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Even if it had only been her, that would have been one thing, but the other two who were learning alongside her were also staring at Yu Qing. They stared until Yu Qing felt like an ingredient in a hot pot.

Once she was cooked, they would immediately fish her out and eat her.

"There's really no need..." Yu Qing thought she'd already put on her coldest expression and refused in the most resolute tone she could manage.

But Ge Bufan, hearing her, clasped her hands together and gave her a pitiful, pleading look. "You really don't need it? Really, really?"

Yu Qing: "..."

Xiang Changge, where are you?!

If you don't come back soon, I'm docking your entire month's pay!

"What are you doing?"

Just as Yu Qing was at a loss, a puzzled voice rang out.

They all turned sharply toward the flower room's entrance.

Xiang Changge was walking in from outside, her brows slightly furrowed as she looked at them.

Never had Yu Qing found Xiang Changge's voice so pleasant, so much like a heavenly melody.

The setting sun streamed through the glass walls and fell on Xiang Changge. In Yu Qing's eyes, she appeared like a flame that could drive away the darkness, glowing as she came to the rescue.

Xiang Changge had seen the three of them surrounding Yu Qing from outside. She knew they wouldn't do anything to her, but she was still worried Yu Qing might do something to herself, so she quickened her pace.

When she came in, she saw the joy in Yu Qing's eyes as if she'd finally been rescued. The others, meanwhile, met her gaze without the slightest unease.

Chu Keke spoke first. "Well, making incense is tiring, and Bufan said she knows massage. She was just about to give Miss Yu a rubdown to help her relax."

Yao Ningran nodded along. Ge Bufan seemed to have found a new target. She shifted her eager gaze to Xiang Changge. "How about you give it a try, Steward Xiang? I can teach Keke and Ningran at the same time."

Yu Qing: "."

Great. Ge Bufan was equally enthusiastic with everyone.

Xiang Changge was somewhat tempted, but compared with something more important, massages could wait.

"Next time. Don't worry, Miss Yu's aunt will give her a massage. Weren't we going to make braised dishes? If we don't start soon, we won't get to eat them today."

"Oh, right! Braised dishes!"

Braised dishes took time. The longer the ingredients simmered, the more flavor they absorbed. A shorter cooking time would still make them edible, but they definitely wouldn't taste as good.

-

Yu Qing didn't go to the kitchen after all. Seeing how exhausted she was, Xiang Changge took her back to her room and told her to take a hot bath to relax before coming down for dinner.

After Yu Qing finished bathing, Aunt Gong, who had come to relieve Aunt Yang, hurried to dry her hair.

Once it was half-dry, she carefully rubbed in hair oil and spent quite a while tending to it before finally drying it completely.

Yu Qing never bothered to take care of her hair herself. She'd refused before, but the two aunts couldn't bear to see her with messy hair—or have her cut it short just to save herself the trouble.

They could busy themselves with their work while Yu Qing did her own thing. It didn't get in her way much.

After much insistence, they had finally managed to get the job.

That was why Yu Qing's black hair was as smooth and beautiful as silk.

Aunt Gong was always one to speak her mind, and sometimes she could be quite a chatterbox.

After finishing Yu Qing's hair, she massaged her as she brought up the thing she'd wanted to discuss that morning but hadn't gotten the chance to mention.

"Miss, have you checked that Steward Xiang is really an excellent housekeeper who graduated overseas?"

Yu Qing glanced up from the tablet she was holding in one hand. But Aunt Gong stood behind her, so she couldn't see her expression.

"What's wrong?"

Yu Qing answered with a question of her own.

Aunt Gong lowered her voice a little. "I'm just worried she might be an impostor or something." After all, with the Yu Family's circumstances, it was only natural that people with bad intentions would take notice.

"Scammers have all kinds of tricks these days."

How could a proper housekeeper bring her employer ice cream when she knew her health was poor? It was clearly unprofessional—and she might even have had an ulterior motive.

She'd also heard that Steward Xiang stayed in Miss's room until late these past two nights. She had no idea what the two of them were doing in there.

And another thing: that housekeeper was far too bold, as if she weren't afraid of dying.

