A Maid’s First Day and a Capitalist’s Demands

Qin Lan adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose. She scrutinized Xiang Qing from head to toe. This girl was truly beautiful. Her skin was dazzlingly fair. Her face was small and delicate. Those peach blossom eyes, especially, were limpid and innocent, like those of a startled fawn. Coupled with this… ahem, distinctive uniform, she certainly possessed a unique charm.

“Good taste,” Qin Lan remarked succinctly. She then handed a folder to Gu Wei. “I just wonder how many days this little maid of yours will last.” From her tone, it was clear she suspected Gu Wei was once again playing some tiresome game of attracting attention.

“This time, it’s different,” Gu Wei said, taking the file. Her smile was knowing and profound. “This one, I truly cherish.” As she spoke, she deliberately pinched Xiang Qing’s cheek. Xiang Qing was mortified, burning with shame and indignation. Yet, she dared not resist. Seeing this, the amusement in Qin Lan’s eyes deepened.

“Alright, the file’s delivered; I’m off,” she said, waving a hand. “Just don’t let things get out of hand.” With that, she turned and left, her movements decisive and swift. The door shut with a decisive thud.

Xiang Qing exhaled a long, shaky breath. She felt utterly drained, as though she had just been pulled from the water. Those past few minutes had been more exhausting than an entire night of streaming.

“Alright, the outsider’s gone,” Gu Wei’s voice resonated from above her. Xiang Qing lifted her head. Just as she was about to ask if she could change her clothes, she heard Gu Wei continue:

“Little maid, it’s your first day on the job. Shouldn’t you do some work?” Xiang Qing’s heart sank. It was here. It had finally arrived. The capitalist’s exploitation was about to begin! Resigned, she nodded. “What do you want me to do?” Was it mopping the floor or cleaning windows? She simply wanted to find some task to occupy herself, anything to distract from the sheer awkwardness of her current attire. However, Gu Wei pointed to the living room sofa.

“Go, get me a glass of water.”

“…Huh?” Xiang Qing was bewildered once more. That’s it? Just pour a glass of water?

“What’s wrong? Don’t you understand?” Gu Wei tilted her head, observing her. “N-no, it’s not that,” Xiang Qing quickly shook her head. She just felt that this task seemed rather mismatched with her extremely powerful outfit.

“Then why aren’t you going?”

“Oh, right, okay.” Xiang Qing replied, her long legs carrying her somewhat awkwardly towards the open-plan kitchen. Behind her, Gu Wei leaned against the wall by the entrance, observing her with an air of composure. She watched Xiang Qing, dressed in the black and white lace maid outfit, pouring a glass of water for her in a mansion worth tens of millions. She watched her slender waist, her long, straight legs, and the earlobes that were faintly flushed from nervousness. A curve of triumph formed at the corners of Gu Wei’s mouth. This was only the beginning. Three months was still a long time.

****

Carrying the glass of water, Xiang Qing slowly made her way back to the living room from the open-plan kitchen, step by careful step. With every step, she felt like a rare animal being scrutinized. This outfit was nothing short of a pillar of shame; the taut lace fabric accentuated every curve of her current body, and the ridiculously short skirt left her legs feeling exposed, as if she were constantly on the verge of a wardrobe malfunction. She kept her head bowed, not daring to look at the expression on the woman’s face on the sofa. She knew, even without looking, that Gu Wei must be wearing a smug, expectant smirk, enjoying the spectacle.

“CEO Gu, your water.” Xiang Qing offered the cup, her voice barely a whisper, like the hum of a mosquito. However, Gu Wei did not reach out to take it. She simply reclined languidly on the sofa, her beautiful eyes observing Xiang Qing with keen interest. Then, her rosy lips parted slightly.

“Feed me.” Two words, uttered with an airy nonchalance.

Huh? Feed you?’ Xiang Qing’s internal processing unit immediately overheated. ‘Big sister, are your hands Hermès accessories that can’t touch water? Or are you a Level 1 disabled person?’ While she ranted furiously internally, she had no choice but to force out a professional, fake smile that looked worse than a grimace.

“Alright, CEO Gu.” ‘I’ll endure this!’ Xiang Qing cautiously held the cup, bringing it to Gu Wei’s lips, her movements stiff. Gu Wei took a symbolic sip, her lips barely touching the water before she immediately pulled back. She frowned slightly, her face clearly displaying two words: ‘disdain’.

“How boring.” Gu Wei shook her head, her tone heavy with disappointment.

