The airplane made an elegant arc across the azure sky, finally making a smooth landing.
Shen Nian, stepping off the plane and dragging her suitcase, slowly exited the airport into a world both familiar and foreign.
She had returned, after being away for five years.
On a giant screen in the airport lobby, live coverage was displayed of Country H's biggest event of the day—the engagement announcement of the country's privileged young master Gu Chen, and heiress of the Zhou family!
Shen Nian watched the giant screen without a hint of a smile, a clear tear trickling down from behind her sunglasses instead.
...
At night, Shen Nian, having just arrived, was already immaculately dressed in a butler's uniform, leading a group of servants waiting at the entrance of the young master's mansion.
In the darkness, a sudden bright light pierced as a convoy of cars approached and came to a halt. Shen Nian walked quickly towards it, then bent over to open the car door with a hand sheathed in a white glove, bowing her head waiting for the passenger to alight.
First to appear was a pair of handmade leather shoes, so polished they reflecting back a sharp glint. Above them, a pair of impeccable ironed suit trousers...
The view of the bowed Shen Nian comprised these, as she watched the man stride past her. Following him was a pair of delicate feet in stilettos, slowly catching up.
In the Grand Hall of the young master’s mansion, Shen Nian stood orderly with the group in front of young master Gu Chen and his future bride Zhou Lingzhi.
"Young Master Gu, I am Shen Nian, the newly appointed butler of the mansion." Shen Nian introduced herself with a courteous bow.
The man seated on the sofa possessed an unparalleled face, an innate regal charisma, radiating immense pressure without uttering a word. His gaze lightly landed on Shen Nian, the emotions in his dark eyes unfathomable.
"From now on, every aspect of matters in this mansion, including the life of the young master and his wife, will be taken care of by me. If there's any lack of propriety, I ask for it to be pointed out by both the young master and his wife."
Gu Chen remained silent.
Zhou Lingzhi, who had just become the fiancée of an imperial heir today, could not help but intervene in smoothing over the dispute, "Steward Shen, we will need to trouble you more in the future. The Shen family has always served as the steward for successive national rulers. As the twenty-third generation of the Shen family, we can assuredly rely on you."
"Madam, rest assured, I, Shen Nian, will undoubtedly do my utmost."
As Gu Chen departed with a poker face, Zhou Lingzhi swiftly followed him, enabling Shen Nian to finally release a silent sigh of relief!
Her heart beat rapidly; Shen Nian placed her hand on her chest, secretly calming her breath.
In the very dead of night, Shen Nian, robed only in a bath towel, emerged from the bathroom while drying her hair. Upon raising her head, she saw a man on her little bed...
His deep, black eyes stared at her, void of emotions. The sharp edges revealed a sense of sharpness, like a finely honed knife, capable of causing injury upon contact.
"Master Gu, do you have any orders?” Shen Nian, suppressing her inner surprise, immediately displayed her professional conduct and respectfully asked.
"Take it off and get into bed." His magnetic voice was as usual, mesmerizing but unlike his usual gentleness, the voice now was pebbled with coldness and disgust.
This was the first sentence Shen Nian heard Gu Chen say upon her return, and it made her heartwrenchingly hurt!
However, Shen Nian was only momentarily stunned before she suppressed her surging emotions, "If Master Gu requires, I can help you find... a clean person."
"I said, take it off and get into bed!"
Shen Nian had no escape route, she could only silently undo her bath towel. The moment her towel fell, Shen Nian's last shred of dignity had also fallen to the ground.
