Chapter 19: Gathering

Liu Huahua grew even more furious. One by one, the several seniors sitting at the table were all of higher status than her. Liu Xiaozhi was one thing—she was always well-liked—but Tang Tian, a beautiful woman skilled at seduction and nothing more than a pretty face, why on earth did Mr. Pei have to speak up for her?

Besides, Mr. Pei had hated Tang Tian before. It had to be that Tang Tian said or did something in front of him again.

Tang Tian didn’t have time for all those messy thoughts. She finished her tasks, and if she could rest, she would; if not, she’d just move on to the next job. If something was assigned to her, she did it; if not, all the better.

She wasn’t interested in the mental games around her. She worked for the money, got the job done, and once finished, moved on. There was no need to immerse her body and mind in all the drama—she was simply a standard, practical worker.

After the seniors finished their meal, Tang Tian washed her hands and left the staff dining room. She had been hungry since around four in the afternoon, but since it was raining, she had been called over to help bring the outdoor flowers inside. By the time she finished, she was unbearably hungry.

It wasn’t until now that Tang Tian finally had dinner. She took several big bites of food before her hunger was somewhat relieved.

Liu Huahua slammed her plate down heavily opposite Tang Tian and then sat down. However, Tang Tian was completely unaffected, not even sparing her a glance.

Seeing Tang Tian’s indifference, Liu Huahua grew even more frustrated and suffocated with anger. Even in hostile relationships, she couldn’t stand such cold treatment.

“Tang Tian, what happened this morning? Why was Mr. Fu so resistant to your approach tonight?”

Liu Huahua was this close to outright asking if Tang Tian had been flirting with Mr. Pei again right in front of him.

Tang Tian had already finished the food on her plate, though she wasn’t full. Her eyes landed on the pan-fried steak and cod chunks on Liu Huahua’s plate across from her.

She met Liu Huahua’s gaze and asked, “Want to know?”

Liu Huahua hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. After a moment of surprise, she nodded, “Yes, I do.”

Tang Tian looked down at Liu Huahua’s plate. “Give me your steak and cod, and I’ll tell you.”

Liu Huahua froze, reluctantly glancing at her plate, then bit her lip. “Fine, I’ll pass it to you.”

Tang Tian immediately said, “No trouble, I’ll do it myself.”

Liu Huahua watched as Tang Tian not only took the steak and cod chunks but also took half of the pasta.

Liu Huahua winced in pain. “Hey… save some for me.”

Tang Tian finally stopped eating and pushed the small remaining portion of pasta toward her.

Liu Huahua stared at the pasta on the plate, feeling like crying but having no tears. She wished she hadn’t been so nosy—after all, Mr. Fu already didn’t like Tang Tian.

Liu Huahua kept waiting for her to start talking, hoping she would mention what happened by the pool that morning.

But Tang Tian leisurely finished her meal, slowly wiping her lips clean.

This only made Liu Huahua more anxious. “Just hurry up and say it! Why are you teasing me like this?”

Tang Tian tossed the napkin into the trash bin before finally saying, “This morning, Mr. Fu said a few words to me, then he went swimming. He swam for about forty minutes before leaving with Mr. Shen.”

Liu Huahua blinked. “And… that’s it?”

Tang Tian nodded matter-of-factly, “That’s it.”

Liu Huahua looked at her, puzzled. “Why did Mr. Fu say anything to you at all?”

Tang Tian knew that Fu Xi still thought she hadn’t given up on trying to seduce them, so he often liked to mock her with sarcastic remarks.

But she definitely wouldn’t share those comments with Liu Huahua.

“I don’t know.”

Liu Huahua: “…” She had wasted her effort trying to pry.

Tang Tian finished eating contentedly, then got up to wash the dishes in her hands. She had been busy and tired all day. Once she got off work, she planned to take a quick shower and go to bed early.

At night, the villa lacked the sunlight and beautiful scenery of the daytime. It only held a solitude of being alone. Even with all the lights on, it couldn’t dispel the cold loneliness brought by the darkness outside.

Pei Jue looked weary as he came downstairs and asked for a glass of ice water. The fruit bar was only being tidied up by Tang Tian.

