Jiang Feng watched Jiang Luxi carrying a package upstairs and cleared his throat to stop her.
“Hey, Miss Jiang, put down the package and come with us to the backyard to dig holes.”
Jiang Luxi stood on the stairs, turning around to look at the person behind her.
Her small face scrunched up: “Can I not dig anymore?”
Jiang Feng stared at her for two seconds. Just when Jiang Luxi thought they had developed a conscience—that exploiting a young girl for manual labor every day would bring divine retribution—
Jiang Feng slowly spoke: “Of course not. Master said you’re idle anyway.”
Jiang Luxi: “…….”
Huo Jin Ge was really strange. The entire backyard already had over a dozen holes dug, and she had no idea what they were for. Could it be for convenience in burying people when disposing of them?
She carried her package back to her room, casually tossed it on the floor, and pulled out a set of sun protection gear she had bought earlier from the wardrobe.
Standing in front of the mirror, she carefully applied sunscreen to her face, put on a hat to block UV rays, and finally donned a large pair of sunglasses.
Ensuring she wouldn’t get sunburned, she slowly made her way downstairs.
The two men took Jiang Luxi, dressed like a ghost, to the backyard to continue digging holes.
After digging for two consecutive days, Jiang Luxi had gotten the hang of it. She knew which shovel worked best and grabbed it first, then diligently dug holes in the marked spots.
When you’re under someone else’s roof, you have to lower your head. She hoped she wouldn’t need these holes in the future.
Yu Yi, standing nearby, stared at Jiang Luxi for a long time. Jiang Feng kept urging him.
“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and start digging! There’s still plenty to do!”
Yu Yi stepped closer to Jiang Feng and whispered mysteriously: “Don’t you think she doesn’t seem like a lunatic? Look at how she’s dressed herself up for sun protection.”
Just based on that, the girl lived quite meticulously.
Jiang Feng followed his gaze.
Jiang Luxi had already mastered the technique of digging holes—fast and effortless. Seeing that the hole was already half a meter deep, she simply jumped into it with the shovel and continued digging.
He withdrew his gaze, hooked his finger, and the other curiously leaned in.
Jiang Feng pulled out his phone from his suit pocket, swiped the screen, and opened the photo gallery.
Shaking his head like a seasoned veteran, he said: “Before, I also thought she might have been scared out of her wits by Master Ho.”
With Master Ho’s reputation, who wouldn’t be afraid? Let alone a young girl.
Yu Yi looked at the photos Jiang Feng was scrolling through.
They were clearly saved when Master Ho ordered him to investigate Jiang Luxi.
In the photos, Jiang Luxi was wearing a haute couture evening gown, exquisitely and charmingly dressed, radiating an air of nobility.
She was completely different from the Jiang Luxi covered in dirt, digging diligently in the hole, and sporting three days of bare-faced makeup.
Jiang Feng raised an eyebrow: “If this isn’t schizophrenia, what is?”
It’s like she’s a completely different person.
Jiang Luxi slowed her movements, listening to the voices from the neighboring hole. She looked over.
Sure enough, the two men were scheming about something.
She planted her shovel in the ground, narrowed her dark eyes dangerously, and said indignantly: “Why aren’t you two working?”
Did they expect her to do all the work by herself?
Did they think she was stupid?The two remained silent, afraid that any careless words might agitate him and worsen his condition.
If Master Ho had an episode, it would be disastrous.
Under the September sun, the three of them toiled all day beneath the scorching heat.
By evening, Jiang Luxi’s hands were covered in large blisters.
Distractedly climbing the villa stairs, she ended up bumping straight into the firm chest of the man in front of her.
Huo Jin Ge looked at the woman covered in dirt, her face smudged with soil like a stray cat that had rolled in the mud.
His sharp brows furrowed, his face etched with disdain. “How did you get so filthy?”
“Digging holes,” Jiang Luxi replied, dissatisfied but not daring to show it.
She would have preferred to stay clean.
Huo Jin Ge’s gaze fell on her open palms.
The once fair and delicate skin was now flushed red, with two small blisters standing out prominently.
Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her forward with some force, causing her to stumble a couple of steps closer.
After inspecting the blisters on her palm, he led her into the villa.
He ordered someone nearby, “Bring the medical kit.”
Jiang Luxi sat nervously beside Huo Jin Ge, the spot where he held her wrist burning as if touched by fire, gradually turning red.
She tried to pull her hand back. “I can handle it myself.”
Ignoring the fear in her eyes, Huo Jin Ge tightened his grip on her wrist.
“If it’s not treated properly, how will you keep digging tomorrow?”
“…”
You’re the villain, so you’re noble and impressive.
With such a handsome face, why did he have to have such a sharp tongue?
Soon, a bodyguard placed the medical kit on the table in front of them. Huo Jin Ge rummaged through it and pulled out disinfectant supplies.
The entire process was carried out in silence, making Jiang Luxi feel that the quiet Huo Jin Ge actually exuded a certain gentleness.
Tossing aside the cotton swab, Huo Jin Ge cast a disdainful glance at her dirty long-sleeved sun protection jacket.
“Take off your clothes.”
“?”
“They’re filthy.”
Jiang Luxi took a deep breath.
Expecting a villain to be gentle was more like a dream than reality.
She stood up obediently, took off her jacket, and held it in her hands.
The housekeeper stepped forward and took the dirty clothes from her.
Noticing the man being led inside by Jiang Feng and Yu Yi, Huo Jin Ge turned back to Jiang Luxi. “Go upstairs and take a bath. Someone will call you for dinner.”
Jiang Luxi, knowing her place, headed upstairs.
As she reached the stairs, she heard footsteps at the entrance and instinctively turned to look, holding onto the railing.
Without giving it much thought, she returned to her room.
The housekeeper had already drawn a bath for her before she arrived.
Seeing the bathtub filled with pink bubbles, she felt a wave of relief.
If someone offered you 500,000 a month, a phone, no cooking or chores, and only required digging holes during the day, would you take it?
Without hesitation, Jiang Luxi stepped into the bathtub.
If the condition was that the great villain wouldn’t kill her, she’d be willing to stay here forever.
Sticking to him, pestering him, letting him support her for life—she’d gladly dig holes for Huo Jin Ge for the rest of her days.
Jiang Luxi let out a comfortable sigh and instinctively reached for her phone beside the bathtub, only to find it missing.
Then she remembered—in the afternoon, while sitting under a tree playing on her phone, she had casually left it there.Jiang Luxi took a quick bath, changed into clean clothes after coming out of the bathroom, and headed downstairs from her room, planning to retrieve her phone from the backyard before dinner.
In the living room on the first floor, aside from the guarding bodyguards, Huo Jin Ge who had been sitting on the sofa earlier was nowhere to be seen.
The opened first aid kit was still on the table.
For a fleeting moment, Jiang Luxi actually felt that Huo Jin Ge didn’t seem as terrifying as described in the book.