Page 11

"Do you know your identity?"

Yu Qing asked with heartfelt sincerity.

Xiang Changge nodded. "I do."

Yu Qing tossed the tablet in front of Xiang Changge. "As long as you know, just do what you're supposed to do. You don't need to meddle in anything else."

Xiang Changge picked up the tablet. Under Yu Qing's sidelong gaze, she lifted her suit jacket and tucked the tablet into the waistband at the back of her suit skirt.

Under Yu Qing's stunned gaze, she slowly said, "What I'm supposed to do is help you recover your health, raise you until you're fair and plump, physically and mentally healthy, able to jump around, and full of positive energy."

Yu Qing: "..."

What was she talking about? What kind of person was this? What kind of butler had her parents found for her?

Ignoring Yu Qing, who had yet to recover from the shock, Xiang Changge raised a hand and pressed the call button beside the bed.

Very quickly, the doctor waiting outside came in, removed Yu Qing's IV needle, then respectfully spoke with Xiang Changge for a few moments about Yu Qing's condition. Only then did she greet Yu Qing before leaving with her medical case.

Once the doctor disappeared, Yu Qing's gaze returned to Xiang Changge.

That doctor had been found for her by her parents while they were still alive. She was an authority in the field of recuperative medicine. Yu Qing had never seen her treat anyone with such respect; even Yu Qing's parents had always been polite and courteous toward her.

Yet just now, Yu Qing had personally seen the doctor smile ingratiatingly at Xiang Changge.

How had she done that?

Yu Qing secretly wondered.

But before she had time to think, Xiang Changge touched the edge of the bowl of lily and lotus seed porridge on the bedside table with her fingertips. Once she felt that it was about the right temperature, she stood up and, without hesitation, reached into Yu Qing's blanket.

Under Yu Qing's silent, terrified stare, she lifted her up like a kitten and propped her against the headboard.

Then she picked up the tray and held it in front of Yu Qing, saying with extreme brevity, "Eat."

As early as that afternoon, when the system told her Yu Qing had gotten up, Xiang Changge had gone to knock on her door to call her down for food—only to happen upon her fainting. That was when Xiang Changge realized that the person before her was very light.

When she carried Yu Qing back to bed, Xiang Changge had looked down at the person in her arms several times before confirming that she really was carrying an adult woman.

It seemed her path to completing the mission would be a long one.

Yu Qing: "..."

The faintly sweet scent of lily and lotus seed porridge drifted into her nose. For some reason, Yu Qing felt a little hungry.

But that was only her stomach's problem. Her mouth and her mind did not want to eat.

Yu Qing turned her head away. "Take it away."

Xiang Changge took it away.

Feeling the space before her empty, Yu Qing turned back with satisfaction. The next moment, half a spoonful of lotus seed porridge appeared at her lips.

It was warm, just the right temperature.

Her dark eyes glared at the expressionless person before her. That person was looking at her too, and again said only one word: "Eat."

Yu Qing: "!"

She was already this old. She had forgotten when the last time was that someone had fed her.

"You—mmph mmph mmph..."

Yu Qing had just wanted to speak when the porcelain spoon seized the opening and slipped into her mouth. To avoid knocking her teeth painfully, Yu Qing could only open her mouth resentfully and eat it.

She did not know who had cooked the porridge. It was soft and smooth, delicious both in texture and flavor, but as Yu Qing ate, her eyes reddened.

This butler was so fierce.

Wasn't she the butler and companion her parents had carefully prepared for her? Why was she being so mean to her?

Were her parents really doing this for her own good, or were they trying to do something else...

Wasn't she the employer? Why was she being bullied like this?

Sure enough, no one in this world loved her. She was not even seventy or eighty yet, but she was already being bullied by a "caregiver." How was a life like this any different from prison?

Xiang Changge had no idea what the person before her was imagining, but as she watched Yu Qing chew slowly, the redness around her eyes growing deeper and deeper, she pressed her lips together.

"I'm not feeding you poison. Why are you crying?"

"You went all day without eating and got up only to faint from low blood sugar. Is that what you wanted?"

"Or compared with eating through your mouth, would you rather get a glucose injection directly?"

Yu Qing could not help clutching the blanket. After swallowing the food in her mouth, she retorted angrily, "Who's crying?!"

Xiang Changge said, "You're not crying. Your eyes are just red."

Yu Qing glared at her. "You made me mad!"

"Do you believe I'll fire you?"

Xiang Changge lowered her head, scooped up another spoonful of lotus seed porridge, and held it to Yu Qing's lips. "I do."

Yu Qing was satisfied. She instinctively opened her mouth and ate the spoonful of porridge.

After swallowing, she added, "I won't interfere with the household affairs, hiring people, firing people, or anything else you do. But stay out of my business."

She had the final say in this house now. She could do whatever she wanted, and she did not need anyone controlling her.

