"I just don't think you're like what they say—you wouldn't actively... do anything to Young Master Ye..." Liu Xiaoqiao was petite, her voice soft and timid, clearly frightened.

"It's okay, don't be afraid. If she bullies you, just yell loudly—I'll come running."

"Mhm! Thank you, Sister Xia!" Liu Xiaoqiao turned to leave.

...

The night deepened, and the entire dreamlike castle in the suburbs fell silent.

In her dreams, Xia Yihan kept running and shouting, "Xiao Jun, come back! Come back!"

She seemed to have grasped the hem of his wind-blown clothes, but after a strong gust of wind, he vanished—she couldn't even see his back.

She jolted awake, her face damp with cold tears. Staring into the pitch-black room, she knew sleep wouldn't come again.

Tomorrow, she had to work harder than today.

---

At 5:30 AM, Xia Yihan was already up. She took a cold shower, washed up, and only then did Zhao Tian'ai struggle out of bed.

At 6:00 AM, they gathered at the workers' entrance, and the butler led them straight to the gym—where Ye Zimo had already been on the treadmill for half an hour.

After finishing his run, he sat on a fitness machine, starting chest expansions.

Xia Yihan and the other maids stood three meters away from him, each holding a tray with a clean towel.

Except for Xia Yihan, the other girls kept stealing glances at Ye Zimo.

Years of training had given him a muscular build. Beads of sweat trickled down his tanned skin, making the girls sigh with envy.

Fang Lina couldn't resist the urge to approach him. Her big eyes darted around as she swayed her hips, tray in hand, and stopped right in front of him, crouching down with a coquettish voice.

"Young Master Ye, you're sweating so much. Let me wipe it for you."

Ye Zimo turned his head, his gaze as cold as millennia-old frost. He barely glanced at her before Fang Lina stammered an apology.

"S-Sorry, Young Master Ye!"

Just then, the butler returned from his errand and walked into the gym, witnessing the scene.

He hurried over, raising his voice in scolding.

"Young Master Ye hates being disturbed. Don't you remember? How dare you—"

But before he could finish, Ye Zimo paused his exercise and said mildly, "It's fine, don't blame her."

Then, he reached out, took a towel from Fang Lina's tray, wiped his sweat, and placed the towel back.

Fang Lina had expected the butler to scold her—and maybe even punish her—just like he had with Xia Yihan. She never imagined the Young Master would defend her.

Wait... did he just smile at her?

Oh my God!! The Young Master smiled at her!!

Fang Lina's heart soared with joy. She silently rejoiced, certain that this bold move had successfully caught his attention.

The room had over twenty maids, and nearly all of them looked at Fang Lina with a mix of envy and jealousy. Xia Yihan, however, stood quietly, never once glancing toward Ye Zimo.

Yet, he subtly shifted his gaze to her—so composed? Good. A cold smirk tugged at his lips.

---

After breakfast, as they saw Ye Zimo off, the butler finally assigned the rest of the day's tasks.

That night, Ye Zimo returned very late. The Ye family had a rule: if he wasn't back by 10 PM, the servants could rest without waiting up.

At 10:00 PM, after the others dispersed, Xia Yihan—still under punishment—remained in the hall, kneeling on the marble floor with a pure white cloth, scrubbing relentlessly.

The butler had ordered her to keep going until not a single speck of dust remained on the cloth.

She lost track of time, but then heard heavy footsteps approaching.

She knew it was him—but she didn't want to provoke him, nor did she dare. Pretending not to notice, she continued scrubbing.

Ye Zimo crouched in front of her, his towering shadow swallowing her tiny frame.

Damn woman. No one had ever dared to ignore him like this.

She should've acted like Fang Lina, actively trying to seduce him. Instead, she stood here, completely indifferent upon seeing him alone.

Ye Zimo pinched her chin, forcing her to look up. His piercing gaze locked onto her delicate face. mocking smile played on his lips as he leaned in, his voice low and cold.

"Well? How does it feel?"

She wanted to turn away, refusing to meet his eyes. After all, she could be framed for seducing him at any moment, becoming the maids' common enemy. She refused to make enemies for no reason. faint pain came from her chin—he was smiling, but he absolutely wouldn't allow a mere maid to dodge his question.

"Answer me!" His voice carried an undeniable commanding tone.

Xia Yihan took a deep breath, meeting his gaze with unflinching honesty.

"Young Master Ye, this feels very unpleasant. But I need this job. I need the money. I truly didn't try to seduce you—that, I believe you know. I just want to be a proper maid, doing my duties diligently."

Ye Zimo watched her, a half-smile on his face. Every subtle change in her expression was clear to him. Especially when she mentioned needing money—her fleeting hesitation betrayed her lie.

"Need money?" He seemed thoughtful.

"Yes. So please..." Her words were cut off as a tingling sensation brushed her lips. She couldn't continue.

His hand had loosened its grip on her chin, and his thumb now brushed against her lower lip—light, as gentle as a breeze rustling leaves.