Finest Servant

Chapter 89 Heartbroken

"What?" Second Miss's voice was soft, but Lin Wanrong, Lady Xiao, and Eldest Miss heard it loud and clear.

Not only were Lady Xiao and Eldest Miss stunned, but even Lin Wanrong himself also couldn't believe his ears. Had this young girl gone mad? He understood Xiao Yushuang's intention - she said this to exonerate him from his charges, but was it worth sacrificing her reputation?

Lin Wanrong sighed deeply, ‘Fine, fine. Xiao Yushuang's sacrifice is just to help me assist the Xiao family out of their difficulties. Considering her sincere efforts, I should help them.’

Seeing the disbelief on Lady Xiao and Eldest Miss's faces, Lin Wanrong felt a sudden calmness. He said to Xiao Yushuang, "I understand that you said those words to save me, but a woman's chastity is as important as her life. You shouldn't speak so carelessly."

"Yes, Yushuang, you can't talk nonsense. You're still so young, it's not even time to choose a husband. How can you talk about a predestined marriage?" Lady Xiao quickly held Xiao Yushuang's hand.

However, Xiao Yushuang didn't respond, only staring coldly at Lin Wanrong, her mind filled with unspoken thoughts.

For this honest and heartfelt young girl, Lin Wanrong sighed, "Madam, Eldest Miss, may I speak to you privately?"

Lady Xiao glanced at him, thinking that this matter should be kept secret. "Mr. Lin, come with me," Xiao Yuruo said.

"No, I want to go too," Second Miss hastily held her sister's hand, giving Lin Wanrong a concerned look.

"Are you not done with your nonsense?" Lady Xiao scolded, her face stern. Xiao Yushuang didn't dare to contradict her mother, and could only watch as the three of them walked into the next room.

It was a quiet little room. Once inside, the atmosphere became tense, and the mother and daughter of the Xiao family didn't speak.

Lin Wanrong thought it was better to start the conversation himself, lest they think he had abducted their young lady. He said, "Madam, Eldest Miss. What Second Miss said earlier was only to protect me. She spoke without thinking, and you must not take it seriously."

Xiao Yuruo gave him a look, scoffing, "What, you want us to take it seriously?"

Lady Xiao sighed, "Mr. Lin, I've heard a bit about your situation. Yushuang is still young, and her behavior can be a bit eccentric at times. Please don't misunderstand."

Lin Wanrong replied, "Rest assured, Madam. I won't misunderstand. Second Miss is still young. Some things are just her curiosity. Once her curiosity passes, everything will return to normal."

"Then swear to me, you won't harbor any romantic feelings for Yushuang—" Xiao Yuruo said.

‘Damn it,’ they were overstepping their boundaries. Although he understood the mother and daughter's protective feelings towards their daughter (and sister), their disdain for him was irksome. What a lousy excuse, wasn't it just contempt for his status as a servant? If it wasn't for the young girl's pleading, he wouldn't have bothered to put up with their crap.

Thinking of Xiao Yushuang, Lin Wanrong felt a bit better. No matter what, the young girl's trust in him had genuinely touched him. He snorted coldly and said, "Eldest Miss, if you trust me, I don't need to swear an oath. You can see for yourself. If you don't trust me, even if I swear a thousand oaths, it would be useless."

Xiao Yushuang said, "You have a point there. In that case, I hope you can keep your word."

"Second Miss is innocent and lively, sincere and passionate, and I like her. But it's not romantic love. She's still young, and I see her as a little sister. I don't care how Madam and Eldest Miss see me, but you shouldn't doubt Second Miss," Lin Wanrong said with a clear conscience.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open with a bang. Xiao Yushuang stood at the door, her face pale. She stared blankly at Lin Wanrong, her eyes empty, as if devoid of any color.

Xiao Yuruo was taken aback and hurriedly asked, "Yushuang, why are you here?" She knew her sister's temperament well. This was a stubborn girl. Once she made up her mind, it was hard to change it.

Xiao Yushuang, as if she hadn't heard her sister, looked at Lin Wanrong and slowly said, "Lin San, were all the things you said true? Don't you really like me?"

"Presumptuous!" Lady Xiao shouted angrily. This girl had been flirting with this servant, it was disgraceful.

Xiao Yushuang seemed not to hear her mother's words. Her face was pale, her eyes wide open, biting her lip tightly, staring nervously at Lin Wanrong, waiting for his answer.

Lin Wanrong hadn't expected Xiao Yushuang to be eavesdropping on their conversation. Seeing her desolate expression now, he didn't know what to say. Such a good young girl, it wouldn't be bad to have her. For a moment, a thought rose in his mind that surprised even him.

