Chapter 3 I Should Have Squeezed It Off Back Then

The teapot was always on the clay stove, steaming when Zong Du picked it up.

Mrs. Zong jumped up, scalded, disregarding her dignity.

She constantly shifted her legs, patting and shaking off the water that spilled on her skirt. Despite her efforts, her inner thighs still burned painfully.

Zong Du’s face darkened as he glanced at the maids standing frozen at the door. “What are you all standing there for? Take my mom to rinse with cold water!”

The maids finally rushed over, hurriedly helping Mrs. Zong to the restroom. The butler had just brought the hotel’s manager upstairs, and seeing Mrs. Zong’s pained, pale face and trembling legs, he quickly ran downstairs to buy burn ointment.

As the maids left in a flurry, Xi Yue tried to blend in with the crowd and leave with them. She had just taken a few steps when...

“Miss?”

Xi Yue stopped in her tracks and turned back. “Miss Lin.”

The maids had all followed Mrs. Zong, leaving only the three of them in the room.

Lin Yanyan smiled awkwardly. “I’m sorry, was I too willful just now and made things difficult for you?”

“No, it’s me who should apologize.” Xi Yue lowered her head and eyes. “I study ballet, so I lack confidence in pole dance.”

Of course, that was an excuse.

Xi Yue hesitantly glanced at the two of them, feeling puzzled.

Lin Yanyan didn’t take this opportunity to gain favor with her future mother-in-law, and Zong Du showed no concern whether his mother was scalded or not.

While pondering, she saw Zong Du’s gaze sweep towards her, so she quickly looked away.

Lin Yanyan continued, “I’m really sorry. How about... I treat you to some fruit? What do you like? There’s plenty here—ah!”

As Lin Yanyan reached for the fruit plate, Zong Du also extended his hand from the opposite side. His cool fingertips brushed over the back of her hand lightly.

Lin Yanyan quickly withdrew her hand, her wet eyes looking at Zong Du, and her ears turning red.

Zong Du remained composed, picking up a wax apple and placing it on a small plate in front of Lin Yanyan. “No need to give it to her; it was prepared especially for you. Just brought in from Thailand, wanna have some?”

Lin Yanyan blushed deeply, her gaze fixed on Zong Du. Under his pampering look, she lowered her head and took a small bite, “It really is sweet, thank you, Brother Zong.”

Xi Yue stared hard at the floor.

After eating half the wax apple, Lin Yanyan suddenly remembered Xi Yue. “Miss, what’s your name? Are you a relative of the Zong family?”

“Xi Yue, I’m a maid for the Zong family.”

Lin Yanyan was surprised. “You’re really a maid?”

She turned to Zong Du, “Brother Zong, your family treats maids so well? She’s wearing the latest G-brand outfit, I thought she was a distant relative.”

A G-brand outfit, especially the latest season, was not something a maid could afford.

Xi Yue’s heart tightened.

Zong Du poured Lin Yanyan a cup of tea. “The clothes were bought by Zong Fu, but the size was wrong, so she gave them to her.”

Zong Fu, Zong Du’s sister, the beloved second daughter of the Zong family.

Xi Yue subconsciously touched the soft, smooth fabric of her dress, feeling the tightness around her chest, the looseness at her waist, and the short hem...

No wonder.

Looking at the stains on her knees from kneeling, and her semi-new discount shoes, Xi Yue smirked slightly, thinking she was easily deceived.

Mrs. Zong soon returned, and Lin Yanyan helped her to her seat, showing great concern.

Zong Du announced the start of the meal, and Xi Yue stepped back, rejoining the maids.

During the meal, the previously sweltering weather suddenly turned into a fierce storm.

Mrs. Zong glanced out the window and advised Zong Du, “The weather is bad. After dinner, take Yanyan home early, so the Lin family doesn’t worry.”

Zong Du nodded and looked at Lin Yanyan. “My car got dirty this afternoon. Can I ride with you? Hope you don’t mind.”

Lin Yanyan quickly nodded, “I don’t mind.”

“What happened? Didn’t you just get a new car?” Mrs. Zong asked.

Zong Du either didn’t want to answer or didn’t hear her. He remained silent, using the serving chopsticks to place sweet and sour pork ribs on Lin Yanyan’s plate.

Mrs. Zong, annoyed, glanced at Xi Yue standing idly by the door and remembered the earlier incident, her anger flaring up again.

“Xi Yue, I asked you to dance for Yanyan earlier, and you were so hesitant and shy. What kind of behavior is that! Even though you have a gambling father and a weak-willed mother, you grew up in the Zong family and represent our reputation when you’re out. If you continue to be so ungrateful, I’ll have to ask Zhuang Yi how she raised you! If I hadn’t been kind enough to keep you back then, you—”

“That’s enough,” Zong Du interrupted Mrs. Zong, “Yanyan is still here.”

Mrs. Zong held back her anger, turning to Lin Yanyan with a forced smile. Due to her fierce appearance, her smile in the midst of anger looked even more frightening.

“Yanyan, don’t be scared. I’m just disciplining the maid. Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards. You shouldn’t be too soft-hearted either, understand?”

Lin Yanyan obediently nodded, “I understand, Auntie. My mom taught me the same.”

Mrs. Zong felt a bit relieved.

Zong Du took a napkin and leisurely wiped his fingers. “Let her wash the car then.”

Mrs. Zong was puzzled. “What?”

“Aren’t you complaining she’s an embarrassment?” Zong Du chuckled lowly, “Xi Yue, the Zong family doesn’t keep useless people, you got it?”

He casually tossed something at Xi Yue’s feet.

Xi Yue looked down and saw it was a car key.

In an instant, she remembered the ridiculous sex in the car that afternoon.

“Clean it up,” Zong Du said lazily, “or don’t come back.”

Xi Yue agreed.

But she murmured, “I should have squeezed him off back then.”

...

The car was new and not dirty.

But after a session of sex, the inside was a mess, and being sealed for hours, the smell was weird.

In the pouring rain, Xi Yue bought deodorant spray and alcohol wipes, and climbed into the car, meticulously cleaning for five hours.

When she returned to the Zong family, it was already 3 a.m.

The rain had long stopped, and the temperature had dropped slightly.

The main gate was locked, so Xi Yue didn’t want to knock. She circled to the side gate, entered, and walked along the back path to the main building.

The rain-soaked lawn squished under her feet.

Xi Yue walked along, just reaching the swimming pool when a male voice called out.

“It’s so late.”

Xi Yue stopped, turning her head to see a flickering spark from a cigarette behind a magnolia tree.

Zong Du stepped out from behind the tree.

At midnight, all the decorative lights in the courtyard were turned off, leaving only a few dim lights to barely illuminate the path.

The man’s tall figure looked even more imposing under the faint light, his handsome face outlined in deep shadows.

Xi Yue hesitated for a few seconds and softly said, “The car was hard to clean.”

Zong Du flicked away his cigarette butt and stepped out of the shadows. “What, blaming me?”

Xi Yue shook her head.

Zong Du approached her, lifting her chin with his fingers.

Their eyes met, and Xi Yue quickly looked away.

Zong Du chuckled, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Xi Yue nervously looked around, “Mr, don’t, please, someone might see—”

Before she could finish, Zong Du suddenly toppled to the side.

“Pop—”