Sister, can I become a maid too?

Chapter 167 Lin Jianxia, ​​your house is way too remote! (Part 2)

New Year's Day.

Jiang Yubai was fast asleep when the noisy voices and footsteps outside the door abruptly pulled him out of his dream.

He groggily opened his eyes and glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table.

Nine o'clock in the morning.

I casually pulled the blanket over my head, but the soundproofing in this old house was really bad, and I couldn't get any peace and quiet even when I tried to take a nap.

With no other option, Jiang Yubai slowly straightened up and yawned again.

I chatted with those two idiots too late last night, and was woken up several times around midnight by the intermittent fireworks, so I didn't get a good night's sleep.

I took out my phone and opened QQ. The chat history was all from last night. I didn't know if the two sisters had woken up yet.

He sent them a "Happy New Year" message, then got up, dressed, and washed up.

After dawdling over washing up and changing his clothes, Jiang Yubai pushed open the bedroom door and walked into the living room.

Looking up, the place that was deserted last night is now crowded with faces that are half unfamiliar and half familiar.

My parents were chatting in the living room, occasionally greeting guests. The aroma of tea and fruit mingled together, creating a lively festive atmosphere.

A middle-aged man, whom he didn't recognize, saw him, smiled, and called out:

"Oh, Jiang Yu's gotten fair-skinned?"

Jiang Yubai nodded and politely replied, "Hello, Uncle," but felt a little helpless inside.

Who is this...who is this again...who is this still?

Since receiving the demolition compensation and making investments, every year around this time, a large number of relatives and friends, some I've met before and some I haven't, have appeared.

"Yu Bai," Jiang Pinglan greeted him with a smile, casually introducing him, "This is Uncle Li."

Upon hearing his father address him in that tone, Jiang Yubai roughly understood—

This person probably doesn't need to be remembered.

He nodded and then said, "Hello, Uncle Li."

I walked around the living room, calling older people "uncle" and "auntie," and nodding and smiling at those of the same generation.

He felt like an exhibit, being scrutinized and examined by countless eyes.

"Jiang Yubai, you look really handsome and energetic. Do you have a girlfriend yet?"

"Jiang Yubai, I heard you're taking the college entrance exam soon? How are your results?"

When asked about her love life, she just smiles and says, "I'm too engrossed in studying to date." When asked about her grades, she gives a vague answer like, "They're alright, but I still need to work harder."

After exchanging greetings with everyone, Jiang Yubai felt like his face was about to freeze from smiling.

Unable to bear the lively yet awkward atmosphere any longer, he seized an opportunity, turned around, and slipped back to his hut, closing the door behind him.

With a "pia chi" sound, she fell straight back onto the bed.

What kind of New Year's atmosphere is this?!

Jiang Yu buried her face in the pillow, belatedly realizing... she hadn't eaten breakfast yet.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he simply decided not to eat it.

He'd rather starve than have to deal with those "relatives" he only sees once a year.

On second thought, this group of people will definitely have to eat lunch here too.

There aren't enough seats at home to begin with, so I'll probably have to wait until everyone else has finished eating before I can sit down at the table...

With that thought, Jiang Yubai became even less inclined to move. He slowly lay back on the bed, limp and looking utterly hopeless.

what.....

I really miss stir-fried pork with chili peppers...

I miss spicy chicken so much.....

I miss my little hedgehog so much...

By the way, what kind of dish is a little hedgehog?

Jiang Yubai chuckled and rolled over, then suddenly realized that if Lin Jianxia heard this address, she would definitely huff and puff at him angrily.

"I'm not a little hedgehog!"

Just imagining the scene made him burst out laughing.

Jiang Yubai laughed to himself for a while, then suddenly let out a long sigh.

Sigh... I suddenly miss the days when I was waited on hand and foot...

Every morning when I wake up, my little maid has prepared my favorite spicy cheese chicken pancakes. I don't have to worry about lunch or dinner at all. If I'm tired from studying at night, I can go out for a late-night snack.

Now... I can only nibble on some snacks, and I can't even get a hot meal cooked by my own mom.

...Even the hugs I used to receive every night are gone.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai finally couldn't resist picking up his phone and opening the QQ chat interface again.

This time, however, there are a few brand new pieces of news.

[Wanwan]: [Image]

The handwriting on the picture is simple, just four neat characters: "Happy New Year".

Jiang Yubai looked at it for a while longer, then reached out and clicked "save".

Lin Jianxia's news, on the other hand, was cheerful and cheerful.

