Xiao Hongchen's Maid Grand Review

"Nana, the choice is yours. Do you want to join the Hongchen Family like those Holy Servants, or return to your normal life and continue your studies at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy? Of course, I won't stop you if you wish to leave the Sun Moon Empire; after all, it may have brought you nothing but misfortune."

Nana lowered her head.

"Master granted my parents release, so the previous agreement with Nana naturally remains valid. I will honor that promise and serve Master for the rest of my life."

"Heh, heh, heh. I was wondering why you were being so proactive about this, Brother. So, you were just lusting after her body? Is my Sister Guyi not good enough for you anymore?"

"Meng, why are you painting me in such a bad light? This is entirely Nana's own decision; I have never once made such a demand of her."

"That's just 'not taking the initiative but not refusing'—the classic traits of a scumbag!"

Beside them, Ye Guyi's gaze toward Xiao Hongchen grew increasingly icy. She had remained calm earlier because Nana shared a similar background to her own, but now that Nana was truly becoming a romantic rival, she found it difficult to accept.

"No, what are you two thinking? I am the pure and untainted Xiao Hongchen, a naive boy who hasn't even held a girl's hand—well, Meng, you don't count."

Meng Hongchen and Ye Guyi: "Pfft..."

"Nana, have you made up your mind?"

"Yes, but I would still like to continue my studies at the academy."

"That goes without saying. Even if you become a maid for our Hongchen Family, you can still attend classes as usual. You'll just need to change into a special uniform when you get home."

Nana stood in the living room, a flicker of unease crossing her face at the mention of a "special uniform."

"It's just a standard maid outfit, a very proper one."

Nana let out a sigh of relief and nodded gently.

Meng Hongchen curled her lip, clearly disappointed. "Tch, I thought you were going to pull something interesting."

"Right," Xiao Hongchen suddenly remembered something and turned to Nana. "What is your current Soul Power Level?"

"Thirty-five," Nana answered truthfully.

"Hmm," Xiao Hongchen nodded thoughtfully. "The family will provide you with all the resources you need. Let's aim for you to break through to Soul Ancestor before the next Soul Master Tournament. Your martial soul has great potential, but your Soul Power Level is too low; you'll be at a disadvantage."

Nana was stunned for a moment, then bowed solemnly.

"Thank you, Master."

"Alright, go change your clothes."

He waved his hand, signaling the Head Maid to take Nana to the dressing room.

"If there's anything you don't understand, just ask her. You have a one-week training period; you'll start your duties next week."

"Yes, Master."

Nana said as she left the hall.

"Guyi, why don't you try on a maid outfit too? I have a feeling it would look great on you."

Xiao Hongchen winked at Ye Guyi.

"Eh, me? I think I'll pass."

Ye Guyi waved her hands, looking somewhat shy.

Meng Hongchen leaned in, her eyes sparkling.

"Just try it on, Sister Guyi! I want to see it too."

"How about this? You three all change into them, and I'll rate you. How does that sound?"

Xiao Hongchen blurted it out the moment the thought occurred to him, though he regretted it immediately. Regardless of the situation, rating girls was not something one should say to their faces.

To his surprise, neither of them looked displeased. Even Ye Guyi, who had been hesitant, now seemed eager to try, and she actually agreed to Xiao Hongchen's request.

"Then it's agreed. You can't let your personal feelings get in the way, Brother. You must provide an objective evaluation."

"...Fine. I guarantee it will be objective and fair. Ten-point scale, I'll keep the scales perfectly balanced."

"Then we're going to change!" Meng Hongchen grabbed Ye Guyi and ran upstairs. "Sister Guyi, we have to dress up properly! We can't lose to Nana!"

Xiao Hongchen sat on the sofa, watching them disappear at the top of the stairs, and suddenly realized he had dug a hole and buried himself in it.

He rubbed his brow and let out a long sigh.

If you asked him, weren't all ratings in this world subjective? Where could one even find a purely objective one?

The wait was agonizing.

About a quarter of an hour later, footsteps echoed from the stairs.

Good heavens, it was just changing clothes, not putting on makeup—did it really take that long?

Xiao Hongchen desperately wanted to ask.

The three of them walked down the stairs in a row.

Leading the way was Meng Hongchen, wearing a classic black-and-white maid outfit paired with a cat-ear headband. Her long, silver-white hair was styled into twin tails, looking both playful and cute. The hem of her skirt was shorter than the standard version, leaving a perfect "absolute territory" gap above her black thigh-high socks.

Behind her was Nana, dressed in a simple, black-dominant maid outfit without any extra frills, wearing only a black-and-white hair accessory. Her pale pink hair was left completely loose, and her deep blue eyes held a hint of nervousness.

With her eyelashes and lips tinted a faint black, and paired with black pantyhose, she exuded the charm of a gothic maid.

Finally, there was Ye Guyi, who walked with her toes lightly touching the floor as she lifted her skirt. Her maid outfit had the longest hem of the three, revealing only a pair of slender calves wrapped in pure white silk, which instead gave her an air of sacred, ascetic beauty.

