Chapter 5: Not a dream

Lu Yunze had a very comfortable sleep, but when he woke up and realized the sun was already high in the sky, he felt a bit self-conscious.

Although he was a Young Master from a wealthy family, when Lu Yunze woke up, there were no maids obediently waiting by his bedside for him to open his eyes—he had to get dressed and out of bed on his own.

Speaking of maids, Lu Yunze couldn’t help but recall what happened last night.

Whether it was at the hotel or after returning to the Luo Family Manor, that maid named Jiang Sui always made him feel a bit unreal.

Her words, her eyes, and the soft touch of her body—all of it left a deep impression on Lu Yunze.

Lu Yunze even raised his arm, trying to find the fragrance she left on him last night, but after a night had passed, only the scent of the bedding remained.

Among the Young Masters of the Luo Family, he was the only one with the surname Lu. Even though the family head had spoken personally, the mindset of “those who are not of my clan must have different hearts” was still hard to eradicate.

So when he encountered a servant who took the initiative to care for him, it was inevitable for him to wonder if it was all just a Dream.

Lu Yunze would sometimes fantasize about the life of a true Young Master who had everything done for him, but reality was harsh—he still had to rely on himself for most things in the end.

Walking out of the bedroom, Lu Yunze deliberately paid attention to the servants passing by.

Whenever their eyes met, they would all stop their work, show a friendly smile, and greet him proactively.

They all looked different, and the emotions in their eyes varied, but not a single one had those light purple eyes. That maid’s eyes were sly like a cat’s.

After wandering around the manor, Lu Yunze still didn’t see that girl with ash-brown hair, and had to accept the cruel reality.

“Maybe I was just too repressed, and last night was just a strange hallucination?”

For a good girl willing to help him for no reason to appear among a group of people who looked down on him, no matter how he thought about it, it was too much like a Dream.

If such a person really existed, she was probably approaching him with a hidden agenda.

As he turned a corner in the corridor, Lu Yunze accidentally bumped shoulders with someone coming from the other direction. He instinctively apologized.

If it had just been an ordinary servant, it wouldn’t matter, but of all people, he bumped into the Butler, that troublesome figure. After standing up straight, not only did the Butler not apologize to Lu Yunze, he even stared at him sternly.

“Young Master Lu, you can’t go running around the corridors like some uncultured savage.”

“I was just walking fast, not running.”

“That’s not acceptable either. Wandering around idly will only invite gossip and bring shame to the Luo Family.” The Butler’s tone was full of arrogance. “If you’re really that free, why not learn from Miss Luo and do something to bring honor to the family?”

“That’s not something you need to teach me, is it?” Lu Yunze’s tone carried a hint of anger.

“I only hope Young Master Lu can mature soon.”

Sensing the situation was turning bad, the Butler finished speaking and left, not giving him any chance to respond.

Lu Yunze didn’t bother chasing after him, and instead walked toward the dining room. Running into this kind of thing first thing in the morning could ruin anyone’s mood.

I don’t think I’ve ever done anything to embarrass this family.

Compared to those truly idle young nobles, Lu Yunze’s behavior in the Luo Family could already be considered “well-behaved.” He had never caused any trouble for the Luo Family, but he hadn’t made any major contributions either.

Having no achievements was the greatest sin for an Outsider like him.

After sitting down in the dining room, Lu Yunze’s mind was filled with the rumors and gossip he had heard, intentionally or otherwise. In the eyes of others, he was just a useless freeloader, good for nothing.

Only a few people were willing to treat him kindly from the heart, like Luo Yao, or like the little maid he had Dreamed of last night.

He had just sat down when a maid came in with Breakfast—this was the shortest he’d ever had to wait.

Lu Yunze stretched and patted his neck:

“Seems like I’ve got a crick.”

“Young Master, if you want quality sleep, I recommend the Mythic Realm…”

“Hmm?!”

Lu Yunze nearly tipped his chair over, jerking his head up. Those familiar light purple eyes and that smiling face appeared before him.

Silence fell. Lu Yunze stared in a daze, while Jiang Sui maintained the same smile as last night.

The first time he saw her in a maid outfit, what really caught his attention was, of course, the perfectly round curves concealed beneath the fabric.

Am I still Dreaming?

“It’s not a Dream, Young Master.”

How do you know what I’m thinking?

“Because it’s written all over your face.”

Jiang Sui pointed to her own cheek with her index finger.

“Want to pinch it? I’m the real Jiang Sui, and it feels great.”

She squinted her eyes slightly, as if inviting Lu Yunze, even bending down so her cheek was closer to him.

The delicate fragrance wafting from her lingered at Lu Yunze’s nose, making him subconsciously raise his hand, but he quickly snapped back to reality.

His hand trembled in midair, and in the end, he pinched his own cheek.

It hurt, a lot. This wasn’t a Dream!

