Xiao Rufeng stared at the grand mansion in front of her, speechless at its magnificence. This place was humongous, and her family estate looked dwarf compared to Yan Xiuchen's mansion.
She couldn't believe that she would be staying at this place. No wonder Yan Xiuchen easily agreed to her manager's condition, because even if they were living in the same estate, it was almost impossible for them to run to each other, given how huge the place was.
"Are you sure you will be okay on your own, Miss Xiao?" Zhang Ling asked as she unloaded Xiao Rufeng's luggage from the trunk of the car.
"I'll be fine. Thanks for driving me here, Ling." She smiled at her manager's assistant. After years of knowing Su Xiaofei and the Zhang sisters, they had become the most important people in her life. Friends she knew she could rely on and would always have her back.
"Well, I'm not really sure why you volunteered to help Mr. Yan, but I hope you'll be able to come back better after this. If you need some help and don't know how to do the tasks delegated to you, give me a call, okay? I don't want you to get stressed when you should be enjoying your short break." Zhang Ling commented. She knew that Xiao Rufeng was having trouble lately due to the trauma she suffered from the recent events.
Su Xiaofei was also hoping that with Xiao Rufeng's two-week off, she would be able to sort her thoughts and make up her mind on how they should deal with her younger sister. As for Yan Xiuchen's interest in Xiao Rufeng, Su Xiaofei thought that her talent was old enough to decide how to deal with an admirer.
"Thanks, Ling. I'll keep that in mind." Xiao Rufeng grinned, as she saw the vast lawn in front of the mansion. She then wondered how many people lived in this huge place.
They left the car in the driveway and Xiao Rufeng dragged her luggage with Zhang Ling walking next to her. Just by looking at the mansion was already making Xiao Rufeng feel insecure with her outfit. She was just wearing a pair of denim pants and white sleeveless blouse and a pair of comfy sneakers.
The massive front door opened, and they were greeted by a tall man, who had a posture so straight and expression so stiff, it reminded Xiao Rufeng of the headmaster of the school she used to attend. He had thick silvery hair and a slightly crooked high nose with a pair of spectacles resting over its bridge.
"Good morning." The man spoke and gave Xiao Rufeng a good look, clearly recognizing her. "Master Yan is expecting your arrival. I suppose you've already received his itinerary for the next two weeks?"
"Yes. I gave it a good look last night." Xiao Rufeng nodded, her hand tightening on the strap of her shoulder bag. She didn't understand why she was feeling nervous in front of the man. Even when she had paid Su Xiaofei a visit yesterday, she kept her distance from Lu Qingfeng and Song Yiran as their presence was making her nervous.
"I am the butler of this household, and you can call me, Elder Meng." His eyes then shifted to Zhang Ling, not expecting Xiao Rufeng to bring some company today. "And this is?"
"Good morning, Elder Meng. I'm Zhang Ling. I'm under the Lu family's employment."
The old man's brows shot up upon hearing her answer, but he didn't comment on it. After a long moment, he stepped aside and let both women in.
"Please come in and let me show you your room." He extended his arm, gesturing for both women to enter the mansion.
Two household helpers came and took Xiao Rufeng's luggage from her as the trio walked up the stairs. Xiao Rufeng admired the dual staircase that greeted her and the expensive looking crystal chandelier that was hanging in between the staircases. She briefly wondered why it was built that way.
As she looked around, she noticed how spacious the foyer was. It was as large as any banquet halls she had seen before.
'Perhaps, Mr. Yan hosts parties here once in a while.'
Her father used to host parties for his business associates at home anyway. Given how wealthy the Yan family was, she wouldn't be surprised if Yan Xiuchen hosted one. That was what she thought until his scarred face flashed through her mind.
'...or not.'
Yan Xiuchen didn't seem like the type of person who likes to socialize with other people, given how short his responses were and how he kept their conversations short. She also noticed that he was uncomfortable being looked at, not that she could blame him for it.
The mansion itself looked old, but everything inside spoke of money. A lot of it. Xiao Rufeng was amazed that the Yan family was able to keep them in their most pristine condition.
Zhang Ling insisted on making sure that Xiao Rufeng would settle well before she leaves, much to the latter's relief. Xiao Rufeng didn't want to be left alone with the butler and didn't know when her anxiety would get the better of her if Zhang Ling had left immediately.
They followed Elder Meng until they reached the third floor and walked along a lengthy hallway until they reached the end of it. He opened the door, revealing a gorgeous room that was almost comparable to the best suite five stars hotels could offer to their VIP guests.
"Master Yan gives you the permission and access to the whole third level. We tried our best to add things you might need during your stay here. You also have an intercom here that you can use if you need any help with anything."
"Oh my, you shouldn't have bothered." Xiao Rufeng looked in awe at her designated room. This would surely make her feel at ease while working for Yan Xiuchen.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