Scarlett, ever the provocateur, waved her hand at the camera. Her beautiful face was adorned with an innocent smile, a charm irresistible to anyone who beheld it.
She held no fear. Keeping her captive would lose its thrill. Sure enough, within a couple of minutes, the door creaked open from the outside. As Scarlett turned towards the sound, she found the hallway empty, save for two large dogs stationed in front of her - a Tibetan Mastiff and a German Shepherd, both brimming with menace.
These dogs weren't for show, especially these ferocious breeds. Scarlett remained still for a few seconds before reaching into her bag, pulling out a pen and raising it as she said, "Sit." The dogs looked up at the pen, and after a moment, they simultaneously sat down in front of Scarlett. She laughed, saying, "This isn't edible, but next time I'll bring something tasty for you guys."
As she walked past the dogs, they didn't block her path. They simply moved closer to sniff at her.
In the living room, Scarlett turned to the right to see a boy in a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants slouched on the couch, absorbed in his phone. His hair was disheveled, but his handsome features were reminiscent of Lucius. Both father and son had an air of overwhelming presence about them.
Scarlett, with a smile, said, "Jack, I didn't expect you to be so considerate. Thanks for the little surprise you prepared."
At her words, Jack's brows furrowed, seemingly annoyed.
Scarlett, unfazed, continued, "Today is our first meeting. If you don't want to jump right into things, we could chat a bit, get to know each other."
Jack finally spoke, his twelve-year-old voice mimicking a depth beyond his years, "Our family hired you to work, not to chat. You think money comes easy?"
Scarlett, with a smile, responded, "So understanding. You already know money doesn't grow on trees. Well then, get up and let's get ready. We shouldn't waste any more time."
Jack choked on his response, not expecting her to be waiting for him here. Despite his initial failure, he maintained his lax posture on the couch, not only refusing to get up but also nonchalantly starting a game on his phone.
Scarlett, calm and composed, walked to the window and pulled the curtains wide open. The sunlight flooded the room, causing her to squint a little. Once her eyes adjusted, she opened the curtains fully, brightening the room.
Jack, backlit by the sunlight, couldn't see his phone screen clearly anymore. Annoyed, he questioned, "Who gave you permission to touch things here?"
Scarlett turned around, the sunlight outlining her in a golden glow. Her facial expression was somewhat blurry, but it seemed like a small smile was playing on her lips as she replied gently, "Too much darkness isn't good for the eyes."
Jack sternly said, "I don't need you to interfere. Close them!"
Scarlett, without changing her expression, responded, "If you ask me nicely, I can close them. If you're ordering me, I'm afraid I can't help."
Jack looked up at Scarlett, their faces one in the light, the other in the shadow. The former had a stern gaze, while the latter's expression was obscured.
After a few moments of silence, Jack spoke first, his voice filled with youthful arrogance, "Why should I ask for your help? Get your role straight, don't use your status as a teacher to try and boss me around. Don't play the age card, either. This is my house! I'm the boss here, you're the hired help!"
As he continued, his words slowed, as if to ensure Scarlett could understand his point.
Scarlett, taking this in stride, responded calmly, "Is that so? I thought it was your dad who was paying me. I didn't know it was coming out of your pocket."
Jack's brow furrowed deeper, but before he could argue, Scarlett continued, "Also, I remember very clearly, when your dad hired me, he made it clear I was here to teach, not to nanny. So it's not that I'm confused about my role, it's you who's confused about mine."
Leaning back on the couch, Jack glared at Scarlett with an unspoken anger. The length of his silence spoke volumes about how unprepared he was for this tricky situation. Yet he wasn't ready to back down. So he retorted, "Are you trying to pull rank on me?"
Scarlett, being a perceptive individual who has studied adolescent psychology, could quickly analyze a child's mental state from their words and actions. Just by the term 'elder', she could infer that Jack's family maintained a strict upbringing. Also, it was clear that he was putting on a show, perhaps to hide his fear of authority.
Unruffled, Scarlett softened her tone and replied, "Of course not. You're right, no matter my profession, at the end of the day, I'm employed by your family. I don't see you as a child, I think we can have a conversation as equals. What do you think?"
Jack's anger, which had been building to a peak, was waiting for Scarlett to add fuel to the fire. He was ready to kick her out, unwilling to back down from this situation. But her sudden show of weakness caught him off guard. His anger lessened, replaced by wariness.
Without waiting for him to ask, Scarlett carried on, "I won't preach to you about how students should behave or do what they're supposed to do. I was once your age, rebellious, wild and free. I understand you. But there's a saying, 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you'. You need to understand my position as well. Do you think I enjoy forcing people into uncomfortable situations? We are both in this position out of necessity. We both have our tasks to do. As fellow beings in this world, why should we make things difficult for each other?"
She understood the psychology of a child his age very well. Kids, pretending to be adults, often believe that grown-ups don't understand them. To gain their trust, she needed to establish a dialogue on equal footing.
As she expressed her sentiments, Jack looked at her skeptically. After a moment, he asked, "So you're proposing we coexist peacefully?"
Scarlett nodded, her gaze sincere.
Jack looked away, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "As long as you don't interfere with me, I won't kick you out."
Scarlett shook her head slightly, "If you don't kick me out, I certainly won't interfere with you."
Jack lifted his gaze, looking at Scarlett again, sensing a trap in her words.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Scarlett smiled, an innocent expression on her face that belied her underlying craftiness. She gently said,"Rather than expending the effort to drive away different people each time, why not keep it simple and only deal with one person - me? I'll respect your hobbies and personal actions. All you need to do is cooperate with me for a hundred minutes each time we meet. Apart from that, whether you want to coexist peacefully or keep our distance is up to you."
A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "Are you sure you'll respect all my hobbies and personal actions?" he asked.
Scarlett grinned, her calm demeanor unchanging as she replied, "To be honest, I'm not afraid of anything that's alive and moving or dead and motionless. Unless the day comes when I open the door and see a ghost, I might consider retreating. But even then, it's just a possibility. After all, once you've seen enough ghosts, they're not so scary anymore."