Chapter 44: Elegant and Ruthless

Shi Qingqing cleared her throat—now was the moment for her to reclaim center stage.

“All right, esteemed Young Master Zhan! But as your humble maid, I can only make two dishes: fried rice with egg and instant noodles. Which would you prefer?”

Zhan Su’s hand froze midair, his sharp and frosty gaze sliding over to her.

“Are you joking?” This pauper girl couldn’t cook? How had she not starved to death?

“I’m not joking. My mom always cooks at home—her cooking is delicious, so I never bothered to learn.” She hadn’t had time to cook anyway; if she wasn’t in school, she was working. Her mother’s health was often poor, and she earned less than Qingqing did. Most of the time, her mother prepared her meals, and if she had to leave for work, she’d set aside some food for her daughter to heat up when she got home.

Zhan Su couldn’t see any sign of a lie on Shi Qingqing’s face, and for a fleeting moment, a pang of envy washed over him.

He himself had rarely tasted his mother’s cooking—his meals were always prepared by maids and servants. Who would have thought that this nobody, raised in poverty, could still enjoy her mother’s cooking every day? Amidst the envy, there was a trace of comfort. This stubborn, brash girl—daring to stand up to him—was probably so bold because her mother had spoiled her. Her mother must love her deeply.

She was, in a way, a lucky child.

Zhan Su went on the offensive, his tone laced with mockery. “So, Miss Nobody, you can’t do this or that. What can you do, then?”

“If I told you I can’t do anything, would you let me go?” Shi Qingqing plucked up her courage.

Everyone considered it an honor to speak a word to him—was this girl out of her mind? All she could think about was leaving?

A faint, ambiguous curve touched Zhan Su’s lips, a fleeting loneliness hidden in his expression. His dark eyes glimmered with a cold light. “What do you think?”

“Boring,” Shi Qingqing muttered under her breath.

Annoyed, Zhan Su pointedly ignored her and strode upstairs, a chill radiating from his entire body. Out of sight, out of mind.

Rarely did anyone dare contradict him. If she were just any ordinary person, he’d have ordered his bodyguards to toss her out long ago—as far away as possible. But this nobody was the key to his illness, so for now, he’d keep her in the house, see how things went, and observe the effect.

…

Shi Qingqing watched Zhan Su disappear upstairs without a backward glance, and she let out a few half-hearted calls after him.

Zhan Su entered the first room on the second floor and shut the door with a resounding bang.

That was his answer to her.

In the blink of an eye, the vast living room was left with only her—and the Tibetan mastiff.

The silence was stifling. The dog turned its head and fixed her with a piercing stare, as if, now that its master had left, it was duty-bound to guard the house, watching Shi Qingqing as one would a thief.

Unable to stand the pressure, Shi Qingqing grinned at the mastiff. “Blackie, I’m just going to the kitchen to grab a rag. I can wipe tables and chairs, you know. I’m a diligent little housekeeper! I can even wash dishes!”

Blackie stared at her… as if she were an idiot.

Shi Qingqing realized the futility of it all; not only did she not get along with Zhan Su, but she and this dog seemed to be at odds as well.

She shut her mouth, tiptoed into the kitchen on the right, found a rag in the cupboard, and began to wipe down the tables and chairs.

After a single swipe, the tables and chairs shone brighter than her own face. There was no need to clean at all. The whole place sparkled; not a speck of dust to be found. She looked around—there was simply nothing left for her to tidy.