Chapter 42
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Chapter 42 The Lady's Affectionate Visit (Part 1)
"Brothers, fellow attendants, we have been beaten by this lad. So, please, concentrate and help me get even with him!" The two attendants who had just been beaten saw that everyone was talking at once. Some wanted to confront the Wang family, while others insisted on investigating who was sabotaging the harmonious and stable situation. They seemed to have forgotten the main culprit and hurriedly reminded them.
"Oh, right, right. You, a lowly attendant, reported for duty on the first day and not only did you not enter through the side door, but you also barged in through the main entrance and assaulted a mid-level attendant. How audacious!" Chief Steward Wang said with an air of false authority.
"Beat him, beat him!" A large group of mid-level attendants joined in the mockery.
The passing attendants and maidservants also stopped in their tracks, watching the commotion unfold. Seeing the new attendant surrounded by Chief Steward Wang and his men, the maidservants couldn't help but worry for him. How did he manage to provoke Chief Steward Wang? He was surely in trouble now.
Lin Wanrong looked at the noisy attendants and shook his head helplessly. Disunited as they were, they wouldn't amount to much.
"What more do you have to say?" Chief Steward Wang asked triumphantly, "These brothers here have sharp eyes. Of course, as long as you confess who's behind you, I can be lenient and ensure that you won't be mistreated."
Lin Wanrong had already prepared an excuse and smiled, "Thank you for your generosity, Chief Steward Wang."
He gave a mysterious smile and whispered, "Actually, it was Uncle Fu who sent me.""Uncle Fu?" Several attendants were taken aback. Uncle Fu was one of the most respected elders in the Xiao family. Even the lady and the young ladies held him in high esteem, not to mention Chief Steward Wang and his people.
Lin Wanrong was confident in the extraordinary status of those three old attendants, so he dared to be so brazen. With those old attendants backing him, there was no one in Xiao Mansion that he needed to fear.
"What's your name if Uncle Fu sent you?" Chief Steward Wang, who had managed to become the head Chief Steward, was not without his wits. He knew that if Uncle Fu had indeed sent this young man, it would not be easy for him to handle the situation.
"My name is Lin San." A trace of malicious amusement flashed in Lin Wanrong's eyes.
"You're Lin San? The contract worker Lin San?" Chief Steward Wang asked in astonishment.
After Lin Wanrong signed the contract-based agreement yesterday, the news spread quickly throughout the Xiao Mansion. The attendants in the mansion immediately regarded him as a great fool. Working as an attendant in the Xiao Mansion for a lifetime, they were well-fed, well-clothed, and well-treated. Where could they find such a good job? This guy must have something wrong with his brain to sign up as a contract worker, only to be kicked out by the Xiao family after a year. The attendants took a certain delight in his misfortune.
Of course, Chief Steward Wang knew more about the situation than that. Lin San had been personally selected by three esteemed elders of the Xiao family, who praised him highly. It was said that during the interview yesterday, he was half an hour late. Deputy Steward Pang had received instructions from above to pay attention to a guy named Lin San. So when Pang received money from Lin Wanrong, he had to return it after learning he was Lin San.
"It's me, I am Lin San," Lin Wanrong said with a smile, looking at the various expressions of the surrounding attendants, some jeering, some envious, and a few maids blushing while watching him with peach blossom eyes.
"Lin San, although you have a connection with Uncle Fu, assaulting a mid-level attendant like this seems a bit unjustifiable, doesn't it?" Chief Steward Wang said with an awkward smile. Knowing that he had the support of the three esteemed elders, Chief Steward Wang's tone softened significantly. His words were just a face-saving gesture.
"I didn't assault anyone," Lin Wanrong said innocently. "I just entered the door, and these two fellows happened to fall down the steps due to a momentary lapse. Isn't that right, gentlemen?"
As soon as they heard Uncle Fu's name, the two beaten attendants knew they had encountered a tough opponent. Uncle Fu was not someone anyone in the Xiao family dared to provoke easily. Even the arrogant figures like Chief Steward Wang and Deputy Steward Pang had to give way when they saw him. With Uncle Fu's protection, their beating was in vain.
The most infuriating thing was that Lin Wanrong asked with an innocent expression, "Gentlemen, isn't that right?" The two attendants cursed him inwardly but had to put on a smile and say, "It seems there was a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding."
"If it's a misunderstanding, then that's good," Chief Steward Wang wiped the sweat from his forehead, finally finding a way to save face. He then rolled his eyes at the surrounding maids and attendants, "What are you looking at? Don't you have work to do? Be careful, or I'll report to the lady and deduct your wages."
The maids and attendants scattered like birds and beasts, with a few maids daringly casting several glances at Lin Wanrong, evidently curious about this contract-based attendant.
After this incident, although Lin Wanrong had just arrived at the Xiao Mansion and was a lowly attendant, he had become quite a character in the circle of the mansion's attendants.
Although Chief Steward Wang's pride was somewhat hurt, he was a clever man and arranged for Lin Wanrong to work under Uncle Fu. During yesterday's conversation with the three old men, they all extended enthusiastic invitations for various positions such as chef, craftsman, or gardener. Lin Wanrong had no interest in these jobs; he was here merely to bide his time and then leave after a year.
After considering the three departments, he finally chose Uncle Fu. Working under him, watering and tending to the flowers, seemed quite pleasant. While Lin Wanrong knew nothing about growing flowers, he was skilled at picking them.
After arranging Lin Wanrong's tasks, Chief Steward Wang left with the others.
Lin Wanrong had just escaped the crowd's attention and took a few steps when someone grabbed him. Turning around, he saw it was the bookish Xiao Feng, who had crawled through the dog hole earlier.
Xiao Feng asked with concern, "Brother Lin, I saw you were caught by Chief Steward Wang just now. Are you alright?"
"No problem, there's nothing to worry about," Lin Wanrong said carelessly with a smile, patting Xiao Feng's shoulder. "Brother Xiao Feng, if anyone bullies you in this Xiao Mansion, just say you are my brother, Lin San. I'll see who dares to touch you."
Lin Wanrong had swaggered in through the front door earlier, and it was said that he had used his fists to beat up two mid-level attendants without any consequences. Bookish Xiao Feng admired him greatly and believed that having his protection would be advantageous.
As Xiao Feng had studied for several years and enjoyed using literary language, he was assigned to assist a few scholars. After a few years of training, he might even become a scholar himself, considered white-collar in the Xiao family and enjoying a bit of prestige. Lin Wanrong patted his shoulder and laughed, "There's a promising future ahead. Keep up the good work."
Xiao Feng shyly smiled and replied, "I'll be relying on your guidance in the future, Brother Lin."
After parting ways with Xiao Feng, Lin Wanrong headed directly to the gardening department where Uncle Fu was located. The Xiao Mansion's courtyard was vast, but Uncle Fu resided in a remote corner. Lin Wanrong had to ask five attendants and four maids before finding the place.
It was a quiet little courtyard near the back mountain, filled with various flowers and plants. Gorgeous peonies, vibrant peonies, fragrant chrysanthemums, and elegant orchids all competed for attention in a dazzling display. Lin Wanrong's heart rejoiced, realizing that it was indeed an excellent place for flower-picking.
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