“Bring me a glass of ice water.”

Pei Jue’s sudden voice startled Tang Tian, who had been dozing off. She immediately snapped awake, fully alert.

“Yes, Mr. Pei.”

Tang Tian reached for some ice but noticed the milk in the fridge. She was tempted by the milk, though she knew that as a servant, she shouldn’t sneak a drink.

“Um… Mr. Pei, would iced milk be okay? Milk helps with sleep,” she tentatively asked Pei Jue.

Pei Jue thought she was switching her tactic to a gentle, heart-tugging approach.

“As long as it’s cold, it’s fine.” Pei Jue rubbed his forehead, his low voice heavy with fatigue, having no time to entertain her little tricks.

Tang Tian smiled, true to her name. “I’ll prepare it right away.”

She happily noticed the change in how she addressed him—from “you” to the more respectful “Mr.”—her mood clearly lifting.

Pei Jue glanced at her as Tang Tian quickly poured a glass of iced milk for him.

He took a sip and then slowly walked away from the fruit bar.

In fact, he hadn’t left; he was just standing at the corner out of Tang Tian’s sight.

Tang Tian thought he had gone upstairs and finished the half-full glass of iced milk one sip at a time.

Satisfied, she grabbed a tissue to wipe the milk stains from her mouth, humming happily as she headed back to her room to shower and sleep.

At the corner, Pei Jue silently stared at the glass of iced milk in his hand. It seemed clear she wasn’t concerned about him—she just wanted to drink it herself.

July’s weather was stiflingly hot, with sudden downpours breaking the heat.

Wen Shaohan had mentioned that friends would be coming to the villa for a gathering tonight. The butler had arranged everything with exquisite detail, treating it like a grand party.

Just past four o’clock, luxury cars began arriving at the villa one after another. The guests were a mix of young men and women, all from wealthy families.

The usually quiet villa was bustling in a way rarely seen. Tang Tian was so busy she barely had time to catch her breath—handing drinks here, leading someone there to find a certain gentleman among the guests.

Meanwhile, Liu Xiaozhi and Liu Huahua couldn’t hide their jealousy. After all, those who could become friends with these young masters were all sons and daughters of affluent families.

Several wealthy heiresses had their eyes on some of the young masters, which made Liu Xiaozhi and Liu Huahua feel especially uncomfortable.

The eyes of those wealthy heiresses were sharp, and they noticed Liu Xiaozhi’s forced smile. They knew exactly how to respond—but they didn’t see her as a real threat. After all, she was just a servant; who would truly believe that Pei Jue and his circle would take notice of someone like her?

Yet, when those wealthy heiresses looked at Tang Tian, they all drew in a sharp breath, their sense of danger instantly rising to its peak.

Forget the entertainment industry—they had seen countless beauties before. A beauty like Tang Tian, who could attract countless admirers with just a simple smile, was on another level entirely.

Only after Tang Tian’s figure disappeared from sight did the heiresses on the sofa exchange glances, falling into silence.

“We didn’t see her the last time we came.”

“She must be a new staff member.”

None of the heiresses dared to openly acknowledge the threat Tang Tian posed.

Fang Suoyu placed her wine glass on the tray handed over by the servant. “Why not just call her over and find out?”

“That might not be appropriate,” Wen Shaohan’s cousin said, feeling it was unnecessary to be so harsh.

Fang Suoyu smiled. “What are you thinking? Do I strike you as the type to bully others?”

Wen Ai knew Fang Suoyu’s character well enough—she wouldn’t do something as petty as bullying.

“I just want to see if she harbors any ill intentions toward Pei Jue and the others.”

If she did, that servant had a good chance of succeeding. Fang Suoyu didn’t believe anyone would be indifferent to Pei Jue and his circle.

“So what if she does?”

Fang Suoyu laughed. “Then we’ll have a chat with Sister Wu.”

Wen Ai was momentarily stunned. Besides asking Sister Wu to fire that maid, what else could they talk about? Well, fine—if it meant cutting off every temptation around Brother Pei, she was all for it.