I Am Her Secret Beauty - Chapter 7

Mu Xi, who was in the midst of pouring wine for Nan Zhiya, suddenly became the center of attention.

With one hand supporting the base of the red wine bottle and the other gripping its neck, she let the deep crimson liquid flow slowly into the glass, stopping just below the perfect benchmark line in the middle.

The moment the wine touched that line, Nan Xi’s words caused Mu Xi’s hand to tremble slightly. The wine level surged past the line, no longer perfect.

Fortunately, no one noticed this small mishap.

After hearing Nan Xi’s words, both Nan Zhiya and Nan Nan turned to look at Mu Xi in surprise.

Mu Xi stood stiffly, unsure of what to say, when unexpectedly, both of them smiled, agreeing that Nan Xi had made a great suggestion.

“Not bad. At least compared to going out with your brother, I won’t have to worry about your safety if you’re with the butler,” Nan Zhiya remarked.

“Alright, Butler Mu is indeed more reliable than me,” Nan Nan admitted frankly.

Mu Xi never expected that her usual diligence and the reliable impression she left on everyone would earn her such trust.

It was truly touching. For a moment, Mu Xi felt that all her hard work hadn’t been in vain, she even considered going back to the construction site to move bricks for a couple more days.

Setting down the wine bottle, Mu Xi solemnly delivered her acceptance speech: “I will take good care of the young miss.”

After dinner, as the servants began clearing the table, Nan Zhiya called Mu Xi into the study and instructed her to close the door behind her.

Mu Xi silently shut the door, stepping softly on the plush velvet carpet before stopping straight in front of Nan Zhiya’s desk.

She knew Nan Zhiya cared deeply for Nan Xi and would never delay matters concerning her.

Sure enough, once Mu Xi stood still, Nan Zhiya asked, “What about Nan Xi?”

“It’s like this, Madam,” Mu Xi chose her words carefully. “This afternoon, Dr. Anna and Dr. Zhang both came to examine the young miss. Her physical health is fine, but Dr. Zhang privately told me that her family needs to spend more time with her and show her care.”

Nan Zhiya listened attentively, her expression instantly turning serious.

She trusted Mu Xi implicitly and her own judgment even more. Back then, when she had selected Mu Xi, the least experienced candidate, from a pile of resumes, she had never regretted it.

Mu Xi was young and lacked extensive work experience, but her abilities were outstanding. During her studies, she had won first prize in the National Housekeeping Skills Competition and the Bodyguard Skills Competition. She held certifications as a chef and a psychological counselor. After graduation, she worked as a consultant and butler, receiving glowing reviews from employers who were more than willing to write her recommendation letters.

She was an SSS-rank alpha, Nan Zhiya had never seen an SSS-rank alpha working in housekeeping before. She had immediately decided on Mu Xi, drawn to her high cost-performance ratio.

A butler with combat skills strong enough to protect the entire household meant they could hire fewer bodyguards.

Of course, the most important factor was that during the interview, Nan Zhiya, a shrewd veteran capitalist had quickly discerned Mu Xi’s mature, steady, meticulous, and reliable character. She was the epitome of a hardworking, devoted ox, the kind capitalists loved most.

Only someone like her could make the astute Nan Zhiya willingly offer a salary higher than any other in the industry, signing Mu Xi on as the Nan family’s new butler.

…

Nan Zhiya believed Mu Xi’s account to be true. Moreover, Nan Xi had spent five years studying and living alone abroad, undoubtedly lacking companionship from her family.

But the fact that her most cherished youngest daughter might now be showing signs of psychological issues filled Nan Zhiya with deep guilt and remorse.

“I understand,” Nan Zhiya said, rubbing her temples as if she had aged twenty years in an instant. “…I’ve been very busy with work, but from now on, I’ll make more time to spend with her. I’ll also speak to her father and her older siblings.”

Mu Xi nodded, feeling genuinely relieved.

“Then, Madam, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Wait.” Nan Zhiya stopped her. After Mu Xi turned back, she continued, “Didn’t Nan Xi say earlier that she wanted you to take her out? Make sure you also set aside time to accompany her.”

Mu Xi hesitated. “Madam, at most, I can only manage to take the young miss out once a week…”

“From now on, Nan Xi is your top priority at work.”

“I understand.”

Noticing Mu Xi’s momentary hesitation, Nan Zhiya immediately seized on it. She folded her hands on the desk and asked sharply, “How is your relationship with the young miss?”

Mu Xi fell silent.

How was their relationship? From her own perspective, she thought it was… tolerable, since she was used to being ordered around. But from the young miss’s perspective…

Well…

“The young miss… slapped me in the face last night.”

After careful consideration, Mu Xi decided to tell Nan Zhiya about this incident, though she omitted the details, only mentioning this particular moment that best reflected Nan Xi’s attitude toward her.

She wasn’t tattling. Even if Nan Zhiya knew, she wouldn’t blame Nan Xi.

Mu Xi knew, she was just a tool, after all.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Nan Zhiya actually laughed cheerfully, as if Mu Xi’s well-being meant nothing to her.

She glanced at Mu Xi’s face. “That’s just how she is. Don’t take it to heart.”

“I won’t. The young miss was just upset in the moment. I also made mistakes.”

Nan Zhiya picked up her phone from the desk, tapped and swiped a few times.

“I’ve transferred 200,000 to you, consider it this week’s budget for taking Nan Xi out. If it’s not enough, ask me for more. If there’s any left, treat it as compensation for medical expenses and emotional distress.”

