Yue Jie glanced at her sternly. Their father had always taught them to have good manners.
Yue Xin lowered her head and bit her lips.
Lin Xuan Qi shook his head and said, "What are you waiting for? Follow me."
"Five meat buns each for these two ladies."
Lin Xuan Qi made his order, and Luo Bao opened the bamboo steamer.
Yue Xin's eyes looked at Luo Bao's every movement.
She thought she was in heaven when Luo Bao gave her the meat buns.
It had been a long while since she had a good bite ever since her father was banished to jail.
Yue Xin couldn't complain though.
Her elder sister Yue Jie had tried to give her most of the food Yue Jie had.
Yue Jie kept telling her that she wasn't hungry, but she knew it was a lie.
After Yue Xin took a bite from the meat bun, the juice and tenderness of the meat made her take a bigger bite.
Yue Jie wanted to remind her of her manners but stopped.
She knew how hungry Yue Xin was.
"What are you waiting for, have a bite." Lin Xuan Qi said when he saw Yue Jie not taking a bite.
He was like the friend who recommended something and was eager to see their response.
He felt great when he saw Yue Jie taking a bite of the meat bun and being taken over by the taste of the meat buns.
Lin Xuan Qi then bid Luo Bao farewell and led the sisters in the direction of the mansion.
Yue Jie following behind began to ponder as she munched on her meat buns.
"He must be a trusted servant of the master for him to be able to handle so much money independently." Yue Jie thought to herself silently.
Yue Xin beside her wasn't thinking so much and she was already finishing her last meat bun.
"Do you want some more?" Yue Jie asked her.
This time, Yue Xin shook her head and said, "I'm full now."
...
Yue Jie and Yue Xin looked at the mansion's wall and gates in awe like Xue Cong.
Yue Jie couldn't recall such a mansion inside the city.
Whoever owned it must have been someone who was very low profile.
Her father when he was still a court official knew most of the rich merchants and clans in the city.
It wasn't possible for her father not to know the owner of such a huge mansion.
When they stepped through the huge gates of the mansion, what was inside was even more impressive.
Their homes were nothing compared to this.
This was five or six times larger than their previous residence of a court official.
Yue Jie however immediately noticed something odd.
The mansion was empty.
Not empty of items like furniture, decoration, plants or buildings.
It was empty of people.
A normal mansion would be bustling with activities of servants and workers.
There were none in sight.
Yue Jie began to have a feeling of what Lin Xuan Qi meant by backbreaking work.
There would be simply too many things to be done.
When Xue Cong came out from the main hall, she was surprised to see Lin Xuan Qi coming back with two other girls.
She glanced at Lin Xuan Qi to see if he said anything.
After yesterday, she knew Lin Xuan Qi's quirk of liking to surprise people with his identity as the mansion's master.
Lin Xuan Qi shrugged and nodded at Xue Cong.
Xue Cong then gave him a smile and greeted him.
"Welcome back, Master Lin."
"Master Lin?!" Yue Jie and Yue Xin were surprised when they heard Xue Cong addressing Lin Xuan Qi as master.
Lin Xuan Qi was satisfied with their expression.
This could never get old, he thought.
"Let me introduce you to each other." Lin Xuan Qi walked over to Xue Cong and said.
"This is Xue Cong, and they are Yue Jie and Yue Xin. They will be new servants helping you out.
"Xue Cong will show you around and assign the tasks to you." Lin Xuan Qi said.
Xue Cong was surprised by what Lin Xuan Qi had said.
She didn't expect to be assigned such a responsibility by Lin Xuan Qi.
Xue Cong nodded at Lin Xuan Qi, and she took a quick glance at the sisters.
She saw their fair skin and smooth hands, and a thought went through her mind.
Were they tong fang servants bought by Lin Xuan Qi?
Xue Cong glanced over at Lin Xuan Qi and let out a silent sigh.
Master Lin was young.
It was understandable for him to have such needs.
But two at a time? And sisters at that?
Xue Cong's face blushed when she thought about this.
Lin Xuan Qi frowned when he saw Xue Cong's face blushing.
"What are you thinking about? Their duties are the same as yours. Go and teach them how to prepare lunch." He said and went into the main hall of the mansion.
"I'll get it done." Xue Cong was embarrassed by her misunderstanding, and she quickly led Yue Jie and Yue Xin to the kitchen.
Lin Xuan Qi let them be, sat down and picked up the teapot on the table.
He was glad to see that the teapot was filled.
Xue Cong was indeed capable.
He poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip from the teacup.
Life in the mansion had started on a good footing.
Lin Xuan Qi thought silently to himself.
He looked out of the door at the blue sky and the lush garden in front of the main building.
With such scenery, it was a great time for him to savor the tea and moment.
...
Xue Cong first led the sisters to the servant quarters.
Yue Jie and Yue Xin picked a room each and they placed their baggage inside it.
The rooms weren't as lavish and well decorated as the rooms they had, but they were still nice.
After all, they weren't young mistresses anymore but servants.
"Come with me." Xue Cong then led them to the kitchen.
Inside the kitchen, they sighed and faced the first chore they must do for the first time in their lives.