From Dropout to Housemaid-The Upper Crust's Favorite - Chapter 8 - Starting Work at the Su Family

When Jiang Xianyu returned with Butler Lu, it was already close to noon.

Seeing that it was almost time to prepare lunch, Xianyu proactively offered to cook, mainly to let the Su Family try her dishes.

The Su Family elders were both originally from Gusu, so their tastes weren’t too different from hers.

The meal was just for the two elders, Uncle Lu, and Xianyu herself, so there was no need to make too much.

After asking about everyone’s health conditions and any allergies or dietary restrictions, Xianyu got busy in the kitchen.

Over an hour later, the dishes were ready and gradually brought to the table.

Xianyu had prepared steamed bass, braised pork with tofu knots, fish-flavored shredded pork, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a ginseng black chicken soup.

The elders didn’t usually eat much, so these dishes were more than enough for the four of them.

Seeing the steaming dishes, the satisfaction on the elders’ faces grew even more pronounced.

Even while Xianyu was cooking, the enticing aroma had already reached them.

Grandma Su had even gone to the kitchen door several times to sneak a peek, only to be amazed by Xianyu’s skillful wok-tossing techniques.

She was now eagerly anticipating the meal.

When Xianyu finished plating the rice, Butler Lu came over to help carry the dishes to the table.

Butler Lu had mentioned earlier that meals here were eaten together with the family, so Xianyu didn’t insist on eating separately.

Old Master Su was the first to try the fish-flavored shredded pork. The sweet and tangy flavor, combined with the tender pork and crunchy wood ear mushrooms, brought back a taste of home.

Although fish-flavored shredded pork was a common dish found in many places, the flavor varied depending on the region. Xianyu’s version was typical of Yang City’s style.

Grandma Su also took a bite and found it equally delightful. She then asked, “Xiao Jiang, where are you from? Your cooking has a hint of our hometown’s flavor.”

Xianyu replied, “My hometown is Zhenzhou, a county-level city under Yang City.”

Upon hearing this, the elders became even more interested. Grandma Su said, “Well, we’re not too far apart then. Your Grandpa Su and I are from Gusu, no wonder our tastes are so similar.”

Xianyu smiled and responded, “That’s great! I was worried my cooking might not suit your palate.”

“Your skills are far from unsuitable-they’re perfectly tailored to us!” Grandma Su praised.

Xianyu then encouraged everyone to try the other dishes, all of which received unanimous approval.

After the meal, Xianyu’s employment was officially confirmed.

Butler Lu told her to go back in the afternoon to pack her belongings and that she could start officially tomorrow.

Feeling relieved, Xianyu asked if she should prepare dinner before leaving, but Butler Lu waved it off with a smile.

“There’s no need to worry about that here. Just go back and pack properly. You’ll be staying here for the next two months, so you’ll likely have quite a bit to bring. Don’t rush tomorrow either-just make it in time to prepare lunch.”

Hearing this, Xianyu didn’t insist further.

After saying her goodbyes, she returned to her rental apartment.

She had planned to move out after this month’s rent was up anyway.

With the next two months spent living at the Su Family’s residence, she could wait until her job there was finished before finding a new place to rent.

Back at her apartment, Xianyu immediately shared the news of her new job with her close friend, Liu Lijun.

Upon hearing that Xianyu would be moving her belongings to the Su Family’s house the next day, Liu Lijun enthusiastically offered to drive her.

Xianyu didn’t refuse. She knew that if she did, her friend would only get upset.

When Liu Lijun drove Jiang Xianyu to Peach Blossom Source, her jaw nearly dropped in astonishment.

“Never thought I’d ever set foot in a place like this.”

If it weren’t for Jiang Xianyu leading the way, she would’ve been stopped right at the gates of the villa district. Knowing her friend was here for work, she dropped her off at the entrance and quickly left.

Jiang Xianyu arrived at a perfectly reasonable hour-8:30 in the morning.

Grandma Su and Old Master Su were in the garden, watering the plants. When they saw her, they immediately waved her over.

After putting her belongings away, Butler Lu handed her a set of car keys. “The black Audi in the garage is for you to use when grocery shopping. Feel free to use it for your personal outings as well.”

Jiang Xianyu was taken aback.

