwise, with compound interest, not even selling the Pingyang Marquis Mansion will clear your debts!"

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance, when the time comes, if the honorable Pingyang Earl falls into selling himself to repay debts, that wouldn't be dignified!"

However, facing his vicious threat, the usually cowardly Pingyang Earl remained expressionless, even casually sizing him up with a hint of a smile.

"Okay, I understand, now get lost."

"What?"

Thud!

Before he could react, the young man kicked him in the chest and abdomen, the massive force lifting his over two-hundred-pound frame off his feet, flinging him three meters through the air.

Watching as the stout man with a face full of flesh hit the ground and bounced once, skidding several more meters with sparks flying, finally stopping as he hit the corner of a wall, curled up and wailing in pain.

The remaining creditors, like startled birds, quickly backed away several steps in fear.