Although she forced herself to maintain a calm expression, a faint rosy flush bloomed on her fair cheeks, making her look like a cold, haughty young lady forced into a cosplay.

The three of them stood in a row. Xiao Hongchen's gaze swept from left to right, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

This scene... was a bit surreal.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat, struggling to keep his expression professional. "Are you all standing properly? Then you may begin demonstrating the daily tasks of a maid."

"Nana, you go first!"

Meng Hongchen said slyly. Nana had the most "maid-like" aura of the three, so letting her go first would allow the others to try and imitate her.

Nana was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting to be called out so suddenly.

She stepped forward to stand before Xiao Hongchen and bowed slightly, performing a standard maid's curtsy.

"Master, is there anything you require?"

Her voice was soft, her tone respectful, and her eyes were docile and focused.

Xiao Hongchen raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself that this girl was a natural-born maid.

"Pour me a cup of tea," he said casually.

"Yes, Master."

Nana turned and walked toward the tea table, picked up the teapot, and poured the tea. The entire process was fluid and seamless, without a single wasted movement.

She carried the teacup back, presented it to Xiao Hongchen with both hands, and lowered her head slightly.

"Master, your tea."

Xiao Hongchen took the cup, took a sip, and nodded.

"Mm, not bad. It's a very fragrant tea, just like its scent."

He had no ability to appreciate tea, so he was naturally just spouting nonsense.

Nana breathed a sigh of relief, stepped aside, and stood still, waiting quietly for the next instruction.

"My turn, my turn!"

Meng Hongchen jumped out, unable to contain her excitement.

She mimicked Nana's movements as she walked toward Xiao Hongchen, but her gait was noticeably lighter, with a bit of a skip in her step.

She winked playfully and then performed an exaggerated maid's curtsy.

"Big Brother, do you have any orders?"

Her voice was sugary sweet, and paired with those exaggerated cat ears and twin tails, she looked exactly like an energetic maid who had jumped straight out of an anime.

"Mm, polish my shoes."

"Hm?" Meng Hongchen's eyes drifted for a second.

"Say that again?"

"Just kidding, just kidding. I meant help me massage my legs; they're a bit sore after a tough battle today."

Seeing the way his sister's azure eyes narrowed slightly, Xiao Hongchen quickly changed his tune.

Meng Hongchen let out a "hmph" before dropping that expression.

She sat on the chair next to Xiao Hongchen, reached out, and began to massage his calves.

The pressure was unexpectedly precise, and she hit all the right acupoints.

Xiao Hongchen leaned back against the chair. It felt so comfortable that he almost groaned, and he couldn't help but comment, "If you ever can't make a living with Soul Tools anymore, you could support yourself just by opening a massage parlor."

"Shut up." Meng Hongchen smiled, quietly applying a bit more force to a certain acupoint.

Xiao Hongchen's entire body jolted, and he didn't make another sound.

After the massage ended.

"Alright, you pass."

Satisfied after being massaged by his sister, Xiao Hongchen spoke with contentment.

Meng Hongchen flicked her twin tails back, brushing them across Xiao Hongchen's face, and stepped aside.

Finally, everyone's gaze fell upon Ye Guyi.

Ye Guyi stood in place, silent for a few seconds, before walking toward Xiao Hongchen.

Her steps were light and quiet, but carried a hint of shyness.

"Master, do you have any orders?"

"Cast a spell on this cup of tea to make it taste better. I know it's difficult, but that is an order."

"?"

"You know, the 'whoosh-whoosh,' 'pew-pew' kind of thing."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"Um... sorry. Just peel an apple for me..."

Ye Guyi glanced at him without asking further, picking up an apple and a paring knife. Her fingers were steady, the blade advancing slowly along the peel until it formed a single, unbroken spiral.

"Please, enjoy."

"Could you... feed it to me piece by piece?"

He spoke with a casual, indifferent tone, intending to watch her reaction when she refused and perhaps tease her a little in the process.

Ye Guyi's hand paused for a moment.

Then, she sliced the apple into uniform pieces, arranged them on a plate, and lowered her head with a flushed face. She picked up a fork, speared a slice, and held it out to him.

"Open up."

Her voice was a degree softer than usual.

Xiao Hongchen froze for a second.

Wait, she's actually doing it?

His heart skipped a beat; this was too unfair.

The roles had completely reversed.

Xiao Hongchen's ears slowly began to burn, but he opened his mouth and swallowed the piece of apple.

"Wow—"

Meng Hongchen's eyes went wide, and she covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Xiao Hongchen couldn't take it anymore; after eating one piece, he stopped Ye Guyi.

"It's very sweet. You pass as well."

Meng Hongchen let out a string of ambiguous jeers from the side.

Ye Guyi bowed slightly and stepped back.

"Then let's start the scoring. Be objective, okay?"

Meng Hongchen said, eager to jump in.

