Chapter 56: Feng Xuexiang, a beautiful doll
Yu Shi finished washing the long hair, carefully drying, blow-drying, and combing it. Jiang Mang watched him work, impressed by his meticulous patience.
In the end, Yu Shi styled a simple yet elegant braid, and Jiang Mang couldn’t help but try to learn how to do it herself, even considering trying it on her own hair.
“All done. Next, I’ll take care of his body. Jiang Mang, you can take a rest over there,” Yu Shi said.
Jiang Mang, feeling a bit embarrassed to look at a stranger’s bare body, scratched her head and said, “Then I’ll do a bit more work next time.”
“It’s alright. I have better stamina. You go ahead and rest,” Yu Shi replied.
He removed and neatly folded Feng Xuexiang’s loose, comfortable clothing.
In his previous caregiving jobs, Yu Shi had seen many types of bodies—sickly and aged. But this body was perfect.
It had a slender figure, well-proportioned flesh, and the skin was smooth and flawless.
When Yu Shi touched Feng Xuexiang’s skin, he paused and looked at his own palm for a moment.
The original owner hadn’t paid much attention to hand care, so his hands were somewhat rough.
In his previous jobs, which involved a lot of hand use, he had taken more care of them, as he needed to maintain the delicacy of his hands for crafting certain handmade items.
His second brother had said that the best feature of his was his hands.
Yu Shi soaked his hands in warm water until they softened before taking them out to clean his employer’s face.
The full forehead, refined nose, and dense eyelashes that seemed to create their own eyeliner cast a faint shadow over the eye sockets, while the pale lips were tightly closed.
Yu Shi was even gentler than when he polished a priceless statue of Guanyin.
When cleaning the body, even when reaching sensitive areas, Yu Shi was thorough and diligent.
After finishing the cleaning, he massaged Feng Xuexiang using essential oils—just as he had done with stroke patients in the past.
Long-term bedridden individuals are prone to bedsores, and despite turning and massaging them twice a day, the skin still often shows signs of wear due to weakness.
But Feng Xuexiang showed none of these signs; his back remained as pristine as snow, with only a faint blue tattoo.
On the area between his shoulder blades and the small of his back, the snow-white skin was adorned with a copper mirror.
The mirror was covered with vividly detailed butterfly patterns, each butterfly’s delicate legs rendered with precision. Yu Shi even had the illusion that the butterflies were flapping their wings.
Knowing this might be a special feature of Feng Xuexiang as a “spirit demon,” Yu Shi treated it with his usual care, cleaning and massaging impartially.
Finally, he finished the cleaning, dressed Feng Xuexiang in clean clothes, and placed him back into freshly changed bedding.
Jiang Mang, waiting behind the curtain, had nearly fallen asleep while watching his busy, blurred silhouette.
Yu Shi completed the final touches and then went to wake her up.
“Alright, let’s head back,” Yu Shi said, lowering his sleeves and massaging his hands.
Jiang Mang, feeling a bit groggy, stood up and glanced at Feng Xuexiang on the bed. After the cleaning, he looked even more radiant, his skin noticeably clearer.
His black, shiny hair was neatly arranged on one side of the bedding, and the bed itself had no wrinkles at all.
Jiang Mang couldn’t help but show a look of admiration towards the cheerful Yu Shi.
“Zhou Shi, you seem quite happy?”
“Yeah.”
For Yu Shi, finishing the cleaning was like sweeping away the dust from his heart, and it was even more pleasant when the object of his care was visually pleasing.
As they walked out, the sky was almost dark.
“I didn’t expect us to be inside for so long. Thanks for your hard work today!” Jiang Mang said.
“The high salary from the Feng family is worth the effort,” Yu Shi replied earnestly. His professional ethics had earned the recognition of all his past employers.
“That’s true, hahaha!” Jiang Mang said, suddenly exclaiming, “Look, the water lilies have bloomed!”
As darkness fell, the water lilies that were still green buds when they arrived had now fully opened, covering the water’s surface with purple flowers.
“Aren’t water lilies supposed to bloom during the day? What kind of variety is this that blooms at night?” Yu Shi wondered.
He was used to having fresh cut flowers around his home, and he had bought water lily cut flowers before, but he had never seen such large, vibrant lilies that bloomed at night.
