Chapter 10

Ignoring Yu Qing’s inability to process everything, Xiang Changge finished speaking and pressed the call button at the bedside.
Soon, the doctor waiting outside came in, removed the IV needle, and chatted respectfully with Xiang Changge for a moment about Yu Qing’s condition before giving the patient a polite greeting and leaving with his medical case.
Once his figure had disappeared, Yu Qing’s gaze drifted back to Xiang Changge.
That doctor had been the one her parents had found for her back when they were still alive—a big name in the field of convalescent medicine. She had never seen him treat anyone with such deference. Even her parents had always been courteous to him.
And yet just now, she had watched him smile obsequiously at Xiang Changge.
How had she managed that?
Yu Qing wondered silently.
She had no chance to dwell on it. Xiang Changge touched the edge of the bowl of lily‑seed porridge on the bedside table with a fingertip. Judging the temperature to be about right, she stood, reached straight into Yu Qing’s blanket without so much as a by‑your‑leave, and—
Under Yu Qing’s silent, horrified stare, lifted her as easily as a kitten, propping her up against the headboard.
Then she picked up the tray, held it in front of Yu Qing, and said, as sparing of words as ever, “Eat.”
Back that afternoon, when the system had told her Yu Qing had woken up and she’d gone to knock on the door—only to arrive just in time to see the girl faint—Xiang Changge had already realized how light she was.
When she carried her back to bed, she had looked down several times to make sure she really was holding an adult woman in her arms.
Clearly, the road to completing this mission was going to be a long one.
Yu Qing: “…”
The faintly sweet scent of lily‑seed porridge drifted up to her nose, and for some reason her stomach felt a little empty.
But that was just her stomach. Her mouth, her mind, had no interest in eating.
She turned her head away. “Take it away.”
Xiang Changge did.
Feeling the space in front of her clear, Yu Qing turned back, satisfied—only for half a spoonful of porridge to appear at her lips the next second.
Warm, just the right temperature.
Her dark eyes snapped to the blank‑faced woman in front of her. The other woman was looking right back—and said a single word. “Eat.”
Yu Qing: “!”
It had been so long that she couldn’t even remember the last time someone had fed her.
“Take that awa—mmph…”
She had just opened her mouth to protest when the porcelain spoon slipped in at just the right angle. Not wanting to chip her teeth, Yu Qing had no choice but to open up and swallow.
She had no idea who had cooked the porridge, but it was soft and smooth; the taste and texture were both excellent. Even so, as she ate, Yu Qing’s eyes began to sting.
This butler was vicious.
Hadn’t she been specially prepared by her parents—a carefully chosen butler and companion? Why was she so fierce with her?
Were her parents really thinking of her, or had they had something else in mind…?
Wasn’t she supposed to be the employer here? So why was she the one being bullied?
Clearly there was no love for her in this world. She wasn’t even that old yet and she was already being pushed around by a “care worker.” How was this any different from being in prison?
Xiang Changge had no idea what kind of drama was playing out in her head. Watching her chew slowly, her eyes growing redder and redder, she pressed her lips together.
“It’s not poison. What are you crying for?”
“Is fainting from low blood sugar after starving yourself all day more to your taste?”
“Or do you prefer an IV drip straight into your veins over eating with your mouth?”
Yu Qing clenched the quilt in her fists, swallowed, and snapped, “I’m not crying!”
“You’re not,” Xiang Changge agreed. “Your eyes are just red.”
Yu Qing glared at her. “You made me angry!”
“Believe it or not, I’ll fire you!”
Scooping up another spoonful of porridge and holding it to Yu Qing’s lips, Xiang Changge answered, “I believe you.”
Satisfied by the response, Yu Qing reflexively opened her mouth and swallowed that spoonful as well.
After she’d finished, she added, “You can do whatever you like with the staff—hiring, firing, all of it—but don’t meddle with me.”
This was her house now. She did what she wanted, and no one needed to manage her.
Yu Qing had no friends.
From childhood, the only peer she had really spoken to was the male lead, Shangguan—the one from the book.
Now, a woman her own age had appeared at her side, someone her late parents had arranged for her long ago. No matter what, she would always have a little more patience with Xiang Changge.
That was why, even now, when Xiang Changge was behaving in a way that might be called “insubordinate,” she still hadn’t truly lost her temper.
Maybe it was because she had been indulged from childhood and had never learned how to be angry.
Or maybe it was because she was a person starved of love, lonely down to her bones.
Whether it was that fried‑chicken‑scented embrace or those strong arms from earlier, they had unconsciously made her want to linger a little longer.
“As long as you follow the schedule and keep regular hours and meals, I won’t interfere. You can do whatever you like.”
