"Third floor? Miss Dai, you may have remembered it wrongly. The guest rooms are all on the second floor." Butler Liu smiled with a fake smile, and the disdain in his eyes almost overflowed. "There are many rules in our family. You have to familiarize yourself with them as soon as possible."
Dai Shiya stood at the entrance of the spiral staircase, feeling that everything in front of her was strange and scary. The magnificent crystal chandelier, the mirror-like marble floor, and the middle-aged man in a well-dressed suit who was hostile to her were all reminding her of a fact - she had traveled through time and space, into a melodramatic novel about a wealthy family.
In the novel, the original owner of the same name and surname as her was a victim of a wealthy marriage. Because of her infatuation with the male protagonist, she acted like a spoiled child and was eventually deserted by everyone. And she became this "evil female supporting role".
"Really?" Dai Shiya suppressed the uneasiness in her heart and forced a smile on her face, "Maybe I haven't recovered yet. This place is too big and I'm a little confused."
As she spoke, she glanced around seemingly casually, and finally set her eyes on Butler Liu, and asked tentatively: "I remember my room... It's at the end of the corridor, the one that overlooks the garden, right?"
Butler Liu's face froze slightly, and a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it, "Miss Dai, you are joking. The room at the end of the corridor is reserved for the young master's guests. You can stay in it..."
"Really? But I clearly remember..." Dai Shiya deliberately prolonged her voice with a bewildered expression on her face, like a little white rabbit that had strayed into a wolf pack, innocent and pitiful.
Housekeeper Liu looked at her like this and sneered in his heart, but his face was more amiable: "Miss Dai, you are new here and don't understand many things. It's right to listen to me. Come, I'll take you to the guest room."
Dai Shiya did not refute, and followed Butler Liu obediently to the second floor. However, a gleam of light flashed in her clear eyes.
She was betting that this housekeeper Liu would not dare to do anything to her. After all, she was the future mistress of the Dai family, and even if she was not favored, no one dared to treat her badly in public.
The corridor on the second floor was covered with soft carpets. There were many rooms on both sides, and every door was closed. It was silent and cold. Butler Liu stopped in front of a carved wooden door, took out the key and opened the door.
"This is it, Miss Dai." Butler Liu stepped aside and motioned her to go in, with a barely perceptible hint of pride in his tone.
Dai Shiya didn't move, just stood at the door, looking calmly around the room.
This was a room with very poor lighting, old furniture, and a faint musty smell in the air, which was incompatible with the luxury of the mansion. Obviously, this was not a guest room, but a servant's room.
"Butler Liu, are you sure..."
"Miss Dai, do you have any other instructions?" Butler Liu interrupted her, still with a hypocritical smile on his face, "If there is nothing else, I will go and get busy first."
After saying this, without waiting for Dai Shiya's reaction, he turned around and left in a hurry, his footsteps hurried as if there was a flood or a beast chasing him.
Dai Shiya looked at his departing back, a sneer appearing on the corner of her mouth.
Very good, since they want to play, she will play with them.
She took a deep breath, turned around and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. In the dim room, only a small window let in some light, barely illuminating the furnishings: an old wooden bed, a paint-chipped dressing table, and a rickety wardrobe, that was all.
Dai Shiya looked around, frowning slightly. There was no private bathroom in the room, and not even a set of clean sheets and bedding. She casually opened the closet, which was empty except for an old pajamas that had been washed so much that it was bleached.
"It seems that they really put a lot of effort into this." Dai Shiya sneered and turned to walk out of the room.
She walked along the corridor to the stairs and happened to meet Butler Liu who was walking towards her.
"Butler Liu, it seems that a lot of things are missing from my room." Dai Shiya said straight to the point, her tone calm and no emotion could be heard.
When Butler Liu heard this, a trace of contempt flashed in his eyes, but his face was full of smiles: "Miss Dai, just tell me what you need, I will have someone prepare it right away."
"Then I'll trouble Butler Liu." Dai Shiya didn't expose his hypocrisy and said lightly, "I need a new set of sheets and bedding, toiletries, and..." She paused and deliberately emphasized her tone, "Some daily clothes to change."
Butler Liu's smile froze slightly, obviously he didn't expect Dai Shiya to make such a request. He coughed dryly and said, "Well... Miss Dai, hasn't your luggage been delivered?"
"Luggage?" Dai Shiya blinked in confusion, "I didn't bring any luggage with me."
"This..." Butler Liu was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to answer.
Dai Shiya did not urge him, but just looked at him quietly, with a smile on her lips.
After a stalemate, Butler Liu finally gave in. He sighed and said, "Okay, Miss Dai, I'll have someone prepare these things for you now."
"Thank you very much, Butler Liu." Dai Shiya smiled slightly and turned back to her room.
Butler Liu looked at her from behind, a hint of viciousness flashed in his eyes. He picked up his phone, dialed a number, whispered a few words, and then hung up.
Not long after, someone delivered what Dai Shiya needed. However, when she opened the box containing "daily change of clothes", she found that it actually contained the black and white uniforms that the servants wore!
"Butler Liu, is this what you call 'daily change of clothes'?" Dai Shiya picked up a uniform and spoke in a cold tone.
Butler Liu explained with a wry smile: "Miss Dai, you just arrived and are not familiar with many things. These clothes will make it easier for you to do your work."
"Do something? What do?" Dai Shiya raised her eyebrows.