He thought that the second brother would probably like the water lily, as he enjoyed all things elegant and beautiful.
…
Back at the house by the shore, the steward and others were waiting there. Upon seeing their return, he showed a relaxed and satisfied expression.
Their safe return without any accidents indicated that they had behaved properly and had not done anything inappropriate.
The steward, feeling gratified, said, “You did very well. From now on, come by every noon to take good care of the Ninth Master.”
“Also, try to leave before dark, before the water lilies open,” the steward mentioned. Among all the caretakers who had attended to the Ninth Master before, none had stayed for such a long time.
“Uh, I’d like to ask, if we don’t leave before dark, what will happen?” Jiang Mang asked.
“It’s not really a big issue, but it might disturb the Ninth Master’s rest, and his condition tends to be less stable in the evening, especially as he nears awakening.”
Seeing no signs of fear on their faces, the steward felt even more satisfied and reassured them in a gentle tone, “Don’t worry, it’s not a major taboo.”
Jiang Mang was a bit nervous on the first day, but as the days passed without any incidents, she gradually relaxed.
The routine here was regular. Except for the time spent taking care of Feng Xuexiang in the afternoon, the rest of the time could be spent freely.
The Feng family treated them very well, providing food and lodging, with ingredients Jiang Mang had never had before.
The living conditions were excellent, and the only colleague she had was particularly pleasant. Jiang Mang had never had such an easy job.
“Yes, I’ll head back soon. I’ll chat with you more when I return.”
After finishing her contact with the younger siblings from the orphanage in the corridor, Jiang Mang saw Yu Shi approaching with a plate.
“Zhou Shi! What’s this?”
“It’s green bean cake that I made myself. After tasting the green bean cake made by the Feng family’s chef yesterday and finding it delicious, a flavor I hadn’t tried before, I decided to ask for some tips.”
Jiang Mang remembered, “Oh, that’s right! I thought it was really good too!”
Yu Shi handed her the plate, “Do you want to try the one I made?”
Jiang Mang replied, “Sure!”
She devoured one and exclaimed, “It’s similar to yesterday’s. Have you already learned how to make it?!”
“It’s not perfect yet. I’ll try again tomorrow,” Yu Shi said.
Yu Shi’s younger brother, Yu Le, loved green bean cake the most. If he were here, he would probably like this flavor too.
“Mmm, it’s really good!” Jiang Mang gave a thumbs-up in praise.
It was always gratifying to have someone enjoy food she made, and Yu Shi said, “If you’re heading back soon, I’ll pack some for you to take with you.”
Jiang Mang had been thinking about the younger siblings at the orphanage but hadn’t mentioned it out of embarrassment.
She was touched as she took the bag of green bean cakes that Yu Shi had packed for her and asked with concern, “And you? Aren’t you going back to visit today?”
Yu Shi replied, “No.”
They had a day-off every half a month, and this was their first break. While Jiang Mang planned to return to the orphanage to see everyone, Yu Shi had no desire to go back to Zhou Shi’s home.
The original owner’s parents were selfish and biased, and Yu Shi didn’t recognize them as his family.
Rather than returning to Zhou Shi’s house, he would prefer to clean his place and prepare some delicious dishes for himself.
…
After the home visit was over, Jiang Mang returned to work full of energy and with a more serious attitude.
In the afternoon, after a sudden downpour, Yu Shi took Jiang Mang and taught her how to massage Ninth Master Feng.
“Okay, I think I’ve learned it. I’ll do the massage for Ninth Master Feng tomorrow. You can rest for a while!”
“I’ll stay with you for one more day. Massaging someone in a deep sleep requires extra care because they can’t feedback their sensations, so you’ll need to control the pressure yourself.”
Jiang Mang admired him and agreed obediently.
Perhaps influenced by her colleague’s calm demeanor, Jiang Mang found herself looking at the Ninth Master’s face with growing composure, feeling capable of treating him like a puppet to move and massage.
The two left the workplace as usual and headed to their residence.
Jiang Mang, always talkative, looked ahead with hopeful expectations and said, “I hope we can keep this job until next year. That way, I can help expand the orphanage and have money to treat my little brother’s illness.”
She chuckled a couple of times, adding, “And then I’ll finally find out if Ninth Master Feng really doesn’t need to eat in the six months after the winter solstice.”
“Tsk.”
