To be honest, after these unpleasant experiences with hiring nannies, Lu Xingzhi was already beginning to feel discouraged and was considering giving up.
The nannies his cousin found weren’t there to take care of him—they were there to torment him.
Without exception, they either cooked terrible food, cleaned poorly, or even ironed a huge hole in his clothes.
One morning, he woke up with a stomach ache from hunger and, without looking properly, put on his clothes and went out. At work, everyone laughed at him, and someone even pointed at the hole and asked, “Xiao Lu, with such a high salary, can’t you afford better clothes? That outfit is practically a backless dress now!”
Furious, he went home and fired that nanny immediately.
“It’s fine that you ruined the clothes with the iron, but why didn’t you tell me and still put them in my closet?”
The nanny retorted defiantly, “It was an accident. How was I to know you’d wear it without even looking?”
Listen to that—she even thought she was the victim.
And this nanny, who had ruined his clothes, was actually ranked among the top three recommended nannies. The others were even worse, and the one he had just fired was particularly infuriating.
Lu Xingzhi had no idea what he had done wrong to end up with nannies like these.
Now, just the thought of the word “nanny” gave him a headache. Looking at Lin Xiangxiu in front of him, he pressed his thin lips together and said, “Miss Lin, I no longer need a nanny. I’m sorry for making you come all this way for nothing.”
As he spoke, he took two bills from his wallet. “This is compensation for your travel expenses today. I truly apologize.”
His words were polite, his gesture of offering money was swift, and his attitude was resolute.
In short, he didn’t want to hire another nanny.
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Xiaoxia grew anxious. She pulled her brother aside and whispered, “What do you mean? If you don’t hire a nanny, who will take care of you? You can’t even do laundry or cook. Besides, with your busy work schedule, if you don’t have someone to look after you, Auntie won’t rest easy.”
Lu Xingzhi rubbed his Taiyang xue. “Then I still won’t hire one. Maybe I’m just unlucky—every nanny I’ve hired has been unsatisfactory. They not only fail to take care of me but also cause me a lot of trouble.”
“I promise you, this Xiao Lin is different from the previous aunties. She’s young and can understand instructions,” Lu Xiaoxia insisted.
Lu Xingzhi replied, “I still don’t want one. I can wash clothes with the washing machine, and I can eat bread for meals.”
Lu Xiaoxia’s lips twitched slightly. “Every single day? Coffee and bread—do you think your health is that good?”
Her stubborn brother fell silent, and Lu Xiaoxia felt he was no different from her mischievous son at that moment.
“Could you let me give it a try?” Lin Xiangxiu suddenly spoke up.
The siblings, with their similarly lean faces, turned to her in unison, looking surprised.
Lin Xiangxiu held her daughter’s hand, drawing strength from her. “I overheard your conversation. Could you let me try cooking a meal or cleaning once? If you’re still unsatisfied, I’ll leave without delay.”
She felt that Lu Xingzhi wasn’t as picky and difficult to please as people made him out to be. Moreover, since he had compensated her for the wasted trip, he seemed like a reasonable person.
Under the circumstances, why shouldn’t she give it a try?
Complaints about fishy smells or undercooked food? No problem—she excelled at cooking delicious meals and had full confidence in her skills. She could also adjust flavors according to her employer’s preferences.
If someone paid that much money, she’d cook whatever they desired.
As for cleanliness concerns, Lin Xiangxiu believed hygiene was the top priority for a housekeeper. Sloppiness was unacceptable—she couldn’t stand it herself.
Gathering courage to seize this opportunity, Lin Xiangxiu felt she’d gripped her daughter’s hand so tightly it grew damp with sweat.
“Mr. Lu, I’ll clean according to your standards. If any area dissatisfies you, just point it out and I’ll redo it until you’re satisfied. If you’re willing, I can prepare a meal right now. My strongest skill is cooking—back in my hometown, many people specifically hired me to prepare Xi Mian feasts.”
Lu Xingzhi studied her for a long moment before finally setting down his piece of bread. “Miss Lin, I admire your initiative. Very well, I’ll give you a chance. You may cook a meal in the kitchen. But I must warn you—if I’m not satisfied, I’ll have to ask you to seek opportunities elsewhere. I only hire competent people.”
“Thank you.” Lin Xiangxiu exhaled in relief, offering him a smile.
She stood up and glanced around. “Which way to the kitchen?”
“Over there, I’ll show you.” Lu Xiaoxia beamed, eagerly stepping forward to guide Lin Xiangxiu.
Still holding her hand, Lin Xiangxiu whispered, “Sister Xiaoxia, could you please watch my child? Just let her sit on the sofa without running around.”
“Mom, I won’t run around.” Lin Xiao sat primly on the sofa, tilting her small face upward with grown-up seriousness. “You’re earning money—how could I cause trouble? I’ll wait right here for you.”
She took out a small toy brought from home and lowered her head to play with it.
Lu Xiaoxia’s heart melted. “Oh my, maybe I should have a second child too.”
“Come on, I’ll accompany you to the kitchen and show you how everything works.” Having spoken with Lin Xiangxiu earlier, she knew she came from the countryside and worried she might struggle with modern appliances.
Entering the kitchen left Lin Xiangxiu even more astonished. Most rural homes still used Tu Zao earthen stoves burning firewood and straw, while urban households with means used Mei Luzi coal stoves burning Mei Bing coal briquettes.
But this kitchen was truly modern—equipped with a Mei Qi Zao gas stove and gas tank. Had she not previously cooked Xi Mian feasts in the city while still in her hometown, she wouldn’t have recognized this as a gas stove.
Above the stove hung a large metal contraption suspended over the cooking area, with a baffle plate in the middle.
Staring at the metal device in confusion, Lin Xiangxiu asked, “What’s this?”
“This is a Xi You Yan Ji range hood. When you turn it on, it prevents cooking fumes from spreading everywhere.” Lu Xiaoxia stepped forward and cheerfully pressed a button.
Instantly, a humming noise filled the air, startling Lin Xiangxiu.