Old Feelings, New Faces - 9.4

While Fan Hui Zhong and Fan Zhu Xia was left behind at the courtyard's back gardens, Fan Li Jie led the two confused yet worried maids towards the receiving hall of the courtyard before casually taking a seat.

Coming back to their senses, the two looked at each other before Chun Hua went out of the room before quickly coming back in with a tray filled with a pot of tea and a plate of snacks while Chun Tao opened the side doors to let a gentle breeze in before helping her sister serve the tea.

Quietly attending to the eldest young master, Chun Tao and Chun Hua couldn't help but keep sneaking worried glances at each other as they thought of their new young miss, after all, even the two of them could tell how nervous and reluctant their young miss was to be left alone with the Lei Wangye.

A few more minutes passed when Fan Li Jie sighed before opening his eyes to give the two maids a measuring look which made the maids feel even more uneasy.

Chun Tao, being older, took a deep breath before stepping forward and bowing to Fan Li Jie as she humbly yet hurriedly voiced out both hers and her sister's worries and thoughts.

"Eldest Young Master, please tell us... will the Young Miss be alright?"

Instead of responding, Fan Li Jie just slowly lowered his cup and set it down in front of him before aloofly staring at Chun Tao with a blank expression on his face, unnerving her even more.

Just when Chun Tao thought that he wasn't going to answer her and that she'll end up in trouble for speaking without permission, Fan Li Jie sighed then said, "No need to worry about my little cousin. She'll be fine."

"Really?"

With another look, Fan Li Jie nodded silently in reply as he stood up and straightened his robes.

"The two of you go and circle around to the back and check the small shed outside. Father said that he'll be sending a couple of people later today to have it extended and converted into a kitchen and servant's quarters."

Startled, both of them nodded immediately and just as Fan Li Jie was about to leave, Chun Hua suddenly blurted out, "What about the Young Miss?"

Without even sparing her a glance, Fan Li Jie replied, "Do not disturb them unless the call for you."

"And what if the Young Miss looks for you?" Chun Tao inquired, making Fan Li Jie stop in his tracks for a second.

"Then tell her that I'll drop by later so she better wait for me."

With that, Fan Li Jie made his way out of the courtyard, leaving the two maids looking after him with similar mystified expressions.

"Sister, what should we do now?" Chun Hua asked.

"Let's just do what the Eldest Young Master ordered, I trust that the Young Miss will call for us should she need anything."

What the two of them didn't know was that the moment Fan Li Jie left, their Young Miss; Fan Zhu Xia was also getting ready to leave with her father; Fan Hui Zhong.

"Are you ready to go Xia'er?"

"I am Father, I just wanted to go and inform my new maids that I'll be leaving."

"I take it that Xia'er likes them then?" Fan Hui Zhong asked with a smile.

"En. Xia'er likes them and thinks that Father has a good eye for picking servants for me."

Hearing her words just now, made Fan Hui Zhong give his daughter a pondering look.

To think that his daughter who was usually quite distant with new people and doesn't like anyone she doesn't know well get close, having two new maids is virtually having someone trailing behind you and when he suggested it before, she vehemently disagreed. It really made him wonder what was different with the two young ladies that made Fan Zhu Xia like them.

Not being able to resist his curiousity, Fan Hui Zhong gave in and asked, "What made Xia'er accept the two? Father was actually quite ready to list down all the reasons why you should have your own maids just to try and convince you to give them a chance."

Instead of answering right away, Fan Zhu Xia actually gave him a small smile filled with melancholy as her eyes showed a far away look.

"The two of them reminded me of before... they gave me a feeling of home."

Sensing his daughter's changing mood, Fan Hui Zhong decided to just drop it and let it be. After all, even he can guess just what she means based from what she said.

"Very well, I'll be out by the courtyard gates then."

"En. I won't be long." Fan Zhu Xia replied before seemingly pulling herself out of her wayward thoughts and excitedly rushing out to find Chun Tao and Chun Hua.

Before long, she found the two by the small building outside at the back of the courtyard, looking as if they were inspecting it and it's surroundings with a couple of male servants while discussing something.

"Chun Tao! Chun Hua!"

Hearing their names be called, the two of them quickly turned to look to the direction where the voice seemed to originate from and saw their new mistress rushing towards them, looking like a fairy with snowy jade-like skin and blushing cheeks with her soft, pink lips pulled up into a smile as she waved at them.

"Young Miss!"

Coming to a stop in front of the two of them, Fan Zhu Xia gave both of them a smile, unknowingly making the breath of the male servants hitch with how bewitching her smile was when coupled with her breathtaking countenance.

"Xia'er will be going out with Father, would the two of you like to come?"

Looking at each other, Chun Tao went ahead and spoke for the both of them and asked, "Would Young Miss like for these two servants to accompany you?"

"If the two of you are not busy then why not?"

Looking at each other, they both nodded in tacit agreement before Chun Hua stepped forward and bowed.

"Chun Hua will go and accompany Young Miss today!"

"Yes, and Chun Tao will stay and oversee the renovations to be done to Young Miss' courtyard." Chun Tao added with a small smile.

"Very well. Come along then Chun Hua!"