Xiao Hongchen rubbed his temples, suddenly feeling a bit of a headache.

He pondered for a moment, then sat up straight:

"Alright, I'll begin the scoring."

The three girls looked at him simultaneously, their eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.

Xiao Hongchen cleared his throat:

"First is Nana."

Nana gripped her hands together, feeling slightly nervous.

"For appearance, nine points. For maid conduct, nine point five. Your movements are standard, your etiquette is spot-on; heaven truly gifted you to be a maid."

"Total score: eighteen point five."

Objectively speaking, Nana was naturally not as beautiful as the other two; at best, she would have been an eight. But a gloomy-style maid hit Xiao Hongchen's preferences directly, so he bumped her up by a point. That was why he couldn't be objective.

Nana hadn't expected such a high score.

"I will continue to work hard, Master."

"Next is Meng." Xiao Hongchen looked at his sister.

Meng Hongchen immediately puffed out her chest, looking confident: "My appearance has to be at least a nine, right?"

Xiao Hongchen teased her on purpose: "We don't have a nine here."

His sister's expression collapsed instantly.

Xiao Hongchen quickly pressed his palms together in a gesture of apology, speaking a bit faster:

"But an eight point eight or eight point nine, that's definitely there. Don't be angry; even I don't have a nine, but your foundation is excellent—perhaps this outfit just doesn't suit you."

"Really? Is it this cat-ear headband that doesn't suit me?"

Meng Hongchen didn't doubt him and began to genuinely inspect herself for potential point deductions.

"Yes, yes, this headband doesn't suit you, and these twin tails don't either. Oh, but your profile is definitely there, it is, it is—that's a nine."

"That's more like it."

Meng Hongchen hummed in satisfaction.

"Apologies, I need to use the restroom."

Xiao Hongchen left the living room under the suspicious gazes of the three girls.

"Oh ho ho ho..."

Once inside the restroom, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He had undergone professional training; no matter how funny something was, he wouldn't laugh to their faces—unless he couldn't help it.

After adjusting his expression and mindset, Xiao Hongchen leaned back onto the sofa.

"Let's continue. For maid conduct, Meng gets seven points."

"Eh? So low?" Meng Hongchen widened her eyes.

"Who told you to pinch me earlier? The appeal is denied."

Meng Hongchen opened her mouth, the words swirling around inside before she finally choked out, "Abusing your power for personal vendettas."

"This is an objective evaluation."

"Total score: sixteen points," Xiao Hongchen announced.

Meng Hongchen wilted completely, slumping over the armrest of the chair nearby with a look of utter despair.

However, Xiao Hongchen knew she was just putting on an act.

"Finally, it's Guyi's turn."

Xiao Hongchen was silent for two seconds before he spoke:

"For appearance, nine point five points."

The three of them were stunned for a moment.

"Outstanding temperament and perfect poise. You would have been a nine, but the blush and shyness on your face count as a charm point, so I added zero point five."

Ye Guyi lowered her head slightly, seemingly trying to hide her blush, but the action only made her look even more adorable.

"Regarding maid conduct," Xiao Hongchen continued, "nine points. Better than Meng."

"Total score: eighteen point five points."

The living room was silent for a few seconds.

"Unfair! This is rigged! Big brother, you favor women over your own sister!"

"Don't be ridiculous. Didn't I state the reasons for these scores? It's one hundred percent objective and impartial. If you don't believe me, ask the two of them."

Nana was somewhat surprised that her score was so high, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Thank you for your recognition, Master."

Ye Guyi stood to the side, her face returning to its usual coldness.

"It's barely impartial. Meng, if you hadn't been messing around, your score definitely wouldn't have been lower than ours."

Xiao Hongchen leaned back on the sofa, watching as both of them agreed with his assessment, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

"Three to one, the motion passes. This Young Master is the Impartial Great Judge, so Meng, you should go and study up."

"Brother, I don't accept that," Meng Hongchen said, hands on her hips. "I just wasn't taking it seriously."

"Alright, alright, the scoring is over. You all go change back."

Xiao Hongchen stood up and stretched.

"Nana, you don't have to wait another week. Start your official duties tomorrow. You only need to serve me. Rest assured, I am very self-disciplined, so it won't take much time; you'll still have plenty of time to cultivate. As for you two..."

He looked at Meng Hongchen and Ye Guyi.

"Forget about being maids. You have more important things to do, like cultivating and preparing for the upcoming Spirit Master Tournament."

"Got it," Meng Hongchen replied reluctantly.

Ye Guyi nodded as well.

The three turned and headed upstairs. Xiao Hongchen sat back down on the sofa and let out a long breath.

The image of the three of them in maid outfits appeared in his mind, lingering for a long time.

"Tsk..."

He shook his head, casting those thoughts out of his mind.

Xiao Hongchen also stood up and returned to his room.

Not for anything else, he just wanted to look at his own face to calm down.

He stared for a moment and nodded with satisfaction. As expected, this face was the most pleasing to the eye; with such a contrast, his mindset instantly leveled out.