Jiang Linzhi glanced at his sister with an amused expression. “If Hogwarts were to make an exception and admit you, we’d only see each other once a year, you know.”
A hint of struggle flickered across Jiang Chuling’s small face, as if she were genuinely weighing the pros and cons. It made Jiang Linziz laugh out loud as he scooped her up, his laughter continuing even as he answered the phone.
“Hahaha—hello?”
“What’s so funny that you’re this cheeru?” came a cool, youthful male voice from the receiver.
“Just messing with my little sis. What’s up?”
“Major breakthrough on the project. Think Mr. Jiang might want to reconsider his investment stance?”
“Oh? Then I definitely have to come take a look.”
Jiang Linzhi hung up, stuffed his sister into the assistant Chen’s arms, and said, “Be good, kid. Early to bed and early to rise is how you pass that magical exam.”
Jiang Chuling frowned. “Bro, you’re sneaking out to fool around again!”
“Nonsense! I’ve got real work to do!” Jiang Linzi hurriedly comforted her. “The guy who just called—you know him. That young man with the surname Pei you ran into last time. You said he was good-looking, remember?”
The little girl wasn’t convinced. “It’s not like only ugly people go fooling around!”
“Hey! You little rascal!” Jiang Linzhi waved for the driver to go and added a threat, “Don’t tell Mom and Dad, you hear? Or I’ll sign you up for summer tutoring.”
“Nyah!” Jiang Chuling stuck out her tongue and made a silly face. “I’m no tattletale!”
The car pulled up to Moonlight Manor. Jiang Chuling had shed her lively, cheeky demeanor from around her brother and had become much quieter.
“Auntie Chen, have someone make me a small bowl of wonton soup.”
“Hungry again? Didn’t you eat enough?” Chen, the assistant, asked with concern.
Jiang Chuling yawned. “I just swallowed it all down. Who could really eat in that kind of atmosphere?”
Auntie Chen sighed and told the young miss to go upstairs and rest.
Because the young miss was still young, the kitchen at Moonlight Manor often fired up extra meals. Sister Fang, in particular, held both a chef’s certification and a health license, so whipping up late-night snacks was no problem at all.
Sister Fang cooked the wontons, took them upstairs to the young miss, and when she came back, Auntie Chen was standing at the top of the stairs. “Haven’t had a chance to ask yet. How’s the new one? Reliable?”
Though the first week had been a bit shaky, over the past few days Xiaoqiu had been nothing short of considerate, taking on two-thirds of the workload herself—fast and efficient, making things so much easier for everyone.
So Sister Fang definitely wanted Qiu Yun to stay at Moonlight Manor.
“Great. She’s humble, hardworking, and does a fine job. Seems like she’s had experience.”
Auntie Chen nodded. “Good. Moonlight Manor is short-handed. If she passes her end-of-month evaluation, we’ll make her permanent.”
Sister Fang was a straightforward person who couldn’t keep things to herself. The very next day, she told Qiu Yun, “I put in a good word for you with Auntie Chen. So if anything good comes your way, don’t forget your Sister Fang, got it?”
Qiu Yun smiled and agreed. “Of course, I won’t forget Sister Fang’s guidance.”
The next three weeks passed quickly. Qiu Yun worked diligently, passed her end-of-month evaluation, and made it through her probation period in just a month.
Only then did Auntie Chen find time to meet their newest member at Moonlight Manor.
“Auntie Chen.” Qiu Yun stood at ease, allowing herself to be assessed.
The young woman before her had calm, balanced features that softened her strong, beautiful face, creating a stunning clarity and charm.
Auntie Chen nodded. Aside from being a bit too pretty, there didn’t seem to be any issues.
“Our estate rarely has someone go from probation to permanent in just one month,” Auntie Chen said, producing a formal employment contract. “According to the hiring guidelines, your salary will increase by twenty percent from what we originally agreed on.”
During those three weeks, Qiu Yun hadn’t just focused on her own tasks; she’d also studied current laws and thoroughly read the Jiang family’s employment regulations.
She knew that those who finished three months of probation before being made permanent kept their base salary. Those promoted after one month got a ten percent raise, and those promoted after two months got a twenty percent raise.
That put Qiu Yun’s salary at 9,600 yuan, about 8,000 after taxes.
Qiu Yun said, “Thank you, Auntie Chen. I couldn’t have been made permanent so smoothly without the help and advice of the other two sisters here at Moonlight Manor.”
Auntie Chen silently approved. The girl showed gratitude—even now, she was saying nice things about those who had helped her.
“Take a look at the contract. If everything’s fine, we can sign.”
“Alright.” Qiu Yun took the contract and read it carefully.
After three weeks of study, reading simplified characters no longer felt clumsy to her.
It included five social insurance items and two housing funds, room and board, holiday benefits, year-end bonuses, and four days off per month. Only one day off a week, but with a maximum of five hours of work per day, it balanced out the single day of rest.
Qiu Yun couldn’t help but marvel. This new society was really something. She never could have dreamed of such great working conditions back when she first entered that household! It was only after serving at the madam’s side that she had enjoyed better treatment.
After reading all the rights and responsibilities, there were additional non-disclosure and non-compete clauses attached.
The non-disclosure agreement clearly stated that employees were forbidden from posting any information, images, or videos related to the estate on any public platform, with a huge penalty for violations—one that normal people wouldn’t dare to cross. The confidentiality fee was three hundred yuan per month.
As for the non-compete agreement, it stipulated that even after resigning from Jiang Manor, employees could not apply for work at other family estates for two years. If they remained unemployed during that period, the Jiang Manor would pay them thirty percent of their salary each month as compensation.
The entire labor contract was over a dozen pages, with rights and obligations clearly spelled out.
After reading everything, Qiu Yun signed her name and pressed her fingerprint.
Two copies: she kept one, and Auntie Chen would take the other to the HR department in the side-building office.
“Keep up the good work,” Auntie Chen encouraged her before collecting the contract and leaving.
Qiu Yun calculated her salary. Excellent. Adding the confidentiality fee and year-end bonus, she could pay off all her loans in about sixteen months.
— Smiley-face emoticon.
Once Auntie Chen was gone, Sister Fang and Sister Yuan gathered around with smiles. “Congratulations on your official hire! How about treating your sisters to some bubble tea?”
Qiu Yun was generous about such things. To her, repaying favors with money was no big deal. “I owe my good evaluation to you both. Bubble tea isn’t enough. Tonight, I’ll talk to the head chef and have them prepare a feast.”
Getting the estate chefs to take on private orders was something both now and in ancient times.
The main kitchen at the manor was the same. People could pay to have banquets arranged, with delivery included.
“Now that’s something!” Sister Fang thought the newcomer knew how to handle things. “Come on, today I’ll take you up to the third floor to see what it’s like.”
The third floor was the young miss’s study and her clothing and accessory storage room.
While the second-floor dressing room held current-season clothes and commonly worn accessories, the third-floor storage rooms contained clothes for the other three seasons, as well as precious jewelry and luxury items.
Qiu Yun followed her without hesitation.
Before she was made permanent, she had been a temporary staff member and was only responsible for the first and second floors.
Glancing at Sister Fang walking ahead, she guessed that in the future, the third-floor tasks would likely be passed to her too.
Many hands make light work.
They reached the third floor.
Perhaps having seen the priceless treasures in the Duke's mansion treasury, the Seventh Miss's clothing and accessory room left her only mildly impressed.
