Chapter 214: Forced Shopping
The woman looked to be in her twenties and was wearing a standard maid's uniform.
But her expression and gaze were remarkably composed. She raised a hand and offered a glass of warm water.
"Miss Lin, the Patriarch sent me to take care of you. From now on, please feel free to ask me for anything you need."
"Here is the warm water you needed."
Lin Chuyue paused. She didn't recall saying she needed anything.
"How did you know I wanted a drink of water?"
"Miss Lin, I graduated from the most renowned butler academy in Country Y. It has been an hour since you arrived."
"You might not get hungry after an hour without food, but you are very likely to get thirsty after an hour without water."
"Furthermore, I noticed you licked your lips just before coming out, which is a subconscious action of a thirsty person."
Lin Chuyue was surprised; she never expected a mere maid to be so incredibly sharp.
'It seems I've been too sheltered.'
"May I ask what your monthly salary is?"
The maid answered respectfully, "Miss Lin, my monthly salary is one hundred thousand."
One hundred thousand. That was an extremely high salary, even in the Imperial City.
That was equivalent to an annual salary of over a million!
Countless people struggled for over a decade to earn that kind of salary.
But this maid in front of her was earning such a high wage for what was essentially domestic work.
'It seems that butler academy in Country Y really lives up to its reputation.'
"Alright. I'll be in your care, then."
For the rest of the day, Lin Chuyue experienced what it meant to be cared for with meticulous attention to every detail.
The maid was not only incredibly smart, knowing what Lin Chuyue wanted with a single glance, but she could also anticipate her needs so well that Lin Chuyue was tempted to poach her and take her home.
'No wonder the young mistresses of great houses in ancient times valued their personal maids so highly.'
'If she had such a capable maid, she would certainly treasure her and wouldn't want anyone else attending to her affairs.'
Lin Chuyue started to feel a bit bored, so she walked out of the courtyard, wanting to explore.
The maid followed her, never leaving her side.
After walking for ten or so minutes, they arrived at a rockery with a flowing stream.
The paths here led in all directions, and it was impossible to tell which one led to the next courtyard.
The two of them stopped to rest at a pavilion, and the maid immediately took out some tea she had brought with her.
Lin Chuyue suddenly felt a little bad. "Never mind, let's not walk anymore. Let's go back."
She waited until dinnertime, when Xiao Ye finally returned after finishing his work.
The two of them sat in the dining room.
The dining table was laden with all sorts of rare delicacies, all of which had been flown in from abroad at great expense—on the Xiao Family's private jet, no less.
Xiao Ye thoughtfully placed some food on her plate. "Try this. Sweet clams from the Arctic. Even the lemons for seasoning were flown in from overseas."
Lin Chuyue didn't know much about gourmet food, but she had to admit it tasted wonderful—far more exquisite than anything she had eaten before.
After dinner, they lay in bed, holding each other.
They didn't do anything, but the feeling was deeply comforting.
Lin Chuyue buried her head in Xiao Ye's chest. "If only time could stop right at this moment…"
Xiao Ye gave her a kiss. "That won't do. If we're going to stop time, it should be when we're old and gray together."
「The next morning.」
When Lin Chuyue woke up, Xiao Ye was already gone.
The maid thoughtfully brought her some honey water and breakfast.
"Miss Lin, the Patriarch knew you were rather bored yesterday, so today he has invited several major brands over."
"They are already waiting outside."
Lin Chuyue hadn't even eaten her breakfast yet, but she hurriedly told her to let them in.
Representatives from the major brands came in carrying large cases, one after another, lining them up in a row before Lin Chuyue.
They opened their cases, revealing one piece of haute couture after another.
But unlike formal gowns, these were bespoke casual clothes that could be worn daily.
Each piece was one-of-a-kind in the entire Dragon Country, guaranteeing she would never wear the same outfit as someone else.
Ordinarily, even the four great Hidden Clans had to compete for these items. Yet Xiao Ye had somehow arranged for them to send over their entire women's collections for Lin Chuyue to choose from first.
One by one, models wearing the bespoke casual wear walked past Lin Chuyue.
If she so much as glanced at an outfit for a moment too long, the maid would nod, and the piece would be set aside.
In the end, all but a few of the most extravagant pieces were kept.
When Lin Chuyue saw the bill, it was in the tens of millions!
"Wait… I…"
Before she could finish, the maid interrupted her with a slight smile. "Miss Lin, this was all the Patriarch's directive."
"In addition to the clothes, there is also jewelry."
The maid waved her hand, and another group of people entered.
They carried high-end briefcases with combination locks, and every person wore gloves.
All kinds of jewelry were put on display.
There were complete sets and individual pieces, each one glittering dazzlingly under the light, making it impossible to look away.
Women naturally love jewelry, and Lin Chuyue was instantly dazzled.
But she didn't want to spend so much of Xiao Ye's money, so in the end, she only selected a watch she could wear daily and a single set of diamond jewelry.
It would be suitable for any occasion, aside from when wearing a traditional Chinese gown.
The maid said nothing, but as she was seeing them out, she arranged for a portion of the remaining jewelry to be left behind as well.
One set for each style.
As the future Lady of the Xiao Family, relying on a single set of jewelry to maintain appearances was simply not acceptable.
If she wore the same jewelry more than three times, people would think she was poor.
The ladies of all the great families had enough jewelry to fill an entire safe, and their collections were constantly growing.
Lin Chuyue was being forced to shop.
When she opened her personal walk-in closet, she discovered it had a hidden mechanism.
Opening it revealed another walk-in safe.
Inside was the jewelry that had just been left behind.
"Didn't I only ask for those two items? Why is all of this here too?"
The maid nodded slightly. "Miss Lin, this was all the Patriarch's intention."
"Besides, this is just a small amount. The Xiao Family has a great deal of heirloom jewelry that is currently being inventoried."
"Once it's been confirmed that everything is in order, it will all be sent to you. Then, before you attend any banquets, a dedicated team will come to style your outfits and do your makeup."
Lin Chuyue had been raised in wealth, but this was the first time she had ever encountered such an exaggerated level of opulence.
Each of these jewelry sets was worth tens of millions.
In other words, in just one short day, she had spent nearly two hundred million on clothes and accessories alone.
That amount of money could have saved the Lin Family when it was in crisis.
But in the Xiao Family, this was merely the quarterly budget for the Lady of the House…
'Isn't this a little too extravagant?!'
Lin Chuyue felt a bit dazed.
The maid, however, looked as if this was all perfectly normal. "Miss Lin, you will need to get used to it. You and the Patriarch are the future faces of the Xiao Family."
Lin Chuyue nodded dazedly. "Okay, I understand."
That evening, Xiao Ye arrived again.
Lin Chuyue was eating the fine food, but it tasted like sawdust. "Um… when can I go home?"