C2 A Maid!

The next morning, Jee Ange slowly woke up, still groggy from the hangover and with a pounding headache. As she turned over, faint voices reached her ears.

"Jee Fusheng?"

"Yes, sir. He and the businessman, Xu Qizhi, were colluding, attempting to bribe and threaten you... Both have been handed over according to procedure."

"The person in the room is Jee Fusheng's eldest daughter. She graduated with a degree in journalism and hasn't found a job yet. Her mother works at a local mall. A month ago, Jee Fusheng gambled and ended up owing a hundred thousand dollars in high-interest loans, which has now ballooned to over a hundred thousand..."

"Xu Qizhi promised Jee Fusheng that if his daughter could get the job done, he would give him five hundred thousand."

The more she listened, the more awake Ange became. Her mind buzzed with shock. What? Dad was arrested?! Ange quickly jumped out of bed, only to realize she was undressed...

Without a second thought, she hastily pulled on the clothes by the bed and ran to the door, grabbing the man's arm, urgently asking, "Did you call the police?!"

The man looked indifferent, ignoring Ange's anxiety and urgency, and coldly shook her off.

Ange fell to her knees with a thud, tears welling up in her eyes as she pleaded, "No matter what, we were together last night. People say a night together means a hundred days of grace... My family's situation is really tough. If my dad is sentenced, we're done for... Please, show some mercy..."

The man signaled his subordinate to leave and then bent down slightly, firmly holding the back of Ange's head, pulling her closer. The distance between them shrank until they could feel each other's breath on their faces.

His fingers gently caressed Ange, but his eyes showed no emotion or warmth. Even so, Ange's face felt warm.

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” the man remarked with a cold, dismissive smile.

But Jee Ange saw a glimmer of hope and quickly nodded. “Tell me what you need. If it’s within my power, I’ll do it!”

No matter what kind of person Jee Ange had been before, she had to bow her head to the harsh reality now. She had already given away her first time; what else couldn’t she do?

Seeing the determination in Jee Ange’s eyes, the man paused before saying, “You can stay and work for me as a housekeeper. I’ll help pay off your family’s debt, but you won’t receive a salary—just room and board.”

Jee Ange had expected the man to demand something unreasonable, so she was relieved it was just housekeeping. She thanked him profusely and agreed. Then, hesitantly, she asked, “Could you release my father?”

Afraid the man might refuse, Jee Ange quickly added, “My father was desperate; otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked me to do this. Just this once, please let him go.”

The man didn’t give a direct answer, only offering a slightly mocking smile.

There wasn’t enough evidence to hold them; sending them to the authorities was just a scare tactic to prevent them from repeating their mistakes. Especially since they had crossed him, did they really think they could disregard the nation’s honor and authority?

...

Jee Ange soon moved into the man’s house. From the housekeeper, she learned his name was Qin Xiao. His mother’s family was in business and quite wealthy, while his father’s side had a strong military background. Qin Xiao had grown up surrounded by this influence and joined the military when he came of age.

Qin Xiao’s parents also lived there.

As long as Qin Xiao wasn’t around, Jee Ange returned to her usual lively self. Once she got familiar with the Qin household, she began to work diligently. Although she was a graduate from a prestigious university, the circumstances forced her hand. Qin Xiao was doing her a great favor by helping with the debt, and she was determined to repay his kindness with hard work.

Jee Ange was well-liked by Qin Xiao's parents.

"Alright, alright, the house is clean enough, Ange. Take a break," Qin's mother said with a warm smile, pulling Ange to sit down.

However, Qin Xiao, with a stern expression, remarked, "She's here to work, not to relax."

Ange had just sat down but immediately stood up again at Qin Xiao's words, responding obediently, "Mr. Qin, when did you get back? Are you hungry? Should I make something to eat?"

Qin's mother gave Qin Xiao a reproachful look and said, "Ange, don't mind him."

Ange stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to leave or sit down.

At that moment, a commotion erupted outside.

Qin Xiao instructed, "Go see what's happening."

Ange agreed, and as soon as she opened the door, she saw her father arguing with the security guard at the gate. Her mind went blank for a moment, unsure of where she was or what she should do.

She heard her father, Jee Fusheng, shouting, "My daughter is in there! Why can't I go in? I'm her father!"