Chapter 4: Stay

Seeing Prince Cheng's posture, Bao Mianmian estimated that he truly intended to drive her away.

She had finally managed to show her face, and the young master had finally started eating.

How could she run into such an untrustworthy person?

Bao Mianmian stomped her feet a few times, then hugged the doorframe tightly.

She turned her head and shouted toward the outside, "Prince Cheng doesn't keep his word! Prince Cheng wants to dodge his wages! The ten taels of silver won't count anymore!"

Yuan Wei almost rolled up his sleeves to go up and shut her mouth.

Dodging wages—she actually had the audacity to say the Prince Cheng Mansion would dodge wages.

Bao Mianmian's voice became even shriller.

"Prince Cheng is going to hit a woman!"

Yuan Wei took a deep breath. He didn't even need to roll up his sleeves; he would just call people to drag her out and beat her with sticks until she wasn't dead, but close enough.

Unexpectedly, someone pulled at his clothes from behind.

"No one is stopping me today."

Without turning around, Yuan Wei tried to brush the hand away.

Upon contact, something felt off; there were only three people in the room.

He snapped his head around and saw Yuan Bai smiling at him like a little rabbit.

Wh—what was going on?

If it weren't for the fact that she truly had no money in her pocket and would have to sleep on the streets tonight, Bao Mianmian wouldn't have had such great courage.

In this dark, man-eating old society, it wouldn't be hard for a dignified Prince to beat her to death.

It was only because she had been watching and listening at the restaurant that she knew Prince Cheng wasn't a bully.

Looking at the manager in the Prince's mansion, his expression wasn't ugly either.

That was why she had mustered her courage.

Yuan Bai took a step closer and grabbed his brother's sleeve.

Bao Mianmian stood by the side in dead silence, her large eyes blinking without pause.

Success or failure depends on this moment; today, she was relying on the young master.

"Are you telling me not to get angry?"

Yuan Bai nodded, then looked at Bao Mianmian, who was using all four limbs to cling to the doorframe in an octopus-like manner, refusing to leave.

"You want to keep her?"

Bao Mianmian's tears were almost falling. There is true affection in this world; young master, be loyal!

Yuan Bai nodded again.

Such a good child, why isn't he speaking? Don't tell me...

Bao Mianmian didn't dare think too much. As long as he could understand human speech, it wouldn't hinder anything.

Yuan Wei couldn't bring himself to pull his sleeve away, so he took a step forward with Yuan Bai.

Even though the hostility on his face had subsided a bit, Bao Mianmian was still afraid.

"Your Highness, what do you want to do?"

Seeing her so defensive and wary, Yuan Wei actually wanted to laugh.

He was in his own mansion; what couldn't he do? If it weren't for the fact that he never hit women, today wouldn't have turned out like this.

"Xiao Bai, do you really want to keep her?"

Bao Mianmian peeked at the young master. *Xiao Bai Gongzi*—that name didn't sound like a compliment.

"Keep her, to cook."

Eh, his voice is very pleasant. There's nothing wrong with that at all.

Yuan Bai's voice was a clear, youthful tone, very gentle and comfortable.

To Bao Mianmian's ears, it sounded like flowing water; she wanted to hear it more.

"Your Highness, I really can cook! The young master has great taste!"

"Shut up."

This woman was too noisy. Even if four or five magpies landed in the front courtyard early in the morning, they wouldn't be as loud as her.

Wait a minute, four or five magpies.

Yuan Wei seemed to remember the head manager mentioning something this morning.

He said that even in a time of great peace, such a thing was rare to see.

It couldn't be that this phenomenon was being reflected in this woman.

"Your Highness, you're only giving me the time of one incense stick to trial my work. I won't have time to make something delicious. Let me stay, and tomorrow morning, you can decide whether to keep me or not."

Bao Mianmian saw that he was slightly wavering.

If there was even a tiny bit of hope, she couldn't waste the opportunity.

She didn't want to sleep on the streets, and she didn't want to go hungry without knowing where her next meal would come from.

"Tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, yes, tomorrow morning. If the young master is still willing to eat what I make, then keep me."

"And if you try to force chili water down his throat again..."

"How could I? The young master is so fair and pure; I couldn't bring myself to do such a thing."

Yuan Wei wasn't moved by her courage at all; his heart was solely for his brother.

Rather than running around outside, there really wasn't much left to do in Fuyang City.

He would give it a try; maybe it would work.

As for tonight, Yuan Wei turned to look at that "big rice bowl," and the anger he had just suppressed began to rise again.

"Head Manager, Head Manager!"

As soon as Yuan Wei called, the head manager arrived faster than lightning.

"Your Highness, what are your orders?"

"Let her stay for now. Tell the people outside to head back."

The head manager secretly wiped his sweat. "There's no one outside anymore."

"How can that be? Didn't you say there were at least twenty people still lining up outside the mansion?"

"There were originally over twenty, but when this lady shouted her first sentence, half of them ran away."

When she shouted about not getting paid, another seven ran.

Finally, when the last four heard about dodging wages, they also bolted.

The head manager was in a dilemma. He was the one who had let her in.

If the Prince truly flew into a rage, should he push all the responsibility onto Bao Mianmian, or frame her for everything?

Therefore, when the head manager was called in, his first glance was at the table.

Immediately, he felt reassured.

Why had the Prince been getting more and more irritable day by day?

Wasn't it all because the young master refused to eat and was making a fuss?

Now that the goal had been achieved, the process wasn't as important.

Thus, Bao Mianmian watched with wide eyes as the head manager straightened his back.

He could now hold his head high, just like her.

"From tomorrow morning, all of the young master's meals will be prepared by her."

Before leaving, Yuan Wei added, "You don't need to taste them first."

The head manager felt a sense of grievance, as if to say, *I didn't participate in anything, so why am I being caught in the crossfire?*

What Yuan Wei was thinking was that if he hadn't said anything, it would have been fine, but once he mentioned it, it would seem like everything Xiao Bai ate was just the head manager's saliva.

*Pah, pah, pah, no one is actually going to poison him.*

So, don't taste it; otherwise, what if looking at the head manager's face in the future makes you feel nauseous?

The head manager watched the Prince leave with a guilty conscience. He had been standing quite well.

But a sudden gust of wind blew from somewhere, making his whole body shiver.

Having received the Prince's word, Bao Mianmian was full of confidence.

She no longer hugged the doorframe, nor did she worry about food or lodging.

She stood obediently in place, putting on an expression of serious listening.

"The Prince's meaning is that you stay for now, pending a decision."

Bao Mianmian frowned slightly. *Pending my ass! There are no other candidates outside; it's just me.*

*If I leave, you guys won't make it through tomorrow.*

"Although it might only be for one day, this is the Prince's mansion after all; we cannot be careless."

The head manager had things to say; could he please not beat around the bush and say things that were hard to understand?

"Come with me. I'll arrange a place for you to stay."

Bao Mianmian was overjoyed. These were good words; she loved hearing them.

"Are all of the young master's meals made here?"

"Yes, they are all made here. The mansion has a complete supply of ingredients; you can use whatever you need."

"Is there no manager in the kitchen?"

"When you came in, did you see the man blanching cabbage?"

Mentioning the man blanching cabbage, Bao Mianmian naturally knew him; he had even threatened to hit her with a ladle because she talked too much.

"That's him. His surname is Guo."

"Eek!"

"He originally planned that if things worked out, he could earn an extra wage."

Bao Mianmian took a sharp breath, her small face turning pale.

That meant that before she had even entered the kitchen, she had already offended the kitchen manager.