Chapter 3: There Shouldn't... Be Any More Accidents, Right?

At these words, Lin Jianxia froze on the spot.

She thought in shock, "A m-maid?!"

The word felt like a burning coal, instantly scorching its way from her ears to her cheeks.

A series of images flashed uncontrollably through her mind—herself dressed in a black-and-white maid outfit with a white apron, head bowed as she served tea and poured water for Jiang Yubai, who was sitting on the sofa. She even imagined being ordered around while timidly calling him "Master" in a soft, delicate voice.

"I... I..." Lin Jianxia's tongue tied in knots. Clinging to a final shred of hope, she asked, "Then... what exactly does a maid... have to do?"

Jiang Yubai sneered. "What do you think?

"Did you really think... there are such coincidences in the world? You can't pay your rent, and the person who comes to collect it just happens to be your classmate?

"Why don't you think about why, after you've lived here for so long, I was the one who came this time?"

Lin Jianxia's expression shifted rapidly.

Jiang Yubai leaned back on the sofa, fully adopting the posture of a wealthy playboy, and drawled, "Of course, it's because... I arranged all of this."

Hearing this, the rosy flush of shame and indignation on Lin Jianxia's face rapidly receded. The color drained from her cheeks bit by bit, leaving even her lips slightly pale.

She thought, "I knew it! Those rumors about him two-timing and having a messy private life really aren't unfounded..."

She quickly glanced up, only to see Jiang Yubai staring at her with a half-smile, making absolutely no attempt to hide his intentions.

Lin Jianxia felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze. Bracing herself, she tried to squeeze out a few more words.

"I... I..."

But the sound caught in her throat, leaving only a faint puff of air.

She wondered, "What should I do? What can I do?"

A sour sensation spread from her nose to her eyes, and a wave of grievance surged in her heart, almost drowning her.

She told herself, "No. No way."

Just as Lin Jianxia gritted her teeth, prepared to throw caution to the wind, she heard Jiang Yubai suddenly chuckle and wave his hand dismissively.

"Just kidding."

"..."

Lin Jianxia was stunned, somewhat unable to believe what she had just heard.

"...Huh?"

She had just mustered the courage to kick this shameless scoundrel out, and she had even almost decided which bridge she would sleep under...

She thought, "What the hell does he mean by 'just kidding'!"

Seeing Lin Jianxia completely frozen in a daze, her eyes slightly widened, Jiang Yubai felt perfectly satisfied. The lingering frustration of being treated as a "pervert" by her was entirely swept away.

He stood up and said casually, "One week is enough, right? I'll let Landlord Li know. You can just hand the rent directly to her next Saturday."

With that, Jiang Yubai ignored her reaction and strolled toward the door in a rather good mood. Just as his hand rested on the doorknob, as if remembering something, he suddenly turned around.

"Oh, and also—"

Lin Jianxia's slightly relaxed shoulders instantly tensed. She gave a slight tremble like a frightened rabbit, her eyes filled with a vigilance that clearly said, "What do you want now?"

"Is that really necessary?" Jiang Yubai snapped, then emphasized, "Also, don't believe every rumor you hear!"

After saying this, he waved his hand, turned around, and opened the door.

Even after the faint sounds of Jiang Yubai conversing with Landlord Li came from outside the door, Lin Jianxia still stood blankly in place, not quite having recovered her senses.

She wondered, "Is it... over just like that? So the rent can be paid next Saturday, and my sister and I don't have to pack our things today and go sleep under a bridge? Did my classmate Jiang Yubai really just... happen to come collect the rent?"

While Lin Jianxia was still a bit dazed, a soft CREAK came from the door.

Looking up, she saw the round figure of Mrs. Li shuffling inside. The landlady walked straight up to her, wearing a smug expression.

"How about that? It's all resolved," she said matter-of-factly. "Don't say Mrs. Li didn't help you out."

"Help... me...?" Lin Jianxia repeated hesitantly.

Seeing her clueless look, Mrs. Li sighed in exasperation at her density.

"How can you be so dense, child? He already said he's in your class. Isn't it obvious he came here specifically for you?

"Let me tell you, with such a good connection, if you don't seize the opportunity right away, what are you waiting for?"

She leaned in closer and lowered her voice, adopting the manner of someone passing down life experience. "I can't give you an extension on the rent, but he can!

"Right now it's an extension, but if you spend more time with him and get on his good side, he might just waive it altogether. You'd never have to worry again!"

"Mrs. Li!"

