Chapter 6
Ming Ruixi was dazed by her words. She looked around—this was not her lavish home that looked like a princess's palace.
Memories slowly flooded back, and Ming Ruixi finally realized: she was living under someone else's roof and had to serve Yu Xian, her former lackey.
Yu Xian watched as the young lady's eyes gradually cleared, her gaze glancing across the swelling curve of her chest. The polo shirt, which should have been loose, somehow fit like a skin-tight top on her. Combined with the striped knit design, it created the visual illusion of exceptional fullness.
"So sleepy..." Eldest Miss Ming stretched languidly and yawned. "How about we don't go today? It's already getting dark."
Ming Ruixi flopped back onto the bed, her silky black hair fanning out softly against the white cotton quilt.
Yu Xian stood motionless, raising her eyelids to look at her: "I'll give you five minutes to get ready. If I don't see you in five minutes, you can pack up and go back where you came from."
Hearing this, Ming Ruixi instantly opened her eyes and fluttered her eyelashes: "Yu Xian, I can just go to the wet market tomorrow morning. At worst, I'll just ask for directions."
Yu Xian left her with only the view of her back and the sound of a closing door.
Standing in the hallway outside, Yu Xian counted the minutes. She heard the young lady inside reluctantly get out of bed, grumbling and cursing under her breath: "One of these days, this lady is going to get payback! Yu Xian, you vicious woman, how could you treat me like this..."
"This bra is so tight, it's suffocating me to death!"
"Why are my Ferragamos so dirty? How am I supposed to step outside like this..."
As soon as the five minutes were up, just as Yu Xian was about to knock, the door swung open from the inside. Ming Ruixi held her small clutch, her hair tied up into a bun that gave her a playful, youthful charm.
"Let's go. This lady is ready to head out."
After taking a couple of steps, Ming Ruixi suddenly remembered something and asked Yu Xian, "Did you see my bell? The one tied to my ankle."
Ming Ruixi stood very close to her, perhaps due to the narrow hallway after closing the door. Yu Xian's hand resting by her side twitched slightly, her eyes harboring a concealed hesitation, as if weighing whether or not she should return the bell.
Giving it back meant that in the days to come, she would have to endure daily torment once again.
Yu Xian's breathing slowed. Ultimately lacking any inclination to keep someone else's property for herself, she turned and walked toward her own room: "It's in my room."
Eldest Miss Ming raised an eyebrow: "Is it?"
A moment later, Yu Xian held out the strand of bells before her: "Here."
Ming Ruixi instinctively extended her left foot and said, "Tie it on for me."
Yu Xian suddenly clenched her fist around the bells. The chiming spilled through her fingers, ringing ceaselessly.
During the university's opening convocation one year, the young lady's bell had fallen off on her way to assemble at the auditorium. At the time, many people claimed not to have seen it, and even the university president had personally issued a lost-and-found notice for her, yet no one returned it.
And so, the young lady decided to post a bounty, commanding her fellow students to help her search.
That reward became famous across the entire campus. The bounty of over ten thousand yuan left many students stunned, so much so that for the next two days, countless students could be seen with their heads down, scouring every corner of the campus pathways during their free time.
As chance would have it, Yu Xian had found the bell on her way back from art class. To her, that reward money was like a cup of water in the desert—enough to cover her living expenses for an entire academic year.
Back then, she was still able to attend the art classes. Because she had transferred in midway as an absolute beginner with zero foundation in art, keeping up with the curriculum had been grueling. Thanks to her sponsor, the art teacher was willing to give her extra lessons outside class to help her catch up with her peers. Because of that, nearly all her time went into practicing drawing, leaving her with no guarantee of where her next breakfast or lunch would come from.
Finding this young lady's bell had felt like heaven itself lending a hand; without overthinking, she took the bell to claim the reward.
At the time, the pampered heiress had been getting a spa treatment off-campus. Taking the bell from her hand, she glanced at it casually: "Oh, you found it. I thought it was gone for good. Alright then, tie it onto my ankle, then bring my phone over so I can transfer the money to you."
"I only agreed to find it for you. Tying it on isn't part of my service."
"Ugh, why are you so difficult? Fine, don't tie it on. I don't even want it anymore anyway—my dad already commissioned someone to craft a brand new set. You can forget about the ten-thousand-yuan reward too."
The young lady had added: "Originally, that bounty announcement was supposed to be taken down this morning, but I forgot. I don't like going back on my word, so I was willing to just give you the money. Who knew you wouldn't even tie it on for me? In that case, I have no choice but to—"
"I'll tie it."
Back then, all the staff members around had watched as she knelt down and personally tied the bell around the young lady's ankle.
Yu Xian's gaze shifted, turning icy as it settled on Ming Ruixi's face: "Say that again?"
Ming Ruixi sheepishly drew her foot back: "Sorry... force of habit from home."
Yu Xian placed the bell on the table and walked downstairs without looking back.
Ming Ruixi had no choice but to bend down and tie it on herself, hurrying down the stairs to catch up.
The evening sunset was just right—neither too hot nor too cold—bathing Yu Xian Inn in a glow reminiscent of a European town, imbuing it with a touch of fairy-tale charm.
After walking for more than ten minutes, they reached Xiangling Town. Crossing an arched stone bridge, they arrived at a commercial street.
"Is this the wet market?" Ming Ruixi looked at the storefront sign, her eyes filled with disbelief.
This was no wet market; it was clearly a nail salon.
She understood now—Yu Xian must have felt guilty about earlier and brought her here to get a brand new manicure.
Seeing the young lady's small face suddenly beam with excitement, as if something wonderful were about to happen, Yu Xian watched as she clutched her handbag with both hands and looked over with sparkling eyes: "Yu Xian, if you don't have that much money, you don't actually have to get the expensive thirteen-thousand-yuan set. A ten-thousand-yuan one is fine too; this lady won't complain."
