CHAPTER 2

After walking for ten minutes, Shi Li still hadn’t figured out why the hostility had suddenly intensified. Just as she was puzzling over it, a middle-aged man with a mustache, wearing a vest over a shirt, walked in.

“Miss Shi, hello. I am the butler of the Shen family estate.”

Shi Li quickly got off the bed. The oversized men’s pajamas she was wearing made her step on the hem of the pants, and she barely managed to steady herself before tripping. “Hello, Mr. Butler. My name is Shi Li. You can just call me by my name.”

Since she would be working under him from now on, it was best to be humble.

The butler smiled. “Alright, Shi Li. The labor contract has been prepared. I believe Mr. Shen has already explained the details to you. If you have no objections, you can sign the contract.”

“Alright.” Shi Li nodded. When he handed over the contract, she didn’t bother reading it carefully and simply signed her name.

Once she had signed, the butler collected the contract. “Come, let’s complete the onboarding process, and then I’ll take you to your dormitory.”

Shi Li nodded eagerly. An hour later, all the formalities were completed. When she entered the dormitory she would be staying in, she took a glance at the small wooden bed, barely 1.2 meters wide, and then at the only three pieces of furniture besides the bed—

Four hooks nailed to the wall, a desk lamp, and an old, nearly broken air conditioner.

She silently turned to the butler. “Are all the Shen family employee dormitories like this?”

“This is the only single-person dormitory in the Shen household,” the butler replied tactfully.

Shi Li understood. This was part of Shen Jingyan’s revenge.

Fine, she wasn’t afraid of his retaliation—she was only afraid that he would stubbornly treat her as a stranger, bottling up his hatred without letting it dissipate.

She smiled optimistically. “Got it, Butler. Thank you for your trouble today.”

The butler had expected her to make a scene, but to his surprise, she accepted it without protest. This made him feel slightly more favorable toward her. “During work hours, you must wear the uniform at all times. I’ll let it slide for today since you just arrived. Rest up, and remember to wear it when you officially start work tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

Shi Li smiled as she saw the butler off. The moment the door closed, the exhaustion in her eyes became apparent. She had just recovered from a fever and was still feeling weak—she had managed to get through the onboarding process purely on willpower.

She sat on the bed to rest for a moment, then noticed a door on the left-hand wall. She hadn’t seen it earlier when she was standing at the entrance.

Curious, Shi Li got up and gently pulled it open, discovering a small bathroom inside. There was a water heater, a toilet, and a sink. Though the space was cramped, it contained all the essentials for daily life.

The thought of not having to use public restrooms and showers every day significantly lifted her mood. She took a thorough shower and then went straight to bed, sleeping soundly until six in the morning.

After a good night’s sleep, Shi Li felt much more refreshed. She rubbed her growling stomach, quickly washed up, and changed into her uniform.

She had originally planned to return the pajamas to Shen Jingyan yesterday to gain some goodwill, but since her old clothes had mysteriously disappeared, leaving her with only her uniform and the pajamas, she had no choice but to keep them for now.

After putting on the uniform, she stood in front of the mirror on the wall and examined herself. She wasn’t satisfied. She had an ample figure, but she preferred looser clothing for comfort and ease of movement, usually opting for oversized T-shirts and casual jeans.

Though the uniform was somewhat casual, it was still more form-fitting than she liked. The short sleeves had to be tucked into a knee-length straight skirt, accentuating her slender waist. It looked good—just not comfortable.

She sighed, deciding it wasn’t the time to dwell on such things. She tied her hair into a ponytail and left her room.

When she arrived outside Shen Jingyan’s bedroom, he happened to be stepping out. Their eyes met, and a notification popped up in her mind—

Male Lead Hatred Value: 120%

…It had been a whole night, yet it hadn’t dropped at all? Shi Li sighed inwardly, missing the displeasure flickering in Shen Jingyan’s gaze.

“Go change.”

“Huh?” Shi Li didn’t react at first. Seeing his expression darken further, she realized he was talking about the uniform. She forced a dry laugh. “Why do I have to change?”

“And you call yourself a Shen family employee?” Shen Jingyan’s eyes were full of mockery.

Shi Li stiffened slightly. “But my clothes from yesterday—”

“I threw them away,” Shen Jingyan said, his face emotionless.

Shi Li’s smile became even more forced. “Then I don’t have anything else to wear.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the hatred level increased again. She quickly corrected herself, “I’ll change! Right now!”

