Under Anna's supervision, Sophie's duties were quite light, consisting of simple tasks like peeling potatoes and sorting vegetable leaves. She led a pleasant life.
"Sophie!" Anna called her, "Take Viscount's breakfast to the dining room. Martha will come to pick it up later." Martha was Nathan Baron's personal maid.
"Okay," Sophie prepared the tray and placed it on the table.
Martha hurried in and accidentally bumped into the doorframe, falling down.
Sophie had just turned around and heard a thud. She quickly ran over, "Are you alright?"
Anna also rushed out from the kitchen, "What happened?"
Sophie helped Martha, whose face was distorted in pain, to sit on a chair, "Martha fell down."
Anna wiped her hands and knelt down to inspect, "Oh no! Your ankle is swelling! Sophie! Quickly, get me the medicine!"
Sophie handed Anna her ancestral herbal salve.
"How did this happen?" Anna asked Martha while applying the salve.
Martha winced in pain, "Ouch! I was afraid I'd be late, so I ran and fell."
"Really!" Anna couldn't help but nag, "You were delayed because you went to the stable to flirt with him, right?"
Martha nodded, "Sorry!" She worriedly asked, "What about the breakfast?"
Anna stopped Martha from standing up, "Your ankle is swollen; you need to rest for a few days."
"But—Viscount will wake up soon!" Martha was almost in tears.
"This—" Anna was also troubled, "I'm making a thick soup… Everyone's busy. Who should we send it to temporarily?"
Sophie bent halfway, pointing to her nose, "Me! I'm fine."
Anna and Martha looked at her strangely. Martha hesitated and said, "No, what if you knock over the tray again—"
Although this Eastern girl was cute and easy to get along with, her ability to cause trouble was truly astonishing. Within just a few days, all the servants in the castle knew that she either knocked over this or broke that all day long. Fortunately, no valuable displays were harmed, probably because no one dared to let her clean them! Anna couldn't bear to blame her, so she tried to assign her unimportant tasks.
Sophie patted her chest, "I won't! I'll be careful! Viscount's breakfast can't be knocked over, I know!"
Anna and Martha exchanged glances, wondering if the soup and pastries from the previous few days were "knockable over"?
Sophie giggled and scratched her head embarrassedly, "I was just distracted those first few days! So…" The castle was full of novelties, after all. Since she could only stay for a month, she naturally wanted to see as much as possible!
She raised her hand and pledged, "I'll keep a close eye on the tray, and I won't spill a single drop of coffee. I promise!"
Martha looked at Anna hesitantly. Anna finally decided, "Alright! Just be careful."
"Yeah!" Sophie cheered.
Anna shook her head, both annoyed and amused, "Don't think serving Viscount is an easy job. If you anger Viscount, even I can't protect you."
Sophie waved her hand carelessly, "I know! I'll be careful." She carefully picked up the tray, "Let's go!"
Martha looked at Sophie's back with concern, "Will she be okay?"
Anna pointed at her ankle impatiently, "What else can we do? Can you?"
Martha lowered her head embarrassedly, "Sorry…"
Anna stood up, "Just sit and rest! I need to go check on my thick soup."
Sophie carried the tray and carefully climbed up to the second floor, not daring to glance around. She turned the key to Viscount's room and gently placed the tray.
She put the breakfast and coffee on the table. Everything was ready. Sophie proudly stepped back and looked at her accomplishment. Hmm! Finally done! Look! Even the coffee didn't spill a single drop!
At this moment, she noticed that the room was quite dark. A faint human shape was visible on the luxurious brass bed. Was it the famous Viscount? Sophie curiously walked over and gasped, "Wow! He's so handsome!"
His unruly black hair scattered on the velvet pillow, his straight nose, and deep eye sockets were set in a perfectly sculpted face like an artist's masterpiece. Even with his eyes closed… he was incredibly handsome!