[Little Hedgehog]: Happy New Year!

[Little Hedgehog]: Why are you up so early? Are you going to visit relatives for the New Year?

Jiang Yubai's lips curled up slightly as he typed a reply:

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: What am I supposed to do for New Year's greetings? A bunch of relatives and friends I don't even know come to my house to wish me a Happy New Year, and I don't even get to eat.

[Little Hedgehog]: Oh, that's terrible. Well, I'm relieved.

【江碧鸟逾白】：？

[Little Hedgehog]: Hmph, now you know how important I am, right?

Jiang Yu clicked his tongue and typed irritably:

【Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai】: Yes, it's better to have a maid at home. I'm not used to having anyone to help me dress and wash up.

There was silence on the other end for a while.

Just as Jiang Yubai was feeling quite smug, another message popped up on the screen.

[Little Hedgehog]: Jiang! Yu! Bai!

[Little Hedgehog]: I'm warning you, Wanwan is watching right here, I advise you to speak properly!

[Little Hedgehog]: If you dare to lead others astray, I'll kill you when I get back!

Jiang Yubai: "........"

He wondered why the guy had stopped breathing on his sister; apparently, he was comforting her.

No, don't you two sisters have two phones? Aren't you tired of squeezing together to look at one screen?

Thinking to himself, Jiang Yubai dared not joke anymore.

Some things are fine to say to Lin Jianxia as a joke, but if you tell Lin Tingwan...

She really dared to wear white silk shoes and a maid's outfit to help you change and wash up.

When her older sister, her face flushed, pulls her back, she'll hold up a little notebook that says, "Isn't this a maid's duty?" with an innocent look that makes it hard for you to explain.

So, ...

What should I do if I'm starting to feel a little flutter in my heart?

Jiang Yu shook his head to dismiss the somewhat dangerous thought and continued typing, asking:

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: So are you going to pay New Year's visits now?

[Little Hedgehog]: Yes, Grandma took the two of us there.

[Little Hedgehog]: They're not relatives, just neighbors or something. We used to visit them for New Year's greetings when we were kids.

【江碧鸟逾白】: How long should we pray?

[Little Hedgehog]: Hmm... It's supposed to be a New Year's greeting, but it'll only last half a day. I'll be free in the afternoon.

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: So what do you usually do when you have free time?

[Little Hedgehog]: What? Are you checking my household registration?

Even with just a single line, Jiang Yubai could picture the little hedgehog looking wary.

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: No, it's just that I'm so bored during the New Year here, so I wanted to ask how you're spending it.

[Little Hedgehog]: How else can we spend our time? Just chatting with Grandma, talking to my sister, and watching TV together as a family.

[Little Hedgehog]: I'm not saying anything more, Grandma is calling us to go out.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Yubai quickly typed:

【江碧鸟逾白】: Wait, wait, wait, one last question.

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: By the way, when are you two coming back?

[Little Hedgehog]: [Voice]

The message had barely been sent when the other end replied with a voice message.

Jiang Yu paused for a moment, then clicked on it—

"What's up? Missing us, huh?"

How to describe that voice? It was smug and cheeky, with a slight upward inflection at the end. Just by listening to her tone, you could imagine her smugly shaking her head on the other end.

Jiang Yubai took a deep breath and ground his back teeth.

【江碧鸟逾白】：I didn't mean to ask, I was just asking casually.

The other party replied very quickly:

[Little Hedgehog]: You won't tell me, right? If you don't tell me, I won't tell you, and you won't get any of the good food. You'll just have to wait!

【江碧鸟逾白】：？

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: Weren't you going to pay New Year's visits? Why are you wasting your time here with me?

[Little Hedgehog]: Hmph, don't change the subject.

[Little Hedgehog]: Are you going to tell me or not? If you don't, I really won't tell you.

Jiang Yubai remained silent for two seconds, but ultimately succumbed to his appetite.

Fine, let my little maid be proud this once.

His lips twitched, and he typed on QQ while suppressing the goosebumps:

【江碧鸟逾白】: Think about it.

[Little Hedgehog]: What are you thinking about? Explain yourself!

Jiang Yubai took a deep breath and typed each word through gritted teeth:

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: My dearest Miss Lin Jianxia and Miss Lin Tingwan, Jiang Yu Bai sincerely expresses his longing. When will you two be able to come home and cook a meal for me? I am willing to do anything.

There was no sound from over there; they probably laughed themselves silly.

Jiang Yubai waited patiently, and received a reply after more than ten seconds.

