Chapter 30
Ignoring the surrounding activity, I relied on my memory and walked purposefully until I reached what appeared to be a study. Gently placing the car seat down with my still sleeping son inside, I took a seat in the chair, carefully scanning my surroundings. The room was a seamless blend of modern functionality and ancient aesthetics, perfectly harmonized. The windows, instead of delicate paper, were constructed from reinforced glass capable of withstanding both extreme heat and intense cold. The room was meticulously insulated, but done in a way that did not significantly alter its historical character. The furniture retained its beautiful ancient design but had been subtly reinforced to ensure greater sturdiness and longevity. On the handcrafted wooden desk sat a huge, ultra-high-resolution monitor alongside a tiny, ergonomically designed keyboard and mouse.
Books lined the walls, their leather bindings worn smooth with age, and beautiful inked paintings of landscapes long ravaged by time and human conflict adorned the walls. “Miss Mi, do you approve of the changes? Everything inside was carefully documented and safely stored before the workers were even permitted inside. They were remarkably efficient, thanks to the specialized teams, and completed the work shortly before your arrival. The materials for the other sections of the old house are still being delivered, but the main courtyard is currently finished, at least for now.” Miss Si stood patiently by the door, awaiting further instructions.
“Good,” I replied softly, my tone conveying my extreme satisfaction.
Powering on the monitor with a tap, I began to rapidly scan the digital documents. “The Pan family continues to impress with their efficiency,” I commented softly, “Take a seat Miss Si, the others should be arriving shortly, just send the message to signal their readiness.”
“Yes, Miss Mi,”
I ignored her for the moment, focusing intently on the files and frowning occasionally as I encountered discrepancies. The names before me were overwhelmingly similar, a common occurrence in countryside villages where surnames are often shared due to familial connections, unless the individual was a married-in son-in-law or daughter-in-law. Additionally, there were a few individuals who had been relocated to the area due to various natural disasters such as plagues, droughts, floods, famines, and even wars.
The largest village was the Si village, sharing the same surname as Miss Si, who worked with me closely. This village had been established as long as the old house itself, its inhabitants initially serving as servants to the Mi family and subsequently granted the Si surname as a sign of their dedicated service. Then there were the Wen village, the Ken village, and the Pan village, all located within a relatively short distance of each other.
The Si village consisted of approximately four hundred members, with a smaller number choosing to move to the city to pursue work or receive specialized training from the Mi family.
They worked directly within the main house and oversaw all the household property of the Mi family across the country, giving them the highest status and responsibility among the other three villages.
Next in line was the Wen family, who traditionally managed the orchards, followed by the Ken family, who specialized in vegetable cultivation, while the Pan family took care of the livestock.
While each of the three families had their primary area of expertise, they also provided additional services in various areas for the Mi family, with members of the main branches given preferential treatment.
For example, Curren is a highly regarded member of the Wen family who serves as an aide to the heir of the Mi family, alongside Rekuren, who is from the Ken family and is entrusted with managing numerous projects.
Their roles are carefully structured to provide a balance of skills and perspectives.
The Pan family also served as the overseers of the Mi family’s vast farmland, possessing the knowledge and expertise to handle any difficult situation that arose on the land, ultimately answering to the Si head housekeeper from the second branch of the family.
A polite knock sounded at the door. I lifted my head and squinted slightly, Miss Si stood and walked across the room, opening the door slowly. “Hello Serra,” A cheery, melodious voice echoed from the doorway, followed by the appearance of a tall woman with strikingly beautiful, almost porcelain white skin and refined, elegant features, standing ramrod straight, appearing to be in her late thirties. She was wearing a meticulously tailored, dark navy uniform skirt that reached her ankles, revealing a pair of polished black leather, tall stiletto heels. The long sleeves of her crisp white blouse, made of a high-quality cotton, featured delicate ruffled ends that reached just to the wrist, adding a touch of femininity to her otherwise formal appearance. A stiff, chin-high collar, buttoned from right to left with small, pearl-like buttons starting from the right shoulder and rising to the left side of her ear, emphasized her long neck.
Her features were mature yet exquisitely defined, hinting at a life well-lived, and her dark, glossy hair was secured in a neat, low bun at the nape of her neck, emphasizing the clean lines of her profile. A pair of small, diamond stud earrings glinted subtly in the soft light. “This servant humbly greets Miss Mi,” she curtsied perfectly, dipping her head with graceful precision.
This is the head housekeeper for the last four years, Miss Si from the second branch.
“You are still as beautiful as ever, Head Housekeeper Si,” I said softly, still sitting in my chair. This woman is thirty-six years old to be exact, and currently unmarried but has a son who is ten years old. When she returned unexpectedly pregnant and unmarried, she was accepted back into the fold without question, her son given the Si surname, and no further inquiries were made.
Anyway, I knew the truth of the matter.
Sigh, the Pan family really have climbed high in influence. Luckily, this particular head housekeeper Si was an intelligent and resourceful woman.
The woman hesitated briefly, then walked closer and peeked cautiously into the car seat, her expression softening as she looked at my sleeping son. I allowed her to approach, but remained alert nonetheless, as some people could not really be trusted, especially since we had been separated for a while and this was my lifeblood. “Young mistress, he is so exquisite, like a tiny porcelain doll.”
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