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"Beep—"

"Host successfully in position—"

"The plot-rewriting mission centered on 'saving Yu Qing, the female supporting character destined to die young, helping her regain confidence in life and live happily' has officially been issued. Host 8802, please carry out your work with the utmost seriousness and complete the mission as soon as possible."

"Main mission success: one unconditional wish as a reward. Main mission failure: host will be struck by a meteorite!"

"..."

At that moment, Xiang Changge, whose ears and mind were filled with voices, squeezed her eyes shut.

They were so noisy.

And when would they eat?

Author's Note:

Song: So hungry [sobbing][sobbing]

System: [oh oh oh][oh oh oh]

-

Who could give our little Xiang and little Yu two affectionate, fitting nicknames? [please][please]

My Professional Goal Is

Eating was out of the question. The other servants, including Uncle Huang the driver, had all gone to eat, while Xiang Changge was still standing in the study, holding the tablet and thick notebook handed over by the former steward as she listened to the other woman carefully explain her work experience over the years and the things Xiang Changge would need to pay attention to in the future.

Who knew how long it had been? Xiang Changge's head was buzzing by the time someone finally gave the study door a light knock.

After the former steward said, "Come in," an auntie wearing the Yu Family uniform walked in.

Her gaze first landed on Xiang Changge, and a flash of amazement passed through her eyes before she smiled. "Have the two stewards finished handing things over? Miss would like to meet Steward Xiang."

The former steward nodded kindly. "More or less."

Then she said to Xiang Changge, "Steward Xiang, if there's anything you don't understand later, you can ask Aunt Yang. She's also one of the old hands in this household. She's been taking care of Miss since she was little."

The woman was not only telling Xiang Changge whom she could seek help from in the Yu Family later. She was also subtly reminding her that the person before her was one of Miss's trusted people, and their relationship was no shallow one.

Xiang Changge did not notice the former steward's hint at all. She only knew that she finally did not have to sit through a lesson anymore.

So, after following Aunt Yang out of the study, Xiang Changge let out a long breath, loosened up her body, rolled her neck, and drew three circles in the air with her head.

Aunt Yang, who had been watching her the whole time: "..."

A little strange, but she was not sure. Better keep watching.

Thinking that Xiang Changge was a steward cultivated from childhood by Yu Qing's parents, Aunt Yang could not help but show her a little goodwill. "Because Miss usually gets up late, she has generally just finished lunch around this time and goes to do something for entertainment."

"She spends most of her time in the music room, occasionally in the art studio. If she gets tired sometimes, she goes straight back to her room."

"Today, she's in the music room. The music room is on the fourth floor, and the art studio is on the fifth. The art studio has the best view..."

As she spoke, Aunt Yang led Xiang Changge toward the elevator.

Listening to her, Xiang Changge took out her phone and checked the time.

It was a little past four in the afternoon.

In the novel, this young miss was used to staying awake at night and sleeping through the day. Even after getting up, she would only eat a little, do some activity dripping with depressive vibes, then go back to lying down. Sometimes, she would not eat anything for an entire day.

Xiang Changge did not really understand why the villa even needed nutritionists and chefs.

Perhaps the author had simply wanted to increase the employment rate.

Everything in the Yu Family was the best. The elevator was steady and fast; less than two seconds after they entered and pressed the button, it arrived on the fourth floor.

The music room door was open. The moment Xiang Changge stepped out of the elevator, she heard a low, deeply sorrowful melody. She did not know what piece it was, only that every note made her heart feel heavy.

Touching her chest, Xiang Changge let out a faint sigh and asked in her heart, "System, I think I'm feeling a little sad too... Does this count as a work injury?"

System: "..."

Couldn't hear her. Had 8802 said something?

As Aunt Yang led her around the corridor, the piano music grew clearer and clearer.

When they reached the music room door, a slender figure came into Xiang Changge's sight.

In the spacious music room, a black piano stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, like the protagonist beneath a spotlight.

At that moment, a woman in a white long dress and beige shawl sat at the piano bench with her back to the door. Her black hair cascaded down her back, and her slender fingertips danced across the keys, pressing notes that flowed together into a melody.

Beyond the spotless, gleaming floor-to-ceiling windows was a rainy day beneath thick dark clouds.

The wind carried the rain. Sometimes it drifted past like mist, and sometimes it was blown apart like distant leaves, scattered in every direction.