!!!

Mu Xi’s heart warmed to the point of burning. Any trace of emotional damage she might have felt was instantly soothed, replaced by an overwhelming sense of comfort, as if spring had arrived, life was worth living, and the world was suddenly vibrant and full of promise.

“Thank you, Madam. I’ll confirm this week’s outing schedule with the young miss immediately.” Her tone was sincere, and in her heart, she was already kneeling in gratitude to Nan Zhiya.

A shrewd capitalist was always best at giving a slap followed by a sweet date. Now that the sweet date had been delivered, Nan Zhiya swiftly shifted the conversation, landing another slap on Mu Xi’s head:

“Good. But if you can’t get along with Nan Xi, I’ll reconsider the choice of housekeeper.”

“I understand, Madam.”

In the end, Mu Xi left the study with a heavy heart, clutching her phone, now suddenly worth 200,000 more and returned to her butler’s quarters in melancholy.

After dinner at the Nan household, she usually had some personal time. Mu Xi would eat her own meal, play with her phone, or take an early bath. Today, she leaned against the headboard, browsing travel guides posted online, racking her brain for ways to win Nan Xi’s favor.

It was the butler’s private time, and also the private time of the maids.

Before long, Mu Xi’s door was knocked, and a petite maid appeared at the doorway, somewhat shyly saying to Mu Xi:

“Butler, I’d like to request leave tomorrow.”

“Hmm?” Mu Xi turned off her phone and walked to the door. “Xiao Li, may I ask why you need leave tomorrow?”

The maid grew even more embarrassed. “I… my fiancée is coming to City A. We haven’t seen each other in a long time, and we’ve agreed to go out together tomorrow.”

The little maid had the look of a lovestruck girl, her eyes sparkling, cheeks flushed, and a radiant smile on her face, clearly, she was really looking forward to her date with her fiancée tomorrow.

Mu Xi couldn’t bear to refuse such a request from a girl in love.

But as she prepared the leave slip for her, Mu Xi suddenly thought of something:

“Xiao Li, where are you and your fiancée planning to go in City A?”

“Of course! The newly opened famous Lovers’ Spring!” she excitedly explained to Mu Xi. “They say if you kiss by the pool, you’ll stay together for life!”

“…”

Oh, really? Then never mind.

“Ah, Butler, do you want to go out too? It’s rare to see you take time off.”

The perceptive little maid noticed Mu Xi’s hesitation and kindly offered, “If you’re single, I have a complete guide to all the must-visit spots in City A. I’ll send it to you.”

The little maid got her leave slip, and Mu Xi got the guide.

She began browsing through it:

Shopping mall? Too cliché. The young miss doesn’t lack anything, so she probably wouldn’t enjoy shopping.

Tourist spots? Too crowded. The young miss has a weak constitution, too many people would mean getting jostled or even catching a virus.

Amusement park? Too childish. The young miss is a Ph.D. returnee, a high-level talent, how could she like such a place?

…

This farmhouse retreat looked pretty good.

She’d handle the “farm,” and Nan Xi could handle the “fun”, a perfect chance to experience rural life, something they’d never done before.

Mu Xi finalized the location for their first outing, then knocked on Nan Xi’s door with hopeful anticipation.

She waited a while before Nan Xi opened the door, dressed in pajamas with her hair half-dry, as if she was already preparing for bed:

“What is it?”

“Young Miss, regarding the outing plan mentioned at dinner earlier, I’ve drafted a simple itinerary for a farmhouse experience in the countryside. Please-”

Before Mu Xi could finish, Nan Xi moved to close the door. “Not interested. I was just saying it casually. My free time this week will be spent in the lab.”

There was no way she was going to a farmhouse retreat, she wouldn’t be able to do any work and would just be idling around. Mu Xi would definitely think she was spoiled.

Seeing her high-paying job slipping away, Mu Xi swiftly reached out to block the door, seizing the opportunity to plead her case: “We can discuss the location further. Besides your research, Young Miss, you should also get out more…”

She didn’t dare stop Nan Xi outright, so she placed her hand in the doorframe. If Nan Xi insisted on closing the door, it would pinch her fingers.

Seeing this, Nan Xi pursed her lips in displeasure but didn’t push to shut the door.

“I haven’t decided where I want to go yet. I’ll let you know when I think of something.”

Nan Xi told the truth. For the location of their first outing, she had to be extremely careful, otherwise, how could she “reestablish the connection between people who were once in love”?

To Mu Xi, such words sounded like a polite refusal, similar to when people say, “Let’s meet up sometime,” which usually means it will never happen.

But Mu Xi’s work couldn’t afford to wait!

Just as one was trying to persuade and the other was still considering, the door at the end of the hallway opened. Nan Nan had just stepped out when she saw the two at a standoff.

“What’s going on?”

Mu Xi explained the situation to her.

“Oh, isn’t a farm stay a great idea?” At that moment, Nan Nan seemed like a godsend in Mu Xi’s eyes. “How about the day after tomorrow? I can take a day off then.”

“What’s so great about it? It’s hot and tiring, and you won’t even be doing any work,” Nan Xi said.

Standing outside her door, Mu Xi looked pleadingly at Nan Nan, every bit of body language silently conveying a desperate request, she really wanted to go somewhere new and take on new tasks.

Nan Nan scratched her head, finally understanding Nan Xi’s hesitation.

“You think it’s that kind of farm stay? No way, there’s no real work to do there.”