Yu Qing had just been preparing to soften a little when she heard this and immediately frowned again. “Xiang Changge, I’m the employer. Who gave you the right to tell me what to do?”
“My job is to take care of you.”
My job…
Yu Qing stared dazedly at the woman sitting so close to her, feeding her spoonful by spoonful.
There was no fried‑chicken scent about her now. Whether it was the porridge in the bowl or something that had clung to her clothes, all Yu Qing could smell was the delicate sweetness of lily seeds and rice.
She found herself vaguely recalling what she would normally be doing at this hour.
She might be painting. Or playing the piano. Or watching a movie in the media room.
But she would definitely not be curled up in bed like this, being spoon‑fed porridge.
She never ate in bed.
Yes. It was because she never ate in bed. That was the only reason—not because no one had ever fed her.
Watching her eyes redden again, Xiang Changge frowned slightly.
Why did she look like she was about to cry again?
“Can’t eat any more?”
She glanced at the bowl—only a thin layer of porridge remained—and asked.
From the book, she already knew Yu Qing’s appetite was small. Going a whole day without eating was normal for her. Even though the bowl wasn’t large, suddenly taking in more food than usual could be uncomfortable. Xiang Changge had no intention of forcing her to finish.
Pulled from her thoughts by the question, Yu Qing realized that, despite insisting she wouldn’t eat, she had taken every bite Xiang Changge had offered her. Only two spoonfuls remained in the bowl.
“Ahem.” She cleared her throat and turned her head away. “Yes. I’m full.”
“Got it.”
Without another word, Xiang Changge lifted the bowl, tipped it to her lips, and downed the remaining porridge in two swallows.
Out of the corner of her eye, Yu Qing caught the move and froze. “?”
That had been what she’d left.
Was her household really so poor that they couldn’t let her have a whole bowl of porridge? She could finish an entire pot if she wanted!
Yes, yes, thrift and frugality were virtues—but did those last two spoonfuls really need saving?
As she picked up the tray and empty bowl and headed for the door, Xiang Changge added, “I’ve already added your contact. Remember to approve it. I’ll send your daily schedule over on time.”
She checked the time on her brand‑new watch—just purchased with the Yu family card—then looked at Yu Qing, whose cheeks now had the same inexplicable flush as the corners of her eyes.
After a brief pause, she said, “It’s three forty p.m. now. You can rest for another forty minutes. I’ve arranged for the brand reps to bring clothing samples at four‑thirty. Miss, it’s time you updated your wardrobe.”
Once the door closed, Yu Qing slid back down until she was lying under the covers again.
In her mind, that image played over and over—the one of the woman tipping her head back to drain the last of the porridge.
Why had she drunk her leftovers?
She had to be doing it on purpose.
Of course. She must have intended to shame her into finishing her food next time—otherwise, she’d just eat whatever Yu Qing left in front of her, forcing her to feel guilty and embarrassed.
“As expected, everyone has their little schemes.”
Yu Qing closed her eyes and murmured the words. She had just started to sink back into her usual gloom when a thought struck her.
Wait. What had she said just now?
Four‑thirty. Up to look at clothing samples. Time to buy new clothes?
Why on earth would she need new clothes?
She spent her days at home rotating between pajamas and nightgowns. What use were new outfits?
Unless—unless they intended to force her out of the house, then out to parties, and then, eventually, into the role of heir to the family business.
At that thought, she couldn’t stay in bed any longer.
Who knew what was going on in that inexplicable butler’s head?
She got up, barefoot, and paced in circles around the room. By the time she found the contract and will Zhou Jiayi had delivered yesterday, she was already a little out of breath.
Sitting back on the bed, Yu Qing began going through the documents carefully.
Elsewhere, Xiang Changge—who felt she had done a good day’s work—headed back to the kitchen.
After her sweeping firings that morning, things were much quieter in both house and kitchen.
With no one left to irritate her, and after learning to order takeout online at noon—a crispy roast chicken and a honey‑glazed roast chicken, both washed down with iced cola—she was in an excellent mood.
Handing the tray and empty bowl to one of the kitchen aunties, she took the dinner menu the last remaining head chef had prepared and made a few cuts and additions before leaving.
From the main‑house kitchen, she walked around to the staff cafeteria in back. She took a look inside, snagged two bananas to eat, helped the cook test whether the braised lamb shanks were tender enough, and only then returned, satisfied, to the main house.
Back when Yu Qing hadn’t cared about anything and the old butler had coasted along, the entire Yu household had been lax. Now, with all the butler knowledge buzzing in her head, Xiang Changge instinctively wanted to whip everything into shape.
Step one: get everyone in the house some new clothes.