Shen Jingyan glanced at her indifferently before walking away without another word. Shi Li stood there awkwardly for a moment, then returned to her dormitory to change.

Ten minutes later, she was back outside Shen Jingyan’s room, but he was already gone. Only the butler remained, waiting for her. Seeing her outfit, he gave her a strange look. “Why are you dressed like that?”

Shi Li looked down at the men’s pajamas she was wearing and sighed helplessly. “I don’t have anything else.”

The butler paused before regaining his composure. “Mr. Shen wants you to clear out the weeds in the garden and loosen the soil. You can eat once you finish.”

Shi Li nodded and went to collect a hoe and a shovel before heading to the garden.

It was the peak of summer, and even in the early morning, the ground was already radiating heat. Shi Li immediately got to work, and before long, the pajamas she wore were drenched in sweat, clinging uncomfortably to her body. Yet, glancing at the vast garden, she had barely covered one-fifth of it.

…For someone who avoided work whenever possible, nothing was more torturous than doing farm labor under the blazing sun.

Shen Jingyan was ruthless. And he knew her all too well.

As the sun climbed higher, the heat became more unbearable. Shi Li licked her dry lips and decided to take a short break—only to turn around and lock eyes with Shen Jingyan.

He was standing at the second-floor window of the villa, watching her. She had no idea how long he had been there.

“Jingyan,” Shi Li greeted him with a smile.

Male Lea Hatred Value: 130%

Shi Li: “!!!”

It was just at 120! How did it jump to 130 so fast?

Thinking back to the previous spike, she realized…

Her expression stiffened. She immediately stopped smiling.

Male Lead Hatred Value: 129%

Shi Li twitched her lips. In front of him, she couldn’t very well take a break, so she continued working like an old ox plowing the field.

Under the scorching sun, sweat poured off her body. She felt dizzy, and when she stood up too quickly, she lost her balance and fell—right into a patch of flowers.

Remembering how much Shen Jingyan cared about his plants, Shi Li swallowed nervously and cautiously turned her head to look at the window. He was still standing there.

Male Lead Hatred Value: 100%

Shi Li: “?”

Why did it go down?

She was momentarily puzzled but quickly pieced it together. To test her theory, she deliberately stumbled again, this time landing in the freshly loosened soil.

The freshly loosened soil was quite soft, yet Shi Li still let out a cry of pain. She then discreetly raised her head to observe Shen Jingyan’s reaction. Sure enough, the Hatred Value had decreased by one point.

…So it was confirmed—the more miserable she appeared, the faster the Male Lead Hatred Value dropped.

Having reached this conclusion, Shi Li began to sell her misery while working. Every few minutes, she would stage a fall, a moment of dizziness, or some other pitiful act. After toiling away for most of the day… Shen Jingyan had disappeared.

Seeing the now-empty window, Shi Li remained silent for a moment before resigning herself to continue working. By the time she finished tidying up the garden, it was already three in the afternoon. Hunger clouded her mind, so she made her way to the staff cafeteria in search of food—only to find nothing left.

“The cafeteria serves meals from one to two-thirty,” the kitchen auntie said cheerfully.

Shi Li tried to butter her up. “I was working the whole time and came late because of that. Could you make an exception?”

“No.” The auntie’s expression turned blank in an instant.

Shi Li stared at her in despair, then slumped into a chair, absentmindedly studying the blisters on her hands.

“Shi Li?” The butler’s voice rang out.

Shi Li quickly stood up. “Good day, Mr. Butler.”

The butler glanced around. “You haven’t eaten?”

“I was late.” Shi Li gave a wry smile.

After a brief moment of consideration, the butler said, “Mr. Shen didn’t finish his lunch. If you don’t mind, you can make do with that.”

“Of course, I don’t mind!” Shi Li had eaten Shen Jingyan’s leftovers many times before—why would she care now?

The butler chuckled and retrieved a meal box from the kitchen, setting the dishes out on the table.

Looking at the nearly untouched food, Shi Li was doubtful. “Is this really his leftovers? It looks like it hasn’t been touched at all.”

The butler sighed. “Mr. Shen has always had a poor appetite.”

“Stop giving him fish. No matter how well it’s prepared, he’ll still think it tastes fishy,” Shi Li said as she picked up her chopsticks. After taking a few bites, she added, “And these dishes are way too bland. He’s been taking medication for years—his mouth is probably bitter all the time. The taste of this food isn’t strong enough to overpower that bitterness, so of course, he won’t like it. You should serve him more flavorful dishes.”