"Of course..." Butler Liu paused, his eyes flickering, "Of course I will help you get familiar with the environment, such as cleaning, trimming flowers and plants, etc."
"Butler Liu, you're joking. I'm new here and unfamiliar with everything here. How can I be competent for these jobs?" Dai Shiya still maintained a decent smile, but her tone revealed a hint of unquestionable firmness.
Butler Liu wanted to say something else, but Dai Shiya interrupted him directly, "I'm a little tired and want to rest first. If Butler Liu has nothing else to do, please go ahead."
Butler Liu was frustrated and his face turned pale and blue, but he couldn't find an excuse to embarrass her anymore, so he had to leave angrily.
After sending housekeeper Liu away, the smile on Dai Shiya's face gradually disappeared. She looked around the simple room, feeling mixed emotions. She knew that this was just the beginning. In the days to come, more and more difficult challenges would be waiting for her.
As expected, the news of Liu's troubles with Dai Shiya soon spread throughout the house. The servants, who were already prejudiced against her status, gave her a cold shoulder, both overtly and covertly.
When walking in the garden, Dai Shiya would "accidentally" hear the gardeners talking about her background behind her back, their words full of disdain and ridicule. When dining in the restaurant, the servants would deliberately spill soup on her, then pretend to be innocent and apologize perfunctorily.
What's worse, they would even deliberately make her room a mess and hide her things so that she couldn't find them when she needed them.
Dai Shiya saw all this, but remained calm. She knew that now was not the time to break up with these people. She needed time, opportunities, and someone who could help her.
As night fell, Dai Shiya stood in front of the window, looking at the brightly lit city in the distance, with a lot of thoughts in her mind.
She knew that she couldn't just sit there and wait for death. If she wanted to gain a foothold in this ruthless and ruthless wealthy family, she had to take the initiative to break the current deadlock.
The next morning, Dai Shiya started to take action. She did not sleep until she woke up naturally as usual, but got up early and did morning exercises in the garden. After the exercise, she did not go back to the room directly, but went to the kitchen instead.
In the kitchen, the servants were busy preparing breakfast. When they saw Dai Shiya come in, they were all stunned.
"Miss Dai, why are you here?" asked an older servant with a hint of surprise in her tone.
"I'm here to see if I can help you." Dai Shiya said with a smile, "I just arrived and I'm not familiar with everything here. This is a good opportunity for me to learn from you all."
The servants looked at each other, doubting their own ears. Wasn't this young lady always a woman who didn't do housework? Why did she suddenly change her ways today?
"This..." The older servant hesitated, not knowing how to answer.
"Don't bother with her, she's just pretending." A young servant muttered in a low voice, his tone full of disdain.
Dai Shiya pretended not to hear, walked straight to the sink, picked up a rag, and began to wipe it carefully.
"No need, Miss Dai, we can do the rough work." The older servant hurried forward to stop her.
"It's okay, I'm not tired." Dai Shi Wang said with a smile, "It's a good time to stretch my muscles."
Seeing that she insisted, the servants had nothing to say and just let her go.
While working, Dai Shiya quietly observed the surrounding environment and the servants' words and actions. She found that the atmosphere in the kitchen was a little subtle, and there seemed to be a certain hierarchy between the servants.
The older servant was probably the one in charge of the kitchen, and everyone else treated her with respect. The younger servant, on the other hand, was clearly not well-received and was often ordered around by everyone else.
Dai Shiya kept all of this in mind. She knew that this information was crucial to her future survival in this family.
"Auntie Wang, is breakfast ready?" Butler Liu walked into the kitchen and saw Dai Shiya there. He couldn't help but frowned, "Why are you here?"
"I'll help." Dai Shiya said lightly.
"Help?" Butler Liu sneered, "You can do this?"
"If you don't know how to do it, you can learn." Dai Shiya said calmly, "It's better than doing nothing."
Butler Liu wanted to say something, but was shocked by the determination in Dai Shiya's eyes. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing and turned to leave the kitchen.
Watching the mosquitoes leaving Butler Liu, Dai Shiya's mouth curled up into a barely perceptible smile. She knew that she had taken the first step.
In the following days, Dai Shiya would get up early every day to help in the kitchen, starting with the simplest tasks of picking and washing vegetables, learning little by little. She was smart and eager to learn, and soon mastered some basic housework skills.
However, her change did not win everyone's approval, especially the young servant, who still treated her badly.
"Do you think you can please the master and the mistress by doing this?" She said sarcastically while sweeping the floor, "I tell you, you are dreaming!"
Dai Shiya ignored her provocation and said calmly: "I just want to do something within my ability."
"Hypocrisy!" The young servant snorted and walked away with the broom.
Dai Shiya knew that if she wanted to gain a foothold in this family, it was not enough to rely on hard work alone. She needed a stronger force. And the upcoming family dinner was a perfect opportunity. She secretly made up her mind to make good use of this opportunity to make her position in this family more stable.
The day before the dinner, Dai Shiya got up early and started to prepare for the dinner. She personally selected the dress, put on makeup and dressed up, striving to appear in front of everyone in the most perfect manner.
"Do you think that you can change anything by dressing up beautifully?" The young servant Wang Ma looked at Dai Shiya who was carefully dressed in front of the mirror and said in a mocking tone, "I tell you, you are just a..."
Before she could finish her words, she was stopped by Dai Shiya's sharp eyes.