[Little Hedgehog]: Probably around the fifth day of the Lunar New Year~

Alright, we finally got it out.

Almost instantly, Jiang Yubai clicked the recall button.

Yes, the evidence has been destroyed.

Before he could even feel smug, two new messages popped up on his screen.

[Little Hedgehog]: Jiang Yubai! I knew you were going to back out!

[Little Hedgehog]: [Image]

Jiang Yubai suddenly had a bad feeling and reached out to open it.

The screenshot above clearly shows the complete message he just posted.

His vision went black, his hand trembled, and he lost his grip on the phone, slapping it against his face with a thud.

"hiss......."

Jiang Yubai covered his nose, ignoring the pain, and quickly grabbed his phone to type:

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: Delete it!!!

[Jiang Bi Niao Yu Bai]: Sister, I'm begging you, please delete it!

[Little Hedgehog]: I won't delete it, I'm going to wish everyone a Happy New Year, bye-bye~

【江碧鸟逾白】：？？？？？

But no matter what he sent after that, the other party never replied.

Jiang Yubai: "......."

He tossed his phone aside, collapsed onto the bed, and looked utterly dejected.

Holy crap, chatting is fine, but why would someone take screenshots? Isn't that a bit too despicable?

Fine, fine, since you're so heartless, then don't blame me for being unjust.

Next time you wear a maid outfit, I'll take a picture of you. If you misbehave, I'll use it to threaten you, and you'll have to do whatever I tell you to do!

Yeah, now I can eat spicy chicken pancakes every day.

Thinking this with a touch of Ah Q-like self-deception, Jiang Yubai felt his stomach rumble again.

He sighed.

The fifth day of the Lunar New Year...it's still so long....

I don't know how long I lay in bed, half asleep and half awake, when suddenly someone knocked on the door.

Jiang Yubai rubbed his sleepy eyes, straightened up, and called out:

"Enter."

The door was pushed open, and Jiang Pinglan walked in carrying food, placing it casually on the desk.

"Here, your mom saved this for you. There will be a lot of guests later, so there probably won't be a seat for you at the table."

Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up, and he stood up, peering at the dishes:

"You also have braised pork?"

"Yeah, it's leftovers from the takeout I brought back last night. Don't you dislike your mom's cooking?" Jiang Pinglan explained casually.

Seeing his father about to leave, Jiang Yubai quickly called him back.

"Hey, Dad, wait a minute."

Jiang Pinglan stopped and turned to look at him.

"After lunch... are we going to visit relatives for the New Year?" Jiang Yubai asked curiously.

"New Year's greetings?" Jiang Pinglan thought for a moment, "No need, just like this morning, it's other people coming to our house."

"oh....."

Jiang Yubai stroked his chin and asked tentatively,

"Then... it shouldn't be a problem if I'm not here, right?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Pinglan raised an eyebrow slightly and lingered on her son's face for a moment.

However, he didn't ask any further questions, but simply nodded and said:

"Well, they're just business associates. If you don't want to see them, then don't."

"Okay! Thanks, Dad!"

Jiang Yubai immediately beamed and waved to him as he left.

Jiang Pinglan was about to step out when she stopped, turned her head, and added:

"Remember to tell your mom where you're going, don't just disappear without a word."

"Okay, okay," Jiang Yu waved her hand without turning her head, "I was just asking casually, I didn't say I was really going to run away."

"Heh."

Jiang Pinglan gave a curt "Hmph" and then closed the door behind her before leaving.

......

.....

Changliu Village.

Lin Jianxia carried a bag of pork and walked slowly behind her grandmother.

She glanced to the side—Lin Tingwan was walking quietly beside her, carrying some vegetables, but her gaze kept drifting over.

Ever since she finished chatting with Jiang Yubai, her younger sister had been looking at her with that "I have something to say, but I don't really want to say it" look.

Lin Jianxia thought it was Jiang Yubai's earlier use of the word "maid" that caused the trouble, and her ears burned slightly as she whispered an explanation:

"Wanwan, I already said... the maid thing was just a joke by that bad guy Jiang Yubai."

Lin Tingwan silently shook her head.

"Not this one?" Lin Jianxia blinked. "Then what's wrong?"

Lin Tingwan took out a small notebook, quickly wrote a line of words, and held it up in front of her.

"Could you send me the picture, sister?"

".....What picture?" Lin Jianxia was taken aback.

Lin Tingwan didn't move, but just looked into her older sister's pocket.