"Ten thousand?" Yu Xian asked in return.
Ming Ruixi nodded: "Yes! All of this lady's manicures start at ten thousand yuan, so..."
Yu Xian didn't say much: "Let's go inside."
Ming Ruixi nodded delightedly: "Great! This lady knew you wouldn't treat me like that. This time, I want to try a color-blocking design..."
Yu Xian spoke directly to the technician: "Please help her remove the nail art on her hands."
At that moment, a strange sensation flickered through Ming Ruixi’s mind, but it was quickly eclipsed by excitement. Sitting upright on the stool, she held out her slender jade fingers to have the nail art removed.
After all, you have to take off the old set to put on the new one, right?
"What's the most expensive set you have in the shop? Bring them all out for me to see."
Ming Ruixi flipped through the sample book with one hand, full of enthusiasm: "Do you have any color-blocking options?"
Hearing her haughty tone, the staff exchanged glances, swallowing their amusement and introducing the designs with polite smiles.
"Yu Xian, come look at this! Isn't it pretty?"
For once, Yu Xian hummed in agreement.
Having received validation, Ming Ruixi asked, "How much is this one?"
The technician replied, "This design is six thousand eight hundred yuan."
Ming Ruixi's face instantly fell into a look of disdain: "Only sixty-eight hundred? Every set this lady gets is over ten thousand."
The technician was inwardly surprised, offering with a smile, "We do carry sets priced over ten thousand as well. Would you like to take a look, Miss?"
Ming Ruixi was about to tell her to bring them over, but remembering that Yu Xian had just agreed this one looked nice—and that Yu Xian was footing the bill—she shook her head: "Never mind, sixty-eight hundred is fine. Might as well save a bit."
The technician brightened up: "Miss, the removal is finished. We'll start on this color-blocking set for you right away."
"No need."
Suddenly, a flat, detached voice cut in from the side, catching both seated women off guard. The technician let out a startled gasp.
Eldest Miss Ming exploded on the spot: "Yu Xian, what is wrong with you?! Didn't we agree you'd get me a new manicure? How could you go back on your word! You have no integrity at all!"
Yu Xian maintained her calm, unbothered demeanor from beginning to end: "When did I ever say that?"
Ming Ruixi gasped: "Just now! Right outside at the entrance! You said with your own mouth you'd get me a ten-thousand-yuan manicure! I—I even took your wallet into consideration and didn't pick the ten-thousand-yuan one, settling for the sixty-eight hundred set instead! How—how could you do this—"
Noticing the surrounding patrons and staff glancing over as if watching a spectacle, Ming Ruixi's breath caught, and she began to stammer. Their stares pricked at her like needles. When had Ming Ruixi ever suffered such humiliation?!
"Eldest Miss, your memory might be failing you." Yu Xian took out her phone and paid the fee for the nail removal. "Think carefully. Did I ever actually promise to buy you a new set?"
Ming Ruixi thought back carefully—Yu Xian truly hadn't made any explicit promise. But now she was backed into a corner with everyone watching; how could she just leave without getting her nails done?!
Where would she put her pride...?
"Yu Xian... could you please..." Ming Ruixi was on the verge of tears. Clutching Yu Xian's hand, she pleaded in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz: "Could you just let this lady get this manicure first?"
With so many onlookers, people were already smirking and whispering about her putting on airs without the means to back it up.
Yu Xian pulled her hand away, then caught Ming Ruixi by the wrist and led her straight out of the salon.
Ming Ruixi tried to struggle, but couldn't break free. With every step outward, the indignation in her chest mounted.
In the span of just ten seconds, she had plummeted from deep embarrassment to complete despair.
Standing out on the street, Yu Xian watched as the young lady's eyes welled up betrayingly. Her delicate nostrils flared as large teardrops began cascading down one after another, leveling a silent accusation.
Yu Xian turned a blind eye to her tears: "Let's go get you a SIM card."
Yu Xian turned and walked into a mobile store, leaving Eldest Miss Ming standing alone on the street. Passersby noticed her crying and threw curious glances her way.
Ming Ruixi looked up at the darkening sky, feeling even more miserable. After a brief internal struggle, she finally stepped into the store after her.
Yu Xian was discussing service plans with the representative: "A 10GB monthly data plan will be enough. There's Wi-Fi at home."
With that, she glanced back at the heiress: "Take out your ID card. They need it to register the line."
Ming Ruixi didn't want to engage with her and turned her head away.
Yu Xian: "Then forget it. There's Wi-Fi at home anyway, so having a card or not makes no difference. I'll just try to give you cash when you go grocery shopping."
Two seconds later, Ming Ruixi set her handbag down in front of Yu Xian and closed her eyes, refusing to look at her.
Yu Xian knew she was angry, but did her being upset mean she had to pamper her?
Opening her bag, Yu Xian fished out the ID card and handed it to the clerk for registration. She then took the phone, installed the SIM card, and tested it to ensure it worked before putting it back into the young lady's bag.
After paying the bill, Yu Xian walked out of the store. The young lady trailed reluctantly behind as Yu Xian bought her underwear and a pair of shoes.
Naturally, all the shopping bags were carried by Eldest Miss Ming.
Finally, Yu Xian brought her to the wet market: "Coming in the morning gets you the freshest produce. By noon it starts wilting, and by evening you're just buying leftovers. So you need to come around six or seven in the morning to shop. Understand?"
Ming Ruixi let out a cold huff.
Yu Xian looked at her for a moment, completely unbothered by her attitude. After all, she had endured far worse from her in the past.
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