Lin Jianxia's face instantly flushed red—this time not from embarrassment, but from anger.

"I'll pay the rent on time myself," she said, taking a deep breath to suppress her surging fury. "Next time, please don't do this again and lock us in a room alone."

Mrs. Li was taken aback by her sudden, intense reaction. Then she waved a hand dismissively.

"How could I really lock the two of you in together! The door wasn't completely locked. I even specifically left it cracked open.

"Besides, I was standing guard right outside in the hallway. If he really dared to try anything funny, I would've been the first one to rush in."

This statement completely choked off Lin Jianxia's retort, leaving her chest heaving with suppressed anger. She claimed she wanted to help them, yet her every word hinted that Lin Jianxia needed to curry favor with that Jiang Yubai. But just as she wanted to lose her temper, she realized that the landlady genuinely did harbor some intention of helping the sisters.

It was just that her method... was absolutely unacceptable.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Li was still chattering away.

"From what I've observed, this boy surnamed Jiang is quite handsome and has a good personality. He'll definitely be snatched up by others in the future."

The sense of powerlessness in Lin Jianxia's heart grew heavier. She could only force a perfunctory reply.

"Okay, Mrs. Li, I get it... I'll let you get back to your business..."

Mrs. Li shook her head, looking slightly regretful. As she turned and walked out, she kept muttering, "Sigh, you won't listen now, but later you'll know I was doing this for your own good... Also, remember to pay the rent on Saturday."

After seeing Landlord Li out, Lin Jianxia felt completely drained. She leaned back against the sofa and let out a long sigh.

She thought, "The outcome is clearly good... so why am I so tired?"

In the silence, light footsteps came from behind. Lin Jianxia hurriedly raised her hands to rub her cheeks, pulled herself together, and turned around with a bright smile.

"Wanwan, what's wrong?"

Standing to the side, Lin Tingwan quietly observed for a moment, then lowered her head to write a line in her small notebook and held it up in front of Lin Jianxia.

"Are you unhappy?"

Lin Jianxia's smile faltered, and she quickly waved her hands. "Not at all. Mrs. Li agreed to let us pay the rent late, so everything is fine."

Lin Tingwan quietly looked at her sister for two seconds, pulled the notebook back, and lowered her head to write again. This time, the pen tip pressed much lighter against the paper, making almost no sound.

"I'm a burden to you."

The moment she saw that line, Lin Jianxia's heart skipped a beat. She stood up almost immediately, grasping her sister's shoulders with both hands.

"Wanwan, listen to me—never!

"It was my choice to bring you to live with me, and it's the one decision in my life I will never regret."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "You are never allowed to say such things again, do you hear me?"

Lin Tingwan nodded, indicating she understood. She lowered her eyelashes in thought, then earnestly wrote a new line in the notebook and held it up once more.

"Jiang Yubai is a good person."

Lin Jianxia looked stunned. Based on her years of experience living with her sister, she instantly understood Lin Tingwan's logic.

The landlady didn't agree to an extension—Jiang Yubai arrived—the landlady agreed to an extension. Therefore, Jiang Yubai is a good person.

She thought, "Even though the outcome is right, b-but..."

The guy's half-smiling gaze right before he left flashed through her mind, along with that deliberately drawn-out "just kidding"...

The pent-up frustration in Lin Jianxia's chest flared up again, and her tone unconsciously carried a bit of irritation.

"He is absolutely not a good person!!"

Lin Tingwan tilted her head. In a rare display of disagreement with her sister, she neatly wrote down a new question.

"Is Jiang Yubai not a good person?"

"Yes! Wanwan, you must remember—he is a bad person. Don't pay attention to him in the future, and don't just reply to whatever he says!" Lin Jianxia nodded emphatically.

She thought, "What the heck? Even if Jiang Yubai isn't the playboy I thought he was, he's definitely not a good person. What kind of decent guy could seriously tell me to be his maid?!"

Lin Tingwan appeared somewhat confused, but she eventually nodded obediently. Seeing her sister agree, Lin Jianxia finally breathed a sigh of relief.

If this Jiang Yubai, whose head was full of wicked ideas, had more contact with Wanwan, her sister would be a hundred percent corrupted, and might not even realize it if she was being bullied. But fortunately, as long as they could successfully scrape the rent together this weekend, she shouldn't have any more interaction with this Eldest Young Master Jiang in the future.

Yet for some reason, Lin Jianxia harbored a lingering, ominous premonition in her heart.

She thought, "There shouldn't... be any more accidents, right?"