Following the gaze, Lin Jianxia took out her phone with her other hand, then suddenly realized:

"screenshot?"

(Nods.)

"What do you need this screenshot for?" Lin Jianxia asked, both amused and exasperated. "I thought it was something important..."

She opened QQ with one hand, and a dozen or so messages popped up, all from Jiang Yubai, asking her to delete the photos.

Lin Jianxia read through the names one by one, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up little by little, her eyes curving like crescent moons.

It wasn't until someone tugged at her clothes that she realized what had happened and sent the screenshot to her younger sister.

"Here you go~" Lin Jianxia waved her phone. "Okay."

Lin Tingwan's eyes lit up slightly, and she leaned over and nuzzled her sister's shoulder with her head.

Hehehe~

Lin Jianxia smiled contentedly and reached out to ruffle her sister's hair.

Wanwan is so cute~

"Xia girl, Wan girl, we've arrived."

The grandmother, who was walking ahead, stopped in front of a small courtyard.

Lin Jianxia looked up and called out familiarly into the courtyard:

"Grandma Fang, we've come to wish you a Happy New Year!"

The soft tapping of a cane echoed from the courtyard, and an elderly woman with gray hair came out with a cheerful smile:

"Here you are, Happy New Year!"

She walked up to them, took out two red envelopes she had prepared beforehand, and stuffed them into the sisters' hands:

"Hey, this year's red envelope is for Xia Yatou and Wan Yatou to have a smooth and prosperous year."

Lin Jianxia and Lin Tingwan did not refuse and obediently accepted it.

Seeing the two accept the red envelopes, Grandma Fang's smile widened, and she pointed into the house:

"Come in, come in and have a seat."

"Okay, let us put your things inside first."

Lin Jianxia nodded obediently and led her daughter Wanwan, carrying groceries, through the door.

The house was small and simply furnished, with old tables and chairs.

Even the television set was an old-fashioned, bulky-looking one.

The two sisters put down the meat and vegetables, then helped their grandmother sit down in a chair before sitting down next to her.

"Oh, right," Lin Jianxia looked around, "Where's Grandpa Chen?"

"She fell in the field three months ago and passed away." Grandma Fang waved her hand. "No luck, no luck."

Lin Jianxia was stunned. After a long while, her lips finally moved:

"Why...why didn't you even call me...?"

Before she could finish speaking, her eyes were already red.

She bit her lip and lowered her head, tears falling one by one onto the back of her hand.

Lin Tingwan, standing beside him, looked dazed, as if she still hadn't quite come to her senses.

Grandma Fang sighed and gently patted Lin Jianxia's back.

"Silly girl, why are you crying? He was over eighty years old, and he didn't suffer much in his passing. It can be considered a happy death."

After gently comforting her for a while, Grandma Fang stood up and said, "Alright, don't be sad. Dinner is ready, let's eat."

Lin Jianxia quickly wiped her eyes and stood up as well, her voice still slightly nasal:

"I'll get it for you. Please sit down and rest for a while."

The meal was quite lively.

Grandma Fang would occasionally tell funny stories about the village, and Lin Jianxia would smile in response, as if she had quietly put away her sadness from earlier.

On the way home, neither she nor her grandmother spoke to each other, and for a moment, the air was heavy.

Once inside the house, Lin Jianxia finally couldn't hold back any longer and turned to look at her grandmother:

"Grandma! Please come to the city with us."

The old man sat in his chair, sighed, and shook his head.

"Xia girl, how many times have you said that? I'm fine here, why would I go to the city? I don't know anyone here."

"But, but if..."

Lin Jianxia swallowed her words, then phrased them differently.

"Then... how about a nursing home? The nursing homes in the city are nice and there are people to take care of you."

"What good nursing homes are there? It's a waste of money."

Grandma waved her hand.

"Let's talk about it later. You two are still in high school, so you need to save money for your studies. Grandma is in good health, so you don't need to worry about her."

She suddenly let out a long sigh, her voice lowering:

"It's your dad...he's sorry to you."

Lin Jianxia bit her lower lip, and her eyes instantly reddened:

"We can take care of you...we can take care of Grandma too!"

After saying that, she sniffed, turned around and went into the bedroom, gently closing the door behind her.

Lin Tingwan stood there, looking at the door her sister had closed, then turning back to look at her grandmother, a look of helplessness in her eyes.

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked over and reached out to hug her grandmother.

The old man patted her back, his voice hoarse:

"Your mother passed away early...and your father was like that..."

"well......"