“Mr. Shen isn’t in good health. He can’t eat overly seasoned food,” the butler frowned.

Shi Li smiled. “Compared to malnutrition, a little oil, salt, and seasoning aren’t a big deal. It’s not like I’m telling you to feed him extra-spicy hotpot.”

The butler hesitated at her certainty and probed, “You seem to know Mr. Shen quite well.”

“Mhm.” Shi Li didn’t want to elaborate.

The butler left it at that. “No wonder Mr. Shen treats you so differently.”

How could he not? His hatred for her was through the roof. Shi Li let out a bitter chuckle and shook her head slightly, contemplating her next move.

By evening, Shen Jingyan summoned her again. But before she could approach, his expression turned cold. “Stop.”

Shi Li immediately halted. Noticing that the Hatred Value had dropped to 95%, she was quite pleased.

Shen Jingyan, however, was not. “What’s that smell?”

Shi Li hesitated for a moment, then sniffed herself and answered honestly, “Sweat.”

Shen Jingyan’s expression remained unreadable. “Are you deliberately trying to disgust me?”

“…You’re overthinking it. I took a shower earlier, but I don’t have any spare clothes, so I had to put this back on,” Shi Li explained helplessly.

Shen Jingyan regarded her indifferently, his gaze eventually landing on her hands. The blisters had turned into wounds after two burst while she was showering.

Male Lead Hatred Value: 93%

Shi Li: “???” A sudden drop? Could it be because she had no spare clothes?

“Get out.” Shen Jingyan no longer wished to look at her.

Shi Li nodded meekly and turned to leave. As soon as she stepped out, she saw a chef pushing a small cart laden with light dishes, with the butler accompanying him.

Shi Li immediately knew that the butler hadn’t taken her advice to heart. She stopped in her tracks and waited at the door. Less than twenty minutes later, the butler and chef emerged again—the food on the cart barely touched.

The butler and Shi Li exchanged looks, and he let out a resigned smile.

“Why won’t you at least try my suggestion?” Shi Li couldn’t help but ask.

The butler sighed. “Mr. Shen’s health is fragile. I can’t take any risks.”

Since that was the case, there was nothing more to say. Shi Li merely smiled politely before heading to the cafeteria for dinner.

Though she had eaten lunch late, it didn’t affect her appetite in the slightest. Arriving early this time, she managed to get a meal with a good variety of dishes. The only downside was that because of her lingering sweat odor, no one was willing to sit with her. So, she sat alone in a corner, quickly finishing her meal before returning to her room.

As soon as she entered, Shi Li stripped off her clothes, washed them, and hung them by the window. Then, she turned on the air conditioning. By the time she finished her shower and stepped out wrapped in a towel, the room was already pleasantly cool.

She collapsed onto her bed, feeling like her limbs were filled with lead. The wounds on her hands throbbed painfully, leaving her completely drained.

As she lay there, exhaustion took over, and she quickly fell into a deep sleep—so deep that she didn’t even hear the knocking at her door.

After knocking for several minutes with no response, the maid went to report to Shen Jingyan.

“She really won’t open the door?” Shen Jingyan asked, frowning as he coughed a few times, his breathing becoming slightly unsteady.

The maid glanced at the pile of laundry outside the door. “I knocked for a long time and even told her you were looking for her, but she didn’t answer or make a sound.”

Shen Jingyan’s eyes darkened. “Understood.”

The maid nodded and left when she saw he had no further instructions.

Night had fallen completely. The lights in his bedroom remained off as Shen Jingyan sat in the same position for a long time. The streetlights outside eventually flickered off, and after another bout of coughing, he finally rose and headed toward Shi Li’s room with a cold expression. Upon reaching her door, he turned the handle.

It was unlocked.

Shen Jingyan’s eyes grew even colder. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open.

The noise startled Shi Li from her sleep. Groggy, she looked toward the door. Seeing Shen Jingyan, she wasn’t the least bit surprised and mumbled drowsily, “Jingyan?”

Shen Jingyan halted his steps, his face void of emotion as he stared at her.

Shi Li, now a little more awake, instinctively tried to sit up—only to feel a sudden coolness against her chest. She stiffened, then sluggishly lowered her gaze like a rusty machine—

Her towel had come undone at some point, barely covering her chest and abdomen while leaving the rest of her body exposed.

Stiffly, she lifted her head again and awkwardly smiled at Shen Jingyan. “I can explain—”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 100%

Shi Li: “???”