When people think of maids, they usually imagine women dressed in uniforms, polite and courteous, providing service to their masters.
Originally, a maid was simply a female servant who handled household chores and cared for the children.
But with the changes in society and the advent of industrialization, humanity underwent many transformations, and the maid gradually shifted from a profession to a form of entertainment culture.
In certain countries and regions, the maid image merged with the entertainment industry, creating a unique cultural phenomenon—maid cafés.
Their strong affinity, excellent service awareness, and cute appearances became places for tourists and fans to seek leisure and entertainment.
But that’s just the surface. In some dark corners where sunlight never reaches, some unsavory and shameful dealings quietly breed.
Of course, working as a maid can’t be classified as a black market industry. It’s not like the underground market’s harshly trained “Star Fury Maids.”
At worst, it’s a bit gray, and in some countries and regions, it’s not explicitly prohibited, but it’s definitely looked down upon.
To put it bluntly, it’s like begging on one’s knees.
At first, Xu Yinsheng refused to work as a maid.
She had dignity.
But the next day, after searching the island for a job for half a morning—either requiring an ID or having no vacancies—no result came despite the approaching noon and her rumbling stomach.
Feeling embarrassed, Xu Yinsheng went to Qin Yumo’s place to scrounge a meal again.
In the end, under Qin Yumo’s persuasion, Xu Yinsheng prepared herself to apply to be a maid.
There was no other choice. The harsh reality had eroded her lofty ideals.
As the saying goes, “Gold lies beneath a man’s knees.”
Now was the time to cash in—no, even if she became a maid, she would demand her meals standing up!!
After some self-comfort, Xu Yinsheng felt she could face working as a maid head-on.
With this mindset, Qin Yumo hailed a taxi and took the two of them to a manor on the island.
As soon as they got off the car, the first thing that caught their eyes was a classical, vintage gate—a massive red wooden door carved with intricate patterns, tightly locked with a large iron lock, its surface mottled with the marks of time.
The door creaked open slowly, and a cool breeze blew in, instantly invigorating their spirits and refreshing their moods.
A butler dressed in a suit approached, smiling as if he had anticipated their arrival.
“Please follow me for the maid interview.”
Qin Yumo nodded politely and took Xu Yinsheng’s hand, leading her into the manor.
The manor was huge, covering several dozen acres.
On both sides of the entrance were tall phoenix trees, about a meter high.
Their dense branches blocked the sunlight, with only a few green leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
The owner of this manor was a Viscount with a mysterious identity.
The entire island was practically their family’s fiefdom.
It was said that their family had a history spanning five hundred years, long and enduring.
Xu Yinsheng had learned all this from Qin Yumo, who had clearly done her homework on what it meant to be a maid.
As for why in the 21st century there were still titles and fiefdoms—those were all the fault of the Huayuan Federation, which had bled the world dry for eight centuries, evolving from colonial overlords and raw material suppliers to economic exploiters, political supporters, and cultural invaders.
Xu Yinsheng glanced left and right along the way—there were gardeners trimming bushes, butlers in proper suits, guards standing at attention, beautiful maid girls, and not far away, a Cupid fountain with a naked cherub pulling a bow.
The manor’s owner had good taste.
Xu Yinsheng silently made a mental note.
Though she was a spoiled child, her parents belonged to the true upper class, and having been influenced by them, her horizons were naturally broad.
Passing through the long phoenix tree corridor, the three were led by the butler into a courtyard within the manor.
Unlike the European style outside, the courtyard inside featured a pond full of lotus flowers aside from a pavilion and stone steps.
Green trees shaded the stone path, their branches and leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
Passing by a pavilion, they could see a few fish darting among the lotus flowers and leaves—bright and beautiful, a truly pleasing sight.
The deeper they went into the inner courtyard, the stronger the Chinese-style atmosphere became.
It seemed the owner was another intellectual who revered Huayuan Federation culture.
After passing through the Chinese-style courtyard, the group entered the inner courtyard, where the suited butler led the two women to a door before stopping.
“Ladies, please come in.”
With that, he gestured politely, displaying impeccable etiquette.
Qin Yumo tucked her long hair behind her ear and, her lips moving slightly, whispered something to Xu Yinsheng, who hadn’t noticed before.
Then she led Xu Yinsheng into the main hall.
They were not the first to arrive; several young women in their prime were already there.
They sat quietly, neither noisy nor chatting, displaying refined manners and scholarly grace.
Qin Yumo led Xu Yinsheng to a counter to register their names, ages, and gender, then drew lots, and finally found a place to sit and wait for their interviews.
Throughout the process, Xu Yinsheng didn’t utter a word.
After drawing her number, she found a seat and quietly waited.
The hall was silent except for the sound of their breathing.
The atmosphere was strangely oppressive, and Xu Yinsheng felt very bored.
Her phone had been confiscated upon entering the manor.
It was said the Viscount hated electronic products, so the entire manor was built in a natural, original style.
While waiting in boredom, Xu Yinsheng began to study the beautiful women applying.
This one had slender legs, that one a nice waist.
Tsk tsk, really nice.
Heh heh heh, so many legs, so pretty, so many beautiful ladies…
“Number 213.”
“Number 23.”
“Yinsheng, it’s your turn.”
Qin Yumo leaned close and whispered in Xu Yinsheng’s ear, pulling her out of her daydream.
She wiped the saliva from the corner of her mouth, looked at Qin Yumo, and nodded.
“Thanks.”
Then she entered a small room at the back of the hall and pushed open the door.
Sitting there was a woman in charge of the interview, composed and serious.
As Xu Yinsheng took her seat, the interviewer looked at her and asked, “What are your special skills?”
Special skills?
Reckless driving, drinking, and flirting with pretty girls counted?
Xu Yinsheng hesitated, contemplating whether to say she had no skills and just slip away.
She had been male for over twenty years, and now she was applying to be a maid.
The thought of wearing a maid’s uniform and serving coffee to strange men made her feel uneasy.
It felt like her dwindling male dignity was shattering again, sliding her toward some unspeakable abyss.
“I…”
The words “no special skills” were about to slip out, but suddenly Xu Yinsheng recalled that snowy day eating pig’s trotter rice—cold, hungry, and homeless.
What if she couldn’t find another job?
A heavy weight pressed down on her heart.
Survival is the foremost need of human life.
She didn’t want to starve again, even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance.
Of course, she could refuse, but she couldn’t afford to pay the price of refusal now.
At that moment, Xu Yinsheng felt she had grown up a little.
She straightened up, sat tall, and looked the interviewer in the eyes.
“My special skill is this: I’m cheaper than the others. I don’t need money, just food and lodging.”
“Also, what others can do, I can do. What others can’t, I can do too.”
At her words, the interviewer’s expression stiffened slightly. Xu Yinsheng’s answer far exceeded her expectations—and those of everyone else.
She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and then recovered her composure, nodding.
“Hmm, that’s a good skill.”
“You’ve passed.”