With that view outside the window and the sorrowful piano piece, Xiang Changge, who had been in quite a good mood, suddenly felt a little depressed herself.

Aunt Yang, however, was used to it.

They stood at the door for a while. Only after the person inside finished a short passage and paused did Aunt Yang knock on the door and say, "Miss, Steward Xiang is here."

The music room was very spacious. The piano carried its own reverberation, and so did people's voices.

Xiang Changge saw the person inside pause upon hearing Aunt Yang's words before slowly turning around.

The first thing Xiang Changge saw was the woman's profile, followed by her full face.

[Melancholy was her gift. Words like 'Lin Daiyu' and 'sickly beauty' seemed born to describe her.]

For some reason, those words suddenly rang through Xiang Changge's mind.

Her palm-sized face was so pale beneath the chandelier's light that it was nearly translucent, yet it did not diminish her beauty in the slightest. It only gave her a breathtaking kind of loveliness.

Like an injured dragonfly, fragile as it rested upon someone's fingertip.

The sight of her made people instinctively slow their breathing, afraid that one careless, heavier breath might disturb her.

Her brows and eyes were ink-black. Whether because she was unwell, in a bad mood, or both, an indelible sorrow had settled between her brows all year round.

Yet the faint, sickly flush at the corners of her eyes made people overlook the weariness of life on her body and feel only pity for her.

Her pale lips were like faded rose petals. When they moved lightly, a voice like a gurgling stream at the foot of a snow mountain, carrying unmelted slivers of ice, followed.

"Xiang, Changge?"

It was a little hoarse.

And like a butterfly dazed by the rain outside, it stumbled into Xiang Changge's arms.

"Yes."

Instinctively, Xiang Changge raised a hand and rubbed her itchy ear.

What a strange feeling.

The feeling of a paper character becoming real was still a little hard to get used to.

Aunt Yang tactfully left, thoughtfully closing the music room door behind her and leaving the newly appointed employer and steward facing each other alone.

Looking at the person at the door whose answer had been so brief, Yu Qing frowned slightly.

Could someone this lacking in tact really be the steward her parents had carefully cultivated for her?

After a brief silence, Yu Qing, who had a little more patience because of the other woman's identity, spoke again. "I'm Yu Qing."

Xiang Changge nodded. "Hello, I'm Xiang Changge."

"..."

The air suddenly fell quiet. Separated by some distance, one seated and one standing, they silently looked at each other.

Xiang Changge did not feel much, but the watching system was anxiously bouncing around.

"Wadashi8802-host-chan, what are you doing?! This is Yu Qing! She's Yu Qing, the mission target tied to your life! The data doesn't say you're a person of few words! Say something! She's your boss, your life!"

What kind of newly hired employee was this sparing with words in front of their employer? Who exactly was the boss here? Did she not want the job anymore?!

Boss—

Right, an 800,000 monthly salary!

The key words in the system's speech suddenly struck Xiang Changge. She abruptly realized that her wonderful future life was entirely pinned on the person before her.

At that thought, it was as if her blocked meridians had suddenly opened. Xiang Changge stepped forward a few paces and began reciting her information to Yu Qing as if reading from a script.

"Boss, let me introduce myself."

"I'm twenty-two this year. I graduated three days ago from the Bribatol Royal International Butler Management Academy. I'm 173 centimeters tall, weigh 55 kilograms, and my measurements are..."

"Wait."

Yu Qing, whose eyes had unconsciously slid down from Xiang Changge's face as she listened, hurriedly cut her off. She forcefully lifted her dark eyes back up and returned her gaze to that bright face.

Yu Qing's tone turned slightly solemn. "Tell me something useful."

Something useful?

Xiang Changge thought for a moment. "I can do everything other stewards can do, and I can do things other stewards can't."

What an empty statement.

Bored, Yu Qing leaned back, resting limply against the piano as though boneless. Her dark eyes returned to their vacant, unfocused state.

Though she was clearly looking in Xiang Changge's direction, Xiang Changge felt that Yu Qing had not truly taken her into her eyes.

The next moment, Yu Qing heard the slogan-spouting woman continue, "My professional goal is to take good care of you, raise you plump and healthy, and let you live to a hundred."

Those hollow, world-weary eyes seemed to be gathered up and held in a pair of hands, settling once more on Xiang Changge.

Her bloodless lips moved as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, no sound came out. Only a mocking curve appeared at the corner of her lips.

Live to a hundred.