Finest Servant

Chapter 52 Promotion (Part 1)

Lin Wanrong stayed at Meiwei Restaurant until very late. Realizing it was getting late, he reluctantly bid farewell and left.

Dong Qiaoqiao walked him to the entrance of the Xiao family's residence and handed him a bamboo basket, saying, "Big Brother Lin, I made some of your favorite dishes and a few sets of clothes for you. Please take good care of yourself inside. Otherwise, we will all be worried about you."

In just a short afternoon, this girl had run home to specially prepare dishes for him. Lin Wanrong was deeply touched by her thoughtfulness. Looking at her, he gently said, "Qiaoqiao, thank you."

"Big Brother," Dong Qiaoqiao blushed, glanced around, and whispered, "Don't mention thanks anymore. I'm willing to do anything for you."

Lin Wanrong's heart filled with tenderness. He held her delicate hand and said, "I know, Qiaoqiao. You've been working hard while I was away. But don't worry, I'll be back to help you in a year."

Qiaoqiao shyly hummed in agreement, her hand holding his and a sweet smile on her face.

Seeing it was getting late, Lin Wanrong said, "Qiaoqiao, it's late. You should head back now."

"Qiaoqiao shook her head and said, "No, big brother, you go in first, I'll watch you from here." Seeing Qiaoqiao's affectionate appearance, Lin Wanrong was deeply moved and wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to speak. He was usually a smooth talker, but he was at a loss for words at this moment. 

"All right, Qiaoqiao, I'll go in," Lin Wanrong said to Qiaoqiao. Qiaoqiao made a soft sound of agreement and watched as Lin Wanrong walked slowly into the Xiao mansion. Her eyes were filled with reluctance and she couldn't help but feel a twinge in her nose. Several teardrops fell from her eyes.

Lin Wanrong turned back and took a look at Qiaoqiao after stepping over the threshold. She was still standing there, looking helpless and delicate like a tender wife seeing off her husband on a journey. For some reason, Lin Wanrong felt a twinge in his nose. He knew that he would never forget this scene.

The mansion and the outside world were two completely different worlds. Outside the mansion, Lin Wanrong was the big brother of Dong Qingshan and the pillar of Dong Qiaoqiao, but inside the mansion, he was nothing more than a lowly servant. The contrast between these two worlds had left him stunned for a long time, but fortunately he was easy-going by nature and didn't have any lofty ideals. He was still able to live freely and comfortably in this small world within the mansion.

—---

On this day, Lin Wanrong was "working hard" and putting flowers he had picked on a shy maid's head when he suddenly saw Chief Steward Wang walking towards him with a smile on his face. Since the day they first met and had a disagreement, Chief Steward Wang had not shown his face again. Lin Wanrong didn't know what was going on, but Chief Steward Wang was unexpectedly coming to the garden with a smile on his face.

The few maids who were playing with Lin Wanrong stopped their horseplay when they saw Chief Steward Wang. They didn't behave as brazenly as Lin Wanrong did and immediately fled.

"Lin San, have you been doing well lately?" Chief Steward Wang asked with a smile on his face.

"A smiling man is not a good man," Lin Wanrong thought of this classic saying, but he had someone backing him up, so he wasn't afraid of Chief Steward Wang. He smiled and said, "Hey, isn't this Chief Steward Wang? Why do you have the time to come to the garden today to enjoy the flowers? Oh, I know. It's because the chrysanthemums are blooming, and it's a good time to enjoy the autumn breeze and fragrance of the season. I never thought that a steward like you would also have such refined tastes."

Chief Steward Wang chuckled a few times and said, "The affairs in the mansion have been busy recently. How could I have the leisure to come here to appreciate flowers? I came here today to find you."

"To find me?" Lin Wanrong asked, puzzled.

"Yes, Lin San, I have good news to congratulate you on." Chief Steward Wang said with a grin.

"Congratulations? My birthday hasn't come yet. What could be so celebratory?"

"Of course, there is good news, and it's big news. Recently, one of the little servants who has been helping out in the study had a family tragedy, and his father passed away. The madam granted him a three-month leave to mourn, but the study is short-staffed. After thinking it over, I recommended you to the madam because you are clever and capable, and she also has a good impression of you. She agreed to have you transferred to the study to help out. Congratulations, this is a great opportunity!"

If it was in someone else's home, being transferred to the study to accompany the young master in his studies would be a fantastic opportunity, but the Xiao family had no male heirs, so the study was just a place for the young ladies to occasionally read books for fun. When the young ladies read books, it was just for show. Lin Wanrong would just be a helper in the study, and there would be no prospects for advancement.

"You old bastard, trying to trip me up. You must be unhappy seeing me here living my life to the fullest." Lin Wanrong saw through Chief Steward Wang's intentions and thought to himself. With a fake smile, he said, "This is truly a great opportunity." 

Chief Steward Wang knew that Lin San was a smart person and had the backing of Uncle Fu. He didn't want to come and stir things up, but the master had given orders, so he had no choice but to come.

Lin Wanrong didn't care about Chief Steward Wang's difficulties. Seeing that his expression seemed genuine, he chuckled and said, "You know, Chief Steward Wang, Uncle Fu really needs me here. I'm afraid I won't be able to leave for a while. Could you please ask for his permission first?"

"I don't dare to bother Uncle Fu. Both sides have people I can't offend, so I just have to listen to whoever's word is more powerful," Chief Steward Wang, thought to himself, unable to voice his distress. He forced a smile and said, "No need, Uncle Fu has gone to Hangzhou for a plant transplant and won't be back for half a month. Anyway, I've already asked the madam, you can go directly."

So that's how it is. This kid has some nerve, taking advantage of Uncle Fu's absence to settle personal grudges. "Uncle Fu, what business do you have being away?" Lin Wanrong thought to himself, cursing Chief Steward Wang inside his mind. After a while, he begrudgingly thought, "Alright, Wang, since you've made the first move, don't blame me for making the next. Let's see if I can't ruin you."

"Oh, I see," Lin Wanrong said with a smile, "In that case, I'll go help in the study. After all, Wang, you know how high Uncle Fu's expectations are for me. Ah, I'm really afraid of messing up in the study and losing face for Uncle Fu."

"No, no, Lin San, I'm sure you'll do a great job. I believe in you," Chief Steward Wang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, finally feeling relieved after Lin Wanrong agreed to help in the study.

With that settled, Lin Wanrong was one of Uncle Fu's close followers, so naturally, Chief Steward Wang didn't dare to make things too difficult for him. Wang arranged for him to work in the study, and he couldn't just casually send someone to the gardener's department. Lin Wanrong still lived in his quiet little courtyard, and no one could drive him away.

As for studying, Lin Wanrong had been reading for more than 20 years, and naturally had plenty of experience. However, that was mostly in subjects like math, physics, and chemistry. As for the humanities, other than being able to recite a few poems, he only wrote essays at the last minute during exams. After coming to this world, he spent some time reading the books left behind by Uncle Wei to understand the world, but most of the time, he read a booklet comparable to Dragon, Tiger, and Leopard. Now, he had to go to the study and face classical texts daily, which was like forcing a duck onto a perch; just thinking about it gave him a headache.