As they were rounding the corner, they heard a sneer from ahead.
A few people in Feng family servant uniforms were sitting and chatting, one young man sneering with disdain.
Unlike Jiang Mang and Yu Shi, who were external hires, the Feng family’s servants were raised from a young age by the Feng family and, after reaching junior management positions, were also trained in exorcism. They were respected exorcists wherever they went.
“Still hoping to work until next year? Ha, dreaming,” the young man said flippantly. “No one taking care of Ninth Master Feng has ever lasted a year. They change every year, and who knows how many people will replace you. With your kind, you might be gone by next month.”
Jiang Mang, not one to back down easily, retorted, “What’s with you, you black-eyed chicken? Are you cursing us?”
The young man, glaring angrily, stood up and almost poked Jiang Mang’s nose with his finger, shouting, “Dare you say that again?”
Someone behind him pulled him back, whispering, “Alin, just let it go, don’t bother with these short-lived people.”
Yu Shi stepped forward and pushed the young man’s rude finger down. As he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed a group of people approaching.
The leading young man, dressed in a suit, had a remarkable appearance.
Upon seeing him, the furious Alin immediately showed a look of guilt and fear, stepping back.
“What’s going on here?” the man in the suit asked, his tone indifferent.
Alin and the others dared not respond, but Jiang Mang, unafraid, spoke up, “I said I wanted to take care of Ninth Master Feng until next year, and this one here said we’d definitely be short-lived and probably die by next month, so we ended up arguing.”
“Are you from the Feng family? Can you do something about them?”
The man in the suit’s gaze swept over the lotus emblem on Jiang Mang’s uniform, confirming her identity.
“I am Feng Zaiyin. I apologize for their offense,” the man said, looking at the visibly uncomfortable group. He casually imposed a punishment, “Who gave you permission to speak so arrogantly to those taking care of Ninth Uncle? Go and receive your punishment.”
Since Feng Zaiyin appeared, Yu Shi had been quietly observing, noting the destined encounter between the male and female protagonists.
Feng Zaiyin was the most formidable exorcist among the younger generation of the Feng family and was also Feng Xuexiang’s nephew.
Of course, he was also the male protagonist and Jiang Mang’s future love interest.
After glancing at Jiang Mang one more time, Feng Zaiyin and his entourage hurried off, and Alin and his group quickly fled in embarrassment.
“Let’s go, Jiang Mang, time to head back,” Yu Shi said.
Jiang Mang’s expression was displeased as she told him, “That guy just now, acting so high and mighty. I can’t stand people who show off!”
Yu Shi: “…………”
In the original world line, the female lead seemed to remember the male lead favorably because he helped her, but now it felt like her impression of him was quite negative.
“You were right next to me. We were both cursed, but since you didn’t speak up, he acted like he didn’t see you and didn’t apologize to you. His head must be up in the clouds.” Jiang Mang rolled her eyes.
So, the negative impression was because of him.
“Zhou Shi, you still have a good temper. In these big families, young masters and servants are all the same.”
Yu Shi, seeing Jiang Mang’s protective attitude, suddenly asked the system:
[System, what would happen if the female protagonist doesn’t end up with the male protagonist?]
[This scenario doesn’t exist. The male and female protagonists are destined to fall in love, and their union is crucial for confronting the villain.]
Yu Shi: “That’s reassuring.”
He certainly did not want to face more marriage proposals from friends.
*
Feng Zaiyin walked through a large door and arrived at the Feng family head’s residence.
“Back already? How did it go?” The man, who looked ageless, was sitting at a tea table drinking tea.
He was Feng Houzhan, the head of the Feng family. As an exorcist in the Broken Illusions realm, his appearance was much younger than his actual age, even younger than his eldest son, who lacked talent.
Feng Zaiyin stood by the table, taking over the task from the steward to brew tea for his grandfather. He reported, “Master Xue’s condition is not good, and the Xue family can’t handle it. They want to awaken Ninth Uncle ahead of time.”
Feng Houzhan slammed his teacup onto the table, his tone harsh: “That old fool Xue Shanwei, at his age, still needs the younger generation to save him.”
Angry, Feng Houzhan fell silent, and no one dared to speak. After a while, he grunted, “Old Nine’s condition is becoming more unstable. We don’t know how much longer he’ll last… Let’s not worry about it.”