Sophie secretly gazed at him. So Viscount was so young? She thought the core figure leading the entire Tino family should be at least a middle-aged person! He looked like he was barely thirty!
Hey! Since he was Sino-French, his hair was black. What about his skin? Was it white or yellowish? Sophie was extremely curious!
Unfortunately, the indoor lighting was dim, and she couldn't see clearly at all.
It was hard to get such a close look at Viscount. She wouldn't be satisfied without an answer!
Sophie quietly and tiptoed to the window, suddenly pulling open the heavy curtains, letting the bright light fill the room—
"What are you doing?" The person on the bed suddenly sat up and roared.
It was white! Sophie was delighted to get the answer, but the next moment, she realized she had caused a big trouble because a pair of unfriendly amber eyes were staring at her… Ouch!
Nathan was awakened by the sudden light. As soon as he sat up, what greeted his eyes was a backlit—Eastern girl?
He squinted at the strange scene in front of him. How could there be an Eastern girl in his room? Sunlight created a halo behind her, resembling an angelic figure, except she had no wings.
"Who are you?" Nathan roared. He always had a bad temper when woken up before he naturally woke up. Usually, no one dared to approach him at this time.
He was so scary! Sophie was frightened and twisted her hands helplessly.
"Who the hell are you?" Nathan roared again, "Whether you understand French or not, you must answer me!"
Boo-hoo—she had once again verified that good-looking people usually had bad tempers…
Seeing him about to roar again, Sophie quickly answered with ears pricked up, "I brought you breakfast!"
Nathan turned his head and saw the breakfast on the table. At this time, the butler also heard the noise and hurried in.
"Viscount," Aaron said respectfully. Aaron was Anna's husband. After glancing at the shivering Sophie, he had an idea.
"Martha just twisted her ankle. She's the new maid in the kitchen. If she offends Viscount out of ignorance, please forgive her," he explained while bowing.
Nathan pursed his lips and remained silent.
"Viscount—" Aaron was somewhat embarrassed. He knew about the maid's situation. It would be trouble if she angered Viscount!
Nathan stood up and glanced at Sophie, who was standing beside him with her hands uncertain.
He was a tyrant—when woken up—anyone who dared to wake him up shouldn't be allowed to stay in his manor. However, she was staring wide-eyed, looking helpless and lost like a rabbit that had wandered into the jungle, which made him feel a slight reluctance.
Aaron and Sophie both held their breath, waiting for his judgment. Here, he was the king.
Nathan walked towards the bed to put on his morning robe and calmly tied the belt, "It's okay."
Sophie looked at him, as handsome as a god, and couldn't believe that the furious him from just now was now saying it was okay!
Aaron was relieved and urged Sophie, "Hurry up and thank Viscount!"
"Thank you, Viscount."
She imagined him before her, every inch of him alive with strength and warmth. His broad shoulders, sculpted from years of movement and effort, seemed to carry the weight of the world in a way that made her want to lean into him, feel the safety in his embrace. His chest, rising and falling with each breath, was an invitation—muscles taut beneath the skin, a steady rhythm of life that mirrored her own pulse. Her eyes traced the defined lines of his body, the smoothness of his skin, the way his muscles flexed and rippled beneath the surface, as though every movement was a secret she was desperate to understand. She wondered how it would feel to run her hands along his chest, to feel the heat radiate from him, to press her palms against the hard warmth of his abdomen.
Nathan nodded casually and asked Aaron, "Is Martha injured?"
"Yes! The doctor said she probably can't walk for a few days," Aaron replied. "I thought of assigning someone else to serve you."
Nathan's eyes caught Sophie trying to sneak away. He furrowed his brow and pointed with his slender fingers, "Her."
What? Both Aaron and Sophie were stunned.
Aaron was the first to react, "But, Viscount, Sophie has only been here for a few days and is still unfamiliar with the rules..."
Sophie nodded vigorously beside him. Joking aside, this grumpy lion-like man when he first woke up was terrifying enough to encounter once; she didn't want to be scolded by him every day! Sophie completely forgot that she was the one who had woken the sleeping lion.