“Young Master~ you’re making my heart ache.” Jiang Sui actually pouted, as if blaming him for starting something and then abandoning her.

“Ahem.” Lu Yunze tried to ease his own embarrassment. “As long as it’s not a Dream. By the way, why are you here?”

She let him change the topic, which was just what Jiang Sui wanted.

“Of course, I’m here to bring you Breakfast. It’s freshly made, try it.”

She lifted the cover off the tray, and a rich aroma wafted out, tantalizing Lu Yunze’s senses.

On the tray lay a thick Sandwich, made from three slices of bread and filled with rich ingredients.

“You made this…?”

“Mm-hmm. Young Master, have you heard the old saying? A maid who can’t cook isn’t a good maid.”

“What country is that old saying from?”

“I just made it up.”

She was clearly making things up, yet Jiang Sui looked quite proud.

“Hurry and eat while it’s hot, Young Master. There’s another old saying: A Young Master who doesn’t eat the Breakfast his maid made especially for him isn’t a good Young Master.”

“……”

Lu Yunze couldn’t even be bothered to retort. What he was really thinking was: She made this just for me? Is that for real?

In this manor, only Luo Yao was willing to cook for Lu Yunze, but her cooking skills were truly not something to be praised.

Urged on by Jiang Sui, Lu Yunze grabbed the Sandwich—it was still warm, clearly kept insulated until she saw him enter the dining room and brought it out from the kitchen.

It smelled delicious. He only hoped it wasn’t some kind of dark cuisine.

Lu Yunze cautiously took a bite, chewed slowly, and then stopped.

“How is it?”

“It’s delicious.”

Unbelievable. The Sandwich looked simple enough, but the taste exceeded his expectations.

Between the three slices of bread, he could taste fried egg, bacon, lettuce, and a perfectly balanced sauce, creating a rich and layered flavor.

Thanks to the good insulation, the Sandwich’s flavor hadn’t diminished at all, and Lu Yunze’s tongue felt as if it was swimming in a boundless field of Sandwich flowers.

Delicious didn’t even begin to describe it—it was a true delicacy!

Lu Yunze started eating in big mouthfuls, so messily that other servants would have frowned at him, but Jiang Sui didn’t mind. She just stood quietly by his side, watching him.

He finished the whole big Sandwich in a hurry, nearly choking. Jiang Sui handed him a glass of water.

After gulping down a big mouthful, Lu Yunze felt alive again, and even a little unsatisfied.

“I didn’t expect your cooking to be so…”

Just as Lu Yunze turned his head, Jiang Sui’s hand was already in front of him.

“Young Master, you’ve got ketchup on your mouth.”

“Ah, sorry, I’ll wipe it off myself.”

But before he could reach for a napkin, Jiang Sui’s finger brushed the corner of his mouth, wiping away the ketchup, and then she put her finger into her own mouth.

“Mmm, tasty.”

Lu Yunze was stunned again.

It was just a simple gesture, but in his eyes it was filled with a soft allure, making his heart race.

As she withdrew her finger, a thin thread of silver stretched between her pink tongue and fingertip.

She looked at Lu Yunze again and smiled, “Young Master, do you want to taste it too?”

“N-no, that’s okay.” Lu Yunze turned his flushed face away. “Aren’t you embarrassed?”

That was ketchup wiped from his mouth—there could’ve been his saliva on it. Yet Jiang Sui didn’t mind at all, and even gave a calm explanation:

“I just don’t want to waste food. After all, you know my current financial situation, Young Master.”

A debt of 1.8 million—anyone would feel suffocated by that.

“As long as I can survive, I’m willing to do anything.”

From her previous life, she’d been struggling to live. With her parents gone early and the company squeezing her dry… all kinds of experiences had long since toughened her skin. This kind of thing was nowhere near enough to make her back down.

“Y-yeah, your situation really is tough.” Lu Yunze felt a twinge in his heart. She looked about the same age as him, yet she had to waste her youth working as a maid in this manor.

Even so, she was still willing to help others and could still smile—her mental strength was truly impressive.

“What I said just now didn’t hurt you, did it?”

“Young Master is so gentle. I’m not that fragile.”

“Heh, true.”

What an interesting person, Lu Yunze thought. He wanted to talk to her more.

“Young Master, I think you have some sauce on the other side of your mouth too.”

“I just remembered I have something to do. I’ll leave you to clean up here.”

Lu Yunze jumped up and hurried out of the dining room.

The maid left behind watched his flustered retreat, her eyes glinting mischievously as she sat down in his seat.

“The prey ran off. I didn’t expect him to cave so quickly.”

Jiang Sui picked up a small piece of bread from the plate and popped it into her mouth, her smile growing brighter.

“But don’t think you can escape from the palm of my hand, Lu Yunze.”

The real show is just beginning.