3: Encounter
Lin Miao was very nervous since she had only heard about work from one of her cousins who was 5 or 6 years older than her in the village.
That older cousin said that her job was tiring, she had to work overtime at night, and her boss had a bad temper and frequently yelled at people.
She wasn't afraid of laborious jobs, overtime work, or being yelled at. But... Lin Miao was a bit scared of being disliked. She had bragged confidently when she left, saying that she will bring candy home during the New Year. If she was given the cold shoulder and sent back, how would she explain it...
Lin Miao looked down at the tip of her shoe. I must try even harder, and be more diligent, she thought.
The housekeeper gave her to a middle-aged woman. "Bring her to the bath."
Lin Miao just followed compliantly.
She followed up the stairs to the second floor.
There was too much for Lin Miao's eyes to take in. How could there be such a beautiful place!
After going up the stairs, she saw white carpets placed all over the floor.
Suddenly, the door of the room beside her opened, scaring Lin Miao.
A white-robed man walked out, supporting a teenager that was a head taller than him.
The teenager's face was plain white, with eyebrows prettier than those who were on the town's television. He wore a white shirt that was so elegant that it was as if he walked out of a painting.
Lin Miao stared at him, going dumb.
The teenager frowned and looked at her. His eyes were very pretty; a light brown colour. Then, he said, "Is she it?"
Standard pronunciation, even more accurate than her Chinese teacher's mandarin.
Suddenly, Lin Miao came back to her senses, her little-girl shame immediately flooded her. Lowering her head, she noticed that her pants were still rolled, her shoes still muddy...
And to add on, her stomach growled: guguguu...
It felt like that was the only sound left in the air. It felt more embarrassing than her being yelled at, then sent outside to stand by the teacher.
All of a sudden, Lin Miao's face was flushed red.
However, the elegant little prince peered at her, then said coldly to the doctor behind him, "Let them bring her back, I don't need it."
Lin Miao was actually quite sharp in critical moments. Despite looking all flustered, she quickly responded. As if keeping her face was more important than her job. "I- I am very useful, I can do many things..."
"I don't need an eight-year-old doing things." The little prince said, coughing.
His hair was a soft light brown, his skin white to the point that it was glowing, with red lips and white teeth. Even if he was coughing, he still had much air of royalty, it can be felt that he was high above.
While the maid still didn't know what to do, a sound came from the mouth of the stairs, "I think the little girl is pretty good? She's healthy."
And then, she saw the elderly woman walk up and say, surprised, "Little Yu, you're awake? I knew it, it works! She just arrived, and you're awake."
"Grandma, send her back, I don't need her." The little teenager said while coughing as if he was going to cough his lungs out.
The elderly woman rushed to pat his back, and said to the maid beside him, "Get her to wash herself first."
The maid then pulled the somewhat dumbfounded Lin Miao to an adjacent room.
Lin Miao was shoved into the shower room. "Should I help you or can you help yourself?" The maid asked.
Lin Miao was embarrassed. "I can wash myself."
The maid then explained, "This is for washing hair, and you can bathe here. This is the water, this way is for cold, this way is for hot. You wash first, I'll go grab you some clothes."
After the maid left, Lin Miao washed herself seriously as the maid had instructed her to.
Her stomach growled again. Lin Miao remembered what happened earlier, and her face flushed again. Her stomach was so disappointing.
Lin Miao quickly drank some water from the tap beside her. Stop growling, it's so embarrassing!
The maid knocked on the bathroom door, "Are you done?"
"I'm done." Lin Miao responded.
The maid passed the clothing inside.
Lin Miao noticed that it seemed like the same stuff as what the handsome little prince was wearing. She thought of the moment when the madame told her to wear his old clothing.
Lin Miao's face was red but she wore it anyway.
The maid started blow-drying her hair when she came out.
Her hair was just long enough to cover her ears. They were short, black, and reflective.
Her entire body smelled nice, she couldn't help but smell herself.
So sweet!
Lin Miao couldn't help but sniff again, it still smelled so good!
The maid finished blow-drying her hair. "Sit and wait here first. Young Master's emotional fluctuations are a bit big. He can't see you just yet."
Lin Miao sat obediently. When the maid left, she walked around the room awkwardly, worried that she might step on and break something. The maid had brought her a pair of fluffy gray slippers.
Wearing such pretty and soft slippers, she uncontrollably thought about the little older brother outside again.
And then took her backpack out and put it away.
She wasn't even that hungry anymore.
After a while, she heard knocking on the door.
Lin Miao hurriedly opened it.
She opened the door and found no one outside. She looked left, then right; there wasn't anyone.
Lin Miao looked down and saw that there were two apples on the ground.
Lin Miao blinked, a bit confused. Were these two apples for her?
Lin Miao was starving and picked the apples up.
The two apples were big and red, better than the apples in the town. It was definitely crispy and sweet.
Lin Miao placed the apples on the table in the room, swallowing her saliva.
However, she didn't eat the apple, because her mom said to not take what isn't hers.
In her village, there was one household who planted many pear trees. When the pears ripened, the entire tree would be filled with heavy fruits, looking very appetizing. So, Lin Miao and some of her buddies went and picked some pears. She brought one back and shared it with her little brother...
Her mom noticed, and spanked both of them, then took her to apologize. After that, her mom planted a pear tree in her own yard, which grew pears the very next year.
Afterwards, she developed a good habit: If it's not her's, she would not be jealous.
But, Lin Miao swallowed her saliva, she was really hungry.
She wanted to go home for a bit. Her mom would already be cooking dinner at this time.
After a long while, a person finally came to call her.
"Shuishui, it's time to eat."
Lin Miao quickly opened the door. It was the older sister who brought her to wash herself.
"Madame told me to bring you to eat." She said.
Lin Miao was warm in her eyes and thought about the apples. She went inside the room and gave the two apples to her, "I found these two apples at the door."
The maid was a bit confused, why would two apples randomly appear at her door?
She then took the apples, "I'll bring you to eat first."
"Young Master is in a bad mood. So, for the next few days, you will eat with us."
Lin Mian nodded. As long as she had meals, she didn't care about anything else.
But, she cared about another question. Lin Miao asked softly, "Is he crabby because he doesn't want me here?"
The maid was stunned by the question. Looking at Lin Miao's uneasy expression, her heart softened, and said, "No."
She thought of the Young Master bullying and making many rich young ladies cry, then looked at this little girl, and inwardly sighed. She didn't know if saying that was good or not.
.....