Seeing him silent for a long time, Xiao Yushuang understood. She bit her silver teeth, trying hard not to let the tears fall, and looked deeply at Lin Wanrong, "Lin San, no matter what, remember the promise you made to me. You must help my mother and sister, or else, I, I—"

She couldn't go on, turned around, and rushed out of the room. She ran quickly to the courtyard, the crystal tears welling up in her eyes glistening like pearls in the autumn sunlight.

The three people in the room were all somewhat dumbfounded. Lady Xiao and Eldest Miss understood Xiao Yushuang's temperament very well. They could see that the second young lady indeed had feelings for Lin San.

Lin Wanrong was also taken aback. If he couldn't see Xiao Yushuang's feelings, then he was a fool. This little girl, with her fiery temper, who knew what might happen? He was somewhat worried about Xiao Yushuang, but he saw that the Eldest Miss was looking at him with a face full of anger, as if he was the root cause of all this.

Lin Wanrong helplessly shook his head. This was all too sudden and caught him off guard. He didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse. Being so charming was really a curse, he thought, not knowing whether he was being self-deprecating or narcissistic.

Lin Wanrong shook his head again, not wanting to think about these things. It was more important to take care of the tasks the little girl had entrusted to him. That way, he wouldn't let her down.

He looked at Xiao Yushuang and went straight to the point, "Eldest Miss, I heard from Second Miss that Tao Dongcheng wants to form a partnership with the Xiao family. But I don't know what Eldest Miss and Madam think about this."

He said this so naturally, completely forgetting that he was just a servant of the Xiao family. In the eyes of the Eldest Miss, he wasn't even worth an onion.

Xiao Yuruo was very dissatisfied with him for confusing her sister. She coldly said, "Lin San, you should go back and take care of your own business. These matters are not your concern."

Lin Wanrong was used to this haughty Miss and didn't bother to get angry with her. He just snorted, "Eldest Miss, nothing is absolute. Maybe in your eyes, I'm just a servant. But in my view, I'm unique and irreplaceable. Different perspectives lead to different conclusions, just like in business. You might only see the benefits, but you don't see the hidden risks."

Lin Wanrong was implying something, and Xiao Yushuang naturally understood. A flicker of surprise crossed her face as she looked at him, "Do you have some insight?"

Lin Wanrong didn't bother to argue with her. He said seriously, "Eldest Miss, what tempting conditions did the Tao family offer for partnering with the Xiao family? Let me guess, did they give the Xiao family a large share?"

"How did you know?" Xiao Yushuang was genuinely surprised. This matter was highly confidential, known only to her and her mother. Even Xiao Yushuang hadn't heard about it. Where had this servant heard it from?

"You don't need to be surprised, these are just my guesses," Lin Wanrong said. As a sales manager, he had a keen mind and a flexible brain. He was no stranger to these tactics. "How much of a share did the Tao family give you?" Lin Wanrong continued.

Xiao Yushuang was a bit curious. This servant did seem to have some ability. She snorted in her heart, and for some reason, she thought of the night when he had spanked her. Her annoyance flared up again. She listened to his question, remained silent for a long while, and then said, "Forty percent."

"Forty percent of the shares. Forty percent," Lin Wanrong paced a few steps, then scoffed, "Such an enticing offer, if it were me, I would certainly consider it."

"But Eldest Miss," Lin Wanrong changed his tone, "have you ever thought about why he would offer you such generous terms? You are partnering with three families, and you hold forty percent of the shares. The Tao family and the other, the He family, together only hold sixty percent. Why is that?"

Miss Xiao blushed slightly, but didn't speak. It was the long-silent Madam Xiao who spoke, "Yuruo and I discussed it, and it's very likely that Young Master Tao is interested in Yuruo, which is why he deliberately offered such generous terms."

Madam Xiao listened to Lin Wanrong's words, remembering the praises the servants in the mansion had for him, and his unique contract with the staff. She thought, 'Does this Lin San really have some ability? It's good to hear what he has to say.'

"Oh," Lin Wanrong suddenly understood. "Pretending to be generous, giving the Xiao family forty percent of the shares, as long as he wins the favor of Eldest Miss. Once they are married, he can effortlessly reclaim these shares. This Young Master Tao really knows how to calculate." Lin Wanrong said with a smile. It's no wonder Xiao Yuruo and her mother had such suspicions. Tao Dongcheng was trying hard to please Miss Xiao, so they couldn't help but consider this.

Xiao Yushuang's face reddened slightly, she glared at him, thinking 'What does my business with Young Master Tao have to do with you?'

"So, Eldest Miss, do you have some feelings for Young Master Tao? You should know that this question is related to the future destiny of the Xiao family. We must not be careless," Lin Wanrong teased Xiao Yuruo.