Aunt Gong rattled off all her concerns and what she'd seen that morning to Yu Qing.

Only when the tablet in Yu Qing's hand went dark from inactivity did she blink as if coming back to herself.

"She came to read to me these past two nights... and make sure I went to bed at ten," Yu Qing replied softly.

Aunt Gong froze. "I-is that so?"

She knew Yu Qing had an irregular schedule, but Yu Qing rarely needed them to take care of her. Apart from bringing her water, there wasn't much else they could do.

Of course they'd tried to persuade her, but who would dare urge her the way Xiang Changge did, without worrying about making her angry? No matter what, they didn't want to lose their jobs.

They hadn't expected the new housekeeper to do something like that.

Yu Qing reopened her tablet and said nothing more.

-

Eating together with lots of people really was lively and full of energy, but after spending too long in that kind of environment, Yu Qing felt she needed some air.

She didn't go downstairs for dinner that evening. They brought it up to her room.

Along with a few mild dishes, there was a plate of braised food consisting of several pieces of braised ribs and beef.

The braised food was coated in a rich, dark sauce and gave off a tempting aroma.

Yu Qing tried some. It really did taste good. The beef was tender and not at all tough, while the ribs were firm and came right off the bone with a gentle bite. The more she chewed, the better they tasted.

After trying a couple of pieces, Yu Qing found herself wondering what the others were doing now. She'd chosen not to join them, but still...

The food was so good that they were probably either eating with their heads down or heaping praise on it.

Ever since she was little, she'd known there was something wrong with her.

When she was young, it was her body. As she grew up, it was her mind.

She longed for lively company and for someone to be there with her, yet she hated crowds and preferred to be alone. She didn't want to spend time building bonds with other people.

She was a person full of contradictions.

She didn't even know what she truly wanted.

Just like now: she'd turned away other people's attempts to get close, yet alone in her own world, she felt a deep loneliness and desolation.

It felt as if the whole world were very, very far away, and she had only herself.

Everything around her was so quiet that only the sound of her heartbeat kept her company.

Yu Qing couldn't eat anymore. She set down her chopsticks and stood by the window.

Somehow, dark clouds had gathered in the sky again, like the gloom hanging over her heart at that moment.

The evening sun had completely faded. The daylight was gone, and it was as if every source of light had abandoned her, leaving her alone to fall into the endless night.

Yu Qing slowly reached out, as if trying to catch the night—or touch the darkness.

"The sky is so dark."

Her lips, pale as faded flower petals, murmured faintly, so softly that only the night and the evening breeze could hear.

"Beep beep beep—Host, please note: the female supporting character's depression index has reached seventy-two percent. Please take precautions!"

Xiang Changge, who had been happily chewing braised intestines and sipping iced orange juice, paused. Then a vein in her forehead twitched with barely restrained frustration.

Since Yu Qing wasn't coming down to eat, there was no point in the three of them staying together.

It was getting late, too. When Xiang Changge asked if they wanted their dinner packed to go or would rather eat there, all three chose takeout.

After reminding Uncle Huang, the driver, to make sure he dropped each of them off at home, Xiang Changge packed up two portions of food and took them back to her own little villa.

Alone, with a table full of food and a wilderness documentary playing on the huge TV in front of her, Xiang Changge couldn't imagine a happier moment.

Then, just as she was halfway through her meal, the system spoke.

Xiang Changge: "..."

Hadn't Yu Qing been fine just a moment ago? She'd been so exhausted this afternoon. How had she found the energy to get depressed again?

"Don't dawdle, Host. The female supporting character still hasn't eaten enough for dinner. Go feed her while you're at it."

"..."

Xiang Changge took a deep breath, picked up a piece of braised tofu, and got to her feet with a resigned look as she kept eating.

When she stepped outside, she saw the dark clouds gathering overhead. Unable to hold back, Xiang Changge grumbled, "Don't tell me the Thunder God and Mother Lightning are planning to make it rain again tomorrow!"

System: "Oops, I almost forgot to remind you, Host! Tomorrow is the plot where the male lead comes back from his business trip to see the female lead and happens to catch her neighbor, the older brother, picking her up from work. Did you want me to remind you, Host?"