"Ah, the rain's getting lighter, I'm heading back now. The hundred taels are to repay my debt to you. I previously threw your jade pendant into the lake, so consider this as compensation."
While speaking, she hastily put on her shoes, adjusting her clothes accordingly.
The umbrella was still somewhat wet; she shook off the rainwater with a slightly stiff motion, causing some droplets to splash onto her clothes.
Not that she minded much~
Picking up a lantern, she noticed he was still standing there, staring blankly. Um, could this male lead be a bit of an idiot? Just as that thought popped into her head again, she saw a fleeting sharpness flash through Shen Chen's gaze.
Alright, he's not dumb.
Better make a quick escape!
With the lantern in hand, Ye Zhi slipped away as if she had greased the bottoms of her feet.
What she didn't know was that after she left, Shen Chen stood there, silently watching her departing figure for a long time.
If she knew, she might end up sleepless the whole night, worrying where she might have offended him again.
The next day.
The weather cleared up. The Ye Mansion does not harbor idlers, and while Shen Chen went to sweep the courtyard of the Book Collection Pavilion, Ye Zhi had already found craftsmen to renovate his living quarters.
She also hired people to clear out all the tall weeds in his courtyard.
The small grass was left and tidied to serve as decoration, with a stone path laid through the middle. The craftsmen were working with noticeable spirit.
Miss Ye, the third daughter of the Ye Family, instructed that the work must be completed within the day; cost was not an issue. Zhao Shi even called over all the brothers from his hall.
"Master Zhao, please renovate according to my instructions. Ask if anything is unclear."
Zhao Shi, with his stubbled face and broad square features, nodded earnestly.
"Alright, Miss Ye, you can be assured leaving it to our Zhao Decoration Hall. Honest service for everyone." He did not underestimate the opposite party just because she was a child!
Rule forty-two of Zhao Decoration Hall: Respecting customers is our principle; clients, regardless of age or gender, must be treated equally.
Standing beside her, Ah Tao was very puzzled and, seeming curious, asked, "Miss, why did you rush to find someone to build a house for Shen Chen early this morning? Did you come up with another way to torment him?"
Previously, the young miss found delight in teasing him, and now she's even building him a house. Not only that, she's also instructed that he must not be bullied anymore. Could the sky be falling? She couldn't figure out the reason despite thinking for a long time.
Uh!
The only explanation is that the young miss has taken a liking to that pretty boy...
"Shen Chen is my friend. He's living poorly, so I just found someone to do some renovations. Plus, he's the grandson of Shen Wan, the steward."
"But Steward Shen Wan doesn't like him either. He's only kept here living on free charity because the mistress is kind-hearted, otherwise he'd have been driven away."
After thinking for a bit, Ah Tao countered again, "Didn't you dislike him the most before, saying he acts like a woman, all sissy-like?"
"That was when I was immature. Stop bringing up the past, and don't bad-mouth him anymore. He's just eight. Even though he helps with sweeping leaves or other chores around the mansion."
Afraid Ah Tao hadn't taken her words to heart, Ye Zhi's tone grew stern:
"He's so young, what heavy work do you expect him to do? It's because he didn't have enough to eat or a good place to sleep that he turned out so frail, even more delicate than a girl. Oh, and from now on, whenever there's good food, I need to set aside a portion for him too."
As she spoke, she found herself feeling a bit heartache by the end.
Since childhood, living in such a dilapidated house, all his food and clothing relied on the mansion. Other servant boys bullied him for being a child, the kitchen would only give him a bit just to brush him off.
Shen Wan never cared about him. In Shen Wan's eyes, the one who caused his son's death was better off dead.
He never saw him as a grandson, only as an enemy.