Sister, can I become a maid too?

Chapter 3 should... be free of any more surprises, right?

Upon hearing this, Lin Jianxia froze on the spot.

A maid?!

Those two words felt like burning embers, instantly scorching her from her ear all the way to her cheek.

A series of images flashed uncontrollably through her mind—herself dressed in a black and white maid outfit, wearing a white apron, bowing her head to serve tea and water to Jiang Yubai, who was sitting on the sofa.

Even while being ordered around, they had to timidly call out "Master" in a soft voice.

"I...I..." Lin Jianxia stammered, clinging to the last shred of hope, "Then...what exactly does the maid...do?"

Jiang Yubai sneered: "What do you think?"

"You don't really believe... that such a coincidence exists in the world, do you? That you can't pay your rent, and the person coming down to collect it just happens to be your classmate?"

"Why don't you think about why, of all the people who have lived here for so long, it was me who came this time?"

Lin Jianxia's expression changed.

Jiang Yubai sprawled on the sofa, adopting the air of a spoiled young master, and lazily said:

"Of course, it's because—I arranged all of this."

Upon hearing this, the blush that had risen on Lin Jianxia's face due to shame and indignation quickly faded, the color gradually disappearing from her cheeks, and even her lips turned slightly pale.

She knew it!

Those rumors about him having multiple relationships and a chaotic private life were indeed not unfounded...

She glanced up quickly and saw Jiang Yubai staring at her with a half-smile, making no attempt to hide his true feelings.

Lin Jianxia felt a chill run down her spine from his gaze. She steeled herself and tried to squeeze out another sound:

"I...I..."

But the sound got stuck in his throat, leaving only a faint airflow.

What can she do? What can she do?

A sour feeling spread from her nasal cavity to her eyes, and a surge of grievance welled up in her heart, almost overwhelming her.

No.

No.

Just as Lin Jianxia gritted her teeth, preparing to go all out, she heard Jiang Yubai suddenly chuckle and casually wave his hand.

"Just kidding."

"......"

Lin Jianxia was stunned, somewhat unable to believe what she was hearing.

".....Huh?"

She had just mustered the courage to kick this shameless scoundrel out, and had even almost decided which underpass she would live under...

What the hell are you kidding me for?!

Seeing Lin Jianxia's completely stunned and slightly wide-eyed blank expression, Jiang Yubai felt satisfied, and the pent-up frustration of being regarded as a "pervert" was completely swept away.

He stood up and casually said:

"Shouldn't a week be enough? I'll let Landlady Li know, you can just pay the rent to her next Saturday."

After saying that, Jiang Yubai ignored the guy's reaction and walked towards the door in a good mood.

Her hand had just touched the doorknob when, as if remembering something, she suddenly turned around:

"Oh, and one more thing—"

Lin Jianxia's slightly relaxed shoulders tensed instantly, and she trembled slightly like a startled rabbit, her eyes filled with wariness as if asking, "What are you planning to do now?"

"As for..." Jiang Yubai said irritably, emphasizing his words, "Also, don't believe every rumor!"

After saying that, he waved his hand, turned around, and opened the door.

Lin Jianxia remained standing there, somewhat dazed, until she could faintly hear Jiang Yubai and the landlord talking outside the door.

Is that... all there is to it?

So the rent can be paid next Saturday, and my sister and I don't have to pack our things and sleep under the bridge today?

Is this Jiang Yubai just...by chance, coming to collect rent?

Just as Lin Jianxia was still somewhat stunned, a soft "creak" came from the doorway.

Looking up, I saw the landlady, Aunt Li, move in with her plump figure, walk straight up to me, and have a smug look on her face.

"See? That solves it, doesn't it?" she said matter-of-factly. "Don't say your Aunt Li didn't help you."

"Help...me...?" Lin Jianxia repeated hesitantly.

Seeing her bewildered look, Aunt Li felt a bit disappointed and exasperated.

"Why are you so dense? They've already said they're in the same class as you; it's obvious they're targeting you!"

"Let me tell you, with such a great relationship, why aren't you seizing it? What are you waiting for?"

She leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said in a tone of imparting experience, "I can't give you an extension on your rent, but others can!"

"It's only a postponement now. Spend more time with him. If you build a good relationship, he might just waive the fee for you, and you won't have to worry about it anymore!"

"Aunt Li!"

Lin Jianxia's face flushed red instantly, not from embarrassment, but from anger.