“There’s no feeling at all.” Xiang Qing: “…” ‘What kind of ‘feeling’ do you expect from plain water? Should I add some popping candy for an intracranial orgasm?’ As she was silently grumbling, she saw Gu Wei beckon her with a finger. Then, Gu Wei pointed to the water cup, then to Xiang Qing’s mouth, and finally to her own mouth. This sequence of gestures was fluid and unmistakable in its meaning. Xiang Qing’s pupils dilated in shock. ‘What? You want me to take a mouthful of water, then… then feed her mouth-to-mouth?’ ‘Holy crap! Is this some kind of special game reserved for ancient tyrannical emperors? I’m not Daji, for crying out loud!’ Her scalp tingled instantly, and she instinctively recoiled a large step, almost sending the water cup flying from her hand.

“No!” Xiang Qing’s survival instinct made her refuse on the spot.

“This is absolutely unacceptable! This has crossed the line!” ‘Workers have human rights too! I’m performing, not selling myself!’ The smile vanished instantly from Gu Wei’s face. She straightened her posture, and the atmospheric pressure in the entire living room seemed to drop by several degrees.

“Crossed the line?” Her voice was soft, yet it carried an oppressive chill that sent shivers down one’s spine.

“Xiang Qing, have you forgotten who you’re working for right now?” Gu Wei slowly rose to her feet, approaching Xiang Qing step by step. As she moved, the hem of her nightgown swayed, revealing glimpses of her long, straight legs. This woman was practically a walking hormone bomb.

“Of course, you can quit.” Gu Wei stopped in front of her, looking down at her imperiously.

“The door is right there; you can leave now.” She paused. “However, if you leave, how do you plan to repay that 800,000 yuan debt? With your meager streaming income?”

“Oh, right, speaking of streaming…” Gu Wei extended a finger and lightly tapped the tip of Xiang Qing’s nose, an intimate gesture.

“Tell me, do you think your little shabby streaming room will even be open tomorrow if I just lift a finger?” That single sentence struck precisely at Xiang Qing’s Achilles’ heel. Xiang Qing froze. ‘This crazy woman!’ ‘She’ll actually do it!’ ‘If she can’t win, she resorts to threats, huh? You evil capitalist! Your methods are so dirty!’ ‘Money! Money! My money! My streaming career!’ Alarm bells blared in Xiang Qing’s mind. No, she couldn’t lose this job, and even more, she couldn’t lose her streaming channel, her only source of income! Her personal savings weren’t enough yet! She still wanted to buy a small ‘toilet’ in the city center!’ Calm down! Xiang Qing, you need to calm down!’ In a flash of lightning, a brilliant idea sparked in her mind. ‘I’ve got it! Disgust her! As long as I gross her out, she definitely won’t have the heart for this anymore!’ Xiang Qing’s expression instantly shifted, revealing a look of awkwardness and shame.

“Um… CEO Gu…” She fidgeted, hesitating to speak.

“I… I woke up too quickly this morning and haven’t brushed my teeth yet… My mouth, my mouth has a smell, and I’m afraid it might bother you.” After saying this, she guiltily turned her face away, feigning an aggrieved expression as if to say, ‘I don’t want this either.’

‘Hehehe, how about that? Disgusted, aren’t you? A clean-freak rich heiress definitely can’t stand this!’ ‘Quick! Quickly tell me to go brush my teeth with disgust! Then this whole thing will be over! I truly am an unremarkably clever little genius!’ Xiang Qing mentally gave herself a thumbs-up, already planning which flavor of toothpaste she would use. Upon hearing this, Gu Wei was indeed taken aback for a moment. She tilted her head, scrutinizing Xiang Qing intently, as if examining some rare species. Xiang Qing’s heart leaped to her throat. ‘It’s coming, it’s coming, the look of disgust is about to appear!’

“Oh? Is that so?” Gu Wei raised an eyebrow, her tone betraying no emotion.

“Then why aren’t you going to brush them quickly?” ‘Yes!’ ‘Plan successful!’ The little person in Xiang Qing’s mind immediately set off a string of electronic firecrackers. As if granted a great pardon, she immediately nodded and bowed. “Yes, yes! I’ll go right away!” She turned, ready to dash towards the bathroom, feeling as though she was just one step away from freedom.

“Wait.” Gu Wei’s voice came from behind her, like a bucket of ice water, dousing Xiang Qing’s enthusiasm completely. She stiffly turned around, a look of confusion on her face. Gu Wei’s lips, she saw, were slowly curving upwards, forming a wicked, unrestrained arc. Her gaze was like that of a top predator locking onto its prey, full of aggression and possessiveness.

“Never mind.” Gu Wei’s thin lips parted, uttering two words.

“No need to brush.”