Yu Qing had no friends.

Since childhood, the only person her age she could truly talk to was Shangguan Min, the male lead from the book.

Now, someone around her own age had appeared at her side, and that person had been arranged for her long ago by her deceased parents. No matter what, Yu Qing would have a little more patience with Xiang Changge.

That was why, despite Xiang Changge's behavior being akin to insubordination, Yu Qing did not truly lose her temper with her.

Perhaps it was because she had been indulged and obeyed since childhood, to the point that she did not even know how to get angry.

Or perhaps she was simply an exceedingly lonely person, desperate for love.

Whether it was that embrace carrying the scent of fried chicken or those strong hands from earlier, both had unknowingly made her want to linger in them a little longer.

"As long as you follow the daily schedule and eat and rest normally, I won't interfere with you. You can do whatever you want."

Yu Qing had just been about to show Xiang Changge a little kindness when she heard that. Her brows immediately furrowed again. "Xiang Changge, I'm the employer. What gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

"Because my duty is to take care of you."

Duty... was it?

Yu Qing stared blankly at the person so close to her, spoon-feeding her porridge one mouthful after another.

The scent of fried chicken was gone from Xiang Changge now. Yu Qing did not know whether it was the fragrance of the lotus seed porridge in the bowl or whether some of it had clung to Xiang Changge, but all Yu Qing could smell was the sweet, clean scent of porridge.

She vaguely recalled what she would normally be doing at this hour.

She should have been painting, or playing the piano, perhaps watching a movie in the home theater.

But she definitely would not have been curled up in bed like this, being fed porridge spoonful by spoonful.

She would not eat in bed.

Right. It was because she would not eat in bed, not because no one had ever fed her.

Xiang Changge looked at the person before her, whose eyes were turning red again, with some confusion and fell into thought.

Why did she look like she was about to cry again?

"Can't eat anymore?"

Xiang Changge glanced at the porridge, of which only a little remained at the bottom of the bowl, and asked.

She had learned from the book that Yu Qing did not have much of an appetite. Sometimes, she would go an entire day without eating. Although the bowl of porridge Xiang Changge had served was not large, suddenly eating too much could make someone uncomfortable, so Xiang Changge did not insist that she finish it.

Yu Qing, immersed in her own emotions, only came back to herself after hearing the question. She had kept saying she did not want to eat, yet as long as Xiang Changge fed her, she ate. Now only two mouthfuls remained in the bowl.

"Ahem." Yu Qing drew back her wandering thoughts and cleared her throat, turning her face away. "Yes. I can't eat anymore."

Xiang Changge said nothing. Looking at the two mouthfuls left, she raised her hand and tipped back her head, finishing the porridge at the bottom of the bowl in two gulps.

Yu Qing caught the movement from the corner of her eye. "?"

No, that was what she had left behind.

Was her family so poor that they could not even let her drink her fill of one bowl of porridge? She could drink one bowl and dump an entire pot if she wanted, okay?

...Though that would not exactly be in keeping with the virtue of thrift, but those two mouthfuls—were those two mouthfuls really worth saving?

As she picked up the tray and empty bowl to leave, Xiang Changge reminded Yu Qing again, "I've added your contact information. Remember to accept it. I'll send you your daily schedule afterward."

As she spoke, Xiang Changge glanced at the watch she had just bought using the Yu Family card, then looked at Yu Qing, whose face had inexplicably turned red like the corners of her eyes.

After a pause, she said, "It's 3:40 in the afternoon. You can rest another forty minutes. I asked the brand to deliver clothing samples at 4:30. Miss, it's time for you to get some new clothes."

Only after the bedroom door closed did Yu Qing slide down and lie back beneath the blankets.

Over and over, all she could think about was the sight of that person tilting her head back and drinking the remaining porridge from the bowl.

No, why had she drunk Yu Qing's leftover porridge?

She had done it on purpose, hadn't she?

She definitely had. She must have been trying to force Yu Qing to eat more and stop leaving food behind. Otherwise, she would eat whatever Yu Qing left right in front of her, making her feel ashamed and embarrassed.

"Sure enough, everyone has their own little schemes."

Yu Qing closed her eyes and murmured softly. Just as she was about to sink into pessimism, she suddenly thought of something.

Wait, what had she just said?

At 4:30, she was supposed to get up and look at clothing samples. She needed to buy new clothes?

What did she need new clothes for?

She wore different pajamas and nightgowns around the house every day. Why would she need new clothes?

If she bought new clothes now, would Xiang Changge force her to go outside later? And after that, force her to attend banquets and inherit the family business or something?

At that thought, Yu Qing could no longer lie still.

Who knew what that inexplicable butler was thinking?

Yu Qing got out of bed barefoot and paced aimlessly around the room. By the time she found the contract and will Zhou Jiayi had delivered yesterday, she was already breathing heavily.