A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

Led by Xing'er, Chen Wanxing led Han Feng up the thickly carpeted stairs and through the third-floor corridor. The further they went, the more distant the noise of the main hall became, replaced by a tranquil and refined atmosphere befitting a high-end private room.

Finally, Xing'er stopped in front of an exquisite wooden door, knocked twice gently, then respectfully pushed the door open and stepped aside, saying, "Miss, please."

Inside, the light flowed and a warm fragrance wafted through the air. The first thing that caught the eye was the bright, carved lattice window that almost filled the entire wall, through which flowed a river of lights and the deep night sky, creating a breathtaking view.

At the round table in the center of the room, a figure in pale yellow immediately stood up upon hearing the sound; it was Lin Wei.

Her face still held lingering excitement and anticipation. When she saw that Chen Wanxing had actually arrived, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes instantly lit up as if filled with starlight. She lifted her skirt and quickly stepped forward to greet her.

"Sister, you really came." Her voice was clear and melodious, full of joy, and the anxiety she had felt while waiting vanished.

She stepped forward and gave a proper curtsy. "Just now downstairs, thanks to your advice, sister, otherwise I would have been stuck in a rut and made a fool of myself."

Wei'er was truly grateful, but fearing her sister might find it presumptuous, she had taken the liberty of inviting her. "It's wonderful that my sister agreed to come."

Her attitude was sincere and warm, and her manners were impeccable. She was completely different from the little girl downstairs who had argued with someone and whose eyes were red with anger. Instead, she showed good upbringing and a pure heart.

Chen Wanxing stepped aside to avoid the half-bow, offered a hand in a gesture of support, and said gently, "Miss Lin, you're too kind. It was nothing, there's really no need to make such a fuss. I'm only disturbing your enjoyment."

"How could it be a bother? I'm more than happy to oblige," Lin Wei straightened up, her smile radiant, and affectionately took Chen Wanxing's arm, her movements as natural as if they were longtime sisters.

"Sister, please sit here. This is the best view. Xing'er, go and call a waiter to order today's dishes."

She pulled Chen Wanxing to sit down by the window where the view was best, and then busied herself directing the maids to pour tea and water, being extremely attentive.

Chen Wanxing was amused by her overly enthusiastic enthusiasm, but also sensed her pure and genuine kindness.

She sat down following Lin Wei's lead, her gaze involuntarily drawn to the scenery outside the window. From this height and angle, the sea of ​​lights along the main street stretched out in a winding line, echoing the sparse stars in the sky, a truly magnificent sight compared to looking up from downstairs.

"This scenery truly lives up to the name 'Embracing the Moon'," she murmured in admiration.

Seeing that she liked it, Lin Wei was even happier and sat down next to her, like a little sparrow eager to share her joy: "Right, right? This is my first time here too, I didn't expect it to be so beautiful."

"Zhou Wenbo didn't completely exaggerate after all..." She stopped mid-sentence, realizing she'd misspoke, pursed her lips, glanced somewhat embarrassedly at Chen Wanxing, and immediately changed the subject.

"Sister, please try this tea. The waiter said it's a special Da Hong Pao tea supplied to Lan Yue Pavilion. It has a rich aroma and a long-lasting aftertaste. And these snacks too..."

She busied herself introducing the pastries and pushing the exquisite snacks on the table toward Chen Wanxing.

Chen Wanxing smiled as she accepted the teacup, took a sip, and found the tea to be fragrant and refreshing—truly excellent tea.

Watching Lin Wei bustling around, trying to treat her with the best of everything, the sense of alienation she felt from being forced into social interaction gradually softened with this pure warmth.

"Miss Lin, there's no need for such elaborate arrangements. Keeping things simple is fine," she said gently, her tone softening slightly. "I just heard from Miss Xing'er that you even turned down your brother and companions to invite me?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Wei's face flushed slightly, and she said with a mix of embarrassment and self-righteousness, "My brother... he didn't even speak up for me just now. As for that guy, humph, he deserved it. Who told him to be so cheeky and bully me? I got a good omen, so I'm not going to invite them."

She paused, looked at Chen Wanxing, her eyes clear and bright, "Besides, I really want to thank you, sister. I just returned to Ruyang and don't have many friends here. When I saw you today, I felt that you were kind and like a friend of many years."

I wanted to talk to my sister, so I mustered the courage to have Xing'er go and invite her directly. I hope I haven't bothered her.

She hesitated slightly before saying the last sentence, and then looked up at Chen Wanxing's expression again.

Chen Wanxing's heart stirred slightly. Meeting Lin Wei's eyes, which made no attempt to hide her affection, she smiled and no longer refused the other's hospitality. She picked up a small lotus-shaped pastry, took a bite, and nodded in praise, "This pastry is indeed quite good."

Seeing that Chen Wanxing was willing to accept her hospitality, Lin Wei smiled and asked a few more questions about the riddles. Chen Wanxing just smiled modestly and did not take credit for it.

Hearing Chen Wanxing address her as "Miss Lin" repeatedly, Lin Wei, remembering that they hadn't formally exchanged names yet, quickly replied:

"Look at me, I was so happy that I forgot to tell my sister properly. My surname is Lin, and my given name is Wei, the Wei of rose."

My father is able to run a small business in Ruyang County thanks to the kindness of our neighbors. As for me... well, I don't stay home often; I only came back a few days ago.

She paused slightly at the last sentence, as if skipping over something, but quickly smiled again, "Where's your sister? Judging from her accent, she doesn't seem to be a local either?"

She asked directly, her eyes clear, purely out of curiosity.

Chen Wanxing put down his teacup, met Lin Wei's questioning gaze, and said in a calm voice, "My surname is Chen, and my name is Wanxing. I have only recently returned to Ruyang. I lived here when I was young, but I left my hometown for some reason. Now I am returning home."

Her introduction was equally brief, only giving a general overview.

Although Lin Wei was straightforward, she wasn't oblivious to subtle cues. She keenly sensed that Chen Wanxing didn't want to elaborate, so she wisely refrained from pressing for details, simply nodding with bright eyes.

"So it's Sister Chen, Wanxing. What a lovely name! Are you settled in Ruyang now? That's wonderful! I live in Ruyang now too. You can come visit me whenever you have free time."

"Yes, I plan to stay for a long time. I just got back, and things are gradually settling in."

"Do you need any help?" Lin Wei immediately asked enthusiastically, "My family knows some people in Ruyang." She spoke sincerely, clearly wanting to help, not just being polite.

"Thank you for your kindness, Miss Lin." Chen Wanxing politely declined, "I can manage for now. If I encounter any difficulties, I will trouble you then."

Since it was their first meeting, Lin Wei didn't insist. She just smiled and said, "Then please don't be so polite with me, sister. By the way, please don't keep calling me Miss Lin. It sounds too formal. Just call me Wei'er. That's what my family calls me."

Chen Wanxing readily agreed and nodded, "Okay, Wei'er."

This change in address seemed to subtly shorten the distance between them. Lin Wei was even happier and began to enthusiastically serve Chen Wanxing food, occasionally interspersing her with snippets of information about Chen Wanxing's past experiences.

Chen Wanxing listened quietly most of the time, occasionally responding with a few words, her ears filled with the girl's clear and melodious whispers.

Once Lin Wei started talking, she began to mention the temple fairs that might be held in the county after the Lantern Festival, and even mentioned several silk shops and rouge shops in the county that she had recently visited and found to be quite good.