"In this castle, my word is final," Nathan said impatiently.
Aaron shrugged, indicating that there was nothing he could do. Sophie sniffled, the sunshine outside was so bright, yet her world was clouded over—
"Did you really just pull the curtains open with a swoosh?" Martha asked incredulously.
Sophie weakly nodded.
Her mind wandered lower, imagining the strength in his legs, how they carried him with a quiet power. She could almost hear the soft exhale of air, the subtle shift of his body as he moved toward her. She fantasized about the weight of his body pressing against hers, the way his hands would hold her, the way his mouth would trace the curve of her neck. The thought of him, so close, so real, yet so distant, was both a torment and a promise. She closed her eyes, her breath quickening as the image of him took shape in her mind—so real, so tantalizing, that she could almost feel the heat of his skin beneath her fingertips.
"And let the dazzling sunlight wake up the Viscount?" Martha's voice rose.
Sophie lazily glanced at Martha.
"And the Viscount is still willing to let you serve him and hasn't thrown you out of the manor?" Martha exclaimed excitedly.
Sophie slumped over the table, "I don't know if being thrown out of the manor would be happier..."
Martha patted her on the shoulder, "You have nowhere to go now, so it's better to stay!" She thought for a moment, "Don't your Chinese people have a saying that 'it's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death'?" When Lady Ye was still around, diplomatic envoys stationed in China often came to the manor for banquets, so the servants could speak some simple Chinese.
Sophie waved her hand casually, "That saying is used to describe matters of life and death. My situation isn't that serious!"
Anna came in with a plate of cookies and picked up on her words, "So what are you upset about?"
"Ugh!" Sophie sat up and said, "I'm just afraid of being scolded again!"
"You!" Anna was both angry and sympathetic, "You act without thinking and are so reckless. I don't know how your parents can be at ease letting you come to such a faraway place alone!"
Sophie stuck out her tongue, "I have my clever moments too!"
"Oh? How come I've never had the honor of seeing you be clever?" Martha teased her.
"Hey!" Sophie got embarrassed and angry, crossed her arms, "I'm not talking to you anymore!"
Martha and Anna burst into laughter, and Sophie started laughing too.
"Since I have to serve the tyrant, quickly tell me some things about the Viscount!"
Anna began, "The Viscount's full name is Nathan Tino. He is the only son of the old Viscount and Lady Ye, the head of the Tino family, and the president of Tino Winery. Everyone in the manor calls him Viscount, and people in the company call him Mr. Tino."
Wow! Being a president is big! For Sophie, who lived in Taiwan, the term "president" was a newly popular term in recent years.
"What about the old Viscount and Lady Ye?" Sophie was curious, "Don't they live in the manor?"
"They passed away in a private plane crash a few years ago," Anna said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry," Sophie said. She could see that although Aaron and Anna were servants of the manor, they had deep feelings for the Tino family.
Anna patted her hand, "It's okay, it's all in the past."
"Is the Viscount not married yet?" Sophie asked again, "How old is he? I can't tell his exact age."
"Twenty-seven," Anna replied. "The Viscount is not married, but everyone believes he will marry Miss Victoria from the Jake family, his distant cousin."
Wow! Sophie nodded, "It sounds like a political marriage." Big families still have their feudal aspects.
"Since the 17th century, the Tino family, especially the heads who inherit the title, usually marry princesses or nobles from neighboring countries, which is why the Tino family has survived several internal and external wars," Anna explained.
"Miss Victoria is coming to the manor for a vacation next month!" Martha lowered her voice, "She's not easy to serve!"
"What? Is there someone even more troublesome than the Viscount?"
"The Viscount is actually a nice person, he only gets furious when he's woken up, believe it or not. He's the hottest bachelor in the French social circle!" Martha had a dreamy expression, "Oh, he's so handsome and gentle..."
