Hiring a Nanny

Sunday morning, a bright, sunny day.

Dong Xuebin lazily swept the living room with a broom. If he did not clean up soon, the place would turn into a pigsty.

Ring ring ring. The landline rang. Dong Xuebin went over and picked it up. It was the guard at the gate. "Hello, Director Dong, there's a mother and daughter outside with the surname Yu asking for you. What should I..." If Yu Meixia and her daughter had marched right in openly, the guard would not have stopped them. But the two of them had been acting furtively at the entrance to the compound, stretching their necks to cautiously peer inside one moment, then pacing around indecisively the next. They looked highly suspicious.

Dong Xuebin wondered how they had found the place. "Tell them the apartment number and let them come up."

"Yes."

A moment later, the doorbell rang timidly.

Dong Xuebin switched the broom to his left hand, raised his wrist, and opened the door with a smile. "How did you two find this place?"

Yu Meixia was still wearing those grimy blue jeans and gray T-shirt, while Yu Qianqian wore an equally unclean middle-school uniform. At his question, Yu Meixia tightened her grip on her daughter's little hand and said weakly, "I asked around, and they told me this was the Public Security Bureau's housing complex. Director Dong, we... we came to thank you. This is... just a little fruit. Please don't look down on it." The plastic bag in her other hand held some apples and oranges.

"Thanks. Come in first." Dong Xuebin opened the door wider to let them inside. "How are you feeling?"

Yu Meixia put down the fruit and hurriedly said, "Thanks to you, we're all better."

Dong Xuebin gave a grunt. "If you get