Q'ling's eyes trailed down the dirty clothes on her body as a sense of panic flowed through her blood stream.
She had no idea who she was going to meet, who her supposedly new family were, or what her job here was but from the looks of things – the community-sized estate, the large pool-sized fountain seated at a distance right in front of the mansions large enough to be considered a U-turn, and the humongous castle-like mansions standing tall like the three wise men.
She was obviously meeting people of the higher society.
People with way higher ranking than her father. And her job was to obviously to serve them.
Only the thought of this was enough to make her wet herself.
It was the first time she would be meeting them and here she was in stinky clothes, dressed like a pig farmer.
Great! her first impression, tossed down the drain.
All her hopes of getting on the good side of her boss/ bosses had been shattered before she even tried.
Hesitantly, she stepped out of the car, adjusting her clothes, looking so out of place, like an odd piece in a perfect puzzle.
Right before her, a man rushed out of nowhere with a slight bow to her, collecting the key of the car from the butler. Without wasting time, he got in the car and drove off.
She stared confused.
Was that his job here?
"Shall we?" Jeffrey gestured with his hands and she swallowed, having second thoughts about this place. It wasn't still too late to leave and carry on with her suicidal plans.
But the persistent eyes of the butler made her think otherwise. There was no way he would let her out of his sight, he seemed like one who valued his job. So she tossed those thoughts out the window.
This was her new life anyway, she couldn't run away from it. It was her only chance at survival.
Just as she started following him, walking cautiously behind him, she heard the loud swearing,
"Fuck!
Accompanied by the loud striking sound of high heels clapping to the floor.
It was a lady...
A very beautiful lady, blonde, with the face of a doll, but at that moment, an annoyed doll. She looked like the heiress of a wealthy family. And If she were to compare with Shin Li, she would be the boss.
She strolled towards their direction looking like she could raise hell on anyone who stood her way as she frowned, only deeming her eyes when they trailed to the butler.
Q'ling stared in awe as she followed silently behind him, and then, their eyes met.
Instantly, she felt chills come over her when the glamorous lady's eyes remained on her. It was the first time someone looked at her not in disgust, but in curiosity.
As she neared them, she paused her steps and Jeffrey who stood in front bowed slightly.
"Hello, Young miss". He greeted.
"Jeffrey, who is this?"
She ignored his greeting, going straight to the point.
"This is Q'ling. The general had asked me to bring her home". He simply said and she raised her brows as if registering his words.
The general?
"Hmph! What business could uncle Jiangsu possibly have with her? And why is she dressed like this?"
Qling flinched when her eyes came on her yet again and then suddenly, she saw it. The same look everyone else had whenever they saw her... The once curious face of the lady swiftly turned to disgust.
She scoffed, and then sighed in dismissal.
"Whatever, it's none of my concern, just get her off my sight before I throw up".
Q'ling bent her head to the lady's words, feeling completely embarrassed. She had been looked down countless times so this was nothing to her. But deep down just like every human, it hurt.
With a slight bow, Jeffrey began moving again as Q'ling's small figure followed carefully behind still with her head bent.
She could still feel the eyes of the lady behind her until they conered into the next hallway.
Even though she had been distracted by the lady just now, she couldn't deny the fact that her jaw dropped the moment the large doors of the main living room opened widely to accompany her.
Is this heaven? Her thoughts had taken over...
With maids scattered around in their neatly matching black and white attire, she couldn't stop the bitter taste in her mouth. It was only then that the realization that she had been sold to another family hit her hard.
She was going to be wearing the same attire as them in no time now.
She couldn't believe it. She had been reduced from the status of the illegitimate daughter to a maid.
Wow, Gao Q'ling, just how did things take this turn? She thought.
Not like there was any much difference from before anyway. After all, she had been a slave in her own family all her life.
This shouldn't be a bother. It should be a piece of cake.
In the next minute, an older looking woman stepped out from a path in the house, bowing slightly to Jeffrey who reciprocated. She looked like the housekeeper.
"The general is waiting in his study". She revealed politely, standing aside after passing on her message.
Calmly, Jeffrey tilted his neck to her in confirmation. "Shall we?" He questioned, and Q'ling nodded slightly.
He began moving again with both his hands crossed behind his back, getting a bow from everyone in the room as they both took the spiral stairway mounted at the center of the large hallroom.
In no time, they were strolling towards two large doors at the end of the hallway they had cornered from.
Q'ling's heart raced.
The person who had bought her was sitting behind those closed doors. Her eyes lit up and her shoulders tensed from nervousness as she tried deep breaths to steady her beating heart but nothing was working.
With a slight hesitation, Jeffrey gave her one last glace, mouthing, "General, I'm coming in". Before pushing the doors open.
And as Q'ling followed him in, her eyes were met with a pair of vigilant brown and a warm smile.
This must be the "Uncle Jiangsu" the beautiful lady had mentioned earlier.
"Welcome home, daughter in-law".
Huh?
Daughter in-law?