-----------------

in the room.

Lin Jianxia buried her face deep in the pillow, unable to hold back the emotions she had been suppressing.

She bit the corner of the pillow, her shoulders trembling, her sobs muffled and swallowed by the fabric.

Grandpa Chen watched her grow up, and then she just passed away like that, without even seeing her one last time.

More than sadness, I felt fear.

She was really scared.

She feared that one day when she returned from school, she would push open this door and find the room empty, with no one sitting in a chair smiling and asking her, "Xia girl, you're back."

She fears that, like today, she might be caught off guard and receive a message she can't accept but knows will come sooner or later.

—Perhaps it was one time when Grandma went out to buy groceries and slipped on the steps.

—Perhaps I suddenly felt unwell at night, and there was no one around to call out to.

—Or perhaps, on some ordinary afternoon, she fell asleep peacefully and never woke up again.

She dared not think about it further.

Tears soaked a small patch of the pillow, the coolness clinging to her skin, but she didn't care, she just kept crying.

She cried until she was exhausted, then sniffled, slowly turned over, and lay on her back.

Through my teary eyes, the ceiling was a blur.

She stared blankly, her thoughts heavy and intertwined.

My eyelids felt heavier and heavier, and my breathing gradually calmed down.

Finally, even the blurry ceiling slowly darkened.

When I woke up again, I had no idea how much time had passed.

Lin Jianxia sat up blankly, sat on the bed for a while, and then slowly pushed the door open and went out.

The furnishings outside were as usual, and Grandma was peeling green beans at the table, but Lin Tingwan was nowhere to be seen.

Lin Jianxia pursed her lips, looked around but couldn't find her younger sister, and suddenly her heart tightened:

"Grandma, where's Wanwan?"

Upon hearing this, the old man paused in his work and said softly:

"He's just sitting outside; I can't persuade him to come back."

Lin Jianxia looked outside worriedly, and without much hesitation, stepped out of the main room.

On the stone steps in front of the door, the figure sat quietly with his knees drawn up to his chest.

Lin Jianxia walked over quietly, sat down next to her, hesitated for a moment, and then turned her head to look at her.

Lin Tingwan stared blankly into the distance, at some unknown place.

"Wanwan?"

Lin Jianxia tentatively called out.

Lin Tingwan blinked slowly, as if she had come back to her senses from a great distance, and slowly turned her head to look at her.

"Are you alright?"

Lin Jianxia looked on with some worry.

—I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have said these things in front of Wanwan...

She felt a pang of regret.

Lin Tingwan blinked, took out a notebook from her bosom, and slowly wrote something down.

"I miss Grandpa Chen."

Looking at the small print, Lin Jianxia spoke softly:

"I want to too."

Lin Tingwan took back the notebook, but instead of putting it in her pocket, she wrote another line and gently handed it over.

"I think Jiang Yubai is gone."

Lin Jianxia stared at the line of words for a long time, pursed her lips, and suddenly felt a lump in her throat.

She pursed her lips, then buried her head in her knees, her voice becoming even softer:

"...I miss him too."

Even I can't explain why—

But suddenly, I really miss that idiot.

The two sisters did not speak again.

A cool breeze blew in from outside the courtyard, brushing against their hair and the hem of their clothes.

In the distance, the faint crackling sound of someone burning firewood could be heard, mixed with a few barks of dogs, making this area of ​​steps exceptionally quiet.

After a moment, Lin Jianxia sniffed, stood up, and extended her hand to her younger sister:

"Let's go back, Wanwan, it's too cold outside."

Lin Tingwan nodded silently, and just as she was about to stand up, she suddenly stopped.

Her little ears twitched, as if she had heard something. She turned her head away in confusion, then suddenly froze.

What's wrong?

Lin Jianxia had already stepped halfway into the doorway when she saw her younger sister's appearance and couldn't help but stop.

But then, the rumbling sound of wheels rolling over the gravel road came from afar.

It looks like... a suitcase.

suitcase?

Who would come to the village with a suitcase on the first day of the Lunar New Year?

She was wondering about this, so she leaned out and looked towards the courtyard—

The moment her gaze settled on him, she froze on the spot.

A familiar figure, dragging a heavy suitcase, slowly made its way along the path, finally stopping in front of the courtyard gate.

He bent over, catching his breath several times, before finally raising his head. He let out a long sigh of relief in Lin Jianxia's wide eyes, muttering irritably:

"Hey Lin Jianxia, ​​isn't your house a bit too out of the way?"