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

The Minor Snow solar term arrived a few days ago, and the weather is getting colder and colder.

Every night before going to bed, Granny Li would prepare a hot water bottle for her to put in the quilt to warm her feet, but Chen Wanxing felt it was useless and she was still very cold.

She was even starting to consider whether she should just put the charcoal brazier on right away.

Chen Wanxing put on her coat and got up. As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw Amber sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard, facing the rising sun, carefully combing a few strands of silk thread.

"Good morning," Chen Wanxing yawned and greeted casually.

Amber looked up at the sound, her eyes sparkling, but she said something surprising: "I went to the jewelry store this morning and just got back."

Chen Wanxing was slightly taken aback, then chuckled. This girl had only made the decision last night, and this morning she couldn't wait to take care of it all by herself. Her initiative was truly impressive.

"Is everything taken care of?" She walked over and sat down opposite Amber.

"Um."

Amber nodded, took out a small item carefully wrapped in soft cloth from her sleeve, and gently pushed it in front of Chen Wanxing. "I've sold everything else that could be sold. This is all that's left, and it's for you."

Chen Wanxing suspiciously untied the soft cloth, and inside lay the exquisitely crafted bracelet with gold threads as fine as shrimp whiskers.

Under the sunlight, the golden threads swayed and shimmered, making it even more beautiful than it looked by candlelight last night.

She was stunned: "What do you mean?"

Amber pursed her lips, her eyes clear and sincere: "Sister Wanxing, I know you were genuinely thinking of me yesterday, feeling it would be a waste to sell these two items now. I can also tell you really like them."

She paused, her voice lower but exceptionally clear, "What I owe you is far more than ten taels of silver. You only asked for ten taels because you care about me, and I know that."

So please keep this bracelet; consider it a small token of my appreciation.

She looked up at Chen Wanxing and continued to explain, "That kingfisher feather phoenix tail hairpin was a gift from the young master, back when..."

The item is nice, but I don't think it's appropriate for me to give it to you. This shrimp-whisker bracelet was a gift from your wife; it's very clean and can be given as a gift.

I was thinking, since you like it, you can keep it to play with, or use it in case of emergency in the future.

Looking at the valuable bracelet in front of her, and then at Amber's serious expression that left no room for refusal, Chen Wanxing felt a mix of emotions.

Why are you doing this? I'm helping you, not for this reason.

Amber stubbornly pushed the bracelet towards her again, "I know you're not after this, but I want to give it to you."

Since I'm staying here, I need to pay rent. We've agreed that I'll pay you one tael of silver a month until I move out.

This is not just a repayment, but also Amber's way of carefully protecting her fragile self-esteem and the gratitude buried deep in her heart.

Actually, she and Amber grew up together. Amber was very kind to her when they were young, but they gradually drifted apart, and she even became hostile towards Amber.

But seeing her in such a predicament, Chen Wanxing still couldn't bring herself to just stand by and watch.

There was the childhood friendship, and also the fact that she was somewhat lonely in this strange world. Amber was, after all, her childhood playmate. Apart from these, all that remained was the sadness of feeling sorry for someone like her.

In fact, she could say that she had watched Amber grow up. Amber wasn't a bad person, and even when she disliked her the most, she only said a few words to her and never tried to trip her up.

Looking at her stubborn eyes, Chen Wanxing remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed and reached out to hold the shrimp-whisker bracelet along with the soft cloth in her palm.

She smiled helplessly: "Alright, I accept your kindness. But isn't one tael of silver a month for room rate too much? I'm not a heartless innkeeper."

Seeing that she was willing to accept it, Amber's face instantly lit up with a relieved smile, warmer than the autumn morning sun.

"It's not much, it's not much. I'm not just staying here, I also need to eat every day. Sister, you can't refuse to accept it, otherwise I'll feel embarrassed to eat."

……

Amber carefully put away the silver notes and loose silver she got from selling jewelry. Holding that huge sum of one hundred and fifty taels in her hand did not satisfy her; instead, it was like a fire that ignited her desire for more money.

In particular, the fact that the red gold and kingfisher feather phoenix tail hairpin could sell for one hundred taels of silver far exceeded her expectations, and made her realize for the first time so clearly the huge value gap between fine products and ordinary good goods.

This realization involuntarily reminded her of the jade pendant that Shunzi had given to her young master before he left.

A surge of energy welled up within her, a mixture of despair and intense desire. Amber turned to Chen Wanxing and said, "Sister Wanxing, I want to go to the old house and get back the jade pendant that the young master gave me."

Chen Wanxing was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, but immediately realized which jade pendant she was referring to.

She took that jade pendant to the old man's house. Yes, at that time, she was only thinking about getting Amber out of the Zhou family as soon as possible, and she forgot to take the jade pendant with her when she left. If Amber hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have remembered it until now.

Chen Wanxing thought for a moment, her tone clearly disapproving, "That jade pendant is the young master's personal possession. The key is that the people from the old mansion have already seen it. Even if you get it back and exchange it for money, it might cause trouble if the people from the Marquis's Mansion or the old mansion find out."

We finally managed to escape that den of gossip, and now you're practically begging to go back to it? Are you tired of having a peaceful life?

Amber, however, seemed to have already prepared her plan, her eyes shining brightly with a calm and collected demeanor.

"I know there are risks, but how much is that jade pendant worth? I'm afraid it's worth at least the same as that gold and kingfisher feather phoenix tail hairpin."

Even if I can't sell it now, I can keep it as a treasure. I don't believe that people will remember something so insignificant for a lifetime.

Since it's mine, why can't I take it back?

She leaned forward and lowered her voice, "Besides, Sister Wanxing, have you forgotten? In the eyes of the old master of the mansion, what am I? I am the young master's person."

A devoted woman, unable to live without her beloved, only wanted to keep one of his personal belongings to ease her longing. Isn't this reason deeply moving and poignant?

Chen Wanxing was taken aback by her words.

Heaven and earth, she said that because it was an emergency, okay?

Seeing her speechless, Amber pressed her advantage, her tone even carrying a hint of grievance and self-righteousness:

"As for why I'm only asking for it now? That's easy to explain. I was tormented to the point of near death by those heartless uncle and aunt, and it took me so long to recover before I could get out of bed. Now that I'm feeling a bit better, I can't wait to reclaim this only remaining memory. Isn't that perfectly reasonable?"

Their old house was poorly managed, causing me, a young master, immense injustice. I'm already being magnanimous by not seeking revenge against them.

Now they just want their things back; can they really stop them? Perhaps the master feels guilty and might even show them some leniency.

Looking at the logically sound Amber in front of her, Chen Wanxing could hardly recognize that this was the same woman who used to get jealous over trivial matters of love.

Given Amber's previous personality, it would have been impossible for her to go to someone's door to ask for something. She might have even spat at the idea, thinking that such a person was stingy and petty, and not presentable.

The room fell silent, with only the two of them breathing slightly rapidly.

Finally, Chen Wanxing took a deep breath, stared at Amber, and asked, word by word, "You're in a moment of emotional impulsiveness right now. Anyway, if you really want to go, there's no rush in the next couple of days."

"Five days, no, half a month. Go and calm down for half a month. If you still have this idea after half a month, and still want this jade pendant back, then I'll go with you and won't stop you."

As soon as Chen Wanxing said those words, she looked at the amber that had suddenly lit up her eyes and immediately regretted it.

Reason told her that staying away from everything related to the Marquis's mansion was the best course of action.

However, she also admitted that Amber's analysis made some sense, and besides, they didn't intend to get involved in anything else; they just wanted their jade pendant back, so it shouldn't be a big problem.

Perhaps we could give it a try?