Chapter 3

Lin Miao was really nervous. After all, the only thing she knew about working was what her cousin, who was five or six years older, had once told her back in the village.
Her cousin said that working was exhausting. You had to work overtime at night, the boss had a terrible temper, and he yelled at people all the time.
Lin Miao wasn’t afraid of hard work, or overtime, or even getting yelled at. What she was a little scared of...was being rejected. She’d bragged so confidently when she left, saying she’d bring back candy for everyone during the New Year. If they ended up disliking her and sent her home...what would she say then?
Staring at the tips of her shoes, Lin Miao silently made a promise to herself, she would work harder and be extra diligent.
Just then, the butler handed her over to a middle-aged woman. “Take her to get cleaned up.”
So Lin Miao obediently followed.
They headed up the stairs to the second floor.
Lin Miao’s eyes couldn’t take in everything at once, how could a place be this beautiful?
Upstairs, the floors were covered in white carpets…
Right then, a door to the side opened, and Lin Miao jumped in fright.
A man in a white coat stepped out, helping a tall boy, at least a head taller than her.
The boy had a pale face and features even more refined than the people she’d seen on the town’s TV. He was dressed in a white undershirt, exuding an elegant air, like he’d walked right out of a painting.
Lin Miao couldn’t look away. She was completely stunned.
The boy frowned slightly and looked her way. His eyes were a soft brown, and he spoke, “Is it her?”
His Mandarin was so clear and proper, even more so than their language teacher’s.
In that instant, Lin Miao snapped out of it. A wave of embarrassment hit her. She looked down and realized her pant legs were still rolled up, and there was mud on her shoes…
And to make things worse, her stomach growled. Loudly.
It was like that sound was the only thing in the room. It was even more mortifying than being yelled at and sent to stand outside the classroom.
Her face burned bright red.
The elegant “little prince” glanced at her and coldly said to the doctor behind him, “Send her back. I don’t need her.”
Lin Miao, despite the embarrassment, had her priorities straight. Face wasn’t as important as work. She quickly said, “I...I’m very capable. I can do all sorts of tasks…”
The boy coughed as he replied, “I don’t need an eight-year-old to do anything.”
His light brown hair was soft, his skin glowed pale, and his lips were red with perfect teeth. Even while coughing, he still looked every bit like a prince, aloof and untouchable.
Just then, a voice came from the stairway. “I think the little girl is just fine, healthy and lively.”
An older woman came up the stairs with surprise and joy in her voice. “Xiao Yu, you’re awake? I knew it! I told you she’d be helpful! You’re barely home, and you’ve already woken up!”
“Grandma, send her back. I don’t want her here,” the boy said, still coughing like he’d cough up a lung.
The old lady hurried to pat his back, then turned to the maid. “Take her to get washed up first.”
The maid led a stunned Lin Miao to a nearby room.
She was ushered into a bathroom. The maid asked, “Want me to wash you, or will you do it yourself?”
“I’ll do it myself,” Lin Miao answered shyly.
The maid pointed things out. “This is for your hair. This is body wash. Hot water’s here, cold’s there. I’ll go get you something to wear.”
Once the maid left, Lin Miao carefully washed herself, following every instruction.
Her stomach started growling again. She thought back to earlier and blushed. Her stomach really couldn’t behave.
She hurried over to the sink and drank some water, anything to shut it up. It was so embarrassing!
Just then, the maid knocked on the bathroom door. “You done?”
“Yes,” Lin Miao called back.
The maid handed her a set of clothes.
Lin Miao realized they were the same style as what the “little prince” had been wearing. She remembered the old lady saying she’d be wearing his old clothes.
Her face flushed, but she still put them on.
When she came out, the maid started blow-drying her hair.
Her hair was just long enough to cover her ears, short, shiny, and black.
She smelled so good. Lin Miao couldn’t help but take a whiff.
It smelled amazing!
She sniffed again. Still amazing!
Once her hair was dry, the maid said, “Just sit here and wait a bit. The young master is a little agitated right now. He shouldn’t see you yet.”
Lin Miao obediently sat down. When the maid left, she didn’t dare move around the room. She was afraid she’d break something. The maid had given her a pair of fluffy grey slippers.
Wearing such soft, pretty slippers, Lin Miao couldn’t help but think about the boy outside.
Then she took out her schoolbag and packed it up.
She didn’t even feel that hungry anymore.
After a while, she heard a knock at the door.
Lin Miao quickly went to open it.
But there was no one there. She looked left, then right, no one.
Looking down, she spotted two apples on the ground.
She blinked in confusion. Were they for her?
She was starving, so she picked them up.
The apples were big and red, much nicer than the ones in town. They had to be crisp and sweet.
She set them on the table and stared at them, swallowing her saliva.
But she didn’t eat them. Her mom had always told her, you don’t take things that aren’t yours.
There was a family in their village with a bunch of pear trees. When the fruit ripened, the trees were loaded with heavy pears. She’d once sneaked off with some kids to pick two. She brought one back to share with her little brother…
Her mom found out, gave them both a good spanking, then made her go apologize. After that, her mom planted a pear tree in their own yard. By the next year, it had fruit.
Since then, Lin Miao had learned, if it’s not yours, don’t even look at it.
But...she swallowed again. She was so hungry.
She missed home a little. Right about now, her mom would be making dinner.
After a long while, someone finally came to get her.
“Shui Shui, it’s time to eat.”
It was the same big sister who had taken her to shower.
“Madam asked me to bring you to dinner,” she said.
Lin Miao’s eyes felt warm. Then she remembered the apples. She went back inside and handed them over. “I found these two apples outside the door earlier.”
The maid looked puzzled. Why would apples just appear at her door?
Still, she took them. “Let’s go eat first.”
“Young Master is in a bad mood right now, so for the next couple of days, you’ll be eating with us.”
Lin Miao nodded. As long as she had food, she didn’t care about anything else.
But there was one thing she did care about. She asked in a soft voice, “Is he upset...because he doesn’t want me here?”
The maid was taken aback. Seeing the anxious look on her little face, her heart softened. “No.”
But then she remembered how that young master had made several rich young ladies cry before. Looking at this little girl now, she sighed to herself. She really couldn’t tell if this was a good thing or a bad thing.