Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Shen Xin indulged in every vice and could not live without women, so he assumed every man in the world was the same.
Han Qingzi had married into the family at Old Mr. Shen’s insistence, and everyone knew the eldest Shen son and his wife had a distant relationship.
Shen Xin thought: Men? No one understands them better than I do!
He came up with a brilliant idea: arrange women for Shen Dongjun.
If one did not work, he would replace her with another. Sooner or later, he would find one his son liked.
Once she started whispering in his son’s ear at night, it would not matter if the boy was unfilial. Shen Xin could rely on his daughter-in-law instead!
After hearing the male lead mention Shen Xin, what else was there for Zhu Yin not to understand?
He thought Shen Xin had sent her!
Now that she understood, she looked again at Shen Dongjun’s expression. Sure enough, she could make out traces of contempt and disdain on that foul face.
Before Zhu Yin arrived, quite a few women sent by Shen Xin had already come to the Shen residence as housekeepers, cooks, gardeners, nutritionists, family doctors, and more…
At that moment, Shen Dongjun only felt that he had badly underestimated Shen Xin. Somehow, that useless old fool had even managed to drive out Butler Zhang, whom his grandfather had appointed.
Then he heard a laugh.
It was clear and crisp, like pearls falling onto a jade plate, with a note of breezy amusement.
It obviously had not come from Han Qingzi.
Shen Dongjun’s cold gaze shot toward Zhu Yin like an arrow.
Zhu Yin smiled back at him. “Young Master Shen, allow me to introduce myself again. I am the new butler personally hired by your grandfather, Old Mr. Shen, to take over Butler Zhang’s duties.”
Shen Dongjun’s eyes darkened.
“I have nothing to do with your father. You can confirm it with Old Mr. Shen yourself.”
Shen Dongjun did not believe her.
Zhu Yin thought for a moment. “Even if you don’t believe my word, you should at least trust my taste.”
She looked at Shen Dongjun with utmost sincerity. “You’re not my type. Truly, Young Master, there’s no need to worry about your virtue.”
Shen Dongjun: “…”
His temple twitched.
The woman before him addressed him with the utmost formality each time. Her tone sounded respectful, yet every sentence out of her mouth was more outrageous than the last.
Shen Dongjun said coldly, “I don’t care who sent you. The Shen residence doesn’t need a new butler. Where is Butler Zhang?”
Zhu Yin sighed. “Young Master, Butler Zhang is old. He should have retired long ago. Wouldn’t it be nice to let him return to the old residence and spend his days drinking tea and fishing with Old Mr. Shen?”
The poor old man had suffered terribly here. When he saw her, it had been as though he had seen the light.
Shen Dongjun: “…”
He followed Zhu Yin’s gaze to the wreckage strewn across the room and fell silent.
But a tyrannical CEO was hardly going to be guilt-tripped. His face remained glacial. “I’ll say it again. The Shen residence doesn’t need–”
“I think Miss Zhu Yin is quite good.” A cool, quiet voice abruptly cut him off.
It was Han Qingzi, who had been sitting silently on the sofa.
Shen Dongjun looked at her in surprise.
Han Qingzi’s lips curved. Her large eyes were like limpid pools, yet far too still; even when she smiled, no ripple stirred in them.
Shen Dongjun frowned hard, as though he wanted to say something. Then his gaze fell on Han Qingzi’s slender figure, and he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.
He said coldly, “If you think she’s so good, then she can stay. But let me make one thing clear: if she causes any trouble in the future, you will bear the consequences yourself!”
With that, he strode away.
“Whoa. Did he swallow a firecracker?” Zhu Yin watched the tyrannical CEO’s retreating back and shook her head. “Anger is bad for the body. If he keeps getting this worked up, he’ll suffer for it one day.”
Han Qingzi had only spoken up to annoy Shen Dongjun. Now, hearing Zhu Yin, she felt another laugh coming on.
But Zhu Yin’s next remark was directed at her. “The same goes for you. Always being so gloomy and melancholy is even worse.”
Her mission in this world was to untangle the knot between the two protagonists and help them achieve a happy ending together.
Growing old side by side fell within the definition of “happily ever after.”
Zhu Yin thought in some distress: if the two of them accidentally died young, completing her mission would become rather troublesome.
Barbara seemed to sense her concern and reassured her, “There is no need to worry, Host. Protagonists have unusual constitutions. No matter how badly they abuse their health, they remain perfectly lively.”
Relieved but also deeply regretful, Zhu Yin said, “What a waste. With constitutions like that, they should be working for my former employer.”
Barbara was curious about its host’s previous job, but it was a good system with professional ethics, so it resisted the urge to ask.
After checking in with the two protagonists, Zhu Yin went to meet the villa’s other employees.
There were two chefs, one responsible for Chinese cuisine and the other for Western pastries.
There was also a cleaner, a gardener, and a chauffeur.
These were all the employees who currently worked at the Shen residence full-time.
In the original plot, none of them had much of a role or even an introduction, except Auntie Xu, who cooked the Chinese food.
Auntie Xu had come from the old Shen residence and had cared for the male lead since he was a child. The male lead was finicky, fussy about food, and refused to eat properly. Only Auntie Xu’s cooking could just barely satisfy his demanding palate.
Zhu Yin noticed that everyone looked at the new boss who had appeared out of nowhere with great friendliness, trust, and anticipation.
Why?
She blinked softly. Her deep eyes were dark and mysterious, so impenetrable that not even sunlight could reach their depths.
[Mr. Shen only smashed one cup today. I’m moved.]
[She actually got Mr. Shen and his wife to stop fighting. Amazing! I hope Butler Zhu Yin lasts a little longer.]
[The new butler is that pretty? Has the old master finally had enough and decided to replace his granddaughter-in-law?]
[If I didn’t need this miserable paycheck, who’d want to stay here and watch Mr. Shen lose his mind every day? Every time they fight, he starts smashing things, and our workload increases severalfold!]
Amid those harmonious thoughts, one voice stood out sharply:
[The new butler looks like that? Doesn’t that mean the task Mr. Shen gave me is hopeless?]
Zhu Yin looked over and met a pair of weathered eyes.
Old Deng, the gardener at the Shen residence, was a middle-aged man in his forties. He rarely entered the main house, and his voice had been restrained when he introduced himself earlier.
Who would have thought that the quiet, honest-looking Old Deng was actually working for Shen Xin?
Before Zhu Yin could think further, Old Deng muttered inwardly again:
[Good thing I’m smart. I only said I’d try if I got the chance. I never made any big promises.]
Some people were taciturn on the outside but chatterboxes within:
[This family already has both the old master and the eldest young master. I take care of this garden and make tens of thousands a month. I’d have to be an idiot to get dragged into your household schemes.]
Zhu Yin: “…”
.
Shen Xin soon learned that a female butler prettier than a celebrity had arrived at the Shen residence.
His head, stuffed with filth, could conceive of no other possibility, so he called Shen Dongjun.
The two had an argument.
Shen Dongjun did not smash anything this time. As long as he was not arguing with Han Qingzi, he seemed capable of controlling his temper.
Someone uninvolved in the matter, however, bore the brunt of his anger.
Early the next morning, on Zhu Yin’s first day of work, she was fired for stepping into the Shen residence with her left foot first.