Sophie playfully punched her, "Hey! I'm going to tell Thor." Everyone knew that Martha and Thor were hot and heavy.
Martha protested immediately, "It's okay to admire, and I also know that the Viscount would never like a maid!"
Thinking about the morning's scene, Sophie was still worried, "I really don't want to serve that tyrant! Anna, can you ask Aaron to assign someone else?"
"Technically speaking, Aaron can make the decision, but since you were personally chosen by the Viscount, it's really inconvenient to change..." Anna said hesitantly.
Seeing Sophie so troubled, Martha comforted her, "Oh, don't worry too much! The Viscount is very busy with work and won't often come back to the manor. Besides, I'll only need a few days to rest. Maybe you won't even encounter the Viscount at all!"
"Okay! I'll be careful about everything. Maybe I really won't encounter him!" She prayed hard.
Obviously, her gods weren't convenient to travel across the ocean and intervene in this Catholic country to save her.
At night, Sophie was just about to fall asleep—the personal maid had to sleep in the small room next to the Viscount's room to be ready to respond to summons—when she heard the bell in her room ring.
Sophie quickly jumped out of bed and rushed to the neighboring room.
Nathan frowned at her.
She suddenly remembered that Aaron had told her to knock, so she turned to leave.
Nathan was puzzled by her strange behavior. His little maid actually closed the door and then knocked on it with great ceremony.
He suppressed his laughter and said flatly, "Come in."
Sophie entered, bowed, and asked, "What are your orders, Viscount?"
"I'm hungry."
What? What does my hunger have to do with you?
Although she didn't say it outright, her expression clearly showed what she was thinking.
Nathan stated the fact calmly, "You're the maid."
"Oh!" Right on target! Sophie asked respectfully, "What would you like to eat?" Nothing too difficult! Anna was already asleep, and she could only peel potatoes, which couldn't be eaten raw!
Nathan saw through her thoughts again and felt an itch in his throat, wanting to laugh. He had never seen someone who couldn't hide their thoughts so well! "Anything," he suspected that her bright eyes were because she wanted to just pour him a glass of water to get rid of him!
He emphasized, "Something filling."
Sophie's eyes darkened instantly. Oh! She thought she could just pour a glass of water and be done with it... She sighed, "Yes, Viscount," and turned to leave.
What should she get him to eat? Oh well! If she hadn't been greedy in the afternoon and eaten all the cookies Anna made, it would have been better.
"Wait!"
Sophie lazily turned around, "Does the Viscount have any other orders?" Don't order more food! I can't cook! Nathan felt an even stronger itch in his throat, cleared his throat, and said, "Are you over eighteen? I can't illegally employ child labor."
"Yes!" Sophie proudly puffed out her chest, "I'm almost twenty!"
This little maid has some curves! Nathan's gaze casually glanced over her chest and nodded, "I see." He pointed at her feet, "And next time, remember to wear shoes when you leave your room."
Sophie followed his gaze down and saw her bare feet standing "boldly" on the carpet. She blushed intensely, "Yes, Viscount!" and then rushed out as if there were a wild animal chasing her.
As soon as the door closed, Nathan couldn't help but burst into laughter...
Sophie, who had fled back to her room, felt utterly ashamed.
What an annoying Viscount! He wants to eat late-night snacks in the middle of the night and even pointed out that she wasn't wearing shoes! He didn't even think that if he hadn't rung the bell suddenly, she would have been so flustered that she forgot to put on her shoes!
He was still laughing at her! What a gentleman! Despite her anger, Sophie still did not forget her mission.
What nerve-racking! What should I get him to eat? It was so late, she was so embarrassed to wake Anna and Martha...
What should I do? These masters really don't know how to show compassion for servants!
Sophie's eyes caught sight of the suitcase that Anna helped her find. She had an idea!
She squatted down and rummaged through it carefully and found a bowl of instant noodles.
That's it! If the great viscount refused, there was nothing she could do about it. Who told him to come back at the last minute and not go outside to fill his stomach first? It was simply tormenting!