"I will pay the rent on time myself," she took a deep breath, suppressing her rising anger. "Please don't do this again next time, and don't lock us in the room alone."

Aunt Li was taken aback by her sudden and intense reaction, then said "Hey," waved her hand, and said:

"How could I really lock you two together! The door wasn't even locked properly; I even left it ajar."

"Besides, I'll be keeping watch in the stairwell outside. If he dares to do anything reckless, I'll be the first to rush in."

These words made Lin Jianxia, ​​whose chest was heaving with anger, choke for a moment.

She said she wanted to help them, but her words implied that she had to curry favor with Jiang Yubai; yet, while she wanted to get angry, this landlady actually had some intention of helping the sisters.

However, she simply couldn't accept this method.

On the other end, Aunt Li was still rambling on:

"I'm telling you, you two sisters have had it tough. This guy surnamed Jiang looks quite decent to me, and most importantly, his family is well-off. Plus, you're classmates. What a great opportunity!"

"Let me tell you, if you don't hurry up now, some guys will be snatched up by someone else when you get to college, and then you'll have nowhere to cry."

Lin Jianxia felt an increasing sense of powerlessness and could only manage a perfunctory reply:

"Okay, Aunt Li, I understand... You can continue with your work..."

Aunt Li shook her head with a hint of regret, turning to walk out while muttering to herself:

"Sigh, if you don't listen now, you'll realize later that Auntie is doing this for your own good... Also, remember to pay the rent on Saturday."

After seeing off landlord Li, Lin Jianxia felt completely exhausted and leaned back on the sofa with a long sigh.

The result was good... so why am I so tired...?

In the silence, light footsteps sounded behind me.

Lin Jianxia quickly raised her hand to rub her cheeks, perked up, and turned to the side with a bright smile:

"Wanwan, what's wrong?"

Lin Tingwan, who was standing to the side, observed quietly for a moment, then wrote a line in her notebook and held it up to Lin Jianxia.

"Is your sister unhappy?"

Lin Jianxia's smile faltered, and she quickly waved her hand, "No, no, Aunt Li agreed to let us postpone paying the rent, it's alright."

Lin Tingwan looked at her sister quietly for two seconds, then put her notebook away and began writing again.

This time, the pen tip touched the paper with much less force, making almost no sound.

"I'm the one who dragged my sister down."

Upon seeing those words, Lin Jianxia's heart nearly stopped, and she almost immediately stood up, placing her hands on her sister's shoulders:

"Wanwan, listen carefully—never!"

"It was my sister who chose to bring you into this world; it's the decision I'll never regret in my life."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart: "Never say things like that again, understand?"

Lin Tingwan nodded, indicating that she understood.

She lowered her eyelashes and thought for a moment, then carefully wrote a new line in her notebook before raising it again.

"Jiang Yubai is a good person."

Lin Jianxia's expression froze for a moment. Based on her years of experience with her younger sister, she instantly understood Lin Tingwan's logic.

The landlord disagreed with the extension—Jiang Yu's trip was in vain—the landlord agreed to the extension.

Jiang Yubai is a good person.

Although the result was correct, but... but...

The image of that guy's half-smiling look before he left flashed through my mind, along with his deliberately drawn-out "Just kidding"...

Lin Jianxia felt that stifling anger surge up in her chest again, and her tone unconsciously became tinged with annoyance:

"He's no good person!!"

Lin Tingwan tilted her head, unusually disagreeing with her older sister's words, and instead neatly wrote down a new question:

"Isn't Jiang Yubai a good person?"

"Yes! Wanwan, remember this—he's a bad person. Don't pay any attention to him in the future, and don't reply to him casually!" Lin Jianxia nodded heavily.

What? Even if Jiang Yubai isn't the spoiled brat she thought he was, he's definitely not a good person.

What kind of respectable person would seriously ask someone to be their maid?!

Lin Tingwan seemed a little confused, but in the end she obediently nodded.

Lin Jianxia breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her younger sister agree.

If Jiang Yubai, who is full of bad intentions, were to spend more time with Wanwan, her younger sister would be corrupted without even realizing it, and might not even know she was being bullied.

Fortunately, as long as I can manage to collect the rent this weekend, I should have no further dealings with this young master Jiang.

But for some reason, Lin Jianxia had a bad feeling.

should.....

Hopefully nothing else goes wrong.