Julian Sterling stayed in the hospital for a few days before being allowed to go home. He lived very comfortably in the Sterling house, doing nothing but eating or sleeping all day, acting like a fragile flower.
He certainly looked the part. The original owner's appearance was exactly what Julian wanted - only about 1.7 meters tall, with a very small frame and skin so fair and smooth that it would flush red at the slightest touch.
Moreover, he possessed delicate features: eyebrows less sharp than in his previous life, a high and smooth nose bridge, and a tear mole beneath the corner of his eye, as if foretelling a tumultuous life. Perhaps his most captivating feature was his innocent, clear gaze, accompanied by plump, glossy red lips.
Since returning to the Sterling home, every time his older brother, Edward, prepared to scold someone, Julian would look up at Edward with eyes glistening with unshed tears, lips slightly pursed, looking incredibly pitiful.
Edward found himself unable to scold him, merely venting his anger on indirect targets.
Even he did not know why this younger brother of his had become so strange.
In truth, the Sterling family did not particularly like this newly retrieved son, but since he was their flesh and blood after all, they provided him with everything in abundance, just like they did for young master Aaron.
It was just a pity that Aaron performed so brilliantly, while Julian was like mud at the bottom of a lotus pond - useless and impossible to mold into anything of value. Recently, the Sterling family had entered a business cooperation with the Caldwell family. Grandpa Arthur saw that all three sons of the Sterling family were good-looking, and on the surface, Edward's decisiveness in the business world also garnered the old man's favor. Thus, the old man brought up the subject of a marriage alliance - because his eldest grandson, Ethan Caldwell, had declared at the age of eighteen that he liked men. Nearly ten years had passed, and the eldest Caldwell scion - now the Vice President of the Caldwell Empire - had never dated anyone, nor paid attention to anyone. This matter made Grandpa Arthur anxious on his grandson's behalf.
Because of this, the old man labored tirelessly, insisting that the two families must unite in marriage. Partly, this was also because he had a close friendship with the late Elder Sterling, who had passed away a few years prior. In the end, Richard Sterling could only agree to the commercial marriage with the Caldwell family, but the candidate to be married off was Julian. After all, Richard could not possibly marry Aaron. Firstly, Aaron was too outstanding; secondly, if Richard let Aaron enter an arranged marriage, he feared others would gossip about the Sterling family.
Julian, however, did not care much about this matter.
If he had to marry, then he would marry; rumor had it that the Vice President was also quite handsome. He had no objections. After thinking it over for a few days, Julian decided he would be a "salted fish" - doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and spending his husband's money.
For the past few days, he still went to school as usual. Although he understood all that economic knowledge, he utilized the original owner's talent - playing the "I don't know anything" card.
Life could be considered peaceful; perhaps because he was slightly less foolish than before, Edward did not scold him anymore.
Ah, there was a bit of raised voices at noon. Edward said there would be a party tonight and that his fiancé would also be attending.
Mm, in truth, they were getting married in about ten days.
Yet, he did not even know what his future husband looked like.
Oh well, whatever. He did not care much either.
…
In the evening, guests began to arrive in large numbers.
Julian changed into a white suit. The black hair that used to cover his eyes had been bid farewell early on; his hair was now shorter and neater, bleached a slightly lighter shade, and carefully styled into place.
"I must admit, ever since the young master changed his hairstyle, he looks much more handsome."
The butler stood beside him, covering his mouth to compliment him. Julian lifted his eyes to look at himself in the mirror - peach blossom eyes glistening, his fair face dusted with powder giving it a rosy hue.
Handsome? Probably.
"Thank you."
Julian replied sweetly, and he even beamed, his eyes squinting into curved crescents.
What Julian was best at was manipulating people, and the original owner's appearance was perfectly suited for him.
Seeing him like this, the butler felt even happier. Finally, the little young master was cheerful again.
"Knock, knock, knock."
A knocking sound came from outside. Before he could answer, the door was pushed open by a servant: "Young Master, Mr. Caldwell has arrived downstairs. The Master says you should go down quickly."
"Coming right away."
Hearing this, Julian raised an eyebrow. He stood up from the chair, leisurely walked out of the room, and stepped onto the stairs. Perhaps the bearing from his previous life still remained, making his gait incredibly elegant. Added to this were his light blonde hair and the exquisitely tailored white suit that hugged the youth's slender figure.
A few people in the hall below also turned to look at him. It was not until they saw the real son of the Sterling family who had been found that they could not help but be stunned.
Before this, they had only heard the Sterling family's disparaging remarks about this son, but they had almost never seen his face. Rumor had it that he did not even appear at the birthday party a few days ago. Yet, this appearance was enough to astonish people.
Julian stood on the high landing, his eyes sweeping a circle around the hall, before he leisurely descended the stairs.
When he stepped down to the nearly last step, a hand reached out in front of him, with defined knuckles and slender fingers.
Its owner was an incredibly handsome man; between his brows lay a sternness that was difficult to conceal.
Julian raised an eyebrow. If his intuition was not wrong, then this must be his fiancé - Ethan Caldwell.