She never imagined that the first car she’d ever drive in her life would come with her job as a housemaid.

With some time to spare, she decided to head to a nearby supermarket to buy groceries.

By the time she returned, the elderly couple had finished watering the plants and had moved on to weeding the vegetable garden in the backyard.

Jiang Xianyu couldn’t help but marvel at their energy.

Modern-day office workers would collapse at the mere thought of such exertion, yet these elderly folks were brimming with vitality.

Thinking about her own future-where she had once imagined herself burning out by the age of thirty-three-Jiang Xianyu resolved to start taking better care of herself. Step one: join the elderly couple in tending to the vegetable garden.

Back in her hometown, she had often helped manage her family’s small plot of land. Gardening? She had that down.

After slipping on a pair of rubber boots, she headed to the backyard.

“Grandpa Su, Grandma Su, let me help you with the weeding,” she offered.

The elderly couple looked up to see the young girl standing there, bright and eager. They couldn’t help but smile.

Old Master Su, curious about her skills, asked, “You know how to handle this? Can you even tell the difference between vegetables and weeds?”

Jiang Xianyu’s lips twitched slightly. “Grandpa Su, back when I was a kid, most of the work on our family’s plot was done by me.”

Old Master Su still seemed a bit skeptical.

But Grandma Su waved her over. “It’s not that your grandpa doubts you. It’s just that you’re so young. Our grandson, who’s already twenty-eight, once came to help and ended up pulling out all our carefully grown corn seedlings, thinking they were weeds.”

Hearing this, Jiang Xianyu couldn’t help but chuckle to herself.

People are just different. In a family like the Su’s, not knowing one plant from another was probably the norm.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” she assured them.

With that, she got to work.

She wasn’t exaggerating. Though her movements weren’t as practiced as they used to be, her technique clearly showed she knew what she was doing.

The elderly couple watched her, nodding in approval.

They thought to themselves that their grandson could really use a lesson from this young girl. Maybe it’d knock some sense into his aloof demeanor.

After finishing the weeding, the three of them washed their hands, changed into clean clothes, and went back inside to rest for a bit.

Jiang Xianyu, however, couldn’t sit still and was about to start organizing her room when Grandma Su stopped her. “There’s not that much to do around here. Take a break first.”

Despite her young age, the elderly couple couldn’t help but treat her like one of their own grandchildren.

So Jiang Xianyu sat down and chatted with them.

Apart from Butler Lu and Aunt Li-who was currently on leave to care for her husband-there wasn’t anyone else in the house to keep the elderly couple company. The large villa often felt a bit too quiet.

Now, with a lively young girl bustling about, the house seemed to brighten up, and so did their spirits.

Butler Lu, though only forty-eight years old, managed all matters big and small within the villa. He also served as the chauffeur whenever the elderly couple needed to go out.

He was meticulous in his work, keeping everything in perfect order, but he wasn’t much of a talker. This added to the quiet atmosphere in the household.

It was precisely this reason that the elderly couple had chosen to hire a young housemaid. They weren’t looking for anything else-just someone with energy and vitality to brighten up the place.

Of course, the short two-month employment period was a major deterrent for many housemaids. Most preferred long-term, stable positions. After all, spending time adjusting to a new family only to leave shortly after wasn’t an ideal arrangement for anyone.

Naturally, the elderly couple was curious about Jiang Xianyu. She was young, well-educated, and undeniably attractive. Why would someone like her choose to become a housemaid?

Xianyu explained calmly, “I used to work in investment banking, but I resigned due to family reasons. However, I signed a non-compete agreement, so I can’t take on any related work for the next two years. While I was in school, I worked part-time as a housemaid, and I figured it’s a good option now-less pressure and a chance to clear my mind.”

The non-compete agreement came with compensation, paid monthly. The amount was negotiated with the company but couldn’t be less than 30% of her average salary over the previous twelve months. This meant Xianyu still received nearly ten thousand yuan in compensation every month.

Her brief explanation of her career history satisfied the elderly lady, who didn’t press further. They had only just met, and she didn’t want the young girl to feel uncomfortable.

Old Master Su, however, picked up on some key details. Non-compete agreements were typically reserved for senior management, specialized technical personnel, or those entrusted with confidential information.

It seemed the young girl had quite the impressive capabilities.