She found a beautiful bone china soup bowl, carefully added an egg, and finally supplemented it with some green vegetables. Hmm! It is full of color, aroma, and fragrance!
When Sophie took the noodles back to Nathan's room, he was a little surprised."So fast?" He still thought she was not good at cooking.
Sophie put the dough on the table."Please enjoy viscount."
Nathan sat down."What is this?" Because his mother is China, he has eaten China food, but he has never seen such a thing that curls like a worm.
"Oh! That's an egg. I don't know what you like. Basically, I like to eat it rare, so I cooked it very tender-"
"Stop!" Nathan stopped her chatter."I said what is this?"
Under his gaze, Sophie felt her scalp start to go numb. She chuckled,"Oh, are you asking about this bowl of noodles?"
He nodded. Face? He knew that this was the staple food of northern China. "This bowl of noodles is different from what I have eaten before." He added: "It's not the same as Japanese men." It means warning her; he is not completely ignorant, don't fool him casually!
Sophie smiled brightly first and then said,"Li! This is pasta made by TWAN's most famous company. It combines high-tech inventions to ensure absolute compliance with international standards from the beginning of material selection to the completion of manufacturing." She added: "This flavor of roasted beef with onions is my favorite." She knew that he could eat spicy food and eat beef. Then this taste should pass!
Nathan frowned. This doesn't sound like food, less popular than the wine-making process.
Sophie thought he didn't believe in her craftsmanship, so she quickly clarified: "I haven't encountered anything other than eggs and green vegetables, so I make sure it's hygienic and delicious!" But it doesn't have to be nutritious, she added secretly.
Seeing that the instant noodles were about to burn, but he was still unmoved, Sophie squatted at the table without thinking, carefully picked up a spoonful of noodles and delivered it to his mouth.
"Please try it. It's really delicious." This was something she secretly used to relieve her nostalgia. Since she has selflessly dedicated it, don't waste it!
Looking at her eager face and smelling the aroma of the food, Nathan opened his mouth and ate the noodles she had fed him. Hmm! It's really delicious.
Seeing that he ate the soup, Sophie scooped out another mouthful of soup, blew it to cool it without thinking, and then delivered it to his mouth. Naturally, it was like helping feed her little nephew. "This soup is also very delicious!"
Nathan had no experience of being fed since he became sensible. This little Oriental maid is very interesting. At such a close distance, he was surprised to find that her skin was so delicate that he couldn't even see the capillaries. He always thought that only a naturally beautiful mother could have a unique and meticulous face, but he did not expect that she would also have a meticulous and perfect face. Her face was so small, as if it was not as big as his palm.
She squatted between his legs, concentrating on pinching noodles and scooping soup, as if doing a sacred job.
She's good for taking care of people, he thought.
Unconsciously, the bottom of the bowl of noodles was exhausted. After feeding the last mouthful, Sophie realized that they were so close! It was so close that she could even smell the faint scent of cologne on him. You can also see his thick and long curled eyelashes and his bewitching brandy eyes... She seems to be getting drunk!
Nathan opened the spell."I'm done."
Ga? Sophie blinked, and her reason quickly returned to her mind. She remembered her inappropriate action just now. She suddenly stood up, lowered her head and quickly packed the dishes, walked to the door,"Viscount Good night."
Nathan was confused by this weird maid who was suddenly not afraid of him, but then afraid of him like a snake.
"Good night, thank you for your face."
"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it." Sophie said, holding the doorknob with her backhand. She felt her heartbeat was beating so fast. She suspected that if she didn't leave here, she would die suddenly due to her rapid heartbeat!
"Can you tell me what this is?"
Sophie turned her back to her and stammered,"Instant noodles." After saying that, he ran out like flying.
Nathan was stunned in disbelief. Instant noodles? What she asked him to eat was the simplest instant noodles for civilians?!
Hahaha! This woman!